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Former President Muhammadu Buhari has said that he was pleased that more Nigerians have taken to the farm to grow more food so as to bring prices of food down and feed the nation, warning however that uncontrolled population growth was a matter for concern.
Speaking to journalists shortly after joining the Emir of Daura, Dr Faruk Umar Faruk, to observe the Eid-El-Kabir prayer at the township Eid ground in his native Daura, Katsina State, on Sunday, the former president in a statement by his media aide, Garba Shehu, said: “I am wishing everyone a Happy Sallah. May this special festival bring joy, prosperity and wonderful health to everyone.
“I use this occasion to make an appeal to all citizens to make Nigeriaself-reliant. Let us grow our own food. We have shown that we can do it. This is not the time to relent when we see prices going up.
“Let us buy what is produced in the country. The foundation of a prosperous and stable country has been laid by successive governments, and I encourage our youth, in particular, to continue to play an active role in various nation-building efforts.
“I urge the youth of the country to seek to know about the founding fathers of the nation, the important personalities of their regions, and derive inspiration from them.”
Reflecting on the massive crowds at the Eid prayer ground in Daura, the immediate-past President of Nigeria expressed concern at unchecked population expansion, saying that it will bring a lot of problems to future generations.
“There is a need for greater discussion and awareness about this problem, as well as a need to invest more in education and health,” he stated.
Buhari added, “Considering the situation in the country, and in the spirit of the Sallah, let us help one another and be our bothers’s keepers. I wish everyone a happy Sallah.”
Meanwhile, speaking to members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), who have maintained a tradition of paying homage to him every Sallah festival, the former president said: “the scheme continues to be a strong fabric holding the country together and urged successive administrations to continue to strengthen it.”
He described the NYSC as one of the greatest achievements of General Yakubu Gowon as Head of State.
As he has every year, the former president gave a cow, 10 bags of rice, and some cash to the NYSC members to celebrate the occasion.