Former Ekiti governorship candidate and legal practitioner, Tope Adebayo, has stated that the present generation in the state must work towards building an economy that can sustain opportunities for generations yet to come.

Adebayo noted that successive administrations in Ekiti had followed the path laid by the founding fathers and recorded landmark achievements. He stressed the need to reinforce the foundations established over the past 30 years.

The PUNCH reported that a member of the State Economic Management Team, which Governor Biodun Oyebanji inaugurated in 2023, he made the remarks in a keynote address delivered on Saturday in Ado Ekiti, the state capital. The programme was organised by the Ekiti State House of Assembly to commemorate the state’s 30th anniversary.

He challenged the state to look ahead and build an economy that would give every citizen a genuine chance to prosper.

He said, “The next chapter of Ekiti’s development should be defined by a transition from a ‘Land of Honour’ to a ‘Land of Opportunity,’ where education, skills, infrastructure and entrepreneurship are deliberately connected to jobs, markets, investment and wealth creation.

“The ultimate measure of the state’s development should not be the number of successful people it has produced, but how many more people can have the opportunity to become successful.

“The responsibility before the present generation is to strengthen those foundations and create an economy capable of sustaining opportunities for generations yet unborn.”

Adebayo added that successive administrations had contributed to Ekiti’s development in various ways, which deserved to be acknowledged.

“An insightful reflection on our history is to recognise that the task of state‐building is a continuum. One administration lays a foundation; another builds upon it. One strengthens the structure while another comes along with a mandate for expansion,” he added.

The ex-governorship candidate described the 30th anniversary as an occasion to recognise that the present Ekiti ”is the cumulative product of the sacrifices, policies, ideas and institutions built by successive governments and by citizens who have served this state in different capacities.”

He also commended the Oyebanji administration for what he described as its enviable and laudable achievements, saying, “The work that has already been done by the administration had brought about improvements in fiscal transparency and audit performance; reported progress in internally generated revenue, investment in roads and transport infrastructure,” among other efforts to improve the lives of Ekiti people and the state’s business environment.

He praised the administration for concentrating on consolidating the progress made so far, scaling impact and strengthening systems capable of driving sustainable development.

Adebayo called for stronger collaboration among the executive, legislature, judiciary, traditional institutions, private sector and citizens. He said development could only be sustained when institutions worked together while retaining their constitutional responsibilities.

He also hailed the leadership of the State House of Assembly for strengthening the legislative institution, including the remodelling of the Assembly complex and the digitalisation of legislative processes.