F ollowing entreaties by the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba
Rufus Adejugbe Aladesanmi 111, foremost lawyer,
Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) and the Catholic Bishop of
Ekiti, Right Revd. Felix Ajakaye and others, Ekiti
State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has lifted the
suspension placed on the Secretary to the State
Government, Dr (Mrs.) Modupe Alade.

The personalities pleaded on behalf of the SSG during
the celebration of the 25th coronation anniversary of
Oba Adejugbe Aladesanmi in Ado- Ekiti yesterday.

The SSG, who was suspended some days ago for three
months by the governor has therefore been pardoned
and asked to resume duties tomorrow.

Setting the tone for seeking pardon for the SSG, the
Ewi said his joy on the occasion would not be complete
if the governor did not accede to the request.

In his response, the governor said he had no choice
other than to defer to the eminent personalities, but
warned against indiscipline on the part of public
officers and civil servants. He noted that though he is
a kindhearted governor, he would not compromise
discipline.

Babalola, who was the chairman on the occasion, had
listed the qualities that made Fayose excel as a
governor.

“He is kind and listens to advice and wise counsel. He
does not say he is the governor and would lord it over
everybody. When the tipper drivers had issues with
him over the N1000 levy, the drivers came to me to
intervene and I called the governor on the phone.
Though he was in Afao-Ekiti, he came down to Ado-
Ekiti, and heeded my plea on behalf of the drivers
and reduced the levy to N500,” he said.

He described Fayose as a realistic and pragmatic
person, who has brought those qualities to
governance. He said with the dwindling revenue base
of the government at all tiers, those in leadership
positions have to put in extra efforts to meet the
yearning and aspirations of the people.

“Thank God that we have a governor that is realistic
and pragmatic. When he says yes it is yes, and when
he says no it is no. We have a governor that is
truthful, honest and transparent, and that has been
helping us in the state. It has also manifested in the
recent award given the state government. We have 36
states in the federation and a survey was conducted
on budgetary implementation, and the Fayose-led
government was rated as the most transparent in the
country. Those states that call themselves big rated
low on the scale. This shows that the governor has
been handling the affairs of the state well,” he said.

Babalola, who is also the founder of the Afe Babalola
University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), called on the people
to return to the farm, saying agriculture was the
surest way out of unemployment and poor revenue in
the country.

In his speech, Fayose, who was the guest of honour,
promised to attend any similar event organised in
honour of any traditional ruler in the state.

“The governor is for all traditional rulers and people
of the state. I want to assure our royal fathers that
an occasion like this is not limited to Ado as many of
our royal fathers who are having such a great event
like this, the governor is at your beck and call. Ado is
central to us as a state and I am for all royal fathers
and any event that tells the history of your existence,
I will always be part of it. I also promise that by God’s
grace, the new Ojaba Market, if not completed by this
time next year, will be near completion,” he said.

In his remarks, Oba Adejugbe Aladesanmi 111
thanked Fayose for his tremendous efforts at
developing Ado-Ekiti and the state at large.

“Ado people cannot thank you, Governor Ayodele Fay­
ose enough. You have helped us a great deal and we
pray that God will continue to support and bless