HOW CAN WE ERADICATE AGROPHOBIA?

By Richard Ephraim

One might begin to wonder if the word “Agrophobia” exists in the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary or Merriam Websters Collegiate dictionary or perhaps the new world encyclopedia of word or concentrated Thesaurus, or any dictionary of sort. While others may contend that such term does not exist in strictu sensu. However, it is quite normal that this concept raises eyebrows of my target erudite readers at first glance because it is literally strange and yet to be discovered if at all there is any person, working painstakingly on the curative properties of this “ailment” which is fast becoming a common place in our climes.

First and foremost, let us understand what is “Agrophobia”. The term “Agrophobia” albeit not yet discovered by erudite scholars, researches or lexicographers is a new coinage invented by me, following my sojourn in the prestigious faculty of Agriculture and the ingrained views held by students, parents, and other folks with regards to agriculture within and outside the walls of the University of Uyo. However, for the purpose of this article, it means extreme and irrational fear and dislike of Faculty of Agriculture and Agriculture as an art and science profession in extension”.

Hmm! Yes, as (ridiculous) informal, baseless, strange and pointless as the term may sound to many, I fond it uneasy to put this concept down on paper. Nonetheless, due to my undeterred and persistent desire to impart this message to the victims of this “ailment” and the dire need to sanitize the myopic mentality, correct the misconception and change the delusive philosophy held widely by many students and the general public, I insisted to use this medium to bring to the fore, this new “ailment” that is already taking deep root in our society today.

No doubts, most students, parents and folks often contend that unless a high school alumni preparing for (UTM) examination registers and pursues programmes like MBBS, anatomy, physiology and a host of others in science and basic medical/clinical sciences faculty, such secondary school leaver will not make it in lie when he/she graduates with a degree outside the course of study aforementioned.

Others enthusiastically maintain that they envisage their children as future engineers, medical doctors, pharmacists, inter alia without even assessing or scrutinizing their wards meticulously to know what innate talents they are blessed with. Parents who don’t know the weaknesses, deficiencies, or defects of their offspring’s in some of these disciplines often mislead their children into forging ahead and pressing hard for courses they would not have the capacity to study in the university. The consequences of this is evident in the throngs of students who register and sit for PUTME (Aptitude test) every year only to discover that their names are not included in the admission list. Sadly in some cases, this happens to be their 3^rd of 4^th sitting for the exam. At this point, we cannot shy away from the fact that age is a factor (mostly among females) whose biological clock is ticking faster than the speed of light, as they begin to barge into cyber café trying to purchase another JAMB (UME) form. Most of them shy away from studying Agriculture because of “Agrophobia”, but in strictu sensu, most of these young people can farm very well.

More so, another scenario here is where a student who could not meet the admission requirements for any of his proposed course of study, reluctantly applies for supplementary admission, due to his/her persistent and burning desire to be in the University that year, or probably due to countless years of sitting for JAMB UTME and PUTME (aptitude test), as fate may have it, or permit me to say by the able and benevolent arrangement and favour of the “gods of admission” if at all such exists, he/she finds his/her way into the prestigious Faculty of Agriculture, the student manages to forge ahead with the intent of switching (inter-faculty change) to what may labeled “better programme, professional course or proficient discipline” etc after the student’s first year.

Sadly, such a student unarguably, may not have the ability to control the basking and overwhelming euphoria of being admitted into the University, the joy of being addressed as “fresher” as the subsequent distractions and challenges induced by extracurricular activities like socials, politics, meeting old and new friends and all these, compounded by Agrophobia, the student suddenly realize that the time table for exam is out and two weeks are actually left prior to examinant proper. Such a student begins to battle his/her way to keep head above water, he/she wobbles, bumbles, tumbles, stumbles and fumbles only to wake up from the cosmetic and illusive fantasies and realizes that he/she has flunked (4) four courses (God forbid!!!) at the end of an academic session. At this point, the thought of switching to another faculty becomes history. In view of this, one will not need a soothsayer to tell him why such a student begins to develop a freakish and unusual love and passion for the prestigious faculty of Agriculture as he/she is ushered into 200 levels with loads of carry over courses attached to his/her person. And I pause here to wonder rhetorically; were all these courses failed by that student not equally offered by other students from MBBS, Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry department?” 

I cannot deny this for a fact I was also a victim of this “ailment” some years ago, particularly when I wrote my second aptitude test exam. However, my mentality, perception, position, and philosophy with regards to Agriculture changed completely when I got admitted into the University, I saw it as a chance for a life time, and even competed with my colleagues and counterparts from medicine departments. The experience was terrific if you ask me.

Another case in point which I would like to hare with my target erudite readers is the commonly found mentality among young people today that Faculty of Agriculture is a child’s play ground and the common misconception that you can’t make it with Agric degree. Now, before the discovery of oil in Nigeria in the 1960s (i.e oil boom), Agriculture was the mainstay of Nigeria’s economy. Nut the grim reality here is that the Agricultural sector has been so marginalized by the government at all levels in recent years; therefore this has also resulted in the marginalization of Agriculture by the hurting multitude who now believes that they only make it through the oil and political sectors. This could also be perceived as one of the reasons why people develop Agrophobia.

It is on this note that I wish to recommend here vehemently that parents, youths, public officers, students and the teeming populace, should make positive efforts towards changing this erroneous mentality, misconception and baseless philosophy about Faculty of Agriculture and the Agricultural sector and thus encourage their wards, students, colleagues and friends to pursue any programme in Agriculture in order to come out and mobilize resources effectively, create employment opportunities for the teeming masses, acquire skills and harness environmental resources efficiently in order to increase food production to keep pace with the nation’s expanding population.

Lets say no to Agrophobia, and kick against it so that the issue of food crises and poverty caused by unemployment which has plagues our dear nation right from its incipient stage of independence will become history.

I have strong conviction that one day this oil and ores beneath the soil and rocks of our fatherland will dry up, and in the light of such a scenario, Agricultural sector which hitherto, has been marginalized by the government of the day, youths, parents, public officers and the masses will be given back its prominent place and lost status as truly the “only way out of our nation’s economic woes”.

Let me pause here with great assurance that my message will be carefully assimilated by my target readers. The Latin man will say verb sap!! While an English man will simplify it with “a word is enough for the wise”!! 

Richard Ephraim is a Student Of Crop Science Department, Faculty Of Agriculture, University of Uyo, Nigeria.