PapaBrowne: @Lari03
If the pictures you've posted are proof of work going on in Ekiti state after almost two years in power, then I sympathize with the people of Ekiti state.
Rocks at the middle of a dirt road as proof of on going works Even a LG chairman in some states would be ashamed to present such pictures!

To be honest, I have to agree with this. I hope he's just posting random pictures.

PapaBrowne: @Lari03
If the pictures you've posted are proof of work going on in Ekiti state after almost two years in power, then I sympathize with the people of Ekiti state.
Rocks at the middle of a dirt road as proof of on going works Even a LG chairman in some states would be ashamed to present such pictures!

The proof exists in the pictures, they are in no chronological order, but there were various stages of construction carried out and that is what you saw, its from my personal collection and I noted that my presentation was amateur so bear with me images 439,new lane sch.,are close to what's obtainable now.
The roads are still under construction,obviously yet to be completed.

Gbawe:

My friend, the article is on the official website of Ekiti State. You are just showing ignorance if you do not know that even in the West no Government department is obligated to supply any pictures to anyone. They will however provide regular updates of work being done .

This is , for example, why you won't find any pictures of the superb drainage project carried out in the Bode-Thomas-Eric-Moore axis of Lagos by Julius Berger recently. Of course fellow haters like you came here to say Fashola [/b]is a "liar" who has not carried out one single drainage project in Lagos till I supplied my own personal pictures to prove otherwise. Djustice, a known hater of [b]Fashola [/b]who claimed the [b]Lagos Governor was just "chopping", was stunned . See the pictures yourself and trawl the net to see if you can find them anywhere else proving my point that no one is obligated to supply pictures to prove anything to mischief makers like you. The drainage is built for me as a [b]Lagosian [/b]living in that area. I therefore don't need any silly pictures when I have my eyes same as Ekiti folks lose nothing over your biased cynicism:

https://www.nairaland.com/826649/what-big-deal-about-fashola/1

What has Fashola got to do with Fayemi or Ekiti State? Fashola is Fashola and Fayemi is Fayemi. The fact that they are both of ACN doesn't in anyway make Fashola and Fayemi the same, neither does it make Lagos and Ekiti the same.
Lari03 has provided a pretty embarrassing set of pictures that serve only to do damage to your article. So if you have better pictures to support your article I would gladly erase the assumption I already have that this is just another attempt, albeit unprofessionally, at misinforming the very gullible public!!




In Nigeria, the style is to make vague allusions to work carried out. Administrators never mention specific names because , even if not obvious to you, the silly example you give of proliferation of smartphones makes you look very dull. If SW PDP can resort to wild fabrication and outright lies, would the ACN not be playing into their hands mentioning actual roads if indeed there is no construction going on and everything is a "big fat lie" as you conclude? Oni, smarting from Fayemi ousting him, and lying through his teeth daily will miss the chance to mobilise a camera crew to ridicule Fayemi? You are not very smart.

In any case, why is it that you guys not from the SW are keen to ruin every thread with your silly demand for pictures these days? Why don't you let indigenes speak before you open your mouth to begin yapping nonsensically? It works both ways because if you live in Ekiti you can simply go to many of the sites and prove no work is ongoing. If you don't feel obligated to do that in proving your case why , inversely, should the onus fall on anyone to provide you with pictures when, ultimately, you don't matter at all since you are not from Ekiti State?

Go and check Fayemi's history to see he is no conman like many of your political heroes. Anyway, we have heard you. Can you now go and face your own issues abeg. They are talking of roads and you are showing an elevated picture of a town. What confirms your mischief, driven by bias, more than that?

http://ekitistate.gov.ng/2012/05/fayemi-turning-ekiti-into-huge-construction-site/

What has Fashola got to do with Fayemi or Ekiti State? Fashola is Fashola and Fayemi is Fayemi. The fact that they are both of ACN doesn't in anyway make Fashola and Fayemi the same, neither does it make Lagos and Ekiti the same.
Lari03 has provided a pretty embarrassing set of pictures that serve only to do damage to your article. So if you have better pictures to support your article I would gladly erase the assumption I already have that this is just another attempt, albeit unprofessionally, at misinforming the very gullible public!!

lari03:
The proof exists in the pictures, they are in no chronological order, but there were various stages of construction carried out and thats what you saww, its from my personal collection and I noted that my presentation was amateur so bear with me images 439,new lane sch.,are close to what's obtainable now.

No they're not. Those are just rocks on the road, on every stage.

PapaBrowne:

Totally agree! They would make very cool rural resorts. Can be supported with spas and wellness centers as well as some form of Agrotourism!
But would that be sufficient to provide a viable economy for the state. Not really. AgriBusiness is the way forward for a state like Ekiti.

