Ahmed, Oshiomhole, others commiserate with Fayemi over mum's death

Published on Wednesday, 18 April 2012 06:58

Written by Dotun Oladipo

 

The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji AbdulFatah Ahmed, has commiserated with the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, on the death of his mother, Mrs. Dorcas Aina Fayemi.

Ahmed, in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Alhaji Abdulwahab Oba, described the death of Mama Dorcas, even at the advanced age of 83, as painful.
He said the passage of Mama Dorcas has undoubtedly denied Fayemi the unquantifiable wisdom from her as he pilots the affairs of Ekiti State.
Ahmed, however, expressed gratitude to God that Mama Dorcas Fayemi lived a worthy life as the quality of the children and grand children she left behind is a good testimony of the quality of her she lived.
Ahmed prayed God to grant Fayemi and indeed the entire family the  fortitude to bear the irrepairable loss.
The Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has described the late Fayemi as a “pillar of Christian propriety and a fountain of humanism, who dispensed goodwill so eagerly”.
In a letter of condolence to Fayemi, Oshiomhole said: “The Fayemi family and Ekiti State have lost a pillar of Christian propriety and a fountain of humanism, who dispensed goodwill so eagerly. However, much as we must mourn Mama, we believe that she deserves to be celebrated in deserved tribute to her laudable life as a wife, mother, devout Christian and an exemplary member of her community.
“Although Mama was advanced in years, we appreciate the depth of your grief, knowing how affectionately close you were to your mother. However, be assured that you are not mourning alone. Our hearts are with you and the Fayemi Family at this difficult period.”
South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Kingsley Mamabolo, has also commiserated with Fayemi.
The High Commissioner, who was at the Governor’s Office in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, said though the passing away of Madam Fayemi was a great loss to the state, she died “a happy woman" seeing her son in office and the good work he is doing in Ekiti State.
Signing the condolence register, Mamabolo wrote: “To the Fayemi family and people of Ekiti, we hope you are comforted by the knowledge that she lived a full life. May her soul rest in perfect peace.”
The South African Envoy, who was accompanied by his Counsellor Political, Thandi Mgxwati, added that he had “come here with my colleague also to join the many others who are consoling and also comforting you.”
The Ekiti State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Maishainu, his Deputy, Abubakar Adamu Mohammed, and the State Comptroller of Prisons, Mrs, Patricia Omeneh, among others were at the Governor’s Office to express their condolence.
The Deputy Governor, Mrs. Funmi Olayinka; Speaker of the House of Assembly, Dr Adewale Omirin; Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji (Dr.) Ganiyu Owolabi; and other top government officials had earlier thronged the Fayemis’ Isan-Ekiti family home to commiserate with the governor and the entire family.
They were received by Fayemi and his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi.
The Onisan of Isan Ekiti, Oba Sunday Ajiboye, described the death of the governor’s mother as a great loss, saying that the role she played during the three and a half years when Fayemi was in the court to reclaim his mandate as well as her motherly role in the community during turbulent times could not be overemphasised.
The monarch said the death was nothing but painful because she left for the great beyond at a time she was needed the most, describing her as a fulfilled mother.
Ajiboye said: “It is very painful that she went away at a time when we needed her most.
"We thank God for a fulfilled life.
"She is a mother in a million.
"She rose up to the challenges, most especiaslly during the turbulent period.
"She stood firmly behind us and she was consistently praying for us and the reclaiming of our stolen mandate.”
Isan, Governor Fayemi’s home town, was in a mourning mood on Tuesday, with  many residents trooping in large numbers to the governor’s family house to commiserate with him and his siblings.

Ekiti: Oni’s Bid to Unseat Fayemi Fails

By Toba Suleiman 

THIS DAY LIVE

Governor Kayode Fayemi

By Toba Suleiman 

          

Former governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Segun Oni, Monday  failed to unseat the incumbent, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, as the Court of Appeal sitting in Ado-Ekiti dismissed the application he filed seeking a review of the October 15, 2010 judgment that sacked him from office.

But lead counsel to Oni, Chief Ladi Williams (SAN), has said his client will appeal the judgment at the Supreme Court as soon as they are able to get a copy of the ruling.

The five-member panel of Justices that presided over the new case were Justice Tijani Abdullahi (Chairman), Justice Musa Abba-Aji, Justice (Mrs) M.O. Kekere-Ekun, Justice Ismaya Mohammed and Justice Raphael Chikwe Agbo.

Delivering his short ruling at about 3.25pm, Justice Abdullahi, on behalf of four other justices, said the only issue for determination was whether the court could set aside the judgment and order a fresh trial or whether it had jurisdiction to entertain the case.

