From WOLE BALOGUN, Ado-Ekiti
“OFURUMAPEPE” in Ijaw connotes a great fish that survives swimming in turbulent ocean. Traditionally, it is a chieftaincy title eulogizing admirable deeds of an outstanding personality. An “Ofurumapepe” or one conferred with the title is regarded as a great man whose exemplary deeds endear everyone to him.
Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State is the “Ofurumapepe” of his state and he is so hailed by his people. The title is also boldly inscribed on his vehicle with a huge image of fish to illustrate its meaning.
Dickson, like the great fish loved by his people, was recently garlanded with an honour many miles away from his state during the 21st convocation of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti. He was honoured with the doctorate degree in Public Administration in recognition of his exemplary leadership.
Adding more colour and glamour to the event was the presence of a powerful delegation from Bayelsa, including the Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, who is also chairman, Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers and the Amanayabo of Twon Brass and Chancellor, Federal University, Lafia, and the Ibedaowei of Bomo kingdom, King Joshua Igbugburu. Top government functionaries and friends of the governor were also present.
Governors of Ekiti and Ondo states, Ayodele Fayose and Olusegun Mimiko respectively, equally graced the occasion. Dickson received the honour alongside the Chancellor of EKSU and monarch of Aramoko-Ekiti, Oba Abdulazeez Olu Adegoke Adeyemi, and a banker and oil and gas magnate, Mr. Gbenga Oyebode, while a total of 18,685 candidates received the institution’s Degrees, Diplomas and Post-graduate Diplomas.
Dickson who shared parental ties with both Bayelsa and Ogun states as paternally belonging to the Tadia family of Arakiri kingdom in Bayelsa as well as a maternal descendant of the Ogun warrior family of Obu, a descendant of Oba Afidipote of the ruling house in Ijebu, was former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Bayelsa State and two-term member of the House of Representatives, representing the Sagbama-Ekeremor Federal Constituency.
Oba Adegoke is current Chancellor, EKSU, as well as a retired permanent secretary with the state civil service, president, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) Ekiti State Chapter and Co-Chairman, Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC).
Oyebode is a successful businessman and banker. Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Samuel Oye, said they deserved the honour for having performed admirably well in their different endeavours.
The VC said his administration was making frantic efforts to build 20,000 hostel capacity that would keep female students away from their male counterparts.
He said the institution was on the path of being ranked among the few best in the country, with the declaration of state of emergency in critical areas such as examination and records department and EKSU ventures among others.
Fayose the visitor to the university said: “I want to appreciate the governing council of the university for your efforts and outstanding performance at a time like this when financing government has become a huge challenge in the face of the dwindling federal allocations. Your performance for the six months has been commendable.
“Let us focus on agriculture because we are not only fighting Boko Haram and insecurity but we already have food insecurity and when you have food to eat a large part of the problem is solved . It is not everybody that will buy blocks to build house, but everyone of us must eat, even if it once a day.
Expressing his appreciation to the university and Ekiti on the honour conferred on him, Dickson said: “It is a great privileged to have been invited here and decorated with this beautiful academic robes.
And so on behalf of our people of Bayelsa, I bring warm felicitations to the people of Ekiti and my brother governor Ayo Fayose who is a visitor to this wonderful university and who has been doing a great job in the state in spite of all the distractions.
“Bayelsa and Ekiti have a lot in common. We are twin states established on the same day. And so we are keenly interested in what goes on in Ekiti. Every Bayelsa man and woman is a friend and brother of Ekiti, and you are good people.
“The Ekiti State university has become a model for other institutions. Just two days ago I sent a team from our state university to come here and interact with your management with a view to find out how you are managing to pay salaries without receiving the subventions from your governor.
“I want to congratulate you as you are entering into another society, a society where your aspiration should not be to look for a white collar job because they simply are not there. Your aspirations and my expectations are to be wealth creators and employers of labour.”