Governor Fayemi appoints father who refused to shield his son as Covid-19 response ambassador

RETIRED road safety officer Femi Adeoye has been appointed as a Covid-19 response ambassador by Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State after he came to national prominence for refusing to let his son in until he had been cleared as free of coronavirus.

In a video that went viral on social media, Mr Adeoye refused to allow his son Babafemi into his home after he returned from Lagos, for fear that he could spread the virus. Babafemi had returned from Lagos and his father insisted that before he allows him into the family house, he must be placed in quarantine for 14 days in line with government guidelines.

Mr Adeoye Snr insisted that his son meet him at the Covid-19 response centre in Ado-Ekiti, where he wanted to hand him over to officials to quarantine him for 14 days. However, the security officer on duty Sola Durodola, refused to take Babafemi in and after a heated exchange, Mr Adeoye Snr drive away, leaving his son there.

With the video going viral, it came to the attention of Governor Fayemi, who praised Mt Adeoye, suspended Mr Durodola and then took Babafemi into isolation. Impressed with the way Mr Adeoye conducted himself, the governor invited him to state house and appointed him as a Covid-19 ambassador in Ekiti State.

Governor Fayemi said: "Today, I appointed Mr Adeoye, father of the young man who sneaked into Ekiti state, as a Covid-19 response ambassador in Ekiti State. I am proud of Mr Adeoye as a principled Ekiti man and I salute his courage in helping us keep Ekiti safe.

"Mr Adeoye represents the kind of self-discipline, selflessness, and sense of collective responsibility that Ekiti State and Nigeria need desperately today to progress. He will help to propagate the message as a member of the Covid-19 task force in the state."

He further stated that Ekiti State will in future recognise Mr. Adeoye’s valour as an example of the rebirth of Ekiti Values Orientation which is the central focus of his administration. According to the governor, Mr Adeoye represents the self-discipline, selflessness and sense of collective responsibility that Ekiti State and Nigeria desperately needs at the moment.

Mr Durodola, a member of the Ekiti State Covid-19 task force has been suspended indefinitely for his part in the saga for incompetence and highhandedness. He was the one who shot the video where he was making a mockery of Mr Adeoye and asked Babafemi to go home with his father but the state government said he is not a health official and was in no position to make that judgement call.