The distinguished Professor Fatia Badru of Social work department, University of Lagos at his inaugural lecture on Wednesday the 6th of June, 2018, has said people should be more careful when it comes to patronizing roadside food sellers, especially roasted plantain, corn and yam sellers because of hygiene. This was covering a part in of his topic – “That our society is stable and healthy: Reflections of a Medical Social Worker”.
In his various works, particularly the one titled “Roadside Food Consumption and Health Hazard: A collaborative study carried out in 3 Local Government Areas (LGA)”. Samples of roasted Plantain and Maize were collected, and when they were analysed they contained contaminants such as Lead (Pb), Cadmium (CD), Zinc (Zn) and Iron (FE). All of these which are said to be toxic to the human body, he also established it that the low income area had the highest level of contaminants.
While explaining to the Vice Chancellor and the entire audience, Cadmium is know as a toxic metal and a known cardicinogen, it affects the human system negatively including the cardiovascular, reproductive, renal, special senses, musulo- skeletal, etc. Cadmium affects and induce bone damage; it can affect renal and dopamigeneric systems in children. In the same light, he encourages that Governments and it’s agencies should attend to the problem of availability of potable water and call for greater monitoring and control of environments where roadside foods are prepared.
The inaugural lecture which took about an hour 45 minutes, left the audience wowed because of the professor’s intellectual intelligence and vast scope of knowledge. Professor Fatai Badru was also the guest lecturer at the recent NASoW Lagos (National Association of Social Workers) Workshop thet held in May in celebration of the Worlds Social work day. He also used the opportunity to apologize to his dear children for not always being there for them as a father because of the pursuit of his academic career.
However, at the end, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe Congratulated him and welcomed him to the committee of professors that have paid their dues to the University.
