Foundation celebrates Nigerian foods, cultural diversity

The Executive Director, Health of Mother Health Foundation (HOMEF), Dr. Nnimmo Bassey, has described as false some of the claims by promoters of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) that GMO crops produce more than conventional crops.

A GMO is a plant or microorganism that has been subjected to biotechnology. GMO developers use biotechnology to alter an organism’s fundamental characteristics.

Bassey made the disclosure in Benin during a national convergence and food festival organised by HOMEF to celebrate Nigeria’s local food, cultural diversity, and rich biodiversity.

The Executive Director, who expressed concern over the push for GMO foods into the country, and how the existence of the nation’s local food is being threatened, declared his organisation’s opposition to GMO foods in the country.

“We are concerned especially by the push into the country of genetically modified foods. We are completely against GMOs,” he said.

“Many claims by those who promote GMOs are all 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 GMO because those who are promoting it are all concerned about money, the profit.”

Speaking on the food festival, Bassey said, “It is critical to have a festival of this nature because it is an avenue to display our culture; we display where we come from through our food. We are here to celebrate the gift of nature.

“Our food is threatening in Nigeria. In fact, in Africa, we are having all strange varieties being imported into our countries. So, there is a need to promote our local food above GMO foods.”

Earlier, in her welcome speech, Joyce Brown, the chairman of local organising committee of the festival who also doubles as Program Director, HOMEF, said the event was aimed at celebrating the diversity of Nigeria’s foods.

She joined her voice with that of Bassey to “call on our government to put a halt to whatever decision threatening Nigeria’s local food production.”

Highlights of the festival were poetry, an exhibition of organically-produced raw foods, a panel of discussion, and treatment of participants to locally made Nigerian delicious delicacies.