Osun Defender - August 26th 2014, Edition

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www.osundefender.org TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2014

The victory of the All Progressives Congress, APC in last Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Osun State reinforces the opposition against a seemingly rampaging political train of President Goodluck Jonathan

It was a welcome relief to the national leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Those who saw him yesterday morning asthe result of the Osun State governorship poll was

VOL. 9. NO.102

Front Page Comment

Osun and 2015: The game changer opposition that declared said they saw a man greatly relieved but reinforced for the battle ahead.Besides being

an elixir to the

was badly traumatized by defeat in Ekiti a month ago, the Osunvictory acts as a spring for

the opposition towards the 2015 presidential prize that was being considered a foregone booty of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The message yesterday was that 2015 is still

N50

within play. Despite earlier claims by the APC that the presidency was determined to rig the election in favour of the PDP’s Senator Iyiola Omisore, the outcome of the election showed the limit to which President Goodluck Jonathan would go in forcing his will on the electorate.

Continue on pg4

Osun Governorship Poll:

15 Detainees Sue SSS, Army, Police •Demands N1.5bn Damages

- See Story On Page 2

Osun Poll, Best Ever - Pg 3 - INEC

APC Group - Pg 3 Attributes - Pg 9 Aregbesola’s Re-election To Performance Osun 2014: OAU Students - Pg 3 Congratulate Aregbesola Group Dismisses Reports Seeking Cancellation Of Osun Election

•Arugba Osun on her way to Osun groove (3rd left) during the 2014 Osun Osogbo festival last Saturday.

Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI

- See Story On Page 2

News

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 26, 2014

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Osun Poll: 15 Detainees Sue SSS, Army, Police •Demands N1.5bn Damages

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5 persons, who were arrested, detained and harassed during the August 9 governorship election in the State of Osun have sued the Department of Security Services (SSS), Nigerian Army and Nigerian Police Force for their illegal Suliman, Obayemi Ayo, arrest and detention.

In an application for a Awopetu Odunayo, Esther court order enforcing their Olamijulo and eight others.

The four reliefs sought fundamental rights, slated to be filed before a Federal by the applicants are High Court in Osogbo, the contained in an originating state capital, the detainees summon pursuant to pray for an order directing Sections 34, 35 and 46 of the respondents to pay the 1999 Constitution and N100 million each as Article 5, 6, 12, 13 and 20 damages and tender public of the African Charter on apology to each of them. Human and People’s The detainees are High Rights, Cap A9 Laws of Chief Sola Ogunsanya, the Federation of Nigeria, Isaac Onajide, Babatola 2004; Order, II Rules 1, 2 Segun, Ogungbangbe and 3 of the Fundamental

Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009.

The applicants, in the first relief, are seeking the declaration of the court that their arrest and detention was unconstitutional, illegal, null and void and in violation of their right to personal liberty.

They also prayed the court to declare that their arrest and manhandling by officers of the respondents constitute a violation of their freedom from torture, inhuman and degrading treatments.

While arguing that their arrest and detention

By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

prevented them from exercising their franchise in the August 9 governorship poll and vote for candidates of their choices, they prayed the court for an order directing the respondents to pay aggravated damages/ compensation of N100 million each and tender public apology to each of the applicants.

In an affidavit he swore to, in support of the application, one of the applicants, High Chief Sola Ogunsanya, who is the Regent of Iloko-Ijesa and a registered voter, said that he was arrested on August 8, 2014 by armed officers

of the respondents in his house, while other detainees were arrested on August 9, 2014 at IlokoIjesa and Ijebu-jesa.

He claimed that after the arrest, himself, and two other applicants were taken to the DSS office in Osogbo and Iloko Police Post, where they were detained, stripped naked and ordered to lie down for several hours in the open without allowing them to move an inch.

According to him, the detainees were subsequently beaten, tortured and humiliated, as some of the officers were cursing, abusing them and

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Agbesola, addressing journalists after a meeting of the All Progressives Congress ( APC) in Abuja, last Thursday.

Group Dismisses Reports Seeking Cancellation Of Osun Election

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N election monitoring group, Justice and Equality Organisation, has dismissed a report seeking the cancellation of the just-concluded election in the State of Osun, which was published by Premium Times.

The group described the cancellation of Osun State report as false, saying that governorship election over at no time did it authorise untrue alleged malpractices the press conference committed by APC. reported by the newspaper, “The press conference while describing the was not organised by election as free and fair.

Justice and Equity In a disclaimer signed in Organisation, as claimed in Abuja by the Chairman of the publication and Mr the organisation, S. B James Okoronkwo was not Fafunsho, and made accredited and never a available to OSUN member of Justice and DEFENDER newspaper, the Equality Organisation. group demanded immediate “Hence, we hereby notify retraction of the story, the INEC in particular and describing it as misleading. general public that the It reads: “Our attention purported press conference has been drawn to the and the various allegations Premium Times publication of electoral malpractices of 14th August, 2014, were false, malicious and claiming that Mr James misrepresentation of fact Okoronkwo on Wednesday, and Osun State electorate.

3th August 2014, seeks the We hereby dissociate our

organisation from such obnoxious publication,” the statement said.

The group also gave Premium Times seven days’ ultimatum to retract the story and apologise to the Justice and Equity Organisation.

According to Bafunso, the group had already

submitted its report to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and strongly convinced that the August 9, 2014 election was free, fair, transparent, credible, peaceful, successful and represent the wish of the people.

He rated the election as

the best INEC ever organised in Nigeria.

It would be recalled that the Premium Times has published a story attributed to James Okoronko seeking the cancelation of votes in the local government council areas, where he alleged various malpractices.

querying their effrontery to support the candidature of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who was the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate at the election and the declared winner of the poll.

According to him, throughout the period of their detention, they were not accused of committing any offence, except supporting Aregbesola, only to be released at about 6.00pm of August 9, 2014 without being charged to court for any offence.

As contained in the statement of fact filed along with the application, the detainees argued that their arrest, torture and inhuman treatment, to which they were subjected, were based on a frivolous allegation of loitering, as later disclosed by the DSS Spokesperson, Mrs Marilyn Ogar, in an interview on Channels Television, saying such offence is unknown to law.

Their inhuman treatment without any order of court or legal basis whatsoever, they claimed, constitutes gross violation of the applicants’ rights under sections 34 and 35 of the Constitution.

In the issues formulated by counsel to the applicants, it was argued that the aim of the arrest was to terrorise the applicants and restrict their movement in an atmosphere dominated by sheer state terror and complete impunity, which is totally unjustifiable in law.

The illegal arrest and detention, he said, was against the order of an Osogbo High Court restraining the respondents from engaging in arbitrary arrest of members of APC, saying, unless the appropriate sanction is applied, such harassment, intimidation, detention, and crass impunity against other members of the society and the applicants’ violated rights would be without remedy.

Osun 2014: Ita-Olokan APC Fetes Members

By FRANCIS EZEDIUNO TILL basking in the August 9, 2014 Osun gubernatorial election victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Ita-Olokan, Osogbo party members have dedicated the victory to the grace of God and the willingness of the people of the state to defend democracy at all cost.

Stating this at a get- APC was divinely-inspired together held to felicitate because since the people with APC members in Ita- were with Ogbeni Olokan, Osogbo, the APC Aregbesola, the approval leader, Taofeeq Shittu, of God was sure. stated that the victory of He stated that despite

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the lies and propaganda spread around by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the people knew who they wanted and they rightly cast their votes for the right candidate.

While calling on all party members to come together and work for the success of the governor, Shittu noted that Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has now once again become the governor of all Osun and

not only of the APC. Party leaders present at get together included Alhaji Fatai Oyedele Diekola, Honourable Ajibola Bashiru, Alhaji Teslim Igbalaye and Alhaji Liadi Gbadamosi.

The wife of the governor, Alhaja Sherifat Aregbesola also donated cash gifts towards the welfare of APC members at Ita-Olokan area of the state capital.

News

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OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Osun Poll, Best Ever - INEC

By KEHINDE AYANTUNJI

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HE Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Mr. Kayode Idowu, has said that the recent governorship election in the State of Osun recorded the highest number of voters’ turnout in the history of Nigeria.

