Realistically Profiling President Muhammadu Buhari on National Security With Facts

Realistically Profiling President Muhammadu Buhari on National Security With Facts

Part 1

Political leaders all over the world prefer euphemisms to harsh  criticisms and don't often like political incorrectness in public. But flattery is the worst form of praise.

Saying the truth, whether bitter or sweet is the best in overcoming the challenges of the existential realities of life in the world.

Freedom of speech is fundamental to the establishment of true democracy and good governance in the political administraton of every federal government. But freedom of speech can be abused and misused. Freedom of speech must be based on facts and not falsehood. 

I have read some news reports on those who have been arrested and even convicted for the defamation of the personality of President Muhammadu Buhari. They insulted him and so they were arrested and jailed after being judged guilty.  But I have seen that those who have been prosecuted and convicted for the defamation of the personality of President Buhari were powerless poor people who could not afford the services of good human rights lawyers. Whereas, I have seen celebrated political activists and state governors of the opposition party lambasting the President with fury and vitriol in public and the law enforcement agents did not query or arrest them. Why?

The state governors have immunity? What of the political activists who insulted him and are still walking about freely from Lagos to Abuja.

Many have called him a criminal and a terrorist and other derogatory names on Nairaland and escaped prosecution and indictment.

The horrifying incidents of kidnappings and killings in different states have provoked the worst criticisms of President Buhari and blamed for the failures of the state governors in internal security.  And majority of the citizens have also blamed him in ignorance of the separation of powers of the government administraton of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

Majority of Nigerians are the underprivileged masses of poorly educated low income workers who are ruled by gullibility and the herd mentality of their religious beliefs of Christianity and Islam. And majority of them are also suffering from political amnesia, because they quickly forget the political history of Nigeria and the different political administrations and because they don't read, they often rely on hearsays, gossip and rumours for their assumptions and then jumping into ambiguous and erroneous conclusions on both the past and present current affairs in the country since the Independence of Nigeria on October 1, 1960 to date.

Whatever remarkable progress reports on the achievements and milestones in the administraton of President Buhari have been overlooked in the raging storms of insecurity ravaging the country. But the amnesia and ignorance of the majority of Nigerians would have been addressed by the Ministry of Information and Culture and not abandoned for Mr. Femi Adesina, the Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity and his colleague, Mallam Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant Adviser on Media and Publicity of President Buhari. 

I have read a lot about the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) that recommended community policing to assist in complementing the efforts of the federal government in combating home grown terrorism which actually is the best recommendation, because community policing will be more effective in the identification of the causes of the grievances for communal clashes between herders and farmers, inter-tribal conflicts and banditry.

Community policing will end communal clashes, kidnappings and killings in different states. And the state governors should be responsible for that and not always crying wolf and calling for the head of President Buhari for their failures to secure lives and properties in the various communities in their states.

Cases studies in the peaceful community relations and conflict resolutions among herders and farmers in other countries in Africa will help to end the recurrent horrifying incidents of communal clashes, kidnappings and killings in Nigeria. 

- By Ekeyerengozi Michael China,

Publisher/Editor,

247 Nigeria (@247nigeria) / Twitter,

https://mobile.twitter.com/247nigeria

https://www.amazon.com/author/ekenyerengozimichaelchima

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelchimaeyerengozi

Women To Take Driving Seat in Nigeria’s Male-Dominated Farming Industry

 Women To Take Driving Seat in Nigeria’s Male-Dominated Farming Industry

Farming collective Alluvial Agriculture is training 50 women in tractor mechanics

The initiative will create female-owned tractor businesses serving women farmers

Programme is part of a joint initiative with Mastercard Foundation, with training from Tata International Nigeria.

Lagos, Nigeria, 4th August 2021 – For the past 13 years, Linda Sheknami Auta has grown rice, maize, yam and soybeans by hand. It is a long and arduous process that has prevented her from expanding her business as quickly as she would like. 

Ploughing her 20 hectares farm in Niger State in Nigeria’s Middle Belt takes the equivalent of five months of hard toiling. With the right specialist equipment and training, this could be cut to just 10 days. But finding the financing, tools and farm workers is tough – especially as a woman.

