BNC Urges public to dismiss rumour of looming crisis in NIFOR 

By OGB Joseph

The Benin National Congress has dismissed the rumoured and looming crisis in NIFOR saying after it has judiciously investigated the premise of a recent publication to the effect that crisis looms in NIFOR and host communities over the delay in the release of a purported CEO selection test result.

In a statement signed by Pastor Amadin Owas, Vice President, Benin National Congress, worldwide, BNC to counter malicious and fake news stating that the BNC found that the publication is fake news, no Elder’s forum is calling for any result and no looming crisis anywhere in and around NIFOR.

The statement read: ” NIFOR and her host communities are experiencing unprecedented peace and harmony than they have enjoyed in the last 84 years of hosting the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) due to the expertise of the current administration. Kudos to the administrative prowess of the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security; Senator Abubakar Kyari, CON as well as other thoroughbred Personnel of the Ministry.

” Although, we are not a mouthpiece of the current NIFOR administration and neither are we acquainted with the management members but the truth be told, we were dumbfounded, gobsmacked and extremely surprised at their achievements within one year and yet these achievements are not in the public domain. These can be fact checked from their staff members.

” Our investigation showed that the current administration has prioritized research and staff welfare since its inception. To name a few, the current administration made transportation available to reduce staff transportation cost by more than 70%, provided palliatives to staff members of the NIFOR including Christmas welfare packages that listed rice, Palm oil and highly discounted beef and chicken to all staff including daily paid workers; the first they have ever experienced since the inception of the Institute,”  Owas noted.

Continuing, he added: ” Other reforms included ensuring stable power and water supply to the staff campus, re-engineering of scientific collaboration with Global Scientific Institutions and the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences that would see NIFOR enjoying cutting edge scientific technologies in planting materials development (indeed, one of NIFOR’s female Scientists has travelled to China within this month as part of the fully funded scientific exchange).

” NIFOR planting materials product differentiation for the production of drought tolerant, short stem  and high yielding oil Palm designed for North Central region of Nigeria, production of oil palm virescens planting materials (First of its kind globally), introduction of machinery for production and packaging of Coconut water to enhance the Coconut value chain, production of Coconut planting materials to supply NIFOR’s indebtedness to value chain stakeholders since year 2022.

“Improved patronage of NIFOR planting materials by oil Palm estates in Nigeria and other parts of Africa, development and fabrication of a-3tonne per hour fresh fruit bunch processing mill, promotion of organic agriculture as a climate smart protocol for enhancing small farmer resilience, establishment of an ultra modern Date Palm irrigated model field at Dutse, Jigawa State to provide planting materials for future participation in international trade in Date fruits”,he said.

The group explained that this is first of its kind since the establishment of the Institute stressing that the establishment of a factory for the processing and packaging of Date fruits to achieve industrialization of the Date Palm value chain,  expansion of the germplasm of almost all NIFOR mandate crops, expansion of the NIFOR oil Palm nursery from 250,000 seedlings per annum to 700,000 seedlings per annum.

” The achievement of an industrial 9” diameter borehole for irrigation at 720 feet depth, rehabilitation of the molecular laboratory to control microbial contamination and equipment with 24hours power supply, expansion of NIFOR sprouted oil palm seed production to 14million seeds per annum, e.t.c. These are a small fraction of the achievements within one year of the new administration.

” A peep at the details of their year 2025 budget will provide you an insight into the efforts at rediscovering the glory days of NIFOR.BNC findings however showed that the ominous publication was allegedly sponsored by a cohort of aggrieved/retrogressive  staff of NIFOR led by a management staff that was found guilty of illegal sales of oil Palm seedlings including sales of experimental oil palm seedlings of his junior colleagues.

” The current administration found out through a panel that he had engaged himself in these fraudulent practices over the years. The publication was therefore done to draw negative attention to the Institute.The Benin National Congress (BNC) respectfully call on the Nigeria’s Security and Intelligence community to investigate and arrest the authors of the publication on social media, reason being that, it is a direct attempt at destabilizing the state through misinformation and calculated act of spreading  fake news to the Nigerian Society.

” For the umpteenth time, let us inform the authors of this mischievous voyage that, the pending issue in NIFOR that is being resolved by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security are the legal cases that resulted from the appointment and the unfortunate cancellation of Dr Napoleon O. Aisueni as Director/Chief Executive Officer of NIFOR.

” The Benin National Congress has been involved with this case from inception in year 2017 because Dr Aisueni is a Benin Man and NIFOR is on Benin Land. Dr Aisueni sued the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security for withdrawing his appointment as Chief Executive Officer of the Institute and he won the case against the Ministry at the Industrial Court in Akure but was not allowed to run his tenure pending the resolution of the case on appeal.

” The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security appealed the court judgment and the case is pending at the Court of Appeal. In the interim the Institute has been governed excellently well since 2018 through different  interim administrations. Following the advert for the position of Director/Chief Executive of NIFOR in August, 2023 by the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), the Lawyer of Dr Aisueni; Barr Olayiwola Afolabi (SAN) sought and obtained an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security from continuation of the selection process  but the order fell on the deaf ears of lawless individuals in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security without regard for due process and rule of law within the Ministry before the appointment of the two Ministers in August, 2023.

 ” After the appointment of the Ministers, the United Patriots Assembly of Nigeria, along with the host Communities in NIFOR environment  petitioned the Ethics and Public Petitions Committee in November 2023 on the need to resolve the pending court cases before any selection of candidates is undertaken. The Honourable Minister of State for Agriculture was in attendance in 30th November 2023. but the House Committee of the National Assembly could not  proceed on investigating the issue, because, the Minister of State emphatically informed the House of Representatives Public Petitions Committee of pending Court cases, as proceedings would be subjudice.

” The Honourable Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security ; Senator Dr Aliyu Sabi Abdulahi, CON thereafter appealed to the Petitioners and the host Communities that were present that he will personally intervene to ensure that pending court cases are resolved alongside the smooth running of NIFOR. It was agreed that advertising the position that is pending at the court is prejudicial and was done in error.It is very unfortunate that some misguided miscreants are using the name of the host communities in such manner, thereby fouling the community Elders and culturally desecrating the sensitivity of the high offices bestowed on them by the Benins and our ancestors.

” The Ominous authors also decorated their false and stinky publication with the picture of a respected Edo Son; His Excellency, Senator Adams Oshiomole.  Edo Senators are law abiding citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and would not want to be associated with such despicable issues championed by a misguided group. We therefore use this medium to appeal to the Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Food Security to withdraw all pending court cases, settle with Dr Aisueni Out-of-Court and undertake an objective appointment process.

” The Benin National Congress will want the Nigeria’s Security and Intelligence Community to investigate attempts by the authors of the ominous publication of December 29th, 2024 to destabilize the state and ensure they  face the full  wrath of the law”,the body reiterated.