Asagba Moves To Revive Agriculture, Create Jobs For Asaba Youths
By PAULINA NZERUBE
Monarch Worried Over Declining Agricultural Participation
THE Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty, Prof. Epiphany Azinge, SAN, OON, has expressed concern over the declining participation of Asaba residents in agriculture, saying he is ready to support initiatives that can restore the sector and create opportunities for youths and women.
The monarch spoke when the Founder and President of Uplifting Youths Through Agriculture (UYOTA), Princess Afoma Ojei-Adigwe, paid a courtesy visit to his palace.
Prof. Azinge lamented that many of his subjects were no longer actively involved in farming and fishing despite Asaba’s proximity to the River Niger and the economic opportunities available within the agricultural sector.
He noted that the situation was particularly troubling at a time when unemployment among young people remained a major national challenge.
Royal Backing for UYOTA Initiative
The Asagba commended Princess Ojei-Adigwe for developing an initiative aimed at using agriculture to engage young people meaningfully.
He described the programme as an opportunity to address unemployment while strengthening food production and economic participation within the kingdom.
The monarch said youth unemployment remained one of his major concerns and disclosed that he had been exploring possible solutions through engagements with Federal Government agencies in Abuja and corporate organisations in Lagos.
Prof. Azinge assured the delegation that the traditional institution was prepared to partner with UYOTA once the initiative was properly structured.
He, however, identified access to farmland as one of the immediate challenges that would have to be addressed.
“We are prepared to partner with you, so that when properly structured and streamlined we can get our people into it,” the monarch said, stressing that the initiative could engage a significant portion of the kingdom’s youthful population.
‘Let Asaba Produce Its Own Yams’
The Asagba also linked agricultural revival to the preservation of Asaba’s cultural identity.
Speaking ahead of the annual new yam festival, he recalled that he had previously urged his subjects not to present yams purchased from neighbouring communities at the palace.
He maintained that agricultural revival should ultimately enable Asaba to produce enough of its own food rather than depend heavily on supplies from outside the community.
The monarch called for a meeting between the traditional institution and UYOTA to develop practical modalities for engaging youths and women in agriculture.
He also stressed the importance of traditional rulers in communicating grassroots needs to government, noting that monarchs are often positioned to identify community challenges that may not immediately be visible to government officials.
Monarch Seeks Cancer Centre for Asaba
The visit also provided an opportunity for Prof. Azinge to draw attention to healthcare needs in the kingdom.
He described the absence of a cancer diagnostic centre in Asaba as unacceptable, particularly given the presence of qualified medical professionals and established health facilities in the city.
The monarch urged UYOTA to explore opportunities for encouraging Chinese authorities and investors to establish a cancer centre at the Asaba Specialist Hospital.
He said such an intervention would complement existing government investments in healthcare.
Community Supports Government Health Investment
Prof. Azinge commended the Delta State Government for providing a state-of-the-art Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner valued at more than ₦1.5 billion to the Asaba Specialist Hospital.
He described the investment as significant and assured that the Asaba community would continue to complement government efforts to improve development across the kingdom.
China Study Tour Targets Agricultural Transformation
Earlier, Princess Ojei-Adigwe said her visit was intended to invite the Asagba to participate in the second UYOTA Royal Agricultural Investment and Community Transformation Study Tour of China.
She said the 10-day programme was being organised in partnership with the China International Business Development Professional Commission (CIBDC), with support from the Nigerian Embassy in China, Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), and I Do It For Africa (IDIFA), China.
The programme, themed “Learning from China’s Agricultural Development Model for Sustainable Community Transformation and Food Security in Nigeria,” is designed to expose traditional rulers, government officials, legislators, policymakers, investors, farmers, researchers and youth leaders to China’s agricultural development experience.
According to her, participants will interact with Chinese government agencies, agricultural experts, investors and business leaders while exploring opportunities for investment, technology transfer, partnerships and knowledge exchange.
For the Asagba, the proposed partnership presents an opportunity to move agriculture from a neglected activity to a structured economic pathway for Asaba’s youths and women.
