Over the years, cocoa has been main stream of economy Sustenance in Nigeria.
Since the Advent of crude oil from all indications, Nigeria and Nigerians have been paying less attention on cocoa farming.
However, there are farmers in Osun, Ekiti, Ondo and Edo States who are keenly interested in cocoa farming alone.
With a view to sustaining this tempo and to also discouraging hard child labor necessitated a Cocoa sustainability Company SUCDEN-Olakoko to embark on back to School project that is mainly targeted at educating and enlightening the farmers on child labour.
According to the initiator of the programme, students of the cocoa farmers should not in the name of helping their parents to less attention to their education.
To reawake the students of Osun, Ondo, Ogun and Edo States, Olakoko held a quiz competition for students of the affected states this is part of activities marking the annual farmers day.
In her remarks, project Manager of the company, Mrs Mopelola Fabunmi revealed that “SUCDEN-OLAKOKO project is not only yearning for Mass cocoa production but interested in the total wellbeing of the esteemed farmers and their families just as they committed to help farmers if not eradicate but reduce the matter around child labour in the country as a whole.
Mrs Mopelola explained that Olakoko has been consistently trying its best to ensure they aligh with the advocate of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which was adopted by Nigeria in 2015.
According to her, “We have been able to contribute our quota in supporting the Communities,we are working towards improving Health Care Awareness,Women’s Empowerment and Education back to school is one of the floated plantform to achieve universal basic education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all and sundry.
The quiz competition had in attendance about thirty two children across the four participated states qualified for the finals.
At the end of the well fascinated quiz competition on the 3rd of June, 2021, Ajayi Opeyemi of Adventist High School, Ayetoro Osogbo, Osun State came first in the senior category, while Akinsola Oluwatosin of Community Grammar School Onirogbo in Ondo State emerged the second runner just as Onuh Michael of Honey Land College Olode in Osun State won the third position.
Similarly, Akingbade Blessed of Adventist High School Ayetoro Osogbo Osun State in the junior category was the first runner up, George Samuel of Unity School Ode-Aye in Ondo State got the second position while Olaniyi Abdulsalam of African Grammar School Igbara-Oke in Ondo State came third.
All the participated students went home with consolatory prizes while the organizer also rewarded the best leading cocoa farmers just like buyers and females cocoa farmers in Osun, Ondo, Edo and Ogun States equally departed the venue with gifts.
