By Michael Ikeogwu
There was a time when food in our society meant exactly what nature intended it to be. That time egusi was egusi. That was the time peper was peper and not peper missed with addictives and other substances. That was the time when palm oil retained its originality and not colourated to attract buyers.That was when carrot retained its original colour and not beautified for fancy. That was when cassava, plantain, oranges, avacado peer were left to rippen on their own and not induced labour.
Our fathers went to the farm, harvested their cassava, yam, cocoyam, beans, groundnuts, vegetables and other crops, brought them home and prepared them for the family. Food travelled a short distance from the farm to the kitchen and from the kitchen to the dining table.
There were no complicated preservatives. There was little dependence on frozen food. A meal prepared that day was often consumed that day or the following morning, after which another fresh meal would be prepared.
Our parents may not have understood all the scientific principles of nutrition, but their traditional way of eating often emphasized fresh, locally produced foods.
Today, that food culture is under serious pressure.
Some will attribute the dramatic change in the mode of feeding, farming and preservation to modrnization and urbanization. It is understandable. But it is not sufficient enough to invent other processes of dangerous preservative measures and addition of other substances to our farm produce at harvest, preservatio levels or at processed stages.
The question Nigerians should be asking is no longer simply “What are we eating?” but also “What has been added to what we are eating?”
WHEN THE FARM COULD NO LONGER FEED THE FAMILY
Modernization, population growth, changing farming practices, economic hardship and climate change have significantly altered agriculture. Other factor that could be attributed to this suden changes are urbanization, migration and the quest for a greener pasture and white colar jobs.
The Nigerian farmer is facing challenges that previous generations did not experience on today’s scale: changing rainfall patterns, flooding, drought, declining soil fertility, pests, plant diseases, high cost of farm inputs and insecurity in some farming communities.
The result is reduced productivity and increased pressure on farmers.
My own experience in agrarian community of Ute-Okpu Kingdom in Ika North East Local Government Area, Delta State provides a personal example of how changing agricultural conditions can affect traditional food production.
Yam cultivation, once an important part of farming in the area, has become increasingly difficult in some parts of the community because of pests and other agricultural challenges. What was once cultivated locally may now require farmers to travel farther in search of suitable farmland.
This is not merely an agricultural problem.
It eventually becomes a food problem.
When local production declines, food becomes more expensive. When food becomes expensive, people begin looking for cheaper alternatives. And when demand remains high while production falls, the temptation to cut corners can increase.
THE DANGEROUS BUSINESS OF FOOD ADULTERATION
Perhaps one of the most disturbing developments in our food system is the alleged use of inappropriate chemicals and substances, production, storage and in food processing.
Reports and concerns have emerged over the adulteration of various food products, including cassava-based foods, palm oil, fish, spices and other staples. Where harmful substances are deliberately introduced into food to accelerate processing, improve appearance, increase weight or prolong shelf life, we are no longer dealing with ordinary food production.
We are dealing with a public-health threat.
Consider cassava processing.
In many Nigerian communities, cassava is processed into garri, fufu and other traditional foods. Fermentation and processing should be carried out using safe, appropriate methods.
The use of household cleaning products, bleach or other chemicals that are not approved for food processing is extremely dangerous and should never be accepted as a normal practice.
Consumers may not know what has been put into the food before it reaches their table.
That is the frightening part.
WHEN APPEARANCE BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT THAN SAFETY
Palm oil offers another example of how appearance can influence consumer behaviour.
Traditionally produced palm oil has its natural characteristics, including colour and aroma. But where processors and dealers deliberately manipulate food colour using unauthorized substances simply to make a product appear more attractive, consumers are placed at risk.
Palm oil should not be judged only by how red it looks.
The same concern applies to fish.
Fish sellers and processors sometimes need preservation methods because refrigeration is not always available, particularly in areas where electricity supply is unreliable. But preservation must be done with safe, approved methods.
The use of unauthorized chemicals to preserve food is unacceptable. A fish that looks fresh because of an unsafe chemical treatment is not fresh food. It is a potential health hazard disguised as one.
THE PROBLEM WITH CHEMICALS WE CANNOT SEE
The most dangerous form of food contamination is often the one the consumer cannot detect.
