The Kogi State Government and All Farmers Association of Nigeria on Sunday called for prayers for rainfall following the devastating effects of drought on farm crops and food security in the state.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Timothy Ojomah and AFAN Chairman, Salihu Adobayi made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lokoja.
“We have to resort to prayers for God to help send rain to us in Kogi because we may not achieve the desired food production and security.
“For over a month now, there’s been no rain, and the devastating effects of drought in the state are going to hamper what the state government has done for farmers this year in terms of intervention.
“In fact, if things work right, we are expecting bumper harvests.
“Unfortunately, we are facing drought across the state right now. It has affected most of our crops. Mostly affected are rice and maize farms, especially those that are almost maturing. I was at my maize farm yesterday, and it was a pitiful situation,” Adobayi said.
According to Adobayi, before the drought, what was experienced in most farms across the state was very encouraging.
“This is because the government provided well over 8,000 hectares of land to various farmers for cultivation of Rice, Maize and Cassava, and all were cultivated and looked very promising until the drought set in.
“Our hope is in God and the prediction of NiMET that there can be a serious downpour beginning August 18.
“If the rain falls, there is hope that some crops can be saved, but if it persists, then it will not augur well for us because the crops depend on water to survive,” he said.
Ojomah disclosed that the state government was looking at opportunities of going into full mechanised farming by providing irrigation facilities, especially solar powered water pumps to farmers.
“We think that’s the way to go because this fossil fuel is not cheap to buy, and it’s going higher and higher by the day.
“So we are thinking of investing in production of solar water pumping machines for our farmers in the state. In that way, farming will not be restricted to the rainy season but all round seasons.
“In that situation, you will see that there’s food for our teaming masses. This is because one can cultivate plants in the next three months and harvest.
“It won’t be one seasonal thing again that you have to wait for a longer period before going back to the farm.”
Also, Adobayi said the seizure of rain one month has negatively affected the plans of the state government for farmers in the state.
The AFAN chairman noted that most of the crops were almost drying up and “we have resorted to serious prayers in groups, begging God for rain to fall on our crops and save the situation.
“The last rain we had was on July 11. Since then, we have been praying to God to send down rain.
“All the same, all hope is not lost. We believe God can still help us to experience a bumper harvest this year.
“If the government will introduce the use of solar water pumps for farmers in the state, it will place Kogi on a high pedestal in food production and security in the country.
“This is because it will help us overcome this drought that we are experiencing now and any that may surface in future.”
Osun Muslims hold special prayers for rainfall
Also, the Chief Imam of Osogbo, Osun State, Sheikh Musa Animasaun, on Sunday led a prayer session to seek God’s face over the lack of rain being experienced in the state.
The prayer session, which lasted for about one hour and 30 minutes, was preceded by a non-obligatory two raka’at prayer led by Animasaun, who is also the Grand Imam of Osun State.
Addressing participants at the event held at Osogbo Central Eid Prayer Ground, Osogbo, Animasaun, urged residents of the state to continue seeking God’s intervention with pure heart to end drought.
“Whenever there is a possible threat of drought, we are enjoined by Allah through His Prophet Muhammad to go back to Him, and seek His guidance and forgiveness,” Animasaun said.
The Chairman, Osun State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Maruf Isola, said in his sermon that divine intervention for rain has become necessary as the drought being experienced was already harming the residents.
Isola further said the hardship caused by the lack of rain must be confronted with prayers since God has assured His servants of prompt response when called upon in a situation such as the one facing the people currently.
He said, “Allah has assured us that He would not change our pleasure to hardship as long as we remain loyal to Him. Definitely, the situation we are facing must have been caused by us.
We have turned against God.
“We need to confess our sins for this hardship to end. Some clerics have knowledge of the Quran but they are not using it to serve God. Instead, they will go on social media and abuse people.
“Every good thing God has given us, we are using them to sin against the same God. We need to seek forgiveness for our sins. All people are after is money, no love for humanity again. We need to return to God for the hardship to end. If we confess our sins, God will give us rain.” (NAN)
