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Sermon: Harvest of Shame 2
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By Babatunde Jose
Thanks to corruption, poor management, sponsored sabotage and fake news / barriers created by competitors/importers afraid of competition, professional litigants, many Nigeria’s industrial initiatives have either collapsed or were abandoned. – Frederick Owonka
There is no doubt, things could move in the right direction with dedicated leadership that provides enabling environment for entrepreneurship to strive: A leadership with clear vision and national mission capable of acting as the vanguard of the people’s yearning for self sustained development and offering hope for a farewell to poverty and want. Unfortunately, that has not been the case with us. Nigerians are fond of saying that God is a Nigerian because He made our land so beautiful and endowed this nation with unimaginable provisions to the envy of other nations; to even the score however, God populated the land with a race of evil men, corruption, ethnic jingoists, religious fanatics, and worst of all a visionless leadership incapable of harnessing all the good things God hath given us. Today, unbelievable and unthinkable things happen in this clime; for the past 25 years, a major exporter of oil, continues to import refined petroleum and diesel; a country with one of the largest gas reserves in the world, importing domestic cooking gas and gas cylinders. In the process, aggravating and exacerbating our ‘harvest of shame’.
In 2018, Nigeria made $41.8 Million from rubber export; however, European companies process this rubber and make twice that amount. Last year a Nigerian farm invested a huge amount of funds into rubber processing and it is hoped that many others would do the same to wipe away our shame. Rubber processing firms abound in Delta State and in the past their owners reaped bountiful harvests with which their children and wards were educated in UK and America. Where are these firms today? What became of the rubber plantation the Western Region government set up in Remo between Ikenne and Ayepe sixty years ago? The fact remains that the total land space available for rubber plantation that attracted Firestone to Liberia is small compared to what we have here; if only we have the will.
The same could be said of the land space for the cultivation of cocoa and other products. Nigeria was once a major producer of cotton; a fact which dictated the proliferation of textiles mills in the country which today have become moribund. There was a time Afprint in Isolo was reputed to be the biggest textile factory in West Africa; today its frontage is a glorified car showroom. Western Textiles on Gbagada Expressway used to be a major player in the textile industry, but today it is home of car importers. Our investors are preoccupied with chasing the dollar! I should know because I used to print some of their ‘annual reports’.
Nigeria is home to the largest natural gas reserves in Africa and the ninth largest in the world; according to the National Bureau of Statistics 47 per cent (146.14 million liters’) of the LPG supply in the country in the first quarter of this year was imported while 53 per cent (164.71 million liters’) was produced locally.
But there is hope; Matrix Energy has invested in Nigeria’s cooking gas plant and has begun operations to cut down imports.
It is shameful that with just N7Billion a Modular refinery can be built that would produce 271 million Liters annually, thereby cutting our fuel imports. One Abdulrazak Isa did just that and is today moving towards completion of his refinery capable of meeting the needs of Imo and Anambra States.
Triton Fish/Chicken farm in Oyo State is a project financed by Heritage Bank backed by the CBN, since the ban on importation of frozen chicken; this company has been exporting to Poland, Romania, Egypt, Liberia and Ivory Coast. We need more of these ventures to turn our economy around.
Nigeria possesses the second largest Bitumen deposit in the world, yet we spend billions annually importing bitumen/asphalt for road construction. South Korea with less Bitumen deposit than Ondo State makes $3Billion from it annually: Another harvest of Shame.
It is on record that the Federal Government rolled out loans in Kebbi State that empowered 78,000 poor rice farmers in late 2015; today about half of them are said to have become prosperous as an hectare of land gives 90 bags of rice, most of which they sell to Lagos State as Lake Rice. Why, we ask can this not be replicated in Sokoto, Gombe and other states in the north or in Ogun, Osun and Ekiti States? Rather, our people are still fixated on smuggling rice though our wayward neighbor. When will this stop?
Another example of our harvest of shame is the N9.2B we sunk into the importation of 750,000 gas cylinders from a company in South Africa in 2014. Yet, with just a fraction of that money, Nigeria Gas Cylinders located in Ibadan could have been revived to go back into production.
Recently Mahindra Limited in Kaduna set up a Tractor Assembly Plant to produce tractors; with an outlay of $200M. However, what happened to the tractor plant in Bauchi? In 2005 BPE sold Steyr under the privatization craze of the time to Kaura Motors for $700Million. Whatever became of this factory that was set up by the Federal Government is today open to conjecture. Another Harvest of Shame!
