Ekiti @25: Fayemi pays tribute to Adebayo, Oni, Fayose, other stakeholders
Ekiti @25: Fayemi pays tribute to Adebayo, Oni, Fayose, other stakeholderBy Mike Adebayo, Ado-Ekiti
Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has paid tributes to distinguished citizens who struggled to ensure the creation of the state on October 1, 1996.
The governor also paid tributes to military administrators, elected civilian governors and leaders who held the reins at emergency periods for their contributions to the growth, development and stability of the state.
In a state-wide broadcast monitored by Nigerian NewsDirect Reporter in Ado-Ekiti to mark the 25th anniversary of the creation of Ekiti State, Fayemi restated his administration’s commitment to the dreams of the founding fathers of the state.
He said, “Let me also pay tribute to the founding leadership of the State who gave the leadership that ensured that the State was founded on a solid rock. Special tribute to Late Col. Inuwa Bawa, the pioneer military administrator whose task it was to start a new state without a previous experience of how to start a new state. Yet, he made a spectacular success of his work with enduring legacies that still bear his signature. We remember with profound gratitude the role of Navy Captain Atanda Yusuf who midwifed the State through transition to democratic order.
“Immense thanks to Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo, CON the first democratically elected Governor of the state for his service to the State. We acknowledge his historic role as a pathfinder and pioneer of many of the enduring state institutions of today. We thank Mr Peter Ayodele Fayose for his contributions to various aspects of Ekiti growth and development.
“I also pay tribute to Chief Olusegun Oni for his service to our State as Governor. Our State is also grateful to the memory of Late Major General Adetunji Idowu Olurin for his stabilising role at a moment of political uncertainty in the state. We acknowledge other leaders who have led the State at various times such as: Late Chief Friday Aderemi, Rt. Hon. Tope Ademiluyi and Rt. Hon. Idowu Odeyemi. May God continue to water the seed of service that you all planted in our dear State.”
The governor showered encomiums on traditional rulers “for leading the state creation diplomacy, traversing the corridors of power and doing everything humanly possible to make the state creation dream a reality.”
Fayemi also hailed the Committee for the Creation of Ekiti State chaired by Chief Oladeji Fasuan for using their contacts and resources for the actualisation of the state.
He said that his administration would on October 30 celebrate the “heroes and heroines of the State Creation movement” through the Ekiti Honours Rolls (Oni Uyi Award), saying they paid more than enough price “to have this beautiful state of ours.”
