At the end of their training, the trainees of the 54th batch expressed their gratitude to Fr Nzamujo, for the opportunity he offered them to be trained at Songhai Centre.
“We learned a lot in this centre, you gave us all without asking anything in return, you have accepted us, fed us, housed us, changed us and shaped us in the best way … and you made us what we have become: young agricultural entrepreneurs”. This statement of satisfaction by Gbadamassi Mohamed, spokesman of the trainees, is the object of their gratitude expressed this Saturday, July 2, 2016, to Fr Godfrey Nzamujo, founding director of Centre Songhai. After eighteen months of training in agricultural entrepreneurship (integrated and sustainable agriculture), they are not, they said, “the sparks of hope.” They have instead become “promising and reassuring stars … in which it is now seen courage, strength, reasoning, technicality and all the moral and ethical values advocated by Songhai” they proudly said.
Songhai Training is an expression of love. And appreciating their commitment and determination, Fr Nzamujo made them understand this: “The training at Songhai is another way of expressing our love” he said before telling them how much he is really proud of them. However, the end of their training at Songhai “is only a beginning” he warned them to draw their attention not only on the challenges which is now theirs, but also on their ability to cope with each one. “You will leave the training, but you do not quit Songhai. I will not be there to correct you. Because you have learned to observe, to see and react appropriately, you should be able to correct yourselves, to find solutions to your own problems that you will face”.
Aware of their responsibility now, these entrepreneurs promise not to betray the trust and the hope placed in them. Noting that “Africa cannot aspire to self-sufficiency and freedom whatsoever, to really feed the world if it does not produce what it eats and does not eat what it produces”. They took upon themselves the mission to “share this message and make it understood wherever they go”. And the strategy to achieve this is already defined. It will consist in “setting up in their respective communities, with the help of the Almighty, a mini Songhai model of development, where agriculture is practiced in communion with the environment”.
Before recommending Fr Godfrey Nzamujo to divine protection, they offered him a present in remembrance of their training at Songhai. It’s a map of Benin made of bronze and placed on a map of Africa on which two individuals standing, one showing the agro-pedological areas where the hidden treasures of the earth are to be unlocked and developed for happiness and prosperity. Both maps are based on a wooden pallet with the writing ”batch 54 ”. Deeply moved, Fr Nzamujo thanked them for the gesture.
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