Don’t appoint people powerful than you, Catholic bishop advises Fayemi

Felix Ajakaye, Catholic bishop of Ekiti diocese, has advised Kayode Fayemi, governor of the state, against appointing people that will be “more powerful” than him.

Ajakaye said this at a thanksgiving mass held at St. Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral, Old Garage, Ado-Ekiti, to mark Fayemi’s inauguration.

He described Fayemi’s victory as a “second missionary journey”, adding that it is not an opportunity for the governor to seek vengeance but a time of restoration.

“Your Excellency, appoint the right people in right places. If I am not appointable, don’t appoint me even though I am a priest, I am not looking for any appointment,” he said.

“Don’t appoint somebody that will be more powerful than you are, don’t appoint people that will be dropping your name that ‘the governor has said this, Erelu has said this, Egbeyemi has said this, Aunty Margaret has said this’.

“Don’t appoint such people to positions of authority; at the end of our sojourn on earth, everybody will give account of himself to God.

“This is your second missionary journey, it is not a vengeance mission, vengeance belongs to God. The journey of restoration is not a journey of vengeance so appoint the right persons to position because we will hold you accountable.”

In his remarks, Fayemi said he would serve the people of the state irrespective of political affiliation, religion and other differences.

The governor also promised to carry the people along in his administration, saying he is prepared to make a difference in the lives of the people.

He said: “There are huge expectations across the length and breadth of Ekiti state, some people believe that our challenges will disappear immediately.

“Everything will bear fruit at appropriate time, the only reason we ventured into this is to make a difference in the life of our people, to serve and not to be served.

“Power of the people is greater than the people in power. We shall listen to counsel, if there is anything you think is not appropriate to do, bring it to our notice, we shall serve you.

“From our royal fathers, to the lowliest, we are determined to make a difference in the life of our people without preference to any religion or any other difference.

“If we make any mistake, forgive us, we have a job to do. This is a collective rescue mission, this is a mission to reclaim our land.”