Vice-President Kashim Shettima has identified agricultural revolution as the only bold step Nigeria can take to put an end to insecurity and reduce poverty among its growing population.
Shettima, who stated this on Saturday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, during the 13th Convocation Lecture of Al-Hikmah University, said this can be achieved through the deployment of technology to actualise food security among the country’s growing population, noting that it is where the university comes to extract the maximum benefits from the right synergy that is consistent with its own peculiarities.
Delivering the Convocation Lecture, Shettima underscored the role of education and training of the country’s population to take full advantage of what he described as the growing influence of technology in all aspect of human existence.
The Vice-President noted that it is only when Nigeria as a nation begins to think boldly about revolutionising production, processing and guaranteeing sustained food security that it can identify sectors of the nation’s agricultural assets that are most likely to benefit from the application of technology.
According to him, Nigeria’s future can be secured by agricultural revolution through imaginative and bold leadership, a secure and peaceful environment, and a sound education system that does not reduce the limit of the citizens to only the sky.
Noting that Nigeria has no justification not to be among the ten richest countries in the world, Shettima emphasised the value of realistic stocktaking of the nation’s assets and liabilities.
He maintained that Nigeria has enough of everything it needs to feed its huge population, grow a vibrant agricultural industry and supply huge markets with agricultural produce, from which technology would have extracted the greatest value.
Shettima pointed out that, “In 25 years, we will have a population of about 450 million people. Only about 100 million of that population will be actively involved in economic activities, because the rest are either too old or too young. This 100 million will have to be prepared to be optimally productive; and only a visionary and sustained marriage between technology and raw assets can ensure that. We believe this can and must be done”.
He further stressed that, away from its values that emphasise hard work and reward, the nation must begin to focus on a future where its universities “lead the world in research and innovation, from where they will graduate students who will move directly into the agricultural industry as competent entrepreneurs”.
The Vice-President, who had earlier Inaugurated the newly-constructed Faculty of Nursing Complex of Al-Hikmah University named after him, thanked the management of the school, saying he was profoundly moved by the gesture and would cherish this honour as the most humbling act of generosity.
In addition to inaugurating the Senator Kashim Shettima Nursing Science Complex, the VP also officially opened the University’s Faculty of Law Moot Court Complex at the Atere Campus of the University.
Earlier in his welcome address, the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Noah Yusuf, noted that food insecurity has become a big problem in Nigeria as most citizens are struggling with how to find food for their daily living.
He thanked the Kwara State Governor for constructing the road leading to the university as well as granting permission to name the road after the university- Al-Hikmah University Road.
