www.osundefender.org Tuesday, april 26, 2016 The chickens have predictably come home to roost after the years of wholesale and retail looting coordinated by the party hilariously referred to as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
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VOL. 11. NO.040
This time requires sacrifice and patience andpatience As even the uninitiated now know there was nothing pro- people about this contraption and it was anything but democratic.
The demolition job wrought on the Nigerian economy by the rampaging army of the PDP was horrendous. The party andThis time requires sacrifice
its kleptomaniac factions literally forgot about tomorrow. While other countries built up their productive base and diversified their economies,
the PDP simply went on a corruption fuelled spending binge. This was not just run-of-the-mill corruption, it was more like an attempt to implode the country.
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The result is predictably disastrous. We simply did not prepare for the proverbial rainy day.By the time the madness of the PDP had run its course the country had become technically insolvent. ...Continued on page 4
Abducted Osun PS, 2 Others Regain Freedom
No Diversion Of Bailout Loan In Osun - Govt
- Pg 3
- See Story On Page 2
•State of Osun governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (5th right); his deputy, Otunba (Mrs) Titi Laoye-Tomori (5th left), Head of Chinese Delegation and Managing Director, Golden Monkey Group, Wang Bao Gen (4th right), Managing Director, Skyrun Cocoa Production Industry Limited, Liu Jian Hui (right), Managing Director, Golden Monkey International Trade Company Limited, Zhao Dong Ming (3rd right), member representing Ife-North State Constituency in the House of Assembly, Hon. Babatunde Olatunji (4th left), former Assistant Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Mudasiru Toogun (left), and others, during a dinner organized by the State Government, at Government House, Osogbo, last Friday.
Ife Bye Election: Police Arraign 11 For Breach Of Peace- Pg 4
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osun Defender Tuesday, April 26, 2016
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No Diversion Of Bailout Loan In Osun - Govt
By ismaeel uthman he State Government of Osun on Sunday said that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC) did not indict it over the application of the N34.988bn bailout funds it got last year. The government, D i r e c t o r , B u r e a u in a statement by the o f C o m m u n i c a t i o n
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and Strategy, Semiu Okanlawon, said the fact that the ICPC claimed it was investigating claims that workers in the state received their last salaries in July 2015 was enough for workers
in Osun and those who have been monitoring developments in the state to conclude that the allegation could not have been true. “This is because after the payment of seven
months backlog of salaries last year, the government had proceeded to pay salaries on the agreed terms with workers. And this is why Osun has been able to pay its workers till January this year.
•(L-R) State of Osun governor, Ogebeni Rauf Aregbesola, in a discussion with his counterpart from Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole at the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja recently.
Ooni Enrols Widows For Empowerment
By sola jacobs n his quest to ensure all encompassing development of both human and natural development, the Ooni of Ife,Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has taken stock of widows in Ile-Ife and its environs, so as to empower them to contribute positively to the communities in the ancient city. During the exercise through the heads of in Ile-Ife as witnessed their families in their by Osun Defender, respective compounds thousand of widows while others retorted that assembled at Ooni’s they were informed by palace on Thursday for the broadcast media. Widows from registration. M o d a k e k e a t the The registration which w a s a t t h e i n s t a n c e programme said that o f O o n i O g u n w u s i they were informed by as part of his poverty the monarch through the eradication programme palace of the Ogunsua of and enhancement of Modakeke and that the h u m a n a n d n a t u r a l enrolment exercise was resources of the land for free of favourism and the development of the discrimination as all the land had members of applicants maintained Ife Development Board, law and order during the the apex socio-economic exercise. A widow, Mrs Ramat body of the ancient city and the traditional council Awofisayo, appreciated the good gesture of the of Ifeland in attendance. A c c o r d i n g t o t h e monarch. According to her, she medium’s investigation, the widows’ registration lost her husband in Ife/ exercise was aimed at Modakeke communal capturing the numbers clash in 1998 when her o f w i d o w s i n t h e eldest child was five c o m m u n i t i e s t h a t years old and she was made up of Ife, their two months’ pregnant of ages, working status, her third child. She added that her late number of children and their qualifications husband’s siblings were f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f also killed in the clash, while her aged mother empowerment. Some of the widows in-law was saddled with who were present at the family upkeep while the registration centre the only source of the i n a c h a t w i t h t h e family livelihood, cocoa medium said that they plantation, could not be were informed about accessed at Bamboo Oyoo the enrolment exercise area. Mrs Ramat who is
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in her forties disclosed that life had been pretty difficult for her, especially the burden of raising the children and in provision of their basic needs. Another widow, a native of Abeokuta but married from Modakeke, Mrs Toyosi Animasahun, said that life had been unbearable as she had six children before the demise of her late husband in 1998 and that the registration exercise as initiated by Ooni Ogunwusi would provide means of employment for her children who had graduated from the polytechnic
An Ife man in a chat with the medium applauded the gesture of the monarch, saying that, the rehabilitation of the victims of the communal clash had just commenced in earnest as the past governments only took steps to stop the communal clash while rehabilitation of the victims was neglected over the years. He continued that women and youths were mainly affected, as some youths who lost their fathers in both communities dropped out of schools and turned to area boys. The man carpeted the
politicians who only make use of the affected youths as political thugs instead of engaging them in productive ventures as intended by the Ooni Ogunwusi who has personally taken them out of the street as some acclaimed area boys are now skilled artisans. He therefore, called for the support of private business organisations and corporations to assist the widows and the youths in the communities for the development and betterment of the state and nation as a whole.
“There is no case of diversion of bailout loan as far as Osun is concerned. The state was able to accommodate pensioners in the bailout loans application when, in actual fact, pensioners were not part of the bailout scheme. But this was agreed upon by both government and workers. “Don’t forget also that the bailout was to take care of salaries backlog up till June last year. The report that Osun paid salaries last in July 2015 is laughable. “If anything, the Osun government had demonstrated enough transparency by ensuring that the bailout loan was disbursed with adequate supervision of a committee of labour and government. Could the workers have collaborated with the government to divert such funds? “ The statement asked. The government said that it was expected that the Peoples Democratic Party, in its desperation to hang anything on Governor Aregbesola, would not study carefully what the ICPC released to the public before jumping to the conclusion that it had been vindicated. “Rather than being vindicated, the PDP has further demonstrated its desperation. That no worker in Osun would say he has not been paid up till January 2016 rubbishes its claim of being vindicated. “We have insisted that Governor Aregbesola cannot be found wanton because whether in bailout funds or other funds of Osun, he has been very creative in the management of the scarce resources to lift the state beyond the limit of the available resources.”
Ife Bye Election: Police Arraign 11 For Breach Of Peace
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olice authority in the State of Osun have arraigned 11 suspects at a magistrate’s court sitting in Osogbo, for allegedly conducting themselves in a disorderly manner during the State House of Assembly bye-election held in Ile-Ife on Saturday, April 9, 2016. OSUN DEFENDER on T h e s u s p e c t s a r e : Thursday reads: “that Adebola Adeleke (52), you (accused persons) Gbenga Olayera (35), and others still at large Tajudeen Kosori (28), on 9th April, 2016 in IleWasiu Lawal (23), Sogo Ife did conspire among Adesina (41) and Oso yourselves to commit Olayera (35). offence to wit conduct Others are Mudashiru likely to cause breach of Salami (25), Rubben the public peace. Adebisi (42), Biyi “That you (accused Adekunle (32), Ileke persons) did conduct O p e y e m i ( 3 0 ) a n d yourselves in a disorderly Olalekan Tunde, aged 25. manner likely to cause T h e c h a r g e s h e e t breach of the public peace obtained in court by on election day.”
