Olubadan urges Belgian govt to invest in Ibadan
The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, has charged the Belgian government to invest in Ibadan’s arable land for agricultural production.
Olakulehin gave this advice while playing host to the Belgian Ambassador to Nigeria, Pieter Leenknegt at the new ultramodern Olubadan Palace, Oke Aremo, in Ibadan, Oyo State on Monday.
Olakulehin, who spoke through the Otun Balogun of Ibadanland, Tajudeen Ajibola, noted that there were vast hectares of arable land in Ibadan suitable and available for agricultural production which required international partnership funding and support to boost food production in the nation.
The monarch listed some locations of arable land such as Egbeda, Ona Ara, Oluyole, Ido, Lagelu and Akinyele Local Government Areas, respectively where potentials for large-scale production of agricultural products abound in Ibadan land.
“Kabiesi is happy to receive you and your team this morning. Ibadan is one of the largest cities in Africa.
“We have major resources here in Ibadan. We have vast arable land in Ibadan suitable for agricultural production in large scale quantity.
“Land is available abundantly in Oluyole, Egbeda, Ona Ara, Ido, Lagelu and Akinyele that are suitable for agricultural production. We want you to tap from the opportunity to boost food production, especially at this point in our nation.” He stressed.
Earlier, Leenknegt, who was accompanied by the Advisor in Economic Diplomacy for Nigeria, Kingdom of Belgium, Genco Sanli and Manager, Resource Mobilisation, Protocol and External Liaison of IITA, Florence Oke disclosed the Belgian government’s activities and interventions within Nigerian’s agricultural sector.
The Belgian Ambassador said his visit was to tap from the experiences of the Olubadan and the council for a successful foray into Nigeria’s agricultural sector during his tenure in Nigeria.
“We have spent some days at IITA. Agriculture is one of the areas we are working on which is in line with the agenda of the current administration in the country. Cocoa production. We have the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria in Ibadan. Oyo state has been a major producer of cocoa.
“We want to see how we can boost cocoa production in Nigeria and through this we will enhance trade and finance. This brought me to the state.
“So, I am very glad to be here and I will also be glad to have words of wisdom from you that will guide me for a successful tenure in the office,”
