Opinion

Panorama: Food Insecurity: The Truth President Buhari Must Accept

Published

4 years ago

November 5, 2021

Eric

By Sani Sa’idu Baba

My dear country men and women, I was honestly moved by the report of the United Nations on the persistent food price rise in Nigeria in October. It is indeed a red flag and early sign of the inevitable, especially as farmers are already crying over reduced yield due to cessation of rainfall occasioned by climate change. Whatever the case, Nigerians are likely to suffer in the remaining part of the year and beyond unless an urgent miracle happens.

To say it as it is, failure of leadership has undoubtedly contributed to food shortage in Nigeria. This reminds me of a very captivating statement by John F. Kennedy, one of America’s most loved and flamboyant presidents, that: “A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.” With a little modification, you’d think Kennedy was referring to Nigeria of the 21st century under President Muhammadu Buhari. Just super-impose ‘Buhari’ where ‘nation’ is, and you’d be right on point. But in place of ‘a nation that is afraid of its people’, simply put ‘a leader that does not intimate but intimidate his people’. That seems to be what our president continuously throws on our faces. He never find out what the true situation is, only to receive unverified reports by the power mongers around him that everything is alright. It is still painful to remember what the former Minister of Agriculture said that N30 food can still satisfy a hungry adult in Nigeria. For Buhari, however, every Nigerian has a vote to cast, though some votes are more important than the others. Because it is obvious in Nigeria today that only certain class of people is entitled to food and good living.

According to World Bank (2001), food security is of three folds, these are food availability, food accessibility and food affordability. This triad of food security is by far above which the common man could cater for in Nigeria. No doubt, food is life. Hence, food has become an instrument of national power. It is within that need for food that I write to take a cursory look at the issue in all its ramifications.

There is no doubt that the previous administration under President Jonathan had scored good marks in the area of agriculture with his effective transformation policy in the sector. Although some has attributed that to the then Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, now the President of African Development Bank. But no matter what it was, Jonathan has indisputably earned the credit. However, recent developments in the present Buhari’s administration, especially the frequent clashes between herdsmen and farmers in the predominantly farming areas of the North central region, resulting in the destruction of lives and farmlands, have become a major threat to efforts to boost food production. It is worthy of note that Buhari’s ministers of agriculture in the last six years; Audu Obe and Sabo Nanono, both in their 80s have been adjudged the worst in terms of performance in the history of Nigeria agricultural ministry. Perhaps that has made the situation worst under Buhari. From Benue to Taraba, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau in the North Central region and Zamfara and Kaduna States in the North West, clashes between farmers and herdsmen, and the increasing rate of banditry and kidnappings have left in its trail heavy losses of lives and property. These losses of lives have adversely affected farming activities and other related businesses. This has resulted in a drastic reduction in farm products, a development that has heightened the fear of hunger. Already, most farmers in the affected states have abandoned their farms for fear of being attacked by the criminals.

As a result, there is growing fears of insecurity over the past few months in the country, and this has been fueled by lack of stable supply of food,, and rising food prices. Prices of essential commodities and food products have skyrocketed making them unaffordable for the common man. This has been attributed to seemingly impractical policies of the federal government. The price of rice, for instance, has hit an all time high to about N30,000 per bag, triggering panic across the country. There is also increase in prices of other staple products, thereby aggravating the woes of the common man. Shortage of products and ever-increasing prices have created sentiments across communities, dampening the country’s efforts to end poverty. There are estimates that more than 65 per cent of the Nigerian population is food-insecure. Unfortunately, the government has made no effort at price control laws that will help eliminate the deeply rooted corrupt practices among the people.

