Ike Neliaku, president, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), has urged Nigerian youths to go into farming, especially now that food prices have skyrocketed.

Mr Neliaku made the call on Wednesday in Masaka, Nasarawa, near FCT, at the inauguration of the Gentlereal Farms and Kitchen Ltd., an agricultural facility owned by a member of the institute, Eugene Ejechi.

The NIPR boss, while commending Ms Ejechi for embarking on the farming project, said it would assist in tackling food inadequacy in the country.

“Nigerian youths are very powerful, very creative and innovative; you have everything working for you; all you need is to take advantage of the numerous potentials our environment offers.

“What this young man has done is very encouraging; I would like to use him to send a very strong message to Nigerian youths.

“You can be employers of labour, and that is what this young man has demonstrated,” Mr Neliaku said.

Also speaking, the secretary-general of African Public Relations Association (APRA), Dr Omoniyi Ibietan, said Ms Ejechi had demonstrated the wholesomeness of the Nigerian youths, characterised by can-do spirit.

“President Bola Tinubu has repeatedly talked about the need to tackle issues of food production because of the rising cost of food, as well as the issue of unemployment.

“Now, in a little but quite symbolic way, Ejechi has tackled that problem from his own corner by setting up a farm to address the question of inadequate food supply through organic farming.

“He went ahead to employ a number of persons, thereby taking them off the labour market,” Mr Omoniyi said.

Dr Emmanuel Ojukwu, a former commissioner of police and the Provost Police School of Public Relations, commended Ms Ejechi for the initiative, which he said would strengthen the health of communities through consumption of organically produced foods.

Ms Ejechi, while expressing gratitude to the leadership of NIPR for identifying with him at the inauguration of the farm, said he was largely influenced by the quality of mentorship he gained from the late Chairman of Access Holdings, Mr Herbert Wigwe.

“Late Wigwe taught me the virtues of resilience and hard work,” he said.

He thanked the former chairman of Access Bank, Dr Dere Awosika, whom he described as a benefactor, for the role she played in the successes he had recorded so far in his farming project.

(NAN)