Why cases of malnutrition are on the rise in Nigeria —Don

AN expert in human nutrition and dietetics, Professor Abraham Onigbinde, has said the rise in cases of malnutrition in Nigeria is because the impact of the government’s policies and programmes to improve food and nutrition security, despite its achievements, was limited.

Professor Onigbinde spoke at the 10th memorial lecture of Professor Isaac Akinyele at the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics of the University of Ibadan, with the theme ‘Past Insights, Current Perspectives and Future Opportunities in Nutrition Security in Nigeria.’

Onigbinde, a professor of human nutrition and biochemistry at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, said these policies were ineffective in improving food and nutrition security because of inconsistency, inadequate qualified manpower to provide leadership, lack of continuity and shift in approach by successive governments, poor funding and deficient institutions.

He declared that “the achievement of these policies in food and nutrition security is not commensurate with our demands of the day,” adding that other emerging challenges like changes in demographic pattern due to internal migration, climatic change and the non-inclusion of men and the elderly in intervention and increased elderly population strategies also need to be considered for these policies to be effective.

The don said the government should come up with concrete policies to encourage youths to go into agriculture, adding that “If you engage one million youths, the chances are that at the end of the day, at least 20 percent of them will remain in agriculture, and they will do it better.”

He said there is also a need for the adoption of modern technologies in agriculture that take into consideration the peculiarities of their end users.

Professor Onigbinde stated that Nigeria should depoliticise food and nutrition security but consider food as a national project and hunger as a universal language that has no prejudice for religion or ethnic group.

According to him, “Nigerian government at all levels should address current situations but must also pay attention to the following emerging challenges for food security: As we commemorate the 10th memorial of Professor Akinyele, the answer to which way out of food and nutrition insecurity in Nigeria remains inconclusive until no Nigerian goes to bed hungry.”

Earlier, Director, Centre for Population and Reproductive Health and chairman on the occasion, Professor Dosu Ojengbede, had urged that students at the department to learn from the late Professor Akinyele’s team-work spirit and always give their best in whatever they do.

On the occasion, Mr Akin Onigbinde, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and doyen of nutrition, like Emeritus Professor Tola Atinmo, Professor Olufunke Keshiro, Professor Grace Fadupin, Dr Sylvester Igedioh and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode Adebowale, described the late Professor Akinyele as a titan in the field of nutrition sciences.

Adebowale, who spoke through the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Professor Aderonke Baiyeroju, said his legacies had imparted to countless people, adding that he will continue to be remembered for his intellectual brilliance, unwavering compassion and dedication to his students.

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