Idowu, who disclosed this in a telephone interview with OSUN DEFENDER during the week, said promptness of the voters to the polling units, retrieval system and

conduct of the voters, among others, were used as judging parameters for conclusion.

He noted that the state governorship poll was the best the INEC had ever

conducted in the history of Nigeria.

While comparing the election with that of Ekiti State, he said despite the fact that Osun has more local government council

•BATTLE FIELD AT OSUN GROOVE: A Nigeria Police Officer and area boys fighting at Osun Groove during the 2014 Osun Osogbo festival last Saturday.

Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

APC Group Attributes Aregbesola’s Re-election To Performance

By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

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ELEBRATION of victory for the reelection of Governor Rauf Aregbesola continued on Friday, as the Chief Rufai Oyebamiji group of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Irewole Local Government Council Area of the state celebrated the success with a special Jumat service.

The Octogerian, Chief the election, as the people Oyebamiji, who was a of the state voted two-term lawmaker in the massively for him old Oyo State, is a leader because they wanted the of APC in the local ongoing reformation to government council area. continue.

He described “What Aregbesola did Aregbesola’s re-election in his first term were as a reward for his milestones and he has many commitment to the introduced development of the state initiatives to governance, which would forever and divine work.

Saying that the purpose remain reference points of the Jumat service and to the whole world.

“Aregbesola’s the prayer session was to appreciate God for i n f r a s t r u c t u r a l answering their developmental initiatives so massive that no supplications for the are government had ever success of Aregbesola at done anything like this in the poll, Oyebamiji added the history of Osun and that if not for prayers, the the same thing is story would have happening in other changed. sectors.

According to him, “In the area of considering the education especially, we antecedents of the major are happy that contender at the poll and Aregbesola stepped into the federal might that was the shoes of Chief introduced into the race, Obafemi Awolowo, no one could ever thought which saved the Western that the poll could be held Region from illiteracy.

That is why we remain without any bloodshed.

He also said committed to his course,” Aregbesola’s passion and he said.

Chief Oyebamiji then action towards the development of the state urged the people, also spoke volume during especially members of

APC, to remain committed with the optimism that they would all benefit from the administration.

The women leader of the group, Mrs Kemi

Oladele, hoped that Aregbesola’s second term would be better than the first term, saying that his performance in the first term facilitated his re-election.

He therefore urged the governor to further strengthen his efforts at developing the state, to ensure that he leaves good legacies for the coming generations.

areas than Ekiti State, the INEC encountered lesser difficulties than what were obtained in Ekiti State.

He said: “By every parameter, the Osun State governorship election was the best we have ever conducted in recent times. In terms of the time of opening of the polling units, by 8.00am, a large percentage of the voters had already turned out.

“In terms of the conduct of the people, it was the best we have ever had. There was no case of violence anywhere. If you look at the total turnout, it was 56 per cent of the registered voters. If you count the number of people who picked their cards, they were up to 76 per cent. It was the highest in Nigerian history.

“If you look at the retrieval system that helped us in assessing the declaration of the results, it was smooth. In Ekiti State, where we dealt with only 16 local government council areas, it was not as smooth as what we had in Osun State with 30 local government council areas.

INEC has been commended for improving in the area of provision of logistics and promptness of its officers to polling units during the poll, while the state electorate were said to contribute in no small measure to the successful conduct of the poll.

Osun 2014: OAU Students Congratulate Aregbesola

By FRANCIS EZEDIUNO

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level student of Chemical Engineering, who clearly stated that Aregbesola won the contest based on his relentless effort in developing Osun and also noted that OAU students stand to be non-partisan to any political party but the voice of the people.

According to him: “Ogbeni remains the governor of the state because he has proved himself to be a true leader in

TUDENTS of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), IleIfe, State of Osun, have sent their congratulatory messages to Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who emerged the winner of the August 9, 2014 gubernatorial election in the state.

Aregbesola, who hidden to all students, contested under the teaching staff and nonplatform of the All teaching staff of OAU, Progressives Congress that’s why he won on OAU (APC), won the election campus,” Jaleel disclosed.

Also congratulating flawlessly by taking the lead in 24 local government Governor Aregbesola was council areas out of the 30 Akande Omotayo, a 400in the state.

Despite the ongoing shutdown of academic activities on OAU campus,

By BOLANLE BABALOLA the students managed to keep themselves relevant in N Osogbo Magistrate’s Court sitting on 22 the state by felicitating with August, 2014 has ordered that one Babalola Governor Aregbesola.

Tunde be remanded in Ilesa Prison custody In a chat with this medium, for allegedly raping one eight-year old Komolafe Olanipekun Jaleel, a 300-level student of Political Science, Kemi. person The presiding Magistrate accused stated that Ogbeni Aregbesola had been tested Olusola Aluko, who gave committed the offence and trusted. the order, said the accused around Aga, Ido-Osun, at “I congratulate Ogbeni person should be in prison about 1.00p.m, Osogbo, Rauf Aregbesola on his custody because of the the State of Osun capital. success in the just- magnitude of the offence, It was stated that Tunde concluded gubernatorial pending when the formal unlawfully had canal election. He has been tested bail application will be knowledge of one and trusted by the people of presented by the defence Komolafe Kemi forcefully, Osun; his efforts in making counsel knowing the absence of Osun a better place is According to the charge her parents, who happened undeniable. sheet read in court, the to be his neighbours.

“These facts are not

the state.”

“The generality of OAU students still remain nonpartisan to any political party. Ours is a neutral body that will always support the good and not the bad.”

O S U N DEFENDER gathered that students were glad that Ogbeni emerged the winner because he was worthy to be the next governor of Osun and that was why the people gave him their votes.

Court Remands Man 40 For Raping Girl, 8

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The accused however pleaded not guilty to the one count charge of rape slammed before him.

According to the charge sheet, the offence contravened Section 218 of the crimal criminal code Cap 34 Vol. 11, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria 2003 Magistrate Aluko did not accept the plea of the accused, while he ordered that the defence counsel, Barrister Nnena should present a formal bail application of her client, while he further adjourned the case till October 13, 2014 for mention.

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OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Osun and 2015: The game changer Continued from pg1

Overwhelming presence The overwhelming presence of security men in the state in the days ahead of the poll did not impede the electorate from exercising their will on who governs them. That indeed, is a reassuring sign for many Nigerians and the international community that the 2015 election could be a free and fair election.

Indeed, ahead of the polls last weekend, the APC and its flag bearer, Aregbesola, had in the face of the strong presence of security men around the state betrayed clear signs of unease. The APC’s national spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed in statements painted the impression of the determination of the presidency to rig the election in a clear determination to reshape the political configuration of the Southwest ahead of the decisive 2015 election.

Such panic caused the opposition party to summon all its elected office holders and political appointees from across the country to show presence in Osun State from last Tuesday as a way of boosting the morale of its supporters in that state.

The PDP’s candidate was also lifted by the presence of strong detachment of the security forces whose presence helped to suppress whatever advantages the incumbency factor would have given to Aregbesola.

Omisore also had his friends from the Senate including Senators Enyininnya Abaribe, Ehigie Uzamere and some others to lift his heart. But the most decisive factors were the

voters on ground who at the end of voting on Saturday showed their preference for the incumbent.

The outcome was, however, not a rout as the Aregbesola camp had predicted it would be without rigging. That underscored the agitation among some PDP loyalists who had sought for an alternative candidate. Omisore, a former deputy governor of Osun State had before this election been on the winning side of all the gubernatorial elections conducted in Osun State. He was deputy governor to Chief Bisi Akande, strongly supported the immediate past governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola in 2003 and 2007, but, however, came short in delivering himself into an office he had in the past helped others to enter.

Though a very lively man with sound education, the factors against Omisore were mostly fanned by perceptions about him arising from his trial for the murder of Chief Bola Ige, a former attorney general of the federation. Omisore who was acquitted of complicity in that murder, however, did little to clear that perception. Besides, his political foes helped to fan the negative perception about him.

Oyinlola, the immediate past governor of the state who himself had a grudge against the PDP rubbed in the Ige wound on the people when he questioned why President Jonathan had surrounded himself with all those who were questioned over the murder of Ige. “The candidate of the PDP was arrested for killing Ige. He was arrested and detained. “The national secretary of the [PDP], Professor Wale Oladipo, was also detained in connection with the killing. The Minister of Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan, was also detained.