The judge described the application as lacking in merit and it was dismissed accordingly, adding that “If there is any case of bias, Oni and PDP ought to have raised objection against it before the trial at the Appeal Court in Ilorin.”

According to him, the court could only reverse itself under the following circumstances: one, if it is misled to deliver a ruling; if a judgment is given in the absence of jurisdiction; if the case is a nullity or obnoxious; or if the court is misled to accept certain facts or evidences.

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) lawyer, Mr. John Baiyeshea and the state Chairman of the party, Chief Jide Awe, applauded the judgment, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counsel, Williams, said his client would appeal the judgment at the Supreme Court.

Answering questions from journalists, Williams said it was in the interest of the nation that “we appeal the judgment”, adding that the law must be developed.

Williams said the case was not to malign the character of suspended President of the Court of Appeal (PCA), Justice Ayo Salami or former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, but that what they did was based on the inference that there was a relationship between the duo.
He said Justice Abdullahi pointed out that the petitioner should have raised the issue of bias against Salami and Tinubu at the Appeal Court in Ilorin, noting that the petitioner was not aware until later when it was published in a national daily.

“We are going to the Supreme Court for appeal immediately as soon as we are able to get a copy of the ruling and duly certified. We shall lodge our appeal. If we get it within 72 hours, we will be able to file the notice of appeal,” he said. 

The ACN lead counsel, Baiyeshea, said: “It is an unnecessary application; it is frivolous to the extreme and since the court has now pronounced, we believe the matter has been laid to rest finally and it should not rear its head again in our firmament. The principle of law is that there ought to be finality of litigation.”

The suspended PCA, Justice Salami, had on October 15, 2010, at the Appeal Court in Ilorin, Kwara State, removed Oni from office and declared Fayemi of the ACN winner of the April 14, 2007 and April 2009 governorship election.

Dissatisfied with the court judgment, Oni approached the Appeal Court in Ado-Ekiti on March 14, 2011, where he sought, among other prayers: “an order to set aside the judgment of the Justice Salami-led Election Appeal Tribunal, and a retrial of the case;
“An order setting aside the October 15, 2010 judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal in Ilorin, Kwara State;

“An order compelling the President of the Court of Appeal to set up a new Appeal Court Panel to start the case de novo; and
“An order that the Speaker of the House of Assembly be allowed to act in place of the governor pending the determination of the case.”
Meanwhile, Fayemi in his reaction to the ruling, described it as victory for common sense and the rule of law.

The governor, who was said to be attending a meeting with officials of the World Bank in Abuja during the sitting of the court, said in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, that he was happy that reason and common sense prevailed in the case which ordinarily ought not to have come before the justices in the first place.

Fayemi lauded the conduct of the justices and said it was high time the judiciary put in place a mechanism that would prevent the likes of jobless busy-bodies in the society like the PDP from dragging the judiciary in the mud with frivolous petitions.

Fayemi hails Appeal Court ruling - It is victory for common sense, rule of law...

PRESS STATEMENT


Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has hailed the dismissal of the case instituted by the ousted Governor of the state, Mr Segun Oni , seeking a review of the October 15th, 2010 judgment that removed him from office.
Governor Fayemi in his official reaction to the ruling by the Appeal Court Justices, described  it as victory for common sense and the rule of law.

The Governor who was attending a meeting with officials of the World Bank in Abuja during the sitting of the Court of Appeal panel in Ado-Ekiti, said in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Yinka Oyebode, that he was happy that reason and common sense prevailed in the case which ordinarily ought not to have come before the Lord Justices in the first place.

Fayemi, who lauded the conduct of the justices, however said it was high time the judiciary put in place mechanism that will prevent the likes of jobless busy-bodies like Oni and his cohorts in the Peoples Democratic Party from dragging the judiciary in the mud with frivolous petitions.

The Governor said his administration had since inception laid emphasis on reconciliation as a virile tool for peace, but noted that it was apparent that some elements within the state, owing to their self-centredness and desperation, are unwilling to tow the path of reconciliation.

 The statement reads in part: “We welcome the decision of the justices of the Appeal Court. It is victory for commonsense and the rule of law. But that case ought not to have come before the Lord Justices in the first place, but we thank the Justices for not allowing the  judiciary to be dragged in the mud.
“But it is important for the judiciary to also put in place mechanism that would guard against deliberate attempts by some people to drag its image in the mud.

“Our administration places much emphasis on reconciliation as a virile tool for peaceful co-existence, but it is apparent some people are unwilling to embrace reconciliation.”

“This administration remains focused in its efforts  to ensure a rapid development of Ekiti State and to liberate the people from poverty and nothing can distract us.”

