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(Photos) Students Laud Makinde’s Commitment To Agribusiness Development, Tour Fasola Industrial Hub

May 9, 2025 by admin

The Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde has been lauded for his commitments towards agribusiness development in the state. Governor Makinde was commended for his achievements in agribusiness by students of the Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology New Bussa, Niger State who were on educational visit to Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub, Oyo. The students were received by the Regional Manager of Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) – Oyo Region, Mr Popoola Olushola, Mr Ademola Adeniyi, the Community Relations Officer and Mr Badmus Emmanuel – Facility Manager for Fasola, ATC. Popoola whose duties comprises overseeing all OYSADA facilities in Oyo regions including OYSADA office – Oyo and Awe – IITA/ Oyo State Government Incubation Park Center, alongside other officers conducted the students round some facilities in the hub, thereby given them the opportunity to explore the agribusiness investments in the facility and agribusiness environment beyond the four walls of their classrooms. The students in their separate reactions applauded Oyo state government under the leadership of Engr. Seyi Makinde for creating enabling environment for cluster of investors they met at the facility. They expressed their satisfactions over the level at which the investors are enjoying returns on their investment in agribusiness with ease, they also maintained that Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub remains one of its kind in the country, and Africa at large. Dr. Rosemary Oladosu-Ajayi, the Chairperson, Field trips and excursion Committee of the College, had earlier through the notification letter forwarded to OYSADA noted that the Federal College of Freshwater Fisheries Technology New Bussa, Niger State is an institution that runs programs in National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) and one of the basic National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) requirements for all students in the program is a scheduled field and industrial experience which is aimed at expanding the students horizon in their field of study. Rosemary in her reaction at the Fasola hub however expressed optimism that the educational visit will improve the learning of the students. The visiting students of the college were ND2, HND1 and HND2 students of Agricultural Technology, Agricultural Business Management, Agricultural Extension Management, Fisheries Technology and Crop Protection Technology respectively. The total number of the students on tour was 103, followed by 5 staff of the college. Some of the facilities toured during the educational visit include AATF Factory, Brown Hill Factory, Friesland Campania, Wamco Dairy Company, among others.

Oyo Govt Trains 1,950 farmers in various Agricultural Enterprises

March 14, 2025 by admin

The Oyo State Government has begun a capacity-building program for One Thousand, Nine-hundred and fifty, 1,950 farmers across the 33 local government areas in the State, as part of its continued efforts in ensuring food security. The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye, while declaring the training exercise open on Wednesday in Ibadan, said the event will create a sustainable agricultural ecosystem that boosts food production in Nigeria. Speaking through the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Abosede Owoeye, the Commissioner revealed that government is investing in the State’s future through its various trainings for farmers, adding that the Engr. Seyi Makinde-led administration recognizes the crucial role farmers play in ensuring food security and economic prosperity. According to Olasunkanmi, “the training program encompasses various areas, 660 farmers will receive training on pasture establishment, management, conservation, and artificial insemination techniques, 300 farmers will learn about climate-smart agriculture, focusing on high-value crop production and effective weed management strategies, 140 young farmers will receive training on beekeeping practices,100 participants will learn about shea butter production techniques, 90 participants will receive training on locust bean processing methods, 660 youths, women, and retirees will receive specialized training on mushroom cultivation across all zones in the state.” Barrister Olaleye therefore urged the participants to take full advantage of the training, emphasizing that the government has engaged expert resource persons to ensure a comprehensive learning experience. Expert at the event included scholars from the University of Ibadan, such as Prof. Olusola Olorunnisomo; Dr. Adewunmi Adesina. Others were Mr. Tunmise Olagbaju, and Mr. Kola Ajao, Bee Specialist, amongst others.