“The chairman of the party in this state,

Ayobami Olaoluwa, was also arrested. So, why is everyone who was in detention given appointment or put in a position of authority? We need to ask the government,” Oyinlola said.

Great minus Linking anyone or party with the death of Ige was a great minus especially given the adoration that Ige continues to draw from most parts of the state. The election was also an opportunity for political enemies in the Southwest to hit at him. Tinubu had by every indication mounted the platform of political leadership of the Southwest with the dominance of his party in five of the six Southwest states. After the loss of Ekiti, his political empire was trimmed to four states and the prospect of losing Osun, had in the last weeks of the campaign become an exciting lure for Tinubu bashers in the region.

Internal dissent It was especially so, given that Aregbesola was generally considered the closest of the APC governors to Tinubu.

The internal dissent to Tinubu in the Southwest was especially fanned by vestiges of Afenifere, the socio-political organization through which Tinubu, himself emerged as governor of Lagos State in 1999. But the former governor’s alleged role in splintering Afenifere after his emergence as governor helped to create animosity that today irks many Yoruba leaders.

Even though many Afenifere leaders did not come out openly to antagonise Tinubu and Aregbesola ahead of the election, some of them were enthusiastically waiting to celebrate the downfall of the APC in Osun.

Celebrating the downfall APC leaders who learnt from their laxity in Ekiti were well prepared for Osun and went out of the way to woo known and unknown enemies. PDP on the other hand did not help its candidate with

It’s Now Time To Support O’Renewal The More

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HANK you for keeping the good work alive. Like Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, your medium is keeping faith with its avowed mandate of promoting the tenets of democratic ideals through the entrenchment of the virtues of progressive governance.

I find in your medium a most reliable ally I can entrust with the message of truth I have for the generality of our people.

Your auspicious role in the past, most especially during the struggle for the reclamation of the people’s stolen mandate, has proven you tested and trusted.

Now that the gubernatorial election for our state is over, we can work together all over again to appeal to the sensibility of our people, so as to gear them up towards making the one and only wisest decision to make our state great.

The area I find irresistible

to focus on this time around is the beautification cum urban renewal programme of the administration. For some time now, we have all witnessed the new look worn by our entire state via the dramatic transformation brought about by the instrumentality of the State of Osun Urban Renewal P r o g r a m m e

(O’RENEWAL).

Firstly, I intend to laud the efforts of our governor, Ogbeni Aregbesola, in the various ongoing projects in the state; most especially, the massive road projects, the schools’ infrastructure projects, the agricultural revolution, and particularly, the Urban Renewal project.

At last, we, in the State of Osun can beat our chest and

feel confident that we have safe, beautiful and befitting abode. We owe sincere appreciation to Aregbesola for taking this bold step.

The State of Osun Urban Renewal Project, known for short as O’RENEWAL is a project aimed at giving facelift to our towns and cities and bringing them up

to the standards of today’s urban centres. In this regard, nine selected major towns in the state chosen on the basis of their centrality in their respective federal constituencies are mapped for rebuilding and upgrade in features and amenities.

These cities include Osogbo, the state capital, Ikirun, Ila-Orangun, Ejigbo,

Iwo, Ede, Ilesa, Ile Ife and Ikire. More towns-shall be covered by the effort in further phases of the project in future.

With this step, development is decentralized; as it is spread large and wide across the state. The step taken by the government of the state in holding wide consultations with community members and stakeholders is wellconceived and highly commendable.

While I cannot but tongue-lash the critics of this administration; I enjoin all and sundry to give their rallying support to the administration in order to ensure that success is attained in all its programmes and projects. I bet that we shall all be better for it in a non-distant future time.

•SEGUN ADEROJU, Lagere, Ile-Ife, State of Osun.

the clear animosity towards rebels in the party.

The treatment of Oyinlola and another former governor of the state, Senator Isiaka Adeleke subsequently proved to be one of the major problems for the PDP on Election Day. Though Oyinlola did not muster enough votes to win his booth, Adeleke’s grip on Ede, one of the largest towns in the state helped to firmly deliver the town to the APC. After being lured into the PDP gubernatorial contest, the former governor was allegedly forced out by what he claimed to be impediments put on his way. That was the beginning of his defection to the APC, a move the PDP would now regret not to have stopped.

One APC source revealed that Adeleke was the candidate the party feared most could trouble Aregbesola. But even after he withdrew, the PDP hierarchy in the state failed to soothe him giving him room to defect. Tinubu, the APC national leader and the many presidential aspirants in the party would be very gleeful with the outcome of the polls. Yesterday, a source said Tinubu was himself very bouncy as he saw the result as a vindication against the aspiration of his internal foes in the Southwest. For the presidential aspirants, the outcome of the election gives hope that their permutations of forging a Southwest and Northern alliance against the PDP remains feasible.

For President Jonathan, the permutation may have been that whatever loss of support he may have suffered in the North would be gained in the Southwest. Now, it is back to basics.

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

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Anniversary OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 26, 2014

The State Of Osun At 23

Beginning Of New Beginnings For the State of Osun in the South-Western geopolitical zone of Nigeria, this is a season of celebrations.

Following the victory of the incumbent governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, in the recently-held gubernatorial election, the state has been in the mood of celebration. Back to back, the celebration of the annual Isese Festival and the annual Osun Osogbo Festival were marked before the August 27 date; the anniversary of the state's twenty-third year of existence. NIYI OLASINDE devotes this series to the celebration of the current monumental achievements recorded for the state and its people by the Government Unusual of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola. He joins the fold of patriots in concluding that the people have all causes to celebrate.

•Laro-Timehin Middle School, Isale-Osun, Osogbo, recently built under the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

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MAGAZINE

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Beginning Of New Beginnings

•AREGBESOLA WEDNESDAY, August 27, 2014 is another historical date in the life of the State of Osun, which has the appellation of the State of the Virtuous (which translates into Ipinle Omoluabi) in our indigenous language. Exactly on that date in 1991, the state was carved out of the old Oyo state, which was indeed one of the largest states in the federation.

The new creation was widely accepted. In the affected area, the creation, apart from giving relief and satisfaction to the people, residents and indigenes alike, also issued out a new hope of faster, undisturbed progress and development to the people. After all, that is one of the rationales behind creation of new states anywhere.

Twenty-three years into the creation of the new state, it is historically and developmentally worth the while to sit down and reminisce on the achievements of the state, in terms of provision of infrastructure and improvement in polity and socio-economic lives of the people, with a view to charting the course for the future of the state. This piece is devoted mainly to conducting that assignment. That was just what the governor of the state, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola did on the august occasion which took place in the month of August last year. He was forthright and up and doing in highlighting the journey so far in our statehood; as well as enunciating, from the stage at which the baton of leadership of the state was handed over to him, the many unprecedented achievements of the Government Unusual. The broadcast speech was indeed replete with these achievements. In the State of Osun of today, the achievements speak for themselves. They are lofty and too visible for all to notice, Even the blind could not ignore the fact that lots of developmental projects are going on in the state. This have been attested to by worst critics of the incumbent administration, especially some of them who still have some degree of tolerance for objective analysis In a state-wide live broadcast to commemorate last year’s occasion, Governor Aregbesola traced the course of the development of the state and how well it had fared in the hands of its leaders. In an objective and transparent manner, he traced the activities of regimes and administrations that had come the way of the state one after the other. He did not mince words to emphasize the significance of few instances in the state’s span of life when it had been privileged to fall in the hand of progressive governance.

The Chief Executive underscored the numerous achievements of the administrations of Chief Bisi Akande and his own incumbent one which came on board through the judgment delivered by the courageous judges of the Federal Court of Appeal sitting at Ibadan, Oyo State capital on Friday, November 26 2010. So far, it is evident that that judgment delivered that historical day has brought justice and sanity the way of the state and its people. As a matter of fact, it is a matter of one good turn deserving another.

Why? The people had earlier demonstrated their resolve for change in the baton of leadership when they voted en masse for the progressive Action Congress (AC) of the time. Though the party had metamorphosed on two occasions and has now come to be known as the AllProgressives Congress (APC); the philosophy of progressive governance has not been eroded from its policies, principles and agenda. So and so, the governor rolled out the giant strides of his administration and expressed the avouched determination not to renege on its

•LAOYE-TOMORI team’s resolve to better the lives of the masses of people inhabiting the State of the Virtuous.

