Readers Comments

Readers Comments

Thanks for another un petit pause, a time to allow readers air the views on issues I presented in this Column. One issue that elicited comments was the Tribute I wrote on the late Mukhtar Muhammed, pro-Chancellor and Chairman Governing Council of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. So far, he was the greatest loss of 21^st Century to my lovely Ivory Tower, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria. Similarly, ABU suffered another gigantic loss in the 20^th Century when crazy mutineers led by Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu brutally murdered Sir Ahmadu Bello in cold blood at his home on 15^th January, 1966. Sir Ahmadu Bello was the founder of ABU and the first and the last premier of the Northern region. He led the solid foundation of the university. His immense and immeasurable contributions made ABU a “true national university” whose contributions to the nation building are unquantifiable. Today, ABU is an orphan yearning for another AVM to support the ABU management for the achievement of its lofty objectives set by the founder, Sir Ahmadu Bello. I hope Baba Buhari, our amiable president and the Visitor to the University will avail us another AVM as a matter of urgency and national importance. I cannot present all the comments and accolades made by readers. However, the Comments made by Prof. Ado Sale, one of the ABU Council members, Engr Bashir Garba, a personal Assistant to AVM and Head of ABU Procurements and Aliyu Suleiman, an erudite tireless administrator worth sharing. This is for the information and records of my esteemed readers.

Re: AVM Mukhtar Muhammad: ABU's Greatest Loss of 21st Century I recalled my interaction as a personal assistant to the great hero, AVM Mukhtar Muhammad. He was the first chairman of the Governing Council of ABU Zaria who interacted with fellow ABUSITE (Ahmadu Bello University students) on arrival directly during a student union’s function at the University. In his speech, AVM told the students that ABU would continue to graduate students who will make contributions to the development of our nation. Graduates, who will bring progress to the nation, graduate who can address issues of poverty and corruption. He called for the cooperation of all students to work together with him to create a conducive environment for teaching and learning. In this interaction with the students he promised to make great contribution on students accommodation and also promised students that he will visit their hostels and houses on off-campus to assess their condition. This kind of interaction was never done the past Council Chairmen in the history of ABU.

On the 3rd of June 2017 during his first outing to the University, I was among the few people who received him and ushered him to his official residence. He then requested me to organize interaction sessions with different ABU stakeholders to allow him understand the university and its challenges. First, I organized meeting between AVM and ABU Branch of ASUU EXCO members led by Comrade Dr. M. Liman. The union EXCO articulated the issues challenging ABU Progress and suggested way forward toward a better ABU. AVM appreciated their valuable contributions and requested them consider him as a father to the university community and he was ready to listen to their calls at anytime. He was ever ready to dialogue with them on matters affecting the university. He said he considered the ASUU leadership as his children.

In addition to in-house unions, another important stakeholders were the traditional rulers, opinion leaders and religious leaders surrounding the Samaru Community. AVM met with all these important people with one month of his appointment as Chairman of ABU Council. I successfully organized series of meetings with community leaders of Samaru, Basawa, Jama’a, ,Bomo, Kudingi, Biye, Shika, Koraye towns and villages. Issues discussed were diverse bordering on admission, employment opportunities, contracts, land boundary and related. The communities were amazed as nobody closed to AVM caliber from ABU ever give them listening ears. Thus, a solidary support rally was accorded to AVM as the Chairman of the ABU Governing Council. It was the first time this kind of unsolicited support was shown to ABU. Within his short stay in office he had established various contacts and pledges of assistance were made by many prominent personalities across the nation. We hope those who made the promises to assist the University would redeem their pledges. I also hope that the support and cooperation accorded to ABU by the stakeholders should continue for the benefit of our great University.

Engr Bashir Garba, ABU Zaria

The tribute on AVM Mukhtar Muhammad (Rtd) by our own erudite scholar and columnist in his Leadership column "Breakthrough with Prof. M.K. Othman was very apt and timely. As pointed out by Prof. Othman, AVM Mukthar Muhammad was indeed a very dedicated elder statesman and Ahmadu Bello University was extremely lucky to have him as Chairman of its Governing Council at the time he came. Having worked with him as a member of the council for the short period he was chairman, I can attest to the facts of all what Prof. Othman said about AVM. He is a man of impeccable character and came to ABU with a lot of goodwill, lofty ideas and great plan to develop all sectors of the University. Unfortunately he could not live longer to realize his dream for the benefit of the University.  Fortunately, there are still other elder statesmen who could continue with the good work he had started in ABU. Prof. Othman has suggested some notable names in that respect. We call on the visitor, President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently do the needful in order not create a vacuum and break the momentum brought by AVM in governance of this great University.  May Allah grant Mukhtari Muhammad Aljanah firdausi.      -Prof S. A. Ado, Department of Microbiology, ABU Zaria

