It was encomiums and jubilation as a retired blind school teacher in Osun received a bond certificate of N8.3million from the state government.
The retiree, Mr. Aniobi John, described the gesture as the best thing that ever happened to him, saying Governor Adegboyega Oyetola had rekindled his dashed hope.
He was among 162 retirees that benefitted from the N1.156b bond certificates presented to a fresh set of pensioners by the state government.
The benefitting retirees were primary school teachers, local government staff and those in the core civil service, parastatals and state-owned tertiary institutions.
Fielding questions from journalists after he received his certificate, Mr. John described the gesture as a great relief to him and his family in view of what they had passed through since he retired from active service.
John who retired in 2016 after he had served for 35 years burst into the tears of joy for being favourably considered by the present administration.
He decried the delay in the payment of his pension, which he said ought to have been paid before the expiration of the previous administration since he retired in 2016.
The pensioner who claimed to have lost his sight three years before his retirement said the payment of his pension and gratuity in full would in no measure go a long way to begin a new life filled with prosperity and abundance.
According to him, Governor Oyetola has made what seemed impossible possible, put smile in the faces of his family members and dependants who had lost hope after waiting for more than eight years.
“This is a true manifestation of a prayer point for one to receive his dues by one’s hand. It is like a dream to me because this is a lost hope that has just been rekindled after waiting hopelessly for several years,” he said.