“Women in my industry are often looked down upon, considered too weak to be doing what is traditionally considered a ‘man’s job,’ so it has been hard to hire labour,” says Linda, 34. “Unfortunately, some men just do not want to work for a female boss.”

A new initiative by farming collective Alluvial Agriculture seeks to level the field for female farmers. The company, which provides education and market access for smallholder producers across Africa, has begun training and financially supporting 50 women across 15 Nigerian states to become tractor owner-operators. 

“For too long, women have been excluded from agricultural finance and mechanisation, despite the fact that they are the backbone of our industry,” said Dimieari Von Kemedi, co-founder and managing director of Alluvial Agriculture. “Our program is an important step in addressing this imbalance.”

Training is being provided by a joint venture between the Indian conglomerate, Tata International, and Alluvial. After the three-week course is completed, each of the women will form partnerships or cooperatives, and each cooperative will be provided with state-of-the-art John Deere tractors and will work on at least 5,000 hectares of female-led farms that are part of Alluvial’s community block farm projects. A percentage of fees earned by the women will be used to repay the loan for their tractor. Based on expected earnings from tractor leasing, the women should have paid for their first tractor within two or three years. Each of the new female-led businesses is expected to own between 20 and 50 tractors by 2028.

“The Mastercard Foundation is very excited about this partnership as it is an opportunity to drive inclusive growth for women in farming,” said Chidinma Lawanson, Nigeria Country Head at Mastercard Foundation. “Training young women to take up space in the male dominated sector is innovative and promotes gender equality. We look forward to many more women gaining such jobs in agriculture a major sector of the Nigerian economy.”

Female farmers across Africa struggle to cultivate their own businesses, cut off from formal financial support and agricultural training – symptoms of continued gender inequality that permeates through African society, says Chijioke Okoli, Nigeria Director for agriculture and construction equipment at Tata Africa Services. 

“Expert training and education in tractor operations will significantly support women in agriculture for the long term,” Okoli said. “We are honoured to be working with Alluvial Agriculture and the Mastercard Foundation to advance women’s economic empowerment.”

Linda is one of the first women to be approved for the new scheme. Once she has received her training, she plans to pass on her knowledge to other women. 

“I never imagined that I would learn to drive a tractor, but I am not one to turn down a challenge – I have a passion for trying things that society believes aren’t for women,” says Linda. “Women in agriculture must be empowered. Only then can we achieve gender equity in farming, afford a better life for our families, and help grow the economy.” 

About Alluvial Agriculture

Alluvial is a highly scalable private sector response to decades of failure by various parties to tackle one of the world’s most pressing issues: food security. We deploy an innovative business model that provides comprehensive support to small farm enterprises and smallholder farmers. This support spans training, technology, land preparation, irrigation, input supplies, and market access within contiguous farms in community and virtual blocks. Our partnership with communities, research and financial institutions, agtech companies, and value chain actors produces several high-quality crops and an enabling environment for farmers to sustain and scale up their activities. More information at https://www.alluvialtrade.com/

About the Mastercard Foundation 

The Mastercard Foundation is a Canadian foundation and one of the largest in the world with more than $39 billion in assets. The Foundation was created in 2006 through the generosity of Mastercard when it became a public company. Since its inception, the Foundation has operated independently of the company. The Foundation’s policies, operations, and program decisions are determined by its Board. For more information on the Foundation, please visit: www.mastercardfdn.org

About the Mastercard Foundation COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience Program

The Mastercard Foundation COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience Program has two main goals. First, to deliver emergency support for health workers, first responders, and students. Second, to strengthen the diverse institutions that are the first line of defense against the social and economic aftermath of this disease. These include universities, financial services providers, businesses, technology start-ups, incubators, government agencies, youth organizations, and non-governmental organizations. More information at: https://mastercardfdn.org/covid19-recovery-resilience-program

For further information, photos, videos and interviews, please contact:

