MICHAEL AKINOLA
The Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu has stressed the need for all Ekiti indigenes to join hands and work to rescue the state from what he called “political slavery.”
Ojudu, while speaking at the weekend in Ado-Ekiti to stakeholders drawn from all the Wards, lamented that the state is currently like a modern slave camp where residents are in dire need of liberation.
He said: “Ekiti is in slavery and our people are calling for help. We must respond to their cries and rescue them, we will rescue the state from all forms of slavery. It is political slavery when our people are reduced to chickens picking crumbs thrown at them by a callous and uncaring governor.
“What we have now is the politics of throwing rice at our people and the exploitation of those demeaning acts for media propaganda. We will change the Ekiti narrative, we will cultivate our own rice, eat our rice, sell whatever is remaining to others and our people will make money.”
The presidential aide spoke of his burning desire for the advancement of all parts of the state, pointing out that governance should bring development, prosperity and self-esteem to the people.
“I want compatriots, I want associates to walk and work for the development of all Ekiti. There are states in Nigeria with less than half the resources of Ekiti that are now doing way better than our state because the current government lacks what it takes nor the commitment and the vision to uplift the people.
“Enough of those comedy skits of roasted plantain, or eating of ofada rice by the roadside or performing as DJ in nightclubs. It is all deception. We need a thinking government who will realize the enormity of its responsibility to the people for the future of our children.
“Ekitis around the world excel not only in education, but in business, agriculture, engineering, IT among other sectors. We will bring ourselves together again and walk tall as Ekiti people, not as beggars at the mercy of one light-fingered occupier of political office.
“I spent nine months in underground detention during the Abacha regime for fighting an oppressive military government and I am ready to take the oppressive government in Ekiti on . The struggle for the liberation of the state and the people has started and Ekiti will soon turn a new page”
The Director General of the Ekiti Rebirth Organisation (ERO) who was the host of the event, Chief Felix Aderanti Adebisi ,said the organization is embarking on massive citizenship education in the state.
“We want to deepen the knowledge of our people on political issues because we don’t want another chairman of “Jedi Sector” as our governor. Our people are suffering and we must organize to change our situation.”