The Man JKF: He Who the Cap Fits!

The Man JKF: He Who the Cap Fits!

By Akintunde Taiwo

In Yoruba land (Ile Kaaro ‘oojiire), speaking of Values, precepts that best describes a People for Respect, Love, Knowledgeability, and Academic Prowess, Ekiti state prides in sons and daughters who have in the last 25 years of her existence demonstrated good leadership and contributed a great deal of quota to national development.
Many have their names written in the good books of cultural and socio-economic development of Ekiti and Nigeria at large, but one man stands twice as tall. Dr. John Kayode Fayemi, CON positions perfectly as a man with vigour and vision for a prosperous Ekiti and a better Nigeria. A man who has rewritten the narratives of governance and presented a progressive scorecard of his dear state. He is a man who has rightly earned his place among the elites of Public Service, and Social Engineering. Without mincing words or undermining the capacity of other notable personalities, Dr. Fayemi is by many distances the best brain out of Ekiti. An Author, erudite scholar, and a profound public servant, he leads the pack!
The Ekiti Example

“We are on the right path making the best of the opportunity given to us and managing our collective commonwealth with best of intents, all in the paramount interest of Ekiti-kete and generations yet unborn” – JKF

On October 16, 2018, His Excellency, Governor John Kayode Fayemi embarked on a journey to restore, protect and preserve the lost values of Ekiti (as a State, and as a people). This journey, anchored on a thoroughly planned Five Pillar Agenda (Governance, Agriculture and Rural Development, Social Investment, Knowledge-Economy, Infrastructure, and Industrial Development) to strategically position the State in the frontline of elite sister-states.

JKF’s second coming as Governor spells nothing but hope rekindled for the people of the state, following a dark period when the preceding administration’s mismanagement eclipsed his first term’s good governance legacy. Ekiti, being a state that prides in diligence and academic prowess, gracefully embraced the return of Fayemi and his laudable vision.

“We are not unmindful of the fact that a lot still needs to be done. We are, however, clear in our vision of a better tomorrow, a tomorrow that all sons and daughters of Ekiti State will be proud of, irrespective of political affiliations.” – JKF

In just one year in office (October 2019), Governor was dubbed the man who ‘Walks the Talk’ following notable achievements that have brought about rapid yet insurmountable development in Ekiti within a short time.
The welfare of Civil Servants, retirees, and pensioners remains paramount in the scheme of things under Governor Fayemi’s administration. The Ekiti State Civil Service system has also significantly witnessed a behavioural change in service delivery, with proper training, capacity building, and redeployment for work efficiency.

With a healthy relationship among the Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary arms of his administration, the governor has successfully developed blueprints, signed laws, and ensured justice is served in due cause. This has re-established the trust and confidence of Ekiti people in accessing justice and believing in laws that secure their fundamental rights.

In Ekiti State, a gender policy that promotes the safety and security of the people has been put in place. With the sexual offenders’ register, no perpetrator of sexual crime(s) goes unpunished. The 2019 Ekiti State Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition) Law has also been enacted. The list goes on.

In his plans, Governor Fayemi’s approach to Agriculture and Rural Development (Pillar 2) is in the “adoption of a sustainable and commercial value chain approach which will lead to transformational agribusiness development that can enhance food and personal security, create employment opportunities, empower women and youth, reduce poverty, and create wealth through viable agro-allied industrial development.”

“We want to build a State where every man or woman, old or young, educated or illiterate, will have access to a fair share in its prosperity. A State that will accord every man and treat every resident with dignity.” –JKF

Entrepreneurship and access to funding are a major drive to creating youth-inclusive governance. This is captured in the governor’s plan for Social Investment (Pillar 3). JKF’s administration has also largely considered the Social Intervention programme to alleviate Poverty, provide access to quality Healthcare, create employment for the youth, and create a welfare package for the indigents of the state.

The template for the development of a KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY has been implemented at the top level. Governor Fayemi’s Administration has impacted the education sector with the approval of the disbursement of Instructional Materials, and the construction and renovation of schools across the State (Ekiti Central, Ekiti North, Ekiti South).

To provide limitless access to potable water throughout Ekiti, the governor embarked on a Water Sector Reform Project which has reached a peak. Other strides in Infrastructure and Industrial Development include the execution of a series of projects on; Land and Housing, Works, Electricity, Trade, and Investment.

“Our people are now conscious of the fact that the enthronement of good government that places their common interest above personal or parochial interest is the only way to truly enjoy good governance that guarantees a better standard of living.” –JKF

Going forward, the JKF Administration has walked a long road to get this far in delivering dividends of democracy to the people of Ekiti State. Now is the best time to awaken the mind of the people on the JKF Agenda for a prosperous Nigeria.

“My agenda for Nigeria encompasses attention to questions of security, productivity, diversification, domestic value addition, investments, and incentives for research, development, innovation, and the expansion of domestic revenue mobilisation, among others. It is my conviction that the agenda that I am proposing for our country is one that will find favour with APC members and win resounding traction with the generality of Nigerians.”

Fayemi is the unfinished greatness!

Akintunde Taiwo writes from Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State