For the umpteenth time, I will want to join many people all over the world to celebrate and congratulate Dr John Kayode Fayemi on his hard won victory at the appellate court last week after doggedly fighting his way through the long tortuous journey of justice-Nigeria’s way!
For the umpteenth time, I will want to join many people all over the world to celebrate and congratulate Dr John Kayode Fayemi on his hard won victory at the appellate court last week after doggedly fighting his way through the long tortuous journey of justice-Nigeria’s way!
Thank God that at last, Ekiti State was delivered from the inglorious and epileptic governance exhibited through leadership style of the erstwhile governor of the state-Engineer Segun Oni. One thing is sure, when some people have leadership thrusted on them on a platter of gold by some godfathers without them actually preparing for it, they invariably end up as managers, and not leaders! In life they are good managers as well as bad ones. It is regrettable that in our beloved nation, Nigeria, many of our so-called leaders (a friend cynically referred to such people as dealers) actually leave the local government or state worse than they met it at their
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inauguration.
Leadership is service to followers leading to transformational changes
Leaders are known as change agents-they campaign, crave, canvass, craft for real changes that will positively impact lives of the followers or constituents that they lead knowing that leadership is neither a position, personality but an inclusive and influential process involving the leader, the followers, the context and the expected mutual outcome of that relationship. It is heart-warming that presently one can see leadership in action in the leadership styles spearheaded by Fashola (Lagos), Oshiomole (Edo), Mimiko (Ondo) and Amaechi (Rivers). Though I live abroad for the past five years, I have been at home each year of my sojourn abroad criss-crossing the length and breadth of Nigeria. In addition, as a leadership researcher, I regularly feed on news from Nigeria virtually on a daily basis. These aforementioned governors (there may be few others missing in the list) know that leadership entails signing “a social contract” (in the word of Governor Raji Fashola of Lagos State) with the followers. It will be recalled that when Asiwaju Bola Tinubu (the erstwhile Governor of Lagos State) wanted an able successor, he was not playing games with the destiny of the people which invariably led him to set eye surprisingly on Fashola. The latter took some time off from duty to read, prepare, plan and program himself to success which we are seeing today in words and deeds.
Purpose of this piece
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The main purpose of this write-up is to highlight ONE THING to our new governor in Ekiti State before the euphoria of victory dies down. This is the time to roll up your sleeves, Mr Governor, with all your leadership team to work assiduously to justify the mandate given to you by the people of Ekiti. The issue that I want to highlight here is Agricultural development of Ekiti. Please, Mr Governor, I am appealing passionately to you that you should NOT play politics with this issue. The people will like to see real and significant change not mere rhetoric of fertilizer distribution, distribution of loan to so called farmers, procurement of tractors, seedlings, chemicals for ‘farmers’ etc. Governor Fayemi, you can borrow a leaf from Governor Mimiko’s agricultural pact with the Ondo people. I read a little of this on the internet from Malaysia and that day I was elated remembering that my late father spent most part of his life in farming with no help from any government or financial institution. This was the lot of many farmers of his days in Ekiti Division of the then Ondo Pronvince. If Ebira people can benefit from agricultural loans to boost Yam production in Ondo State, there is no reason why Ekiti cannot do the same and even come up with better ideas.
“Clear Reminder of a road that Nigerians must not travel”
How about resuscitating the old farm settlement that Chief Obafemi Awolowo initiated in the then Western Region in those days in Ekiti State? My mother, still alive now at 99, was once an employee of Orin Farm Settlement, Orin Ekiti. Or Mr Governor, you can come up with your own unique solution to THIS ONE THING. I do not know why the Federal Government spent so much in building dams and setting up all the moribund and epileptic River Basin Development Authorities that cannot translate to measurable and tangible outcomes like making food available and cheap. I live in Malaysia where food is available and very cheap! In Malaysia, the government set up what is called FELDA (Federal Land Development Authority) which is the largest oil palm plantation operator in the world presently (Wikipedia). Mr Governor, we can begin somewhere like Malaysia initiated a step years ago when Nigeria helped that nation to begin planting hybrid oil palm seeds through the IITA, Ibadan. The rest is history as Malaysia today is the 2nd largest producer of oil palm in the world after Indonesia. The truth is, it is still Malaysia leading in disguise as many Malaysians having discovered that land and labour are cheap in the neighbouring country (Indonesia), and as a result are now migrating to that country to engage in oil palm production. Where are we the ‘teacher’ or ‘trainer’ of Malaysia? Like what Governor Fashola once said that we should stop bemoaning our inglorious past, but rather it should be “a clear reminder of a road that Nigerians MUST not travel again.” In the light of this Mr Governor, there must be a political will on your part to chart a clear path of change in the agricultural sector which is able to bring in harvests in three key areas.
Three Core Harvest of Agricultural Development.
Personally, it is worrisome and disturbing to me that people in the leadership at the three tiers of government-local, state and federal-do not see the import and input of agricultural development to Nigeria’s greatness. Nigeria should be able by now to feed the whole of West Africa but we lost the opportunity and we are still importing Thailand’s rice with zeal and zest; Malaysia’s vegetable oil (oil palm flaked and sold to us as ‘groundnut’ oil!); Australia’s and New Zealand’s apple (fruits), etc. The days are gone when some crops are classified as food crops while some are referred to as cash crops. These days all are cash crops depending on the producer of such crops! This is what I have seen in my five years sojourn in Singapore and Malaysia. I want to opine through this medium that it is high time Agricultural Development of our nation must not be left in the hands of farmers alone. While they should be encouraged and supported, it is imperative for the state government especially in Ekiti to be practically and pragmatically involved in food production. There are three core harvest, Mr Governor, when your leadership resolve to sow into agricultural development which I will enumerate. Firstly, within one year, the gains can be felt and seen in terms of abundant food production across Ekiti from Efon Alaye, Aramoko, Ido, Otun, Isan, Ikole, Oye, Afao, Emure, Igede, Ado to Ikere, etc. Secondly, there will be more jobs creation for the teeming youths of Ekiti. Agriculture is labour intensive. All that is needed is proactive and practical agricultural roadmap that will involve and reward them as well. Thirdly, and this is very important, there will be more income both for the people and the government. The government can initiate the process of food processing and preservation on a large scale through Private Public Partnering (PPP). As at the moment, there is virtually no state in federation having preservation facilities except for grains. Most of our fruits and vegetables rot away even before reaching the market. In this regard, more durable and accessible roads must be built by this new administration to help farmers to transport their produce to the market.
Conclusion of the whole matter
Kindly ponder over this issue, Mr Governor, and like I stated on a message to you on the social networking site, Facebook, few days ago, there is no time for frivolities and I am glad that as an academician and a researcher, you are well armed with knowledge to tackle the numerous constraints and challenges acting as a cog in the wheel of progress in Ekiti. However, Mr Governor, knowledge that is not directed to appropriate use is folly in disguise. Please, be not distracted due to the alleged wanton recklessness of the erstwhile government of Engr Segun Oni even as you are determined to probe his nothing to write home about administration. Be Focused! Your days are numbered!! The Four Years you have on the hot seat is 48 months comprising of just 1461 days!!! These days translate to 35,064 hours in reality. Make hay while the sun shines, Mr Governor. Remember the Ekiti saying: “Oju yeye io o o” (many eyes are looking up to you for something positive). Will you let them down and prove your detractors right? The ball is in your court, Mr Governor.
I will welcome feedback from all readers especially dear sons of Ekitiland-the fountain of knowledge- home and abroad on this write-up. You can reach me: [email protected]
John M. O. Ekundayo
Leadership Researcher
Malaysia
Email: [email protected]
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