Pa Folajimi Israel Akinsulure is from Idanre town, in Idanre local government area of Ondo State. He attended Saint George’s Primary School, Idale, Idanre, after which he proceeded to the Anglican Modern School also in Idale, where he spent just one year. during his first of the three-year course at the Mordern school he applied to and got admission to Olofin Grammar School, which happen to be one of the premier schools in the State. That was where he got formally introduced to the idea of farming. Because he thought, with education, he was escaping from the practice of farming, which was the career of his parents. After secondary school, he got a job with the Ministry of Agriculture, Lagos State as an Agric assistant. The Lagos state government later gave him a scholarship to study up the Higher National Diploma level in agriculture. He worked with the state government in different capacities until his retirement in 2001. He then swore never to return to salaried job. Now, in old age, and years after retirement from public service, Pa Akinsulure is not thinking of retiring from his passion. He told Idowu Michael, in this interview, “in Farming, you don’t retire.” He said vegetable farming gives good return on investment.
For how many years have you been in this farming business?
I can say, since when I was young. When I was able to differentiate between one and two, I was brought up within the fold of farmers, my parents back then, were farmers at Idanre, a town in Ondo State.
Idanre was known for cocoa farming?
Yes, that was what they are into, even up till this present moment, cocoa is their leading crop. My parents too, were part of cocoa farming back then at Idanre.
You are not planting cocoa, but maize and vegetables, what brought about this?
You know in Nigeria, we have different zones, we have Savannah, Forest zones etc, depending on the zone you belong to, here in South West, we are in the forest zone, but like I told you earlier, I was born into cocoa farming, but things changed, When I got into secondary School, precisely in class two, the one they call JSS two, these days, government introduced Agriculture into our curriculum. By the time the teacher who was to teach us the subject entered our classroom, he wrote Agriculture on the blackboard, we were like, ‘What type of subject is this?’
We later realised that, we have been doing Agriculture in bits and pieces, under Nature Studies.
When the teacher then defined Agriculture, it’s importance to humans, I was highly impressed.
Why?
You know those days , before you pass any subject, you have to cram, but here we are, with Agriculture,90 percent of it was practical, what you discussed in the classroom will be praticalised, that was how I developed interest in agriculture.
So, what happened when you left Secondary School?
You know, I later realised that what God was doing with me was marvelous, by the time I left Secondary School, I was employed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Lagos State as Agric. Assistant in training. I didn’t even know the meaning then, but later when my boss analysed the meaning, I was more impressed.
He told me that I would be sent for training by the government, precisely, school of Agriculture, and since I have interest in it, I was very happy.
Were you really sent for the training?
During the period we had a little problem, because we are the last set to be so employed, in the Ministry, the government was no longer making any move towards our training, so we approached our head of department, he was the one who told us that government had had a rethink toward mass sponsorship, that if any of us was interested ,he or she can buy the form and he will recommend the person for sponsorship.
So, you bought the form?
Yes, I did, I was recommended for sponsorship, and Lagos State sent me to the School of Agriculture, Akure, Ondo State, where I obtained my ND (National Diploma) after two years. Then, I got my HND, National Higher Diploma at Moore Plantation, Ibadan, Oyo State.
What was your job assignment when you finished training?
Immediately I came back, I was posted to Gari processing section, after some time one of my bosses requested I joined him in record keeping section at our Headquarters, after some years, I was posted to Seed Multiplication Unit, (SMU) at Ikorodu.
How many years did you spend in service before your retirement?
I spent nineteen years all together.
Did you retire voluntarily?
No, this was during the time of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as governor of Lagos State.
There was this problem between workers and the government of Lagos State regarding minimum wage, I mean the Civil Servants, when Akele was our labour leader in the State.
So, the state asked non indigenes to compulsorily retire, and since I am from Ondo State, I had to leave.
Were you the only person?
No, it was for non-indigenes, though, I was not up to retirement age then, but there is a section in the Civil service condition of service, that when you are compulsorily retired, government will pay your pension.
Were you paid all your entitlement?
Yes, all were paid.
…….And that was when you found yourself full-time farming?
Immediately I retired, I told my wife, that hence forth, ‘I am working for myself, I am no longer serving anybody but myself, after nineteen years of unbroken government service.’ That was 2001, and since then, I have been a full time farmer.
Your full time farming started from where?
I started from Ikorodu, precisely at Mowo. I had a plot of land, where I planted Maize, that was how I started. But when I moved out from my rented apartment at Oke Ira, Lagos State, to Lambe, an area in Ogun State, that was when I had two and half plots of land near my house for farming activities, where I planted vegetables only.
Did you move to some other areas after this?
Yes, that was when I moved to Oke Aro, still in Ogun State.
At Water Corporation, which belongs to Lagos State, where I had a friend then.
