LAGOS, Nigeria — Former Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo, announced on August 28, 2026, that laboratory tests conducted on his wife’s freshly squeezed orange juice revealed it was unfit for human consumption due to toxic chemical contamination.
Okay News reports that Yemi Osinbajo disclosed the laboratory results during a speech at the Open Day for Gardeners’ Seminar in Lagos, Nigeria, where he warned against the widespread use of hazardous ripening agents by farmers and traders.
Addressing attendees at the event, Yemi Osinbajo detailed how his wife, Dolapo Osinbajo, developed persistent health issues before testing her daily beverage.
“She would look at my own Coke drinking habits with a lot of disapproval… But then, after a while, she started having some strange headaches, drinking her fresh juice every day,” Yemi Osinbajo said.
“The results came back. It showed that the orange juice, freshly squeezed, was not fit for human consumption. This is freshly squeezed orange juice. Not fit for human consumption,” Yemi Osinbajo added.
During the address, Yemi Osinbajo cited research indicating that fruit vendors frequently apply dangerous chemical compounds, including calcium carbide, gamma-lin-20, sniper, and phosphite, to artificially ripen produce and alter appearance.
“The fact that fruit looks fresh doesn’t mean that it is safe, and the fact that a drink is natural doesn’t mean that something dangerous has not been added to it along the way, especially along the journey from the farm to the table,” Yemi Osinbajo said.
“So, this calls for stronger regulation, stronger enforcement. It also calls for greater public awareness,” Yemi Osinbajo said.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) did not immediately issue public responses regarding the chemical testing claims.