African Countries Have Capacity To Ensure Global Food Sufficiency, Says Makinde•••As Sierra Leonean President, Team Tour Fasola Agribusiness Hub

March 5, 2025 by admin

IBADAN – Oyo State governor, Engr. ‘Seyi Makinde, has said that African countries have the capacity to ensure food sufficiency in the world, apart from meeting their local needs. He stated this on Wednesday, during a high-level panel discussion held at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Headquarters, Ibadan, as part of the Presidential Visit Programme in honour of the President, Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr Julius Maada Bio. “I have heard about data where they said Africa is about 1.4 billion people, and so also is India and so is China. So, we should look inwards in terms of food production and food security, but the efforts that we need to take on the whole world is not more than what we need for import substitution. “The real catch is that we must not only be satisfied with meeting our local needs, we have the capacity to also take on the world in terms of solving the global food sufficiency challenge,” Makinde said. While sharing his administration’s experiences on the successful and impactful agribusiness initiatives implemented in Oyo State, the governor said that his administration focused on agribusiness knowing that it could be a major driver of the state’s economy and also help to achieve the vision of taking people from poverty to prosperity and tackling hunger. The governor equally stated that his administration had been deliberate about driving agriculture with technology, innovations and data, saying that the tractorisation policy, which helps farmers with a 50 percent subsidy on ploughing, verification of farmers and input support to smallholders were among the deliberate efforts taken to ensure food security and sufficiency. He said: “When we came in, we took agribusiness as one of the major pillars to expand our economy. We had a workshop and took all the stakeholders to the Republic of Benin, because we didn’t want any distraction. “We put our roadmap together and started tracking it. Few things came up at that workshop, which we believed would work for us. “When we started, we saw those things that worked and vice-versa, that was when we started tackling hunger to break the cycle of poverty among our people in the state. “What has also worked for us is utilising technology to verify the actual data. We went to Israel and saw that they could feed themselves while also exporting, but the entire state of Israel does not have more than 10,000 farmers to do all the fanciful things they are doing all over the world. “We saw that we are a little bit far from the mechanisation programme. We used to have a Tractor Unit in Oyo State and we asked them where the tractors were, but they were nowhere to be found. “So, we concluded that we would not invest money again to purchase tractors but would leave the private people to run it as a business and the private people would look after their business by themselves. “Also, on the other side, we thought of what the state could do to ensure they remained in business and we gave some subsidy to the farmers. We said to them that if you want to clear 10 acres, for instance, you bring half of the money, pay those business people having tractors and the government would pay the other half. “We set a target of ploughing 120,000 hectares but the result came out about a week ago and we only met five per cent of that target. It was bad. But the good news is that now we have real data and we know that if we get up to 30 or 50 per cent, we would have moved somewhere. So, you have that option to either invest in tractors or have a model that the private sector can drive.” Sharing the success story of the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub, which has been designated as Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the governor stated that having taken the decision to allow the private sector to drive agribusiness, the government invested heavily on fixing infrastructure. He explained that the big private sector players in the agribusiness sector in the state chose to do business there because of the government’s commitment to infrastructure. “When we went to Fasola, we observed that there had been efforts in the past to revive the Farm Settlement that failed and we said we would upgrade it to a Farm Estate. But there was a problem. The road leading to Fasola, a 34-kilometre stretch of road belonging to the Federal Government, was in a bad state. “We said the first thing we had to do was to fix the infrastructure so that private businesses could come there. So, we fixed the road. “Former President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick, is a very big investor in Fasola Agribusiness Hub now and the only thing that brought him there was the infrastructure we have put in place. “It has worked for us that when you fix the infrastructure, private money will come and today, the investment money we put into the infrastructure, when compared to the investments that have been attracted to Fasola, is almost nothing. So, fixing infrastructure is key.” Governors of Borno and Plateau states, Prof. Babagana Zulum and Caleb Muftwang, also shared their experiences in their respective states. In his remarks, the President of Sierra Leone, Dr Bio said that Africa would not be spending over 50 billion dollars annually to import food if its leaders could leverage their political will, technology and requisite funding to ensure food security on the continent. Dr Bio also commended the efforts of the Oyo State governor and his colleagues for their initiatives to drive the economy of their states through agribusiness and charged them to provide more solutions to agricultural challenges in their various states. After the High-Level Panel Discussion, President Bio and his team; Governor Makinde and his team, Plateau State governor, Mr Caleb Muftwang, and his … Read more

Oyo Gov Welcomes Sierra Leone’s President, Bio To Ibadan Monday

March 2, 2025 by admin

IBADAN – Oyo State governor, Engr. ‘Seyi Makinde, will on Monday receive the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. President Bio is billed to, among other activities, pay an inspection visit to the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub, Oyo. The governor expressed his pleasantries to President Bio and his team, noting that the Government and good People of Oyo State are pleased to receive the team. “I, on behalf of the Government and good People of Oyo State, welcome the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency, President Julius Maada Bio, and his team to Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State. “Mr President and his team will witness first-hand the rich history and heritage of Oyo State and why it is rightly regarded as the Pacesetter. “They will also see some of the pacesetting developments that our government has put in place, including the renowned Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub, Oyo. “Mr President, please be assured of our government’s most esteemed regards as you traverse Oyo State in the course of this visit.”

