Gani Adams berates North over food blockade to South-West

Etim Effiong

Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has said the threat by some northern traders to block food supply to the South-West is embarrassing and unwarranted.

Adams stated this this while addressing journalists on the recent protest of the Amalgamated Food Sellers in the northern part of the country with the blockade of the foods from the area to the South-West.

The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland urged the six governors of southwest states to inject, at least, 15 per cent of their annual budget into agriculture to provide sustainable food production for the region.

According to him, the six South-West state governments could employ expertise with the Rwanda model into agricultural sector.

He added that investment in agriculture will provide employment, enhance IGR, provide food security, reduce urban congestion, and enlarge the coast for participatory modernised agriculture.

He told the northern traders that they are not doing the South-West favour by supplying foodstuff to the region, adding that the southwest consumed more than 8 billion naira foods and protein daily.

“It is embarrassing for the North to threaten our region with an unwarranted blockade that is of no use to us. I have it on good record that the south spends over 8 billion naira daily on cow consumption.

“It is an embarrassment for the north to think that they are doing the south a favour. I also have figures of the several billions we spend daily on perishable products, but the truth is that the blockade that had been suspended now seemed to be a blessing for us because it will trigger an agricultural revolution in the southwest that will change the ugly narratives of the past.

“So, I think it is the responsibility of all the South-west governors to swiftly respond to this threat and seek a better approach to enhance both small- and large-scale farming across the region and further strengthen the security architecture of the region,” he said.