The other day the directors of our center treated us to lunch, pounded yam with lizard stew. We didn’t have to go far to find the lizard since one of the boys who does maintenance at the center killed it with a sling shot in the yard.
To be precise, we are a Monitor lizard, a massive reptile with a strong tail and really polka-dotted skin.]According to the Wikipedia page, people in Malaysia and India eat monitor lizard because they believe it is an aphrodisiac…. Well wasn’t exactly aroused I stood over the pot, spooning out ladles of pepper stew and big chunks of lizard. I am an adventurous eater though, so I took the lizard head on. First I slid the skin off (set that aside for later), then deboned the thing, then pulled off the pieces of meat. It actually tasted like chicken. It was tender like chicken and didn’t have any sort of reptile-y taste. Overall it was a good experience, and now I can say I’ve tasted lizard.Lizard for lunch
March 3, 2011 by Cara Titilayo Harshman
Posted in Food | 29 Comments
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We do not eat lizard in Nigeria, what we eat is called {ahon} in yoruba. In English is called alligator
We do not eat lizard in Nigeria, what we eat is called {ahon} In English is called alligator
Sorry Titi!
Firstly, I have no idea how I stumbled across your videos again. But who cares!
What is important is that I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS. I can believe I spent hours reading your blog posts.
I was born inside the university of Ibadan. Been in the states more than 30 years now.
Thanks for all the memories titi.
About eating lizard…
I don’t even know what to say. I think it is insane. I won’t touch it dead or alive.
Are you kidding me? Not even snake.
You and those other Nigerians eating that thing are ?? .
Are you kidding me?
I mistakenly ate a well grilled crocodile back home. I had no idea what it was at first. I looked good. It was at a friends house.
Well smoked. Lovely.
So I took one. I enjoyed it but when they told me it was crocodile, I almost threw up!
Mind?
May be.
I regret it till this day.
Love your blog big time
Hi Titilayo well done for being adventorous, i am a nigerian and i just wanted to Know if ur nigerian aswell.
When I lived in Ghana, my Nigerian roommate brought back a smoked lizard when she went home to visit. It was bent backwards, in a circle, with its tail through its skull. She said they are a delicacy because they are dangerous to hunt because the tail is poisonous. It tasted like bacon! Does anyone know what it is called? (in English or Twi, please! I can’t speak Yoruba.)
I see there are a lot of lagosians on this post because Nigerians yep do eat Lizards and snakes in some parts not as a regular but as a delicacy, similar to the bush meat which i myself have savored in the past. Had a chance to try snake in Ibadan in my wide eyed pre-teen years (5 yrs old i think it a blur) but parents would not let me partake of the neighbors invitation to dine on the big snake that was captured (may have been a Boa or Python, once again it a blur) but to cut the story short yep Nigerians eat quite a variety of strange and exotic things but as a rare delicacy when the mood strikes them đŸ™‚
However if its a delicacy that is easy to come by it may become a more staple meal as we all know Ko easy ni naija.
I wonder when last most of those that replied visited Naija last LOL
Cheers
When you have a chance try ‘eran igbe’- bush meat. It is one of the delicacies eaten by the Ijebu people. Try it with pounded yam and egusi/efo. Walai iwo gan wa mo pe o ounje to dun gan ni. They have some local restaurants opposite the Bodija market if you want to try some. I am an Ibadanite myself. Enjoy Ibadan and the greatest university in Nigeria- my beloved UI.
Yorubas do not eat Agama lizard called Alangba, but they eat Anta popularly called small alligator (or monitor lizard as you called it). From the picture what you’ve eaten is not the popular Lizard (Alangba) but Anta and is mush bigger. Anta is part of the bush-meat delicacy that Yorubas eat, just like the big snakes and big bush rats. Hope this clarifies issues.
Things must be pretty bad in Nigeria if pple are now eating lizards. I’m Nigerian and lived there for 20 years… I didn’t come across any tribe feasting on lizards, agama or monitor!
