The Trumpet Newspaper Issue 644 (March 5 - 18 2025)

TheTrumpet
Africans now have a voice... Founded in 1995
V O L 31 N O 644 M A R C H 5 - 18 2025
Mahmoud Ali Youssouf
Amb. Danny
El-Ashkar
strengthens
dominance in
Africa’s Defence
market and
rejects Rwandan
Arms Deal for
the third time
Ambassador Danny El-Ashkar
African Union’s
new Chair has
a long list of
tough tasks
– what it will take
to get them done
By Ulf Engel, University of Leipzig
Continued on Page 3>
Ambassador Danny El-Ashkar,
the Economic Commissioner
at the European Parliamentary
Union and Chairman of Prince Invest
Group, continues to expand his
influence in Africa’s defence market.
Over the past six months, he has
secured a series of major military
contracts exceeding $5 billion, which
are now in the implementation phase.
These agreements involve the
supply of both light and heavy
weaponry, as well as advanced defence
systems, to multiple African
governments. Leveraging his exclusive
agencies, El-Ashkar has positioned
himself as a key distributor and
manufacturer of military equipment
from the world’s leading defence
producers. As these contracts take
effect, Prince Invest is cementing its
role as one of Africa’s top defence
suppliers, thereby diminishing the
influence of traditional powers in the
region’s arms trade.
In a move underscoring his
commitment to regional stability,
Ambassador El-Ashkar has, for the
third time in six months, rejected an
official request from the Rwandan
government to negotiate arms deals.
His decision reflects Prince Invest’s
neutral approach and its dedication to
safeguarding Africa’s security
landscape.
With the execution of these new
contracts, Ambassador El-Ashkar
further consolidates his position as a
dominant figure in Africa’s defence
sector, surpassing major competitors,
including well-established global
defence firms and traditional State
suppliers.

Page2 TheTrumpet MARCH 5 - 18 2025
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News
MARCH
5 - 18 2025
African Union’s new Chair has a
long list of tough tasks
TheTrumpet
Page3
– what it will take to get them done
Continued from Page 1<
challenges.
of the Council of Ministers of the Arab
League (2007, 2017) and the
Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
(2012).
Following seven rounds of
balloting, 60-year-old diplomat
Mahmoud Ali Youssouf was
elected the sixth Chair of the African
Union Commission in February 2025.
Politics Professor Ulf Engel, who is the
Editor of the Yearbook on the African
Union, explains the role and its
What’s the new AU Commission
Chair’s background?
Youssouf is a seasoned diplomat from
Djibouti. He is the longest serving
Minister of Foreign Affairs and
International Cooperation of his country
(2005-2025), and has also served as Chair
What’s the job?
It involves navigating the different
levels of commitments of AU Member
States, promoting the pan-African agenda
on the global stage and developing the
professionalisation of the Commission.
The Chair is the Chief Executive
Officer and legal representative of the
African Union as well as the accounting
officer of the AU Commission.
They are directly responsible to the
AU Executive Council. The Chair is
Continued on Page 4<