At this stage? with the poor infrastructure? I don't think tourism can help them. Infrastructures such as road, Water and Electricity together constitute the life blood of businesses like that.

Yes. Agribusiness can help Ekiti in the medium term. On the long run, I think Ekiti Private business sector will have to take a good look at services too. Tech support services, Education support businesses, but still, capital investments in infrastructure is key to these things.

This is another reason why states with close proximity to Lagos need that SW regional agenda to work and help jump-start their development. Lagos is probably Africa's 4th Largest Economy as a standalone country, Huge market for businesses, agric produce and services originating from states like Ekiti for example.

About "just doing his job", I think it is important to inform the populace on whatever it is that's being done. Do so with every tool at your disposal including well presented pictures and videos. That way, the opposition doesn't get to define you. Fashola is doing a great job at that. So is Oshiomole.

I wonder why Fayemi has not hired you for his PR job

No they're not. Those are just rocks on the road, on every stage. [/quote]
The rocks were blown to the ground and excavated,In my opinion looking at the middle of the road in both images that I listed, you will find that one lane is higher than the other, the road will be filled before asphalt is laid. (I posted most of those pictures so that people could see what the problem was, the project is the dualization of the road, and those rocks had to give way.) The road is still under construction, I repeat... under construction from Fajuyi to Ifaki.

Agribusiness is not the way forward, if your goal is to have low unemployment.

Electricity and then industrialization are the ingredients necessary for that.

WhyAWhy: what IGNORANCE, construction of road project is NOT AN ACHIEVEMENT. Only a Mediocre government would make an issue out of that by giving it publicity!!!!

As soon as I read the above, I immediately shouted, there is hope!!!

lari03: No they're not. Those are just rocks on the road, on every stage.
The rocks were blown to the ground and excavated,In my opinion looking at the middle of the road in both images that I listed, you will find that one lane is higher than the other, the road will be filled before asphalt is laid. (I posted most of those pictures so that people could see what the problem was, the project is the dualization of the road, and those rocks had to give way.) The road is still under construction, I repeat... under construction from Fajuyi to Ifaki.

Ok, so where are the other stages?
It seems like I'm staring at the same picture from diff angles.

linsa01: I was in Ado 3days ago.
Fayemi led administration destroyed the road dividers on the fajuyi-Teaching Hospital road, and infact, on all double carriage in Ado. The engineers on these roads are actualy expanding the dividers. My question is..how will this expand the road? I personally see this as a waste of scarce resources. Nothing was wrong with the road divider that was there before IMO.

So the huge constructions are road construction projects still?

Coefficient:

Please save yourself the stress of uploading any pictures. I am a son of the soil in Ekiti and infact I have people working in the system right there. I became disenchanted with Fayemi's administration since he mooted the idea of turning that beautiful edifice serving as governor's office to a 'BROTHEL' or hotel if you like. Fayemi is busy wasting the scare resources in Ekiti. What has become of the beautification project till today? Ado township looks horrible, the roads are bad and he's coming here to advertise road repairs which is no achievement to me! It is part of a basic duties of a governor to ensure good roads, portable water and other basic amenities that makes life easier for the citizenry! You don't blow your own trumpet! He has been only busy embarking on white elephant projects. He's no better than his predecessor, Segun Oni. I am no loyalist of any political organisation but I want the best for the state and not just vague projects that have no direct impact on the life of the people!

There is hope!

Dear FG, if you insist Nigeria must be then we must turn Ekiti and Osun to Nigeria Farm. Thank you

Kilode?!:


At this stage? with the poor infrastructure? I don't think tourism can help them. Infrastructures such as road, Water and Electricity together constitute the life blood of businesses like that.

Yes. Agribusiness can help Ekiti in the medium term. On the long run, I think Ekiti Private business sector will have to take a good look at services too. Tech support services, Education support businesses, [/b]but still, capital investments in infrastructure is key to these things.

This is another reason why [b]states with close proximity to Lagos need that SW regional agenda to work and help jump-start their development. Lagos is probably Africa's 4th Largest Economy as a standalone country, Huge market for businesses, agric produce and services originating from states like Ekiti for example.




I wonder why Fayemi has not hired you for his PR job

Very very apt. I believe strongly that regional integration would do a lot of good. The current trend that sees Lagos sapping all the economic activities and investments that should have been spread across the region would be reversed. Every area would focus on its comparative advantage and harness the resources of the common pool for its development. I so believe that Regional Intergration is about the only way forward for this country right now.
You asked in another thread why Oga GEJ hasn't made any move to push the regional thingy- my answer- the small thing he has done by simply defying the so called zoning formula has resulted in bombs from the previous owners of Nigeria, so you can imagine what would happen if he makes any attempt to officially regionalize Nigeria. Remember, there is something called "doctrines of settled issues" Babangida said we should never attempt to touch those issues.

