Babcock University has marked the 2026 World Food Day with a Cook-a-thon Fiesta aimed at promoting healthy eating, nutritional awareness and innovative food preparation among students.
The event, themed “Innovate Today, Nourish Tomorrow”, was organised by the university’s Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics in collaboration with the Department of Dietetics at Babcock University Teaching Hospital on October 29, 2026, in Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State.
The programme featured nutritional assessments, a cooking competition, food exhibitions, music, and the presentation of prizes and certificates. It also provided students with an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to practical food preparation and explore the nutritional value of different food classes.
Speaking on the initiative, the Executive President of the Nutrition and Dietetics Students Association (NUDSA), Miss Isiose Egbeahie, said the event allowed students to explore diverse food classes and demonstrate their culinary creativity.
Co-sponsor of the event, Tirzah Alfa, described the fiesta as an opportunity to promote the department and encourage conversations about individual dietary requirements.
She explained that nutritional advice should be tailored to individual health conditions rather than based on general recommendations, highlighting the importance of research-driven approaches to nutrition and wellness.
Three students emerged as winners of the cooking competition. Nnanna Israel-Aja, a Computer Science student, took first place and received N30,000, while Ogechukwu Unachukwu, a 400-level Nursing student, came second with N20,000. Ifunaya Samson secured third place and received N10,000.
The competition’s top contestants impressed with their creative use of locally accessible ingredients, including sweet potato, garden egg, kilishi and scent leaf, to prepare nutritious meals at the grand finale.
Head of the Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, Dr Elizabeth Ngozi, said the decision to focus on affordable and readily available ingredients was deliberate.
According to her, the initiative was designed to encourage young people to reconsider their food choices and preparation methods while making the competition accessible to students beyond the department.
She added that opening the competition to students from other disciplines promoted inclusivity and expanded the programme’s potential impact.
The university said the initiative aligns with its commitment to producing graduates who are academically competent, innovative, entrepreneurial and socially responsible.
It also supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2, which focuses on ending hunger, achieving food security, improving nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture, while encouraging healthier eating habits among young people.
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