News
My Dad raised me as a farmer, Dogara reveals
THE Speaker, Federal House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara has disclosed that he was inspired by his father to embrace farming, because he made him understand it as a noble profession at a tender age.
According to him, “my Dad told me farming is a noble profession, because without farmers we will have no food and without food we will all be in trouble. Although a successful business man in his days, he did not give up farming. In my formative years, my Dad wasn’t into farming personally he only had a farm. Except on days when he could spare time, he cleverly ensued that I go to the farm almost every day by sending me there to go pay off workers their daily wages. Even as a University student, anytime I was home, I must go to the farm to supervise what was been done and pay those that must be paid. My Dad raised me as a farmer….”.
The speaker, however reiterated the need for a concerted government effort at ensuring widespread mechanized farming as way out of the country’s poverty and food security, stressing that “If we must grow what we eat and eat what we grow, then government must ensure that our farmers remain on the farms no matter the cost, and lay the foundation for mechanization of agriculture and smart farms”
Dogara further said: “as at today, I am not deeply into agriculture, although I am a part owner of a farm. I started my foray into farming in the late 90s when I first established an Orchard on the banks of river Tafawa Balewa which is still flourishing till date. Before I got into politics, I acquired the present farm land at Gidan Kura, Nasarawa State for the purpose of cultivating cassava on a commercial scale.
“Unfortunately, the policy on cassava farming introduced by the then Obasanjo government failed. We were left with so much cassava that we didn’t know what to do with. We sold a full pick up truck load for N30,000 then but there was no enough market to take all the cassava. When the cassava farming failed, we decided to turn the farm into an orchard.
“In 2006 before I joined politics, we planted 37,000 mango seedlings consisting of 12 different foreign varieties and 17,000 jumbo guava seedlings on the farm. We lost quite a number in the process of nurturing the trees to maturity but right now it’s an established orchard. We have added Banana trees, fish ponds, poultry and a small ranch as the years go by. In collaboration with partners, we want to expand the poultry and begin processing rice and maize on the farm. But that is work in process”.
The Speaker, also added , “It is also true of Nigeria that as long as we are not running mechanized farms, any talk of progress in agriculture is mere cheap talk. When more than 99 percent of farmers still go to farms with small hoes, big hoes, etc, there is no way we can successfully feed our ever increasing population. Something has to be done and very urgently too as we are not near any breakthrough in agriculture, if the truth must be told”.
On fears that if what is needed to guarantee food security in the country is not urgently done, Dogara said “I have no doubt in my mind that if we don’t increase and continue to expand our capacity to grow enough food to feed our citizens, with the population explosion starring us in the face, we don’t need a seer to warn us of the coming implosion. With current practices, the prospects for our nation is not looking good at all.
“The challenge we have as a nation is recruiting the next generation of farmers. We have to make farming attractive to the millennials otherwise, we face a very frightening and insecure future. I don’t know how we can achieve this, but it’s a task that must be accomplished. The youths must be encouraged to take to farming as a profession of choice. There are so many young persons out there in this country that have never gone to farm or work on the farm, even once in their lifetime and that’s unacceptably and worrisome”.
The Speaker while explaining how he also motivated his children out of their initial hatred for farming said “I had to work hard to break the walls of resistance they had built inside themselves. Right now, anytime they are home, they are looking forward to when they will go to the farm. I know exactly what I’ll do to cement their interest in agriculture but I cant let the cat out of the bag now as they may also read this interview”.
The Minister-designate for Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, has firmly clarified that he never promised to fix Nigeria’s national electricity grid within three months, describing such claims circulating in sections of the media as a misrepresentation of his Senate screening remarks.
A statement issued after his appearance before the Senate stressed that Tegbe was deliberate and cautious in his presentation, avoiding unrealistic timelines while outlining a structured reform pathway for the power sector.
According to the clarification, Tegbe explained that while Nigerians can expect early signs of progress, particularly in grid stabilisation within his first 100 days in office, comprehensive reforms will be guided strictly by technical assessments, stakeholder consultations, and sector realities.
He noted that critical challenges such as gas supply constraints, metering gaps, infrastructure decay, and commercial inefficiencies require coordinated interventions that cannot be resolved through arbitrary timelines.
“My commitment to this distinguished chamber and to Nigerians is clear: we will deliver visible and measurable improvement in the power sector,” Tegbe stated during the screening.
He assured that his focus would include stabilising the national grid, modernising transmission and distribution infrastructure, strengthening commercial frameworks, and enforcing accountability across the electricity value chain.
On tariff policy, the minister-designate reaffirmed that reforms would be carefully designed to balance sustainability with social protection, ensuring that vulnerable households are shielded while also restoring investor confidence in the sector.
The statement further emphasised that Tegbe’s approach reflects discipline, technical understanding, and a reform-minded agenda aimed at delivering lasting solutions rather than short-term political promises.