Earlier than that grand occasion of state-wide broadcast, the celebrations of the state’s twenty-second anniversary of its creation had started. On Sunday, August 25 adherents of Christian faith congregated with the state’s Deputy Governor Otunba (Mrs.) Grace Titilayo Laoye-Tomori and her team at All Saints Cathedral, Balogun Agoro Osogbo to appreciate the goodness of God so benevolently showered on the state and her people over the years. The state service, which was graced by eminent clerics of the Christian faith across the state, was well attended. At the service, Otunba Grace Titilayo Laoye-Tomori did similar task to what her boss was to do barely two days later when she enunciated on the dividends of democracy which their government had dispensed to the people. She however went a little further to enjoin the people of the state to continue to accord maximum cooperation to the incumbent administration and all its activities, policies and programmes.

In her speech, the Deputy Governor further implored those adversely affected by the numerous development projects ongoing in the state to kindly bear with the administration, urging them to see their sacrifice, especially in the various separation projects as part and parcel of their contribution to the success of the Project Osun and the actualization of the dreams, yearnings and aspiration of the founding fathers of the state.

On the heels of this, the Jumaat Service commemorating the creation of the state was held at the Osogbo Central Mosque on Friday, August 30, 2013. The service was attended by a large cross section of adherents of Islamic faith. In attendance at the programme was the governor himself flanked by his entourage. Prayers were held for the peace and progress of the state; while supplications were held for the success of the incumbent administration in its drive to lift the standard of living of all and sundry in the state in all ramifications. This year also, the governor joined a host of other worsjippers tp observe the Juma’t prayers at the Islahudeen Central Mosque at Alekuwodo Area of Osogbo, the state capital.

Thus were the celebrations commemorating last year’s episode for the creation of the State of Osun observed.

The whole essence and justification for these celebrations derives from the fact that the state has been revived from slumber, sloth and lethargy, evident in her retarded growth.

We as a people have been rescued from the venomous fangs of captors who were desperately hell-bent to consume the fortunes of the state to a point of extinction.

This year also, the celebrations have kicked off as usual.

As pointed out in the introductory note to this edition, the State of Osun is in the midstream of celebrations this season. It is not contestable that we have causes to celebrate; especially, judging from how prosperously the state has fared in the hand of the incumbent administration.

The event of the peaceful conduct of the Governorship Elections which held recently is enough cause for celebration. The focus of the entire world was on the State of Osun; and the expectation was that the elections would culminate in a tug of war. The glad disappointment is that the elections held peacefully and the popular candidate emerged winner at the end of the day.

Having dealt satisfactorily with the events of the

celebration of the creation of our state, our commonwealth, we shall now shift focus to other matters having to do with states and their creation, especially the deriving benefits in Nigeria, and the experience of our state in her statehood status.

WE would recall that the State of Osun, nicknamed initially as the State of the Living Spring came into existence on Tuesday, August 27, 1991. This year makes it exactly twenty-three years that the state was created. The name Osun derived from the personality of the Osun goddess.

Prior to the eventual creation of the state, the name Osun had long been an identity for the people in this part of the old Ibadan Province of the old Western Region. That development earned the people of the area the identity of Osun people. Going by this record, it becomes clear that Osogbo had a long record and reputation of sub-provincial headquarters, commercial hub and haven of culture. This implies that the city had for long been destined for greatness, especially as the host to the administrative headquarters of a state. More to the city’s advantage is its centrality being clustered by a reasonably wide expanse of reasonably large villages, towns and cities. Unfortunately, this her envisioned greatness could not be fully accessed until a state of her own was created,, barely fifteen years after it was created into the old Oyo State. More unfortunate is the bitter truth that the state has, since her creation fallen victim of purposeless and directionless administrations and regimes.

The creation of the State of Osun in 1991 coincided with the year’s episode of the annual international festival held in honour of the river goddess, since that year of the creation of the state, that coincidence has been an annual occurrence, since the Osun Osogbo Festival is annually held towards the end of the month of August. In 2011, it was placed on record how the events of the grand finale coincided with the exact date of creation of the state, which was August 27.

In the year 2012 however, the grand finale of the occasion of the annual Osun Osogbo International Festival, which climaxed a two-week eventful, action-packed and impressive bundle of programmes was held on Friday, August 24. This year’s occasion took place last Friday, August 22; and is being followed this week with the celebration of the state’s Founders’ Day. As has always been the practice with OSUN DEFENDER Magazine, we celebrate with people celebrating, in consonance with the popular Biblical injunction in that regard. That explains the reason why OSUN DEFENDER Magazine was part and parcel of the earlier-reported in this report. For the purposes of recordsetting and reminiscences, we shall turn to tracing the antecedents of state creation in the country, the events of state creation which brought luck the way of the state on Tuesday, August 27, 1991 and how well-off (or worse-off) the state has fared ever since creation. We also intend to capture the real essence of our celebrations, that is, how well-off the state fares today under the incumbent dynamic leadership of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola and his indefatigable team. Finally, it is intended to take a microscopic, periscopic and kaleidoscopic view of the future, with the aim of making projections and predictions

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 26, 2014

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OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 26, 2014

PHOTOTALK

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2014 Osun Osogbo Festival At Osun Groove, Osogbo, State Of Osun, Last Saturday.

Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

•Chief Yemi Elebuibon (left) and other dignitaries at the Osun Groove, last Saturday.

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•A sea of heads at Osun Groove entrance.

•Some of the Yeye Osun at the programme.

•A cross section of traditional chiefs receiving blessing from the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun.

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PHOTOTALK

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 26, 2014

2014 Osun Osogbo Festival At Osun Groove, Osogbo, State Of Osun, Last Saturday.

Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

•A crowd at Osun Groove.

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•Masquerades at the event.

•Some of the Osun worshippers at the shrine.

•Eyo masquerades at the event.

PHOTOTALK

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 26, 2014

2014 Osun Osogbo Festival At Osun Groove, Osogbo, State Of Osun, Last Saturday.

Photo: GBENGAADENIYI.

•A cross section of Osun worshippers on their way to Osun Groove.

•A mammoth crowd on their way to Osun Groove.

•The Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun (middle) and his wives at the event.

MAGAZINE

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 26, 2014

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Beginning Of New Beginnings

•ADELEKE

•AKANDE

•OYINLOLA

Contiuned from page 6 about the future of the state. As the case usually is, we shall precisely make predictions into a foreseeable future time the trend and scope of progress which we envisage that the state shall witness in practically all sectors of life.

Prior to the time of its gaining political independence on October 1, 1960, Nigeria had assumed several forms in terms of its polarization, partition and division for administrative convenience. These divisions, obvious creations of the colonial imperialist, could be aptly described as mere human efforts at maximizing the best gains for each division, from the available (massive) resources with which the country has been long-endowed. But the fact must be stressed also that the nation had also been endowed with a God-given division/ polarization, which formed the people/ ethnic groups into their different locations within the country.

This natural division is a creation from the letter “Y” which the major natural rivers which flow through the length and breadth and entire massive expanse of the country. The major rivers, Niger and Benue, enter our land through the Western and Eastern extremes of the Northern parts of the country respectively; meet in a confluence at Lokoja before flowing in unison to empty with many tributaries into the Atlantic Ocean at the Southernmost part of the landscape, called the Niger Delta.

As a build-up to the political independence of the country, what had been in vogue for decades since the nation came under colonial administration in the 1860s had conformed to the natural division mentioned above, according to letter “Y” structure, the three existing structures then were the Northern Region, the Eastern Region and the Western Region. This arrangement was maintained till 1953/54 when under the McPherson Constitution, another region was carved out of the existing Western Region. Thus, Nigeria since then began to be a four-region country. This structure was maintained through the Independence Era to the beginning of the Military Era in 1966.