By ismaeel uthman The police prosecutor, jump bail if granted. The presiding Inspector John Idoko, told the court that the accused m a g i s t r a t e , F . A persons committed an Sodamade, granted the o f f e n c e c o n t r a r y t o accused persons bail in Sections 517 and 249(d) of the sum of N200,000 with the Criminal code, cap 34, one surety each. It would be recalled that volume II, laws of Osun the Independent National state of Nigeria, 2003. H o w e v e r , a l l t h e Electoral Commission eleven accused persons (INEC) had conducted the bye-election to fill the pleaded not guilty to vacant seat of Ife Central the two count-charge of Constituency at Osun conspiracy and breach State House of Assembly. of public peace leveled The candidate of the against them. Peoples Democratic Their counsel, Bukola P a r t y i n I f e C e n t r a l Onifade applied for their state constituency, Dipo bail praying the court to Eluwole, was declared grant it in liberal terms, winner of the election by assuring the court that INEC returning officer. the suspects would not
News
Osun Govt Hosts Chinese Inves tors 3
osun Defender Tuesday, April
•To Partner On Agricultural Development are encouraging youths to By kehinde ayantunji h e G o v e r n o r o f O s u n , O g b e n i R a u f farming having identified Aregbesola, has reiterated his administration’s the limitless potentials commitment to turn around the economic in agriculture sector”, Aregbesola said. potentials of the state through agriculture. Earlier, the leader of endowed with the state, Aregbesola said his the Chinese delegation thus, we are bent towards administration would and Managing Director, not relent in ensuring that an advanced economic Golden Monkey Group, drive to transform the the state is economically Wang Bao Gen, lauded viable and independent. state. the state government “ A p p a r e n t l y , o u r The governor gave for investing hugely in g o v e r n m e n t h a s the assurance while agriculture. i n t e n s i f i e d p l a n s t o addressing a gathering of The Chinese investor i m p r o v e t h e l e v e l business investors during who described o f p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n a dinner organized by Aregbesola as a man a g r i c u l t u r e h a v i n g the state government with clear vision, said in honour of Chinese realized that it remains the efforts put together by the sustainable panacea investors, at Government the present government to economic disaster. House, Osogbo. at resuscitating the lost “ Since the present Aregbesola described glory in agriculture called e c o n o m y c a l l s f o r agriculture as the only for collective applause. greater participation sustainable sector and Wang Gen who i n a g r i c u l t u r e , o u r panacea to economic attributed the ongoing government has touched disaster, saying it may economic relationship b e d i f f i c u l t f o r a n y t h e l i v e s o f f a r m e r s between the state and meaningfully just as we government to succeed without exploring agriculture. The governor who described the economic he leadership of the Federal Government has relationship, so far, been commended for its mature, responsible between the state and and compassionate approach to addressing the Chinese investors the worsening salary crisis across the states of the as “win-win prospect”, Federation. said the state had opened This commendation in the state of Osun in opportunities for robust came in response to the a statement signed by business investments in Federal Government’s the party’s Director of all sectors of the economy. current intervention to Publicity, Research and H e a d d e d t h a t a s assist states with financial Strategy, Kunle Oyatomi, part of his government difficulties in paying their made available to OSUN determination to boost the staff salaries. DEFENDER on Sunday revenue base of the state, I n p a r t i c u l a r , t h e in Osogbo. the present government government was praised The party said that has provided an enabling for its patriotic approach, ‘it takes a high degree business environment completely devoid of of political maturity, to drive and facilitate partisan politics that had responsibility and stately meaningful investment characterised similar mind-set of compassion in agriculture. for political operators in situations in the past. Itemizing the economic T h e s e s e n t i m e n t s our clime to act the way potentials of the state were expressed by All the Federal Government especially on agriculture, Progressives Congress has done’. the governor said, Osun is blessed with abundant resources, disclosing that the state has the largest he three officials of the Osun State cassava plantation and Government by gunmen in Kogi State last gold deposit in the Friday have been released. country. I t w a s l e a r n t t h a t Owoeye had spoken to He implored both local and foreign investors to the three civil servants the permanent secretary; partner with the state r e l e a s e d o n S u n d a y the director and the on a mutually beneficial evening were still with driver, who spent two relationship especially security operatives in days in the den of the in agriculture, pledging Kogi State as at Sunday hoodlums. The Director of that the state would leave evening and they might no stone unturned to not return to Osogbo, the Communication s and reposition the state by Osun State capital until Strategy in the office of the Governor in Osogbo, enhancing general well- Monday. Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, The officials are: the being of the citizenry. According to him, “Our Permanent Secretary of also confirmed the release stance on agriculture Ministry of Finance, Mrs, of the three officials in s e c t o r h a s b e e n Adebimpe Ogunlumade; statement. He said: “It is true that genuinely demonstrated Director, State Audit, Mr. since our assumption Tajudeen Badejoko, and the three of them have of office as we have their driver, Mr. Oladapo regained their freedom. That is all the information successfully harnessed Arogundade. I have for now. They are The trio were abducted the opportunities in agricultural sector to around 1:30pm on Friday still in Kogi State with turn around the state’s while returning to Osun security operatives. “The head of service State after an official economy. spoke with three of them assignment in Abuja. “The present The Head of Service after they regained their government has s i g n i f i c a n t l y r a i s e d in the State of Osun, freedom.” The visiting Regional t h e l e v e l o f c a s s a v a Mr. Sunday Owoeye, Overseer from Lagos, confirmed the release of production in the state, and as I speak to you, the three civil servants Pastor Isaac Omotosho, O s u n i s t h e l a r g e s t in a press statement on was said to have led the congregation to pray for producer of cassava in Sunday. immediate release of the The HOS text read, “ Nigeria just as we are equally blessed with Yes, they were released victims. The Osun State chapter unharmed this evening huge gold deposit. “As our government is and a public announce,ent of the Peoples Democratic keenly interested towards is being made on it. They Party had earlier in a appropriate exploration are yet to be in Osogbo.” statement issued by its A source disclosed that spokesperson, Diran and exploitation of all the available resources being
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on a clear motive to harness the state’s economic potentials in agriculture for collective benefits. “Certainly, our presence here had informed us on the abundant economic advantages of this state most significantly in agriculture and as a result of this, our companies are fully ready to promote the state’s resources towards the actualization of greater economic prosperity. “ With the support given to us by the state government, so far, we promise to continuously build on whatever is capable of benefiting us and the state”, he stated.
the Chinese investment company to what he regarded as “noble economic partnership”, said, the company would do all it could to effect meaningful change in the state agricultural sector. He said, with the current business partnership between the state and the Chinese Golden Monkey Group in cocoa production, the duo had achieved great results in the last few months. The Chinese business guru who described Osun as a home of multiple economic potentialities, said the foreign investors would not fail to maximize the business opportunities given to it or hesitate to quickly speed up
the agreement reached with the state in order to fast-track a mutually beneficial relationship in agriculture sector. He said, the mission of the investors in the state is to increase the production capacity of the state in agriculture, most especially in cocoa, cassava, cashew and potato productions as well as in forestry and mining. Wang Gen further assured that the Chinese companies which are already in partnership with the state would continuously aid at exploring the state’s resources for a worthy economic prosperity. “Our coming to Osun was primarily enrooted
According to the Osun APC, this crisis underlines a major fault line in the structure of our federation, which is everything but Federal. “And it particularly stands in the way of naturally endowed states from being financially solvent through developing their natural resources. “It will take political courage in addition’, the APC claims, “to address the crisis holistically, and we are all hopeful that the PMB-led Federal government will be up to that task. ‘We have cause
to be this hopeful because President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has shown, by this intervention, that it feels for the people and is responsible enough to show compassion when it is needed.’ The APC therefore, criticized politicians who are heartlessly urging the Federal Government not to help states solve their salaries’ crisis. According to the party, “only political vultures would prey on people’s pain to score disgusting political point. “And when such politicians get out of
their way to threaten mayhem if the Federal Government helped people in their states who have unbearable backlog of unpaid salaries, it portrays them as callous and grossly irresponsible”, the pary declared. The APC therefore, called on citizens of Osun as well as the security forces in the state to be on ‘red alert’ so that criminally disposed politicians who rejoice over people’s pain are stopped from actualizing their murderous plans, the party concluded.
Odeyemi, urged security to ensure the safe release of the victims. The statement read, “We urge security agencies to ensure these people are safely released. They are the ones keeping records of Osun finances. We don’t want more damage to be done to the state’s treasury by some people,
who may want to hide under the cover that those in the know are no longer available and wreck more havoc. “It is very sad that despite the self-inflicted economic challenges that has crippled governance in Osun, the state has again found itself in this kind of situation where it has to pay ransom to
effect the release of the kidnapped officials. “It is our hope that some people in government will not see this unfortunate situation as another opportunity to enrich themselves since whatever ransom paid to effect the release of the officials will not be backed up with a receipt.”
Salaries: APC Applauds FG’s Current Intervention T
Abducted Osun PS, 2 Others Regain Freedom T
•US President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle (middle), in a group photograph with Queen Elizabeth and her husband, Prince Philip, at Windsor Castle when they arrived London last Saturday.
