https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oHg6IptPlM

I was too emotional to narrate the prologue to the incident when it first happened, here is the link to the initial claim in case you miss it https://www.nairaland.com/7398318/somebody-poisoned-farm.

Last year when the model for the project was conceived and we eventually settled for this community, we took our time to discuss with the locals who were at the time farming on the land and the subject of our discussion was that they shouldn't see us as a threat but instead an ally because we have not come to disrupt their farming business by buying over their farmland from families who has earlier lease it to them and in the whole 8 acres, there are 4 farmers in 4 different locations and the estimate of the total land area they are farming is less than 3 acres while the remaining 5 acres remained a thick forest.

we manually cleared an acre where we currently build our administrative building cum hostel and the breeders/brooding pen as an extension and towards the southern part where we have the river, we cited the goat house and behind the goat house will later house our garden majorly for ugu farm.

our efforts and energy was towards the building first hence we work both day and night doing land scrapping and packing sand for moulding block. Our first big hurdle was to make road to make the site accessible. It was during the end of the rainy season with big rain falling, there was only a foot path that lead to this place with cocoa trees on the way with their arms extending to the road. the foot path could not even accommodate 2 people at a time.

So we met with the family who own the cocoa trees by the road to notify them of our intent to make road but they refused and will not agree until we pay them a sum of twenty thousand naira (20k). The couple who should be in their late 50s to early 60s keep asking if we know how much a Congo of cocoa is worth but our response remains this cocoa is on the road. We later agreed on ten thousand naira which they actually collected.

The day we paid and as we are paying, another person came saying we should come and meet him to negotiate what their fee would be for the road to be able to lead to our site directly as the road passes through their land too and there was no provision for it. It dawn on us that it's an attempt to frustrate and milk is further so we head on, made the road, cut some trees which people from the community later came to gather for firewood and we also have a reason to cut 2 tall Palm trees. I've never seen Palm trees as tall as that in my life. They wiggle at a blown of a little breeze.

The owner of the trees got angry and summoned us to a meeting, he keep repeating that we paid 10k to the other people and we want to cheat him even after the couple has told us to settle him. it was quite embarrassing but we gave him another 10k just to stay focused on the assignment but anytime our path crossed with those 2 people, even though we greet, the onus is always poor as the treatment melted at us is not fair.

Fast forward to February during the early planting season, we reach out to all the farmers on our land to notify them not to let their planting and harvesting season exceed September/October, at that time, we have not even roofed the building and shortly after we made the announcement, we heard a rumour about how they are mocking us and the project. All they knew about the project was that we wanted to build a poultry while they reference a man who came a years earlier to set up garri processing plant but could not start after putting a buka. If someone with a buka couldn't start, then they felt the odds was against us.

Fast forward to August, the house is roofed, a room plastered, all other rooms floored, burglary proof installed and the unusual happened, one of our sheep gave birth, 4 others are heavily pregnant and their current place at that time is not conducive. It's an abandoned poultry house currently used to rear cow and on many occasions we've battled with cow tick and other parasites which could easily kill lambs so in 3 days at exactly 23rd of August, we came into the new farm.

On arrival, the goat house is completed but not yet floored and the perimeter fence we intend to use chainlink net for has not been installed. We are short of fund had to open a donation link to solicit for fund and because of the thick forest around, the animals could not made a way to people's farm at the time while we also discussed the situation with the farmers.

Alas, we got the chainlink net but the excessive rain has gotten the road we made slippery which could easily make the lorry get stuck. So there was this sunny afternoon we thought everything was perfect, called the vehicle to bring the gravel and 10min to arrival, it started raining heavily. Eventually the man drop the sand by the main road while the bricklayer who was meant to use the material complained about the distance. Meanwhile, it's already October, the agreed time for the farmers to vacate the land has come but we realized they are replanting so we overlook it while we also update them about our challenges regarding our efforts in restraining the animals who at the time has mastered the road that lead to each farm and know where to go when they want to eat a particular crop.

Again we met with the farmers but this time individually to discuss payment for their farmland our animals destroyed but they all refused to collect money and just when we are thinking that we've finally got allies, tragedy struck, infact it was the day we got the gravel and finish securing their house.

The spot where we saw the poison is being farmed by a Nigerian and his farm is the smallest, less than an acre. The other 2 farmers are Beninoise.

He usually don't come to farm but the day of the incident, he came. In other not to accuse anyone falsely, I narrated our ordeal to the IPO since the project began and we all conclude it could be anyone among the 3 or even the villagers who path might have crossed for no good.but the probability of being the person that farm the portion the poison is met is small.

A good Samaritan from this forum reach out to us all the way from Netherlands and made some donations, to get this chain saw. At the moment, the land is divided in two, 3 acres in the front and a thick forest then the later part of the land behind the thick forest. With this machine, we can easily root out the forest, sell as firewood, make some change and reinvest.

