L-R: Former Governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Niyi Adebayo; Patron Ekiti Parapo Lagos, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi; Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; President Ekiti Parapo, Lagos, Chief Kola Akomolede and representative of the state’s Deputy Governor, Mrs. Kehinde Daramola, at the 2012 Ekiti Day organised by Ekiti Parapo, Lagos Chapter, at the City Hall, Lagos on Saturday, March 24, 2012.
Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has restated the commitment of his administration to revamp the agriculture sector and make it a source of revenue for the state.
The Governor reiterated this commitment at the 2012 Ekiti Day organised by Ekiti Parapo Lagos on Saturday, where 10 prominent sons and daughters of the state, including Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN;), Emeritus professor Oladunni Olaniyan-Taylor, and Director General , NDLEA, Mr Olufemi Ajayi, were given special awards.
Other awardees of the day include, Chief Afe Babalola, Miss Tosin Otitoju, Chief Jimoh Aliu, Dr Victor Olaiya; Chairman, Access Bank, Mr Gbenga Oyebode, Mr Femi Falana and Mrs Abiodun Duro Ladipo.
Fayemi said his administration has decided to give attention to the production of cassava, cocoa and rice; even as government has begun a one product per local government policy in the sector as part of moves to restore the state to its place as the food basket of the western region which it used to be in the 1950s.
While expressing the readiness of his administration to support initiatives that would help government actualise its vision for the sector, the Governor assured of the support of the state government for the cassava factory initiative which Ekiti Parapo is building at Ikole Ekiti; adding that the initiative would help actualise the vision of government.
“Our administration is very much committed to turning agriculture to a major issue in our state. Yes we are brilliant, we go to school but we can do a lot more in the field of agriculture and Ekiti Parapo Lagos has demonstrated that by investing in the cassava processing factory. One of the policies of this administration is what we call the one product per local government.
“Cassava has become a big issue for us and as part of our initiatives in agriculture, cassava is a key commodity that we have identified as worthy of being put to greater height. We have identified three major products: cocoa, cassava and rice. Cassava is the one that we have been really committed to pushing more consistently than other products. I want to say as part of our contribution to this initiative that Ekiti Parapo Lagos has started that we will support it,” Fayemi said.
Lauding the contributions of the 10 awardees to the development of Ekiti State, the Governor said it was not a coincidence that six of them are brand ambassadors of the state and are featured in the state’s 2012 calendar as well as a column on the state website- www.ekitistate.gov.ng .
This, he said has underscored the position of the administration that brilliance was not enough to make an Ekiti person but also character and dignity.
Fayemi said: “We are not celebrating them because they are 419ners, or someone with questionable wealth or character, but because they have demonstrated that they are worthy of the honour. All of them starting from the youngest- Miss Tosin Otitoju to the oldest, Dr Victor Olaiya- have earned this honour and recognition by dint of hard work and their various contributions to the state.
“It did not come as a surprise that six of them have earlier being named as Ekiti Brand Ambassadors by the state government, while the state had last year, singled out one of them- Dr Victor Olaiya for a special recognition. The other three, I must say also merit to be named as brand ambassadors of the state, judging from their respective contributions to the state.”
Earlier, the President of Ekiti Parapo Lagos, Chief Kola Akomolede had said that the Day was not only to bestow awards on deserving Ekiti indigenes but also to raise funds for the development of the state, especially for the completion of the cassava factory which would gulp about 50 million Naira.
Akomolede added that on completion, the project would help generate employment for the unemployed youths and support the effort of the Fayemi-led administration in combating unemployment.
Last modified: March 25, 2012