Oyo Govt Begins Distribution Of Motorcycles To Agric Extension Officers

February 25, 2025 by admin

Oyo State Government has begun the first phase of distribution of motorcycles to Agricultural Extension Officers across the state as a demonstration of its determination to boost agricultural extension services in the state. Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barr. Olasunkanmi Olaleye, who gave out 15 motorcycles to the agricultural extension officers on Tuesday, noted that they serve as links between researchers and farmers. According to him, extension officers play a critical role in the dissemination of innovations and technologies to small holder farmers to enhance productivity and improve farmers’ standard of living and ensure food security in the state. He explained that the Governor Seyi Makinde administration will focus on addressing some of the pressing challenges facing agricultural extension services, including systemic decline driven by several key factors. He said: “I am highly delighted to welcome you to the distribution of BAJAJ motorcycles to Officers/Extension Agents in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. “Agricultural Extension Officers (Agents) are the link between the researchers and the farmers. They play a critical role in the dissemination of innovations and technologies to the small holder farmers, which will invariably increase their productivity and improve their standard of living and ensure food security in the state. “Therefore, the Oyo State Government, under the leadership of Governor Seyi Makinde, approved the purchase of BAJAJ motorcycles for the Agricultural Extension Agents in the state to enhance agricultural extension service delivery. “You will all agree with me that one of the most pressing challenges facing the Agricultural Extension Officers is the systemic decline, driven by several key factors which include critical shortage of Extension Agents due to retirements without adequate replacement. “Other factors are young people’s reluctance to pursue careers in agriculture and entrepreneurship, lack of sufficient training and professional development of extension agents and lack of proper transportation resources, making it difficult for them to reach and serve farmers in remote villages. “In ameliorating the observed challenges, the present administration has embarked on programmes, projects and provision of manpower, including this distribution of BAJAJ motorcycles that we are witnessing today. “Other interventions include: Start Them Early Programme (STEP) to encourage agricultural interest in secondary school students being replicated in eight zones of Oyo State. The government just concluded the recruitment of 161 officers across cadres in the Ministry. “Last year, we also embarked on the training of 131 Extension Agents across the 33 LGAs and LCDAs on the use of digital applications to measure farmland under the 50 per cent tractorisation subsidy programme of the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER). “Also, we embarked on the 50 per cent tractorisation subsidy programme under SAfER where 1,487 farmers benefited, and a total of 6,009.4083 acres of land was ploughed throughout the state. “On this note, I have the singular honour and privilege to implore the beneficiaries to maximise the opportunity to bridge the gap between researchers and farmers to boost food production, improve livelihoods and promote sustainable agricultural service delivery.” Earlier in her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs Abosede Owoeye, noted that the distribution of the motorcycles to Agricultural Extension Officers across the state would serve as tools of transformation, as they will be able to access remote farming communities more efficiently, respond promptly to farmers’ needs and also deliver timely agricultural advisory services. She appreciated the dedication and steadfastness of the Extension Officers in the state for their contribution and achievement in the 50 per cent tractorisation programme of the state government under the SAfER programme in 2024. She urged them to ensure improved agricultural extension service delivery in the state. Speaking on behalf of the Agricultural Extension Officers, Mr Akanbi Ademola thanked Governor Makinde for improving the agriculture sector and promised to complement the efforts of the state government to ensure food security in the state.

