Akin Olotu, an agriculture expert, has said that the only way out of the food scarcity and shortage quagmire is for government at all levels to tackle climate change, pest infestations and other threats to agricultural productivity in order to put an end to the food crisis in Nigeria.
Olotu, who stated this in Akure at the annual lecture and award presentation of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Ondo NUJ Council, however, said that the food crisis in Nigeria might last even longer than anticipated if steps were not taken.
He said, “In the months ahead, there will be more food crisis. The present climatic condition is not favourable to farming activities. Something has to be done. Food crisis is still ahead. President Bola Tinubu has to set target for the state and local councils. Presently, Nigeria’s poultry industry has collapsed.”
Olotu, who noted precisely that Nigeria faces significant food security challenges exacerbated by escalating conflicts, economic instability, and atypical staple food prices, urged Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State to dedicate 24% of the State’s 2025 budget to agriculture to enhance food production.
Tosin Ajuwon, the chairman of the Correspondents’Chapel, earlier in his welcome address, said the Correspondents’ Day is an important event in the calendar of the chapel which features lecture and award ceremony to celebrates excellence, impact, greatness, commitment, and dedication to the course of humanity.
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Ajuwon said; “this year’s event is unique, given that it is a year we are witnessing an off cycle governorship election in Ondo state. This has also influenced the choice of the theme for this year’s event, which is “Electioneering: The Roles and Responsibilities of the Media.” (I so much believe our erudite scholar, Dr Abimbola, would be doing justice to that soon).
“To us as journalists, an election is not just about casting the ballots, it’s also about ensuring a transparent process that holds the leaders accountable and to guarantee the rights of the people to be heard. We must ensure they have the right to promote the values they hold dearly, the issues that matter most to them and the kind of society they want the leaders to build.”
Olugbenga Abimbola, the guest lecturer and former Head of Department of Mass Communication, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, while speaking on the theme; ‘Electioneering: Roles and Responsibilities of the Media’ stressed the need for journalists to be well-versed in election timelines, processes and laws to ensure a successful outcome.
Abimbola, however, urged journalists to prioritize their safety during elections and also play their roles effectively to help preserve the State’s’s peace and democracy.
