Food For the World

 

Before the advent of crude oil, agriculture was the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy. Then, the country’s economy thrived; food was available and affordable. People, therefore, did not go hungry, except in extreme cases occasioned by a serious factor.

 

With the oil boom era, the country and its people shifted attention from agriculture to oil and gas. Subsequently, graduates of Agricultural Science, Soil Science, Agricultural Extension, Agricultural Economics etc., looked for white-collar jobs in banks and other seemingly lucrative areas, including oil and gas. Little did people know that those who remained in agriculture would today be raking in millions and billions of naira, as their products now grace both local and international markets.

 

This gives an impeccable signal that agriculture is, perhaps, more viable than other sectors. Also, it is an indication that well planned investment in agriculture is not a futile effort. It suffices that some Nigerian farmers have successfully built some shining legacies that need to be emulated and replicated. Most of them, as observed, are politicians. In this edition, LEADERSHIP Friday brings to the fore Nigeria’s top ten biggest farmers.