PROTEST: WE WON'T TOLERATE BREAKDOWN OF LAW AND ORDER, SAYS OYEBANJI.

PROTEST: WE WON'T TOLERATE BREAKDOWN OF LAW AND ORDER, SAYS OYEBANJI.

….Governor appeals for calm in statewide broadcast. 

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, has vowed to ensure protection of lives and property of citizens of the state in the wake of the planned nationwide protests over current economic situation in the country.

Governor Oyebanji said Nigeria and its people cannot afford "another massive destruction of our economic base" as witnessed during the #EndSARS protest that led to the destruction of many private and government infrastructures.

Addressing the people of Ekiti State in a statewide broadcast on Wednesday morning, the Governor expressed concern that the planned protest has the potential to degenerate into violence and reverse his administration's steady progress to shared prosperity.

Governor Oyebanji, in the address which was broadcast across all radio and television stations in the state, clarified that while his administration is not averse to free expression of opinions and displeasures over socioeconomic issues, it strongly believes that it should be after due consideration of the overall security implication of such a protest.

Acknowledging the constitutional rights to freedom of expression and the right to air views freely, Governor Oyebanji argued that "a protest should be conducted under a peaceful atmosphere without recourse to any violent disturbances to other citizen who also enjoy inalienable right to unhindered movement and life."

The Governor pointed out that he has the primary duty to ensure the security and wellbeing of the people at all times as the Chief Security Officer of the state noting that security agencies will be on high alert and will not allow anybody to destroy Ekiti's good image as a peaceful and progressive State.

He appealed to the residents of the state not to fall into the agenda of individuals "who might just be interested in wreaking havoc while pretending to be fighting for the interest of the ordinary people."

While contending that protest, violence and destruction of lives and property can be counterproductive, the Governor said “a lot of fifth columnists are trying desperately to weaponize the current economic crisis for their own destructive agenda."

Recalling the havoc wreaked in Ekiti during the #EndSARS protest of 2020, Governor Oyebanji disclosed that some public buildings, infrastructures and assets are still in ruins nearly four years after they were savagely vandalized by protesters with government struggling to repair or replace them.

According to him, "nothing much will change by blocking roads and prevent distribution of goods and services, instead, it will aggravate poverty and sorrow and will also worsen the situation as it did in 2020 when we had to slip into deeper economic recession as a result of the combined effect of COVID 19 pandemic and the #EndSARS wanton destruction of economic infrastructure across the country."

"Multimillion naira businesses were completely ruined and the owners destroyed forever. Till today, the Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency’s store room and other government institutions remain in ruins because of the arson and looting that were visited on the State by retrogressive elements masquerading as protesters.

"Many of our silos which serve as national strategic reservoirs for food and seedlings were burnt, looted and vandalized. Government is still struggling with replacing or repairing these infrastructures, even in the face of scarce resources," the Governor said.

The Governor appealed to parents, guardians, traditional rulers and religious leaders to appeal to the youths not to submit themselves to those he referred to as "evil merchants who want to use them to cause violence in our state as protests can easily be hijacked by hoodlums."

He stressed "that no matter how peaceful a protest might seem at the beginning, no one can predict its eventual dynamics and its ending."

The Governor also used the opportunity of the broadcast to assure the people o the state that efforts are on to ameliorate the current challenges relating to food price inflation and high cost of transportation while also ensuring that the provision of welfare packages to workers, retirees and other citizens.

He added: "It is for this reason that we have undertaken different palliative measures across the State to many of the eligible people based on different criteria for each batch. 

"Indeed, we are not in anyway deluded that food handouts will be the magic bullet to end the food related inflation, more and abundant production of foodstuff is the golden bullet to fight food poverty and government has put in place various measures to ramp up food production in the State through the Ministry Agriculture and Food Security and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

"It is in the realization of this, that we are investing in an unprecedented level, in agriculture. We are supporting our farmers to increase their capacity in production through clearing and ploughing of land in thousands of hectares. 

