My life experience shaped my leadership style —Okorocha

Okorocha

The leadership style of Governor Rochas Okorocha and his love for philanthropy have been subjects of controversy over the years. But the governor, who celebrated his 50th birthday last Monday, October 8, 2012, told Sam Egburonu, shortly after the grand birthday ceremonies and the 10th anniversary of Rochas Okorocha Foundation Colleges, that his actions are shaped by the bitter experiences he had as a child from a poor family. He told his passionate story:

I was born into a home that is relatively poor from all the definitions of poverty. So, I understand from the onset that I have a task ahead of me and the name of the game is survival. I have to work extra hard to make both ends meet by combining my education with street trading business. So, I didn’t have a straight school experience. While growing up I was involved in street trading business at one point in time or the other. Honestly, there has never been a dull moment in my life. In fact, I engaged in too many things just for the sole purpose of survival.
I broke even in two stages. The first one was at a very tender age of my life when I was selling used clothes. Then, I was in secondary school. I can say I broke even because I was able to buy a bus. I was able to buy a bus in secondary school and I bought television set in primary school as small as I was from the sale of oranges, coconuts and used clothes. What I do is that if I sell, I post some of the profits and at the end of the year, I buy something with it. So, it has been a worthwhile experience but where I would say I made the first one million dollars, was as a commission agent from the sale of used equipment in Bauchi State where Balfour Beatty was constructing the Balanga Dam. When the company was winding up, I was one of the agents that sold used equipment and I made N1.1 million when it was equivalent to $1 million dollars. I would say that was what saw me through my first break even. And I put the entire money into the business of used cars, then later graduated to the sale of new cars to what they called ‘Rochas Motors” but what made me really rich was top real estate business.
I was able to cross over from the sale of used clothes, oranges to used cars, new cars, real estate and so on because I don’t miss opportunity in life. When I was selling oranges, I was able to save some money from the sale of oranges. Take for instance, when you sell a bag of orange you use the money to buy four bags of oranges and if you sell another four bags you can now buy 12 bags of oranges. That was how I was able to buy television set in primary school.
In secondary school, I started selling Okrika (used clothes). I was virtually going to all the village markets in Plateau State and I am very popular in those markets even today. For any market I go to, I found out that all my goods are sold and some people thought it’s a gift from God. So, I have this power of conviction, to convince my customers to buy things from me. One whiteman once told me that I can sell ice to Eskimos.
I have done the investigation really and it was quite an interesting part of my life because the stages of development were quite sequential. At the age of nine I bought a television set, at the age of 14 I bought a bus, at the age of 19/20 I became head of a commercial school, at the age 22/23 I became a proprietor of a school and I went into cement business (BBC) in Gboko, Benue State. And at the age of 24 plus, I got married, at the age of 29 I became a member of National Constitutional Conference. I became a member of Federal Character Commission thereafter, then I went to contest for governor which failed and shortly after that I ran for presidency. I became a presidential adviser and I ran for presidency again. You see, I moved on and on in life with hard work and challenges.
Today at 50, I have told the world during the celebrations that I am no longer a boy. I say so because at 50, you should be able to take responsibilities for whatever action you take in life and there is this notion by elders that young ones never grow. In the Nigerian context or in Igbo land, some would say ‘Obi is a boy’, Eze goes to school but Eze must one day be a graduate and Obi must one day stop being a boy.
I am emphasizing it because I suffered that all my life; this small boy, why would he want to be governor? This small boy, why would he want to be president? He is over ambitious! So, I am no longer a small boy now. I am now qualified to do any business in Nigeria or run for any office in the Federal Republic and I am qualified to take decisions that can affect my people positively.

Plane crashes:
I had been involved in two plane crashes. One, I narrowly escaped, which was the Belview airline that I was about to board and later turned back because I was feeling dizzy and I was not feeling very good. I was very sick instantly and I was wondering if I was going to make the flight. I hope I was not going to run into problems either fainting in the plane; it has never happened to me before. That was how I got out of that plane. The one of Nigerian Airways was a messy one because we saw the plane crash. It landed and caught into flames in the bush and many people died.
That was in Kaduna and it was a big experience. We boarded the plane and I took the second row of the seat. The plane was too full that the air hostess had to give up her seat to use the captain’s cockpit seat. And one lady came in and in the attempt for the air hostess to give her a seat, she said she was not going to go and she worked back. Then I said to myself if something happens to this plane then this girl will say she knows God more than myself. And it was during the period Saro-Wiwa (Ken) was hanged in Port Harcourt Prison. I saw it on the news that Saro-Wiwa had just been hanged and I felt very bad. Because anything about death is really worrisome to me and somehow I prayed that God should be with the plane.
But few minutes after, the plane had problems and smokes were coming out of the aircraft everywhere and some people knew there was danger. The captain didn’t say anything to us but all we heard was the noise from the cockpit and we knew there was confusion and we found ourselves hitting the ground at an unusual speed almost at the end of the one way. There was smoke from all parts of the aircraft and people were dying and I noticed that those who were with me forgot to remove their seat belts and had all turned their heads to death. So, I was hypnotised somehow; I didn’t know what was happening and the doors refused to open for the few that were alive to come out. At a point I heard a voice say ‘Jesus Christ’ and my faith was rekindled and I remembered that I had seat belt on and I removed my seat belt. I went to the door and hit the door, miraculously that door opened and I cannot take the credit because I know that it was God’s doing. So, I was the first actually to open the door but instead of me going down I felt I could render help so I started throwing people that are still living out of the door. But there was this young lady who looked at the depth of the aircraft and could not jump and she held the two doors so I had to hit her to create space for others. It was a messy situation. Eventually, a feeling came to my mind. There was this chemistry teacher that I had, who taught us about the combustibility of gas especially the oxygen used by the plane. So, I remembered and I said to myself ‘this might be serious,’ so, I jumped out and when I jumped out the fire service brigade vehicle that was rushing to save lives, in an attempt to reverse, crushed two persons lying down already who were still alive and they died. When the fire got to the fuel tank the aircraft blew up and what we saw was blood and smoke.
There are some other ugly experiences that I have had. I had been involved in car crash severally and I had my leg almost amputated for car crashes, so, it has been life from challenges and progress.
So, for me, life is nothing; life is meaningless. The only thing that makes it worthwhile is what you are able to do for others. My happiness is what I am able to do for other people not in what I have because life is really worthless if you look at it deeply. So, what I celebrated actually was what God has used me to do for the poor people because if I achieved nothing at 50, it’s not worth celebrating.
This is why I believe that in Imo State, there is no going back on the issue of education and if it means making further sacrifice to make sure education is free for primary, secondary and university, we have to do it. It’s not a convenient thing to do. That means that for everything that I have to do, even the fuelling of vehicles in the Government House, I have to be careful. This is also true of the food that I eat, the water that I drink and so on. Everyday I do that, I remember I have responsibility to offer free education to people. So, with education Imo will be transformed. Infrastructurally, Imo has to be repackaged to make it so beautiful that the foreigners can look at it and want to partner the state. So, what I am doing now is repackaging the entire state such that people can be happy with it.
So, when I leave here, I want people to remember me as the one that came and impacted on the world and the society. I want to change the world for better, I don’t want to leave the world the way I met it. So for me the world must be better and that is why I said Imo must be better. Let me start with Imo first, Imo must be better and must leave a mark that will be an envy of the whole world. That is my joy.
It’s no longer in the primitive accumulation of wealth. I am not excited about cars, I am not excited about houses, I am not excited about champaign and drinks. Those for me are old fashion; they are old model. The new model is impacting on the life of others because I thank God Almighty that I lack none of this. So, I am not excited by houses any more, neither am I excited by cars. I am not excited by big living. I am not excited by being called a millionaire. Those things don’t excite me any more.
I am not excited by being observed by protocol as number one citizen or a man who must take a front seat any time. I am not excited at all. What excites me now is to see the poor people have a smile, kindly reach out to have a handshake with them. Can I embrace them? That is my joy and especially children because I weep for our children if you don’t have future. I have passed through the situation where my nation could not help me, my state could help me, my local government would not help me. My parents did a little they did but they couldn’t help me that much other than birth. So, the Nigerian nation rarely provided scholarship and virtually everything, I had to struggle to do. I would not want our children to go through what some of us have gone through. My nation owes me a duty of care, my state holds me a duty of care, my local government owes me a duty of care, my community owes me a duty of care for as long as I surrendered my power to their leadership. But we are not getting that, that is why I don’t want the future generation to go through what some of us have gone through. If you say I am a citizen, citizenship means that you can claim some rights but we couldn’t get it. So, I want a situation where our children who are coming should not go to war like we went to. Let children not suffer what their parents suffered. It’s only a foolish man that allows his children to go through the pains he went through.