You may buy garri and see nothing unusual.
You may buy palm oil and admire its colour.
You may purchase smoked fish because it looks attractive. You may hurriedly buy a basket ofbeans or a bowl of carrot or orange because its appealing sight.
You may eat processed cassava because it tastes normal.
But the question remains: What happened to that food before it reached you?
This is why food safety cannot be left entirely in the hands of consumers.
Consumers cannot be expected to conduct laboratory tests in their kitchens.
Government agencies must strengthen inspection and enforcement. Food processors need proper education. Farmers and traders need access to safe preservation and processing technologies.
And Nigerians need to understand that a cheaper food product is not necessarily a safer one.
ARE OUR MODERN EATING HABITS ALSO PART OF THE PROBLEM?
There is another side to this conversation.
The problem is not only adulteration.
Our diets are also changing.
Traditional foods are increasingly competing with highly processed foods, sugary drinks, fast foods and products containing large amounts of salt, sugar and unhealthy fats.
Convenience is becoming more important than nutrition. For example, there alot campaigns against certain noodles that allegedly have cancerous attictives. No wonder there are increasing cases, heart problems and kidney related sicknesses in both adults and children in Nigeria.
A society that once depended heavily on locally grown staples is increasingly dependent on packaged and processed products.
This does not mean every modern or packaged food is dangerous. Modern food processing has many legitimate benefits, including improved safety, longer shelf life and convenience.
The real issue is balance, quality and regulation.
We should not reject modernization. We should ensure that modernization does not destroy the safety and nutritional value of what we eat.
THE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES
Poor nutrition and unsafe food practices can contribute to serious health problems.
Food contaminated with harmful chemicals, microorganisms or other substances can cause acute illness and, depending on the contaminant and level of exposure, potentially contribute to long-term health problems.
Poor diets can also increase the risk of conditions such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
But we must be scientifically responsible.
Not every illness, tooth problem or cancer case can automatically be blamed on adulterated food. Cancer, for example, has many causes and risk factors, including genetics, infections, tobacco, alcohol, environmental exposures and diet.
Similarly, tooth loss can result from dental decay, gum disease, trauma, inadequate oral hygiene and other medical conditions.
What we can say with certainty is this:
Unsafe food should never be allowed to become an additional health burden on Nigerians.
FARMERS ALSO NEED HELP
It is easy to blame the farmer when food production declines.
But who is helping the farmer?
A farmer facing expensive fertilizer, poor roads, inadequate storage, unpredictable weather, pests, insecurity and limited access to credit cannot be expected to compete effectively with imported or heavily processed food products.
Nigeria must invest seriously in agriculture.
We need irrigation systems that reduce dependence on unpredictable rainfall.
We need agricultural research that develops crop varieties capable of surviving changing climatic conditions.
We need extension officers who can teach farmers modern and environmentally responsible farming techniques.
We need better storage facilities to reduce post-harvest losses.
We need processing facilities that allow farmers to add value to their crops without resorting to unsafe shortcuts.
And we need stronger support for local agricultural research into pests and diseases affecting crops such as yam.
WE MUST PROTECT OUR TRADITIONAL FOODS
There is something valuable in Nigeria’s traditional food culture that we must not lose.
Our yam.
Our cassava.
Our beans.
Our cocoyam.
Our vegetables.
Our groundnuts.
Our locally produced grains.
Our traditional soups and other indigenous foods.
These foods are part of our identity.
But preserving our food heritage does not mean rejecting science.
Science should help us make traditional foods safer, more nutritious and more sustainable.
The answer is not to return blindly to the past.
The answer is to combine the wisdom of traditional food practices with modern agricultural science, food safety standards, refrigeration, improved storage and responsible processing.
WHAT MUST GOVERNMENT DO?
The government has a major responsibility.
Agencies responsible for food safety must be properly funded and empowered to inspect food processing facilities, markets and production centres.
There must be stronger penalties for deliberately introducing dangerous substances into food.
But enforcement alone is not enough.
Government must also provide alternatives.
If processors lack affordable refrigeration, provide cold-chain infrastructure.