Page4
TheTrumpet
MARCH 5 - 18 2025
News
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African Union’s new Chair
has a long list of tough tasks
– what it will take to get them done
Continued from Page 3<
elected by the assembly for a four-year
term, renewable once.
Their functions include:
chairing all meetings and
deliberations of the AU Commission
keeping records of the deliberations
of the AU Assembly, the executive
council and the permanent
representatives council
preparing the AU budget
acting as a depository of all AU
treaties and other legal instruments
consulting and coordinating with the
governments of Member States and the
regional economic communities on the
activities of the AU.
In the transition phase from the
Organisation of African Unity (OAU) to
the AU (1999–2002), the office of the
Chair was still conceived as the “head of
a secretariat”. But with the expansion of
the African Union Commission’s staff
from roughly 600 in the early 1990s to
now well over 1,700 and the growing
number of substantive tasks, this concept
has evolved.
The AU Commission has developed
into the engine room of the pan-African
project.
Building on the three terms of the
Tanzanian OAU Secretary-General
Salim Ahmed Salim (1989–2001), the
commission has developed strong
agency.
On many political issues it has
become the source for drafting legal and
political documents.
Through the Chair, the Commission
coordinates relations with the regional
economic communities. An example is in
the field of early warning and conflict
prevention.
An example of the political guidance
and leadership the Chair can exercise is
the 1999 report on “The Fundamental
Changes Taking Place in the World and
their Implications for Africa: Proposals
for an African Response”.
This had strong implications for the
development of the continental body’s
economic and security policies.
It also had an impact on the 2011
report on “Current Challenges to Peace
and Security on the Continent”. The
report discussed the consequences of the
public uprisings in northern Africa (the
so-called Arab Spring).
The 2022 report on “Unconstitutional
Changes of Government in Africa” was
drafted in response to the recent wave of
coups d’état, especially in West Africa.
A prominent example of proactive
chairpersonship is the development of the
Mahmoud Ali Youssouf
AU’s Agenda 2063 under the leadership
of Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma (South
Africa, 2012–2017). This was an
ambitious programme to steer the AU for
the next 50 years after its 50th
anniversary in 2013.
What are the biggest challenges?
The AU Commission Chair’s main
challenges include renewing Member
States’ commitment to the institution’s
shared values amid a democratic
recession.
The new Chair will have to deal with
the decline in the quality of democracy
across the continent.
He will also have to deal with many
Member States that constantly violate
AU decisions and communiqués on
unconstitutional changes of government,
as highlighted by the outgoing Chair,
Moussa Faki Mahamat (Chad), in a
speech celebrating the 20th anniversary
of the AU Peace and Security Council on
25 May 2024.
The Chair needs to finalise AU policy
on the division of labour with the
regional economic communities. In many
policy fields this division is still
unsystematic.
Youssouf will have to increase the
number of common African positions on
key global challenges, increase
ownership of positions by Member States
and lead the debate on defining clear
obligations for Member States.
The most prominent common African
position is the 2005 Ezulweni Consensus
on the reform of the UN Security
Council. It called for two permanent seats
and five non-permanent seats for Africa.
But more could be done to increase
the African voice in the various
international negotiation forums.
The Chair also needs to adopt a more
systematic approach to the AU’s strategic
partnerships with multilateral and
bilateral players. For example, the AU
became a member of the G20 in
September 2024. Monitoring of strategic
partnerships must be developed, and
there should be clear guidelines which
define African interests beyond funding
issues.
But the biggest task is to complete the
financial and institutional reform of the
AU that began in 2016/2017. This should
include reducing its heavy financial
dependence on international partners.
Currently an estimated 58% of the budget
comes from these partners, slightly down
from last year’s 61%.
The new Chair needs to make the AU
Commission more efficient and relevant
for the African people. The lack of
domestication of AU decisions by
Member States remains a huge challenge
for Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.
Are any breakthroughs possible?
G20 meetings in South Africa offer an
opportunity to show how AU
membership of this body can help
address Africa’s concerns and rally AU
Member States behind a common
agenda. There were meetings of G20
Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Finance
in February, and Heads of State and
Government will meet in November
2025.
In his electoral campaign, Youssouf
pledged to “defend Africa’s fair
representation in international institutions
and to strengthen its role in global
forums”.
He said Africa “must assert itself as
an influential player in global policy
discussion, advancing its economic and
developmental interests”.
With the new government in the US,
this certainly will become an uphill
struggle. This is especially so giving the
pace with which the US President Donald
Trump’s administration is dismantling
established multilateral alliances,
withdrawing from parts of the United
Nations, and appears to be siding with
Russia.
Ulf Engel is Professor at Institute of
African Studies, University of Leipzig.
This article is republished from The
Conversation under a Creative Commons
license. Read the original article at:
https://theconversation.com/africanunions-new-chair-has-a-long-list-oftough-tasks-what-it-will-take-to-get-them
-done-250421.