Source: by Ekiti State Government of Nigeria

Nigeria’s First Lady Debate: Speaking for Myself

By 

Bisi Fayemi

Wife of Ekiti State Governor

Three weeks ago I was at a meeting in Accra, Ghana, in preparation for the biennial African Feminist Forum, which is convened by the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF), an Africa-wide grant-making foundation for African women which I co-founded twelve years ago.
I was told at the meeting that someone had made comments on Facebook during the fuel subsidy crisis, asking, ‘Where are the Nigerian feminists? Where are the voices of activists like Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi’? The Facebook comments implied that I had stopped being a feminist because I am now the Wife of a Governor.
Soon after I returned home, there was an article in the Sunday edition of one of the national newspapers that was serialised over a two week period. It was a blistering attack on First Ladies, and how they constitute a drain on resources while they conduct themselves in ways which raise questions about credibility and probity.
In the article, the writer also made reference to the fuel subsidy crisis and the fact that nothing was heard from any of the First Ladies in the country. The writer then went on to say, ‘anyway, such issues are probably beyond them’.
A third, and this time, more direct attack on my activities in Ekiti came from Steve Osuji, a columnist with The Nation newspaper unequivocally that my job as the wife of Ekiti Governor, was to look “after the home-front” rather than meddle in the affairs of state. I cringed reading through these articles.
Shortly after my husband became Governor of Ekiti State in October 2010, I spoke to Mrs Kemi Mimiko, Wife of the Governor of Ondo State. She said something to me which I have never forgotten. She said ‘My sister, whatever happens, never take anything personally. It is never about you, it is about the position you are in’.
Reflecting on the discussion with my colleagues in Accra about the Facebook comments and the articles I referred to above, I knew that the advice I had received would come in handy. I however confess, with all sincerity, it is hard.
I have often spoken and written about the fluidity of identities, and how important it is for us to invest in managing our various transitions from one identity to another, whether these identities are claimed by us or thrust upon us. From being a women’s rights activist, gender specialist and social change philanthropy advocate, on October 16th 2010, I became the Wife of a Governor. My own understanding of what happened to me did not translate into abandoning all the things that are important to me – my world view, values, affiliations and principles. I was aware that to make this work, I would need to strike a balance between the things I truly care about, and the expectations of the position I found myself in. I also knew that I would have to work hard at ensuring that my theoretical understanding of power and transformational leadership would be matched by sound, ethical practices.
For many years I have engaged in debates about the role of First Ladies and the pros and cons of the use of informal power structures. The historical use and abuse of non-accountable, unconstitutional power has fuelled suspicion and hostility towards First Ladies, and rightfully so. As a feminist activist, I have been very critical of the ways in which women married to men in power hijack the spaces, voices and resources of others, particularly civil society, and use this as a platform to dispense political favours and elevate other elite women. The abuse of the Office of the First Lady and the questions about its legitimacy are not a solely Nigerian phenomenon. These debates continue to take place elsewhere.
The problem we have in Nigeria is the unique ways in which this position has been so grossly abused that people find it hard to be objective or flexible in their assessments of either the position or the occupants. I have also always known that it is precisely because First Ladies wield so much power and influence that it is very dangerous for such power to fall into the hands of ignorant, uninformed and unethical persons. I have had the opportunity of working closely with such great role models as Graca Machel Mandela, who taught me that it does not matter if people are suspicious of you or your intentions just because of who you are married to – if there are things you feel strongly about go out there and get the job done. Till this moment, Mama Graca as some of us fondly call her, remains one of the most credible and consistent advocates of gender equality, children’s rights and good governance that we have on the continent.
I accept that because I am the Wife of a Governor, I can no longer go to Aleshinloye market in Ibadan (a favourite place of mine) or Balogun market in Lagos without causing a stir. I agree that it is not appropriate to stop the convoy just because I want to buy Gala. I however do not agree with the assumption that because I am the Wife of a Governor, my IQ has dropped to single digits. I do not agree that I cannot find a way of working with government officials without making them feel that I am bossing them around. I do not agree that working collaboratively and respectfully with people in government amounts to meddling. I do not agree that I cannot do things different from the norm. I find it hard to understand why people will believe that because my husband is Governor of a State, my only role now is to make his bed, wash his clothes, take care of the children, cook his food and rub his feet when he comes home. This is what is called ‘looking after the home front’, and it seems to be the preferred and only role for First Ladies. This is fine by me, as long as we can also accept the fact that ‘looking after’ and ‘home front’ means different things to different people.
Since October 2010, I have been spending my time ‘looking after the home front’ in my own way. I resigned from my full-time, extremely well remunerated position as Executive Director of AWDF in Ghana and moved back to Nigeria to be with my husband. I figured out how to run our own homes in Ibadan and Isan-Ekiti, as well as living in State House. My husband is adequately fed, healthy, well groomed, and on top of his game. I am involved with government agencies such as the Ekiti State Agency for AIDS Control which I Chair, as well as the Ekiti State Consultative Committee on Arts, Culture and Tourism. I also do a lot of work with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Social Development and Gender Empowerment, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Health to mention a few. My involvement with these agencies is mainly advisory and based on tremendous mutual respect. In addition, I have commitments to national and international organisations such as the Nigerian Women’s Trust Fund (as Chair), the African Women’s Development Fund and the African Grantmakers Network.
Over the past sixteen months, I have worked with various stakeholders to ensure that we have more women in decision making at all levels in the State. Before the April 2011 elections we had no women in the Ekiti State House of Assembly. Now we have four. Again, in June 2011, Ekiti State became the first state in Nigeria to domesticate the National Gender Policy. After being faced with a wave of violent attacks on young girls and women in the State, I pushed for the Gender Based Violence Prohibition Bill which was signed into law on November 25th 2011. I advocated for the establishment of the Multiple Births Trust Fund which is managed by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs. In order to bring back to Ekiti what I have done in the field of social change philanthropy, I launched the Ekiti Development Foundation (EDF) on June 10th 2011. Since then we have supported a range of women’s organisations across the state, reaching out to hundreds of women in remote places. We have also supported several government projects with funding we have raised from donors. The funding for EDF comes from collaborations with various institutions, corporate sponsorship, wealthy philanthropists and support in kind.
