Nigerian staples to be handed out at Canuk gala dinner

BAGS of Nigerian staple foods are to be handed out at the Central Association of Nigerians in the UK's (Canuk) end-of-year gala dinner taking place next weekend as several sponsors have donated items that will be inserted into goody bags on the night.

Founded in 2005 to serve as the umbrella body of every Nigerian organisation in the UK, Canuk is set up to embrace all manners of associations, be they cultural, state-based, regional, student, sporting, alumni associations or professional bodies. This year, Canuk's gala dinner will take place at the Regency Banqueting Suite in north London and among the special guests who will attend on the night are the acting high commissioner to the UK Ambassador Cyprian Heen and the chair of the Nigeria Diaspora Commission, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa.

Also, the mayors of Southwark, Haringey and Barking & Dagenham have all confirmed that they will be in attendance. Among the sponsors Canuk has managed to attract are food companies Tropical Sun, Eniola Foods, Ades Supermarket, Kato Enterprises, Tilda Rice and USA Rice.

Kicking off with a red carpet reception at 5pm, the night will characterised by a three-course dinner, music, live entertainment, cultural displays, a raffle draw and plenty of dancing.  As a top-up on the night, guests  will also be treated to goody bags containing Nigerian staples, which they will be allowed to take home.

Canuk publicity secretary, Rose Graham, said: "As part of our programme on the night, we shall be handing out goody bags to all our guests. Tropical Sun has provided the bags along with a 2024 calendar, while Ades Supermarket will be adding plantain crisps to the bag, with Eniola Foods topping it up with packets of gari and pounded yam.

"Already, Kato Enterprises have offered to supply us with plenty of drinks, so I can guarantee all out guests that there will be a surplus of food and drinks on the night. As guests leave, they will also have t5he added luxury of taking goody bags home with them."

Toyin Solaru Balogun, Canuk's social secretary added: "This will be a very memorable night and we hope the memory lingers for a long time. Canuk has had a very busy year and we are hoping to end 2023 with a nice relaxing gala dinner where we treat all out member organisations."

Victor Aleva, the Canuk financial secretary urged everyone who wants to purchase tickets to do so by paying directly into the Canuk bank account. He added that they should do this pay making payments into the association's Lloyds Bank account with the sort code of 301553 and account number 00224400.