After my foot hold at water cooperation, that was when I moved to this place, the land, which belongs to FAAN (Federal Aviation Authority of Nigeria) , they only allowed us to do our subsistence farming on a part of the land. As I am talking to you, if I get another piece of land for farming, I will move there.
Judging from your experience, from which area have you benefited most?
Most of my benefits come from my farm at Water Cooperation, Oke Aro, because of the large expanse of land that I have there.
When you compare your service years to what you are doing now, which one do you think you enjoy most?
Like I told you earlier, that after my retirement, I resolved not to work for anyone, since then, I have a lot of time to myself, waking up early in the morning to rush to board buses, while going to work, is out of it. I can plan my time, and since I can provide for myself and family without losing sleep, I am comforted.
Looking around, your interest is in maize and vegetables. Any reason for this?
One, it depends on individual involved. Two, when you compare the amount of money accruable to someone who planted vegetables and someone who planted cassava, they are not the same.
Before you can get anything from cassava, you need to wait for at least six months, while vegetables is three weeks.
With a small piece of land, you can do well with vegetables all year round, feed your family comfortably, because, when you plant vegetables, is more or less salary earning process, within three to six weeks, you have started earning on your vegetables. It doesn’t give stress; hence, it is better.
For maize, maturity date is between seventy-five and eighty-two days, this means under three months, you have started earning.
This is not the same with cassava or any other crop.
Youth of these days are not interested in farming, what do you think is responsible?
One, I can say, it depends on family background, my second son, read accountancy, he is into farming. It is what I used in training my children in the University, because they were all in Secondary schools when I retired, they have seen it, they like it.
If you visit Oke Aro, Water Cooperation, premises now, you see a lot of youth, so I can say, it is not all them that are not interested in farming. To address this too, the youths need orientation, as to what they start to gain from farming or agriculture in general.
I can see that all your crops are green, what are those things you use in nurturing them?
I use both organic and inorganic manures, since some of the farmlands are spent already, they are not productive, I incorporate organic manure into the soil, by ploughing them into the soil before planting.
For this, I prefer using pig dung’s, which is available here, and very good too. I then complement it with inorganic manures, which is fertiliser.
How do you sell your produce?
I do sell to retailers, they in turn sell to their new customers.
Do you always have good returns on what you sell?
Yes I do, but government can still come to our aid in agriculture, because in some other countries of the world, governments buy these produce off their farmers, thereby more money for these farmers, and this too reduces their stress.
What do you think our government should do for farmers?
I have been telling my colleagues that the only way government can assist farmers is by giving grants. I don’t believe in loans, because, when you give loan the conditions attached can cause set back to farmers, because farming is time dependent.
But when you subsidise or give grants, preferably subsidy.
This is like what is to cost 500 Naira, you subsidised it by 250 naira, it then means you paid only 250 naira for it. This will encourage farmers; it will reduce the cost of production.
If your cost of production is high, definitely selling prices will be high too.
What is your take on the Commodity Board?
We were told about the Commodity Board during the first republic, if we have it ,it will assist farmers and so also government, it will stand between farmers and their consumers, there will be less stress. It will bring more money to the parties involved.
Looking at all indices, it’s like you are the best farmer around here?
Well, if you say so, I will accept, but you don’t expect me to praise myself.
The whole thing boils down to passion, if you want to enjoy what you do, you need passion, that is why you think I am the best around here.
What is your advice to the federal and state governments regarding farming?
Government should lead us back to the basics in farming, we heard stories about Baba (Obafemi) Awolowo’s farm settlements. Farmers were catered for, supported. You have cocoa, coffee and cola nuts in the south, while the North was producing cotton, groundnuts, hide and skin, South East was into coal, palm oil.
If the government can go back to this initiative, we will be better for it. Clear a large expanse of land in the bush, provide all the necessary amenities, our youth will be interested in farming again. There won’t be any (problem of unemployment). If they can feed themselves and have produce to sell with the help of the government, agriculture will take is rightful place.
What do you think about Cooperative?
Cooperative is good, it allows people of like mind to come together for their mutual benefit, they hold meetings, contribute money, this allows for competition and healthy development.
What is your take on women in farming?
It is very good; this should be encouraged. Women from southeast and south south are good farmers. We have some of them here in the southwest too.
They should be encouraged for more food stability and security.
Are you thinking about retirement?
No, in Farming, you don’t retire. My parents were in it until their final days.
Farming is practical, what you do can be assessed. Farmers also should look at the way they dress, people think they are not social and more so don’t have money. I will tell you a story, I went to one of these companies in Ibadan, Oyo State to buy chemicals. On reaching there, some people were seated. There was this man who beckoned to me to take over his seat, first, I declined, after much persuasion, I took the seat and thanked him.
What am I saying, after our transactions, I met the man outside, you won’t believe the type of SUV he rode to the place, but he was
a farmer from Oke Ogun in Oyo State. These are things that can encourage our youths.