Alluvial Agriculture

Ebiuwairo Uwagboe

+234 810 175 7344

uwagboe@alluvialonline.com

New Markets Media & Intelligence

Gavin Serkin           

+44 20 3478 9710 

gserkin@newmarkets.media

Mastercard Foundation

Nonye Mpho Omotola

Country Lead, Program Communications, Nigeria

nomotola@mastercardfdn.org

Bill Gates to Call for United Action to Support World's Poorest Farmers

Bill Gates at the World Economic Forum in 2007

15 Oct 2009 05:00 Africa/Lagos


Bill Gates to Call for United Action to Support World's Poorest Farmers

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to Announce $120 Million in New Agriculture Grants

DES MOINES, Iowa, Oct. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, on Thursday will urge governments, donors, researchers, farmer groups, environmentalists, and others to set aside old divisions and join forces to help millions of the world's poorest farming families boost their yields and incomes so they can lift themselves out of hunger and poverty. Gates will say the effort must be guided by the farmers themselves, adapted to local circumstances, and sustainable for the economy and the environment.


Speaking at the World Food Prize in Des Moines, Iowa, in his first major address on agricultural development, Gates will lay out the foundation's vision, which includes investments in better seeds, training, market access, and policies that support small farmers. Gates also will announce nine foundation grants totaling $120 million that illustrate the range of efforts necessary to empower millions of small farmers to grow enough to build better, healthier lives.


"Melinda and I believe that helping the poorest small-holder farmers grow more crops and get them to market is the world's single most powerful lever for reducing hunger and poverty," Gates will say, according to a draft of his speech.


After his speech, Gates will be joined on the stage by the 2009 World Food Prize laureate, Dr. Gebisa Ejeta, a renowned Ethiopian sorghum researcher who was honored for his work to develop hybrids resistant to drought and the Striga weed -- advances credited with increasing food security for hundreds of millions of Africans.


The foundation's new grants include funding for legumes that fix nitrogen in the soil, higher yielding varieties of sorghum and millet, and new varieties of sweet potatoes that resist pests and have a higher vitamin content. Other projects will help the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa support African governments in developing policies that serve small farmers; help get information to farmers by radio and cell phone; support school feeding programs; provide training and resources that African governments can draw on as they regulate biotechnologies; and help women farmers in India manage their land and water resources sustainably. To date, the foundation has committed $1.4 billion to agricultural development efforts.


Gates will say the world should draw inspiration from the agricultural transformation in Latin America and Asia during the 1960s to 1980s, known as the Green Revolution, which averted famine, saved hundreds of millions of lives, and fueled widespread economic development.


But Gates will warn that as scientists, governments, and others strive to repeat the successes of the original Green Revolution, they should be careful not to repeat its mistakes, such as the overuse of fertilizer and irrigation.


"The next Green Revolution has to be greener than the first," Gates will say. "It must be guided by small-holder farmers, adapted to local circumstances, and sustainable for the economy and the environment."


According to the World Bank, three-quarters of the 1 billion people who live in extreme poverty depend on agriculture for a living. More than 1 billion people suffer from chronic hunger in the developing world. In the world's poorest areas, small farmers frequently face harsh conditions, including depleted soils, pests, drought, diseases, and lack of water. Even if they manage to grow a surplus, they often lack a reliable market where they can sell it.


Despite these challenges, there are reasons for optimism in the fight against hunger. After two decades of neglect, the world's attention is once again focused on agricultural development. The G20 group of leading donor and developing nations recently made a three-year, $22 billion pledge to help solve global hunger by supporting small farmers in the developing world.


"It's a great thing that donor nations are focusing on this issue," Gates will say. "But we need them to spell out clearly what the $22 billion means -- how much is old money, how much is new, how soon can they spend it, and when will they do more?"


While Gates will say that major breakthroughs in the fight against hunger and poverty are now within reach, he will caution that progress toward alleviating global hunger is "endangered by an ideological wedge that threatens to split the movement in two." On one side, he will say, there are groups that support technological solutions to increase agricultural productivity without proper regard to environmental and sustainability concerns. On the other, there are those who react negatively to any emphasis on productivity.


