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Need For Organic Delicacy Consumption Takes Centre Stage As HOMEF Holds Food Festival

Published

3 years ago

June 15, 2023

Editor

Joseph Ebi Kanjo, Benin

The need for Nigerians and Africans at large to go back to their locally made farm produce was, on Wednesday, brought to the fore at a National Convergence and Food Festival organised by Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), a non-profit organisation.

The festival which held in Benin was aimed at promoting and celebrating locally made food, cultural diversity, rich biodiversity and to expose the dangers inherent in the consumption of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) foods.

Panel of discussants at the food exhibition emphasised the need for Africans to embrace organic farm produce, warning that the prevalent of terminal diseases in the society today is as a result of individual’s lifestyle in consumption of food.

The panelists, comprising Lovelyn Ejim, a farmer and founder, Network of Women and Youth in Agriculture; Jackie Ikeotuonye, a nutritionist and medical practitioner; Mariann Bassey-Orovwuje, an environmental, human and food rights advocate; Tatfeng Mirabeau, a Professor, Medical Microbiology, said many persons have taken poison without knowing in the name of taking fast food.

The experts who exposed damage consumption of GMO foods caused to the body system, lamented that companies in charge of these GMOs are not interested in the wellbeing of people, rather, profit they make from their businesses.

Urging everyone to join in the campaign against GMOs and by embracing organic farm produce, the panelists vowed not to stop until GMOs are finally exposed and rejected by the people.

While accusing governmemt regulatory agencies in protecting GMOs, by allowing them to carry out their businesses without hindrance, the panel of discussants urged Nigerians to take the necessary steps in avoiding GMO foods.

Corroborating the panelists’ ponts, Nnimmo Bassey, Director, HOMEF, said government has not been giving the necessary support to local farmers hence the boom in GMOs.

“Most of our local farmers do not get any support in their production; no road to the farms where they bring their produce to the market. And so, farmers are struggling on their own without serious support from government.

“There are no even extension officers unlike before that government used to have them,” he lamented.

Bassey continued: “But we believe that by speaking to ourselves; by farmers speaking to their neighbours, and neighbours speaking to others, we will get it right.

The Director who expressed worry over what he termed “Nigerians are forced to eat what they don’t know” through activities of GMOs, further said: “Our farmers are given seeds that are genetically modified, so people are planting what they don’t know; they are eating what they don’t know.

“We believe that the heath of Nigerians shouldn’t be compromised this way.

” Unfortunately, we are also compromising the heath of our environment, and at the end of the day Nigerians are exposed to the erosion of our culture, of our biodiversity and indeed our heritage,” he added.

Speaking on the reason for the food festival, Bassey said: “This why today we say we should promote the fact that the food we eat is central to our health, and to everything around us, and that Africa food is what Africans should promote, not artificial crops; not genetically modified crops or animals.

He added: “Our eating culture has been challenged over recent years mostly because of the introduction of more or less unregulated genetically engineered organism into our country.”

Veriaties of local foods from different states of Nigeria were prepared and displayed at the festival.

News

Edo NLC Crisis: Caretaker Committee Drags Rival Exco, Govt To Court

Published

5 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The division in the Edo State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), took a new dimension on Wednesday as Prof. Monday Monday Lewis Igbafen-led caretaker committee approached the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Benin Judicial Division, seeking to affirm its authority and restrain a rival executive from parading itself as the council’s leadership.

Joined in the suit are the Edo State Government, the Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

In a suit marked: NICN/BEN/12/2026, and filed before the court in Benin, the claimant, Igbafen, acting for himself and on behalf of the NLC Caretaker Committee in Edo State, is challenging the continued occupation of the union’s secretariat and control of its assets by members of the Bernard Egwakhide-led factional State Executive Council.

The claimants are asking the court to declare that the caretaker committee (Igbafen-led faction), constituted on August 11, 2025, by the NLC national leadership, remains the only lawful authority to administer the affairs of the Edo State Council pending fresh elections.

They further seek a declaration that the continued occupation of the NLC secretariat located at No. 1 Teboga Road, Benin City, as well as the retention of union assets, financial records, and official instruments by the defendants, is illegal and void.

The suit also prays for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from parading themselves as officials of the NLC Edo Council or interfering with the functions of the caretaker committee.

In addition, the claimants are seeking a mandatory order compelling the defendants to immediately hand over the secretariat, vehicles, financial documents, cheque books, and all other properties belonging to the union.

The caretaker committee further urged the court to restrain the state government and its officials from interfering in the internal affairs of the union, alleging undue support for the dissolved executive.

The claimants further demand N50 million as general and exemplary damages against the defendants for alleged unlawful usurpation of office and acts prejudicial to the administration of the council.

According to court documents made available to our correspondent, the crisis followed the dissolution of the Edo State Council by the NLC National Executive Council on February 27, 2025, over allegations of misconduct, anti-union activities, and constitutional violations.

However, the matter has yet to be assigned a hearing date.

News

Transfer: Premier League Clubs Scramble For Dele-Bashiru

Published

10 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Lazio midfielder, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru is a subject of interest from three Premier League clubs, according to Sky Sports.

Lazio reportedly rejected offers from Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth for the Nigeria international in January.

La Biancolesti are bracing for more interest in Dele-Bashiru ahead of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports.

The 24-year-old has two years left on his contract with the Serie A club.

The attacking midfielder joined the Rome-based club from Turkish Super Lig outfit Hatayspor in 2024.

He has been a regular feature for Lazio this season.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

11 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.