Whenever the word journalism is mentioned, the basic thing that comes to mind is the profession of writing for newspapers, magazines, or news websites or preparing news for broadcast. It is a profession that fully consumes the world of journalists, leaving them with few options for other vocations.
It is therefore refreshing that Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, in his all-encompassing efforts to better the lives of the people of the state, steered the interest of members of this noble profession to another vocation: farming. Not just ordinary everyday farming, but engaging in palm plantation—a huge money-making endeavour that will better the economic status of journalists in the state in the next two years.
On August 18, 2025, the governor presented the Benue State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) with improved Tenera oil palm seedlings under the Benue Palm Project, a sustainable economic intervention of the state government aimed at creating jobs, boosting industrial growth, and strengthening household incomes.
The governor was personally present when the NUJ held its congress at the NUJ House in Makurdi.
“These seedlings are not just gifts. They are the foundation of an economy that will feed industries, create jobs for our youth, and generate wealth for our families. Every palm tree planted today is a seed of prosperity for tomorrow,” the governor told the impressed journalists.
Governor Alia did not stop there. He also announced several interventions for the NUJ, which included settling the Union’s outstanding ₦12 million dues to its national body, renovating the dilapidated NUJ House in Makurdi, providing a utility bus to ease the union’s mobility challenges, and considering weigh-in allowances for journalists in government-owned media organisations.
Despite this largesse, the governor told the media practitioners not to compromise the truth, an important tenet of the profession. He said they should always uphold the truth and objectivity in their reportage and stressed that while constructive criticism is welcome, it should always point to solutions.
For keen watchers of the Alia transformational leadership, there is undoubtedly a very strong commitment to laying solid foundations for Benue’s development through infrastructure renewal, access to clean water, improved electricity, modernised schools, and stronger health facilities. These are undoubtedly necessary for the state’s sustainable growth. The palm plantation initiative is, therefore, another long-term investment in agriculture for the good of the state.
This is in sync with Governor Alia’s vision of moving Benue State from its age-long status as the “food basket of the nation” into the “industrial basket of Nigeria.”
In pushing this vision, the media practitioners will now be strategic partners in shaping the state’s success story.
For the state NUJ chairman, Comrade Bemdoo Ugber, the governor’s decision to empower journalists with palm seedlings is a bold step in creating wealth, ensuring food security, and diversifying agriculture.
Ugber also noted other bold steps the administration has taken in infrastructural renewal, digital governance reforms, and efforts to restore security and dignity to displaced persons.
The permanent secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Agweye Agbenu, said the project is a sustainable path to economic independence, noting that the planned planting of six million hybrid palm trees will, in the near future, position Benue as a leading hub for palm oil production.
“This project has the potential to reduce dependence on federal allocations and lift thousands out of poverty. In years to come, other states will come to Benue to learn from this model,” Agbenu stated.
To ensure the success of this ambitious agenda to make Nigeria and Benue a global oil palm hub using the Tenera Hybrid variety of the economic crop as the driver, the governor has been mobilising patrons and participants through clustered meetings.
The Tenera oil palm, a high-yielding hybrid variety, is an early maturing variety that could be ready for harvest within 22 to 24 months and has a longevity of up to 25 years.
It has an unbeatable prowess, primed on its ability to produce over 150 litres of red oil per tree yearly. This translates to a potential ₦15 million income for farmers with just 100 fruiting stands.
This project, therefore, can transform Benue State into an oil palm industrial hub within the next 3-4 years when individuals, including journalists, households, and communities, engage in sustaining it. This is surely a trigger for an oil palm revolution in Nigeria from Benue, and an opportunity to reap tangible income from the global palm oil market estimated at 72.844 million US dollars in the year 2024.
– Bridget Ikyado -Tikyaa is the principal special assistant to the governor on media publicity and communication strategy
