In the light of an Egyptian king’s vision

NIMET further predicts that the month of June 2014 shall be characterized with dry spell in the far-north states of Nigeria; advising farmers in these states to plant drought-tolerant crops and seek guidance from appropriate agricultural advisory experts to avoid economic loss. Areas identified as vulnerable to dry spell in 2014 include Maiduguri, Potiskum, Yelwa, […]

NIMET further predicts that the month of June 2014 shall be characterized with dry spell in the far-north states of Nigeria; advising farmers in these states to plant drought-tolerant crops and seek guidance from appropriate agricultural advisory experts to avoid economic loss. Areas identified as vulnerable to dry spell in 2014 include Maiduguri, Potiskum, Yelwa, Bida, Minna, lafia, Ibi and Makurdi.
The hydro-power generation of electricity would, according to NIMET, also face challenges in 2014 due to the less-than-normal rainfall envisaged to occur in many parts of the country. This may equally be aggravated by the ‘prospect’ of early cessation of the rains. This would specifically affect Kainji and Jebba dams resulting in low flow and reduced power generation (a well-timed excuse for government to explain the epileptic power supply in the country).
Now, let us recall one ancient but scriptural ‘prediction’. We shall later come back to discuss NIMET’s forecast in the light of an Egyptian king’s vision. Sometime between the 19th and 17th century BC; an Egyptian king (Pharaoh) probably of the Hyksos Dynasty (as suggested by the popular Qur’anic exegete Abdullahi Yusuf Ali) saw a vision which none of his aides and lieutenants could explain. The Pharaoh while holding a Council relates his dream in which (according to Qur’an 12:43) he saw seven fat kine being devoured by seven lean ones; and seven fine full green ears of corn (presumably) being devoured by seven dry withered ears. No one volunteered to interpret the king’s dream but his confidential adviser, the cup-bearer (similar to what the Hausa refer to as Sallama in an emir’s palace) who was once a prison mate of Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) sought the permission to withdraw for a moment so that he could find the interpretation of the dream that singularly but fully engaged the king’s mind.
The cup-bearer actually had no knowledge of the interpretation of dreams but knew Yusuf (AS) by personal experience to be highly skilled in analyzing dreams. The cup-bearer, out of an innate disease of selfishness, refused (at this point in time) to mention Yusuf (AS) to the king because he wanted some credit to himself so that he would later fulfill an old covenant he had with Yusuf (AS). Of course, Yusuf (AS) had requested him (the cup-bearer) to remind the king that he (Yusuf) was still in the prison. Although he was sure Yusuf (AS) would eventually be released if he got the dream interpreted for the Pharaoh, the cup-bearer wanted to attract so much attention to himself in the Council. For curious readers who want to know about what led to the imprisonment of Yusuf (AS), Qur’an 12:35 tells us that a ‘woman’ is at the centre of the story. Women? Hmm.
Yusuf (AS) explained to the cup-bearer that there would be seven years of abundant harvest but advised Egyptians to take a little for their sustenance and store the rest in the ear; to preserve it from the pests that attack corn-heaps when they have passed through threshing. ‘There would follow’, Yusuf (AS) added, ‘seven years of dreadful famine which will devour all the stores which they would have laid by in the good years’. Yusuf (AS) in his interpretation of the dream to the cup-bearer warned that Egyptians at that time must be cautious not to consume all the grain; counseling them to make special arrangements to save a little for seed lest they become helpless when water for irrigation purposes reaches them from the Nile.
When the king had listened to the interpretation of his vision from the cup-bearer, he expectedly ordered (as any other emir, oba, chief, governor, senator, or political leader in contemporary Nigeria would have done) that Yusuf (AS) be brought to him at the palace. Yusuf (AS) refused to be released from the prison to meet with the king; insisting that until his innocence and trustworthiness had been established. That was proved and confirmed by Zulaykhah’s splendid confession. The king eventually appointed Yusuf (AS) as his confidential Wazir to take charge of the immediate challenges of the very difficult times of famine that were foretold. 
Yusuf (AS)’s role in preparing for the hard times that were foretold in the king’s dream is one glaring difference between him and NIMET authorities. Unlike Yusuf (AS) who coordinated the implementation of the stifling measures, nothing in NIMET’s 2014 SRP (beside the few pieces of advice to farmers to plant drought-tolerant crops and seek further guidance from agricultural officers) that points to any inclusive effort between NIMET and relevant stakeholders particularly the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources including the latter’s dozens of agencies; organized to strategically lessen the effect of the predicted less-than-normal rains. With a coordinated synergy, a lot could be done under the ministry of agriculture. No one has, for example, told Nigerians about the consultative or stablizing role which the National Food Reserve Agency; the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike; the National Seed Council, Sheda, Abuja; the National Cereals Research Institute, Badeggi; the National Animal Production Research Institute, Shika, Zaria; the National Water Research Institute, Kaduna; the Nigerian Agricultural and Rural Development Bank, Abuja; would each play in dealing with the apparent challenges posed by the 2014 SRP.
The 2014 SRP released in March of the same year is also a belated report. Details of the predictions for the 2014 farming season should have been made public long before the period. After all, the procedure is scientific in nature. Do we call it ‘early warning’ when the SRP was released at less than two months before the rains? Is it ‘early warning’ when the SRP reached farmers after most of them have long emptied their grain-silos (for domestic and economic purposes) and were left with just seeds or seedlings waiting for the rains to arrive? How many peasant farmers in Nigeria even know about the annual SRP? Are we sure that such farmers know that NIMET exists? From which ‘advisory experts’ is NIMET asking farmers to seek guidance when the services of agricultural extension workers (of the 1970s) have long died; when the River Basin Development Authorities have also collapsed; and when the states’ Agricultural Development Projects are nothing better than shadows of their former selves?
It would be double tragedy if Allah (SW) decides to further try Nigeria with famine; a country already overwhelmed by insurgency as recompense for our collective and individual sins. May Allah (SWT) have mercy on us, amin.