"The second phase of the land clearing is about being concluded. We are not only clearing and ploughing for our farmers, we are also providing them free and subsidized seedlings, fertilizers and other farm implements."

OYEBANJI ADMINISTRATION IS FANTASTIC, UNMATCHED, SAYS OJUAWO.

OYEBANJI ADMINISTRATION IS FANTASTIC, UNMATCHED, SAYS OJUAWO.

"...Let the good work continue"

Hon. (AVM Rtd) Ojuawo Rufus Adeniyi has described the administration of the current governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, as fantastic and unmatched, which should be encouraged to continue in government till 2030.

According to the Honourable representing Ekiti South Federal Constituency 1 in the green chamber in Abuja, Governor Oyebanji and his team have continued to excel in good governance, delighting all and sundry, and nobody can match their present achievements.

"They are unmatched and should be encouraged to continue with the good work they are doing presently for another term," Ojuawo said, adding: "We have a good administration in place in Ekiti. Everyone has keyed into the vision. It's like all in the BAO cabinet were cut out for what they are doing at the moment, and it's my proposition that the team is left alone to continue to improve on the quality standard being built."

Asked if that was the thinking of everyone in Ekiti South, Hon. Ojuawo answered in the affirmative, saying that as far as he knew, no one would stand up against Gov. Oyebanji's second term from the constituency or any constituency, not even within the opposition parties.

"We are all in one accord that Gov. Oyebanji, BAO, is the best choice for Ekiti right now till 2030. Anyone questioning that is on their own, and we will confront them with the brutal fact that we are going to queue behind the winning team for the second term. Let the good work of Oyebanji continue," Ojuawo admonished.

Before joining mainstream politics, Hon. Ojuawo, who retired from the Nigerian Air Force as Air Vice Marshal, affirmed that if BAO were in the military, he would have enjoyed rapid promotion and been given higher tasks to perform due to his resourcefulness and determination in ensuring everyone's well-being.

"I commend the entire team and give kudos to everyone who appreciates the good work of the administration," Ojuawo said.

OJUAWO MEDIA TEAM

Oyebanji Urges Ekiti Residents to Uphold Peace During Planned Nationwide Protest.

Oyebanji Urges Ekiti Residents to Uphold Peace During Planned Nationwide Protest.

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has called on residents to maintain peace amidst threats of a nationwide protest scheduled for August 1. Addressing the state in a special broadcast, Oyebanji emphasized the importance of avoiding violence and maintaining the steady progress towards shared prosperity.

Text of the Special State Address By His Excellency Biodun Oyebanji Governor, Ekiti State, Nigeria
Ado-Ekiti – Monday, July 31, 2024
Ekiti Kete,

1. I am compelled to address you today, in this Special State Broadcast, because of the threats of an impending nationwide protest by clandestine organizations with obvious potential to degenerate into violence and reverse our steady progress to shared prosperity.

2. As your chief security officer, I have the primary duty to ensure your safety and well being at all times. This,we have been doing since our assumption of office.

3. Whereas, our Constitution grants all citizens the right to freedom of expression, including the right to air their views freely, It is therefore expected that a protest will be conducted under   a peaceful atmosphere without recourse to any violent disturbances to other citizens who also enjoy their inalienable right to unhinderedmovement and life.

4. It is the least expected that before any protest of this magnitude would take place, the concerned persons would have sought to dialogue and engage with the appropriate authorities on their areas of concern. This is the hallmark of democratic practice globally. Protest should not be first and only channel of engagement.

5. As a Government, therefore, while we are not averse to free expression of opinions and displeasures over socioeconomic issues, we sincerely believe it should be after due consideration of the overall security implications of such a protest.

6. In Ekiti, our Government has always accorded you the people all the respect and dignity befitting of citizens and we have always engaged with you through different channels of communication that we have created including direct interaction with Ekiti people from time to time.

7. As a result, we are well acquainted with your daily difficulties in the face of this current economic challenges that affect everyone, including government institutions which is a global phenomenon.