Tips for finding focus in business

Do you find yourself getting to the end of the day and wondering where the time went? Maybe you started out prepared to accomplish some very specific tasks, but somehow you just didn’t get to them. Putting out fires and dealing with lesser issues can pull people away from longer-term goals. But if that happens every day, chances are you won’t be in business much longer.

Here are eight ways to prevent letting distractions damage your productivity:

Make and post a list

There’s no point in making a list if it ends up under all of your unopened mail at the end of the day. Post it right where you will see it every time you look up, answer the phone or turn to your computer. By keeping it within your field of sight, you can also keep it top-of-mind.

Shut your door

This seems like the opposite of good management practice. Aren’t you supposed to be available to employees when they have a problem? Well, if you aren’t focusing on your business, they will definitely have a problem — finding another job. Right now as an entrepreneur, it’s company first, employees second. And maybe if they can’t reach you they will take some initiative and solve their own problems.

Stand up when someone comes into your office

This means that your visitor can’t sit down and most people will get tired of standing and leave when their business with you is done. If someone is particularly long-winded despite standing, come around your desk and walk them out the door and down the hall. Then excuse yourself and head back to your office.

Limit outside attention grabbers

How often do you check email, Facebook, your cellphone? Do you take your own calls or leave that to a front-office person? Can potential suppliers get instant access to you when they walk in your office door? Every one of these is pulling you away from your main business. Schedule specific times to address these outside issues so that you have uninterrupted time to do your real job.

Get to the bottom of procrastination

Putting something critical off may be a matter of emotion rather than distractions. Are you afraid that you don’t have the skills to accomplish something important to your business? Do you feel that you don’t have enough information to do a good job? Are you nervous about the next step after your current project? Really spend time with a pencil and paper looking at the reasons why you aren’t tackling something and then figure out how to fix them.

Take small bites

This is anti-procrastination advice but it’s true whenever you have a hectic work day and don’t seem to get to those large projects. If you get started, you can accomplish more than you think with an extra 15-20 minutes every now and then throughout the day. Don’t wait for large blocks of time to get started or you may never get to it.

Clear your desk

If you’re ready to dive into a large project, clear your work area of other smaller duties. It’s so easy to catch sight of something that will only take a couple of minutes and stop working on the big stuff to address the little things. Don’t let visual distractions cost you important focused time.

Just do it

Close your door, turn off your phone, clear your desk and get started. Put a sign outside your office door with something like, “If it’s not bleeding, burning or quitting, tell me tomorrow.” If you remove all excuses and distractions, you may actually accomplish some of your main business goals even sooner than you expect.

Teaching your child about money (1)

Nimi Akinkugbe
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The elementary school years, when children are being introduced to mathematics concepts and coming to grips with numbers, are an excellent time to lay a solid foundation in personal financial management. Sadly, our educational system focuses almost totally on academic subjects and very rarely is any aspect of money management taught in schools.

If we want our children to grow up to be financially responsible adults, we must introduce them to the fundamentals of personal finance from an early age; they should have some understanding and practical experience in spending, saving, banking and investing. This will help them to develop a responsible attitude towards money and give them a solid foundation for making sensible financial decisions in future.

Give them an allowance. A regular allowance or “pocket money” is often a child’s first experience with financial independence as it gives them a certain degree of control over their own money and teaches early lessons in budgeting, saving and prioritizing purchases. In deciding how much to give your child, consider what items an allowance should cover for their age, and what your family can afford. Naturally, a child should not have access to excessive sums of money.

Guide and advise, but don’t dictate how the money should be saved or spent. You need to set some parameters around the types of purchases you expect them to make but as far as possible, allow them to determine their own spending choices. Encourage them to keep a record of how they are saving and spending their money; this will set the stage for budgeting.

Learning how to live within ones means is an important aspect of daily life and creating a budget is one of the best ways to achieve this. Sit down with your children and go over their wants and needs. What are they saving towards? How much can they afford? What gifts do they plan to buy? Build in some of their bills into their monthly budget such as the costs of maintaining their mobile phone.

Visit the market or grocery store with them and explain how you compare items based on price and quality. Talk about the purchases of the day, the way you select, and get value for money. Through commercials and peer pressure, children are constantly tempted to make impulsive purchases and will need guidance from you about how to make sound buying decisions.

One of the simplest ways to encourage a responsible attitude about money is to encourage children to save. Little children get excited about their “piggy-bank”; this traditional first savings method helps to build initial interest. Today some piggy banks have various compartments for saving, spending, investing and giving; the child then decides where their money goes.

Naturally as children get older, and begin to save more deliberately, it is important to visit a bank with them to make a deposit into an account opened in their name. Many banks offer incentives and attractive savings account options tailored for children.

Should you pay for chores? Chores offer an important lesson in cooperation, and develop in children a sense of responsibility as they live within their family community. Some parents pay their children for doing chores around the house whilst others prefer to give an allowance with no strings attached.

Try not to tie chores too stringently to allowances as this can make children feel that being paid for helping out at home is their right rather than their duty; some parents soon find themselves having to negotiate to get anything done! You do not want them developing the idea that they must be paid for everything. However, it makes sense to allow them to earn extra money for tasks that fall outside the usual household responsibilities and they benefit immensely from learning to earn.

