Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has charged representatives of Oyo state at the Women in Agricultural Technical Education and Apprenticeship in Nigeria (WATEA) stakeholders meeting to be good ambassadors of the state.
The governor, who spoke through the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Salihu Adelabu at the WATEA Stakeholders meeting, held at the Embassy of France in Abuja, urged beneficiaries from the state to deploy all their efforts, time and attention so that you can train generation of people that will be gainfully employed and increase the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state.
He explained that WATEA is another way of empowering women in making them to further use their talents and mental skills for the uplifting of their immediate environment, their respective state and humanity in general.
The governor called on the France Government to explore the possibilities of establishing a center in Oyo state particularly in Eruwa – Igboora – Lanlate axis or the Oke – Ogun area of the state, saying the areas mentioned are the food basket of the South West, comprising the six states of yoruba extraction.
He appreciated the Government of France for deeming it fit to organise the programme and count Oyo State worthy of being a partaker of this laudable initiative.
He said: “It gives me great pleasure to stand before you all today, to speak on behalf of my Principal, His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde and the good people of our dear state to officially appreciate the Government of France for deeming it fit to organise this type of programme and to count Oyo State worthy of being a partaker of this laudable initiative.
“This Women in Agricultural Technical Education and Apprenticeship in Nigeria (WATEA) Stakeholders meeting, holding today at the Embassy of France here in Abuja, is another way of empowering our women in making them to further use their talents and mental skills for the uplifting of their immediate environment, their respective state and humanity in general.
“An age long maxim says that if you train a man, you train a family but if you train a woman, you have successfully trained a nation.
“Therefore, the French Government, by this singular act, and considering the number of women that are involved and will be involved, has trained so many nations.
“May I, at this juncture, congratulate the women who are lucky to be beneficiaries of this wonderful opportunity to make sure that they maximise the potential inherent in this WATEA.
“Your Excellency, the government and the good people of Oyo State could not thank you enough for this kind gesture. In fact, the Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde, has informed me to specially invite you to our State and explore the possibilities of establishing a center, particularly in Eruwa – Igboora – Lanlate axis or the Oke – Ogun area of the state.
“Permit me to inform this gathering that the areas mentioned are the food basket of the South West, comprising the six states of yoruba extraction. Women in these areas are mostly farmers and traders in farm produce. We shall therefore be very grateful if the Embassy of France can look favourably into this suggestion.
“For those who have been chosen to represent Oyo State, all eyes are on you to be great ambassadors of our dear state, please, deploy all your efforts, time and attention to whatever you need to learn and know so that when you come back home, you too will be able to train generation of people who will be gainfully employed, thereby reducing unemployment rate and increase the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of our state.”
