Alake and paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun
Aremu Gbadebo, yesterday, tasked the three tiers of
government as well as the organised private sector to
redirect energies towards revamping small and medium
scale enterprises (SMSEs) for Nigeria to overcome the
present economic downturn. Alake, who lamented the
alleged failure of the nation’s SMSEs’ scheme, also
Alake and paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun
Aremu Gbadebo, yesterday, tasked the three tiers of
government as well as the organised private sector to
redirect energies towards revamping small and medium
scale enterprises (SMSEs) for Nigeria to overcome the
present economic downturn. Alake, who lamented the
alleged failure of the nation's SMSEs’ scheme, also
declared that virile and viable enterprises remain the
panacea to jump-start the Nigerian economy as well as
have salutary effects on it.
The Ogun State monarch
said this while fielding questions from journalists
during a press conference in his Ake Palace to herald
the week-long activities for 30th edition of the annual
Lisabi festival scheduled to begin on Monday, February
29, ending on March 6 this year.
Speaking further on
the festival, which has as its theme, ‘Creating Wealth
Through Small and Medium Enterprises,’ and heavily
supported by Nigeria's second carrier
telecommunication company, Globacom Nigeria, Oba
Gbadebo blamed the current economic downturn in
Nigeria on the failure of the nation's SMSEs, stressing
that the collapse of SMEs’ sector which, hitherto had
been the largest employer of labour, worsened the rate
of unemployment in the country.
The monarch,
however, enjoined Nigerians to strive to be self-
employed in order to drastically reduce the rate of
unemployment in the country. Earlier in his address,
Globacom’s business director, Ayo Ogunranti, had
commended Oba Gbadebo for his relentless efforts
towards repositioning Egbaland "for cultural and
economic advancement." Ogunranti who described
SMSEs as the engine room that could move the Nigerian
economy forward, also emphasised that his company
holds that segment of the economy in high esteem
which he said explains why Globacom is footing the bill
for the one-week training of 76 Egba sons and
daughters in entrepreneurial skills. Ogunranti added
that those were the same attributes which "history has
recorded in favour of Lisabi Agbongbo Akala" which he
said his company seeks to celebrate during the 30th
edition of the festival. In his remarks, the chairman of
the Lisabi Festival Committee and Agbaakin of
Egbaland, retired Navy Captain Rasheed Raji, noted
that the annual celebration of the event has ensured the
unity of the various peoples of Egbaland. Other events
lined up for the programme include the booming of
guns at the Olumo Rock and a football competition on
the last day of festival.
National Mirror
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