•••Backs Local Herbs, Demands Tougher Food Safety Laws
Akungba-Akoko – A Professor of Toxicology and Environmental Biochemistry, Augustine Olusola, has warned that Nigeria faces grave health risks from rampant food adulteration, while urging a new scientific frontier that validates and regulates local herbs with the same rigour as synthetic drugs.
Prof. Olusola issued the call while delivering the 46th Inaugural Lecture of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) on Tuesday, August 26, 2025. His lecture, entitled “From a Biochemist to a Toxicologist: My Odyssey,” underscored the dual threats of unsafe foods and unregulated herbal practices to public health.
The Don stressed that adulterated foods are major contributors to chronic diseases affecting the liver, kidneys, blood, and reproductive organs. He therefore urged stronger enforcement of food safety laws, more public health education, continuous research, and strict penalties for offenders.
“Agencies like NAFDAC and SON must enhance surveillance in open markets where adulteration thrives. Consumers must also be empowered through awareness campaigns to detect adulterated products and avoid health risks,” he said.
He recommended certification programmes and economic incentives for small-scale producers who comply with safety standards, alongside sustained research to refine detection methods and evaluate long-term health impacts.
Citing his own research, Prof. Olusola revealed that markets across Ondo State—especially in the Central Senatorial District—are flooded with adulterated food products, posing serious health implications.
Beyond food safety, the toxicologist spotlighted the untapped potential of Nigeria’s indigenous herbs, with special emphasis on Clompanus pubescens, a plant traditionally used to treat fatigue, stress, and memory loss.
According to him, laboratory experiments showed that rats treated with the herb demonstrated improved memory, learning ability, and relief from diabetes-related symptoms, suggesting its potential role in managing diabetic encephalopathy.
“I advocate for a new scientific movement—one that tests, validates, and regulates natural compounds with the same rigour applied to synthetic drugs. In Nigeria, natural products hold the key to affordable, culturally accepted therapies,” he noted.
While praising the herb’s therapeutic promise, he lamented that Clompanus pubescens remains poorly studied despite its long traditional use in Nigeria and Cameroon, calling for more academic research in the area.
In his remarks, AAUA Vice Chancellor, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, who chaired the lecture, commended Prof. Olusola for his contributions to science and society. He noted that inaugural lectures are vital platforms for professors to share knowledge that addresses pressing societal needs.