8. While protest is a legitimate way of addressing the attention of the authorities to the challenges that citizens face, we must be honest to acknowledge that protest, violence and disruption in the economic life of our country at a time like this can be counter productive now that everything is being done to re-set the economy to productivity through different fiscal and monetarymeasures that are already showing early indication of success and we cannot afford a roll back of the present gains.

9. As a people, we cannot also afford another expensive destruction of our economic base as we did in 2020 during the #EndSARS protest that led to the destruction of many private and government infrastructures. Multimillion naira businesses were completely ruined and the owners destroyed forever. Till today, the Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency’s store room and other government institutions remain in ruins because of the arson and looting that were visited on the State by retrogressive elements masquerading as protesters.

10. Many of our silos which serve as national strategic reservoirs for food and seedlings were burnt, looted and vandalized. Government is still struggling with replacing or repairing these infrastructures, even in the face of scarce resources.

11. It is for these that I want to sincerely appeal to our people not to fall into the agenda of those who might just be interested in wreaking havoc while pretending to be fighting for the interest of the ordinary people. A lot of fifth columnists are trying desperately to weaponize the current economic crisis for their own destructive agenda.

12. Ekiti Kete, you can all bear witness to our relentless effort to ameliorate the current challenges relating to food price inflation. We feel the pain of the high cost of food, transportation and indeed other basic needs of the average man.

13. As a result, we have tried to lessen this by continuously ensuring our workers are paid on time, even before the due date. We have also been paying wage award to all government workers and retirees in addition to other welfare packages for the citizens.

14. Even though, the spiral economic impact of these interventions is enormous on the economy of Ekiti State, the truth remains that majority of our people are self-employed. It is for this reason that we have undertaken different palliative measures across the State to many of the eligible people based on different criteria for each batch. Indeed, we are not in anyway deluded that food handouts will be the magic bullet to end the food related inflation, more and abundant production of foodstuff is the golden bullet to fight food poverty and governmenthas put in place various measures to ramp up food production in the State through the Ministry Agriculture and Food Security and the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

15. It is in the realization of this, that we are investing in an unprecedented level, in agriculture. We are supporting our farmers to increase their capacity in production through clearing and ploughing of land in thousands of hectares. The second phase of the land clearing is about being concluded. We are not only clearing and ploughing for our farmers, we are also providing them free and subsidized seedlings, fertilizers and other farm implements. Yesterday, we flagged off the Livestock, Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) programme to ramp up livestock productivity in Ekiti State, this will boost livestock farming in the State.

16. And because we understand that infrastructure in terms of road access affect our food supply and distribution, we have just awarded, in conjunction with the World Bank, some rural road contracts worth 17 billion naira across the State, while the next phase will come on board soon. We expect to construct 1000km of roads across the State before the expiration of the programme. This will ensure the bountiful harvest that is expected in the next one year will have quick and easy access into the market. Our government is also working with stakeholders to eliminate the exploitative business of the middlemen in the agric distribution chain. This will ensure that the farmers are not ripped off and that price gouging are eliminated.

17. All these steps are the real and enduring solutions to the food inflation challenges that we are facing in our country. Nothing much will change by blocking roads and prevent distribution of goods and services, instead, it will aggravate poverty and sorrow. It will worsen the situation as it did in 2020 when we had to slip into deeper economic recession as a result of the combined effect of COVID 19 pandemic and the #EndSARSwanton destruction of economic infrastructure across the country.

18. On our part, we want to assure our citizens that we are more than resolved to protect our State and to ensure no breakdown of laws and orders. The security agencies will be on high alert and will not allow anybody to bloodstain our immaculate name as a peaceful and progressive State.

19. I therefore want to appeal to parents and guardians, our traditional rulers and religious leaders to appeal to the youths not to submit themselves to the evil merchants who want to use them to cause violence in our state as protests can easily be hijacked by hoodlums. No matter how peaceful a protest might seem at the beginning, no one can predict its eventual dynamics and its ending.

