Nigerians hail arrival of white Zim farmers as ‘a great moment for us’

SHONGA, Nigeria – A group of white farmers whose farms were seized by the government in Zimbabwe were settling in at the weekend to a very different environment, building homes and planting crops in Nigeria.

The farmers are erecting houses at Shonga, some 110 kilometres north of Ilorin, the capital of central Nigerian state of Kwara, where local villagers have welcomed and hailed them as saviours. In 2000, white farmers who owned some 70 per cent of the most fertile land in Zimbabwe were ejected to make way for landless black majority by the government of President Robert Mugabe.”I have no regrets coming to Nigeria.The people are wonderful.I want to live and remain here,” Piet du Toit, a 52-year-old Zimbabwean white farmer told AFP at the weekend, as he planted maize and soya beans on part of the 15,000 hectares of land leased to 13 farmers by the government.”This is a country that wants me.My country does not want me.They sent me away in the name of giving land to the blacks,” lamented Du Toit.”We have got residence and work permits.We have even applied for Nigerian citizenship.We want to naturalise.We know the process is cumbersome, but we are getting there,” he added as he adjusted his bowler hat.Allan Jack, the leader of the group of 13 farmers, agrees.”Nigeria is a great country.The villagers are accommodating and cordial.We no longer see ourselves as Zimbabweans.We have made this place our home.”He said they have built four three bed-room bungalows near the farmland which they have been granted on 25-year leases.”This house is one of the four we have constructed.We are planning to build more to provide accommodation for members of our family,” he said pointing to one of the buildings, built with cement blocks and roofed with corrugated iron sheets.The houses have basic facilities, including television sets and good furniture.Power is provided by generators, for lack of a public supply.Graham Hatty (67) said he had invited his family to join him from Zimbabwe.”It is wonderful to be given this kind of opportunity.My wife and children will soon relocate to Nigeria to be part of the venture,” he said.”I am sure they will find this place interesting.The villagers are fantastic.Each time I drive around, the children come out to hug me.It is like magic,” he said after alighting from his tractor which he drove to the applause of people nearby.Hatty said his only regrets were the reports of the food crisis in his country.”Mugabe has destabilised the country.His evil policy has caused starvation.Thousands are dying of hunger.He has turned Zimbabwe into a beggar-nation where the people now get handouts from international aid agencies,” he added.”Mugabe can keep Zimbabwe since he said it belongs to him and his people alone.I am comfortable here and I would like to become a Nigerian,” he said.Shonga villagers, for their part, expressed delight at the presence of the Zimbabweans.”The Shonga emirate has 17 communities.The Zimbabwean farmers are free to choose any community of their choice.They are welcome,” community leader Alhaji Audu Lonchita told AFP.”The farmers are our saviours.They have brought development to our communities.They have provided jobs to our people.We thank them and the governor,” he said.”Their presence has opened up our villages.Shonga has become like a Mecca.Visitors flock here to see what is going on.It is a great moment for us as a people,” he said.”If Mugabe does not want them, we want them.They have the skills and expertise to bring about an agricultural revolution in our country.They are most welcome,” villager Alhassan Kindu Dumagi told AFP.”The Zimbabweans have our support.We will assist them to transform Nigeria as a model of development in Africa.They have become part of us,” he added.- Nampa-AFPIn 2000, white farmers who owned some 70 per cent of the most fertile land in Zimbabwe were ejected to make way for landless black majority by the government of President Robert Mugabe.”I have no regrets coming to Nigeria.The people are wonderful.I want to live and remain here,” Piet du Toit, a 52-year-old Zimbabwean white farmer told AFP at the weekend, as he planted maize and soya beans on part of the 15,000 hectares of land leased to 13 farmers by the government.”This is a country that wants me.My country does not want me.They sent me away in the name of giving land to the blacks,” lamented Du Toit.”We have got residence and work permits.We have even applied for Nigerian citizenship.We want to naturalise.We know the process is cumbersome, but we are getting there,” he added as he adjusted his bowler hat.Allan Jack, the leader of the group of 13 farmers, agrees.”Nigeria is a great country.The villagers are accommodating and cordial.We no longer see ourselves as Zimbabweans.We have made this place our home.”He said they have built four three bed-room bungalows near the farmland which they have been granted on 25-year leases.”This house is one of the four we have constructed.We are planning to build more to provide accommodation for members of our family,” he said pointing to one of the buildings, built with cement blocks and roofed with corrugated iron sheets.The houses have basic facilities, including television sets and good furniture.Power is provided by generators, for lack of a public supply.Graham Hatty (67) said he had invited his family to join him from Zimbabwe.”It is wonderful to be given this kind of opportunity.My wife and children will soon relocate to Nigeria to be part of the venture,” he said.”I am sure they will find this place interesting.The villagers are fantastic.Each time I drive around, the children come out to hug me.It is like magic,” he said after alighting from his tractor which he drove to the applause of people nearby.Hatty said his only regrets were the reports of the food crisis in his country.”Mugabe has destabilised the country.His evil policy has caused starvation.Thousands are dying of hunger.He has turned Zimbabwe into a beggar-nation where the people now get handouts from international aid agencies,” he added.”Mugabe can keep Zimbabwe since he said it belongs to him and his people alone.I am comfortable here and I would like to become a Nigerian,” he said.Shonga villagers, for their part, expressed delight at the presence of the Zimbabweans.”The Shonga emirate has 17 communities.The Zimbabwean farmers are free to choose any community of their choice.They are welcome,” community leader Alhaji Audu Lonchita told AFP.”The farmers are our saviours.They have brought development to our communities.They have provided jobs to our people.We thank them and the governor,” he said.”Their presence has opened up our villages.Shonga has become like a Mecca.Visitors flock here to see what is going on.It is a great moment for us as a people,” he said.”If Mugabe does not want them, we want them.They have the skills and expertise to bring about an agricultural revolution in our country.They are most welcome,” villager Alhassan Kindu Dumagi told AFP.”The Zimbabweans have our support.We will assist them to transform Nigeria as a model of development in Africa.They have become part of us,” he added.- Nampa-AFP