Encouraging children to set specific, measurable goals drives a sense of motivation. Very young children tend to lose interest in goals that will take too long to achieve. For them, set modest, attainable savings goals. Over time, your child will learn to become a more disciplined saver and can save for longer term goals for large-ticket items like a camera or a computer. Offering to match whatever your child saves towards a long-term goal can be a motivating factor to older children and spurs them into attaining a goal.

Write down each goal, and the amount that must be saved weekly, or monthly to reach it. This will help your child learn the difference between short-term and long-term goals and how best to save or invest to achieve this.

Involve your children in your financial decisions regarding philanthropy and expose them to charitable giving early in their lives. Children can donate their unused toys, books and clothes and as they get older, can volunteer, giving of their time and talent.

These lessons teach them to understand and value those that are less fortunate. This will go a long way to develop a more responsible, caring society as the younger generation begins to have a sense of appreciation for some of the experiences and luxuries that they enjoy and take for granted.

Joy as Fayemi showcases stewardship

Necks were strained with no pain to their owners, all in a bid to catch a glimpse of the important visitor. And the scorching sun of the ‘hostile’ afternoon meant nothing to the jubilant crowd. Surprisingly, umbrellas were on sabbatical. Conspicuously displayed by ecstatic youths, placards bearing their heartfelt feelings competed for space. “Our own Governor Fayemi, we appreciate your intellectual approach to governance,” one of the placards read. The euphoria was infectious.
With his fists humbly clenched under his chin in bewitching awe, the cynosure of all eyes in the mini-carnival, Ekiti State Governor, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi (JFK), beamed his trademark toothy smile in heartfelt appreciation of his hosts who were obviously drunk with joy.
Exuding palpable sense of fulfillment of sorts, members of his entourage, including commissioners and some legislators, nodded their heads in acknowledgement of the overwhelming reception.
“I can’t but appreciate your love for me and your unshaking belief in our administration. But I can assure you, this is just the beginning of a largely rewarding relationship,” Fayemi declared, spurring a thunderous applause even from the traditional rulers who graced the occasion. The event was the foundation laying of a trailer park at Omuo-Oke in Ekiti East Local Government Area of the state.
It was the fifth day of the celebration of Fayemi’s second year in the saddle. The previous day, he had, amid pomp, commissioned an ultra-modern Data Centre and laid the foundation of a Civic Centre and Samsung Engineering Academy among such laudable projects at various locations in Ado, the state capital town.
An incurable stickler to promptitude, Fayemi, by his tight itinerary that day, this reporter later learnt, never anticipated spending more than five minutes at Omuo-Ekiti. But his hosts caught him off-guard with various captivating gestures, interspersed with songs by various groups, including members of the Dr. Frederick Fasheun faction of the frontline Yoruba self-determination group, the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC).
The gathering was enlivened the more when, Isalu Awoyo, a legendary masquerade that comes out once in seven years was specially ‘forced’ out to entertain the serviceable governor.
With head-swelling praise-songs, Egbe Obirin Omuo-Oke, all decked in white lace materials with embroidered caps to match, took their turn. Again, it was a groundswell of prayers for Fayemi and his lieutenants. They capped it up with presentation of gifts to the governor.
Chief Joshua Adewumi spoke for the community. He hinted: “We deliberately appear in white today to express our love for our governor and his administration.” Looking straight into Fayemi’s eyes, he added amid affirmatory ovation: “You will soon know how much we love you.”
Obviously touched, Fayemi smiled in response as he rose to address the people. As he read his brief speech, songs of appreciation rocked the scene from every angle. “Omuo-Oke specifically asked for a trailer park and we are here today to lay the foundation for its delivery,” he stated amid deafening chants of “thank you sir.”
He continued: “What we are doing here today is in agreement with our 8-Point Agenda. On completion, the park will end the era of indiscriminate parking of trailers on the route. The park will accommodate over 100 trailers and smaller vehicles; a petrol station; mechanic workshop, administration buildings; ambulance base, Fire Service Station and a police post among others. And it will create at least, 1000 jobs.”
Thereafter, with adeptness, Fayemi laid the foundation of the facility with mixed sand and blocks to the pleasant shock of onlookers. In fact, the main jocular poser left unanswered while he left for another location was whether or not the governor trained in bricklaying!”
In terms of time frame, the foundation-laying of the Life Academy Foundation, Ilu-Omoba in Gboyin Council Area had some semblance with the brief signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of the 27 million U.S Dollar Grand Tower Mall earlier on Wednesday at the Government House before the governor went on the day’s tour.
The project, billed to be executed at Ado, the state capital, by Golden Towers Plc, is expected to be completed within 24 months at no cost to the state government. It is expected to attract multinationals in the state’s investment drive, attract tourists, and employ no fewer than 500 construction staff with over 1000 post-construction employees.
Handing the Certificate of Occupancy of the location of the project to representatives of the Grand Towers Company after signing the MOU, Fayemi simply said, “you can move to site immediately.” He waited for no further comment as he embarked on the day’s trip.
In no time, the governor and his entourage were at Aisegba in Ise/Orun Council area for the foundation-laying of its Enterprise Development Centre.
Before one could say Jack, the entourage took its business to Ijan for the commissioning of Ilupeju-Ijan Electricity Project. It is in the same council area. That it was a special day in the community was felt even by the blind. Reason: Yes, he might not see the mammoth crowd of indigenes and their neighbours who stepped out to be counted at the moment and the school pupils who dared the hellish sun to welcome their beloved governor; but his eardrums would play host to euphonious traditional lyrics churned out in honour of Fayemi and his cabinet by various dance groups.
Call it another moment for the characteristic ‘Broom Revolution’ of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), you are right. Members in attendance waved their brooms as they chanted the praise of the governor vis-à-vis of the people-oriented agenda of the party.
Those who did not turn emergency photographers in desperate attempts to have the governor’s shots were perhaps the infinitesimal few without phone sets. Humans turned horses for others who mounted their backs; many other hanged on boughs and some wonky structures to have their turns at all costs, the inherent risks notwithstanding.
Some enthusiastic youths took their appreciation of the governor to a mathematical level when after Fayemi cut the tape to declare the project open, they shouted to high heavens: “Four plus four equal eight; not story!” Are you at sea over what that meant? One of the youths told this reporter: “He is doing another four years after this; it is settled!”
Certainly, it was bold on the faces of the state Deputy Governor, Mrs Olufunmilayo Olayinka and the governor’s wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi that the day would enjoy special mention in their memoirs. So it was for the Chairman of the ACN in the state, High Chief Jide Awe who also made the day with his governor.
After a thoughtful stare at the new electricity transformer just installed to empower the facility, the Onijan of Ijan, Oba Samuel Oyewole Fadahunsi, who, alongside his chiefs, graced the occasion in flowing robes and complementary beads, was unsparing in words of commendation for the governor for ending their days in darkness.
All Fayemi told them was that the project was in partial fulfillment of his electoral pledge to the community, stating that more would come the people’s way.