I have been involved in all these things because I want to remain true to who and what I am. I am acutely aware of the dreadful baggage my position carries, and how easy it is for people to cast aspersion on the motives of people such as myself, based on the experiences they have had with many spouses of occupants of State Houses at the national and state levels. I however know that I am in a position where I can make a difference in the lives of people and for once, allow myself to be held accountable, the same way in which as a member of many social justice movements over the years, I have demanded accountability from leaders across the African continent.
My main responsibility as the Wife of a Governor is to support my husband. The husband I have been married to for over twenty-two years needs me to work with him and his team to help build our beloved Ekiti State, the Land of Honour, and to make good on all the promises he made to the electorate who stood by us all through our legal battles to reclaim his mandate. That is the ‘home front’ support my husband needs from me right now. My husband will be very disappointed in me if I opt to spend most of my time sitting at home and attending social functions to show off my latest lace and head-ties. He will consider it a terrible waste of my experience, skills and talents.
Many commentators on the First Lady debate raised the issue of the ‘illegality’ of the position, since it does not exist in the Constitution. The fact that it is not written in the constitution does not make the office ‘illegal’. There is nowhere in the constitution where it is written that there shall be an Office of the Chief of Staff, for example. However, it is hard to see how a President or Governor can operate without appointing someone into that position, even if the designation is called something else. One of the problems with the Office of the First Lady is that over the years, we have allowed our experiences with power-hungry, unscrupulous women listening to poor advice to cloud our judgement.
In my own opinion, the question of legitimacy can be addressed if we can engage in conversations devoid of the usual venom, hypocrisy, sexism and ignorance which bubbles to the surface every time the First Lady question comes up. If there is legislation and a budgetary provision recognising the Office of the Spouse either at national or state level, then there will be more transparency and accountability around their activities. I know many people will raise hell at this suggestion of mine. The Office of the First Lady of the United States evolved over time. It is not in the American constitution, and for many years the Office was not funded, except for the use of seconded, temporary staff. All this changed in November 1978 when President Jimmy Carter approved Public Law 95-570 which provided for the First Lady’s budget and staff. Till today, debates still rage in the US about the various occupants of the office, their politics, choices, their value addition or subtraction and so on, but there is consensus that the Office itself has come to stay and it does have a vital role to play.
There are many historical, cultural and social reasons why we might never do this in Nigeria. When I have raised this in private discussions, people ask about those who have more than one wife, and how this will work? My response to this is – let the laws provide for one spouse and let the husband and spouses concerned figure it out amongst themselves! Please note that I am asking for recognition for ‘Spouses’ and not ‘Wives’ in anticipation of when we will have women in these key positions. As I agree that this is not something people are prepared to countenance at a time when we have serious debates around the cost of governance, what I am calling for is for us not to conflate our apprehensions, no matter how legitimate they might be, with the reality that this despised ‘Office’ cannot be wished away. First Ladies are not a homogenous group. We have different contexts, interests and abilities. Just as is done in other places like the US which we are often fond of quoting, why don’t we try separating the Office from the individuals who transit through it and allow for processes of accountability, monitoring and assessment based on individual merit?
I often tell people that we can have lengthy debates about the constitutionality or otherwise of my office but the fact remains that if you have been trying to see my husband for three months and he will not return your calls, I can arrange for you to have breakfast with him tomorrow morning. Now you can debate the constitutionality of that! Just because we have had Presidents who have fallen short of our expectations or Governors who cannot govern does not mean we should stop having them. It means we should ask hard questions about the quality of leadership we need in our country right now and ensure that we stop scratching the bottom of the barrel. It is true that we have experienced First Ladies at all levels with little or no understanding of strategic thinking, good manners, decorum and protocol. This however does not mean that we should not try to learn how to do things differently. We simply need to add this to the long list of good governance issues we have to grapple with. There is no point electing a saint as a leader if he is going home to the warm embrace of a dragon.
I now believe that some of the things expected of people such as myself is silence on things that matter and invisibility in things that can truly make a difference. For those who would like to know, I do have an opinion on the fuel subsidy crisis. I do have an opinion on the gap between the kind of leadership we deserve in Nigeria and the kind we have right now. I have an opinion on the breach of the social contract between the leaders and the people. I have an opinion on the kind of legacy I would like to bequeath my children. I have an opinion on the conduct that is expected of Wives of top government officials, particularly First Ladies. I have strong opinions on our national and human security challenges and the implications for women and children. All my opinions are channelled through my work as a pan-Africanist, political activist, human rights advocate, women’s rights defender, social change philanthropist and being the Wife of a progressive, brilliant, visionary Governor. Every day I work hard at ensuring that I exercise my informal power and authority with the utmost discretion, respect, sensitivity, and integrity. I might not always get it right, but I try.
I did not decide to write this article to appeal for sympathy for First Ladies. I needed to find my voice and speak for myself. I wanted to let people know that things are not always what they seem. The few First Ladies I am close to work extremely hard. People see the glamour, the glitz, the fashion parades, the perks, the gaffes, the slights—both real and imagined. No one ever talks about the loneliness, the vulnerability, the toll on relationships, the hard work, the unbearable pressure from family, friends and political associates, the sacrifices, loss of privacy and the claustrophobia. As a Governor’s wife I don’t have the luxury of thinking or talking about these things. I am too focused on not taking things personally.. 

