Its Time To Focus On Agriculture, Research In South West Zone –  Ooni

By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi on Tuesday asked the South West states governors to now focus more and support agriculture and research in and across the region.

Oba Ogunwusi made the call in Ibadan while speaking at the 30th Annual South-West Research Extension Farmers Input Linkage Systems (REFILS), Workshop organized by Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Ibadan.

Speaking through Alara Oodaye of Araland Ife, Oba Adebisi Layade, the Ooni pointed out that the time has come for the needed focus on agriculture and research as one of the two things remaining for people of the region the way it is being supported in developed countries.

“We need to talk to ourselves, Hausas are not fools, the beans, pepper, tomatoes we are eating are from North, even the cattle they are using to disturb us is from North. What do we have, we have agriculture and research here. Don’t let them die down. We want this to be done in all the state, our billionaries, let us beg them to support agriculture and research. These are the things we have now”he said.

Ooni Ogunwusi added that “in abroad, the government support research, but now there is nothing like that. We need to support agriculture and research, these are the two things left”.

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji who was represented by the Ekaarun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Amidu Ajibade advised politicians to stop distributing motorcycles to youths but rather encourage them to go to farm so as not to make agriculture extinct in the South west region.

“Our governors must support agriculture and research to prevent them from extinction. Now, all state governments need to stand up and develop agriculture. You need to meet traditional rulers and governments to ensure that things get better. If you get to North, they help themselves. It is bad that Yorubas don’t help themselves, look at what the North is doing” he said .

Oba Adetunji stressed that “we in Yorubaland, especially in Oyo State, we are usually the first, but now it is like we are backward because those who suppose to support agriculture are not doing so”.

“You said graduates are riding Okadas, this is because there is no love. They should stop buying Okada for our youths, tell them to stop that. I asked if this institution is getting support from Federal government, they said no, those who suppose to do that are not doing it.

You that are on the top, you don’t help your younger ones, it is important for you to help because most of you that are retiring, you don’t look back at those who succeed you, the other tribes help themselves, this cause the backwardness in Yorubaland. Those who you send to Abuja as representatives, most of them are looking for money to fill their own pockets”.

IAR&T Executive Director, Professor James Adediran in his welcome address called on SW governors urged state governors to look into the problems facing REFILS and approve funds for the execution of the relevant projects, saying,”I will like to invite the attention of all the chief executive officers of the states concerned to look critically into problems facing REFILS and approve funds for the executuon of relevant projects”.

Professor Adediran declared that the workshop was aimed to bring stakeholders such as scienstics, agrochemical companies, input supply agencies, policy makers, NGOs and farmers together to find pragmatic solution to production constrains in agricultural development as well as for formulation of technological messages emanating from trials conducted for mass adoption by farmers.