Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has raised concerns over the use of potentially harmful chemicals in the production, preservation and sale of fruits and vegetables in Nigeria, revealing that laboratory tests found his wife Dolapo’s freshly squeezed orange juice unfit for human consumption.
Osinbajo made the disclosure while speaking at the Open Day for Gardeners’ Seminar, themed “Leaving the Earth Better Than We Found It,” held in Lagos on August 28.
A video of the event, shared on his YouTube channel on Wednesday, gained widespread attention on Saturday.
Osinbajo said his wife, who had stopped taking carbonated drinks years ago and switched to freshly squeezed orange juice daily, began experiencing unexplained headaches despite what she considered a healthier choice.
“She would look at my own Coke drinking habits with a lot of disapproval… But then, after a while, she started having some strange headaches, drinking her fresh juice every day,” he said.
According to him, his wife reviewed other aspects of her diet and lifestyle but could not identify the cause of the headaches. She subsequently sent a batch of the orange juice for laboratory analysis.
“The results came back. It showed that the orange juice, freshly squeezed, was not fit for human consumption. This is freshly squeezed orange juice. Not fit for human consumption,” Osinbajo said.
Chemicals used to ripen and preserve produce
Osinbajo said the incident highlighted a broader concern over the use of hazardous substances by some farmers and traders to hasten the ripening of fruits and extend the shelf life of produce.
He specifically cited the use of calcium carbide to force fruits such as bananas, mangoes and tomatoes to ripen and change colour more quickly.
Osinbajo referenced a 2024 study in which 10 of 20 fruit sellers interviewed admitted to using calcium carbide, as well as another study that reportedly found a 25 per cent usage rate among surveyed sellers.
He also cited a 2023 survey of 50 fruit and vegetable retailers in Lagos, saying 22 of those surveyed admitted to using chemicals to preserve their produce.
“So, this is almost, you know, like an epidemic,” he said, listing other substances reportedly used by some traders, including gamma-lin-20, which he described as poisonous, as well as Sniper and phosphite, which he described as a highly toxic fumigant.
Calls for stronger regulation
Osinbajo warned that the appearance of fresh produce or the description of a drink as “natural” should not be taken as proof of its safety.
“The fact that fruit looks fresh doesn’t mean that it is safe, and the fact that a drink is natural doesn’t mean that something dangerous has not been added to it along the way, especially along the journey from the farm to the table,” he said.
He called for stronger regulation and enforcement, as well as increased public awareness and education for farmers and traders on safer alternatives.
He also urged consumers to be more vigilant by questioning sellers, inspecting produce and reporting suspicious practices to the relevant authorities.
Osinbajo’s remarks come amid growing concerns over the safety and quality of food and other consumer products in Nigerian markets.
