Fayemi Inauguration Lecture: Niyi Osundare tells Fayemi to restore Ekiti Values.
.….promises to be closer to the Ekiti people.
By Emmanuel Adeniran, Ado Ekiti
As part of the preparation to usher in the newly elected Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi today October 16th, 2018; an Inauguration Lecture / Book Presentation / Photo Exhibition / Award of Prizes to Winners of John Kayode Fayemi (JKF) Essay Competition was held at the AB Event Centre at Adebayo in Ado Ekiti on Monday.
It will be recalled that Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) defeated his closest rival, the Governorship Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on July 14th, 2018 earlier this year with a landslide victory.
During the Inauguration Lecture delivered by Professor Niyi Osundare, an Ikere Ekiti born Literary Icon, spoke on the theme titled: “Reclaiming Our Land, Restoring Our Values – My Ekiti Dream”. The renowned poet and literary giant, advised the Ekiti State Governor-Elect, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, to make the eradication of poverty and ignorance as well as job creation the top priorities of his new administration. “The Professor lamented and expressed deep regrets over the unemployed youths roaming the streets and crowding around motor parks with susceptibility to be used as thugs by unscrupulous politicians”.
Niyi Osundare noted “that Ekiti State had greatly retrogressed in the last four years when it was muddled up by what he called political madness and an abomination called ‘stomach infrastructure’ promoted by the outgoing Governor of the State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose’s administration. He said the “Ekiti values of honesty, integrity, hard work and honour were debased under the Fayose’s leadership style. But now, that, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi is coming on board again, that he is very optimistic that those lost values of honesty, integrity, hard work and honour that were once debased will be fully realised and restored”.
The Literary Icon, Professor Niyi Osundare “advised the Incoming Governor, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi to ensure his Restoration Agenda should include and incorporate means of putting an end to illiteracy, mediocrity and demons of ignorance among the Ekiti populace”.
Professor Niyi Osundare who lectures English Language at the University of New Orleans in the United States of America (USA), equally advocated Training and Retraining of Teachers and adequate adjustment of their remuneration and total elimination of “miracle centres” across the State as witnessed during the regime of the outgoing Governor of the State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose.
“Professor Niyi Osundare frowned at Fayose’s approach to governance. Most especially his uncultured way of the adoption of the populist theory which usually prompts him to stop at the market places to buy roasted corn and ate in public place thereby deceiving the people, when majority of our graduates were not provided with jobs and farm produce were wasting away and our value system collapsed calamitously. The Education, which was regarded as the best industry of the Ekiti people were not well funded and as a result of this, our graduates, who had earlier been regarded as the best in Nigeria for decades, became practically half-baked and unemployable”.
Equally, at the event, a book written by Dr. John Kayode Fayemi titled “Staying the Course,” was unveiled and launched. Otunba Niyi Adebayo, the first Executive Governor of Ekiti State was on ground to unveil the book and to formally launched it while other notable dignitaries at the eventful ceremony joined in the launching.
The distribution of Award of Prizes to Winners of John Kayode Fayemi (JKF) Essay Competition which was in four categories were equally carried out. The first category announced was that of the Secondary School with Omotoso Elizabeth from Omuuoke Ekiti taking the 5th position with a certificate and a consolation prize; Adediji Precious from Otun Ekiti with the
4th position; Kehinde Jayeoba from Christ School Ado with the 3rd position who hails from Kota Ekiti (13years old); Ajayi Damola Mosunmola 16th years old came second Ajayi Oluwatomisin Opeyemi came first and went home with a plaque to Osin Ekiti where she hails from.
Prizes were not given for the second category which is the Primary School Section because their turn out was very poor.
For the Undergraduate category, Omoteyinse Aanu from OAU in Ile Life came 5th with a certificate and a consolation prize; Agbaje Oluwadamilola came 4th from EKSU; Aladeyelu Peter from OAU came 3rd; Mrs. Osatobi came 2nd from AAUA while Omoyajowo from University of Ibadan, Medicine Department came 1st.
For the Post Graduate category, Oguntayo Femi of the International Institute of Journalism (IIJ), Abuja, Ado Ekiti Study Centre came 5th; Egbebi Samuel came 4th; Miss Fajana Olabisi came 3rd; Fadare Oluwaseun Emmanuel from Iloro Ekiti came 2nd and Ojo Okuwanifemi Henry from Ikoro Ekiti came 1st.
Each of the positions for the different categories were awarded with different cash gifts aside certificates and consolation prizes for their performances in the Essay Competitions.
The ceremony was well attended by the likes of the Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu; Fayemi’s Wife, Erelu Bisi; Deputy Governor-Elect Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi; Former Ekiti State, Governor Adeniyi Adebayo; Founder, Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola (SAN); Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; Former Ekiti State Military Administrator, Navy Captain Atanda Yusuff; Former Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Abiodun Aluko and Professor Modupe Adelabu and the Traditional Rulers.
