Members of the Ekiti State Executive Council on Wednesday held a valedictory session in honour of the outgoing Head of Service, Ayodeji Ajayi, describing him as a hard working public servant who brought transformation into the state’s civil service.
The valedictory session was held during the weekly State Executive Council meeting at the Exco Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Ado Ekiti.
Ajayi will formally retire from the service on Sunday, having attained the mandatory retirement age.
Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who presided over the meeting, expressed gratitude to Ajayi for restoring professionalism and commitment to the state civil service.
Commending the outgoing Head of Service for driving the transformation agenda of his administration through the civil service, Fayemi said his role as the HOS was historic, adding that the handing over of the outgoing Head of Service to the newly appointed Head of Service, Peju Babafemi, was unprecedented in the history of Civil Service in the State.
He said: “This is the first time a Head of Service will formerly hand over to another Head of Service.
“What we witnessed in the past is the case of new administration asking new Head of Service to take over from the former unceremoniously.
“It is not an accidental transition.
“We can always call on him to offer his service in areas we believe he can excel.”
Fayemi told members of his cabinet that the coordinated and planned transition has enhanced the dignity of the office of the Head of Service in the State.
During the valedictory session, members of the cabinet also took turn to air their views on their outgoing colleague.
The Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, described Ajayi as a humble and hard working officer who is loyal to the vision of the Fayemi-led administration.
Also, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Wale Fapohunda, commended the outgoing Head of Service for the numerous support he gave to the growth of the ministry of Justice in the areas of capacity building and career progression for legal officers in the ministry.
Other members of the cabinet who in their comments showered encomium on the outgoing Head of Service, shared the experiences of their personal encounter with him when he was Permanent Secretary and when he became head of service.
While hoping that he would still have the opportunity to serve the State in other capacities, his colleagues described him as a man who possessed huge sense of humility, simplicity, thorough and lived up to the mantra of restoring the values of Ekiti.
In his remarks, Ajayi was full of appreciation to the Governor for appointing him as Permanent Secretary during his first term and Head of Service in his second term, noting that his exit from the office was the first smooth transition in the history of the State Civil Service.
He said he was able to contribute his quota to the transformation of the civil service due to the policies and programmes that were approved and implemented by the governor.
Ajayi added that stability has been restored into the service and civil servants can now retired at the appropriate age as may be determined by either length of service or age.
Ajayi, who started his career from the old Ondo State, had served in the Ekiti State Civil Service for 24 years, rose to the position of Permanent Secretary and was appointed by Governor Fayemi as the Head of Service in 2019.
The state government, had in a release earlier on Monday announced the appointment of Babafemi as the new Head of Service.
She will resume on Monday.
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