We Begged Audu Ogbeh To Join Buhari Administration – Yemi Osinbajo
Monday revealed that the Muhammadu Buhari
administration begged Agriculture Minister,
Audu Ogbeh, to join the government.
Mr. Osinbajo made this remark at the Nigerian
Initiative for Economic Development held at
the Banquet Hall, State House, Abuja.
The acting president, while unveiling the
potentials in the Nigerian economy, said apart
from power and other economic investment
areas, there is huge investment potential in
the Nigerian Agricultural sector.
He, however, jocularly said Mr. Ogbe, was
literally begged to join the government, adding
that he was enjoying the wealth made from
his agriculture investment.
“You heard the Minister of Agriculture talking
about agriculture and the sad poem. By the
way, I took the poem from him. This is a
poem about how miserable it was at the time.
Let me assure you that Chief Audu Ogbeh
became very wealthy in the farming business,”
he said.
“We literarily had to beg him to come into
government because he seemed to be
enjoying his wealth a little too much. But the
truth of the matter is that the agric sector is
a massive, massive sector.
“There was a Mexican who came to Nigeria;
he is one of the big banana farmers, banana
and pineapple farmers, and he is still in
Nigeria. He is in eleven states now. He came
in on the invitation of some Nigerians who
wanted to export bananas.
“They wanted him to come in here, grow
banana and export them. But what happened?
After a while, they found that he wasn’t
interested in exporting anything at all. When
they asked him why, he said: “Look, I’m
selling this stuff here. I’m making more money
here than exporting it. Every one of these
bananas I’m selling; every one of the
pineapples I’m selling. He is still very happy
with the market and the market is growing.
The market is right here, this is the kind of
place where you really just have to be here!”
The acting president explained further that
Nigeria, with the size of its economy, is a
huge investment market in Africa, adding that
Lagos economy is almost six times of
Rwandan economy.
“My friend is from Rwanda. Rwanda is a very
lovely country and Paul Kagame is an
incredible individual doing really good things in
that country and I believe that the country will
do great things,” he said.
“But compare Rwanda to Nigeria in terms of
just the size of the economy. We have 36
states in Nigeria. Lagos alone which is the
commercial nerve centre is six times the
economy of Rwanda.
“So, really when you compare some of these
things people say ‘Oh! I want to go to there; I
want to go here…Yeah!’ It’s okay. But the
truth of the matter is that if you are really
serious about investing in Africa, this is where
you have to come to.
“This is absolutely where you must come to.
There is no other place,” he added.
He also expressed excitement about the
partnership being built with the Nigerian
Initiative for Economic Development NIED,
adding that the government will facilitate
regular engagement with stakeholders on a
regular basis.
“We should not lose focus. I like the idea of
investors knowing that the reason why you
are coming to Nigeria is not to help Nigeria.
You will ultimately end up helping Nigeria, but
the reason why you are coming here is
because this is a good place to do business.
“And that is the only thing that should interest
us and focus our minds. Ultimately, we will
help our country, but first and foremost, this
is a very, very good place to do business and
it is going to be a profitable place—and very
profitable for all of us.”
Comments
Post a Comment