Don Challenges Government on Promoting Food Production for Healthy Living

Against the backdrop of incessant attacks on farming communities in Nigeria, a Professor of Food Processing and Biotechnology, Monday Akusu has challenged government at all levels to prioritize food production as it promotes healthy living and creates wealth.

Prof. Akusu came out with this on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, during the 125th Inaugural Lecture of the Rivers State University (RSU) with the theme: “Food Processing for Healthy Living and Wealth Creation in an Emerging Economy”.

He recommended that the government should encourage commercial planting of the tallow tree which is located in Etche Local Government Area, asserting that it can be used to produce heart-friendly bakery fat and shortening.

Professor Akusu also encouraged the consumption of colour fruits and vegetables as they supply nutrients which performs anti-oxidant activities.

“These are radical scavengers which inhabits cancerous cells from multiplying in the body.”

Furthermore, the university don also encouraged young graduates to venture into commercial production, making use of natural agricultural materials like pepper, palm kernel, plantain, etc., adding that it makes way for local and export activities to thrive.

In an interview with Kristina Reports, the erudite scholar addressed the issue of adulterated substances like the palm oil, urging the public that the correctly processed palm oil is not hazardous to human health.

“A good palm oil has two layers, a deep red colour in top containing unsaturated fatty acids and the orange color below.”

He emphasized that without food processing, a lot of lives will be lost as the processing eliminates the toxicants.

“The food as you see contains 5000 chemical components that are dangerous.”

“This is also a means to encourage entrepreneurship as a good selling business is highly lucrative. The Nigeria institute of food science and technology is encouraging local governments to employ food scientists to police all forms of adulteration.”

In his opening speech, Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Isaac Zeb-Obipi, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic, Professor Richard Amadi stated that the lecture was timely as it is a season where people celebrate the yuletide with variety of food items and as such is germane to know how to go about it.

“We must eat food. Food must be decent. We must transport food from one corner of the earth to the other.”

“Our lecturer is here. He will tell us why our food must be decently prepared, why we must consume this food, and how it will nourish us and also form part of our economy.”