The tribute by Prof. M. K. Othman to late AVM Muktar Muhammed that featured in the Leadership Friday edition of October 13, 2017, was a masterpiece with reassurance that the academia, in Nigeria, can rise to any level whenever they were called to duty. The demise of AVM Mouktar Mohammed, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, was certainly a call-to-duty, for those, as the writer posited, "who respects the personal principles of AVM and wants to accomplish" to used whatever means to eulogize such an accomplished public servant, a gentleman and compatriot. Without fear of criticism, I opined that Prof. Othman’s response to call-to-duty inform of written tribute to AVM, could only be replicated by the likes of          Dr. Yusufu Bala Usman of blessed memory, and his disciples. Those that shared my take in commending Prof. Othman for his prolific writings on different topics, keep wondering and yawning for answer to a hypothetical question: how would the resourcefulness of his article be had either arts, social science or human resource management was his area of specialization? Anyway, Prof. Othman’s accomplishments as a Professor of Soil and Water Engineering and the Executive Director, National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, speaks volume for his ideas and ideals.  To buttress this assertion, at the end of his inspection visit to the NAERLS, on Friday, 2nd June, 2017, AVM sign-out as follows: " WE HAVE NOTICED THE EFFORTS AND COMMEND THE LEADERSHIP AND WORKERS. KEEP ON THE GOOD WORK AND I AM SURE POSITIVE RESULTS ARE NOT FAR AWAY" May Almighty Allah (SWT) grant AVM Mouktar Muhammed Aljannatul firdausi. (Mouktar is the name AVM used in the Visitors Register of the NAERLS referred above). May Allah grace Ahmadu Bello University with, as a mark of highest respect I choose to called- another AVM, amin. Alhaji Aliyu Suleiman, NAERLS, ABU Zaria

The epistle narrated on Re: AVM Mukhtar Muhammad: ABU's Greater Loss of 21st Century concerning the immediate past chairman of Council was a masterpiece. I enjoyed reading the choice of English being displayed there. It was as if I was again in my final year class of my ordinary level English class or literature class. Many thanks to the author of the article, Prof. M. K. Othman. I humbly doff my hat. Thanks. - Prof J. K. Adewumi, former staff of ABU – (1982-2005). Now, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. I also obtained all my degrees in ABU in the Department of Agricultural Engineering..

Reply
Prof Adewumi, Sir, I am happy you enjoyed my write up and happy to remind you that I, the writer of the article is one of your products. You supervised my undergraduate project in the 1980s and PhD Thesis more than ten years ago. You are not only an ABU product yourself but you contributed immensely to the quality of ABU graduates. Thank you sir for everything you did to many others and myself. May the Almighty God repay you in million folds, amen. Prof. Mohammed Khalid Othman

Akinwumi Adesina: Celebrating the First Nigerian Winner of World Food Prize Laureate II

Akinwumi Adesina: Celebrating the First Nigerian Winner of World Food Prize Laureate II

Well seated at a vantage position in the gallery of the Rotunda of the Capitol, Des Moines, Iowa state, I watched Mr. Olusegun Aremu Obansajo, a retired Army General, former Head of State and President of Nigeria, thrilled to no – limit, succinctly displaying his innermost joy and dancing to Adunni and Nefertiti music with Dr. and Mrs. Akinwumi Adesina to mark the ecstatic moment. It was a genuine show of happiness, displaying in an African way and the audience responded by a thunderous applause with shout of “Baba”. Despite the affable nature of the milieu and visible pleasantry of all and sundry, the vast majority of the audience was confused; what is the meaning of “Baba”? Is it another name of Adesina? An American lady sitting by my side whispered into my ears “Please, translate to me what the Musician is saying”. As a non – Yoruba language speaker, I said, “Nigeria has over 200 local languages and many Nigerians hardly speak more than three languages and thus, I don’t understand a word from the Musician song”. The lady was visibly more perplexed at how a single country is endowed with more than 200 different languages. Well, the Capitol gathering was certainly an African celebration in the heart of America.          

