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Veteran cassava researchers win 2018 Golden Cassava Prize
…GCP21 recognizes the contribution of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to cassava research and development.
A Principal Scientist and Cassava Breeder with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Dr Alfred Dixon; and Dr Hernan Ceballos of the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) have won the 2018 Golden Cassava Prize.
The prestigious award, which is usually bestowed on colleagues for their excellent contribution to cassava transformation was given to the two researchers by the International Scientific Committee of the Global Cassava Partnership for the 21st Century (GCP21).
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Announcing the winners of the prize at the GCP21 Cassava Conference in Cotonou, the Director of GCP21, Dr Claude Fauquet, said Drs Dixon and Ceballos were selected from a pack of six highly qualified researchers across the world.
“We are proud of the achievements of both Drs Dixon and Ceballos to the cassava community. This is in recognition of their work but also a motivation to other upcoming researchers,” Dr Fauquet said at the award ceremony.
The GCP21 also presented a special recognition to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for funding dozens of projects related to cassava, thereby contributing to the transformation of the root crop. Lawrence Kent, Senior Program Officer with the Gates Foundation, while receiving a plaque on behalf of the Foundation, thanked GCP21 for the recognition and honor which he dedicated to millions of resource-poor farmers especially women and children, who depend on cassava for livelihood and food security.
Known by his peers as “Dr Cassava,” Dr Dixon is currently the Project Leader of the Sustainable Weed Management Technologies for Cassava Systems Project and also the Director, Development and Delivery Office in the Partnerships for Delivery Directorate of IITA. He developed over 400 improved cassava cultivars for a range of agroecologies and cropping systems in Africa. He discovered the Cassava Mosaic Disease- (CMD2) resistance gene from cassava landraces, which helped in the development of CMD-resistant cassava varieties that saved cassava from across Africa.
Dr Dixon managed and coordinated interdisciplinary research on cassava improvement in sub-Saharan Africa; maintained and improved links between research projects and the national root crops programs in Africa; as well as facilitated collaborative linkages with advanced laboratories and other institutions working on cassava outside Africa. He has authored and co-authored over 350 scientific publications. Dr Dixon played an important role in the development of the Global Cassava Development Strategy and was the Chairman of its Executive Committee, 2002 – 2008, and was an effective advocate and champion for policy dialogue leading to substantial support by the Nigerian government for cassava research and development. This success subsequently led to significant positive influence on other African governments and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) in establishing the NEPAD Pan-African Cassava Initiative.
In 2004, he was conferred with a traditional chieftaincy title, Balogun Agbe, in recognition of his meritorious contribution to agriculture in Nigeria by the Olukoyi of Ikoyiland, Ikoyi, Osun State, Nigeria, and also honored by CGIAR in 2005 as a great example of CGIAR scientists at work.
The other awardee, Dr Ceballos, obtained his Ph.D. degree in plant breeding from Cornell University, USA. In 2007 he received the award for innovation from the Colombian Society for the Advancement of Science. His achievements in the cassava world over the last 20 years as cassava breeder include his involvement in the discovery of a spontaneous starch mutation (amylose-free) and induced mutation (small granule) in cassava, innovations in high throughput phenotyping cassava roots for carotenoid content; implementation of new cassava breeding approaches such as selection based on general combining ability (breeding value) and rapid cycling recurrent selection for high heritability traits; and development and implementation of a new quantitative genetic approach to quantify epistasis in diallel crosses. Dr Ceballos has written more than 100 research articles in peer-reviewed journals, several chapters published in books, and two edited books. He served as reviewer of more than 20 Ph.D. thesis mostly from African candidates on cassava.
Drs Dixon and Ceballos, in their response, thanked the GCP21 for the honor bestowed on them. Participants at the GCP21 cassava conference were full or praises for the prize winners for investing their lives in the development of cassava to help millions of farmers. This year’s conference is supported by IITA, CIAT, National Institute of Agricultural Research of Benin (INRAB), Faculte des Sciences Agronomique – Universite Abomey-Calavi (FAS-AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research (CORAF/WECARD), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB), International Center for Agricultural Development (CIRAD), the Institute for Research & Development (IRD), French Embassy in Benin, French Institute, Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharifng System for Agriculture Lending (NIRSAL), Flour Mills of Nigeria, Cibus, China’s TAGRM, Inqaba Biotec, PRASAC, Interteck, Building an Economically Sustainable Integrated Cassava Seed System (BASICS), Sino-Food Machinery, OC, NextGen Cassava project, and Centre de Technique de Cooperation Agricole et Rurale (CTA).
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has mourned the death of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo, popularly known as Able, describing his demise as a painful loss to the progressive family.
Oladipupo, who represented Ibadan North-West Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, was widely regarded as a grassroots politician and committed party loyalist until his passing.
Oseni, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, said the late politician’s death had created a vacuum within the party and among those who benefitted from his unwavering commitment to public service.
In a condolence statement issued on Monday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the federal lawmaker described the late Oladipupo as a dependable progressive, humble political actor and loyal party stalwart whose impact would remain indelible.
