Browsing: Niyi Adebayo

Caught in the traffic of congratulatory messages pouring in for the first Governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Richard Adeniyi Adebayo, over his Tuesday’s announcement as a minister-designate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I consider it timely, prompt and worth my while to put pen to paper reechoing what he represents in our body polity and the lesson thereof. For the records, in 1999, Otunba Adebayo as a young man of 40 years laid the foundation for the present day Ekiti, which has since become a pride to all sons and daughters of the “Land of Honour’’ even 20 years after. Through his futuristic mien and modest carriage despite being born with all the privileges of life, the young Niyi maintained a classless disposition towards his people of Ekiti, a trait which has not departed from him even in his current over sixty of age.

From the heavy presence of Okada Riders, youth and women leaders who jam-packed the premises of Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital that Friday night with many of them pulling their shirts to donate blood while I was in surgery to the powerful presence of delegation of the Ewi of Ado Ekiti and Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti by Saturday morning, followed by the personal visit of our referred Aare Afe Babalola, who was accompanied by his wife and principal functionaries of Afe Babalola University.