19 Aug 2025
...Pledges Legislative Support for Agribusiness Development.
The Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, on Tuesday led a delegation of state lawmakers to Agbeyewa Farms, located in Ikole Local Government Area of the State, for an inspection tour and interactive session with the farm's management team.
The lawmakers were warmly received by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Oscar Seyi Ayeleso; Director of Engagement and Communication, Mr. Dauda Lawal; and other key officials of the farm, which spans a vast expanse covering nine communities within the LGA.
Commending the sustained development and record-breaking achievements of the cassava plantation, Speaker Aribasoye assured that the State Assembly would continue to enact legislation and oversee the budgetary process to support visionary entrepreneurs driving productivity and progress in agriculture and other critical sectors.
He commended the vision of the Chairman of the Company and Project Initiator, Mr. John Olajide, describing it as a product of commitment, foresight, and an undying passion for agricultural and entrepreneurial revolution.
Aribasoye further highlighted the farm's strategic security impact, noting that the area cultivated, once breeding insecurity and criminal elements, has now become a hub of legitimate activity and employment.
The Assembly helmsman lauded the job creation and wider economic ripple effects of the vision, saying they are highly commendable.
Describing Olajide as a genuine investor and not a land grabber, the Speaker applauded the strong team spirit evident within the Agbeyewa Farms environment, adding that the business has significantly boosted economic activities across the axis.
The assembly delegation, joined by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Agriculture Processing Zone, Pastor Kehinde Ajayi, spent some three hours touring the farm and receiving briefings on its operations, equipment, personnel, and systems in place.
Earlier in his welcome address, Mr. Ayeleso traced the developmental trajectory of Agbeyewa Farms since its establishment in 2022, noting that the cassava plantation, fast becoming one of the largest in Nigeria and beyond, targets a ten year expansion plan of cultivating 100 thousand hectares.
The farm, a mono-product enterprise focusing on cassava, currently cultivates at least 13 different species of the crop and employs close to 350 direct staff, with plans for further growth.
Ayeleso appealed to the lawmakers to explore areas in which the state government can provide further support, adding that the farm’s vision aligns with goals of industrialization, job creation, food security, and youth empowerment.
Upon arrival, a colourful parade was mounted by members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving on the farm to give the Assembly team a befitting welcome, a gesture greatly admired by the visitors.
