Creative Industry

FG Tasks Nigerian Youth on Agro-Allied Ventures

Published

4 years ago

March 6, 2022

By Joel Ajayi

The Federal Government has called on the teeming unemployed youth in the country to take advantage of the various youth initiatives and programmes of the present administration to empower themselves with Agro-allied skills, especially with the provision of start-up packs and other Agro-allied equipment given to them by the Government, to become self-employed and job creators.

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare made the call weekend in Jos, the Plateau State Capital, during the closing ceremony of a two-week National Youth in Agriculture Empowerment Training Programme.

Represented by the Director, Enterprise Development and Promotion Department (EYD), Prince Momoh Olugbenga, the Minister said that the programme which was organized by his Ministry was designed to cover unemployed youth both male and female, within ages 15-29 from the 36 States of the Federation, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

According to him, the training programme is not only aimed at fostering the creation of wealth through the acquisition of Agro-allied skills but also to reduce youth unemployment and restiveness as well as enhance their participation in profitable Agro-allied business with a view to boosting economic growth and development in line with the policy thrust of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

Dare stated further that Agriculture and Agro-allied business are one of the areas where jobs abound.

“A general survey has indicated and confirmed that Agriculture and Agro-allied business are one of the areas where jobs and employment opportunities abound and will continue to be relevant and as well play significant roles in the economy of this and other centuries,” he said.

To achieve the national goal of wealth creation and employment generation, therefore, the Minister said, “there is a need to build the capacity of our youth in areas where we have a comparative advantage in both material and human resources.”

He explained that tapping into the potentials of the youth could prove a crucial asset for the economic development of the country with the acquisition of relevant and marketable Agro-allied skills that meet the demands of the 21st century.

The Minister assured that government will continue to invest in the youth by equipping them with various Agro-allied skills such as Fish Processing and Value Addition, Garri Processing and Value Addition as well as Entrepreneurial skills including Financial Literacy Education, access to Micro Finance Facilities so as to enable them to start and manage their Agro-allied ventures.

He, therefore, called on the relevant stakeholders to harness the potential of the youth and mobilize their energies, talents, visions and creativity for the socio-economic development of the country.

Earlier in her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Plateau State Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, Mrs Helen Ishaya applauded the various youth initiatives and programmes embarked upon by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration with the view to empowering them for self-reliance, self-development and economic growth of the country.

She said that the empowerment will further reduce the excruciating pangs and pains of youth unemployment which is mainly responsible for the increasing social vices in the country.

The Permanent Secretary, therefore, called on the youth in the country to put to use all they learnt from the training for the betterment of their lives and also count themselves lucky to be among those chosen from the teeming Nigerian youth as beneficiaries of the programme.

Responding on behalf of the participants, Adedokun Omowumi thanked Youth and Sports minister Mr Dare and President Muhammadu Buhari in particular, for the privilege given to them to acquire the skills, noting that the training has been highly educative and impactful and as such, would not be taken for granted.

She assured that the Agro-allied skills acquired during the training would be adequately invested so as to bring about socio-economic growth and development of the country.

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Creative Industry

REMEMBER, REMEMBER THE 1ST OF OCTOBER

Published

7 days ago

September 30, 2025

The Gleamer

By Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa

Remember, remember, the last day of September. It ushers the dawn of the 1st of October. Independence Galore for each person, each member, Nigeria is still populated with ginormous ember.

O Nigeria is 65, we agree to guarantee, The flag of the country, the flag of the free. O Nigeria thine 65, I submit verily, My soul and my spirit. I submit to thee…me!

Atop six and half-century yore, a nation was born. In the midst of the West-Coast of Africa’s Horne. This nation had riches, from millet to corn, With timber and coal, and black gold of its own. Its fortune was plenty; its promise was grown, Its people were filled with such hope; yet forlorn! Even when this wee nation was tired and warn, Beauty, goodness and grace would always adorn,Her face and her lawn, each night and each morn.

Those who saw her birth took an oath and had sworn, To advance her great throne; protect her from the storm. Not long from that form, her great fortune was blown, When the Nigerian land became one combat zone.

The Civil War was a thorn. Nigeria’s unity was torn, ‘No Victor, No Vanquished,’ yet the nation did mourn. But after the conflict, the Peace-Flag was flown, Though our country descended to a corruption filled zone.

