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Our Courts are too Exposed and Insecure

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By: Dr kayode OLAGUNJU, mni

I am not a regular visitor to the court. No, understandably, as I am not a lawyer and I have no criminal records and have no personal issues necessitating my being at the court, either as a plaintiff or witness. My memories of courts dated to the late ninety eighties as one of the pioneers of the Federal Road Safety Corps. We were made to prosecute some “stubborn” traffic offenders that drove dangerously or attacked our men. Then, we had very few lawyers in the system. Not a single one available in our command then. My first appearance as a witness was disappointing. I had appeared believing we had no issue with what we considered a straight case. We had arrested a lawyer on the Benin-Asaba road, for dangerous overtaking of another vehicle, approaching a hill top, also on a bend. I remember it was at Okhuae hill. The road was not dualized then. As a single carriageway and very narrow, dangerous overtaking could attract fatal consequences. In fact, in one particular case, at Issele-Uku, on the same road around the period, the families had to bring caskets to pack the mingled bodies of casualties when the two vehicles involved were completely wrecked and bodies mixed with metal scraps. They came with a priest to pray for the souls of the departed and decided immediate burials. We recorded the scenes and the video formed parts of our public enlightenment materials to shock road users and deter them from engaging in traffic infractions. That memory lingers.

The booked lawyer had no driver licence and vehicle papers, hence we had to impound his vehicle. He refused to pay his fines. He did not waive his right to court trial by conveniently paying his fines if he believed he was guilty. So we had to prosecute him. In fact, it was our very first case in Benin Zone then comprising of the then Bendel State (now Edo and Delta states), Ondo (now Ondo and Ekiti states) and Enugu State (now Enugu and Anambra states). I was like the face of the Corps in the Zone as the Head of Public Enlightenment Office and Spokesman. I had a weekly program on the state television where I educated the publics on road safety. I was a young officer, bubbling with confidence. However, that confidence departed me that my first day in the court.

We had series of rehearsals with our then head of operations Oga Fawole as the prosecutor under the guidance of our cerebral Zonal Commander, Engr. Adegboyega Coker. Then came the day. I was put in the witness box, lacking confidence but determined to say only the truth and nothing but the truth in line with the oath I had just taken. We did not even put the non possession of driver licence and vehicle documents on the charge sheet. Honestly, I can’t remember what led to the omission. We had only one count of dangerous overtaking attracting two hundred naira fines or maximum six months imprisonment or both as may be determined by the Magistrate, as prescribed by the Federal Road Safety Commission Establishment Decree 45 of 1988.

The lawyer surprisingly did not argue on the overtaking but that he was arrested not on a federal highway as restricted by our decree. I had gained a bit of confidence and shouted that but everybody knew that Benin -Asaba was a federal highway. I was cautioned by the Magistrate. The man claimed he was arrested on a side road and that even there was nothing to prove that the Benin -Asaba road was a federal road. I became annoyed and really angered. I shouted again, “which side road” to which the Magistrate gave me a last warning. Then the Magistrate ruled that we could not establish that the offender was arrested on a federal highway and directed unconditional release of the vehicle. That was a technical knock out. Haaaaa, haba ! I was so disappointed as I felt the Magistrate must have known the lawyer or he just decided the case like that because they were both in legal profession. My hate for the courts was cultivated immediately. I did not want to know whether we handled the case professionally or not or if lawyers serving as prosecutors would have known and act better. I just felt the Magistrate just told the whole world he saw red cloth when it was obvious we waived white, which was quite obvious and easy to  be seen by all. I now understand why people spend years to become lawyers. I really hated the Courts. That case was part of the reasons, apart from high incidences of crashes on the state roads, messing up our efforts on Federal roads, that the FRSC sought for the amendment of decree 45 to expressly permit the Corps to cover all public roads then. That was granted in Decree 35 of 1992. When the FRSC and the states designed the mobile court system where in many cases, the magistrates practically witnessed the infraction, I became more comfortable. However, since that day in the late eighties, until about three months ago, I did not enter any court room again. I only watched them doing their things on television.

