….urges monarchs to invest in youth empowerment
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has called on the government and relevant authorities to enact policies that will check the arbitrary felling of bamboo trees across the country, citing the plant’s huge economic value.
Oba Ogunwusi made the call during a visit to the ongoing Ojaja Park in Ado-Ekiti along the Ado-Iworoko Road, as well as the Ojaja Smart City at the Ring Road, Ado-Ekiti, where bamboo was substituted for rods and used in furniture production.
According to the monarch, Nigeria should emulate Japan, where indiscriminate cutting of bamboo attracts severe punishment.
He explained that the bamboo tree has numerous economic benefits that, if properly harnessed, could create jobs for teeming youths and contribute significantly to the nation’s economy.
He said: *”In the Western world, for instance Japan, if you cut bamboo anyhow, you will go to jail, because it’s an economic tree. It’s a very powerful economic tree. It’s useful for so many things.”
The Ooni further stressed the need for traditional rulers to go beyond dispute resolution and begin to add value to the economy through investments that can /provide sustainable employment for youths.
”We traditional rulers, we have a big role to play in stabilizing our community and beyond that we need to be a driver of initiatives that will enhance development in our various community.”*
”We need to live a life of impact and we don’t need to leave everything only to government but begin to think on how to empower our teeming youths. Development like this is just to empower and I’m here on behalf of all traditional rulers in Ekiti for us to do another impactful development for us to let the system know that traditional institution is not a liability but an asset.”
“Beyond settlement of issues within community, we need to focus on economic development and a lot of emancipation for youth.
