The Oku Ibom Ibibio and President General of Akwa Ibom State Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers, His Eminence, Ntenyin (Dr.) Solomon Daniel Etuk, CFR, doing the ceremonial planting.
Oku Ibom Ibibio and President General of Akwa Ibom State Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers, His Eminence, Ntenyin Solomon Daniel Etuk, has thrown his weight behind the ongoing agricultural revolution in the state, under Pastor Umo Eno’s ARISE Agenda initiative.
This was demonstrated when the supreme monarch warmly received the Akwa Ibom State Agricultural and Food Security Team, comprising representatives from the Akwa Ibom Agricultural Development Programme (AKADEP), the Ministry of Agriculture, and the National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN), at his palace in Ikot Ukobo, Nsit Ubium Local Government Area, on Monday, October 27, 2025.
The leader of the team, Mrs. Bernadette John Ekanem, State Chairperson of the National Palm Produce Association, apprised the monarch of strategic plans to distribute hybrid Tenera palm seedlings and other vital agro-inputs, geared towards enhancing sustainable food production and achieving food security in Akwa Ibom State.
According to Mrs. Ekanem, the new Tenera hybrid seedlings offer superior advantages, boasting significantly higher yields and oil production compared to the traditional Dura species prevalent in the state, and would effectively meet growing local demand and substantially boost export potential.
She said, “We are here to inform you, our revered royal father, about Governor Umo Eno’s initiative on the planting of new palm seedlings, specifically the Hybrid Tenera variety.”
“The idea is to identify with oil palm farmers at the grassroots level, ensuring proper distribution of the new species to them, and as directed by the state government” she added.
Others, who joined the delegation to witness the symbolic planting of these generational palm seedlings by Oku Ibom Ibibio were Amb. Alphonsus Inyang, Dr. Edem Udongho, both members of the Akwa Ibom Committee on Agriculture and Food Security, and Mr. Emmanuel Ekanem of AKADEP.
In his remarks, Ntenyin Etuk commended the state government for its life-touching initiatives, noting that our forebears adopted oil palm production as a means of livelihood and sustained it for years. However, he lamented that the palm trees is now overgrown and become useless, urging the people of Akwa Ibom to align with the new vision.
“Our forefathers used to depend on oil palm production, which served as their major source of income. It’s disheartening to see our people today depending on government all the time instead of embarking on generational wealth creation such as oil palm farming”.
“Let us embrace these innovative ideas by supporting this policy to thrive, thereby contributing to our economic growth”- Ntenyin Etuk stated.
Oku Ibom Ibibio further emphasized that Akwa Ibom people should prioritize farming, especially oil palm cultivation, as one of the key drivers of economic growth, job and wealth creation, and a catalyst for charting a path to greatness.
Highlight of the visit was the symbolic planting of hybrid Tenera palm seedlings by the supreme monarch.
