Posted by In Magboro, Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area, Ogun State, there is a 200-hectare rice farm that the head of the Hausa community in the Alubarika Rice Farm Cluster, Bello Zabarmawa, has denied having full control over.
An article in the media cited Zabarmawa as saying that Governor Abiodun had wrongfully claimed ownership of the rice plantation and tagged it as a World Bank-supported enterprise.
The farmer and businessman from Kebbi State disputed the allegations and dismissed the story.
Approximately 200 farmers from all ethnic origins were involved in the rice farm, according to Zabarmawa, who addressed the media on Friday at the Magboro location.
According to him, the tractor and harvesters had been provided by the state government, and they had also covered half of the cost for the chemicals and fertilizer.
“It is not true what I said about the government not helping farmers,” Zabarmawa stated after seeing some social media posts online. We hadn’t done anything yet when the state government sent tractors to assist us.
Then, half of the cost of fertilizers and chemicals was covered by the government, and the farmers were supposed to pay the other half. When they couldn’t, I loaned them N30 million to cover it.
We have the names of 200 members who have registered with us. They range from the Hausa to the Igbo and Yoruba, and each one occupies one hectare.
I notified the Young Agro Service when it was time to harvest the rice, and they sent three harvesters, covering 65% of the labor; each farmer was supposed to put in 35%.
Nobody should spread false information about me because I never said the government never helped me. If you look at the farm, you can see it for yourself.
He mentioned that he was able to leave his hometown and start a business in Ogun with the help of the state government. He went on to say, “I told them about all the government has done for us and even called on the government to do more to help Nigerians overcome the country’s food shortage.”
The claim that Zabarmawa owns the farm outright is unfounded, according to Adelowo Salam, the farm’s chairman, because Young Agro, the service provider, is the rightful owner of the tractor, planter, and harvester.
According to Ajibola Johnson, CEO of The Young Agro Services Enterprise, he was chosen by the state government in 2023 to provide services to farmers in different local government areas, including rice farms in Obafemi Owode, Remo North, Sagamu, and Ikenne.
Our agricultural services began with ploughing, spraying, and planting crops. The government chipped in 65% and I got 35% for the 6 tractors and 3 harvesters I hired to work the rice field.
He said the study had a political bias and that all 200 farmers were on board with it even if they didn’t have enough money.