The spread that was all of Ofada town appeared rugged-looking with prominent masculine features. Its undulating topography and its twin stretch of housing varieties gave away the evolvement that the town had undergone. Nothing announced its prominence as a town that was once an agricultural delight, specialising in a species of rice aptly named after it. Ofada looked sleepy and showed an unreadiness to be aroused.

With very few residents around that Wednesday afternoon, Nigerian Tribune found the company of 47-year-old Akeem Onabiyi, an indigene of the town, quite useful when he agreed to satisfy the tour yearnings of the crew. With a glass of beverage seated in front of him and the pleasing presence of his friend, Onabiyi idled away.

Onabiyi’s mood took a downward turn when he was asked what had happened to that rare species named ‘Ofada’ rice after the name of the town. With a disturbed countenance, Onabiyi reminisced about the frustrations that drove him away from the cultivation of the rice.

“I started the cultivation of Ofada rice in 1991. My first harvest earned me about N4,000. From the proceeds, I was able to buy a plot of land for N3,000 and the extra N1,000 was used for other things.

“Today, I have built my house and all thanks to the rice farming .Though I have a car, I still farm and you can see how rough my hands look from constant farming. But much happened that scared me from the job. Ofada rice farming is very strenuous; it is not like planting other crops or species of rice,” he said.

Before the decline...

Ofada ranked prominently given its cultivation and sale of its peculiar species of rice. In many outdoor engagements and even at restaurants, it is common to find people show their preference for the locally-made rice referred to as ‘Ofada rice.’

A large majority of the residents prided themselves in the cultivation and sale of the rice whose proceeds were used in the satisfaction of their daily needs. Aside its nutritive value, Ofada rice became loved by a large majority of the public because of its aromatic allure.

Over the years, however, what became obvious was the sharp decline in the cultivation of the rice by members of the community. While it is true that the same species of rice can be found in other places, what became disturbing is the fact that the vocation which placed the town in global light has been abandoned.

A first-timer who would have heard of the town’s renown for the cultivation of the rice would expect to see in the town a stretch of rice farms in pale gold glistering in the morning sun. Today, buildings of various magnitudes spring up in what used to be the lush Ofada rice farms.

‘It would be difficult to go back to planting it’

Onabiyi told Nigerian Tribune of the processes involved in the cultivation of the rice. “Ofada rice is quite different from the polished rice that people eat. It is more delicious and nutritious. After planting the rice, it takes about two to three months before the rice can be harvested. After harvesting, the rice goes through some processes to make it edible. In fact, one has to be very careful when handling the grains because once the seeds are dispersed carelessly they begin to germinate again.

“To prevent this, we store the grains on raised platforms from the ground and bring the bags down only when people are ready to buy,” he said.

Speaking further, Onabiyi argued that when others, like him, discovered that the hardships associated with the cultivation were unbearable, they decided to quit.

According to him: “The cultivation of Ofada rice is very profitable but the challenges are many. I have come to believe that there is a spiritual dimension to this. Once it is time for harvesting, strange birds feast on the grains even before they are harvested. This results in great loss to the farmer. Many of us tried to employ spiritual means to scare the birds but the more we tried, the more impossible it became. In fact, we went as far as carrying out spiritual sacrifices.

“Early in the morning, these birds get to the farm before anybody else and start eating the rice. In order to prevent this, we get to the farm by 6 a.m. and stay in the farms till 7 p.m. when we are sure that the birds would have gone. If this is not done, all the grains would have been devoured before the next day by the birds. We have also discovered that those who tried to plant this particular species of rice in other places are faced with similar difficulties.

“There are still farmers who engage in its cultivation but they are now very few. Many of us prefer to plant cassava instead. I have stopped planting Ofada rice; I now plant cassava and corn,” he revealed.

He added that the community’s youths have no regard for the cultivation of Ofada rice because of the trouble associated with it and lack of government support.

‘I cultivate a 7-acre Ofada rice farm with just hoe and cutlass’

Ofada... Ofagada... True son of the soil! We will resurrect it soon!

