Redirecting the Nation to the Farmer’s Kingdom as Panacea to Food Insecurity, by Michael Olatunbosun |

As we enter the New Year, let’s be reminded that a nation that aspires to feed its people must take agriculture seriously. That is the essence of the book for today. It is a collection of poems, titled: “Farmer’s Kingdom,” written by Dr. Lekan Akinwale and published in 2014 by Gbola Best. The author of the collection is a medical doctor, an inventor, and award-winning essayist with literary works to his credit, including Beautiful Fire, a collection of poems.

The collection, Farmer’s Kingdom, contains 43 poems and is divided into five sections. In the collection, Farmer’s Kingdom, the poet discusses the prime position of agriculture in the economic emancipation of a people. The poet believes that the farmer’s place is to solve the problem of food insecurity. For instance in the title poem, Farmer’s Kingdom, the poet seeks to tell the reader that the only way to solve the problem of food insecurity is to go back to the farm. The poet decries the brevity of life in the land on account of wars, insurgency and lack of attention by the leaders. The poet suggests that when we return to the farm, we will be able to solve all these problems. 

Hear the poet persona: 

To many, hunger’s an obstacle/To pursuing their happiness.

Life and living, /Ambition, vision, mission, and goal

To the sky above or the sea below have sojourned

Many here are starving /Not knowing when the next meal will come

Including children, adults, the aged /Without government’s social support

…

Food insecurity, a farmer takes for granted

Food is like a king /Stomach is like an oracle

That must be worshipped /Irrespective of one’s religious persuasion

To prevent and satisfy hunger /That hangs like a sword of Damocles

By eating timely and appropriately /Wholesome and hygienic food.

Seek ye first the kingdom of farmers /And all other things will follow.

In the work, the poet challenges young, able bodied men and women to work with their hands and not be layabouts. In the poem Layabouts, the poet persona asks the young ones to acquire skills and learn enterprise so that they will be self-sufficient and not be tools in the hands of big men.

In the collection, Farmer’s Kingdom, the poet persona laments the abandonment of the farms for the city and city life. In the poem, Farming Without Knowledge, the poet laments the society’s pursuit of white collar jobs at the expense of the farms. The poet also makes a case for farmers to band together to harness their resources so as to scale up their enterprise. The poem ends on a note of lamentation that the discovery of oil in 1958 has killed the zeal for farming and aided rural to urban migration. 

In this collection, Farmer’s Kingdom, written by Dr Lekan Akinwale, there is this ubiquitous call for the nation to go back to agriculture as it is the gateway to economic prosperity. The poet consistently calls the nation to give all the necessary support to farmers as well as encourage young people to embrace agriculture. 

In a similar vein, the poet calls for full mechanization of agriculture and for young people to replace the ageing farmers.

A large part of the collection is dedicated to the advocacy for herbal or alternative medicine. The poet believes that since orthodox medicine is becoming increasingly expensive and hospitals are failing and expensive, there must be a synergy with herbal medicine.

In the poem Farmer’s Night turn Daylight, the poet celebrates herbalists and how they use their knowledge of leaves, roots and herbs to treat illnesses. The poet closes the poem by saluting his forebears this way: 

In form of roots, bark, leaves and vegetables prepared by herbalists

That have stood the test of time/Thanks to our forebears for their discoveries …

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In the following poem, Herbal Medicine Must not Die, the poet persona seems to glamorise herbal medical practise or alternative medicine. 

The poet persona appeals to the practitioners of herbal medicine to transfer their knowledge to the coming generation this way:

Let herbalists for the sake of humanity / unclench their fists

Reveal the repertoire of diseases and their treatment

Before their armoury dies out with them

Present and future generation / Cannot do without them

Because orthodox medicine is / Increasingly expensive.

In this work, the poet basically romanticises and celebrates the farmer, and props agriculture as the way to go to feed our hungry people and foster economic development. In this work therefore, the poet sings the praise of the farmer to the high heavens, and even tells how nature itself heaps sweet eulogies of celebration on the farmer. 

Also scattered throughout the work is the poet’s description of the farm and family life of the farmer. In this 70-page collection, the poet persona presents to the reader, the work, life, death and family of the farmer. In the work, the reader is allowed to peep, albeit momentarily, into the homestead of the farmers: their wives, sons and daughters and domestic challenges.

Ultimately, Dr. Lekan Akinwale demonstrates with this work his deep understanding of agriculture, being the son of a farmer. 

The work also makes a big case for agriculture and herbal medicine, including the problems of the health sector, and the need for the government to reawaken the primary health care sector.

. Olatunbosun is reachable via 08023517565 (SMS and WhatsApp only) and [email protected].

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