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Opinion

The Kwara Abracadabra on Land Clearing by Abdulkareem Onilemarun*

 

The Kwara State government is being led by Gov. AbdulRahman Abdulrazaq has distinguished itself with a peculiar brand of abracadabra – the illusion of progress without tangible substance. The latest act in this ongoing spectacle is the call for farmers to register for land clearing, a move shrouded in grandiose statements but lacking the fundamental tools for implementation.

The recent pronouncement by the Kwara State government, urging commercial farms, private farms, and smallholder farmers to register for land clearing, raises more questions than it answers. While the rhetoric of achieving food security and maximizing agricultural potential sounds promising, the reality on the ground paints a starkly different picture.

One can not help but wonder: where are the tractors to facilitate this grand initiative? The glaring absence of essential agricultural machinery exposes a critical flaw in the government’s approach. It is reminiscent of a magician performing a trick without the necessary props – all smoke and mirrors, but devoid of substance.

The lamentable truth is that the Kwara State government, despite its lofty aspirations, lacks the basic infrastructure to support its agricultural agenda. The absence of publicly owned tractors speaks volumes about the state’s misplaced priorities. Instead of investing in essential machinery to bolster agricultural productivity, the government resorts to empty rhetoric and illusory promises.

The average person reading this would remember that sometimes, in 2021, the Kwara government came out announcing that they had acquired 15 tractors for intensive agriculture. But a few days later, it was discovered by a local investigative blog that the 15 tractors were actually hired from a private company in Niger state. They were not the acquisitions of the state. And less than a year after, the tractors were returned.

So, it’s safe to say that the Kwara government does not have any tangible tractors in its kitty at this material time. The clandestine nature of that arrangement, coupled with a recent attempt to pass off old photographs of the hired tractors as evidence of newly acquired equipment, reeks of deception and manipulation. It is a slap in the face to the hardworking farmers who are duped into believing that help is on the way, only to be met with empty promises and hollow gestures.

It is evident that the Kwara State government’s communication strategy is more focused on optics than substance. The incessant barrage of press statements and media blitzes serves as a smokescreen to conceal the gaping holes in its governance framework. However, discerning observers see through the facade and recognize the hollow promises for what they are – a mere illusion.

The fundamental question that arises from this charade is: Who is the Kwara State government trying to impress? Why do they find it comfortable to play to gallery these days, especially? Who and what is chasing them into summasulting so glaringly and shamelessly?

We should feel sad that the Kwara abracadabra on land clearing epitomizes the hollow rhetoric and empty promises that have come to define governance in the state. Until the government prioritizes tangible action over theatrical performances, the agricultural sector will continue to languish in a state of neglect and underdevelopment.

Onilemarun Kareem writes from Ilorin.

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