Egusi seeds are fat- and protein certain cucurbitaceous (squash, melon, gourd) plants. Egusi soup is a kind of soup thickened with the ground seeds and popular in West Africa, with considerable local variation Besides the seeds,water,and oil, egusi soup typically contains vegetables, other vegetables, seasonings, and meat. Typical leaf vegetables for egusi soup include bitter leaf, celosia and spinach. Typical other vegetables include tomatoes and okra. Typical seasonings include chili peppers, onions, and iru (fermented beans). Typical meats include beef, goat, fish, shrimp, or crayfish. In Nigeria, egusi is very popular among the Igbo people of southeastern Nigeria, the Ibibio people and the Efik people (Calabar people) of Southern Nigeria, the Hausa of northern Nigeria and the Yoruba people, Edo people, Esan people, and Etsako people of the southwest of Nigeria. Yoruba people in general and quite notably the people of Ọṣun State – especially the Ijesha people – eat ‘Iyan and Egusi’, a pounded yam and egusi soup.A plate of pounded yam (Iyan) and egusi soup. The Nigerian Egusi soup, prepared with melon seeds, is prepared by most tribes in Nigeria in many different ways. It is known as Miyan Gushi in Hausa, Ofe Egusi in Igbo and Efo Elegusi in Yoruba.