OBSERVATION: No Cause For Alarm On GMO Foods

• BY ADEMOLA YAYA

There have been so many negative posts and discussions on GMO foods on the social media, calling on Nigerians to be careful as GMO foods are targeted at reducing the lifespan of the black race, harmful to our health issues such as immune system damage and sterility and potential of toxins similar to those found in dangerous substances like anthrax and ricin in them, amongst several. Some even label Tela Maise as Bill Gates-sponsored artificial maize targeted against Nigerians’ wellbeing. 

Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) is an organism that has been manipulated genetically to produce desired product. It is a process of developing genetic engineering of inserting DNA from one bacterium into another to produce required result. DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) is a genetic material that contains the instructions for the development and function of all living organisms. It is found in the cells of all living things, including humans, animals, plants, and microorganisms. GMO foods are, therefore, genetically modified animals or plants for high yields, pest and drought resistance, and improved nutritional values. And this is not new. It is as old as 1866 when an Austrian monk, Gregor Mendel bred two different types of peas and identified the basic process of genetics. In 1922, the first hybrid corn was produced and sold commercially; in 1982, human insulin was produced to treat diabetes; in 2000, genetically modified golden rice was produced with improvement in nutritional value; in 2020, GMO pink pineapple was available for United States consumers.

All information being peddled on the social media on evils of GMO foods have all been based mere opinions, fear of unknown, ex-Colonial Masters relations to their former Colonies – could somebody who had enslaved me for over four hundred years but was forced to set me free because a new system of machine and factory had made my continuous slavery unprofitable be trusted on his manufactured GMO foods for my consumption? Can Bill Gates who had publicly expressed his displeasure to Africa uncontrolled population be trusted on his sponsorship of research on GMO foods? Yes, these are genuine concerns but they are based on sentiments and not on any empirical, scientific standpoint. Public health safety, environment, and economic concerns cannot be based on sentiment or common sense; they must be based on proven scientific analyses and submissions that will enable policy decision makers have informed information on their job.

READ: GMO Foods: Only Food For Our ‘Thoughts’?

As it is the case in other areas of life, technological advancement in agriculture has brought forth GMOs to cope with the growing population consumption requirement in terms of high yields and resistance to pests. GMOs are not only meant to combat hunger, especially in this period of food inflation, they are new source of raw materials for our industries that will generate more employment and increase the GDP. It should be known that before any GMO food is registered and released for public consumption, regulatory agencies must have done the needful in terms of stringent examination and processes that will ensure safety for human and environment.  I have done some research on the works of some experts on GMO foods like Dr. Rose Gidado, Director, agricultural biotechnology Department at National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency and Professor Olusola Adeyeye, an entomologist, who received the largest research grant from the National Institute of Science in the US for his research work on bugs(pests), among others and had interviews with experts on GMO foods consumption and their submissions are same – no danger to human beings and environment. 

This Wednesday, July 17, Dr. Omotayom Opemimo Oyedara, a distinguished academic, author, and researcher renowned for his contributions to microbiology, biotechnology, and computational biology with a Ph.D Biotechnology degree from Centre for Genomic Biotechnology, Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Mexico with specialisation in Applied Microbiology, Biotechnology, and Genomics whose Ph.D program was fully funded by Mexican government was our guest on a radio programme that I co-host with Ambassador Adewale Adewumi. The specialist, who has won several scholarships and awards including the prestigious award of the Mexico National System of Researchers membership in recognition of his ability to conduct scientific research; a registered member of Nigerian Society for Microbiology; American Society for Microbiology; Nigerian Bioinformatics and Genimics Network; and Biotechnology Society of Nigeria submitted that GMO foods pose no threat to human beings.

According to him, it is not only foods that are genetically modified, animals, insects, and micro-organisms are modified to produce desired result. “For instance in Kenya, there is a genetically modified mosquito that is being produced to control mosquito vectors that can cause diseases like dengue fever. Nigeria recently launched Tela Maize which is modified to be drought and insect resistance,” Dr. Oyedara said. He submitted that no chemical is involved but enzymes used to extract the DNA from the donor to targeted recipient organism and the recipient organism is always harmless. Eating genetically modified food has not been scientifically proved to be detrimental to the health of consuming human beings as FAO, UN, and others have certified GMO foods to be safe. He, however, said periodic research should be carried out to monitor GMO foods and their compliance to human and environmental cordiality. He advocated indigenous research to develop our own GMO foods without necessarily over-relying on the importation of GMO foods. For instance, he said Tela Maize is our own modified seeds developed in conjunction with Ahmadu Bello University and that we could develop our own GMO seedlings that will be adaptable to our own environment.

As against the castigation of Bill Gates, the erudite scholar said the man should be commended for diversifying from InfoTech to other areas of life, sponsoring of several researches to help humanity. While there is nothing wrong with GMO foods, he admonished that we should not throw away our traditional seedlings and that we should have seedlings banks for safety and preservation with the aim of researching to improving them and that all GMO foods should be labelled for people to know what they are buying or consuming as only Tela Maize seems to properly identify itself.

All said, the Nigerian ruling elite must brace up to fighting insecurity which has chased thousands of farmers out of their farmland. No amount of GMO foods will be a replacement to our locally produced food. A situation where bandits will be demanding N20 million monthly from farmers in Benue as a condition to return to their farmland is shameful and unacceptable.

The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not represent the opinions or views of OSUN DEFENDER.