For Fayemi, having put his hands on the plough, especially as regards the day’s activities, there was no going back. Leaving Ijan, his convoy tore through the Ilupeju-Ijan-Ise Road that is actively undergoing re-construction by his administration. Construction workers were seen sweating it out.
Within minutes, the convoy berthed at Ijaloke Grammar School, Emure where structures recently rehabilitated by the administration were commissioned, and ditto for Obada High School, Emure Local Government area, where a modern science laboratory was opened for use.
No thanks to time constraints, the various entertainers that had gathered to do what they know best in appreciation of the governor’s gestures had little or no job to do.
They probably had not completely left the scenes with their drums when Fayemi, again, was warmly received at the African Church Comprehensive High School (ACCHS), Ikere, where the state government had breathed life into some dilapidated structures. Again, it was full pass mark for the governor by residents who sang his praises to high heavens.
With good performance by the masquerade, its guide’s day is made, so goes a proverb. That was obviously the picture in Ilawe, a major town in Ekiti South West Council area where about seven buildings in Corpus Christi School were repaired by the Fayemi-led government.
Traditional rulers, parents, teachers, pupils and residents abandoned their various other commitments to be part of the project commissioning by the widely acclaimed ‘Action Governor.’
“To the glory of God and service to humanity, today, I declare ….” was all it took Fayemi to suspend the fun for drummers who had dreamt of a rosy day with him on the project which they all agreed, was a major contribution to the “hungry” community by the administration.
Highly elated High Chief Gbenga Agbona, the Elemo of Ilawe, was effusive in words of gratitude to Fayemi’s administration in its genuine bid to reposition the state. Agbona, also an alumnus of the school, said one could not praise the governor and his cabinet enough for what they had done to lift the community.
“As an alumnus of Corpus Christi, we have been trying to do one or two things in the area of revamping the school, but not much to show for our efforts. With what the governor has done in this school and two others in our town, Fayemi has proved himself to be a worthwhile custodian of people’s mandate who is there to make meaning out of people’s lives,” Agbona submitted.
The lengthy Ilawe-Igbara-Odo-Ibuji Road later turned the entourage’s port of call. Again, same task – commissioning. Then, it had become no longer news that residents trooped out in numbers to say “thank you, our dear governor and reliable ambassador.”
To many a lazy doll, an infirmary would play host to the governor for three days after “over-using” himself like a Trojan horse on that Wednesday. However, it was no shock to most Government House staff who had got used to the fact that he works on all cylinders when, last Thursday, Fayemi was the first to jump into a vehicle to continue the projects commissioning/flag-off in other parts of the state.
On that day, besides commissioning the rehabilitated Ipoti High School, Ipoti and the Erelu Adebayo Orphanage, Iyin in the Central Senatorial District of the state among many others, Fayemi commissioned ten major roads totaling 103 kilometres in fulfillment of the resolve of his administration to make all the communities in the state accessible with motorable roads by 2014.
The roads, all located in Ekiti Central Senatorial District, include: 14.3-kilometre Erijinyan-Ilawe; 12-kilometre Odo Owa-Oke Ila; 6.25-kilometre Awo-Iyin; 24-kilometre Ikogosi-Efon; 11.5-kilometre Ado-Ilawe, and five-kilometre Fajuyi-Basiri-Police headquarters.
Others are 1.65-kilometre Fajuyi-Teaching Hospital Road; 10.75-kilometre Ado-Afao; two-kilometre Ijigbo-Isato and 13-kilometre Osun-Iloro route. Joyful noise welcomed the governor and his entourage wherever the road commissioning took place.
At the venues of the commissioning of the various roads, the refrain on Fayemi’s lips was that the construction, reconstruction and rehabilitation of the roads were informed by their deplorable condition which had given “motorists nightmarish experiences while traversing the roads”.
He revealed further that the government awarded contracts for the roads, especially those leading to Ado Ekiti, in November 2011, to mitigate the sufferings of motorists and also give the state capital a face-lift. The Fajuyi-Teaching Hospital Road, he added, was aimed at linking the on-going Ado-Iworoko-Ifaki Road with Fajuyi Park.
To the know-nots, he further disclosed to the pleasure of his hearers, that government was rehabilitating 16 other roads within the township to make Ado an enviable state capital in every sense.
While commissioning the Ado-Afao Road amid hearty expression of relief by prospective users and resident, Fayemi expressed confidence that the rehabilitated road would undoubtedly be a great relief to motorists, especially those going towards Ikole and the northern part. His reason: It is a shorter link than the Ado-Ifaki Road.
Fayemi, who recalled that the road was constructed by one of his predecessors, Ayo Fayose, in 2005, lamented that the road did not endure and thus became a haven for hoodlums.
With its current status, he enthused that the road would enhance the economic activities of the residents along the route.
His administration’s avowed battle against thirst also led to the governor’s commissioning of five water-treatment plants at various locations across the state. The plants and reservoirs are located at Ipole Iloro, Efon, Ido Ile, Okemesi and Mary Hill, Ado.
The governor explained that the water projects were to achieve the target of his administration in the area of providing potable water for at least, 80 per cent of the state population, by 2014.
He hinted that concerted efforts were being put in place to ensure that all the four dams in the state become functional as a bulk of the 2013 budget would be expended on water.
Today, it is a new dawn Odo Uro, a community in Iyin Ekiti. A nerve-soothing song is being sung by the people as the governor also commissioned a rural electrification project for the community.
The scope of work done involved about 0.1-kilometre Inter Town Connection (ITC); 1.8 township Distribution Network (TDN); a 300KVA transformer and street lighting.
To Fayemi, the project was not devoid of cogent reasons. Commissioning it, he explained that his administration realized the importance of good electricity supply to the economic and social development of rural communities, hence its prime place in the administration’s 8-Point Agenda.
Also, a healthcare centre at Ido Ile and a Skills Acquisition Centre at Iropora Ekiti which were carried out under the State Community and Social Development Agency were commissioned.
Speak ill of Fayemi today, you risk seeing the “red eye” of the Owa Ooye of Okemesi, Oba Gbadebo Adedeji. He spared no word in commendation of the governor and went further to urge him not to be discouraged by criticisms but to see them as “tonic” that would further commit him to the development of the state on all fronts.
The traditional ruler lauded Fayemi for the rapid and evenly distributed dividends of democracy which, by his reckoning, had been felt by virtually all communities in the state, saying: “What you have done within this short period is unprecedented; keep it up, our governor.”
Hon. Funminiyi Afuye, a former legislator in the state and now Commissioner for Information and Civil Orientation was part of the breath-taking tour. He mentioned some of what he termed the administration’s Legacy Projects, which include: Government House (billed for completion in 18 months); Governor’s Office (also to be completed in 18 months); Civic Centre (comprising a library, museum, art gallery and a cinema) to be completed in a year; State Pavillion, like the Eagle’s Square Abuja, where parades and other activities will take place, due to be completed in six months; Samsung Engineering Academy (to be completed within a year); Grand Tower Shopping mall and Life Academy at Ilu-Omoba (an ultra-modern technical school where graduates can go for further technical training in different fields).
Afuye hinted that the projects so far executed were made happen through the governor’s “incredible passion for hard work and goal getting” and the administration’s judicious use of the state’s meagre resources, including the N20 billion Bond secured by the state for capital projects.
Far from being an avenue for vain display of extravagance, to the Fayemi-led administration, the anniversary was committed to modestly showcasing the goodies of good governance and taking immediate steps to consolidate on such laudable achievements with one sole aim: To leave a legacy in people-oriented governance.

