Date: 2016-05-15

Agriculture has been said to be the only solution to the lingering unemployment and other social problems known to be confronting the Nigerian youths.

This was the submission of a retired University Don, Professor Samuel Ibiyemi during one day seminar organised by the National Association of Igbomina Students in collaboration with 'Omo Ibile Igbomina and Igbomina Youth Assembly.

The event which took place at the Conference Hall of Omo Ibile Igbomina at Ganmo in Ilorin was attended by members of the Association from across the higher institutions in Kwara State and beyond.

Speaking on the topic titled: "Agriculture: The Best Option for Rapid Socio-economic Development of Rural Communities," the guest lecturer said it is high time youth of our country embraced agriculture as the best alternative to getting out of the problems of unemployment.

The Professor of Chemistry who retired from University of Ilorin said the forum reminded him of what some Nigerian students utilized in the pre-independence era when they (students) organised protests and discusions that later guided and motivated the then political leaders to push independence which was achieved in 1960.

He explained that there is a need by Community Development Association in each community of Igbomina land to incorporate more socio-cultural activities to entertain the youth in the rural communities,adding that each community development association can constitute a sporting committee to organise competitions with prominent people and social clubs capable of providing the equipment and incentives in form of prizes to attract young ones into farming.

He pointed out that religious organisations such as Christian Association of Nigeria(CAN) and Muslim Council of Nigeria(MCN) could be encouraged by the development association to prepare land for Agriculture to be managed by students in the community who he said would work on the farms in the evening,saying "this can be done to induce the students to be interested by a token amount paid for each assignment."

He explained: "Persons with expertise in farming shall be assigned by the community development association to motivate a specific number of students in the farms. Each mentor shall have a portion of the farm designated for him to keep as a standard. "The association shall provide the right environment that shall encourage parents to motivate their wards who are yet to secure admission to tertiary institutions to relocate and domicile in the rural areas.

"Organising extral mural teaching can also be another factor required for the anticipated success. The students shall pay no fee as an incentive but the association shall pay the teachers from the account to be established by special. Donations by federal indigenes who are not resident in the community." Professor Ibiyemi said that he is currently, as part of his own contribution for youth development soliciting for N2.5 million from the Moringa Association,saying the fund is expected to be used to pay ten youths a sum of N20,000 for six months when they would also be working on the practical moringa farms for the six months period after which the plant would be grown enough to yield for their upkeep.

The Seminarian, however mentioned some dividends of the programme, disclosing that the financier who pays for the land preparation, the community development association and the Moringa Association would the principal shareholders whose investment would be safe-guarded to encourage expansion of the enterprise, adding that the graduates as the active partners should be assured of success to attract future graduates into the expansion scheme.

He described Agriculture as an exciting and profitable venture which does not really involve much input like other ventures, saying "one can imagine the yield the farmer can get from a grain of maize that grows to produce a cob or the vegetable from one tiny seed of pepper." He lamented that the greatest deterrent to farming in the present day Nigeria were fulani herdmen, change in weather, labour and wild animals, adding that the latest global challenge was to produce organic crops if the nation wished to benefit from export opportunities.

He said he wondered why Nigeria should be an exception when other nations, including United States of America could be thrive in Agriculture,saying "Why can't Igbomina lead other ethnic groups in the country? We have the land, our rainfall spread is encouraging and we have functional community associations who only have to be proactive in coordinating the rich and the youth for this productive venture rather than folding our hands as we see the youth indulge in okada business and encourage them to be active in occasional politics.

"I hope I have created sufficient food for thought for the students, community development associations and Omo Ibile Igbomina on what each shall do to bring about rapid development of our rural communities."