Legal luminary and respected elder statesman, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) has charged newly elected senators and members, House of Representatives from Ekiti State to use their new status to attract development to the state, using necessary connections and lobbying processes.
Aare Babalola, who gave the charged in Ado Ekiti on Sunday when the state governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji. led the three senators-elect and six House of Representatives members-elect to the founder of Afe Babalola University, called on all influential Ekiti indigenes at home and in the diaspora to start paying their taxes and development levies to the state in the drive to ensure aggressive development.
The legal icon, who is reputed as the highest tax payer in Ekiti State, appealed to all Ekiti people irrespective of political affiliation, to join hands with Governor Oyebanji to drive aggressive development of the state, adding that he was convinced Ekiti would progress rapidly under Oyebanji whom he described as a progressive leader.
Aare Babalola used the opportunity to call on local government administrators to embark on aggressive food production by investing massively in agricultural implements and inputs to make the state the food basket of the nation.
He highlighted his development strides in the state to include in law, education, health, youth development, industry, agriculture and lots more, adding that ABUAD Multi-Systems Hospital is on the verge of taking healthcare delivery close to the people by establishing ABUAD health centres in remote areas of the state to help people with critical health challenges who may not be able to visit the main hospital.
Chief Babalola who hailed the exemplary leadership of Governor Oyebanji, said the Ekiti governor had started effecting some positive changes in the state, urging him to ensure their sustainability.
“Whatever you want to achieve in life starts from leadership at all levels, the fact that we are able to bring you together here shows a new leadership order and that Governor Oyebanji is an exemplary leader and he will continue to be successful,” Aare Babalola noted.
In his remarks, Governor Oyebanji, who reiterated his commitment to the development of Ekiti State, noted that Aare Afe Babalola was more passionate about the Ekiti project. The governor said he led the newly elected lawmakers to the nonagenarian in order to share his vision for Ekiti as well as give them assignments on the Ekiti project.
He added that his government would partner ABUAD by sharing its vision of industrialisation.
“As Secretary of Ekiti creation, I have an idea of Baba’s vision for Ekiti State and I know that as we are today we can only realise that vision when we partner together. I was telling them about your gesture towards the airport, they did not believe it, that the airport would have been completed if we allowed you to do what you wanted to do.
“I brought them here today to listen to you and to also thank you for what you are doing to humanity and to Ekiti State. If it were in the olden days, you would have been made a god but in your lifetime sir, we will continue to revere you and make you proud,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the legislators, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele and Senator-elect Cyril Fasuyi reiterated their commitments to the Ekiti project and promised to work closely with Governor Oyebanji to attract more development to the state.
The legislators, who extolled the virtue of Aare Afe Babalola urged him to help in investing more towards the development of the state.
Other legislators-elect at the meeting included Senator-elect Yemi Adaramodu and the House of Representatives members-elect Niyi Ojuawo, Femi Bamisile, Abiodun Omoleye, Akinlayo Kolawole, Sola Fatoba and Akin Rotimi.
Also at the meeting were the wife of the ABUAD founder, Mrs Modupe Babalola and some senior officials of the university.