If farmers lack storage, build storage facilities.
If rural communities lack electricity, expand reliable power solutions.
If farmers cannot afford modern equipment, provide accessible financing.
If processors do not know safe preservation methods, provide training.
People should not be forced by poverty and inadequate infrastructure into dangerous practices.
WHAT CAN CONSUMERS DO?
Consumers also have responsibilities.
Buy food from trustworthy sources whenever possible.
Avoid products that have suspicious colour, smell, texture or packaging.
Wash and prepare food properly.
Do not assume that everything sold in a market is automatically safe.
Parents should also teach children healthy eating habits from an early age.
Most importantly, Nigerians should report suspected food adulteration to the appropriate authorities rather than simply discussing it among friends and on social media.
THE FOOD WE EAT TODAY IS THE HEALTH WE CARRY TOMORROW
There is an old wisdom that says we are what we eat.
Whether or not we take that statement literally, one truth remains undeniable: the quality of our food matters.
We cannot build a healthy nation while allowing unsafe food processing to flourish.
We cannot demand productive citizens while ignoring the quality of what those citizens consume.
We cannot watch our farmers struggle, our traditional food systems disappear and unsafe processing practices emerge, and then act surprised when food and public-health problems increase.
The Nigerian food system needs urgent attention—from the farm to the processor, from the market to the kitchen and from the kitchen to the dining table.
Our fathers may not have had the technology we have today, but they understood something fundamental: food was meant to nourish the body, not merely to fill the stomach.
We must preserve that principle.
Let us invest in our farmers.
Let us protect our soil.
Let us respond intelligently to climate change.
Let us improve agricultural productivity.
Let us provide safe food-processing technology.
Let us punish deliberate food adulteration.
Let us educate food sellers and consumers.
And let us protect the traditional foods that have sustained Nigerian communities for generations.
Because the greatest danger may not be that Nigeria runs out of food.
The greater danger is that we have food everywhere—but no longer know whether the food on our tables is safe.
A nation that cannot protect the food its people eat cannot confidently claim to be protecting the health of its people.
The time to act is not tomorrow.
It is now.
There was a time when food in our society meant exactly what nature intended it to be. That time egusi was egusi. That was the time peper was peper and not peper missed with addictives and other substances. That was the time when palm oil retained its originality and not colourated to attract buyers.That was when carrot retained its original colour and not beautified for fancy. That was when cassava, plantain, oranges, avacado peer were left to rippen on their own and not induced labour.
Our fathers went to the farm, harvested their cassava, yam, cocoyam, beans, groundnuts, vegetables and other crops, brought them home and prepared them for the family. Food travelled a short distance from the farm to the kitchen and from the kitchen to the dining table.
There were no complicated preservatives. There was little dependence on frozen food. A meal prepared that day was often consumed that day or the following morning, after which another fresh meal would be prepared.
Our parents may not have understood all the scientific principles of nutrition, but their traditional way of eating often emphasized fresh, locally produced foods.
Today, that food culture is under serious pressure.
Some will attribute the dramatic change in the mode of feeding, farming and preservation to modrnization and urbanization. It is understandable. But it is not sufficient enough to invent other processes of dangerous preservative measures and addition of other substances to our farm produce at harvest, preservatio levels or at processed stages.
The question Nigerians should be asking is no longer simply “What are we eating?” but also “What has been added to what we are eating?”
WHEN THE FARM COULD NO LONGER FEED THE FAMILY
Modernization, population growth, changing farming practices, economic hardship and climate change have significantly altered agriculture. Other factor that could be attributed to this suden changes are urbanization, migration and the quest for a greener pasture and white colar jobs.
The Nigerian farmer is facing challenges that previous generations did not experience on today’s scale: changing rainfall patterns, flooding, drought, declining soil fertility, pests, plant diseases, high cost of farm inputs and insecurity in some farming communities.
The result is reduced productivity and increased pressure on farmers.
My own experience in agrarian community of Ute-Okpu Kingdom in Ika North East Local Government Area, Delta State provides a personal example of how changing agricultural conditions can affect traditional food production.