News
Everyday moments that
shape your child’s future
MARCH 5 - 18 2025
TheTrumpet
Page5
As a rgistered educational psychologist
and a mother, I’ve seen and
experienced firsthand how the
earliest moments of a child’s life can shape
their future.
A child is at the centre of every family -
loved, nurtured, and celebrated. In many
Black African and Caribbean traditions,
children are raised with the belief that “it
takes a village to raise a child.” This sense of
community, storytelling, and shared
experiences plays a crucial role in a child’s
early development.
90% of a child’s brain growth happens by
the age of five, shaping their ability to think,
communicate, and connect with the world
around them. It’s in these early years that
strong foundations are laid, and as parents,
every small interaction - from a gentle smile
or cuddle to a bedtime story - can have a
lasting impact.
You don’t need to buy lots of toys or have
big days out to help your child develop. The
best learning happens naturally through daily
interactions. Talking, playing, and even
involving your child in everyday tasks like
cooking or shopping, help them build
essential life skills and get the right start at
school.
Our culture can play a vital role in a
child’s growth – here are some examples:
· Storytelling: Such as folktales from the
Caribbean or African proverbs, teaching
children about history, language, and
moral lessons.
· Music and Dance: Singing, moving to
Afrobeats, or dancing to reggae helps
develop rhythm, coordination, and
confidence.
· Cooking Together: Preparing Jollof
Rice or Ackee and Saltfish introduces
children to counting, measuring, and
sequencing skills.
· Hair Braiding and Grooming:
Learning to braid or style hair teaches
patience, creativity, and cultural pride.
· Celebrations: Whether it’s a vibrant
Notting Hill Carnival or a traditional
African naming ceremony, these
moments help children build social and
emotional skills.
Top Tips for Supporting Development
1. Take It Slow: Give your child time to
process and explore at their own pace.
2. Chat Back and Forth: Even baby
babbling deserves a response - it
encourages language development.
3. Experience Little Moments Together:
Describe what you see, touch, and smell
while cooking or taking a walk.
4. Be Curious Together: Ask, “What do you
think will happen next?” or “How do you
feel about that?”
5. Be Creative Together: Encourage pretend
play, make up songs, or act out stories
together.
Start for Life: A Valuable and
Practical Guide for Parents
By Dr Patricia Britto
Education, Child &
Adolescent Psychologist
The Start for Life website offers easy-tofollow
advice tailored to busy parents.
Whether you’re looking for speech
development ideas, interactive play tips, or
guidance on building confidence, it’s a great
resource to explore.
The early years are about more than just
learning milestones - they’re about creating
meaningful connections. Through play,
conversation, and cultural traditions, every
interaction leaves a lasting impact.
Visit for inspiration and guidance on
making the most of these vital years.
A Parent’s Perspective:
Chaneen Saliee, Teacher and Mother
of Two, recently voted #1 Mum on Bauer
Media’s Mother and Baby the Mum List,
says: “The Start for Life website has been so
useful for me. It has so many easy and
practical ideas of things I can do with my
children that fit into our daily lives, without
any extra planning. The school run, the
weekly shop, or even sorting the laundry
become important little moments together
with my children that help them develop. The
Start for Life website has been like a little
assistant or guide reminding me that the
things we’re already doing can have a huge
impact in our children’s lives.”

