Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has advised farmers in Gelegele and Nigeria at large to embrace agroecology in their farming activities, saying it is the viable solution to Nigeria’s food crisis.

This is just as the ecological think thank and advocacy organisation urged government at levels to support farmers to embrace agroecology rather than GMOs – Genetically Modified Organisms.

INFO DAILY reports that agroecology is a system of farming that focuses on restoring soil health, improving nutritional diversity and ensuring food sovereignty, while GMO are plants, animals or microorganisms that have had their gentic material manipulated either by introducing genes from a related or unrelated species or by editing the organism within itself.

Speaking at a one-training on agroecology for farmers at Gelegele community in Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State, Programmes Director, HOMEF, Joyce Brown, emphasised the need for the farmers to embrace agroecology, saying the use of GMOs poses threat to the environment and human health.

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She said: “The use of chemical pesticides poses risks to the environment, human health, and the economy. More than 50 per cent of registered pesticides in Nigeria are Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPS). Over 40% of the registered active pesticides in Nigeria are already banned in the EU and other countries of the World.

Practical session if the training at Gelegele community on April, 29,2024.

“Many of these HHPs registered and used in Nigeria have been proven to be linked to chronic health diseases such as cancer, kidney diseases, reproductive complications, endocrine disruption – hormonal challenges, skin diseases, organ failures, etc., as well as biodiversity and environmental destruction.”

According to her, most farmers, consumers, extension workers are not aware of the various hazards associated with the pesticide-active ingredients in the products they use, adding that this is the more reason HOMEF decided to take the responsibility of training and enlightening farmers.

Mrs Brown, while noting that agroecology will help Nigeria achieve food sovereignty if embraced, added: “Food sovereignty refers to a situation where all people at all times have access to healthy and nutritious food. Food sovereignty ensures that beyond food security – food is safe, food producers have the right to what they produce and how.”

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On his part, one of the trainers of the farmers and farm manager, Be The Help Foundation, Abuja, Chukwu Agozirim, said agroecology is a modern system farming which, according to him, help to eradicate poverty by increase in food production and making the environment safe for humans

He said Gelegele was selected due to the fact that the soil is contaminated as an oil producing community, adding “so the main purpose is to train and enlighten them on how they can go about their normal food production in spite of the contamination of their soil.”

He added: “We are bringing farming back to the olden days how our great-grandfathers were farming.”

Responding on behalf of other farmers, Mr Emmanuel Obi, while describing the training as an eye opener, promised to adapt the new method of farming.

The programme climaxed with a practical session of the training where the farmers were showed how they can use locally sourced materials to grow their farm produce.

By Joseph Ebi Kanjo

The management of the University of Benin, UNIBEN, has suspended Students’ Union of the institution.

INFO DAILY reports that the suspension of the Students’ Union may not be unconnected with the incident that happened at the University’s Senior
Staff Club on Friday 12h April, 2024.

In the said incident, students of the university led by the Students’ Union president were said to have invaded an interactive session by staff of the university with the Edo State governorship candidate of Labour Party, LP, Olumide Akpata and in the process demanded a halt of the event, claiming that they (Students’ Union) were not informed of the event.

READ ALSO: Students Attack LP Guber Candidate At UNIBEN, Akpata Fingers Govt Official

The students were said to have behaved unruly at the event and in the process rough handled many of the stuff including a member of the Academic Staff of the Universities (ASUU), who was reportedly beaten merciless and eventually landed in the hospital.

Following the incident, management of the university was said to have set a panel to investigate the incident with a view to unraveling the truth.

Consequently, in a statement signed by A.A. Bobola, Registrar of the university and made available to newsman in Benin on Monday April 29, 2024, said, “after due consideration of the Report by the Management, the Vice Chancellor has approved the suspension of the University’s Students Union.”

READ ALSO: UNIBEN ASUU Threatens To Boycott Resumption Date Over Violent Attack On Member

The statement partly reads: “The suspension which is indefinite, takes immediate effect, that is, from today, Monday 29h April, 2024.

“Accordingly, all Officers of the Students’ Union are to handover all properties of the Union in their possession to the Dean, Students’ Affairs not later 4.00pm on Tuesday 30 April, 2024.

“In the interim, a Caretaker Committee composed of representatives of Faculties, Schools and Institutes has been approved to coordinate students’ activities during the period of
suspension.

“The above directive of the Vice Chancellor is hereby communicated for the attention of
the University Community and compliance of the erstwhile Union Officers as appropriate.”

Six Oba of Benin palace functionaries have been ostracized.

The palace functionaries were said to have engaged themselves in a sacrilegious show of shame and falsehood against the Benin Custom and tradition.

The banished palace functionaries are Johnbull Igbinosun, Iduhonre (Ihogbe), S.E. Aigbiremwen, Efesoghoba (Ogbelaka) and two other Ogbelaka functionaries — Ogbeide Osagie and Osamudiame.

READ ALSO: Oba Of Benin Suspends Six Officials For Posing As Palace Emissaries To Ooni Of Ife

They had falsely claimed to be emissaries of the Omo N’ Oba N’ Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, His Royal Majesty, Ewuare Il, Oba of Benin in the palace of the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi; (Ọjájá II), where they rendered a “disjointed account of the link between the Benin Royal Dynasty and the Ooni-ship of Ife at Ooni of Ife’s Palace in Osun State recently.”

A statement signed by Mr. Osaigbovo Iguobaro, Chief Press Secretary to the Oba of Benin on Monday April 29, 2024, said they admitted before a committee led by Chief Ekhoerovbiye Oviasogie, the Uwangue of Benin that they erred against Benin Customs.

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The Uwangue of Benin, who described their action as a deliberate attempt to rubbish Benin Kingdom, pronounced the suspension of the Palace functionaries.

Consequently, they were also stripped off of Benin Royal beads, recognition as palace functionaries and their traditional titles, which were handed over to the ancestors.

The suspended palace functionaries were also barred from parading themselves as Benin palace functionaries and stopped from participating in any traditional rites in Benin.

They were thereafter escorted out of the Palace by Chiefs, including Ewaise (traditional seers) with occipital horns invoked ancestral spirits to bear witness.