The Fanta, Sprite With Vitamin C Judgement: So Many Questions Begging For Answers

By Adewole Kehinde

The major headline in various media today, Tuesday 14th March, 2017 was “Court Orders NAFDAC to compel Nigerian Bottling Company to warn consumers of dangers of Drinking Fanta, Sprite With Vitamin C”. The judgment was given by Justice Adedayo Oyebanji and the court awarded a cost of N2million against NAFDAC.

I understood the suit was filed by a Lagos-based businessman, Dr. Emmanuel Fijabi Adebo, and his company, Fijabi Adebo Holdings Limited, against NBC Plc and NAFDAC in 2008 and that it has been in court for nine years.

From my own understanding, Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) falls under the categories of Beverages and Vitamin C falls under Pharmaceutical on NAFDAC categorization. So where is the connection between Fanta, Sprite and Vitamin C?

The Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) was accused of producing Fanta and Sprite with excessive levels of benzoic acid and sunset additives. I think the best Dr. Emmanuel Fijabi Adebo, and his company, Fijabi Adebo Holdings Limited would have done was to first of all come out with their scientific findings, report to Nigerian Bottling Company  and if they didn’t get considerable response, then notify NAFDAC to carry out her own scientific findings.

How will NAFDAC know that Fanta and Sprite drinks are poisonous when consumed along with Vitamin C when Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) is not into the production of Vitamin C?

Vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid) is abundant in vegetables and fruits. A water-soluble vitamin and powerful antioxidant, it helps the body form and maintain connective tissue, including bones, blood vessels, and skin so I doubt if any medical Doctor will recommend to his/her patient to use soft drinks, apart from the normal water used worldwide, to take Vitamin C and which are normally licked in some instances.

As we may know, Vitamin C is easy to get through foods, as many fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C. Good sources include: apples, asparagus, berries, broccoli, cabbage, melon (cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon), cauliflower, citrus fruits (lemons, limes, oranges), kiwi, fortified foods (breads, grains, cereal), dark leafy greens (kale, spinach), peppers (especially red bell peppers, which have among the highest per-serving vitamin C content), potatoes, and tomatoes.

The Judge said that NAFDAC failed Nigerians by declaring, as fit for human consumption, products discovered by tests in the United Kingdom as turning poisonous when mixed with ascorbic acid (popularly known as Vitamin C). I want to know if the Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council’s Trading Standard, Department of Environment and Economy Directorate, UK informed the Coca-Cola and the entire World that Fanta Orange, Sprite, Fanta Lemon, Fanta Pineapple and soda water from Coca-Cola is poisonous.

Secondly, I want to know if any Hospital or Health Center in Nigeria has any reported cases associated with the risk of taking Fanta and Sprite with vitamin C.

I am aware that under the leadership of the Acting Director General, Mrs. Yetunde Oni, NAFDAC always ensures that routine laboratory tests are carried out on not only on soft drinks but on all other related products produced and imported into the country to ensure their safety for consumption.

The Acting Director General has ensured that NAFDAC has stringent quality control procedures to ensure that all products produced and imported into the country are safe for end-user consumption.

NAFDAC must have done their homework well to ensure that that the levels of the chemical components in all certified soft drinks are safe for consumption in Nigeria.

Where my suspicion came was when the claimants alleged that NAFDAC did not carry out requisite tests to determine the safety of the drinks for human consumption. The claimant assumption was wrong as the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) know they can’t produce without NAFDAC certification after series of scientific test on any product.  

I agreed with the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) that their productions, after scientific test, are meant for local distribution and consumption, as it does not produce for export.

The claimant must be aware that Coca-Cola is manufactured and bottled by various Coca-Cola franchise holders in most countries of the world, including the United Kingdom where he exported to.

Finally, I call on NAFDAC to appeal the Judgment, file a motion to stay execution as well as put the appeal in public domain. Also the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) should work with NAFDAC on scientific findings on the said poisonous Fanta, Sprite combination With Vitamin C intake.

