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By Oyajimi Kehinde & Adeniyi Sakiru
In furtherance of its drive to serve the interest of private sector by facilitating the sourcing, development and utilization of local raw materials in manufacturing, the technical team of RMRDC Ogun State Coordinating Office comprises; the State Coordinator, Mr. B.O Rabiu and Mr. Oyajimi Kehinde Monsuru, the Principal Scientific Officer paid a visit to Akindele Rice Mills, Lafenwa Abeokuta, Ogun State on Monday 18 August 2025.
Speaking on the purpose of the visit, the State Coordinator, Mr. Rabiu intimated that visiting to local manufacturing industry was part of the Council’s activities to ascertain their raw materials needs, sourcing and challenges with a view to address them.
The Managing director of the company Alhaji Wasiu Akindele who is also the secretary to the Association of Ogun State Medium and Small – Scale Millers informed that his company has been in existence close to 3 decades and exclusively into the milling of Ofada rice; added that the major activities of the company was to destone, milling and packaging of local rice for consumption.
Speaking on the raw materials used for production, Mr. Akindele noted that the major raw materials for production was Ofada rice predominantly sourced from rice farmers in Yewa axis of Ogun West senatorial district of the state.
Emphasizing on the health benefits of Ofada over the foreign source, Mr. Wasiu noted that unpolished nature of Ofada rice had made it retain bran layer germ and nutrient which made it rich in essential nutrient, like vitamins, minerals, dietary fibre, weight management, low glycemic index make it suitable for individuals with diabetes, heart health, anti, oxidant properties, gluten free, bone health and also good for neuro-degenerative disease prevention as well as good for cancer prevention.
Speaking on the prevailing challenges facing the millers in the State. However, he lamented on insecurity and threat by cattle harder on the rice farmland, poor irrigation system, uneasy accessibility to the farmland due to poor road network, excessive expenditure on fuel for production as a result of unstable and erratic electricity supply and multiple taxes by the state government.
On the export ability and foreign acceptability of ofada rice, he hinted his product was acceptable in Nigeria and in foreign countries especially in Cananda, and United Kingdon.
Responding, the State Coordinator acknowledged Mr. Akindele wealth of experience in milling business, added that Council would like to collaborate with him in future on the area of mutual interest, added effort would be made to ensure that federal government formulate appropriate policies for local rice millers thereby reducing excessive consumption of foreign rice at the expense of our most treasure ofada.
