Fayemi’s blaze of Glory

Fayemi’s blaze of Glory

By Akeem Jamiu

Please permit me to quote from the book,   “Swimming Against the tide”

“It is often conceived that scholarship, activism and politics belong to separate realms and that the three spheres are occupied by people of different candour and temperament.  The puzzle is further reinforced by the reality that only few have ever traversed the three spheres in history. In the first instance, most widely recognised scholars are seldom politicians; and most big time politicians are not necessarily scholars. Similarly, most activists are seldom successful politicians; and the majority of popular politicians are rarely activists. Little wonder, it is rare to have a convergence of the three distinctive special characters in one person. This is where the personality of Kayode Fayemi comes in. He is a scholar in governance, peace, conflict and security studies; a major player in civil society activism in the country and a state governor and former Minister of the federal Republic of Nigeria. He therefore belongs in the league of occupiers of the three realms of scholarship, activism and politics. And in the three spheres, he is an active participant and key player”. ( Olaniyan & Rotimi, 2020)

Dear Dr. Fayemi,

When you assumed office in 2010 after a horrendous 42 months of legal battle,  you met a dilapidated state in terms of infrastructure but you went to work immediately. Despite the paucity of funds you implemented your 8-points agenda religiously  by touching all 132 communities such that they all had a project. You constructed many roads totalling 952kms including 5km per LGA projects.

You brought Free Education

You brought Free healthcare

You Transformed Ekiti State University, EKSUTH and then College of Education now BOUSETI, School of Nursing and College of Health Technology, Ijero

You renovated Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State (BSES)

You brought Ilera Laafin

You brought Free Health Mission

You bought Brand new cars for all traditional rulers

You provided funds to assist communities in renovation of palaces and construction  civic centres

You brought Owo arugbo

You brought Conditional Cash Transfer

You Established the Ekiti State Traffic Management Agency EKSTMA ( Da green)

You renovated all schools

You renovated all  of  hospitals

You established the Youth in Commercial Agriculture Development

You established the Funmi Aduni Olayinka Cancer Research and Wellness Centre

You renovated Ikogosi Warm Springs

You resuscitated  Ire burnt bricks

You resuscitated the Road Materials and aggregate company (ROMACO)

You built Ekitiparapo  Pavillon

You built the New government House at Oke Ayoba

You introduced The Oodua/ Ekiti Enterprise and Skill Acquisition Development Programme

You improved water supply by building mini dams and rehabilitating major dams

Despite the above, you lost election in 2014 in controversial circumstances but you became a Minister in 2015 after you conducted a transparent and acceptable presidential Primaries that produced President Muhammadu Buhari. As Minister, you turned around the fortunes of the Mining sector which grew quarter on quarter under your watch.

You came back in 2018 and met yet another era of decayed infrastructure. You put your goodwill in use and got International donors to support. You brought many of them back including banks that left the State during the years of the locust.

You completed abandoned projects like Oja Oba, Civic Centre and resuscitated state assets like Ikogosi warm springs, Gossy water and Oba Adejugbe hospital.

You restored electricity to Ikohosi, Ipple Iloro and Weijiyan, communities that have been in darkness for over three years.

Now you have built an International Cargo Airport and constructed 136km of roads.

You have Rehabilitated hospitals

You have Renovated Schools

You have Built four models secondary schools and 3 smart model colleges in each Senatorial District

You established the Polytechnic Isan

You established the knowledge zone

You Resuscitated Ikun Dairy farm

You reformed the Civil Service and despite dwindling resources and bad state of the state finances coupled with the scary Covid 19 pandemic, you have not owed workers’ salaries in four years even when some oil producing states are owing.

You brought government closer to the grassroots by creating LCDAs during your tenures and you have co ducted election twice in the LGAs and LCDAS so that government at the grassroots would be seun democratically.

The house of Assembly collaborated well in passing many Executive bills that have protected our women and girl child and improved lives of Ekiti people. We thank your wife Erelu Fayemi in pushing for many of these bills. We love her and history will be kind to her. The house of Assembly  today is the most peaceful in the history of the state thanks to your leadership style. No doubt, even your adversaries will agree that you have left Ekiti better than you met it prior 2010 and 2018.

For those who don’t know where you are coming from a brief explanation of your person is necessary. You are such a wonderful human being. You are an enigma, widely travelled, quick witted, large hearted with a forgiving spirit, devoid of self-Conceitedness, kind, patient with a suave calmness of a combat soldier. You have the faculty of understanding human beings at first sight yet, you dont take anybody doe granted.  You’re always in your best elements in periods crisis.  Even when you’re not sure of outcomes, you never betrayed any emotions. No human being is perfect and like all mortals, you have your own weaknesses and you are not infallible yet, you’re one of those rare human beings who would never willingly do wrong. You’re an Omoluabi per excellence with a clear understanding of what honour is. In fact, associating with you is enough Education.

You are specially and wonderfully made such that anywhere you go, that aura of anointing and nobility always radiate around you as witnessed in your emergence as the Chairman of Nigeria Governors forum and recently President of all Governors in Africa. You’re the first Ekiti Governor to become a Minister of the Federal Republic after serving out his tenure, first Ekiti Governor to serve two full terms, first Ekiti Governor to hand over to a successor from the same party, first Ekiti Governor to become Chairman of Nigeria’s Governor’s forum and first Nigerian Governor to become President of all Governors in Africa.

As you bow out  in few days’ time, I  seek protection for you through the book of Isiah 41: 10

Fear not, for I am with you;

Be not dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you,

Yes, I will help you,

I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
I am aware you have many National assignments beckoning please don’t forget Ekiti and don’t leave your successor, Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji whom you have groomed to take over the mantle. We pray he succeeds and surpasses your achievements.

As you go in a blaze of glory, we are proud of you and we love you. You have no doubt finished well. You have restored our values and reclaimed our land.

Jamiu is Deputy Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly
_