By: Tunde Olofintila
Legal colossus and Founder of the 21st Century Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola, has traced the myriads of problems afflicting the Nigerian state to the unwise and condemnable abandonment of Agriculture, Nigeria’s otherwise cash cow until the discovery of oil in Oloibiri, Rivers State, in 1956.
Painting a gory picture of what the abandonment of Agriculture has pitiably visited on Nigeria, Babalola who was recently decorated as the Africa Man of the Year in Food Security for 2024, the second time in 10 years, said no nation, especially in Africa, can thrive or achieve greatness without a viable and productive Agricultural Sector.
Receiving the Award in his University in Ado-Ekiti, Babalola, who clinched the Award after defeating other nominees from across the continent, recalled the days of yore when everybody, no matter his business or vocation, had a small garden at the back of his house.
This, he said, made it possible for everybody to have ready and easy access to food stuffs. Then, people were not only able to feed themselves, but they also were able to give freely to others with nobody being hungry then. In his view, “that time should be reinvented in the interest of all”.
The organizers of the Award, the Forum for International Green Sustainability (FIGS), a body that promotes interest in Agriculture with a view to ensuring food security worldwide, predicated Babalola’s nomination for the Award on what they described as his “many radical revolutions on Agriculture, namely; ABUAD Bio-Diversified Farms, granting of millions of Naira under the Afe Babalola Annual Agricultural Grants to hundreds of farmers, ABUAD Talent Discovery Centre, ABUAD Planetarium, ABUAD modern Dam, ABUAD Industrial Park that houses over 124 Farm Industries and ABUAD FM Radio among several others”.
In his acceptance speech, Babalola who has been adjudged one of the leading large-scale farmers in Nigeria and the largest single farmer in Ekiti, his home state, where he is also renowned as the highest taxpayer, and second largest employer of labour after the state government, expressed gratitude to the global body for recognizing his contributions in Agriculture, describing it as a challenge at ensuring food sufficiency.
Babalola, who described Nigeria as a net consuming country, said the nation cannot achieve true development without prioritizing large-scale production of goods and services, particularly in Agriculture.
He urged governments at all levels to create conducive environments for farmers to ply their trade, stressing that this would enable the subnational to be a self-sustaining food hub.
His words: “The major cause of our problems in this country is that we do not produce, and yet, we eat. Even the Bible teaches us that he who does not work does not deserve to eat. Why then are we disobeying this time-tested Biblical injunction?’
He added: “When I started this University in 2009, I made Agriculture a matter of priority. I made Agriculture a compulsory subject for every student. And to encourage more of our young people to make a career out of Agriculture, I slashed the tuition for those studying Agriculture by 50%. And that is not all, upon graduation, I give every graduate of Agriculture the sum of N250,000 as seed money to start his/her Agri-business.
“At the state level, I have in the last 11 years been organizing an Annual Agric. Festival in Ado-Ekiti called ABAEX (Afe Babalola Agric Expo) with the Best Overall Farmer in the state going home with N2,000,000 while the Best three farmers in each of the 16 Local Government Councils in the state go home with N250,000 in this order: The best farmer (N200,000), the second best (N100,000), and the third best (N50,000)
“Today, as we speak, our farmers under the umbrella of Afe Babalola Beneficiaries are influencing people positively in Oyo, Lagos and Osun, among several others”.
Continuing, he said, “What governments at all levels need to do is to encourage farming and make the environment conducive for all so that Nigerians could farm without let or hinderance.
To get out of the malaise of hunger and poverty, Babalola suggested the following:
Government should introduce Agriculture into our school curriculum from Primary to Secondary Schools
Government should ensure that allocations to Local Governments go to them directly and not through their respective Governors.
Local Government should assemble farm implements which they will hire to farmers at subsidized rates.
Local Government should be encouraged to produce seedlings for sale to farmers at low prices.
The government should revive the old Farm Settlements by Awolowo in the former Western Region and extend it to other states in the country today.
Government should ensure that farmers do not only produce food crops but cash crops. This will ensure the revival of the Cocoa in the West, Rubber and Palm Oil in present Edo and Delta States and the Groundnut Pyramids of the North in those days.
The government should also encourage adding value to Agricultural products just like ABUAD is doing in its 124-unit large, medium and small-scale industries at its Industrial Park
Finally, National Honour should be given to successful farmers and promoters of farming and not only to politicians.