The year 1966 alone ushered in for Nigeria a watershed of two bloody military interventions. On the night of Sunday, January 15, 1966, a group of young revolutionary army officers led by Major Kaduna Chukwuma Nzeogu staged a mutiny with a view to taking over the reins of power and governance of the country. The coup-de-tat, which was initially staged at Kaduna spread to other parts of the country like Ibadan, Lagos and Abeokuta. But since the real impact was not much felt in Lagos, the administrative capital of the nation as at the time, the coup flopped and ended in power being handed over to a neutral hand. The Prime Minister and Head of Government of the time, Alhaji (Sir) Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (CON) and his Minister of Finance, Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh having been kidnapped, Chief Nwafor Orizu, the Senate President on advice of the Council of Ministers at an overnight meting handed over power and governance of the country to the Armed Forces on the dawn of Monday, January 16, 1966.

Thus, the first indigenous General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, and the most senior indigenous military officer of the time, Major-General Johnson Thomas Umunakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi was called upon to take over the rulership of the nation. Some fatal losses attendant to that January 1966 military take-over included the death of top-ranking military officers and eminent

politicians which included Alhaji (Sir) Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, the Prime Minister of Nigeria; Chief (Sir) Festus Okotie-Eboh, the Minister of Finance; Alhaji (Sir) Ahmadu Bello (Sardauna of Sokoto and the Premier of the Northern Region); and Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola, Premier of the Western Region. The top-ranking military officers swept off by the intervention included Majors Maimalari, Sodeinde and Ademulegun. In a nutshell, General Aguiyi-Ironsi became the first Military Head of State and Head of Government of independent Nigeria. Thus was the stage set for the threatened unity and peaceful coexistence of Nigeria; even at that infancy stage of her independence status and republican nationhood.

The coup-de-tat of January 1966 was to be trailed about six months later by another mutiny led by a group of reactionary military officers of Northern extraction. On July 29, 1966, another bloody coup was staged, which made the baton of leadership of the country to change. By it, the onus of leadership of the country fell on the shoulders and laps of General Yakubu Gowon (rtd.), GCFR. The rest is history. The relevance of the brief historical background lies in the issue of state creation. It was the regime of General Yakubu Gowon which on May 27, 1967 changed the status of Nigeria from a four-region status to a twelve-state federation. As it was, Nigeria on that date had four regions namely, Northern Region (with Colonel Hassan Katsina as Governor);; Mid-Western Region (Major David Ejoor); Western Region (Colonel Francis Adekunle Fajuyi); and Eastern Region (Colonel Chukwuemeka O. Ojukwu). Nigeria thus began to have twelve states on May 27, 1967.

Upon the ouster of General Gowon in 1975, a new dispensation came on board which brought the late General Murtala Ramat Mohammed to the mantle of leadership as the Head of State. At his instance, came for the first time in the annals of our nationhood, much reform. His reforms, in every stratum of our national life, shook the nation to its very foundations. Corruption, nepotism, regionalism and other vices were frowned at with stiff punitive – so much that Nigeria was set on the right course to a positive turnaround. Most remarkable and with the deepest and most indelible imprints were the Local Government Reforms and the state creation exercises of those days. General Mohammed created more states, accompanied by boundary adjustments. Under his military regime, Nigeria became a federation of nineteen states. With this structure, real indigenous formation, outlook and identity began to form shape for Nigeria.

At the time of Murtala’s assassination on February 13, 1976, Nigeria had become a country of nineteen states. All through the military regime of Mohammed’s successor, General Olusegun Obasano (rtd.); the Second Republic democratic tenure of Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari; and the military regime of General Mohammadu Buhari (rtd.), which aborted the Second Republic on December 31, 1983, the nineteen-state structure stood stuck. One fact that needs be stressed at this point is that in spite of this nineteen-state structure, the old regional structure was still exerting its influence on the fabrics and affairs of our country. This was most prominently felt during the Second Republic, which spanned between October 1, 1979 and December 31, 1983. As a matter of fact; outlook, philosophies and membership of political parties under that dispensation reflected regional affiliation. Admission and

appointment policies into schools, colleges, institutions and civil/public services were woven around political underpinnings. The afore-mentioned Buhari/Idiagbon regime had its tenure lasting between December 31, 1983 and August 27, 1985.

On August 27, 1985, a bloodless palace coup brought General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd.) to the reins of power. Babangida thus became the first military president in Nigeria. Other military leaders before and after him were known by the title of “Head of State”. But Babangida adopted the title of “President and Commander- In-Chief of the Armed Forces”. Along the line of state creation, Babangida’s policy came in two phases. In 1987, Babangida created two additional states to make the total number of states add up to twenty-one (21). These two states such created were Katsina State and Akwa-Ibom State.

On August 27, 1991, President Babangida announced in a nationwide presidential broadcast commemorating the sixth year anniversary of his regime, the creation of nine (9) new states. On that date, Nigeria became a thirty (30)-state federation. The states such created were Kogi State, created from the old Kwara State; Yobe State, created from the old Borno State; Adamawa and Taraba states, created from the old Gongola State; and Kebbi State, created from the old Sokoto State. Also created were Enugu State, created from the old Anambra State; and Abia State, created from the old Imo State. Others such created were Jigawa State, created from the old Kano State; Edo and Delta states, created from the old Bendel State; and finally the State of Osun, created out of the old Oyo State. This state creation exercise brought the State of Osun, as it has come to be known today, the State of the Virtuous into existence.

The creation twenty-three years ago is the central cause of celebrations this season; and the antecedents, events and aftermath of it, plus the hope of the moment and the anticipation for the future are being chronicled in this series of OSUN DEFENDER Magazine.

The next and the last in the series of state creation in Nigeria came five years after the previous one of 1991. In his thirty-sixth (36th) Independence Anniversary broadcast on October 1, 1996, the late General Sani Abacha, who was the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of the time, announced the creation of six (6) additional states. Such states created in 1996 were Zamfara State – created from the old Sokoto/Kebbi states; Gombe State – created from the old Bauchi State; Nasarawa State – created out of the old Plateau State; Bayelsa State – created out of the old Rivers State; Ebonyi State – created out of the old Enugu State; and Ekiti State – created out of the old Ondo State. It was this state creation exercise by the late Abacha that bequeathed the thirty-six-state structure which Nigeria has on ground till date to it. Nigeria as at 1966 had risen from the status of a four-region nation that it was at independence in 1960 to a thirty-six state structure.

ON Tuesday, August 27, 1991, it was jubilations galore throughout the streets of cities, towns and villages located within the precincts of the areas hitherto known as Osun, Ife/Ijesa and Osun North-East divisions of the old Ibadan Province (or the old Western Region/State Oyo State). The jubilations were over an issue which had been pursued by the people since the 1940s. The pursuance was for selfContiuned on page 12

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Beginning Of New Beginnings Contiuned from page 11 expression, self-identity and self-governance. The people of the area had continuously clamoured for the creation of a state of their own, thereby bringing the machinery of governance closer to the people at the grassroots, thus facilitating and enhancing the pace of socio-economic and infrastructural development and progress of the area and of its people.

Prior to the state creation of 1991, the area covered by the present-day State of Osun of Nigeria was part of the old Oyo State, created in 1976, with the capital city in Ibadan, the largest city in Black Africa (or Africa South of Sahara); which in turn was part of the old Western Region.

At the time of the creation of the State of Osun in 1991, the old Oyo State had as constituents a total of forty-two (42) local government council areas, namely: Afijio, Ayedaade, Ayedire, Akinyele, Atakunmosa and Boripe. Others included Ede, Egbeda, Egbedore, Ejigbo, Ibadan, Ibarapa, Ido, Ifelodun, Ifedayo and Ifeloju local government areas.

We also had the Ife Central, Ife North, Ife South, Ila, Ilesa, Iseyin, Irewole, Irepo, Irepodun, Iwo and Kajola. Also included were Lagelu, Obokun, Odo-Otin, Ogbomoso, Ogo Oluwa, Ona Ara, Ola Oluwa, Olorunda, Oluyole, Oorelope, Oriade, Oriire, Osogbo, Oyo and Surulere local government council areas. All these local government council areas formed the nucleus of the old Oyo State and witnessed attendant growth, development and multiplication which their creation symbolized.

However, the number and impact of these local government areas did not deter the founding fathers of the emerging “Osun State” from carrying on with the struggle for the actualization of the establishment of their own state.

