Following the threat by the the Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL), Dr. Monday Ubani to sue the Federal Government if it implements its threat to ban ‘ponmo’, a member of NBA-SPIDEL, Achor Omodu Esq. has disagreed with Ubani, saying, 'ponmo' has no nutritional value.

You may recall that, Ubani has in a statement released on Wednesday noted that ponmo “is the most common delicacy that is mostly enjoyed by the average citizen due to its affordability, and given that fish, meat and other sources of protein have become very expensive and thus unaffordable by the common man in Nigeria. The cooked skin of cow is reputed as the poor man’s delicacy in the country". He questioned the rationale behind the government’s move to ban one of the very few staples that gives the common man joy.

However, While speaking on ATN Society Watch, a member of NBA-SPIDEL, Achor Omodu Esq. begged to disagree with the chairman of NBA-SPIDEL on the basis of the nutritional value Ponmo has to offer. 

Barr. Omodu argued that Ponmo has no nutritional value and should not be eaten at the expense of the economic value of leather.

He said, "I am a member of SPIDEL, but I will disagree with SPIDEL on that. When I was in secondary school, I offered a subject called home economics and I branched off to food and nutrition. In fact, my teacher then specifically stated it that, what we call Ponmo has no nutritional value. So I have been wondering, why are we still eating what does not have nutritional value in this country, and then, denying an industry, raw materials for shoes, bags and other things?

"So, I stand with the federal government to ban the consumption of Ponmo otherwise known as hides and skin."

"We eat food because of its nutritional value, right? So, why do I want to continue to eat what does not give me nutritional value? Do I want to eat just to fill up my stomach? I mean, it has no nutritional value, it should be stopped. And by the way, the processes leading to the production of Ponmo is also harmful to the health of eaters. I am told they use tyres to roast it. Tyre is produced from chemicals, and then you use it to process the skin (Ponmo) and then you serve us. Apart from the fact that it does not have nutritional value, you're now adding to the health challenge. So, I think people should think of alternatives (sic)."