"It's a false choice, and it's dangerous for the field," Gates will say. "It blocks important advances. It breeds hostility among people who need to work together. And it makes it hard to launch a comprehensive program to help poor farmers. The fact is, we need both productivity and sustainability -- and there is no reason we can't have both."


Gates will say the foundation is supporting research on crops that can withstand drought and flooding so poor farmers can adapt to climate change. It is also supporting a ground-breaking effort with the World Food Programme (WFP) to buy food from small farmers in the developing world for food aid. WFP has already purchased 17,000 metric tons of food from small farmers through the program, linking many to markets for the first time.


Gates will say the foundation isn't an advocate of any particular scientific method. "Of course, these technologies must be subject to rigorous scientific review to ensure they are safe and effective. It's the responsibility of governments, farmers, and citizens -- informed by excellent science -- to choose the best and safest way to help feed their countries," Gates will say.


Gates will also pay tribute to Dr. Norman Borlaug, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his pioneering work in expanding agricultural production in the developing world, who died on September 12 of this year.


"His passing is cause for sadness, but his life should make us optimistic," Gates will say. "He not only showed humanity how to get more food from the earth -- he proved that farming has the power to lift up the lives of the poor. It's a lesson the world is thankfully relearning today."


Note to Editors: Video clips and other media materials will be available following the speech at:



ftp://gatesfoundationiiWorldFoodPrizeII@omaedcftp001.interpublic.com
Username: GatesFoundationII
Password: WorldFoodPrizeII

This announcement includes the following grants:

Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
The AGRA Policy Program: $15 million

To develop a strong policy support system in Africa that will raise incomes, and assure household and national food security. The program focuses on policies to speed adoption of approaches to improve farmer productivity, market and trade policies to stimulate expanded markets for staple crops, and land and property rights policies to stimulate equitable agricultural growth for the poor.


Press Contacts
Preeti Singh, +1.301.652.1558, ext. 5722, psingh@burnesscommunications.com
Stella Kihara, +254 735380199, skihara@agra-alliance.org

American Institutes for Research (AIR)
Farmer Voice Radio: $10 million

To create a network of radio broadcasters, farmer groups, universities, research institutes, non-governmental organizations, ministries of agriculture, and African media organizations to generate quality content and facilitate impact-driven and sustainable broadcasting to small-holder farmers to enhance their livelihoods. The project aims to reach 1.6 million small-holder farmers in Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, Mali, Ghana, and Tanzania in its first four years.


Press Contact
Larry McQuillan, +1.202.403.5119 or +1.202.641.7747, lmcquillan@air.org

Grameen Foundation
Building a Network of Community Knowledge Workers: $4.7 million

To develop a network of 4,000 community knowledge workers in Uganda who use mobile devices to increase the reach and relevance of agricultural information, leading to improved productivity and livelihoods for small-holder farmers. The project aims to reach up to 280,000 small-holder farmers, reduce the cost of adoption of new and improved practices by 25 percent to 50 percent, and ultimately provide a model that can be scaled to reach millions of small-holder farmers throughout Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.


Press Contact


Liselle York, +1.202.628.3560, ext. 128 or +1.202.549.3400, lyorke@grameenfoundation.org


International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)


Harnessing Opportunities for Productivity Enhancement (HOPE) of Sorghum and Millets: $18 million


To help small-holder farmers in moisture-deficient areas of Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia increase their yields of sorghum, pearl millet, and finger millet to improve food security and increase the income of farmers. The project aims to benefit 200,000 households by increasing yields of sorghum and millet by 35 to 40 percent over four years.


Press Contact
Rex L. Navarro, +91 40 3071.3223, rex.navarro@cgiar.org

International Potato Center (CIP)

Sweet Potato Action for Security and Health in Africa (SASHA): $21.25 million


To produce high-yielding, stress-tolerant varieties of sweet potato to help farming families in Sub-Saharan Africa improve their productivity, incomes, and nutrition. The project aims to benefit 150,000 families directly from the initial seed systems work, and up to 1 million families indirectly from the first set of improved varieties in five years.


