I am happy that I had time to listen to ” Agbami Oselu” this morning.
” Agbami Oselu” is a popular Yoruba program which is anchored by ace veteran Broadcaster, Alhaji Abolade Salami.
The program runs on Fresh FM radio station on Sundays between 8-10am
Governor Makinde’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Barr. Olasunkanmi Olaleye was guest on the program this morning and honestly, I seriously pitied him.
The soft spoken Legal practitioner from Ogbomoso had a tough and difficult time, trying to defend the indefensible.
In fact, the interview session was an eye opener and I will ventilate on some key takeaways from the interview.
The Commissioner while answering a question about the concrete achievements of Governor Makinde in the area of Agriculture decided to take us on a voyage of theories.
He talked about how Government has distributed seedlings of maize, soya beans and cassava sticks to some farmers.
He said his Ministry has been providing free veterinary services to cattle and goats owners across the state.
He talked about a particular 6,000 acres of farm Land which he claimed were ploughed for some farmers.
He said his Ministry is currently conducting soil samples in some locations and that after the exercise, the Ministry would proceed to train some farmers.
He said the Governor has approved funds for the purchase of some motorcycles for some Agric officials.
He talked at length about an application that enables the Ministry to track Tractors which he said are ploughing at some reduced rates I think.
He now proceeded to talk about how Government has advertised for the award of contracts for the construction and rehabilitation of certain Roads that leads to the Ijaye Farm Settlement.
He talked about a particular Adebayo/Alata Road in Oluyole which he said has also been advertised.
The advertisements, according to him were made on September 15, this year!
He also said that advertisements has equally been made regarding some Farmers Markets to be constructed in about four locations in Oyo state.
He said Oyo state Government is partnering with a Moroccan firm in the area of provisions of fertilizers.
When he was asked to clarify whether the Eruwa Farm Settlement had been sold out to some Chinese Investors or not , he cleverly avoided a yes or no answer but rather chose to explain that there are three classes of farmers.
From his explanations, I think he was saying that our local farmers are what he called ” small holders” and I think they’re looking for the “Agbe Alada nlas” which I think the Chinese fit into.
No doubts, the Eruwa Farm Settlement is gone.
He was equally asked to explain the benefits derived from the five hundred young farmers from the state who were sent to go train in Nassarawa state.
To this he answered that not all of the young farmers who went to Nassarawa went there with the minds of coming back to embark on farming.
He said some of them went perhaps because they thought there could be something else to derive from the exercise as a quick fix.
In fact, he answered the question by throwing a poser, ” how many young men are willing to engage in farming activities this days”, he asked.
For me, that is a terrible indictment. What was the criteria for choosing the five hundred individuals in the first place?
Shouldn’t they be persons who genuinely have passion for farming and Agriculture in the first place?
Shouldn’t there have been a system deviced to monitor their activities during and after the program to ensure that whatever was learned was put into practice?
This incident speaks volumes about Governor Makinde’s dedication to Agriculture and food production.
He was also asked if Oyo state just like Lagos, Ogun and many other states is into the production of Local rice but he also avoided a direct answer.
I will state my observations from here and I will start from the issue of exactly what Oyo state has or is producing as Agricultural products.
Oyo state, under Governor Seyi Makinde has been producing theories, grammar and deceits.
Agri-business is just a theory and I will reproduce the definition of Agri-business again.
According to google, Agri-business is described as ” agriculture conducted on strictly COMMERCIAL PRINCIPLES”. ( emphasis mine).
It is also described as ” the group of individuals dealing with produce and services required in farming.
In contrast, let us check the definition of Agriculture. The same Google describes Agriculture as ” the science or practice of farming, including CULTIVATION OF THE SOIL FOR GROWING OF CROPS AND THE REARING OF ANIMALS TO PROVIDE FOOD…” ( emphasis mine).
You will now see why the Commissioner could not answer some direct questions about exactly what Oyo state Government is producing or has produced as farm products.
The intention of Governor Makinde is never to provide food for the people of Oyo state.
His genuine intentions are ” strictly based on commercial principles “.
What I do not understand up till now is what Governor Makinde did with the initial #7 billion Loan and other Loans he took in respect of the Farm Settlements.
There is no doubts about it. Governor Makinde has not planted a stick of cassava, he has not cultivated a plot of farm Land. Apart from Fashola, nothing has been done in any of the other Farm Settlements until Eruwa got sold out recently.
So, what was the billions of Naira expended on?
I talked about deceits. Yes. The Governor has deliberately deceived the citizens of Oyo state severally.
Let me ask the Governor this pointed question: exactly what are the benefits derived from plastering the existing solid buildings of OYSADEP in Saki and changing the organization to OYSADA?
What is the benefit of such needles and wasteful exercise to the Agrarian Communities of Oke Ogun?
What has happened to the Cocoa Rebirth program in the state?
What cash crops has Oyo state developed in the last six years?
Where is the Botswana maize?
It is so sad that a state that is fortunate to have inherited the Farm Settlements originally established by Awolowo could not provide food in abundance for Its citizens and would descend so low to be sending our young farmers to a Northern state to train in Agriculture!
What a shame!!
Governor Makinde has been elected almost six years ago.
He has been taking Loans in respect of Agriculture or is it Agri-business from his first year in office.
Is it not a shame to hear that some access Roads to one of the Farm Settlements in respect of which billions of Naira were taken as Loan is just being advertised?
How much longer does the Governor has in office?
I wrote a piece yesterday where I said that the Eruwa Cashew plantation has been sold to a friend of the Speaker, allegedly.
I have been informed that the Cashew plantation had been sold. No doubts but the individual that was mentioned as the buyer baffles me.
I am sure it can not be. Someone told me this morning that the person who bought the Cashew plantation is actually the Governor’s Chief of staffs!
I hope it is not true like I said.
It’s unfortunate that people like Governor Seyi Makinde always love to identify with Awolowo whenever it suits them.
Would Awolowo have conceived a policy that dislodge local farmers from the Farm Settlements just because they’re considered as ” small holder farmers” and hand over their means of livelihood to foreigners?
Would Awolowo have conceived the ideas of selling the Eruwa Farm Settlement and the Cashew plantation for whatever reasons?
Awolowo was not what Yorubas call ” a ko tile ta”.
He wouldn’t have conceived of such heinous and wicked ideas.
The good thing about this whole scenario is that Governor Makinde’s tenure will expire through effluxion of time.
The Lord God Almighty shall give both himself and ourselves long lives so that we will all witness exactly what his true legacies would be.
You do not write your legacies with your hands. Legacies are a product of our activities, actions and inactions.
Governor Makinde’s legacies of the indiscriminate sales of the Legacies of others who had been Governors before him will echo till eternity.
Even, Awolowo must be shuddering in his grave now.
What has Governor Makinde not messed up?
The concepts of Awolowo’s free Education is presently being mocked by Governor Makinde.
Now, he has started selling off the Farm Settlements established by Awolowo for the purposes of creating jobs and enhancing food sufficiency.
Hmmm.. Governor Makinde is indeed the Awolowo of our time.
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