Youths in Ekiti State have called on the state government to honour a legal luminary, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, with a special day as public holiday.
The youths, under the aegis of Ekiti Youths Home Based (EYHB), in a statement on Tuesday, demanded that a particular day of every year be declared as ‘Afe Babalola Day’, and the day declared as work-free day in honour of the elder statesman.
The statement signed by the
convener of the group, Ademola Adedayo, and made available to journalists in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday,
said the call had become necessary in view of Babalola’s “unmatched contributions to the growth and development of the state.”
Former Presidential Adviser and one-time Ekiti Central Senator, Babafemi Ojudu, had also canvassed same position.
Ojudu had said Babalola’s extraordinary life and contributions to education, law, and various sectors, made a compelling case for Ekiti State to declare an Afe Babalola Day, to appreciate him.
The EYHB statement read: “Babalola deserved to be honoured with such a special day, considering the good name, as well as reputation he had continually brought to Ekiti in years past.
“Apart from playing prominent roles in the creation of the state in 1996, Babalola had over the years, remained the highest tax payer in the state, as well as largest single farmer, and also the largest employer of labour, after the state government.
“We are proud to note that Afe Babalola has dedicated his entire life to the service of humanity, and has been a trailblazer in promoting education, and empowering the youths in vocations and agriculture through his yearly award of millions of Naira to the best farmers in each of the local governments of Ekiti, and has brought global honour and recognition to Ekiti Nigeria and humanity,” the statement said.
The statement added that Babalola had also succeeded in helping government to reduce high rate of unemployment in the state and country, through his many investments.
It said Babalola particularly drew the world attention to the name of Ekiti, through the establishment of his world-class Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), his 400-bed ABUAD Multi-System Hospital, as well as his 132-Number Industrial Park, all of which are situated in Ekiti State, and employed a huge number of job-seeking graduates, and non-graduates alike.
Besides, the statement noted that Babalola is a leading Nigerian philanthropist, whose benevolent activities to individuals, corporate bodies, associations and institutions, are legendary and unrivalled.