Professor Olutayo Sunday Sokunbi of Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo in Ogun State has expressed concern over the challenges of rapid population in Africa and the continent's inability to rise above the disturbing rate of poverty to secure a healthier future for its children
The don delivering the University's 62nd inaugural Lecture titled "Food as Medicine, Food as Poison: Navigating the Double-edged Plate", provided a roadmap on how to harness Africa's biodiversity, stressing the need for collective embrace of a continental First 1000 Days strategy as a safeguard for health.
He called for an urgent response to chart a replicable, focus-driven nutrition agenda to address concerns on alarming rates of childhood stunting, wasting, and micronutrient deficiency.
According to Prof. Shokunbi, whose lecture attracted the first Lady of Ogun State Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun among other dignitaries, this framework calls for a multi-sector approach: standardizing complementary food formulations using locally available ingredients, establishing continent-wide breast milk banking networks with safe storage protocols, and commercializing lactogenic agents from Africa’s biodiversity.
He further urged African nations to harmonize maternity and paternity leave policies and invest in community-based nutrition systems that can reach families at the grassroots level.
“Food can be both medicine and poison. The choices we make in nutrition will determine our health status and whether Africa’s demographic advantage becomes a blessing or a burden,” Prof. Shokunbi declared.
Beyond nutrition, Prof. Shokunbi issued a clarion call for state and federal government agencies, pharmaceutical scientists, and other stakeholders to come together to chart a new course in the development of medical education, medical practice, and Nigerian traditional medicine.
“It would be rewarding for the Nigerian government to stimulate relevant industries via specific policies for the funding of research and training towards the development of various products from these medicinal plants to enhance the health of Nigerians,” he emphasized.
“It is high time to train our physicians to appreciate the huge blessing of medicinal plants available to us as a nation.”
Prof. Shokunbi’s lecture made it clear that Africa’s rising population and persistent poverty need not define its future. saying with harnessing of the continent’s rich biodiversity, investing in nutrition during the First 1000 Days, and embedding traditional medicine into modern medical education and practice, Africa can secure a healthier tomorrow for its children.
He believes with these strategies and government engagement with stakeholders to unite in funding research, training physicians, and developing products from medicinal plants can Africa transform its demographic challenge into a demographic dividend — ensuring that food and medicine become instruments of healing, not harm.
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