He said the deceased dedicated his life to serving humanity, strengthening the progressive movement and supporting the aspirations of many at the grassroots.
Oseni said, “The death of Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo (Able) came to me as a rude shock. Oyo State and the progressive family have indeed lost a committed, loyal and selfless leader whose passion for service, humility and dedication to the people stood him out.
“He was not just a politician but a bridge-builder, a dependable ally and a grassroots mobiliser who believed strongly in the ideals of our great party. His contributions to the growth of the APC in Oyo State and his service to humanity will remain unforgettable.”
The APC senatorial candidate noted that the late former lawmaker remained steadfast in promoting peace, unity and political development, adding that his simplicity and accessibility endeared him to many across political divides.
According to Oseni, the late politician’s legacy of service and sacrifice would continue to inspire younger politicians and party faithful.
He, however, urged members of the APC, associates and family members of the deceased to take solace in the remarkable life he lived and the positive impact he made during his lifetime.
Oseni also prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul and for God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
State governors have proposed a new national minimum wage of N100,000 for Nigerian workers as part of efforts to cushion them from the biting effects of inflation and the rising cost of living.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), disclosed the proposal on Saturday in a post by the state government’s official Facebook page. He said the move aims to improve workers’ welfare while ensuring that government finances remain sustainable.
“State governments recognise the urgent need to improve workers’ welfare in response to the current economic realities facing Nigerians,” AbdulRazaq said.
“We are actively engaging with the Federal Government and organised labour to arrive at a wage structure that is fair to workers and sustainable for government finances.”
The NGF chairman explained that ongoing discussions are focused on balancing the need to boost workers’ purchasing power with the capacity of governments to deliver essential public services and development projects.
“The goal is to improve the living conditions of workers while ensuring that states can continue to meet their obligations and sustain projects that directly impact citizens,” he added.
The proposed N100,000 minimum wage is expected to intensify national debates on salaries, inflation, and broader economic reforms as Nigerians continue to contend with rising food prices, transportation costs, and other living expenses.
Currently, Nigeria’s statutory minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month. Some states, including Lagos, Rivers, and Imo, are already paying above the national benchmark to support workers amid the country’s economic challenges.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has continued to call for a comprehensive review of salaries, insisting that workers deserve a living wage that reflects present-day economic realities rather than merely guaranteeing survival.
The average retail price paid by consumers for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, rose to N1,532.93 per litre in April 2026, representing a 23.69 per cent increase compared to the N1,239.33 recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, findings by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have shown.
The sharp rise in petrol prices came amid mounting inflationary pressure and worsening living costs, with Nigerians grappling with soaring transportation and food expenses that have continued to shrink household purchasing power.
The NBS disclosed this in its Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch for April 2026, released on Friday.
The report further showed that on a month-on-month basis, petrol prices rose by 18.97 per cent from N1,288.54 recorded in March 2026, underscoring persistent volatility in the downstream petroleum market.
A breakdown of prices across states revealed that Yobe recorded the highest average retail price for petrol at N1,599.05 per litre during the review period.
Edo and Bauchi followed closely with average prices of N1,595.74 and N1,589.07, respectively.
However, Niger residents paid the least for petrol at an average of N1,403.89 per litre, while Sokoto and Katsina recorded N1,404.16 and N1,406.28 respectively.
At the zonal level, the South-South recorded the highest average retail price at N1,566.76 per litre, while the North-West posted the lowest at N1,508.81.
The latest petrol price increase comes as millions of Nigerians continue to battle the ripple effects of rising inflation, with higher energy costs worsening transportation fares and the prices of essential commodities.
Similarly, the NBS said the average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, also known as cooking gas, rose by 13.73 per cent month-on-month to N8,706.93 in April 2026 from N7,655.73 recorded in March.
On a year-on-year basis, the price increased by 10.42 per cent from N7,885.60 recorded in April 2025.
Lagos recorded the highest average price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,745.10, followed by Nasarawa at N9,451.70 and Bayelsa at N9,422.74.
In contrast, Anambra recorded the lowest average price at N7,204.76, while Ondo and Ogun followed with N7,239.49 and N7,825.75, respectively.
At the regional level, the North-West recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,025.07, followed by the North-East at N8,847.16, while the South-East posted the lowest average price at N8,224.37.
Also, the average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas increased by 13.89 per cent month-on-month to N22,382.20 in April 2026 from N19,652.83 in March.
Compared to April 2025, the price rose by 10.43 per cent from N20,268.06.
According to the NBS LPG Price Watch for April, Katsina recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N25,596.71, followed by Kogi at N24,558.25 and Gombe at N24,438.97.
Ogun recorded the lowest average price at N19,564.36, while Bauchi and Anambra followed at N20,178.87 and N20,511.90 respectively.
The North-West recorded the highest zonal average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N23,276.95, followed by the North-Central at N22,865.29, while the South-East posted the lowest average at N21,060.92.
The latest figures signal growing pressure on household energy costs, raising concerns over the implications for inflation and the cost of living in the coming months.
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