Are any of Nigeria’s presidential candidates aware of the fact that the UN has declared 2023 the International Year of Millet?

Ayo Akinfe

[1] If you ask me, nothing has enthroned poverty in Nigeria like the wholesale dependence on crude oil. When you are dependent on one primary commodity for your survival, you are asking for the bony hand of hunger to decimate you.

[2] Bear in mind that crude oil is a very volatile product, who price varies erratically in line with global developments. When over 90% of Nigerian government revenue comes from crude oil, I cannot get my head around why ending this mono-economic model is not the main election topic in 2023

[3] Now, two years ago, the United Nations General Assembly at its 75th session in March 2021 declared 2023 the International Year of Millets. It was precisely to encourage nations like Nigeria to step up production

[4] Millet can grow in arid conditions with minimal input and is resilient to climate changes. Millet thus offers an ideal solution for countries like Nigeria wanting to increase self-sufficiency and reduce their reliance on imported cereal grains

[5] Do you know that Nigeria is the world’s second largest millet producer with a yearly crop of 5m tonnes

[6] We are also the world’s second largest producer of miller’s twin crop sorghum. Nigeria has an annual output of 7m tonnes of sorghum

[7] Both of these crops are widely produced across the northwest and they are key to the establishment of breweries. It is time for brewing plants to start springing up in their dozens across the seven states of northwest Nigeria

[8] Has any of our presidential candidates made the UN declaration of 2023 as the international year of millet a campaign issue?They should be asking that this declaration be backed up with loans for small farmers, the supply of agricultural equipment and the establishment of processing plants

[9] One can also make beer from cassava, yam and maize but these are food crops, so there will always be competing demands for them. The beauty of millet and sorghum is that they are more or less wholly cash crops. If we invite the likes of Heineken, Molson Coors, Castel and Carlsberg to come and open breweries in say Sokoto, Birnin-Kebbi, Gusau, Kano, Daura, Zaria and Hadeija, we will be able to guarantee the supply of almost our entire crop

[10] To do this, however, these states need to drop their aversion to alcohol. Again, this should be a major election issue. I can see that happening as the federalism debate gathers pace because one reality we have to accept is that we cannot afford the luxury of holding on to pious religious beliefs. What Nigeria needs now is socio-economic development!