In the last 3 months I had been at the FCT High Courts about four times to witness the court processes involving a mentor. I never felt comfortable each time I came to the court. It is always a case of free entry and departure and that you could bring in anything, especially concealed in bags. Unlike, in cases of some high profile individuals, as witnessed on television, where roads are cordoned off, with high presence of security operatives, fully armed and in fearful security gears, quizzing and searching everyone and everywhere, if you like add everything, it is a porous and insecure situation on regular days.

The only policeman in the court is the Judge orderly with just one pistol. He serves more as a file carrier than providing security. Sometimes, you see two or three officers of the Correctional services lightly armed escorting some accused from prisons. They have their eyes only on their principals. You sit down with someone you don’t know with a bag under your seat that you are not sure of the content. What if he has explosives in the bag that he put under you? You don’t know his mission. You don’t know what he is thinking. In front of you are scores of lawyers including some senior advocates with their wigs backing people they don’t know and not aware of the risks they bear.

The Judge is there sitting on a raised platform taking notes in long hand asking the witnesses to repeat the last statement or spell a name or word. He keeps repeating, slow down I am writing. I am not a computer. Yes, why not do it with computers or speech recorder which can immediately transcribe the speeches. Yes, tonation or dialects could affect transcribing, but editing could help sort out the problem later. You can imagine the time that goes into the judge putting down statements with lawyers spending hours to put their facts or whatever across. No wonder cases sometimes take years to determine. I thought we had gone beyond this. In the midst of this, people walk in and out of the courts bringing all sort of things without any screening.

I kept asking, what if someone who had served his term or an accomplice decide to take a revenge on the Judge and come to the court to strike? How will the nation react to the kidnap of a sitting Judge? Is it the orderly who is more interested in funny narrations of the events leading to a plaintiff or witness coming to court that will resist such a spontaneous or sporadic account? What will he be able to do with that his single pistol that may not be in a ready position? The arm may not even be on his body as complacency could have set in, as he had never had such an experience, so he has a positive perception of safety. Does he have adequate ammunition? Even if he does, what are the chances of a person with hand gun confronting assault rifle bearing assailants? What if the attackers decide to wipe out all of us in the court? Nigerians will say “God forbids”. You see, why I don’t ever get comfortable being in such an unsecured environment

I am sure if such unfortunate incident happens, the nation will mourn. There will be a statement from the Villa, condemning the action and directing security agencies to immediately fish out the killers. Government will set up different committees to unravel the causes and offer recommendations to prevent such in the future. Condemnation will be loud from the National Judicial Council, Body of Benchers, Nigeria Bar Association. The National Assembly will hold special sessions while those in charge of security will run helter skelter. There will be shedding of crocodile tears as the families and the nation mourn. After some time, we forget and move on, as a nation. Must we wait until that imagined but possible disasters happen? No.

Is it that there is nothing that can be done to protect our courts? So much can be done, starting with the deployment of technology. Learnt that most of our correctional centers do not have Close-circuit television camera, thus making jail break easy! So how can the CCTV be considered necessary in the courts or of any priority ? No scanners anywhere at the court. Even your vehicles parked in the court premises are at the owners risk. Some of the cars could be ladened with explosives. The “uniformed security men” in the court premises are only there to open gates and ensure you park well the vehicle. Nothing on security screening. No profiling! How can that be? We should be more serious as a nation. Scanners even if it is just hand held, should be at the gate. Simple mirror screening of the vehicles will definitely be of help. The security men should be trained and equipped enough to detect and wade off crimes at that level since we don’t have enough policemen to adequately protect all our courts. The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps comes into mind here.

Devices should also be deployed to record and transcribe court proceedings . That will reduce time spent on taking notes in long hands as well as reduce the time spent in courts. It will enhance justice delivery without delays. There are so many gadgets and devices that could aid security in our courts. The security experts should come up with the road map and implementable agenda on securing our courts. The governments at Federal and State levels should approach the Assemblies to make adequate and proper budget provisions for securing our courts.

