Fayose bags APU Award of Excellence, dedicates it to Wife and Ekiti Masses

In recognition of roles played in the rapid development of the ancient city of Ado Ekiti at a time the country is witnessing its worst recession in recent history and transformation of the much cherished Udiroko Festival, the Ado-Ekiti Progressive Union(APU), a non political group consisting of eminent sons and daughters of Ado-Ekiti on Thursday 1st of December, 2016 bestowed the APU 2016 Award of Excellence on the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose as an "Outstanding Achiever of Our Time".

This will be the first time the APU which has HRM, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejuyigbe Aladesanmi III, The Ewi of Ado Ekiti and the founder of ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola SAN as its life and grand patrons respectively will be honouring a sitting governor with such an award since the creation of Ekiti State in 1996. 
 President General and Bobajiro of Ado-Ekiti, Chief Obafemi Ojo who said the award is at the behest of Ewi-in-Council, Eyesorun, Oloris, Staff of the Palace, Chairman of Ado LG, Iyalojas&Iyalajes led by Chief Mrs. Waye Oso and all sons&daughters of Ado-Ekiti without exception affirmed that the respect, regard, love and honour the governor has shown the Ewi of Ado Ekiti as well as the unequalled infrastructural development put in place within and outside the Ewi's palace is the reason for such a prestigious award.

 "Your Excellency Sir, we don't just give award to personalities, the last award given by APU was given 10 years ago, except the recent one this November 2016, one of which was in honour of our respected father, Aare Afe Babalola SAN as the grand patron of APU. Some of the reasons for honouring you include the respect, regard, love and honour you have shown our Kabiyesi Alaye, the Ewi of Ado Ekiti.

 The construction of Amphitheatre at Ewi's palace, the transformation and modernisation of Ewi's office, the renovation of the inner hall within the palace, the ongoing construction of a conference hall, the ongoing flyover, the ongoing modern Oja Oba, appointment of Ado sons and daughters into key positions in your administration should not go without commendation.

 "Another major reason for this award Your Excellency is the massive construction going on in different parts of the state, especially the dual carriage way at Awedele, Idemo to Ikare road and other 6 LG headquarters despite the paucity of funds from Abuja", Chief Obafemi said. Governor Fayose who thanked the APU for finding him worthy of such a prestigious award described the gesture as the height of encouragement, recognition and a call to duty. "I thank you for this recognition, this is the height of encouragement, this is another challenge.


I hardly take awards, very hardly, I don’t like to take awards in days when awards have become free for all, when they want to give you award, they tell you how much to contribute and how much you are going to pay, for this award, I have not contributed a penny. They have not asked me for money. "In less than 2 years in office, I have received letters to come for up to 50 awards but for me, I believe the best award is for your works to speak for you. Awolowo passed on 20/30 years ago, his works, his actions, his positive impacts on Ekiti and Nigerians speak forever, this is the kind of award I desire, this is the kind of award I want to identify with", Fayose said. The governor went ahead to dedicate the award to his wife and Ekiti first lady, Mrs Feyisetan Fayose and the generality of Ekiti Masses.

 He said, "This award, I dedicate formally to the support of my wife, for her prayers and support, for being on her knees every now and then, again, I want to dedicate this award to the common people in Ekiti, the people I call the Oshoko people, who not only have given me the rare opportunity to be their governor but also the opportunity to be their king in the Oshoko kingdom. This award is dedicated to the common man, the common of the commonest on our streets who believes in me".

 Thanking the Ewi of Ado Ekiti for being a strong pillar behind his administration, governor Fayose said by the time he's leaving office, what he's done till date in terms of Ado modernisation will be a child’s play. "Kabiyesi, to you and your wife, for your spiritual support, your encouragement and the fall of the fence which many eyes cannot see and ears cannot hear, Kabiyesi I thank you very much. 

By the time I am leaving office, all we have done till now will look like a child’s play. Let me assure you that there will be no governor after me that will undermine this palace. The stakes has been raised, anyone coming after me will do more than I have done to be relevant. Kabiyesi, we will only support people that will follow this path, no enemy of Ewi will become governor of Ekiti State", Mr. Fayose said.