Page6 TheTrumpet MARCH 5 - 18 2025
News
Notting Hill Carnival murderer
bags 18 years jail time
Aman who punched and
kicked a chef near the
Notting Hill Carnival last
August before leaving him dying in
the street to go clubbing has been
jailed for murder.
31-year-old Omar Wilson was
captured on CCTV heading to a
nightclub immediately after the
violent attack.
The jury at the Old Bailey heard
how both men had been in the area to
attend the carnival and crossed paths
later in the evening.
CCTV footage of the attack was
played in court and showed the
moment Wilson approached Mussie
Imnetu and head butted him.
Wilson then continued his attack,
hitting Mussie a further five times
until he fell to the floor, where Wilson
continued to punch and kick his
defenceless victim, who had not
struck him once.
The court heard how Mussie had
collapsed and was motionless, dying
from a bleed on his brain caused by
the blows Wilson had inflicted.
Detectives were able to use the
footage alongside DNA from a pair
of sunglasses dropped at the scene to
prove that Wilson was responsible for
killing Mussie Imnetu.
Wilson of Napier Road,
Leytonstone, was sentenced to 18
years in prison after being found
guilty of murder at the Old Bailey.
Mussie, who was 41 and visiting
the UK from Dubai where he lived
and worked, was found unconscious
with a head injury in Queensway, W2
at 23:22hrs on Monday, 26 August
2024.
Officers were on the scene in
seconds and provided emergency first
aid until paramedics arrived. Mussie
was taken to hospital where, despite
the best efforts of medical staff, he
sadly died on 30 August 2024.
Wilson claimed that he attacked
Mussie in self-defence, however he
was found guilty of murder by a jury
majority.
After the attack Wilson quickly
left the area, actively avoiding police
officers as he did so. He then travelled
across London to attend a nightclub
on Gaunt Street, SE1. This was only
about an hour-and-a-half after his
DNA from a pair of sunglasses dropped at the
scene proved Wilson was responsible for killing
attack on Mussie.
Although Wilson fled the scene,
he dropped his sunglasses and house
and car keys. Officers were able to
recover his DNA from the sunglasses,
and the keys were a perfect fit for his
house and car. Careful analysis by
officers of his phone usage placed
Wilson in the area of Queensway at
the time of the murder.
Officers were also able to piece
together a puzzle of CCTV which
showed the attack and Wilson’s
subsequent journey to the nightclub
on Gaunt Street.
The jury were also shown
messages sent by Wilson to friends in
the aftermath of the attack. In one of
them he said: “There’s a monster in
me ... and it’s just like sometimes it
comes out. And I think I’ve messed
up now … and everything’s finished”
and “I’ve f***** up … I crossed the
line and went overboard. I don’t think
I can come back from this mistake …
I’m going jail in the morning”.
In another he said that “I did the
hands ting…finished one guy man”
and was told by a friend to “get a
solicitor and use your ADHD.”
Wilson was arrested on
Wednesday, 28 August 2024 and
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Mussie Imnetu
charged the following day.
Detective Chief Inspector Brian
Howie from the Met’s Specialist
Crime Command, who led the
investigation, said: “Our thoughts
very much remain with Mussie’s
family and friends in Dubai, Sweden
and London. Mussie was a loving
husband, father, son and a respected
chef. He was in London for a few
days to help train his colleagues and
went out that evening to enjoy the
post Notting Hill Carnival
atmosphere, where tragically he was
violently assaulted.”
Samantha Yelland, of the Crown
Prosecution Service, said: “Our
thoughts remain with Mussie
Imnetu’s devastated family and
friends who loved him dearly, as well
Mussie Imnetu
as those who had to witness the
shocking attack that evening.
“Omar Wilson’s savage violence
ultimately took the life of a muchloved
man, and the Crown
Prosecution Service was determined
that he should face justice.
“The evidence in this case was
overwhelming, with high-quality
CCTV footage showing Wilson
attacking the victim. While Wilson
tried to claim his actions were in selfdefence,
the evidence clearly showed
that he was the only person acting
violently.
“I hope today’s verdict – which
will see Wilson put behind bars for
the murder – provides some comfort
to those who now have to live a life
without Mussie.”

MARCH 5 - 18 2025 TheTrumpet
Page7

Page8 TheTrumpet MARCH 5 - 18 2025
News
Four people jailed over Hounslow
murder
Jailed - Ben Laing
Jailed - Durra Abdi
Four people have been jailed in
London for a total of 48 and a half
years following a Metropolitan
Police Specialist Crime investigation into
the murder of a man in Hounslow.
23-year-old Ben Laing of De Brome
Road, Feltham and 19-year-old Durra Abdi
of Western Avenue, Acton were both
imprisoned for 22 years for fatally stabbing
Tyreece Scott.
Murdered - Tyreece Scott
Laing was also sentenced for being
involved in the supply of drugs, while
Abdi’s custodial sentence included
possession of a bladed article.
Two others were sentenced for
perverting the course of justice.
24-year-old Reda Mohamed of
Linslade Close, Hounslow was jailed for
four and a half years whilst 29-year-old
Morgan Allen of Reeve St, Feltham was
Jailed - Morgan Allen
jailed for two years which was suspended
for 18 months.
In a trial which started last November at
the Old Bailey, the jury heard that shortly
before 01:00hrs on Tuesday, 16 January
2024, Tyreece was stabbed to death on
Hibernia Road, a quiet residential street in
Hounslow.
Despite the efforts of emergency
services, the 24-year-old died as a result of
a stab wound to the chest a short time later.
The prosecution told the jury the
murder happened against a background of
drug dealing, with a dispute over dealing
on other people’s territory.
Detectives worked around the clock to
identify the suspects, and Laing and Abdi
were arrested at Stansted Airport after
landing back in the UK on Friday, 19
January. They were charged with murder
two days later.
Officers gathered a large amount of
CCTV material which was then
painstakingly examined, and enabled them
to match a bag carried by Abdi at the scene
of the murder to one he was carrying when
he was arrested.
Once specialist investigators had
possession of the defendants’ mobile
phones, they were able to recover all sorts
of material including notes, text
conversations and other data, including
website searches of “Hounslow stabbing”
Jailed - Reda Mohamed
on Abdi’s phone which provided vital
evidence during the trial.
Detective Inspector Paul Fagence, who
led the investigation, said: “Drug dealing
is an ugly business which has cost Tyreece
his life.
“The case is a tragic reminder of how
the supply of drugs has devastating
consequences on communities.
“While there was no evidence to
suggest Tyreece knew the defendants, it
was the combination of CCTV, mobile
phones and ANPR technology which
checks vehicles of interest which helped us
build a compelling case against these
defendants.
“Our thoughts remain, as ever, with
Tyreece’s friends and family. We hope
they can now find a level of peace to move
forward with their lives.”
As part of A New Met for London plan,
tackling knife crime and violence is a top
priority for the Metropolitan Police, while
officers are working alongside
communities to crack down on individuals
who supply drugs and seek to cause harm
in London.
You can visit Fearless for advice and
discover real stories about people who
turned their lives around after being
involved in knife crime as well as places
you can go for further help and support.