Back to topic, there really isn't enough money for a state like Ekiti to develop adequate infrastructure. It has to look for innovative ways to attract capital if it must engage in any form of development. I think the answer lies in this question, if a single person like Dangote can amass wealth running in tens of billions of dollars, what stops a state with all its resources from doing same. Until states start thinking like businesses, we would remain where we are in a while to come.

PR job? Naaah. Ado Ekiti can't pay na!! They don't have oil money!!

It's a good thing i guess.

ekt_bear: Agribusiness is not the way forward, if your goal is to have low unemployment.

Electricity and then industrialization are the ingredients necessary for that.

Totally disagree! Before you take on any developmental path, you must decide what comparative advantages you have. Electricity?? Ekiti would not have the money in decades to build its own electricity infrastructure such that can support industrialization.
Industrialization?? Have any idea who your competition is? We are talking China, Turkey Brazil and the likes. As it stands today, Ekiti doesn't even have a head-start in Nigeria, talkless Africa and the the globe. Industrialization is almost impossible in the next two decades. The nomenclature of the globe today doesn't support an argument for industrialization of Ekiti State in a while to come.
Industrialization is supported by Geography, Human Resources, Finance, support industries and a host of the factors
Lets focus on more realistic areas where we have reasonable competitive advantage. Thats why I mentioned AgriBusiness. Kilode mentioned Support Services and I think thats very much in order.
Does that mean we should ignore industralization? No, but it shouldn't be a priority because the geography, human capital and infrastructure and finance are non existent.

Coefficient:

Please save yourself the stress of uploading any pictures. I am a son of the soil in Ekiti and infact I have people working in the system right there. I became disenchanted with Fayemi's administration since he mooted the idea of turning that beautiful edifice serving as governor's office to a 'BROTHEL' or hotel if you like. Fayemi is busy wasting the scare resources in Ekiti. What has become of the beautification project till today? Ado township looks horrible, the roads are bad and he's coming here to advertise road repairs which is no achievement to me! It is part of a basic duties of a governor to ensure good roads, portable water and other basic amenities that makes life easier for the citizenry! You don't blow your own trumpet! He has been only busy embarking on white elephant projects. He's no better than his predecessor, Segun Oni. I am no loyalist of any political organisation but I want the best for the state and not just vague projects that have no direct impact on the life of the people!

don't forget that 85 percent of death is due to bad road.....Now, let me ask: if u're the gov'or of ekiti where will u start from?

Agribusiness doesn't create enough jobs. So it isn't going to be very helpful.

Ekiti doesn't need to create its own electricity infrastructure...that is a task for the private sector.

Assuming that:
a) electricity is in place at prices not much more above that of competitors
b) transportation to the coast and within Nigeria is improved,

then the lower labor costs will give enough of an advantage, at least within the West Africa subsector.

It isn't hard to beat even China if (a) and (b) are in place, at least in certain sectors. Their costs are rapidly rising, mine would be rising less rapidly..

Anyway, agribusiness is a pretty poor answer for the issues at hand.

If you don't make industrialization the first priority, you are doomed, essentially.

There is no other way to employ large numbers of people.

PapaBrowne: @Lari03
If the pictures you've posted are proof of work going on in Ekiti state after almost two years in power, then I sympathize with the people of Ekiti state.
Rocks at the middle of a dirt road as proof of on going works Even a LG chairman in some states would be ashamed to present such pictures!

PapaBrowne:

Totally disagree! Before you take on any developmental path, you must decide what comparative advantages you have. Electricity?? Ekiti would not have the money in decades to build its own electricity infrastructure such that can support industrialization.
Industrialization?? Have any idea who your competition is? We are talking China, Turkey Brazil and the likes. As it stands today, Ekiti doesn't even have a head-start in Nigeria, talkless Africa and the the globe. Industrialization is almost impossible in the next two decades. The nomenclature of the globe today doesn't support an argument for industrialization of Ekiti State in a while to come.
Industrialization is supported by Geography, Human Resources, Finance, support industries and a host of the factors
Lets focus on more realistic areas where we have reasonable competitive advantage. Thats why I mentioned AgriBusiness. Kilode mentioned Support Services and I think thats very much in order.
Does that mean we should ignore industralization? No, but it shouldn't be a priority because the geography, human capital and infrastructure and finance are non existent.

