Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has declared that the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji has restored hope, stability, and a new sense of purpose to the state, saying the governor’s inclusive style of leadership has united the people and accelerated development.
Fayose made the remarks on Monday during the commissioning of the newly completed Government House Lodge in Ado-Ekiti, which was named in his honour by the Oyebanji administration.
The former governor, who was visibly emotional at the event, described Oyebanji as “a brother from another mother,” praying that God would continue to grant him wisdom and strength to lead the state.
“I stood by my convictions. I was deeply hurt by the political developments in Ekiti, and I fought hard. The spinal problem I suffered was one of the consequences of those struggles. But today, God, who knows tomorrow, has raised Governor Oyebanji, and I have every reason to thank Him.
“Sometimes what we desire is not necessarily what God has prepared for us. Those who will eventually reward you may not even be standing beside you today. God has His own timing, and today my brother has paid a debt I never imagined would be repaid,” Fayose said.
Speaking on the decision to name the Government House Lodge after him, Fayose said he regarded the honour as a reflection of Governor Oyebanji’s character rather than a personal favour.
“I’m not here to thank you for naming this lodge after me. By doing this, you are writing your own name in history because every good deed has its reward. There is always a payback time for every action,” he said.
Commending Oyebanji’s leadership style, Fayose said the governor had demonstrated that peace, cooperation, and inclusiveness were essential ingredients for sustainable development.
According to him, “This young man has proved many of us wrong. He has shown that in an atmosphere of cooperation, peace, and unity, a state can grow rapidly. I am not here to condemn any former governor, but it is obvious that Ekiti has made remarkable progress within a short time.”
He urged Ekiti people to continue supporting the governor in his efforts to sustain peace and accelerate development, stressing that unity remained the foundation for the state’s continued progress.
Speaking at the event, Governor Oyebanji unveiled plans by his administration to honour more eminent Ekiti leaders, including the Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), with legacy projects.
The governor also disclosed that the same honour would be extended posthumously to the late former military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, who created Ekiti State on October 1, 1996.
Oyebanji also used the occasion to appreciate President Bola Tinubu for appointing former Governor Fayose as Chairman of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), noting that the appointment had increased the number of prominent Ekiti citizens occupying prestigious positions at the federal level. He added that it was also a demonstration of the President’s love for the state.
Expressing his gratitude to President Tinubu for his support for the state, Oyebanji said no President had treated Ekiti State the way Tinubu had done since the state’s creation 29 years ago, in terms of increased allocations from the Federation Account, the execution of critical projects across the state, and the large number of Ekiti citizens holding important federal appointments.
Still basking in the euphoria of his recent historic back-to-back re-election, Oyebanji urged the people of the state to deliver more than double the 319,224 votes he garnered during the last governorship election for Tinubu in the January 2027 presidential election, in appreciation of the love and magnanimity Ekiti had so far enjoyed under his presidency.
Commending former Governor Fayose for his statesmanship and service to Ekiti State, Oyebanji said the former governor was reaping the same gesture he had extended to other prominent Ekiti citizens by naming key projects after them during his two terms in office. He added that the construction of the Ayodele Fayose Lodge was a token of appreciation for his sacrifices for the people of the state.
He pointed out that while Fayose named projects after the late former Deputy Governor, Mrs Funmi Olayinka; former Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Archbishop Abiodun Adetiloye; former Minister in the old Western Region, Chief Oduola Osuntokun; and Nigeria’s first female university graduate, Lady Deborah Jibowu, he did not name any project after himself while in office.
Oyebanji said he was fulfilled that Fayose was being honoured in his lifetime with the edifice rather than at his funeral.
He further disclosed that Chief Segun Oni is the next former governor to be immortalised with the naming of another edifice within the precincts of the Ekiti Government House, after which the honour would be extended to other distinguished patriots of the state.
He said, “What we are doing today is to appreciate you for your service to our state, to let you know that we appreciate you, and to let you know that we will continue to build on the blocks of courage and development which you laid. I am grateful to God that we are not saying this at your funeral. I am grateful to God that you are here to commission this project that has been named after you.
“And like I said last Friday when we unveiled Governor Kayode Fayemi Lodge, the next lodge will be named after Governor Segun Oni. After we are done with our former governors, we will name some legacy projects after illustrious sons of Ekiti, and those to be honoured include Aare Afe Babalola, Chief Wole Olanipekun, and the late General Sani Abacha, who created Ekiti State.
“Before the end of our second tenure, we will find a befitting legacy project that will be named after General Sani Abacha because, for us in Ekiti, this state wouldn’t have existed without him creating it.”
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