Oyebanji Charges Ekiti Youth Parliament On Patriotism

Ekiti State governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has urged members of the 5th Assembly of the Ekiti State Youth Parliament to be worthy ambassadors of Ekiti by demonstrating integrity, respect, hard work, tolerance, patriotism and commitment to service.

The governor who spoke during the first business sitting of the Parliament held at the Chambers of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Ado-Ekiti, said that leadership was not merely about occupying a position but about the impact made while holding it.

The governor who was represented by the commissioner for Youth Development, Mr Gold Adedayo, stated that his administration believes that young people should be equipped and given the opportunity to contribute to governance and community development.

He said membership of the Youth Parliament should enable the young leaders to inspire others, promote constructive dialogue, and contribute to their communities and the state. He encouraged them to use the platform to understand issues affecting young people and to seek solutions through respectful engagement.

“Disagree without becoming disagreeable, listen before speaking, and place collective interests above personal considerations,” he said.

The governor said the future of Ekiti was being shaped by the actions of young people, adding that the parliamentarians’ leadership could influence the kind of society the state would build.

This is just as the parliament urged the youths in the state to eschew anti-social behaviours and be law abiding to enjoy peaceful living.

The speaker of the parliament, Rt Hon Tijesu Babatunde, who gave the advice during the House first business sitting where two bills were passed, stressed the need for youths of the state to be of good conduct, saying, “The youth are sure that if they are low-abiding, they don’t have a problem as far as equity is concerned and we are here to raise and amplify their voice.

“We are the government, fine, even though we are still in the learning process. But we can assure them that bring your grievances, send it across to us. We will try our own best and push it and make your voices heard because we call ourselves the voice of the youth so we should be able to speak well for the youth and ensure that we are not just speaking alone, we are implementing whatever we are actually pushing.”

Speaking further on the bills, Babatunde said the bills passed after serious deliberations during the plenary are the Ekiti Digital Consent and Gender Protection Policy Bill, 2026, and the Ekiti State Professional Students Academic Integrity and Public Safety (Drug-Free Campus) Bill, 2026.

The third one, the Ekiti State Youth Internship and Graduate Transition Programme Bill, 2026, was referred to committee for further consideration.

Rt Hon Babatunde commended Oyebanji for supporting the Youth Parliament and for creating an enabling environment for youth participation in governance. He said the Parliament provided a platform to understand legislative processes, debate issues constructively, develop leadership capacity and contribute to state development.

Speaking during a one-day Legislative Capacity Building Training for members of the State Youth Parliament, the commissioner for Youth Development, Hon. Adesola Gold Adedayo said it is not merely another gathering of young people but an investment in leadership, knowledge, responsibility and the future of democratic governance in Ekiti State.

He said the Ekiti Youth Parliament was established to provide young people with a platform to understand legislative processes, debate issues constructively, develop leadership capacity and contribute meaningfully to the development of our dear State.