- By Demola Atobaba, Ado-Ekiti
The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, has pledged the unflagging passion of Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration to initiate timely and appropriate programmes and policies that will propel girl child education in the state.
Mrs Afuye disclosed that the government has made far-reaching positive impacts in the lives of girl child through many innovations, including Adolescent Girls’ Initiative for Learning and Education (AGILE) programme, where a staggering sum of N3 billion, had been expended to improve facilities in schools.
The Deputy Governor spoke on Monday, at the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado Ekiti, during an annual public lecture organised by the National Association of Women Academics (NAWACS), EKSU chapter.
At the occasion, NAWACS conferred prestigious “Meritorious Award of Excellence” on the Deputy Governor for her dedication and exceptional contributions to the growth of women in the state.
The Ekiti State First Lady, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, was also garlanded with respectable award of excellence for playing complementary roles to promote gender equality.
Addressing the eggheads, Mrs Afuye, in a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, charged the women academics to hold the flag of education highly by contributing stupendously to learning and research to make EKSU a staunch and venerable citadel of learning.
Dropping the hint that education sector was held in high esteem in Oyebanji’s priority list, the Deputy Governor stated that the current government, had demonstrated immense desire for the growth of education with firm and holistic understanding that it remains the best weapon to fight poverty.
“This government is convinced that education is a potent weapon to create a leveler between the rich and poor. Governor Oyebanji, despite the financial difficulties, had expended about N3bn on massive renovation and provision of critical infrastructure in the schools.
“The Governor recently increased subventions to all tertiary institutions in the state. The affected institutions included: The Ekiti State University, Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ekiti State Polytechnic, Isan Ekiti and the School of Health Science and Technology, Ijero Ekiti.
“This is to hep the institutions overcome the challenges being encountered in meeting recurrent and capital expenditures. It is also to enable them stabilize their academic calendars, by stemming the tide of industrial strives and unwarranted students’ and staff’s protests”.
Speaking about women’s promotion and empowerment, Mrs Afuye, said Oyebanji had exhibited commitment in this regard by facilitating opportunities for women in elective and appointive positions to give them self esteem, honour and recognition.
“Myself, the Secretary to the State Government, many Commissioners, Special Advisers, Directors General and also the first Chief Judge of the Customary Court of Appeal, are women. In the Ekiti State House of Assembly, there are six female lawmakers representing various constituencies, including the Deputy Speaker.
“Let me also put on record that in the last local government election held in December, 2023, six women were elected as Chairmen, 16 as Vice Chairmen and 33 emerged as Councilors across various wards. These figures are unprecedented in the history of Ekiti State and Nigeria”.
Also, the Vice Chancellor, Ekiti State University, Prof Edward Olanipekun, represented by Prof. Ayan Adeleke, appreciated NAWACS members for their contributions to the growth of scholarship in EKSU, saying they have shown commitments that were making the institution competitive nationally and globally.
Harping on gender mainstreaming into the country’s public service space, the NAWACS President, Prof. Florence Osalusi, said it is high time the country fully embraced the 1995 Beijing Conference that proposed 35% affirmation for women in governance, saying this remains the remedial step against endemic gender inequality.
Osalusi saluted the institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Olanipekun for appointing many women academics into strategic positions ,with many promoted as Professors, Readers, Senior Lecturers and to other illustrious academic cadres.
Delivering her lecture on the theme: “The Academics in An Artificial Intelligence Age” , a Professor of Industrial Chemistry at the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Dr. Olufunke Akintayo, clarified that “Robotic Science” was not invented to displace human effort, but to complement it and makes lives easier for the people.
