Reconnecting Ekiti through grassroots politics

On January 23, 2023 governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, clocked 100 days in office. Looking at how his government has been piloting the affairs of the state, it won’t be an overstatement to conclude that it was 100 days of impressive steps. Today, we can say Ekiti has a government that has genuinely reconnected governance with the grass roots.

When he was sworn-in on October 16, 2022, Governor Oyebanji, told the Ekiti populace that he would hit the ground running and turn the state unto a land of prosperity. A vivid dissection of all the steps he had taken so far attests to this fact. Although, one can’t lay claim to the fact that a lot of grounds has been covered, but there are noticeable evidence suggesting that better days are coming for the people of Ekiti.

Upon assumption of office, Oyebanji acted in line with his promise to build bridges across all the strata and interface with all groups, strategic individuals and institutions to articulate their views on how best to govern Ekiti and the results have started manifesting. Little wonder, virtually all the people that matter are backing his government. This has brought stability, spirit of oneness, unanimity of purpose and peace in the state.

The operation light-up Ado-Ekiti metropolis flagged off by Governor Oyebanji in December remains the flagship of this administration within the time it kicked off. Under the programme, the governor had begun aggressive supply of electricity to the Ado Ekiti metropolis to ensure that the capital city enjoys an upswing in night life. This has boosted business activities, enhanced security and added more to the aesthetic values of the capital city.

The populace sees a ray of hope in Governor Oyebanji’s commitment to banish the culture of abandoned projects in the state. Through a transition law enacted by the past administration to halt this practice, the current government has embraced the practice, but the current government embraces the practice to ensure that Ekiti progresses steadily. That was why Governor Oyebanji has been working hard to complete projects that were still under construction when the immediate past Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi bowed out. The accelerated work being undertaken on the Ado-Ekit Bus Terminal goes a ruleage to corroborate the assertion that the current Government has strong aversion for abandoned projects.

Shortly after his inauguration, Governor Oyebanji declared operation renovate all roads in Ado-Ekiti to make them accessible and pliable by motorists. Under this progarmme, motorists now heave a sigh relief at Oke Ila – Afao road, Ijigbo – Odo – Ado road, Mathew – Ijigbo road and many others.

The rate at which the government has been according the Local Governments support through high level of financial and operational independence also corroborated the fact that rural development remains a priority to this government. The people are beginning to savour dividends of democracy through landmark projects being undertaken at the third tier of government. Recently, the government inaugurated the Ajoni Modern central market and a model block of classroom at Ayebode-Ekiti in Ajoni LCDA. This suggests that those at the grassroots are being remembered, rather than being neglected. Any economy that would develop requires that the people at the grassroots must be made active and conscious of their obligation to contribute to economic development of the state.

The current government is also not doing badly in the education sector. The composition of the current cabinet, where professionals from different fields of human endeavour are given preferences was another spectrum through which given preferences is another spectrum through which Governor Oyebanji could viewed as being educationally conscious in his mission and vision to develop the state. Giving professionals without political backgrounds some leverage would automatically serve as impetus to those that are apolitical to strive hard and make good career in some critical sections of the economy, rather than depending solely on politics as means of survival.