There’s a quiet joy that comes with discovering a dish you didn’t grow up eating, yet somehow feels familiar. That is the experience ‘Nyoma’, a lesser-known yam delicacy from Akuapim in Ghana’s Eastern Region, feels like. It is simple, comforting, and deeply thoughtful in its preparation.

That is how YouTuber TheRealDzifa felt when she first encountered Nyoma while travelling through the Akuapim, a place known not just for its hills but for food that respects patience and process. At first glance, Nyoma could easily be mistaken for mpotompoto. Look closer—and taste—and the difference becomes clear.

The cooking begins with fresh yams, peeled and gently cooked with tomatoes, onions, pepper, momone, kobi, and fish. Any fish works, really—local or imported—making it accessible even for those recreating it abroad. Once the vegetables soften, they’re blended into a rich base and returned to the pot. Seasoning and salt follow, then time does its work.

Read Also: Okro Stew: How to Prepare the Ghanaian Stew That Stretches, & Survives

Here’s where Nyoma earns its reputation. When the yam softens, part of it is removed and ground smoothly in an earthenware bowl, gradually mixed with its own broth and a touch of palm oil. The grinding continues until the texture is silky, almost custard-like. No chunks. No shortcuts.

Served with the light, flavourful broth, Nyoma is intentionally gentle—perfect for babies, elders, or anyone craving something warm that goes down easy. Unlike mpotompoto, this dish is about smoothness, care, and balance.

Renowned clinical psychologist and mental health advocate Dr. Nicole L. Cammack has described Ghana as “one of those portals for healing for Black people.”

Sharing a deeply personal and widely resonating reflection following her recent trip to the country with her daughter, she explained that her time in Ghana confirmed a sense of safety, cultural reconnection, and emotional restoration she had not fully experienced in other African nations.

“Ghana is one of those portals to healing,” she said in a heartfelt social media video. “That sense of safety, the people, the lessons learned, visiting places where our ancestors were — the dungeons — and then things like drumming, naming ceremonies, and connections… it’s just a portal to healing.”

She recounted powerful moments of affirmation from Africans across the continent: an Ethiopian pharmacist who hugged her and her daughter while administering vaccines, saying, “You’re going to love it. The Ghanaian people are special,”; her daughter’s pediatrician reacting with excitement, and numerous clients and friends who predicted the trip would be transformative.

“Even if they were from other countries in Africa, people were so excited about me visiting Ghana,” she noted.

Dr. Cammack, a licensed clinical psychologist, speaker, and CEO of Black Mental Wellness, Corp. and Healing Generations Psychological Services, holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The George Washington University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Center for School Mental Health.

Her clinical and research work focuses on mental health issues specific to Black communities, cultural stigma reduction, and systemic factors affecting Black wellness.

Her Ghana experience aligns with the enduring appeal of the country as a site of return and healing for the global African diaspora.

Initiatives such as the 2019 Year of Return and ongoing Beyond the Return campaign have drawn hundreds of thousands of visitors of African descent, many citing similar feelings of emotional reconnection at heritage sites like Cape Coast and Elmina Castles, as well as through cultural immersion in drumming, naming ceremonies, and community interactions.

Dr. Cammack invited others to share their experiences:

“If you’ve been to Ghana or other West African countries, did you feel that same sense of healing? Or did you have a completely different experience?”

Her message arrives at a time when mental health awareness within Black communities is gaining global momentum, with increasing recognition of travel to ancestral homelands as a form of emotional and psychological healing.

In every Ghanaian kitchen, there is one pot that teaches patience, faith, and the art of trusting the process: okro stew. It is the only stew that can stretch like your life plans, wobble halfway through, threaten embarrassment, and still come together beautifully in the end.

The making of okro stew begins with a calm hand and a knowing smile. Palm oil warms slowly in the pot, turning a deep sunset red before sliced onions hit the surface and release that unmistakable home smell. Then comes momone and kako; the bold, unapologetic ingredients that announce themselves before you even lift the lid. They are not shy, and okro stew would be incomplete without their attitude.

The pepper mix goes into the pot. And when that simmers for a while, the fresh okro is chopped with intention, not haste. Some prefer it fine, others chunky, but everyone agrees it must be ready to draw. Seasoning follows – not too much, just enough to remind you that balance is a skill.

Read Also: The 6-hour Shake: Why Ghana’s Bumpy Roads Are the Ultimate Travel Test

As the pot simmers, the stew thickens, stretches, and transforms. This is where the magic happens. One stir turns into many. You watch closely. You wait. You hope.

Okro stew doesn’t stand alone. It invites companions. Banku, eba, even plain rice rise to the occasion, happily carrying the stew’s silky weight. You see, okro stew is more than food. It’s a reminder that some things, like home, may stretch, but they never break.

Watch the video below for a pictorial version of the preparation:

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