Fayemi honours outstanding youths

• Awards cash gifts to winners of JKF essay competition
• Group faults gov over the creation of Efon-Alaaye Ekiti community
• Says it is an affront to the judiciary

The Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, yesterday, presented awards and letters of recognition to 13 outstanding youths who have distinguished themselves in their chosen fields of endeavour.

The honourees included the 17-year-old Master Idowu Jeremiah who made nine distinctions in this year’s May/June West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and had the highest score in the University Matriculation Examination (UME) held in May.

The governor, alongside the governor-elect, Mr. Biodun Abayomi, made the presentation during a youth forum and award ceremony at the Obafemi Awolowo Civic and Conventional Centre, Ado-Ekiti, as part of activities marking the end of the second term of the Fayemi-led administration in the state.

MEANWHILE, a socio-cultural group in Efon-Alààyè Èkìtì has faulted the out-going Governor Kayode Fayemi on the purported recognition of Ahun-Ekiti town.

It said that the measure was a clear affront to the judiciary.

The group, under the umbrella of “Efon Alaaye Development League (EDU), in a statement, stated that the issue relating to the creation of the town is still subject to litigation before the State High Court and the Supreme Court vide suit SC/CV/1063/2021.

The statement, jointly signed by the duo of Bode Fagbemiro, President-General and Afolabi Ige, expressed shock over the recognition of Ahun-Ekiti from the ancient Efon-Alaaye community.

It stated that the state government had earlier in its white paper on the report of Justice Aladejana committee noted that the case of Efon-Alaaye community vs Ahun-Ekiti could not be treated because of court cases.

The group noted: “Our shock was aggravated further because the issue is subjudice as the matter is a part of the subject of cases pending both at the State High Court in Ado-Ekiti and the Supreme Court of Nigeria vide suit SC/CV/1063/2021.

“It is, therefore, worrisome that a democratically-elected government can in a twist contemptuously commit such an affront against the highest court in the land.

“This is nothing short of pushing the people to self-help and instigation to violence five days to the exit of Governor Kayode Fayemi.

“We state without equivocation that we stand with the Alaaye of Efon-Alaaye, Oba (Dr.) Emmanuel Adesanya Aladejare, that Efon-Alaaye is one indivisible and indissoluble entity with recorded history dated back to 11th Century. This position is the position of all Efon-Alaaye people and we are prepared to defend.

“We call on the Ekiti State Government to take cognisance of the cases in courts and restrain itself on this matter in the interest of peace as we shall continue to appeal for calm in the town to the best of our ability but without guarantee in the meantime.”