— Donates cash gifts, food items to Osun community
Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola has urged Nigerians to persevere in the present economic realities in the country, describing the situation as a passing phase, after which a relief would suffice.
Oyetola gave this assurance yesterday during Friday prayer service at Egbeda Central Mosque, in the suburb of Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government, Osun State.
Speaking immediately after the obligatory two-rakat prayer, the Minister said the present economic situation was only reactionary to previous policies of the succeeding governments in Nigeria, including the regime of President Shehu Shagari, which had to introduce Bulk Food Purchase policy in reaction to inflation resulting in high prices of food commodities.
The Minister who recently distributed hundreds of bags of fertilizers to dry farmers in the area, said policies of the present administration were favourable to farmers with a few to ensuring surplus availability of farm produce for public use and consumption, urging farmers and youths in Nigeria to reciprocate this by prioritising farming.
Oyetola however, admonished the youths against drug addiction, gangsterism, idleness and indolence, urging them to make good use of the Student Loan policy of the present administration which provides access to interest-free loans as contained in Access to Higher Education Act, 2023, to get themselves educated.
The former governor of Osun State and incumbent Minister, who started his elementary education from the same Egbeda community in Osun State, where he was raised as a young child, told the youths that he was able to attain pinnacle because of education.
He said: “I want to urge you all to exercise patience with this government. We know the present economic situation in the country is a bit hard, but it is a phase that will soon be over.
“The present situation in the country is not peculiar to the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Things were also not so easy even during the regime of President Sheu Shagari, as prices of food were unaffordable thus, the government had to introduce Bulk Food Purchase policy to cushion the effect.
“I urge our farmers to double efforts in their farming activities. Thank God, the policies of the present administration are so favourable to farmers. You know, I’m also a son of farmer, aside from the fact that my father is also the Chief Imam of this Central Mosque.
“I also urge and appeal to our youths to prioritize education. Make use of the provision of the interest-free education loans by the present administration.
“At the same time, I urge you to go into farming. Your education doesn’t stop you from farming. In fact, it will rather enable and equip you with technical know-how. You may, for instance, adopt mechanized farming. I sincerely advise you to take education and farming seriously, and please, shun gangsterism and hooliganism.”
Delivering his sermon earlier, the Chief Imam of Egbeda, who is also the biological father of the Minister, Alhaji Hammed Oyetola admonished Muslim faithful on the vanity and frivolity of this world, instilling fear of God in the worshippers of Islamic monotheism.
“No one can bestow whatever the Almighty Allah withholds, and nobody can withhold whatever Allah bestows. This is what everyone in this life, including worldly kings and kingmakers and those in the corridor of power should understand about God, who created the universe for the purpose of worship”, the Minister’s father said.
Also, addressing the congregation, the Pro-Chancellor and Governing Council Chairman of the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Abdur-Rasheed Ayotunde Olabomi Odundun IV, who was on the Minister’s entourage to the Central Mosque, commended the federal government on different laudable policies, and the Minister over his donation of food items to the community.
The monarch however urged the beneficiaries to ensure equitable sharing of the items, and never to allow the distribution process degenerate into misunderstanding or crisis.
On the list of Oyetola’s entourage to the Juma’at prayer were some of his associates and political leaders in the state, including his wife, Alhaja Kafayat Olaitan Oyetola.
