Alhaji Abdullahi Agbo, the Osana of Keana, Nasarawa State, has called on members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to consider agriculture and self-employment upon concluding their service year.
The traditional ruler made the call when 2020 Batch `A’ corps members, who served in Keana Local Government Area of the state, paid him a courtesy call in his palace in Keana on Thursday.
The corps members, who had a low-key Passing Out Parade, came to thank the traditional ruler for accommodating them and inform him of the end of their service year.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the corps members were led by the state NYSC Coordinator, Mr Stephen Dewan, and other management staff of the scheme in the state.
The royal father urged the outgoing corps members to explore the opportunities that abound in agriculture to be self-employed.
He said this was because of the lucrative benefits in the sector and the fact that not every one of them would be lucky to get white-collar jobs.
Agbo urged them not to sit at home doing nothing but take advantage of the training they got during their service year, most especially in agriculture and use it to provide for themselves.
“As you are going back, learn to be self-employed because not all of you will get government jobs.
“So, farming is something that if you are not lazy but determined, it can make your life lively for you and you will have normal blood pressure,” he said.
He urged them to keep themselves busy, think fast and innovate.
“There is no shortcut to success. You have to work hard in order to succeed.
“If you engage in farming, you will not think of government work because of the many gains in agriculture.
“I will continue to pray for you and should any of you return here, this is your home,” he said.
He thanked them for their patriotism to their fatherland and their contributions to their host communities, urging them to continue to be good ambassadors of their families, the NYSC and the country.
Speaking earlier, the NYSC Coordinator in the state appreciated the traditional ruler for accommodating the corps members with love and for ensuring that the corps members performed their service to their fatherland in a conducive environment.
Dewan pointed out that the traditional ruler went further by approving a land for NYSC in the state for the purpose of agriculture which was later used to harvest rice and benne (sesame) seed.
“Our corps members could not have stayed this long peacefully and about to leave if his royal majesty has not been a very good person.
“We even accosted him and asked him for a land to help us teach our corps members how to farm and it was given.
“Your royal highness, I thank you for that piece of land and use this opportunity to inform you that in one hectare of the land, we were able harvest 400 kg bags of rice
“Also, on the other two hectares of land, we got 200 kg of benne (sesame) seed,”
According to him, the corps members via training gotten from the scheme are equipped in agriculture and some, when they return to their various states, may venture into the sector to be self reliant. (NAN)
