A professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Ibadan, Victor Ifeolu Akinmoladun has declared that pro-inflammatory diets such as sugary drinks, refined carbohydrates, processed meats, fried foods including persistent inflammation are the major causes of oral cancer.

Akinmoladun made the assertion while delivering the 582nd inaugural lecture of the University of Ibadan.

The don while delivering the lecture titled, “The Scalpel and the Laboratory: Collaboration Against the Lawless”, maintained that cancer is a major societal, public health, and socioeconomic problem in the 21st century.

He added that cancer causes 3 in 10 global premature deaths from non-communicable diseases, NCDs, in those aged 30 to 69 years.

Akinmoladun while addressing the gathering said cancer is responsible for almost one in six of all deaths and one in four deaths from NCDs worldwide, adding that head and neck cancer (HNC) is ranked at between 6th to 10th most common cancers in the world.

He described the relationship between inflammation and cancer as an agreement between two individuals or groups of persons to achieve an unlawful or illegal and harmful goal, often with fatal consequences.

The don affirmed that higher vegetable and fruit consumption have protective effects on cancers of the stomach, oesophagus, lung, oral cavity, pharynx, and colon.

He maintained that micronutrients such as zinc, copper and selenium along with antioxidants as well as vitamins are required for the production of various enzymes that help prevent DNS damage caused by free radicals and also maintain the integrity of mucosal surfaces.

He added that cancer is not exactly the direct consequence of a failed immune system or a compromised system but they can significantly contribute to cancer development, while the understanding of the compromises forms the basis for immune therapy against cancers.

He also recommended supplements rich in antioxidants and single-carbon metabolism, vitamins, in addition to lifestyle changes, particularly the avoidance of alcohol and tobacco use.

He said that “Many cancers are known to be induced by chronic inflammation, while many more are sustained by it.

“Soluble and cellular inflammatory mediators such as cytokines are responsible for tumour initiation and associated with progression in some cancer cases including head and neck cancers.

“Figures on the burden of the disease are difficult to obtain in Nigeria, data on survival in oral cancer is also hardly available’.

Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, says Nigerians should stop medical tourism and start producing its own drugs locally.

Dangote stated this during a panel discussion at the Gates Foundation’s Goalkeepers event held in Lagos on Wednesday.

The richest black man, while emphasizing the need for every Nigerian, including the rich to be able to treat themselves in Nigeria when they fall sick, hinted that it was important to partner with Bill Gates and the Gates Foundation to achieve this.

“What we need to do is to make sure we stop this health tourism and we should now get in to start producing our own drugs.

“We should now make sure that when we are sick, we don’t have to travel abroad, all of us, but we need to do a partnership with Bill (Gates),” he said.

Africa’s richest man recalled that the Dangote Foundation through partnership with the Gates Foundation has helped to end Polio in Nigeria and did quite a lot in improving nutrition.

According to him, in terms of business, his company has done a lot by reversing a lot of things, adding that Nigeria used to be the second largest importer of cement in the world but now it exports cement more than any other African country.

Dangote also highlighted how farmers previously struggled to access fertilizer, but today, he has built the second-largest fertilizer plant in the world from the ground up.

“So, Nigeria now, not only export, we actually export 37% of our fertilizer to the United States of America,” he said.

Speaking on petroleum, Dangote maintained that he did what nobody has ever done before by building 650,000bpd refinery, revealing that in the month of May 2025 alone, the Dangote Refinery exported 400,000 metric tons of petrol.

According to him, this has ended Nigeria’s dependency on imported petrol, as the country no longer imports the product.

Ekwutosblog reports that the Goalkeepers event, which was hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for the first time in Lagos, brought together global leaders, policymakers, and change makers to assess progress toward the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs.

Other notable dignitaries at the event included Bill Gates Dangote; the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; and the Governor of Gombe State, Inuwa Yahaya, among others.

A public health expert has raised serious concerns over the increasing health risks posed by the consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) in Nigeria.

The expert warned that the country is facing a growing crisis of obesity, diabetes, and other diet-related diseases.

Ekwutosblog in an exclusive interview with Abayomi Sarumi, Associate Director at Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), said the widespread intake of sugary drinks commonly called soft drinks is silently fueling a health emergency, especially among young people.

“SSBs are drinks that contain added sugars such as sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup, or other sweeteners like honey and molasses,” Sarumi explained.

“Examples include sodas, fruit drinks, energy drinks, and sports drinks. These drinks are full of sugar and give the body far more energy than it needs.”

According to him, an average bottle of SSB contains nearly 14 cubes of sugar, more than the daily sugar intake recommended by health experts.

“This excess sugar is dangerous to the body. It causes a sudden rise and crash in blood sugar levels, leading to fatigue, mood swings, and over time, serious health problems like heart disease, weight gain, and type 2 diabetes.

“All these outcomes are risk factors for noncommunicable disease (NCDs) which are now responsible for more than 30% of total deaths in Nigeria,” he said.

Sarumi pointed out that SSBs are easily available, aggressively marketed, and often seen as a normal part of daily life.

“They’re ultra-processed and wrongly sold as essential. This marketing has made people believe they are harmless, but that is far from the truth,” he added.

Over 54 Billion Litres of SSBs Consumed in Nigeria

Citing data, Sarumi said Nigeria is now one of the largest consumers of sugary drinks in Africa.

“For more than 4 years, it was reported that Nigeria was the fourth largest consumer of SSBs, with 38 million litres consumed in Nigeria. In April 2025, ahead of convergence of food and beverages companies who now target Nigeria for its young and large population, the organisers informed members of the press that Nigerians consumed over 54 billion litres of SSBs in 2024.

This rise, he noted, is happening alongside an increase in fast food and processed snack consumption, contributing to what he calls “a diet-related disease explosion.”

“We’ve seen more than 150% increase in cardiovascular diseases in the last decade, with over 27.5 million Nigerians living with hypertension as of 2022. And with poor diets, tobacco, and alcohol use, the World Health Organization (WHO) says 22% of Nigerians now face the risk of dying early from non-communicable diseases,” Sarumi warned.

Are Nigerians aware of these dangers?

While some people know sugar can be harmful, Sarumi said most Nigerians don’t fully understand the link between sugary drinks and long-term illnesses.

“From our interactions, many people don’t realise just how dangerous SSBs can be,” he said.

He also described how some myths and misleading advice make things worse.

“There are even cases where patients are told by health workers to take sugary drinks before using medication. In a religious and cultural society like ours, many see diabetes or heart disease as spiritual attacks, not linked to their diet.”

Why SSBs are popular especially among young people?

Sarumi believes the food industry plays a major role in promoting SSBs, especially among the youth. “These products are cheap, everywhere, and heavily advertised. They are shown as symbols of fun, status, or success, without any warning about their dangers,” he said.

“The companies behind SSBs also position themselves as ‘friends of society’ through Corporate Social Responsibility programmes, which makes it harder to question their products,” he added.

The way forward

To reduce consumption, Sarumi supports the implementation of a strong SSB tax. But he says this must go beyond raising revenue.

“A good SSB tax should not only reduce intake but also fund healthcare, especially for people living with diabetes and other diet-related conditions,” he explained. “Government must use the tax money for public health campaigns to educate citizens.”

He also called for other supporting measures like: Clear warning labels on sugary products, limits on how much salt or sugar companies can use, banning celebrities from endorsing SSBs, restricting marketing aimed at children.

“These combined policies will protect Nigerians especially children and help improve the overall health of the country,” Sarumi concluded.