Oyebanji, Experts Set Agenda For Innovation-driven Economy In Ekiti
Ekiti State governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, and major players in the nation’s economy have set an agenda for an innovation-driven economy in the state.
They urged the youths of the state to be ready to invest in solutions to economic prosperity to enhance their development and empowerment.
Governor Oyebanji and others stated these in their speeches at the “Ekiti At 30 Future Summit”, organised as part of activities marking the 30th anniversary of the creation of Ekiti State in Ado Ekiti.
Those who spoke at the Summit alongside the governor include: an industrialist, Dr Tunji Olowolafe, an entrepreneur, Engr. Michael Oluwagbemi, Logistics and Maritime; Temilade Ogunniyi, Scientist and Educationist; Dr Muyiwa Igbalajobi, Businessman; and Otunba Wanle Akinboboye.
The governor noted that certificates alone could no longer build industry, create jobs, mechanise agriculture, develop tourism or compete in a technology-driven global economy, but an economy driven by innovation.
He also challenged young people to take responsibility for shaping the future, urging them not to depend solely on government employment but to acquire useful skills, embrace technology, identify problems around them and develop solutions.
Looking ahead to the state’s future over the next 30 years, Governor Oyebanji challenged the present generation to embark on innovations that will ensure future generations remember them not merely as people who celebrated past achievements, but as those who planted the seeds of a new era.
“I envision an Ekiti that becomes a major centre of the knowledge economy. The intellectual capital of our people must be transformed into economic capital. We must produce software developers, digital creators, researchers, designers, engineers and technology entrepreneurs who can work for the world without abandoning their communities.
“I envision an Ekiti that attracts investment because it is peaceful, secure, well-governed and welcoming to enterprise. Government cannot—and should not—be the sole employer of labour. Our responsibility is to establish the conditions in which businesses can start, survive and grow. The private sector, cooperatives, development institutions and our people in the diaspora must become active partners in building the Ekiti economy,” the Governor said.
Olowolafe, who was the lead speaker at the summit, examined the state’s educational heritage, the need for reliable power supply and quality physical infrastructure, as well as strategies for accelerating development, emphasising that the future of Ekiti depends on the ability to translate the knowledge acquired through education into practical innovations capable of creating jobs, reducing poverty and improving the quality of life of the people.
While maintaining that industrial partnership was critical to the development of the state, Olowolafe stressed the need to connect education power with skills, enterprise and innovation to create sustainable economic opportunities. He said the state must deliberately build an environment where knowledge, skills and enterprise could work together to drive economic growth
He charged Ekiti people, particularly the youths, to move beyond acquiring knowledge to finding practical ways to apply it to solve problems, drive progress, and eradicate poverty in the state.
Ogunniyi urged the state government, in collaboration with the private sector, to create and invest in a data-driven farming system, which will definitely attract investors.
Igbalajobi advised the government to leverage the state’s opportunities in education, agriculture, and tourism, encourage and support youth in securing foreign scholarships, and create an enabling environment for investors to thrive.
Otunba Akinboboye stressed the need for the state government to combine agriculture with what he called eco-tourism by creating a model or concept peculiar to the state, woven around mountains, waterfalls, and other tourist sites that abound in the state.
Oluwagbemi encouraged Ekiti youth to seek knowledge and opportunities to better their lives, saying antisocial behaviours must be avoided.
Earlier in their separate remarks, the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe and Ajero of Ijero Ekiti, Oba Adebayo Adewole, reflected on the struggles and sacrifices that preceded the creation of the state on 1 October 1996, despite the absence of take-off grants at the time.
The monarchs, who acknowledged the sectoral development recorded over the past three decades, commended the summit’s focus on shaping a better future and called for a comprehensive development plan to sustain growth and prosperity for future generations.
They called for greater collective efforts to sustain the state’s development, stressing the need for the people to preserve the values, unity, and identity that have shaped the state since its creation.
The high point of the event was the presentation of cheques to winners of the Ekiti at 30 essay competition, with Mr Peace Ogunjemilua emerging as the first prize winner, receiving N1.5 million, while Miss Blessing Adelusi, who came second, received N1 million. Mr Ayomide Lafiaji, the third prize winner, received N1.5 million
Also, 15 other finalists received N500,000 each as a consolation prize for their participation in the competition, which challenged young Ekiti people to present “my dream and agenda for the next thirty years” and articulate practical and innovative ideas for building the Ekiti they want to see by 2025.
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