Though I've been using "we" in most of my sentences but in reality, it's only me in here. My routine, wake up, feed birds, feed animals, clean their house, work on the ranch, make videos, edit, think about what next, engage people online and rest. Like this morn, I've lawn a portion on the ranch and the goat house is now we'll visible from the admin block.

Looking forward to requesting corp members to create some memories together during their service year and at the moment, I'm just a fore-runner.

Don't cut all the trees

Needless to talk more about the hostility of our host community, here is the shed we made when they chased us away from the place given to use to stay. It may sound offensive to Muslims if I go into details but doesn't reduce my respect for Muslims I have has friends and colleagues.

Since it's not economical going back and forth to work here during the early stage of the project, I approached the community vice chairman for a place we can always pass the night and offered us a mosque if we won't mind as it's the only place available, floored and conducive to the taste even though we don't mind anywhere but one day someone showed up, call prayer while we stay outside as they prayed, noticed our nylon in a corner it is and figured we've been passing the night in the mosque so he engaged us after the prayer. I answered the question is the most diplomatic way I could as a hustler who is trying to eke a living through a workable idea and in a legal way but need a raise and at the time, the only raise we could get is accommodation but the man chased us because we are Christians.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTca9gLpS-0

When the issue finally got to the community head, he was angry asked why we don't come to his house that night but told him it was late and of no use. We passed the night under a tent of a nearby church and we unanimously agreed to make a tent on the site to be sleeping. Most night, I watch over the 2 boys who were supporting this dream.

FaceTanke:
Don't cut all the trees

I intend to replace them with economic trees in specific places they will be useful. I also intend to keep a relics of how this place was meant for incoming/future staffs to imagine what effort, sweat was invested for everything they may be enjoying at that moment

I received a lot of DM when the farm was poisoned and alot check through my channel and the most common question has been what's my motivation because on the surface, I look like a made man and it's rare for a made man to be doing what I'm doing but here is the thing.

I was into brood and sale of bird and I've been into it for close to a decade way before I got married and had a baby but because of my effective record, I realised that 78% of my expenses goes into consumable goods I can provide couple with how crazy those things are becoming. Feeds for the birds skyrocket, prices of DOC are not stable and it's frustrating because they are set in such a way that it will never give room for growth beyond a level and already, I've invested alot.

Take a look at my brooding chamber.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28myb_VNyNw

Jokes apart, my birds at 4 wks stand out, here is my brooding house then.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28myb_VNyNw

So I said to myself, what would I need to get a fertilised egg, feeds for the birds, feed for myself and boom the word Regenerative Agriculture drops

If you see any good thread, call my attention to it here: https://www.nairaland.com/7405787/suggest-front-page-topics-here.

Agriculture is life.



here we go.....

"Olorun afi ofo ra emi"

I pray you succeed in your endeavours...

One thing i would always advice people is always seek alternative ways of earning a living, and the online space is one great opportunity people are not exploring...

CPA Marketing is making ordinary people millionaires overnight, get the requisite skills and make money on complete autopilot right from the comfort of your home.

With CPA Marketing you help big international companies in the USA and around the world generate leads and clients by giving a way free stuffs, and when they optin for this offers, you get paid.. The CPA network get the leads, and send it to the companies, while they credit your account for that....





Setting up a CPA marketing campaign promoting those offers online can be making you thousands of dollars weekly.....



Any one interested In this Online Business, can reach me on telegram @digitalmonster24 ... ADD ME UP AND CHAT ME To get my whole new Mentorship training video. And also get the best support from me in this online Business.

Check some of my earnings from CPAGRIP Network below....

Y this evil in people mind,
You Will laugh last amen,don't be discouraged, God is your strength

Sad

Wow

Agbaje147:
Wow

hope u don’t intend to post any scam

Things like this are quite common in Nigeria.

Some people just hate the sight of progress even if it is very small, they start hating you and looking for ways to harm you.

Something similar happened to my sister's project but it was the workers who were sabotaging her efforts.

Dont be discouraged.

God will see you through

Hmmmm

Wishing you the best. May God bless your efforts.

Big ups OP, love your resilience. God bless the labour of your hands and mind.

ho

I love your resilience... I wish there are more people like you. Nigerians need to know that the only way to escape the harsh realities of food inflation. If a family farms just a plot of land per year, the results will blow your mind! Some of the things we buy so expensive like wheat, groundnuts, tomatoes and peppers, yams etc grow very well almost any where in the country yet our citizens are flocking to the cities to go and be idle while crying that there is no food.
You my dear fellow, are a pioneer man! When you begin to reap the rewards of this your humble beginnings, we will still be here, cheering you on.

To make it big in a truly legit way in this country is very tough, difficult and most times frustrating. I'm very sure if the op was running one investment scam or the other he would have gotten massive support and encouragement, he was even chased out of a "house of God" which is supposed to be a sanctuary for the needy,..…... Everything in this country will frustrate you.

Rhya