I will conclude this piece with a story of one of our oga, now late Dahiru Kano, then a Deputy Corps Marshal told me several years ago. He did not tell me the source and since I have not been able to link the story to any other source, I am ascribing it to this our highly intelligent, funny and charismatic senior officer. Dairu Kano revealed there was a Prime Minister who was visiting Ministries and Departments in his government. He got to the Ministry of Education and they came with all sort of requests. He told his Personal Assistant, to note the requests. He went to the Ministry of Agriculture, some requests again, the Honorable Prime Minister called for noting. He went to about ten other Ministries and he kept telling the PA and officials to note. When he got to the Prison service, they came with long lists of requests and the PM immediately approved all the requests and directed immediate release of funds. The PA and other officials were surprised . When they got back to the office, the PA approached the PM and asked him, “Your Excellency, you asked us to note all the requests from all the Ministries and Departments but getting to Prisons, you promptly approved all the requests. Why this sir?” The PM replied “I already have the formal education I required, I am too old to farm and don’t intend to do any new business and several other engagements, but you see that prison, we can go back there tomorrow morning”. Do I need to add any other thing here apart from calling on those who can make our courts and prisons safer and more comfortable to act now. Nobody knows who could be involved tomorrow. Remember every living person is a potential person living with disability, that is if we are lucky to be alive. We should not wait for any disaster to happen before we respond, then we will be reacting. Dangers may be looming. A stitch in time saves nine. I rest my case.

Dr Kayode OLAGUNJU, mni is a retired Deputy Corps Marshal

DCM Kayode OLAGUNJU, rtd, PhD, FCILT, FCAI, FISPON, mni

Deputy Corps Marshal, rtd

Mobile:08033069090, ‪08156009090‬

email:olufigaro2002@yahoo.com

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UNGA79: Tony Elumelu Advocates for Youth Empowerment, Entrepreneurial Growth in Africa

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At the recent United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79) in New York, Dr. Tony Onyemachi Elumelu, a renowned banker, philanthropist, and founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), championed the urgent need for global leaders to support youth inclusion and empowerment in Africa. His mission is to ensure that emerging entrepreneurs receive the mentorship and seed funding necessary to drive sustainable growth on the continent.

Elumelu’s work through the TEF has significantly impacted African entrepreneurship. Over the years, the foundation has provided mentorship and financial support to numerous entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of establishing a robust wealth creation process for future generations.

Reflecting on his own journey from humble beginnings, he remarked, “The rigorous process that led to my breakthrough as an entrepreneur is not what I want the coming generation to face.” This personal experience fuels his commitment to easing the path for young entrepreneurs through mentorship and initial capital, offering $5,000 to help them launch their ventures.

To date, the foundation has disbursed an impressive $100 million to entrepreneurs across Africa, enabling them to thrive in their respective industries.

During his address at UNGA79, Elumelu urged world leaders to recognize the immense potential of African youth. He stressed the necessity for systemic changes that empower this demographic to develop disruptive ideas and solutions to pressing challenges. “We must place priority on human capital development, entrepreneurial skill survival, funding, and mentorship to tackle unemployment in Africa,” he stated. His remarks resonated during a joint discussion at the World Food Programme, led by Cindy McCain, where he emphasized the need for comprehensive solutions to combat unemployment and the hunger crisis.

Elumelu pointed out that more than 783 million people are grappling with acute hunger, largely due to an underutilized agricultural sector. “If we properly address these issues, agriculture and livestock farming can play a pivotal role in job creation,” he explained. He highlighted how many young people are turning to greenhouse farming, which is revolutionizing agriculture on the continent. Elumelu urged increased collaboration and funding for agricultural initiatives, asserting that such efforts could create wealth and enhance the agricultural supply chain.

In his discussions with Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice President of the European Commission, Elumelu reinforced the importance of international partnerships. The European Union’s ongoing collaboration with TEF aims to empower 2,500 young women entrepreneurs in Africa, with plans to support an additional 1,800 by year’s end. Elumelu noted that some beneficiaries have received up to €50,000 through the Women Entrepreneur for Africa (WE4A) program, emphasizing the initiative’s role in transforming women into nation-builders and wealth creators.

Continuing his advocacy, Elumelu engaged with leaders such as H.E. Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica, and H.E. Brice Oligui Nguema, President of Gabon, urging them to formulate favorable policies for youth entrepreneurship. He also met with H.E. William Ruto, President of Kenya, to discuss strategies for enhancing employment opportunities through entrepreneurship.

Elumelu reaffirmed his dedication to empowering Africa’s next generation of entrepreneurs, highlighting the potential of a well-supported youth demographic to drive economic transformation. “When our youth are empowered, we can expect a reduction in crime, increased opportunities, and healthy competition with their Western counterparts,” he asserted. His vision is clear: to transition Africa from a continent of dependency to one of self-reliance, driven by innovative, forward-thinking youth.

