Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) is set to welcome Her Excellency, Madame Monica Hage Geingos, the former First Lady of the Republic of Namibia, on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, for a strategic courtesy visit aimed at deepening educational, agricultural, and developmental partnerships across Africa. The visit forms a significant component of a six‑day engagement programme in Ogun State and underscores FUNAAB’s growing reputation as a leading centre of excellence in agricultural education, research, innovation, and sustainable development on the continent. Madame Geingos, who served as Namibia’s First Lady from 2015 to 2025, is a renowned African leader, lawyer, entrepreneur, and advocate for youth empowerment, women’s economic inclusion, financial literacy, and good governance. Through the One Economy Foundation and other initiatives, she has contributed significantly to improving opportunities for vulnerable populations in Namibia and beyond.
During the visit, the delegation will be received by the university’s management team led by the Vice‑Chancellor, Professor Babatunde Kehinde. Discussions are expected to focus on FUNAAB’s contributions to food security, agricultural transformation, capacity building, youth empowerment, and regional development. The university will also showcase its cutting‑edge research initiatives, world‑class academic programmes, and strategic interventions that have positioned it among Africa’s foremost specialised universities. The visit provides an opportunity to explore potential areas of collaboration between FUNAAB and Namibian institutions, particularly in the fields of agribusiness, climate‑smart agriculture, and rural development.
Madame Geingos’ itinerary in Ogun State also includes engagements with former Nigerian President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Governor Dapo Abiodun, the Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Michael Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, and the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba Saka Adelola Matemilola, as well as selected cultural centres. While these engagements are designed to foster broader cultural and leadership exchanges, the visit to FUNAAB remains a key academic and developmental highlight of the programme. The university community has expressed eagerness to welcome the distinguished guest and her delegation, viewing the visit as a validation of its growing continental influence.
Madame Geingos gained international recognition during her tenure as First Lady for championing initiatives that address systemic inequality and economic exclusion. The One Economy Foundation, which she founded, has driven programmes focused on youth skills development, access to finance for women entrepreneurs, and financial literacy for marginalised communities. Her advocacy aligns closely with FUNAAB’s mission to produce graduates and research outputs that directly tackle Africa’s food security and poverty challenges. The strategic courtesy visit is expected to yield actionable outcomes, including potential student exchange programmes, joint research projects, and policy dialogue on agricultural transformation.
The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, established in 1988, has consistently ranked among Nigeria’s top universities in agriculture and related disciplines. It has pioneered several innovations in crop improvement, livestock production, and post‑harvest technology, and has built strong partnerships with international organisations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Bank. Hosting a former First Lady of Namibia, who is also a respected pan‑African leader, signals the university’s ambition to expand its collaborative footprint across the continent.
The visit comes at a time when Nigeria and Namibia are seeking to strengthen bilateral relations, particularly in agriculture and trade. Namibia, a semi‑arid country heavily dependent on food imports, has shown increasing interest in learning from Nigeria’s agricultural research institutions, particularly in areas such as cassava processing, aquaculture, and dryland farming. FUNAAB’s expertise in these areas could provide a valuable template for Namibian agricultural transformation. Conversely, Namibia’s experience in community‑based natural resource management and wildlife‑based land use could offer lessons for Nigerian agro‑pastoral systems.
Madame Geingos’ scheduled meeting with former President Obasanjo, a prominent advocate for African agricultural development and former Chair of the Africa Union’s high‑level panel on food security, further underscores the strategic importance of the visit. Obasanjo’s Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library has become a hub for leadership development and knowledge sharing on the continent, and his engagement with Geingos is likely to focus on governance, youth employment, and regional integration.
The Ogun State Government, under Governor Dapo Abiodun, has prioritised agricultural industrialisation as a key pillar of its economic development agenda. The state is home to several agricultural processing zones and has attracted significant investment in rice milling, poultry production, and cassava starch processing. The governor’s engagement with the former Namibian First Lady will provide an opportunity to showcase Ogun’s agricultural potential and explore investment ties with Namibian businesses.
As FUNAAB prepares to receive Madame Geingos, the university has announced that all necessary protocols have been put in place to ensure a successful visit. The delegation will be received with full academic honours, including a tour of the university’s research farms, biotechnology laboratories, and the Directorate of University Farms (DUFARMS). The visit is expected to be covered by local and international media, highlighting FUNAAB’s role as a catalyst for agricultural development in Africa.
The university community eagerly looks forward to welcoming the distinguished guest and her delegation, seeing the visit as an opportunity to forge lasting partnerships that will benefit not only Nigeria and Namibia but the entire African continent. The discussions are expected to yield concrete memoranda of understanding that will translate into tangible benefits for students, researchers, and farming communities.
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