Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, has advised state governments to explore the potentials of agriculture and agribusiness through partnership with agricultural institutions, in order to achieve a prosperous economy and move their citizens from poverty to prosperity.
He gave the advice at the Conference Center of the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, capital of Oyo State, during the commemoration and send-off ceremony of the institution’s outgoing Director-General (DG), Dr Nteranya Sanginga.
Although, the agriculture sector is one of the sectors that has not been maximally explored in Nigeria, guests at the event, including members of the IITA Community, some African and Nigerian leaders, international researchers and academics, unanimously agreed that the IITA had contributed significantly to agriculture in Nigeria and Africa through groundbreaking research and development in agriculture.
In his speech, Governor El-Rufai, who extolled the virtues of Sanginga, noted that IITA thrived tremendously under Sanginga’s leadership and advised state governments in Nigeria to partner with IITA for sustainable development of agriculture and agribusiness in their states, just as Oyo State has done.
He stated: “I think the Federal Government has a major role to play in providing the bilateral funding to keep an institute like this going and I think is doing that but I think what needs to be done more is for the state governments to be more engaged with the IITA.  
“I was very proud to learn that the  government of Oyo State is collaborating with the IITA. We are also working with the IITA outpost in Kano State and I think this model of young entrepreneurs in agriculture is something that we can learn from IITA and Oyo State and try to implement it in Kaduna State as well,”El-Rufai disclosed.
The host governor, Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on his part, appreciated Sanginga for his courage, focus and uncommon leadership which kept him in Nigeria in the midst of uncertainties and saw him turn the fortunes of IITA around, affirming that as the first African DG of the IITA, Sanginga spearheaded many projects in partnership with Oyo State to develop agriculture and agribusiness in the state.
Makinde said:“Dr Nteranya Sanginga is a courageous man. The things he has done and the decisions he took that led up to this moment show great courage. And because of that courage, he has shown remarkable and uncommon focus and leadership.
“The story of how you were able to turn around the fortunes of this place is a testament to the fact that Nigeria can grow from poverty to prosperity through agriculture and agribusiness,”.
Similarly, the President of the Africa Development Bank (AFDB) and representative of former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, who lauded Sanginga for his incredible work ethics which helped him transform IITA, revealed that competence has nothing to do with the colour of one’s skin and there is a difference between reading history and making history, affirming that Sanginga has made history by being the most accomplished DG of IITA.
Adesina said: “Competence has nothing to do with the colour of your skin but the grey matter I’m your head. Sanginga led IITA to incredible heights in science, impacts and relevance across Africa. He made IITA the most sought after agriculture research center in the world. One thing that stands Sanginga out, he is dependable.”
Dr Nteranya Sanginga, a Congolese, who went to Nigeria 41 years ago as a PhD student at the IITA and became the 7th DG and first African DG and led the institute for 11 years, expressed his profound gratitude for the great love shown to him.
The high point of the event was the unveiling of Sanginga’s biography, Leadership in African Agriculture, which was reviewed by Dr Akinwumi Adesina.

 

 

Olusola Akintonde