I did not forget that the Boko Haram insurgency that has ravaged the North-east for more than a decade, a region that immensely helped in food production in Nigeria, and the pockets of conflicts in some states where basic food items for the nation come from are making food commodity prices like beef, fruits and vegetables to rise, thus further masticating modest wage earners. It is axiomatic to posit that the Northern region of the country has remained a major source of food supply to other parts of the country, especially the South. To be sure, huge percentage of food items consumed in Lagos and other South and Eastern states come from the North. For example, Ketu, Mile 12 and Oyingbo markets in Lagos, all get supplies from the North on a daily basis as countless trucks are seen unloading quantities of onions, tomatoes, pepper, fruits, potatoes, yams, vegetables and the likes at these markets. But this is no longer the case as the general insecurity in the Northern part of Nigeria is adversely affecting farmers in the area. Fewer trucks now go to the South these days, because of the crisis, and this is adversely affecting prices of food.

The effects of the crisis in the North is already being felt, not only by the consumers but the traders as well who depend on supplies from the North for their business. Expectedly, the cost of foodstuffs, especially pepper and tomatoes has hit the roof. As reported on a television programme, housewives now complain that N500.00 worth of pepper for instance is no longer enough for a pot of soup for a family of four. While transporters are afraid to go to the North because of insecurity, Northern farmers are groaning too as traders from the South have not been going up North to buy the produce. Most crop farmers and those dealing in livestock in the North are fleeing their land en masse and migrating to neighbouring countries because of the crisis. In September 2013, the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) warned that Sahel States in Northern Nigeria are faced with severe food insecurity, and here we are today. The release mentions, “Poor families have used up their food stocks and are facing high food prices awaiting the next harvest.” Alarmingly, as at 2013, it pointed out that over 1.4 million children in the region are at risk of severe malnutrition in 2013. In certain products regrettably, the country’s ambitious Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) seems to have been hijacked by unscrupulous operators across the country’s borders.

However, other issues are equally accountable for Nigeria’s emergent food insecurity. Decades of bad policies, particularly in the agricultural sector, have taken a huge toll on the economy, with serious consequences on national development. Worst among the bad policies affecting the agricultural sector is government’s insensitivity to the needs of the rural areas. Prominent among these is lack of infrastructural development and incentives e.g loan for farmers. This invariably results in rural-urban migration. Also, the agricultural sector has witnessed a pattern of undercapitalization over a period of three decades, accounting for the sector’s poor performance and thus fueling of food insecurity in Nigeria. Above all, the recent policy of border closure by the Buhari administration has made issues worst, though it is still being debated.

The nation’s food security policy, in order to succeed, should adequately address, inter alia, those constraints that have been identified above. First, the problem of poor infrastructure in the nation can be tackled through increased investments in rural roads constructions, with a view to reducing transportation costs, and improve access to inputs and marketing of outputs. This should be complemented by similar investments in communications, electrification, healthcare and schools. Second, the prevailing dearth of appropriate technology can be improved upon by strengthening capacity to generate location-specific technology adaptable to the agro-ecosystems that are prevalent in the country, as well as creating the enabling environment for researcher/extension/farmer and rural finance policy linkages through information dissemination.

Third, of course no one can dispute the fact that the government has injected billions of Naira into agriculture, but that has been hijacked by bad elements and corrupt politicians in the system, thereby rendering government’s effort highly ineffective. This informed the need for collaborative efforts of the private sector of the economy. In this regard, the government should provide the enabling environment through the creation of investment incentives and formulation of policies, which would help to enhance the production of food and purchasing power of the poor to attract businesses to rural areas. For instance, Nigeria is blessed with abundant of land, forests that has never been cultivated before, where those criminal elements hides. The government can invite international companies from many countries in respect of varieties of products that we need in Nigeria and even Africa. A company for example will possess 50% share, the government will possess only 25% and the remaining 25% to be acquired by our resident business tycoons and also to be sell as shares to Nigerians. This will help create employment, reduce insecurity in the country, and eliminate the corruption that hijacked agricultural sector in Nigeria and most importantly secure huge production beyond our local consumption capacity.

Lastly, the president should OPEN NIGERIA’s BORDERS as a matter of urgency, if security of lives is truly his priority. This will help block the unstoppable consequences of food shortage and secure the 3As of food security.

