FUNAI VC Receives Fellowship Award
The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo (FUNAI), Ebonyi State, Professor Chinedum Nwajiuba has been inducted as a Fellow of the Agricultural Society of Nigeria (ASN) during the association’s 5th Annual Conference held at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State.
With the theme “Economic Diversification: The Agricultural Road Map”, the conference brainstormed and came up with far-reaching agricultural blueprint that could be adopted by government in taking the Nigerian economy out of recession.
VC, Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba, receiving the Fellowship award of the Agricultural Society of Nigeria from Prof. Anayochukwu Mbanaso at his office
Speaking on the rationale for selecting Professor Nwajiuba for the highly revered fellowship award, Professor Anayochukwu Mbanaso noted that it was hinged on his monumental contributions to the development of agriculture in Nigeria.
He said: “Professor Nwajiuba’s emergence as a Fellow of the Agricultural Society of Nigeria is a result of careful consideration of his intellectual and material contributions to the advancement of the agriculture in Nigeria both as an agricultural economist and as a researcher in the field.
”Professor Nwajiuba has shown demonstrable commitment in the areas of food security, climate change and agro economics, and we are convinced that he would bring his wealth of experience to bear in making FUNAI a force to be reckoned with in Nigeria and beyond”
In his acceptance speech, Professor Nwajiuba, thanked the Society for recognizing his modest contribution to the advancement of Agriculture in Nigeria, noting that the surest way to food security, employment and income generation is through massive investment in and commercialization of Agriculture, and advised governments at all levels to focus more on Agriculture if the nation is to move forward economically. The Professor of Agricultural Economics added that he was not going to rest on his oars until the world class vision of FUNAI is achieved.
VC Prof. Nwajiuba posing with the ASN Fellowship award after his induction.
In a communiqué released by the Society at the end of the conference, the body decried the economic recession facing the nation despite the array of natural resources at the disposal of the government to stem the tide. The Society further frowned at the tardiness of government economic policies in arresting the situation, adding that investment in Agriculture by all levels of government was vital in getting the economy out of the woods and alleviating the suffering of Nigerians.
They maintained that the only way the nation can get out of the present economic quagmire was to diversify the economy through Agriculture, and discard the idea of relying on the oil and gas sector as the major source if not the only means of foreign exchange earnings for the country.