DeWKON Harvest Fields, FG's agric hub initiative: Will Fapote be Ogbomoso's New City?

DeWKON Harvest Fields, FG’s agric hub initiative: Will Fapote be Ogbomoso’s New City?

Femi OGUNLANA

Fapote, a community in Oriire local government area, in the last six months, has fast been gaining momentum in real development index, making one to think is it for real? Is its fortune really changing? The fortune of an individual, corporation or place can change for the better in a twinkle if God decides to effect it.

Fapote, an agrarian community, lying in the outskirts of Ogbomoso, on Ogbomoso – Iseyin road, has remained quiet for long but in recent months, it is becoming an important town, and is on the verge of being transformed. “Transformation” is the new action word in Ogbomoso inspired by the Soun of Ogbomosoland His Imperial Majesty Oba Ghandi Afolabi Olaoye Orumogege III. Since his majesty ascended the throne in 2023, the monarch has introduced and has been hammering on the shibboleth – “Transformation.” And poignantly he is living his word. It is stirring. When he first unveiled the word, shortly after his installation, those in the gathering (of which l was one) expressed pessimism that much efforts in that direction had been rolled out in the past in the community to no avail but Oba Ghandi would not subscribe to that stressing he had been involved in breaking new grounds in the last 30 years and thus assured that transforming his domain was a task already accomplished! He has not relented turning the vision into reality.

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Certainly, this is rubbing off well on the neighbouring communities, especially those with open heart and not encumbered by animosity. The traditional ruler of Fapote, the Alara, is not driven by hostility towards the Soun or Ogbomoso. If he is, perhaps this new federal government programme would have eluded his small enclave. Because the coordinators of the SWDC project actually asked Soun if he had a good relationship with the Alara as he was obligated to endorse the choice of Fapote. Soun had answered in the affirmative.

The federal government is pumping about ₦100b into the project aimed at scaling up agricultural production in 137 farming communities in the Southwest region through the South West Development Commission (SWDC). Fapote is one of two pilot sites selected in Oyo state. When completed, Fapote will be a hub of agriculture with continguous villages to it captured in the scheme. Building of an industrial park flaunting processing and storage infrastructure, roads construction, establishment of farm clusters, cooperative credit union, agricultural training centre, solar power installation, integrated livestock and crop farms, irrigation farming, establishment of model schools and health centres etc, will be the part of what will spring up at Fapote. It is a total package embedded with the aim of creating a thriving community pivoted on envisaged increment in agric income, population boost etc. If the programme is allowed to work and doesn’t go the way of previous lofty projects, Fapote is really on the road to transformation, and indeed a New City.

Fapote is equally the location of the Green Haven Estate, a multi-acre housing estate being developed by DeWKON Harvest Fields Ltd, geared at producing massive residential capacity over several phases. It is an enterprising initiative as well focusing on the urbanisation of Fapote. When it is fully achieved, it is capable of creating a new, inspiring story for the community, that would have a village transformed into a town/mini-city.

Both, the SWDC initiative and the Green Haven Estate, would entail complex processes but could be the foundation of an urbanised Fapote, a flourishing town, pivoting economic growth, modern infrastructure and sustainability.

Who says the 25 year-development agenda stimulated by Oba Ghandi isn’t on course.