The laughter came first. Then the question hung in the air of the Lagos media briefing. Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, was asked when she would resign over the circulation of fake products. She burst out laughing.
The moment happened on Monday, September 7, during a briefing where Adeyeye was discussing the agency's efforts to tackle counterfeit and unsafe goods. A journalist pressed her on the growing calls for her removal. Video of her reaction spread quickly, with Nigerians criticizing what they saw as a dismissive response to a serious confrontation about inefficiency.
Adeyeye did not stay silent for long. She defended her record at NAFDAC and questioned why critics wanted her out despite what she described as significant improvements at the agency. She pointed to her personal history as proof of her intentions. Adeyeye said she returned to Nigeria after spending roughly 34 years in the United States, including 30 years as a professor. She retired and came back, she said, because she wanted to serve her country and improve its image.
"I came here to serve," she said, adding that she was "ashamed" of her country and wanted to help remove some of that shame.
She framed her tenure against the conditions she inherited when she became director-general in 2017. Adeyeye said the agency was carrying about ₦3.2 billion in liabilities at the time. The laboratory equipment was in serious disrepair, and the information technology infrastructure had major problems. She argued that her leadership had turned those conditions around. She noted that NAFDAC reached maturity level three in 2022, an improvement in its regulatory standing.
"So that question, 'When are you going to resign?' I hope you got the answer?" Adeyeye replied.
The exchange comes as NAFDAC faces renewed scrutiny over counterfeit products in Nigerian markets. The agency said it received 225 complaints about suspected counterfeit products in August alone. Between May and July, nationwide surveillance removed 7,210 fake, substandard and other non-compliant products. NAFDAC also said it has destroyed or seized more than ₦1.54 trillion worth of fake and substandard products since 2023.
The scale of the problem is what fuels the calls for her exit. Those demanding her resignation point to the continued presence of fake goods on shelves as evidence that the agency's work is not enough. Adeyeye maintains that her record speaks for itself. She did not address the specifics of the August complaints during the briefing, instead focusing on the broader trajectory of the agency under her leadership.
Her blunt answer and her laughter have become the story. The video clip circulated widely, and the reaction online was split between those who saw a leader confident in her achievements and those who saw a official out of touch with public frustration. The NAFDAC DG did not offer a timeline for her departure. She gave no indication that the resignation calls would change her plans.
For now, despite the calls for her removal, Adeyeye appears to have no plans to leave her position.
According to Pulse.ng.
