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FG Agric programme: Choice of Ogun, testimony of our policy on agriculture

Published

6 years ago

January 29, 2020

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has described the choice of the State to pioneer the Federal government programme on agriculture in the Southwest region of the country as a testimony to his administration’s policy on agriculture, which he said was aimed at ensuring food security and source of employment.

Abiodun, who stated this while receiving the Minister for Agriculture, Alhaji Mohammed Sabo Nanono in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, said the State with more than 16,000 square kilometers, of which 12, 000 square kilometers which was arable, has potentials for the cultivation of food and cash crops including cocoa, cotton, palm oil among others.

Alhaji Nanono had earlier told the governor that the State has been chosen to serve as a pioneer in the Southwest for the Federal Government mechanization programme for the production of cocoa and rice in the country.

According to the Minister, “Ogun is one of the states in the southwest that we have interest in in two vital areas of cocoa, rice production and also in agricultural mechanization which is going to affect 632 Local Government Areas across the country. We will consider Ogun as one of the states that will be the pioneer in the southwest”, he noted.

Alhaji Nanono regretted that Nigeria was still planting cocoa that takes more than seven years to yield, while her neighbors have developed through the assistance of ECOWAS fund, new varieties of cocoa that yield in less than three years, saying that it was time to embrace the new methods.

He said the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) has come up with a package of developing new varieties of palm oil in Calabar and cocoa in Ondo State, noting the Federal Government was still discussing with FAO to chart a new way forward.

“When we take it overall (globally), we have to forecast on new varieties of cocoa that will yield in two and a half years across the board not only in Ondo State but other States in the southwest. We are going to make the programme on cocoa a national and not a state issue.

We are going for agricultural mechanization. 632 Local Government Areas will be affected. There will be processing centers, about 140 under an agreement with the Brazilian government, with Brazilian and European Banks to finance this project but it is going to be private-sector driven.

“The Federal Government will support and guarantee the facilities for the supply of Directors and in each of the 632 Local Government, there will be service centers and these centers will entail one director, an Information Technology and administrative office, a workshop and a warehouse for raw materials and finished products”, he explained.

Abiodun who promised to support the federal government towards the successful implementation of the new programme said his administration was looking at cultivating cotton and rice as well as resuscitating its over 6,000 hectares of palm oil plantation. “We are quite happy about the opportunity that agriculture presents to us.

We are also looking at growing cotton and rice, resuscitating our palm oil plantation of about 6,000 hectares. I just want to urge you that any of these pilot schemes, the cocoa pilot schemes that is going on in Ondo or any other scheme, this is where they should come because we are the Gateway state. We will give you all the support that you require,” he said.

The Governor also assured the Minister that the State was also capable of providing people for extension services, as it already has the database of people who are interested in agriculture. Governor Abiodun also disclosed that his administration was looking for potential investors to partner the state in palm oil production, saying that the would-be investors only need to have a refinery in the state as part of the criteria for the deal.

“Ogun State is ready for you, whatever it is that you have a plan for us, we are ready, we have a job portal from which if you need 100,000 people for extension services, we can provide it immediately. We don’t have to start looking for them because we have them. What we simply did was to ensure that those that were interested in agriculture were enumerated. We have their details. We even checked their qualifications to ascertain their zeal for agriculture.

“We are looking for potential partners to come and partner with us in the area of palm oil production. We have some conditions they must meet. They must put a refinery here. We will give them an existing palm plantation and also give them additional land,” he said.

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

4 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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