Former governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi; Mr Niyi Olajide and the Ekiti State governor, Mr Biodun Abayomi.
In furtherance of the appeal he made during his inaugural lecture as part of activities to mark the swearing-in ceremony of Mr Biodun Oyebanji, the new Governor of Ekiti State, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Axxess, a leading global home healthcare technology company, Mr John Niyi Olajide, has appealed to the Elite state government to prioritize knowledge-based economy.
The appeal is in line with his call while delivering the keynote address at an inaugural lecture to usher in Governor Biodun Oyebanji, titled; Winning the Future! New Thinking to Power the Prosperity of Ekiti State, at the Obafemi Awolowo Civic Center, Ado-Ekiti.
Olajide, an indigene of Erinmope-Ekiti in Moba Local Government Area of the state, said his mission in Ekiti State is to create jobs for the people through his company which is presently the single largest private investor in Ekiti State, with interests in frontier sectors such as agriculture, tourism, and the knowledge economy, in addition to massive investments in the civic sector.
He announced that he intends to build a World Class Golf and Holiday and Leisure Resorts at the spring town of Ikogosi-Ekiti, Ekiti West Local Government Area of Ekiti-State, adding that as one of the leading business figures in Information Technology in the United States, the collaborative work of the business community was instrumental in making the Dallas Region in the State of Texas the 23rd biggest economy in the world, emphasising that if he could work with others to make the Dallas economy survive the COVID-19 pandemic, he would work to make Ekiti become the most preferred destination to live, work and do business in Nigeria in the 30 years.
Speaking on the importance of the newly commissioned agro-allied and passenger International Airport in Ado-Ekiti to the state’s vision of being the most preferred investment destination by the year 2050, the entrepreneur said for that dream to be actualized, the state needs an airport.
According to him, most multinational companies are now relocating their operational and corporate headquarters to Dallas principally due to Dallas Forth Worth (DFW) International Airport founded in 1973 when Dallas designed its 30-year economic blueprint just as Ekiti State recently launched its 30-year economic development plan.
He said today, DFW Airport is the largest hub for American Airlines and is the third-busiest airport in the world by aircraft movements and the second-busiest airport by passenger traffic in 2021, according to the Airports Council International.
Urging the people to see the new Ekiti Airport as a project for the future, Olajide said through the DFW Airport, Dallas is now a host to the headquarters of most multinationals in the world.
He said Dallas was like Ekiti State 50 years ago, but with proper planning and the support of its people and their resolve to make it, Dallas, a landlocked like Ekiti, became one of the best economies in the world, thus, if the people of Dallas could make Dallas great, the people of Ekiti State should make Ekiti a haven of wealth and prosperity.
He urged that like Dallas, Ekiti should embrace diversity and bring people in to develop the state, welcome ideas regardless of where it comes from, stating that his own philosophy is “best idea wins regardless of where it comes from.”
The business tycoon praised the immediate past Governor of the State, Dr Kayode Fayemi for taking action and being accountable to prioritise issues during his tenure. He congratulated the former Governor on the recent announcement by UNICEF that Ekiti state has the second lowest rate of out-of-school children in Nigeria.
In his words, the 41-year-old IT Icon said “We must reorient our hearts and minds with a focus on our youth who are in the majority, to see the opportunities before us as a people and a State who are uniquely positioned to become the most prosperous state in Nigeria within the next 30 years, in line with the Ekiti State Development Plan (2021 – 2050).
“Some might wonder if I am talking about the same small landlocked Ekiti State with meagre federal allocations and immense developmental challenges. My belief in Ekiti’s opportunity is not unfounded, nor is it wishful thinking.
“As an entrepreneur who started Axxess at the age of 26 and grew it into a global corporation disrupting the industries we operate in, I owe my success to spotting business opportunities long before they become obvious. I believe Ekiti’s prosperity is possible. I truly believe with the proper mindset, anything is possible,” he added.
