Oyebanji, APC celebrate Ekiti First Lady on birthday

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, and his wife, Prof. Olayemi.

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has congratulated his wife, Prof. Olayemi Oyebanji, on the occasion of her birthday.

Oyebanji, in a tribute to his wife, made available by his Chief Press Secretary, Olayinka Oyebode, in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, on Sunday, expressed deep appreciation for her love and support, describing her as a shining light in his life.

The governor told his wife, “My love, Olayemi, today is all about you, a special day for the most special soul – so beautiful and true. I admire the strength that lives within you, the kindness that resides in your heart and your unwavering faith that makes my spirit whole.

“Thank you, Olayemi, for being who you are and for shining in my life like the brightest star that you are. For every little thing you do, seen and unseen; for the beautiful person you have always been, I say thank you.

“On this special day, I pray that God will bless you anew, open greater doors and make your dreams come true. May grace surround you wherever you go. May your joy overflow and your greatness grow.

“May the years ahead bring more beautiful memories; may your heart find peace in all that life brings. And may I have the privilege, as the years go by, to keep making you smile.”

The governing All Progressives Congress in the state also celebrated the governor’s wife on her birthday, describing her as “a woman of grace, scholarship, compassion and uncommon humility.”

The APC, in a statement issued on Sunday by the state Publicity Secretary, Segun Dipe, titled ‘Happy birthday to our Baoress, Prof. Olayemi Oyebanji,’ stated, “Your Excellency, on this special day of your birthday anniversary, we do not just celebrate the gift of another year. We celebrate the gift of you to Ekiti State, to Nigeria, and to humanity.

“You came to the Government House not as a stranger to service, but as a teacher who had already spent over two decades in the classroom, shaping minds at Ekiti State University and at the University of Ibadan.”

Dipe lauded the First Lady for service delivery through her pet project, the Widows, Aged, Orphans and Homeless Hope project through which she had given hope where there was despair; the Girls for Safer Space Fellowship, whereby she was raising a new generation of confident, bold and safe Ekiti girls in the tertiary institutions; and the Back-to-School Project, under which she had put school bags, books and learning materials in the hands of over 10,000 Ekiti children, among others.

In October 2026, the Ekiti APC chapter and the State Universal Basic Education Board congratulated the First Lady on her elevation to the rank of professor by the University of Ibadan.

The APC stated that her “ascension to the peak of her academic career is not just a personal milestone, but a collective pride for Ekiti State.”