An Open Letter to His Excellency, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, Ekiti State Governor. Biodun Oyebanji

 September 22nd, 2025

An Open Letter to His Excellency, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, Ekiti State Governor. Biodun Oyebanji

 

Dear Mr Governor.

Good morning, Mr. Governor. Let me first introduce myself to Your Excellency again. My name is Asiwaju Olubunmi Oluwadare, National Business Development Service Provider (NBDSP), Serial Entrepreneur, Author, and Founder of various businesses from Ekiti State.

As someone who has been watching the socio-economic development in Ekiti State for over 26 years now, I see that our state is not moving forward as it ought to be because we have played politics with everything. 

Our state is renowned for being a fountain of knowledge, but such knowledge should be for wealth creation, not poverty creation.

 We have a plethora of talented Ekiti State individuals,scholars & entrepreneurs who have skills and expertise to drive economic growth and development, but the state government doors are perpetually closed to them due to bureaucratic & political bottlenecks.

I'd like to focus on your 3-years administration and offer constructive criticism.

 As a serial entrepreneur and project management expert of high repute, I took my time to professionally evaluate your administration's projects within 3 years compared with inflow available, most especially from the monthly FAAC allocations.

 I see 2 major challenges blocking good governance in Ekiti State: 

1. Lack of scale of preference in project conceptualization and action plan, and 2. Lack of stimulated theoretical planning before practical implementation.

Let me analyze your administration's two major landmark or signature projects: the ongoing ring roads project and the overhead bridge under construction, both in Ado Ekiti. 

Are they both needed or necessary? I will say yes and no. While these projects are necessary, their budgets are super huge and can be used for other valuable projects that can add immediate value to the state populace (power of scale of preference).

Also, I'd like to mention our yet-to-operate Ekiti State Cargo Airport project. While it's a good initiative, I'm concerned about its sustainability without a clear plan for stimulating productivity and entrepreneurship in the state.

 A Cargo Airport without adequate infrastructure, logistics, and economic activities may struggle to attract investors and businesses.

For instance, Singapore's economic development strategy focused on investing in human capital, innovation, and infrastructure. 

They prioritized education, technology, and entrepreneurship, which transformed their economy.

 Similarly, Ekiti State can prioritize entrepreneurship development, leveraging its natural resources, knowledge, and human capital to drive economic growth.

I'd like to suggest a different approach to leadership in our state. 

Ekiti State going forward should focus on massive entrepreneurship development to solve 80% of our socio-economic challenges. 

By leveraging entrepreneurial interventions, we can convert our natural, knowledge, and human resources into wealth creation, focusing on massive job opportunities for our youths population.

Just 5 stimulated industrial parks and 9 stimulated multi-dimensional agribusiness estates will swallow 46% of Ekiti State's unemployment ecosystem and add nothing than N25 billion monthly to the State IGR.

 This can be achieved by leveraging our untapped agricultural resources, investing in value-added processing, and promoting entrepreneurship.

Moreover, Made in Ekiti State products, services, skills, and talents can power our Cargo Airport.

 For example, Afe Babalola University, with its business estate, is the highest employer of labor in Ekiti, with over 5,000 people in its kitty, and is also the highest tax payer, which is a testament to the potential of entrepreneurship and industrial development in Ekiti State.

Some global best practices that Ekiti State can adopt include:

1. Stimulated Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs): Collaborate with private sector experts to develop infrastructure and deliver public services, just like Dubai's successful PPP models.

2. Results-Based Management (RBM): Focus on achieving measurable outcomes and impact, similar to the UK's Government's Outcomes Framework.

3. Participatory Governance: Engage citizens in decision-making processes, like Brazil's participatory budgeting.

4. Transparency and Accountability: Ensure open budgeting, procurement, and project implementation, similar to Sweden's open government initiative.

5. Capacity Building: Invest in training and capacity development for public officials, like Singapore's Civil Service College.

I read, listened, and watched all the projects showcased by your political team and fans in the last few weeks. While they are all good but, Ekiti State deserves far, far better His Excellency. More can be achieved with the right approach,team and vision.

Ekiti State ought to have surpassed waiting for monthly FAAC allocation to sustain its operations.

 Waiting for N10 billion/little above monthly when we have over N600 billion untapped opportunities is unacceptable.

 Made in Ekiti vegetables and other agro products should be weekly cargo and move to Europe to earn huge foreign currency for our farmers and entrepreneurs.

In conclusion, Mr. Governor, our socio-economic challenges still remain as they were 28 years ago.#facts

 Until we move away from political sentiment and emotions, our state will remain underdeveloped.

 Ekiti State should have passed the cosmetic governance experimented by our past political gladiators to a state with bold initiatives and ideas.

Mr Governor, I am very sure that some of your political allies will douse this open letter and tell you 10 reasons why you should ignore my constructive criticism, but one day posterity will bring back this letter to your Excellency reasoning and understanding. 

I believe that with the right & well stimulated socio-economic development masterplan, your administration can still achieve various bold initiatives and your name will be written in gold as the pioneer of a greater Ekiti State. 

I have more to say, but that would be better to table when I have a one-on-one brainstorming session with Your Excellency at your convenience. 

Political urchins will say, "Bunmi is looking for an appointment or position," no, Mr. Governor, I don't want any appointment. 

All I want is a progressive Ekiti State where poverty, hunger, and unemployment will no longer exist. 

None of your political team or appointees in Ekiti State will tell Your Excellency the bitter truth.

 It's time for greater Ekiti State, with farewell to poverty, unemployment, hunger, poor infrastructure, insecurity, and poor social amenities.

God bless Ekiti State, God bless Mr. Governor, God bless Ekiti State indigenes worldwide,God bless Nigeria 🇳🇬. 

Asiwaju Olubunmi Oluwadare.

National Business Development Service Provider (NBDSP)

Founder. www.uni-preneur.com www.getajob.ng 

Author- I SEE MONEY IN AFRICA. 

Chairman/CEO.

Beexo Group www.beexogroup.com

#CAVEAT 

This open letter is not politically motivated or to  seek any political office or appointment. 

Read with wisdom & understanding before comment.

 This open letter is my personal opinion. 

The image attached is ai generated. 

 #ekititrends #ekitistate