Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
As the Ekiti prepares for the 2018 governorship poll, the Ekiti State Council of Elders, has warned politicians against destroying the state with their violent tendencies. The elders, who foresaw violence during the election, called on politicians in the state to shun tendencies that could erode the unity and love that has long existed among the citizens. Miffed by the dwindling virtues of education among the citizens of the state that was widely revered for enviable records in education sector, the non-political group advised youths to acquire formal education or learn trades and stop seeing politics as a profession. Speaking in Ado Ekiti saturday during an interactive session, the council’s chairman, Prof Joseph Oluwasanmi, stressed the need for the political actors to make peace their watchword and eschew violence a 2018 governorship approaches.
The elders presented lifetime award to Chief Afe Babalola and posthumous award to the late deputy governor of the old Ondo State, Chief Akin Omoboriowo. He said: “Ekiti was one during Old Western state and Ekiti parapo war. We are still one until the state was created in 1996. We must ensure that things are done in the right way and be ready to do things right”.Oluwasanmi, who cautioned politicians in the state against engaging in violence in the interest of peace and unity of the state told the senior citizens to educate their children and wards against political thuggery and hooliganism. ”Ekiti was one during old western state, Ekiti parapo war and still one until the state was created in 1996. We must be ready to do things right. No political party should be used as an instrument of destruction”.
Also speaking, Senator Ayo Fasanmi said Ekiti has history of unity and peaceful co-existence, which all elders have been following till date calling on all politicians must follow. “We can only achieve development in the atmosphere of peace. You can belong to any party. Where are we heading in 2018.
We have been hearing a lot about it but we must be mindful of the legacy we will leave behind”. Another elder statesman, Chief Deji Fasuan , described one of their own and the oldest member, Senator Fasanmi as a committed Ekiti patriot, said he (Fasanmi) was one of the founders of Omo egbe Odua, which formed Action Group and that he had been ‘stead fast since those hectic times’.
