By Raheem Akingbolu
Copyright independent
In what could be likened to the Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) days, when party members, who neither held political office, nor received any patronage from government, contributed from their hard-earned resources to finance party activities, Ekiti people, especially petty traders, retirees and artisans have started following the old order to demon-strate their love for Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji.
As the call on the Ikogosi-Ekiti born Oyebanji to go for a second term gains more momentum, the campaign appears to have taken an unprecedented trend across the 16 local government areas of the State. At the beginning, it was a mere word of mouth, with people hailing the Gover-nor and his wife anytime their convoys passed through their ar-eas. Though till date, the hailing of BAO! BAO! on the streets still continues, it has dovetailed into various developments.
In recent times, the people have taken it a notch higher, con-sidering the activities in all the towns and villages in Ekiti State. From Igbara-Odo to Ilawe, Ifaki to Ikole, Efon Alaaye to Igede, the story is the same. The campaign has come full-blown as people are now using their money to print posters and other campaign ma-terials to drum up their support for Oyebanji.
At Odo Ekiti, a small com-munity, sandwiched between Ilawe and Ado-Ekiti, almost all the business ventures along the road have customized posters of Oyebanji with rousing messages. Mrs. Victoria Audu, a Hair Styl-ist, was excited when she was ap-proached to hear her view about the development.
“As a patriotic citizen, I consid-er what I put in front of my shop as my own little way of encour-aging and appreciating our dear Governor. When a leader per-forms poorly, we condemn, now that we have someone who aligns with our aspiration, I think we should be able to commend, ap-preciate and endorse. All we are saying is that BAO should come back and govern for the second term,” Audu said.
In Iyin Ekiti, Madam Faith Mulikat Mustapha, a petty trad-er, on a daily basis, leverages her shop closeness to WEMA Bank and the ATM point to preach the ‘gospel’ according to BAO. “I feel the impact of Governor Oyeban-ji in many ways but top among them is the multiplying effect of his policies. Yes, I’m not a civil servant but because the Governor is paying the civil servants well, those of us who are into ‘buying and selling’ are also enjoying a boom and not being owed.”
If Mrs. Mustapha’s experience is based on how payment of sala-ry is rubbing off positively on the market, Mrs. Bose Akomolafe, a civil servant and member of As-sociation of Medical and Health Workers for BAO wears two caps. Akomolafe, an accounting officer with the General Hospital, Iyin Ekiti, also runs a Chemist Shop in the ancient town and so enjoys both prompt salary payment and good patronage in her shop.
According to Akomolafe, “Personally, I’m always excited to identify with BAO because he has made us – the homegrown Ekiti indigenes proud. Besides, Governor Oyebanji’s government has simplified governance and this can be deduced through two ways; the peace in the land and the lively economic activities, which everybody experiences and enjoys. Besides, I’m a salary earner and I’m enjoying prompt payment.”
For obvious reasons, the sub-tle campaign is louder in Ikogo-si-Ekiti, the Governor’s country home, where most members of the community, regardless of status, are using every opportu-nity to campaign for his second term. Today in Ikogosi, hardly is there any house or shop where Oyebanji’s campaign material is not stationed.
Mrs. Osoma Rachael, an Aka-ra seller who branded her spot in Ikogosi with BAO’s campaign material, said she did it because Oyebanji has stood out as a true leader who is passionate about development and humanity.
“For us in Ikogosi, Oyebanji’s magnanimous support for com-munity development didn’t start when he became a Governor. This is a man who has mentored many youths and got jobs for oth-ers even before he became Gov-ernor. As Governor, he is doing exceedingly well to make Ekiti State great. I used my money to print this campaign material and mount in my spot to announce to the world that Oyebanji is a prophet who is honoured both at home and outside.”
For the 75-year-old Ademilu-wa Motilayo, a retired teacher, Oyebanji’s second term bid is a communal project that must be given all it takes.
“The call for Governor Oyeban-ji is not limited to our town but a campaign that is resonating with most Ekiti indigenes because he has fulfilled his electoral prom-ises. I have always taken it per-sonally because I know him well and I know he has the capacity and wherewithal to lift Ekiti. Pri-or to 2022 election, I belonged to two clubs; Egbe Emiloju and Egbe Oluwalomoose and I remember standing up in our meeting when we heard that he was contesting and told our members to take it as Ikogosi project, regardless of their political parties and vote for Oyebanji. I was supported by oth-ers and we thank God today that it has yielded a desired fruit.” Mrs. Ademiluwa stated.
Mrs. Esther Olajide said she voluntarily decided to put up Oyebanji’s campaign material in front of her house because “the governor has made Ikogosi proud.”
She said, “First, we were hap-py because an illustrious son from Ikogosi became Ekiti State governor. Today, we are happy be-cause he has made us proud and we consider it necessary to con-tribute our quota. As people drive past the town now, our campaign materials send positive signals that Oyebanji enjoys the support of his people at home.”
This is also the position of Florence Olatuyise, who de-scribed Oyebanji as ‘Ogidi Omo’ who has proved to the world that we have the best in Ikogosi. “We see this as a communal project because as our son, Abiodun Oye-banji has made us proud.”
Though Mr. James Durogbade, another Ikogosi indigene, is not a politician, he is impressed with what the governor is doing and saw the need to give all the nec-essary support. “I’m not a politi-cian but I’m happy that in Oye-banji, Ekiti has gotten a leader who is ready to give his all, hence the need for the support.” Durog-bade stated.
Meanwhile, in a related devel-opment and in anticipation of his running for a second term as the Governor of Ekiti State under the umbrella of the rul-ing All Progressives Congress, APC, come 2026, the alumni As-sociation of Ekiti State Univer-sity, EKSU, under the aegis of EKSU Alumni Solidarity Group for BAO had recently purchased both the Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for Gov-ernor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji.
Representatives of the group were at the national secretariat of the Party in Abuja last month to pick the forms in fulfilment of their promise to give maximum support to the Governor, who is also an alumnus of the Univer-sity.
In the words of the immediate Past President of the alumni, Engr Dipo Bamisaiye, not mind-ing the cost of the form, it was their desire to ensure that Oye-banji, who had not disappointed them during his first term in of-fice, serves the second term as the Constitution approves.
“It is our mantra that one of us is better than none of us, and as such, we have associated our-selves keenly with the second term ambition of the incumbent Governor, who has neither for-saken nor disappointed us in the course of his first term in office.”
The alumni group said they were able to raise N75 million for the purchase of the form, which they claimed was the first phase of their fund-raising.
“EKSU may appear as not so big at inception, but now we are a great institution and this is even made possible by Governor Oye-banji who has not despised his little beginning as one of us. If he had done so much in the first in-stance, we are assured he will do even more in the second term.”
“The fact that we, the alumni, have raised such money to pick the ticket for the Governor, who is one of us, will show the people in the state that Mr. Governor is admired and loved by us.”
On what members of the alum-ni will further do to ensure the victory for the governor, both at the primary and general elec-tions, Engr Bamisaiye, who is also the Director General of the EKSU Alumni Solidarity Group for BAO, said they would mobil-ise themselves and the good peo-ple of the state, further pooling resources to support him.
While receiving the repre-sentatives of the group into his office, the National Organising Secretary of the Party, Alhaji Suleiman Argungu, praised the representatives for their good intention and support for their colleague, saying they had come in good time to collect the form and would have enough time to complete it.
He added that in his opinion based on what he had heard so far from the people of the state, the governor had performed cred-itably well to earn a second term in office.
* Akingbolu writes from Ado-Ekiti
