Biodun Oyebanji, di governor of Ekiti State, don hail di progress wey di state don make 30 years after dem create am. Dem create Ekiti State by di administration of late former military Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha.
Oyebanji yarn dis one for statewide broadcast to mark di 30th anniversary of di state. He talk say even though di state face many challenges and unpleasant experiences within di period, di people get reason to celebrate di three-decade milestone because of remarkable progress for all indices of development.
He note say despite being among di last set of states wey dem create for di country and receiving one of di lowest allocations from Federation Account, Ekiti dey lead its contemporaries and many before it, including far richer states, for critical matrices of human development.
Ekiti State na created on October 1, 1996 by late Gen. Abacha during broadcast to mark Nigeria 36th independence anniversary alongside Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Gombe, Nasarawa, and Zamfara States. Dat one take number of states for Nigeria from 30 to 36.
Di feat happen after years of epic struggle by eminent citizens of di state. Among dem na traditional rulers, legal luminaries, politicians, senior bureaucrats, captains of industry and community leaders under one body known as Committee for the Creation of Ekiti State.
While he dey speak for di broadcast, Oyebanji point out say many people no give Ekiti chance to become state as e stand against more formidable contenders from Southwest geopolitical zone. But di Governor give glory to God say na Him make di creation possible against all odds.
According to am, di creation of di State 30 years ago and 120 years after Kiriji War complete an epic struggle of independence wey Ekiti forbears start for di liberation war of 1877 to 1893.
He congratulate all Ekiti sons and daughters and all peoples from other parts of di world wey don make Ekiti their home on di occasion of di 30th anniversary.
Di Governor pay tributes to members of Committee for the Creation of Ekiti State led by their Chairman, Chief Oladeji Fasuan; legal icon, Aare Afe Babalola; Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe; and other monarchs wey he describe as incubators of di state creation struggle. He also laud di patriotic sacrifices of heroes and heroines of di struggle wey don join their ancestors.
Oyebanji talk say e dey heartwarming say as di then Secretary of Committee for Ekiti State Creation, through grace of God and benevolence of Ekiti people, he now dey in saddle as Governor of di State as di state turn thirty. He describe di experience as very humbling.
He equally pay glowing tributes to all im predecessors in office: Col. Inua Bawa, Navy Capt. Atanda Yusuf, Niyi Adebayo, Chief Ayo Fayose, Chief Segun Oni, Dr Kayode Fayemi and leaders wey serve during interregnums like Chief Friday Aderemi, Brig. Gen. Tunji Olurin, Tope Ademiluyi, Hon Tunji Odeyemi, all former Deputy Governors and all former heads of legislature and judiciary.
Oyebanji restate di commitment of im administration to di ideals of di founding fathers wey inspire di creation of di state. He stress say di vision of di founding fathers na to have a State where Ekiti people can utilise their God-given natural and human resources in di most efficient, effective and inclusive manner, for di prosperity of di people.
He point out say di state founding fathers envision an industrialised Ekiti, where private sector capital dey at di centre of di economic nervous system of di state and where enterprise and productivity na di pillars of prosperity.
While he dey unveil di theme of di anniversary ‘Ekiti at 30; Celebrating the Past and Creating the Future,’ di governor disclose say im administration don decide to use di 30th anniversary as Launchpad for a 30-year Transformation Agenda.
Di agenda, according to am, go make Ekiti a leading Centre of Agricultural Production and Agro-Processing, Innovation and Tech Development, Quality and functional Education, Research and Skills Development, Tourism, Culture and Creative Economy and Youth Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development.
To achieve di vision, di Governor talk say a conversation with Ekiti Youths on October 7, 2026 at Obafemi Awolowo Civic and Convention Centre, Ado Ekiti, go dey staged with intent to achieve three important things: to remember with gratitude, to assess di present with honesty, and to approach di future with confidence and determination.
He talk say: ‘Our agenda is therefore to work aggressively to ensure say di socio-economic infrastructures wey we don build in these thirty years lead to real economic growth wey go produce quality employment, crystallise productivity, support enterprise and enhance quality of life.’
‘For example, di ongoing multi-billion-naira Ekiti Knowledge Zone (EKZ) project na a technological park and economic ecosystem to support di innovative and creative ingenuity of our young population.’
‘It is our dream say in another three decades, di tag of Ekiti as a civil service state go don yield to Ekiti as a Tech Hub in Nigeria and a major commercial centre for international trade and commerce.’
‘This is our promise, and we are resolutely committed to it. The Special Agric Processing Zone (SAPZ) go also take off soon. These two projects, upon completion, go transform di economic outlook of di State and drive our government’s Shared Prosperity Agenda.’
Di Governor urge di people of di state to troop out en masse during di January 16, 2027 presidential election and use their votes to re-elect President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in appreciation of im benevolence, support, and favour Ekiti don enjoy under im presidency since 2023.
