Palm trees worth millions destroyed as fire guts ex-ambassador’s farm

An early morning fire has gutted farmland located in Onipepe axis of Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, and destroyed palm trees worth millions of naira.

The farmland belongs to the former Nigerian Ambassador to Zambia/Malawi, Mrs Folake Marcus-Bello.

Our correspondent gathered that the fire incident which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday ravaged the 10 hectares of the farmland known as Folake B Farm, destroying over 500 palm trees among other farm products.

The cause of the fire at the farmland located along Siun-Sagamu-Abeokuta expressway was still unknown, but it was further gathered that the inferno lasted for about four hours, before it was put out.

During a visit to the farmland on Thursday showed that the farmland, it was observed that palm trees affected were burnt to ashes.

The manager of the farmland, Mrs Adesola Adebayo, explained that said she got a phone call from the villagers as about 4.30pm, informing her about the fire, and had to rush down to the scene.

She said on arrival, she and other villagers were helpless on the volume of the fire, which was spreading without control, adding that the harmattan situation contributed to the fast spread of the fire which caused serious damages

“I am the farmland manager, I got information at about 4,30pm from the villagers informing me that fire has occurred in the farm, and had had to rush down. On getting to the farmland, the fire was spreading fast and we became helpless because of the volume of the spread.

“I don’t know the cause of the fire, but maybe it was caused by hunters looking for bush meat, who might have put fire on the bush to track the animals. One cannot also rule out activities of some unscrupulous elements who may deliberately set the farmland on fire. The harmattan further worsen the situation”, Adebayo said

The former Nigerian Ambassador when confirmed the “sad development,” adding that she was short of words when she heard about the development, stressing that she has committed millions of naira to the farmland

Marcus-Bello lamented the huge loss, adding that she was looking ahead for harvest of the farm products which run into millions of naira when inferno consumed everything

“This is disturbing and worrisome. I am short of words and it was difficult to believe, just as we are looking forward for harvest, the inferno caused havoc destroying millions of naira farm products. The larger part of the 10 hectares of the farmland has been consumed,” she said.