Governor Biodun Oyebanji has credited the creation of Ekiti State to divine intervention, saying God used former military Head of State Sani Abacha to make the state a reality. The governor said Ekiti owes gratitude to Abacha while marking 30 years of the state’s creation.
Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji has said God used the late former military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, to create Ekiti State, urging the people of the state to remember his role with gratitude.
Oyebanji made the remarks as Ekiti marked 30 years since its creation on October 1, 1996, when Abacha announced the creation of Ekiti alongside Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Gombe, Nasarawa and Zamfara states.
The governor said the creation of Ekiti was the outcome of a long struggle by prominent sons and daughters of the region, including traditional rulers, politicians, legal practitioners, community leaders and other stakeholders who campaigned for the establishment of a separate state.
According to Oyebanji, the struggle faced strong opposition and many people did not believe Ekiti would eventually become a state. He nevertheless attributed the eventual success to God, with Abacha's administration ultimately making the declaration that brought the state into existence.
Ekiti was created 30 years ago from parts of the old Ondo State. Its creation increased Nigeria's number of states from 30 to 36.
Oyebanji has previously announced plans to honour Abacha with a legacy project in Ekiti. He said the late military ruler would be recognised alongside prominent Ekiti figures including legal icon Aare Afe Babalola and former Nigerian Bar Association President Chief Wole Olanipekun.
The governor explained that the planned recognition was because, without Abacha's decision to create Ekiti State, the state would not have existed in its present form.
Oyebanji also paid tribute to the individuals who spearheaded the state-creation campaign, particularly the Committee for the Creation of Ekiti State led by Chief Oladeji Fasuan. He recognised Afe Babalola, the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe, other traditional rulers and numerous other stakeholders for their contributions to the struggle.
The governor said the 30th anniversary should not only be an occasion to celebrate the past but also an opportunity to define the future of the state.
Under the theme “Ekiti at 30: Celebrating the Past and Creating the Future,” the state government unveiled a 30-year transformation agenda focused on agriculture and agro-processing, technology and innovation, education, research and skills development, tourism, culture, the creative economy and youth entrepreneurship.
Oyebanji said the administration's ambition is to transform Ekiti from a state largely identified with the civil service into a major technology and commercial hub over the next three decades.
Among the projects highlighted by the governor is the multi-billion-naira Ekiti Knowledge Zone, which is being developed as a technology park and economic ecosystem intended to support innovation and creative enterprise among young people.
He also identified the planned Special Agro-Processing Zone as another project expected to strengthen the state's economic base through agricultural production and value addition.
The governor said the 30th anniversary provides an opportunity for Ekiti to remember the sacrifices and struggles that produced the state, assess its current position honestly and approach the future with confidence.
As Ekiti enters its fourth decade, the administration says its focus will be on turning the state's human and natural resources into greater economic opportunities, quality employment and improved living standards for residents.