… as FIBAN names Oyebanji, Governor of the year 2023
In a move aimed at promoting ethical values, Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji has said his administration would soon appoint a Director-General on Values Orientation and Citizen Engagement to promote the culture of integrity, respect, credibility, and responsibility among the people of the State.
The Governor, stated this in Ado Ekiti while playing host to the National President of Freelance and Independent Broadcasters Association of Nigerian (FIBAN), Comrade Taiwo Adebayo- Gold and some national and state executives of the association in his office in Ado- Ekiti.
Governor Oyebanji spoke just as the national President of the association decorated him as FIBAN’s Governor of the Year, 2023, in recognition of his development strides and the Omoluabi ethos he has brought into governance.
According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Mr Yinka Oyebode, Governor Oyebanji, during the visit, urged the association to prioritize values orientation in their activities and to always call the attention of the government to feedback from the people.
The Governor who bemoaned the erosion of the core values of truthfulness, integrity, hard-work, and patriotic communal services, implored the association to join hands with his administration in re-orienting the mindset of the people of the State, especially the youth to imbibe the right values and attitude in building a sane and virile society.
While congratulating the Ekiti- State born new National President of FIBAN, the Governor assured him of his administration’s support in making his tenure a remarkable one.
“Firstly, let me congratulate you on your election and to appreciate FIBAN for their support for me. FIBAN is a very critical organization and if there is one thing I am desirous of, it is actually values orientation and citizen engagement and FIBAN is extremely crucial to that.
“Within the next two weeks, we will be appointing a Director-General, because we are taking values orientation and citizen engagement away from the Ministry of Information. We are creating a different agency that is going to deal with that because if we are to tell the truth as a people, we have been taken away from our values and we have a lot of responsibilities even if we have lost the current generation those that are coming should not be so and FIBAN is key to that.
“When we get to that point, the person that is going to drive that will sit with you on how we are going to start the process of re-orienting the young ones on the importance of hard work, the importance of integrity, the importance of compassion and the importance of the need to love our neighbours”, the Governor said.
Earlier in his remark, the new FIBAN President, Comrade Taiwo Adebayo- Gold appreciated the Governor for the support the association has received from the State since the inception of his administration, which according to him, was the major leverage for him to become the National President of the association at the recently held election.
Comrade Adebayo, who was accompanied on the visit by Ekiti state chairman of the body, Comrade Afolabi Oluwafemi and some national and state executive members, then presented Governor Oyebanji with the award of Governor of the Year 2023, in recognition of his development strides and his unique approach to governance .
“Mr Governor, you are a unique leader. You have redefined governance with your unrivaled ability to carry the people along in your developmental strides, coupled with your Omoluabi ethos.
“The leadership of FIBAN has found you worthy to be awarded The Governor of the Year 2023. This is our humble way to show recognition for your exemplary leadership., he said.
Other top officials at the meeting were the Secretary to the Government, Dr (Mrs) Habibat Adubiaro, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Communications, Mrs Mary Omotoso.