LOL! I don’t think people are eating lizards out of desperation-I think they enjoy them. The thing was tasty! Try it next time you are here.
eeeew
titi lie lie lizard ke?
God forbid
you should totally be on twitter, we have a huge naija rep ther, id love to follow u
I seriously doubt that Lizards are eaten as a matter of course, outside of the time of the awful civil war (back in the 60’s). I have only one question. Did the writer actually see anyone else eating from the same pot? Or were they all too busy rolling about laughing? You’ve been pranked!! Badly, too. I feel for you. Tasted like chicken? Yeah, sure.
Ayo,
Honestly, this is my first time hearing about Yorubas eating liards too but tell me, is it what that call ‘eran igbe’ as in bush meat?
As an Ijebu myself I will tell you now that Ijebus do eat reptiles. I am very sure of snakes but I don’t know which one exactly.
I remember when I was very young (I think in primary school), my uncle asked me to come eat a piece of meat and knowing fully well i was so picky with food he tricked me and i had a small bite. He then told me it was snake meat. Imaging my horror. I screamed and must have brushed my mouth for more than 20 times. I put the toothbrush down my throat so I could vomit. You never know, you might have tasted or eaten it without knowing. đŸ™‚
no lizard for me o! chai!
Common lizard (alangba) is different from awon (monitor) and it’s as comparing chicken (edie) with vulture (igunungun). Shark and cod being family of fish;
Anyway, OJUBO IKUN (Stomach Shrine) Building in Osogbo, Osun State is FOR SALE. It’s an Investors’ GOLD MINE, close to the state scretariat, House of Assy, Many Banks and the CBN. It is on the major road linking Osogbo (the state capital) with other states and other cities in the South West. It is also resident to affluents. Enquiry phone; +234 (0)803 718 2289
Hi Titi,
…er….. since when did Yorubas start eating Lizards??!! damn! I don’t know anything sha! well, am kuku sure that in ijebu, we don’t indulge in reptilia (hopefully đŸ™‚ )
Mo gbadun gbogbo ise ti o n se. iyi ti o da ni Olorun ma se fun re. kaa re o.
Nice1.
Hi there. Someone posted your video on facebook and now i’m pretty hooked. Keep up the good work, and your yoruba is definitely better than most of us anyway, though the intonation is always the hardest to get. Now to the case of the lizard stew. I’m a yoruba guy, but you’ll never catch me dead eating a lizard. I think that’s brave of you and its really an eye-opener how things have changed since I left the country a decade ago.
Your blog is now bookmarked!
haha, why am I not surprised in the least??? miss you tons! I’ll write you as soon as I’m back from spring break! love you xoxoxo
nice looking. I’m no novice in d reptile family. Eaten python, crocodile, alligator and coming down to try a lizard won’t b a bad idea.
It a very sweet meat,90% of africa eat monitoring lizard.I wish i can get a plate of it,eran gbe ni jooo!.we .’ve met b4,so nothing i can not eat
Oh no! Titi, i lived in nigeria for the first 19yrs of my life, i never knew people ate lizards….how did u come across this?????
haha! you should try it sometime. Monitor lizards po kaakiri UI paapaa. Ko soro lati ri.
I second that. I’ve eaten so many animals that people I tell, tells me am crazy for eating them.
You should definately try it Ola, u’l be amazed what you’ve been missing
Hi Titilayo,
Eating a lizard is quite an adventure. I imagine you know but lizard isn’t quite on the Yoruba menu list. Anyway, good thing you are that adventurous.
Besides that, I just wanted to show my support and wish you well. It’s impressive that you have embraced Nigeria despite the challenges you faced and the very bad press Nigeria suffers (sometimes quite deservedly). I’m sure I could offer no more support than what you are getting from the good people of UI and Ibadan.
Take care.
Yummy!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Iyama
Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
Jesus Christ have mercy… why you dey chop agama? Even Naija people no dey chop am… may God guide you but my friend chill with the adventure eating. Take it from a man who’s eaten a snake before
Yummmm