Press Contact
Valerie Gwinner, 202.468.7486, v.gwinner@cgiar.org



New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and Michigan State University (MSU)


African Biosafety Network of Expertise (ABNE): $10.4 million


To create a center in Africa that provides training, education, and technical support to African regulators to develop regulatory systems for biotechnology, ensuring countries can make informed decisions on how to use these advances while protecting farmers, consumers, and the environment.


Press Contacts
Aggrey Ambali, +27 12 841 3688, aggrey@nepadst.org
Karim Maredia, +1.517.353.5262 or +1.517.775.6627, kmaredia@msu.edu
Stephanie Motschenbacher, +1.517.884.2135, motsche3@msu.edu

Partnership for Child Development (PCD)
Home-grown School Feeding: $12 million

To support the delivery of cost-effective school feeding programs that promote local agriculture and benefit small-holder farmers. The project aims to increase the income and improve the nutritional status of approximately 200,000 small farmers; improve the education, health, and nutrition of school-age children; and provide opportunities to those involved in the transportation, processing, and preparation of food along the school-feeding value chain.


Press Contact
Lucy Goodchild, +44 (0)20 7594 6702, lucy.goodchild@imperial.ac.uk

Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN)

Developing Farm-based Livelihoods in Endemically Poor Regions of India: $9.7 million


To create sustainable farm-based livelihoods for rural families in endemically poor regions of India by training women farmers in land and water management and modern farming practices, establishing village extension services, and building effective market linkages. The project aims to mobilize 120,000 women into self-help groups to assist them in improving their farm productivity and food security, enhancing their household income.


Press Contact
Souparno Chatterjee, +91 11 2651 8619 or +91 4164 0611, ext. 21

Wageningen University, The Netherlands

Putting Nitrogen Fixation to Work for Small-holder Farmers in Africa (NforAfrica): $19 million


To increase legume productivity, family nutrition, soil health, cropping systems, and farm income for small farmers in Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, and Malawi by expanding the use of selected legumes, proven tools of biological nitrogen fixation, and sound agronomic principles. The project aims to benefit 225,000 farmers.


Press Contact


Erik Toussaint, +31 (0) 317 48 08 67 or +31 (0) 6 51 56 59 49, erik.toussaint@wur.nl


Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation


Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people's health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people -- especially those with the fewest resources -- have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, Washington, the foundation is led by CEO Jeff Raikes and Co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett. Learn more about the foundation at www.gatesfoundation.org.


Source: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

CONTACT: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, +1-206-709-3400,
media@gatesfoundation.org


Web Site: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/



Hot Topics
PricewaterhouseCoopers Releases First Ever Digital Version of 2010 Guide to Tax and Wealth Management and Companion Website
MasterCard Introduces New Online, Interactive Financial Management Tool to Help Debit Cardholders Track Spending
Most States Fail to Adequately Protect the Legal Rights of Abused Children, New Study Finds
USA TODAY Accepting Nominations for 2010 USA TODAY All-USA College Academic Team
Toys'R'Us Announces 2009 Holiday Toy-Buying Trends
kbb.com Picks 10 Sinister New-Car Faces for Halloween
Photos: Survival of UN Internet Forum Key to Growth and Stability, Say Business Leaders
Ten Years of Green Investing and Financial Performance
Bill Gates to Call for United Action to Support World's Poorest Farmers
Healthcare Reform

Releases displayed in Africa/Lagos time
15 Oct 2009
11:51
Nokia Q3 2009 Net Sales EUR 9.8 Billion, Non-IFRS EPS EUR 0.17 (Reported EPS EUR -0.15)
05:00
Bill Gates plant Aufruf zu gemeinsamen Massnahmen zur Unterstützung der ärmsten Bauern der Welt
05:00
Bill Gates chiede unità di azione per sostenere i più poveri contadini del mondo
05:00
Bill Gates solicita la Acción Unida como apoyo a los agricultores más pobres del mundo
05:00
Bill Gates to Call for United Action to Support World's Poorest Farmers
14 Oct 2009
23:07
Nigeria : programme d'amnistie (14.10.09)



Startup Weekend Nigeria Rocks!