Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has spoken about his love for farming.
According to the President, everything he has done in life was by accident except farming.
Obasanjo was Nigeria’s head of state from 1976 to 1979, and he was elected president in 1999.
He completed his second term in office in 2007.
Speaking on a live radio interview with Segun Odegbami on Eagles7 Sports 103.7 FM on Saturday July 23, Obasanjo disclosed that he is always proud to be addressed as a farmer.
When asked to speak on his “romance with farming”, the former President said in response;
“I don’t like the word you used, ‘romance with farming’. I am a farmer. What do you mean by romance.
“Everything I have done in my life is by accident. The only thing that is not accidental is farming.
” Every other thing that I’ve been is by accident. And you called that romance? No! What do you mean by romance?
“You know my beginning. I was born and bred in a village. I went to school by accident.
” My father just said, ‘won’t you do something different?’ So I went into farming.
“When you look at countries that have made it, they developed on agriculture.
” First, for the purpose of food security; second, for the purpose of processing what they get from their farms, which is the beginning of industrialisation.
“Third, to give it out as export, which is for the purpose of foreign exchange; and fourth, as a means of generating employment for the youth.”
Obasanjo who also advised Nigerian youths to take over leadership positions in the interview, stated that youths should not allow anyone to address them as leaders of tomorrow as tomorrow may never come.
He added;
“My advice for Nigerian youths is that, never let anybody tell you that you are the leaders of tomorrow.
” If you wait for tomorrow before you take over leadership, that tomorrow may not come. They will destroy it.
“This is the time, youths get up and make it happen.”
