Reminiscent of Majek Fashek’s hit song, Bauchi farmers have held a special prayer begging God to “send down the rain,” as the state witnessed a dry spell for two months.

The farmers prayed for divine intervention amid a cleric’s claim that immoral acts prevented rainfall in Bauchi.

According to Mahmud Zakariyya, an Islamic cleric in Bauchi, prayers are inevitable because of the high rate of immorality going on in society.

“We need more prayers for God to intervene,” he stated. “This is the right time to stop all immoral acts in society such as wanton killings, fornication, gossip, kidnapping, among others.”

Babaji Alkaleri, a cash crop farmer in Alkaleri, explained that the prolonged dry spell had affected early planting.

”We resorted to the special prayer for God to intervene. The dry spell has affected farmers who planted early planting.

”I have been planting and selling different types of vegetables and root crops in the last 16 years, and I made a profit when there was rain.

“Access to sufficient water supply is essential for successful and sustainable farming. Without water, crops die; farmers lose their income, and people go hungry,” he said.

Another farmer, Ayuba Sallau, noted that crops had dried up because of lack of rain.

“What we are going through right now is really tough. We mobilised our colleagues to engage in this special prayer,” Mr Sallau disclosed.

Also speaking, an agronomist, Iliyasu Gital, advised farmers to develop irrigation facilities.

“Natural disasters are beyond our control. It is something we cannot change. However, while watering plants, farmers need to use water sparingly,” Mr Gital advised.

He urged farmers not to be deterred by the prolonged dry spell and go for crops cultivated and harvested between three to four months.

(NAN)