Ex-Deputy Governor, Industrialist Want FG to Fund Agric Investment in Varsities

.Olakiitan Victor in Ado Ekiti

As part of the efforts to help the diversification process of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, former Deputy Governor of Ekiti State , Chief Paul Alabi and an industrialist, Mr Abiodun Isinkaiye , have called for proper investment in agriculture in all
Nigerian universities.

The eminent Nigerians averred that the country will favourably attain the food security level if the federal government can replicate the farming investment of the Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, in at least two universities in each of the six geopolitical zones.

They said this in Ado Ekiti at the weekend during the 2016 Afe Babalola Food Security EXPO, where green leadership awards were conferred on some Nigerians for their contributions to the agriculture sector.

Aside from the duo of Alabi and Isinkaiye, those who received honours included: Governor Ayodele Fayose, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), Senator Biodun Olujimi, the Ohinohi of Ebira land, Alhaji Ado Ibrahim, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, and the Olugbo of Igbo kingdom, Oba Frederick Akinruntan .

Alabi, a renowned yam and cassava farmer, said the current economic recession caused by tremendous reduction in the price of oil at the international market and the shortfall in the production of crude oil are sufficient to teach Nigerians strong lessons that they should embrace farming.