As the UNGA79 concluded, Elumelu’s unwavering commitment to advocating for African youth set a hopeful tone for the future, reinforcing the need for global support and partnerships to nurture the continent’s entrepreneurial spirit amidst ongoing challenges.

Oladapo Sofowora writes from New York

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Spotlight: Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun CJN Designate

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Hon. Justice Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun is a serving Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. She is the 5th and youngest female to be appointed as a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. This article examines the early life, education, and notable achievements of Hon. Justice K.M.O. Kekere-Ekun.

Justice Kekere-Ekun was born in London, the United Kingdom on 7th May 1958. Her parents were both indigenes of Lagos State, Nigeria. She is the eldest of eleven siblings from both parents. Her father, Alhaji Senator H.A.B. Fasinro, OFR, LL.D, was a fervent Muslim and a very dedicated family man of noble lineage. He belonged to at least 3 Royal Families in Lagos. He was a legal practitioner and very active in politics. Throughout his career, he worked for many years as a Crown Counsel in the old Western Region of Nigeria. He also became the Town Clerk of Lagos City Council (similar to being the Mayor of Lagos). In 1975, at the age of 56 years, he retired voluntarily from the civil service. He subsequently became a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 1983. His tenure was however brought to an abrupt end with the overthrow of the Alhaji Shehu Shagari-led civilian government in a military coup in December 1983. He was also an author. He died at the age of 99 on 31st March 2019.

Her mother, Mrs. Winifred Layiwola Ogundimu (née Savage), is a devout Christian. She studied nursing in the UK, where she qualified as a Public Health Nurse before returning to Nigeria in December 1965. Upon her return to Nigeria, she built her career in the civil service of Lagos State and retired years later, at the age of 60. Mrs. Ogundimu is currently the head of a large and prominent Lagos family, the Savage Family.

Alhaji Senator H.A.B. Fasinro, OFR, LL.D, and Mrs. Winifred Layiwola Ogundimu both remarried when K.M.O. Kekere-Ekun was still young. K.M.O. Kekere-Ekun grew up in a polygamous home with her father, stepmothers, siblings, and other relations. One of her stepmothers, who greatly influenced her life, was a teacher. She was brought up in an extremely strict and disciplined environment at home, where she was taught lasting values such as hard work, integrity, contentment, and the ability to get on with most people and to cope with most situations. It was always a full house with extended family and other school children spending their holidays, to earn extra tutoring and a disciplined upbringing.

K.M.O. Kekere-Ekun was privileged with quality education. She attended private primary schools before proceeding in 1970 to Queen’s College, Lagos, which was the best Federal Government College for girls in the country at the time. She studied Law at the University of Lagos, Nigeria, from 1977 to 1980 and obtained her LL.B in 1980. Following this, she attended the Nigerian Law School from 1980 to 1981 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in July 1981. From 1981 to 1982, she was engaged in the compulsory National Youth Service at the Ministry of Justice, Benin City, Bendel State (now Edo State). Afterward, she proceeded to the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) where she obtained a master’s degree in law in 1983.

After qualifying as a lawyer and obtaining a master’s degree in law from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), she worked in private law practice for a few years. As a result of the toll of the demands of private practice on her domestic responsibilities, she decided to join the bench to be able to enjoy more predictable work hours. She applied and was appointed by the Lagos State Judiciary as a Senior Magistrate Grade II in December 1989. This marked the beginning of her career on the bench. She was subsequently appointed a Judge of the High Court of Lagos State on 19th July 1996. In September 2004, she was elevated to the Court of Appeal. As a Justice of the Court of Appeal, she served in five different Divisions across the country. She was the pioneer Presiding Justice of the Makurdi Division of the Court of Appeal, and also served as the Presiding Justice of the Akure Division of the Court of Appeal before her elevation to the Supreme Court on 8th July 2013. She is currently a member of the Supreme Court Rules Committee and Chairman of the Supervisory Committee of the Litigation Department of the Court.

