As part of the activities to commemorate its upcoming 60th anniversary celebration, the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology (FCAH&PT), Moor Plantation Ibadan, held an inter-school quiz competition for secondary school students held on Thursday, March 14, 2024 at the Main Hall of the college.

The Provost of the College, Dr. Adekoya Olatunde Owosibo, represented by the Deputy Provost (Administration), who welcomed the secondary students, urged Nigerians on the need to venture into home garden.

According to the Provost, every Nigerian can practice agriculture at the back of their houses, which is a way of joining hands with the government and agricultural experts to combat food insecurity and scarcity in the country, stressing that ahead of the college’s 60th anniversary of the college, solid plans have been made to host dignitaries across the country for the celebration.

The competition, which attracted students across Ibadan, was a paper-based test to examine the knowledge and exposure of the students on agriculture out of whom, a winner emerged.

Olayinka Lawrence Bolaji, who represented Ibadan Prominent High School emerged as first position; while Dada Faith of Oritamefa Baptist Model School took second position.

During the course of the event, the students were taken on a tour of the college, as they were shown specific modernized farming equipment like tractor etc. Certificates of participation were then presented to the students by the management team of the college.

In an interview with CEOAfrica after the event, the Coordinator, FCAH&PT, Dr. Grace Alonge, explained that the college has over the years been organising such intellectual programmes for schools including young farmers club, adding that the 60th anniversary celebration of the college inspired the expansion of this year’s edition to more schools across Ibadan metropolis.

Dr. Alonge who expressed that the college management will over time expand the competitions to cover Oyo State, disclosed that the motive behind the quiz among others, is to develop the interests of the young ones for agriculture.

According to her, “even if you don’t study it as a course, we must ensure productivity even at our backyard. That’s the only way we can curb the hunger that is ravaging the country. Increase in the price of food stuff is because we don’t have enough production that will go round the population of people. We want to increase the knowledge of people about agriculture and get people to be involved.”

In the same vein, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of FCAH&PT, Dr. Edwin, stated the importance of agriculture to Nigeria’s economy, emphasizing on the need to expose children at their tender age to the understanding and practise of agriculture.

Expressing his delight at the turnout of the students for the quiz competition, the college PRO noted that, “It is in this vein that the management decided to organize this inter-school quiz competition. The idea is to showcase agriculture to our youths at a very tender age and encourage them to participate in the future agricultural endeavours of our country.”

Also speaking with CEOAfrica, the Local Inspector for Education (LIE) Ibadan South West (IBSW), Mr. A. O. Oyelami, represented by Mr. Peter Oyesiji, observed that the competition would not only develop the minds of the young ones as future leaders, but also prepare them to think in the way of Agriculture.

He said that, “Agriculture is a very key sector in Nigeria’s economy. Nigeria has massive lands valuable for agriculture. Also, we have seen competition among secondary school students. Competition in a way encourages participants to bring out the best in themselves. It helps participants to be the best that life has to offer them. It also helps their minds towards their education.”

Relating his excitement, Olayinka Lawrence of Ibadan Prominent Height College who emerged as first position of the competition admitted that he loved reading books agriculture which made the competition fun for him.

Another participant, Longe Marvelous told CEOAfrica that, “I am so happy because this is not school exam, and I have the chance to show my school and that our teachers are really trying.”

The 60th anniversary celebration of FCAH&PT will hold from Tuesday, April 2, 2024 to Sunday, April 7, 2024.