Joseph Igbeka is an Emeritus professor of Agricultural Engineering at the University of Ibadan. In this interview by KANGMWA GOFWEN, he speaks about his achievements at 80, the place of technology in agriculture in today’s Nigeria, among others.
HOW does it feel looking back at your achievements at 80?
I am much fulfilled. I feel blessed. When I took my Ogbueshi title, I looked back at my life when they asked what name I was going to take for the title and I said, Onyechukwukwanuzor which means ‘anybody that God has made his path does not stumble’ and that is how I see my progress from when I was growing up to the point where I am. I must say that I am blessed as a Catholic because I love being a Catholic. I’ve been blessed with a good and loving family, my wife and my beautiful children. You know, as they say, if your home is not peaceful and enjoyable, there is no way you can be at peace yourself. So, I thank God for that. I am also blessed in my profession. I always say, if I come to this world again I’ll still be a teacher because that is the profession through which you touch many lives. So, I thank God for my profession being a lecturer and an engineer, and being surrounded by good colleagues in the department especially because we are like a family which was built starting with the late Prof Aboaba, who brought me from the USA to this place in 1977.
Where is the place of technology in agriculture in Nigeria today?
The place of technology in agriculture is mechanisation. I always say that the job of the agricultural engineer is to mechanise agriculture and that is what we have been doing. And when we talk of mechanisation, it’s not just tractors because when people hear mechanised agriculture they think it is just tractors. Tractors are part of it, but for big farms. Else, there are appropriate technological equipment that can be used and that is what India and China have been doing that has enhanced their agriculture. They started building small equipment to help the farmer and we have a lot of models that have been designed in Nigerian Universities that are lying fallow. The government does not want to take them up. If you go to the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation in Ilorin, you will find different equipment there. The centre can develop and test, but the government just pays lips service, saying they will do this and that and all they do is order for tractors and that’s all. Mechanised agriculture will encourage young graduates and school leavers to go into agriculture. There are some of my students that have grown big in agriculture.
Nigeria, particularly the North Central, witnessed severe flooding during the last farming season. Will that impact the coming farming season?
Of course it will impact the coming season. In Nigeria, we have peculiar problems in agriculture. First of all, the greatest problem in that area, North/Central, North/East and North/West is insecurity then flooding. Though some parts in the south are affected, that of the North Central is much that it carries the whole farm away. Some of them lamented they couldn’t harvest anything from their farms. I think government should really do some flood control, especially in Kogi State — you find out when the flood comes it covers all the area and goes into the farm. So the government should be able to see that they do some flood control. A lot of work has been done by engineers in this area of flood control, but then again the government will pay lip service to it. In most cases, you will find some projects started and stop half way. The government should be up-and-doing as long as flood control is concerned. NIMET predicts what is coming, and they predicted for this year. I know government is asking people in the residential areas to evacuate but they’re not talking about their farms because we’re talking about agriculture. No, they’re not talking about their farms. Some of them will evacuate and the next thing their farms are all gone. So I think it is the goodwill of the government to make sure that money is put into flood control.
What are your thoughts on government’s denial on the impact of the flood on food supply?
I’m happy that everybody has noticed that. There are times when I ask: are those in government living with us in this world at all? You know when the flood comes it carries farm lands; you can’t say it doesn’t impact on agriculture. North Central is more like the food basket of Nigeria and if they can’t harvest because of flood or the flood has taken away all their crops then in the next season there will be no food. So they can’t say flooding does not impact on agriculture. In fact, part of mechanisation is also flood control. You know, in farms, they can construct channels to channel the water when they know the source of the flood. In agricultural engineering, we have an area of irrigation and drainage. These are the people who are in control. Make money available to them. But if you say it doesn’t impact on agriculture then that is very unfair. We can also find ways of harvest this water, store it and use it again during dry season.
How would you rate the outgoing government as regards agriculture?
I don’t see any impact in agriculture by this government. I think the best minister of agriculture that we have ever had in this country was Dr Akinwumi Adesina, the current AfDB President. And that was where we saw even technology coming on board as far as agriculture was concerned. And there was a lot of impact on agriculture then but unfortunately he did not stay long in that position. Maybe I can say the body is willing but the soul is not ready, because they will say by mouth they’re going to do this, they’re going to do that, and we clap for them, and at the end we’ll see nothing.
How do you feel when you see your students flourishing in their various fields, like the deputy governor of Lagos State among others?
People say the reward of a teacher is in heaven but we are seeing the reward now. Some of my students are either directors or professors, you know. The governor of Borno State was my masters student. I retired since 2008 but because I’m an emeritus professor, I’ve always been around. So when I see them progressing and making waves like that, it makes me very happy, especially in the profession. Since I became an emeritus professor, all the HODs in the department were my former students. The current HOD was my PhD student, he is a professor. So when I see them I just feel fulfilled and I’m happy. The time I was doing some consultancy with the ministries, there was no time I went there and did see not my former students, assistant director, director, chief engineer and a lot of them. So, I’m very much fulfilled.
What have you been doing that keeps you going?
First of all, I say the grace of God. And then I must say that, that grace has helped me with most of my doctors who have been advising me on what to do. So I give credit to them too. And especially one of my doctors said no matter what, make sure you take, at least take a walk for 30 minutes every day. When I was on the campus I used to walk around. But when I came here first, I used to walk through Akala road and come back with my wife but with the insecurity, I now walk around my compound and at least I tried to maintain it. And I take my medication accordingly and then keep strictly on my diet and also spiritually, with my God in peace.
Professors and academics are believed to be custodians of excellence, yet we saw some professors aiding corrupt politicians to rig elections, even in the just concluded elections. What can you say about that?
As they say that money is a devil. I used to tell my wife that every person has a price. If you give me one million now, it’s nothing to me. 20 million, no. I always tell people I’m satisfied with what I have and the way I live. I’m not looking forward to have 10 houses 20 cars on display. All I want is a comfortable roof on my head, children and my family and a good vehicle that can take me round. So, I think it depends on people. Everybody has a character. There are people who are greedy and would always want to have more. I got to a stage that I got those good consultancies after I was 75 and I told them I’m now old. There was one they offered that required travelling to the whole of West Africa, of course we knew what it is to travel with dollars Per Diem and this and that. I said no. I have a junior colleague, one of my former students, so I called him and said this is what you have to do, can I give your name? And he said yes. I said, okay, bring your CV and I vouched for him, he was my good student and now a professor. They accepted his CV and the gentleman did the job and did it very well. The report was fantastic.
There are people that went into INEC and did not get corrupt. So, in every profession, there are bad eggs — and getting the good eggs is difficult in Nigeria.
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