By; Bayo Akamo, Ibadan.
Governor Abiola Ajimobi has declared that Nigeria will overcome its current economic crisis through selflessness, hard work and patriotism by Nigerians irrespective of social stratification.
The governor who said this in his Easter message made available to journalists in Ibadan signed by his Special Adviser, Communication and Strategy, Mr. Yomi Layinka said “It is not only by words of mouth, it is not by sloganeering or going around telling lies and inventing stories, we can only achieve our goal through hard work and dedication”.
Governor Ajimobi declared that it is glaring that no country can survive if its people, especially the working-age population relies heavily on the government for survival instead of being actively engage in profitable ventures to eke out a living.
“It is also in the Bible that ‘by the sweat of your face you will eat bread, till you return to the ground; whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. The current economic situation does not provide room for laggards and lazy ones. You must sacrifice your time and enjoyment in order for this state and the country to move forward” he said.
The governor pointed out that selflessness, hard work and patriotism were parts of the sterling attributes that distinguished Jesus Christ for which his death and resurrection had become an annual celebration among the Christians.
“We can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs. This is the time for us to start breaking the eggs. Without pains, there will be no gains. The Bible even supports this by saying that ‘in all labour there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty .So Easter is telling us that whatever we want to achieve in life, we must be committed to it and be prepared to make sacrifice.”
While felicitating with the Christians on this year’s Easter celebrations, he charged the people of Oyo state, particularly those in the public service “to be more dedicated and committed to the vision of his administration towards reinventing the state economy through the agriculture value chain”.
Governor Ajimobi emphasized the need for the people of Oyo State to “make sacrifices and be prepared to embrace and contribute to the programmes, policies and activities of the government as they unfold,” adding that, as other states in the country intensify efforts to get out of the mire of poverty, the people should support and cooperate with his administration in its renewed efforts to regenerate the economy of the state.
“That Oyo State must be made better is not the job of government alone. It is the collective responsibility of all of us to make sure the state is made better and I am so happy that we can now see some of the developments that have taken place in the state. Very soon, we are going into agricultural revolution in Oyo State, which I am very sure would make positive impact on the socio economic status of the state. So my message is that all of us must rededicate ourselves to improving the economy of the state”.
