OYO FARMERS TAKE GIANT STRIDE WITH POLITICAL PARTIES' GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES

NEWS:

  16th of January, 2019 was another chapter of great occasion for Oyo State All Farmers Association Of Nigeria which took very giant stride, by organizing an interpersonal (face to face) meeting inside a functional Hall of the Idi-Ape Civic Center, Ibadan, Oyo State for deliberation with some political parties' gubernatorial candidates like Engineer Seyi Makinde for People's Democratic Party, Honorable Adetunji Sodiq of Labour Party, Dr. David Oluwafemi Okunlola for AGA, Barrister Sarafadeen Alli for Zenith Party and Mrs Omobosola Owolabi, to reach a memorandum of understanding, on their plans for the farmers, when voted in as the next political office holders, after this coming 2019 general election.
  The event which attracted the presence of some notable farmers like Chief Folorunso Ogunnaike and many big time stakeholders in agricultural sectors, with the composition of egg-heads like Professor Samuel Adelowo, Professor Adeshinwa, Mr Bolaji Akanbi, S.A. Olakojo, Mr Funso Ogunsina, Profesor Kolade T. Emmanuel , Mr Alesinloye Abass aka Big Abass and Professor Oladele Ademola as the panel of judges, not leaving out the different commodities groups and the teeming members of the public, on ground, to bear witness to the special occasion.
 Here Engineer John Olateru after the recitation of the nation anthems and offering of prayer came on board to explain the purpose of the deliberation, as a means to rob minds with some of the members of the audience and the political parties gubernatorial candidates, on the problems facing the farmers and  have an established plan and agreement with some of the political parties' gubernatorial candidates present, on ways and what to do to help , in solving the problems of the farmers, when voted in as members of the policies' makers in the next dispensation.
 However, the panel of the judges and masters of the ceremony in respect of Abolade Salami the well known but bilingually proficient and versatile radio presenter for Fresh FM in Ibadan and his junior colleague from the same station who translated into english language conducted a very good questions and answers interaction between the gubernatorial candidates and some members of the audience including the members of the panel, while each and everyone of the political parties gubernatorial candidates present did well also, to justify their favourable and auspicious but intended plans, programmes and policies, as formulated in their different manifestos, concerning their priorities, on how to boost agriculture in the Oyo State and ways to help improve upon the welfare and standard of living of both the farmers and the citizenry.
 Therefore, at the end of the event; a memorandum of understanding was reached as a bond between the farmers and the group of the political parties' gubernatorial candidates present at the occasion.
 In his response to our chat with him; Dr.(Mogaji) Fagbemi, the Deputy Director General for Engineer Seyi Makinde's Campaign Team advised that technological knowhow is essential and that as a stakeholder who is professionally concerned with regards to farming, as one of the mainstay of the economy condemned the fact that the leadership in Nigeria had for long based much on oil and left the issue of farming unattended to, hence the country is facing the present problems in agriculture but said if one could look at the gains and value chain in agriculture; then one cannot overlook the areas of processing and preservation, where most of the challenges the country is facing is from, while to seek for solution the farmers need to be encouraged, in respect of the processing, preservation and creating the necessary enabling environment, with some cogent strategic plans, to ensure that small and medium scale industries are raised within Oyo State. vice a vice areas where the state have agricultural produce e.g Ogbomoso for mangoes juice, this he enunciated will lead to employment and this he emphatically defended that the state has the capacity to do,
 In accordance to this he revealed to talk about the plans of the Engineer Seyi Makinde's Team of Think-Thank Committee, who had included this plan in his policy statement , reason why some of the members of the team were chosen to be part of his government, while in respect of Dr. Fagbemi as a specialist in bio-technology defended that the Engineer Seyi Makinde in his policy statement has been making emphasis on farming, because farming can employ sixty to seventy percent  apart from teaching sector, hence by the time the farmers gain from what they are doing, that will go a long way.
 On this he bemoaned that over the years the issue of farming has been left back and that Oyo State as a pacesetting state in agriculture in Nigeria, needs to be alive to embrace Engineer Seyi Makinde becoming governor of Oyo State  who by then will make sure the issue of agriculture becomes his main focus plus, while the issue of harvest pluses and value chain from farm to stable will be placed a priority, considering preservation , which will highly be an area more education would be done , so in his policy statement it would be included in his strategic plan, for this policy on agriculture; his administration would be a robust government, where it is going to be inclusive from farmers to the small scale industries, for Oyo State to be better and more improved, for the good of the state and her citizens.
 In his own statement the Labour Party Gubernatorial Candidate Honourable Adetunji Sodiq stressed on the fact that it is very essential that much consideration is given for an adequate planning ; if agriculture will be seized upon as a way out, to revitalize the ailing economy of the country Nigeria and the Oyo State especially, here he reiterated on the fact that Labour Party as a party for the family is ready to bend over backward. in exploring all areas in agriculture, to help bring back the glory of the Oyo State and help to stabilize economic standard in the state, to the advantage and benefit of all and sundry, by and large the courteous, intelligent and cool, calm and calculative gubernatorial candidate for the Labour Party in Oyo State; Honourable Adetunji Sodiq advised the farmers to shine their eyes and vote for the right candidates with formidable political party especially that of the Labour Party this general election starting in February, 2019.