The 2011 end of the year fiesta in Ekiti state will remain evergreen in the memory of children, teenagers, elders, state officials and their spouses who were for the first time treated to sumptuous meals, good music and gift packages on separate days.
The week-long festivities were put together by a committee led by the irrepressible wife of the state governor and President, Forum of Ekiti State Officials, Erelu Bisi Fayemi. The governor’s wife attended all the events with Governor Kayode Fayemi.
Inmates of Ado-Ekiti prisons and members of orphanages and rehabilitation communities within and outside Ado-Ekiti were not left out of the fun and gift packages.
The activities had begun with a Christmas carol service, when different invited Christian denominations were at their best dishing out evergreen and contemporary soul-lifting songs.
The skies were lighted up in bright colours at the end of the service with booming fireworks that lasted for more than 20 minutes.
The events will go down in the history as the best ever and all-encompassing organised in the Government House since the state was created fifteen years ago.
No doubt, 2011 end of the year celebration was unique when compared with those of the previous years, because a lot of lives were touched, thereby giving a whole lot of people a sense of belonging.
Notable artistes, comedians and Nollywood star, like Adekola Odunlade, Gbenga Adeyinka, Mike Okri, Elemure Ogunyemi, Lanke, DJ Chesky, Precious Band, entertained guests at the occasions.
The celebrations had started on Tuesday, December 13 when the First Lady and her entourage visited the Ado-Ekiti Prisons where she joined the Catholic Diocese of Ekiti to the share the joy of the season with the inmates.
It was the turn of parents with multiple births on December 15 when the governor’s wife distributed lot of gifts and cash to the mothers.
At the occasion, Erelu Fayemi said the idea behind the establishment of the trust fund was to ensure that parents with multiple births were adequately supported by government at all times.
The end of the year party organised for children between ages 4-12 was also well attended as it brought children from different spectrums of the society and nooks and crannies of the state together to make merry.
The children who spotted their gaily coloured “Christmas Best” also donned Santa Claus Caps adorned with blinking colourful lights, which were provided by the First Lady.
State Officials and FOSESO members were also not left out of the joy of the end of the year celebrations.
Speaking at the occasion, Erelu Bisi Fayemi expressed the need to acknowledge the good work of the state officials at the end of the year, adding that there was need to set aside time to bring them together as one family.
Just as the children had their party, teenagers, elders, journalists and members of staff of the office of the wife of the governor were hosted parties.
It was the turn of senior citizens of the state to share in the festive season fun with the governor and his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi as they were hosted to an elaborate elders’ party at the Lady Jibowu Hall in the Government House.
Speaking at the evening event, Governor Kayode Fayemi said that the government decided to fete the elders, irrespective of political affiliation, in recognition of their past toils and sweat for the state.
He said that the government was in the process of reviewing the social security scheme introduced in the state few months ago to ensure that only the indigent who had no children to cater for them were beneficiaries.
According to him, elders who have adult children buoyant enough to fend for them and those still drawing pensions should not be included in the scheme in order not to defeat its objective.
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Last modified: December 26, 2011