The Nigerian Institute of food science and technology Lagos chapter 10th Regional food science and technology summit/Nifst Day celebration Refost2024 has come and gone. But the success of the event will remain an indelible memory in the minds of about 400 professionals that attended the epoch making event.
The event was multifaceted as it showcased a quiz competition among tertiary institutions, schools debate among secondary schools, lecture and panel discussion sessions and exhibition pavilion.
The event had as Chairman of event, Mr Ilyas Kazeem, Divisional Marketing Director, Food division for Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC, Mr Oluyemi Oloyede, MD/CEO UAC plc, as Keynote speaker, and Mrs Oluyemisi Iroloye, Founder/CEO of Psaltry International Company Limited, as Special Guest of Honour.
At the event, Mountain Top University emerged first at the quiz competition. While 2nd position and 3rd position went to Obafemi Awolowo University and University of Ibadan respectively.
On the other hand, 1st Position for Victoria Ojo memorial school debate went to Senior Grammar School, Agidingbi, while Welkin International School, Ota, got 2nd Position and Federal Science and Technical college, Yaba, got 3rd Position.
Flour Mills Nig. PLC bagged an award that was received by Mr Ilyas Kazeem, the Divisional Marketing Director, Food division of the organisation.
Speaking at the event, the Lagos Chapter Chairman, Mr Aina Olugbenga Steven, lamented insecurity as a bane of food production and abundance in the country. “This has been an epoch making event, the celebration of professionals in the food making industry, it is an annual event when we come together in the chapter to reinforce. We come together, professionals from academia, industry, business, to celebrate each other, engage each other intellectually, have rewarding discussions and we just merry. The hall is full to capacity. This is very good. However, Nigeria ought by now to be self sufficient and food sustainable, but for the persistent issue of insecurity. I want to call on the government to deal with the issue of insecurity. It is a big problem. Our farmers are not able to get to farms because of insecurity, so the government should find solution to insecurity so that farmers can find their way back to farms, do their farming and produce food.”
On her part, Taiwo Olubunmi Ubani the LOC chairperson for the event, expressed her happiness about the event. “I am excited, not just about the number of people that came but about the calibre of people that came. We have enough technology to make sure that people get what they ought to get in food. Nigeria is sustainable, food surplus is achieveable, all we need is the right policies here and there. Nigeria has the land. We have the people. We have the weather that is conducive, to grow what we can eat. To achieve this, insecurity must be tackled. Farmers must be able to access their farms.”
Dr Edith Alagbe, the lead zonal coordinator for Otta zone and Head of Tertiary FST Quiz committee, added her voice to the call. “For food, you see sometimes there’s a shake. This problem is not new. But the reason for the scarcity is different. We have always experienced scarcity of food for one reason or the other, but this time it is bad. Insecurity has to go for food sustainability to stay.
