Facts: Ekiti state is a unique state, culled from Ondo state some years ago. Its indegenes are known for their never - ending thirst for knowledge, and their pride in their state's attributes. Ekiti state is comprised mainly of Yoruba speaking people, but there are several different dialects.
I love the musical way the language sounds in their part of the country. They are also blessed with lots of land that is being used for agriculture. The people seem to enjoy being farmers. The pace of life there is very easygoing - the rush of the city isn't evident at all. There are several small towns and travellers usually encounter them on road trips to the north, as the buses usually like to take a route through these towns. The towns have such funny names - Ado Ekiti, Ikare Ekiti, Ikole Ekiti, Ipoti Ekiti, Ilara Ekiti to name a few. And all of them end with 'Ekiti'.
Trip: I had to attend the commissioning of Plentious Farms Limited, located strategically at a location easily accessible from Kogi state, Ekiti state, and Osun state. The Farm and factory specialize in the processing of Cassava, into several products [garri, fufu, animal feeds, to name a few]. The farm grows several produce - oil palm, cassava, yam, and several vegetables, while the factory is equiped with the latest bulk processing plants for garri, animal feed processing, and fish smoking. Did I mention that the farm also has a piggery, a fish farm, and a mushroom farm? They whole set up is self - serving, in that one section's by-product is used in the next. The pigs are fed with vitamin - enriched feed whose major product is derived from cassava peelings, gotten as a by - product of cassava processing.
The governors of Ekiti and of Kogi state were present, while the Governor of Osun state was represented by his Agricultural Minister. As the company's IT Administrator, I had to be present, and it was a wonderful experience.
Experience: The whole town turned up for the commissioning. It was another triumph for the cause of Agriculture in the country, and the speakers did not hesitate to mention the advantages of having the location in their own state - more jobs were created, which meant that the crime rate would definitely reduce. Industries would spring about the factory, as businesses connected to it would begin to flourish, the export trade for the state would boom, and many more.
The founder, Mr. Temitope Ajayi cried tears of joy at the occasion, and not because of the crowd. It was more than that. You see, his brainchild had come to life before his very eyes; his labor was rewarded after all the dissappointments; his dream had come to life. We all rejoiced with him.
Weather: Well, the weather was alright - for the month of September, cool and calm. The heat at noon was however, very intense, and it was worsened by the deflection of the heat from the newly tarred road leading to the factory. The evening was better as it became really breezy, and by night, the atmosphere was cool - no need for fans at all.
Uniqueness: The people are friendly, and they seem to find the general Yoruba accent really funny (That made me laugh). They are also hardworking, and they care about their children a great deal.
I intend to return there very soon, to explore further. Especially their beautiful forests armed with a terrific camera!