Some pilfered, groaned, moaned and their virtues were shorn. We resorted to chaos and then our rise became warn. But of all the carnage, what we must not condone, Is the divide of religions and ethnicity scorn.

For what is this nation, where will we be thrown, If Nigeria divided and we each went alone?

At this time, we are 65; “Folks now we must atone!” Thank God for our fortunes, and we may be reborn.

Almighty’s plan for this country, to us, is unknown. But He gave us this nation to each call our own.

Our own is Nigeria… Nigeria’s our home.

Remember, remember, the last day of September. It ushers the dawn of the 1st of October.

Independence Galore for each person, each member, Nigeria is still populated with ginormous ember.

O Nigeria is 65, we agree to guarantee,

The flag of the country, the flag of the free. O Nigeria thine 65, I submit verily, My soul and my spirit. I submit to thee…me!

Our profane must retain much pain and disdain. The grand tale of Africa’s urbane terrain. When we began our great reign, we had much to attain. But the inane of our journey became a constrain.

Again and again all in this country’s domain Would entertain our interest to compromise the main.

Nigerians had no restrain to feign our legerdemain. Through much strain and arraign, the nation we’d drain By using our internal crane on our jugular vein. By leaving our country with an abysmal stain.

The grain of our fortune, alas, has been slain, The bane of our substance doth suffer in vain. The Nigerian spirit must maintain our restrain, To regain back our right, to break free from the chain. We must sustain our humane and use our brain, To win back Nigeria from a life of insane.

This country is filled with much natural gain, We each have a right for that gain to obtain.

As long as we contain an intention germane, This country will rise to the mightiest plane.

May our canker and grime be washed by the rain. May our country be focused on a righteous lane.

My homeland is sacred, and I must explain, My love for Nigeria runs right through my vein. As I write down these words, Oh, this is my campaign, For this nation to always regain its brilliant mien.

Remember, remember, the last day of September. It ushers the dawn of the 1st of October.

Independence Galore for each person, each member, Nigeria is still populated with ginormous ember.

O Nigeria is 65, we agree to guarantee, The flag of the country, the flag of the free. O Nigeria thine 65, I submit verily, My soul and my spirit. I submit to thee…me!

‘Tis an ode of our independence that came with a fee; The tale of a nation that begged to be free.

My heavy heart; Oh Verily! Nigeria, thy never on bended knee! Awo, Zik and Sardauna made a fortress for thee. Balewa he stood, as did Macauley. To make Ye as brave as Ye can be. But thy Babylon-Beasts laid snares for thee, And spread their nets with cords of glee.

There´s a storm in the affairs of man, If taken at its stride, it can, And leads thee into deepest sea! For those of We who toiled for thee, We pray to see thee always free. Freedom from corruption is thy only key.

Even rebellion is an effort to set thee free. We, protégé, must continue to give to thee,

In the path of those who doth walk for Ye. Some have followed and some doth lead for we,

To unite this great nation inclusivly and happily. For our common good we traverse with glee, To turn our vast diversity into unity.

Continue lifting our nation for all to see, But the task ahead will be very heavy. Now forge forth, struggle and win for thee, Your unending great quest for liberty. Nigeria, ye off thy bended knee.

Remember, remember, the last day of September. It ushers the dawn of the 1st of October.

Independence Galore for each person, each member, Nigeria is still populated with ginormous ember. O Nigeria is 65, we agree to guarantee, The flag of the country, the flag of the free. O Nigeria thine 65, I submit verily, My soul and my spirit. I submit to thee…me!

Whatever will happen we must look up to God, He giveth and taketh with merely a nod!

We must increase faith, boost our love and our fear, Be sincere and revere and adhere to persevere.

We must believe in this nation and love it unconditionally. Keep our ethos, our culture and our virtues traditionally. Nigeria is beautiful, our homeland is glorious;

She’s known internationally as somewhat notorious. Her children are maimed as rather inglorious, But for 6 and half decades she has been laborious. And with help from above, she can be meritorious. So our nation can rise and, at last, be victorious. Motherland, I gift you this Word-Rhyming-Flower, Signed, sealed and delivered by Hanney Musawa.

On this fateful day I do wish you all well. From the tone of my ode, I hope you can tell. My wish for my nation is Goodness-Attendance.

To every Nigerian… HAPPY INDEPENDENCE!

Written Barr. Hannatu Musa Musawa

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