The Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Chief Afe
Babalola (SAN), has said defect in the nation’s education
system is responsible for the neglect of the agricultural sector.
Babalola, who traced the decline in the Nigerian agriculture
sector to the discovery of petroleum in the 1960s, said it was
regrettable that Nigerian youths were now being trained to seek
employment opportunities in other areas apart from in the agric
sector.
The legal icon, however, noted that if well embraced, agriculture
had the potential of not only eliminating scarcity of food but
also poverty.
Babalola spoke at the opening of the Agricultural Week of the
Afe Babalola University in Ado Ekiti.
He said, “Everywhere in the world, throughout the ages, the
place and import of agriculture have always been on the front
burner of national priority. And this is not for nothing, as
agriculture does not only provide food, employment and
security, it also reduces the prevalence of poverty, promotes
self-sufficiency and reduction in crime rate.
“But our educational system, right from elementary school up to
the university level, has neglected agriculture, relying only on oil,
thereby giving birth to high rate of unemployment.”
Babalola, who made a case for youth orientation towards
agriculture, said it was also capable of reducing the rate of
restlessness and crime among the youth.
“After all, a man, who has nothing to eat or feed his family with,
may not find it difficult to lapse into petty larceny to make ends
meet. After all, a hungry man is an angry man,” he said.
He added that a positive change of attitude towards farming
would afford the citizens access to fresh food items.
He said, “Apart from according man the opportunity to eat fresh
food, agriculture allows man to stay close to nature. The
excitement that accompanies planting maize, for instance, and
seeing it germinate, tassel and eventually matures for you to
harvest is better imagined. It is always a beautiful, fulfilling and
an almost indescribable experience.”

Source: www.punchng.com/news/decline-in-education-responsible-for-neglect-of-agric-afe/:

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