Let it be made known in passing that the struggle for the creation of a state called Osun predated Nigeria’s independence in 1960. The credit and glory for its eventual creation; therefore transcend what could be ascribed only to those who lived to witness its actual creation in 1991. It involved a large number of others who were long-gone before its actual creation saw the light of day.

With the state creation of 1991, the infant Osun State, which was carved out of the old Oyo State, had twentytwo (22) of the forty-two (42) first-generation local government council areas that had first existed; while the remaining twenty (20) went to the emerging Oyo State. The first set of local government council areas which fell on the soils of the new Osun State were Ayedaade, Ayedire, Atakunmosa and Boripe. Others were Ede, Egbedore, Ejigbo and Ifelodun local government council areas. It also included Ife Central,, Ife North, Ife South, Ila, Ilesa, Irewole, Irepodun and Iwo. Also, Obokun, Odo Otin, Ola Oluwa, Olorunda, Oriade and Osogbo were among the councils in the new Osun State. The old Oyo State, which was its parent-state, started in 1976 with twenty-four (24) local government areas. Its sister-state, the surviving Oyo State, was left with only twenty (20) local government areas in 1991. In spite of the ratio today is 30:33 for Osun and Oyo states respectively; it is still worthy of praise for the State of Osun in the twenty-three years of its existence and survival. The fact that between 1991 and year 1996, (a period of five years); the number of local government council areas had increased from twenty-two (22) to thirty (30) is highly

•A recently commisssioned road in Ilesa.

commendable. This is not to talk of the Ife East Area Office, situated at Modakeke, which came about in year 2000 as a child of necessity. Today, arrangements (legislative, administrative and otherwise) are in top gear by the incumbent administration of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola to create more local government councils/area development councils for smoother, more effective and development-driven administration of the State of Osun.

THE State of Osun as could be easily suggested, got her name derived from the Yoruba goddess of water, worshipped in some parts of South West Nigeria and yonder. The state was carved out of the old Oyo State on August 27, 1991.

Osun State had as its totem “the State of the Living Spring”.

This sobriquet got changed to the State of the Virtuous (Ipinle Omoluabi) in February 2011 as part of the reform (rebranding) agenda of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, upon his ascending the reins of power and governance in the state. In addition to change of sobriquet, the state also got brand-new Anthem, logo/crest, flag and colours, which all culminate in total rebranding, reengineering and renaissance.

The State of Osun covers an area of approximately 14,875 square kilometers, lies between longitude 04 00"E and 05 05"E and latitude 05 558" and 0807" and is bounded by Kwara State in the North, Ekiti and Ondo States in the East, Oyo State in the West and Ogun State in the South. The state is peopled entirely by the Yoruba-speaking people of several sub-ethnic groups, namely the Ifes, the Ijesas, the Oyos, the Igbominas and the Ibolos. Though the Oyos, Ibolos and Igbominas are often referred to (most sarcastically) as the Oyo Proper.

The 1991 National Population Census put the Population Census put the population of the state at 2.2 million. There are more than 200 towns, villages and settlements in the state. Results of the 2006 National Population Census revealed that the state’s population had increased almost by double, as the figure was put at 3,423,535. This population surge is due partly to the developmental after-effects of the state creation which came fifteen (15) years earlier; as the 1991 Population head-count was conducted barely two months after the state creation exercise i.e. in October 1991.

However, there are strong indications that the population of the state as at date must have surged up to 3.7 million or slightly above, especially, owing to the industrial drive and other development efforts of the incumbent administration..

With some of the major towns including Osogbo, Ile-Ife, Ilesa, Ikirun, Iwo, Ede, Ila-Orangun and Ikire, others that are fairly large are Ipetumodu, Ejigbo, Ilobu, Gbongan, Inisa, Ijebu-Ijesa, Ipetu-Ijesa, Okuku, Iree, Ifon-Osun, Iragbiji etc.

The political delineation of the state goes thus: 3 senatorial Districts, 9 Federal Constituencies and 26 State Constituencies. The state has 30 Local Government councils and one Area office that comprise more than 300 wards. Having specified the indigenous sub ethnic groups of the state so succinctly, non-indigenes from all parts of Nigeria and foreigners reside in the state, living together in harmony. Yoruba and English are languages of the people for official and business transactions. The state of Osun is endowed with highly literate and articulate populace, who constitute a virile and productive workforce.

Traditionally, the people engage in agriculture and

produce sufficient food and cash crops for domestic consumption and as inputs for agro-allied industries and for exports. Reasonable segments of the populace are also traders and artisans. Other occupations of the people include hand weavings, mat making, dyeing, soap making, wood carving, among many others.

The people of the state of Osun have a rich cultural heritage which is eloquently demonstrated in all areas of their lives. Their cultural heritage finds expression in their arts, literature, music and other social activities. It is marvelous being among the people and savouring the beauty of their well acclaimed cultural inheritance.

The physical environment is quite auspicious as there are roughly 8 to 9 months of rainfall annually, with dry harmattan spell of about 3 months. This annual variation in climatic elements, coupled with abundant fertile soil favour the growth of a number of food crops, including vegetables, yam, orange, banana, plantain as well as cash crops like cassava, cocoa, rice, kolanut, and palm trees etcetera. There is expanse of grassland scattered across the state which favour animal husbandry.

Tourists in the State of Osun are guaranteed maximum hospitality as there are standard hotels in all the major towns in the state which cater for the basic needs. They provide suitable accommodation and render other hotel/ catering services at moderate charges. It is hoped that an ultramodern, seven-star state-owned hotel shall soon be put in place by the incumbent administration to fill the vacuum created by the previous one put in place by the Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke-le administration, almost brought to completion by the Chief Bisi Akande administration; but demolished at a whooping cost of close to N14 million by the Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola-led administration in the state.

The State of Osun also boasts of a modern golf course at MicCom Golf and Holiday Resort, a serene settlement located in the traditional town of Ada in Boripe Local Government Area of the state, as well as Royal Park at Iloko.

Others beautiful hotels include Leisure Spring, Royal Suite, Brymour Hotels, Zarah Guest House and Royal Spring, all in Osogbo, the state capital.

The State Government of Osun accords great importance to tourism, as an emerging vital source of income and revenue generation. All issues pertaining to culture, tourism, recreation and hospitality are handled by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Culture and Tourism, the State of Osun; in collaboration with subsidiaries, agencies and parastatals, such as the Tourism Board of the State of Osun; the Council for Arts and Culture of the State of Osun; and the Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards separately for Christians and Moslems. In a nutshell, hardly is there any single state in the federal expression called Nigeria that is as amply endowed as far as culture, tourism, hospitality and recreation are concerned, as the State of Osun. Osun Osogbo Grove has been recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as a World Heritage Site since July 2005; while the Osun Osogbo Festival has been listed as an international festival. The UNESCO has also established the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding in Osogbo, the state capital.

Contiuned on page 13

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OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Beginning Of New Beginnings

•An aerial view of Baptist Elementary Central School, Ilare, Ile-Ife, State of Osun, commissioned by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola sometime ago.

Continued from page 12 Colonel Leo Segun Ajiborisa was the pioneer administrator of the state from August 27, 1991 to December same year. E wielded both executive and legislative powers.

He was succeeded by Alhaji Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, the first democratically elected Governor, who ruled from January 1992 to November 17, 1993. With the take-over of the government of the entire federation by the military on Wednesday, November 11, 1993; the state was administered from November, 1993 to May 1999 by a succession of military administrators. They were Colonel AFK Akale (who governed in the capacity of Acting Military Administrator from November 17, 1993 to December23, 1993; immediately following the truncating of the civilian administration); Navy Captain Anthony Udofia, December 23, 1993 to August 22, 1996; Colonel Anthony Obi, from August 23, 1996 to August 6, 1998; Colonel Theophilus Oladapo Bamigboye, August 7, 1998 to May 28, 1999.

On Saturday, May 2, 1999, Chief Abdulkareem Bamidele Adebisi Akande of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) was sworn in as the Second Executive Governor of the state.

He was succeeded four years later by Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who ruled for an entire four-year term from 2003 to 2007. He contested for a second term and assumed office through fraud, maneuvre and ploy from May 29, 2007 to November 26, 2010 when he was recalled by the Federal Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State; which declared Mr. Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) as the valid and authentic winner of April 14, 2007 Gubernatorial Election in the state. Consequently, Mr. Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola was sworn in on Saturday, November 27, 2010 as the fourth Executive Governor of the State of Osun.

