Fayemi and his friend, Master Daniel Olutope

Fayemi and his friend, Master Daniel Olutope

Kayode Fayemi

Meet my friend, Master Daniel Olutope, a Primary 3-pupil of St Michael’s Primary School, Ajilosun, Ado Ekiti.

On May 7th, I had the chance of meeting Master Daniel Olutope, sharing his desk and lunch with him at the launch of “Ekiti Kete School Meal”, the State’s Edition of the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme.

While waiting for the meal, I had a chat with Daniel and invited him to visit. Here is a recap of that conversation:

JKF: Would you like to come visit me?

Daniel: Yes, but I don’t know your house.

JKF: You see that White House on the hill?(I pointed in the direction of Government House)

Daniel: Yes, but will they let me enter when I come?

JKF: I will tell them to let you come in after you fill a form.

Daniel: Okay. I will tell my mummy to bring me on Saturday.

When Daniel got home and told his mum about my invitation, she didn’t believe him. So the Saturday visit never happened.

Last week, I saw a picture of my meeting with Daniel on social media and I recalled my promise to Daniel of a visit. I directed my aides to bring Daniel for a visit to the office after school. Daniel came thereafter with his mum, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Olutope Adaramodu and his class teacher, Mrs Dupe Adeosun.

It was a fun reunion of friendship formed over Ekiti Kete School Lunch. I asked if Daniel would want to be the Governor. Daniel said yes!

Daniel’s mum agrees. “I felt like my son also can be a Governor like JKF someday”. For Daniel’s class teacher, meeting the Governor in his office was a dream come true.

Mentoring the next generation is a task for us all. I believe that we owe Daniel and his generation every opportunity to inspire them, to instill strong values and a can-do belief in them, to dare to dream, to be ambitious; so they can become whatever they were purposed to be in life.