Kano APC counter Ganduje’s purported suspension, sacks Ward leaders.

Kano APC counter Ganduje’s purported suspension, sacks Ward leaders.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, state working committee in Kano, has taken drastic measures against some Ward Party Leaders who suspended the National Chairman of the Party, Umar Abdullahi Ganduje.

APC Ganduje ward in Dawakin Tofa Local Government was said to have suspended Ganduje but in a quick counter, the party’s local government officials thwarted the suspension and sacked those behind it.

The APC Dawakin Tofa Local Government Chairman, Inusa Dawanau, told Newsmen that those behind the suspension of the National Chairman were caught in anti-party activities and their records of meetings with the opposition, exposed.

Adopting the suspension of the APC Ward APC leaders, the state working committee of the Party said they have sanctioned the perpetrators for six months and a special investigations panel has been set up to verify several allegations against them.

The Kano Chairman of the Party, Abdullahi Abbas, said the decisions of the LG Party Leaders have since been adopted.

“We have evidence of meetings between the state government officials and those that suspended the National Chairman. The state working committee has agreed to sanction them for six months and they stand now suspended.”

However, one of the accused party men against Ganduje, Halliru Gwanjo said they decided to suspend him from the party due to the allegations levelled against him by the Kano State government on bribery.

EKSG pays N546.9m for WAEC/SSCE Fees, Supporting 16,269 Secondary School Students.

EKSG pays N546.9m for WAEC/SSCE Fees, Supporting 16,269 Secondary School Students.

.....Calls on Parents to Report Unauthorized Fee Requests.

 By Olamide Akinwumi 

His Excellency Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, Executive Governor of Ekiti State. 

The Ekiti State Government has disbursed a total of N546,901,000.00 to cover the West African Examination Council/Senior School Certificate Examination (WAEC/SSCE) fees and administrative expenses for all 16,269 SS3 students enrolled in public secondary schools across the state for the year 2024.

This disclosure was made by the State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Bimpe Aderiye, in a statement issued to journalists in Ado Ekiti. Dr. Aderiye emphasized that no public secondary school in the state is authorized to collect any WAEC registration fees, as the government has already covered the expenses for all eligible students.

Ekiti Commissioner of Education, Dr. (Mrs.) Bimpe Aderiye.

Warning against any attempts by officials of public schools to demand fees for the examination, Dr. Aderiye labeled such actions as sabotage against government directives. She urged parents and guardians to refrain from paying any unauthorized fees, as doing so undermines government policy and hampers efforts to enhance the socioeconomic status of the populace.

In a bid to uphold transparency and accountability, the Commissioner urged all stakeholders to promptly report any instances of unauthorized fee collection for the 2024 WAEC/SSCE exams to her office, or to the offices of the Permanent Secretaries of Education or Teaching Service Commission.

Reaffirming the state government's unwavering commitment to improving the education sector, Dr. Aderiye assured that every necessary measure will be taken to achieve the desired educational objectives. She reiterated the government's dedication to providing quality education for all students in Ekiti State, promising that no stone will be left unturned in the pursuit of this goal.

The announcement underscores the government's proactive approach towards ensuring equal access to education and alleviating financial burdens on parents and guardians, ultimately contributing to the overall development of the state.

Farewell To An Icon: EKSG Set to Host Commendation Service for Late Barrister Paul Omotosho.

Farewell To An Icon: EKSG Set to Host Commendation Service for Late Barrister Paul Omotosho.

By Olamide Akinwumi.

The Executive Governor of Ekiti State, His Excellency Biodun Oyebanji, has extended a cordial invitation to the residents of the state to join in a special Commendation Service in honor of the late Barrister Paul Ayodele Omotosho, former Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Ekiti State chapter.

Scheduled for Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at 4:00 PM, the service will take place at Bishop Adetiloye Hall, within the Trade Fair Complex in Ado Ekiti. Named "Evening of Tributes," the event aims to celebrate Barrister Paul Omotosho's remarkable life and legacy as a distinguished politician and lawyer

Late Barrister Paul Omotosho 

Born in Imesi-Ekiti, Barrister Paul Omotosho passed away in the early hours of Wednesday, March 6th, following a brief illness. His untimely demise has deeply saddened the community and left a void in the political landscape of Ekiti State.

