The Obong of Calabar and Chancellor of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, FUNAAB, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi-Out, has called on Nigerians to support the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to reposition the country.
The monarch who spoke in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital at the 23rd, 24th and 25th combined convocation ceremonies of FUNAAB said it was imperative for all and sundry to stand up, encourage and support the government in its change project.
“The importance of education in the life of any progressive nation cannot be over-emphasised. That is why we must all join hands with the government to ensure that Nigeria catches up with others in shaping the future of the world. We must all support the government in its effort to reposition the country,” he stated.
The Chancellor insisted that the only way to sustain the economy and truly diversify it was through agriculture, saying “The way out is to embrace agriculture”.
He noted that the Nigerian society would be better off, if government could make research findings from University and research centres available to end users in order to address specific needs of the country.
The monarch urged the government to do more by investing resources and make funds available for researchers to carry out research in the country.
He commended the Federal Government for its timely intervention through Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUND, and other special
Intervention funds, saying it has helped significantly to drive the Universities.
“The importance of Universities of Agriculture will ever remain relevant in the scheme of things in Nigeria. This is because we have learnt a big lesson that overdependence on a single commodity like oil, as the main source of earning, is counterproductive.
“Nigeria should retrace its step by going back to agriculture, the over dependence on oil remained a shame and would continue to fail us as Africa’s most populous country. We must go back to the basics and the way out is to embrace agriculture.
“The efforts of the Muhammadu Buhari led administration to diversify the hitherto monolithic economy is appropriate and welcome,” he said.
He then called on the government to allow the university to run managerial science