The aforementioned was the pleasant scenario played at Capitol, Des Moines in the evening of 19^th October 2017 during the award ceremony of the 2017 World Food Prize Laureate won Dr. Adesina. What was his scorecard, which earned him the most coveted prize in global fight against hunger, malnutrition, poverty and squalor? How did he emerge as a winner in this cutthroat competition among the best agricultural scientists and foremost philanthropists (donors of foods to the needy) worldwide?  Adesina’s scorecard was developed almost three decades by dint of hard work, commitment, perseverance and determination to eradicate poverty and make food available to all and sundry in all parts of African continent. World Food Prize Foundation provided reasons why Adesina was chosen as the winner of 2017 World Food Prize. Vanguard, one of the Nigerian dailies reported that President of the Foundation, Ambassador Kenneth Quinn announced Adesina as the winner of the prize “for driving change in African agriculture for over 25 years and improving food security for millions across the continent”. This means that in the last 25 years, Adesina has passionately led major policies of comprehensive support for millions of farmers across the continent, including access to financing and credit, access to agricultural technologies such as improved seeds and fertilizers and investment in agriculture from both the public and private sectors. This Column x-rays few important milestones that made Adesina the winner of 2017 World Food Prize for the record.

The first was the African Fertilizer Summit in Nigeria. Adesina’s limelight was comprehensively noticed more than ten years when he successfully spearheaded 2006 African Fertilizer Summit. As an insightful agricultural scientist with vast experience of African farming system, Adesina believes in the efficacy of using improved inputs for higher output and thus, unless fertilizer accessibility, affordability and use are popularized on a wider scale in African countries, the farmers would never improve their productivity and their livelihoods would remain the same. Consequently, with active support of the then President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2006, Adesina gathered the world community, including Dr. Norman Borlaug of bless memory, the Rockefeller Foundation, the heads of IFAD and the African Commission—and many other notable heads of state and leaders of non-governmental organizations—to develop workable solutions to Africa’s fertilizer crisis.

The Abuja Summit in 2006 was one of the largest and most successful high-level gatherings in African history to discuss Africa’s food crisis and feasible solutions.  Dr. Norman Borlaug, the most respectable personality, the architect of the Green Revolution in Asia and Latin America, was then 92 years old; he was not merely gracing the Summit but he played a key role at the Summit. He challenged the African presidents and leaders during his keynote speech by emphatically declaring that he wanted to see the Green Revolution take place in Africa before his death. At the conclusion of Borlaug’s speech, President Obasanjo, who hosted the gathering, was so moved by the speaker’s passionate words that he jumped out of the audience, beaten the security details and joined the old man at the podium, looked at audience of more than 1,000 and said “We’ve been chastised by Norm—and, so, we have to move forward and get our agriculture moving.” It was the most inspiring and motivating message from a respectable elder and dogged hunger fighter who provided foods on the dinning tables of over six billion people before his demise. The famous outcome of the summit was the adoption of the “Abuja Declaration on Fertilizer for the African Green Revolution” by the government and NGO leaders who attended the Africa Fertilizer Summit. Their commitment was stated thus; “to combating poverty and food and nutrition insecurity in Africa and to direct our attention to key decisions that can move us forward with a view to eradicating hunger by 2030.”

The second important stride was the formation of Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) to achieve the desires and wishes of the internationally acclaimed elder statesman, Dr. Norman Borlaug as expressed during his speech at the Fertilizer Summit.  Therefore, a crucial outcome of the success of the Africa Fertilizer Summit was the establishment of AGRA by the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan served as Chairman, Dr. Namanga Ngongi as President and Dr. Adesina as Vice President for Policy and Partnerships. Adesina’s role in AGRA was spectacular as he mobilized banks to make massive investment in agriculture. He directly connected teeming African farmers to markets. This was in addition to making improved practices accessible to the farmers thereby increasing greatly diminishing rural poverty, wealth creation as well as achieving stability in the agriculture sector.  It was his effort that made the Bank of Uganda to lend to farmers growing bananas, using $500,000 from Rockefeller’s Program Related Investment - also known as Impact Investment - program.

Another milestone was Adesina’s facilitation for the development of partnership between International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of Kenya. This resulted in the launching of a risk sharing facility with Kenya’s largest bank, Equity Bank. The original $5 million leveraged $50 million of financing from Equity Bank to tens of thousands of smallholder farmers and the agro-dealers that supported them. Furthermore, he was able to scale up the Kenya’s strategy to other countries through a $10 million risk sharing facility. He facilitated the joining of AGRA by the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation and the Kilimo Trust, which eventually leveraged $100 million for loans to farmers in Tanzania, Uganda, Ghana, Mozambique, Benin, Togo and Liberia.

