All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Cletus Obun, has stirred national conversation with a bold statement comparing the economic power of agriculture to the salaries of Nigerian university professors.
In a recent interview with DAILY TRUST, the Cross River State politician claimed that the sale of just 50kg of cocoa can yield more income than the monthly salaries of three Nigerian professors combined.
Obun’s comments shine a spotlight on what he describes as the declining economic value of academic labor in Nigeria. “All the time, we are looking for how to be employed and paid salary, and how much is the salary? Minimum wage? N70,000,” Obun said, referencing the nation’s ongoing struggle with inflation and stagnant wages.
He went further to argue that no professor in Nigeria currently earns up to N600,000 monthly, despite the years of training, expertise, and contributions they make to national development. “No Nigerian university professor earns N600,000 monthly,” he asserted.
Obun pointed to the lucrative potential of agriculture, citing examples of former lecturers who have left academia for farming and are now financially better off. He particularly highlighted cocoa farming as a viable and profitable alternative.
“A 50kg bag of cocoa can pay three professors,” he claimed, stressing that the current economic system undervalues intellectual labor while rewarding ventures in agriculture and commodity trading.
His remarks have sparked debates online and in academic circles, with many agreeing that Nigeria’s intellectual workforce is underpaid, while others questioned whether agriculture is as accessible or consistently profitable as portrayed.
Obun’s comments come at a time when many Nigerians are reevaluating career paths in light of economic hardship, inflation, and rising living costs.
As discussions on wage reforms and employment policies continue, his statement adds urgency to calls for better compensation for educators and greater investment in the agricultural sector.
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