Writing, like singing, is a creative art; you must be in the mood to write or sing better. Being in the mood does not mean being joyful; it can also be sorrowful, something to provoke creativity. Thank God, I am not writing to earn a living but a deep-rooted hobby with a passion for serving humanity through enlightenment. This week, my writing mood disappeared, and my busy schedule did not allow me to be in the mood.
I have not failed to write weekly since the beginning of 2020, when I started this column, “Deep Thought,” so I must refer to my plan B – readers’ comments. It is another way of making my esteemed readers view my opinion from another perspective. Please enjoy it before I regain the mood.
Smart Farming: A Pathway for Food Security in Nigeria
My Prof. This is an excellent exposition of reality that needs to be handled with care by the governments of all the developing nations, especially in a country like Nigeria, where the population is skyrocketing every second, minute, and hour. My Prof, as you have observed or enumerated, the governments of these poor nations need to sit tight to adopt these modern technologies you have highlighted in this masterpiece of columns. My Prof. Unfortunately, the myopic dysfunction of our leaders, especially in Africa, and their political turmoil or abracadabra would hinder this outstanding achievement enumerated in your masterpiece of columns.
From the time of Operation Feed the Nation up to the Green Revolution and others, this country has witnessed a lot of failures and setbacks in Agricultural ideological pantheism, which presently culminated in the agricultural panthers. Thus, the world is moving fast towards population expulsions and at the deadly brinks of pangs of hunger.
My Prof, as enumerated in your masterpiece of columns, there is an excellent need for every country to adopt these modern technologies to save the world from hunger and famine. But everyone is asking, where are those leaders in Africa? Thus, we are at a crossroads—Dr. Yakubu Yunusa Sakpe.
This is an excellent exposition of non-conventional agriculture that all well-meaning governments should adopt. Prof sir, we await the following article for an insightful presentation of CSA as a beautiful alternative to traditional agriculture and how it can be sustainably adopted. Prof Sir, the production cost analyses vis-a-vis traditional agriculture can also guide would-be climate-smart farmers in choosing adoption and other key variables. Thank you Sir—Prof Mohammed Makeri.
Sasakawa Africa Association: Three Decades of Fight against Hunger and Poverty in Nigeria
On Monday, the 7th day of October 2024, this book “Sasakawa Africa Association: Three Decades of Fight against Poverty and Hunger in Nigeria” written by my ‘Oga at the Top,’ Professor Mohammed Khalid Othman (published by Sasakawa Africa Association, Nigeria) was unveiled at the Coronation Hall, Government House Kano. Congratulations, Sir, for this outstanding contribution to the literature on the history of agricultural development in Nigeria.—Prof Aliyu Ammani
Congratulations sir. We pray for more grease to your elbow. It’s just a matter of time because I have a strong belief in you that this book is one of your weekly articles; I hope more are coming. Congratulations, Mohammed Khalid Othman.—Kuzaifa Abdulkadir
Prof MK Othman, congratulations—the long-expected publication is out, and the wait is over! When will it arrive in Abuja? Bravo, Nigeria’s agriculture. You are having pains now, but you will rise again and take your rightful place as a great, rather the greatest, contributor to Nigeria’s development and a major player in global agricultural trade, as you did in the past.
This publication should serve as a challenge to other major donors in the field, especially the multilateral organizations whose debt burdens we and our children and grandchildren will continue to bear and the benefits that have accrued from the interventions; unbiased, factual presentations in books and publications we can read and place in our shelves, handphones and computers and that will help to avoid now and in the future mistakes in the development process as well as capitalize on what worked well.
Congratulations once more, MKO, and congratulations, SAA. We have our equivalent of “Setting the Grassroots on Fire: Agriculture and Sasakawa Global 2000 in Ghana.” Let the fire burn brilliantly now.—Elder Chief Oloche Edache, Retired Federal Permanent Secretary
Congratulations, Sir. I wish you greater achievements.—Prof Buba Wahe
Congratulations, Prof. The ink in your pen will not dry up—Prof Boniface Kashina
May the masses heed to your inputs, Sir’. Congratulations—Ctzn Adam Usman Bindawa
Congratulations Prof. More wings to fly higher, Insha Allah—Gambo Bala
Well done, professor sir. May Allah continue to guide and protect you.—Engr Bello Abduljabbar
Congratulations, Sir; I need a copy.—General Usman Mamman Ngulde (Rt)
Congratulations to you, sir. Well done, my prof.—Emmanuel Abiola Ogunrinde
It is high time Nigerians realized that the so-called support from development organizations, which were designed to fight hunger and poverty in Nigeria, sometimes only benefited the technocrats, who were the sole beneficiaries of the program.
The World Bank designed these programs to fight extreme hunger and poverty but has not achieved the desired objectives. The government and other stakeholders must change strategies for practical implementations to make an impact. This is my Opinion.—Nura Dewu
Congratulations, Sasakawa – Nigeria, for your three decades of fighting against hunger and poverty with remarkable outcomes, as profiled in the book.—Dr. Jose Antonio Valencia, First Country Director of SAA Nigeria-Office
#StopASUUStrike: What are the options for an ASUU strike?
Prof MK Othman, your write-up is good, insightful, and full of simple, straightforward solutions that can be implemented quickly. However, the government has no political will to tackle the preferred ad-hoc and very temporary, glaringly superficial measures. The tactic, as usual, is to set up a committee, buy time, and the committee’s findings and recommendations will never be implemented, nothing new. Meanwhile, the decay in the system will continue unabated. The morale and enthusiasm of the University will continue to be diminished.—Professor Rabiu Adamu
Dogged and Kindhearted Hassan Gimba: Celebrating Four Decades of Bosom Friendship
A classical testimony that scholars and true friends should emulate. This will cement age-long relationships that could be sustained in an unbreakable chain. The pioneer link of parents has started to become history, now Hassan Gimba and our amiable Prof are the parents. One of our sons just got married, and the link should be re-enforced and fortified through uniting the children in marriage bonds, business, education, religion, and whatever the experienced friends “Hassan Gimba and MK Othman” could add value to this Nobel prize relationship. I wish both families a long life and good health until you play football or squash with your children (GGC). IN SHA ALLAH—Engr Hassan Bawa
Prof M.K., what a significant and enduring friendship nurtured by a mutual love for penmanship. What an enduring, amicable, and selfless attitude! Congratulations to both of you; I hope it extends to your families.—Prof Rabiu Adamu
It is an endearing tribute to a brother without any blood lineage. That is a beautiful acknowledgment—so pure, honest, and trusting. I envy you, my brothers! And this is what has recently been ebbing among us. May Allah continue to bless the relationship—Prof A. A. Babajo
