From Rhoda Godwin, Yenagoa
For many Nigerian families, a pot of soup is not complete without kpomo, popularly called kanda in some communities. Whether floating in a steaming bowl of egusi soup, pepper soup, or native soup, the chewy cow skin has become more than food—it is culture, comfort, and, for many low-income households, an affordable alternative to meat.
But what happens when a beloved delicacy quietly becomes a health hazard?
That question is now confronting thousands of Bayelsans, following a recent warning by the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Mrs Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, who urged residents to stop consuming toxic kpomo circulating in markets across the state.
According to the commissioner, intelligence report available to the state government suggests that some cow hides sold in markets may have been preserved with dangerous chemicals such as formaldehyde, while others are processed under highly unhygienic conditions. She advised residents to temporarily avoid consuming suspicious kpomo until safety checks are completed.
Her warning is not merely another government announcement—it is a public health alarm that could save lives.
A silent killer on the dining table
Unlike contaminated water or visibly spoilt food, toxic kpomo may look, smell, and even taste normal. Yet, harmful chemicals absorbed during processing cannot be detected by the ordinary consumer.
Experts warn that some unscrupulous processors preserve cow hides with formaldehyde to prolong shelf life or use burnt tyres, engine oil, plastics, and other hazardous materials during roasting. These substances leave behind toxic residues that remain on the hide — even after washing and cooking.
For families trying to stretch a modest food budget, this creates an invisible danger.
Health risks
Health professionals have warned that consuming chemically contaminated cow skin may expose people to serious health complications, including:
Cancer: Long-term exposure to formaldehyde has been linked to certain cancers, particularly cancers of the nose, throat, and blood.
Kidney damage: Toxic chemicals place enormous strain on the kidneys, reducing their ability to filter waste from the body.
Liver disease: The liver, responsible for detoxifying harmful substances, can suffer permanent damage from repeated exposure.
Respiratory problems: Chemical residues may trigger breathing difficulties, persistent coughing, and throat irritation.
Digestive disorders: Consumers may experience stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, and food poisoning.
Weakened immune system: Continuous exposure to toxic substances may reduce the body’s ability to fight infections.
Risks to pregnant women and children: Developing babies and young children are particularly vulnerable to harmful chemicals that can affect growth and development.
Many victims may never connect these illnesses to the kpomo they have consumed months or even years earlier.
Why government’s warning matters
Mrs Koku-Obiyai’s appeal reflects the responsibility of the government to protect public health before a crisis escalates. Food safety experts agree that prevention is always cheaper and safer than treating diseases caused by contaminated foods. The warning also reminds consumers that affordability should never come at the expense of safety.
What consumers should do
Residents can reduce their risk by: avoiding kpomo from unknown or suspicious sources; always buying meat products only from licensed and reputable vendors; reporting suspected contaminated foods to health authorities; choosing safer protein alternatives such as fish, beans, eggs, or properly inspected meat; and demanding stricter food safety inspections at markets and slaughterhouses.
Government’s responsibility
While consumers must remain vigilant, the burden cannot rest on families alone. Authorities should intensify inspections of slaughterhouses and markets, prosecute traders found using hazardous chemicals, strengthen food safety regulations, continuously educate the public, and empower environmental and health agencies to monitor food processing activities.
Public awareness campaigns in local languages across the communities will also help residents understand that every kpomo on sale is not safe for consumption.
Beyond the pot
The conversation is bigger than kpomo. It is about the right of every Nigerian to eat foods that nourish the body rather than harms. When people, unknowingly consume toxic foods, hospitals become crowded, families spend scarce resources on treatment, productivity declines, and preventable illnesses claim lives.
Mrs. Koku-Obiyai’s warning should, therefore, not be dismissed as a routine government statement. It is an invitation for every consumer to ask difficult questions about what ends up on the family dining table.
Sometimes, the most dangerous meals are not the ones that taste bitter—but the ones that taste perfectly normal. If Bayelsans heed the warning today, countless families may be spared tomorrow’s hospital bills, chronic illnesses, and heartbreaking losses. In matters of food safety, caution is not fear—it is wisdom.