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Brekete Family And The GMO Controversy! by suyamasta(m): 9:16pm On Jun 10, 2016 |
Ordinary Ahmed is very controversial. His poignant and in-your-face style of community journalism has attracted flaks from both government officials and members of the elite. He is known for biting so hard on strong issues and treading where even spirits fear to go. But his cheeky presentation and sometimes uncouth manner of engagement seems to have broken the door that separates the leaders from the lead; and earned him tremendous respect among the citizenry. And today, it seems the powers-that-be perceive the power that this “ordinary man” wields; because from law enforcement officials to political figures, no one wants to be said to “snub” Brekete Family. When the Family summons (via a telephone call) any leader to the court of public opinion, he or she comes running! But most importantly, this pedestal has made the Brekete Family Programme a veritable platform for quick reach to the grassroots. Any information put out through the programme spreads like wildfire. This is because, at least in Abuja, almost every ‘common Nigerian’ you see in the morning is near his/her radio listening in. This is exactly why I consider it very significant that the GMO brouhaha has found its way to Brekete Family. Last Tuesday’s live programme on Abuja’s Love FM (Crowther Radio) featured a researcher and a public health activist, Jackie Ikeotuonye. She articulated the fears of concerned activists over GMO infiltration into the Nigerian market. She told listeners that GMO is dangerous to us as a developing country because our farmers would be enslaved to Western companies like Monsanto who have patented most of the GM seeds and crops. She alleged that by accepting to consume genetically modified foods, the Nigerian government has opened the gates of the country to an invasion of cancer-causing foods. She scared the living daylight out of listeners. It was at that point that Ordinary Ahmed, the anchor, placed a live telephone call to the Director General of the National Biotechnology Development Agency, for her reaction to the allegations. While describing Ikeotuonye’s allegations as “half-truths”, the DG agreed to personally come to the studio for a face-to-face moderated debate session with the anti- GMO activist at the programme. And Ordinary Ahmed promised to personally moderate the session on Friday (that is, tomorrow). The programme runs from 7:30am to 8:30am. What transpired at the Brekete Family programme last Tuesday underlines the truth that there needs to be a great deal of public enlightenment so that Nigerians would know what exactly GMO is all about, the dangers and the prospects. Both sides of the story must be clearly told to the rural farmers and the general consumers so that people will take informed decision about GMOs. For, the government cannot assume that because our farmers are in need of improved seed stocks, GMOs should be dumped on them. Of course, one cannot eat poison because one is hungry. On the other hand, anti-GMO activists should not assume that a blanket demonization of GMOs and their Western promoters is enough to dissuade everybody from accepting them. One thing is clear; the proponents of GMOs in Nigeria must remember that some of the conspiracy theories surrounding GMOs emanate from credible sources that they cannot discredit. For instance, an international environmentalist and agriculturist, Dr. Vandana Shiva, recently raised the alarm over proposed introduction of GMOs into Nigeria and other African countries, with the signing of the Biosafety law, describing it as suicidal. Shiva is an Indian, and should know better, coming from a country with a bitter experience after mainstreaming GM’s BT Cotton into its agricultural sector. She warned Nigerians that the introduction of the crop into our country is another means the GMO originator, Mosanto, and other food corporations from the West want to use to make huge profits out of Africa and enslave farmers at the expense of their well-being. While giving examples of the devastation GMOs have caused in India, United States of America and other parts of the world where they have adopted the method in food production, she maintained that GMOs are not the best science and technology for food production and survival of Africans, rather the approach is deadly to the soil and human existence. According to her, many farmers are now indebted to Monsanto, because they owe to get seeds and this has trapped farmers in dependency and debt, and some farmers, out of frustration of huge debts, have committed suicide. Shiva said: “The pressure on Africa to adopt uniform seed laws such as those promoted under African Regional Intellectual Property Organization is all aimed at seed colonization of Africa and must be resisted. The same goes with the promotion of GMOs through the weak Bio- safety bills such as the one signed into law in Nigeria in the last week of the previous presidency. The unrelenting attack on our staple foods, including our cassava, cowpea (beans), corn and banana must be halted. “The planting of genetically modified cotton in Burkina Faso was held up as a great success, yielding bumper harvests and enriching farmers. But recently, Burkina Faso stopped planting BT. Cotton. What example will they bring up next? “Will Nigeria walk into that trap with her eyes open? While these costly inputs make super-profits for giant corporations, they destroy our soils, and trap our farmers in dependency and debt. With over 300,000 farmers’ suicides already recorded in India, the harmful nature of this agricultural model is without doubt.” On the other hand, the anti-GMO proponents cannot take away the desperation on the part of our harried farmers, who are year in and year out in need of improved seed to plant and pest- resistant strains of crops to breed. These farmers are already rushing to welcome GMOs, because to them it is a matter of survival! Yet, Brekete Family is known for investigative journalism, and for its unabashed bashing of government agencies and officials. There could be no better platform for anti-GM proponents to air their views and fears about the country’s policy towards GM. For instance, Ordinary Ahmed already proclaimed that this particular expose on GM might “end in the law courts”! He said some other sensitive national issues Brekete handled attracted immediate lawsuits from affected parties. For me, the first big step is to listen to the Friday programme. Source: http://punchng.com/brekete-family-gmo-controversy/ |
