Speaking on Wednesday night while breaking his Ramadan fast with traditional rulers from across the country in Abuja, President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians who have farmlands to cultivate them, saying the federal government was very serious in the diversification of the economy programme.
The president who stated that the economy was bleeding, stressed that the only option available was to go back to agriculture, and appealed to the traditional rulers to take the messages to their subjects.
Buhari regretted that billions generated by the government had always been wasted on importation of food items that could be produced locally, and called on mechanized farmers to establish more of the agro-allied industries, using farm products as their raw materials to boost employment opportunities in the country.
“In food production, Nigeria, we can feed ourselves and even export. This is why we are seriously turning to agriculture; that is why I’m asking you, for our own survival as a nation state, keep on telling our people that whoever has a piece of land, please let him cultivate it even if he is going to cultivate what he will eat and feed his family.
“This is very, very serious representation I brought to you to please make sure that you mobilize your people to go back to farm to achieve self-sufficiency in food production," he said.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, who spoke on behalf of the traditional rulers, said that members of the Traditional Rulers’ Council would continue to partner with the government for peace co-existence among the diverse ethnic groups in the country.
Spotted at the ceremony includes: Shehu of Bornu, Shehu al-Hajj Muhammad al-Amîn ibn Muhammad al-Kânemî, Ooni of Ife HRH Adeyeye Ogunwusi, President Muhammadu Buhari, Sultan of Sokoto, Sultan Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar IV and Obi of Onitshia, His Majesty, Nnaemeka Achebe.
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