ONISE OF ODOORO-EKITI LAUDS INDIGENES FOR THIER VARIOUS INVOLVEMENT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ANCIENT COMMUNITY
One of the foremost Yoruba traditional rulers in Nigeria and the Onise of Odooro-Ekiti in Ekiti State, His Royal Majesty Oba (Barrister) Babatunde Adebayo Jemilehin has lauded the sons and daughters of the ancient community for their immense contributions to the development of the community since he ascended the throne of his forefathers few years ago.
He made the disclosure while fielding questions from journalists in his palace earlier today.
Oba Babatunde Adebayo Jemilehin equally appreciated all the Chiefs, Market women,Youth and Students in the serene community for their unalloyed support and contributions to the socio-economic development of Odooro-Ekiti.
“When I ascended the throne of my forefathers, there was no functioning electricity in the community but our sons and daughters in North America came together and contributed a whooping sum amount of money which they utilized to provide Solar Power Lights across the nook and cranny of the town with the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), so the community is now electrified”, he pointed out.
In another development, the monarch stated that work has reached an advanced stage in the on going construction of a befitting and modern palace of the community, which he attributed to the financial and moral support being enjoyed from the sons and daughters of Odooro-Ekiti home and Diaspora.
Oba Babatunde Adebayo Jemilehin stated that the Maternity Health Center of the Community was renovated by the State Government while indigenes of the community in North America supported the facility with medical equipment.
Moreso, the indigenes of the community constructed a block of classroom with the state of the art facilities at St.Thomas’s Nursery Primary School as the Ekiti State Government is currently working on other buildings in the citadel of learning, boreholes, lock-up stores at Ajebamidele Market, donation of toilets for usage in the palace, etc are some of the achievements he has recorded since he ascended the throne with the contributions and support from his subjects home and overseas.
He averred that two years of his ascension to the throne, the Ekiti State Government under Governor Kayode Fayemi then established a Model College in the Community named after a renowned son of the town, who was a former Health Commissioner in the old Ondo State Chief Olawumi Falodun of blessed memories.
He however commended the Ekiti State Governor, Abiodun Abayomi for embarking on massive construction of roads across the state, he said the additional Fly- Over Bridge being constructed in Ado-Ekiti is a welcome development while the regular payment of Salary and Pension of retired civil servants had endeared the governor to the heart of the good people of Ekiti State.
According to the Monarch, “I see the genuineness and patriotism of Governor Abiodun Abayomi in his task to moving Ekiti State forward, despite the meagre resources from the Federal Government, the governor is improving the economy of the state and he is being fair to everybody” he quipped.
In another development, Oba Babatunde Adebayo Jemilehin described Ekiti Obas as highly cerebral personalities who have excelled in their various fields of human endeavours, before they ascended their Obaship positions.
While putting the records straight, the monarch stated that Amotekun started from Ekiti State as a result of ingenuity of the State Council of Traditional Rulers that first initiated the idea to protect Ekiti people and presented it to the then Governor of Ekiti State His Excelleny (Dr) Kayode Fayemi who was then the Chairman Nigeria Governors’Forum NGF.
Governor Fayemi being the Chairman of NGF then, sold the idea to his colleagues in the South West. So, Amotekun emanated from Ekiti State through the State’s Council of Traditional Rulers, he explained.
