Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji has sent a passionate appeal to the national leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to spare the state from the  planned strike, which will take full effect from today, as proposed in states, where payment of the N70,000 minimum wage is yet to take effect.

The Governor, spoke on Saturday night at an event where eminent lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Wole Olanipekun, launched the 28th annual Scholarship Award Scheme, and 5th Empowerment Programme of his Scholarship and Empowerment Programme, held at his Ikere-Ekiti country home.

Oyebanji, who commended the patriotic zeal of Olanipekun, and his kind gesture in helping the unemployed, and the brilliant, but indigent students to have a new lease of life, disclosed that all arrangements had been concluded to commence the minimum wage payment, which he said, had since been approved, and agreed upon by the labour unions.

The governor explained that the delay in payment was not deliberate, as it was due to the long negotiation, preparatory to the payment, which had just been agreed upon with workers, few weeks ago.

Besides, he said the budget to signal the commencement of the said payment of the new minimum wage, had just been signed into law, as contained in the next fiscal appropriation bill.

While appreciating Olanipekun for supporting his administration’s education and employment drive, Oyebanji, who was physically present at the occasion, commended his spirit of patriotism, and admonished him on the need to continually sustain the two programmes.

The governor also called on other well-meaning Ekiti indigenes to emulate the selfless service, which Olanipekun had exemplified, for Ekiti to move forward.

Olanipekun said a total of 4,219 Nigerians of varied background, had so far benefitted from the annual Wole Olanipekun Scholarship and empowerment programmes, which began variously since year 1996, with millions of Naira, expended on the two projects.

Olanipekun, a legal icon and Chancellor of Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology Ikere-Ekiti, who is the sponsor of the twin projects, said  the Wole Olanipekun Scholarship Scheme, (WOSS), founded since 1996, alone, had produced a total of 3,019 beneficiaries while the empowerment programme has taken care of 800 widows and aged.

He said he drew his inspiration from the fact that he once tasted poverty, and knew how it pinched, saying the best way to give back to the society, is to bail out those in dire need.

Speaking, the Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti, Oba Adejimi Adu Alagbado, commended the gesture of Olanipekun, who he described as an outstanding, and distinguished leader of the kingdom.

The traditional ruler, used the occasion to call on young men and women of the community to emulate Olanipekun, by shunning laziness, and get-rich-quick-syndrome like yahoo, yahoo, and rather face the realities of life, which he said, can only endure through hard work, and perseverance.

Earlier in his welcome address, Mr. S.S Omoyeni, the Chairman, Board of trustees of Wole Olanipekun Scholarship Scheme, said the scheme covers three areas, including secondary education level, university level, and Law School for Law students.