Border Closure: Endure pains in national interest, Afe Babalola Tells Nigerians

The Founder, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief
Afe Babalola (SAN) has implored Nigerians to endure the economic
hardship brought by the partial closure of land borders in the
country’s interest.

Babalola said the Federal Government’s initiative was in the
best security and economic interest to revamp the nation’s
industries and give local entrepreneurs hopes of survival in the
country.

He spoke on Sunday during the closing ceremony of the
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) project
training for youths in Oyo and Ekiti states under the Youth
Employment in Agri-business and Sustainable Agriculture
(YEASA).

The foremost legal icon commended President Muhammadu Buhari
over the closure of the country’s border with Benin Republic and
other neighbouring countries to tackle persistent smuggling which
has crippled the country’s economy.

He described the initiative of Buhari-led administration as a
right step in the right direction, noting border closure had
continued to yield positive results in improving food production
and invariably impacting on the country’s economy.

He said that the policy apart from helping to checkmate influx
of illicit arms and ammunitions which fueled insecurity, it has
forced many Nigerians to go back to agriculture and local
production improving markedly.

“It is imperative that we continue to support the Federal
Government on border closure and endure its attendant effect to
ensure that Nigeria regains its lost glory in that all-import realm
and in the best economic and security interest of the country.

“They should not open it in the best interest of the economy.
The closure of border is helpful to the farmer. I see farming as
the mainstay of this country. We just have to maintain it. And the
only way is to close the border.

“Nigerians might not understand this now, may be because of the
little pains it has brought; but I believe there is light at the
end of the tunnel as the positive and long term effects that will
soon follow will make Nigerians happy.

Babalola noted that agriculture remained the only viable launch
pad to economic growth and development, saying Nigeria must invest
in the sector to attain food sufficiency, over-concentration of
industrialisation, improved foreign exchange earnings and
employment generation.

Babalola said Nigeria can overcome poverty, hunger and
unemployment ravaging the country, if governments invest in
agriculture, which he said holds a better promise than white collar
jobs.

He, however, called on government at all levels in the to create
enabling environment through implementation of policy frameworks in
enduring farmers have unfettered access to credit facilities,
modern implements, improved seed varieties and fertiliser.

This, he, said, would lure youths which are regarded as the
virile segment of the population to embrace farming, stressing that
farming with cutlasses and hoes will dissuade them from embracing
the occupation.