Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State,has implored his counterparts in the South West States to invest massively in agricultural development which include storage and processing to realign with the intent of the founding fathers for the growth and development of the western region.
The governor,who spoke at the 45th Anniversary Lecture of Odu’a Investment Company held at the Airport Hotel Ikeja,adding that the development was essential to the survival and revitalization of the region.
According to him,about 45 per cent of tomatoes produced in the country get wasted due to poor storage and processing as not everything gets to the market, adding that such underscores the need for the government in the region to invest in such areas.
“We have cocoa plantations, why don’t we invest more in all those things. We must realize that the world is changing and as such bricks and mortar may not necessarily be the only thing to invest in,” he said.
Congratulating the management of Odua Investment that the company is still standing 45 years after formation, the governor stated that it is important to accelerate the legacies of setting up the company to meet up with the challenges bedeviling the country.
Sanwo-Olu said the future beacons on all and that they all have a responsibility to accelerate the process of transforming the legacy and the vision of the founding fathers of the company to make it better.
Speaking,Dr. Segun Aina, Group Chairman’s Odu’a Investment Company Limited ,said that the company plans to upgrade and fine tunes its corporate social responsibility efforts and have established an Odu’a Investment Foundation which will be supported by the company and its partners to selectively intervene in healthcare, education, youth development and allied matters.
He also said despite the challenges encountered over the years, the company has remained resilient, making it possible to still have the organization standing at this moment.
In his remarks,Adewale Raji, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Odu’a Investment Company , stated that the 45th celebration of the company was carefully crafted to not just commemorate how far the company has come since it was incorporated 45years ago, but to paint a picture of how far it hopes to go.
According to him,the organization repositions itself to fulfill its role as both investment vehicle and growth engine for the southwest, the company is imbued with a vision to be a world class conglomerate driven by a collective mission and strategy to enhance this legacy for future generations.
