THERE IS NEED FOR MASSIVE PUBLIC ADVOCACY OVER CONSUMPTION OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOODS (GMOs) IN NIGERIA!

Genetically Modified Foods (GM Foods), are in the Nigerian markets in spite of resistance by some Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and concerned citizens who believe that such hybrid victuals could be highly toxic, cancerous and therefore not fit for human consumption! Controversies being generated over the origin, scientific theories, official backing and approval for massive production and consumption of GM Foods in Nigeria, is shrouded in a well-articulated diplomatic pouch by government while the masses are sidelined and oblivious of arguments, for or against the necessity for that kind of alien food invasion! The fundamental concept of GM Foods was predicated on the "greater advantage" of mass agricultural production of cash crops in high demands by farmers to flood the markets with consumables and simultaneously, the much-needed export produce for foreign exchange earnings and definitely NOT because there was a dearth or shortage in supplies of foods for the teeming population!

1. What are GM Foods? They are products of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), that have changes introduced into their DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid; i.e., the chemical at the centre of the cells of living things, which controls the structure and purpose of each cell and carries the genetic information during reproduction), using the methods of genetic engineering techniques which allow for the introduction of new traits as well as greater control over traits than previous methods such as selective and mutation breeding.
2. What is "gene"? The "gene", is a part of the DNA in a cell which contains information in a special pattern received by each animal or plant from its parent and which controls its physical development, behaviour etc.
3. What is mutation? Mutation is a process through which genes change and produce permanent differences; and,
4. What is organism? Organism is a single living plant, animal, virus etc.
GM Foods or genetically modified foods produced from organisms that have had changes introduced into their DNA, using the methods of genetic engineering as opposed to the traditional cross-breeding, had been the vogue in the United States, since the first approved product was engineered to have longer shelf-life through "antisene gene" that delayed ripening in 1995. Potato was also approved for cultivation - making it the first pesticide-producing crop also in the US, in that same year.

Other genetically modified crops that received government approval in that year, according to our research, included, canola with modified oil composition (Bt maize), cotton resistant to herbicide, bromoxynil Bt cotton, glyphosate-tolerant soya beans, virus-resistant squash and another delayed ripening tomato.
By the year 2010, twenty-nine countries had planted commercialized bio-tech crops while a further 31 countries had granted regulatory approval for transgenic crops to be imported, while the US remained the leading country in the production of GM Foods in 2011, with 25 GM Crops, having received regulatory approval and last year (2015), 92% of corn, 94% of soya beans and also 94% of cotton produced in the country, were genetically modified strains! The catalogue of successes recorded in the scientific field of bio-tech advancement in genetically modified organisms further continued in 2015 when "AquAdvantage Salmon" first aquatic animal was transformed with a "growth homone", enabling it to grow all-year-round instead of during spring and summer alone and approved for food use!

In Nigeria, the introduction of GM Foods had generated a lot of controversies in the public domain, but within very insignificant percentage of the population. Opinion poll shows that the few anti-proponents of GM Foods have partially succeeded to confuse both members of the public and government officials through dissemination of falsehood that consumers of the foods would be afflicted with CANCER! The World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Agriculture Organization, (FAO), Codex body, have not found anything hazardous in the use of GMO, but still not minding that position, Nigeria will ensure thorough laboratory test before releasing other GM Foods into the market to increase food production. One of the activists posited in a radio programme that the infiltration of GM Foods into the Nigerian market was a government uncertified policy which posed great danger to the nation since farmers would be "enslaved to the Western countries of US and its allies, which have patented most of the GM seeds and crops" adding that, "by accepting to consume GM Foods, the Nigerian Government has opened the gates of the country to an invasion of cancer-causing foods".
There was also an allegation that a foreign company named MOSANTO was wrongly issued with a certificate to market GM Foods in Nigeria.
However, a female Scientist, and Professor of Biology who was also on the radio programme, described the activist's alarming allegations as "half truths and mischievous" and also debunked rumours that the GM Tomatoes that were available in Nigerian markets since early 2016 were of "nylon material" in texture! She explained that the GM Tomato seeds that were distributed to Nigerian farmers were pesticide-resistant and poisonous to pests and not to human beings, and added that pests that consumed the tomatoes would die while the highly nutritious fruit would enhance the human health positively and categorically dismissed rumours that GM Foods would cause cancer as being peddled! She also said that the issue of GMO, though sensitive in nature, was beneficial to Nigerians and that those opposed to the policy could not pretend to love the citizens more than the government!
The Director General (DG), of the Nigeria Biotechnology Development Agency (NBDA), - an organization of the Federal Government, positioned to regulate and ensure safe use of biotechnology for increased food production in Nigeria and application of modern techniques to ensure that GMO's neither contradicted biodiversity nor procure any risk to human health, in an interview also confirmed the Professor's position and disclosed that Mosanto was duly appointed from 1st May, 2016, - seven months after due consideration of its application with others.
It is a fact that no manner of deaths attributable to consumption of GM Foods had been recorded in the United States of America which had championed the research into the Foods, which had been acknowledged worldwide as the best in nutrients and vitamins since 1994 till date! From all indications, the grouse of the anti-proponents of consumption of GM Foods in Africa and the Far East was not based on the advantages of mass production of nutritious food for healthy citizens but on the financial gains that would accrue to them as surrogates to some dubious foreign detractors who would prefer to import finished exotic conventional foods meant only for the elites rather than the poor masses!
They have persistently and vehemently opposed the debut of GM Foods in Nigerian markets, by insisting that Western food corporations were determined to further exploit Africa and enslave the farmers instead of enriching them and claimed that GMO's were not the best science and technology for food production and survival of the continent, but the reverse which would entail massive destruction of both soil and human existence! The NBDA Director General, dismissed all such allegations and disclosed that the GMO seeds would be distributed to Nigerian farmers free of charge and that they would become self- sufficient in the long run through harvesting and preservation of some seeds for the next planting seasons! Although, those activists had advised against Nigeria's signing of the Biosafety law that would allow the country from full participation in the GM Foods commercialization, we believe that it is in the best interest of the Change Administration to fully embrace the policy to checkmate the malnutrition deficiency and deficit in the nation - most especially among children in the IDP's camps of the North East and across the nation!

