BY REBECCA AJANI
… urges protesters to end agitation
GOVERNOR Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has said he and his colleagues in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum are concerned about discontent, hunger and anger in the country and will be ready to work with other stakeholders to find a lasting solution.
Fayemi, who is the NGF Chairman, said the raging nationwide EndSARS protests resulted from years of pent-up emotion, anger and hunger in the land, adding that the governors were committed to larger reform of the polity and not only the much taunted Police reform.
The Governor spoke on Sunday at the Special thanksgiving mass held at St. Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral, Old Garage, Ado Ekiti, as part of activities to mark the second anniversary of his administration in office.
Fayemi said he understood the frustration of the young Nigerian Citizens who had taken to the streets for the past one week, noting that he had used his younger years to participate in similar protests against bad governance, especially military dictatorship.
He lent his voice to the view of the Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, the Most Reverend Felix Ajakaye, who had called for an immediate suspension of the nationwide protests for the authorities to act on the protesters’ demand.
“Myself and my colleagues are concerned and we are committed to reforms not just about SARS because we will be making a mistake that the general disaffection in the land is all about SARS.
“Like Your Lordship (the Bishop) had said, the government should be allowed to address the demands that have been made.”
The Governor said he would always be thankful to God for giving him the grace to serve Ekiti people again, saying he sees himself as an instrument in God’s hands and sees the governorship seat as missionary work.
“If I had gotten my second term normally, I would have ceased being governor now and I know I wouldn’t have been NGF Chairman now. God has a purpose for our lives,” he added.
Speaking on the wave of protests rocking the country on complaints of police brutality in his sermon, Bishop Ajakaye called for an immediate end to the protests to allow the authorities to implement police reforms.
The cleric also urged the Federal Government to address the grievances of Nigerians on the state of the nation, insecurity, insurgency and hardship being faced in the country.
As the Ekiti State Security Network (Amotekun) is launched on Monday, Bishop Ajakaye admonished its operatives to be apolitical and work with integrity and fear of God.
He further called for a synergy between security agencies in Ekiti, including the Amotekun operatives to make the state safe for everybody to live in.
He said, “The Federal Government should listen to the grievances of the people not only on EndSARS but on terrorism and other things that are wrong in our country. EndSARS protest should end, leaders’ indifference to people’s life, bad governance, insincerity and distrust should end.
“There is hunger and anger in the land and the government should act promptly. The protesters should suspend their protest immediately because if it continues, it may be counterproductive. We have those among them who are using the protest to protect their criminal activity.”
The service was attended by the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu; Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Bisi Egbeyemi; Ondo State Deputy Governor-elect, Lucky Ayedatiwa; Ekiti State First Lady, Bisi Fayemi; former Ekiti State Governor, and now Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo; among others.
Fayemi, who described himself as a product of God’s mercy, sought for forgiveness from those who he might have offended in the discharge of his duties as the State’s Chief Executive.
He said he had sworn to an oath to do what was just and fair, noting that his actions so far in office were based on fairness and justice.
Speaking on the state of the nation, Fayemi said, “There is a lot of anger in the land, there is a lot of hunger in the land, pent-up emotion. There is disillusionment in the land. As a young man who spent much time in the barricades protesting bad governance, I can understand what is going on now.
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