The Commendation Service will provide an opportunity for friends, family, colleagues, and well-wishers to come together and pay homage to an icon who touched the lives of many. It will be a heartfelt gathering as attendees reminisce on the impactful contributions and indelible mark left by Barrister Paul Omotosho during his lifetime.

As Ekiti State prepares to bid farewell to one of its most respected figures, the Commendation Service promises to be a poignant tribute, reflecting on the enduring legacy of Barrister Paul Omotosho and the profound impact he had on the lives of those around him.

Residents are encouraged to join in this solemn occasion to honor the memory of Barrister Paul Omotosho and to show solidarity with his family during this difficult time. Let us come together on Wednesday, April 17th, to celebrate the life of a remarkable individual whose influence will be remembered for years to come.

Aiyedatiwa Assigns Portfolios to New Commissioners in Ondo State.

Aiyedatiwa Assigns Portfolios to New Commissioners in Ondo State.

By Olamide Akinwumi. 

Ondo State Governor, Hon Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has announced the assignment of portfolios to the newly inaugurated Commissioners in the State.

In a statement released by Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Ondo State, Ebenezer Adeniyan, on Monday, 15th, the following portfolios were disclosed:

●Local Government & Chieftaincy Affairs: Amidu Takuro

●Physical Planning & Urban Development: Hon Gbenga Olaniyi Esq.

●Water Resources & Sanitation: Hon Sunday Akinwalere.

●Agriculture: Hon Olayato Aribo

●Health: Dr Banji Ajaka

●Culture & Tourism: Hon. Rasheed Badmus

●Women Affairs & Social Development: Deaconess Lola Fagbemi

●Youth & Sport: Hon Saka Yusuf Ogunleye

●Education: Mr. Laolu Akindolire

●Commerce & Industry: Pastor Segun Ayerin

●Regional Integration & Development: Hon Boye Ologbese

●Information & Orientation: Hon Wale Akinlosotu

Additionally, Hon. Olugbenga Omole has been re-assigned from the Ministry of Information to the Ministry of Transport as Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation.

The announcement marks a significant step towards the effective governance and development of Ondo State, as the new commissioners assume their respective roles and responsibilities in service to the state and its people.

How Governor Oyebanji’s People- Centered Development Agenda Is Impacting lives.

How Governor Oyebanji’s People- Centered Development Agenda Is Impacting lives.

...Ekiti State Governor's achievements in developing the State towards shared prosperity.

By Olu- Ajayi Maxwell

 

Oyebanji in no time demonstrated competence and generosity of the heart in his interventions in the lives of Ekiti residents in terms of personal comfort and collective enjoyment of his campaign promises.

Ekiti State, located in southwestern Nigeria, has experienced a period of growth and development under the leadership of His Excellency , Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji. 

The Governor's tenure has been marked by a series of initiatives and accomplishments aimed at fostering shared prosperity for the residents of the state through the compass of his vision and mission. Hence, the need to hammer the talks and works of Governor Oyebanji who has barely spend two years in office to the naysayers.

Here, we highlight some of the Governor's key indicator performance in various key sectors that are driving Ekiti State towards a more prosperous and inclusive future.

1. Economic Empowerment Initiatives: The Governor has implemented programs aimed at supporting local entrepreneurs and small businesses. Through the provision of loans, grants, and training opportunities, these initiatives have enabled residents to establish and expand their businesses, thereby boosting economic activity in the state. Patronizing Ekiti Motor Dealers, Contractors and many others. We are now in the era of spending Ekiti money in Ekiti State.Oyebanji injects N1billion facility to strengthen cooperative societies in the state for better operations and radical economic growth. EKSG MSME transformative program, EKSG supports for farmers and Agro processors in the production and processing of Palm Oil among others.

