Cameroon-Nigeria Two Countries Connected by a Loaf of Bread

Revisiting the Past to Tell a Story on how Kumba Bread Got its Name

A Story from My Father about His Historical Narration on the Journey of Agege Bread from Nigeria to Cameroon

In the 1980s, Agege bread was transported from Nigeria to Cameroon by a merger between passenger transportation agencies collectively referred to as "Man No Rest." When a bus carrying Agege bread arrived at Ekok, a village in Cameroon that share boundaries with Nigeria, the Agege bread was transferred into another bus and was transported to Mamfe, Kumba, and to other cities in the Southwest Region of Cameroon where it is heavily consumed by the Southwesterners. Over the years, the demand for Agege bread became very high that the distributors decided to build an Agege bread bakery in Kumba. The purpose of the bakery was to fill the demand and supply market gap not only for their Cameroonian customers whom they had gained loyalty from but also to meet the needs of the increasing Nigerian immigrant community in which Agege bread is a staple food. Kumba became the first city to commercially produce and ubiquitously distribute Agege bread in the Southwest Region of Cameroon. In the markets, loyal customers identified Agege bread as Kumba bread because it was produced in Kumba. As time went by, the name "Kumba Bread" became the brand identity and product differentiation for the delicious bread. To date, Kumba bread continues to win the hearts of many Cameroonians as a food with a deep socio-cultural heritage.  

Roadside vendors selling Kumba bread.

From Nigeria to the World. How Agege Bread made its Way into the Global Market

History records that the first Agege bread was made by Alhaji Ayokunnu who built a bakery in a small town called Agege in Lagos, Nigeria. During that period, the Nigerian Railway Corporation opened a railway station in Agege. The railway station generated an increase in foot traffic that became an opportunity for Alhaji Ayokunnu’s Agege bread to get into many homes across Nigeria. Agege bread suddenly gained a share in the bakery market in Nigeria and occupied a permanent position in the hearts of many Nigerians.

As human migration increases across continents, recipes are also crossing international borders to make their way onto the global stage. One of them is the Agege bread recipe that has made its way from the small town of Agege, Nigeria into the global market. The United States of America (USA) is home to many generations of immigrants. Amongst these immigrant populations are Africans. The majority residing in Texas, Maryland, New York, California, Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, Washington DC … the increasing influx of African immigrants into the USA creates a high market demand for culturally appealing foods.

Agege Local Government, Ogba Town 2. Picture Credit: Adesua Faith of Signature56

My Visit to the Divine Agege Bread Bakery in Maryland, USA 

The Divine Agege Bread Bakery in Maryland is one of the leading producers and distributors of Agege bread in the USA. Individuals from the West African community in the Washington District Metropolitan Area are loyal customers to the Divine Agege Bread. Just like the story of the Nigerian Agege bread and the Cameroonian Kumba bread, individuals from other West African countries have similar stories that connect Agege bread to their food culture. For example, in Ghana, an equivalent of Agege bread is the Ghana Butter Bread. The soft, fluffy, sweet, and butter-flavored characteristics of the Divine Agege Bread give one's palate the home away from home experience that many have attributed as to why it's the most consumed bread in the West African community in the USA.

In September 2021, I was privileged to visit the Divine Agege Bread Bakery. It was an exciting moment for me (a consumer of Divine Agege Bread) to know that the bakery is a 15 minutes drive from my house. The experience was amazing! I felt like I was in an episode of the television show called "How it's Made". I observed how the bakery makes the bread and learned about the increased demand in other states within the USA. Apart from the sweet flavor, it is the affordable price that makes Agege bread a fast-selling item. This may be a contributing factor why there has been a trend in the demand and supply gap over the years in different parts of the world. Despite this, the Agege/Kumba/Butter Bread continues to secure a permanent place in the global market and the hearts of its customers from generation to generation.

Where You Can Purchase Divine Agege Bread in the Washington DC Metro Area

Afrik International Food Stores 

Landover Store Address : 6689 Old Landover Rd, Hyattsville, MD 20785

Bowie Store Address: 13623 Annapolis Rd, Bowie, MD 20720

Washington DC Farmers Market Store Address : 411 Morse St NE, Washington, DC 20002