The Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, on
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.”
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