Erosion of Farmlands for Real Estate and Abandonment of Agriculture, Putting Ibusa at High Risk of Hunger - Frank Okafor

 Erosion of Farmlands for Real Estate and Abandonment of Agriculture, Putting Ibusa at High Risk of Hunger - Frank Okafor 

Dr. Collins Nweke, the Nigerian-born Belgian politician had published a poem, titled "Solis Occasum: Memories from my Igbuzo Sunset," a poem that would evoke reactions from prominent indigenes of the community including Dr. Henry Ajumeze, the President of Guild of Ibusa Writers and Authors and Mr. Frank Isioma Okafor, the President of the Abuja Branch of Ibusa Community Development Union/Project Manager with European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS. 

The reaction of Frank Okafor touched on agriculture as a dying occupation of the people of Igbuzo once considered an agrarian community. Consequently, this submission spurred EMEKA ESOGBUE (PEN MASTER) to further engage him in a deeper and more interesting interview. Excerpts:

Pen Master: Let us begin with your appreciation of this poetic work. How do you see this poem from Dr. Collins Nweke?

Frank: The poem is story-like, deep and simple. It will be easier appreciated if you lived in Igbuzo in the pre- ’90s. You will appreciate it more if you know the Okpuzu River which is the mysterious waterfall that birthed Oboshi nmili (water) that flows from Uzo Umuehea, passing through the Ekea farmland to Oboshi Uzor Ozili through Umuisor and terminates into another stream in the then distant farmland of Umueze. You can relate to the mystery of this stream behind which the red sunsets if you know that an eternal river goddess named Oboshi alamgbogodo (well depicted by the artistic sculptor of Late Augustine Nweke) lives under the river with a cohort of mermaids that blesses the community with fertility and the fishes in that long river are totemic. Now those green and beautiful biodiversities are being eroded by massive real estate development, spreading deep into Igbuzo farmlands that we worry for the future of our generation next and the fear of our capacity to feed ourselves without land to farm.

Pen Master: Now,  let us talk about the agricultural life of the Ibusa people. Before now, how were the people able to identify with agriculture? 

Frank: Until in the mid-80s, the mainstay of the Ibusa economy was farming, which is subsistence and medium scale, and civil service. A very few others were in the organized private sector and informal trade. Farming comes naturally to us due to certain natural endowments e.g large expanse of fertile land; land, larger than those of our contiguous neighbours of Asaba, Ogwashi-Uku, Okpanam, and others, good weather conditions, measured rainfall, adequate labour force drawn from our youthful and vibrant population including farmhands from the eastern flank of the country. More important was the availability of security as people were able to access their farmlands without fear and hindrance including our fishermen and hunters especially those that go hunting all through the night and return with big catches. 

Pen Master: ...Frank, but despite the sweet analogy of the 'previous' life of agriculture, the general belief is that the spirit of agriculture is fast dying among the people. What went wrong along the line?

Frank: ...well, unfortunately, a generation has passed since 1985 with total neglect of agriculture by the Igbuzo people and even the government. In my humble opinion, this was caused by several factors some positive and others negative. First, was the pursuit of western education which moved quite a number from Ibusa to other more developed cities in pursuit of greener pastures. The second was the neglect of agriculture by all tiers of government. We used to have the Agricultural Development Program (ADP) that provided extension services and other capacity development projects but that had died. The local government authority has stopped investing in agriculture and does not consider deploying idle hands in their payroll into productive agriculture and other services or sectors. I had a practical experience when I made efforts to bring our community into a USAID/Chevron-funded improved cassava stems project and someone in Government said to me “his mates are making money and he is talking about his akpu” (cassava stem) 

The third issue is the lack of private-sector investment in agriculture. Though this challenge is understandable as the environment needs to be made right for this to happen. The fourth is also the fact that most of our farmlands are now being built up with houses many of which are unoccupied and lands massively sold to real estate speculators. Finally worrisome is the community perception that farming is synonymous to suffering. 

Pen Master: This is quite terrifying but Mr. Frank Okafor, what consequences do all of these visit the people of Ibusa with?

Frank: The consequences of this situation are myriads and I shall point some of them out. We are losing employment opportunities in the agricultural sector. It is becoming increasingly difficult for us to feed ourselves as a people. 

Our cultural identity is losing relevance as we now have to go to other communities to buy yams for our New Yam Festival, buy goats and cows from Fulani herdsmen for our burial, and other cultural events. I believe that those taking the eze title these days buy yams during the “ibu ji ndi eze." We are now also losing the social interactions that used to exist when we go to the farm as age mate/grades and the spirit of cooperation that it used to bring. 

Don't also forget that the erosion of the farmlands for due to land speculators and their agents (even  non-Igbuzo people are players) may behove a situation where the next generation may not be able to farm even if they are willing and also not able to find lands to build except through exploitative secondary market. Some would say that, it is already happening!

Pen Master: I see that you have been brilliant in your knowledge of the Ibusa agricultural sector. Now, what is the prospect of revival? 

Frank: The prospect of revival will not be easy. We now have comity of victors and victims. The victors are the main beneficiaries of the problems and they have becoming very big and wealthy. They will expectedly want to maintain their tuff. Their interest  notwithstanding, we can as a community decide to stop the further erosion of our farmlands. We can also begin to adopt the practice of climate-smart agriculture and train in good agricultural practices (GAP), invest in processing and engage the government to prioritize agriculture. We need to encourage our young people to go back to the farm practiced more decently and respectfully. We need to work with the government to ensure that the environment is good for agriculture including ensuring safety and security of the farms and access to the farms and markets.

Pen Master: Thank you very much for speaking with me 

Frank: Thank you, Pen Master, for having me.