Joy as Fayemi showcases stewardship

Necks were strained with no pain to their owners, all in a bid to catch a glimpse of the important visitor. And the scorching sun of the ‘hostile’ afternoon meant nothing to the jubilant crowd. Surprisingly, umbrellas were on sabbatical. Conspicuously displayed by ecstatic youths, placards bearing their heartfelt feelings competed for space. “Our own Governor Fayemi, we appreciate your intellectual approach to governance,” one of the placards read. The euphoria was infectious.
With his fists humbly clenched under his chin in bewitching awe, the cynosure of all eyes in the mini-carnival, Ekiti State Governor, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi (JFK), beamed his trademark toothy smile in heartfelt appreciation of his hosts who were obviously drunk with joy.
Exuding palpable sense of fulfillment of sorts, members of his entourage, including commissioners and some legislators, nodded their heads in acknowledgement of the overwhelming reception.
“I can’t but appreciate your love for me and your unshaking belief in our administration. But I can assure you, this is just the beginning of a largely rewarding relationship,” Fayemi declared, spurring a thunderous applause even from the traditional rulers who graced the occasion. The event was the foundation laying of a trailer park at Omuo-Oke in Ekiti East Local Government Area of the state.
It was the fifth day of the celebration of Fayemi’s second year in the saddle. The previous day, he had, amid pomp, commissioned an ultra-modern Data Centre and laid the foundation of a Civic Centre and Samsung Engineering Academy among such laudable projects at various locations in Ado, the state capital town.
An incurable stickler to promptitude, Fayemi, by his tight itinerary that day, this reporter later learnt, never anticipated spending more than five minutes at Omuo-Ekiti. But his hosts caught him off-guard with various captivating gestures, interspersed with songs by various groups, including members of the Dr. Frederick Fasheun faction of the frontline Yoruba self-determination group, the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC).
The gathering was enlivened the more when, Isalu Awoyo, a legendary masquerade that comes out once in seven years was specially ‘forced’ out to entertain the serviceable governor.
With head-swelling praise-songs, Egbe Obirin Omuo-Oke, all decked in white lace materials with embroidered caps to match, took their turn. Again, it was a groundswell of prayers for Fayemi and his lieutenants. They capped it up with presentation of gifts to the governor.
Chief Joshua Adewumi spoke for the community. He hinted: “We deliberately appear in white today to express our love for our governor and his administration.” Looking straight into Fayemi’s eyes, he added amid affirmatory ovation: “You will soon know how much we love you.”
Obviously touched, Fayemi smiled in response as he rose to address the people. As he read his brief speech, songs of appreciation rocked the scene from every angle. “Omuo-Oke specifically asked for a trailer park and we are here today to lay the foundation for its delivery,” he stated amid deafening chants of “thank you sir.”
He continued: “What we are doing here today is in agreement with our 8-Point Agenda. On completion, the park will end the era of indiscriminate parking of trailers on the route. The park will accommodate over 100 trailers and smaller vehicles; a petrol station; mechanic workshop, administration buildings; ambulance base, Fire Service Station and a police post among others. And it will create at least, 1000 jobs.”
Thereafter, with adeptness, Fayemi laid the foundation of the facility with mixed sand and blocks to the pleasant shock of onlookers. In fact, the main jocular poser left unanswered while he left for another location was whether or not the governor trained in bricklaying!”
In terms of time frame, the foundation-laying of the Life Academy Foundation, Ilu-Omoba in Gboyin Council Area had some semblance with the brief signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of the 27 million U.S Dollar Grand Tower Mall earlier on Wednesday at the Government House before the governor went on the day’s tour.
The project, billed to be executed at Ado, the state capital, by Golden Towers Plc, is expected to be completed within 24 months at no cost to the state government. It is expected to attract multinationals in the state’s investment drive, attract tourists, and employ no fewer than 500 construction staff with over 1000 post-construction employees.
Handing the Certificate of Occupancy of the location of the project to representatives of the Grand Towers Company after signing the MOU, Fayemi simply said, “you can move to site immediately.” He waited for no further comment as he embarked on the day’s trip.
In no time, the governor and his entourage were at Aisegba in Ise/Orun Council area for the foundation-laying of its Enterprise Development Centre.
Before one could say Jack, the entourage took its business to Ijan for the commissioning of Ilupeju-Ijan Electricity Project. It is in the same council area. That it was a special day in the community was felt even by the blind. Reason: Yes, he might not see the mammoth crowd of indigenes and their neighbours who stepped out to be counted at the moment and the school pupils who dared the hellish sun to welcome their beloved governor; but his eardrums would play host to euphonious traditional lyrics churned out in honour of Fayemi and his cabinet by various dance groups.
Call it another moment for the characteristic ‘Broom Revolution’ of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), you are right. Members in attendance waved their brooms as they chanted the praise of the governor vis-à-vis of the people-oriented agenda of the party.
Those who did not turn emergency photographers in desperate attempts to have the governor’s shots were perhaps the infinitesimal few without phone sets. Humans turned horses for others who mounted their backs; many other hanged on boughs and some wonky structures to have their turns at all costs, the inherent risks notwithstanding.
Some enthusiastic youths took their appreciation of the governor to a mathematical level when after Fayemi cut the tape to declare the project open, they shouted to high heavens: “Four plus four equal eight; not story!” Are you at sea over what that meant? One of the youths told this reporter: “He is doing another four years after this; it is settled!”
Certainly, it was bold on the faces of the state Deputy Governor, Mrs Olufunmilayo Olayinka and the governor’s wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi that the day would enjoy special mention in their memoirs. So it was for the Chairman of the ACN in the state, High Chief Jide Awe who also made the day with his governor.
After a thoughtful stare at the new electricity transformer just installed to empower the facility, the Onijan of Ijan, Oba Samuel Oyewole Fadahunsi, who, alongside his chiefs, graced the occasion in flowing robes and complementary beads, was unsparing in words of commendation for the governor for ending their days in darkness.
All Fayemi told them was that the project was in partial fulfillment of his electoral pledge to the community, stating that more would come the people’s way.
For Fayemi, having put his hands on the plough, especially as regards the day’s activities, there was no going back. Leaving Ijan, his convoy tore through the Ilupeju-Ijan-Ise Road that is actively undergoing re-construction by his administration. Construction workers were seen sweating it out.
Within minutes, the convoy berthed at Ijaloke Grammar School, Emure where structures recently rehabilitated by the administration were commissioned, and ditto for Obada High School, Emure Local Government area, where a modern science laboratory was opened for use.
No thanks to time constraints, the various entertainers that had gathered to do what they know best in appreciation of the governor’s gestures had little or no job to do.