Bisi Fayemi is wife of the Ekiti State Governor.

Fayemi’s wife tasks govt on women empowerment

Wife of Ekiti State Governor and Founder of Ekiti Development Foundation (EDF) Mrs. Bisi Fayemi has said educating and empowering women for leadership positions can be a way out of the nation’s developmental challenges. Mrs. Fayemi said at Oye Ekiti during the flag off of her Foundation’s tour of the 16 local government areas of the state that experience had shown that women were better managers of resources.

She said: “Women constitute 50 per cent of the population and have been found to be better managers of resources. When you educate and empower women to assume leadership positions at all levels, the developmental challenges confronting the country can be addressed”. She said the tour focussed on women at the grassroots was aimed at sensitizing the women on varieties of issues that could affect their lives. The governor’s wife appealed to individuals and corporate bodies to contribute to EDF for the upliftment of Ekiti women, saying less than N30 million have been received from a total of N60 million pledged by some individuals as contributions to the Foundation when it was flagged off in June, 2011. She said EDF had partnered Globacom Telecommunication Company to empower Ekiti women and multiple birth families in the state. Under the arrangement, about 200 women would be empowered with facilities for call center in each of the 16 local government areas of the state.

Source: ABIODUN NEJO  NATIONAL MIRROR. 

Collection of Speeches, Writings, and Accolades In Honor of The First Lady of Ekiti State, Nigeria, Her Excellency Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi

I have known The of First Lady of Ekiti State, Nigeria, Her Excellency Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi since the "days of small beginnings". There is much wisdom is not underestimating them. I remember vividly first meeting her around 1988 briefly, and without saying much more than "Hi". However, by 1989 May, we had come to be very close by association.We were all in England, Bisi as I have always called her, having traveled to the United Kingdom ahead of JK. I left in May 1989, and JK followed less than three weeks later. England, here we come in pursuance of academic dreams.

When you have known someone for as much as 25 years, you might as well claim having an some ample amount of authority to write, and authenticate writings about that person. I still feel honored till this day as the Best Man during that September1989 Epic of a Wedding Ceremony, and so if at any time it filters into your ears the reference to "First Friend", here I come.

The First Lady of Ekiti State, Nigeria, Her Excellency Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi, is a complete epitome of a blessed woman.