MARCH 5 - 18 2025 TheTrumpet
Page9

Page10 TheTrumpet MARCH 5 - 18 2025
News
The coming Food Revolution in Lagos
BY REUBEN ABATI
Over the years, a major
received wisdom in Nigeria
is that agriculture is the
mainstay of the economy, its real
foundation for creating employment,
livelihood and opportunities. Truly,
it was the case that Nigeria used to
boast of a thriving agricultural
economy in crop production,
livestock, forestry and fishing, with
every part of the country thriving
agriculturally. The country has over
34 million hectares of arable land,
and a net total area of 79 million
hectares that can be cultivated, and
an irrigable area of 3.14 million
hectares. Between 1961 and the
following decade, Nigeria’s
economy was significantly propelled
by agriculture, the exports from the
sector generating over 40% of
national revenue. Those were the
days when the South West, the
Western region as it then was, built
cocoa plantations, agricultural
extension settlements and
commodity boards. In those days, the
farmer was considered King - Agbe
L’Oba in local parlance.
The tallest building in the
Western region then was actually
known as Cocoa House, built with
agricultural revenue. Farmers were
so powerful in the South West they
even had an activist group named
Agbekoya – meaning “the union of
farmers who reject suffering”. It was
a peasant revolt, led by ordinary
farmers who were so powerful they
rejected Federal Government
taxation and State regulations of
agricultural co-operatives. These
farmers were so powerful they
thought they should have a say in
government policies, particularly
taxation. Their wealth had helped to
develop the region in terms of
Awolowo’s education programmes
and the development of
infrastructure. In the North, there
were groundnut pyramids, pyramid
structures built by the likes of
Alhassan Dantata, a prominent nut
and cotton trader who oversaw
exports of groundnuts to the Royal
Niger Company. The pyramids were
so central to Nigeria they found their
way to the country’s postage stamp.
In the Mid-West, there were rubber
plantations along a substantial stretch
of the road from the West to the Mid-
West.
The Middle Belt was known as
the food basket of Nigeria, where
everything that was edible could be
Prince S J Samuel
cultivated, from livestock to
tomatoes and yams. In the South-
South, Nigeria produced a thriving
fishing industry. Indeed, the country
earned its spurs as one of the best
countries in the world in agriculture:
the world’s largest producer of
cassava, yam, the second largest
producer of sorghum, the fifth largest
producer of palm oil and cocoa
beans, and the third largest producer
of peanuts and sweet potatoes. The
country was so rich, it had enough
food to feed itself and enough for
exports. This is the same country
today where food inflation is over
50% in some States. This is the same
country where ordinary Nigerians
complain about the high cost of food
and survival. In the South West, they
say “Ebi n pa wa” -meaning we are
hungry. In this same country where
a Federal Minister, Alhaji Umaru
Dikko, who was in charge of the
Federal Government’s Committee on
rice distribution in the 80s, once
boasted that Nigerians were not
eating from the dustbin because the
government provided sufficient
food; it is now a fact that Nigerians
would be happy to eat from the
Continued on Page 11<