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osun Defender Tuesday, April 26,
This time requires sacrifice and patience Contiuned from page 1
Not just that, dangerously dependent on one source of income (oil) the country was actually totering on the brink of bankruptcy. Now someone else must do the difficult bit, which is to clean up the mess. Actually it is more than that. What we have is more like cleaning up the Augean stables. Quite a daunting task but somebody has got to do it. Let us not pull our punches - the country is fortunate to have at the helm of affairs at this difficult time a man of unimpeachable integrity in President
Muhammadu Buhari. Integrity matters. At a time of crisis the people will be asked to make sacrifices. This means that the motivating factor will have to be leadership by example . President Buhari has certainly set the right tone. The war against corruption has set the tone that ripping off the treasury will no longer be tolerated. Hand in glove with this, the emphasis is now on revenue generation in order to fund a pro-people budget and build up the productive base. This is the most sensible way to go. It will however require patience on behalf of the coun-
try as a patriotic government between the government and valiantly resets the template. the governed. A social contract is crucial in a democracy. The people of this country already know from their own Such a relationship allows the personal experience that there government to deliver quality can be no gain without pain. service with the cooperation They are also aware that to turn with the people. This means things round will require time that on the part of the popuand patience.After all it is easier lace the cooperation will come to destroy than to build. It is in terms of the payment of also important to state that the taxes and generally being good sacrifices required to reboot the citizens. There is no doubt economy will be equally shared. that this new cooperation is It will not be the hitherto unequal already manifesting itself. partnership between the govern- It is morning yet in Nigeria ment and the people. This time the sacrifices will be based on the execution of the social contract which sets out the obligations that determines the relationship
Benefits And Dangers Attached To Mobile Phone
ermit me to state P that all individuals desire whatever will be
of great comfort to them. Science and technology have made life easier, when compared to some decade back, where one had to travel for days before he could communicate with others. With the invention of mobile phones, communication has become more comfortable and faster. The advent of mobile phones has turned this large world into a global village. No one can deny the importance of mobile phones. Just as it has many benefits, so also are its demerits. To start with, mobile phones have made communication easier from and to any part of the globe. Also, mobile phone has become a source of unlimited entertainment, as one can listen to music, watch movies, play games etc, some even come with special application to boost the human brain. More so, it also comes handy in emergency
situations. For instance, if an accident occurs, it will be easier to locate the victim’s family or friends through his phone contact list. Many parents allow their kids to own a mobile phone because they feel secure and believe that they can reach them wherever they are and at anytime. Mobile phone has become a convenient device used for variety of tasks. Many nowadays go to church and mosques without the Bible or Quran
or notebook, but only with their phones because of the multiplicity of tasks it performs. Investigations have revealed how most students have become addictive to mobile phones and are fond of playing games, chatting with friends, watching
movies when they are supposed to be reading or even be in lecture rooms. Also, many students also use the device as a means of committing examination malpractices by saving or browsing an answer to a question while in the examination hall. Recently, mobile phones are researched to be emitting radiation, which is harmful to health, causing cancer, brain tumours, headache, sleeping disorder etc. Mobile phone can also disrupt a meeting
or serious discussion, if proper etiquette is not f o l l o we d . Th e ph o n e ringing during a class or meeting can distract the attendants and waste precious time. To curb all these improper use of mobile phones by students, it is advisable for parents/ guardians to always check
what their children are doing with their phones. They should ensure they enlighten them about what to use it for and what not to do with it. Also, to reduce physical damage caused by the use of mobile phones, it has been advised by experts for one to use an ear-piece while making long hour calls and desist from placing mobile phones on the chest, pocket of shirts; instead, use a pouch or waist belt. It is very dangerous to use mobile phone while driving, and always endeavour to put your phone on silent while in lecture rooms or meetings. If we use our mobile phones properly and reasonably, mobile phones will be a beautiful piece of utility in life and most of its disadvantages can merely be insignificant.
•Oluwasegun Ojo
OSPOLY, Iree, State of Osun.
OSUN DEFENDER
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opinion
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hile m a j o r i t y o f learned men have blamed the attitude of Oluyede for disrespecting the court and described his act as “unprofessional”, my opinion is a critical examination of the conduct of both My Lord and the counsel without being sentimental. I had the opportunity to read opinions of people and I had earlier subscribed to their school of thoughts and reasoning on the sole ground of respect for judiciary and I hereby retract the biased version of their argument. I must first state that the commotion and unrest at the CCT few days ago was indeed a mockery of the judiciary, democracy and the nobility of legal profession in particular. The chairman of CCT had earlier been accused of “BIAS” because of failure of most of Saraki’s motion which, to some lawyers, have legal weight or consideration. However, I am not a total party to that but my area of interest was what happened in the cross examination section two days ago when the learned silk (AGABI, SAN) was asking the first prosecution witness questions but it got to a stage when My Lord said that he had once asked the question and ordered AGABI, SAN to proceed not to waste the time of the court. My Question is: Is it the duty of the court to take the position of the prosecution? Recent drama was another reflection of his bias and lack of required experience in adjudicating on matters. It is always good for a judge to put his emotion at home while on the bench. It must be stated that it is a constitutional requirement as a matter of law that Right to Fair Hearing cannot be waived because of its sacrosanctity, this principle gained judicial blessing in the cases of MUHAMMED V. A.B.U. ZARIA (2014) 7 NWLR (PT. 1407) 50 C.A. AND LPDC V. FAWEHINMI (1985) 2 NWLR (PT. 7) P. 300 AT 307 SC.The motion of the Senate President’s lawyers on the alleged bias of the Chairman was the bone of contention. I think it is merely academics for long narration of the whole story. Respect takes a sacred position in legal profession but the question is that : Is respect for the Bench more sacrosanct than justice? NO. I know as a matter of law that an accused must be given
•SARAKI: Embattled Senate President. By Olasupo Habeebu-
rights to fair hearing at all stages of the trial, absence of which makes the whole proceeding a nullity, no matter how brilliant and legally-rich the judgement is. Can a brilliant conclusion be reached without the rights of fair hearing? NO. It is also within my knowledge of law that the two cardinal principles of natural justice, AUDI ALTERAM PARTEM- HEAR THE BOTH SIDE AND NEMO JUDEX IN CUUSA SUA- THE RIGHT AGAINST INTEREST ON BIAS are very apt on this issue. t is even not in our jurisprudence for a person to be both a prosecutor and a judge at the same time. A judge should be uninterested and unbiased in the subject matter or proceedings before him, this is within the rule of natural justice and it is meant to prohibit interest and bias in a case on the part of a judge. YES! Am not oblivious of the fact that whenever a judge has
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osun Defender Tuesday, April 26, 2016
contrary is proved. My Lord is even treating the accused as a criminal already by refusing to hear the motion which is on a fundamental aspect of law and is against the constitution and other international laws. For those who are ready to ask that, Is Umar bias? The Supreme Court in the case of YABUGBE V. COP ( 1992) 4 NWLR (Pt. 234) p.152 at 173 SC has answered the question where EPHRAIM AKPATA JSC explained the meaning and test of bias and it goes thus : the test to be applied in determining what constitutes bias which can be implied to a court or any tribunal is not ACTUAL BIAS but A REAL LIKELIHOOD OF BIAS”. Fair Hearing is the basis of justice, and of any judicial,quasi-judicial or administrative determination. In law, members of the Bench are the custodians of our laws, the interpreters of our laws and defenders of justice through their adjudicatory role. In the eyes of law, members of the Bench know more than the counsel and whatsoever the Judge pronounces is the law whether or not is reached on erroneous principle, which is the reason for theprinciple of law that CURIA NOVIT JURIA- THE COURT KNOWS THE LAW. Respect for the Bench is respect for the judiciary and legal profession in its entirety. ny act or omission to disrupt judicial proceedings in the eyes of the court is CONTEMPT OF COURT, which is the discretionary power of the court to either punish the person or exonerate him. However, this discretionary power must be judicially and judiciously exercised. Mr Oluyede’s conduct was unethical, condemnable and disgraceful and in the opinion of the Judge, might be Contemptuous. On this note, it is the duty of the court to do substantial justice between the parties to a dispute and not to do abstract justice. Justice Danlandi should not be emotional because of the acclaimed “overwhelming” evidence before the Tribunal. What happened must be corrected in order to restore the appellation of “nobility” attached to the profession. Take notice that I am not a proSaraki or Danladi’s loyalist but all I advocate for is dispensation of justice that is devoid of bias.
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an interest or stake in a matter or HIS LIKELY TO BE BIASED OR BE ACCUSED OF BIAS, because of INTEREST or relationship, he should decline from hearing the matter at hand and let the Chief Judge or Administrative Judge assign the matter at hand to another judge for hearing. In Saraki’s case, the chairman has been accused of bias and based on this principle; he should have withdrawn from the matter if truly he has no keen interest in the matter to thwart disrespect for the court. At least, CCT is a trial court and a judge can sit on the matter based on the Supreme Court decision that two or even one member of CCT forms the quorum in order to assume jurisdiction. Similarly, it is a must for the court to hear any application no matter how frivolous the motion might be. It is my submission on this point that a denial of fair-hearing by a law or by a partial hearing is act of injustice. Saraki is facing trial on false declaration of asset, •Morakinyo is par 3 Undergraduate of he is presumed innocent until Faculty of Law, University of Ilorin.
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osun Defender Tuesday, April 26, 2016
magazine
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osun Defender Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Appreciating Ogbeni’s Intervention Initiatives
Result-Oriented Service osun Defender Tuesday, April 26, 2016
These Examination Seasons:
Appreciating Ogbeni’s Intervention Initiatives With this year’s edition of the West African Examinations Council’s West African Senior School Certificate Examinations {WASSCE} in full swing, NIYI OLASINDE devotes yet another series to appreciating the full range of education innovation initiatives brought into the system by the Ogbenin Rauf Aregbesola-led administration, to positively turn around the fortunes of candidates in the examinations; its National Examinations Council (NECO) counterpart and other forms of public examinations.
•Some of Osun pupils displaying Opon-Imo (Tablets of Knowledge) sometime ago.
•Commissioning of Salvation Army School in Osogbo, sometime ago.