She is highly educated and learned, intelligent, classy, cute with beautiful face, stunning smile, captivating eyes,  and smart. She is adventurous, widely travelled and has a great imagination. She is blessed with manners and etiquette. Her dress sense is second to none. Bisi has always been a woman who knows how to dress and how to make them look good on her. A woman that knows that she must also give in a relationship and not just take, a woman that is positive and optimistic. A woman that handles the functionality of the demands expected of a wife and mother effortlessly. She is a fighter.You might as well ask the Amazons of Ekiti during those really rough serial election days in Ekiti State.A woman of steely inner strength. The Erelu Herself !

I am tempted to describe her as the ultimate quintessential lady, dignified and gracious. A dogged fighter and defender of woman's right all over African, and which has won her awards all over the world.

I will from time to time be re-publishing already published articles about her in this portal. Ultimately, it might as well become a place to find every information you might ever need about The of First Lady of Ekiti State, Nigeria, Her Excellency Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi.  The first of such is hereby published below. Enjoy.



Speech by First Lady of Ekiti State, Nigeria @ AFRUCA Fundraising Dinner 2011

AFRUCA 10^TH ANNIVERSARY FUNDRAISING DINNER

SATURDAY 16^TH JULY 2011

LONDON, UK

First, let me say a big thank you to the Trustees and Staff of AFRUCA for all their hard work promoting the rights and welfare of African children in the UK and for inviting me to this very important event. You may not be aware, but my involvement with AFRUCA goes back to their very early days when I chaired their very first conference: “The Challenges of Migration: The Experiences of African Children in the UK”. That was in 2002 – soon after their establishment in 2001. I am very proud and very pleased to be here – almost 10 years later at this special event to mark the 10^th anniversary of AFRUCA and to celebrate their achievements over the years.

Earlier this afternoon, I was opportuned to meet with some of the young women AFRUCA works with here in London. These are women have experienced some of the worst forms of poverty in Nigeria and other African countries and who, because of their vulnerability, become prey to child traffickers. They have experienced untold suffering and abuse at the hands of people who feel it is alright to use other human beings as slaves and to exploit them for their labour. Some of these women are from my own state of Ekiti, and it concerns me that our children in Ekiti are being trafficked to the UK here to be exploited and abused. This is something we will start to address through the programmes and policy frameworks we are putting in place in Ekiti which I will talk about shortly.

But I want to truly commend the work AFRUCA is doing with these young women who became isolated, helpless and without any form of support upon their escape from their traffickers and exploiters. Apart from providing them with practical help to access different services including medical care, education, finance, child support and legal assistance, I was very impressed with AFRUCA’s idea of using drama to help these young people to heal and rebuild their lives. Of course, the very impressive performance we just saw is a testament to how well this project has impacted on these young women. Like I said, I met them this afternoon and they were confident and self assured, bright and intelligent. There was a lot of laughter and smiling, yet I know from experience of working with vulnerable women at Akina Mama Wa Afrika and the African Women’s Development Fund that it is not always like that for women with terrible experiences of exploitation.  I would therefore like to commend AFRUCA for supporting victims of trafficking in the UK. Their work is a testament to the fact that we as a community, as a people, need each other to continue to help and support the less fortunate women and children in our midst, and to make life better for those who are less privileged in our community. I believe it is our duty to do so.

Indeed, the promotion of the rights of women and children is a hallmark of the present government of Ekiti, and is a core element of its 8 point agenda. This is the reason we have begun work on a number of policies and initiatives in our state of Ekiti to help create change and impact on the lives of women and children. On June 8th this year, my husband’s government approved the Ekiti State Gender Policy to hereby domesticate the National Gender Policy put in place by the federal government to help prioritise the needs of women and allocate resources at the state and local government levels to help address their needs. This policy will help to end all forms of discrimination against women in our state and provide better chances for women to reach positions at higher levels.  I am very proud of the fact that Ekiti State is the first state in Nigeria to domesticate the National Gender Policy. I believe this is a testimony to the seriousness my husband’s government places on the roles and importance of women in efforts to regenerate and rebuild Ekiti State.

We are working on a Gender-Based Violence bill. This is a bill that will be sent to parliament before August 2011. It will help to criminalise many acts of violence against women and children in our State.  

Ekiti State also has a Child Rights Act to help provide a better life for our children in Ekiti. In particular, I am very concerned about the high rate of child rape in Ekiti State. In recent weeks, I have seen cases of the most appalling sexual abuse of young children – including the gruesome rape of a 13 year old and attempted rape of a 4 year old child. I believe it is essential that we start to address this anomaly through effective awareness and sensitisation programmes, to educate parents, teachers and others in the community about how to protect children from being abused, while punishing the perpetrators and providing support for victims.

