Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has restated the commitment of his administration to build an airport in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital as soon as all impediments to the smooth take off of the project are cleared.
The governor, who made the pledge yesterday at this year’s Udiroko Festival at the Palace of the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adeyemo Adejugbe, Aladesanmi III, promised the people more development.
The city was in a festive mood for many hours as indigenes, visitors, friends and associates thronged the Palace amphitheater where a robust cultural display showcased the rich cultural heritage of Ekiti people.
The festival was witnessed by Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State and his Rivers State counterpart, Governor Nyesom Wike, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Kenneth Kobani.
Fayose canvassed the restoration of history into the education curriculum of public and private schools, saying it would help pupils to know about the past to lay a foundation for the future.
It would be recalled that the Fayose administration’s plan to construct a multi-billion airport on Ijan road was stalled following a suit filed at an Ado Ekiti High Court by land owners and commercial farmers, whose lands were taken over for the project.
The court ruled in favour of the land owners and plantation farmers and awarded them N5 million compensation.
But Fayose said all hope was not lost on the airport project.
Fayose said: “I would have loved to have Ekiti Airport and I’m still nursing that ambition and waiting for the slightest opportunity. Ekiti airport will facilitate development for our state.
“It doesn’t matter what anybody is saying. Many years after, they would come to appreciate what we are doing. So far so good, in spite of the paucity of resources in our coffers, we are not doing badly”.
“The amphitheatre is here, which I built, the fly over bridge and Oja Oba are ongoing. The Onala-Awedele dual carriageway roads and others are here. So, I want to tell you that I’m happy”.
The governor added: “Udiroko has become a national festival. Look at the crowd here. Ekiti has never witnessed this huge crowd in the history of the festival”.
In his remarks, Oba Adejugbe hailed the governor for the projects carried out by his administration since his comeback to power in 2014, saying Ado Ekiti community is impressed and fulfilled with the flyover project from Fajuyi to Ojumose.
“Like Oliver Twist, I’m begging the governor to help complete the Oba Adejugbe Hospital for and effective health care delivery”.
