By Lanre Shodimu
As Parts of efforts to create harmony amongst farmers in Ekiti State, the State Government has reconciled the two factions of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria in the state, raising hopes that a harmonised executive council of the association will be inaugurated this week. Punch online has learnt.
The state government and AFAN national leadership recently brought together members of the Adebola Alagbada and Rufus Oni factions in the state, where they resolved on the modalities for the emergence of a united and acceptable leadership for farmers in Ekiti.
The state government and AFAN national leadership on Thursday brought together members of the Adebola Alagbada and Rufus Oni factions in the state, where they resolved on the modalities for the emergence of a united and acceptable leadership for farmers in Ekiti.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Agricultural Extension Services, Dr Sikiru Olowoyo, expressed joy that the two blocs of AFAN in the state had “agreed to harmonise their house, have a formidable one house and move forward together.”
AFAN stated that the Association had been factionalised for over five years, with one side under Alagbada and the other under Oni—a development said to have negatively impacted the development of farmers and agriculture in the state.
According to him, the resolution of the crisis was made easier by the fact that “the tenure of office of the parallel executives had already elapsed; both sides have spent five years, which is the period stipulated by their constitution” .Olowoyo said
They all however agree that they want their factions to collapse into one body.
“With what we did here today, we have decided to have an AFAN that will be recognised by the association at the national level and also by government at the state and national levels. We want to reposition AFAN as one strong body in Ekiti.” He said
Olowoyo appealed to all farmers in the state, saying, “It is high time they came together and built a formidable AFAN that can benefit them. Our farmers have not been getting it right. They have been losing out in areas they are supposed to benefit because of factionalisation.
Government will never deal with people having factions. That is what we are telling them. It is only when you are under one umbrella that the government will know who to deal with,” he added.
AFAN Board of Trustees member, Ademola Okeya, who said the Biodun Oyebanji administration had done much for farmers and agriculture in the state, noted that members of the association stood to benefit more through unity of strength and purpose.
Okeya made it known it known that “It is when farmers in the state are united under the same umbrella that their lot can be bettered, and they can benefit from what is meant to improve their lives and enhance their productivity.”
The AFAN BOT member, thereafter unveiled modalities for free, fair, and acceptable elections of state officials to ensure the two blocs were adequately represented, said the development marked the beginning of a new dawn for farmers in the state.
He however hailed Olowoyo for his genuine concern for farmers’ welfare and for reconciling the AFAN factions in Ekiti.
AFAN Southwest Coordinator, Femi Adeniyi, said, “We are happy that our brothers and sisters who had since been on different pages have agreed to come together. It is in unity that we can succeed.
‘The government at the state and federal levels are ready to assist farmers. The government is doing a lot, but when we don’t agree, when we don’t unite, definitely some of the important things we are supposed to receive don’t reach us.” He added.