Debo Akande, Oluyole LG Boss Olatunji Engage Stakeholders On 8.8km RAAMP Road Project’s Economic Benefits

February 21, 2025 by admin

The Director-General of Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency OYSADA, Dr. Debo Akande has emphasized the importance of the 8.8km Adebayo/Alata/Aba Oje RAAMP Road Project in Oluyole local government part of the state. Speaking while addressing the stakeholders during the inauguration of the Grievance Redress Committee (GRC) that are saddled with the management of potential disputes arising from upcoming rural road construction projects, Dr Debo Akande who also doubles as the Executive Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Agribusiness and International Corporation urged the stakeholders in the local government to collaborate with the newly inaugurated committee’s terms of reference to ensure smooth project implementation of the State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP). Dr Debo Akande in his words noted that the meeting was geared towards engaging stakeholders on disclosure of sites, with a view to getting citizens buy-in for maintenance of rural roads. Dr. Akande added that the GRC will enhance co-existence between the contractors and the beneficiary communities, as part of prerequisite of the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project RAAMP. Akande maintained that the road when completed will surely contribute greatly to the agro-economic development of Oluyole local government and the state at large. Akande however urged the stakeholders to ensure an hitch-free exercise during and after the construction. He however commended Governor Seyi Makinde for his readiness to transform the rural landscape of the state into a thriving agro-driven economy. Inaugurating the Grievance Redress Committee, Oyo State Project Coordinator, RAAMP, Engr. Adeola Ekundayo said the Committee’s primary responsibility is to address grievances from affected communities, particularly farmers whose lands might be impacted by construction amongst other to enhance hitch-free civil works. Ekundayo called for fair handling of all complaints, urging contractors to engage indigent workers within the communities, to boost economy. The GRC, consisting youths representative, women, community leaders in all the phase 1 roads of about 68km across the state, will educate communities on construction processes, and rights-of-way to prevent misunderstandings. In his welcome Address, the Chairman, Oluyole Local Government, Engr. Akeem Olatunji assured maximum security during and after the exercise, adding that his administration would continue to strive for the development of the council. He thanked the present administration in the state under the leadership of Engr seyi Makinde for prioritising food security by supporting RAAMP to strive for the level of construction in the state, which Oluyole Local Government is one of the beneficiaries.

Seeds Sector: Oyo Gov’t Harps on Revitalisation

January 27, 2025 by admin

The Oyo State government has noted that the problems plaguing the agricultural sector has been that of low quality seeds, saying all hands must be on deck to revitalise the seeds sector for rich yields and harvest. This assertion was made by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye, during a meeting with key stakeholders in the seed sector. Olaleye said quality seeds are the foundation of agricultural productivity and the cornerstone of farmer’s success. Barr. Olaleye added that if not addressed, low quality seeds will eventually defeat the quest to make agricultural production a major income earners. According to him, the Oyo State Seed Coordinating Committee and other stakeholders in agricultural sector had their first inaugural meeting to deliberate on how to discover and introduce improved seeds to farmers that would promote agricultural productivities. Recall that the Oyo State Seed Coordinating Committee (OYSSCC) was re-inuagurated on Tuesday, October 15th, 2024 by the present government under the leadership of Engr seyi Makinde, comprising all stakeholders in agricultural sector and value chain, both public and private in the state saddle with responsibility of diversifying economy towards improving food security, job creation as well as to guide and determine the state’s total seeds requirement amongst others. He hinted that as Seed Coordinating Committee of Oyo State, there is need for every member of the committee to discharge their duties as expected in reshaping future of Seed sector which would enhance agricultural productivities and will in return brings about food security. According to the Commissioner, “quality seeds are the foundation of agricultural productivity and the cornerstone of our farmers’ success. As custodians of this critical sector, you have played an instrumental role in fostering innovation and ensuring our farmers have access to premium seeds” Barrister Olasunkanmi however commended Engr. Seyi Makinde for his visionary leadership in agricultural development, saying that the initiatives have significantly enhanced the well-being of our farmers and citizens, particularly through the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) program launched in 2023. Stressing that the ongoing distribution of hybrid seeds which includes; tomato, bawa, tatase, rodo, okro, tete, and soko varieties along with liquid fertilizer to arable farmers across all the 33 Local Governments Area of the State, exemplifies his commitment. He therefore pledged friendly environment for the committee to perform their duties to obtain desirable results. In her welcome address, the Permanent, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Abosede Owoeye noted that the gathering represents a significant milestone in this present administration’s strategy to address food security challenges facing our state, stressing that Today’s inaugural meeting comes at a crucial time. According to her, recognizing that seed improvement is fundamental to agricultural development, we must act swiftly to enhance both crop and animal seed quality to boost agricultural production and agribusiness across the state.