Opinion

How Dr. Fatima Ibrahim Hamza (PT, mNSP) Became Kano’s Healthcare Star and a Model for African Women in Leadership

Published

2 days ago

December 6, 2025

Eric

By Dr. Sani Sa’idu Baba

My dear country men and women, over the years, I have been opportune to watch numerous speeches delivered by outstanding women shaping the global health sector especially those within Africa. Back home, I have also listened to towering figures like Dr. Hadiza Galadanci, the renowned O&G consultant whose passion for healthcare reform continues to inspire many. Even more closer home, there is Dr. Fatima Ibrahim Hamza, my classmate and colleague. Anyone who knew her from the beginning would remember a hardworking young woman who left no stone unturned in her pursuit of excellence. Today, she stands tall as one of the most powerful illustrations of what African women in leadership can achieve when brilliance, discipline, and integrity are brought together.

Before I dwell into the main business for this week, let me make this serious confession. If you are a regular traveler within Nigeria like myself, especially in the last two years, you will agree that no state currently matches Kano in healthcare delivery and institutional sophistication. This transformation is not accidental. It is the result of a coordinated, disciplined, and visionary ecosystem of leadership enabled by Kano State Governor, Engr Abba Kabir Yusuf. From the strategic drive of the Hospitals Management Board under the meticulous leadership of Dr. Mansur Nagoda, to the policy direction and oversight provided by the Ministry of Health led by the ever committed Dr. Abubakar Labaran, and the groundbreaking reforms championed by the Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board under the highly cerebral Professor Salisu Ahmed Ibrahim, the former Private Health Institution Management Agency (PHIMA) boss, a man who embodies competence, hard work, honesty, and principle, the progress of Kano’s health sector becomes easy to understand. With such a strong leadership backbone, it is no surprise that individuals like Dr. Fatima Ibrahim Hamza is thriving and redefining what effective healthcare leadership looks like in Nigeria.

Across the world, from top medical institutions to global leadership arenas, one truth echoes unmistakably: when women lead with vision, systems transform. Their leadership is rarely about theatrics or force; it is about empathy, innovation, discipline, and a capacity to drive change from the inside out. Kano State has, in recent years, witnessed this truth firsthand through the extraordinary work of Dr. Fatima at Sheikh Muhammad Jidda General Hospital.

In less than 2 years, Dr. Fatima has emerged as a phenomenon within Kano’s healthcare landscape. As the youngest hospital director in the state, she has demonstrated a style of leadership that mirrors the excellence seen in celebrated female leaders worldwide, women who inspire not by occupying space, but by redefining it. Her performance has earned her two high level commendations. First, a recognition by the Head of Service following a rigorous independent assessment of her achievements, and more recently, a formal commendation letter from the Hospitals Management Board acknowledging her professionalism, discipline, and transformative impact.

These acknowledgements are far more than administrative gestures, they place her in the company of women leaders whose influence reshaped nations: New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern with her empathy driven governance, Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf with her courageous reforms, and Germany’s Angela Merkel with her disciplined, steady leadership. Dr. Fatima belongs to this esteemed lineage of women who do not wait for change, they create it.

What sets her apart is her ability to merge vision with structure, compassion with competence, and humility with bold ambition. Staff members describe her as firm yet accessible, warm yet uncompromising on standards, traits that embody the modern leadership model the world is steadily embracing. Under her stewardship, Sheikh Jidda General Hospital has transformed from a routine public facility into an institution of possibility, demonstrating what happens when a capable woman is given the opportunity to lead without constraint.

The recent commendation letter from the Hospitals Management Board captures this evolution clearly: “Dr. Fatima has strengthened administrative coordination, improved patient care, elevated professional standards, and fostered a hospital environment where excellence has become the norm rather than the exception”. These outcomes are remarkable in a system that often battles bureaucratic bottlenecks and infrastructural limitations. Her work is proof that effective leadership especially in health must be visionary, intentional, and rooted in integrity.

