Godfrey Nzamujo, the Founder and Director of Songhai Centre in the Republic of Benin, has said that his centre would be willing to partner with the Federal Government to develop the agricultural sector.
It would also become self- sustained in food production and be economically buoyant, the cleric said.
Also, it would provide job opportunities for several unemployed youths and reduced the social vices they were dissipating their energies on, he said.
“Nigeria rich as it is; with all the blessings from God, still imports some of its foodstuffs from other countries ; we are importing petroleum products into Nigeria which we produce.”
“We can grow various foodstuffs locally and export them to other West African countries if we key-in into agriculture.”
“What we are doing at Songhai Farm is to show that Africans can do it,” he said.
Nzamujo advised President Muhammadu Buhari to choose credible citizens to serve as ministers in his administration.
He said the success of the Buhari-led administration would largely depend on the calibre of people working with him.
The cleric said his centre would be willing to work with public office holders of integrity and probity to bring the desired change and make life comfortable for the ordinary citizens.
“We are ready to partner with President Buhari in developing the agriculture sector as long as he has good ministers we can work with”
“Buhari cannot be everywhere. He will need people around him who understand and who are honest; then we work with them.”
“We like Buhari’s idea; he is a honest man, he is a great man but he is only one man,” he said.
Nzamujo said he was always delighted to share what his centre was doing with anybody that comes around visiting.
“Each time my brothers and sisters, come here I am always very happy because I want to share our experiences regarding what we are doing here with them.”
The director said his centre had in the past entered into partnership with : Katsina, Ebonyi, Lagos, Delta, Imo and Enugu states .
So, entering into partnership with the Federal Government to replicate the Songhai model across in Nigeria would be an added advantage, he said.
He also said the was working to ensure that every Songhai centre becomes a platform for ecotourism.
“Because Songhai is an agro-ecological thing; so ecotourism is built into Songhai.”
“My dream is that when you come to Songhai, you marvel and say, `Africa is working’’, he said.
The agriculturist, therefore, urged the three tiers of government to embrace transparency in their policy implementation and execution in order to succeed in improving the welfare of the citizens.
NAN
