Ekiti State: A Toddler at 25 Years? Nope, Objection My Lord

By John Ajayi

Recently, Ekiti State celebrated 25 years of its creation by the then military junta of late General Sani Abacha coincidentally, the celebration which continues to generate excitement and euphoria amongst the citizens of the state appears to be a fore-taste of the huge celebration in the works for the third year anniversary of the administration of His Excellency Dr. John Olukayode Fayemi. As usual, this epochal event has drawn unwarranted flaks from some critical elements and stake holders in the state. Indeed these criticisms are not unexpected, especially in a democratic society and more importantly by given the different political leanings and ideological configuration of these personalities and stakeholders. Aside the fact that the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria guarantees everyone the right and freedom of speech, it is an indisputable fact of life that there will always be divergent of views amongst the citizens of the state notwith standing its homogenous nature. Not only that, the state which boasts of the highest population of the highly educated people with historic record of renowned P.H.D holders and seasoned lawyers, professionals and accomplished technocrats, the issue of governance and leadership contestation cannot but become a matter for critical review and evaluation. This is also coming against the backdrop of the fact that Ekiti indigenes are generally perceived to be fastidious in nature. Here, no negativism is intended about the good natured people of Ekiti State of which yours truly belongs in flesh and in blood!

Nonetheless rolling out the drums and popping champagne in celebration of 25 years of the creation of the state by the current Executive Governor, Dr. John Olukayode Fayemi administration cannot be said to be a mere jamboree nor a misplaced priority. Ordinarily, age 25 has come to be recognised universally as a land mark epoch in the life of an individuals, institutions, organisations, states or nations. Generally regarded as a Silver Jubilee or quadranscentennial anniversary, the 25 of any living being, be it state or human is unarguably a watershed. However in evaluating and assessing the state of growth and development of Ekiti State in these near three decades of existence, it will be grossly unfair to assume or out rightly write off the state as a failure. While the state may not have fully lived up to the expectations of its founding fathers, it does not necessarily presuppose that the state has not achieved anything since its creation.

Particularly disappointing if not completely unfair on the part of successive administrations of the state is the castigation of the state as a ‘Toddler at 25’ Reviewing the state of affairs of Ekiti State in the last 25 years, elders stateman and founder of Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) Ado Ekiti Are Afe Babalola had said that Ekiti State had nothing to celebrate. The highly reverred lawyer, and one of the founding fathers of Ekiti had in a widely published press statement titled ‘Ekiti State A toddler @ 25’ castigated the State as land locked, air – port lock, industry locked, and power locked, adding that all these developments adversely affect economic development in the state.

While the elder statesman reserves the right to express his views and frustrations about the state he contributed to mid-wife, the objective reality on ground as far as developments are concerned, be it political, economics social or whatever does not in any way warrant or justify these assertions and lamentations. This is particularly so because successive administrations in the state have all contributed their own quotas to the growth and development of the state. Since its creation, 1st October, 1996, the state has been administered by both military and civilian administrators each with its own unique style and approaches to governance. Like an organic being, Ekiti State remains works in progress. For a fact, the founding fathers of the state may have had an utopian perception of the developments to expect within a particular time frame, the actual reality about governance may not and cannot be said to be the same with the imaginations and expectations of the founding fathers.

This is not to say that there are no short- comings on past and present political leaders and administrators of the state. Indeed, this cannot be said to be an unusual development as it is the phenomenon in an under developed, developing and developed nations. For those who may not know, the present administration of Governor Kayode Fayemi has done significantly well in positioning the state well above its peers when it comes to development in all aspects and ramifications. Feelers emanating from the state revealed that the JKF administrations which will soon kick- start activities marking third year of second term tenure was not planning any jamboree other than projects commissioning and new projects unveiling.

Like all humans, Dr. Kayode Fayemi may have his short comings, it is indisputable that he remains a blessing and a gift to the state not only as the current Chief Executive Officer of the State but also a very good ambassador of Ekiti State as a major political actor at both national and global political space. His tenure so far as Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum ( NGF) bears eloquent testimony to his intellectual sagacity and political wizardry. For JKF, the former United States Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes appeared right and justifiable in his famous and immortal quote when he said: “there are people who make things happen, and there are people who watch what’s happening and there are people who have not the slightest idea what’s happening. So far, an objective review of past administrations in Ekiti will readily confirm the fact that Dr. John Olukayode Fayemi is a leader who makes things happen and indeed have great ideas of what is happening and must happen. Since he assumed mantle of leadership in the State, he has made strategic thinking the cornerstone of governance and policy direction. As a consummate politician with progressive hue, JKF’s approach to governance has been anchored on greater good for the greater number of his people.

