By Lekan Adejuwon
Ode Ekiti, the headquarters of Aiyekire Local Government Area stood still for the newly appointed Commissioner for Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Prof Bolaji Aluko on Saturday at a grand reception/thanksgiving ceremony in commemoration of his new appointment.
Earlier, the country home of the Alukos in Ode Ekiti was besieged by hordes of well wishers including high ranking chiefs of the town, friends and colleagues of the new Commissioner as well as top officials of the ministry led by the Permanent Secretary Mr Ajayi, who said the opening prayer.
Dressed in simple native Ankara
attire with green cap to match while declaring open the private party, Prof Aluko said he was not featured during the first Commissioner designates’ inauguration by the governor because he was away in the US to witness his daughter’s wedding thereby dousing the controversies surrounding his absence.
He however declared the occasion as double celebration in a space of two weeks while urging all his guests to be in celebration mood dancing to good music in the midst of wining and dining.
The high point of the colourful event came with item seven where there was much to eat and drink as the new Commissioner took to the floor dancing to the sonorous beat of a local band.
In a separate interview with our correspondent, Prof Aluko who was not a fan of elaborate loud party said he had to bow to local pressure.
His words; “Immediately I was announced, Ode people said I must come home to celebrate with them then I had to bow to local pressure to celebrate it. So it’s good to have people come around to identify with you and I’m happy indeed extremely happy to be in their midst”
Responding to the question of serving in the immediate past administration transiting to the current new government, the professor of chemical engineering described Governor Biodun Oyebanji as a symbol of continuity.
“The Governor is a symbol of continuity and some of us who are returning into his cabinet are the supportive cast of his continuity agenda. So we are happy to do that. There are situations where we have institutional memory we can give to him and those things that we did right before we’ll continue to do right and those things we know were not as good as they should have been and that he himself knows where we were right and those we were wrong.
So he has started well. His starting well makes us happy and we’ll continue to ensure that he continues well”. He said.
In his keynote address at the occasion, the chairman of the ruling APC in Ekiti State, Barrister Paul Omotosho started on the lighter mood asking the new Commissioner to decide whether he wants to remain a technocrat or a politician even as he appreciated the Prof for the huge sacrifice he paid to serve the state at the expense of his lucrative career.
He described the occasion as formalization of Prof Aluko’s office noting that he, Aluko was a Commissioner before the announcement.
The APC chieftain however called on the people of entire Aiyekire Local Government to support their Commissioner so as to make success of his new appointment as he disclosed that the Local Government was particularly lucky to have two Commissioners who were the best in the state according to him.
He assured the party faithful that Governor Biodun Oyebanji will be elected for second term after finishing his first four years.
Dignitaries at the occasion include Barr Paul Omotosho, Engr Faparusi, the chairmen of Gbonyin and Ayekire Local Government areas, members of Olode-in-Council, Ode Progressives Union, PS Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Utilities, Mr Olusola Ajayi accompanied by his staff, APC stalwarts in the council area amongst others.
