from olayiwola olanrewaju, kwara
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq reiterated on Wednesday that the administration will always consider every part of the state in its developmental agenda, saying investments in rural roads and river crossings and basic amenities are meant to open up the hinterlands for agricultural and commercial purposes.
Speaking at the public presentation of the autobiography of Emeritus Prof. Luke Ekundayo Edungbola at the University of Ilorin, the Governor commended the pioneering works of the academic whose efforts have been credited for the eradication of Guinea Worm in Nigeria.
The governor called the public presentation “a celebration of a long journey properly documented for posterity” and thanked Edungbola for his service to humanity.
Edungbola, former Deputy Vice Chancellor of University of Ilorin and world-class parasitologist, is most notable for his pace-setting research on Guinea Worm and how his works helped to save millions of lives, mostly in the rural areas of Nigeria.
Responding to Prof. Edungbola’s remarks about his Alabe community in Ile-Ire district of Ifelodun Local Government and how the area was long cut off from development, the Governor said efforts are ongoing to fix more rural roads and other basic amenities across the state, including the one connecting Alabe and many communities in the district.
“The argument against fixing rural roads is often that traffic is not there but we have taxpayers living or having businesses there. We have economic reasons to build access road there. Apart from the fact that every person deserves access to basic amenities, I consider giving people in the rural areas access to the farmlands and moving produce out of the place to the market as truly important,” he said.
Edungbola, for his part, commended the Governor for honouring him with his presence at the book presence and for always reaching out to the people in the hinterlands for development.
“My writing of this autobiography, _From No Direction to A Destination_, is for multiple reasons: to praise God, to thank you the participants, to serve as my constant reflection, recollection, reminder and as a reference of experience while passing through the unpredictable and many circumstances of life. It is to also document the historical account of my life for my children, friends, associations and upcoming generations; to encourage colleagues in writing their autobiographies or biographies too,” Edungbola added.
The book presentation was attended by top academics, traditional rulers, and community leaders, such as UNILORIN’s Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sulyman Age Abdulkareem; Chancellor of Kwara State University Dr. J.B.O. Adewumi; former Vice Chancellor and APC Chieftain Prof. Oba Abdulraheem; Dr. S.F. Abogunrin; Prof Timothy Opoola; President of Omo Ibile Igbomina Engineer Timothy Adebayo; Mrs Cecilia Moji Aina; amongst other dignitaries.
Speakers at the event took turns to commend the pioneering works of Edungbola.