Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has revealed how his wife, Dolapo, discovered that the freshly squeezed orange juice she regularly consumed was allegedly unsafe for human consumption.
Osinbajo disclosed this while speaking at the Open Day for Gardeners’ Seminar, themed: “Leaving the Earth Better Than We Found It,” held in Lagos on August 28, 2026.
According to him, Dolapo began experiencing unusual headaches every few days despite maintaining what she considered a healthy lifestyle, including drinking a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice every day.
He said after reviewing her diet without finding an obvious cause, she decided to send a batch of the orange juice to a laboratory for testing.
Osinbajo said the laboratory result showed that the juice was “not fit for human consumption.”
He said the discovery raised concerns over the chemicals allegedly used by some farmers and traders to ripen, preserve or otherwise treat fruits and vegetables.
Osinbajo cited studies and surveys which, according to him, found that some fruit sellers admitted using substances including calcium carbide and other potentially toxic chemicals on produce.
He warned Nigerians against assuming that food is safe simply because it looks fresh or a drink appears natural.
“The fact that fruit looks fresh doesn’t mean that it is safe,” he said.
The former vice president called for stronger regulation and enforcement to protect consumers, while urging farmers and traders to adopt safer practices.
He also advised consumers to ask questions about the food they buy, wash fruits and vegetables properly and report suspicious practices to relevant authorities.
Osinbajo stressed that Nigerians also have a responsibility to speak up in their communities and push for safer food-handling and production practices.
