BY ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA
Another highrise building has added to the beauty of the Ado Ekiti skyline courtesy of the Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji Administration. It is located at Fajuyi area in the heart of the capital city of Ekiti State.
The iconic structure tagged “EKITI REVENUE HOUSE” was commissioned on Wednesday, 22nd October, 2025 as part of activities marking the third anniversary of the coming to power of the BAO Administration.
It will henceforth serve as the corporate head office and operational headquarters of the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service (EKIRS) which takes the lead in ensuring that the state gets what is due to it in generating and boosting its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
The agency, which used to be known as the Board of Internal Revenue (BIR), has a chequered history concerning office accommodation. For many years, it used to operate from offices adjoining the Old Governor’s Office in Oke Oriomi area of Ado Ekiti before moving to MUTUAL House.
In recognition of its importance as a revenue-generating agency and the need to provide an environment conducive to giving the staff the motivation to give their best, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, acceded to the request to build a befitting corporate head office as a permanent structure for EKIRS.
The day of the inauguration of the facility was a history-making day. It was a day that the staff of the EKIRS led by the Executive Chairman, Pastor Olaniran Olatona, could not hide their joy. It was also a day that traditional rulers, political leaders, artisans, market women and members of the informal sector joined to celebrate another legacy project of the Oyebanji Administration.
Indeed, the new EKITI REVENUE HOUSE is Oyebanji’s worthy legacy to honour the goose that lays the golden eggs. Through EKIRS, the state government generates revenue which it ploughs into honouring some of its commitments to the people of the state in providing for their needs.
It is important, profound and appropriate that the goose is taken care of by the administration for it to lay more golden eggs and that was why EKIRS rolled out the drums to herald the inauguration of the new imposing and conspicuous edifice.
The official inauguration was performed by the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr Zacchaeus Adedeji who also doubles as the Chairman of the Joint Tax Board (JTB) of the Federation. He was joined by the Executive Secretary of JTB, Mr Olusegun Adesokan and Executive Chairmen of Internal Revenue Services of some states in the Southwest.
Impressed by the quality of the structure and the Governor’s support for its execution, Adedeji said there was no better advertisement for payment of taxes than the iconic building. Adedeji said Oyebanji has become an ambassador on what innovation and fiscal discipline can do.
It is worthy of note that the laying of the foundation stone of the project was performed by the Governor on 30th December, 2024. The project was completed in just nine months as against the 18 months schedule in deference to the state’s number one citizen’s request for it to be ready for inauguration at the third anniversary of his administration.
The two major buildings erected in the complex are the Administrative Building and the Directorate Building while other structures are springing up within the shortest possible time. The inauguration of the Ekiti Revenue House is another sweet story of the third anniversary of the Oyebanji Administration.
EKIRS’ contribution to the economy of Ekiti State since Oyebanji came to office has been very remarkable. The Governor himself acknowledged while addressing the gathering that the state monthly IGR rose from about N700 million monthly to over N2 billion monthly.
Olatona revealed that EKIRS has risen from 35th position it used to occupy among the Internal Revenue Services of states of the federation to the 16th position. The gift of a brand new office complex is a motivation to the dedicated staff members.
To Olatona, the commissioning of the new office complex “is more than commissioning of a project but it symbolizes renewed commitment to fiscal responsibility, service, excellence and shared prosperity of our dear state.”
The project was handled by an Ekiti-based contractor, Ricabim Nigeria Limited, which speaks to the local content policy of the Oyebanji Administration and his desire to empower local contractors and entrepreneurs. This not only strengthens local economy, it also prevents capital flight from the state.
Entrusting the execution of the project to a local contractor spoke volumes that Oyebanji’s Shared Prosperity is limited to sloganeering but a concrete vision to circulate wealth within the system and make as many people as possible in Ekiti to have a sense of belonging and be beneficiaries of the milk and honey of the land.
The ceremony also afforded the Governor an opportunity to give credit to President Bola Tinubu for carrying out reforms which has freed up more funds to states to meet the needs of their people. According to the Governor, his administration has not borrowed a dime to execute projects.
The Ekiti Revenue House has been added to a long list of projects commissioned to mark the third anniversary of the Oyebanji Administration. The project is a legacy for which the Governor will be remembered in years to come.
*Ogunmola is Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media (Print Media)