They probably had not completely left the scenes with their drums when Fayemi, again, was warmly received at the African Church Comprehensive High School (ACCHS), Ikere, where the state government had breathed life into some dilapidated structures. Again, it was full pass mark for the governor by residents who sang his praises to high heavens.
With good performance by the masquerade, its guide’s day is made, so goes a proverb. That was obviously the picture in Ilawe, a major town in Ekiti South West Council area where about seven buildings in Corpus Christi School were repaired by the Fayemi-led government.
Traditional rulers, parents, teachers, pupils and residents abandoned their various other commitments to be part of the project commissioning by the widely acclaimed ‘Action Governor.’
“To the glory of God and service to humanity, today, I declare ….” was all it took Fayemi to suspend the fun for drummers who had dreamt of a rosy day with him on the project which they all agreed, was a major contribution to the “hungry” community by the administration.
Highly elated High Chief Gbenga Agbona, the Elemo of Ilawe, was effusive in words of gratitude to Fayemi’s administration in its genuine bid to reposition the state. Agbona, also an alumnus of the school, said one could not praise the governor and his cabinet enough for what they had done to lift the community.
“As an alumnus of Corpus Christi, we have been trying to do one or two things in the area of revamping the school, but not much to show for our efforts. With what the governor has done in this school and two others in our town, Fayemi has proved himself to be a worthwhile custodian of people’s mandate who is there to make meaning out of people’s lives,” Agbona submitted.
The lengthy Ilawe-Igbara-Odo-Ibuji Road later turned the entourage’s port of call. Again, same task – commissioning. Then, it had become no longer news that residents trooped out in numbers to say “thank you, our dear governor and reliable ambassador.”
To many a lazy doll, an infirmary would play host to the governor for three days after “over-using” himself like a Trojan horse on that Wednesday. However, it was no shock to most Government House staff who had got used to the fact that he works on all cylinders when, last Thursday, Fayemi was the first to jump into a vehicle to continue the projects commissioning/flag-off in other parts of the state.
On that day, besides commissioning the rehabilitated Ipoti High School, Ipoti and the Erelu Adebayo Orphanage, Iyin in the Central Senatorial District of the state among many others, Fayemi commissioned ten major roads totaling 103 kilometres in fulfillment of the resolve of his administration to make all the communities in the state accessible with motorable roads by 2014.
The roads, all located in Ekiti Central Senatorial District, include: 14.3-kilometre Erijinyan-Ilawe; 12-kilometre Odo Owa-Oke Ila; 6.25-kilometre Awo-Iyin; 24-kilometre Ikogosi-Efon; 11.5-kilometre Ado-Ilawe, and five-kilometre Fajuyi-Basiri-Police headquarters.
Others are 1.65-kilometre Fajuyi-Teaching Hospital Road; 10.75-kilometre Ado-Afao; two-kilometre Ijigbo-Isato and 13-kilometre Osun-Iloro route. Joyful noise welcomed the governor and his entourage wherever the road commissioning took place.
At the venues of the commissioning of the various roads, the refrain on Fayemi’s lips was that the construction, reconstruction and rehabilitation of the roads were informed by their deplorable condition which had given “motorists nightmarish experiences while traversing the roads”.
He revealed further that the government awarded contracts for the roads, especially those leading to Ado Ekiti, in November 2011, to mitigate the sufferings of motorists and also give the state capital a face-lift. The Fajuyi-Teaching Hospital Road, he added, was aimed at linking the on-going Ado-Iworoko-Ifaki Road with Fajuyi Park.
To the know-nots, he further disclosed to the pleasure of his hearers, that government was rehabilitating 16 other roads within the township to make Ado an enviable state capital in every sense.
While commissioning the Ado-Afao Road amid hearty expression of relief by prospective users and resident, Fayemi expressed confidence that the rehabilitated road would undoubtedly be a great relief to motorists, especially those going towards Ikole and the northern part. His reason: It is a shorter link than the Ado-Ifaki Road.
Fayemi, who recalled that the road was constructed by one of his predecessors, Ayo Fayose, in 2005, lamented that the road did not endure and thus became a haven for hoodlums.
With its current status, he enthused that the road would enhance the economic activities of the residents along the route.
His administration’s avowed battle against thirst also led to the governor’s commissioning of five water-treatment plants at various locations across the state. The plants and reservoirs are located at Ipole Iloro, Efon, Ido Ile, Okemesi and Mary Hill, Ado.
The governor explained that the water projects were to achieve the target of his administration in the area of providing potable water for at least, 80 per cent of the state population, by 2014.
He hinted that concerted efforts were being put in place to ensure that all the four dams in the state become functional as a bulk of the 2013 budget would be expended on water.
Today, it is a new dawn Odo Uro, a community in Iyin Ekiti. A nerve-soothing song is being sung by the people as the governor also commissioned a rural electrification project for the community.
The scope of work done involved about 0.1-kilometre Inter Town Connection (ITC); 1.8 township Distribution Network (TDN); a 300KVA transformer and street lighting.
To Fayemi, the project was not devoid of cogent reasons. Commissioning it, he explained that his administration realized the importance of good electricity supply to the economic and social development of rural communities, hence its prime place in the administration’s 8-Point Agenda.
Also, a healthcare centre at Ido Ile and a Skills Acquisition Centre at Iropora Ekiti which were carried out under the State Community and Social Development Agency were commissioned.
Speak ill of Fayemi today, you risk seeing the “red eye” of the Owa Ooye of Okemesi, Oba Gbadebo Adedeji. He spared no word in commendation of the governor and went further to urge him not to be discouraged by criticisms but to see them as “tonic” that would further commit him to the development of the state on all fronts.
The traditional ruler lauded Fayemi for the rapid and evenly distributed dividends of democracy which, by his reckoning, had been felt by virtually all communities in the state, saying: “What you have done within this short period is unprecedented; keep it up, our governor.”
Hon. Funminiyi Afuye, a former legislator in the state and now Commissioner for Information and Civil Orientation was part of the breath-taking tour. He mentioned some of what he termed the administration’s Legacy Projects, which include: Government House (billed for completion in 18 months); Governor’s Office (also to be completed in 18 months); Civic Centre (comprising a library, museum, art gallery and a cinema) to be completed in a year; State Pavillion, like the Eagle’s Square Abuja, where parades and other activities will take place, due to be completed in six months; Samsung Engineering Academy (to be completed within a year); Grand Tower Shopping mall and Life Academy at Ilu-Omoba (an ultra-modern technical school where graduates can go for further technical training in different fields).
Afuye hinted that the projects so far executed were made happen through the governor’s “incredible passion for hard work and goal getting” and the administration’s judicious use of the state’s meagre resources, including the N20 billion Bond secured by the state for capital projects.
Far from being an avenue for vain display of extravagance, to the Fayemi-led administration, the anniversary was committed to modestly showcasing the goodies of good governance and taking immediate steps to consolidate on such laudable achievements with one sole aim: To leave a legacy in people-oriented governance.

