Some South-West farmers have asked Reuben Fasoranti, the foremost leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation Afenifere, to beckon the state governors to provide them with farm facilities and loans.

“The meeting also deliberated on the visit. A save-our-soul visit made by some farmers to the leader, who is also an Asiwaju of Yoruba land (Pa Reuben Fasoranti), a few days ago here in his house in Akure.

“They complained that there are some facilities that they learnt are available with the government, particularly from the federal level but they are not enjoying it.

“The Afenifere meeting encouraged the state governors in the Yoruba-speaking states (South-West) to make it easy for the farmers in their respective states to have access to loans and these facilities at the federal level,” Mr Ajayi.

Dare Ajayi, spokesperson for Afenifere disclosed this at the end of the caucus meeting of the organisation, held at the residence of Mr Fasoranti in Akure, Ondo capital city, on Thursday.

Mr Ajayi said the farmers, who are into livestock, poultry farming and food crops in the southwest, complained to Mr Fasoranti of lacking facilities and loans to boost productivity to shore up food security.

He noted that the farmers also raised concerns about the neglect of farming, which they observed is gradually going into extinction in the southwest region.

According to him, the farmers are also important to the nation and should be given information about the available facilities and loans to boost produce and production.

While encouraging huge investment in agriculture, Mr Ajayi said the leader of the Afenifere also asked the governors to save the indigenous language (Yoruba) from going into extinction.

He revealed that making the language compulsory from primary schools to secondary institutions in the region will assist in promoting the cultural values and heritage of the Yorubas.

“The meeting calls on the government particularly in Yoruba-speaking states, to make it a policy and probably even make it compulsory for the language to be used as medium of expression in teaching at both primary school level and up to the junior secondary school.”

He said, “The meeting deliberated on the status of the Yoruba language, particularly in Yoruba land. It is of great concern that many parents are not speaking the language, let alone teaching their children.

“And this will create a positive danger of extinction in the near future. So, the meeting encourages parents to not only be speaking the language in their homes but also teach their children.”