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FARM TO FEED CAMPAIGN: Soludo’s Solution to Hunger at a Time of Anger
By Christian ABURIME
We do not live to eat, but we need to eat to live.
Thus, food security is a fundamental aspect of societal well-being, encompassing the availability, access, and utilisation of nutritious food for everyone.

Also, it is not just about preventing hunger; it is about fostering dignity, justice, and prosperity within communities that make up a state and a nation.
As the celebrity Spanish and American chef, restaurateur, and humanitarian José Andrés, founder of World Central Kitchen, also aptly stated, “Food is national security. Food is the economy.
It is employment, energy, and history. Food is everything”. This highlights the multifaceted role that food plays in shaping our societies and economies.
Naturally, therefore, addressing food insecurity is a moral imperative in any society.
The need for immediate action to alleviate hunger and ensure that every individual has access to sufficient food is sacrosanct.
Yet, it calls for the wisdom of collective action as echoed in the words of Irish singer-songwriter and activist Bono, who stated, “If you want to eliminate hunger, everybody has to be involved”.
The foregoing proposition, advocating that solutions to hunger and economic hardship require the collaboration of all sectors of society, from government and businesses to individuals and communities, is why the Governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, has lately launched “Farm to Feed Campaign”.

Coming at a time of nationwide hunger protests against economic hardship sweeping across Nigeria, Governor Soludo’s initiative offers a promising path forward, underscoring the power of agriculture as a sustainable solution to hunger, both in the short and long term.
While many regions in Nigeria have seen citizens take to the streets in protest against food inflation and economic challenges, Anambra State is taking a different approach. Governor Soludo’s campaign is a call to reasonable action, urging Ndi Anambra to be part of the solution rather than merely lamenting the problem.
This proactive stance embodies the resilient spirit of the Igbo people at large and offers valuable lessons for the rest of the country.
The “Farm to Feed Campaign”, if faithfully embraced by Anambra people and others, promises several immediate benefits.
By encouraging citizens to utilise every available piece of land for farming, the initiative aims to increase food supply within months, potentially easing the pressure on food prices.
The campaign will also foster a sense of shared responsibility and community spirit, with local government chairmen, churches, and other stakeholders actively involved in promoting farming.

