Can Africa reclaim its agricultural sovereignty through bold action and visionary planning? Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo thinks so and he points to Ethiopia's remarkable transformation in wheat production as proof.

At the annual AfriExim Bank meeting in Abuja, attended by past and present African leaders including former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, Obasanjo highlighted Ethiopia's rapid shift from dependency to regional wheat exporter.

"The crisis triggered by the Russia-Ukraine war seriously disrupted Africa's wheat supply," Obasanjo noted. "Despite this, amidst COVID 19 challenges, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched a bold wheat self-sufficiency plan."

He recalled Ethiopia's previous notoriety for drought, and introduced the country's ambitious target: "In five years, we will eliminate wheat imports and even supply surplus for export." Impressively, Ethiopia achieved this in just three years, Obasanjo emphasized.

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Now, Ethiopia is exporting wheat to neighboring nations a development that, in Obasanjo's words, "signals a renaissance for Africa." He challenged other African countries to emulate this success: "If Ethiopia can achieve this through wheat cultivation, Africans can do a lot."

Ethiopia's swift turnaround validates its agricultural reform policies, modern farming techniques, and government commitment. It illustrates how African nations can transform crises into opportunities through purpose-driven leadership.

As Obasanjo remarked, this success story transcends national borders it offers a blueprint for continental revival rooted in self-reliance, resilience, and regional cooperation.