Joy as Fayemi showcases stewardship

Necks were strained with no pain to their owners, all in a bid to catch a glimpse of the important visitor. And the scorching sun of the ‘hostile’ afternoon meant nothing to the jubilant crowd. Surprisingly, umbrellas were on sabbatical. Conspicuously displayed by ecstatic youths, placards bearing their heartfelt feelings competed for space. “Our own Governor Fayemi, we appreciate your intellectual approach to governance,” one of the placards read. The euphoria was infectious.
With his fists humbly clenched under his chin in bewitching awe, the cynosure of all eyes in the mini-carnival, Ekiti State Governor, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi (JFK), beamed his trademark toothy smile in heartfelt appreciation of his hosts who were obviously drunk with joy.
Exuding palpable sense of fulfillment of sorts, members of his entourage, including commissioners and some legislators, nodded their heads in acknowledgement of the overwhelming reception.
“I can’t but appreciate your love for me and your unshaking belief in our administration. But I can assure you, this is just the beginning of a largely rewarding relationship,” Fayemi declared, spurring a thunderous applause even from the traditional rulers who graced the occasion. The event was the foundation laying of a trailer park at Omuo-Oke in Ekiti East Local Government Area of the state.
It was the fifth day of the celebration of Fayemi’s second year in the saddle. The previous day, he had, amid pomp, commissioned an ultra-modern Data Centre and laid the foundation of a Civic Centre and Samsung Engineering Academy among such laudable projects at various locations in Ado, the state capital town.
An incurable stickler to promptitude, Fayemi, by his tight itinerary that day, this reporter later learnt, never anticipated spending more than five minutes at Omuo-Ekiti. But his hosts caught him off-guard with various captivating gestures, interspersed with songs by various groups, including members of the Dr. Frederick Fasheun faction of the frontline Yoruba self-determination group, the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC).
The gathering was enlivened the more when, Isalu Awoyo, a legendary masquerade that comes out once in seven years was specially ‘forced’ out to entertain the serviceable governor.
With head-swelling praise-songs, Egbe Obirin Omuo-Oke, all decked in white lace materials with embroidered caps to match, took their turn. Again, it was a groundswell of prayers for Fayemi and his lieutenants. They capped it up with presentation of gifts to the governor.
Chief Joshua Adewumi spoke for the community. He hinted: “We deliberately appear in white today to express our love for our governor and his administration.” Looking straight into Fayemi’s eyes, he added amid affirmatory ovation: “You will soon know how much we love you.”
Obviously touched, Fayemi smiled in response as he rose to address the people. As he read his brief speech, songs of appreciation rocked the scene from every angle. “Omuo-Oke specifically asked for a trailer park and we are here today to lay the foundation for its delivery,” he stated amid deafening chants of “thank you sir.”
He continued: “What we are doing here today is in agreement with our 8-Point Agenda. On completion, the park will end the era of indiscriminate parking of trailers on the route. The park will accommodate over 100 trailers and smaller vehicles; a petrol station; mechanic workshop, administration buildings; ambulance base, Fire Service Station and a police post among others. And it will create at least, 1000 jobs.”
Thereafter, with adeptness, Fayemi laid the foundation of the facility with mixed sand and blocks to the pleasant shock of onlookers. In fact, the main jocular poser left unanswered while he left for another location was whether or not the governor trained in bricklaying!”
In terms of time frame, the foundation-laying of the Life Academy Foundation, Ilu-Omoba in Gboyin Council Area had some semblance with the brief signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of the 27 million U.S Dollar Grand Tower Mall earlier on Wednesday at the Government House before the governor went on the day’s tour.
The project, billed to be executed at Ado, the state capital, by Golden Towers Plc, is expected to be completed within 24 months at no cost to the state government. It is expected to attract multinationals in the state’s investment drive, attract tourists, and employ no fewer than 500 construction staff with over 1000 post-construction employees.
Handing the Certificate of Occupancy of the location of the project to representatives of the Grand Towers Company after signing the MOU, Fayemi simply said, “you can move to site immediately.” He waited for no further comment as he embarked on the day’s trip.
In no time, the governor and his entourage were at Aisegba in Ise/Orun Council area for the foundation-laying of its Enterprise Development Centre.
Before one could say Jack, the entourage took its business to Ijan for the commissioning of Ilupeju-Ijan Electricity Project. It is in the same council area. That it was a special day in the community was felt even by the blind. Reason: Yes, he might not see the mammoth crowd of indigenes and their neighbours who stepped out to be counted at the moment and the school pupils who dared the hellish sun to welcome their beloved governor; but his eardrums would play host to euphonious traditional lyrics churned out in honour of Fayemi and his cabinet by various dance groups.
Call it another moment for the characteristic ‘Broom Revolution’ of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), you are right. Members in attendance waved their brooms as they chanted the praise of the governor vis-à-vis of the people-oriented agenda of the party.
Those who did not turn emergency photographers in desperate attempts to have the governor’s shots were perhaps the infinitesimal few without phone sets. Humans turned horses for others who mounted their backs; many other hanged on boughs and some wonky structures to have their turns at all costs, the inherent risks notwithstanding.
Some enthusiastic youths took their appreciation of the governor to a mathematical level when after Fayemi cut the tape to declare the project open, they shouted to high heavens: “Four plus four equal eight; not story!” Are you at sea over what that meant? One of the youths told this reporter: “He is doing another four years after this; it is settled!”
Certainly, it was bold on the faces of the state Deputy Governor, Mrs Olufunmilayo Olayinka and the governor’s wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi that the day would enjoy special mention in their memoirs. So it was for the Chairman of the ACN in the state, High Chief Jide Awe who also made the day with his governor.
After a thoughtful stare at the new electricity transformer just installed to empower the facility, the Onijan of Ijan, Oba Samuel Oyewole Fadahunsi, who, alongside his chiefs, graced the occasion in flowing robes and complementary beads, was unsparing in words of commendation for the governor for ending their days in darkness.
All Fayemi told them was that the project was in partial fulfillment of his electoral pledge to the community, stating that more would come the people’s way.
For Fayemi, having put his hands on the plough, especially as regards the day’s activities, there was no going back. Leaving Ijan, his convoy tore through the Ilupeju-Ijan-Ise Road that is actively undergoing re-construction by his administration. Construction workers were seen sweating it out.
Within minutes, the convoy berthed at Ijaloke Grammar School, Emure where structures recently rehabilitated by the administration were commissioned, and ditto for Obada High School, Emure Local Government area, where a modern science laboratory was opened for use.
No thanks to time constraints, the various entertainers that had gathered to do what they know best in appreciation of the governor’s gestures had little or no job to do.
