Efforts by Governor Kayode Fayemi to transform Ekiti State got a major boost as his deputy, Prof Modupe Adelabu held business talks with the British Deputy High Commissioner, Mr. Peter Carter and the Managing Director of First Bank, Mr. Bisi Onasanya.

Prof Adelabu met with the British envoy at the British High Commission on Walter Carrington Crescent, Victoria Island and with the First Bank chief in his office at the bank’s head office, Marina, Lagos Island, both in Lagos, southwest Nigeria.

A statement by the Deputy Governor’s media aide, Bunmi Ogunmodede, stated that Prof Adelabu had fruitful discussions with the envoy and the bank chief at separate talks that held in camera. According to the statement, First Bank offered to collaborate with the state government in the pursuit of education and human capital development, which is the fourth on the scale of the Eight-Point Agenda of the Fayemi administration. Also discussed at the meeting between the Deputy Governor and Onasanya was how to enhance the economic and industrial development of the Land of Honour State.

The Deputy Governor was at the British High Commission to reciprocate Mr Cater’s recent visit to Ekiti State and to further market the investment potentials of the state to Britain through the Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria. Speaking after the meeting with the bank chief, Prof. Adelabu said the Fayemi-led government required the support of a reputable and viable financial institution like the First Bank to fully accomplish its developmental projects, especially in the areas of education.

She said her visit to the First Bank Managing Director was to seek the assistance of the financial institution. Her words: “I know First Bank has a stake in Ekiti and it has been supporting our state in many ways before now. But this particular visit is specifically to solicit the bank’s collaboration to enable us fully achieve the education and human capital development agenda, especially in our higher institutions in the state.”

Expressing satisfaction with the outcome of her meeting with the bank chief, Mrs. Adelabu said: “I’m happy I’ve been able to convince the bank of the need to partner with the Fayemi administration in this regard and to get its full assurance of support and we can rely on their promise.” Also speaking, Onasanya described Mrs. Adelabu’s visit as a welcome development that will further deepen his bank’s existing relationship with the Ekiti state government.

Onasanya, who said Prof Adelabu was the first Deputy Governor to pay him such a visit, confirmed that the Deputy Governor’s visit was to seek more support from his bank in the areas in which the two parties have been collaborating. “She is going away with the assurances that we would support the state in the venture and the specific areas she has asked us to support them and I can assure you that that the promises we have made to her and to the people of Ekiti would be met,” the bank chief said.

Commenting on the Fayemi administration, Onasanya described Fayemi as a fantastic and humble governor.He rated him as “a performer and one of the most hardworking and yet a silent governor in the country. “We will continue to support him in his good work because with the meager resources at his disposal, he has been able to do wonders in Ekiti State”.