The biggest and most important milestone was Adesina’s role as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nigeria. Adesina’s appointment as a cabinet Minister provided golden opportunity for him to touch the lives of millions of his fellow citizens positively. Record shows that under Adesina’s stewardship as Minister, Nigeria’s food production expanded by 21 million metric tons and attracted $5.6 billion in private sector investments in agriculture. He facilitated the creation of structure such as Nigerian Incentive Based Risk Sharing for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) and negotiated with the Central Bank of Nigeria to use $350 million to create a facility that leveraged $3.5 billion from commercial banks into agriculture. It was in deed the largest effort in Africa to get banks to lend to farmers and agribusinesses such staggering amount. Farmers were the major beneficiaries of NIRSAL as they received access to lending institutions and improved access to markets for their produce at the best possible prices. Happily, the Government of Muhammadu Buhari continued with this policy. On fertilizer, he introduced e – wallet system, which dismantled decades of corruption and the infamous roles of middlemen in the fertilizer distribution system. Thus, Adesina was able to empower farmers to obtain the needed inputs directly through the e – wallet system. For the first time after many years, farmers benefitted from the government subsidy in fertilizer. The system impacted on the lives of 14.5 million farmers and their families. The efficient delivery of inputs to farmers combined with other interventions saw a sharp growth of $2 billion in five value chains of cassava, rice, sorghum, maize and cotton. The impact of the fertilizer distribution to women through e – wallet was beyond imagination – a reason why a dry season woman farmer beat protocol and security details to hug and shower her appreciation to the Minister during his visit to farming community of Kano. “Honorable Minister, we sincerely and immensely thank you for this” – showing her small, Nokia handset signifying e-wallet. That was Adesina, the darling of poor resourced farmers of Africa, a famous scientist, friend to society’s movers and shakers and the 2017 World Food Prize Laureate. 

Akinwumi Adesina: Celebrating the First Nigerian Winner of World Food Prize Laureate

Akinwumi Adesina: Celebrating the First Nigerian Winner of World Food Prize Laureate

In the last ten years or so, Adesina has been a household name in both rural and urban nooks and crannies of Africa. He has been a friend to the nations’ Presidents, shrewd business tycoons and resourced – poor peasant farmers. This is a wide range of diversity. It is amazing how one man swings from dinning and wining with global movers and shakers of the World to intimate interaction with rural dwellers, the strong pillars of African Agriculture. This swinging vocation, which Adesina pursued vigorously and passionately finally paid off as he was pronounced to be the winner of the most coveted global recognition in Agriculture – winner of the 2017 World Food Prize Laureate.

The prize award ceremony took place in a far away Des Moines, Iowa state of United State of America. It was done on 19^th October 2017 in the magnificent Iowa State Capitol building in Des Moines. Over 1,000 international guests, African - Americans and other citizens of USA graced the occasion. At the marvelous capitol building, an equivalent to government house in Nigeria, two past African Heads of governments; Mr. Olusugun Obasanjo of Nigeria and Mr. John Mahama of Ghana conspicuously honored the august gathering. Nigerian government was ably represented by delegation led by Minister of State, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Hon. Heineken Lokpobiri.

The ceremony is deliberately set as part of the celebration to mark the World Food Day, which is a week series of activities starting from 16^th of October for each year. The prize consists of cash award of $250,000 and hand – carved sculpture created by the internationally acclaimed famous artist, Mr. Saul Bass. World Food Prize is awarded to exceptional achievers in fields involved in or related to the production and distribution of food and reduction of hunger. Generally, the criteria is drawn to meet the qualification set by the founder, Dr. Norman Borlaug who said "It is imperative that those individuals whose work has truly made a difference in the lives and well-being of large numbers of people are considered for this award". The award ceremony is equivalent to those of the Nobel Prize in Sweden and Norway, drawing at least 800 international guests. Each year, world-class performers take the stage to honor the World Food Prize Laureate, and the event is televised and webcast live. Past performers included Ray Charles, John Denver, Broadway star Leslie Odom Jr., the Tokyo String Quartet, the Kathak Gunjan dancers from India, and international and recording stars such as Chachi Tadesse of Ethiopia and Achinoam Nini (Noa) from Yemen. After the award presentation, the celebration continues at the Laureate Award Dinner, held in the rotunda of the Capitol. The 2017 award ceremony featured prominently the Aduni musical troupe from Lagos, Nigeria. Many USA based Africans especially Nigerians trooped to Des Moines to witness the auspicious event. No doubt, Adesina was a pride to Africa and a motivator to the young scientists across the globe. How did he make it to the top? It was a tortuous journey embedded with ups and downs, which lasted over two decades.

Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina was born on 6^th February 1960 to the family of Roland Folorunso Adesina and Eunice Adesina in the bounteous town of Ibadan, Oyo state capital, Nigeria. He was the second son to the family with four sons. He was raised in a communal one-room apartment without basic amenities of life. Although his grandfather and father worked as farm laborers, his father was eventually able to receive basic education, which led to his employment as a civil servant and provided the means to send his own sons to school. His father believed so much in education as a “leveler” out of poverty, a personal principle he cherished and used to sensitize his sons and members of the society to enroll in schools. Adesina as a son of low-income family had his basic education in a village school rather than a city school, which made him to face the reality of rural poverty experienced by smallholder farmers and their families. Perhaps, it was the lesson in his early life that shaped and made him to be the darling of rural farmers in Africa. All his life, he was and still accessible to the downtrodden and poor-resourced farmers.  His father wanted him to read medicine in the university, which made Adesina to write university entrance examination twice; and at both times, Adesina was offered admission to read agriculture. The father had to resign to fate and allowed the young Adesina to read agriculture as a divine choice. Perhaps, the father wanted his son to be called “doctor”, - a reason why Adesina wrote a letter to his father with bold inscription of “Dr. A. Adesina” when he completed his PhD program at Purdue University. Or perhaps, the father was just thinking that “medicine” was better than “agriculture” – a reason why the father, at one time, relaxed in Adesina’s residence called call - out his grandson (Adesina’s son) enthusiastically “Doctor” after the grandson’s graduation from medical school; Adesina, being a PhD holder, present at one corner of the same residence heard the call and answered “yes Daddy”. The father turned back and say “I am not referring to you but calling the real doctor”. Well, a kind of exultant outcome to the family, the father has both “Doctors”; (a PhD holder) and the real “Doctor”. Only that even the real Doctor, most of the times recommends to their patients to take their drugs after meals – signifying that food and nutrition (Agriculture) are the sound foundation to healthy (Medicine) body. Adesina reported this story to the pleasure of his audience during his interaction with higher school students under the auspices of Global Youth Institute at Dupont Pioneer, Carver Center, Des Moines, USA on 21^st October 2017. It was indeed a motivation to some us present at the occasion.

Adesina graduated with first-class honor in agricultural economics from the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolawo University), Ile – Ife, Nigeria where he reportedly top his class. After his service year, Adesina flew to United State of America for his postgraduate programs. He earned his Masters, (1985) and Ph.D. (1988) in Agricultural Economics at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA. His postgraduate years at Purdue, as a postgraduate student with family were financially challenging. However, some professors and their families provided mentorship and part-times jobs, which sustained Adesina’s family. Twenty-seven years, after graduating from Purdue, the same university (Purdue) accorded Adesina with an honorary doctorate degree in 2015 as a recognition of an excellent alumnus.

 After successful graduation from his postgraduate programs, Adesina’s desire was to return to Africa. This is where his knowledge, acumen and skill were needed to assist smallholder farmers increase crop production and improve their livelihoods. Consequently, he secured a post-doctoral fellowship at the Rockefeller Foundation in 1988. After his fellowship, he moved to West African Rice Development Association (WARDA) as Senior Economist from 1990 to 1995, Adesina served as Senior Economist in Bouake, Cote d’Ivoire—where Dr. Monty Jones (2004 World Food Prize Laureate) was breeding new rice varieties known as NERICA. From 1998 to 1995, Adesina served (International Institute for Tropical Agriculture) as Senior Economist at IITA in Ibadan, Nigeria.  In 1998, he returned to the Rockefeller Foundation as Senior Agricultural Scientist in New York, and a year later he was appointed the first Director of the Foundation’s newly opened Southern Africa Regional Office in Harare, Zimbabwe. In 2002, he became Rockefeller’s Associate Director, Food Security. He continued this formative stage and career - building until he became a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2011. As minister, he served diligently and attracted several accolades that moved him to the next level. Currently, he is serving as the 8^th President of African Development Bank with Headquarters in Cote d’Ivoire. This was a position he stepped into after serving as Nigeria’s minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. What are the spectacular reasons that qualified Dr. Akinwumi Adesina as the 2017 World Food Prize Laureate? How Nigeria and indeed the rest of Africa benefit from the prize won by Dr. Adesina? To be continued next week