Executive Director, CRIN, Dr. Patrick Adebola
In October 2020, when the Federal Government announced his appointment as Executive Director, ED, for the comatose Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, CRIN, Dr. Patrick Adebola, was back on familiar terrain. He had been engaged as a Researcher in the institute more than two
decades before, between 1993 – 2005.
He therefore immediately rolled up the sleeves and hitted the ground running. There was much to be done to get the pioneer institute back on track, in order to realise the dream behind its establishment in 1964.
The institute was assailed in all fronts. Staff morale was at its lowest due primarily to unsettled welfare issues. Infrastructures were at various stages of decay.To put it bluntly, there was a general atmosphere of industrial disharmony and uncertainty. It was little wonder then, that research took flight.
Newly acquired motorcycles for security and other staff
Much as Adebola was hungry for work, he knew that human capital was the engine room of the organisation and resolved to fix the welfare issues. The plant geneticist held series of consultations and management meetings where sincere and far reaching commitments on how to reverse the trend were made.
Farmers with their improved cocoa seedlings
The ED whose career landmark has always been strong team spirit and an uncanny ability to find solutions to complex trajectories, commenced the process of settling backlog of salaries, allowances and other welfare issues, some of which dated back to 2017. Old staff and pensioners were carried along under the ‘staff first’ policy. The style has helped in confidence building and fostered unity among management and staff.
CRIN Perimeter fence
Safety and security of lives and property in the institute were also accorded priority, as part of the human capital complete package. The rising cases of insecurity across the country, propelled the ED to think out of the box and take proactive measures.
Newly refurbished vehicles
The management awarded the perimeter fencing of CRIN headquarter in addition to the engagement of over a dozen strong operatives to boost the existing security architecture. The rangers in their trademark cute uniforms are ubiquitous in the head office. The effect of this is a happy staff feeling protected in the discharge of their daily duty without let or hindrance.
The management also refurbished more than a dozen and half vehicles most of which had been abandoned for years in different stages of disrepair. The vehicles are now on the road to ease movement of goods and services. In a related development, new vehicles and motorcycles were acquired by the institute.
Scientists in the Cocoa Flavours Laboratory
To make the working environment exciting for all categories of staff, the ED embarked on massive remodelling, renovation and furnishing of offices in the head office and outstations. The administrative block was given a complete turn around that make it wear a new look.
Solar lights and generating sets were also installed to boost power supply. A 24-hour all round internet access is now guaranteed following management’s upgrade of the bandwidth from 4 mbps to 100 mbps. Management has also restored the culture of regular training for all categories of staff.
CRIN Security personnel
In addition, to boost the performance of its core research mandate, a modern fermentary has been built at the head office. The facility is equipped with modern tools and set to transform the process of fermentation.
Hybrid Cocoa seedlings
Tapping into his international connections, Dr. Adebola sustained the construction of Cocoa Flavour Laboratory complete with cutting edge technology. The lab which is the biggest in Africa, is being constructed in partnership with the World Cocoa Foundation, WCF.
1,500 capacity Multipurpose Hall
When it becomes fully operational, the lab will be a reference point for research in the continent. Adebola puts it this way: “It is going to be a reference lab for cocoa flavours in Africa. You can bring your samples and we will test their flavours. This will help farmers to get premium prices for their specific flavours of cocoa. The lab will also test all types of cocoa genotypes.”
Another view of the Multipurpose Hall
The mother of all achievements in term of infrastructure is the ongoing construction of a mega multipurpose hall. The 1,500 capacity gothic edifice is close to completion and indeed beautiful to behold. Apart from the hall, a big, beautiful and spacious central laboratory is close to completion.
The hall is expected to boost the revenue base of CRIN. Other efforts targeted at improving Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, include the establishment of a sachet water factory and another for bee keeping and honey production.
In the same vein, the long abandoned cocoa bakery in the institute has been rehabilitated. Subsequently, the tasty CRIN Cocoa Special Bread is back to the market.
There is also plan for using cocoa pods for soap making.
Adebola, whose dream is to restore the glory of CRIN and contribute in making agriculture a foreign exchange earner for the country, is well prepared in learning and character, for his current mission.
Dr. Adebola: A Plant Geneticist at work
He was born a Prince, in a large polygamous family of 21 siblings. At birth and in his childhood years, nothing suggested the international dimension his career would take. But, his life is another confirmation of the African saying that ‘what a child longs to eat does not give him belly aches.’ His story reads like an exciting Nollywood script.
In his secondary school days, at St. Augustine College, Kabba his hometown, Patrick Adebola was among the most brilliant science students. As such, many of his teachers and fellow students had expected him to pursue a career in medical sciences or engineering, regarded as the exclusive reserve of brilliant students. But, the boy who literally grew in the farm while in St. Mary Primary School and had always been fascinated by the mystery of plant germination, had his mind set on agriculture.
After passing his West Africa School Certificate Examinations, WASCE, the University of Ilorin admitted him for Biology. It was fortuitous however, that while in his second year, the department split into three namely, Botany, Zoology and Microbiology. The authorities promptly transferred him to Botany.
In 1987, when he completed the degree program, Adebola was among the best in the department, with Second Class Upper Division.
He was posted to the old Benue State for his mandatory national youth service. The quest for more learning lured him back to his alma mater for Master degree in Plant Genetics and Breeding which he completed 1990. With that in the kitty, he was offered employment as a teacher. He taught Biology and Mathematics in his former secondary school for more than three years, before CRIN poached him as a Research Officer.
Adebola immediately enrolled for and earned his PhD in Advance Genetics and Plant Breeding, from UNILORIN, 2003. Shorty after, the young scholar won a competive scholarship to South Africa for a postdoctoral fellowship. He has since been working in top and sensitive positions in acclaimed international bodies.
While in South Africa, Adebola was Director and Technical Lead at Agricultural Research Council, (ARC-VOPI) of South Africa. After a decade stay on the job, he moved to Liberia as Deputy Director General at Africa Rice Centre, a project of the Central Agricultural Research Institute.
Until his current appointment, Adebola was Project Lead and Senior Scientist at the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, IITA, where he successfully coordinated the Africa Yam project in Nigeria, Ghana, Benin and Cote d’Ivoire, its four target countries.
Less than two years in the saddle, Adebola has brought his trademark magic wand to bear on his job. CRIN is now fully back on track on its core assignment of research and development, in the five mandate crops of Cocoa, Cashew, Coffee, kola and Tea. Improved varieties of seedlings are being mass produced and distributed to farmers. Regular training of farmers and other stakeholders on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) are also being carried out…. Continue reading