skymediaconsults.blogspot.com
Monday, June 30, 2025
We’ll make Ekiti Business Environment more attractive, Oyebanji Assures Investors.
Oyebanji’s Wife Donates Sports Equipment to Boost Youth Empowerment.
Oyebanji Empowers Irepodun/Ifelodun LG Chairman with Official Vehicle, Reiterates Grassroots Development Agenda.
BAO in the Soil: How Governor Oyebanji is Cultivating a New Era of Agriculture and Youth Empowerment in Ekiti State.
BAO in the Soil: How Governor Oyebanji is Cultivating a New Era of Agriculture and Youth Empowerment in Ekiti State. By Olamide Akinwumi
In Ekiti State, agriculture is no longer just a tradition — it's fast becoming a symbol of innovation, youth engagement, and economic revival. Leading this transformation is Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO), whose administration has made agriculture the bedrock of development, rural empowerment, and food security.
In a powerful display of hands-on leadership, Governor Oyebanji was recently spotted tending to his personal farm in Ikogosi-Ekiti. With no fanfare or media circus, the Governor was seen inspecting crops, engaging with farm workers, and demonstrating his personal commitment to agriculture. Videos and photos of this visit have since gone viral, not just for their rarity but for the message they send: leadership must begin with example.
"Governor Oyebanji is showing us that farming is not beneath anybody, not even a Governor," a local farmer remarked. That simple act has become a rallying cry — agriculture is dignified, and everyone, especially the youth, can succeed through it.
Governor Oyebanji’s approach to agriculture is not symbolic — it is strategic, systematic, and deeply intentional. His administration has rolled out several key initiatives that are already yielding transformative results:
💳 2. Access to Agricultural Credit:
Through strategic partnerships with agricultural finance institutions, smallholder farmers and agripreneurs now enjoy easier access to credit for seeds, technology, and equipment.
🚜 3. Tractorisation Subsidy Scheme:
Over 1,000 hectares of farmland have been cleared and ploughed under a subsidy scheme benefiting more than 400 farmers. Subsidies also extend to agro-chemicals, seeds, and seedlings — all available at 50% cost reduction.
🚛 4. Produce Buy-Back Program:
Innovatively, the state introduced a produce buy-back model where the government facilitates the purchase of farm produce from young farmers, ensuring guaranteed returns on their investments.
🧑🏽🌾 5. “Bring Back Our Youths to Agriculture” (BBYA) Initiative:
This flagship programme has engaged over 1,000 youths in profitable agricultural ventures in partnership with YSJ Farm Limited — equipping them with land, tools, and training.
Ekiti State is a proud participant in the $22 million Cocoa Rejuvenation Programme funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the TRACE Project. Local cocoa farmers are being trained in climate-smart agricultural practices.
Governor Oyebanji recognizes that food security begins with physical security. His administration has made Ekiti one of the safest states in Nigeria through:
●Deployment of surveillance tools and operational vehicles for security agencies
●Establishment and training of the Agro-Marshals Corps, a new specialized security outfit under the Ministry of Agriculture, trained and equipped to provide protection to farmers and farmlands across the state. The corps now works hand-in-hand with the Amotekun Corps to combat rural insecurity, theft, and invasion of farmlands.
These initiatives have restored confidence among farmers and investors alike, enabling the agricultural sector to flourish in a safe and supportive environment.
Governor Oyebanji’s leadership goes beyond policies — it’s deeply personal and people-centered. He was recently seen tending to his personal farm in Ikogosi-Ekiti.
His frequent farm cluster visits and direct interaction with farmers have resulted in responsive interventions — like the provision of dormitories and transport buses for young farmers.
Governor Oyebanji’s agricultural revolution is more than a policy — it is a movement. A movement rooted in dignity, passion, and opportunity. It is about turning Ekiti into a hub for agro-entrepreneurship, where the youth can thrive, investors are welcome, and communities are empowered.
His approach blends vision with visibility. Passion with practicality. And governance with grassroots impact.
Governor Biodun Oyebanji is not just growing crops — he is cultivating a future filled with hope, dignity, and shared prosperity. Under his watch, Ekiti State is becoming a national model for inclusive, youth-driven agricultural development.
In BAO’s Ekiti, agriculture is no longer an obligation — it is an opportunity.
Kudos to a Governor who leads from the front and inspires from the soil.
Written by Olamide Akinwumi, Ado-Ekiti.
Sunday, June 29, 2025
Oyebanji Makes Surprise Visit to Ikogosi, Vows Stronger Push for Tourism in Ekiti.
Oyebanji Makes Surprise Visit to Ikogosi, Vows Stronger Push for Tourism in Ekiti. By Olamide Akinwumi
Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, on Sunday, paid an unscheduled early morning visit to the famous Ikogosi Warm Springs Resort, where he restated his administration’s commitment to developing tourism and critical infrastructure across the state.
The governor, who took a casual walk from his country home to the resort, engaged freely with tourists and staff at the iconic eco-tourism destination. He was seen exchanging pleasantries, taking photos, and posing for group pictures with members of the Recreation and Tours team, in a manner consistent with his down-to-earth leadership style.
During the visit, Oyebanji inspected the newly operational spa facility at the resort, where he was introduced to the in-house masseuse, identified as Sade. He expressed delight at the standard of service and the quality of infrastructure. The governor disclosed plans to patronize the spa before departing Ikogosi and said he would also brief the First Lady on the available services.
Oyebanji also revealed that the newly constructed hiking trail within the resort would be formally inaugurated this week. He hinted that, depending on his schedule, he intends to personally lead the inaugural hike on Tuesday or Wednesday.
The tour extended to Camp A, where the governor assessed ongoing civil engineering works, focusing particularly on the drainage system. He commended the level of progress and assured stakeholders that the government would continue to provide support until completion.
As he departed Camp A, the governor observed a vehicle descending a slope at high speed. He immediately directed the installation of prefabricated speed bumps to enhance road safety ahead of the proposed rerouting project within the resort.
The visit, which came without prior notice, reinforces Governor Oyebanji’s proactive approach to governance and his administration’s broader vision to position Ekiti as a premier destination for recreation, adventure, and eco-tourism in Nigeria.
Ikogosi Warm Springs, famed for its rare natural confluence of warm and cold springs, remains one of Nigeria’s leading tourist attractions and a strategic asset in Ekiti’s economic development blueprint.