In a scathing critique of the First Lady’s gardening activities at Aso Rock, Nigerian journalist Buhari Olanrewaju Ahmed has denounced her claims of contributing to the country’s food security as ‘Greenwashing’.
Taking to his Facebook page, Ahmed argued that if the First Lady truly wants to address the nation’s food security challenges, she should venture out of her protected and comfortable environment and brave the violence-ridden regions of Plateau, Benue, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi, and Ogun states, where women farmers are terrorized by murder and rape and live under constant threat of insecurity.
“The First Lady should stop deceiving Nigerians by claiming she plants vegetables in the Aso Rock gardens to contribute to the country’s food security. If she’s serious, let her go to Plateau, Benue, Kaduna, Zamfara, Kebbi, and Ogun states, where there is no security, and farm there.”, he wrote.
He highlighted the widespread fear and anxiety these women face as they farm, often at risk of murder, rape, and violence at the hands of armed herdsmen. Ahmed asserted that hundreds of lives have been lost and families irreparably shattered due to the government’s failure to protect women farmers from these heinous crimes.
“Women in these regions are farming with fear and anxiety due to a lack of security. Hundreds of women have been killed on their farms because there is no one to protect them, and their daughters have been raped overnight by herdsmen.”, he added.
Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu had on Sunday unveiled a small private vegetable garden in the State House as her contribution to the nation’s food drive.
This was revealed in a video posted on X platform by TVC television, in which Mrs Tinubu said the garden has at least seven types of vegetable including spinach, water leaf, bitter leaf, Ewedu, lemon grass, scent leaf and okro.
The first lady stated that while single efforts may seem small, they can collectively make a substantial difference in advancing the food security initiative, emphasising the importance of collaborative efforts to drive meaningful change.
