Governor Kayode Fayemi delivers EKSU 1ST INTERDISCIPLINARY LECTURE

The Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has stressed the need to understand the concept of leadership, and rescue it from the cheapening it has undergone. According to him, “true leadership is something quite distinct from holding an office or a position”.

Dr Kayode Fayemi

He made the assertion while delivering a lecture at the 1st Interdisciplinary Public Lecture of the Post Graduate School of the Ekiti State University on February 26, 2013. “True leadership is influence. It is driven by core convictions, values and ideas” the Governor who is the visitor to the University emphasized. Dr. Fayemi further explained that one might not need a political office or title to become an exemplar of higher values.

In the Lecture titled “Reflections On Values And the Building Of A Successor Generation In Nigeria”, The Governor who holds a Doctorate in War Studies, specializing in Civil-Military Relations, also touched on the place of the youth in leadership.


According to him, “the place of the youth in the quest for National renewal and new ethos of transformative leadership is especially pertinent given the demographic realities of today.” He told the audience that there was need for Nigeria to harness the power of youth to regenerate the society, stressing that throughout history leaders have understood and sought to harness the power of youth to regenerate their societies.



In his remarks the Vice-Chancellor of EKSU, Prof. Oladipo Aina, said that the coming of the Governor to deliver a lecture further show the remarkable progress the University has being making to have international visibility. He recalled that EKSU was perhaps the only University with a president of a Nation as a distinguished honorary Alumnus, in person of President John Dramani Mahama of the Republic of Ghana.


Prof. Aina noted that Governor Fayemi initiated many global connections for the University including that of University of South Africa, Johannesburg, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg University of Kwazulu, Natal in South Africa, University of Manitoba, Arizona State University. Professor Aina noted that the Governor’s connections also led to international reach to Kings College London, Keele University, UK, University of Dundee, University of Nottingham and University of Glasgow.


In his words “all of these have improved our international visibility and contributed to the improved webometric rating of the University from 79th position last year to the present of 19th position.


Among dignitaries at the occasion were EKSU Chairman Governing Council, Prof. Akinjide Osuntokun; Chief Kehinde Ojo Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology; Top Government functionaries and members of Public.