The Belgium Ambassador to Nigeria, Pieter Leenknegt, has said that cocoa has overtaken crude oil as the main export product from Nigeria to Belgium since 2024.
Leenknegt stated this at the palace of Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, during a courtesy visit to the traditional ruler on Tuesday in Ibadan.
He noted that Belgium is quite obsessed with making the right kind of chocolate and would need more cocoa from Nigeria as part of major raw materials.
“We understand that Oyo state is also a cocoa-growing state. We have some good cocoa-related news in our bilateral relations. Since 2024, cocoa has been overtaking crude oil as the main export product from Nigeria to Belgium.
“The fact that the price of cocoa has risen means a good thing for the farmers here, because it means that they will be making better livelihoods.
“And it also shows that our commercial relations are diversifying beyond fossil fuels, which is also important if we want to future-proof those relations,” he said.
“There’s something that also makes us proud as Belgians, because the new Olubadan is an alumnus of the University of Liège.
“I wanted to be sure that as quick as possible after coronation, I managed to pay this important visit. I’m happy to be received at the palace, and now with a special Belgian touch, I will happily pass a few messages to the University of Liege, on your ascension to the throne.
“The Imperial Majesty is fluent in French and I think that in itself warrants probably a get-together party with what we call the “Les Ambassadeurs de la Francophonie”, the French-speaking ambassadors in Nigeria.
“The club is in Abuja, and they were also thinking of visiting a state, and I think all the arrows are now pointing in the direction of Oyo and Ibadan,” he said.
Leenknegt noted that there were quite a few points of connection already existing between Belgium and Ibadan.
He noted that University of Ibadan has a collaboration with the University of Ghent, which has been mostly related to the research on mycotoxins and many more non-governmental organisations partnerships.
In his response, Ladoja expressed his readiness to host the association of french speaking ambassadors in Nigeria at Ibadan palace.
Ladoja noted that such get-together would create platforms to better network among french speaking countries and Ibadan, particularly in the area of harnessing available resources for development of Ibadanland.
He added that the collaboration would lead to job creation for teeming unemployed youths and save them from drugs addiction which had become a menace in the society.
“The responsibilities of a king in the modern era have gone beyond mere glamour and celebration but a call to responsibilities,” he said.