 We can talk more on his lifting of 48 indigent citizens of the state with cash and material support to the tune of N20 million in 2023, relief programmes, totalling N12 billion, to alleviate the hardship being experienced by residents in the face of the current economic downturn in February 2024. Oyebanji also approved the payment of N5,000 as a conditional cash transfer to 10,000 households from August till December 2023 especially to the Aged, Implementation of consequential adjustment for workers on GL. 14 to GL. 17 for State and Local Government workers, Implementation of financial benefits of 2020 and 2021 promotions for State and Local Government workers, the prompt payment of pensions arrears and his consistency in payment of pensions as well as gratuities. Oyebanji gave bursary awards to 167 Ekiti indigenes in the Nigerian Law School and paid N117,000,000.00 to 1,950 beneficiaries under the Ekiti State Social Transfer Component of Ekiti State Cash Transfer Unit (SCTU), including payment of N96,000,000.00 to 600 beneficiaries under Ekiti State Livelihood Grant Component of Ekiti State Cash Transfer Unit (SCTU).

2. Agricultural Development: Agriculture is a major economic sector in Ekiti State, and the Governor has prioritized its development since he assumed office. By promoting modern farming techniques, providing access to improved seeds and fertilizers, and facilitating market access.The distribution of inputs to farmers as well as financial support to small businesses and our informal sector.

The governor has helped enhance productivity and increase income for farmers through several interventions both from the international market, Federal Government initiatives and State contributions. 

In his Ekiti State Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP),  the engineering designs for 12 roads totalling 77km roads had been received and all hands are on deck.

Oyebanji also provided 50 percent subsidy on seeds to rice, maize, cassava, cocoa and cashew farmers, while also distributing farm inputs to 2,279 farmers and supporting 1,566 farmers with both production assets and small-scale processing equipment, including provision of 25 percent subsidy on tractorization to farmers and funding for Livestock Productivity and Resilience and Support (L-PRES) to counterparts.

Other agricultural production initiatives include establishment of a two-hectare model polyclonal cashew farm/scion garden and overhauling of the poultry pens at Livestock Development Centre (LCD).

The government also partnered with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Pro-CASHEW programme to establish the first government-owned scion garden and polyclonal cashew demonstration farm in Nigeria, among several other agricultural production initiatives for socio-economic development of the state.

 The state has embarked on livestock production and mechanized farming to achieve food self-reliance, create wealth, and reduce dependency on imported goods in the state.

3. Education Improvements: The Governor has worked to improve the quality of education in the state by investing in infrastructure, training teachers, and providing students with access to necessary learning materials. Such as, 

Massive renovation of classrooms and laboratories across the 203 secondary schools in the state, the provision of free shuttle buses for workers, Increases Subvention to Ekiti State Owned Higher Institutions, the release of N200 million to be disburse as car and housing loans to primary school teachers in the state,  provides students/ workers shuttle bus to ease transportation among others.Oyebanji government paid over N300 million for the 2023 WAEC examination fees for students and N600 million counterpart fund to SUBEB for local contractors to be paid in the state and recruited 1,000 teachers into the system among others, ongoing construction of model schools in Ikere and Ikole local governments. 

These efforts have resulted in better educational outcomes and prepared students for future opportunities.

4. Healthcare Advancements: The governor has focused on upgrading healthcare facilities and services across the state. By increasing access to quality healthcare and medical resources, the state has seen improvements in health outcomes and quality of life for residents. The Governor has Implemented  90% CONHESS and 100% Hazard Allowance for health workers at the Local Governments, Implementation of salary parity for clinical staff of the Hospitals’ Management Board, recruited  Medical Officers for State General, Specialist Hospitals, installed  medical equipment in the 13 secondary health facilities across the state and expanded ‘Ulera Wa’ Health Insurance Intervention from five local governments to 10 local governments for 50,000 beneficiaries.

He also established 17 Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs) across the local governments to improve discovery and response to health emergencies and established two Cholera Reference Laboratories at EKSUTH,  Ado-Ekiti, and State Specialist Hospital, Ikole.

Ekiti First Lady, Her Excellency, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji Offset an outstanding Medical Bills Of 27 Stranded Patients In Ekiti  totaling N3millon.