Ayo Akindiji, an Engineer was the last farm manager of Oodua farms cattle ranch (formerly western livestock’s) at Akunu Akoko and Auga. The land is still there: Facilities abandoned. The existence of the ranches was confirmed by the Ondo State Governor during the week. According to him, the farms can accommodate 5000 cattle. Also in Oyo state, we have over 16,000 hectares of land for cattle ranch solely owned by Oodua Investment. Part of it was seeded for Ikere gorge (2000 hectares). These farms ARE TODAY MORIBUND. If only Oodua Investments can resuscitate them it would go a long way in wiping away our shame. The Southwest governments, owners of Oodua Investments can give them to genuine investors for resuscitation. These farms are also found in Imeko Ogun State, Oke-Ako via Ayedun Ekiti.
A report published by Food Business Africa on Jan. 9 bemoaned the amount spent by Nigeria on imports of grains in 2018. “The country spent $1.1 billion to import 5.5 million tonnes of wheat in the period as production remained static at 60,000 tonnes, which constituted 99% of wheat consumed.” “Rice imports amounted to 3 million tonnes, equivalent to 44% of rice consumed in the country valued at $1.2 billion, while domestic production rose to 4.78 million tonnes in 2018.” This shows that we are winning the ‘rice war’.
Allah said in the Quran: O mankind! Do your duty to your Lord, and fear (the coming of) a Day when no father can avail aught for his son, nor a son avail aught for his father. Verily,
the promise of Allah is true: Let not then this present life deceive you, nor let the Chief Deceiver deceive you about Allah. (Quran 31:33)
Barka Juma’at and a happy weekend
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has released his handover document to counter the Anambra State Government’s claims that his administration left behind loans and other financial liabilities.
Obi’s challenge followed the release of his handover note, which showed the financial position of the State at the end of his administration.
The Interim National Coordinator of the Obedient Movement, Dr. Yinusa Tanko, published the handover document dated March 17, 2024, on Wednesday.
The document contained a summary of Anambra State’s financial position as of the close of business that day and showed a net positive balance of over N86 billion.
Tribune Online had earlier reported that the Anambra State Government said it is still repaying loans obtained by previous administrations, including those of former governors Peter Obi and Willie Obiano.
The Commissioner for Finance, Izuchukwu Okafor, disclosed this on Sunday while speaking on the Ndi Anambra podcast released by the government’s New Media team.
Okafor said the inherited loans remained part of the financial commitments of the current administration, despite the Soludo government’s decision not to obtain fresh commercial bank loans since taking office.
Obi, however, rejected the claim and asked the Soludo administration to provide evidence to support its position. He also said he would end his campaign for the 2027 presidency if the allegation could be proven.
The Anambra State Government later disputed Obi’s claim that he left office without outstanding debts or other unpaid financial obligations.
The government maintained that its records showed that some liabilities incurred during Obi’s administration, as well as obligations inherited by it, remained unpaid.
In a statement titled; “Gov Peter Obi and Record of Public Debt in Anambra: Facts Beyond Propaganda and Lies,” the Commissioner for Information and Value Reorientation, Law Mefor, described Obi’s position on the State’s debt profile as false.
Mefor said eight external loans connected to projects implemented during Obi’s administration, or inherited by it, were still outstanding.
According to him, the loans had a combined balance of $92.35 million, which the State government said was equivalent to N127.37 billion as of June 30, 2026.
By Henry Ukazu
Dear Destiny Friends,
Greatness is something we all should aspire to attain as we explore what life has in store for us. To attain greatness is no joke. It takes a lot of sacrifice, patience, knowledge, wisdom, understanding, perseverance, and dedication. Isn’t it true that nothing good comes easy? According to my late dad, Chief Lazarus Anthony Ukazu, “If you want to bear a bear name, one must work hard to earn it”
That means success is not attained on a platter of gold. One must strategically work hard to attain any height or title one desires to have. If one desires to be a President, one must be intentional in the way they live their life. If a student desires to have a perfect Grade Point Average (GPA), the student must begin from their first year of college to have good grades; if an employee desires to rise up to a managerial position, the employee must put in the work by ensuring that they are punctual and their work ethic is top-notch. I can go on, but as the sage will say, a word is enough for the wise.
Aspiring for greatness can be difficult, no doubt, but it’s doable. One of the easiest ways of attaining greatness is by knowing yourself. Knowing who you are is a critical and fundamental tool necessary for success because it helps to speed up the process. One may be wondering why I said knowing oneself is the easiest and fastest way to succeed in life. Well, the answer is not far-fetched. According to Oscar Wilde, “Be yourself because others are taken”. This simply means one must focus on what they are naturally good at. It makes no sense to struggle to be what you are not. Like, I always say, you can copy my style, but you can’t imitate my creativity.
That said, it’s important for one to ask oneself: what’s that one thing they are good at; what’s that one thing one doesn’t struggle to do; what’s that one thing most people compliment about them; what’s that one thing you can do and you won’t be stressed; what’s that thing you can do for free and you’ll care less whether you are paid or not; what’s that one thing you can do with relative ease if you are woken from the sleep and you’ll do it well? If you were able to answer any of these questions, then you are fifty percent nearer to greatness. The other fifty percent is for one to develop that inherent talent or gift in them.
