To build upon the successes of the past three decades and create a state that is more abounding in opportunity, stakeholders in Ekiti State have urged for stronger solidarity, more engaged citizenry, and collaborative action.
An event called “Ekiti at 30: Reflecting on Our Journey, Charting Our Future” was held Wednesday by the Ekiti State House of Assembly to commemorate the state’s establishment in 1996, which is 30 years ago. During the public hearing, they made the request.
Distinguished guests including academics, technocrats, academics, and former governors gathered at the forum to assess Ekiti’s past and present, as well as to plan for its future. Speakers praised the state’s achievements in areas such as infrastructure, education, human capital, and economic growth, and they emphasised the importance of establishing Ekiti as a center for investment and prosperity.
In his anniversary message, former governor chief Segun Oni congratulated the people of Ekiti, noted the state’s significant progress toward stability, and called on the public to back Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration in its efforts to further advance the state’s economic growth.
Adeoye Aribasoye, speaker of the house of assembly, stated that the purpose of the hearing was to examine the state’s progress over the past 30 years, pinpoint obstacles, and come up with practical solutions. The speaker went on to say that the suggestions made during the hearing will influence the legislative agenda of the next sittings of parliament.
Thirty years is a landmark that begs for contemplation. A chance to reflect on our beginnings, survey our progress, recognise our obstacles, and consider the kind of Ekiti we wish to create in the future, Aribasoye remarked.
The keynote speaker, lawyer and philanthropist Tope Adebayo, argued that the success of an administration is not a contest but rather a measure of how many citizens are given opportunities to succeed. He said that the number of successful indigenes should not be the determining factor in Ekiti’s development.
Chief Afolabi Ogunlayi, the first Commissioner for Finance and an elderly statesman, recounted the struggle against marginalisation in the old Ondo State, which resulted in the foundation of Ekiti. He also noted that, despite some early difficulties, Ekiti had made great strides in population and infrastructure.
When asked about the role of the legislature, former Deputy Speaker Karounwi Oladapo emphasised the importance of executive and legislative harmony in fulfilling the ideals of the founding fathers. Oladapo used the process of relocating and renaming the former Ondo State University in Ado-Ekiti to Ekiti as an example.
Akin Oyebode, the state’s commissioner for finance, said that the economy had diversified, with reliance on agriculture falling from 80% in 2005 to 40% in 2017. Revenue generated internally (IGR) increased from approximately N8 billion in 2020 to more than N50 billion in 2025, which now covers monthly salaries.
Now that Ekiti’s internal income is enough to cover our monthly salaries, we need to reach a point where the IGR is sufficient to cover all of our recurring expenses. The recent fiscal strength, which Oyebode attributed to President Bola Tinubu’s reforms and Oyebanji’s Shared Prosperity agenda, will allow FAAC revenues to be allocated exclusively to investment and capital projects.
In a speech delivered by Prof. Babatola Ayodele, Vice-Chancellor of Ekiti State University, who emphasised the importance of engaged citizens as “active drivers of development and development is strongest when citizens are partners, not spectators,” all parties involved reached a consensus that the next three decades should prioritise economic diversification, institutional strengthening, youth opportunities, and investment attraction.