Abia Govt lauds NUJ for hosting Agric show
History was made on Tuesday, 3 June 2025 as the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abia State Council, hosted her maiden edition of the Abia NUJ Agric Show in Umuahia.
Holding for the first time under the auspices of NUJ, the event brought together policymakers, traditional rulers, scholars, and agripreneurs in an effort to assist the government in ensuring food security for the hunger ravaged populace.
Speaking at show with the theme: “Together as One Against Food Insecurity,” held at the Police Officers’ Mess, Umuahia, Abia State Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Cliff Agbaeze, challenged farmers to adopt modern agricultural practices and techniques to boost productivity and sustainability.
Dr. Agbaeze who was represented by Mrs. Chinaza Onokah, General Manager of the Small Holders Oil Palm Scheme, while commending the NUJ for their pioneering effort to champion agriculture through media-driven advocacy pointed out that Information is key to agricultural innovation and stressed the need to link farmers with research and development.
In his keynote, the Chairman of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM Eze Linus Nto Mbah, praised the initiative as a timely support for Governor Alex Otti’s agricultural policy, aimed at achieving food sufficiency across the state.
“As a farmer myself, I recognize the media’s critical role in shaping public perception and policy direction in agriculture. I encourage journalists to become torchbearers of agricultural reforms,” Eze Nto declared.
Contributing, the Vice-Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike (MOUAU), Prof. Maduebibisi Iwe, represented by Prof. Kayode Cimonyan, described the event as a significant step in aligning with the federal and state government’s push for agricultural transformation.
Welcoming his guests, the Chairman, NUJ, Abia Council, Comrade Chidi Asonye described the Agric Show as “a declaration of intent and a bold step forward.”
He emphasized that the programme was birthed from sober reflections on the spiraling cost of food and the urgent need for practical solutions.
“Journalists must be more than narrators; they must become actors in the agricultural story. We’re calling for empowerment, access to land, training, and agro-financing, for journalists to participate fully in farming and agribusiness.
“We are not just sowing seeds; we are planting the future,” Comrade Asonye, stated.
The event featured exhibitions of agricultural produce and technologies by vendors, including the Michael Okpara University and private agribusinesses and honouring of Select personalities with awards for their contributions to agricultural development in Abia.
