By: Augustine Ogar.
The unveiling of the 1 million bags of Rice Pyramid in Abuja the nation’s capital by President Muhammadu Buhari recently, also, significantly, unveiled the hero of Nigeria’s Rice revolution- Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State.
The epochmaking event, which attracted dignitaries: Governors from across the states, Ministers of the Federal Republic, Diplomats, Traditional Rulers and in-conjunction with Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria ( RIFAN) was also organised to bestow national honours on a man who digitalized Rice farming in Nigeria.
It is no longer news that in June 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari and the entire nation including Nigerian Governors, Ministers, National Assembly members and Diplomats as well as other dignitarie and international partners of Cross River State’s industrial partners, globally, were drawn to Calabar, the Cross River State capital to commission the first Automated Rice Seedlings Factory in the Sub-Saharan Africa.
From all indications, the epic automated Rice Seedlings Factory, built by the digital Governor has contributed immensely to producing Rice Seedlings imputs to Rice farming across the nation. Based in this credit, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Rice Anchor borrowers Scheme powered by the CBN’s president, Mr. Godwin Emefele had purchased #8 Billion worth of Rice Seedlings for Farmers in the first year of the factory’s operation.
A floodgates of orders for Rice Seedlings for Wet and Dry season farming was also made possible with the operation of this state- of- art factory.
So, it was not a surprise that President Buhari and the Rice Farmers’ Association of Nigeria ( RIFAN) found the occasion of unveiling the Rice Pyramid in Abuja appropriate, appropriate enough, to honoure Prof. Ayade ( a Professor of Environmental Micro Biology turn number one Rice Farmer in Nigeria).
Perhaps, what makes the event more outstanding is the fact that Governor Ayade was singled out for this national honour.
But we may have easily forgotten that President Buhari has a keen eye for history when he commended the governor’s commitment to revolutionize Nigeria’s Agriculture during the commissioning of the factory in 2018. He said,” the factory is a reference point in Nigeria’s efforts to kick-start a revolution in Agriculture”.
President Buhari did not hide his delight for Ayade’s vision, when he stated further,” the factory speaks loudly about the gaint stride we are making in Agriculture as a country. It is evident that by conceiving projects such as this, governor Ayade has a keen eye for tomorrow, focusing on projects that building a new economic base for the state, rather than projects with short- term benefits to make political gains”.
Believe it or not, give it to Ayade for having the capacity and vision to drive any project he conceived to the end, coupled and complete. This, he has done with the Rice vision by establishing an Ultra- Modern Rice Processing Factory in Ogoja ( first of its kind in Africa) which is awaiting commissioning by President Buhari.
Ayade’s Presidential honours’ award is heroic and deserving for a man who out of 200 million Nigerians has been so recognized. One may, rightly, forecast that, he is definitely heading for the highest honour in the land, (in the nearest future),reserved only, for Presidents of the nation.
That, is, the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic( GCFR).
Certainly, Ayade will spring fort a ” national rebirth”( a digital revolution) if giving the chance to rule Nigeria. It is time not to search any longer for the “elusive leader” we have never had as a nation but to say” yes” to Ayade’s Presidency in 2023. Period!