I cannot talk about all these positive changes in Ekiti without mentioning the work of my Foundation, the Ekiti Development Foundation, which was launched on June 11^th, 2011, in Ado-Ekiti.  The work of the organization will focus on economic empowerment, political participation, healthcare, education and training, promoting local philanthropy, and the arts. As I already mentioned, when communities are faced with socio-economic challenges, women and children are often worst affected. This is why most of EDF's work will focus on women and youth. However, there will be a strong emphasis on the well-being of all citizens in the community.

So what will the EDF achieve? The Foundation will work with and support smaller non-governmental organizations based in Ekiti State financially and through capacity-building to ensure these organizations achieve their aim of helping the people of Ekiti.  The Foundation will support initiatives that will help to empower women and the youths through, for example, the provision of capital for loans for women’s co-operatives and financial training for young people. We will establish a Leadership Academy to help build the leadership qualities of young people in our state. We will also create a database of Ekiti women professionals within and outside Ekiti who can be called upon to serve in various capacities to help develop the state.

The Foundation will support various health programmes and complement government efforts in improving service delivery to women in health care provision. In particular, we want to support projects that will help to raise awareness and sensitise people about harmful traditional practices, including Female Genital Mutilation. We want to help promote Ekiti’s rich cultural heritage through showcasing the skills and talents of Ekiti women and youths. Much of our culture and talents are unknown outside; we want to help find appropriate markets for much of our products outside the state.

Indeed, there is a lot going on in Ekiti to help make life better for our women and children. These changes will not happen overnight, however it is time we stopped the abuse of the less privileged in our midst and addressed the exploitation of our children. I am very pleased that AFRUCA is doing its best in this regard here in the UK. I also look forward to being a part of your work in Nigeria. I hope AFRUCA will also come to work with us in Ekiti. We look forward to having you.

Once again, I commend AFRUCA for all their hard work over the past 10 years. It is my greatest pleasure to present Certificates of Achievements to the young people I met earlier today and for their drama performance which you will all agree with me was just excellent.

Credits: AFRUCA - Africa Unite Against Child Abuse

"I have often spoken and written about the fluidity of identities, and how important it is for us to invest in managing our various transitions from one identity to another, whether these identities are claimed by us or thrust upon us. From being a women’s rights activist, gender specialist and social change philanthropy advocate, on October 16th 2010, I became the Wife of a Governor. My own understanding of what happened to me did not translate into abandoning all the things that are important to me – my world view, values, affiliations and principles. I was aware that to make this work, I would need to strike a balance between the things I truly care about, and the expectations of the position I found myself in. I also knew that I would have to work hard at ensuring that my theoretical understanding of power and transformational leadership would be matched by sound, ethical practices." - The of First Lady of Ekiti State, Nigeria, Her Excellency Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi.

The Exploits of a State Governor, His Excellency Dr. John Kayode Fayemi

His Excellency, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi turned 47 few days ago, and I still have friends asking if 47 is the Governor's "official" age! While, I have never been privy to a normal human being having two dates of birth, "official", and possibly "unofficial" as it may be, JK has just only one birth date. The reason for the question is that most people just couldn't comprehend how much he has achieved within a short space of time. The former governor, Engineer Segun Oni was in the same State House for 36 months, and frankly, judgement is better left for the Ekitis on the situation "before"and "after". The fact is there is the Age. There is the Wisdom. The later does not come, usually with the former. One thing that sets him apart is that he was well prepared for the task of governance. Apart from being blessed with the capacity to lead from the front, his understanding of being a Visioneer is second to none. JK has NOT been a product of accidental politicking. Each of the 8 - Point Agenda had been well thought of, brilliantly scrutinised, and possibilities were tested. And believe me...lots of the groundwork were laid on a pile of carpet night after night ! RescueEkiti, the vehicle of conception. Indeed, great things are born when others are in bed snoring.

The art and act of governance is what is on exhibition in Ekiti State of Nigeria.

Due to the demands of my very busy schedule, I was not available to be at the State House during the His Excellency's birthday this year. However, and as much as I know him, he would have spent the whole of the period thinking on the development of the State, Ekiti, that is. I remember quite vividly when the Governor tuned 46 last year, the visiting experts from the World Bank were around to assess those areas of the Governor's 8 - Point Agenda, and where and how they would be involved. I was the least surprised when His Excellency announced that the birthday celebration was the least important as the business of the State comes first, and foremost. That's speaks the representation as well as the personality of the person I have known for more than 25 years!

I am reproducing the piece by Sayo Ifedayo Sayo, a Senior Special Assistant to Ekiti State Governor titled "Fayemi at 47: Taking Ekiti to greater heights", which I believe captures comprehensively, what the game has been since the retrieval of the stolen mandate about 16 months ago. Meanwhile, I truly believe you ain't seen nothing yet, and the monumentals of the best is yet to come.

