Governments at all levels have been advised to incorporate agriculture in the school system to equip modern-day Nigerian youths with skills and the ability to sustain themselves and the country in food production.

Founder and Registrar of Kingdom College, Abam in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Ukoha stated this over the weekend on the occasion of the college’s sixth edition of students’ graduation, urging the Federal Government to re-introduce agriculture back-to-the-school system.

He noted, “Nigerian system of education was borrowed from the white man and they have used it like the Belgium products that we have. They have used it to satisfy themselves. Then we took it up. What they have done is just to help us to read and write so that we can serve them, but the substance of education was not given to us.

“Again, coming back to us, culture is the civilization of people. Our main culture from the beginning is agriculture. Our people and parents were classified as farmers. If they had incorporated farming into our school system as it was earlier, every one of us would have built into agriculture, then there is no need to say this or that.

“So what they are doing now is good but like doing it late because it is supposed to be a classroom education where every student must pass through agriculture to be qualified to enhance his living. If governments are into agriculture now, that is ok, but I know that you cannot build the knowledge of agriculture to someone who has been living in the city, except everyone that wants to do agriculture change his location and go back to the rural area. Ànd to make the rural area acceptable, they just put infrastructure and every other amenities that would enable the young man to adapt or else, it is just hanging.

“So, based on what they are doing, they are trying, but it will only last within their tenure until it is incorporated into the school system so that our students will now go to school and acquire it as a skill and see that as a culture which is civilization.”

Advising the government, Rev. Dr. Ukoha, said, “What the government should do is re-introduce agriculture back-to-the-school system, not because of politics, so that our children will pass through it as a course in their life and be able to replicate and use it since we have all the natural resources around us, and no longer hanging on importation. That would be better and the government than to not only equip the people, because when you train a student, qualify and then empower him with the finances to back him up.

“So, the government has been doing well throwing money to the youths, but it is hanging. You didn’t clear the grass and you are building on it. So, the students ought to have been taught first and then learn how to manage. If we recall, Nigeria was the number one cocoa-producing nation and was also doing well in palm oil and groundnuts. Now where are these products? The founding fathers who had these skills and the responsibility of building this nation, are gone.”

Dr Ukoha disclosed that the college which was established in 2000 is aimed at training young gospel ministers who have a calling in the knowledge of God and His principles, disclosing that apart from running a gospel school system the college also trains and empowers the students in entrepreneurial and various vocational skills, agriculture as well as absorb them after the successful completion of their studies.

The college, he said, is committed to building gospel professionals, highlighting courses run in the college to include Fundamental Word of God, Ministerial Gifts of the Gospel and Gospel Agronomy.

On the challenges facing the college, he said, “We have challenges that include access roads, and we appreciate what Governor Alex Otti is doing with the bridge that was built since 1945 and with that alone, he will win our votes because we have had some government that has been there for 24 years and nothing happened.”

Speaking, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Danladi Isah commended the Registrar of Kingdom College for his passion for the spiritual and education needs of young gospel ministers in society.



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