Governor Abiodun Took Credit for my Private Rice Project – Ogun Farmer Speaks Up

Bello Zabarmawa, a farmer and Senior Special Adviser to the Kebbi State Governor, has refuted claims made by Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, regarding a 200-hectare rice farm in Magboro. Zabarmawa stated that the farm belongs to him and not the Ogun State Government, as Abiodun had claimed during a publicized visit in August. This is according to an exclusive report by PMNEWS.

Governor Abiodun, during the rice harvest, portrayed the project as part of Ogun State’s efforts to boost local rice production with World Bank support. He announced that the state could scale up rice farming from 200 to 2,000 hectares, generating significant revenue.

In his words: “In this place, I have 12,500 hectares of land, and all we have farmed is 200 hectares that yielded N1 billion for 200 farmers. From here, I can feed the rest of the country. We will scale up this project immediately from 200 to 2,000 hectares and generate N30 billion in revenue.

“This brings us closer to making Ogun State the food basket of the nation,” Abiodun said with no mention of Zabarmawa.

The state’s official Instagram handle also shared pictures of Abiodun posing with the harvested rice.  However, Zabarmawa explained that while the state supported the project by covering half of the clearing cost and some fertilizer expenses, he primarily financed the farm and provided interest-free loans to local farmers. He had discovered the fertile land in Magboro through an associate in 2019.

Zabarmawa lamented the financial burden he shoulders in managing the farm, and that he spends large sums on labor and equipment. He called for more government support.

Speaking to PMNEWS, Zabarmawa said: “When I started, the Ogun State Government promised and paid 50 per cent of the clearing cost why I paid the balance. That time I was buying a bag of fertiliser for N45,000, I paid N23,000, and the government paid the remaining N22,000.”

“There was a time I wanted to harvest, the governor himself came here. The commissioner has been here twice. It was the governor who flagged off the harvest. I was very happy that day. But, I still need government support.”

Zabarmawa further criticized Abiodun for not acknowledging his contribution during the announcement of the farm’s success. Governor Abiodun’s office did not respond to inquiries by PMNEWS regarding Zabarmawa’s claims.

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