Oyo AFAN urges government to be proactive as new leaders emerge

Farmers in Oyo State have called on the government to be proactive and do the needful for effective implementation of agricultural programmes and policies for the benefit Nigerians and farmers in the efforts to ensure food security and industrial development.

The farmers, through the commodities associations, said this in a resolution at the congress to elect new executive members of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) last week.

Delegates of farmers across the 33 local government areas of the state converged on the House of Chiefs, Parliament Buildings, Secretariat, Ibadan, to hold the AFAN congress in line with the directive of the national office of the association that all the state chapters should hold congresses to elect their executive members.

The directive came after the dissolution of all the state executives that had completed the five-year term to move the association forward.

That as agreed above that there must be true representation from the zone in the executive composition, the house therefore approved the names submitted from the zones to be AFAN apex executive of Oyo State to run the affair of the association for the next five years.

The new executive members include Mr John Olateru as the chairman; Adewumi Abass Adekunle, General Secretary; Egbeleke David Adesoji, Treasurer and Mr Gbemisoye Agboola, Financial Secretary.

Others are Deacon Tunji Alabi, Deputy Chairman; Adegoke Bernard Oluade, Vice Chairman, Tree Crops; Mr Sunkami Ayangbola, Vice Chairman, Livestock/Aquaculture and Mr Adeniji Ademola, Vice Chairman, Arable Crops, among others.

The representatives of State Director of Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC); the National Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER); Cotton Rebirth Development Committee Southwest; Farms and Infrastructure Foundation (FIF) and National Institute of Horticulture Research and Training (NIHORT) were at the congress where the decisions were made.

AFAN National President, Mr Kabir Ibrahim, also sent some representatives, including Prince Segun Dasaolu (Southwest Leader); Chief S.A. Babadara (Southwest Election Organising Committee and the National Chairman Kola-nut Farmers Association of Nigeria.).
Chief (Mrs) Grace Oluwatoye, who is the Vice President, Southwest, Moringa Development Farmers’ Association; Mrs Awoyomi Kolade and Ayomide Adewumi, a lawyer representing international donors were all present at the congress.

The coordinator of commodities association chairmen in the state and new AFAN chairman, Olateru, in his speech, informed the audience that the coalition of all the commodities associations constitute the AFAN.

He also solicited the cooperation of all practicing farmers in the state and implored them to unite and form a formidable team to avoid disharmony and lack of cohesion.

The congress unanimously resolved and agreed that the farmers associations and Baale Agbe-in-Council should work together for the progress of farmers and agricultural development in the state and that, henceforth, the operations and running of farmers’ affairs in the state should be based on the following zones: Ibadan Zone (11 local government areas); Oke-Ogun Zone (10 local government areas); Ogbomoso Zone (five local government areas); Oyo Zone (four local government areas and Ibarapa zone (three local government areas)