The impression that the South-West region solely depend on the north for food has been described as a fallacy that is borne out of ignorance.
This was the submission of Mr Seye Oyeleye, the Director-general of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission on this week’s edition of BOTTOM LINE – a political programme on IBR 92.5fm Ibadan hosted by Aanuoluwapo Omorinde.
According to Oyeleye, the South-West race can actually do more than it is doing presently in agriculture but he identified the attitude of the Yorubas to land as an impediment.
“I laugh each time I hear people say the South-West depends on the north for food. The South-West States are doing much in agriculture including Oyo. I am sure you don’t know there is a chocolate firm in Ondo.
“The only problem is the attitude of our people to land. If I get to the north today, and I request for 300 acres of land, within a short period of time, I will be given but in the South-West, getting a small one for cultivation is a problem be that is the issue! Our people must change their orientation about land”.
Assessing the performance of Amotekun Corps in the region, he said it’s a tale of success.I won’t say we have got to where we are going but I can tell you that the initiative has helped the region tremendously”.
“Let me give you an example, when the military withdrew their services from checkpoints in Ondo State, the state government there drafted the Amotekun Corps to these checkpoints and it worked”.
He however condemned the usage of some members of the corps in communities as Watchmen or night guards.
