FIC Report (Ekiti State) – The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi has urged the Federal Government to adopt the Agbeyewa Farms model in Ekiti State by converting vast forest areas into farmlands as a strategy to address youth unemployment, insecurity and food insecurity.
The monarch said the establishment of Agbeyewa Farms in parts of Ekiti North Senatorial District, where kidnapping had previously been prevalent, had significantly reduced criminal activities and should be replicated across the country.
Oba Ogunwusi spoke in Ikogosi-Ekiti last weekend during the 3rd Annual Traditional Rulers’ Retreat themed “Driving Economic Transformation through Sustainable Agricultural Development”, organised by Agbeyewa Farms, an offshoot of Cavista Holdings.
He noted that communities such as Ipao-Ekiti, Igede-Ekiti and Iyemero-Ekiti, previously identified as high-risk security corridors due to their proximity to neighbouring states, had experienced improved security following large-scale agricultural investment in the area.
The Ooni hailed the Chairman of Cavista Holdings, Niyi Olajide, for the investment, food production initiative and job creation opportunity, which had made Agbeyewa Farms one of the biggest cassava farms in the world.
He also commended traditional rulers in the affected communities and the Ekiti State Government for creating an enabling environment form investment to thrive.
Ogunwusi stressed the need for value addition to land resources to drive economic development in the nation.
The Chairman of Cavista Holdings, Olajide, in his speech said the company’s investments were aimed at job creation, food production and economic transformation, adding that thousands of people were currently employed at Agbeyewa Farms in Ekiti State.
He said, “We all want Nigeria to progress. We want it to industrialise but we cannot industrialise as a country if we don’t have a successful, large, mechanised, commercial agriculture system.
“So, we are making our own contributions to create value and transform lives in Nigeria by investing in agriculture.”
He added that agriculture remained a key driver of job creation, enterprise development and economic growth.
The Chairman of the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers and Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, Oba Adejimi Adu-Alagbado, commended the investment, noting that Agbeyewa Farms’ offtake arrangement had encouraged cassava cultivation in the region.
Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, represented by his Chief of Staff, Niyi Adebayo, also lauded the investment, saying it had boosted job creation, internally generated revenue and the state’s economic output.
Omotoso Julius
ACEO&PRO
27/04/2026.