In a period when global discourse places increasing emphasis on the importance of women in leadership particularly in healthcare, Dr. Fatima stands as a living testament to what is possible. She has demonstrated that leadership is never about gender, but capacity, clarity of purpose, and the willingness to serve with unwavering commitment.

Her rise sends a powerful message to young girls across Nigeria and Africa: that excellence has no gender boundaries. It is a call to institutions to trust and empower competent women. And it is a reminder to society that progress accelerates when leadership is guided by competence rather than stereotypes.

As Kano continues its journey toward comprehensive healthcare reform, Dr. Fatima represents a new chapter, one where leadership is defined not by age or gender, but by impact, innovation, and measurable progress. She is, without question, one of the most compelling examples of modern African women in leadership today.

May her story continue to enlighten, inspire, and redefine what African women can, and will achieve when given the opportunity to lead.

Dr. Baba writes from Kano, and can be reached via drssbaba@yahoo.com

Opinion

Book Review: Against the Odds by Dozy Mmobuosi

Published

4 days ago

December 4, 2025

Eric

By Sola Ojewusi

Against the Odds is an ambitious, deeply personal, and unflinchingly honest memoir that traces the remarkable rise of Dozy Mmobuosi, one of Nigeria’s most dynamic and controversial entrepreneurs. In this sweeping narrative, Mmobuosi reveals not just the public milestones of his career, but the intimate struggles, internal battles, and defining moments that shaped his identity and worldview.

The book is both a personal testimony and a broader commentary on leadership, innovation, and Africa’s future—and it succeeds in balancing these worlds with surprising emotional clarity.

A Candid Portrait of Beginnings

Mmobuosi’s story begins in the bustling, unpredictable ecosystem of Lagos, where early challenges served as the furnace that forged his ambitions. The memoir details the circumstances of his upbringing, the value systems passed down from family, and the early encounters that sparked his desire to build solutions at scale.

These foundational chapters do important work: they humanize the protagonist. Readers meet a young Dozy not as a business figurehead, but as a Nigerian navigating complex social, financial, and personal realities—realities that millions of Africans will find familiar.

The Making of an Entrepreneur

As the narrative progresses, the memoir transitions into the defining phase of Mmobuosi’s business evolution. Here, he walks readers through the origins of his earliest ventures and the relentless curiosity that led him to operate across multiple industries—fintech, agri-tech, telecoms, AI, healthcare, consumer goods, and beyond.

What is striking is the pattern of calculated risk-taking. Mmobuosi positions himself as someone unafraid to venture into uncharted territory, even when the cost of failure is steep. His explanations offer readers valuable insights into:
• market intuition
• the psychology of entrepreneurship
• the sacrifices required to build at scale
• the emotional and operational toll of high-growth ventures

These passages make the book not only readable but instructive—especially for emerging

African entrepreneurs.

Triumphs, Crises, and Public Scrutiny
One of the book’s most compelling strengths is its willingness to confront controversy head-on.

Mmobuosi addresses periods of intense scrutiny, institutional pressure, and personal trials.

Instead of glossing over these chapters, he uses them to illustrate the complexities of building businesses in emerging markets and navigating public perception.

The tone is reflective rather than defensive, inviting readers to consider the thin line between innovation and misunderstanding in environments where the rules are still being written.

This vulnerability is where the memoir finds its emotional resonance.

A Vision for Africa

Beyond personal history, Against the Odds expands into a passionate manifesto for African transformation. Mmobuosi articulates a vision of a continent whose young population, natural resources, and intellectual capital position it not as a follower, but a potential leader in global innovation.

He challenges outdated narratives about Africa’s dependency, instead advocating for
homegrown technology, supply chain sovereignty, inclusive economic systems, and investment in human capital.

For development strategists, policymakers, and visionaries, these sections elevate the work from memoir to thought leadership.

