Nigerian Food Festival; Call for Preservation of Nigerian Foods.
Stella Peters
The Nigerian Food Festival brought laughter and renewed hope for preserving Nigerian foods, seeds, and culture. The event, organized by the Health of Mother Health Foundation (HOMEF), celebrated identity, tradition, and the diversity of Nigeria’s culture.
In his welcome address, Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, executive director of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), said it was critical to have “a festival of this nature” because it is an avenue to display Nigeria’s diverse cultures. “Our local foods are being threatened in Nigeria. In fact, we have all strange varieties being imported into our countries in Africa. So, there is a need to promote our local food above these GMO foods,”
Dr Bassey expressed concern over the push for GMO foods into the country and how the nation’s local food is being threatened, stating that HOMEF is opposed to GMO foods in the country.
“We are especially concerned about the push into the country of genetically modified foods. We are completely against GMOs. Many claims by those who promote GMOs are false. GMOs don’t produce more than conventional crops. They are not as healthy as natural crops, and they are not natural.”
He added, “We will continue our campaign against GMOs because those who promote them are all concerned about money and profit.”
It is worth noting that GMOs are plant or microorganism that has been subjected to biotechnology. GMO developers use biotechnology to alter an organism’s fundamental characteristics.
Director of Programmes, HOMEF Joyce Brown, said the event aimed to celebrate the diversity of Nigeria’s foods. She “Call on our government to put a halt to whatever decision is threatening this local food.”
Participants at the event were urged to be mindful of what they consume, stating that humans are what they eat. Resource persons who spoke encouraged Nigerians to embrace and promote locally made food, saying it’s the best. The panelists emphasized the need to consume local foods and the nutritional values inherent in such local foods. They also exposed attendees to the dangers of consuming GMO foods. In the panel discussion segment, the panelists attributed the prevalent terminal diseases in society to the type of food many consume, particularly young ones.
The food festival’s side attractions include an exhibition of organic food materials, comedy, poetry, drama, and a panel discussion.
The festival was designed to cater to everyone. It featured the cultural dance steps of the Benin traditional dancers, matched with rhythmic beats from the drummers and theatrical performances. The festival ended with different local food from the length and breadth of the country served to everyone.
