Over 400 Edo Farmers Protest Planned Eviction from Forest Reserve

News in Brief

-Over 400 farmers in Edo State protested against plans to evict them from the forest reserve they have been cultivating for a century for palm oil investors. ​

-The protesters appealed to Governor Okpebholo to intervene, highlighting their role in the state's pineapple output and Nigeria's continental lead.

More than 400 pineapple, yam, and cassava farmers in the Aduhanhan community in Uhunmwonde Local Government Area of Edo State have protested the alleged plans of the state government to illegally evict them from the forest reserve where they have been farming for over a century.

According to a report by DailyPost, the farmers who protested under the Aduhanhan Taungya Farmers Association claimed that they are being evicted for a palm oil investor despite having an existing agreement with the government spanning several generations.

Illegal and Unjust Eviction

Alhaji Bako Dogwo, the Edo State Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), led the peaceful protest on Wednesday, alongside other executives of the Aduhanhan Taungya farmers Association 

He described the alleged eviction of the farmers from the land, which they have been farming for over 60 years, as inhuman and against the policies of the government at all levels to fight food insecurity.

Dogwo said if the plan succeeds, more than 400 farmers from over 10 communities in Edo State will lose their legitimate farmlands, which they had been paying for annually, to the state government for years. This, according to him, would amount to land grabbing, injustice, oppression of farmers and also expose the government’s lip service to agriculture. 

“If they say we should go, where do we go and why?” he asked.

Land Reserved for Food Crops, not Cash Crops

Further underscoring the illegality of the eviction, he explained that when the government handed over the forest reserves to the community, the farmers were expressly mandated to cultivate only food crops, such as cassava, yams, maize, and pineapple, and not cash crops.

Supporting the farmers’ claims, the most senior member of the community, Pa Iro Omorodion, a supercentenarian, recalled that he was among the pioneer beneficiaries who received the land directly from the government. He added that the authorities at the time also provided seedlings for young forest trees to be planted alongside food crops, ensuring strict compliance with the directive against cultivating cash crops.

The community head emphasised that the farmers have consistently adhered to these conditions over the years and appealed to the governor to halt the planned eviction, noting that the land remains their only source of livelihood. He further warned that displacing subsistence farmers in favour of a private entity to grow cash crops would reflect poorly on the government.

The Economic Toll of Eviction is Huge

The protester noted that the economic toll of eviction will be unbearable to farmers whose livelihoods depend on their activities in the reserve, and will be felt by the nation.

According to the protest leader, as Nigeria is the highest producer of pineapple in Africa and 7th in the World, Edo state contributed to this as the highest producer of the crop in Nigeria 

“We have over several thousand hectares of Pineapple, cassava, yams, maize and other farms in this forest reserve land that we are using to take care of the nation.” He said, noting that apart from Ekpoma in Esan West Local Government Area, the Aduhanhan community in the Uhunmwonde Local Government Area is the second-highest producer of pineapple in the state.

“We say no to oppression. We say no to land grabbers. Nobody can come here and take our land because if this land is taken from us, we will have nowhere to go. This is where we get our daily bread. This is where we take care of our children. This is where we make sure things are happening in the state," he stated.

Farmers Appeal to Edo Governor

Alhaji Dogwo led the protesting farmers in appealing to the Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, to intervene and allay their fears.

“We are aware that Senator Monday Okpebholo, the listening Governor of Edo State, is not interested in taking land from an entire community. That is why we are appealing to him to please intervene,” the AFAN chairman said.

He also commended the governor’s ₦70 billion-plus allocation to agriculture in the 2025 budget, describing it as the highest agricultural funding the state has recorded, from the old Western and Midwest Regions through Bendel State to present-day Edo State.

“We are appealing to the Edo State Government to come to our rescue. The government should please come to our aid and not allow people to be pushed into criminality,” he added.

The farming community warned that displacing farmers to make way for cash crop cultivation would severely undermine food production in the state.

“Is it only palm oil that we are going to eat and drink in this state? The answer is no. We already have Okomu and Presco here, the two major palm oil producers in Nigeria. There are also other companies and individuals involved in palm oil production,” they argued.

They further criticised the proposed alternative allocation of less than 15 acres, describing it as grossly inadequate for about 400 farmers.

“Governor, please allow us to continue farming here so our children will not go hungry or be forced onto the streets to beg or engage in criminal activities. Allowing us to stay will help sustain Edo State’s production of pineapples, cassava, maize, and other crops, while also addressing food insecurity,” they pleaded.