Founder and managing director of Space in Africa, Temidayo Oniosun, has revealed why melon seeds, popularly known as ‘egusi’ among Yoruba-speaking people in Nigeria, was sent to space as part of a global research mission on adaptability.

In a post on Thursday, Oniosun said the mission will study how egusi behaves in microgravity and what role it can play in the future of food for space exploration.

Naijaonpoint reports that on Friday evening in local time (11:43 AM EDT), the rocket carrying the Oyo state-sourced egusi seeds launched into space as part of a multinational agricultural payload aboard NASA’s Crew‑11 mission.

This is the first time seeds from Nigeria, and any agricultural crop from West Africa, will be sent into space.

Speaking in an interview with Channels Television, Oniosun said he chose egusi to represent Nigeria on the ISS because of its cultural significance.

He said: “I think personally, and, you know, this is a personal experience or personal story. I think that egusi is the most cultural dish in Nigeria.

“You know, everybody eats egusi. The Yorubas lay claim to egusi that it originated from them. Even the Igbos also, they do the same.

“They say, ‘Oh, you know, egusi is from Igbo land. So, a lot of people lay claim to its origin, and I don’t think there is a better dish that says, ‘See, I’m Nigerian,’ than egusi. Even people in the diaspora can connect to this.

“And it has also travelled way beyond Nigeria. If you go across West Africa, you know, people are eating egusi.”

Egusi can be soaked, fermented, and sautéed as a protein-rich meat alternative or in widely consumed soups.