In a remarkable departure from long-standing tradition, the Osi Ekiti community has celebrated three of its brightest youngsters who graduated with first class honours from their respective higher institutions.

The recognition underscores a renewed commitment to youth development and academic excellence in a society where such honours have often been reserved for the elderly and the affluent.

Six other indigene of the town that excelled in their different professional callings were also honoured by the royal father.

Speaking at a reception organised for the awardees on Sunday in the town, Oba Stephen Alabi, the Olosi of Osi-Ekiti in the Ido-Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State, said youths were the bastion and future of their community

He said the first class graduates were recognised to inspire the younger generation to aspire unto higher heights.

He stated, “Let me challenge the youths to emulate their counterparts being honoured today.

“You too can be here tomorrow, if you face your studies. I am looking forward to a time when our youths will be at the commanding heights in several sectors in the nation and beyond.”

Mr Alabi charged the sons and daughters of the community to contribute to the development of Osi-Ekiti land.

The royal father reminded the gathering that development is everybody’s business as government cannot not do everything.

He stressed the need for all hands to be on deck, saying that was the only way to sustain the development of the town.

“Osi-Ekiti Kingdom is a town with a proud and resilient history and has contributed to our state’s development, especially in areas of administration and education as we can see in our honourees of today.

“This is the first time such is happening in the town. We are therefore not celebrating the individuals, but the town for producing this number of distinguished sons and daughters.

“It is on record that Osi-Ekiti has legacies that have yet to be surpassed by many communities in its environment.

“We are known to be pacesetters in achievements for others to follow. We have also been the hub of civilisation, trade, industry, commerce, education and other social changes,” he said.

The royal father enjoined those being honoured not to rest on their oars, but keep up doing those things that brought them to the top.

The Osi-Ekiti Progressive Union, (OPU) Global president, Oludare Fadogba, urged every sons and daughters to see the town as one yearning for accelerated growth and development.

He congratulated the honourees on the respective feat urging that the awards should further spur them to achieve more.

The three first class graduates are Feranmi Ekundayo, Nigerian Law School, Morenikeji Alowooye, Adeleke University, Ede and Emmanuel Fakayode, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State.

The other honourees are Dr Gbenga Olowoyo, the General Secretary, Nigerian Civil Service Union, (NCSU), Peter Ejimokun, a pharmacist and Olufemi Adeniran, a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Administration.

Both were newly appointed permanent secretaries in the civil service of Ekiti State.

Others are, Ayodele Ajayi and Iyabo Simon-Oke, both newly appointed Professor at the Federal University of Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) and Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) respectively and Mrs Adebola Badejo, Registrar, Yaba College of Technology, Lagos.

Responding on behalf of the honourees, Mr Olowoyo thanked the Olosi-in-Council and Osi-Ekiti indigenes for the honour.

He assured that they would not let the community down in whatever areas and aspect they may find themselves.

The reception was organised by the Olosi-in-Council and Osi-Ekiti Progressive Union

(NAN)