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T is no longer news that one of the major areas of concern to government, policy makers and concerned stakeholders in the State of Osun and the entire South-West geopolitical zone of Nigeria today is the rot, decay and systemic collapse in the field of education and concerns on how to regain lost grounds in the sub-sector. In past editions, of which earlier parts of this series are inclusive, OSUN DEFENDER Magazine has brainstormed dutifully on the rate, level, depth and intensity of the collapse witnessed in the subsector and the predisposing factors that brought about the devastating deterioration. Unfortunately, the more we accord time and volumes of work to the ugly trend, the graver and larger the problems and concerns seem to loom! One of the indices of ascertaining the stark realities of the mess into which education has been plunged in the South-West is the results of candidates from the zone in recent editions of the West African Secondary School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). The results of the 2015 May / June edition of the examinations in particular speak volumes of the danger that is already staring us in the face and the defiance of consistent mass failure to the gigantic policy policies of governments, plus the huge committance in monetary terms that had gone along with it. In the State of Osun as an example, being a sub-set of the larger South-Western zone, we have in times past weighed the impressive policies, programmes and activities rolled out at awful costs, most especially since the coming on board of the administration of OgbeniRaufAdesojiAregbesola on November 27, 2010. We have weighed all along the impact of the free, functional and qualitative education packages rolled out by the administration. We have measured the quality expenditure devoted to each of these activities, policies and
programmes. We have considered the debut of the first-ever State of Osun Education Summit, held in 2011; we have considered the entire “O” programmes, especially as they affect turning around the tide positively for education. Particularly, we have considered such life-touching “O” programmes as O UNIFORM, O MEALS, O SCHOOLS and all the rest. We have devoted quality time and space in writing to extolling the virtues in the schools reclassification bids, the schools’ rebranding policy, as well as the overhaul in the schools environment. Aside these, such other policies and programmes of the incumbent administration which deserve our commendation include the emergence of Opon Imo (Tablet of Knowledge) and the free enrolment of final year high school students in the public schools for the West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASCE). This latter effort, though a legacy which the RaufAregbesola administration met on ground; the administration has formidably built on it, to the extent that records released in one of our most recent editions portrayed the upward trend in the figure of beneficiaries from the programme. f recent, hardly has any single sector or sub-sector come under severe criticisms within the federation called Nigeria as does the education sector. On most occasions, critics underrate as spurious and exaggerated the estimations by governments at the state level that certain huge amounts of money have been expended on the sector. We need to put the facts straight that the fact that performances of final year students dwindle should not and cannot remove the fact that some governments have labored valiantly to revive lost glories in the area of education. As shall still be shown in the edition of the week today, the administration of OgbeniAregbesola in the State of Osun has towered prominently in providing worthwhile alternative to good infrastructure and servicerelated necessities hitherto considered
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to be exclusive preserves of private schools and educational institutions. We shall see more of these as our edition for the week unfolds. For now, let us raise the real issues that have made education to call for urgent intervention in our state and the entire South-West geopolitical zone of the country. Education has become a trouble spot in our parts in recent times. The South-West, needless to say, covers Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ogun and Ekiti states. Out of these six states, apart from Lagos State, which statistics has shown to be ranking sixth in the entire federation, the rest have been finding the results of their candidates, especially those from public schools in lack-lustre cadre. If the observations made above are true, then something must have gone wrong somewhere to reverse the long-known traditions, under which the South-West pert of Nigeria was envy to all other parts and second to none in scholarship, academic and education exertions. As a matter of fact, all through the era during which military rule lasted in Nigeria, the focus was how to bridge the wide educational gap between the South and the North in Nigeria; with the South in context being majorly the South-West, which legacies in advancement in the area of education dated to the days of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo as Premier of the defunct Western Region in the early / late 1950s. The sad news today resides in the fact that the profile of the presentday South-Western states are not at all attractive, given the recentlyreleased statistics of rankings of performances of their students in last year’s (2015) WASSCE. According to the specifics of that statistics, out of the thirty-six (36) states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, State of Osun placed twenty- nineth (29th); Oyyo twentysixth (26th); Ogun nineteenth (19th); and Ondo thirteenth (13th). Ekiti placed eleventh (11th) with eight thousand, nine-hundred and fifty-
four (8, 954) of twenty-one thousand, three-hundred and thirty-three (21, 333) candidates passing. From Osun, only eight thousand, eighthundred and one (8, 801) of fortyeight thousand, eight-hundred and eighteen (48, 818) candidates passed with five credits and above. In Oyo, sixteen thousand, five-hundred and eighty-eight (15, 588), representing 21.03 per cent, out of seventy-eight thousand, eight-hundred and ninetysix (78, 896) candidates passed. Ogun recorded twenty-five thousand and six (25, 006) passes, out of seventyfive thousand, nine-hundred and ninety-four (75, 994) candidates, or a success rate of 32.89 per cent. nalysts and observers in the trend, growth and development of education have observed that what made the South-West cynosure of all eyes, is its antecedents in education, which made it a pace-setter. While, as observed earlier, most observers point accusing fingers at state governments and their chief executives for the declined state of things, OSUN DEFENDER Magazine wishes do differ slightly, especially considering what the experience has been in the State of Osun under the able leadership of OgbeniAregbesola. Most of the critics argue that since 1999, successive state governments, their chief executives and their umbrella political parties have got their priorities mixed up and abandoned education for inanities. Like it has been observed in earlier paragraphs of this edition, the standard most widely used as basis for comparison of grounds covered in the area of education in the South-West has been the passion and zeal for excellence wielded by the Premier of the defunct Western Region, late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his colleagues who pioneered free education in 1956 and sustained it in the Second Republic. or n o w , t h e e x p l o i t s of the RaufAregbesola in the area of education shall be trumpeted a
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Giesi Ruling House In Ile-Ife, State Of Osun, Paid A Courtesy Visit To State Of Osun Governor, Ogebni Rauf Aregbesola, At Government House, Osogbo, Last Saturday.
•State of Osun governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right) and Head of Giesi Ruling House in Ile-Ife, Professor. Aderibigbe Adeyemi.
•Aregbesola (middle), Prof. Adeyemi (2nd left); his wife; Head of Department of Law, Babock University, Dr. (Mrs) Titilaoye Aderibigbe (left); Mrs.Omolara Tubosun (2nd right), and Pastor Francis Adebayo during the courtesy visit.
Dinner Organized By The State Government Of Osun In Honour Of Chinese Delegation And Managing Director, Golden Monkey Group,Wang Bao Gen, At Government House, Osogbo, Last Friday.
•State of Osun Governor Rauf Aregbesola (left), presenting the state emblem to the Head of Chinese Delegation and Managing Director, Golden Monkey Group, Wang Bao Gen in Osogbo last Friday.
•Aregbesola (2nd left); his deputy, Otunba (Mrs) Titi Laoye-Tomori (left); Head of Chinese Delegation and Managing Director, Golden Monkey Group,Wang Bao Gen (3rd left), Managing Director, Golden Monkey International Trade Company Limited, Zhao Dong Ming (3rd right), Managing Director, Skyrun Cocoa Production Industry Limited, Liu Jian Hui (right).
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Tabliqh Movement, National Headquarters Paid A Courtesy Visit To State Of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, At Government House, Osogbo, Last Sunday.
•State of Osun Governor, Rauf Aregbesola (right); Leader Tabliqh Movement, National Headquarters, Alhaji Tajudeen Lapade (2nd left); President, Ijesha Muslim Community, Alhaji Dhikrullah Sanni (left); Alhaji Adeyanju Hmazat (3rd right); Vice Chairman, All Progressive Congress (APC) in the State of Osun, Alhaji Issa Azeez (2nd right).
•Some members of Tabliqh Movement and others during the visit.
Council Of Retired Federal Permanent Secretaries Paid A Courtesy Visit To President Muhammadu Buhari At State House, Abuja, recently.
•President Muhammadu Buhari (middle) in a group photograph with Council of Retired Federal Permanent Secretaries during a courtesy visit recently.
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lot more. Next edition shall carry more of the analysis begun on the rot and decay witnessed in the sector nationwide. The Education aspect of the administration of OgbeniRaufAdesojiAregbesola deserves much of critical focus; since it proved all along that Education sub-sector is one of the principal specialties of the administration. To this end, OSUN DEFENDER Magazine has devoted much space and time to its detailed spotlight in series of our editions in the past years. It is not as if we are giving up of this effort; but we intend not to overbeat it. So, we shall make mention of some of the giant strides recorded in the subsector as basis for desires and expectations for the entire second tenure; then we shall justify the incumbent administration’s effort as that which pupils, parents, teachers and perhaps some other stakeholders have least appreciated!. As a sub-sector of the Social Services Sector of our economy, the importance of education to the socio-economic and industrial development of any nation cannot be overemphasized. It is against this background that the administration of OgbeniAregbesola has remained resolute on the promotion of functional education in the state. The governor continually recounted how a timely discovery was made by his team that the educational infrastructures in our schools were in worrisome state upon their assumption of office in late 2010. In order to rightly and accurately assess the level of decay in our educational system, the Government of the State quickly held a two-day education summit with the theme: “Resolving the Education Crisis in Osun State: Bridging Analysis and Implementation Gaps” at the Osun StateUniversity (UNIOSUN) in February 2011. The summit was to become one of the most prominent and decisive giant strides taken by the Aregbesola administration. To put the record straight, it came as the first ever in the annals of education summits in the state! By that singular action, the incumbent administration demonstrated its unwavering resolve to tackle head-on the spate of neglect and rot that had bedeviled the education industry in the state. Also by it, the Government Unusual took the bull by the horns to restructure and reconstruct amenities and infrastructure in the education sector of the state; in order to restore quality and promote functional education at all levels in the state.
•New Model Baptist Elementary School, State of Osun.
