A new group of Ekiti artisans, scholars and professionals, under the aegis of The Ekiti People United Congress (EPUC), on Friday met in Lagos with a vow to mobilise the people to uphold the agelong values of truth and integrity once associated with the people.
EPUC, at its inaugural meeting which drew participants from Labour, students, artisans and professionals from different local Governments of the state, while giving the vow in a statement issued after the meeting and signed by Omolade Faluyi, said the socio-political and economic transformation of Ekiti depended solely on integrity, honesty and the greatest values of humanity imbibed by the people and the few they had chosen to lead them.
The group, at the parley, said it was resolved to make history and committed to a new Ekiti with the slogan: “Lift Ekiti Beyond the Sky,” declaring that the focal point remained the people with “the agenda to build a new mind-set, a new orientation that honours hardwork, dignity of labour, integrity and trust.”
“We are here to make history. We are committed to a new Ekiti with the slogan: Lift Ekiti Beyond the Sky. The focal point is the people and the agenda is to build a new mind-set, a new orientation that honours hardwork, dignity of labour, integrity and trust” the group said.
EPUC said Ekiti people had to be united along the Lowest Common Factor (LCF) of honour in other for prosperity to flourish, as it quickly recalled that Ekiti in the past was recognised as the bedrock of Yoruba principles of good conscience, courage and integrity which it lamented had diminished over the years.
It, however, noted with satisfaction the recent report by Subnational Audit Efficacy, which rated Ekiti as No1 in transparency, accountability and good governance, adding that such development showed clearly the possibility of Ekiti leading Nigeria in all aspects of economic and political endeavours driven by truth and good conscience.
This was just as EPUC observed that integrity and values shared by majority of the people and those who managed public institutions and the available resources is what creates wealth and prosperity of the people and not money or resources.
“What creates wealth and prosperity of the people is not money or resources but the integrity and values shared by majority of the people and those who manage public institutions and the available resources,” EPUC said.
The new group said it had the responsibility to educate, mobilise and energise the people in all the 142 towns and villages to uphold integrity and the dignity of man founded on the time tested reputation of Ekiti values, pointing out that the decline in values automatically leads to corruption, ineptitude, mismanagement which breeds poverty and crime in low and high places.
According to EPUC, the people are never aversed to genuine and selfless education and public enlightenment that would lead to a new set of thinking and orientation that would produce the greatest happiness for the highest number of people, saying that the body would have selfless representatives in all the 177 wards across the state that would be saddled with the responsibility of constructive engagement with the people through “public enlighten ment campaign and mass reorientation through available social, cultural and faith-based platforms for a greater Ekiti for the benefit of mankind and to the glory of God.”
“Our target is to have 250,000 members and volunteers before the end of the year who are committed to promoting the greatest values in private and public lives of our people. This is the only way good governance can triumph with democracy deepened and people’s inclusion in their own social, political and economic affairs guaranteed.
The group, while sadly noting that Ekiti in the past had produced political actors that in the first place should never hold public offices but notwithstanding “emerged to control the destiny of the people due to a new sociology that places material gains beyond the dignity of man,” however, said it recognized the good work and contributions of some past and present leaders, urging that people ought to honour, uphold and defend legacies of such leaders.
EPUC said it was not affiliated to any political party but vowed to guide the people on best practices and avoid the Ekiti leadership space being taken over by dregs and social misfits.
“We recognise the enormity of the work at hand. We are prepared and determined to change the atmosphere in a revolutionary manner that will enable the people to set the best minimum standard of excellence in every sphere if life in Ekiti State,” the group vowed.
The meeting, which was presided over by Comrade Adewale Adeoye, a multiple award winning journalist, had in attendance Dr. Dare Ajayi, Kunle Ajisafe of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), former General Secretary, Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association, (NATA), Mr. David Ajetumobi; Adebola Ologun of South West Professionals (SOWPROF), former President, Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners Association of Nigeria, (NANTAP), Dr. Deji Abayomi and former member, Lagos State Trust Fund (LSTF), Mr Abiodun Abe.
Others are: General Secretary,
Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movements, (AYDM) a coalition of over 100 Pan Yoruba groups, Mr. Popoola Ajayi; Mr. Taiwo Adeleye formerly of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), President of Agbekoya Solidarity, Mr Kunle Oshodi, amongst many others.
Other promoters include Mr. Tunde Adeleke, Mr Olaseni Osameyan, Ekiti professionals in Diaspora and three other traditional rulers in Ekiti State, while two indigenes of Ekiti working with foreign missions in Nigeria also attended the historic event.
