- Osun state governor, Rauf Aregbesola has advised university graduates to go into farming rather than seek white collar jobs.

- The governor said the best way to build Nigeria economy is to enourage interest in Agriculture

- The governors charged all Nigerians to invest in things that would enhance farming in the next five years

Osun state governor, Rauf Aregbesola has advised university graduates to dump their certificates and go back to farm, urging them to see agriculture as viable alternative to white collar job.

The governor said the call was necessary due to the menace of unemployment among Nigerian youths.


Osun state governor tells university graduates to start farming

Aregbesola who gave this speech during the 6th convocation ceremony of Fountain University, Osogbo, added that the present economic situation has shown Nigerians the need to encourage farming as the only alternative to crude oil, Daily Post reports.

He explained that there was no aspect of life that could do without agriculture, saying Nigerian graduates must henceforth stop searching for formal jobs that realistically remained elusive.

He called for productivity, resilience and hard-work among Nigerians, stressing that the present nation’s economy demands one to be self-employed.

The governor noted that there is no other alternative to sustain Nigerian economy than to build and encourage requisite interest in agriculture and brace up with anything that could promote food security.

The governor maintained that all Nigerians, as a matter of urgency should invest in things that would enhance farming in the next five years if truly the nation was ready to overcome her present economic challenges.

Lamenting the excess in the global oil market, which has brought about dwindling revenues to all tiers of government, Aregbesola emphasised the need for massive participation in agriculture.

“There is need for us, especially our young grandaunt’s to lead the nation in promoting agriculture as the only realistic surviving alternative to economy.

“We must not but embrace farming because it is only agriculture that has direct links to all aspects of life.

“Nigeria has grown to the stage through which her food production capacity must be urgently expanded to meet the general needs of the citizenry and as well enhance exportation.

“The time to enhance productivity has come. We must all embrace productivity. We must produce whatever we desire to consume”

Congratulating the graduating students, Aregbesola charged them to adapt to the virtues they acquired from the institution.

He called on them to get prepared for the challenges ahead and life after university which he described as “challenging.”

“You must all prepare the challenges ahead especially at this period of over saturated tendencies of labour market. You need grim determination to succeed. You must be rational and critical in the application of the knowledge you have acquired.
Aregbesola appealed to those who are perpetrating violence and criminality in the name of Islam to have a rethink, using the precious and reputable saying, “violence is directly antithetical to Islam.”

Meanwhile, Osun state government Tuesday, January 10, described the claims that some pensioners have set up a camp purposely for those calling themselves “Internally Displaced Pensioners” as another propaganda against Rauf Aregbesola’s administration.

The government, through a statement by the bureau of communication and strategy, which was signed by its Director, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, said if indeed, any camp was set up, it could not be for demand for payment of any pensions.


https://www.naij.com/1082838-osun-state-governor-tells-university-graduates-start-farming.html