They probably had not completely left the scenes with their drums when Fayemi, again, was warmly received at the African Church Comprehensive High School (ACCHS), Ikere, where the state government had breathed life into some dilapidated structures. Again, it was full pass mark for the governor by residents who sang his praises to high heavens.
With good performance by the masquerade, its guide’s day is made, so goes a proverb. That was obviously the picture in Ilawe, a major town in Ekiti South West Council area where about seven buildings in Corpus Christi School were repaired by the Fayemi-led government.
Traditional rulers, parents, teachers, pupils and residents abandoned their various other commitments to be part of the project commissioning by the widely acclaimed ‘Action Governor.’
“To the glory of God and service to humanity, today, I declare ….” was all it took Fayemi to suspend the fun for drummers who had dreamt of a rosy day with him on the project which they all agreed, was a major contribution to the “hungry” community by the administration.
Highly elated High Chief Gbenga Agbona, the Elemo of Ilawe, was effusive in words of gratitude to Fayemi’s administration in its genuine bid to reposition the state. Agbona, also an alumnus of the school, said one could not praise the governor and his cabinet enough for what they had done to lift the community.
“As an alumnus of Corpus Christi, we have been trying to do one or two things in the area of revamping the school, but not much to show for our efforts. With what the governor has done in this school and two others in our town, Fayemi has proved himself to be a worthwhile custodian of people’s mandate who is there to make meaning out of people’s lives,” Agbona submitted.
The lengthy Ilawe-Igbara-Odo-Ibuji Road later turned the entourage’s port of call. Again, same task – commissioning. Then, it had become no longer news that residents trooped out in numbers to say “thank you, our dear governor and reliable ambassador.”
To many a lazy doll, an infirmary would play host to the governor for three days after “over-using” himself like a Trojan horse on that Wednesday. However, it was no shock to most Government House staff who had got used to the fact that he works on all cylinders when, last Thursday, Fayemi was the first to jump into a vehicle to continue the projects commissioning/flag-off in other parts of the state.
On that day, besides commissioning the rehabilitated Ipoti High School, Ipoti and the Erelu Adebayo Orphanage, Iyin in the Central Senatorial District of the state among many others, Fayemi commissioned ten major roads totaling 103 kilometres in fulfillment of the resolve of his administration to make all the communities in the state accessible with motorable roads by 2014.
The roads, all located in Ekiti Central Senatorial District, include: 14.3-kilometre Erijinyan-Ilawe; 12-kilometre Odo Owa-Oke Ila; 6.25-kilometre Awo-Iyin; 24-kilometre Ikogosi-Efon; 11.5-kilometre Ado-Ilawe, and five-kilometre Fajuyi-Basiri-Police headquarters.
Others are 1.65-kilometre Fajuyi-Teaching Hospital Road; 10.75-kilometre Ado-Afao; two-kilometre Ijigbo-Isato and 13-kilometre Osun-Iloro route. Joyful noise welcomed the governor and his entourage wherever the road commissioning took place.
At the venues of the commissioning of the various roads, the refrain on Fayemi’s lips was that the construction, reconstruction and rehabilitation of the roads were informed by their deplorable condition which had given “motorists nightmarish experiences while traversing the roads”.
He revealed further that the government awarded contracts for the roads, especially those leading to Ado Ekiti, in November 2011, to mitigate the sufferings of motorists and also give the state capital a face-lift. The Fajuyi-Teaching Hospital Road, he added, was aimed at linking the on-going Ado-Iworoko-Ifaki Road with Fajuyi Park.
To the know-nots, he further disclosed to the pleasure of his hearers, that government was rehabilitating 16 other roads within the township to make Ado an enviable state capital in every sense.
While commissioning the Ado-Afao Road amid hearty expression of relief by prospective users and resident, Fayemi expressed confidence that the rehabilitated road would undoubtedly be a great relief to motorists, especially those going towards Ikole and the northern part. His reason: It is a shorter link than the Ado-Ifaki Road.
Fayemi, who recalled that the road was constructed by one of his predecessors, Ayo Fayose, in 2005, lamented that the road did not endure and thus became a haven for hoodlums.
With its current status, he enthused that the road would enhance the economic activities of the residents along the route.
His administration’s avowed battle against thirst also led to the governor’s commissioning of five water-treatment plants at various locations across the state. The plants and reservoirs are located at Ipole Iloro, Efon, Ido Ile, Okemesi and Mary Hill, Ado.
The governor explained that the water projects were to achieve the target of his administration in the area of providing potable water for at least, 80 per cent of the state population, by 2014.
He hinted that concerted efforts were being put in place to ensure that all the four dams in the state become functional as a bulk of the 2013 budget would be expended on water.
Today, it is a new dawn Odo Uro, a community in Iyin Ekiti. A nerve-soothing song is being sung by the people as the governor also commissioned a rural electrification project for the community.
The scope of work done involved about 0.1-kilometre Inter Town Connection (ITC); 1.8 township Distribution Network (TDN); a 300KVA transformer and street lighting.
To Fayemi, the project was not devoid of cogent reasons. Commissioning it, he explained that his administration realized the importance of good electricity supply to the economic and social development of rural communities, hence its prime place in the administration’s 8-Point Agenda.
Also, a healthcare centre at Ido Ile and a Skills Acquisition Centre at Iropora Ekiti which were carried out under the State Community and Social Development Agency were commissioned.
Speak ill of Fayemi today, you risk seeing the “red eye” of the Owa Ooye of Okemesi, Oba Gbadebo Adedeji. He spared no word in commendation of the governor and went further to urge him not to be discouraged by criticisms but to see them as “tonic” that would further commit him to the development of the state on all fronts.
The traditional ruler lauded Fayemi for the rapid and evenly distributed dividends of democracy which, by his reckoning, had been felt by virtually all communities in the state, saying: “What you have done within this short period is unprecedented; keep it up, our governor.”
Hon. Funminiyi Afuye, a former legislator in the state and now Commissioner for Information and Civil Orientation was part of the breath-taking tour. He mentioned some of what he termed the administration’s Legacy Projects, which include: Government House (billed for completion in 18 months); Governor’s Office (also to be completed in 18 months); Civic Centre (comprising a library, museum, art gallery and a cinema) to be completed in a year; State Pavillion, like the Eagle’s Square Abuja, where parades and other activities will take place, due to be completed in six months; Samsung Engineering Academy (to be completed within a year); Grand Tower Shopping mall and Life Academy at Ilu-Omoba (an ultra-modern technical school where graduates can go for further technical training in different fields).
Afuye hinted that the projects so far executed were made happen through the governor’s “incredible passion for hard work and goal getting” and the administration’s judicious use of the state’s meagre resources, including the N20 billion Bond secured by the state for capital projects.
Far from being an avenue for vain display of extravagance, to the Fayemi-led administration, the anniversary was committed to modestly showcasing the goodies of good governance and taking immediate steps to consolidate on such laudable achievements with one sole aim: To leave a legacy in people-oriented governance.