Also, about five thousand women  benefited from the free screening and treatment, courtesy of the Ekiti State Government in partnership with WHO and Clinton Health Access Initiative

5. Infrastructure Development: Infrastructure projects such as road construction, water supply improvements, and electrification have been undertaken to enhance connectivity and provide essential services to residents. Such as, power supply initiative, Oyebanji facilitated the installation of a 3.5MW Independent Power Plant to boost power generation. He posted good records in the  construction and rehabilitation of roads, such as, Ado/Ilawe Road, Idofin/Odo Ado Road, Okeila/ Okeyinmi Road, Agric Olope/Matthew/ Odo Ado Road, Okebola/Baptist Road, Omisanjana/Sije/Ajebamdele Road, NTA /GRA 3rd Extension road, asphalt overlay of the entire Ado township roads,  among others, including installation of streetlights in major parts of Ado to reduce crimes.

He also rehabilitated electricity projects and connected Ayekire/Gbonyin and Ekiti East local governments that have been in darkness for over 10 years to the national grid.

He rehabilitated 43.4km farm roads in six local governments while also dredging all flood-prone areas, including de-siltation of waterways across the state capital 

These developments and many more  have facilitated commerce and improved the standard of living.

6. Youth and Women Empowerment: The Governor has implemented programs to empower youth and women, providing them with vocational training, skills development, and entrepreneurship opportunities. Such as,a total of 50 youths had been engaged basically in horticulture,  Oyebanji renovates Livestock Center that serves as a nexus where Youths are consistently empowered at Erifun. Youths in poultry farming are given comprehensive training and equipped to establish themselves in the field and other fields in Agribusiness The unveiling and training of Unemployed youths and women on Adire Ekiti. 200 beneficiaries from Ekiti Central Senatorial District were trained and sponsored by Governor Oyebanji and his wife in collaboration with the Nike Okundaye Art Foundation. The beneficiaries were given  start - up kits among others

Additionally, two batches of 200 participants each from Ekiti North and Ekiti South senatorial districts are scheduled to begin training soon.This would benefit the state in the areas of provision of sustainable livelihoods, promotion of entrepreneurship, creation of opportunities for economic empowerment and preservation of cultural heritage in the Land of Honour. 

Governor Oyebanji launched a four-day training and empowerment program for Ekiti youth in agribusiness in partnership between the government and YSJ Limited, aims to tackle youth unemployment by promoting agribusiness.

This wasn't also left behind as Governor Oyebanji’s wife,  Dr Olayemi Oyebanji   empowered 25,000 widows in her pet project, Widows and Orphans Hope (WAOH). This is an initiative born out of compassion to ameliorate the suffering of widows and empower them for self-fulfillment and to contribute positively to the economy at the grassroots.

This focus on inclusive growth ensures that all segments of society benefit from economic progress.

7. Good Governance and Transparency:The governor has emphasized transparency and accountability in governance, promoting openness in government dealings and making efforts to combat corruption. This approach has fostered trust and confidence among the populace.

8. Security and Safety Measures: Enhancing security across the state has been a priority for the governor. By collaborating with security agencies and community leaders, crime rates have been reduced, creating a safer environment for residents and businesses.The Governor who exchanged ideas with the military top hierarchy, pushed for the deployment of more military personnel to the state to burst criminal hideouts, as well as provision of a Forward Operating Base to strengthen the security architecture of the state. He has provided the following since inception in office for the smooth running of all security architectures; donation including ten units of patrol vehicles, two Armoured Personnel Carriers, 50 units of Helmet level 3a, 50 bullet proof vests level 4, 80 pairs of tactical boots, and 80 pieces of batons.Recently, Governor Oyebanji took delivery of 30 Toyota Tacoma Pick up Vans supplied by motor dealers based in the state to strengthen the operations of the Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed “Amotekun Corps” and checkmate unscrupulous elements trying to make the state unsafe.

These achievements demonstrate the Governor's commitment to driving shared prosperity in Ekiti State. By focusing on key areas such as economic empowerment, education, healthcare, and infrastructure, the governor is building a strong foundation for sustainable growth and development. The continued success of these initiatives will lead to a more inclusive and prosperous future for all residents of Ekiti State.

