By Suleiman Hassan Gimba Esq.
As the winds caressed the Tulo-Tulo sand dunes, the rain danced on the crops of Gashua rice farmers. As the cattle savoured the taste of the green grass in Geidam, the Damaturu plants processed yet another bag of rice.
As the sheep grazed the fields in Gujba, the fishes glued themselves to the nets of the Nguru fishermen just as the trucks in Potiskum readied themselves to deliver food across the country. With these, the sun rose and the presidential jet settled on the Muhammadu Buhari International Cargo Airport, Damaturu.
These people – farmers, fishermen, food processors, truck drivers, and agricultural extension workers – from each of the 17 Local Government Councils in Yobe State work under the radar, invisible to many of us. But not to the fatherly eyes within the Governor’s Office in Damaturu, who has since recognized them as the hidden figures that feed the state, the nation, and other countries.
That is why he made yesterday (20th July 2024) totally about them. The seeds of hope they planted will not only be watered but supported to harvest by the distribution of 100 Zoom Lion Tractors, 200 motorcycles to extension service workers, and 10 IMC Double Cabin 4-wheel drive vehicles for their supervision.
There are also 300 sets of ox-drawn plows, 5,349 small ruminants (goats), 1,849 hand-push planters, 889 hand-push plow machines, 590 hand-push tiller machines, 4,202 solar-powered irrigation water pumps, improved assorted seeds, and 72,000 bags of fertilizer, among others.
These were all part of a multi-billion naira Mega Agricultural Empowerment Scheme that was flagged off by the president, represented by his Vice President, His Excellency Kashim Shettima.
This is the second time the presidential jet has landed in Yobe in just over a year, and each time it is to commission massive projects for the benefit of the Yobe people. Before the emergence of His Excellency, Honourable Mai Mala Buni as the Governor of Yobe State, the state was not used to having frequent presidential visits.
It started with the visit of Obasanjo in August 2004 in celebration of the state’s 13 years of existence. The state had to wait another five years for a president to set foot on its soil. That was on 30th January 2009 when Yar’adua was in Potiskum for the burial of the late Governor Mamman B Ali.
It took until 19th March 2015, a whopping six years, for another presidential visit, when a desperate Goodluck Jonathan touched down on what was the last state he visited on his failed electioneering campaign. On March 14th 2018, Buhari arrived in Yobe after the abduction of 110 schoolgirls by gunmen in Dapchi.
Since then, the nature and frequency of presidential visits to the state have changed dramatically. President Buhari commissioned eight state and federal projects in January 2023. President Tinubu has done the same with the Mega Agricultural Empowerment Scheme as His Excellency, Mai Mala Buni, becomes the first Governor in Yobe State’s history to host two different presidents.
As the sun set and the presidential jet took off from Yobe, the winds still caressed the Tulo-Tulo sand dunes, the rain still danced on the crops of Gashua rice farmers. The cattle still savoured the taste of the green grass in Geidam, the Damaturu plants processed more bags of rice. The sheep still grazed the fields in Gujba, the fishes glued themselves to the nets of the Nguru fishermen, and the trucks in Potiskum are forever ready to deliver food across the country.
But their efforts are now seen, appreciated, and supported. Two parties are left satisfied: the presidency, witnessing this massive effort to strengthen food security and Nigeria’s economy in Yobe; and the 5,340 farmers directly benefiting from the scheme, knowing their crops will have better yields and easier farming, processing, and distribution because of today’s activities.
For the Governor, I am sure he is back to his table, being the workaholic that he is, figuring out the next big thing to move his state forward. And with the way things are going, it won’t be long before the president returns in the not-too-distant future to commission another project.
Take a bow, Your Excellency.
