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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.