Unemployment: Alake Urges Youths to Engage in Agriculture

James Sowole in Abeokuta

The Alake and Paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, has urged unemployed youths to engage in agricultural activities, especially farming.

The traditional ruler, who made the call at a news conference on the 38th Lisabi Festival Celebration, held at Ake Palace, said youth involvement in farming would boost food production and address rising numbers of unemployment in the land.

The 38th Lisabi Festival Celebration slated for March 31st to April 6th, 2025 has its theme “Back to Land: Panacea for Food Sustainability and Youth Employment in Egbaland.”

Gbadebo described unemployment among youths and food shortage as worrisome.

Alake explained that it is unacceptable for a country like Nigeria with its vast arable land not to be able to feed itself but rely heavily on food importation.

He explained that when the youth engaged in farming, rather than roaming the street, then the issue of unemployment would be addressed.

Alake further stated that the second Alake of Egbaland who reigned for 42 years, Oba Ladapo Idowu Ademola, has been chosen as the hero for the 2025 Lisabi Festival.

According to the monarch, the decision was made following the monarch’s contributions to Egbaland’s history, progress, and achievements.

His words: “I wish to use this medium to reiterate my royal appreciation and that of our forebears. Let me reiterate that Lisabi Festival remains a vibrant rallying point for all Egba sons and daughters both home and in the diasporas to celebrate our richly endowed culture and bring to bear qualitative development in Egbaland.

“It is no gainsaying that Egba sons and daughters on the global stage in various fields of human endeavour hold sway and blaze the trails in positive accomplishments thus sustaining and keeping alive the virtues of resilience, doggedness, astute leadership qualities and service to humanity encapsulated by life and times of Lisabi Agbongbo Akala.

“Our choice of the Hero of this year celebration; Oba Sir Ladapo Idowu Ademola II, Alake of Egbaland, 1920-1962, is apposite considering our revered monarch’s contributions to the history, development and qualitative accomplishment of Egbaland during his glorious reign as the Alake of Egbaland”.

He recalled that the late monarch, who reigned from 1920-1962, was famously driven into exile in 1948 by the Abeokuta womenfolk led by Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, and returned from exile in 1950.