Babalola recalled how former President Olusegun Obasanjo was in power as a Military Head of State between 1976 and 1979, made farming a matter of priority for everybody through his government’s Operation Feed the Nation, OFN.
Babalola lamented the situation today when many Nigerians complain about hunger because of the abandonment of Agriculture, adding that “I do not believe any Nigerian should complain of hunger, especially with our God-given fertile lands, lots of rains and so on.
“In short, the problems we have in this country can be traced to the abandonment of Agriculture. It will be my joy to see my people comfortable, live in peace, go to the farm peacefully, and come back home without harm. I insist that without Agriculture, this country cannot make it”.
He said the Award would spur him to do more in his singular efforts, aimed at returning agriculture to its rightful place and lifting it to the expected destination of a competitive revenue earner.”,
A firm believer in the power of Agriculture, Babalola established ABUAD Agricultural Enterprise Centre to boost food production and ensure food security. Indeed, many stakeholders like the Embassy of the United States of America, Japanese Embassy and the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) have visited the flourishing Agricultural Enterprise Centre and unanimously agreed that it is the biggest of its type in any university in Nigeria today.
IITA, which has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the university, has also designated the University as a Centre of Research where students learn many areas of Agriculture.
ABUAD Agricultural Enterprise Centre has the following Divisions: Cash crops Division with 110,000 Mango Trees, 1,000,000 Teak Trees and 500,000 Gmelina Trees, the Arable crops Division with yam, maize, cassava, plantain & Banana, pigeon peas, Legume Division with various vegetables, Moringa Division with ABUAD Moringa leaf powder, ABUAD Moringa seed, ABUAD Moringa capsule, ABUAD Moringa hair cream, ABUAD Moringa oil, ABUAD Moringa body cream and ABUAD Moringa tea as well as ABUAD Moringa soap.
It also has the Fisheries Division with five large fish lakes with at least 100,000 fishes in each of them, the Feed Mill Division where various feeds are compounded and Hatcheries as well as the Livestock Division made up of a Piggery, Snailery, Turkey, Guinea Fowl, Quail and Mushroom as well as an incubator.
In his burning desire to harmonize University Education with Industry, provide quality and functional education, provide opportunity for hi-tech scientists, innovators, inventors, geniuses, research, community service, stimulate economic development and provide employment for university graduates, professionals and artisans, Babalola established the ABUAD Industrial Research Park.
The Industrial Park designed to house 124 units if small, medium and large-scale industrial has since become functional with the production of a variety of AB Foods such as Fufu, Poundo Yam, Garri, Fufu, Rice, Ogi, Carbonated Drinks, Cashew and Carbonated drinks.
As a major player in the Agricultural Sector of the nation’s economy, Babalola has received various Awards in appreciation of his contributions in that sector, including, but not limited to:
President, Forestry Association of Nigeria,
Patron, Agbekoya Farmers Association of Nigeria,
Patron, Fadama Association of Nigeria,
Member, AfricaRice, and
Grand Patron and the Distinguished Africa Man of the Year in Food Security 2014, courtesy of the Forum for International Green Sustainability (FIGS) before clinching the Award again this year.
Earlier in his remarks, FIGS’ Country Representative, Mr. Caleb Osasona, explained that Babalola’s contributions to the development of Agriculture and food security earned him the Award.
Osasona who could not conceal his admiration for Babalola’s commitment and dedication towards agriculture, said Nigeria would have been more developed and food-secure if such actions were replicated nationwide.
Speaking at the event, Ekiti Governor, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, commended the legal icon’s contributions to the Agricultural sector.
Oyebanji who was represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Ebenezer Boluwade, described the continental recognition and the award to Babalola as a moment of glory and pride for the state.
He described the elder statesman as a man of vision, tenacity and commitment. He said his works and landmark achievements in agriculture which have redefined and reinforced food security in Nigeria, inspired generations of young farmers and demonstrated that Agriculture is not just a tool for survival but a gateway to prosperity.
“Through the ABUAD Bio-Diversified Farms and the Afe Babalola Annual Agricultural Grants to farmers, among other laudable gestures, he has shown Africa what is possible when intellect meets innovation in Agriculture.
“In Ekiti State, we are proud to align with and take a cue from the laudable programs of this great sage,” he added.
Olofintila is ABUAD’s Director of Corporate Affairs.