- By Demola Atobaba, Ado-Ekiti
Elder statesman and Chairman of the Committee for the Creation of Ekiti State, Chief Deji Fasuan has assured the people of Ekiti that with the presence of Governors Biodun Oyebanji as the Governor of the state, the development envisioned by the founding fathers who fought hard for the creation would be actualize faster, says the State is still on course.
Chief Fasuan who equally turned 92 years on Sunday as Ekiti indigenes marked the 27th anniversary of the State, expressed satisfaction that despite the various challenges that had confronted the State, it is making gradual progress against all odds since it was created in 1996.
The elder statesman who addressed newsmen during a visit by the state Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji to his residence in Ado-Ekiti on Sunday. Oyebanji was the secretary on state creation while Chief Fasuan was chairman in the nineties.
Reviewing the socioeconomic development the state has witnessed in the last 27 years, Chief Fasuan said that the existence of a State named after Ekiti people had justified the efforts and sacrifices made by those who worked for its creation.
He recalled the ordeals of the committee and admitted that the emergence of the Secretary of the Committee, Mr Biodun Oyebanji as the State Governor has further raised hope that the development envisioned by the founding fathers would be actualised faster.
He said he was satisfied that the people are getting the type of attention and development they clamored for, adding that the state capital, Ado-Ekiti had become more cosmopolitan just like some other major towns with successive governments investing in infrastructure upgrade.
While commending Governor Oyebanji for his progressive initiatives towards bringing more development to the state, the elder statesman called on all Ekiti indigenes to join hands with the Governor to realize his vision for Ekiti State.
Chief Fasuan asserted that the Governor understood the vision of the founding fathers and has been working tirelessly in actualizing an enviable Ekiti state.
In his remarks, Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, who was on a congratulatory visit to the nonagenarian, thanked him for leading notable Ekiti leaders in ensuring Ekiti got a state.
Oyebanji said the creation of Ekiti State has brought a lot of development in the last 27 years of the state’s existence, adding that the dreams and vision of the founding fathers to have a state that would be a source of pride to all are being achieved as Ekiti is now an important factor in Nigeria’s political enterprise.
He maintained that the state has assumed its proper pride of place in the comity of states across the nation by building a formidable profile of a progressive and development- oriented state that is poised for inclusive prosperity for all.
While congratulating the nonagenarian on the occasion of his 92nd birthday celebration, the Governor said history will forever be kind to Chief Fasuan for the notable role he played in the struggle for the creation of Ekiti state and the development of the state.
“I’ m just grateful to God that he is alive, just 27 years ago on a day like this we all gathered here to listening to the presidential broadcast that gave birth to Ekiti”
“It is a 27 years of development, we have not remained on the same spot, as a people we have carved an identity for ourselves and that is what is most important in the Nigeria political space” the Governor stated.
