Otunba Olumuyiwa Babalola, leading gubernatorial candidate under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has unveiled his master plan to reposition Ekiti State as Nigeria’s first global innovation hub, an audacious blueprint designed to leapfrog the status quo and ignite a new era of digital prosperity.
Speaking at a high-level media roundtable in Ado-Ekiti, Babalola challenged entrenched assumptions about Ekiti’s limitations.
“They say Ekiti is too small, too rural, too forgotten. I say: that is exactly our strategic advantage. The 21st century belongs to regions that dare to reimagine themselves – without permission.”
Leveraging his extensive diplomatic and international development background, Babalola detailed an aggressive rollout of tech incubators, education-to-innovation pipelines, and global investment coalitions, all underpinned by Ekiti’s storied intellectual capital and untapped youth energy.
His roadmap aligns seamlessly with a broader transformative agenda, which includes a N20,000 monthly stipend for the unemployed and the assertive push for the South Agenda-marking Babalola as one of the few candidates willing to radically recalibrate power and prosperity in the federation.
“We’re not here to catch up-we’re here to set the pace,” Babalola stated. “Just as Rwanda became East Africa’s digital capital, Ekiti will become West Africa’s beacon of innovation. And this time, no one will be left behind.”
The campaign slogan -“Ekiti to the World. South to the Front.” -now resonates with deeper intent, as Babalola invites citizens to participate in a generational leap.
To those who believe greatness must be imported, Babalola offers a simple counterpoint:
“The future will be built in Ekiti-or it won’t be built at all.”He said”