Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has expressed delight over the emergence of the Agbeyewa Farm, based in the state, as the number one cassava producer globally.

This was as the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, urged the traditional rulers in the state to always support investors willing to invest in their domain instead of discouraging them.

Oyebanji said that in the past three years, the state had experienced agricultural growth through investments in agriculture, adding that Agbeyewa Farm is the biggest investor in that sector.

They spoke yesterday at the 3rd Annual Agbeyewa Traditional Rulers Retreat, which took place at Ikogosi Warm Spring, Ikogosi Ekiti in Ekiti West Local Government Area of the state.

Represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr Oyeniyi Adebayo, Oyebanji said development of infrastructure across the state had led to rapid economic expansion, noting that the state’s GDP grew to 4.6 trillion naira from 2.6 trillion naira in 2023.

In his remarks, the Ooni of Ife said monarchs must take it as their responsibility to partner with investors and stop discouraging them by refusing to release their lands.

He urged the Federal Government to study and replicate similar agricultural and industrial models of Agbeyewa across other parts of the country, including regions currently grappling with heightened insecurity.

In his opening remarks, the Chairman of Cavista Holdings, owner of Agbeyewa Farm, Mr Niyi Olajide, called on cassava farmers, including small holders, to sell their cassava to Agbeyewa instead of allowing it to waste.

MEANWHILE, the Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, yesterday disclosed that future leaders must possess not only traditional leadership competencies but also the ability to navigate technological disruption, particularly in the age of artificial intelligence.

According to Aiyedatiwa, Nigeria’s future economic and technological advancement would depend largely on the quality of leadership and the strength of its educational institutions.

The governor stated this while delivering the Foundation Day lecture of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), on the topic ‘Leadership and Organisational Performance: Technology as a Driver’.

While emphasising that technology might change the tools societies use, he stressed that leadership would always determine the direction in which societies move.

The governor maintained that FUTA had, over time, built a reputation for producing graduates who are resilient and competitive, stating that such institutions must be focused on producing graduates capable of contributing meaningfully to national development.

In her remarks, the Vice Chancellor of FUTA, Prof. Adenike Oladiji, who described the institution as a dynamic academic environment matching technology with humanities to meet the needs of society, noted that technology had become central in the digital age, serving as a vital tool for leaders.