Why we’re delaying result – Yauri millet counters
Since the group of millet counters in Yauri, Kebbi State, concluded their exercise few weeks ago, there have been calls by people from different parts of the world to know how many grains are in a 100kg bag, according to the leader of the group.
But the counters appear not to be in a hurry to announce the number of millet grains to the world. It was gathered that they are making arrangements to document their everyday experience during the counting period and the number of grains they counted into a book form.
Our correspondent was told that a number of activities were being planned for the day of the announcement. It was gathered that the counters have written a 34 page book to tell their story.
They are waiting for the Emir of Yauri to pick a date for the announcement of the number of grains of millet they counted. They are also waiting for the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Alhaji Babale Umar Yauri to give his approval to their request as the chief launcher of the book.
The leader of the group and chairman of the Millet Counting Committee, Ahmad Sarkin Yaki, in an exclusive interview, said, “We are still putting finishing touches to the activities we are arranging for the announcement. We have finished counting the millet, but the world should be patient with us because we are planning to launch a book on the day of the announcement.
Yaki said they decided to write the book as an account of what happened from the day they started counting the millet to the last day.
“We wrote a 34-page book in respect of the exercise. The book, titled, Buhun Gero ko ‘Yan Najeriya? was edited by Professor Aliyu Bunza of the University of Sokoto. It will be launched on the day we fix for the announcement of the number of millets we counted.
“Remember that we started counting the grains during an argument on whether the number of millets in a 100kg bag was more than the population of Nigeria. When we started, some people, out of ignorance of what we were doing, criticised us. At first, we were just doing our normal thing, but when people from China, Indonesia, USA, Niger Republic and other countries started asking us questions and became interested in what we were doing, we decided to do it in a way that would be more beneficial to the society.
“I am really happy to be part of the first set of people to embark on this type of exercise. We are not doing this because we are jobless. As I said earlier, we have a number of graduates among us. I am a graduate and I have been teaching for the past 13 years. I am also in the onions and fish business. I am proud of what we are doing and I thank God that people are appreciating us for it. Our curiosity led to the millet counting exercise,” he maintained.