These are his last days in office as Gov­ernor of Ekiti State. And for many in his shoes, such days would have been a time to dawdle in the brand new, state-of-the-art Government House on the hilltop, eating, drinking and indulging in vain revelry.
But not the outgoing Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi. Since September 22, the governor has embarked on a Thank You Tour of the state during which he has been commissioning some of the legacy projects that his administration has bequeathed to the state in the past four years.
Dr. Fayemi, who was sworn in as governor on October 16, 2010, would be completing his tenure on Wednesday, October 15. The new governor, Mr. Peter Ayodele Fayose, a former governor of the state, would be sworn-in on Thursday, October 16.
No fewer than 65 local government projects are billed for commissioning during the governor’s last days in office. The projects include roads, school buildings, neighbourhood markets, libraries, community viewing centres, town halls and dispensaries, many of which were commissioned between September 22 and October 4 by the governor in the course of his thank you tour to the communities. Ten of the 18 renovated general hospitals which have been completely rehabilitated were commissioned in Ifaki-Ekiti, Ijero-Ekiti, Okemesi-Ekiti, Otun- Ekiti, Ikole- Ekiti, Ijesa-Isu-Ekiti, Ikere-Ekiti, Ijan-Ekiti and Iyin-Ekiti.
Some of the legacy projects being commissioned by Fayemi include the new hilltop Government House, christened Ayoba Villa; the 12,000-capacity Ekiti Parapo Square (the State Pavilion), the Oba Adejugbe Hospital, the Ire Burnt Bricks factory in Ire- Ekiti, the Administrative Block of the School of Nursing, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, the ultra modern Pharmacology/ Biochemistry building of the Medical School, (EKSU), and the College of Technical and Commercial Agriculture, as well as the pilot irrigation project sponsored by the three serving senators in the state, among others.
The state was thrown into excitement on Wednesday, October 1, when the newly built State Pavilion, which is comparable to the Eagles Square in Abuja, was commissioned by former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari. Named Ekiti Parapo Square, the pavilion is a 12, 000-seater arena, and it is designed to hold all manners of events ranging from school parades on May 29, May 27 and October 1), conventions, conferences, religious crusades and political campaigns.
While speaking during the commissioning, Buhari praised Fayemi and urged Nigerians to reject the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the general elections next year.
On Monday, October 6, Former Vice President, Abubakar Atiku commissioned the Oba Adejugbe Hospital, a 300-bed medical centre in Ado-Ekiti. The hospital, named after the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, was conceived and built as a replacement for the Ado-Ekiti General Hospital that was upgraded to a university teaching hospital.
Extolling Fayemi’s sterling accomplishments, Atiku said the governor’s feat was an indication that the federal government needs to cede some of its powers and responsibilities to the states in order for state governments to perform optimally.
“I think Fayemi’s performance is extraordinary. Early this year, I was here and when I came here, this very edifice was not available and driving round the city is also amazing because there are quite a number of infrastructural facilities that have come up. So I think it is an extraordinary performance,” Atiku said.
On Tuesday, October 7, Chairman of the Governors’ Forum and Governor of River State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi was on hand to perform the commissioning of the ultra modern Pharmacology/Biochemistry Building of the Medical School in Ekiti State University (EKSU) and other projects in the school, including a two-kilometre road.
Amaechi also commended Fayemi and the management of EKSU for their prudent management of resources that, he noted, resulted in the infrastructural and intellectual development of the university.
Former Head of State, Gen Abubakar Abdusalami (Rtd), was also in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital on Wednesday, October 8 to commission projects.
At the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), General Abdusalami commissioned the Works Department building, the Outpatient Department complex and the Hospital Library. He also commissioned the administrative block of the School of Nursing as well as the Erinjiyan Water Treatment Plant at Erinjiyan Ekiti.
Explaining his performance in the health sector, Governor Fayemi said the huge investment of his government in the health sector was targeted at banishing poverty among the rank and file of the Ekiti populace. “I have always believed in the age long axiom that health is wealth,” he explained.
