Food Politics vs Money Politics; Which is Effectual
Food Politics Versus Money Politics
Africa is richly blessed with both human and natural resources, yet suffers huge decay in social infrastructure, afflicted with poverty, dependence on aids, bedeviled by corrupt leaders, perceived as second citizens of the globe... So sad
African celebrates monies. This is evidence in almost every aspects of our life. It characterizes our loyalty, commitment and decision. This legal tender has being prime as a tool to an end instead of a means. Trade by barter, comparative advantage shows that man can do without it. It depicts he that has it does not control the people. After all money without food is suicidal
Come to think of it, money is a mean of exchange. It does not have value in itself. It is man's invention and source of divide; nations of the world are classified based on their reserves, economy, GDP and other parameters. Politicians count on it more to determine their chances of succeeding at the poll, while electorates gravitate towards where the money is.
It was the first national chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, who observed that money-politics might soon kill Nigerian politicians and political system if not curtailed.
According to him, money-politics has eroded the core values of politics, which is to serve the people, saying Nigeria politicians are sitting on a time bomb with the practice and growing of monetisation of politics.
My blog on Nigeria Risks Becoming Dependent on Food Imports profiled how food exportation and domestication were generated from crude farming practices and tools. Nigeria was the leading food hubs in Africa. GMO crops was far from it. Organic crops was not an option but the only way to food production, job and wealth creation for the regions and individuals.
Food sovereignty was a lifestyle; where all community residents enjoy a safe, nutritious, adequate, and culturally acceptable diet through sustainable food system that heighten self reliance and social justice.
It's amazing that adequate and affordable food is one of the symbol of remembrance in gauging some of the Military and Civilian leaders administration in West Africa.
Food is part of human existence. We need it to live. It is a basic necessity of life, survival instinct and "must have" resource that tentacle into every fabrics of humanity. It is more than a commodity. It is a free gift of mother earth given primarily for sustenance and not for profit. Profit is the rewards of fulfilling such purpose.
How come something as crucial to our survival instinct could not determine the direction our polity in Africa is view?
How come this natural resource that is basic to human existence not dictate where the pendulum of Nigeria politics swing?
Why will food, a life essential be transformed and sold like any commodity?
Food politics, simply put means allowing our food to influence our decision during election. It is all about considering our food system in choosing the right candidate for our vote. Food system is the path our food travels through from seeds to plate. Enough of the ills in the food system; soaring food prices, high rise in diabetics, obesity, and the likes. Our votes can change the template and bring about the transition from money bag politics to selfless, patriotic governance.
Nigerians, and Africans at large are not asking for too much. A nation that cannot feed her people is a nation without border. Such country is vulnerable, while her citizenry inherently becomes victims of circumstances; food fraud, money politics, social menaces...
The movement for tastier, healthier, affordable, nutritious and sufficient diet for all, where every man, woman, child individually or in community with others has the physical and economic access at all time to safe, adequate food or means for its procurement should be one of the agenda we should keep demanding from our politicians, policy makers at all levels.
Let our votes go where our mouth is. Meaning where our food is, now and for posterity. Africa is the food basket of the globe. We need not suffer in the mix of abundance. When our stomach is heard, our right shall be enshrined in the society. Paradoxically, reason why social welfarism is never upheld in Africa. When the tummy is settled, people demand for developmental projects unlike mundane things that is characterized of an hungered man
Escaping the nutritional "prison" of our federal commodities, food fraudsters, money bag politics, which has succeeded in dragging African into the poverty net, we need to be proactive about regaining our democracy from the so called self centered politicians. It is expedient that we put food politics forward as we cautiously analyze and extensively
probe the following from our leaders;
Elimination of hunger and food insecurity
Access to food as basic human right
Systematized native control of food system
Celebrating and preserving culture through food
Making food system more equitable and socially just
Building a local food self reliance and thriving local economies
" Any Nation that lose its Food, lose part of its identity, culture and reputation"
- Ibrahim Oyemade
Africa is richly blessed with both human and natural resources, yet suffers huge decay in social infrastructure, afflicted with poverty, dependence on aids, bedeviled by corrupt leaders, perceived as second citizens of the globe... So sad
African celebrates monies. This is evidence in almost every aspects of our life. It characterizes our loyalty, commitment and decision. This legal tender has being prime as a tool to an end instead of a means. Trade by barter, comparative advantage shows that man can do without it. It depicts he that has it does not control the people. After all money without food is suicidal
Come to think of it, money is a mean of exchange. It does not have value in itself. It is man's invention and source of divide; nations of the world are classified based on their reserves, economy, GDP and other parameters. Politicians count on it more to determine their chances of succeeding at the poll, while electorates gravitate towards where the money is.
