Focus more on Agriculture – Indian military urge FG

By OKOSUN DENNIS

Federal Government of Nigeria was on Friday called upon to focus more on Agriculture as it would aid speedy economic recovery and development.

The Senior Directing Staff at the National Defence College, India; Maj Gen. Vinaya Chandran made this call while leading 14 military officers on a study tour to the Western Naval Command (WNC) Apapa, Lagos.

Gen Chandran pointed out that, “The moment Nigerian government finds something to do other than oil, like agriculture and education, Nigeria will become more economically developed.

“Nigeria has a lot of resources. Most of what we read in newspapers and magazines are based on what the Western media published; there are very few Nigerian newspapers or magazines for us to read there (Indian).

“We thought there was so much lawlessness and insurgency going on in Nigeria, but it is not so, rather, it is peaceful and we feel Nigeria has a great future,’’ he said.

Chandran, who is visiting Nigeria for the first time, congratulated the Nigerian Navy on its 61 anniversary celebration.

The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), WNC, Rear Admiral Ferguson Bobai, while receiving the officers, said the visit showed the existing cordial bilateral relationship between Nigeria and India.

Bobai noted that the navy would continue to improve on the strong partnership between the two countries.

“The most important thing that must be put on record here is that India and Nigeria are friendly nations otherwise they wouldn’t have come here.

“It is also very heartwarming that we have them here, that is the Indian Defence College, which is one of the highest military strategic college just like our own National Defence College.

“So, therefore, they needed to come and see things first hand from what they read in foreign newspapers,’’ the FOC said.

He added that Indian ship would be in the country on May 31 to take part in the navy week.

National Daily learnt that the military officers were lectured on the activities and overview of the Gulf of Guinea in Zone E.