Egusi na local seed from West Africa but e don finally make history as di first object from Nigeria to go Space.

Dr Temidayo Oniosun, Nigerian Space researcher and businessman, don lead correct research mission to send Egusi melon seeds to di International Space Station.

Dis seed na confam ingredient to cook one of Africa most delicious soup, Egusi soup, but now e don enta history say di seed first millions of pipo enta Space.

For dis exclusive interview wit BBC News Pidgin, di researcher tok say di aim na to chook eye inside Egusi to know as e go behave wen e reach Space.

Well, like play, like play now wey Egusi don first millions of pipo go Space, Dr Oniosun tok say e get serious back story wey lead to why im choose say na Egusi be di food wey im go carry enta Space.

E dey worthy of note say na from Oyo State, southwest Nigeria, na im dis researcher carry di Egusi seeds wey e package well for Nasa lab, bifor dem send am go outer Space, Florida, United States.

For 30 July 2025, Dr Temidayo Oniosun wey be di founder of Space in Africa in partnership wit oda agencies for outside Nigeria collabo to make dis historic trip wey don totori plenti Nigerians, and Space exploration lovers across di world.

Na one SpaceX Falcon 9 bin comot from Cape Canaveral wit di Egusi seeds from Oyo State to di International Space Station, afta dem don prepare and package am well for Nasa lab.

Dr Oniosun say im use Egusi becos na one of di good seeds wey show Nigerian culture, and na food wey even pipo for abroad dey chop.

How di Egusi take reach Space?

Plenti pipo don worry say how e take carry di Egusi go space, since say na astronaut dem sabi wey dey enta Space bifor.

Dr Oniosun say dem first prepare di Egusi for lab bifor dem package am for one capsule wey di astronaut wey dey go Space bin carry join bodi.

"How we take carry di Egusi be say, na for Oyo State I carry di Egusi from. I come carry am go Florida wey be wia Nasa dey. Dem get special lab wey dem dey prepare any agricultural products wey dey go space, so na for di lab we prepare evritin."

According to Dr Oniosun, e totori am say e make history as di first pesin wey do dis kain tin, wey make food wey dey indigenous to dis part of di world also go space.

Why di Egusi go Space and wetin next

"Di reason why I choose Egusi na becos say, I tink Egusi na di food wey evribodi for Nigeria dey chop, wey dey indigenous to Nigeria," dis na wetin Dr Oniosun tell BBC News Pidgin.

E say di idea to carry Egusi go Space bin come from research wey e find out say for recent times, na so so foreign foods dem dey carry go Space. And since wey humans dey live for outer Space, dem go gatz chop different kain of food.

"We dey expect say in few years, pipo go dey live for di moon, dem go dey live for mars, if pipo go live for all dis oda planets, dem go need chop, so dat for future, wen pipo dey live for mars, moon or oda planet, dem go fit get access to dis kain food.

Di researcher say plenti Nigerians don begin dey interested for Space travel now, and more research go continue.

Wetin be di next tin?

For August 2025, di Egusi bin make complete touchdown back to earth and according to Dr Oniosun, pipo dey wonder wetin be di next tin.

"Wetin be next tin for di Egusi be say we dey send some go University of Florida for America, di rest dey come Nigeria. We no know weda dat exposure don affect di gene wey be say if we come plant am, na anoda tin go grow."

According to di researcher, dem go try plant di Egusi for controlled environment to see if e go grow well or not.

And all dis na to know if di Egusi fit survive long space travel.

Meanwhile, Dr Oniosun don join hand wit African Union to develop di African Space Center wey go help di continent for area of technology and space travel.

E believe say Africa don improve wen e come to Science and Technology, but di continent need more funding wey go allow tech companies to grow well.