Absolute nonsense. Industrialization is possible even today. It is not about competing with China or Brazil, it is about tapping into areas where you have a comparative advantage.
If industrialization is not possible in Ekiti because of geography, human resources and infrastructure, can you please tell me where is Nigeria well suited for industrialization?

The only things required for industrialization are electricity (at reasonable prices) and good transportation to markets. The latter actually is not a competitive disadvantage...everybody has to deal with terrible Nigerian roads. Even goods from China must pass through bad Nigerian roads.

The disadvantage we have is lack of electricity. If/when that is solved, then there is opportunity to do light manufacturing.

And from there, the sky is the limit.

After all, we do have the advantage of cheaper labor costs than say Lagos.

Anyway, focusing on roads is good. Rail needs to be next. But above all, electricity must be #1.

Coefficient:

Third post? Nah! But hey I'm not asking anyone to share my views. I know you're from Ekiti and am from there as well. Ado-Ekiti precisely. I'm not asking for a magical transformation either but am saying priorities have to be set and gotten right. Let's start with the basic and not vague endeavours. What need is there for turning governor's office to a hotel? Pray tell. And that building is right near the government quarters! Where's the sense security in that? Ado-Afao road is in deplorable state and so many others like that I don't have time to mention. The township dualisation has been as Fayose left it, no significant progress. The road leading to UNAD/EKSU has only one part completed. There have been two governors after Fayose oh. Infact, a lot isn't right with the administration in Ekiti right now. But then there's room for improvisation but let Fayemi get things right and not a wild goose chase with non-viable projects. I can't say it all but I hope he does something significant soon before he's booted out like his predecessors. And like I said earlier, I'm no apologist of any governor or party but whoever is at the helm of affairs should do the right things.

God will save Nigeria, u people critisized this man when he said etiki needs an airport and suggest he makes neccessary infrastructures like water supply, road and rail road connecting to kwara, u people are critisizing again for road project....what shuld he do na? A least it's better than looting the money like most of ur leaders do.

DEL.

Well, criticizing someone for wanting to build airport is different from criticizing them for wanting to build roads.

The former is foolish in this particular case. The latter a good idea.

ekt_bear: The only things required for industrialization is electricity (at reasonable prices) and good transportation to markets. The latter actually is not a competitive disadvantage...everybody has to deal with terrible Nigerian roads. Even goods from China must pass through bad Nigerian roads.

The disadvantage we have is lack of electricity. If/when that is solved, then there is opportunity to do light manufacturing.

And from there, the sky is the limit.

After all, we do have the advantage of cheaper labor costs than say Lagos.

Anyway, focusing on roads is goods. Rail needs to be next. But above all, electricity must be #1.

Dapo, I don't really know what our leaders are smoking! It's not like we have to re-invent the wheel. All the templates are there for us to use and adapt to our specific needs, yet these people act as if completely dum.b. I tire for Naija mehn.

ekt_bear: Agribusiness doesn't create enough jobs. So it isn't going to be very helpful.

Ekiti doesn't need to create its own electricity infrastructure...that is a task for the private sector.

Assuming that:
a) electricity is in place at prices not much more above that of competitors
b) transportation to the coast and within Nigeria is improved,

then the lower labor costs will give enough of an advantage, at least within the West Africa subsector.

It isn't hard to beat even China if (a) and (b) are in place, at least in certain sectors. Their costs are rapidly rising, mine would be rising less rapidly..

Anyway, agribusiness is a pretty poor answer for the issues at hand.

You've just painted a fatalistic situation because all the things you've mentioned- electricity and transportation aren't in the control capacity of Ekiti as a state. Investors always seeks areas with best ROI. Investors would rather build power stations in Lagos state for proximity to markets and in the Niger Delta for proximity to Gas. Its only when these areas have experienced saturation that investors would start thinking of areas like Ekiti. It is the reality. The cost of building electricity infrastructure is enormous, hence unless there is adequate economic incentive, no investor would expend a dime building power stations in Ekiti. The state Government on the other hand doesn't have the financila capacity to make that happen.

About transportation to the coast, that's under the purview of the Feds. So if the PDP led Govt in Abuja keeps messing up, then be sure that Ekiti is making no progress. Which makes the case a fatalistic one because none of the recommendations you've made are within the control of Ekiti as a State. So if you want something Ekiti has leverage over, Agribusiness is about the only option. And by the way, the two largest employers of labour in most societies are Agriculture and construction upon which you can build a viable services industry.

@Aigbofa: To be fair, regulation in Nigeria makes things difficult. But yeah, I wish they showed more imagination.

