Prof Osundare, Ojo, 14 Others For Ekiti Merit Awards

Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi
Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi

Governor of Ekiti State Kayode Fayemi Thursday presented the 2013 Merit Award of the State to 16 Nigerians who have made the state in their chosen fields.

The awardees include foremost educationist and first African professor of physics, the late Prof. Daniel Ojo, popularly called Ojo Ugbole; literary giant, Prof. Niyi Osundare; first female plant nematologist in Africa, Prof. Funke Egunjobi; pioneer researcher in the genetics of sickle cell, Prof. Adeyinka Falusi, and 12 other outstanding Nigerians.

The 12 others include 17-year old Olayemi Ajayi who is to represent Nigeria in Denmark at next year’s Robotic Space Competition; Joshua Olamiju who had the best result in the last WASSCE in the state with nine distinctions, radio presenter, Chief Akinlade Ojo also known as Erugale; late Chief Ojo Ajibola; an indigenous interior decorator, late Chief James Kolawole; former Scribe of the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), Dr Kunle Olajide; former President of the All–Nigerian Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPPS)Elder Enoch Dare and a renowned medical practitioner, Dr Sanya Olurotimi.

Others are retired Anglican Bishop of Lagos West, Revd. Peter Adebiyi; elder statesman and banker, Chief Bandele Falegan; business mogul, Chief Daniel Okoli, and presenter and custodian of Ekiti dialect, Mrs Christian Ademulegun. The Government Science College Emure- Ekiti was the best school in the last WASSCE and Christ’s School Ado Ekiti bagged the most improved school with an improvement in the SSCE result from 9% in 2012 to 99.9% in 2013.

Speaking at the event, Fayemi said Ekiti people are honourable men and women, adding that it was time conscious efforts were made to project this positive image everywhere.