₦airaland Forum

Godfrey Nzamujo, Dominican reverend father, founder and director of Songhai Centre, a research/training/industrial farm and resource centre headquartered in Port Novo, Benin Republic, speaks on how agro-tourism, which is being avidly carried out by Hadur Travel and Tours, is of importance to the centre’s vision of ensuring that all Africans get the latest agricultural knowledge and skills to empower them in wealth creation in an this interview with OLUYINKA ALAWODE of Business day News paper.
Problem

Songhai Centre is an interventionist institution. It stems from the fact that worldwide if you mention Africa in the world today, what comes to mind is poverty, corruption and all such. Poverty is caused by the social structure in Africa. It is an extractive structure which Africa borrowed from the colonial masters who made themselves rich by extracting from the society. Independence was supposed to create a culture that would create the liberty for every African, including every Nigerians, to be at the driver’s seat. But colonisation transferred the extractive structure to us, so instead of broad-based inclusive growth, people are not motivated to invent, to invest, to create.

In Africa, we have a strong political system which instead of reversing the extractive culture and structure of the colonial political system only makes it worse. It is a logic of poverty that has continued, making it difficult for people to harness the opportunities around them to create goods and services that correspond to our needs and desires. This is my definition of poverty.

Solution

But Songhai says we cannot continue that way. When people come to the centre, what we are doing here would trigger off that mentality that wealth creation is possible for everyone in Africa. That is the reason the agro-tourism work of Hadur Travel and Tours is important, because it is part of our strategy that more and more people representing the critical mass of Africa can come and then go out and practise the things that they have learnt at Songhai to create wealth and jobs. If this happens, unemployment and crisis in most parts of Africa would stop.

For instance, in Nigeria, the easiest way to make money is through contracts. If you know someone, you get it, if not, forget it. So, if your brother or someone in your party wins, you are assured you would get the contract, but if he loses, then you are in trouble. So, the person would fight to death to see his brother or party member in that position. That is why politics is very explosive because it is the winner takes all, the loser dies and nobody wants to die. That is why Songhai has its ramifications not just in food production and employment but socio-political aspect of the African society.


Agriculture is an integrated reality, there must be a minimum level of integration on a farm. For instance, if the business is doing only poultry, what then would be done with the animal wastes? There should be at least three sections, the livestock wastes should be used to fertilise the crops, part of the crop yields should be used to feed the chickens. It is not complicated, our grandmothers were doing it. They raise chickens, use the wastes to grow vegetables, and this makes the soil richer.

Agriculture should take the environment into consideration to get best results. We think we are modern and decide to focus, that is why we have people planting only corn of about 2,000 hectares but a good farming business that will be highly profitable cannot separate soil, crop and animals. Nature is integrated, it is a systemic thing.

Full story here :http://www.smarttravelsuperfan.com/learn-agro-tourism-inpacts-agric-wealth-creation/


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paOpP54lV3I

Most people believe what they need to start their own farm is a big expanse of land and plenty of money. You may be very wrong if that is all you are thinking about to get your farm going ask me why? and I should know since I have had the opportunity of not only successfully setting up my farm but rubbing ,minds with successful farmers ,permit me to share a little of what I learnt with you in this article.

I’ll start with something very simple you would probably ignore when you want to start your farm Peter calls it the “creed of a persistent and passionate mind.” They are the foundation of all his successes… and they can be for you, too. How or why you may ask? If you have both or learn both i.e perseverance & passion you will be unstoppable first you have to put a stop to nay Sayers or they will kill your dream if you do not have a passion for your dream farm .Next even if you do not have

N10, 000.00 with persistence you can find someone who has a land he does not plan to use in the next few years. With passion you will convince him to part with his land with a promise to share in your profit. So you have a land now .

What next?

We are not talking about get rich quick or scammers here ,we are focused on people who have a passion to succeed with a never say die spirit – you simply cannot kill their determination they are looking keenly ahead at their goal & that is where they are heading any challenges that comes up gets a determined and well researched solution
Read full details at our site;http://www.smarttravelsuperfan.com/5-most-important-tips-on-how-to-start-your-own-profitable-farm/

samolas: pls,i am also very much interested in knowing about songhai,my class is having a training visit to the farm in november.i will like to have detail info about the training,hw to get certificate for training,accomodation,likely problem at the border,can we go with our food from nigeria and some other important thing that we may need. my email is samolas4edu@gmail.com

That's really pro active and great will mail you some details thank you

Dear Collete thank you for your interest we got your message & have sent you a reply you can read more here :

http://www.smarttravelsuperfan.com/frequently-asked-questions-on-hadur-songhai-tour-packages/

call us if you have more questions

This get rich quick idea of kidnapping people will not last ,those who need money should go & work they should release the innocent guy quickly !

