Governor Fayemi and Dr Aarinola Olaiya

Dr Aarinola Olaiya

• Fayemi Honours Her at Convocation

“More of this, please. This is our own, made in Nigeria. This is the source of my special excitement.” That was the way Gbenga Alaketu, an Ekiti son, a former Editor of Tempo/TheNEWS said with eclat from his base in London. Alaketu was referring to how Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, on Thursday, praised Dr Aarinola Olaiya, Obafemi Awolowo University’s Overall Best Graduating Student for demonstrating the core values of hard work and excellence for which Ekiti people are known.

In the words of Alaketu: “I pray that this one, too, does not join our other geniuses in self- exile, forced by the inadequacies dumped on us by the rulers. I also pray that our rulers urgently come to the realization of the need to keep our best brains at home. Special citizens are the motivators of development. They are God-sent beings for the upliftment of our our world. We must endeavor to create the necessary domestic environment for them to thrive and multiply in Nigeria.” Undoubtedly, Alaketu re-echoes the feelings of Ekiti people, otherwise known as Ekiti Kete, at home and abroad.

Olaiya, the 24-year old Usin- Ekiti born graduate of Medicine, had distinctions in 11 courses, breaking 28 years’ old record of the institution.

Governor Fayemi who attended the 43rd Convocation ceremony of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Thursday specifically to honour Aarinola, said she had shown that Ekiti is not a state of stomach infrastructure but the country’s intellectual capital.

The Governor said Aarinola would be given all the support she desires in her quest for greater heights.

Dr Fayemi said: “I want to pledge before this august audience and the council, she hasn’t told me what she wants to do but whatever she tells me, she can consider it done.

“If she wants to go into housemanship, residency or even a PhD in medicine, we will support her. It is very important to us that we restore the values for which we are known in Ekiti.

“We are not a state of stomach infrastructure. We are the centre of excellence in this country and when it comes to intellectual capital, we really should restore our very first place and that’s what the government in Ekiti is about.”

“It is about promoting the knowledge economy and celebrating the very best of us who have a lot to teach the rest of us because I know medicine is not a tea party. For her to have impressed all of her lecturers and broke all of the records here which excellent people have set here, I hope the college will retain Aarinola. Having produced her, it is only fair to let Ife have her, Fayemi said.