Oyo RAAMP Signs N16bn Contract For Construction Of 68km Road Project

January 24, 2025 by admin

IBADAN – The Oyo State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (Oyo RAAMP) has successfully signed a contract agreement worth N16,273,711,608.09 for the construction of about 68km rural roads under phase 1 of the intervention project. The contract signing event which took place at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development, Ibadan- the Supervisory Ministry of Oyo RAAMP, and under the supervision of the Commissioner of the Ministry, Barr. Olasunkanmi Olaleye had five construction companies sign contract agreements with Oyo RAAMP. The construction companies are Dephhanny’s Venture Limited; Messrs CGC Nigeria Limited; Messrs Coastline Engineering Limited; Messrs Lopek Engineering and construction limited and Messrs E.A.A Engineering Limited. This is aimed at constructing the rural roads which cut across the about Five Local government areas of Oyo state. Addressing the contractors and stakeholders at the signing, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye said the project aims to upgrade Rural roads, improve agricultural marketing and promote economic growth in oyo state. According to Olasunkanmi, the Project is expected to have a positive impact on lives of rural communities, farmers, and traders as well as market hubs to reduce post harvest lost of agricultural products. While congratulating the firms/Contractors who finally emerged from the highly competitive bidding and procuremnt processes, the Commissioner explained that the phase 1 intervention roads of backlog maintenance/rehabilitation and cross drainage structures will include: Fashola Farm settlement road networks, Oyo West, Oloko Oyo Junction- Ikere Junction, Iseyin Local Government; Alako-Idiya-Batake- Olowa Farm settlement Ido Local Government; Adebayo-Alata-Aba Oje, Oluyole local government; Okudi-Oyada road, ATISBO Local Government; and Tewure-Ila junction road, Oriire local governments respectively. He therefore urged the contractors to ensure they execute quality and satisfactory jobs. In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Abosede Owoeye said that the project objectives align with vision of the present government in Oyo state under the leadership of Engr Seyi Makinde which includes supporting farmers with necessary equipments to enhance food security. She added that with signing of contract agreement, Oyo State is one step closer to achieving its goals of promoting economic growth, improving livelihoods, and enhancing food security. Mrs. Owoeye therefore thanked the Federal Government and Development Partners; World Banks and Friench Development Agency. In her remarks, the Oyo State Project Coordinator, Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project, Engr. Adeola Ekundayo urged the contractors to cooperate with stakeholders who will be monitoring their activities. She also said Greviance Redress Committee on each of the roads have been constituted, according to the Project Implementation Manual which they will meet before commencement of civil works. Speaking on behalf of the contractors, Mr. Shan Jingwu, a representative of CGC Construction company,commended RAAMP for being transparent in the selection process that ushered in his company. He promised that his team will be very professional in the discharge of their duties.

Oyo To Collaborate With Ogun On Agriculture

December 23, 2024 by admin

Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has said that his administration and that of the Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, would engage in a peer-review meeting in the New Year with a view to collaborating on areas critical to residents of both states. Governor Makinde said this while receiving Abiodun in Ibadan, on Monday, noting that the collaboration would see the two states exploring opportunities in the agriculture sector, especially the tractorisation policy and other areas. Makinde also appreciated Governor Abiodun, chairman of the South-West Governors’ Forum, who said his visit was to condole with the Oyo State Government over the deaths of 35 children in a stampede at a private funfair in Ibadan. He said: “Your Excellency, thank you so much for the visit. We appreciate you being with us at this difficult period. “My brother’s visit presented an opportunity to also rub minds. We were talking about tractorisation and the strategy they have adopted in Ogun State as well as what we are doing here. “We agreed that we will have a peer-review visit in the New Year so that we can leverage the good things happening there and they can also leverage the good things happening here.” Speaking earlier, the Ogun State governor expressed the condolences of the people of the state and the Southern Governors’ Forum to Governor Makinde over the unfortunate incident. He described the event that led to the deaths of innocent children as a good initiative that turned bad, advising non-governmental organisations that have such initiatives to always work with the government for proper planning when organising such charity programmes. Abiodun prayed for the repose of the souls of the children, who lost their lives, their bereaved parents and the people of Oyo State. He said: “I am here on behalf of myself, family, the entire people of Ogun State and the entire Southern Governors’ Forum of Nigeria. “We have come to commiserate with the governor and the entire people of Oyo State on the very unfortunate incident that happened on Wednesday 18th of December, 2024, where a good initiative turned sour. “We all woke up to the news the following day and I decided to come on behalf of all of us and condole with the governor and the people as well as the government of Oyo State. “The entire Southern governors are pained by this occurrence. In Ogun State, we believe anything that affects Oyo State affects us as well. Our prayer is that we won’t witness such an occurrence again. “We will continue to remember all those affected in our prayers.”

