By John Odunjo
For wife of Ekiti State Governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, nothing compares with sparing thoughts for and identifying with the physically challenged, less privileged and the needy in society.
She is ever persuaded that such identification with ones presence and substance will put smiles on their faces and give them huge sense of belonging.
These were among reasons the First Lady chose the Government Special School for the Physically Challenged, Ido Ekiti; Special School for the Deaf, Ikoro Ekiti; Special School for the Blind, Ikere Ekiti and State Relief and Rehabilitation Centre for the Mentally Challenged in Ado Ekiti as the places to celebrate her birthday with the students and inmates on Wednesday.
The visibly elated physically challenged students and inmates of the rehabilitation center sang and danced with the First Lady in appreciation of her gesture.
Their teachers and caregivers also commended the Wife of the Governor for the visit and for the gift and cash donations, which they said came less than three months after her last visit to the schools.
The First Lady who presented gifts including food items, provisions, drinks and cash to each of the schools visited, said celebrating her birthday with the physically challenged students and being able to put a smile on their faces made her day.
She urged citizens of the state to always identify with the less privileged in order to give them hope.
The Wife of the Governor promised to visit the special schools more regularly to spend time with the students, a promise that was greeted with a loud applause by the students.
She also assured them that the Biodun Oyebanji administration accorded their welfare and well being top priority as demonstrated in the various support the government has given to the schools in the last one year, including the appointment of a Special Adviser on Special Education and Social Inclusion, whose main task is to promote and defend their interests.
The First Lady was accompanied on the visit to the special schools by the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Bolaji Olagbaju; Secretary to the State Government, Dr Habibat Adubiaro;
wife of the Speaker, Mrs Adenike Aribasoye; some members of the State Executive Council, wives of House of Assembly members; and Ekiti All Progressives Congress Women Wing, among others.