Yam cultivation, once an important part of farming in the area, has become increasingly difficult in some parts of the community because of pests and other agricultural challenges. What was once cultivated locally may now require farmers to travel farther in search of suitable farmland.
This is not merely an agricultural problem.
It eventually becomes a food problem.
When local production declines, food becomes more expensive. When food becomes expensive, people begin looking for cheaper alternatives. And when demand remains high while production falls, the temptation to cut corners can increase.
THE DANGEROUS BUSINESS OF FOOD ADULTERATION
Perhaps one of the most disturbing developments in our food system is the alleged use of inappropriate chemicals and substances, production, storage and in food processing.
Reports and concerns have emerged over the adulteration of various food products, including cassava-based foods, palm oil, fish, spices and other staples. Where harmful substances are deliberately introduced into food to accelerate processing, improve appearance, increase weight or prolong shelf life, we are no longer dealing with ordinary food production.
We are dealing with a public-health threat.
Consider cassava processing.
In many Nigerian communities, cassava is processed into garri, fufu and other traditional foods. Fermentation and processing should be carried out using safe, appropriate methods.
The use of household cleaning products, bleach or other chemicals that are not approved for food processing is extremely dangerous and should never be accepted as a normal practice.
Consumers may not know what has been put into the food before it reaches their table.
That is the frightening part.
WHEN APPEARANCE BECOMES MORE IMPORTANT THAN SAFETY
Palm oil offers another example of how appearance can influence consumer behaviour.
Traditionally produced palm oil has its natural characteristics, including colour and aroma. But where processors and dealers deliberately manipulate food colour using unauthorized substances simply to make a product appear more attractive, consumers are placed at risk.
Palm oil should not be judged only by how red it looks.
The same concern applies to fish.
Fish sellers and processors sometimes need preservation methods because refrigeration is not always available, particularly in areas where electricity supply is unreliable. But preservation must be done with safe, approved methods.
The use of unauthorized chemicals to preserve food is unacceptable. A fish that looks fresh because of an unsafe chemical treatment is not fresh food. It is a potential health hazard disguised as one.
THE PROBLEM WITH CHEMICALS WE CANNOT SEE
The most dangerous form of food contamination is often the one the consumer cannot detect.
You may buy garri and see nothing unusual.
You may buy palm oil and admire its colour.
You may purchase smoked fish because it looks attractive. You may hurriedly buy a basket ofbeans or a bowl of carrot or orange because its appealing sight.
You may eat processed cassava because it tastes normal.
But the question remains: What happened to that food before it reached you?
This is why food safety cannot be left entirely in the hands of consumers.
Consumers cannot be expected to conduct laboratory tests in their kitchens.
Government agencies must strengthen inspection and enforcement. Food processors need proper education. Farmers and traders need access to safe preservation and processing technologies.
And Nigerians need to understand that a cheaper food product is not necessarily a safer one.
ARE OUR MODERN EATING HABITS ALSO PART OF THE PROBLEM?
There is another side to this conversation.
The problem is not only adulteration.
Our diets are also changing.
Traditional foods are increasingly competing with highly processed foods, sugary drinks, fast foods and products containing large amounts of salt, sugar and unhealthy fats.
Convenience is becoming more important than nutrition. For example, there alot campaigns against certain noodles that allegedly have cancerous attictives. No wonder there are increasing cases, heart problems and kidney related sicknesses in both adults and children in Nigeria.
A society that once depended heavily on locally grown staples is increasingly dependent on packaged and processed products.
This does not mean every modern or packaged food is dangerous. Modern food processing has many legitimate benefits, including improved safety, longer shelf life and convenience.
The real issue is balance, quality and regulation.
We should not reject modernization. We should ensure that modernization does not destroy the safety and nutritional value of what we eat.
THE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES
Poor nutrition and unsafe food practices can contribute to serious health problems.
Food contaminated with harmful chemicals, microorganisms or other substances can cause acute illness and, depending on the contaminant and level of exposure, potentially contribute to long-term health problems.
Poor diets can also increase the risk of conditions such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
But we must be scientifically responsible.
Not every illness, tooth problem or cancer case can automatically be blamed on adulterated food. Cancer, for example, has many causes and risk factors, including genetics, infections, tobacco, alcohol, environmental exposures and diet.
