EKITI: CHASING LEGACY UNDER BIODUN OYEBANJI.

EKITI: CHASING LEGACY UNDER BIODUN OYEBANJI.

By Segun Dipe

Far beyond rhetoric, Ekiti State is now on the front burner in the Nigerian project. Under Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, popularly known as BAO, the State that makes Land of Honour its watchword, is witnessing a governance model anchored on performance, accountability, and people-centered development. The BAO administration, which set sailing in 2022, is building a legacy, brick by brick, across every sector.

Below is a scorecard of Oyebanji's impactful governance from Ado Ekiti to the remotest part of the State till date.

1. During this first term of BAO in the saddle, Ekiti has ranked severally as Number One in the BudgIT State Fiscal Transparency League for six consecutive quarters between Q2 2024 and Q1 2026.

2. This BAO administration disbursed N400m for agrochemicals, fertilisers and seeds at 50 per cent subsidised rate. It also distributed 20,000 bags of fertilisers to farmers free of charge. 

3. This BAO administration cleared 6,000 hectares of farmland free of charge for individual farmers and cooperatives between 2023 and 2025 under the free land clearing programme of the administration.

4. This BAO administration has paid N376,197,500 WAEC fees for 16,846 in 2023, N546,901,209 for 16,269 students in 2024, N562,798,300 for 17,869 students in 2025. Approved payment of N671,642, 400 for 17,784 students for the 2026 WAEC Examination. 

5. This BAO adminstration has distributed 12,400 JAMB forms free of charge to students between 2023 and 2026.

6. This BAO administration has disbursed N1.1 billion to 2,777 beneficiaries as credit and operational grants to 10 cooperatives in Agro Processing and production, and has facilitated free CAC registration for 5,432 MSMEs

7. This BAO Administration has constructed 25 inter-state and inter-city roads, covering 288 kilometers across the state, fitted with street lights. 

8. This BAO administration has completed renovation of 105 primary healthcare centres and all general hospitals in the state are fully equipped with state of the art facilities. 

9. This BAO administration has established nine ICT laboratories in select secondary schools and technical colleges across the state. 

10. This BAO administration has completed the airport project and commercial flight operations at the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport, approved by the NCAA. 

11. This BAO administration has mobilised 500 youths and contributed five farm domotories under the Bring Back the Youths into Agriculture initiatives. 

12. This BAO administration has made the young farmers not only to participate in the programme, but as well as the Broiler Production Scheme where they have realised N1.1bn as profit. 

13. This BAO administration has made Ekiti one of the three states and FCT that attracted foreign investments in Q1, Q2 of 2024 and Q3 2025.

14. In this BAO administration, Ekiti is ranked second lowest among the States with out-of-school children in Nigeria.

15. This BAO administration ensures reduction in neonatal mortality by 53 per cent from 42 per 1000 in 2019 to 18 per 1000 in 2024, reduction in infant mortality by 53 per cent from 57 per 1000 in 2010 to 27 per 1000 in 2024 and under-5 mortality by 54 per cent from 95 per 1000 in 2019 to 44 per 1000 in 2024.

16. In this BAO administration, Ekiti is rated by Enough is Enough (EiE) as the state with the lowest media reported for killing for 2025, thus ranking consistently as the safest state in Nigeria

17. This BAO administration established the first adapted classrooms in the public special schools for Children with Disabilities in Nigeria

18. This BAO administration has completed comprehensive renovation of 203 secondary schools (including three special schools) and 950 primary schools across the state. 

19. This BAO administration ensures free medical care for pregnant women, children under-5, People with Disabilities (PWDs) sickle cell warriors at Government's health facilities across the states. 

20. This BAO administration has restructured and strengthened the Amotekun, Agro Rangers and Peace Corps to ensure safety and security in the local areas

21. This BAO administration has made Ekiti the first state to employ therapists in public special schools and fist to establish multi-sensory and therapy rooms in public secondary schools. 

22. This BAO administration has constructed 135kms of rural roads in different parts of the state under the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP).

Governor Oyebanji is therefore not chasing headlines. He is chasing a legacy of measurable impact. From policy to projects, the focus remains on inclusion, continuity, and consolidation. Every unit, ward, and LGA feels the presence of government, and every citizen is being given a sense of belonging.

And, as Ekiti moves toward the next governorship election, the question is not about promises. It is about performance. And under BAO, performance is speaking. 

Segun Dipe is the Spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ekiti State.