Adewole Kehinde is a Journalist based in Abuja. kennyadewole@gmail.com

Group Commend Police On Peace Corps Clampdown

The Media Unite for Police Agenda (MUPA) has commended the Nigeria Police and other security agencies for the clamp down on the Peace Corps of Nigeria and the arrest of the National Commandant and forty nine others.

In a press release by the National Coordinator of the Media Unite for Police Agenda, Kelvin Adegbenga, he said the Nigeria Police was right because Peace Corps was operating illegal/unlawful security outfits constituting National Security Threat and Threat to the protection of life and property of Nigerians across the country.

“With the Boko Haram crisis in the North East and several killings in Benue and Kaduna State respectively and with the credible intelligence reports at the disposal of the Force that revealed that some of these illegal Security outfits have started acquiring weapons and conducting military training in different locations across the country, we strongly commend the joint Security action against the Peace Corps of Nigeria, Kelvin Adegbenga said..

He further said that since Federal Republic of Nigeria official Gazette dissolved and proscribed illegal Security outfits such as Nigerian Maritime security Agency (NMSA), Nigerian Merchant Navy Corps and the Nigerian Merchant Navy Petroleum Security and Safety, Peace Corps of Nigeria and other quasi illegal security outfits in 2013, why should the organization still operating outside their mandates and purposes for which they were registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission.

Kelvin Adegbenga said that the Peace Corps of Nigeria was registered as an NGO unfortunately, the National Commandant has decide with blatant impunity and total disregard to the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, opened illegal training camps across the Country, where thousands of youths without proper background check and screening are receiving Military training which is against the Corporate Affairs Commission Article of Association and Memorandum.

“We want to remind the people behind that Peace Corps of Nigeria that until the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria sign the Peace Corps bill before the National Assembly into law, it is not a law and even if the President signs it, Nigerians should know that Peace Corps of Nigeria is a registered entity with Corporate Affairs Commission as an NGO, as such they don’t need a bill of the National Assembly to operate as one.

“In our opinion, it is the Executive arm of Government that should initiate a Bill to create a security agency for the Nation and not the Legislative arm. Section 214 of Nigeria constitution established the Nigerian Police, so we want know which Section of the 1999 Constitution that is creating Peace Corps?

“The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should have been consulted before such bill is even brought to the floor of the House because the country can’t afford another security outfit considering the recession Nigeria is going through. Where will the Executive get the money pay the salary of the Peace Corps members?

Kelvin Adegbenga said that few months ago, the Senate publicly denied the fact that they have passed the Bill for an act for the establishment of the purported Nigeria Peace Corps, so therefore the Peace Corps of Nigeria remains a Non-Governmental Organization; it has no business doing government jobs.

He commend the Nigeria Police Force joint operations that includes the Personnel of the Military and Department of State Service for putting an end to extortion of money from imprudent youths throughout the country under the guise of recruitment; amounts ranging from Fifty Thousand Naira to Hundreds of Thousands of Naira are being paid by innocent Nigerians to the Peace Corps of Nigeria.

“We are calling on the Nigeria Police to arraign those arrested in court on time after completion of their investigation, Kelvin Adegbenga said. 

Stop Insulting Your Elders; Adebomi Tells Fayose

A gubernatorial aspirant under the platform of the All Progressives Congress in Ekiti State, Captain Adebomi, has cautioned Governor Ayodele Fayose to stop embarrassing the state by his consistent attack against people who are older than him, particularly, former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Adebomi said Fayose by his constant disrespect for elders like former President Olusegun Obasanjo was uncalled for and lacks moral value of Yoruba culture.

According to him, the statements credited to the governor constituted an abuse of his position as the governor of the 'Fountain of Knowledge'. Ekiti people are known for being cultured and well groomed to respect the tradition of the Yoruba race, irrespective of their position in the society.

He therefore urge Governor Fayose, to spend his little time left in office, on delivering on his promises which he had failed to fulfilled to the people of Ekiti State. He also said, genuine sons and daughters of Ekiti, will no longer fold their arms and watch Governor Fayose, bringing the virtue, reputation and integrity of the state into disrepute on the altar of his perpetual political grandstanding.