Former Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has raised concerns about food safety in Nigeria after recounting how laboratory analysis of freshly squeezed orange juice consumed by his wife, Dolapo, reportedly found it unfit for human consumption.
Osinbajo spoke on August 28 at the Open Day for Gardeners’ Seminar in Lagos, organised around the theme, “Leaving the Earth Better Than We Found It.” The event formed part of the fifth edition of the Open Day for Gardeners programme, held at the Ecobank Pan African Centre in Victoria Island.
According to the former Vice-President, Dolapo had made fresh orange juice part of her daily routine after giving up carbonated drinks, believing the switch represented a healthier lifestyle.
However, Osinbajo said she began experiencing unexplained headaches after maintaining the habit for some time. When other possible causes were considered without finding an explanation, a sample of the orange juice was reportedly sent to a laboratory for analysis.
Osinbajo said the result was alarming, with the freshly prepared drink declared “not fit for human consumption.”
The former Vice-President used the experience to draw attention to what he described as the dangers posed by chemicals used at different points in the agricultural supply chain.
He specifically raised concerns about pesticides applied during cultivation and chemicals allegedly used by some traders to accelerate the ripening of fruits or prolong their shelf life.
Osinbajo mentioned calcium carbide as one substance reportedly used to force fruits such as bananas, mangoes and pawpaw to ripen more quickly. He also referred to surveys which, according to him, recorded admissions by some fruit sellers of using chemicals to treat or preserve produce.
He cited a 2024 survey in Ado-Ekiti in which, he said, 10 of 20 fruit sellers interviewed admitted using calcium carbide. He also referenced research from Uyo, where 25 per cent of surveyed fruit sellers reportedly admitted using the chemical, as well as a 2023 Lagos survey in which 22 of 50 retailers acknowledged using chemicals to preserve fruits and vegetables.
The former Vice-President warned that the appearance of food should not be taken as proof of its safety.
His broader argument was that food safety extends beyond what consumers see on supermarket shelves or in open markets. Produce may pass through several stages of cultivation, transportation, ripening and preservation before reaching the kitchen, creating opportunities for unsafe substances to be introduced.
Osinbajo called for stronger enforcement of food-safety standards, greater awareness among farmers and traders, and safer agricultural and preservation practices.
He also urged consumers to pay greater attention to how food is handled, stressing that something being described as fresh or natural does not automatically guarantee that it is free from harmful substances.
The episode has renewed discussion about the safety of fruits and vegetables sold in Nigerian markets and the need for effective monitoring of agricultural chemicals from production to consumption.