Why Jimoh Ibrahim deserves Ondo APC guber ticket —Odere.

Why Jimoh Ibrahim deserves Ondo APC guber ticket —Odere.

By Kunle Odere

FEMI Odere, an alumnus of Illinois State University in Normal-Bloomington in the State of Illinois, was a publisher of the African Voice, a newspaper publication based in Chicago, United States. He served as media consultant to the Lagos State government when Bola Ahmed Tinubu was governor. On his return to Nigeria country, Odere was appointed by former Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, as his aide on Diaspora Affairs. He became the Head of Media and Publicity of the Diaspora Directorate of Tinubu-Shettima Presidential Campaign Council. Odere is currently the Senior Legislative Aide to the Senate President on Stakeholders’ Engagement and Mobilization. In this interview with KUNLE ODEREMI, Odere sheds light on the politics of Ondo State from where he hails.

The stage is almost set for the conduct of primaries by political parties preparatory to the 2024 governorship poll in Ondo State. As a stakeholder, what do you consider as the fundamental issues involved in the election?

The issues are actually multifaceted. But let us treat this conversation from the point of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to which I belong. The party needs to look at the issues dispassionately. After that, we can look at the individuals, that is, the aspirants. From the view of the APC, it should look at the election coming up in Ondo State dispassionately more so because of thee fact there is really no cohesion among the party members in Ondo State. This is because, before the death of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu , there was a serious political divide between him and his deputy, the current governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa. While I am not going to lay claim to what actually transpired, we do know for a fact that things went down between the two. We may not know all the facts about whatever went down. But the fact remains that because of that, there has been a very wide gulf among the APC members and their supporters of the two personalities. So, we do not want to go into this election with the house divided. That’s why I said the APC has to look at the issue very dispassionately. Ondo people, as electorate, are peculiar and to some extent because of their high principle. Once they decide on something, it is very difficult to change them and they may not even mind going into the opposition. Therefore, due to this division between the camps of the incumbent governor and that of the late Governor Akeredolu, there is a need for the APC to present somebody who is not going to further divide the house; a need to present an aspirant, who would stand as a rallying point going into this election. I have said that before and it bears repeating here that if the current governor had actually thought deeply about the interest of the APC, perhaps, he may not have put himself forward to run for the election because it is going to further polarise the party; it is going to further create division among the party supporters and the electorate. We don’t want to do anything that would be tantamount to retrieving defeat from the jaws of victory and this why I said, because he is the father of Ondo politics, father of the political parties, including the APC, he should have actually stepped aside and allowed somebody who is ready to be neutral, who doesn’t have any baggage that could be contested later. But having said that and he decided to run, we cannot take that from him because he has the right to want to contest or otherwise. So, it now goes to the issue of the aspirant who can best secure victory for the APC in Ondo State. And having studied all the aspirants, about 15 of them, I see no other person than the distinguished Senator Jimoh Ibrahim as fitting the bill to actually carry the APC to victory in the November election.

Your party has promised to provide a level-playing field for the contestants. Don’t you consider that promise to have taken care of the whole situation surrounding who should be in the race for the party ticket?

Well, the party must provide a level-playing field; it has no choice because we are talking about a representative democracy, more so, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the saddle in government. He is a core democrat and he knows what transparent, free and fair primary is all about. So, I have no doubt in mind that the APC is going to provide a level-playing field. Having said that, the onus is still on the party itself, after studying the different as aspirants, to actually zero in on an individual because it is the overall interest of the APC that matters this time round. Just because you want to create a level-playing field doesn’t mean that they should not as a party have a preference in terms of who is going to likely carry the party to victory. So, the party must be interested in that; it can be all-comers going into the primary, but there has to be a signal by the APC that this aspirant is best suited not only to take the party to victory but also best suited to actually protect its interest. Quite frankly, we need to also emphasise the fact that the party must zero in because the South-West is the base of President Tinubu; the zone is his political base and part of all that is going now is about the 2027 calculations too. We as a party have already lost two states in the South-West and that is even bad enough. So, we cannot afford to lose another state to the opposition. That is why I said the APC must look at the coming primary and the election proper very dispassionately and do all it can to making sure that Ondo State is secured; that no more state in the South-West is going to be lost at the poll because it will not augur well for the president if he is weak in his geopolitical base and that’s why I said the APC needs to have more than a passing interest in how the primary turns out.