The Writing: Accessible, Engaging, and Purposeful

Stylistically, the memoir is direct and approachable. Mmobuosi writes with clarity and intention, blending storytelling with reflection in a way that keeps the momentum steady. The pacing is effective: the book moves seamlessly from personal anecdotes to business lessons, from introspection to bold declarations.

Despite its business-heavy subject matter, the prose remains accessible to everyday readers.

The emotional honesty, in particular, will appeal to those who appreciate memoirs that feel lived rather than curated.

Why This Book Matters

Against the Odds arrives at a critical moment for Africa’s socioeconomic trajectory. As global attention shifts toward African innovation, the need for authentic narratives from those building within the system becomes essential.

Mmobuosi’s memoir offers:
• a case study in resilience
• an insider’s perspective on entrepreneurship in frontier markets
• a meditation on reputation, legacy, and leadership
• a rallying cry for African ambition

For readers like Sola Ojewusi, whose work intersects with media, policy, leadership, and social development, this book offers profound insight into the human stories driving Africa’s new generation of builders.

Final Verdict

Against the Odds is more than a success story—it is a layered, introspective, and timely work that captures the pressures and possibilities of modern African enterprise. It challenges stereotypes, raises important questions about leadership and impact, and ultimately delivers a narrative of persistence that audiences across the world will find relatable.

It is an essential read for anyone interested in the future of African innovation, the personal realities behind public leadership, and the enduring power of vision and resilience

Opinion

Redefining Self-leadership: Henry Ukazu As a Model

Published

5 days ago

December 3, 2025

Eric

By Abdulakeem Sodeeq SULYMAN

In a world filled with talents and unique gifts, nurturing oneself for an impact-filled living becomes one of the potent metrics for assuming how one’s life would unfold – either in the nearest or far future. I am sure the question you may be curious to ask is ‘what is the important quality that has shaped the life of every individual who has unleashed their ingenuity?’ Apparently, our society is filled with numerous people, who missed the track of their life. Their iniquity is boiled down to one thing – failure to lead oneself.

Realising how important it is to be your own leader has been the springboard for every transformative life. Notably, this also becomes the premise for appreciating and celebrating Henry Ukazu for setting the pace and modeling self-leadership in this era, where self-leadership is under-appreciated by our people. Self-leadership itself engineers purposeful and impactful living, turning individuals to sources of hope to others.

This is exactly what Henry Ukazu symbolises. The name Henry Ukazu is akin to many great things such as ‘Unleashing One’s Destiny,’ ‘Finding One’s Purpose’ and ‘Triumphant Living.’ Regardless of the impression one have formed about Henry Ukazu, one thing you cannot deny is his ability to be pure to nature and committed to his cause. Henry Ukazu is one of the rare people who still believed in the values of the human worth and has committed every penny of his to ensure that every human deserves to live the best life.

The trajectory of Henry Ukazu’s life is convincing enough to be choosing as an icon by anyone who chooses to climb the ladder of self-leadership. Oftentimes, Henry Ukazu always narrate how he faced the storms of life when birthing his purpose. He takes honour in his struggles, knowing full well that every stumbling blocks life throws at him helped in building himself. If not for self-leadership, he will not found honours in his struggles, let alone challenging himself to be an example of purposeful living to others.

Without mincing words, Henry Ukazu’s life has been blessed with the presence of many people, with some filling his life with disappointments, while some blessing him with immeasurable transformations. Surprisingly, Henry Ukazu has never chosen to be treating people negatively; rather he would only choose the path of honour by avoiding drama and let common sense prevail. That’s one of the height of simplicity!

Dear readers, do you know why today is important for celebrating Henry Ukazu? Today, 3rd December, is his birthday and with all sincerity, Henry Ukazu deserves to be celebrated because he has chosen the noble path, one filled with honours and recognitions for being an icon of inspiration and transformation to the mankind. As Henry Ukazu marks another year today, may the good Lord continue shielding him from all evils and guiding him in right directions, where posterity will feel his role and impacts!

Many happy returns, Sir!