Prof. Fakoya gave the advice while speaking on "Mycological Marvels: Unlocking the Much Rooms in Mushrooms" at the 7th Inaugural Lecture of Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa, on Wednesday, 4th June, 2025.
He asserted that edible mushrooms are abundant in protein, fibre, and antioxidants, serving as valuable sources of antibiotics and antivirals, in addition to their cardiovascular health benefits, complemented by their potent anti-cancer and antimicrobial medicinal properties.
The esteemed professor of mycology, specializing in food and industrial microbiology, contended that it is imperative for individuals to abandon the consumption of processed and synthetic foods and pharmaceuticals, which are fraught with numerous adverse effects.
Instead, he advocates for a transition towards nature-rich bioremediation foods, such as mushrooms, which are beneficial for overall wellness, male vitality, lactation support, and the promotion of general healthful living.
"When you eat something from nature, you can get the best from it. Nigerians should cultivate the habit of eating edible mushrooms, which are highly nutritious, safe, cost-effective, and can even be a good source of revenue generation for many because of their culinary and therapeutic benefits among others."
"The hidden world of fungi, which includes mushrooms, holds the secret to revolutionizing our culinary, nutritional, medical, industrial, and environmental landscapes. For centuries, edible fungi have tantalized our taste buds and intrigued our imagination, yet their vast potential remains largely unexplored."
"Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of certain fungi and they are responsible for spore dispersal, require less water and energy to grow, making them an eco-friendly food choice.
Many fungi are commercially viable, such as baker's yeast used in baking and penicillin, which is the first antibiotic widely used. Mushrooms are incredibly diverse with over 14,000 known species, of which only a fraction has been extensively studied."
Mushrooms can be categorized into edible and non-edible mushrooms. The edible types are consumable by humans, while non-edible are poisonous. Before assuming that any wild mushroom is edible or not. It should be identified, proper identification of species is the only safe way to ensure edibility," the scholar forewarned.
"Mushrooms are indeed nature's alchemists, inspiring innovative solutions, with the ability to transform organic waste into valuables resources. They are not only rich in essential proteins, vitamins, and minerals, but also harbour bioactive compounds with significant health-promoting properties including antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects."
Concluding, the scholar urged the federal government to strategically establish a Mycological Culture Collection Centre at OAUSTECH and some other Nigerian universities to enhance accurate identification, propagation, accessibility, and comprehensive documentation of various fungi found in Nigeria.
He added that it would support public awareness on the growing and consumption of edible mushrooms for their nutritional, pharmaceutical, and industrial significance and collaboration between academics and industry for research and development through partnership with stakeholders and policy-makers for improved fungal products, and attainment of some of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals in the areas of health, and safe affordable nutrition.
The researcher specifically called on the Government of Ondo State to establish a world-class, state-of-the-art Mushroom House in the Ondo Southern Senatorial District, to be domiciled at OAUSTECH. The initiative, he said, would enhance the cultivation of safe, edible, and medicinal mushrooms and also advance desirable research in the field.
In his remarks, OAUSTECH's Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Temi Ologunorisa, stated that Prof. Fakoya has demonstrated the importance of mushrooms, based on their medicinal and nutritional values, with the potential to cure infertility, among others.
"What remains is for the government and private sectors in the country and beyond to support research, especially in the area of mushrooms for their attendant health benefits for humanity," Prof. Ologunorisa submitted.
The event was well attended by academia, dignitaries, researchers, industrialists, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and staff and students of OAUSTECH.