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A FAREWELL ADDRESS BY THE GOVERNOR OF EKITI STATE,
DR. KAYODE FAYEMI, AT THE PASSING-OUT CEREMONY OF
THE 2010 BATCH ‘C’ CORP MEMBERS DEPLOYED TO EKITI
STATE ON TUESDAY, 4TH OCTOBER 2011, AT CHRIST SCHOOL,
ADO EKITI
PROTOCOLS
I am happy to be here today to rejoice with our outgoing 2010
Batch ‘C’ Corps members who have successfully completed the
mandatory one-year of meritorious service to our dear country in
Ekiti state. As the stage is now set for your eventual discharge
from the national service, your reflections on the service would no
doubt amount to the actualization of your dreams.
Your stay in Ekiti State, this last one year, must have exposed
you to life challenges and new experiences in your different fields
of pursuit and host communities. I enjoin you all to strive hard to
build upon the bonds of unity you have established here.
I like to commend the NYSC Scheme for the targeted paradigm
shift in the mindset of young Nigerian graduates in the
consideration of other groups apart from the ones they have been
used to since childhood. As a matter of fact, the transformation
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and attitudinal change of the students immediately
they get mobilized for the NYSC is clearly evident.
May I also seize this opportunity to congratulate Brigadier General
Okore-Affia on his well deserved appointment as the 15th Chief
Executive of the NYSC. It is my sincere wish and prayer that God
will help the new helmsman in steering the ship of this great
Scheme.
I like to note with satisfaction that Ekiti State has always had the
benefit of having hardworking, visionary and courageous Corps
members deployed to her. Members of this Batch have again
succeeded in building on the enviable records of their
predecessors. I salute your patriotism and doggedness.
Gentlemen corps members, you would recall that on arrival in the
State a year ago, you were told that Ekiti people have
unquenchable passion for Education. I am happy that the
available information at my disposal confirmed your contributions
to improvement in the sector. Your indelible marks would be
remembered by the good people of Ekiti state.
Of equal significance also are your contributions to different
community development services in the state, most especially in
the areas of primary health care delivery, sensitization of the
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citizenry on the menace of HIV/AIDS, environmental
sustainability and other activities to keep the Millennium
Development Goals alive.
Fellow compatriots, as you are ushered into another phase of
your lives after this ceremony and subsequent discharge from the
service, I want you to know that Nigeria is blessed with abundant
natural resources which, if tapped and converted to finished
goods, are capable of making this nation great.
I encourage you therefore to open your eyes wide to discover
these vast opportunities which abound in your environment.
Instead of joining the army of unemployed graduates, I charge
you to exploit the goldmine inherent in agriculture,
manufacturing, mining and rendering of social services among
other business ventures. Be pushful, innovative, determined and
well focused. I want you to take advantage of available loans for
small or medium scale businesses. At this juncture, I will advise
you not to despise small beginnings because the great names in
all successful human endeavours started from somewhere usually
small.
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I have the assurances that the Federal government is
committed to improving the lives of the citizens as all machineries
are being employed to move the nation towards the frontiers of
sustainable development. As future leaders of our country, you
too have roles to play in the realization of these lofty aspirations.
In the course of the service year, some of you went the extra
kilometre in contributing their quota to the development of Ekiti
State. On behalf of the government and people of Ekiti state, I
say a big thank you and pray that God will reward you all.
For those who have been adjudged outstanding in their
contributions right from the Orientation through the Primary
Assignment and in rendering life touching Community
Development Services, you will be conferred with the Prestigious
State Honours Award. To this group I extend an invitation to
please join us in our efforts at building a more virile, progressive
and prosperous Ekiti State.
Once again I congratulate you all on the successful completion of
your service year and pray that God will continue to bless your
endeavours and protect you from every scourge.
Thanks God bless.
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