Opinion
MARCH 5 - 18 2025 TheTrumpet Page11
The coming Food Revolution in Lagos
Continued from Page 10<
dustbin. Even those dustbins are
empty.
The cause of the problem first and
foremost is that Nigeria found oil,
and the economy moved away from
agriculture to oil exploration and the
petro-dollar that came with it. The
new rulers of Nigeria in military
uniform abandoned agriculture, the
country’s economic mainstay. Oil
brought so much wealth - a former
Head of State boasted that Nigeria’s
problem was not money but how to
spend it! The farmers left the rural
farms and trooped to the urban
centres to gain close access to their
own share of the national cake of oil
revenue. But Nigeria’s crude oil
brought nothing but misery: it
divided the country along ethnic and
geographical lines, it created a new
elite that chose rent collection as a
way of life. The entire country
became indolent. Agriculture was
abandoned because it requires much
thinking, preparation and hardwork.
There have been efforts in the past to
revive agriculture but every effort in
that direction has not worked due to
lack of commitment, absence of
continuity, corruption, waste and
poor organization. In 1976, in his
first coming as Nigeria’s Head of
State, President Olusegun Obasanjo
introduced what he called
“Operation Feed the Nation” to
increase food production, healthy
nutrition and promote farming. In
1979/80, the Shagari administration
focused on what was called the
“Green Revolution”, to ensure food
security. Between 1976 and 1980,
there were also fertilizer distribution
programmes. All of these initiatives,
brilliant as they were on paper failed
to achieve their objectives. By 2008,
President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua
was telling the Food Agricultural
Organization (FAO) about his
Lagos Food Security System and Logistics Hub
Continued on Page 14<

Page12 TheTrumpet MARCH 5 - 18 2025

News
MARCH 5 - 18 2025 TheTrumpet Page13
Man pleads guilty to manslaughter
32-year-old Adejuwon
Olufemi Alexander Jnr
Oyekan has pleaded guilty to
manslaughter through diminished
responsibility, after he stabbed his
stepfather in his own home.
Oyekan of Melina Close, Hayes,
pleaded guilty to manslaughter
through diminished responsibility at
the Old Bailey earlier this week.
Officers were called to a
residence in Hayes in the early
hours of Tuesday, 11 July 2023, to
reports that Oyekan had stabbed his
54-year-old stepfather Jason
Thompson.
When they arrived, officers were
faced with Oyekan still armed with
the knife which he had used to
attack Jason.
After the first responding officers
had gained entry to residence they
challenged Oyekan, initially using
their tasers in an attempt to disarm
him. When this was unsuccessful,
they then left the address to await
support from armed response
Victim - Jason Thompson
officers to detain him.
When officers returned to the
property, they made it their priority
to assist Jason. However, sadly and
despite the best efforts of the
emergency services, Jason died
from his injuries at the scene.
Detective Chief Inspector Laura
Semple from the Met’s Public
Protection Partnership, said: “Our
thoughts remain with Jason’s family
throughout this difficult time.
“I’d like to thank the first
responding officers who attended
the scene and demonstrated huge
bravery to challenge the suspect,
who was armed and acting
aggressively.
“Their quick thinking, to use the
tools at their disposal, guaranteed
Oyekan was admitted to custody
from the scene, and did not go on to
pose a wider threat to the public.”
Oyekan is due to be sentenced on
Thursday 10 April.

