The Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egba land, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, has called on Egba indigenes to embrace agriculture, saying it remained the best way to pull the country out of the current economic recession.
Oba Gbadebo, who lamented that non-indigenes had taken over farming from the Egba people, urged them to return to agriculture to save themselves from hunger.
The monarch spoke on Wednesday at a press Conference held in his palace to herald this year’s Lisabi Festival, which has the theme, “Self-Reliance Through Agriculture For Secure Tomorrow “.
According to him, “Why is it that the Igede people and the labourers are the ones working in our farm lands and our own sons run away from farming. We are not happy about this issue. Let them go back to agriculture, because the best way is for us to start growing what we want to eat, so that we won’t be using our money to buy food from foreign countries. A nation that cannot feed itself should not be called a country.”
Oba Gbadebo added advised Egba people to stop running away from farming, stressing that such a venture did not require huge capital.
“We call on our people to go back to the farm. They don’t need too much capital to do it. What they need is their brains, ” he said.
The monarch also called for a stakeholders’ meeting by the people to find a way of providing land for willing farmers in Egba land.
Also Speaking, the National Commercial Coordinator for Glo, Mr. Yomi Ogunbamowo, assured that Globacom, the sponsor of the annual event, would continue to sponsor festivals to preserve the people’s unique cultural heritage and also connect to its valued customers .
Ogunbamowo, however, lauded Oba Gbadebo for using the festival to address issues that were germane to the development of his Egba people.
