• Governor Oyebanji reiterates commitment to state’s development

From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti

Legal giant and proprietor of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, has charged newly elected Senators and Members of the House of Representatives from Ekiti State to use their new positions to ensure the state grows in terms of development.

He said the lawmakers can achieve this using necessary connections and lobbying processes.

The Senior Advocate also appealed to all influential Ekiti indigenes at home and in the diaspora to start paying their taxes and development levies to the state in the drive to ensure aggressive development.

Babalola gave the charge in Ado-Ekiti yesterday when the state Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, led the three Senators -elect and six House of Representatives members- elect to the legal icon.

The senior lawyer who is reputed as the highest taxpayer in Ekiti State, appealed to all Ekiti people irrespective of political affiliations, to join hands with the incumbent Governor Oyebanji to drive aggressive development of the state, adding that he was convinced Ekiti would progress rapidly under Oyebanji whom he described as a progressive leader.

Reeling out his development strides in the state to include law, education, health, youth development, industry, agriculture and lots more, Babalola revealed that ABUAD Multi-Systems Hospital is on the verge of taking healthcare delivery close to the people by establishing ABUAD Health Centres in remote areas of the state to help the people with critical health challenges who may not be able to visit the main hospital.

Lauding the exemplary leadership of Governor Oyebanji, the ABUAD founder said the Ekiti Governor has started effecting some positive changes in the state, urging him to ensure their sustainability.

” Whatever you want to achieve in life starts from leadership at all levels, the fact that we are able to bring you together here shows a new leadership order and that Governor Oyebanji is an exemplary leader and he will continue to be successful,” Babalola noted.

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Speaking, Governor Oyebanji who reiterated his commitment to Ekiti development, noted that the elder statesman was more passionate about the Ekiti project. The Governor said he led the newly elected lawmakers to the nonagenarian in order to share his vision for Ekiti as well as give them assignments on the Ekiti project.

He added that his government would partner with ABUAD by sharing its vision of industrialisation, saying if the institution could achieve this remarkable feat in the thirteen years of its existence then sharing the vision with it would be a plus for the state.

“As Secretary of Ekiti creation, I have an idea of Baba’s vision for Ekiti state and I know that as we are today we can only realise that vision when we partner together. I was telling them about your gesture towards the Airport, they did not believe, that the Airport would have been completed if we allowed you to do what you wanted to do.

“I brought them here today to listen to you and to also thank you for what you are doing to humanity and to Ekiti state. If it were in the olden days, you would have been made a god but in your lifetime sir, we will continue to reverence you and make you proud.”

Senator Opeyemi Bamidele and Senator-elect, Cyril Fasuyi who spoke on behalf of the legislators reiterated their commitments to the Ekiti project and promised to work closely with Governor Oyebanji to attract more development to the state.

The Legislators, who extolled the virtues of Aare Afe Babalola as having so much to tap from his wealth of experience, called on him to help in investing more towards the development of the state.

Other Legislators-elect at the meeting included Senator-elect Yemi Adaramodu and the House of Representatives members-elect were Niyi Ojuawo, Femi Bamisile, Abiodun Omoleye, Akinlayo Kolawole, Sola Fatoba and Akin Rotimi.

Also at the meeting were the wife of the ABUAD founder, Chief (Mrs) Modupe Babalola and some senior officials of the university.