PROMOTION OF TOURISM ARTS AND CULTURE The Government of the State of Osun, Nigeria aims at creating a world-class resort. The state is the foremost repository of Yoruba customs and traditions. The Government of the state of Osun is aware of the fact that Yorubas in the diaspora are highly conscious of their roots and heritage and has done a lot to maintain, protect and project the rich Yoruba cultural heritage. The state of Osun is reputed for its works of arts and crafts, which have gained international recognition. Furthermore, two historic festivals; Osun-Osogbo and Olojo Festivals are marked in the state of Osun. There are lots of tourist attractions in the state of Osun capable of attracting the attention of the world as well as making tourism a worthwhile venture.

TOUR PROMOTIONS The Government the state of Osun is supporting and promoting the staging of international Conferences and Seminars on Culture and Tourism. The events would enable the international community, particularly lovers of culture, arts and craft to visit for the purpose of acquainting themselves with the rich cultural heritage of the black race in the State which is regarded as the cradle of black race.

The state has a rich cultural heritage which shows in their music, art, dances, dresses and cultural festivals. They are well known for their talking drums and bata music.

They are also known for their excellent works of art.

Some tourist attractions in the state of Osun include ·The famous Ife bronze ·The Oranmiyan Staff which is believed to be the fighting stick of Oranmiyan, the son of Oduduwa who was a great warrior and ·The popular Osun-Osogbo cultural festival. ·The Ife Museum, ·Obafemi Awolowo University Zoological gardens, IleAse ·Yeyemolu Shrines and Oduduwa groove Ile-Ife ·Osun Osogbo Sacred Groove- venue of the internationally recognized Osun Osogbo festival and a UNESCO, world heritage site ·Adunni Susan Wengers Centre, ·Genesis Arts Gallery ·Nike Arts Gallery, ·Jalumi War Site, Inisa ·The Olumirin Water-Falls, Erin-ijesa, Igbo-Sango at Ede and the Ayikunugba Water-Falls at Oke-Ila. Popularly known as Igbo Edun (Monkey Forest), the forest is the abode of primates that came to Ibodi with Oba Isadele Oloja and Aramofe spirit from Ile-Ife. Although, the uncultivated forest is near Ibodi town, the monkeys still live happily with the people and see themselves as part of the community.

The State of Osun enjoys heavy presence of commercial, development, merchant, mortgage and microfinance banks.

Branches of these financial institutions are located at Osogbo the state capital, zonal and local government headquarters, as well as other major towns in the state.

These institutions render local and international services.

The Central Bank of Nigeria equally has got a branch established and has effectively begun operation in the state.

The permanent edifice for the branch office has currently approached its completion and official commissioning.

Both the electronic and print media are well represented in the state. Broadcasting Corporation of Osun State (OSBC) operates radio and television stations, numbering four, all of which are clearly received within and outside the state. A fifth and recent addition is the radio segment of the Reality Radiovision Service (RRS), located in Iwo, and which is branded Odidere 93.6 FM. The Television Service of the station awaits official opening. For the federal broadcast outfit, a station of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), called Gold F.M. (Frequency Modulation) 100.1 Frequency is located at Ilesa. In addition, two television stations of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) are located in Osogbo and Ile-Ife. The two stateowned radio stations are OSBC Radio, Living Spring FM 104.5, Ile-Awiye, Oke Baale, Osogbo and New Dawn

Television (NDTV) Channel 33 UHF, Ibokun. A third stateowned television station in the state is the Reality Television Station (RTS) Channel 35 in Iwo. Of recent, the radio and television owned stations in Ile-Ife and Ibokun have been specialized to transmit culture and agriculture and education respectively. All national newspapers have their correspondents’ offices in the state capital and some of the major towns. This has made media coverage of social and economic activities in the state highly effective. There is the attendance of privately-owned media stations in the print and electronic categories in the state. Prime among these are the Moremi Publishing House Limited, Publishers of the OSUN DEFENDER titles and the UNIQ FM 103.1 Radio Station (ARA Station) located at Ilesa.

As has been pointed out earlier, formal education is one of the most prevalent and predominant engagements of the residents and indigenes of the state convinced that education is the key to complete human emancipation, the State Government in succession have worked hard to keep the torch burning and have committed enormous resources to the Education sub-sector of the Social Services’ Sector. Privately owned institutions also co-exist with government schools at all levels. Today, the All Progressive Congress (APC)-led administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is operating a fully-fledged comprehensive, broad-based, free and qualitative education throughout the nooks and crannies of the state.

As at year 2010, statistics revealed that the state had in its kitty 1,460 primary and 330 secondary schools. There were 24 state-owned technical colleges and two colleges of education, a polytechnic and a college of technology which are also run by the state; while a federal polytechnic is also located in the state. The state is also a joint owner of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso with Oyo State. The College of Medicine of the University is located in Osogbo. The State of Osun too, has successfully established its own university, the Osun State University, a.k.a. UNIOSUN. It is a multi-campus system with campuses in Osogbo, Okuku, Ikire, Ipetu-Ijesa, Ejigbo and Ifetedo. Bowen University, Iwo, owned by the Nigerian Baptist Convention operates in the State of Osun, while the permanent site of the Redeemers University is located in Ede, also in the State of Osun. In addition, Hijira University is located in Ede, while Fountain University is in Osogbo. There is equally Joseph Ayo Babalola University (JABU), Ikeji Arakeji. Aside, there is the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, a federal institution.

Other privately-owned institutions include Universal College of Technology, Ile-Ife, Interlink Polytechnic IjebuIjesa, Igbajo Polytechnic, Iresi Polytechnic and The Polytechnic Ikirun. The state also has a good number of schools of nursing and schools of midwifery; in all, there are about 17 institutions of higher learning in the state, a rare feat which is unbeatable in the Nigerian nation.

Since the inception of the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola administration in November 2010, there has been recorded an astonishing feat of ground-breaking and net-cracking achievements that are laudable and impressive, especially in the education sector.

To be continued

FEATURE

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 26, 2014

14

Aregbesola’s Finest Hour

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, thanking the people at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, recently for their support and the mandate freely given to him despite the security agents’ siege to the state.

I

N the heat of the global human carnage that was the Second World War, Britain’s famed politician and war-time leader, Winston Churchill, gave a famous speech on the floor of the House of Commons to update the House on the progress of the war. He addressed many themes and then rounded off on the pungent rallying note to his compatriots: ‘Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, “This was their finest hour.”’

And on this very note, Churchill gave a significant new insight into the affairs of humankind. He facilitated our capacity to see that every human being, irrespective of his stations in life, must have some moments in his existence that can truly be adjudged to be ‘his finest hour’. The only difference is that, more often than not, famous men and women enjoy the privilege of public inquest and assessment into their lives, such that it is they alone who are most frequently thought to have such moments in their lives.

But the truth is that such moments of indisputably outstanding performance in whatever one does is far from being the exclusive preserve of the famous and the celebrated of human species.

Rather, even the most lowly-placed and unassuming do have such moments in their lives. The crucial distinction is the fact that such moments in the lives of the ordinary man are unknown to the public and are therefore left unsung.

But then, it is one of those uncanny sociological realities of human life that we cannot all have the same share of

By FOLABI JIMOH

limelight and public glory. It does not mean that many of us do not have achievements in our little lives that are worthy of celebration; it is just that most of us will have such achievements unnoticed and uncelebrated. But this would not also detract from the truth that the famous and the celebrated do have achievements to their credit that are worthy of laudation. And so it is with the governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola –a man whose character qualities have earned him a deserved place in the sun.

At a distance, he is most likely to give you an impression of a non-personable individual and one of those typical ilk of Nigerian politicians. But a close contact with him would reveal a man of strong character and amiability. One who knows exactly what he wants and goes for it. He aims high and matches those high aims with steely determination and doggedness. He is an engaging speaker, whose high intellect contrasts sharply with what you tend to see from afar. He is a man of deep conviction, who stubbornly clings unto his beliefs.

Perhaps this explains why he has the capacity to attract opposite emotions in equal measure of intensity. Those who love him are unflinchingly loyal.

