By David Osundeyi
Management of YSJ Farms Limited has dismissed allegations that it defrauded youths participating in its Bring Back Youths to Agriculture Empowerment Programme, describing the claims as misleading and inconsistent with the facts on ground.
The clarification was made on Tuesday during a press conference in Ado-Ekiti, where the company responded to a recent press release accusing its Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Yemisi Samuel Joluwe, of collecting ₦100,000 from youths across Ekiti State without fulfilling promised empowerment benefits.
Speaking at the briefing, the General Manager of YSJ Farms, Mr. Rotimi Omole, explained that the programme operates through structured groups across different farming locations, each with elected leaders responsible for decision-making and financial management. According to him, funds for farm operations such as planting, weeding, fertiliser application and spraying were paid directly into the accounts of site treasurers, not individuals.
Mr. Omole disclosed that in locations such as Ikere-Ekiti, over ₦12 million was released for farm operations, adding that proceeds from farm yields were shared based on production outcomes and individual attendance. He noted that maize produced under the scheme was bought back by YSJ at ₦1 million per tonne, far above prevailing market prices of ₦250,000 per tonne.
“The empowerment was given, and everyone was paid according to what was realised from each location and their level of participation,” Omole said. “Those who worked more and attended farm activities regularly earned more than those who hardly showed up.”
He further clarified that the programme empowered about 5,200 youths across the state, though reconciliation was ongoing for some participants whose bank details were inconsistent. He also explained that only pioneer participants in the 2024 farming season were asked to make a ₦100,000 commitment fee, which was deducted from their previous earnings to make them shareholders in the project, while new participants joined at no cost.
On the involvement of the Ekiti State Government, Omole said the initiative was a public-private partnership in which YSJ provided funding, inputs, machinery and buy-back arrangements, while the government contributed land, security and subsidised land preparation.
“The programme is not a World Bank or federal government project,” he stated. “YSJ is a private company doing business, with government only providing support infrastructure.”
Also speaking, the Coordinator of YSJ, Mr. Ajibade Adeleke, said participants who attended farm activities regularly earned between ₦500,000 and ₦1 million, while those who failed to participate adequately earned far less. He expressed disappointment over the allegations, saying they could discourage genuine empowerment efforts.
Several beneficiaries present at the press conference spoke in defence of the programme. One of them, Mr. Temitope Fakolade Kingsley from Ikere-Ekiti, described the initiative as “a source of great joy” to Ekiti youths, adding that YSJ exceeded expectations in its payment structure.
Another beneficiary and pioneer secretary from Ado-Ekiti, Mrs. Akomolafe Cecilia Funmilayo, said payments were transparently based on attendance and farm output. “Some of us attended the farm over forty times, while others came just a few times. That is why the earnings were different,” she explained.
Similarly, Mr. Owoeye Johnson Oladimeji, a pioneer participant, said the programme had positively impacted youths in the state and should be sustained. He revealed that he earned ₦300,000 in the first year, noting that returns varied across locations based on farm yield.
YSJ management reiterated its commitment to transparency and youth empowerment, urging the public to disregard what it described as misinformation surrounding the programme.
