The Jasiri Ladies—Tolulope Adeleru-Balogun, Blessings Mosugu, Omotunde Adebowale David (Lolo1), and Katherine Obiang—were joined by guest Tessy Igomu, Deputy Editor of Punch Weekend Titles, for an insightful discussion on food safety in Nigeria.
During News Central TV’s Jasiri show on Tuesday, the ladies examined the dangers lurking in our daily meals and the rising cases of food poisoning, kidney disease, and other life-threatening conditions linked to contaminated food.
“A young man who spoke about the fact that his friend was going into surgery because he had eaten fufu the night before. And when you think about it in terms of how many people are working, food poisoning is such a common issue these days. We get food poisoning, people are talking about, I have digestive issues, my stomach is just unsettled,” Tolulope noted.
Tolulope also shared her personal ordeal: “There was a time I was reacting to something. Every time I would eat, my taste would swap, my look would swap, I’m very sensitive. And they’re now asking, I’m like, it’s the same thing I’ve been cooking. They say even if down to the vegetable… I said I cook for myself in my house, they say even down to the vegetable I’m buying in the market, I don’t know what they’re spraying on it.”
This revelation brings to the fore a terrifying truth: even food prepared at home is not necessarily safe. The vegetables, the fufu, and the fruits we buy from the market could be laced with toxic chemicals, preservatives, and additives that our bodies struggle to process.
Beyond the immediate risks of food poisoning, Nigeria is witnessing an increase in non-communicable diseases, especially kidney failure.
“Children, teenagers… years back, we used to refer to most of these non-communicable diseases to adults, the elderly. But now, you now find [young people] coming down with kidney failures,” Igomu said.
Shedding light on this disturbing trend, she pointed to the growing number of Nigerians undergoing dialysis.
“Go to centres where they carry out dialysis, the number of people on dialysis… it’s shocking,” she said.
Studies have linked these diseases to food contamination, yet nothing seems to be done about it.
“The problem is, nobody is doing anything about it. Because once the story breaks, it seems as if everybody just goes out,” Igomu added.
Many Nigerians are asking the same burning question: Where are the agencies meant to protect the people from unsafe food?
