Oyebanji unveils Fayose lodge, plans Abacha, Afe, Olanipekun honour

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, on Monday inaugurated a legacy project named after former Governor Ayo Fayose in the Government House, Ado Ekiti.

Oyebanji also said his administration would honour more eminent Ekiti leaders, including the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), with legacy projects.

The governor, who spoke during the inauguration of the Ayodele Fayose Lodge, also disclosed that the same honour would be extended posthumously to the late former military Head of State, Gen Sani Abacha, who created Ekiti State on October 1, 1996.

Oyebanji had on Friday inaugurated a legacy project named after his predecessor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, and disclosed that the one that would be named after former Governor Segun Oni would be completed and inaugurated soon.

He also used the occasion to appreciate President Bola Tinubu for appointing Fayose as chairman of the Rural Electrification Agency, noting that the appointment had increased the number of prominent Ekiti citizens occupying prestigious positions at the federal level.

The governor, who expressed gratitude to Tinubu for his support for the state, said no president had treated Ekiti State the way Tinubu had done since the creation of the state some 29 years ago in terms of availability of more funds to the state from the federation account, execution of critical projects across the state and the huge number of citizens holding important federal appointments.

Oyebanji urged Ekiti people to deliver more than double of the 319,224 votes he garnered during the last governorship election for Tinubu in the January 2027 presidential election, in appreciation of the love and magnanimity Ekiti has so far enjoyed under his Presidency.

He told Fayose, “What we are doing today is to appreciate you for your service to our state, to let you know that we appreciate you, to let you know that we will continue to build on the blocks of courage and development which you laid.

“I am grateful to God that we are not saying this at your funeral; I am grateful to God that you are here to commission this project that has been named after you.

“And like I said on Friday when we unveiled Governor Kayode Fayemi Lodge, the next lodge will be named after Governor Segun Oni.

“After we are done with our former governors, we will name some legacy projects after illustrious sons of Ekiti, and those to be honoured include Aare Afe Babalola and Chief Wole Olanipekun.

“Before the end of our second tenure, we will find a befitting legacy project that will be named after General Sani Abacha because, for us in Ekiti, this state wouldn’t have been without him creating it,” the governor said.

In his remarks shortly before inaugurating the project, Fayose expressed gratitude to Oyebanji for unifying different political camps in the state and giving respect to all his predecessors, irrespective of the political parties they belong to.

The former governor, who was accompanied by some Peoples Democratic Party leaders, said he had no regret supporting Tinubu and Oyebanji, despite not being a member of the governing APC.

He said that Oyebanji had been writing a positive history with his friendly and accommodating gestures, which had united all tendencies and made the state peaceful.

The former governor, who said that Oyebanji had shown wisdom and exemplary statesmanship with his leadership style and inclusive programmes and policies, advised the governor to carry out more stomach infrastructure for the ordinary citizens to give them a sense of belonging and also ensure a better welfare package for former governors, who he said had served the state meritoriously.

Fayose promised to use his new position as the chairman of REA to ensure that many rural communities in Ekiti in particular and Nigeria in general were illuminated, as he assured of unflinching support for Tinubu in the forthcoming presidential poll.

Earlier, the Chairman of the state Council of Traditional Rulers and Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, Oba Adejimi Alagbado; the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe; former PDP governorship candidate, Chief Bisi Kolawole and the Anglican Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, the Rt Rev Olusola Ajayi, commended Oyebanji’s statesmanship and Fayose’s record of performance which brought about the honour done to him.(Punch)