Before the advent of crude oil, agriculture was the mainstay of
Nigeria’s economy. Then, the country’s economy thrived; food was
available and affordable. People, therefore, did not go hungry, except
in extreme cases occasioned by a serious factor.
With the oil
boom era, the country and its people shifted attention from agriculture
to oil and gas. Subsequently, graduates of Agricultural Science, Soil
Science, Agricultural Extension, Agricultural Economics etc., looked for
white-collar jobs in banks and other seemingly lucrative areas,
including oil and gas. Little did people know that those who remained in
agriculture would today be raking in millions and billions of naira, as
their products now grace both local and international markets.
This
gives an impeccable signal that agriculture is, perhaps, more viable
than other sectors. Also, it is an indication that well planned
investment in agriculture is not a futile effort. It suffices that some
Nigerian farmers have successfully built some shining legacies that need
to be emulated and replicated. Most of them, as observed, are
politicians. In this edition, LEADERSHIP Friday brings to the fore
Nigeria’s top ten biggest farmers.
OLUSEGUN OBASANJO (OBASANJO FARM)
Chief
Olusegun Obasanjo is not only a retired army officer, former head of
state and politician, he is also a successful farmer. He owns Ota Farm,
which is also called Obasanjo Farms. The large farm was formally opened
on October 8, 1979, a week after Obasanjo handed over power to a
civilian administration on October 1, 1979. At inception, the farm took
off as Temperance Enterprises Limited (Farming Venture). It later became
Obasanjo Farms Nigeria Limited.
Obasanjo Farms indeed took off
in grand style, indication that Nigeria’s former president meant serious
business. This probably accounts for the growth, expansion,
sustainability and consolidation witnessed in the evolution of the farm,
considering how it started and where it is now.
The farm took
off with two layer houses containing 100, 000 birds each and five
broiler houses of 12,000 each, in addition to two feed mills of three
tons per hour each. The large farm, which has up to 7,000 workers
started with four bulldozer operators. Today, Obasanjo makes up to
N34million daily from Ota Farm, which has branches in Ibadan and
Igbo-Ora, Oyo State. This is no small earning for the former president
whose farm has played a significant role in the development of
agriculture and food production.
Obasanjo also uses the farm
complex at the Agbe L’ Oba House, Ota, the Ogun State headquarters of
the farm, to hold political and diplomatic meetings.
MORE AFTER THE CUT..........................................
