Marching order on food is useless Mr President

By Dele Sobowale

“I promote you to proceed speaking information to power; not lone to the authorities but besides to each sectors of society, portion besides offering constructive solutions that volition assistance america collectively physique a federation wherever integrity, hard enactment and compassion are the hallmarks of nationalist and backstage life” – President Bola Tinubu to the Catholic Bishops Conference

Since the archetypal article 

in 1987, speaking information to powerfulness had been the lasting rule. None of your predecessors had escaped being carpeted for 1 crushed oregon the other; though nary of them ever explicitly asked for the information to beryllium spoken to power. They ne'er listened to beryllium rather candid; you person not been an objection successful that regard.  That is wherefore your predominant edifice to “marching orders” connected important matters is embarrassing. They service nary intent different than to springiness the content of matters being addressed when, successful existent fact, they are being swept nether the rug. We each retrieve what happened erstwhile you went connected an authoritative sojourn to Makurdi. All the apical information officers – the National Security Adviser, Chief of Army Staff, Air force, Navy, the Inspector General of Police, DG of DSS – were called to basal up 1 by one; and issued “marching orders” to halt banditry and mindless killings nationwide. The killings person not stopped successful Borno, Zamfara, Benue, Plateau, Sokoto, Niger and different states. Who is marching to your orders?

Marching bid connected nutrient announced

“Tinubu orders caller propulsion to clang nutrient prices”. Report, September 11, 2025.

I thought it was a mistake by the newsman which the Presidency would disclaim. But, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, was quoted saying: “The President has fixed a marching bid with a Federal Executive Council committee handling it connected however we are going to beforehand harmless transition of cultivation foods and commodities crossed assorted routes successful the country.” As bland promises go, it volition beryllium hard to find a worse one. “Goals are dreams with deadlines”, said Albert Einstein, 1879-1955. What was announced was a imagination without immoderate timeline and the announcement was made arsenic the terms of nutrient stuffs autumn during aboriginal harvest annually. No Federal Executive Council committee is needed for that to happen.

You are precise affluent according to those who assertion to cognize you.. But, farming has ne'er been 1 of the sources of your wealth. So, you could not person known that the reasons for comparatively precocious nutrient prices cannot present beryllium addressed by a statesmanlike bid issued to radical successful Abuja. Perhaps, it volition help  to larn from a erstwhile President.

Why Presidents can’t dictate nutrient terms movements

“Farming would beryllium mighty easy, if it is done with [biros and computers] successful a cozy office.” President James Madison, 1751-1836.

Madison, a farmer, really wrote “pencils” alternatively of biros and computers; but, the constituent is clear, farming and nutrient prices tin ne'er beryllium determined by authorities officials. Madison really made the constituent that Presidents cannot marque maize (maize) turn by enforcement order; and tin truthful not power nutrient prices arsenic they wish.  It is understandable wherefore you are acrophobic astir nutrient prices and the deepening nutrient crisis. But, the information is, nutrient prices tin lone travel down importantly if the nutrient proviso increases. Unfortunately, what Nigeria is present experiencing is simply a nutrient proviso problem. My caller trips done immoderate of Nigeria’s nutrient baskets – Niger, Sokoto, Oyo and Ogun – constituent to debased productivity arsenic the problem. In Niger and Sokoto states, for instance, thousands of farmers person abandoned their farms connected relationship of incessant attacks by bandits, herdsmen and kidnappers. Those inactive struggling to workplace person been incapable to acquisition fertilizers astatine the going rates and are expecting debased harvests.

These are not the problems that a FEC committee, with members sitting successful cozy offices successful Abuja tin solve. The Federal Government does not person nonstop power implicit immoderate onshore extracurricular of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and cannot straight power activities connected farms nationwide. Security is the lone happening nether its control; and arsenic acold arsenic farmers are acrophobic the FG is failing to supply the needed information for farmers.

Inevitable effect to FG’s initiative

“The President is dealing with backstage organizations and companies. You don’t conscionable travel o...