By Millicent Onaga, Enugu
A senior lecturer in the department of agricultural economics and extension, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, Prof. Daniel Sunday Ugwu, has called on Nigerians and, indeed, Africans to embrace agriculture for sustenance and economic development.
Ugwu, who is also the chairman of a nongovernmental organisation, NGO, African Centre for Rural Development and Environment, ACERDEN, made the call at the weekend when he received African Patriotic Personality award of the year from the League of African Development Students, LEADS, for his outstanding contributions to Africa’s (and Nigeria’s) development.
The university don said that, in the face of the dwindling oil revenue, Nigeria ought to return to agriculture in order to feed the nation adequately as well as export agricultural products, since she is blessed with abundant natural resources.
“In Nigeria, we have the resources in terms of land and forests and with these natural resources available in Nigeria, we can feed the nation and even export to the outside world,” Ugwu said.
He regretted, however, that, in spite of the abundant natural resources, Nigeria still grappled with poverty as a result of corruption and mismanagement.
“The bane of our country is that we mismanage our resources in terms of corruption and poor management. The best way to do it is to harvest the available resources, to produce all kinds of crops and livestock available in the country and, possibly, promote enhancement in accordance with the African value chain,” he said.
He said that he was so excited that his little contribution was being appreciated so much as to attract an award from a reputable body like LEADS.
“I am really excited that people still recognise the contribution that people make to the society and the world at large. It is a source of encouragement to me and I dedicate the award to the poor masses because they are the focus of our organisation,” he said.
Stressing the importance of agriculture, Ugwu pointed out that Malaysia collected palm produce from Nigeria in the 60s but, today, has maximised it and become a great nation; same way if Nigeria should embrace agriculture; she too would be great.