We disagree with the anti- proponents of GM Foods that the adoption of a uniform law for African nations under the umbrella of African Regional Intellectual Property Organization (ARIPO), was aimed at seed colonization of Africa; but instead, a right step to actually liberate the teaming poverty-stricken masses from mass extinction through non-nutritional junk foods that had been the hallmark of the economically backward continents for ages! Africans must understand that GM Foods are neither manufactured nor are they synthetic materials; they are just normal plants or animals that have been improved upon through technology to achieve a particular purpose. Genetic modification or gene technology in food production aims to identify a particular gene or a particular trait character from any organism and then move that particular gene to another organism, so that, that organism inherits that trait for nutrient enhancement. Genetically engineered organisms are generated and tested in the laboratory for desired qualities as enunciated earlier and the most common modification is to add one or more genes to an organism's "genome" - less commonly genes are removed or their expression is increased or silenced or the number of copies of a gene is increased or decreased. Once satisfactory strains are produced, the producer applies for regulatory approval to field-test them. Presently, Nigeria is marketing GM Foods that are disease and pest resistant but herbicide-tolerant, such as Maize, Soy Bean, Kanola and Cotton which are the major ones while others such as tomato, oranges and mangoes still on field testing, would soon swell the list - but GM Foods have been imported from America, Belgium and other countries to augment present local supplies.
Efforts at commercial sales of genetically modified foods is supported by a National Assembly, (NASS), Act, which was hastily passed in Nigeria at the tail end of the last administration, but fresh efforts are being mooted to re-visit the Act for possible amendment. We are aware of specific concerns which include mixing of genetically modified and non-GM products in the food supply of GMO's on the environment, the rigor of the regulatory process and consolidation of control of the food supply in companies that make and sell GMO's, but we believe the testimony of the DG who maintained that no ill-effects had been documented in the human population from GM Food. According to his position, there is a scientific consensus that currently available food derived from GM Crops, poses no greater risk to human health than conventional food; but that each GM Food needs to be tested on case-by-case basis before introduction.

However, we advocate for more enlightenment programmes by the National Orientation Agency (NOA), and the Information Ministries at all levels of government, that would explore more support for the Change Administration, whose main economic thrust is to feed all citizens with highly fortified nutritional foods! It is written: "When the righteous are in authority, people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn." (Proverbs. 29:2).
We prophesy urgent restoration of the ECONOMY, to its lost glory under the righteous government of President Muhammadu Buhari and his righteous team. Amen.



I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon. 08130669886, 08098194390. 08080243066 g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.

GMOs... Hmmm, how many more advanced countries have banned the production of GMOs? I think Russia is the latest.
But what's my contribution? I'd have to read everything.

This is one of the many issues that our lawmakers should give an urgent attention to save the poor masses from overzealous western nations.

It isn't the GM foods itself which cause cancer but the pesticides like round up which are used to protect them .
Gm foods are also said to have lower bio availability of nutrients compared to organic grown food.