Apart from the Free Education Programme at the Primary and Secondary levels, the Aregbesola administration in the state has made remarkable achievements in the educational sub-sector. An instance of this is the rebranding, repackaging and transformation brought to bear on the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme; an old programme of the Yar’Adua / Oyinlola years; which has been resuscitated and rechristened Osun Elementary School Free Feeding and Health Programme (O’ Meal). With the reorganization and resuscitation of the programme, all the pupils in primaries one to four in public schools in the State of Osun are now covered under the free feeding programme which offers them wide assortments of highly nutritious meals during the school hours. Even meals that are not served in routine menu in conventional practice, like quality chocolate, milk, eggs and chicken are on the list of regular menu of the feeding programme. SUN DEFENDER Magazine wishes to pause here and reflect briefly in passing the extent of international acceptance and recognition which the State of Osun; through the O’ Meal programme has garnered unto itself. On January 22, 2014, the Governor of the state and grand designer cum prime mover behind all the innovation packages currently ongoing in the state, OgbeniRaufAregbesola was in the European nation of the United Kingdom on the invitation of the higher legislative chambers of that Queen’s country, the House of Lords, to enlighten, brief and teach the parliamentarians on the nitty-gritty and workings of the O’ Meal programme, which has turned it into a bundle of wonders in the state. It is no longer news the vibrant and ground-shaking standing ovation the governor was accorded at the event. Through that feat, OgbeniAregbesola has done us proud as a people as the first ever governor in Nigeria; even in Black Africa to be so esteemed and honoured to be summoned to lend knowledge to the White World, usually looked upon for originating innovations in virtually all areas of human endeavour, education inclusive. This feat came to the shame, confounding and stupefaction of detractors who see nothing good in virtually all the good gestures of the Aregbesola administration, especially in the Education subsector. More wonders are still expected to unfold for the present and during the years ahead; in spite of the currently prevailing paucity of funds. In addition, the poor condition of infrastructure
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in public schools in the state is already being radically reversed. Towards this end, the first phase of the construction of New Model 100 Elementary Schools, 50 Middle and 20 High Schools is in top gear. The fiscal year 2012 witnessed massive reconstruction and rehabilitation of the dilapidated school buildings inherited by the administration of the day from its inept preceding administration. This, the governor noted, is in consonance with the team’s determination to raise the standard of education in our dear state. It is in a bid to arrest the spate of perennial acute shortage of teachers in our schools and concomitantly ensuring effective teaching and learning activities in schools that the incumbent administration has embarked on massive recruitment and selection processes for qualified, quality, competent and experienced teachers for engagement at our Primary and Secondary levels. This step, apart from being a necessity to compensate for the ravaging neglect of the past; became necessary to take adequate and abundant care of the exploding enrolment figures in schools, following the introduction of a true, functional and qualitative education at those levels. Specifically, various selection exercises have so far been conducted by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and the State Post-Primary Teaching Service Establishment and Pensions Commission (TEPPO), involving various numbers of candidates successfully absorbed into the teaching service of the state. Following the large number of retirees in the state’s teaching service at the end of the 2012 fiscal year; arrangements were put in place in year 2013 to get a huge number of teachers employed in replacement for the retired ones. This plan saw the light of day as the year witnessed massive recruitment and selection of teachers at those levels of education. With proper inauguration of appropriate boards in particular, provision of required number and quality of teaching personnel has begun to receive greater attention in the past year. In this direction, greater attention has been received during successive years. n addition to these numbers of teachers engaged, selection has also been made for competent and qualified teachers among the volunteer cadets of the popular Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) and those
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•Some of Osun pupils hailing governor Aregbesola sometime ago.
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hitherto employed by the Parents-Teachers’ Association (PTA). According to plan, the process of recruitment of teachers, which had been on, and was billed for completion within the first quarter of 2012, is intended to be a continuous process. What this implies is that even during the New Year, another batch of massive recruitment and selection of teachers is expected to be carried out for existing and continuously-opening vacancies in the elementary and secondary rungs of the education ladder. Also in the area of education, the governor noted that it was in his administration’s bid to ameliorating the suffering of parents, guardians and students that reduction was effected in the exorbitant fees being charged by the authorities of the Osun State University (UNIOSUN). A similar gesture was extended to all other tertiary institutions owned by the state. These include the Osun State Polytechnic (OSPOLY), Iree; the Osun State College of Technology (OSCOTECH), Esa-Oke; the Osun State College of Education (OSCOED), Ilesa; and the Osun State College of Education (OSCOED), Ila-Orangun. The Government of the State, the governor declared, had abrogated all forms of charges in our public schools. To achieve effectiveness in teaching and learning, the examination and running grants being released quarterly by the government to the public secondary schools in the state have been increased by over 300 per cent. It was promised that the Aregbesola administration shall continue to give the deserved attention to the welfare of teachers in 2012. This promise was redeemed all through the subsequent years and during the year 2-014; and this has continued through the years till date, judging by the level of recognition being currently accorded to teachers and the teaching profession. It is placed on record how in the year 2012 teachers in the high echelon in the state were elevated to the exalted status of Permanent Secretary, with the designation of Tutors General. Facts on ground have also revealed that within the short period of the incumbent administration of RaufAregbesola in office, the State Library Board had received the full attention of government, particularly in the provision of conducive working environment; a situation which has positively impacted on its services to the reading public. The governor constantly promises that the State Library Board would continue to receive quality support from the State Government of Osun in 2012 and years ahead. OgbeniAregbesola also promises his administration’s resolve to revive the State Scholarship Board. This promise has been redeemed
in the year 2012, and shall be consolidated in years ahead. Under the auspices of the scholarship board, assistance is given to deserving, outstanding but indigent (financially challenged) students of the state’s origin to obtain higher education at home and abroad. Since the governor has already rolled out the State of Osun Schools’ Calisthenics Programme, alongside the inauguration of EwaIpinleOsun, he has since been forthcoming in the fulfillment of his promise to give revival to the old boys’ and girls’ associations and voluntary clubs in all primary and secondary schools for leadership training and team spirit building. In year 2013, it was in full realization of the vibrant role and the auspicious place of Education sub-sector of the Social Services Sector to the socioeconomic life and political emancipation of the State of Osun and the liberation of the people that the incumbent administration accorded to it a total allocation of N13.7 Billion or 18.8 per cent of its total capital budget; though that initial budgetary provision later on got reviewed upwardly, following the consideration of the State of Osun House of Assembly. uring t h e p a s t y e a r s o f t h e administration, there have been tremendous achievements recorded for the Education sub-sector in the state. Apart from the State of Osun Schools Uniform Scheme (O’ Uniform) other strings of successes have followed. Chiefest of them all; which is among the fundamental firsts which the administration has recorded so far is the introduction of the computerlike devise into the teaching-learning programme at the Senior Secondary level of education in the state. The programme called Tablet of Knowledge (Opon Imo) has brought lots of improvements in to the learning processes at that stage as well eased the process of getting the state’s candidates for external examinations adequately prepared for success. Lots have already been written on the nitty-gritty of the Tablet of Knowledge (Opon Imo) our earlier editions. A detailed elucidation shall soon be made on it under appropriate segments of this edition. The launch however eventually saw the light of day in the month of May 2013. Also during the month of May, precisely on Monday the 27th May2013, the annual globally-held Children’s Day celebrations took a different turn in the State of Osun. This was as at the instance of the Government Unusual of OgbeniRaufAregbesola the first-ever O’odua World Children’s Day Celebration was organized and held. The event, a unifying force for all offspring of legendary Oduduwa in Nigeria and in the Diaspora, turned out to be a convergence of all children, adult and traditional (royal) fathers of
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Yoruba extraction spread across the globe. t the event of the day, representatives and contingents present included those from about ten states in the federation of Nigeria, those from the neighbouriing old Dahomey Kingdom (now Republic of Benin), and those from other parts of the universe, with the inclusion of the United States of America (USA), the Americas and the Caribbean. It was really a colourful and eventful programme. The states within the federation include the host state, the State of Osun. Others are Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo and Ekiti States. We also had in attendance other states like Kwara, Kogi, Edo and Delta states. Apart from an impressive turnout from almost all royal fathers from the host state at the event, royal fathers from other places outside the State of Osun include the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba LamidiOlayiwolaAdeyemi III; the Aseyin of Iseyin; and the Eleruwa of Eruwa. Royal fathers from the Republic of Benin include the Olupopo of Popo; Onisabe of Sabe and Oniketu of Ketu among others. Through the auspices presented by the programme, youths from those different states mentioned above and those from other parts were able to interact and cooperate with love and share commonalities. As it turned out, and as Governor Aregbesola himself pointed out at the programme, the event of May 27, held at the main bowl of the Osogbo Township Stadium (under construction at the time) marked the largest-ever held congregation of black nationalities anywhere in the world. The greatest achievement of the event was bringing together after a long period of conflict two prominent and frontline Yoruba royal fathers, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba LamidiOlayiwolaAdeyemi III; and the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba OkunadeSijuade, Olubuse II (now deceased). During the month of July, same year, the third in the series of quiz competitions annually held in commemoration of the birthday of the internationally reputed literary icon and Nobel Laureate in Literature, Professor OluwoleAkinwande Soyinka was held, with the State Government of Osun taking the position of a leading light. Last year’s episode, marking the academic giant’s 79th birthday had the involvement of seventy-nine youths for the finals which were held in the Government House of the State of Osun in Osogbo, the state capital. The aim of the programme transcended merely celebrating the excellence radiated by Soyinka, but raising future stars among our youths; who would project our image in the future; even after we might have been long-gone! This feat has already been repeated this year at the occasion of the 80th birthday
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anniversary celebration of the academic giant. ime and again during the outgone years, we brought to the fore the numerous achievements of the incumbent administration in the state in the aspect of development of schools infrastructure in the state. This is talking in terms of the activities of the State of Osun Schools Infrastructure Development Project (O’ SCHOOLS). In September 2013, the first in the numerous ultra-modern schools building projects of the O’ SCHOOLS project was officially commissioned and delivered for use. The Salvation Army Middle School, Alekuwodo, Osogbo, the state capital is a 900-seater state-of-the-art complex, which put to rest the insinuations of detractors that all of the school building projects of the administration were destined to be abandoned in the midstream. The school is one out of the fourteen in its category that are being put in place by the RaufAregbesola administration in the State of Osun. The school building has since been put to use; while other school, building projects initiated by the administration are almost completed / at various stages of completion and almost ready for official commissioning / delivery. The year 2014 have started and ended pretty well indeed! From the start of the year, the hope had been high that more and more in the line-up of public schools being erected in the state shall be officially commissioned and delivered. This hope has not been betrayed during the first quarter of the year. During the month of February, the first in the list of completed elementary schools in the state was officially commissioned and delivered for use. The Baptist Central Elementary School, Ilare, Ile-Ife, which official commissioning was held on Tuesday February 18 witnessed massive turnout of residents of Ile-Ife, members of the political class and the entire people of the State of Osun – all of who were full of joy and prayers for the governor, OgbeniRaufAregbesola and his team. The elementary school is one of the thirteen (13) units of its sort being put in place in the state. The governor and other members of the State Executive Council present at the occasion of official commissioning appeared in the uniform of elementary schools in the state; another initiative of the administration. In his address at the occasion, Governor Aregbesola said: “The ongoing monumental transformation of education in the State of Osun is unstoppable. Nobody can stop us. “Even if we have to step on toes, we shall continue to build a solid future for generations yet
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•A.U.D. Elementary School, Isale Osun, Osogbo.
