Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has called on political leaders in the country to elaborate on the ideational foundations of the late sage and Premier of the defunct Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, and reconstruct them in the context of new challenges and new opportunities that would bring about good governance in the country.
Speaking in Lagos at the International conference on “Leadership And Governance In Africa” held at the Obafemi Awolowo Institute for Governance and Public Policy, Lagos on Friday, the governor asserted that Awolowo had already provided the ideational foundations for good leadership and good governance in Nigeria
At the event were the National Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Chief Bisi Akande, who chaired the conference; former Ambassador to Netherlands and daughter of the late sage, Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu; the representative of the Governor of Osun State, Mr. Ajibola Bashiru, and renowned poet, Mr. Odia Ofeimum.
Fayemi added that the struggle that some progressive leaders have engaged in the last three decades is based largely on Awolowo’s heritage in which the one and only purpose of political leadership and governance is the delivery of political goods.
He stressed that the grand purpose of leadership and governance in the context of Awolowo’s political philosophy can best be summarised as “public good and private welfare”.
“Whether in the context of political structure, particularly democratic federalism, in the nature, order, purpose and limits of government as evident in the rule of law, the rights and duties of citizens, or in the directive principles of state policy which should be geared towards the economic freedom, good health, liberty and welfare of the people, the struggle that some of us have engaged in, in the last three decades is based largely on this heritage; that is, a settled conviction in which the one and only purpose of political leadership and governance is the delivery of political goods,” Fayemi stated.