The views of statesmen like Chief Deji Fasuan, former governor Segun Oni Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, Biodun Oyebanji and others, were in sync with the position earlier canvassed by Governor Fayemi that Ekiti has not failed in any way in the pursuit of its development agenda .

If truth be told, in the last three years, Fayemi’s government has attracted over $100 million investment to the state. Under this present economy, this is no mean feat and couldn’t have been regarded as a failure by any standard.

It can be appreciated that only the apolitical, who periscopes issues with unbiased spectacle could recognise and flaunt this enigmatic scorecard.

One fact must be reflected here; in 1996, Ado Ekiti city, as called then, was like a glorified village without modern touch . Today, all the major dualisation in Ado Ekiti done cummulatively by the administrations of Governors Fayemi, Segun Oni and Ayodele Fayose like Basiri-Ijigbo-Ajilosun, Ijigbo-Ilawe road, Post office-Irona and Ado-Ifaki, couldn’t have been undertaken, if the state had not been created. Akure, the Ondo State capital , could have been taken as the development fulcrum, where things would be anchored and concentrated.

The new Governor’s Offices at Oke Bareke, the Secretariat at the new Iyin road, Trade Fair Complex , Ekiti Oarapo Pavilion and other government’s structures in Ado Ekiti metropolis, were clear evidence of modernity and gradual face-lifting of the town.

Let me also state that before 1996, Ekiti had no functional state owned industry. The ROMACO granite company at Igbemo, Ikun Dairy farm at Ikun , Ire Burnt Brick at Ire Ekiti and Orin Farm settlement at Orin Ekiti, were all moribund. But with shrewd and dexterous management by Fayemi, the derelict companies are bouncing back to reckoning.

For Ikun Dairy farm to be revamped, the government in partnership with Promasidor Nigeria Limited spent a sum of $5m to import cows and purchased other machines. At optimal production level, the company will produce 10,000 litres of milk daily. This will go a long way in generating employments and fortify the State’s revenue profile.

Deploying his nexus with the international community, Governor Fayemi had partnered private companies to manage the ROMACO and Ikun Dairy Farm for effective management and they are gradually being revamped.

One of the catalysts of good governance is functional and robust local government structure. When the third tier of government is closer, it makes development spirals and gains traction.

Before 1996, Ekiti had six local governments of Ero, Ekiti East, Ekiti South, Ekiti North, Ekiti Central and Ijero. But the tally had increased to 16 statutorily recognised councils, with 19 Local Council Development Authorities established to midwife and propel development pedal at the grassroots.

In 2011, the government of President Goodluck Jonathan established 12 new Universities across the nation, with Ekiti being a beneficiary by the approval given for the establishment of the Federal University,Oye Ekiti in the state. The concept behind this was to ensure balancing, so that each state could have a federal University.

It is an unassailable fact that Ekiti couldn’t have benefited from this lofty gesture, if it is still subsumed under Ondo, this was because the Federal University, Akure had been in existence for decades. In few months time, work would also begin on the approved Federal Medical University in Iyin Ekiti after receiving presidential assent.

As parlous and feeble Ekiti seems to be in the area of economy, the state gets an average of N3.5 billion from the federation account monthly. These monirs are expended on education, health, agriculture, human capital development and other pivotal sectors. Would it have been possible for Ondo to earmark a staggering sum of N3.5 billion on projects in Ekiti axis monthly, if Ekiti still retains the six local governments we had then? This also signifies another area of benefit that should be taken into cognisance.

This came to fore because of the fact that Ekiti gave Governor Fayemi the veritable gubernatorial platform to prove his mettle and worth. Let the skeptics rummage the history books, no Ekiti man had ever been touted for such coveted seat.

Added to that was the fact that Governor Fayemi is the Chairman, Nigeria’s Governors Forum, superintending over the affairs of the 36 governors across party lines and divides. These are records that lent credence to the fact that Ekiti has gained reckoning not only as the most educated, but as a politically sophisticated and conscious set of people.

John Ajayi is a public commentator and Lagos based journalist