The interesting thing about self-discovery is that it helps one to spend less time and energy on a project that won’t add value to their life. For instance, if you know you are good at a particular project or subject, or have expertise or creativity in a particular skill, you’ll stand a better chance of succeeding faster in life when you hone it than learning a new skill that you’ll have to develop. That’s why it’s good to know oneself.
During my formative years in the USA, I engaged in many activities trying to figure out my path. I began by studying taxation law at New York Law School, a major I didn’t like. I worked in a tax firm, hoping I would find joy in the money I made. That turned out to be an illusion. I worked in a small boutique law firm; I worked in a Not-for-profit organization; I worked in a private corporation as a Case Manager; I also worked as an entrepreneur at one point, and now I am currently in the public sector. I did all this just to figure out my path.
In all of these, I was still confused, trying many things. My clarity began when I got a job as a Case Manager; that job gave me clarity, focus, and purpose to know what I should be focusing on.
Again, my writing skills gave me a better understanding of who I am because it projected my image. Today, some people look at me and say I am great simply because I have three books to my name; I have written hundreds of articles in addition to meeting great people the world has celebrated. But the truth is that I discovered what I love, what I am doing and building, and the universe conspired to connect me to the right people, in addition to attracting opportunities to me.
I can say for a fact that, assuming I worked in a tax firm as advised just because of the associated money I might make, I would be feeling frustrated and depressed, even though I might have made money, which is not even guaranteed.
The same principle is applicable to anyone who studies a major or works in an establishment they don’t like. They might make money, but not in the major. I have seen nurses, doctors, engineers, lawyers, etc. who are making good money but are not happy, and I have seen people who didn’t study professional courses, some didn’t even have a college degree, yet are extremely successful and happy.
What does that tell you? They have either discovered what makes them unique, or they are happy with their major. Alternatively, it can be a combination of both.
The message here is to focus on what you are good at and develop it. The world will come to seek your services wherever you may be on planet Earth.
Furthermore, according to John Maxwell’s father, if you want to be great, you need three things: Value people, believe in people, and unconditionally love people for who they are. These are great ways to succeed in life, especially if one desires to make a fortune out of life.
For me, when I write, I think about valuing people, believing in people, and unconditionally loving people. Also, when I speak, I value people, I believe in people, and unconditionally love them. Why? Because people do well when people think well of them. It’s wonderful when a person believes in the leader, but it’s powerful and wonderful when the leader believes in the people.
Do you know that when you value people, it brings out the best in them? People love to be appreciated; people love to get approval, people love to get attention; people love to be accepted for who they are; and people love to be valued and respected. The simple truth about value is that when I value people, it brings out the best in me.
Today, I will ask you: are you aspiring for greatness in your family, school, workplace, community, etc. If yes, your task will be to focus on developing what you are naturally good at.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the founder of Gloemi. He’s a Transformative Human Capacity and Mindset coach. He is also a public speaker, youth advocate, creative writer, and author of Design Your Destiny- Actualizing Your Birthright to Success, Unleash Your Destiny, and The Six Pillars of Success. He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
The United States has delivered military equipment to the Nigerian Air Force as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s fight against terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping.
The supplies, which were disclosed in an X post by the US African Command (AFRICOM) on Thursday, were part of a foreign military sales agreement between Abuja and Washington.
“PARTNERSHIP IN ACTION: A U.S. Air Force C-17 delivers equipment to the Nigerian Air Force this weekend. The equipment is part of a foreign military sales agreement that furthers the U.S.-Nigerian partnership and will aid in Nigeria’s efforts to counter terrorism in the region.” U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) posted on X.
The development comes after US troops left Nigeria amid diplomatic engagement between Washington and Abuja over security challenges, particularly the activities of jihadist groups operating in parts of Nigeria.
The Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters (DHQ) clarified that the reported withdrawal of about 200 United States personnel from Nigeria will not affect the country’s security cooperation with the US.
The Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. S. Uba, made the clarification on Tuesday during the joint security spokespersons’ briefing.
Uba described the development as a routine, mission-specific adjustment linked to particular operational and counterterrorism objectives, stressing that it should not be interpreted as a breakdown or termination of the longstanding Nigeria-US security partnership.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria wishes to clarify that the reported withdrawal of about 200 United States personnel should not be interpreted as a breakdown or termination of the Nigeria-United States security partnership,” he said.
He said the relationship between both countries remained “strong, enduring, and mutually beneficial”, adding that intelligence cooperation, training and information sharing would continue.
According to him, Nigeria remained primarily responsible for defending its territory and protecting its citizens, while US support was aimed at strengthening the capabilities of the Nigerian military.
“Our cooperation with the United States is designed to strengthen our capabilities through intelligence sharing, training, technical assistance, and other forms of professional military cooperation,” he said.
