Ekiti people suffering over deplorable Ado-Ijan road – Afe Babalola tells Tinubu
Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to expedite action on the reconstruction of the Ado-Ijan Road, lamenting that residents and road
Founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to expedite action on the reconstruction of the Ado-Ijan Road, lamenting that residents and road users are suffering due to its deplorable state.
Babalola said the condition of the road had continued to cause hardship for commuters, noting that the situation was negatively affecting academic and economic activities in the state.
He made the appeal on Tuesday during the 2026 edition of the Annual Aare Afe Babalola Distinguished Personality Lecture Series held at the university campus in Ado-Ekiti.
Describing the road as a critical access route, Babalola said it connects the state capital to neighbouring states and serves major institutions, including Afe Babalola University, the Federal Polytechnic, and the Ekiti Agro-Allied International Cargo Airport.
The elder statesman noted that although the Federal Government had awarded the contract for the expansion of the trunk “A” highway over a year ago, work had been progressing at a slow pace.
Babalola urged the contractor handling the project to intensify efforts, saying, “Whoever is given the contract of that road, please, everybody should say please, help us to work day and night. We know what we suffer.
“I learned it from my teachers who live outside and ply that road. Teachers who don’t want to come late come late because of this road. Teachers who want to stay till 11 o’clock to work with my students want to go back home because of this road. We are suffering. We are losing.”
Babalola hailed Oyebanji for delivering one of the best public lectures he has heard recently, adding that the lecture was lucid, easy to understand, stimulating, deep, and captured key ingredients that enriched the understanding of the audience on the principles of continuity and succession in governance.
He advised the Governor to consider coming back to ABUAD at the end of his public service to lecture students and share his insights and experience in governance as a means of giving back to humanity.
Delivering the lecture, "Building Legacies: Governance, Successor-Generation and Continuity," Governor Oyebanji said that the state is reaping the benefits of a deliberate policy of continuity of programmes, policies, and projects that add value to governance and are beneficial to the people.
Oyebanji said the best way to preserve legacy and ensure continuity is to deeply entrench institutional systems that carry on seamlessly even in the absence of pioneers and achieve sustainable development in all key sectors.
He advised leaders to always develop a pragmatic succession plan that will sustain a laudable vision and enlistment of dedicated and capable lieutenants who not only believe in the vision but are also committed to its continuation and improvement.
The Governor revealed that he had been prepared for his present role right from under the tutelage of the first elected Governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, and his immediate predecessor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, in which he held positions of Special Assistant, Special Adviser, Chief of Staff, Commissioner, Director General, and Secretary to the State Government.
According to him, the offices held before he became Governor gave him opportunities to serve the people, add value to governance, and gain requisite experience from leaders who deliberately put in place succession plans that are presently benefiting the state.
Responding to questions from students, Oyebanji dismissed concerns that Nigeria was drifting towards a one-party state, saying the current political landscape reflects the choices of individuals and groups aligning with a dominant party for strategic reasons.
On youth development, the governor advised students to prioritise skill acquisition and entrepreneurship alongside formal education, urging them to think beyond certificates and prepare themselves to become job creators in a rapidly evolving economy.