Re: Brekete Family And The GMO Controversy! by Holywizard: 9:23pm On Jun 10, 2016 |
dat man no get chill. dats my best channel 4 Strong TV 1 Like |
Re: Brekete Family And The GMO Controversy! by MisterGrace: 9:47pm On Jun 10, 2016 |
Genetically modified foods are sometimes very dangerous. |
Re: Brekete Family And The GMO Controversy! by Nobody: 9:58pm On Jun 10, 2016 |
Hemmmmmmbelemmmmbe! Olololoooooooo.... 1 Like |
Re: Brekete Family And The GMO Controversy! by uboma(m): 12:02am On Jun 11, 2016 |
MisterGrace: Stop saying what you dont know dude. The term GMO was explained and broken down that the unlettered man on the street will get its meaning during the talk program on radio. |
Re: Brekete Family And The GMO Controversy! by MisterGrace: 1:55am On Jun 11, 2016 |
uboma: Oh! my fault... I initially scanned through the write up, hence the reason why I didn't see it. |
Re: Brekete Family And The GMO Controversy! by coolscott(m): 2:01am On Jun 11, 2016 |
[size=13pt]Applying genetic engineering to improve human life is not bad. But these Mosanto people have carried it out with evil intent and effect all over the world. They have been chased from other parts of the world. But they have lots of money and it is quite easy for them to have top Nigerian officials in their pay. Bill gates has supported them (is a big investor in the company) and has promoted it inspite of the devastation it has already caused upon earth. I have never heard him talk about the harm Mosanto and its seeds has caused people. Anyway, Bill Gates has been in Nigeria for a long time now, allegedly pushing the Mosanto agenda. I say they be kicked away completely. When we did genetics and were introduced to the concept of genetic engineering, non of these mal-practices was introduced to us as what genetic engineering should be all about. The bio-safety law was made by non-nigerians in a very suspect way. Read what a Nigerian medical doctor (Dr. Philip Njamanze) wrote about what transpired[/size] [size=18pt]The National Council on Health presided over by Dr Khaliru Alhassan, the Supervising Minister for Health has inaugurated a national committee to implement the National Health Act 2015. The committee comprised a listing of about 27 organizations of which 18 on the list were foreign organizations to implement a Nigeria health law! At the helm of the committee is the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Embassies of foreign Western Diplomatic Missions in Nigeria, WHO and other UN organizations. The action of the Minister constitutes a treasonable felony under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, because health is considered National Security and surrendering the National Health System to foreign organizations amounts to an act of treason! To the amazement of Nigerians present at the meeting, organizations like the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN), which oversees the interests of the private sector medical practitioners and the Association of Catholic Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (ACMPN), which oversees the ethical practice of medicine were locked out prompting vehement protests by delegates who literally gate crashed into the meeting to be given a voice to speak about Nigerian health system, while foreign governments were presiding over the implementation of the laws on Nigerian health system. The committee has started work and Bill Gates has moved to begin acquisition of all Federal Medical Centres around the country beginning with the Southeast. [/size] [size=13pt]If it was not the usual corruption, why would they choose to execute these things in this way[/size] |
Re: Brekete Family And The GMO Controversy! by Bishops10(m): 2:30am On Jun 11, 2016 |
Copy and paste 1 Share
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Re: Brekete Family And The GMO Controversy! by xmileeasy: 9:33am On Jun 11, 2016 |
The effect of GMO far outweigh the benefits, their products are already here with us. The masses should be enlightened about it. Still following the discussion with rapt attention. Nairalanders make una choke mouth for the matter. Those in support of GMOs say "Aye" Those against GMO products say "Nay" |
Re: Brekete Family And The GMO Controversy! by suyamasta(m): 5:25pm On Jun 12, 2016 |
xmileeasy: Nayyyy |
Re: Brekete Family And The GMO Controversy! by hajlat(m): 12:31am On Jun 13, 2016 |
NAY |
Re: Brekete Family And The GMO Controversy! by suyamasta(m): 5:51pm On Jun 13, 2016 |
Government should be proactive about this or else na die o |
Re: Brekete Family And The GMO Controversy! by xmileeasy: 10:50pm On Jun 13, 2016 |
Just wondering if this topic is not worthy of discuss on nairaland. lalasticlala, please let nairaland microbiologist and scientists enlighten the forum of the benefits and effects of GMO. 1 Like |
Re: Brekete Family And The GMO Controversy! by FarmTech(m): 11:59pm On Jun 13, 2016 |
If u don't know how wicked mosanto is, read this: www.collective-evolution.com/2014/10/07/monsantos-dirty-dozen-the-12-most-awful-products-made-by-monsanto/. |
Re: Brekete Family And The GMO Controversy! by suyamasta(m): 7:34pm On Jun 14, 2016 |
FarmTech:They only thrive where they are allowed to |
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