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Following rising inflation and worsening food insecurity, a traditional ruler, Eze Cyril Ogbenna has raised serious concerns about the nation’s agricultural future.
In a chat with newsmen, the monarch issued a stern warning, stating that the current inflation rate, if unchecked, could escalate from 50 percent to 80 percent.
He described the situation as unfortunate and dangerous, emphasizing its devastating impact on food production and the livelihood of real farmers.
The royal father blamed government policies and security failures for the agricultural decline while expressing frustration that genuine farmers, those tilling the soil, not the office-bound agricultural officers, are being sidelined.
“Those who feed the nation are not empowered. Meanwhile, the real threats to farming, which are herdsmen attacks, poor funding, and ineffective agricultural institutions are being ignored,” he said.
He highlighted persistent attacks on farmers by armed herdsmen, particularly in Benue and other States, questioning why security agencies have failed to locate and neutralize the criminals allegedly hiding in forested areas. “Why is it hard for security forces to comb these forests and arrest the attackers? Are these forests invisible?” he asked.
Raising a rhetorical alarm, the ruler questioned who would produce food for Nigerians if local farmers are continually killed, displaced, or discouraged, those farmers that refused to back out were made to pay tax and other levies to terrorists before they can gain access to their farmlands. “Will the Indians or the Chinese come and farm for us?” he asked.
He criticized agricultural institutions and research centers for failing to fulfill their mandate despite receiving significant government funding. “People spend years studying agriculture but prefer white-collar jobs. That tells you something is wrong,” he observed.
The traditional leader also expressed concern over the poor quality of local produce, especially rice, which he claimed now spoils within a day. He urged regulatory agencies such as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Consumer Protection Council (CPC), and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to investigate the source and methods of rice cultivation, calling their alleged silence a “national disservice.”
He decried the high cost of poultry and fish feed, a factor that he said discourages young farmers. “Despite the existence of agricultural research institutes, we still have no solution to this,” he alleges.
Additionally, he noted that urbanization is encroaching on farmland, as agrarian communities are increasingly converted into housing estates. “This is contributing to food scarcity and rising inflation,” he said.
Calling for urgent intervention, the monarch advised federal, state, and local governments to appoint professionals (real farmers and agricultural experts) as agricultural policymakers and not “political appointees without practical knowledge.”
He also emphasized the role of local surveillance and community watch systems in combating theft and insecurity on farmlands, a major deterrent to sustained farming activities.
Quoting a prophetic song from his former music group, The Shooting Star, which collaborated with the late Sunny Okosun on “Which Way Nigeria,” the royal father urged a national reawakening. “We saw this coming. Now we must go back to the drawing board,” he advised.
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