Nigerian restaurant owner brings two-day African festival to downtown Lansing

Nigerian Taiwo Adeleye opened the downtown Lansing restaurant Tatse so other African immigrants would have a place to socialize while celebrating their culture.

There are some definite days when his restaurant proves there was a need for a restaurant like his. He looks around, usually during the weekend shifts, and feels like he’s found a home as other Africans dine under his roof, enjoying his food.

Now, he wants to do something bigger for Lansing’s African community and others with a curiosity to learn more. about different cultures.

“I’ve seen people come in (Tatse) and they just want to eat African food and I see white people and I share the culture,” Adeleye said. “So I feel like this event should bring people from Kalamazoo, from around Lansing to downtown, which is very good for downtown.”