By Rasheed Yusuf
Alhaji AlMaruf Ibn Salimonu’s rise in agriculture stands as the clearest evidence of his belief that leadership, whether in business or politics, must be measured by impact rather than power.
From modest beginnings as a farm labourer in Ife Olukotun, Kogi State, Ibn Salimonu has built one of the most ambitious plantain farming operations in Nigeria’s North Central region, with plantations spread across Kogi and Niger states and employing more than 200 workers.
Today, his Haminet Farms cultivates tens of thousands of plantain stands and exports produce in partnership with Chinese firms, positioning the enterprise as a growing player in Nigeria’s agricultural export value chain.
According to Almaruf, the journey into farming was driven by a determination to escape poverty and change his personal story, rather than wait for opportunities to come.
As a young student, he worked voluntarily on other people’s farms to support himself and contribute to his parents’ upkeep, an experience that shaped his resolve to one day own farmland and employ others instead of remaining a hired hand.
That vision began modestly with about 10,000 plantain suckers, planted through sheer persistence and personal savings.
Over a period of roughly ten years, those initial efforts expanded into more than 100,000 seedlings, laying the foundation for what has become a large-scale plantation business.
Almaruf disclosed that his farms currently grow two major species of plantain, the Congo giants sourced from the Democratic Republic of Congo and the elephant giants obtained from Ikorodu in Lagos State.
These varieties, with gestation periods ranging from seven months to one year, were deliberately selected for their yield potential and suitability for commercial farming.
Beyond local sales, Haminet Farms has moved into international markets, exporting plantains to China in collaboration with foreign partners.
The businessman revealed that the long-term target of the farm is to export more than one million bunches of plantain annually beginning from 2029, a goal he described as realistic given the current scale of expansion.
His vision, he said, is to become the largest producer of plantain in the North Central region of Nigeria while demonstrating that agriculture can be both sustainable and highly profitable.
According to him, plantain farming offers returns of over 100 per cent when properly managed, making it an attractive venture for youths willing to commit time and discipline.
However, the journey has not been without challenges, as Almaruf identified theft by locals as the most serious threat facing his plantations.
He recalled incidents where unknown persons invaded his farms and carted away over 100 bunches of plantain, losses he said could discourage many farmers.
Despite this, he maintained that aside from theft, plantain cultivation is largely a low-risk agricultural activity with predictable outcomes.
For Almaruf, the success of his farming enterprise is not just a business achievement but a platform for broader social impact.
He believes that agriculture, if properly harnessed, can reduce unemployment, address poverty, and restore dignity to rural communities.
This conviction has also influenced his growing interest in national politics, which he says is inspired by a desire to replicate his farming impact on a larger societal scale.
As someone born into a polygamous family and raised through hard work, Almaruf insists that his farming story is proof that resilience, vision, and consistency can transform lives and communities alike.
