The usually serene atmosphere of Aramoko-Ekiti was transformed into a colourful celebration of culture, leadership and communal solidarity as the premises of the Elizabeth Aladeloye Event Centre came alive with melodious music, traditional rhythms, spectacular gyrations, colourful uniforms, elegant headgears and enthusiastic chants of welcome for the Executive Governor of Ekiti State, His Excellency, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO).
The occasion was the stakeholders’ Town Hall Meeting organised as part of the ongoing consultations towards the preparation of the 2027 Ekiti State Budget, providing an important platform for citizens, traditional institutions, political leaders, community representatives and other stakeholders to articulate their developmental aspirations and challenges.
The Executive Chairman of Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government, Hon. Oluwatuyi Oluwagbenga, popularly known as CHENCO, led political leaders, members of the council management, traditional rulers, religious leaders, market leaders, community representatives and other prominent stakeholders from the council to the engagement.
The meeting represented more than a routine governmental consultation. It was a practical demonstration of participatory governance—an opportunity for government to listen directly to the people, understand their realities and identify priority interventions capable of producing meaningful social and economic impact.
The engagement is also consistent with the Ekiti State Government’s established approach of consulting citizens before budget preparation, with the objective of ensuring that government programmes and projects reflect the actual needs of communities.
Speaking on behalf of the Chairman of the Irepodun/Ifelodun Traditional Council, His Royal Majesty, Oba Aladesuru James Adelusi (JP), the Onigede of Igede Kingdom, the Alare of Are Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oba Jacob Boluwade Adebiyi (JP), commended Governor Oyebanji for what he described as an inclusive and people-oriented approach to governance.
The monarch particularly acknowledged the administration’s interventions in road infrastructure, noting that improved road connectivity among communities has strengthened movement, encouraged commercial activities and created greater opportunities for local economic interaction.
He emphasised that meaningful development thrives where government and the governed maintain a strong, dynamic and purposeful partnership.
According to him, identifying the challenges confronting communities and deliberately incorporating them into development planning would help promote balanced economic growth, improve social wellbeing and strengthen confidence in government.
The monarch therefore urged the Governor to sustain the momentum of development and continue to pursue policies capable of taking Ekiti State to greater heights.
Responding to the concerns and expectations raised by stakeholders, Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji assured the people of Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government, as well as the Araromi and Ifedara LCDAs and surrounding communities, that their developmental needs would receive due consideration in the preparation and implementation of the 2027 Budget.
The Governor explained that government must operate within the realities of available resources and competing needs, stressing that the issues raised during the consultations would be carefully considered and prioritised.
He stated that:
“The challenges raised during the stakeholders’ engagement would be captured and addressed according to government priorities and available resources, with the primary goal of making life easier and improving the living standards of the people.”
The assurance reflects the administration’s stated emphasis on projects capable of improving commerce, productivity and sustainable economic activity, particularly as the Governor looks towards his second term.
For the people of Irepodun/Ifelodun, the gathering was not merely another political or administrative ceremony. It was a moment when grassroots voices found a direct channel to the highest level of state government.
From the traditional palace to the marketplace, from the political class to community leadership, the message was remarkably consistent: development must be people-centred, inclusive and measurable.
The stakeholders also underscored the importance of sustained citizens’ participation in the budget process, recognising that development becomes more meaningful when communities are not merely recipients of government policies but active participants in identifying their needs and shaping the priorities of government.
The atmosphere at the event therefore carried a mixture of gratitude, expectation and renewed hope—a collective expression that the journey of development must continue from where previous interventions stopped and move towards areas where the people still await government attention.
Prominent personalities at the engagement included the Vice Chairman of Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government, Hon. Alade Babatunde Remi; the Secretary, Hon. Dr. Adetunji Fatai Sule; the Head of Local Administration, Mrs. Akinbobola Deborah-Bosede; traditional rulers across the council; the Iya-Loja, Chief Mrs. Alade; directors and other senior officials, alongside political leaders, community representatives and other distinguished citizens.
Their collective presence further demonstrated the importance attached to the consultation and the determination of the local government and its stakeholders to remain actively connected to the state government’s development agenda.
As the 2027 budget conversation gathers momentum, the Aramoko engagement has once again placed the aspirations of the people at the centre of governance—where development is not merely discussed in figures and documents, but translated into roads, opportunities, economic activity, social wellbeing and a better quality of life for the people.
