Ekiti farmers elect new executives, end three-year crisis

The All Farmers Association of Nigeria in Ekiti State has laid to rest divisions in its fold with the election and inauguration of a new set of executives to administer the body.

AFAN Deputy National President I and Chairman of the AFAN State Elections Committee, Daniel Okafor, who supervised the election, expressed joy that peace was finally brokered between the two factions in the farmers’ body in the state and the consequent election of a unified executive.

Okafor, who spoke in Ado Ekiti on Monday after the inauguration of the new executive chaired by Sunday Adekogbon, charged the new leaders in the state to immediately begin the process of conducting AFAN elections in the local governments and wards.

Recall that AFAN in the state had, for about three years, been rocked by crisis following the emergence of two state chairmen — Rufus Oni and Adebola Alagbada — a situation which, they said, had deprived farmers of support from the state and federal governments and negatively impacted productivity.

But Okafor, who said the resolution of the crisis and emergence of acceptable leadership would open doors for farmers in the state, unveiled plans by the association to better the lot of farmers in the country.

These, he said, included creating a conducive atmosphere for farmers to thrive, with efforts to address post-harvest losses through processing and value addition to produce.

Okafor said, “We are arranging the data of farmers. We are also striving for avenues to make farmers’ welfare number one. We are introducing a health scheme for farmers in the country in the interest of our wellness and wellbeing.

We are also trying to organise ourselves into cooperatives and as well creating a market system whereby farmers will be directly in charge of their produce.”

The new AFAN State Chairman, Adekogbon, who said that the division in the association had negatively affected farmers in the state, said, “Farming in Ekiti State had not been moving the way it should move. The government had not really been carrying the farmers along because we are not together. Today, we thank God that we are together.”

Adekogbon, who assured that his administration would recover lost ground and prioritise farmers’ welfare needs, said, “By being together and partnering with the government, we know that government will be assisting farmers.”

The AFAN chairman encouraged farmers in the state to consider adding value to their produce, saying, “You will make more profit with value addition to whatever you produce.”

The Senior Special Adviser to the Ekiti State Governor on Agricultural Extension Services, Sikiru Olowoyo, whose office reconciled the two factions, said the farmers had nothing to show for the years of factionalisation, adding, “But today, now that they have come together, all the benefits both from the state level and the federal level will come to them directly.”

Olowoyo, who said that with necessary support, farmers in the state would be able to channel all their energy towards their development as well as the growth of agriculture in Ekiti State, added, “My vision is to see the changes in farmers in Ekiti State.

“I appreciate Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji, who gave us the opportunity of overseeing the affairs of farmers and the enabling environment to ensure that the farmers are one and better,” Olowoyo said

AFAN National Youth Leader, Tunde Adeyemi, who spearheaded the merger between the two factions, said, “We appreciate God that we have been able to get a single AFAN that will cater for all the farmers in Ekiti.”

Adeyemi, who hailed the Oyebanji administration for what it had done for farmers and ensuring a united association, said, “A strong AFAN leadership is necessary to complement government effort — a leadership that can interact with government and coordinate the farmers to support whatever missions and goals they are bringing to the state.”

Also speaking, AFAN Southwest Zonal Leader, Femi Adeniyi, who expressed joy that the reconciliation of farmers in Ekiti State happened during his time, said, “I am happy the two factions are now together. We can now move as one.

“With this development, the farmers will benefit from the state, federal and even outside. At the Southwest level, we are already talking to some investors who are ready to come and invest in cassava in the Southwest.

“It is possible Ekiti State will be the first to benefit in the Southwest.

“Under the arrangement, the international investors will be giving farmers loans to plant cassava, and they will come to buy the products after harvest,” he said.