The Ekiti Council of Elders has inaugurated the Joel Babatola Annual Lecture Series (JOBAL), in honour of the late Chief Joel Babatola, a foremost nationalist, respected statesman and close associate of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
Speaking on the initiative, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mr. Olufemi Adewumi, who is also a former Head of Civil Service in Ekiti State, said the lecture series aims to revive the ideals of good governance, discipline and community service that defined the Western Region during Awolowo’s era.
According to Adewumi, the maiden edition, slated for November, will focus on the theme, “Governance, Structural Reform and the Economic Landscape of Nigeria: A Reflection of the Past, an Analysis of the Present and a Projection into the Future.”
The lecture will be delivered by Chief Bisi Akande, former Osun State governor and respected elder statesman.
He explained that the initiative seeks to enlighten the younger generation about the visionary leadership that transformed the old Western Region, while reminding the older generation of the enduring values that shaped their time.
“Chief Babatola played a pivotal role in implementing Chief Awolowo’s policies, particularly in education and infrastructure development.
He symbolised the spirit of service, humility and ideological commitment that today’s politics sorely lacks,” he noted.
Adewumi lamented the decline of moral values and the rise of transactional politics, calling for a return to the culture of discipline, ideological consistency and people-driven development that defined the First Republic.
He added that the lecture series would serve as a platform for intellectual reflection and dialogue aimed at rebuilding Nigeria’s governance ethos from the grassroots, beginning with Ekiti.
Chief Babatola, who passed away in 2014 at the age of 96, served as Minister of Home Affairs and Information in the Western Region and held several leadership roles, including Chairman of the Ondo State Housing Corporation and Vice President of the Yoruba Council of Elders.
Through JOBAL, the Ekiti Council of Elders hopes to immortalise his legacy and inspire future leaders to emulate the values of integrity, service and selfless commitment to the people.