As more people engage in micro-farming, be it in their domestic backyards or other available spaces in rural and urban centres, it creates opportunities for additional income generation, helping to alleviate economic hardship at the individual level.
This is not to talk of skill development through which the initiative provides an opportunity for citizens to acquire or enhance farming skills, which can be valuable long-term assets.
Beyond short-term gains, Governor Soludo’s “Farm to Feed Campaign” is also laying the groundwork for lasting change. By promoting widespread engagement in agriculture, Anambra State is working towards long-term food security, reducing dependence on imports and buffering against future food inflation crises.
Economic diversification is another long-term benefit. The focus on agriculture can contribute to diversifying the state’s economy, creating a more resilient economic structure less vulnerable to shocks in any single sector.
Besides, Governor Soludo’s call to make farming and agriculture “the new national pride” could spark a cultural transformation, elevating the status of agriculture in society as a trendy occupation like ICT, acting and others.
There is also the advantage of environmental sustainability with the initiative, which includes the distribution of palm and coconut seedlings being done by the Soludo administration long before now.
The “Farm to Feed Campaign” has a great potential for promoting sustainable agricultural practices that can have long-term positive environmental impacts.
By encouraging youth participation in agriculture, the campaign goes further to address unemployment issues while ensuring the continuity of farming knowledge and practices.
So, as Nigeria contends with severe economic challenges and food inflation, Governor Soludo has swung into action with a practical solution.
The “Farm to Feed Campaign” offers a bright ray of hope and pragmatism. If embraced by all, it can transform the current crisis into an opportunity for growth, self-reliance, and nation building, turning Nigeria’s vast arable lands into a source of abundance rather than scarcity.
Governor Soludo’s words ring true: “Let us get to work, every citizen, one at a time…be the change you desire.” This way, Nigeria may well find its path to food security and economic stability, one farm at a time.
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President Tinubu returns to Lagos ahead of APC primaries tomorrow (Video)
Tinubu’s aircraft touched down at about 7:12 p.m. at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.
• President Tinubu chats with African business leaders during the African CEO Forum in Nairobi, Kenya.
President Bola Tinubu on Friday arrived in Lagos after a three-nation visit to France, Kenya and Rwanda.
Tinubu’s aircraft touched down at about 7:12 p.m. at the Presidential Wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja.
A statement issued by his special adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said that the president was received by Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Deputy Governor, Femi Hamzat; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa; and other government officials.
President Tinubu, while in France, met with global investors, emphasising transparency and fiscal discipline and explaining the rationale for the swift implementation of the bold economic reforms his administration has instituted.
Watch Video below:
News
Anxiety as chemical pollution affects 6 Ogun schools, 90 students
Triggers Widespread Panic One Month After Similar Incident
More than 90 students across several secondary schools in Ijebu-Ode were hospitalised on Friday after a suspected chemical odour permeated the town, sparking panic among parents and residents.
Ohibaba.com learned that the pollution was caused by gas leak along the Agoro/Okunowa Road axis of Ijebu-Ode; the situation is now under control by the state environmental monitoring agency, and poses no further danger.
The incident occurred barely one month after a similar chemical odour episode at Our Lady of Apostles Girls School left several students hospitalised.
Eyewitnesses reported that a strange smell spread rapidly across parts of the ancient town, prompting parents and guardians to rush to schools to evacuate their children. Emergency responders moved over a thousand students from affected schools to the State Hospital, Ijebu-Ode, for medical attention.
Medical personnel at the hospital said many of the affected students complained of abdominal pain and related symptoms. Residents in surrounding communities and adjoining streets were also reportedly impacted by the unusual odour.
Affected schools include Our Lady of Apostles School, Anglican Girls Grammar School, Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, Sambadola Private School, Adeola Odutola Secondary School, and St. Anthony School, Esure, in Ijebu Mushin.
As of the time of reporting, no senior government officials had arrived at the State Hospital, where anxious parents and residents gathered in large numbers.
Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, urged parents to remain calm, assuring them that medical personnel were attending to the students. He added that environmental officials from both federal and state agencies had been mobilised to investigate the situation.
The General Manager of the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA), Hon. Kehinde Bello, disclosed that an air quality monitoring device installed at Ijebu-Ode Grammar School recorded elevated methane gas concentrations, with peak readings of about 13,500 ppm in surrounding areas.
Bello explained that the device was deployed under the state government’s environmental surveillance programme for early detection of abnormal air quality. He noted that while the methane level remains below the lower explosive limit, it is environmentally significant and requires urgent investigation.
The Ogun State Government has since activated a multi-agency team comprising environmental regulators, emergency responders, and technical air quality experts to assess the situation.
Bello advised residents to stay calm, continue normal activities, and avoid open flames or ignition sources in areas where unusual gas odours are noticed. He urged anyone experiencing symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, nausea, or respiratory discomfort to seek immediate medical attention at nearby health facilities.
The government assured the public of its commitment to protecting lives and public health, promising further updates as investigations progress.
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JUST IN: Dangote files new lawsuit against FGN over fuel import licences
The new filing asks the Federal High Court in Lagos to set aside import permits issued or renewed by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), arguing they breach an earlier order to maintain the status quo.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has filed a new lawsuit against Nigeria’s attorney general in a bid to overturn fuel import licences issued to marketers and the NNPC state oil firm.
Reuters reported that the new filing asks the Federal High Court in Lagos to set aside import permits issued or renewed by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), arguing they breach an earlier order to maintain the status quo.
The case signals renewed tensions almost a year after Dangote withdrew an earlier lawsuit challenging similar licences.
That case sought to nullify import permits issued to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company and several traders.
NMDPRA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Regulators and marketers have previously argued imports are needed to ensure adequate supply and prevent shortages.
Dangote said in the filing that the licences issued this month undermine its operations and contravene the law, which it argues allows imports only when domestic supply falls short.
Dangote ended the earlier lawsuit in July 2025 without explanation, leaving unresolved questions over competition and supply in one of Africa’s largest fuel markets.
Nigeria has long relied on petrol imports due to underperforming state refineries. Dangote’s $20 billion facility, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, was billed to end that dependence, but imports have continued to cover supply gaps as the refinery ramps up output.
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