ABEOKUTA – The Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, has said that the 2024 Lisabi Festival celebration would provide a mirage of solution to the prevailing economic challenges facing the country.
Oba Gbadebo noted that, the theme of this year’s celebration, “Encouraging Youth In Agricultural Business: A Panacea To Solving Unemployment In Nigeria” as carefully chosen to unravel the economic crisis facing the nation.
The monarch disclosed this on Monday while addressing journalists on the activities marking the 37th edition of the festival, at the Ake Palace auditorium, Abeokuta.
Oba Gbadebo said the essence of this year’s festival was to encourage the youths to embrace agriculture as alternative way to create job employment in the country.
He said given the current economic situation, the festival would be celebrated moderately but would ensure it contributed to the socio-economic growth of Egbaland.
He said the key activities for this year’s event include: traditional libation at the Lisabi ancestral shrine, scholarship for selected students in Abeokuta public schools, free eyes test and treatment, free medical outreach to the elderly, among others.
Speaking on the proposed State Police Creation by the National Assembly, Oba Gbadebo supported the call, saying “we need local security to tackle local crimes.”
Oba Gbadebo continued, “Nothing is wrong in having state police. Since crimes are committed locally, we need local police to tackle these crimes. We should not expect a Kano man or Police Commissioner from Akwa Ibom to know the remote areas of the each state where crimes are committed, but it will take a man of the soil to easily detect and locate these crime areas.
“Let us embrace whatever good things the government is doing for us and stop insinuating fear of its negativity. I just want to warn the governors not to use it to which hunt opposition because one day they will be out of power and it might come back to hunt them.”
Alake, therefore, enjoined Nigerians to exercise patience with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the current economic hardship.
He said Nigerians should endure the pains, as the reward of the policies would soon be ripped off.
He urged the presidency to ensure the proceeds of the subsidy removal is invested in food supply, education, healthcare facilities for Nigerians.
