IUNS PRESIDENT MEETS NIGERIAN PRESIDENT OLUSEGUN OBASANJO

[August 1, 2002]

The President of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences, Professor Mark L. Wahlqvist of Monash University, Australia, met with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation on Friday July 26,2002. Prof Wahlqvist was accompanied by Prof Tola Atinmo, Professor of Nutrition at the University of Ibadan and a member of the executive council of the IUNS. The delegation also included the President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Mrs. Beatrice Eluaka and the President of the Nigeria Dietetic Association, Mr. Sam Yuwa.

During the meeting, Prof Wahlqvist praised the efforts of the Government of Nigeria towards poverty alleviation and the improvement of the nutrition situation. He told Chief Obasanjo that his 6-day visit to Nigeria is in fulfillment of his pledge at the beginning of his tenure as IUNS President to pay special attention to the African continent. According to the IUNS President, Nigeria occupies a strategic and leadership position in Africa to the extent that any improvement in the nutrition situation in Nigeria is bound to positively other African countries. There are new breakthroughs in Science and Technology that can bring about significant improvements in nutrition. He urged President Obasanjo to take advantage of these breakthroughs and promised that the IUNS will assist in anyway possible. His support for the Human Rights approach to food and nutrition security taken by Nigerian nutritionists in a communiqué after a two-day seminar in Abuja was welcomed by Chief Obasanjo.

Chief Obasanjo thanked the visiting IUNS President and renewed his government’s firm commitment towards bringing about changes and improvement in the living standards and nutrition situation of women and children and of the long-term health of Nigerians and all Africans. President Obasanjo promised to support a better coordination of nutrition activities and programmes in Nigeria. He said the high prevalence of malnutrition is totally unacceptable to this Government and he assured the visiting IUNS President that he would do everything possible to ensure that resources are available to improve household food security, greater access to healthcare services and better caring capacity by mothers including support for breast feeding promotion.