unborn. The school is not for Muslims, Christians or traditionalists but rather for the people of the State of Osun. The education of our children must be taken seriously and we must not play pranks with it under any guise to secure the future of our state and society at large” n renewing his affirmation for the turnaround of the education sub-sector of the state, Aregbesola stated that the vision of his administration was to build an educational system that would produce great men and women in the society. In addition to the afore-mentioned data of thirteen (13) elementary school and fourteen (14) middle school building projects, there are still twelve units of high school building projects ongoing in the state. The governor however promised the delivery and official commissioning of all the projects before the end of his administration’s tenure of office. In his graphical analysis conducted at the occasion, Governor Aregbesola made it known that his administration was spending on annual basis a whooping sum of N27.1 Billion on teachers’ salaries and pension, while the Opon Imo project had so far gulped N1.2 Billion. He put the capital expenditure so far on education at N31. 1 Billion. In her earlier speech at the occasion, the Deputy Governor of the State of Osun, who doubles as the Commissioner for Education, Otunba (Mrs.) Grace TitilayoLaoye-Tomori revealed that the school has tent-five (25) classrooms, with capacity to accommodate one-thousand (1,000) pupils with other modern facilities like two (2) staff common rooms, one (1) office each for the headmaster and assistant headmaster, and a dining room. Others are modern sports field, and other features that make the school able to compete favourably with private schools anywhere in the contemporary Nigeria. She further had the following to say: “The school symbolizes possibilities and that change is inevitable. Despite the fact that some people are mischievous about the project, the government is right on top of the situation and we shall continue to work towards better future for our children” Later on, the third in the series of quiz competitions annually held in commemoration of the birthday of the internationally reputed literary icon and Nobel Laurel in Literature, Professor OluwoleAkinwande Soyinka was held, with the State Government of Osun taking the position of a leading light. The year 2013 episode, marking the academic giant’s 79th birthday had the involvement of seventy-nine youths for the finals which were held in the Government House of the State of Osun in Osogbo, the state capital.
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The aim of the programme transcends merely celebrating the excellence radiated by Soyinka, but raising future stars among our youths; who would project our image in the future; even after we might have been long-gone! HE terrains of public education in the years preceding the advent of the RaufAregbesola administration was far from being attractive or alluring. This is true as all indications pointed to a situation of rot, decay, abandonment and devastation in the sub-sector; so much so that parents and guardians were repelled with fear and disgust from committing their wards to the care and tutelage that that category of schools dispensed. Needless to say, the only category of parents and guardians who were left to the mercy of those schools were those who due to certain limitations imposed by economy or other factors, had no alternative than sending their wards there as a last resort. In other words the segment of the populace who gave patronage to those schools in those dark days comprised those who looked up to God and prayed ceaselessly for deliverance and rescue to come their way some day. In our series last year and in years before, OSUN DEFENDER Magazine has devoted lengthy writing to the spate of rot and decay which the sub-sector witnessed during the period under reference. We therefore would not have to subject our numerous readers to the boredom, drudgery and monotony of having to recast the ugly events of those years. We also have, time and time again given details of the poor score sheets of candidates of the state who were produced through the ugly system in public examinations. In honest terms, the performances were not only persistently poor but also abysmally woeful and disheartening. In terms of enrolment figures, the statistics had dwindled drastically. In terms of schools’ physical structures, materials, equipment and textbooks, the scoring was simply nothing to write home about. The quantity and quality of teaching and non-teaching personnel in those schools had been another point of concern. In most cases, the teachers were not just there. Where they were present in some numbers, it was not usually in the right quality. Recruitment and selection exercises for teachers in those days were fraught with fraud and irregularities, hence, the teachers (so called) were mostly engaged in an attempt to pacify political hangers-on, cronies and boot-lickers. ince t h e c o m i n g o n b o a r d o f t h e RaufAregbesola administration however, a wave of change, unprecedented and unimaginable – confounding to distracters - has
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rippled the public education sub-sector of the state. In all ramifications, the sub-sector has been virtually overhauled. Apart from the free, functional and qualitative education package wielded by the administration of OgbeniRaufAdesojiAregbesola in the State of the Virtuous, other components of good service delivery, which could make learning much easier, attractive, effective and efficient have been put in place. Among the multiple “O” programmes initiated by the Government Unusual, the education industry has taken a substantial number. We can easily talk of the O’ Uniform programme under the auspices of which the administration distributed school uniforms and badges free of charge to all students in public schools in accordance with their levels; whether elementary, middle or high school. Not only this, the O’ Meal programme ensures free feeding of pupils in primary school classes one to four on daily basis with nutritious and highly enriched food varieties so as to enhance their intellectual development and prepare them adequately for future challenges. The O’ Calisthenics is a programme in physical cum affective and psychomotor domains. Through it, the government of the day has exposed the students, drawn mostly from the middle school rung of the educational ladder to more productive engagements of their time, talents and latent potentials. The O’ SCHOOLS intervention initiative is an area that is almost of exceeding importance of all. This is so as no meaningful and impactful teaching-learning process can take place in poor physical environment. The State of Osun Schools Infrastructure Development Committee, known for short as O’ SCHOOLS is out to effect the demolition of all existing dangerously dilapidating structures in all our public schools and replacing such with modern, befitting and more durable ones that can favourably compare with the demands of the Twenty-First Century. We have discussed issues relating to this to detail in some of our earlier editions in this series. We only need to add in passing that “infrastructure” in the context of O’ SCHOOLS mean a wide variety of components which include: a. School buildings as designed and approved; b. External works as designed and approved; c. Landscaping as designed and approved; d. Furniture for students and staff; e. Library, laboratory and workshop equipments; f. Sporting facilities; and g. Any other facility, structure and equipment
that may be considered necessary for effective teaching and learning in the schools. Also, by the plan of the O’ SCHOOLS Committee, we realize that the government intended at the initial stage to build and deliver: · 100 elementary schools (2,100 classrooms); · 50 (62?) middle schools; and · 20 high schools In view of limitations imposed by the economic realities on ground, the first phase of the programme could however accommodate the minimum delivery of: · 50 elementary schools; · 33 middle schools; and · Between 10 and 20 high schools s at the end of 2013, the statistics of these schools which were almost ready for official commissioning and use was put at about fifteen (15) elementary schools; thirteen (13) middle schools; and ten (10) high schools. The figures are still counting, as the programme is continuous through the life of the administration. Latter part of last year and early this year marked the official commissioning of the first fruits of the O’ SCHOOLS project and their delivery to their respective intended end-users. The last academic session ended on a glorious note with more and more of the completed schools construction projects being commissioned and put to use, to the glory of God and for the benefit of mankind. First in this regard was the official commissioning of the Salvation Army Middle School, located at the OkeFia / Alekuwodo area of Osogbo, the capital of the State of Osun. That was done in September 2013. Second was the commissioning in February of 2014 of Baptist Central Elementary School, Ilare, Ile-Ife. During the month of March, another ultra-modern school building project in the category of elementary school, the A.U.D. Government Elementary School, Isale-Agbara, Isale-Osun, Osogbo was officially commissioned. More recently, more and more of these projects have been commissioned in Ikirun, Ila, Iwo, Ikire and other parts of the state. It is an event that is certain that the ongoing fourth year anniversary of the administration and the celebrations of the re-inauguration of Ogbeni shall witness the official commissioning of more of these projects. The list is still counting! This rate of completion has put wagging tongues into silence. e have observed through the lifetime of the incumbent administration how our public schools have flourished prolifically with massive employment of trained, qualified,
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competent and highly experienced teaching personnel. We have also witnessed how the administration has made the teachers in public schools highly motivated by attending promptly to all their needs, not only in terms of salaries and fringe benefits, but also other needs bordering on entry and terminal points as well as elevation of high echelon personnel in the teaching profession to the exalted status of Permanent Secretary. Hence we now have three Tutors-General; one for each Senatorial District of the state. Central to the free education programme of the administration of the day is the free book distribution exercise embarked upon. By this, the sufferings of the masses have been alleviated a great deal through free distribution of exercise. The climax of this is the introduction of the Tablet of Knowledge, known as Opon Imo. This device is one of the most laudable efforts of the Aregbesola administration in the Education Sub-sector. The Schools Reclassification Programme and Schools Discipline Initiative are other effort made to revive the sector from the horrible state it was in at the take-over time of the administration. We shall now swing forward to give concise consideration to Opon Imo and all that it entails. When the newly-inaugurated administration of OgbeniRaufAregbesola came out with the idea of holding the first-ever State of Osun Education Summit in February 2011, detractors wagged their tongues in outright condemnation of the programme which they considered as sheer waste of time and resources. Today, the summit has justified itself; as it has translated to meaningful life-impacting transformation in the Education Sub-sector of the state; most especially the public schools, to which the government remains proprietor and financier. e know for sure that quite a number of interesting packages has begun to be rolled out as aftermath of the summit, which was chaired by none less a personality like the academic giant and famous Nobel Laurel, Professor Wole Soyinka. Notable among such educational rebranding efforts of the administration which are wielding potent reforms in the education industry of the state owing to their purposeful and faithful implementation are the O’ Uniform, O’ SCHOOLS, O’ Meal and O’ Calisthenics; and such others as we have discussed above. The particular ground-shaking and epochmaking entrant into the scene is the Tablet of Knowledge, known popularly as Opon Imo. TheOpon Imo initiative has come, like its earlier-
