News
As the Nation Cries of Hunger, Soludoo Takes Action
…Introduces Game-changing Agricultural Initiative
*By Christian ABURIME
In a prompt, decisive move that comes as a strategic response to the simmering unrest of hunger gripping much of Nigeria right now, the Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, is launching a new, timely and potentially game-changing agricultural initiative.
As protests over food inflation and skyrocketing prices of necessities rock the nation, Governor Soludo’s “Operation Farm to Feed” programme offers a grassroots sustainable solution to a crisis that threatens to engulf Africa’s most populous country.
The pertinent question on the mind of Governor Soludo seems to be: how can a nation, a people, so enviably blessed with fertile, arable land mass and clement weather conditions be struggling with hunger?
This has spurred the governor to swing into action with his new initiative, set to be unveiled tomorrow Saturday at AMANSEA, in order to galvanise Anambra’s citizens into embracing agriculture on personal and family levels.
From sprawling rural homesteads to the modest backyards of urban dwellers, Governor Soludo envisions a state where every available plot of land becomes a bastion of food security.
Of course, Nigerians can not afford to be waiting for Manna from heaven or from Abuja.
As much as the government must take certain steps to address the rampant food inflation in the country, it is Governor Soludo’s belief that the long-term solution to our food crisis lies in the rich soil beneath our feet and the strength of our own hands.
The timing of Governor Soludo’s initiative could not be more critical. As galloping inflation ravages the Nigerian economy, food prices have become the most visible and painful indicators of the nation’s economic challenges.
Individuals and families across the country are grappling with impossible choices, forced to decide between putting food on the table and meeting other basic needs. There is, indeed, no easy choice.
But Governor Soludo’s plan is refreshingly pragmatic. The state government will be advocating planting of cassava stems, maize seeds, short-duration crop seedlings, and so on, to help even novice gardeners turn the patches of earth in their backyards into productive micro-farms.
The focus is on fast-growing, nutrient-rich crops that can provide quick relief to struggling families. This is not about creating commercial farms overnight, but it is about empowering our people to take control of their food supply, one household at a time.
Some critics may dismiss the initiative as a mere band-aid on a gaping wound, but those involved in its implementation can argue that it represents a fundamental shift in thinking.
Meaning, the Anambra State government is not abdicating its responsibilities to citizens, but is simply rewiring people’s mindsets to start contributing to solutions by growing what to eat. In essence, let us all in Anambra and Nigeria start choosing to till the soil of self-reliance.
The “Operation Farm to Feed” programme also addresses a deeper, more insidious problem: the growing disconnect between Nigerians and their agricultural heritage.
In a nation that was once the breadbasket of West Africa, urbanisation and the allure of white-collar jobs have led to a dangerous dependence on imported and processed food. Our grandparents knew the value of the land, and it’s time we remembered their wisdom and went back to the land.
As the first seeds of Governor Soludo’s vision take root in Anambra’s soil tomorrow, the rest of Nigeria may be watching with a mixture of hope and scepticism.
Can a return to basic farming principles really make a dent in a crisis of this magnitude? Only time will tell. But in a nation hungry for solutions, Anambra’s “Operation Farm to Feed” initiative offers a ray of hope – and perhaps a blueprint for other states to follow.
We may not be able to change the whole country overnight, but we can certainly change our little corner of it, one garden at a time. And the harvest, when it comes, may well be bountiful beyond measure.
The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has begun a three-day national capacity-building programme aimed at upgrading the technical skills of Livestock Extension Officers from all 36 states and the FCT.
The workshop focuses on strengthening field advisory services and harmonising extension communication across the country.
Declaring the event open in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Chinyere Ijeoma Akujobi, represented by the Director of Livestock Extension and Business Development, Mr. Joseph Ako, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to building a modern and commercially viable livestock sector capable of driving food security and economic diversification.
She described livestock extension officers as central to the sector’s transformation agenda, noting that they serve as the crucial link between research institutions and rural farmers.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, Mr. Ako encouraged participants to take full advantage of the intensive training sessions and emphasised that improved professional capacity among extension workers will translate into better support for livestock farmers nationwide.
The programme is anchored on the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy, which places strong emphasis on effective extension services as a core pillar for boosting productivity, expanding modern production systems and promoting sustainable livestock management practices.
Meanwhile, participants will receive training in key thematic areas such as Good Animal Husbandry Practices, animal welfare, feed and nutrition, disease management, biosecurity, waste management, One Health principles, breeding and reproduction, humane handling, housing, record keeping and participatory extension methods.
Scores of Hoodlums Arrested, confessed Governor Makinde mobilised them. Members of the Oyo state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dominated today’s governorship primaries of the PDP held at Osogbo, investigation and eyewitness accounts at the venue have revealed.
Buses filled with PDP members were seen entering from both Iwo and Ikire end of Osun state last night and early this morning with many of the buses stopping at Adolak hotel, the venue of the congress.
A check through the hall revealed that Osun PDP members were not in attendance even though the Ibadan based zonal youth leader of the PDP was identified as the anchor mobilised of the Oyo state PDP members for the Osun Congress.
A chat with some of the individuals at the Congress confirmed that they were mostly from Oyo state with some of them actually confirming that they were recruited to attend.
The presence of Police men and women from Oyo state who provided security cover for the mobilised party members.
Some political thugs were however arrested and they narrated how they were mobilised from the Government House in Oyo state.
On why Oyo PDP members had to be mobilised for the Osun Congress, a party chieftain from Oyo state who was also present said “Osun PDP did not conduct the mandatory three adhoc delegates to vote at the Congress.
“ So we fill the vacancies with our people from Oyo state. We cannot allow PDP to die here. That is why we have to so mobilise”, the source noted.
News
President Tinubu Nominates Gen Christopher Musa as New Defence Minister
In a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu conveyed General Musa’s nomination as the successor to Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who resigned on Monday.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated General Christopher Gwabin Musa as the new Minister of Defence.
In a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu conveyed General Musa’s nomination as the successor to Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who resigned on Monday.
General Musa, 58, on December 25, is a distinguished soldier who served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025. He won the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, General Musa received his primary and secondary education there before attending the College of Advanced Studies in Zaria.
He graduated in 1986 and enrolled at the Nigerian Defence Academy the same year, earning a Bachelor of Science degree upon graduation in 1991.
General Musa was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a Second Lieutenant in 1991 and has since had a distinguished career.
His appointments include General Staff Officer 1, Training/Operations at HQ 81 Division; Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion;
Assistant Director, Operational Requirements, Department of Army Policy and Plans; and Infantry Representative/Member, Training Team, HQ Nigerian Army Armour Corps.
In 2019, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff, Training/Operations, Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps; Commander, Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole; and Commander, Sector 3 Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Region.In 2021, General Musa was appointed Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai.
He later became Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps before being appointed Chief of Defence Staff by President Tinubu in 2023.
In the letter to the Senate, President Tinubu expressed confidence in General Musa’s ability to lead the Ministry of Defence and further strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
Bayo OnanugaSpecial Adviser to the President,(Information and Strategy)December 2, 2025
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