The Olu of Obada Oko, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Oba Olufemi Solaja, has enjoined the National Youth Service Corps to expedite action on its plan to post corps members to farms for their one-year primary assignment.
Oba Solaja stressed that the immediate deployment of the members to farms would help to reduce the hunger being experienced by many Nigerians due to the current economic recession in the country.
He, therefore, appealed to the NYSC Director General, Brig General Sule Zakari Kazaure, not to delay the implementation of the corps’ agricultural programme, saying that when started such a scheme would boost food production in the country.
The monarch, who lamented the most of the white collar jobs in the country had been taken over by the internet, charged the corps members that it was high time they embraced farming.
“The idea that corps members should return to the farm is a welcome idea because it is a waste of time to be looking for white collar jobs. If a graduate can take a stem of cassava and plant it, in the next six months, he will begin to harvest the cassava and start to make money by selling them,” he said.
He, however, admonished the corps members to follow the footsteps of the late sage and elder statesman, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and former president Olusegun Obasajo, who inspite of their privileged positions still ventured into farming.
Oba Solaja, therefore, called on the Federal Government to support the NYSC not only with farm tractors and funds, but also to ensure the continuity of the scheme.
“If the Federal Government had the foresight and back it up with money and also supply tractors at the state and local government levels, it should also ensure continuity in the farming that will be the best way to move Nigeria forward,” he said.
