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Benjamin Ngutsav: Buhari, Benue IDPs want to go back to farm


 

The President, General Muhammadu Buhari had a few weeks ago, during an exclusive recorded interview with Channels Television, said Nigerians have to go back to the farm. General Buhari was responding to a question on how the economy nosedive to an alarming level under his watch with the country’s debt profile now at about N32 trillion as against N12 trillion in 2015 when he took over power true deceit and campaign of calumny against those who were then in power. One of the interviewees, Seun Okinbaloye also mentioned rising inflation, unprecedented level of unemployment and skyrocketing exchange rate as some of the concerns leading to that question. The President’s response left many wondering if he understood the question or not. But his reply only revealed that the general is unaware of the security status of the country because he simply made a point regarding agriculture even as it appears he does not know the people need to be secured to farm.

His reply: “Well, I am not sure how correct your calculations are, but all I know is that we have to allow people to have access to the farm. We just have to go back to the land.”

Many, including this writer were quick to fault his reply; but I think General Buhari, even as incoherent as he was, made a point. Nigeria was known for agriculture and we should go back to the farm to produce more and grow the economy.

Sierra Leon, Somalia, Togo, the United States of America, China, India, Brazil and a host of other countries depend on Agriculture to grow their economies. In 2017, Sierra Leone had the Highest Agriculture GDP Percentage of 60.7% in Africa as obtained from whichcountry.co. In China, the land is highly employed for agriculture. Brazil produces one-third of the planet’s oranges. So agriculture is no doubt, the new crude oil.

So, General Buhari was right to say we need to go back to the farm. He is is apparently obsessed with farming. On Friday, December 17, 2021, he said he would return to his farm after the expiration of his tenure. “I look forward to the year 2023 when I finish, to go home to take charge of my farm.” He said.

While General Buhari was right with his ‘go back to farm’ statement, it begs the question of whether he was also speaking to Benue Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, who for five years now cannot access their land for farming.

Since 2018 till date, the Federal Government under the leadership of General Buhari has seen and heard their plight; but has deliberately refused to come to their aid. These farmers who the General has asked to go to farm have been displaced by armed Fulani herdsmen and their land forcefully captured. They can not return. Any attempt on their own to return is suicidal. How can they return to their farmlands where senseless killers lurk? How can they return to their farmland where security personnel have not been given the matching order to clear the wrong occupants of the land?

At some point of the killings by armed Fulani herdsmen, General Buhari could only tell Benue people to learn to live with their neighbours. How do you live with invaders as neighbours? He had neither empathy nor sympathy for those killed. Even the promise to relocate the IDPs has far been forgotten.

It was Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo who had visited the IDP camps and made the promise that Benue State would benefit from the N10 billion earmarked for the resettlement of IDPs in Nigeria. One can only hear of IDPs resettlement in the North East, but not in the middle belt and Benue state. Oh, Middle Belt! how Buhari has forgotten about you!

It is the beginning of the year and preparations for another cropping season have already begun. Since the President has charged everyone to go back to the farm, one would expect the President to fix security issues to allow those in different IDP camps across the country to have access to their farmland.

The President, General Muhammadu Buhari should know that Benue IDPs have heard his clarion call to go back to the farm. They are willing as they have always been. But armed Fulani herdsmen would not grant them access to their land. The President must hear the cries of those Benue IDPs and solve their problem before he returns to his farm in 2023.

Benjamin Ngutsav writes from Agbeede, Konshisha LGA, Benue State.

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