The Ekiti Council of Elders has called on politicians to cut the cost of governance, tackle corruption and uphold public accountability to fast track national development.
The Secretary of the Council’s Board of Trustees, Dr. Bayo Orire who made the call stressed the need for return public service values and integrity into the system as well as responsive, responsible leadership.
Dr Orire spoke in Ado-Ekiti at a news conference heralding the council’s second edition of the Joel Babatola Annual Lecture Series with the theme “The paradox of nationhood: The Struggle for reinventing Nigeria’s security architecture”.
He also said that decision to create state police is a timely response to Nigeria’s evolving security challenges after years of growing demand for a decentralised policing structure.
He said, “It is regrettable that public office had increasingly become synonymous with wealth accumulation rather than service delivery, the excessive cost of governance, extravagant lifestyles of political officeholders and poor execution of public projects had continued to undermine development.
“It is unfortunate that states are going without industries, agricultural development and even basic infrastructure. It is obnoxious. And then you see the people in government becoming rich while their communities becoming underdeveloped”.
Speaking further on the ongoing decentralisation of security structures in the country, Dr. Orire commended President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to spread military and other security institutions across different parts of Nigeria, describing the move as strategically sound and beneficial to national security.
“Security-wise, it is a very sensible decision not to concentrate every security architecture in one location, because an attack on that location could have devastating consequences for the entire country”.
He added that the issue of state police which the body had been clamouring for in the last five to ten years is another welcome development.
“The operation of local vigilante groups and community security outfits to operate is also a good move and we are already seeing the results, although gradually.
“The speed of kidnapping and so many other security challenges by the marauders and other criminal elements has reduced drastically now”.
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Ekiti Council of Elders, Elder Olufemi Adewumi, said Nigeria’s security challenges and fragile national unity, fuelled by mutual distrust, religious differences and ethnic divisions, made the need for responsible leadership more urgent.
Adewumi said the council, comprising individuals of high integrity and unblemished patriotism, was committed to rescuing the country from its present challenges and defending national unity, in honour of the sacrifices of past heroes, including Chief Joel Eyinafe Babatola, a revered national figure of Ekiti extraction.
He explained that the annual lecture was conceived to inspire contemporary leaders to draw lessons from Babatola’s exemplary life of selfless service, honesty, forthrightness and responsive and responsible leadership, stressing that his legacy remained a compelling model for rebuilding public confidence and strengthening the nation’s democratic institutions.
“You will agree with us that the security of the country is still very challenged by so many forces, and the unity of the nation is still wavering due to mutual distrust, religious and tribal grounds.
“As a council of elders, with people of high integrity and untainted patriotism, we have the vision and mission of saving our people and defending the unity of our country so that the efforts of our heroes past in which our great national hero of Ekiti extraction, Chief Joel Eyinafe Babatola belongs.
“The idea of the Annual Lecture is to encourage leaders of today to take cue from the sterling qualities of the Great legend who dedicated his lit to selfless service, through forthrightness, honesty responsive and responsible leadership”. He added
Babatola was the Minister of Home Affairs and Information in the Western Region of Nigeria under Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola during the First Republic in 1960.
He was also a Commissioner where he represented Ekiti Divisions in the Government of Western State of Nigeria in 1971 under Brigadier General Oluwole Rotimi and was the Chairman of Ondo State Housing Corporation and held this position during the second republic of old Ondo State between 1979 and 1983.
He was also a Patron of Ekiti Council of Elders and Government Elders Advisory Committee and inaugurated by former Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State in 2012.
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