By Hakeem Jamiu
Permit me to quote from the book “Swimming Against the tide”
It is often conceived that scholarship, activism and politics belong to separate realms and that the three spheres are occupied by people of different candour and temperament. The puzzle is further reinforced by the reality that only few have ever traversed the three spheres in history. In the first instance, most widely recognised scholars are seldom politicians; and most big time politicians are not necessarily scholars. Similarly, most activists are seldom successful politicians; and the majority of popular politicians are rarely activists. Little wonder, it is rare to have a convergence of the three distinctive special characters in one person. This is where the personality of Kayode Fayemi comes in. He is a scholar in governance, peace, conflict and security studies; a major player in civil society activism in the country and a state governor and former Minister of the federal Republic of Nigeria. He therefore belongs in the league of occupiers of the three realms of scholarship, activism and politics. And in the three spheres, he is an active participant and key player. ( Olaniyan & Rotimi, 2020)
Jamiu
When you assumed office in 2010 you met a dilapidated state in terms of infrastructure but you went to work immediately. Despite the paucity of funds you implemented your 8-points agenda by touching all 132 communities such that they all had a project. You constructed many roads totalling 952kms including 5km per LGA projects.
You brought Free Education
You brought Free healthcare and
You Transformed Ekiti State University, EKSUTH and then College of Education now BOUSETI, School of Nursing and College of Health Technology, Ijero
You renovated Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State (BSES)
You brought Ilera Laafin
You brought Free Health Mission
You bought Brand new cars for all traditional rulers
You provided Provided funds to assist communities in renovation of palaces and construction civic centres
You brought Owo arugbo
You brought Conditional Cash Transfer
You Established the Ekiti State Traffic Management Agency EKSTMA ( Da green)
You renovated all schools
You renovated all of hospitals
You established the Youth in Commercial Agriculture Development
You established the Funmi Aduni Olayinka Cancer Research and Wellness Centre
You renovated Ikogosi Warm Springs
You resuscitated Ire burnt bricks
You resuscitated the Road Materials and aggregate company (ROMACO)
You built Ekitiparapo Pavillon
You built the New government House at Oke Ayoba
You introduced The Oodua/ Ekiti Enterprise and Skill Acquisition Development Programme
You improved water supply by building mini dams and rehabilitating major dams
Despite the above, you lost election in 2014 in controversial circumstances but you became a Minister in 2015 after you conducted a transparent and acceptable presidential Primaries that produced President Muhammadu Buhari. As Minister, you turned around the fortunes of the Mining sector which grew quarter on quarter under your watch.
You came back in 2018 and met yet another era of decayed infrastructure. You put your goodwill in use and got International donors to support. You brought many of them back including banks that left the State during the years of the locust.
… Is the deputy speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly
