I WAS THEIR FIRST SPONSOR, BODYGUARD” — HENRY OKOYE OPENS UP ON P-SQUARE FAMILY FEUD By Hybridteck The long-running family crisis surrounding Nigeria’s iconic music duo, P-Square , has once again attracted public attention following fresh comments attributed to their elder brother, Henry Okoye . Henry has reportedly opened up about his relationship with Peter and Paul Okoye, popularly known as Mr P and Rudeboy , respectively, while reflecting on the brothers’ journey from their early days to becoming one of Africa’s most successful musical acts. According to the account attributed to Henry, his relationship with the twins went beyond that of an elder brother. He reportedly described himself as one of the earliest people who supported and protected them as they pursued their musical ambitions. “I was their first sponsor, bodyguard…” The statement has generated reactions among fans who have followed the Okoye family story for years. THE EARLY DAYS Before P-Square became household names ...
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BOA, WACOT Begin Farm Input Distribution to Smallholder Farmers in Jigawa
The Bank of Agriculture (BOA), in partnership with WACOT Limited, has commenced the distribution of agricultural inputs to smallholder farmers in Jigawa State under the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Smallholder Support and Value Chain Programme.
The intervention is part of ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to strengthen food production, reduce the financial burden of farming and improve the incomes and livelihoods of smallholder farmers across Nigeria.
The Renewed Hope programme is built around a broader value-chain approach, providing participating farmers with access to quality inputs while strengthening connections to extension services, financing and reliable markets. The objective is to ensure that farmers are supported not only at the planting stage but throughout the production and marketing cycle.
Supporting Farmers With Quality Inputs
Under the initiative, participating farmers are being supported with essential agricultural inputs designed to improve productivity and increase crop yields. Such interventions are particularly important as farmers face rising production costs and other challenges affecting agricultural output.
BOA has described the Renewed Hope Smallholder Support and Value Chain Programme as part of its broader mandate to provide agricultural finance and support value-chain activities across the country.
The bank's nationwide programme is designed to reach millions of smallholder farmers. At its national flag-off in Zaria, Kaduna State, BOA disclosed that the programme was targeting two million farmers, with more than 10 million bags of fertiliser and improved seeds expected to be deployed through Farmer Aggregation Companies and accredited input suppliers. (Agri-Business Bank)
WACOT's Role in the Agricultural Value Chain
The partnership with WACOT Limited is significant because the company has considerable experience working with smallholder farmers, particularly through its outgrower programmes.
WACOT says its agricultural programmes provide farmers with inputs, extension support, training and market linkages. The company also operates an organic sesame programme in Jigawa State, where it works with farmers to improve productivity and promote sustainable agricultural practices. (Wacot Limited)
Through structured partnerships such as this, farmers can gain access to agricultural inputs and technical support while also benefiting from stronger links to markets and buyers.
Beyond Fertiliser Distribution
The Renewed Hope initiative is designed to go beyond the simple distribution of fertiliser and seeds.
A key component of the programme is the establishment of stronger connections between farmers and the agricultural market. Under the model announced by the Federal Government and BOA, participating farmers are linked with Farmer Aggregation Companies that can provide inputs and extension support during production and purchase harvested produce through a Guaranteed Minimum Price mechanism.
The Guaranteed Minimum Price model is intended to reduce one of the major risks faced by smallholder farmers: uncertainty about where and at what price they will sell their produce after harvest.
The Federal Ministry of Information reported that the programme is targeting two million smallholder farmers nationwide and is expected to distribute more than 10 million bags of fertiliser, alongside improved seeds. The government said the intervention is intended to improve productivity while providing farmers with greater market certainty. (Federal Ministry of Info)
Jigawa Farmers Set to Benefit
For farmers in Jigawa, the commencement of input distribution represents an opportunity to improve production during the farming season.
Access to affordable and quality inputs can help farmers reduce production constraints and improve yields, while technical support and market arrangements can provide additional assistance throughout the agricultural cycle.
The initiative also has potential implications for rural communities, where increased agricultural activity can generate employment, strengthen local businesses and contribute to improved household incomes.
Jigawa is an important agricultural state, and interventions aimed at improving productivity among smallholder farmers can contribute to both household food security and the supply of agricultural commodities to wider Nigerian markets.
Part of a Nationwide Agricultural Drive
The Jigawa intervention comes amid a wider rollout of the Renewed Hope Smallholder Support and Value Chain Programme across several states.
BOA has already partnered with different private-sector organisations to implement similar initiatives. In Gombe State, for example, the bank partnered with Algir Integrated Services Limited to provide farmers with improved seeds, fertiliser, crop protection products and market linkages. (Agri-Business Bank)
In Katsina, BOA also partnered with AFEX for the wet-season input distribution programme, while other state-level partnerships have been announced as part of the national rollout. (Agri-Business Bank)
The nationwide approach demonstrates the Federal Government's attempt to move from isolated agricultural interventions toward a more coordinated system connecting finance, inputs, production, extension services and markets.
Boosting Food Security and Farmers' Income
Nigeria continues to face the challenge of increasing domestic food production while ensuring that farmers can earn sustainable incomes from agriculture.
For many smallholder farmers, the cost of fertiliser, seeds, crop protection products, labour and other inputs remains a major constraint. At the same time, farmers can face difficulties accessing dependable markets after harvest.
By combining input support with financing, extension services and market linkages, the Renewed Hope programme seeks to address several of these challenges simultaneously.
BOA's Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ayo Sotinrin, has emphasised that agricultural transformation requires coordination across the entire value chain—from production and processing to financing and market access. (Agri-Business Bank)
The commencement of input distribution in Jigawa therefore represents more than the delivery of farm supplies. It forms part of a broader effort to build a more productive and commercially sustainable agricultural system in which smallholder farmers have the resources and market opportunities needed to increase production.
If effectively implemented, the programme could help farmers improve yields, reduce production risks, increase household income and contribute to Nigeria's wider food-security objectives.
The collaboration between BOA and WACOT also highlights the growing importance of public-private partnerships in agricultural development, with financial institutions, agribusinesses and government working together to strengthen the country's food production system.
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