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“You see, I am very clear about the possibilities in Ekiti, as well as the role I believe God would have me play, and I am very excited about it. As we all work together to create a brighter future for Ekiti, I encourage everyone here very strongly to remember that anything is possible, because as we all must have heard, “Whatever our minds can conceive of, and we truly believe – and we work hard – we can achieve.”
“Today, our group of companies is arguably the single largest private investor in Ekiti State, with interests in frontier sectors such as Agriculture, Tourism, and the Knowledge Economy, in addition to massive investments in the civic sector. I am particularly fascinated that our Agbeyewa Farms, an agriculture project in Ekiti State that has seen us invest billions of naira already, is set to create tens of thousands of jobs, and once again restore the idea of Agbeloba – dignity and prosperity in farming,” he insisted.
Speaking on his vision for Ikogosi Warms Spring that was recently concessioned to his company, the dark-skinned Olajide said “we have the concession to revamp our flagship tourism destination in the state – Ikogosi Warm Springs, and are set to turn it into a world-class golfing and vacation resort destination in Nigeria. We are building the best holiday and leisure resort in Nigeria at Ikogosi”, he said, adding that “we are also strategic partners to the Ekiti Knowledge Zone project, and are bringing to bear our expertise in building Cavista, our technology company here in Nigeria that already employs over 300 engineers and is poised to employ thousands more.”
“When the Fayemi administration commenced the Airport and the Ekiti Knowledge Zone projects, I knew it was time. Their actions were clear and their commitment was consistent. I still get the sense that many of us do not fully understand the game-changers these two projects are to our prospects as a state and the emerging vista of opportunities that are now unfolding before our eyes. I do.
“You see, I was privileged to have had a front-row seat observing how a sub-national jurisdiction like Ekiti State leapfrogged within a short period. In the context of comparison to other states in their respective countries, Ekiti State and the Dallas region, have a lot of similarities. Or to put it more correctly, many years ago, the Dallas region in the context of its positioning in the United States of America, was where Ekiti State currently is within the context of our position in Nigeria.
“I have been tremendously blessed to be part of the Dallas business community. The Dallas region is welcoming and today is the most prosperous in the United States, and indeed the world. There is no place in the world as focused on business prosperity and economic development as the Dallas region – and it’s paying off.
“You may be interested to know that the region by itself has the 23rd largest economy in the world. For context, Nigeria is 24th. But to achieve this prosperity took vision, action, commitment and teamwork.
“Like Ekiti, Dallas is landlocked and is very much in the middle of the country. The Dallas-Fort Worth International airport was a major game-changer in attracting business, world-class companies, and tourism to the region. This opportunity is now available with the Ekiti Agro-Allied Airport. The Dallas region’s success story rests on two pillars – the people and the airport. We now have both in Ekiti. The airport is our vital gateway to the rest of the world. Mr Governor Fayemi, I want to congratulate you and your government on this remarkable achievement. History will bear out the wisdom of your vision.
“Dallas serves as a great example for all of us here. I am a long-time member of the Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce’s executive board and served as its chairman in the year 2020. Talk about perfect timing! It was my responsibility to lead the business community through the “COVID pandemic. As a result of being proactive in our thinking and aggressive in our actions, the Dallas region is even better positioned for prosperity today than before the pandemic.
“The Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce took the time a few years ago to establish a 30-year plan for the region, addressing amongst other things infrastructure needs, educational priorities, and legislative priorities to ensure the alignment of laws, policies, and programmes that will support the region’s growth. I am glad that Ekiti has similarly developed a 30-year developmental plan.
“If Ekiti can get one per cent better every day, how much would it improve in one year? You probably know it is going to be more than 365 per cent because of compounding. A lot of people think it could be between five and ten times. Let me tell you: The answer is 37 times! Just by being one per cent better every day over one year!”, Olajide concluded his address amidst thunderous applause from the audience.
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