Ekiti Farmers Elect New Executives, End Three-Year Association Crisis

News in brief:

-The All Farmers Association of Nigeria in Ekiti State successfully elected and inaugurated a new executive, ending a three-year leadership crisis.

-The new leadership has pledged to prioritise farmers’ welfare, promote value addition, and strengthen collaboration with government and investors.

The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Ekiti State has elected and inaugurated a new set of executives, bringing an end to a three-year leadership crisis that had divided the association.

The election, supervised by AFAN Deputy National President and Chairman of the State Elections Committee, Daniel Okafor, produced Sunday Adekogbon as the new state chairman. The exercise marked the reunification of rival factions within the farmers’ body.

Prolonged Leadership Dispute

Speaking after the inauguration ceremony held in Ado Ekiti, Okafor expressed satisfaction that reconciliation had finally been achieved, allowing farmers in the state to move forward under a unified leadership. He urged the newly elected executives to begin organising elections at the local government and ward levels to strengthen the association’s structure across the state.

The AFAN in Ekiti State had been embroiled in a leadership dispute for about three years following the emergence of two rival state chairmen, Rufus Oni and Adebola Alagbada. The crisis had deprived farmers in the state of access to several government support programmes and negatively affected agricultural productivity.

Plans to Improve Farmers’ Welfare

Okafor stated that the resolution would open new opportunities for farmers in Ekiti State and improve their access to government and institutional support.

He explained that the association was working on a comprehensive database of farmers across the country and introducing a health scheme designed to support farmers’ wellbeing.

The association is also encouraging farmers to organise themselves into cooperative groups and establish a market system that would allow them to take greater control of the sale and distribution of their produce.

New Chairman Pledges to Rebuild State's Agriculture

In his remarks, the newly inaugurated AFAN State Chairman, Sunday Adekogbon, acknowledged that the prolonged division had significantly affected the development of agriculture in the state.

He said the new leadership would focus on rebuilding unity among farmers and strengthening collaboration with the government to ensure farmers benefit from available programmes and interventions.

Adekogbon also urged farmers to adopt value addition practices to increase the profitability of their agricultural produce.

The Senior Special Adviser to the Ekiti State Governor on Agricultural Extension Services, Sikiru Olowoyo, whose office facilitated the reconciliation between the factions, said the period of division had yielded little benefit for farmers.

He stated that the renewed unity would enable farmers to access both state and federal agricultural support programmes more effectively.

Olowoyo commended Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji for providing the enabling environment that made the reconciliation possible.

Investors Eye Cassava Production Opportunities

AFAN National Youth Leader, Tunde Adeyemi, who also helped facilitate the merger between the factions, welcomed the development and said a unified farmers’ association would better coordinate farmers and support government agricultural initiatives.

Similarly, AFAN Southwest Zonal Leader, Femi Adeniyi, said the reconciliation had positioned farmers in Ekiti State to benefit from new agricultural investment opportunities.

He disclosed that discussions were ongoing with international investors interested in cassava production in the South West. Under the proposed arrangement, investors would provide loans to farmers to cultivate cassava and purchase the produce after harvest.