20. In the meantime, I appeal to you all to go about your daily routine without any fear or hesitation. Nobody will be allowed to obstruct, intimidate, impede or harass anyone in the name of protests in our Land of Honour.

21. We must join hands together to ensure the peace of Ekiti is not truncated. May peace continue to flourish in our Land and may you all prosper.

22. Thank yon for your attention and God bless.

‘Biodun Oyebanji
Governor, Ekiti State, Nigeria

Senator Bamidele Celebrates 61st Birthday, Honored by BATSV Chairman.

Senator Bamidele Celebrates 61st Birthday, Honored by BATSV Chairman.

The Global Chairman of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Solidarity Vanguard (BATSV), Ambassador Dr. Dare Owotomobi, has extended his heartfelt congratulations to Senator Barrister Dr. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, CON, on the occasion of his 61st birthday.

In his congratulatory message, Ambassador Owotomobi praised Senator Bamidele's distinguished political career. Senator Bamidele serves as the Chairman of the Ekiti State National Assembly Caucus, the Leader of the Tenth Senate, and the Leader of Government Business at the Senate. His extensive experience includes a tenure as a Member of the House of Representatives and a background as a student union activist at the University of Benin.

Senator Bamidele's political journey began as a Senior Legislative Aide (SLA) to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu during Tinubu's time in the Senate. He later served as a Senior Special Assistant (SSA), Special Adviser, and Commissioner during Tinubu's tenure as the Executive Governor of Lagos State.

Dr. Owotomobi highlighted Senator Bamidele's progressive ideologies as the driving force behind his political achievements. He expressed his best wishes on behalf of BATSV worldwide, joining Senator Bamidele's family, friends, and political associates in celebrating this legal icon and National BOT Member of BATSV.

Jimmy Nanyak Lar,

Special Assistant Media to BATSV Global Chairman

Ekiti Monarchs Appeal to Citizens to Shun Nationwide Protest, Embrace Dialogue.

Ekiti Monarchs Appeal to Citizens to Shun Nationwide Protest, Embrace Dialogue.                By Olamide Akinwumi 

The Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers has urged citizens to avoid participating in the planned nationwide protest and instead engage in constructive dialogue. The appeal was made during the Council's monthly statutory meeting on Tuesday, where state and national security issues were among the key topics of discussion.

HRM Oba Ayorinde Ilori-Faboro Ajiboyede III, the Olojudo of Ido-Ekiti; and chairman of Ekiti Council of Traditional Rulers.

In a communique signed by HRM Oba Ayorinde Ilori-Faboro Ajiboyede III, the Olojudo of Ido-Ekiti and chairman of the Ekiti Council of Traditional Rulers, the Council expressed deep concern over the planned protest, tagged #NationalDayofRage, scheduled for August 1. The monarchs highlighted the potential security implications for Ekiti State and Nigeria at large.

"We recall with sadness the result of a similar protest that took place in October 2020 and the destruction and carnage that ensued from such a protest," the communique read. "While we recognize the right of Nigerians to peaceful protest, it’s the view of the Council that a call to protest of this nature is a potential invitation to chaos and instability, as witnessed in 2020."

The Council appealed to all Ekiti indigenes both within the state and across Nigeria to avoid participating in the protest and to instead engage with the government at all levels through productive dialogue. They emphasized that many of the issues being demanded cannot be resolved instantaneously.

Furthermore, the traditional rulers commended the government's efforts to address the nation's economic and food challenges. They called for an acceleration of policy actions to further tackle these issues and appealed to the Ekiti State Government and security agencies to ensure the preservation of peace and tranquility in the state.

"We appeal to the Ekiti State Government and the security agencies to do everything possible to ensure nothing compromises the current peace and tranquility of Ekiti State," the communique concluded.

Hon. Ojuawo Extols Chief Wole Olanipekun's Virtues as Babcock University Confers Honorary Degree.