There are talks about the need for the APC to come up with a consensus candidate, given the fairly large number of contestants for the ticket, to avert what played out in a similar contest in Edo State recently?

Nothing is impossible in politics. There is a chance that such may happen, but looking at the closeness of the primary, if a consensus candidate is going to emerge, I believe it would have emerged by now. Again, it is still possible at the last few days or at the eleventh hour. So, the possibility exists and if that happens, I hope that the consensus candidate would be Senator Jimoh Ibrahim for several reasons. He is one politician that stands out from the pack. He is somebody who has articulated what he is going to do and he has said that severally and I agree with him that he is not interested in running down any aspirant and he has not been doing that. He has always been focused on his message; he has always been focused on his deliverables and winning the election for the party. He is a first term senator from the Ondo South Senatorial District. Even with this small amount of time that he has spent in the Senate, he has become a poster boy of the Senate because of his articulation, because of his contributions on the floor of the Senate. Since 1999 that the country started the Fourth Republic, I don’t know if you are aware that Ondo State has the largest deposits of bitumen in the entire country, if not in the whole of Africa. Since then, all our politicians have not been able to do anything towards harnessing that huge mineral deposit in the state. They have not been able to come up with necessary legislation that would fast track the process of harnessing the veritable resource until Senator Ibrahim came into the Senate and he sponsored a bill on bitumen. The bill has passed through the Second Reading in the Senate; it is awaiting the Third Reading and I’m sure that by God’s grace that when the bill is passed into law, it is going to open up the developmental vista of the state because he has said that we can as Ondo State people and as a government leverage on the bitumen deposit without even having paid a dime to all the people who will be licensed to mine the mineral for infrastructural development.

That is not the only thing that he has promised. He has also said that when he becomes the governor, Ondo central senatorial district that has been neglected all along is going to get an enormous facelift. He has something special for each of the three senatorial districts in the state. The Southern senatorial district is not only going to be the hub of maritime and agriculture but also become the hub of tourism because you can imagine if the area is opened up infrastructure-wise. This is his thinking, that it will take less than an hour to get to Lagos. When goods and services are moved from Ondo State to Lagos, because the latter is the commercial nerve-centre of the economic activities in the country, the spiralling effects will be huge and beneficial. There will be enormous multiplier effects that it will have on the economy of Ondo State. These are a few of the huge number of progressive, developmental agenda and vision Senator Jimoh Ibrahim has consistently articulated and encouraged over the years. Not only that, this is an individual who has about nine degrees, with two being PhDs. In fact, he knows his onion and he is an extremely brilliant man and in these days and Age, the 24th Century, we should actually jettison all those politicians who do not have any idea. You and I can treat files; it is just a matter of approving or not approving them. But it is not everybody that has ideas because ideas rule the world, frankly. So, out of all these aspirants, Senator Ibrahim is the only one, in my own estimation, that is brimming with the power of ideas. This is one of the reasons that I share his vision; I believe in ideas too. It is ideas that create a new paradigm. Every leader that you have both in Nigeria and other parts of the world, they are who they are today or who they were yesterday because of the power of their ideas. The late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo is a typical example. The things that Chief Awolowo did for the Western Region and indeed the country are still being talked about; those things haven’t been replicated up till tomorrow. Why is that? It is simply because of his ideas, his uncommon ideas that have stood the test of time. It is the same thing Senator Jimoh Ibrahim represents. He is full of ideas and with ideas, you can move mountains.

The main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) says it was poised to reclaim power in Ondo State in the coming poll. That confidence being expressed by the PDP appears to be giving you and other APC faithful serious worries?

