by Achike Udenwa*
Before the discovery of oil in Nigeria, the country's economy was agro-based. In those days, Nigeria was divided into three regions : North, West and East. Till today, the North is still agro-based. Almost all the food we eat in Nigeria comes from there. The North was known for its prolific groundnut production, with groundnut pyramids in most cities of the region.
The West capitalized on rubber and cocoa production for both internal consumption and export. These products were transported overseas to the Western world where they were transformed into finished products and later sold back to us at exorbitant prices.
The East then, which was predominantly occupied by the Igbos, had palm produce as its economic mainstay in addition to cashew production. Because of its climate, palm trees flourished and have continued to flourish in the South East. Governments in the zone then capitalized on the economic fortunes of palm produce and embarked on palm plantations so that bumper yields were guaranteed.
The government of Eastern Nigeria under the leadership of Dr. Michael Okpara and Dr. Akanu Ibiam, established palm plantatations just like the West established rubber and cocoa plantations. The foreign exchange which accrued from the proceeds of the palm produce was enormous, enabling the then Governor-General of Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, to establish the country's first indigenous university at Nsukka, the University of Nigeria.
In as much as cashew was a revenue earner for the East, the government decided to concentrate on the production of palm produce. The palms generate oil and the residues of the kernel are used for fuel. The uses of palm produce are many, especially nowadays when pomades and detergents could be produced from palm kernel. Experts say if palm produce is harnessed effectively it would provide jobs to our teeming graduates who roam the streets in search of paid employment.
They continued that while the crude oil source could dry up one day, the palm trees are here with us and will continue to generate revenue for us and serve for internal consumption since everybody in Nigeria needs palm oil for day-to-day consumption. To talk about the use of palm produce is to talk about the importance of air, water and shelter to humans.
There are various economic trees in Igboland, but none generates controversy like palm trees. Many land disputes have arisen as a result of who controls which palm tree. These controversies are as a result of the importance of the palm for the people of the South East. It is because of the abundance of the palm trees in Igboland that our urban areas have not been flooded. The people make a lot of money from palm tree products like edible oil, palm wine, palm kernel, brooms and the leaves and stems are used for building thatch houses. The uses of palm produce are indeed many.
However, since the discovery of oil in Nigeria, petroleum proceeds have dimmed the interest of the South East in palm cultivation. The region's governments now rely allocations of money from the federal government, a windfall from petroleum products, shifting attention from palm production.
No state government in the South East has embarked on establishing palm plantations and the existing ones are not maintained. Instead of embarking on agro-based products, our governments are even clearing forests, including plantations, to site one development project or the other. Virtually all the forest reserves in the South East are giving way to housing, forgetting that if governments make it possible for building materials to be easily accessible, the people will develop the towns in their own way.
If the South East must have a solid economic base through palm produce, its governments should build accessible roads leading to towns and villages and embark on the aggressive establishment of palm plantations. They could establish farm settlements where our youths will
be gainfully employed to be able to produce food and cash crops in abundance. There is need to encourage agriculture, as cassava is no longer for consumption alone but for the production of ethanol, a substitute for petrol.
A country like Malaysia is country reckoned with worldwide because it embarked on development projects. If the South East should show more zeal in palm production, its economy will be revived and the youths will no longer be jobless. Most youths crave greener pastures overseas because they are not gainfully employed in Nigeria.
If governments in the South East could check their youths from going abroad by showing more interest in palm produce, the zone would be the better for it and other parts of Nigeria will emulate them.
*Governor of Nigeria's Imo State
The Tribune
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