It was the first national chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, who observed that money-politics might soon kill Nigerian politicians and political system if not curtailed.
According to him, money-politics has eroded the core values of politics, which is to serve the people, saying Nigeria politicians are sitting on a time bomb with the practice and growing of monetisation of politics.
My blog on Nigeria Risks Becoming Dependent on Food Imports profiled how food exportation and domestication were generated from crude farming practices and tools. Nigeria was the leading food hubs in Africa. GMO crops was far from it. Organic crops was not an option but the only way to food production, job and wealth creation for the regions and individuals.
Food sovereignty was a lifestyle; where all community residents enjoy a safe, nutritious, adequate, and culturally acceptable diet through sustainable food system that heighten self reliance and social justice.
It's amazing that adequate and affordable food is one of the symbol of remembrance in gauging some of the Military and Civilian leaders administration in West Africa.
Food is part of human existence. We need it to live. It is a basic necessity of life, survival instinct and "must have" resource that tentacle into every fabrics of humanity. It is more than a commodity. It is a free gift of mother earth given primarily for sustenance and not for profit. Profit is the rewards of fulfilling such purpose.
How come something as crucial to our survival instinct could not determine the direction our polity in Africa is view?
How come this natural resource that is basic to human existence not dictate where the pendulum of Nigeria politics swing?
Why will food, a life essential be transformed and sold like any commodity?
Food politics, simply put means allowing our food to influence our decision during election. It is all about considering our food system in choosing the right candidate for our vote. Food system is the path our food travels through from seeds to plate. Enough of the ills in the food system; soaring food prices, high rise in diabetics, obesity, and the likes. Our votes can change the template and bring about the transition from money bag politics to selfless, patriotic governance.
Nigerians, and Africans at large are not asking for too much. A nation that cannot feed her people is a nation without border. Such country is vulnerable, while her citizenry inherently becomes victims of circumstances; food fraud, money politics, social menaces...
The movement for tastier, healthier, affordable, nutritious and sufficient diet for all, where every man, woman, child individually or in community with others has the physical and economic access at all time to safe, adequate food or means for its procurement should be one of the agenda we should keep demanding from our politicians, policy makers at all levels.
Let our votes go where our mouth is. Meaning where our food is, now and for posterity. Africa is the food basket of the globe. We need not suffer in the mix of abundance. When our stomach is heard, our right shall be enshrined in the society. Paradoxically, reason why social welfarism is never upheld in Africa. When the tummy is settled, people demand for developmental projects unlike mundane things that is characterized of an hungered man
Escaping the nutritional "prison" of our federal commodities, food fraudsters, money bag politics, which has succeeded in dragging African into the poverty net, we need to be proactive about regaining our democracy from the so called self centered politicians. It is expedient that we put food politics forward as we cautiously analyze and extensively
probe the following from our leaders;
Elimination of hunger and food insecurity
Access to food as basic human right
Systematized native control of food system
Celebrating and preserving culture through food
Making food system more equitable and socially just
Building a local food self reliance and thriving local economies
" Any Nation that lose its Food, lose part of its identity, culture and reputation"
- Ibrahim Oyemade
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