The Director-General of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Charles Odii, has highlighted the significance of traditional rulers in Nigeria's quest for food security. He made this statement during the Ulefunta Annual Lecture in Akure, Ondo State, where he delivered a lecture on "Food Security, Wealth Creation and National Development: Building Strategic Partnerships between Traditional Institutions and Intervention Agencies." Odii emphasized that economic policies can only achieve maximum impact if implemented at the grassroots level through traditional governance systems.
Odii stressed that a structured partnership between traditional institutions and government agencies is essential for sustainable food security, wealth creation, and economic growth. He noted that community owners, leaders, and stakeholders must be involved in the design, implementation, and monitoring of policies to ensure transparency, inclusion, and sustainability. The SMEDAN DG also highlighted the interconnectedness of food security, wealth creation, and national development, stating that when farmers are productive, food becomes available, and when small businesses grow, employment is created.
The importance of agriculture and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) was also emphasized by Odii. He explained that agriculture provides raw materials, while MSMEs add value to produce through processing, packaging, and commercial value chains, ultimately improving the living standards of people in rural settlements. Odii identified key areas where government should focus in partnership with traditional institutions, including community enterprise mapping, local skills acquisition, agricultural value-chain expansion, and market linkages.
The convener of the event, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, the Deji and Paramount Ruler of Akure Land, appreciated Odii's lecture and emphasized the need for his subjects to engage in intellectual discourse and developmental activities alongside traditional cultural festivities. The immediate past Chairman of the Ondo State Council of Obas assured that traditional rulers are committed to facilitating access to large tracts of land to boost commercial agriculture and food output in Akure and other communities.
The Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Prof. Adenike Oladiji, noted that the university has made significant contributions to national food security and wealth creation. The university operates a large greenhouse farm, supplies bell peppers and Habanero peppers to Akure markets, and has a four-layer poultry pen housing 4,000 birds. FUTA also trains students in practical entrepreneurship vocations.
The Ulefunta Central Planning Committee Chairman, Olu Ajanaku, explained that the Ulefunta festival is an annual socio-cultural reunion aimed at fostering socio-economic unity across the three Akure-speaking Local Government Areas. The 2026 festival featured several pre-lecture initiatives, including a marathon race and an inter-community football tournament. Prizes and awards were presented to winners of the Ulefunta Essay Competition, which focused on the theme of Odii's lecture.
The event was attended by several dignitaries, including the former Minister of Finance, Oba Olu Falae. The partnership between traditional institutions and government agencies is crucial for achieving food security and economic growth in Nigeria. Key areas of focus for this partnership include community enterprise mapping, local skills acquisition, and agricultural value-chain expansion.
Key points
- The SMEDAN DG, Charles Odii, emphasizes the need for a structured partnership between traditional institutions and government agencies for sustainable food security and economic growth.
- The partnership aims to ensure that economic policies achieve maximum impact at the grassroots level through traditional governance systems.
- The collaboration will focus on areas such as community enterprise mapping, local skills acquisition, and agricultural value-chain expansion.
