Chancellor and founder of Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara, Bishop David Oyedepo, on Friday charged the institution’s fresh students to be agents of agricultural entrepreneurship (which he dubbed agripreneurship) development.
Oyedepo, gave the charge at the institution’s ninth matriculation ceremony saying that food security had become a global concern with over one billion people suffering from starvation, hunger and malnutrition.
He said that the charge became expedient to spur the students to be well prepared to contribute their quotas to the nation’s socio-economic development.
According to him, it timely to apply innovative, creative and inventive thinking.
“It is time for us to think, rethink and put actions to our thoughts in dealing with this monster, food insecurity, and the impending dangers of hunger and starvation, amongst others.
“Regrettably, Nigeria has moved from being a self-sufficient country in food to a net importer of agricultural produce.
“Need is growing, yet the hands on the plough are getting fewer by the day to make food available to this ever-growing population.
“There is a lot in agricultural entrepreneurship, because food is a must for every living being,” Oyedepo, also the President of Living Faith Church Worldwide, said.
The chancellor emphasized that the country was faced with unemployment, with an estimated four million graduates roaming the streets.
According to him, the cheapest way to become a job creator is to engage in agriculture.
“Agriculture is not just to earn a living, but to help others to live; it is one endeavour that can never lose value.
“We as a people must wake up to the reality of charting a pathway for strengthening the reins of our economy, via productive and creative engagements in entrenching agro-enterprise,” he said.
Oyedepo urged the new students to see the ceremony as an opportunity to affirm their commitment to the values, which Landmark University stood for.
He called on them to be solution providers and leaders.
Earlier, the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Adeniyi Olayanju, said that the university was endowed with the capacity to improve lives by uniting brilliant minds across disciplines to tackle challenges.
“We are committed to raising a generation of great-thinkers and global leaders among whom will be some matriculating students of today.
“As a foremost agriculture-based private university in Nigeria with irrevocable commitment to exploration of hidden treasures in the mother-earth, restoration of the dignity of the black race is feasible,” he said.
He thanked the traditional ruler of the land the Olomu of Omu-Aran, Oba Abdulraheem Adeoti, and the entire people of the community for fostering peace.
No fewer than 823 students participated in matriculation for the 2018/2019 session.
The breakdown shows that agricultural science department had 85 students, engineering, 308; pure and applied science, 182; and business and social science, 248 students.