Nigeria is facing significant challenges in food security and governance, prompting former Ogun State Governor, Chief Oluwasegun Osoba, to call for urgent action.
In a recent interview in Abuja, Osoba emphasized that Nigeria has the potential to feed itself but is being hindered by insecurity in rural areas.
Osoba identified banditry and herdsmen-farmer conflicts as critical obstacles to achieving self-sufficiency in food production. The current state of insecurity has reduced access to farmlands, leading to lower agricultural output.
He lamented that the bandits are not allowing many farmers to go to the farm, and the clashes between herdsmen and farmers are undermining the country’s agricultural potential.
Nigeria’s dependence on food imports could lead to economic instability, despite its fertile land and favorable climate.
Food production is hampered by banditry, communal clashes, and herdsmen-farmer disputes, particularly in the northern and central regions, which are key agricultural zones.
Osoba stressed that Nigeria can feed itself, but the country’s agricultural potential is being undermined by persistent conflicts.
He compared Nigeria’s situation to global political dynamics, recalling past tensions between political leaders and their deputies as a metaphor for the broader governance issues affecting the country.
The former governor also touched on the difficulties facing Nigeria’s political system, particularly the strained relationships between governors and their deputies, which have led to frequent impeachments and political instability at the state level.
He noted that governors, who hold significant sway over state legislatures, often have the ability to remove their deputies with little resistance.
Osoba used the example of former Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, who rose from being a deputy governor in Bayelsa State to becoming the nation’s vice president and eventually president, to illustrate how deputies can succeed despite the challenges.
He emphasized that political ambition and competence do not always translate into straightforward success due to entrenched power dynamics.
Osoba urged the government to take decisive steps in curbing insecurity and fostering good governance to ensure that Nigeria can fully leverage its agricultural potential.
He emphasized that securing the nation’s farmlands from bandits and fostering peaceful coexistence between herdsmen and farmers is essential for achieving sustainable development.
