The late Akwe Doma

Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma, former Nasarawa State Governor, who died in an Israeli hospital on Tuesday, March 6, and was buried in Doma on Sunday, has been described as “a lover of agriculture”.

Farmers in the state, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Doma, said that the late governor demonstrated deep commitment to the sector when he served as governor between 2007 and 2011.

“We have lost a great friend; we have lost someone who was deeply interested in food security and deployed resources to actualise it,” a yam farmer, Dauda Ali, said of Doma, who died at 75.

He said that the demise of Doma was a great shock to the farming community because he did not pay lip service to the agriculture.

“When he was governor, he gave us fertiliser, tractors and assorted seeds. Doma will always be our hero,” he said.

Another farmer, Mr Audu Akawu, said that Doma was indeed a very friend to farmers.

“I cannot forget a governor that gave us loans, tractors, fertiliser, and every other thing we required to be great farmers.

“He initiated a programme, `Badakoshi’, through which he gave us all that we required to maximise out potential as farmers. We cannot forget him in a hurry,” he said.

He said that during Doma’s tenure, Nasarawa State witnessed high yields of agricultural production which ensured food security.

“His attention to the agriculture sector also reduced unemployment and poverty in the state,” he said.

Akawu said that farmers were sad over Doma’s exit, but were proud that he left a very good agricultural legacy for others to emulate.

Another farmer, Alhaji Sule Haruna, said that Doma did his best to attract more people to farming and urged his successors to emulate him.

“Doma’s agricultural legacies impacted positively on the lives of the people which created stability and peace because indolence was minimised,” he said.

Akawu described Doma’s death as shocking and heartbreaking, and prayed God to give Nasarawa residents the fortitude to bear the loss.

Another farmer, Mrs. Juliana Omame, said that the death of the former governor was a big loss to farmers in the state.

“Doma was a very good friend to farmers; we pray that we shall have another governor like him,” he said.