Obong of Calabar rallies support for President Buhari

The Obong of Calabar and Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB),  Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi-Otu, has urged Nigerians to support President Muhammadu Buhari to reposition Nigeria.

The monarch spoke in Abeokuta, on Saturday, at the 23rd, 24th and 25th combined convocation ceremonies of the university.

Abasi-Otu said that it was imperative for all and sundry to encourage and support the government in its change project.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the graduating students were those who completed their courses of study between 2013/2014, 2014/2015/and 2015/2016.

The chancellor said that the only way to sustain the economy and truly diversify it was through agriculture, Nigeria society would be better off, if government could make research findings from the universities and research centres available to end users to address the country’s specific needs.

The monarch, however, urged the federal government to do more by investing in resources and made funds available for researchers to carry out research in the country.

Abasi-Otu said: “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 here step by going back to agriculture. The over dependence on oil remains a shame and will continue to fail us as the Africa’s most populous country. The efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to diversify the hitherto monolithic economy are appropriate and welcome.

In his remarks, the vice-chancellor of FUNAAB, Professor Olalade Onikuomoehin, said that a total of 1,881 students graduated for the 2013/2014 session.