• How Kebbi farmers thwarted ex-governor’s agricultural ‘Ponzi scheme’
Adamu Aliero probably missed his vocation, the ex-governor and senator should have been an economist given his for being economical with the truth. Like the artful conman immensely gifted in theatrics and subterfuge, Adamu has perfected his capacity for twisting truth into crooked forms.
Despite his humble and impoverished background, Adamu grew to benefit immensely from the North Eastern regions benevolent scholarship scheme. The North Eastern region’s scholarship scheme afforded him the opportunity to attend such institutions as the Aliero Town Planning School, after which he attended the Government Secondary School in Koko and graduated in 1976.
In 1981, he secured an administrative officer position at the College of Education in Sokoto. In the same year, he joined the Nigeria Customs and Excise Service. It is alleged that Adamu, while in the service of the Nigerian Customs Service, was charged with gross misconduct. He was probed by a panel and recommended for dismissal, but the Nigerian Custom Service accepted his voluntary resignation in place of the proposed dismissal.
However, all these events cumulatively enabled him to hold various executive positions in Nigeria such as the Governor of Kebbi State, Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Minister of the FCT, and a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Little wonder how he amassed such great fortune to build a 100,000 metric ton capacity rice mill, Labana.
Labana Rice Mill is situated in Kebbi State. Its 100,000 MT capacity makes it the third largest rice mill in the country. This sole mill in Kebbi State owned by the distinguished senator, is producing at 10 per cent capacity since its inauguration in 2012. This poses certain questions in a state that has 90, 000 rice farmers ahead of states like Benue and Jigawa, according to a USAID report in April 2014.
However, rice farmers in Kebbi prefer to sell in Jigawa State, attributing their stance to government’s interference and price manipulation. Adamu, in order to get cheap rice for his mill, tried to arm twist the farmers to sell at giveaway prices to him. The arrangement was resisted by the farmers who resorted to selling their produce in neighboring states.
The farmers’ reaction scuttled his plans and rendered the policy a total failure. The farmers resisted the efforts of his handpicked successor who yet tried to intimidate the farmers. This singular action by the farmers sounded the death knell on Labana Rice Mills. Senator Adamu while grandstanding and hugging the limelight with efforts to appear patriotic failed to mention that his company Labana was among those that were granted waivers. This negates the saying, “he who comes into equity must come with clean hands”. His hands are not clean. They are stained.
Hiding his company which got waivers while making public names of other companies is mockery of equity and fair play. He cannot sit as a juror at his own trial. There is a clear conflict of interest, making this a tainted inquiry. While grand standing, he should not fail to remember, that those who live in glass houses do not throw stones.
