Stakeholders advocate healthy living at The Mirror conference
Stakeholders have urged Nigerians to cut down on salt and sugary foods to curb the rising burden of non-communicable diseases. The call was made at The Mirror Newspaper Conference and
Stakeholders have urged Nigerians to cut down on salt and sugary foods to curb the rising burden of non-communicable diseases.
The call was made at The Mirror Newspaper Conference and Excellence Awards for Heroes of Our Time, held at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Alausa, Ikeja.
Chairman of the occasion, legal luminary Asiwaju Kunle Kalejaye, SAN, stressed personal responsibility in health, especially with age.
“People must take responsibility for what they eat and drink. Reduce salt and sugary foods, take more water, and de-emphasise canned juices and drinks,” he said.
Kalejaye also praised The Mirror Newspaper, calling it “an embodiment of integrity,” and urged Nigerians to remain committed to justice and fairness.
Themed “X-raying the Salt: Safeguarding National Health,” the conference featured a keynote by Akinbode Oluwafemi, Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa, CAPPA.
Represented by CAPPA's Associate Director for Climate and Extractives, Olamide Martins, Oluwafemi described high salt intake as a “silent driver” of hypertension and other life-threatening conditions.
He said Nigerians consume an average of 10 grams of salt daily — double the WHO's recommended limit of under 5 grams.
Hypertension affects 30 to 40 percent of Nigerian adults and is a major cause of heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure, he noted.
“Many sudden deaths we often attribute to mysterious causes are actually linked to undiagnosed or poorly managed non-communicable diseases driven by what we consume daily,” Oluwafemi said.
He blamed insecurity in farming communities, poor transport systems, rising food costs, and reliance on processed foods for worsening diets. Bouillon cubes and processed foods, he added, contain high sodium levels that spike daily salt intake.
Despite the challenges, he acknowledged government plans to introduce mandatory salt reduction targets and front-of-pack warning labels to cut national consumption by 30 percent.
In his remarks, The Mirror Editor-in-Chief, Rev. Stanley Ihedigbo, said the event honours “men and women whose sacrifices, though sometimes quiet, have left indelible marks on our communities and national development.”
He explained that the “Heroes of Our Time” awards celebrate often-unnoticed contributors across sectors — from farmers and factory workers to media professionals and public servants.
Delivering a goodwill message, the spiritual father of the day, Grand Chief Imam of Oyoland, Shaykh Billal Akinola Husayn Akeugberu, urged Nigerians to embrace healthy living in line with moral and religious teachings. He prayed for good health and longevity.
Participants called for sustained collaboration among government, industry, civil society, and the media to tackle Nigeria's public health challenges.
The event also honoured distinguished individuals and organisations for exceptional service to society.
Honourees included: Alagodo of Agodo Kingdom, Oba Mudashiru Salaudeen Odejobi; Secretary of Conference, Methodist Church Nigeria, The Rt. Rev'd Dr. Babatunde Abiodun Taiwo; Bishop of Methodist Church Nigeria, Idanre Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dr. Matthew Adenipekun Falade; Africa Farming Project Coordinator, Dr. Bright Isaac Okwu; and Engr. Amos Semasa of Lagos State Ferry Services.
Read Also: Nigeria dedicates 100% LPG production to domestic market
Others were: Bishop (Col.) Paul Vincent of Persistence Works TV Network; Sir (Engr.) Humphrey Osita; Engr. Olasunkanmi Okusaga of LAMATA; AIG Simeon Akpanudom of FCID; and NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy.
Also honoured were Ambassador Iruoma Ofortube of Thyroid Awareness and Support Initiative; Obong Churchill Tom Udoh of Westgate Enterprise Group; Mr. Sunday Michael Ogwu of Pinnacle Daily; Mrs. Victoria Ibezim Ohaeri of Spaces for Change; ASP Dr. Ebenezer Emmanuel Valentine; Ms. Abimbola Adebakin of Advantage Health Africa; Hon. Francis Barthlomew Chima (OmoBarca); UK-based broadcaster Richard Edoki; Mr. Obinna Chima of ThisDay Newspapers; and Engr. (Chief) Sir Bamidele Babatunde Anjorin of NUMTEN.
The list also featured Mr. Mojeed Alabi of DevReporting; Nze Chidigodo Okpara of Marine Concept Ltd; UK-based Nigerian Mr. David Mozie; and Mr. Kingsley Ogbonna of Precise Platform.
The conference merged health advocacy with recognition of changemakers, reinforcing The Mirror Newspaper's commitment to national development and public well-being.
