Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has described the civil service as the engine room of effective governance and sustainable development, saying no government can function effectively without it.
Oyebanji spoke on Thursday while declaring open the 12th Regional Quarterly Meeting of the Association of Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries in the South-West, held in Ado Ekiti.
Represented by the Head of Service, Dr Folakemi Olomojobi, the governor praised members of the association for their contributions to the growth and stability of public administration in the region.
He said the retired senior bureaucrats had left behind a legacy of leadership, professionalism, integrity and institutional knowledge that continued to provide a foundation for the public sector.
Oyebanji disclosed that his administration had appointed three members of the association to the state Executive Council, citing their experience and expertise.
Among them, he said, was the immediate past Head of Service, Mrs Peju Babafemi, who currently serves as Commissioner for Women Affairs.
“It is not out of place to note that political leaders continue to draw members from this strategic group. I’m sure I have not less than three of your members into my Executive Council,” he said.
The governor also said his administration was committed to improving the welfare of retired Heads of Service, permanent secretaries and other public servants.
Association seeks regional partnerships
The Regional President of the association, Demola Badejo, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to working with key South-West development institutions, including the South West Development Commission, the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission and Odu’a Investment Company Limited.
Badejo said the commitment followed a recent meeting with representatives of the organisations in Ibadan.
He urged the various state chapters to support the implementation of the association’s seven-point agenda, which he said was aimed at strengthening its relevance and contributing to the development of the region.
Badejo, a lawyer and former chairman of the Ogun State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, also announced plans to launch the “Odu’a House” initiative.
He said the initiative, modelled on London’s Chatham House, would provide a platform for engagement with political candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to him, the initiative is expected to begin hosting candidates at the Lagos Airport Hotel in the coming weeks.
“Our task is not merely to celebrate our past; it is also to use our collective experience, knowledge and networks to mentor future generations and contribute meaningfully to the development of the region and the country at large,” Badejo said.
Retired HoS warns against political involvement
In his welcome address, the President of the Ekiti State chapter of the association, Chief Oluwole Ariyomo, commended Oyebanji for his support for the chapter.
Ariyomo also praised the administration’s projects in infrastructure, youth employment and agriculture, as well as its efforts to redevelop the Ikogosi Warm Springs tourist site to an international standard.
The keynote speaker, a former Head of Service, Mr S.O. Bankole, urged civil servants to maintain political neutrality.
Speaking on the theme, “The Doctrine of Neutrality (Impartiality) and Anonymity,” Bankole said civil servants should not participate in partisan politics either openly or covertly.
He warned that political involvement could undermine the quality of professional advice provided to political office holders.
“Our bureaucracy should maintain its attribution of neutrality under any political dispensation,” he said.
“The real loyal public servants are the ones telling the politicians what they should know and not what they want to hear.”
Delegates from Ekiti, Ogun, Oyo, Lagos, Osun and Ondo states attended the one-day conference.
