Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has lauded the efforts of the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, for his transformative approach to agriculture in Nigeria.
Obasanjo made the commendation over the weekend during a courtesy visit by a delegation of Commissioners and Special Advisers from Niger State to Abeokuta.
The visit included a tour of a cutting-edge soilless farm, where young Nigerlites is undergoing training in innovative agricultural techniques for eventual replication in Niger State.
The former President expressed his admiration for Bago’s initiative, likening it to his own “Operation Feed the Nation” policy of 1976. He emphasized that with modern equipment now available, the impact of such initiatives can be even greater than before.
Obasanjo highlighted the critical importance of agricultural self-sufficiency, stating, “Until Nigeria begins to feed itself, the challenges facing the country will persist. A nation that cannot feed itself is sitting on a time bomb.”
He urged other state governors to follow Niger State’s lead in agricultural development to ensure that Nigeria can produce the majority of its own food.
The former President encouraged Niger State to continue investing in agriculture and to explore modern methods to enhance existing practices.
He expressed his intention to visit Niger State with his team to learn from their progress and exchange ideas to improve and add value to his own agricultural endeavors.
Obasanjo also advised Nigerians to consider investing in soilless farming, warning that with the current rate of land use, Nigeria could soon face a shortage of arable land.
He stressed that innovative farming techniques are essential to sustaining the nation’s agricultural productivity.
The Niger State government remains committed to advancing agriculture and will continue to seek out and implement innovative solutions to ensure the state’s and the nation’s food security.
