A prominent development advocate has made a direct appeal to retired General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, urging him to spearhead major investments in cocoa and palm oil production as a strategic engine for lasting prosperity in Taraba State.
An Open Letter Highlights Untapped Potential
In an open letter dated 13 January 2026, Emmanuel Iranyang Yakubu, the Executive Director of the United Homeland Development Initiative (UHDI), addressed the former Chief of Army Staff. Yakubu outlined a glaring contradiction between the state's immense agricultural resources and the widespread poverty experienced by its people.
He detailed that Taraba State, with its geography stretching from fertile southern lowlands to the highlands of the Mambilla Plateau, possesses extensive arable land perfectly suited for key cash crops. These include cocoa, palm oil, coffee, and tea.
"The state is also home to the only tea-producing belt in West Africa, a feature which gives it strategic economic significance beyond Nigeria," Yakubu added, emphasizing the unique opportunity.
The Stark Reality of Poverty Amidst Plenty
Despite these natural advantages, the letter pointed to persistent challenges. Youth unemployment remains critically high, and most smallholder farmers operate in isolation. They lack access to organized markets, modern processing facilities, and export-ready value chains that would allow them to earn better incomes.
Yakubu described a frustrating scenario where communities across Taraba effectively "sit on wealth they cannot convert into opportunity." This, he argued, is a waste of potential that needs decisive intervention to correct.
A Call for Catalytic Support from a Prominent Son
The appeal specifically calls on General Danjuma, widely respected as one of Taraba's most prominent figures and a noted philanthropist, to provide "catalytic support." The goal is to revive and modernize the cocoa and palm oil value chains throughout the state.
Yakubu drew inspiration from global success stories, noting how palm oil transformed Malaysia's economy and how cocoa has created generational wealth in parts of Africa and Latin America. He stressed that these plantations are long-term economic assets that can sustain families for decades, restore degraded land, and even improve the region's climate resilience.
The letter concluded with a powerful proposition: even a single foundation-backed pilot project or a public endorsement from Danjuma could act as a key to unlock broader investment, mobilize financial institutions, and, most importantly, restore hope among Taraba's youth.
