Farming is not a joking matter in Nigeria, reason the Nigerian government has commitments and dedications in the promotion of the agricultural sector. It is well-known that history recorded that the first republic depended heavily on agricultural produce, by that time the country was undisputedly known as the Giant of Africa.
The agro-tourism traffic that occurred in Nigeria in the early 60’s caused international attention. Many countries in the world started coming to Nigeria to tap into the agricultural blessings or surplus in Nigeria. The South-West Nigeria benefitted immensely especially through cocoa business.
In this light an Ekiti governorship aspirant, Akogun Banji Ojo (ABO), has started to inspire the Nigerian youths to embrace agricultural business in the face of the challenges of unemployment the country is battling with presently. Banji Ojo launched No 2 Poverty campaign in Ado-Ekiti on the January 20, 2018.
In his speech, he said “ the essence of this movement is to empower the youths in Ekiti to use what they have to get to their dream destination in life. Everyone knows that Ekiti is blessed with three things; agriculture, tourism and education.
“The education is well felt across the country, it is hard to find a family-house without at least three professors in the compound. The bitterness is that the great number of professors in Ekiti state has not really positively affected the economy of the state.
“It is time to start looking elsewhere except for schooling to save the desvasting economic state of Ekiti people. There are a lot of tourism artifacts and sites in Ekiti as a state but not properly utilised for economic advantages.
“The real business is agro-tourism, the tourism attractions in Ekiti are beyond cultural activities and festivals, but of agricultural uniqueness, which is to be achieved this year. Having employed 300 youths of Ekiti origin into our private faming sector, I believe Ekiti as a state would be partially relieved,” he concluded.
Mr Abiodun Olotin, a beneficiary of the agro-tourism revolution, said “At the point we all almost lost hope in respect of economic advantages in Ekiti State, the hope got resurrected with the person of Banji Ojo through his foundations.
“I have heard his name several times, but the assumption was that he is fighting for widows and empowering women and children, but not for able-men. With this opportunity encouraging farming, he has made me a farmer and I am happy,” he explained.
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