Hon. Ojuawo Extols Chief Wole Olanipekun's Virtues as Babcock University Confers Honorary Degree.

The Member representing Ekiti South Federal Constituency 1, Hon. (AVM Rtd) Ojuawo Rufus Adeniyi, has congratulated the Pro Chancellor and Chairman of Governing council University of Lagos Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), on the conferment of an honorary degree of Doctor of Law and Administration by Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, at the institution's convocation ceremony.

Hon. Ojuawo extolled Chief Olanipekun's sterling qualities as a legal luminary and a highly respected leader in the state, describing him as a global star who has continually brought pride and recognition to Ekiti State.

'Chief Wole Olanipekun is an embodiment of excellence, integrity, and leadership. His contributions to the legal profession and Ekiti State are immeasurable. This honorary degree is a well-deserved recognition of his tireless efforts and commitment to the development of our state and the nation at large,' Hon. Ojuawo said.

He further emphasized that Chief Olanipekun's achievements serve as an inspiration to the younger generation, and his legacy will continue to be a beacon of hope and guidance for many years to come.

'The conferment of the honorary degree is a testament to Chief Olanipekun's outstanding achievements and his status as a respected leader in the legal profession. It is a fitting recognition of his dedication, hard work, and commitment to excellence. I urge the younger generation to emulate Chief Olanipekun's virtues and strive for excellence in their chosen careers, just as he has done.'

Once again, Hon. Ojuawo congratulates Chief Wole Olanipekun on this well-deserved honor and wishes him continued success and recognition in all his endeavors.

OJUAWO MEDIA TEAM

Shelve protest, Oyebanji, police beg Ekiti youths.

Shelve protest, Oyebanji, police beg Ekiti youths.

Ekiti state governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has appealed to the youths in the state to shelve the planned nationwide protest in the overall interest of the country.

The governor said that the protest would not solve the country’s socio-economic challenges but only worsen the pains of Nigerians and further inflict damage on the country’s economy.

Oyebanji spoke on Monday, July 29, in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state capital during a stakeholders meeting organized to brainstorm on the planned nationwide protest starting from August 1.

The governor represented by his special adviser on security, Brigadier General (rtd) Ebenezer Ogundana, called on the youths to embrace dialogue in pressing home their demand, warning the protest could be hijacked by criminal elements to cause mayhem and destabilize the country.

The governor who acknowledged that the country is currently going through challenges, said President Bola Tinubu had taken bold steps in addressing the economic challenges and the attendant hardship.

He urged Nigerians to exercise patience and give President Tinubu more time to implement his developmental blueprint towards making the renewed hope agenda a reality.

On his part, the Commissioner of Police, Adeniran Adewale, said that the meeting became necessary to engage relevant stakeholders and take feedback to the appropriate authorities for action.

Akinwale urged all the groups planning to protest in the state to come forward and give necessary details, saying this was necessary to ensure that the protest was peaceful.

Meanwhile, a group under the auspices of Nigerian Youth for Democracy (NYD), has advised Nigerian youths to explore dialogue instead of staging protests that can grind the economy to a halt.

The group’s national coordinator and former special assistant on youth and student Affairs in the state, Comrade Moses Ademiloye said past protests had resulted in arson attacks and violence on perceived political opponents.

Ademiloye added that any protest of national dimension has a high proclivity of causing economic disruptions, forcing businesses to close down, properties damaged, and public resources strained, which he warned can lead to job losses and exacerbate economic hardship for many Nigerians, particularly the struggling youths.

He said: “While protest is a form of expression, it should not replace constructive dialogue and democratic processes. Engaging in protests without exhausting other means of communication and negotiation can undermine the very democratic principles we seek to uphold.

“In light of these potential consequences, I urge all Nigerian youths to consider alternative, constructive means of effecting change. Let us engage with policymakers, community leaders, and stakeholders through dialogue. Present well-researched, viable solutions to the issues at hand. Constructive engagement can lead to meaningful changes without the risks associated with protests”, he added.

@The Nation News