Adefarati, a legend of our time – Akeredolu

Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State on Thursday described a former governor of the state, Chief Adebayo Adefarati, as a legend.

Akeredolu said this at the 10 year Memorial Lecture and remembrance Anniversary of Chief Adebayo Adefarati in Akure.

He said the former governor addressed fundamental issues and fought to include Ondo State in the Niger Delta Bill during his time.

“He succeeded, so we owe him because we wouldn’t be an oil producing state if not for him.

“Baba Adefarati was the first governor to put in place an agency to take care of peculiar and specific interests on oil producing areas. OSOPADEC came during his time.

“He also boosted education in his time. Teachers went for refresher courses in Britain,’’ said the governor.

Earlier, the Chairman of the occasion, former Sen. Titus Olupitan that represented Ondo North at the National Assembly, said Adefarati was a politician of very high integrity, peace, dignity and transparency.

“He played politics without bitterness and fought for the masses throughout his lifetime.

“Baba implemented people-oriented programmes and was loved by the people of Ondo State.

“He performed well in office and I pray that this love of the people will continue to be with this regime,” he said.

The guest lecturer, Dr Kayode Fayemi, the Minister of Solid Minerals, said it was only when human security was achieved to a great extent that peace and justice could be attained.

Represented by Chief Olubunmi Famosaya, former Head of Service, Ekiti State, the minister who spoke on “Justice and fairness as panacea to peace’’, said lack of basic rights was the source of restiveness.

“Human security approach emphasises the need for governments to be able to guarantee economic, food, health, environmental, personal and political security in society.

“Justice signposts a greater view which encompasses all that promotes the greatest good for greatest number of people,” he said.