Ok dear thanks for your interest sent you 2 mails waiting for your reply remember to check our site www.smarttravelsuperfan.com for more information.

Hadur travels packages trips to Songhai farm we have a study tour coming up 21st - 25th July ,weekend,summer, and hands on training packages read and we receive excellent reviews from our clients all the time visit our www.smarttravelsuperfan.com site for more information .

ibis: We also have a replia of Songhai Farms in Rivers State only bigger. Its at Bunu Tai very close to Port Harcourt

Yes i heard we have a franchise of the main Songhai farm in Port Novo in Rivers as well as other 12 states in Nigeria
i have never visited any - will endeavor to see the Rivers one soon.

Thank you for the contribution .i heard a different story that Rev Father Godfrey the Nigerian American who started the farm actually planned to start the farm in Nigeria but he could not get the land here so he requested from Bene Republic & got it , the beauty & lesson was he didnt give up ! so today we are beneficiaries of his wonderful farm.

@Ajibolar]

Hallo Ajibola we thank you for your interest please check your mail we sent you 2 mails .

Thank you so much for your interest we will be delighted to have you & promise you a very inspiring & exciting
learning experience .please check your mail .

Travel does not always have to come expensive and traveling is educative too.
Have you ever heard of Songhai farm or ever wanted to take a trip to Songahi farm as an intending farmer or a practising farmer you will find something new and useful for your business you will meet experts whether your farm is small or big .Why Songhai farm -

Songhai farm is one of the largest NGO farm projects empowering Africans, an integrated farm that uses all its waste produce to generate more income. Centre Songhai is a chain of agricultural research centers established by a Nigerian American for the promotion of the study of sustainable farming techniques.

The farm has about 15 sections these are farming, aquaculture, biogas, poultry, mushroom, mechanic, grass cutter, snailery, piggery, grass cutter, quails, among many other things that you will discover on your arrival at the farm. There is so much more to the Centre than it is possible to explain here. Today both young and old learn from this centre as it uses old and new methodology it engages in human resource training entreprenuership as well as wealth generation.

You can make a days visit, a study visit , a weekend leisure trip or a training tour to Songhai farm.

When the strike over removal of fuel subsidy ends what next ? what is your plan B what is

the way forward.

Keeping hope alive have faith dreaming and praying are positive actions to take you to the

land of your dreams that you thought of on the 1st of January and except you refuse to me

moved and become as stubborn as the goat eating left overs from your bin that you drive

away so many times but keeps coming back you may not achieve your set goals.

I have a dream that this Nation will be great No Questions That is my dream , President

Obama had a dream i am strongly determined to follow my dream and inclinations by

saying it loud and clear that we must revive our agricultural talents or gifts call it what you

may.

This country is blessed with rich arable land yet its youth have no jobs and people are dying

of hunger ! something tells me something is amiss - i may not be a big professor in the

university but i have learnt from my youth living in an era where there way no oil that this

country is Blessed. Whether we agree or not i will explain myself take Israel for example
this country is most of desert and rocky land yet she exports fruits,vegetables, flowers etc to

many countries in Europe and growth of food has to be controlled so there will not be

excess.

The agricultural sector needs more support a farmer need not be poor and it is not a

profession to be looked down upon i am dreaming of a new Nigeria when food will be

plentiful gone are the days of OFN operation Feed The Nation or may be these are some

policies we need to revisit .


Take time to read this excerpt from the story of Dr Darko of Ghana- from
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/people/pop-up.php?ID=147

"From then on he was decided. The Lord gave him a vision to use what he had (poultry

science) to build a profitable business, which would be a financial support for the ministry to

push the gospel. The long-term objective he had in mind was to build a giant complex;

similar to those he had seen in Israel. Darko was convinced in his spirit that he could

succeed on his own if he had been able to succeed with this stepfather’s business. After all,

he had been faithful in another man’s business and he was sure that the Lord would honor

His word by giving him his own.
All he had was a savings of US $1,000, his faith and a dream many thought was impossible.

He bought 900 chickens, a 3-piece acre of land for US $50 and in April 1966 Darko Farms &

Company was founded."

