The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has called on Nigerians to pay more attention to agriculture, saying there is food insecurity in the country that must be tackled.
Fayose stated this in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday during the 21st convocation ceremony of the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti.
A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, quoted the governor as urging fresh graduates and school leavers to see different segments of agriculture as fertile ground to secure employment.
He was quoted as having said: “Let us focus on agriculture because we are not only fighting Boko Haram and insecurity but we already have food insecurity and when you have food to eat a large part of the problem is solved. It is not everybody that will buy blocks to build house, but everyone of us must eat, even if it once a day.
“Those that are graduating, the queue out there is long and white collar jobs are rare, those who even have such jobs, are they paid regularly?. The situation is getting tougher every day, and we must all invest more in agriculture.”
Fayose, who lauded the Vice Chancellor of the EKSU, Prof. Oye Bandele, and his team for their efforts, said they still needed to look inward to generate more revenue.
The governor also lauded the Chairman of the University’s Governing Council, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye, and his team for making the right choice in the selection of Bandele last December as the VC of the institution.
He urged the council members and the management of EKSU not to relent their efforts, but to break more ground.
In his speech, Adeyeye commended Fayose for giving them a free hand to run the affairs of the institution.
He recalled that the processes that saw the appointment of the new VC and Registrar were not influenced by the governor or anybody.
Honorary doctorate degrees were awarded to the Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson; business mogul cum lawyer, Gbenga Oyebode; and the Alara of Aramoko-Ekiti, Oba Adeyemi Adegoke.
In his acceptance speech, Dickson thanked the people of Ekiti State for the honour done him.
He also urged them not to despair as a result of the economic downturn in the country, saying this period would pass away.
(Today.ng)