Fayemi added that he decided to initiate the social security for the elderly as a back up to the free health mission where over 500,000 people had benefited. He added that he had also sponsored a good number of the vulnerable groups and those with complicated health situations abroad for robust medical treatment, particularly kidney transplant and other organic ailments. He urged the incoming government to consolidate on this lofty feat in the interest of all.
The following day, Kano State Governor, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, was in Ekiti where he commissioned the Ire Burnt Bricks factory in Ire-Ekiti. The factory, it was gathered, had been moribund for 23 years before it was resuscitated by Fayemi’s administration. It was gathered that the company now employs about 1, 000 workers. Kwankwaso, who also commissioned the Ero Irrigation Scheme at Ikosun Ekiti, was quite excited at the resuscitation of the Ire Burnt Bricks factory. He promised that he would also resuscitate the Kano Bricks Factory in his native state.
Said he: “When I was coming here, I told the governor that I have a similar factory in Kano. If he had mentioned that to me, certainly I would have done something about that factory. I want to tap from you and implement same in Kano. When I go back, I will see what I can do to bring back my bricks industry as it has been done here.”
Also on Thursday, October 9, Lagos Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola did the public presentation of the Gazetted Laws of Ekiti. The Lagos governor caused some stir as his helicopter landed at the helipad of the new Government House atop the Ayoba Hills. He commended Fayemi for doing a yeoman’s job in the state.
While stressing the need for the independence of the Nigerian judiciary, Fashola noted that the independence of the judiciary would enable the ordinary citizens access to justice in Nigeria.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) averred that only leaders who care about the people would invest in laws just as the Fayemi-led administration has done. In his words, when there is no law, illegality and disorderliness will thrive.
At the commissioning of yet another social security scheme of the Fayemi administration, the YESSO programme, World Bank representative, Prof. Foluso Okunmadewa praised the governor for pursuing programmes that are aimed at transforming the lives of the people. Okunmadewa explained that the YESSO programme was a welfarist intervention programme of the World Bank aimed at reducing poverty by permitting the poor people to access increased opportunities for youth employment and social service delivery.
The World Bank representative disclosed that $50 million had been approved for Ekiti to undertake a water project, affirming that the state represents the World Bank model of development partnership.
Also speaking at the occasion, Dr Fayemi said the Civil Service Transformation Strategy Policy was conceived by his administration with a view to repositioning the State Public Service in line with international best practices.
Fayemi said: “We thank God that we can now look back at our efforts with pride, knowing that our good efforts in the development of the state have not been in vain. I am particularly glad that as this administration is transiting out, we are bequeathing among other legacies, a virile, professional and dynamic civil service that would serve as the main driver of sustainable development to the new administration.”
On Sunday, October 12, the new Governor’s Lodge, Ayoba Villa was billed to be commissioned by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal and world-acclaimed writer and Africa’s first Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.
On Tuesday, October 14, the Samsung Engineering Academy, designed as a training centre for technicians on ICT, is billed for commissioning by former Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande. The College of Technical and Commercial Agriculture, Isan-Ekiti would be commissioned on Tuesday by Lt. Gen Alani Akinrinade who is also billed to commission the Fountain Food Processing Company the following day.
It was gathered that some agric projects, including a rice processing plant, cassava processing plant, oil processing plant and poultry processing plant, were commissioned by the deputy governor, Professor Modupe Adelabu.
Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Olayinka Oyebode said the Civic Centre that was initiated by the Fayemi administration could not be completed. “But since it has been named after the late deputy governor, Mrs. Adunni Olayinka, her burst will be unveiled,” he said.
The Ifaki-Iworoko-Ado dual carriageway, which was initiated by the Segun Oni administration and completed by the Fayemi administration, will be the last project to be commissioned on Wednesday, October 15. It will be commissioned by the former governor of the state, Chief Segun Oni before Dr. Fayemi bids farewell to the Government House in Ekiti.

I came here to see pictures instead I met a note.....smh