fbpx

About

My Commitment to Ekiti People

It is with every sense of responsibility that I seek the opportunity to continue the vision to restore the dignity and glory of Ekiti and Ekitikete. It was just like yesterday, but by December 2021, it would have been ten (10) good years since I came back to Ekiti to serve as Commissioner in two key Ministries and I have since lived amongst my people. This is after more than two decades overseas in the corporate world and having attained the highest possible credentials in my professional field as an Actuary. I now offer to use my global credentials, international exposure and connections combined with hands-on local and grassroots experience to further the socioeconomic transformation of Ekiti.

Ekiti youth have been facing tough and challenging times. We often say that the youth are the future of any society, yet unemployment amongst our graduates is one of the highest in the country. Our locally-educated youths cannot compete favourably for jobs in urban cities despite being some of best graduates out of Nigeria. Many have become beggarly and vulnerable to ignoble uses. Therefore, youth re-orientation must of necessity become a priority before any youth empowerment program can yield meaningful results. Yet, I see immense possibilities and opportunities for a great Ekiti through the cultivation and development of our youth. Ditto, our women. We will be smart to invest in our women.

After 10 years of continuous residence in Ekiti, I understand the leadership that I must provide as the Governor to lead Ekiti to convert our challenges into opportunities to become the “go-to” place in Nigeria. With revenue still so low relative to expenditure, plus the competing needs of workers, pensioners, jobless youths and subsistence farmers over scarce internal resources, Ekiti requires a Governor that is creative, innovative and resourceful. A Governor that can think outside the box to generate sustainable sources of revenue to meet obligations to and expectations of the people. One able to make strategic investments that will fuel economic growth. Not just a manager of resources but a creator of wealth. We require a Governor that can rally all Ekitikete, home and abroad, to bring out the best in all of us for the task of transforming Ekiti and making us proud again. A Governor with vision and passion for development and with the requisite profile to attract equity investors into the state. We need a sharp, intelligent and mature person with integrity who would command the respect and trust of all stakeholders. We require a compassionate and God-fearing Governor who truly understands Ekitikete and put them first in all ramifications. The next Governor must have international exposure and local grassroots connection with the people. The Lord helping me, these and more are the qualities I will bring to bear on governing Ekiti people, if given the mandate come 2022.

I hope to provide the leadership that will inspire collaborative approach to confronting and overcoming our issues and challenges. Together, we can restore Ekiti to prosperity and abundant life and regain the core values of Ekiti’s dignity and identity. I am looking forward to the opportunity to work with you all to tackle and resolve the myriad of problems that afflict us as a people. With the resources and talents available, we can elevate Ekiti state to become a model among the comity of states in Nigeria and make it a toast of its peers.

Our strength lies in our unity and readiness to collaborate to harness our homogeneity as one people. Ekiti people are a resilient, hardworking, noble and honest people. It is time to rise and shine. I am ready and committed to lead. But I cannot do it alone. And so, I need, indeed, I covet, your support and your involvement. I am counting on you.

Who is DRA?

Born to Prince J. O. Ajayi, the Emure School Teacher turned Headmaster and Princess Adetoro Ajayi also a Teacher, DRA is happily married to a School Teacher, with adult children.

Education & Professional Training

DRA attended:

  • Michaels’ Anglican Primary School, Ilara-Mokin, Ondo State
  • Local Authority (L.A.) Primary School, Ajilete, Emure-Ekiti
  • Thomas Aquinas College, Akure
  • University of Lagos (UNILAG), where he graduated with First Class in Actuarial Science, the very first person to achieve such a feat in the history of UNILAG
  • University of Waterloo, Canada, on a Merit Scholarship and graduated with a Masters in Actuarial Mathematics.

He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (USA), a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and also a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries.

Track Record of Community Service

DRA was an active Student unionist in his University days and was elected Chairman of Eni-Njoku Hall in his Final year in the University of Lagos, where he delivered on his campaign promises to improve living conditions of the students.

DRA taught Adult Sunday School classes and served as Lay Minister of Apostolic Faith Church, in Vancouver, BC, Canada and Philadelphia, PA, USA.

He was actively involved in African diaspora community activities in the USA, Canada and UAE. He was Secretary of the Economic Development Committee of the Nigerians In Diaspora Organization (NIDO), UAE Chapter.

Starting in late 2015, DRA successfully rallied several Ekiti people (who are referred to as Warriors) around the world from the academia and various industries to interface with young people (referred to as Arrows) from all the 16 local government areas of Ekiti. DRA inaugurated the group which was registered with Corporate Affairs Commission as Ekitikete WandA (Warriors and Arrows) International Organization, designed to connect Ekiti Professionals and Youth for mentoring and creation of a productive and self-reliant culture amongst our Youths.

