Ooni Visits Ambode, Seeks Food Security Integration In South –West
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi on Wednesday visited Lagos State Governor Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, saying it was high time South –West states integrate in some many areas including food security to develop the region.
The imperial majesty emphasized that partnership on food security said it was important for the South West States to explore partnership for the benefit of the people.
He said: “We can partner in respect of food security. In Osun State, we have land for agriculture and same in Oyo, Ondo and Ekiti States.
“You will not believe that 80 per cent of all the products from those farmlands are wasted; it is only about 20 per cent that get to the metropolis of Lagos for consumption.
He lamented that 80 percent of all the products from those farmlands are wasted,” It is only about 20 percent that gets to Lagos State from Maiduguri. If only we can synchronize and work together on how to take food security to another level.
“Traditional rulers have great role to play, we should not leave everything to government we must all come together because we are closer to our people than government, we should rally round government and support their wishes to encourage the government.”
Responding , Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi unveiled plans by his administration to integrate the six states in the South West region to the food security drive in addressing the demand and supply deficit for the overall benefit of the people.
Ambode who harped on his commitment to the economic growth and promotion of the traditional values and culture of the Yoruba nation recalled that in the last one year, the state government joined the Oodua Investment Group in addition to the acquisition of land in Ogun and Oyo States for agricultural purposes.
The governor said that government would scale up the economic integration of the South West States as well as the cultural heritage of the region.
Ambode who lauded the monarch for his achievement so far in office said the visit to Lagos was historic in the annals of his administration coming barely few weeks after the first year anniversary of the coronation of Ooni.
He said: “One year after, it has become very evident that everything and every step that Ooni has taken has been for the positive good of the Yoruba nation. The Ooni represents the cohesion that we are looking for in Yoruba land and for that reason, we will do everything to continue to ensure that this government support the cultural heritage of the Yoruba people.
“We are glad to note that within the last one year also, Lagos State has been able to join the Oodua Investment Group as part shareholders of that economic vehicle that we will use to power the economic integration of the Southwestern states. We want to assure your majesty that what you stand for is what this government also stand for.
“We believe that we cannot afford to waste away the cultural heritage of the Yoruba people and we are to start from a platform where it moves away from economic integration to socio, political and also cultural evolution of what we think the Yoruba people stand for and that is also what I stand for.
“I believe strongly that the test case of what we are trying to do about food security in Lagos State is just more or less like an elixir for what it should be across the western region and on that note, we want to say that we have already acquired land in Ogun and Oyo States but what is imperative for us to move forward now is that we would integrate all other Southwestern States into the food security mechanism of demand and supply for us to move forward,” he said.
The Governor said Lagos, as a cosmopolitan state and the economic hub of the Yoruba people in terms of commerce, must be at the vanguard of promoting commerce in the region, assuring that his administration would vigorously pursue such to the benefit of the people.
He added: “Everything Ooni has said on food security is in consonance with our belief and we believe that if we move forward, Nigeria will also move forward. The future is brighter as we see it and we will not relent to ensure that our traditional values and culture are enhanced further than what it is presently.”
