Farmers in Osun State have issued a plea to the state government following a recent fire incident that ravaged their cocoa and palm tree plantations in Ikire farm settlement, situated in the Irewole local government council area.
The farmers disclosed that the inferno resulted in the destruction of cocoa and palm trees valued at several million naira. This appeal was voiced by six affected farmers: Mr. Sulaiman Morenikeji, Mr. Zakariyahu Atanda, Mr. Opejin Ayobami, Mr. Taofeek Sumbo, Mr. Muraina Fatai, and Mr. Jide Olayanju, who conveyed their concerns through a statement released to the media in Osogbo.
They emphasized that government assistance is crucial to alleviate the current economic turmoil caused by the fire disaster on their farms.
Detailing the incident, the farmers recounted, “On the 6th of February 2024, around 11:30 a.m., we received a distress call from a fellow farmer informing us of a fire outbreak on our farms situated at Mokore farm settlement, Araromi Owu, Ikire in Osun State. Upon arrival at the farm, we were met with a distressing sight: the entire 15 hectares of farmland, abundant with cocoa and palm trees, engulfed in thick black smoke from the raging inferno.”
Attempts to notify fellow farm owners were futile due to the absence of telecommunication networks within the farm vicinity. Despite efforts to contact firefighters to extinguish the fire, this endeavor was also unsuccessful due to the unavailability of telecommunication networks.
They further explained, “After some hours, we resorted to employing traditional methods to douse the flames, utilizing water, wet leaves, and dry sand. Unfortunately, our efforts were not entirely successful, as the fire rapidly spread due to the presence of dry leaves, wood, and planks on the farmland floor.
“The fire persisted throughout the day and into the next, despite concerted efforts from fellow farmers. Eventually, we managed to bring the fire under control, but not before a significant portion of our farms had been completely destroyed.”
Consequently, the farmers appealed to both the state and federal governments for assistance in coping with the aftermath of this devastating incident.