In December 2011, DRA became the pioneer Commissioner for Budget & Economic Planning in Ekiti. As Commissioner, DRA:

  • Introduced the Medium-Term Sectoral Strategy (MTSS) Framework, and Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF);
  • Developed the tools and processes for budgeting, for which the State won Awards and Recognitions at national level;
  • Introduced participatory budgeting culture which inspired Village and Town Hall meetings by the Governor and started the Envelope System;
  • Developed and delivered 2013 budget, signed into law by the Governor in Dec. 2012; the first budget in the history of Ekiti to be ready before the operating financial year;
  • Restructured and strengthened the State Bureau of Statistics;
  • Conceived and initiated the automation of financial data gathering for budgeting and server-based, multi-platform system for project monitoring;
  • Coordinated the Economic Development Council (EDC) made up of illustrious Ekiti achievers drawn from Industry and Academia to serve as an Economic Advisory Team to the government;

 

In March 2013, DRA became Commissioner for Trade, Investments and Innovations (rebranded Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives). As commissioner, DRA:

  • Conceived and initiated the Ekiti Knowledge Zone (EKZ) project designed to use a Special Economic Zone status to provide conducive platform that will attract investments into a knowledge-based economy resulting from the collaboration of the Industry (the Town), Academia (the Gown) and Government (the Crown);
  • Established the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Council involving various stakeholders relevant to the promotion of MSME ventures in the State and to providing input into MSME policies of the government;
  • Established a new Solid Minerals Development Agency tasked to focus on activities and studies necessary to develop the Solid Minerals potentials of the State and initiated the draft bill for the House of Assembly which has since been passed into law;
  • Served on the Economic Development Council;
  • Revived Ekiti Chamber of Commerce by supervising the conduct of credible elections of new leadership and integrating the Chamber to lead private sector participation in government policy setting;
  • Coordinated the development and implementation of reforms that led the World Bank to classify Ekiti as the most improved state in the Doing Business in Nigeria report;
  • Supervised the State’s investment company, Fountain Holdings Limited, and served on its Board;
  • Supervised the revival of Ire Burnt Bricks Limited and served as the pioneer Board Chairman;
  • Served as the Coordinator of the Technical and Financial Feasibility Committee of the Ekiti Airport;
  • Supervised the management of Ikogosi Warms Springs Resort and the Technical Incubation Centre;
  • Conceived and coordinated the efforts to establish a One-stop Business Centre to facilitate delivery of government services to its customers under one roof;
  • Conceived and established a Special Economic Fund designed to convert wasting (abandoned) assets of government into realized value.

DRA began his actuarial career in Canada, where he worked for over a decade before joining the American Life Insurance Company (ALICO – a wholly-owned subsidiary of American International Group) at the global Headquarters in the State of Delaware, USA. He was later posted to Dubai where he spent six (6) years serving as the Chief Actuary for Middle East, Africa and South Asia region before moving back to the USA to become the Senior Corporate Actuary at the global Headquarters with oversight function that covered several continents. In June 2008, DRA left ALICO to become Managing Director in Milliman, Inc. (a U.S-based, global actuarial firm) with the sole responsibility of establishing operations to serve Middle East, African and South Asia region. DRA is currently the Chairman and Consulting Actuary of TAF Consulting Group, an actuarial consulting firm that he established in partnership with others, with offices in Dubai, Lagos and Accra.

I am humbly offering myself to continue and to sustain the restoration of the glory and dignity of Ekiti people.

 

My commitment is to run a participatory, responsive and responsible government. As a robust team-leader and astute mobilizer, I will provide leadership to promote platforms that link our energetic, but functionally idle youth (our Arrows), to our experienced Professionals (the Warriors) who have the capacity to dust up these Arrows, sharpen them, identify targets for personal and economic development for them, aim them at those targets and shoot them to hit the targets, thus converting them into powerful resources for socio-economic development of Ekiti and other places in the world. I will also not fail to showcase the wisdom of investments in women who are known, around the world and over the ages, to be crucial agents of sustainable socio-economic development.

  • Developing and supporting a vibrant Private Sector in Ekiti
  • Attracting equity capital and not debt capital into Ekiti
  • Enforcement of local content rules in all contracts
  • Weaning Ekiti from reliance on federal allocation
  • Aggressive growth of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR)
  • Institutionalizing innovations to insulate them against policy oscillations and for sustainability
  • Investing in the youth (our Arrows) and our women for sustainable development
  • Attracting our professionals in diaspora (our Warriors) to contribute their knowledge, skills and resources
  •  
  • Using Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models in all sectors to ease burden on government and for sustainability
  • Making Ekiti a safe, secure and prosperous place to live, work and explore
  • Restoring the dignity and honor of Ekiti as foundation for business ethics
  • KEYWORDS: Functionality, Sustainability, Inclusiveness, Public-Private Partnership and Focus.

 

MISSION

To Lead the Restoration of

Dignity | Respect | and Abundant Life to Ekiti People

Leading the Rebirth of Ekiti State under Young Progressives Party (YPP)

Contact Us

92 Oba Aladesanmi Way, Ajilosun, Ado-Ekiti.

News & Updates From Ekiti

The latest news, updates, articles, and resources, sent straight to your inbox every month.

Debo Ranti Ajayi © 2022. Developed by TES Digitals