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•Some of the school buses awaited for distribution sometime ago. Continued from page 13
introduced counterparts to demystify school learning and make public school learning more attractive; thereby restoring its old-lost glory, honour, sanctity and rectitude. By virtue of the line-up of these intervention efforts, it is no longer a dreadful event to send a child to public schools. On top of these attractive packages; education in our public schools is free, qualitative and functional. What this latter point implies is that a good proportion of parents who had been made victims of coughing out enormous hard-earned resources in order to get their wards educated in private schools; or rather who could scarcely afford that costly facility for their wards are now afforded the rare privilege of good education free of charge, courtesy of the quintessential leader of our time, OgbeniAregbesola. Through the introduction of Opon Imo, the burden of spending enormously on textbooks either by parents or government has been relieved. We remember with nostalgia the old good eras of free education as introduced and successfully operated in the defunct Western Region by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the premier of the Region. The same feat was replicated during the Second Republic with late Chief Bola Ige at the helm of affairs as Governor of the old Oyo State. We also remember the good efforts of Chief BisiAkande in his days as Governor of the presentday State of Osun. During the entire period under reference, tuition, textbooks and notebooks were entirely free! The free education scheme afforded many school children especially those from humble socio-economic background the opportunity of access to quality, functional education. By the standards of those periods, school children were provided with textbooks and notebooks free of charge. But the standards of the current time place the demand on government to find another device which can present volumes of books of different sizes in a very light, easy-to-access gadget, which an average learner can carry about with much ease and which can provide learning anywhere and anytime without the burden of carrying bulky bags around. Another advantage of the Opon Imo is that it saves the government the perennial burden of procuring sets of books. According to Governor Aregbesola while responding to critics that his administration is deemphasizing the use of books, he enumerated the economic benefits of providing easier alternative as consisting in saving enormous costs for the state which can be expended on other viable life- changing programmes and projects.
The governor said that over a period of ten years, the devise would save government a whooping sum of about N50.25 billion; were the state to engage in the physical purchase of hard copies of textbooks for the 17 subjects taught in our public schools, hard copies of 51 audio tutorials, hard copies of JAMB and WAEC past questions and answers and the rest. Aside these, the Opon Imo device can be solarpowered. It also has the capacity to record audio lessons, thus saving students the trouble of copying notes. It also spares them more time to learn. nother benefit confirmed for the device is that it facilitates the incumbent administration’s free education programme through its cost-saving nature. We would all agree that a truly qualitative and functional free education programme is usually a crowd-puller. The populist nature of such programme therefore would require its provider to find means of making learning easier, fast and all-reaching within a limited space of time. OSUN DEFENDER Magazine is of the assurance that the Aregbesola administration has done this sufficiently well. The governor has continuously emphasized the bold resolve and determination of his administration to focus thrust on the making of the total student – so the preparation of conducive learning environment, which consists in the construction of befitting classrooms and equipping such with good furniture, shall win the priority attention of his government. He has never reneged on his promise that his administration will not waver or get derailed from the pursuance of these lofty courses of action. urther o n t h e i s s u e i f t e x t b o o k s , Aregbesola reasoned that since textbooks are made from wood which is obtained from forests cultivated on wide expanses of land; the introduction of a devise like Opon Imo, which reduces the dependence on books, will help in the conservation of our forest resources, hence reducing risks associated with environmental degradation. It has been a reasonable argument from the point of view of OgbeniAregbesola that since a student must have been exposed to textbooks from kindergarten, offering him something different at his high school age would do him much benefit. In other words, he should be offered with the kind of learning that brings him in conformity with his colleagues and counterparts in the present world order through exposure to digital-based instruction that makes him ICT-compliant. In Governor Aregbesola’s definition, the Opon Imo devise is a first of its kind standalone learning
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tablet in the world for self-paced study. It provides three major content categories vis-à-vis e-library virtual classroom, and an integrated test zone. The virtual classroom category contains 63 e-books, covering 17 academic subjects for examinations conducted by WAEC, NECO and JAMB as well as non-academic life-enriching subjects such as History of the Yoruba, Sexuality Education, Civic Education, Ifa on Ethics and Morals, Enterprise Education, hints and tips on passing SSCE and How to Live a Healthy and Happy Life. It was further revealed by the Governor that this section also contains an average of 16 chapters per subject and 823 chapters in all, with about 900 minutes or 15 hours of audio voiceovers. In the integrated net zone of the devise, there are more than 40,000 JAMB and WAEC practice questions and answers dating back to about 20 years. It also contains mock tests in more than 51 subject areas, which approximates to 1,220 chapters, with roughly 29,000 questions, referencing about 825 images. Recent revelations from the State of Osun Deputy Governor, who doubles as the Commissioner for Education, bare it that the OponImo devise can accommodate update, upgrade, additions and enrichment; especially in line with mew discoveries and changes in the ever-dynamic world. On this note, the tablets are turned in at the end of each academic year to allow for this upgrade and to allow for incoming sets of students to make use of them as some most senior set graduates. However, it is possible for parents who want their wards to have the devise for permanent retention to book copies. he tablet, as it has turned out, is in design, use and purpose more than a learning devise. It is a revolution that individualizes learning and brings the school to the child. No wonder that Governor Aregbesola said that in the old order, the pupils went to school to study, but that with Opon Imo, they henceforth learn! Opon Imo has also been defined as entailing democratization of learning. This is so, because Opon Imo provides equal access to every child, irrespective of his or her background. Pupils in the remotest village now have access to the same body of knowledge as their counterparts from the most cosmopolitan city. No wonder that OSUN DEFENDER Magazine drew reference to the coincidence of the Opon Imo launch with the June 12 celebration, vis-à-vis the mention above of the democratization aspect of the device. We pause to reflect that the annulment of the results of the June 12, 1993 Presidential Elections which was widely, convincingly and overwhelmingly won by the late business mogul, captain of commerce and symbol
of the collective cause for democracy, late BashorunMoshoodKasimawoOlawaleAbiola poised monumental set-back to the nation and the development of its segments and institutions. Had the democratic experience of that time been allowed to thrive and materialize, the nation would have advanced well today. This is more so if it is viewed against the back drop that the achievers of today – Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor BabatundeRajiFasola and our own OgbeniRaufAdesojiAregbesola – were parts and parcel of the struggle in the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP). If our return to democratic governance had started from that time; honestly, we would have gone very far by now. Opon Imo, by containing all subjects, is a veritable tool in the making of the rounded student. It was revealed that a science student has access to textbooks on arts and social sciences and vice-versa. We also learnt that there is a business side to the tablet. According to Governor Aregbesola, a factory for the assemblage of computer tablets is already in the pipeline in the State of Osun. The factory will provide jobs for our youths and provide revenue to the government. He said that by that singular move, the foundation is being laid for the making of Osun as the IT hub of the nation. The governor expressed the hope of his administration that Opon Imo would spread to other parts of the nation from the State of Osun. In rounding up his speech at the launch of the devise in June 2013, OgbeniAregbesola viewed the addition of OponImo to our education as another turning point in the public school system in the State of Osun. He expressed his strong belief that the history was in the making on that day with the official launch of the devise; and that the real significance of the day in the history of education in Osun will be appreciated in the fullness of time. History was made in June 2013 through the events culminating in the official unveiling of the iPod-like computer devise; customized to demystify learning for students at the senior secondary level of our public school system in the State of Osun. Branded simply as Opon Imo, which translates into Tablet of Knowledge, the devise, a brainchild of the Aregbesola administration had earlier
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•Ataoja High School, Osogbo.
