Oyebanji enriching the history of the Land of Honour

THE emergence of Biodun Oyebanji as an elected governor of Ekiti State was not only epochal but remains a game changer. For a long time, the conversation had always been that those who have emerged as elected governors of the state since 1999 have been those referred to as ‘Ekiti Abroad.’

While this description is not derogatory on strict terms, it stems from the fact that Ekiti, being an agrarian state, many indigenes would have preferred someone who grew up in the state to emerge as its elected leader. And that ‘prayer’ was answered when Oyebanji was sworn in on October 16, 2022.

Born in Ikogosi-Ekiti, the town known for the famed meeting point between warm and cold water in the late 60s, Oyebanji had all his education in Ekiti. From primary to secondary school, he cut his educational teeth in the state. In fact, he became the first alumnus of the state university to emerge as the governor of the state. This was a game changer.

Oyebanji met a state though peaceful but battling quite a number of socio-economic challenges. It is a state that relies heavily on government patronage as the only viable industry that employs quite a number of indigenes is government. Most salary earners in Ekiti are either civil servants or teachers. In other words, they are both government employees. With this in mind, the economic capabilities of indigenes are not that strong going by the low value of the Naira, which practically renders the purchasing power of indigenes weak.

Oyebanji made it clear that this narrative needed to be changed. But before then, he had to battle the little matter of insecurity. There was a time when the state was reeling under the devastating effect of kidnapping, especially in the northern part of the state bordering Kogi State. In fact, the lowest point was when two traditional rulers were brutally killed by kidnappers after they (the monarchs) tried to escape from them. It was one terrible news Oyebanji was not happy to hear. However, rather than going melancholic and blaming imaginary political adversaries (as is the norm with politicians), he rolled up his sleeve and got down to work.

The first thing he did was, in collaboration with security agencies, to re-jig the state’s security architecture. It moved from a knee-jerk response to intelligence-based approach to handling security challenges. He also ensured that he engaged critical stakeholders and involved them in the onerous job of securing the state so that people could go about their duties without fear or trepidation.

Beyond this is the management of the states social engineering. The state is notorious for political banditry. It used to be a state where politicians and their followers usually engaged in a war of attrition. The battle for political power is always very deadly, and the fallout is a vicious polarisation of the people of the state along political lines. While political pluralism is good for the growth of democracy and enhancement of good governance, Oyebanji has succeeded in eliminating the politics of bitterness and acrimony that used to the hallmark of political engagement in the state.

No one can remember the last time the state witnessed any political violence or disturbances. Oyebanji has extended a hand of fellowship and friendship across party lines. He has engaged stakeholders across party lines, and he has succeeded in making them see the need to make Ekiti State great again than whatever they stand to gain politically. Many of them have not only keyed into this, but they are ready to work with governor in unity towards a common purpose.

As earlier mentioned, Ekiti is a civil service state. And like they usually say on the streets in the state; any governor that takes care of civil servants, especially teachers in Ekiti State, can never have a problem. Oyebanji is doing more than this. Salaries are not only regular, the era of having months of unpaid salaries had gone into history. No retired public servant has to shed tears of sorrow before getting his or her entitlements. Pensions are paid as at when due, and other allowances are paid with any industrial action by workers. They, Ekiti State public servants, have not had it this good.

Infrastructure wise, Ekiti used to be a state battling to catch up with the rest of the South-West. But Oyebanji is changing that narrative in less than three years on the saddle. The overhead bridge at Ejigbo is nearing completion. The aim of this bridge is to ease commuting within Ado-Ekiti metropolis, which even the most ardent critic will admit is growing at a very fast rate.

In the area of power infrastructure, the Oyebanji administration is making determined efforts to ensure that Ekiti gets a sustainable power supply. To achieve this, the government has embarked on various power infrastructure projects. One, it has established and transferred regulatory control of the electricity market to the Ekiti State Electricity Regulatory Bureau.

There is also the recent identification of four Meter Assess Providers (MAP) and collaboration the MAPs BEDC and Ekiti State to provide prepaid meters for households at affordable cost, starting with 5 pilot communities, Erinmope, Ode, Aisegba, Imesi, Ipole-Iloro. Also there is issuance of an Order on tariff setting for Ekiti State customers under BEDC/IBEDC services Areas in Ekiti State, among others. With a view of increasing the commercial hours and security across the state, several solar streetlight projects were executed to enhance security and increase the business hours for State’s economy. Other projects in this direction are replacement and installation of transformers in various communities, rehabilitation of 33KVA network from Ilumoba to Ikole Ekiti and extension of 33KVA electricity network from Ilawe to Igbara Odo Ekiti.

Under electricity, perhaps the most significant was the rehabilitation and connection of Ijan, Ilumoba, Aisegba, Agbado, Imesi, Ode, Isinbode, Egbe, Iro Ayeteju and Omuo in Aiyekire back to the National grid after many years of being in total blackout. Also connected to this was the extension of electricity from Omuo Ekiti to Eda Ile, Ikun Oba, Araromi and Ilasa Ekiti.

 Meanwhile, to improve Ekiti transportation infrastructure, the state has embarked on several critical transportation projects.  These projects are vital for the development of the state, and betterment of the lives of Ekiti people. Some of the projects include; reconstruction of Ikere-Igbara Odo Road, construction of Ekiti Ring road Phase 1, construction of flyover bridge from Ajilosun (Union Bank) to Okeyinmi (First Bank), Ado-Ekiti,  construction of Obisesan – Oke Ala – Basiri road, Ado Ekiti and rehabilitation of Ikere-Ise-Emure Ekiti road.

Others are rehabilitation of Ilawe-Erijiyan road, construction of dual carriageway on GRA III Extension — State Pavilion road and rehabilitation of Ado — Iworoko— Ifaki road. Other road projects handled by the Oyebanji administration are rehabilitation of Igbara-Odo-Ikogosi road, re-construction of Ilawe-Ikere road, re-constructionItapa-Omu-Ijelu road, re-constructionIlukuo-Ijurin-Ipoti road and re-construction of Ikole-Ara-Isinbode road.

There are also many achievements in the Agricultural sector, which highlight Governor Oyebanji’s commitment to driving food security, fostering prosperity, and ensuring a thriving, sustainable future for Ekiti State

Finally, in desperate move to lay a solid foundation for the future, the ring road, which is currently under construction, will connect the state airport to Ijan-Ekiti, thereby circumventing  Ado-Ekiti township. This will help so much in accessing the airport from other parts of the state. Ekiti could never have had it this good.

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