From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has commended legal giant and founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD) Aare Afe Babalola(SAN), for his immense contributions to the development of the state.
Governor Oyebanji who said Babalola’s developmental strides cut across the state and country described him as a government, saying the elder statesman has proven that he is a tree that can make a forest against a popular adage, noting he wished that the state can have three persons like him.
Oyebanji made the remarks during the commissioning of ABUAD Multi-System Hospital Annex.in Odo-Ado, Igirigiri road, Ado-Ekiti, the governor performed the commissioning alongside the founder.
According to Oyebanji, “They say health is wealth , what baba has done here today and in the state, is not for him. He never forgets home, Odo-Ado, Igirigiri, Ado-Ekiti and the state and Nigeria at large.
“Whenever I see him, what usually comes to mind is that, before Ekiti was created, he knew that state will come. Even before Ekiti State was created, he was the highest tax payer in the old Ondo State and since the creation of Ekiti State, baba still remains the highest tax payer in the state and the largest employer of labour after the state government.
“So, baba on his own is a government and whenever I am with him, he is always working. For what he is doing for the people of Ekiti and Nigeria, I know God does not have a choice than to keep him alive because a lot of destinies are tied to him. I as a governor, after the federal government, it is baba Afe Babalola that I see. I want you all to thank and appreciate him on my behalf.”
The governor who said he heard about the sorry state of the road leading to the hospital said the advert for the construction of the road has been placed and will be awarded by April.
In his address, Babalola lauded Oyebanji’s giant strides since assumption of office, adding that he wished Oyebanji had become the governor of Ekiti State before now.
The Senior Advocate who lamented the slow pace of development in Ekiti blamed this on past governors of the state, “There is no faith in them, go and tell them.and that is why our challenges persist, and the reason why Igirigiri road is in a state of disrepair. It was when I was a local government councillor in the 60s, it was then we had development in Ekiti local government and we thought those coming later as governor will follow the steps taken by us and what we documented but they never followed it. But this man called Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji is an exception and doing great.
“The ABUAD Multi-System hospital I built some few years which we have replicated here was described as the best in this part of the country by experts.
“Road leading to the Afe Babalola Multi-System Hospital is equally in bad state and I do rehabilitate it but it was because we don’t have honest people in government. Those in government receive salaries and collect pension at the same time, this is strange to me ”
At the event, some individuals were honoured with awards in recognition of their efforts to the progress of the Multi- System Hospital and the University.
Speaking on the awardees, the Chief Medical Director(CMD), Afe Babalola Multi-System Hospital (AMSH) Dr Kolawole Ogundipe, said, “They are people who truly recognised the great effort of our founder, Aare Afe Babalola, in building the Multi-System hospital and the university saying they really want to be part of the process and the progress going on, it is just worth it that we recognise them and show to them that we appreciate the efforts they are making. We are doing this for them to do much more than they are doing.
“In particular, Joel Afolabi’s ShalomGrace Global Ventures Limited is unique and I have to single it out because there are so many companies that provide us with drugs but when others are failing and they are unable to deliver on their assignment, it is ShalomGrace that we will run to and they have been meeting up in that regard. We are indeed proud of them.”
One of the awardees, the Chief Executive Officer(CEO) ShalomGrace Global Ventures Limited, Mr Joel Afolabi Olaoluwa, said his punctuality and promptness in delivering quality products to the hospital earned him the award.
Olaoluwa said, “Our organisation has been delivering good and quality medical equipment and consumables to the hospital. So, I think we deserve this award because I see it as a global recognition for our organisation. Seeing Governor Oyebanji, the ABUAD founder, Aare Afe Babalola and other dignitaries
on seat is a great honour for me.
“In ABUAD Multi-System hospital and ABUAD International School reviewing, we are their supplier of medical equipment and industrial machineries.
“We are presently working on a multi- million naira recycling machine project at the ABUAD Industrial Park which will be unveiled very soon.”
The CEO, however, lamented high tax being paid on imported medical goods, rise in the value of US dollars against Naira and lack of support from the banks because of economic meltdown.
He called on the government to support private businesses and small scale industries and strengthen medical industry to grow for everyone to have good health.