It added that he remains open to responsible media engagement and constructive clarification where necessary, noting that accurate reporting is essential to public understanding of ongoing efforts to reposition Nigeria’s power sector.
Tegbe reaffirmed his readiness to lead a transparent, results-driven reform process anchored on accountability, realism, and measurable progress.
A grand cultural renaissance celebrating the enduring legacy of legendary Yoruba war hero and statesman, Ogedengbe Agbogungboro, will take centre stage as the 2026 edition of Ogedengbe Fiesta holds from July 29 to 31 across Osun State and Ekiti State.
The three-day heritage festival, unveiled by organisers on Wednesday, is themed, “Ogedengbe Agbogungboro Legacy: Leadership, Security, and Statecraft for Modern Governance in Nigeria.”
The event is designed to preserve Yoruba cultural heritage, deepen historical consciousness, promote tourism and stimulate national conversations on leadership, peacebuilding and governance.
According to the organisers, the fiesta will commence with traditional homage at Atorin and heritage excursions to notable Kiriji War historical sites in Imesi-Ile, where participants will relive significant moments in Yoruba military and political history.
The programme will also feature guided visits to the historic Ogedengbe Cave, Ibu Latoosa Site and the Yoruba Peace Treaty Grove, all regarded as symbolic monuments of Yoruba resilience, diplomacy and unity.
As part of activities lined up for the celebration, participants will tour the gardens of renowned legal icon and elder statesman, Afe Babalola, in Okemesi-Ekiti.
The organisers further disclosed that a Legacy Awards and Hall of Fame Investiture ceremony would hold in Ilesa to honour individuals who have contributed immensely to the promotion of Yoruba culture, leadership and community development.
A distinguished personality lecture in honour of Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, OFR, CON, and Arole Fabunmi of Okemesi-Ekiti is also expected to headline the event, with scholars, traditional rulers, cultural enthusiasts and public intellectuals billed to discuss pathways to strengthening governance and security through indigenous values and historical lessons.
The organisers noted that all activities would commence daily by 11am, adding that the festival would serve as a rallying point for lovers of Yoruba culture, history and tourism across Nigeria and beyond.
They described the fiesta as not only a celebration of the heroic exploits of Ogedengbe Agbogungboro, but also a strategic platform to inspire a new generation of leaders through the ideals of courage, unity, patriotism and visionary leadership.
The Federal Government on Tuesday ruled out any plan to reinstate fuel subsidy despite worsening economic hardship and mounting public pressure.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, stated this in Paris, France, during a meeting with global investors alongside President Bola Tinubu.
Oyedele said the government would also not introduce price controls, stressing that market forces remain the preferred mechanism for determining petrol prices.
“We will not bring back fuel subsidy because it creates distortions for the economy, and we won’t introduce price control because we believe in the market,” he said.
The minister argued that the subsidy regime had long undermined economic efficiency, adding that emerging global energy shifts, including developments in Iran, present fresh investment opportunities for Nigeria.
The removal of petrol subsidy in May 2023 triggered a steep rise in inflation, worsening the country’s cost-of-living crisis.
Nigeria’s headline inflation climbed from 22.41 per cent in May 2023 to 34.19 per cent by June 2024 — its highest level in nearly two decades — driven by surging fuel, food, and transportation costs.
Food inflation further accelerated, exceeding 39 per cent by October 2024, while transport fares soared by nearly 300 per cent, compounded by currency devaluation.
Despite the economic strain, Tinubu defended the policy, saying it had stabilised the foreign exchange market.
“Subsidy that was a burden to the entire country was removed, and ever since we have achieved FX stability,” the President said, according to his Special Assistant on Social Media, Dada Olusegun.
In a related statement, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the administration’s reforms were aimed at eliminating structural distortions, strengthening macroeconomic stability, and laying the foundation for inclusive growth.
He added that the government remained committed to fiscal discipline and transparency.
Highlighting economic progress, Oyedele disclosed that Nigeria recorded an 11.2 per cent growth in Gross Domestic Product in dollar terms in 2025, describing it as a major step towards the country’s ambition of building a $1tn economy by 2030.
He also pledged that the government would begin publishing quarterly financial reports to enhance accountability and public trust.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the Debt Management Office, Patience Oniha, assured investors of Nigeria’s commitment to prudent borrowing and sustainable debt management.
The Federal Government has continued to defend its reform agenda despite growing public discontent, insisting that the long-term gains will outweigh the current economic pains.
-
Politics22 hours ago2027: APC Perfects Consensus Strategy for Oyo
-
Politics2 days ago2027: Oyo APC Set for Credible Direct Primaries, Says Alake Adeyemo
-
News1 week agoTCN plans power outage in Ibadan over substation maintenance
-
News6 days agoTegbe clarifies: No 3-month promise on power grid, outlines realistic reform timeline