I need help so that my dream does not die with me kindly tell me the way forward. Thank

you for leaving your comment, it will go a long way to helping me realise my dream please

help me.

To find what you seek in the road of life,
the best proverb of all is that which says:
"Leave no stone unturned."
Edward Bulwer Lytton

Building a business like any other thing in life is a risk.
But a wise man learns from the mistakes of others.

we are International Labour organisation (ILO ) Trainers who bring people from
different backgrounds who want to start their own business together to share their knowledge
help them sift through their business idea and practically lead them to start the business of their dreams
This is the best support you can get with free consultation
Read more about how you can join the next highly subsidized training with over 70% discount from the regular price visit http://hadurconsult.net/ for details

Every Entrepreneur wants his business to succeed they wouldn’t start a business in the first place if they didn’t. So why is it that we always hear that the greatest challenges of New businesses are that of survival and continuity.

Survival means everything from the business being financially capable of meeting its financial obligations and still having funds for investments, to being well placed in the market that its product or service is relevant to meet the wants of its market etc.
Here we are not focused on companies dependent on loans as loans have to be repaid.
Continuity here means there is a form of succession plan in place so when the owner dies the business can continue and we all know that even for large companies this is a big challenge as most businesses die after the death of the owner and about 90% of new businesses die within a year.

Read more about the SIYB visit http://hadurconsult.net/siyb/

"I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work" –

If you answered yes then read on
walk the holy land of the bible Visit important sites in Jerusalem & sinai eilat dec 2010 join well packaged private low cost tour visa assistance,Hotel reservation, excellent meals many free gifts limited seats available call 08033134108 or email Hadurconsult@yahoo.co.uk today or visit
http:wwwmotherinisrael..com now ! For full details Free Download.

please direct me so my application wont be rejected . i have not been to the u.k since the 80s now need to visit what do you suggest i do
ramtee

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RETIREMENT PLANNING AND PENSION REFORM ACT 2004

I put this question before you today. Think deeply about it before you reply. When is the best time to start planning your retirement? Today, 10 years from now, 10 years before you retire?
My answer to that question is that you should start planning immediately you start setting your long term career and investment goals. Today unlike in the past, people plan to retire early.
The Pension Reform Act 2004 by its provisions, sensitizes employees about thinking about early retirement from the first day of employment as you have to open your retirement account with a PFA as soon as you start work and it provides for early retirement by age fifty.

ramael

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• Start out by defining your wellness goals.
• Evaluate where you are today.
• Identify key areas that you need to improve on.
• Write out a plan you can commit to.
• Get started today and keep working at it with persistence and determination. Read more about weight loss planning at

http:// www.shapemanagers.com/blog

Passion week starts today after the hossana singing of yesterday .It is a week of sober reflection as we think on the passion of our Lord. Read more at
http://wwwmotherinIsrael..com
ramael

I am planning my retirement i want to know if stock investing can support me or what alternative investments i can use.

coca cola and minerals have high sugar content which is not good for the body especially those who want to lose weight

"Hundreds of Christians from around the world marched from the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem to mark Palm Sunday, retracing the steps of Jesus 2,000 years ago. 28th March 2010

The pilgrims waved national and church flags and followed a white donkey, which according to Christian tradition was the way Jesus entered the holy city." - source NPR
see pictures below

On the land wikipedia says "The Holy Land (Hebrew: ארץ הקודש Eretz HaKodesh);  The Holy Land has significant religious importance for Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Bahá'í Faith. Part of its sanctity stems from the religious significance of Jerusalem, the holiest city to Judaism, the third-holiest to Islam, and part of the proposed Christian Pentarchy. The perceived holiness of the land was the ideological driving force behind the Crusades. The Holy Land has been a destination for religious pilgrimages since biblical times" still in doubt or want more information , read more at http://wwwmotherinIsrael..com

people are always entitled to their opinion and sometimes views expressed remain the views of the writer and does not represent the thoughts and feelings of the world.It is true that many Israelis do not believe yet there are those who believe It is also true that the prophet was not accepted in HIS country yet the religion has thrived,at a season like Easter or Christmas pilgrims travel from all over the world to worship and this continues whether people like it or not. proudly Nigerian but open to express likes in other countries - i simply love Israel and it is a wonderful experiecnce to travel for what ever reason a learning experience, pilgrimage, holiday name it

A number of people have asked for more details on the bulk sms business I referred to earlier in the week .For those interested please visit www.easypensionsolution.com/sms for details or email me at ramaeltee@yahoo.com