Nigeria must feed itself to move forward – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo stressed that Nigeria’s problems will remain intractable unless the country becomes self-sufficient in food production.

He made this remark while receiving a delegation from Niger State, comprising commissioners and special advisers to Governor Mohammed Bago, who paid him a courtesy visit at his Abeokuta home.

This was disclosed in a press statement issued by Aisha Wakaso, Governor Bago’s Special Adviser on Print Media, on Sunday.

“The former President expressed his admiration for Bago’s initiative, likening it to his own ‘Operation Feed the Nation’ policy of 1976. He emphasised that with modern equipment now available, the impact of such initiatives can be even greater than before.

“Obasanjo highlighted the critical importance of agricultural self-sufficiency, stating, ‘Until Nigeria begins to feed itself, the challenges facing the country will persist. A nation that cannot feed itself is sitting on a time bomb’.

“He urged other state governors to follow Niger State’s lead in agricultural development to ensure that Nigeria can produce the majority of its own food,” Wakaso stated.

The Special Adviser revealed that Obasanjo advised Niger State to persist in its agricultural investments and embrace modern approaches to augment traditional practices. Additionally, he indicated his plans to visit the state with his team, seeking to gain insights from their advancements, exchange ideas, and identify opportunities to improve and expand his own agricultural initiatives.

“Obasanjo also advised Nigerians to consider investing in soilless farming, warning that with the current rate of land use, Nigeria could soon face a shortage of arable land. He stressed that innovative farming techniques are essential to sustaining the nation’s agricultural productivity,” she stated