Page14 TheTrumpet MARCH 5 - 18 2025
Opinion
The coming Food Revolution in Lagos
Continued from Page 11<
administration’s commitment to the
Millennium Development Goals of
nutrition security, poverty and
hunger reduction, even if budgetary
allocation to agriculture then was a
mere 7%.
In order not to delay us with
history, let us jump to the Jonathan
administration, 2010-2015 under
which a blueprint for agricultural
development was introduced and led
by Dr. Akinwumi Adesina who
before his appointment had been the
Vice President of Policy and
Partnerships for the Alliance for a
Green Revolution in Africa
(AGRA). He had also worked as a
Senior Economist at the West
African Rice Development
Association (WARDA), Ivory Coast.
Adesina’s natural inclination as
Minister was to revolutionize
agriculture, turn it into a business and
reinvent it. He was succeeded by
Audu Ogbeh who threw away his
blueprint and confused agriculture
with politics. It is widely believed, in
any case, that the Buhari
administration was not keen about
anything that required any measure
of rigour. The agriculture value chain
in Nigeria also suffered due to low
budgetary allocation, lack of political
will, politics, the fixation of the
leaders with easy oil wealth. The
problem has since been compounded
by the effects of climate change,
insecurity in the country which
makes it difficult for farmers to get
to their farms or feed their cattle, oil
pollution in the Niger Delta which
has destroyed aquatic life and the
politicization of agriculture.
This is the setting that President
Bola Ahmed Tinubu inherited in
2023. Food inflation is the biggest
problem in Nigeria today. Oil
exploration has become problematic.
There is no money to buy food. It is
still the same land, but not enough to
eat, and where food is available, it is
costly. Tinubu has been talking about
food security and the need for the
States to work together with the
Federal Government to address this
national emergency. I find quality
response from two States: the Niger
State administration of Governor
Umar Mohammed Bago, the farmer-
Governor and the Chrislam who
sings and leads Christian praise
worship sessions despite being a
Muslim. Besides singing Christian
songs as a Muslim, Bago is investing
heavily in agriculture. The other
Governor is Babajide Sanwoolu of
Lagos State, who is about to cause a
food revolution in Lagos. The rest of
this piece is devoted to the example
of Lagos State and my recent eyewitness
account of the State’s
response to Nigeria’s food dilemma.
In February 2024, I was the
moderator of a media chat, the
Governor’s first tagged “Sanwoolu
Speaks” where in the context of the
complaints about hunger in the State,
the Governor promised among other
things to launch what he called
“Ounje Eko”- that is Lagos Food
Initiative to support households and
make food affordable. Within weeks
after that media chat, Governor
Sanwoolu launched the “Ounje Eko”
Initiative, to give 25% food subsidy
to Lagos residents in 60 locations
across the State in all the local
government areas. By July 2024, the
Lagos government had chosen to
rename the Ministry of Agriculture
to become the Ministry of
Agriculture and Food Systems. The
new emphasis was to create and
develop in an efficient manner, a
value chain in Lagos State from the
farm to the market to achieve supply
and price stability. By October 2024,
Lagos State launched the Fresh Food
Hub Initiative, with the pilot project
in Idi-Oro, Mushin. The concept is
that of a one stop for very fresh food
at affordable and unbeatable prices.
It is a Public-Private Partnership
project, a good demonstration of how
the government can collaborate with
entrepreneurs with knowledge and
expertise to innovate and elevate.
The other day, I ran into the
Chairman of the company - Origin
Tech Group that is in partnership
with the Lagos State Government on
the project. His name is Prince
Samuel J. Samuel. He is Chairman of
about 22 companies including
Sensale, Greener Hope, Landcraft,
Rhema Project, Origin Agriculture,
Origin Automobile and so on and so
forth. His main project and mission
is to partner with government to
revolutionize agriculture. He
believes that agriculture is one area
in which Nigeria can make a quick
difference in the people’s lives:
create jobs, provide food at
affordable rates, develop
communities, and develop
mechanized farming. “Many
Nigerians are trained but they are
untested”, he told me. Investment in
agriculture can build resilient food
systems and develop expertise. His
company has since worked with the
Sanwoolu Government to develop a
5-year Agric Strategic Plan for Lagos
State. It is sub-titled “Lagos State
Agriculture Development Roadmap
– Making Lagos a 21 st Century
Economy.” Prince Samuel says he
has had to suspend every other
project he is working on because he
is inspired by Governor Sanwoolu’s
commitment and determination. His
Origin Tech Chairman - Prince Samuel J Samuel and Nigeria's Minister of Agriculture and Food Security - Senator Abubakar Kyari
company designed and built the
Middle Level Market in Idi Oro,
Mushin. But that he said is just the
beginning of a carefully thought-out
programme for Lagos State.
Last week, he invited me to visit
the Food Logistics Hub that is being
built in the Epe Division of the State.
The plan is to commission the first
phase of this Logistics Hub for
Agriculture in May, 2025. It is
located in Ketu-Ejinrin, a quiet, rural
community that is about to be
transformed. For over two hours, we
inspected the vast farmland and food
processing centre that is under
construction. The phase one sits on
2.2 million square metres of land,
and when the hub is completed, it
will occupy 4.2 million square
metres. Origin Group and the Lagos
Continued on Page 15>