Here you go...

One major tragedy of governance in Nigeria is the fact that most political office holders were never prepared for governance. Many got to the position of authority either reluctantly or were pressurised to contest for political office. This situation accounted for the failure of many in political offices. Even in cases where politicians drew up programmes for execution, it is often regarded as a mere window dressing to cajole the electorate into voting them into office.

This lack of confidence in political office holders by the electorate is responsible for the incessant pecuniary demands by the people on politicians (The sharing of the national cake syndrome). But in Ekiti State, the youthful governor of the state, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who clocked 47 on Thursday, appears to be charting a new path of confidence-building between the electorate and the rulers. After a three-and-half-year legal battle, he assumed office with an eight-point agenda with which he has asked his people to assess his performance. The all embracing agenda included participatory governance, infrastructural development, modernising agriculture, education and capital development, health care services, industrial development, tourism and gender equality and empowerment. Almost 16 months into the four-year tenure, people have started assessing the performance of the governor based on the eight-point agenda.

For instance, a pro-democracy group, Ekiti Democrats, believes the governor has not disappointed the electorate. Coordinator of the group, Dr Funso Adekunle, said the various welfare programmes put in place by the governor has endeared him to the grassroots. He pointed at the state Social Security Scheme through which indigent elders are being paid N5,000 monthly and the Youth Volunteer Corps through which thousands of youths across were allowed to earn a living. True to Adekunle’s claim, over 10,000 elders across the state are benefitting from the Social Security Scheme. The programme was designed to take care of the indigent elders, many of those who do not have children that could look after their welfare at old age.

The Youth Volunteer Corps has removed 5,000 unemployed youths from the streets while more are in the process of being recruited by the Youth Employment and Job Creation Agency of the state government. The youths who were camped and trained to inculcate the values and other virtues for which the state is known, are presently working in different government establishments. But a curious review of the performance of the governor in the last 16 months showed that he dedicated his first oneyear in office to putting in place a legal frame work for the actualisation of his programmes and the implementation of welfare programmes for the people of the state.

No wonder that several bills were sent to the state assembly for passage into law. Having done with the issue of the legal frame work for the transformation of the state the governor embarked on several welfarist programmes including establishment of Social Security Scheme, Youth Volunteer Corps, Micro Credit facilities, tourism development, mechanised farming, free education, free health programmes and provision of pipe borne water supply including rehabilitation of dams, road construction among other programmes. For instance, apart from continuing with inherited road projects, the governor awarded 13 new road projects to improve on the network of roads in the state.

These contractors who have been mobilised and are already working to meet the deadline of between six and 12 months for the completion of the projects, have pledged to deliver on schedule. These roads include Igede-Awo-Ido; Igbara Odo-Ikere; Ikogosi-Ipole Iloro-Ayetoro; dualisation of Old Garage- Ojumose; dualisation of First Baptist-Atikankan; Ijan-Ise; Ijero-Ipoti and Ilawe-Igbara Odo-Ibuji road. These are in addition to the Ado-Ekiti - Ifaki dual carriage road, Ado-Ilawe, Ado-Afao, Ewu Bridge, Aramoko-Ijero-Ido, Osun-Iloro and Awo-Iyin which are nearing completion. Others are Ikole-Ijesa Isu-Ilumoba; Ijigbo Baptist College-Ilawe road; Ojumose- Basiri-Police Headquarters; Fajuyi-University Teaching Hospital road and Oye-Ikun- Otun road. One major ingredient of the projects is the inclusion of local content which makes it mandatory for contractors to employ a certain percentage of their workers from their area of operation. The Kayode Fayemi administration in keeping with his agenda for the transformation of the state has also embarked on urban renewal project to give the state capital, Ado-Ekiti, a new look.

The urban renewal project which began last year is expected to be completed this year. The programme includes planting of ornament trees and flower as well as construction of walk ways. It also includes construction of mechanic village and new motor parks on the outskirts of the state capital. Beyond the issue of urban renewal, the state government has placed the provision of potable water to the citizenry on high priority. For instance, in continuation of the 2009 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), it has provided water treatment plants for the five communities including Ido-Ile, Okemesi, Efon alaaye, Ipole Iloro and Erijiyan To ensure that residents of Ado-Ekiti have access to drinkable water, the government is laying a dedicated 300m ductile steel pipeline from Ado-Ekiti head works to Mary Hill, a distance of about 4.5km. There is also pipeline extension from Mary Hill to Ajibade-Idolofin-Housing and another pipeline extension from Ogotun to Ipole Iloro, a distance of 12km.

Sayo is a Senior Special Assistant to Ekiti State Governor