Elder statesman and founder, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, on Thursday reviewed the 25 years of the existence of Ekiti State, saying the state has nothing to celebrate.

Babalola, one of the active founders of the state, lamented, “Ekiti has not achieved the anticipated lofty objectives of the founding fathers.

“Twenty-five years after its creation, Ekiti State remains land-locked, motorway-locked, airport-locked, railway locked, industry-locked and power-locked, a development which adversely affects economic development in the state.”

Ekiti State was created on October 1, 1996 out of the old Ondo State.

But Babalola, in a statement titled, ‘Ekiti State: A toddler @ 25’, stated, “Looking at the position of things in Ekiti today, I am beginning to doubt if those of us (dead and alive) who fought for the creation of Ekiti State were right in opting out of the bigger Ondo State.

“There is nothing for Ekiti State to celebrate at 25. Unfortunately, the National Assembly, successive governors and ministers to who I have personally written petitions, have ignored them. Today, Ekiti remains an ailing state in the hand of a dying mother nation.”

Continuing, the Senior Advocate stated: “Today, October 1, in the year of our Lord, 2021, Ekiti State is 25 years old. We thank God for those of us who are still alive to witness the 25th year after the creation of our dear state called ‘The Fountain of Knowledge’ and the ‘The Land of Honour.’

“However, for me, there is nothing to celebrate by engaging in any social gathering. As one of the active founders of our state, I confirm that our hope was that the state would be nurtured to become the showpiece among the comity of states in Nigeria.
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“Today, Ekiti State has the worst road network in the country, while the only industry in Ekiti, even before Ekiti State was created, the O’odua Textile Industry established during the Chief Obafemi Awolowo regime, has folded up.

“To compound matters, the state lacks the necessary infrastructure to attract investors to the state.
Like their peers in other states of the federation, local governments in Ekiti State do not have the necessary funds to assist farmers with farm equipment like tractors, bulldozers, pay loaders, low loaders and riggers which they used to rent out to farmers at subsidized rates as it was before the creation of the state.

“Today, there are many villages in Ekiti without electricity for years. The roads are worse than ever before. The airport which we thought would support Ikogosi Warm Spring remains a dream; industries that would have produced employment are non-existent, our highly qualified professionals are migrating to other states where they locate their businesses and pay their taxes.

“It is a notorious fact that apart from Gombe State, Ekiti State receives the least allocation from the monthly Federal Government allocation to states. It will interest you that Ekiti was contributing as much as 52 per cent of the total revenue of the old Western Region through the instrumentality of agricultural produce.

“But all that would appear to have disappeared, no thanks to the advent of oil which drew people away from their otherwise lucrative pastime of farming which used to fetch them handsome income in the days of yore,” Babalola stated.

However, the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, who was the secretary of the Committee for the Creation of Ekiti State, said the state was not where it was 25 years ago.

Oyebanji said, “We have certainly left Egypt, but not in our Jerusalem yet. I believe all leaders, present and past, have done their part in the development of the state.”

“Yes, we may not have been where we ought to be, but I can say we have left where we were 25 years ago,” the SSG added https://punchng.com/ekiti-at-25-nothing-to-celebrate-afe-babalola/

Ok

But the old guy is still making fortunes from his elite-only university in the state.

With the quality of the Human Resources in Ekiti State, you would expect the state to be foremost in many ranks. The state is not and it’s a leadership problem!

Lol

Nothing to write home about.
People are living in abject poverty.
Insecurity has been worrisome.

It's like this man want to see the other side of government

amnesty7:
But the old guy is still making fortunes from his elite-only university in the state.

So he shouldn't operate his investment(ABUAD) the way he likes?

Afe Babalola is right.

Compare Ekiti with States created same year(1996) with it viz Gombe, Ebonyi, Bayelsa....you will discover that the State is lagging behind in terms of critical and social infrastructure which would go a long way in mitigating the suffering of the people.

Olushegun Oni, Ayodele Fayose, Olukayode Fayemi failed Ekiti people.

Cc;
Lalasticlala.
Mynd44.
Seun.