For example it annoys me when I hear governors and folk talk about agribusiness for example as the way out...it tells me that they've not thought about the issues much at all.

f i o:

don't forget that 85 percent of death is due to bad road.....Now, let me ask: if u're the gov'or of ekiti where will u start from?

85% of deaths in Ekiti? How did you ascertain that this is most definitely the problem in Ekiti?

Not saying even remote areas do not need roads, but when you have very very limited resources, you have to be prudent in what you use em for. Road projects are no solutions to economic problems, and they are certainly not going to bring jobs in to Ekiti, in case anyone is thinking to say that next.

Just a quick trip back to the past, states like Ondo, Oyo, Ogun and much of Kwara also had fairly good roads(especially when compared to the not so good roads in places like Bendel state etc. However, those good roads did not bring in needed development, as people still had to go outside of the state to get their goods and services.
For example, the Ogun state that you know today was open even back BUT 30 years later, the state is struggling to bring in well needed development. Is it because the roads to Ogun are bad? Balderdash . . . it is because the State hasn't really worked hard at developing it's economy as it did back before the 80's. Ogun used to be the state that would compete with Lagos.

Kayode Fayemi

He attended Christ’s School, Ado Ekiti and received degrees in History, Politics and International Relations from the Universities of Lagos and Ife in Nigeria and his Doctorate in War Studies from the prestigious King's College, University of London, England, specializing in civil-military relations. His research and policy interests include: Democratisation, Constitutionalism, Security Sector Governance, and Regionalism in the Global Context.

He was Strategy Development Adviser at London’s City Challenge; research fellow at the African Research & Information Bureau in London, UK, reporter with the newspapers, The Guardian and City Tempo, editor of the political monthly, Nigeria-Now, management consultant at Development and Management Consultants and lecturer at the Police College in Sokoto, Nigeria.

1997–2006 — Director, Centre for Democracy & Development
1995–1997 — Secretary General, Media Empowerment for Africa (The Radio Foundation)
1993–1995 — Strategy Development Adviser, Deptford City Challenge, London, UK
1991–1993 — Research Officer, African Research and Information Bureau, London, UK.
1992–1992 — Tutorial Fellow, War Studies Department, King's College, London, UK
1987–1989 — Research Officer, Development & Management Consultants, Ikeja. Lagos-Nigeria.
1985–1986 — Lecturer, Nigeria-Police Training College, Sokoto – Nigeria

^^^^With his loaded CV up there - yet the guy is not performing...What's wrong with Nigerian intellectuals?? Is there something in the Nigerian air - that makes achievers in diaspora, become mediocre in Nigeria?

The two performing governors in the SW are Fashola, and Aregbesola - and they are the least educated of all the ACN governors.

PapaBrowne:
You've just painted a fatalistic situation because all the things you've mentioned- electricity and transportation aren't in the control capacity of Ekiti as a state. Investors always seeks areas with best ROI. Investors would rather build power stations in Lagos state for proximity to markets and in the Niger Delta for proximity to Gas. Its only when these areas have experienced saturation that investors would start thinking of areas like Ekiti. It is the reality. The cost of building electricity infrastructure is enormous, hence unless there is adequate economic incentive, no investor would expend a dime building power stations in Ekiti. The state Government on the other hand doesn't have the financila capacity to make that happen.

Ah. So the point is, we don't need them to build a power plant in Ekiti State. We just lay wire to the closest plant in a nearby state and purchase electricity from them.

About transportation to the coast, that's under the purview of the Feds. So if the PDP led Govt in Abuja keeps messing up, then be sure that Ekiti is making no progress. Which makes the case a fatalistic one because none of the recommendations you've made are within the control of Ekiti as a State. So if you want something Ekiti has leverage over, Agribusiness is about the only option. And by the way, the two largest employers of labour in most societies are Agriculture and construction upon which you can build a viable services industry.

Agriculture is the largest employer of labor in the third world, yes. But presumably people want to do more than subsistence farming, like their ancestors did

In industrialized and industrializing societies, agriculture employs a miniscule fraction of the work force. I doubt if even 0.1% of the US's population is involved in agriculture directly..it is some tiny fraction.

More to the point, agric at a non-subsistence level doesn't create many jobs. So if Ekiti's goal is to create employment (quality employment I should perhaps clarify, not subsistence farming), agric is not the path towards that objective.

See yoroobas with their clueless and clownish leaders. Please show us completed projectd

Regarding fatalistic..

You need certain things to survive in this world. Electricity being one of them.

If the FG continues to make electricity its sole domain and prevents you from delivering it to your own state, then I'm not sure how much agric will really help.

If you are suffering from a bad back, knee surgery isn't going to be of much use.

Not sure it is fatalistic so much as realistic.