Ekiti State @ 25: Stakeholders Unbundle Blueprint For Development, Flay Leaders

By Ayodele Oni

Founding fathers of Ekiti State have taken a look at development in the State 25 years after its creation and scored it zero, describing various political leaders at different times as pursuing separatist agenda.

Ekiti State was created from the Old Ondo State, in 1996 by the late Head of State, Sani Abacha and has been governed by four elected Governors, two military administrators and two sole administrators.

A stakeholders parley, organized in Ado Ekiti by a Group, Ekiti Future Agenda, concluded that the dream of the founding fathers has been outrightly abandoned.

Speakers at the forum in their comments and reactions, expressed disappointment about the performance of elected leaders that spent their tenures pursuing personal agenda.

The keynote Speaker, Akin Oluwadare Jnr, who spoke on the topic ‘Ekiti At 25, Rekindling And Reinforcing The Vision Of The Founding Fathers,’ hit the nail on head as he pointed out that a lot still needed to be done to put the state on a right footing as envisaged by the founding fathers.

The purpose for the agitation for the separation of Ekiti from the Old Ondo State and the hope of realizing such feat, he said  has not been fulfilled.

“I reminiscent the creation of Ekiti State in 1996 with sweet nostalgia. I was young but not too young not to know what it meant to have a state government nearer home.

“It was an ecstatic moment for all indigenes of Ekiti State, home and abroad. The excitement that greeted the announcement by the then Head of State, Late General Sani Abacha, was spectacular.

“Should the question be asked if Ekiti has fulfilled the vision of the founding fathers, we will have many answers, depending on who is answering, but one thing that is sure is that opinions will vary and there will not be any agreement.

“What this tells us is that there is a lot that still needs to be done. I said this because it should be glaring for all to see if the state is on the right path to fulfilling the vision of the founding fathers with little disagreements from all stakeholders.

“Two things are possible. It is either the vision is not clear enough or it is far from being realised as conceived by the founding fathers.

“Our role here today, therefore, is to develop a blueprint that can complement the efforts of those in the leadership of our dear Ekiti State for her continuous development.

“A development plan can sufficiently answer for a vision if it was ever written. A development plan that is well written and gazetted can form the bedrock of the development agenda for successive administrations irrespective of change of government or ruling political party.”

Area to be given priority, according to him include quality of education at the

primary and secondary levels because the foundation is very important.

“Alumni associations have a role to play to complement the efforts of the state government

in restoring quality to our primary and secondary schools, particularly in provision of amenities and infrastructure.

“There is also the need for old students associations to organise periodic social and educational awareness programmes in their former schools to inspire the younger ones.

Other Speakers highlighted, insincerity, inconsistency, and over politicizing of every issue as major factors slowing down the pace of development in the state.

They believed that successive governments in Ekiti State have continued to run the affairs of the state in their own ways and pattern without recourse to the vision of the founding fathers.

The convener of the forum, Mr. Adesina Adetola stated that the programme was initiated to enable stakeholders brainstorm and come up with concrete resolutions on how to move the state forward.

He said the various resolutions reached during the meeting would be forwarded to appropriate authorities for necessary implementation.