A CALL TO ACTION
Are you in Anambra state and have passion for Agriculture? I need partners, people that are willing to go into low-cost areas in agriculture. Potential animals to raise include goats, grasscutters, fish and rabbits. If you're interested, contact me on Facebook by the name, Ikeme Henry. THANKS.

siraj1402:
The spread that was all of Ofada town appeared rugged-looking with prominent masculine features. Its undulating topography and its twin stretch of housing varieties gave away the evolvement that the town had undergone. Nothing announced its prominence as a town that was once an agricultural delight, specialising in a species of rice aptly named after it. Ofada looked sleepy and showed an unreadiness to be aroused.

With very few residents around that Wednesday afternoon, Nigerian Tribune found the company of 47-year-old Akeem Onabiyi, an indigene of the town, quite useful when he agreed to satisfy the tour yearnings of the crew. With a glass of beverage seated in front of him and the pleasing presence of his friend, Onabiyi idled away.

Onabiyi’s mood took a downward turn when he was asked what had happened to that rare species named ‘Ofada’ rice after the name of the town. With a disturbed countenance, Onabiyi reminisced about the frustrations that drove him away from the cultivation of the rice.

“I started the cultivation of Ofada rice in 1991. My first harvest earned me about N4,000. From the proceeds, I was able to buy a plot of land for N3,000 and the extra N1,000 was used for other things.

“Today, I have built my house and all thanks to the rice farming .Though I have a car, I still farm and you can see how rough my hands look from constant farming. But much happened that scared me from the job. Ofada rice farming is very strenuous; it is not like planting other crops or species of rice,” he said.

Before the decline...

Ofada ranked prominently given its cultivation and sale of its peculiar species of rice. In many outdoor engagements and even at restaurants, it is common to find people show their preference for the locally-made rice referred to as ‘Ofada rice.’

A large majority of the residents prided themselves in the cultivation and sale of the rice whose proceeds were used in the satisfaction of their daily needs. Aside its nutritive value, Ofada rice became loved by a large majority of the public because of its aromatic allure.

Over the years, however, what became obvious was the sharp decline in the cultivation of the rice by members of the community. While it is true that the same species of rice can be found in other places, what became disturbing is the fact that the vocation which placed the town in global light has been abandoned.

A first-timer who would have heard of the town’s renown for the cultivation of the rice would expect to see in the town a stretch of rice farms in pale gold glistering in the morning sun. Today, buildings of various magnitudes spring up in what used to be the lush Ofada rice farms.

‘It would be difficult to go back to planting it’

Onabiyi told Nigerian Tribune of the processes involved in the cultivation of the rice. “Ofada rice is quite different from the polished rice that people eat. It is more delicious and nutritious. After planting the rice, it takes about two to three months before the rice can be harvested. After harvesting, the rice goes through some processes to make it edible. In fact, one has to be very careful when handling the grains because once the seeds are dispersed carelessly they begin to germinate again.

“To prevent this, we store the grains on raised platforms from the ground and bring the bags down only when people are ready to buy,” he said.

Speaking further, Onabiyi argued that when others, like him, discovered that the hardships associated with the cultivation were unbearable, they decided to quit.

According to him: “The cultivation of Ofada rice is very profitable but the challenges are many. I have come to believe that there is a spiritual dimension to this. Once it is time for harvesting, strange birds feast on the grains even before they are harvested. This results in great loss to the farmer. Many of us tried to employ spiritual means to scare the birds but the more we tried, the more impossible it became. In fact, we went as far as carrying out spiritual sacrifices.

“Early in the morning, these birds get to the farm before anybody else and start eating the rice. In order to prevent this, we get to the farm by 6 a.m. and stay in the farms till 7 p.m. when we are sure that the birds would have gone. If this is not done, all the grains would have been devoured before the next day by the birds. We have also discovered that those who tried to plant this particular species of rice in other places are faced with similar difficulties.

“There are still farmers who engage in its cultivation but they are now very few. Many of us prefer to plant cassava instead. I have stopped planting Ofada rice; I now plant cassava and corn,” he revealed.

He added that the community’s youths have no regard for the cultivation of Ofada rice because of the trouble associated with it and lack of government support.

‘I cultivate a 7-acre Ofada rice farm with just hoe and cutlass’

they tried to use juju? lol