Similarly, tooth loss can result from dental decay, gum disease, trauma, inadequate oral hygiene and other medical conditions.
What we can say with certainty is this:
Unsafe food should never be allowed to become an additional health burden on Nigerians.
FARMERS ALSO NEED HELP
It is easy to blame the farmer when food production declines.
But who is helping the farmer?
A farmer facing expensive fertilizer, poor roads, inadequate storage, unpredictable weather, pests, insecurity and limited access to credit cannot be expected to compete effectively with imported or heavily processed food products.
Nigeria must invest seriously in agriculture.
We need irrigation systems that reduce dependence on unpredictable rainfall.
We need agricultural research that develops crop varieties capable of surviving changing climatic conditions.
We need extension officers who can teach farmers modern and environmentally responsible farming techniques.
We need better storage facilities to reduce post-harvest losses.
We need processing facilities that allow farmers to add value to their crops without resorting to unsafe shortcuts.
And we need stronger support for local agricultural research into pests and diseases affecting crops such as yam.
WE MUST PROTECT OUR TRADITIONAL FOODS
There is something valuable in Nigeria’s traditional food culture that we must not lose.
Our yam.
Our cassava.
Our beans.
Our cocoyam.
Our vegetables.
Our groundnuts.
Our locally produced grains.
Our traditional soups and other indigenous foods.
These foods are part of our identity.
But preserving our food heritage does not mean rejecting science.
Science should help us make traditional foods safer, more nutritious and more sustainable.
The answer is not to return blindly to the past.
The answer is to combine the wisdom of traditional food practices with modern agricultural science, food safety standards, refrigeration, improved storage and responsible processing.
WHAT MUST GOVERNMENT DO?
The government has a major responsibility.
Agencies responsible for food safety must be properly funded and empowered to inspect food processing facilities, markets and production centres.
There must be stronger penalties for deliberately introducing dangerous substances into food.
But enforcement alone is not enough.
Government must also provide alternatives.
If processors lack affordable refrigeration, provide cold-chain infrastructure.
If farmers lack storage, build storage facilities.
If rural communities lack electricity, expand reliable power solutions.
If farmers cannot afford modern equipment, provide accessible financing.
If processors do not know safe preservation methods, provide training.
People should not be forced by poverty and inadequate infrastructure into dangerous practices.
WHAT CAN CONSUMERS DO?
Consumers also have responsibilities.
Buy food from trustworthy sources whenever possible.
Avoid products that have suspicious colour, smell, texture or packaging.
Wash and prepare food properly.
Do not assume that everything sold in a market is automatically safe.
Parents should also teach children healthy eating habits from an early age.
Most importantly, Nigerians should report suspected food adulteration to the appropriate authorities rather than simply discussing it among friends and on social media.
THE FOOD WE EAT TODAY IS THE HEALTH WE CARRY TOMORROW
There is an old wisdom that says we are what we eat.
Whether or not we take that statement literally, one truth remains undeniable: the quality of our food matters.
We cannot build a healthy nation while allowing unsafe food processing to flourish.
We cannot demand productive citizens while ignoring the quality of what those citizens consume.
We cannot watch our farmers struggle, our traditional food systems disappear and unsafe processing practices emerge, and then act surprised when food and public-health problems increase.
The Nigerian food system needs urgent attention—from the farm to the processor, from the market to the kitchen and from the kitchen to the dining table.
Our fathers may not have had the technology we have today, but they understood something fundamental: food was meant to nourish the body, not merely to fill the stomach.
We must preserve that principle.
Let us invest in our farmers.
Let us protect our soil.
Let us respond intelligently to climate change.
Let us improve agricultural productivity.
Let us provide safe food-processing technology.
Let us punish deliberate food adulteration.
Let us educate food sellers and consumers.
And let us protect the traditional foods that have sustained Nigerian communities for generations.
Because the greatest danger may not be that Nigeria runs out of food.
The greater danger is that we have food everywhere—but no longer know whether the food on our tables is safe.
A nation that cannot protect the food its people eat cannot confidently claim to be protecting the health of its people.
The time to act is not tomorrow.
It is now.
