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A widow, Ebere Mogbo, has raised alarm over being prevented by the chairman of the estate where she resides from participating in the N25 million every-home-a-garden competition of the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
The initiative, aimed at encouraging women to venture into farming, has hit a roadblock as some estate chairmen are reportedly hindering women from cultivating crops in their vicinity.
Mogbo, who spoke to journalists in Abuja, shared her disappointment at being stopped from planting 2,000 seedlings in the PHCN Estate, Wuse 2. She expressed her eagerness to participate in the initiative, hoping to win the N25 million prize attached to it.
Recounting her ordeal, Mogbo explained how the estate chairman, Sani Abba-Kura, intervened and prevented her from continuing her farming activities.
Despite her attempts to reason with him, she was driven away and threatened, causing her existing crops to be overrun by weeds.
Mogbo revealed that the estate chairman’s actions may have stemmed from her refusal to sell her property when he attempted to sell the entire estate to a powerful politician.
She emphasized that there was no existing policy prohibiting residents from growing crops within the estate, and she had lived there for nine years without any issues.
In response, Sani Abba-Kura defended his actions by stating that Mogbo had rented out the property, and it was against estate policy for occupants or property owners to engage in farming activities within the premises.
The clash between Mogbo and the estate chairman highlights the challenges faced by women attempting to participate in agricultural initiatives, despite government support.
The incident calls for a review of estate policies to ensure that women are not unjustly prevented from engaging in farming activities and benefiting from such initiatives.
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