come under severe criticisms from the camp of detractors on many grounds; the last of which was that the programme had been clandestinely launched in Lagos. arlier, detractors had tongue-lashed the project as sheer attempt at wasting the financial fortunes of the state; attempting to deify the oracles by the introduction of what they chose to call OponIfa; and an overall attempt at making the youths of the state tow the path of fetishism. As time advanced, further accusations came that the Opon Imo project sought to deemphasize the use of textbooks; and most recently, critics of the project cried foul that it had been launched in Lagos, rather than the State of Osun for which it was designed and meant. At the end of it all, the administration of the day, under the leadership of OgbeniRaufAregbesola has proven itself to be well above all situations aimed at distracting it as the Opon Imo initiative has eventually seen the light of day. In his state-wide broadcast heralding in the New Year 2014, the Governor of the State of Osun, OgbeniRaufAdesojiAregbesola elucidated on the numerous achievements of his administration in the past years. In his speech titled “Reflections on Our Policies and Programmes”, the Governor detailed the achievements, which bordered chiefly on the giant strides recorded in the education industry. While commenting on the whole essence of his aspiration to become the helmsman of the state in the first place, the governor had this to say: “As we begin this great year, I reflect on the last year and even the last three years since the Almighty God, by His grace and mercy, brought me to this seat as your Governor. Permit me to say that the only reason why I aspired to be governor was to get an opportunity to improve the lot of the masses of our people. “I know how dehumanizing poverty and lack of opportunities can be. I know how illiteracy can truncate the destiny of a person and a society. “This is why every day our focus as an administration has been (and is) on how to improve the lives of the majority of our people. “My firm belief is that government exists to protect life, liberty and pursuit of happiness,
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provide an environment for commerce to thrive, for the young and economically deprived to be educated, for the sick who cannot afford medi-care to be taken care of, for the provision of security for all, and for the enforcement of the rule of law and maintenance of law and order. “All of these must be premised on the truth that all men, regardless of means, religion or ethnicity, are created equal by God and must be enabled where they are unable to access the means for decent and humane existence. “The question I ask myself about any policy we propose to make is simple: ‘How will this benefit the poorest in the State of Osun’?” On the justification behind the introduction of the O’ Meal programme, the Governor made the following comments: “It is this philosophy that has guided and inspired all of our policies as your government. We put in place the O’Mealsprogramme for feeding all elementary school children daily because we know that a large number of our people find it difficult to feed themselves and their children. We know that undernourishment and calorie deficiency is a major cause of physical and mental underdevelopment of children and young people. “It has been scientifically confirmed in many countries that provide lunch for their children in school that it significantly improves the academic performance and health of the pupils. We are finding this to be the case in our state.
•To be continued
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ometimes ago, a friend of mine told me in the company of others that there is nobody on earth who is destined to be perpetually lean. The assertion then seemed strange to me because all around us were lean and fat folks who were believed to have been created so. People used to tersely tease their peer groups’ members that they took after someone in their kin; that is if the semblance of leanness is not after either of direct biological parents, it must be after a cousin, uncle/aunty, niece/nephew; or better still thinking far to any ground, great or great, great ground parents. This seemed to be so. The evidence that voyages of life unveiled however, appears to have pointed to the contrary. As a pragmatic person that I am, I tried to find out why those who appeared to have derived their haggardly stature, supposedly due to heredity suddenly fizzled into the rank of obese. I found out that predominantly, their consumption of junks and food of affluence tends to have rubbished the age-long belief. Unbridled consumption of industrial delicacies is capable of bloating anybody up, to the extent that anyone from a lineage of ‘lepacious’ elements develop genes that transform such to become not only a fat person, but with gradual development of traits of obesity. This discovery seems to be ubiquitous because those without the slimmest predilection for sumptuous diets have also turned bogus due to opportunities that change their status from that of commoners to ones that pitch him amongst the nobles. It therefore, means that dietary intake is not the only factor of fatness or freshness. Contentment due to affluence and opportunities can also change one’s physical outlook from a psychological point of view. Exception to modern paradigm is evident in the State of Osun, where neither appetite nor appurtenance of office is capable of adding values to someone’s outlook. I am referring to no other person than Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, the governor of the state. I can boldly say that I don’t, and I cannot envy our governor because it is most likely the man ventured into governance in executive capacity at a time most inappropriate. His antecedence granted him the goodwill that helped him to win elections twice in the most unlikely circumstances. The court case he won that metamorphosed in his swearing-in on November 27, 2010 was like the camel passing through the eye of the needle. This is so because it happened at a time when the judiciary was cocooned inside the pocket of the executive arm. Judgements were then premeditated and the favoured party used to know the contents of judgement before delivery. I vividly remember how the camp of the then incumbent Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola was bubbling with the fantasy of assurance that the judgement was a done deal in their favour. The opposition camp hung
Why I Don’t Envy Aregbesola
By ade olugbotemi not part of the problems of the past. If so, there is the need for proper orientation so that the kettle of mess is not filled with wasteful lifelines again. Majority of our people seem to be ignorant of the concept of budgetary provisions. The educated ones that are expected to know better amongst us are not faring better in this regard; as most of them appear to agree with the school of thought that all money accruing to the state must go to salaries and wages payment. Any state or country that devotes all resources on salary payments is doomed already; and the Principal, in this sense, the state governor, would be seen to be committing impeachable offence. here m u s t b e c a p i t a l expenditure for any budget to be complete. Any dereliction is queried by the legislative arm that exercises oversight function on the activities of the executive arm. Apart from this, any attempt by the Governor to abandon the initiated and ongoing project will mean that he will be living some people more disadvantaged than he met them. For example, those living around the ongoing East axis of the ring road will not be happy that the road is abandoned. The road in question will be for the good of the whole people if completed because of the economic benefits that will come with it. It is the duty of all and sundry to be positive in our thought and attitude towards the initiated projects. We should all pray for the success of Governor Aregbesola in his quest to rewrite the history of the State. It is not normal that it is only when someone has left office that we will begin to appreciate such. I believe that we will all be happy seeing traffic around the state capital eased up. Good roads are part of social amenities that will add to and rub positively on our quality of life. Other ongoing projects are also important; it is only paucity of fund that is causing some stumbling block to their speed of completion. If the governor then tries to ensure their completion through some stringent measures, what he needs is our support, prayer and encouragement to succeed in this regard. We can all attest to the good quality of works being done by this administration, the accompanying pains across the state notwithstanding. We are quite aware of the current global economic meltdown; which by extension is also having its toll on our national economy. We just all have to endure the pains that this hard times exert; and when the tides turn to become favourable eventually, we will all be proud of the resultant paean for which all of us have borne brunt.
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•aregbesola their fate on divine intervention; and it worked for them pretty well. At the end of the day, Aregbesola and Action Congress got fair hearing and judgement that jolted the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not in small way. The election that ensured the second berth in office was more complex because of the military might that complimented the efforts of political thugs that flooded the state from all over the country. All are now history. The available resources now seem to be in gross shortfall for his dream and anticipation. Before ‘Ogbeni’ came to power, the local government represented mere draining pipes to the commonwealth of the people. The super senior civil servants at that level used to collaborate with the politicians to siphon the resources meant for developmental purposes. Any political office holders that promised dividend of democracy used to get engrossed in the gimmick of loot sharing; and electorate’s expectations got stuck in individuals’ predilection for inordinate wealth acquisitions. We thus found a few living over and above their means; while expectations on social amenities got dashed without remedy. Many civil servants and political office
holders would be richer than the local government itself, and people were always left at the mercy of those who normally should be their servants; civil and political. hat is most disheartening is the unfortunate belief being peddled by the same civil servants, most of whom the backwardness of our dear state is traceable to. They sold the dummy to the general public who are made to belief that the governor is to blame exclusively for the State’s economic woes. It is now the general believe that governor Aregbesola is not to be pitied, that past governments in the state did not do anything about the cancerous misdemeanour that crippled our economy for so long. The recent reform in the local government structure is aimed at getting rid of the problem of underdevelopment that has plagued that level of governance for decades. With close monitoring and proper evaluation, the longeluded development at the grassroots, which people form the majority of the populace, hopefully will soon be a thing of the past. What is not clear however, is whether the crops of Managers that are now heading the local government administration are
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OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guaranty Trust Bank GTB, Gbongan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun. All correspondence to the Managing Editor, Kola Olabisi, Telephone: 08033927286 (kolaolabisi@yahoo.com); Editor, KAYODE AGBAJE, Telephone: 0803-388-0205, E-mail:
osundefenderbank@gmail.com, kayodeagbaje@yahoo.com. ISSN: 0794-8050.Website: www.osundefender.org.