Opinion
MARCH 5 - 18 2025 TheTrumpet Page15
The coming Food Revolution in Lagos
Continued from Page 14<
Government are constructing a total
of 60 kms network of roads within
the farm settlement, 18 km is already
built with full concrete, of about
more than 4 metres in diameter.
Some of the facilities at the
location include a weighbridge, an
administrative block of five floors, a
cold storage on 15,000 square
metres, a large dry store area, 11
dealing areas sitting on 7,000 sq.
metres (8 nearing completion),
storage silos of 1.5 million tonnes
when fully completed, a clinic, and a
truck terminal with a processing and
parking capacity of 1,560 trucks per
day. When fully completed, this
facility will be powered with a 4
MW gas plant, backed up with 27
MW of solar capacity. The Lagos
Food System hub is patterned after
the Marche d’Interet National de
Rungis in Paris, the largest food
market in the world. A similar
market co-operative is the Royal
FloraHolland. The Lagos farm
logistics hub is designed to sell
wholesale products to traders who
then distribute to other networks
within the State. The objective, says
Samuel, is to ensure market and price
stability. I marvelled at the expanse
of land, stretching as far as the
Lagoon with jetty locations abutting
the farm. Five kilometres away is
another farm, a ranch for cows. Over
250 million dollars have so far been
spent. The workers at the location
were all Nigerians including the
engineers and security personnel.
“We could not have done this
without Governor Sanwoolu”, he
said. “If Dangote can build a whole
refinery, that in itself is inspiring.
Other entrepreneurs can do it.
Governor Sanwoolu told me let’s do
it. By the time you visit this site in
another month, you’d be surprised.”
Would he opt for a Free Zone
model? “No”, he retorted. “We don’t
want customs disturbing our offtakers.
Do you know what killed
Tinapa? Brilliant idea. Free Trade
Zone killed it.”
How about exports? “That is not
our priority. The Governor wants the
people of Lagos to get food at stable
and affordable prices, that is his
primary target.”
When we left Ketu-Ejinrin, our
next stop was Abijo, near the Lagos
Business School where Lagos State
is building another Middle Level
Prince S J Samuel (middle left) takes Lagos State Governor - Babajide Sanwo-Olu on a tour of Lagos Food Security System and Logistics Hub
Market. “If you look around, you
will see that markets in Lagos States
developed organically. What
Governor Sanwoolu is trying to do is
to organize the farm to market value
chain in line with world standards,”
Prince Samuel said. The Abijo
Market is the same as the one in Idi
Oro, Mushin. Lagos State plans to
build about 60 of such markets
across the State. A beautiful
structure, with ample parking space.
The market is to be operated on a
trade-as-you-go-basis. The market
like the one in Idi-Oro is also open to
all Lagosians. I pointed out that I had
seen something similar in Rwanda.
Prince Samuel dismissed that
quickly. “The Lagos vision is bigger
than that!”
From Abijo, we also inspected
Origin Group factories in Oregun
and Surulere where state of the art
mechanized farming equipment has
been kept aside, to launch perhaps
the most extensive mechanized
farming programme that Nigeria has
ever seen, when the logistics hub is
completed. I was worried though that
Governor Sanwoolu has just two
more years left in office. Is there any
guarantee that this legacy project will
be sustained by his successors?
Perhaps the private sector
partnership is a form of guarantee.
Prince Samuel is as committed to the
project as the Governor. A former
Tomato Puree maker, he sees
agriculture as a business and a
passion. He believes that with
agriculture, Nigeria cannot fail, nor
should the country worry about the
energy transition, an area where
Nigeria is so far behind. Agriculture
he says is the future. Prince Samuel
is also an author, he believes that
research is everything, and that
technology has changed the world
for good. He has found a good
soulmate in the Governor of Lagos
State. The Lagos 5-year Agric Plan
should be shared with other States of
the Federation and the Federal
Government. Nigerians must fight
the scourge of hunger. No Nigerian
male or female, must ever go to bed
hungry. President Tinubu and the
Governors must feed the nation and
encourage local entrepreneurs
working in the agric sector and other
sectors. Dangote’s example in oil
and gas has catalyzed courage and
ambition in the country. Let more
Dangotes who dream big (!) emerge
across the landscape.

Page16 TheTrumpet MARCH 5 - 18 2025
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