– Bimbo Daramola
His Excellency, #Biodun #Abayomi #Oyebanji [BAO]
Today, I join your immediate family, friends and your teeming supporters statewide and beyond to celebrate you for your indelible footprints in the saddle as Governor of our dear State.
The past two years have not only witnessed progress across many areas in our state, but become significant springboard for better life of shared prosperity today, as the thematic thrust of your campaign states, but hopeful tomorrow for our people and secure a firm reckoning for our state in the commity of States going forward.
From the physical development and infrastructural renewal to tangible impact in human development and transformation, but most importantly in the healing of deep divides and reconciliation of hitherto contending stakeholders and relationships.
In specific terms, our state has undeniably witnessed steady progress across many sectors and areas, from the many road developments both inner city ones in the state capital to intra state.
There is a remarkable responsiveness to security of lives and property, The Agricultural revolution with thousands of hectares being cultivated by exultant young people who have found hope and satisfaction in returning to modern farming on the account of your personal involvement and demonstrated commitment and support not only in land clearing, improved seedling provision but also fertiliser supply to farmers across the State, without doubt food security is expected from next year going by your intentional focus and deliberate actions.
These two years have seen communities that have been in darkness, infact who have lost hope, reconnected to electricity grid for the first time in almost two decades, ask them in Ekiti East and Eka Meta in the South West local government areas.
You have made a creed out of regular huge payouts of pensions and gratuities in billions to our Senior Citizens, thereby bringing immeasurable joy to these respected seniors in their old ages, saving them chronic agony and frustration and making their lives in old age and retirement joyful.
You have in unusual ways, such as not seen in many administrations, increased subventions to state owned institutions thereby encouraging them to be more productive from the Civi Service to State institutions.
This is not to forget your deliberate and headlong approach to reposition the healthcare sector of our State for better healthcare delivery, only recently you announced the take over for total reconstruction the legacy hospital that was commissioned by General Adeyinka Adebayo, of the Western Nigeria days.
The infant and maternal health care curve is dipping, acquisition of modern medical equipment and improvement of healthcare workers allowances for the first time in years are also part of your indelible footprints in these two years.
A most striking achievement is the uniquely uncommon endorsement and vote of confidence passed on you and your administration by the youth population in Ekiti State, who in moment of unusual introspection on the basis of earned trust, refused to participate in the #endbadgovernance nationwide protest.
This unusual gesture coming without financial inducement as it is the practice would suggest that it is the youth population’s way of saying “we can trust” this Governor on the basis of who you are, what you are doing and done, one of which is your continued economic empowerment, empowerment and engagement of this critical segment of our population and your sincerity in your commitments to your promises.
Perhaps the most remarkable achievement is that there is profound pervasive peace and amity in the state among hitherto sharply divided, brutally alienated contending stakeholders from the non partisan catchment to the partisan, more importantly foundational members of the All Progressives Congress, [APC], without excluding our eminent Senior Citizens Stakeholders and even royalties.
Without doubt also to be acknowledged is the noticeable frugality and austerity that you and your family have also showed in these two years, as a measure of your sensitivity, your modesty and moderation is noticeably clear in your austere disposition to hitherto privileges and perks of the office but you have deliberately denied yourself these over these two years.
You have had no recourse to oblige yourself extreme indulgences that Ekiti people would have to pay for like a new fleet of Armored vehicles.
Your many development and broad spectrum partnership inspired travels outside of the state have been by normal public flights.
You have not indulged in cavorting leisure trips abroad veiled as phantom search for investor trips abroad, I think only two trips abroad in 2 years!!!
And when you do, your very modest travel party are all savings to our commonwealth, indeed you have not encouraged unnecessary advertisement of your achievements and accomplishments, as you have said variously, “you will let your works and Ekiti people speak for you”.
Surely they are.
Quietly, Ekiti State is in steady and trained hands, guided by focused gaze of the eagle on its watch, assuring of a steady progression to the attainment and realisation of the dreams of our forebears who fought for the creation of Ekiti State.
Peradventure, the advantage of being the youngest member and the Secretary of the Ekiti State Creation Committee may have informed your profound insight which you have deployed steadily to leading our State at such a time like this with virtually everyone agreeing that we have a state to build together.
To attest to this demonstrated intentional leadership thrust to carry everyone along as shown by this Governor, in all the appointments, Governor Oyebanji has spread them very broadly and as fairly human as possible. Not strictly for the “conclave of bishops” who must see the “white smoke” for their skewed choices.
The Governor has given MORE regard to party members from all interests and tendencies in an amity promoting disposition that abhors and excoriates the exclusivism of the past.
In the spirit of the new order, gestures have been extended as well to those in opposition, Ekitis within and outside including those with unique capabilities with the Governor saying that the beneficiaries are Ekiti people too.
No administration since the creation of Ekiti State has been this thoughtful and liberal minded.
He stated that while everyone cannot be appointed into government, “but if another Ekiti family is saved the agony of going to bed on empty stomach or enabled to pay hospital bill or send his ward to school, on the account of the appointment, that is gratifying to him, because ultimately we are FIRST AND FOREMOST all Ekiti, before becoming members of APC , or PDP or SDP or ADC etc
The Governor has said he has optimum respect and regard for his party, the All Progressives Congress [APC] and our members, reason why a lot of the recognition is domiciled as expected within, but that he has a duty to show and extend care to everyone as much as possible because as he said, “he is Ekiti State Governor”. i.e “Governor of and for everyone” and we cannot all be politicians.
It is noteworthy to say that this is the very first time in Ekiti State’s political history where a substantial number of Ekiti people led by ALL FORMER GOVERNORS ALIVE and even the leader of the 10th Nigeria Senate, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, who ordinarily would have been a gubernatorial hopeful in 2026, openly indicated for the umpteenth time that he will not throw his hat into the 2026 race for Governor of Ekiti State, rather that it will be a unanimous declaration of support for Governor Oyebanji to continue his stewardship.
Nobody had secured such an affirmation in Ekiti State history, all these on the account tangible performance, character and the unusual ability to reconcile and respect all contending tendencies, which is a sine qua non to development and sustained growth.
The visible, tangible impact and results that we see today after two years confirms that judgement.
This is not a product of casual effort but deliberate and intentional determination to have a state for all by the Governor as captured in his “shared prosperity vision”
It is this reassuring character and characteristic, that has distinguished Governor Oyebanji and I also believe that this attitude will help berth a new political order and stability in Ekiti State, for a continually peaceful State and a springboard to our state’s steady and increasingly sustainable growth and prosperity which is the desire of all.
These modest developmental progress that we have seen in these two years coupled with the assiduous ongoing efforts to move our dear State forward by Governor Biodun Oyebanji,is a testimony to the imperatives of a peaceful environment, amity and the need for an all embracing attitude of government.
This is the Governor Oyebanji story in two years.
May the grace of God continue to be with you, lead and guide you in the journey to our collective greatness and the actualisation of our beautiful future which is looking more realistic and attainable everyday that Governor Oyebanji is in the saddle.
Surely, Together Everyone Achieves More, {T.E.A.M } is the Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji passcode for a greater Ekiti.
This is a salute to the Unifier, a man of peace and the “Spirit of our Togetherness “
Happy Second Anniversary Mr Governor.
Congressman Bimbo Daramola
Fmr. Member, House of Representatives
{2011 -2015}
16th October, 2024
#fortheloveofourstateandpeople
#bimboEkiti
#nitoriojoolawa
#factSPEAKS