We don’t want to discountenance any political party, most especially the PDP, though the party is limping right now, not only in Ondo State, even across the whole country. Nonetheless, the party can still be considered formidable. We cannot afford to take it for granted just for the fact that it is limping. So, that is why we need to cross our Ts and dot our Is so that we don’t make any stupid mistake that the PDP can actually latched onto. Quite frankly, I don’t see the PDP as a threat. If there is any threat at all, it is within, and not without.

Some critics say since Senator Ibrahim is already in the National Assembly, he should be satisfied with the big task of making laws for the country instead of trying to explore in a perceived contest of uncertainty, that the current battle for the APC ticket is a slippery terrain. After all, the popular saying is that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush?

That is a very good question, but the way I would answer it is that politicians are considered to be incurable optimists. Yes, he is a first term senator; one would think that he should just stay in the Senate. However, when you have somebody who has demonstrated capability, who has demonstrated knowledge and understanding of issues, it may very well be that the Senate is a pond to him. So, I don’t see anything wrong if he wants to go to a larger ocean. This time round, it is the state where you can only get so much done. In the National Assembly, even if the Bitumen Bill that he sponsored… is the only thing that he did before exiting the Senate to resume as governor in the state, that alone is very significant. So, you can now imagine somebody who actually unleashed the resources of the state backed by legislation, not wanting to see how those things (bitumen deposits) to be harnessed for the good of the people and the state in general. So, I don’t see any reason why as a first timer he cannot go for the governorship race. Like I said earlier, he is better off to give to the entire people of the state what he has in knowledge and ideas rather than just a small section of the state in terms of his senatorial district. So, it is a good move as far as I am concerned.

Gov. Oyebanji Explores Tourism Potential, Partners with Art Collector for Tourism Development.

Gov. Oyebanji Explores Tourism Potential, Partners with Art Collector for Tourism Development.

By Olamide Akinwumi. 

In a bold move to harness the tourism potential of Ekiti State, Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji embarked on a significant excursion on Saturday, April 13th. The focus of his weekend's activities centered on exploring avenues to bolster the state's cultural heritage and attract visitors from far and wide. A pivotal aspect of this endeavor was the Governor's visit to the private museum of Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon, one of Nigeria's foremost Art Collectors and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Olowe of Ise Art Foundation, located in Lagos.

This visit symbolized a crucial step forward in the Governor's vision to promote tourism in Ekiti State. Omooba Yemisi Shyllon's stature as a distinguished art collector and his appointment as a trustee by Governor Oyebanji underscores the commitment to harnessing the rich cultural heritage of the state. The proposed Olowe Of Ise Museum, set to be situated in Ise-Ekiti, stands as a testament to this dedication.

The collaboration between Governor Oyebanji and Omooba Yemisi Shyllon signals a promising partnership aimed at leveraging Ekiti's cultural assets to drive tourism and economic growth. By tapping into the expertise and resources of influential figures in the art world, the Governor aims to showcase the vibrant cultural tapestry of Ekiti State to a global audience.

Furthermore, the establishment of the Olowe Of Ise Museum holds immense potential to become a beacon of cultural preservation and education. Through curated exhibitions and immersive experiences, the museum will offer visitors insights into the rich artistic traditions and historical significance of Ekiti's heritage.

Governor Oyebanji's strategic approach to tourism development aligns with his broader vision of positioning Ekiti State as a premier destination for cultural enthusiasts and history buffs. By fostering partnerships with key stakeholders and leveraging the expertise of esteemed individuals like Omooba Yemisi Shyllon, the Governor is laying the groundwork for sustainable tourism growth and socio-economic development in the state.

As the plans for the Olowe Of Ise Museum take shape, anticipation grows for the transformative impact it will have on Ekiti's tourism landscape. With Governor Oyebanji's unwavering commitment and the support of dedicated partners, Ekiti State is poised to emerge as a hub of cultural heritage and artistic excellence, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in its captivating allure.

In essence, Governor Oyebanji's visit to Omooba Yemisi Shyllon's private museum marks a pivotal moment in Ekiti's journey towards unlocking its tourism potential and celebrating its rich cultural legacy on a global stage.