Mr Ayodele Fayose as the Governor of Ekiti State often reminded me of the Greek mythology about King Midas whom it was said that anything he touched turned to Gold. Anything Fayose touched when I was covering his daily activities literally turned to gold.
When he assumed office on the 29th of May, 2003, the Ado Ekiti Local Government secretariat at Oke Bareke which was commandeered and renovated to serve as the Governor's Office of Ekiti State upon the creation of the state, is where Fayose began to govern the state. That's the office complex now referred to as the old Governor's Office. Three other Chief Executives of the state before him had governed the state from there namely, Lt Col Mohammed Inua Bawa, Navy Captain Musibau Atanda Yusuf and Otunba Adeniyi Richard Adebayo.
Records show that Governor Adebayo planned to move both the Government House and the Governor's Office to somewhere near the present state secretariat but construction did not begin on the projects before his term expired.
When Fayose succeeded Adebayo and was on tour of ongoing projects he had inherited and got to the site of a 3-storey building designed as a hotel, the new Governor decided right there to convert it to his office. He rushed its completion and it became the best Governor's Office in Nigeria.
Construction work had started on the Trade Fair complex on Iyin Ekiti road in the state capital now old Iyin road before Fayose came on board but he completed the project and added a 3-star hotel and Event Centre - the Primate Adetiloye Hall to the project probably in replacement for the Owena 5-star hotel being constructed by Adebayo which he converted to Governor's Office.
Fayose also completed Lady Jibowu Hall as well as Osuntokun Lodge and moved into it. Chief Executives of the state before him had used the official residence of the Chief Judge of the old Ado Judicial Division while Ekitiland was part of the old Ondo State.
With Governor Fayose's Midas touch, he transformed the entire Governor's Office cum Government House grounds, erecting new residential and office complexes including a Presidential Lodge built as lodging for visiting dignitaries. President Olusegun Obasanjo was the first V.I.P to sleep in the building. In fact, Obasanjo paid two working visits to Ekiti State during Fayose's first term and he passed the nights at the Presidential Lodge on both occasions. Others who had lodged there included many General Overseers of mega Christian Ministries who came either to hold crusades in the state or on private visits. The Presidential Lodge was later allocated to Deputy Governor Biodun Olujimi as her official residence.
Col Bawa, the pioneer Military Administrator of the state also built some chalets (using Ire Ekiti Burnt Bricks) as lodging for August visitors. World renowned Evangelist Reinhard Bonke and his entourage stayed in the chalets during his first crusade in Ado Ekiti during the tenure of Governor Adebayo. I had the rare privilege to interview Evangelist Bonke one evening at the living room of one of the chalets after which he left for the crusade ground.
Osoko undoubtedly holds the record of the most Street friendly and popular Ekiti State Governor but towards the end of his first term in office, things began to happen in high places which eventually forced him out of office without completing the term.
Journalists see and hear what Governors can not see or hear because the kitchen cabinet around them will not allow them. So, at a Press Conference at the Executive Chamber of the Governor's Office and at a time any discerning observer in the corridor of power could see that the ground was already shaking under the administration, I raised up my hand to ask a question and when Mr Governor recognised me, I tried to fly a kite to warn about an impending danger but I was castigated for asking such an audacious question.
What is the question that offended Governor Fayose? I stood up and said. "Your Excellency, there's a rumour making the rounds in town which I wish you can dispel because you're a much loved Chief Executive of the state and this rumour is capable of denting your hard earned reputation and I wish Sir you put paid to this rumour". I was like perambulating not really knowing how to hit the nail on the head until the Governor shouted at me that I should go straight to my question or sit down. Then, I summed up courage and asked, "Sir, the rumour is that your government is planning to dethrone a grade A Ọba in the state. I did not mention Ewi of Ado Ekiti but most of us in the EXCO chamber including, commissioners and newsmen knew. I hardly finished my question when Fayose descended on me and washed me down thoroughly. He ended by instructing the Chief Press Secretary CPS, Mr Ìdòwú Adelusi to call me to order. My question ended the Press Conference and I rushed out of the EXCO chamber on the second floor and down to the Press Corps office on the ground floor to pack my things waiting for the order that would declare me personal non grata at the Ekiti State Governor's Office. The order never came and I continued to report from the Governor's Office but ceased to ask question at Press Conferences or at any occasion for that matter for the rest of the stay of Mr Fayose as Governor of Ekiti State.
However, many years after the encounter at the EXCO chamber and I had retired voluntarily from the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State BSES and joined a Lagos based broadcaster - Television Communications TVC, there was a primary election of the People's Democratic Party PDP in Ekiti State conducted by a team led by the former Rivers State Governor, Dr Peter Odili. Mr Ayo Fayose won the primary beating, three other contestants- Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Navy Captain Olubolade rtd and Mrs Biodun Olujimi, who stepped down for Adeyeye during the poll. This was the beginning of Fayose's journey to his second term as Governor of Ekiti State.
My cameraman and I laid an ambush for Fayose for an interview outside the Eagle Hall on Ikere Ekiti road, the venue of the election and I pointed my branded TVC microphone at him and put a question to him on his victory at the shadow election. Fayose accompanied by his wife looked at me and said, "I like you but I don't like your station" and walked away.