The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, has said the only way to grow the Nigerian economy is for people to patronise and use homemade goods.
Oba Ogunwusi said many good things can happen if Nigerians believe in themselves and Nigeria’s projects.
Addressing journalists during the official showcasing of Ojaja City to the world in Akure, the Ondo State capital, the monarch further stated, “We need to make do with what we have to get results. We must buy and produce in Nigeria, including our housing needs.”
At the occasion, which was attended by the former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Bishop Matthew Kukah, and the former Chief of Army Staff, General Martin Luther Agwai (rtd), among others, Ooni further stated that the country’s housing deficits could be reduced when people make do with what they have to get results.
According to the monarch, “We won’t continue to cry over spilt milk. We know that we have housing deficits in the country, but we need to make do with what we have to get results. We need to buy and produce in Nigeria, including our housing needs.
“Our project here is a city on its own. It is 100,000 square meters, and we are trying to showcase what is possible in Nigeria. Practically, we know where everything you see here came from in Nigeria. So, our mantra is that at least 90% of things made in Nigeria will be used because many people probably think we do inferior quality things. No, it’s not true, and today is the official showcasing of Ojaja City to the world.”
On the number of youths expected to work at the park, Oba Ogunwusi said: “They are in the thousands. We can’t even count because it’s a lot. You can see they are all working. It’s over a hundred thousand square meters of condemned land. We had to sand the field first.
“It took us almost two years to even reclaim the land back, and we have a lot of youths here that have shown their strength, things they can do, and how they can make it happen.’’