Makinde Promises Speedy Completion Of Ido-Eruwa Road, Flags Off Redevelopment Of Eruwa Farm Settlement

November 21, 2024 by admin

Adeleke Maria Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the upgrade of moribund 3,250 hectares Eruwa Farm Settlement to an Agribusiness Industrial Hub. The governor said that the project, once completed, would put Ibarapaland on the global agricultural map and create thousands of jobs for youths in the zone and across the state. Governor Makinde, who stated this on Thursday, at the Old Farm Settlement, Eruwa, Oyo State, added that his administration would also complete the Ido-Eruwa Road within the next one year, charging residents of Ibarapa zone to make investors feel welcome, when the new agribusiness hub is completed. He noted that the government recently approved the release of a tranche of N2 billion to the contractor handling the road project so as to fast-track its progress. According to the governor, the administration established the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA) as a special purpose vehicle to drive agribusiness in the state and that so far, the state has achieved great successes and gone ahead to become a model for other states, and even some African countries, in the area of agribusiness He equally expressed the confidence that the new Agribusiness Hub in Eruwa would also be a success story like the Fasola Agribusiness Hub, as, according to him, development partners and investors, who have already committed to bringing in their money to the facility, were present at the ground-breaking ceremony. He said: “About five years ago, we started what I will call the journey to make agribusiness the driver of Oyo State’s economy. Immediately we came into office, we got access to a N7.6 billion loan facility taken by the previous administration and our plan was to use this loan to ensure that two of our moribund farm settlements are converted to agribusiness hubs. maintained that the Hub has seen an influx of 12 medium to large national and international private companies occupying the 1,150 hectares of land for crop production, livestock rearing, and processing for domestic consumption and export. He added that these companies have been contributing to supporting smallholder farmers in the state through training, taking their crops for processing and development of early generation seeds that will help yields across the state. In his special remarks, Director-General, Nigeria, African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Abdul Kamara, lauded Governor Makinde for resuscitating moribund farm settlements and putting the state on the path of agribusiness, which he described as consistent with AfDB’s approach to rural and economic transformation and aligns with its focus to feed Africa, guarantee food security, nutrition, agro-processing, agricultural transformations, industrialisation and improving the quality of lives for Africans. He assured that the AfDB would give its maximum support to the speedy execution of the project. In their separate goodwill messages, the Senior Special Adviser on Industrialisation to the President of AfDB, Prof. Banji Oyeleran-Oyeyinka; the Olu of Igbooro, Oba Olajide Titiloye; and the chairman, Eruwa Council of Elders, Chief Joseph Peluola, severally appreciated Governor Makinde for seeing the future of agriculture sector and making the project a reality. They urged the governor to ensure the speedy completion of the Ido-Eruwa road and equally enhance microfinance banks to give financial support to more farmers. Delivering a vote of thanks, the Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, equally lauded Governor Makinde, noting that the Eruwa Agribusiness Industrial Hub would be a legacy project for him after his tenure. He also charged residents of the area to cooperate with the contractors for the success of the project. The event had in attendance former deputy governors of Oyo State, Engr. Hamid Gbadamosi and Alhaji Hazim Gborlarumi; Chief Judge of Oyo State, Hon. Justice Iyabo Yerima, former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Senator Monsurat Sumonu; and Chairman of the House of Assembly Committee on Agriculture, Hon. Peter Ojedokun. Others were Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Olanike Adeyemo; Chief of Staff, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi; Deputy Chief of Staff, Hon Fola Oyekunle; chairman and co-chairman of the Oyo State Elder’s Council, Dr Kola Balogun and Elder Wole Oyelese; commissioners, traditional rulers and religious leaders, among others.