Fayose reinstates suspended SSG

F ollowing entreaties by the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus
Adejugbe Aladesanmi 111, foremost lawyer, Aare Afe Baba­
lola (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 ef­
forts 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 Fayose
enough. You have helped us a great deal and we pray that
God will continue to support and bless you.