K.M.O. Kekere-Ekun served as Chairman of the Robbery and Firearms Tribunal, Zone II, Ikeja, Lagos, from November 1996 till May 1999, when the Tribunals were abolished. The constitution of the Tribunal included one Police officer and one Military officer. In the process, the Police officer gained significant insight into the requirements for conducting effective criminal investigations and prosecutions. He was subsequently posted to the Police College (where recruits are trained) as a lecturer and was able to share a lot of what he had learned from his participation in the Tribunal hearings. In recognition of her reputation for integrity and hard work, she was one of 3 Judges of the Lagos State High Court first selected to try offenses relating to financial crimes and money laundering under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Establishment Act, 2004 and the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.

Furthermore, in 2003, K.M.O. Kekere-Ekun served as a member of the Ethics Curriculum Planning Committee of the National Center for State Courts (NCSC), in collaboration with the Department for International Development (DFID) and UNODC. This committee produced the Code of Conduct for Judicial Employees. She also chaired the Public Complaints and Training Committee that was part of the UNODC pilot project on strengthening judicial integrity and capacity in Lagos State. This was from February 2003 till July 2004. The Public Complaints Committee investigated complaints against magistrates in the performance of their official duties and became pivotal for the reform of the justice delivery system in the magistrate courts. Moreover, she served as a supervisory judge in charge of the Apapa Magisterial District in Lagos State from October 2002 till July 2004. She also served as a member of the committee that drafted the High Court of Lagos State (Civil Procedure) Rules 2004 from April 2002 till December 2002. The new Civil Procedure Rules introduced innovations in case management such as the front-loading concept, pre-trial conference, and the application of ADR mechanisms for the speedy dispensation of justice. The innovations have also been adopted by most states of the Federation and have proved particularly helpful in the speedy dispensation of electoral disputes.

From December 2001 till December 2004, she served as a member of the Steering Committee of the Lagos State Multi-Door Court House, the first court-connected Alternative Dispute Resolution center in Africa. At the Court of Appeal, she served on the Information Technology Committee, which was to facilitate the computerization of the Court. Hon. Justice K.M.O. Kekere-Ekun is a recipient of prestigious awards. She was a recipient of the Merit Awards of the Lagos State Judiciary, in December 2003 and in September 2013. Again, she was twice awarded the Distinguished Trailblazers Awards by the Nigerian Bar Association Women Forum (August 2012 and 2014). She belongs to several professional associations and groups, including the National Association of Women Judges; International Association of Women Judges; Body of Benchers – Life Bencher W.E.F. 8th February 2018; Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (Fellow); and International Dispute Resolution Institute (Fellow). She is also a member of the Ikoyi Club 1938. Hon. Justice K.M.O. Kekere-Ekun has been married to Mr. Akin Kekere-Ekun, OFR, since December 1983. His work ethic and integrity have been a great motivating factor for her. Their union is blessed with three children who are all graduates and excelling in their chosen fields. K.M.O. Kekere-Ekun is passionate about self-examination, being the change that one wants to see in the world and setting your standards early, starting every endeavour in the same manner as one means to carry on. These have been her guiding principles in her personal and professional life.

 

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Dauda Lawal Restores Zamfara’s Lost Glory with Agricultural Revolution

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Since the return of Democracy in 1999, Zamfara State has always been in the news for the wrong reasons.
The state is one of the poorest in Nigeria and has one of the highest incidences of extreme poverty (over 60% of the population) according to World Bank data from 2018. Different administrations have struggled to bring the people out of the poverty line and also attracted Foreign Direct Investment FDI to boost the state’s internally generated revenue IGR. The state is predominantly occupied by over 80 per cent of farmers whose major products include millet, guinea corn, maize, rice, groundnut, cotton, tobacco and beans. The State is known by the moniker ‘farming is our pride’ because Agriculture is the main occupation of most indigents. Zamfara is supposed to be economically rich as it has a huge deposit of natural resources like; Iron ore, Gold, Chromate, Granite, Clay, Limestone, Quartz and Kaolin that are more than enough to take the state out of the poverty line if properly managed and utilized by the previous administration. Instead of the state using its natural resources for wealth creation and also development; the state has witnessed degeneration and constant civil unrest fueled by illegal miners and local actors who benefit immensely.

The unrest opened the state to vulnerability and also made the primary source of livelihood which is farming no longer viable as agricultural activities were put on hold due to constant kidnapping issues, banditry, insecurity and illegal mining activities which have claimed much farmland and also caused destroying of many farmland due to mining. Despite many interventions to bring an end to banditry which many now see as a lucrative business in the state; all means to halt the activities of illegal miners and banditry have proved abortive by successive administrations. Zamfara had been struggling and grappling for life until the emergency of Governor Dauda Dare Lawal who came and changed the narrative using his strong will and passion to bring succour to his people with investment in critical sectors of the economy to drive development and capacity building also to create wealth and also contribute immensely to the GDP of the State moving it from the 32nd Position in 2021 with $11.8Billion to an enviable position and not just a state which shares federal allocation but a state that contributes its quota to the development of the country through farming and food production.

Governor Dauda is unapologetic about his approach to first restore sanity through the provision of security in the state. When he reeled out his manifesto during the campaign, he mentioned the fact that; apart from his investment to restore security across the state; he will invest massively in Agricultural & livestock development in a bid to restore the lost glory of the state as a farming and food-making hub. He did feasibility studies on things that can be done to bring the lost glory of the state to enable it to fly high like it used to in the days of yore. One of the main drivers for the success of his agricultural revolution was security which led to him reading a riot act to district heads, emirs and others who were possibly fueling insecurity in the state in a bid to enrich their pockets. In line with one of his campaign promises. He wasted no time in creating a more holistic security apparatus localizing it to support the police and other law enforcement agencies to bring banditry and insecurity that has chased many out of their farmland to a reasonable halt. While some youths have abandoned their farms and are used as tools for mining by the elites in the state to create unrest, Governor Dare is ensuring that; food production which their ancestors used in raising revenues must be restored. In other to kickstart this project in line with the best global practices and also align with President Bola Tinubu’s Administration, which is giving more spotlight to food security through the Agricultural Revolution with the use of mechanized farming, which will ensure massive plantation and massive food produce that will not only feed the nation also the state can generate revenue from exporting its excesses harvest to neighbouring state bother Zamfara like the republic of Niger. This will also attract FDI into the state and inject fresh interest in youths and other farmers to move to their farmland to produce more food.

The Governor also embarked on a massive campaign for the benefit of his people returning to their farms as well as expunging all bottlenecks with the distribution of farming kits like; Sprayers, fertilizers, ploughers, modified seedlings and a host of others. Governor Dauda is investing massively in mechanized farming which facilitated his recent trip to Turkey. While on the working trip, he visited the Türk Traktör (tractor) manufacturing plant where he advocated for the Investment and establishment of Greenhouses, a Mechanized Manufacturing hub in Zamfara state as a move to drive its massive food production campaign. He also wooed Direkci Group to establish various greenhouses, including soilless greenhouses, soil greenhouses, Polyclima greenhouses, transplanting greenhouses, ornamental production greenhouses, and banana-growing greenhouses which will also drive and support the state’s agenda in its quest for Agricultural and livestock production. During his trip, he also visited Innova Dairy Farm, an animal livestock farm which provides advice and innovative solutions for setting up and managing modern farms efficiently. It’s expected that Innova Dairy Farm will establish a system in Zamfara State to gather all advanced technologies, including patented rumination and activity monitoring, herd management systems, cooling, milking, manure management, and barn equipment also in a bid to stop the moving of livestock’s across the state which will stop the farmers and herders crisis the country has been witnessing for ages. The leadership of Zamfara state is no longer watching from the sidelines like the previous administration, it’s going all out to attract investment in the state in a bid to drive the agricultural revolution that will self-sustain Nigeria in its production of food and also raise the level of poverty which will provide funds for parents to fend for themselves and improve the state purchasing power. Zamfara State has also closely working with the leadership of the African Development Bank AfDB since its participation in the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) Program Phase 2 last year. This will see the state benefit from more funding for its agricultural revolution mandate and also open the state to more intending investors.

In other to consolidate its investment drive, the recent groundbreaking launch of the Zamfara Airport in Gusau is another right step which will not only boost economic proficiency in the state it will also bring about easy movement of investors and other transportation of agricultural produce trade purposes. The airport when completed will ensure the state opens its doors more to investment and also consolidates its Agricultural Revolution.

Oladapo Sofowora Writes from Lagos

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