Durotoye addressing the audience

By Daniels Ekugo

Fela Durotoye, Presidential Candidate of Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) on Wednesday 7th November, 2018 visited his alma mater, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), lle lfe in Osun State to deliver a keynote address at the 6th Annual Economics Students Conference of the institution. He made a case for reduction of cost of governance to increase the welfare package of Nigerian workers.

Speaking on the present economic situation of the country, Durotoye stated that the current cost of governance requires urgent radical review and in so doing, the saved resources from such action will go a long way in boosting the standards of living of the entire citizenry.

While delivering his address, Mr. Durotoye raised a query: “Now, let’s consider this classic scenario, if all those at the National Assembly are made to earn the proposed and recently approved minimum wage of N30,000, if this will go down well with them?”.

In bringing the discourse home, Durotoye made specific reference to the present but untapped gold deposit in Atakumosa East, lperedo Local Government Area in Osun State, adding that if the valuable resources was properly unlocked and fully maximised, the income from such derivatives can invariably go a long way in not only boosting the economic and financial capacities of the local governments but will have direct multiple benefits that will transform the overall social welfare of these local governments, its communities and surrounding neighbourhoods.

Prof Eyitayo Ogungbenro Ogunbodede with Fela Durotoye

Addressing the current prevailing deficits in our educational sector, Mr. Durotoye stated that in the New Nigeria that his party (ANN) epitomises, there will be for instance specialised institutions with curriculum developed by the end users in order to bring the cost of maintenance to its barest minimum. He affirmed that the students will even have an opportunity for better interactions among one another. ” For example, we could have University of Banking strictly for bankers with curriculum that will be tailored to meet the current banking needs, pending when we would have solved our perennial power supply challenge considerably. This focus will give strong consideration to reducing the present resources required to run generating plants in powering the activities of our institutions of learning”.

Earlier, the ANN Presidential candidate paid a brief visit to the Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Eyitayo Ogungbenro Ogunbodede who commended him for honouring the invitation of the Economics Association Students as an Alumnus of the institution as its keynote speaker at this year’s Annual Conference.

Mr. Durotoye rounded off his visit to the historic city of civilisation when he paid a courtesy call on the Chief lmam of lle lfe, Alhaji Abdulhamid Abdulsemiu during which he shared the dreams of the New Nigeria that his party (ANN) is leading its crusade with himself as its presidential candidate.

In his response, the Chief lmam commended him for the honour of his visit as well as his tenacity in leading the crusade for generational change in leadership stressing that it was high time the youths assume leadership roles in Nigeria without the age long barrier of age.