Those who don’t are die-hard opponents. But in fairness to the man, and contrary to what one might be tempted to deduce from his political activist posture, he is someone with genuinely accommodating spirit. He engages with the people across all social strata right from the political

‘treetop’ to the grassroots.

All of these have come into play in his political career in recent years. His rise to the governorship seat occurred in extraordinary circumstances that were filled with mortal dangers and high-wire political intrigues. It took over three years of resolute and relentless battle through the courts to prove his victory at the 2007 polls. His reelection for a second term of office on Saturday August 9, 2014 happened in no less intriguing political fashion.

The election was a battle for the soul of Osun and by extension that of Nigeria in its present political configuration. In a significant way, the Osun governorship election outcome would affect the electoral contest for Aso Rock in 2015 between the two leading political parties in the country, the PDP and the APC. Accordingly, having achieved a largely unforeseen victory at the Ekiti gubernatorial poll barely two months ago, the PDP became emboldened to emasculate the APC in its strongest-hold, the SouthWest, which would have been achieved with victory in Osun.

Hence, the PDP-led Federal Government threw everything at it, including placing Osun under a security lockdown, not to mention the inexplicable and inexcusable arrests of APC party functionaries, along with members of Aregbesola’s cabinet on the night preceding the election. But the people of Osun stood firm. They did not succumb to intimidation and the Federal Government’s unwarranted show of force. They voted massively for the incumbent to reaffirm his genuine popularity among his people.

But Aregbesola’s greatest moment was to come the day after the election on Sunday, when he rode triumphantly to the Nelson Mandela Freedom Square to address his supporters.

Incidentally, he was formally declared the winner by INEC on that Sunday morning after hours of waiting. The announcement was greeted by a spontaneous outburst and tumultuous gathering of mammoth crowds all over Osogbo, who then converged on the Olaiya intersection, as the Governor’s convoy emerged from Okefia Roundabout.

It was some of the biggest crowd I have yet seen assemble just to welcome only one man. As I watched the man and his crowd inch their way towards Freedom Park at Old Garage, I remembered those memorable words of Churchill’s. However, as humans, it is in our nature that until we actually cease to breathe, it is difficult to definitively say that we’ve had our most glorious moments. So Aregbesola may yet have greater days of glory ahead of him.

But this much can be said– that irrespective of what greater glory he may still step into in the days, months and years to come, Aregbesola’s triumphal entry to Freedom Square on Sunday, August 10, 2014 and his grand reception by an enthusiastically massive crowd, would go down in history as arguably his ‘Finest Hour’.

•Jimoh is a graduate student of Political Science, University of Ibadan.

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, August 26, 2014

PHOTOTALK

15

Chief Rufai Oyebamiji Group Of All Progressives Congress (APC) Held A Special Jumat Service And Prayer Session To Celebrate Governor Rauf Aregbesola Reelection In Ikire On Friday.

•Chief Rufai Oyebamiji (2nd left) and some other APC leaders shortly after the Jumat service.

•A cross section of APC leaders and members in a special prayer session at the Ikire •A cross session of APC women members shortly after the Jumal service.

Central Mosque during the Jumat service.

•Some of the members of the group.

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2014 appreciate W E must God for our uniqueness that distinguishes us from the whole lot. The white man came and found us so; that is why they marginalized us and gave undue preference to the Northern and Eastern parts of the country, so that all political alliances that have ever been, got consummated between the duo. The West was always made to go it alone, so that the conspiracyengendered marginalization would be easily hatched to make inefficiencylaced administration subsist.

Incidentally, the West has always constituted the stabilizing factor because there are certain internal mechanisms that restore normalcy.

Nobody is thus left in the dark that whatever would become of an entity called Nigeria is predicated on what the Western part of Nigeria is able to fashion.

By ADE OLUGBOTEMI

South-West geo-political zone.

That is the reason behind the overwhelming support that people are according the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors, irrespective of what happened in the recently-concluded Ekiti gubernatorial election.

When God Is For Us …

Leaders from other parts of the country have always instigated internal wranglings by trying to put our political leaders on collision course. People generally get confused at times, but when it appears as if we are approaching the breaking point, solutions that are beyond human knowledge will suddenly unfold, and we quickly put the ugly situation behind us.

We can imagine the number of times we have been pestered to get frustrated, but without success because of our resilience. This has always been the saving grace; and this is what others draw from to also muster strength for their survival. That is why people always draw the conclusion that the West holds the key to the continued survival of the country.

•AREGBESOLA Another miracle took place the penultimate Saturday, when an election, were the party faithful of the Peoples that was earlier speculated to bring with Democratic Party’s (PDP) extraction, it serious upheaval, suddenly went who peradventure had the premonition peacefully: another hand of God at of what has generally been considered work! The consternation was alien in our political evolution. While the understandable, as no other election in majority were treading with caution, the history of Nigeria’s nationhood had PDP members were visibly unperturbed attracted so many security Personnel because the masterminds of that ugly to a State prior to any elections. That is scenario were Jelili Adesiyan, the why we feel the historians need to toil Minister of Police Affairs and Musiliu on their area of specialization and find Obanikoro, the Minister of State for out whether it has ever happened in any Defence, who earlier threatened to nation of the world, so that ours will reclaim Osun by all means. form part of the contents in the Guinness One thing I have noticed over the Book of Records. The siege was surely years is that our kinsmen have always unprecedented; so much that people been instruments the hands of our felt heaven was going to fall on the State adversaries. Theyinused some of us of Osun, as it is known today. when they wanted to demystify the late Residents were inundated with calls Obafemi Awolowo, even to the end that prior to, during, and after the election he only became the best president that sent jitters down the spines of most Nigeria never had. They used some of people in the state. The only people that us against the late M.K.O. Abiola, and were spared the trouble of the unusual Nigeria has never remained the same heavy presence of security personnel again after he was denied the privilege

Osun gubernatorial election has come and gone; and it has been generally adjudged to be free, fair, and credible.

Whatever is left of its imperfection should be excused on the altar of human infallibility. I am not sure some people can be satisfied should it be God that came down from His heavenly abode to conduct our election for us. Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate, Iyiola Omisore, preferred to take to Ahithophel’s counsel to go to Election Tribunal to challenge the Election; the highest level of exhibiting desperation, one would say. I know the will and wishes of the majority will prevail.

Omisore should however learn to accept what betides, so as not to fight the Creator that has given him the grace of recognition to have emerged a candidate.

Osun people have now known that Omisore is after something other than the mandate the people could give. The fact that it was jubilation galore all over the place would have prompted a reflex action by which he would manage to muster a congratulatory message to the victor. Probably, the man forgot that it will take some time for the Federal Government to recover from the excess spending spree that gave him so many quanta of Osun’s votes. Omisore ought to have convinced his principal in Abuja to release half the amount spent to bribe voters, so that voters would get convinced through executed projects of of using the mandate that was the need for more of federal presence overwhelmingly given at the polls. They through Jonathan’s PDP. are now also making use of some of us The entire State of Osun was reduced to disrupt the peace that has become entrenched in the State of Osun, so that to fearsome military zone; just because the visionary leadership at work, and PDP wanted to reclaim Osun by force. all plans and programmes aimed at Our people must be praised for the changing the face of our environment uncommon courage they exhibited while for the better will be circumvented. the occupation lasted. They showed the What is sacrosanct however is that courage of true patriots, who are betrayal and rebellion are doorways to resolute to see a new society evolving.

The intimidations of security agents the peril of their hatchers. notwithstanding, they defended their For a long time now, successive rulers votes and ensured that the umpires have always paid lip-service to released the results emanating from the development. This is the first time in the various polling units. This is a great last thirty years that concrete steps lesson for us all not to get deterred by would be taken to massively attend to any intimidations that may come as ploy infrastructural problem that has to disenfranchise people. Without any hampered developmental prospect of intention to rig, people can now rest the whole nation. This is currently assured that when God is behind us, happening in all the South-West states no power, no principality can thrive. of Nigeria, and I think what every right- When God is for us, who can be against thinking Nigerian must be interested in us? is to rally support for all those who are adding value to governance across the

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:

osundefender@yahoo.com, kayodeagbaje@yahoo.com. ISSN: 0794-8050.Website: www.osundefender.org.