Osun Defender - January 2nd 2014 Edition by OsunDefender

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www.osundefender.org THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2014

PEOPLE FIRST

Daily Independent’s Editorial Aregbesola: Symbol of an alternative perspective The Man-of-the-Year is a difficult proposition. And for a reason. In our dysfunctional polity, the parameters set have to be exacting. As is known, the Republic is ill at ease with itself. Dashed hopes, disappointed expectations as well as promises unfulfilled

make the task of picking an individual who has made an outstanding contribution daunting. From time to time, a nugget representing a beacon of hope comes up. When for example a few years ago we picked the venerated Chinua Achebe, it was an inspired choice.

This is because by refusing to subordinate his principles to immediate expediency, Achebe caught the imagination and made picking the Man-of-the-Year easy. This year’s discourse was typically ferocious. The central theme being, who has attempted to break the

mould? Who is today’s contrarian who has at least attempted in a positive direction to alter the terrain of discourse and operations? Who has been making resolute attempt to clear the fog of widespread cynicism and disenchantment with the

VOL. 9. NO.001

Who Killed Chief Bola Ige, formerAttorneyGeneral and Minister of Justice?

N 50

IGE

Continued on page 5

2014 Budget: Osun To Spend N217bn •Focuses On IGR To Drive Projects

- See Story On Page 2

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We Won’t Delay Bill For LG Creation - Osun Deputy Speaker

- See Story On Page 2

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OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, January 2, 2014

2014 Budget: Osun To Spend N217bn •Focuses On IGR To Drive Projects

OVERNOR of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has presented a budget of N216, 745,213,260 before the state parliament. The budget, which was and N97,608,280,660, presented on behalf of the representing 45 per cent governor by his Special as recurrent expenditure. Adviser on Budget and Presenting the budget Economic Planning, Mr tagged: Budget of Bade Adesina has Growth, Enhancement N 1 1 9 , 1 3 6 , 9 3 2 , 6 0 0 , and Development, the representing 55 percent governor noted that the as capital expenditure budget focuses on the Six-

point Integral Action Plan of his administration. He said: “The budget is about growth, enhancement and development. It clearly shows the ratio that is of best international practices, interms of recurrent and capital expenditure. That is why our capital expenditure is

far higher than the recurrent expenditure. “Part of our agenda is to drive the IGR more critically in the 2014 fiscal year. We have to use innovative financing with adequate measure to provide necessary financial structure for most of our developmental projects.

By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

“We will focus clearly on Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives, which is the practice going round all over the world now,” he said. Explaining why the budget is lower in size than that of last year, which was N234 billion, he stressed that the 2014 budget is slimmer because of the reduction in the oil benchmark from $79 per barrel to $77.5 per barrel and the numerous cases of oil theft. Responding, the Speaker, Honourable Najeem Salaam assured that the state parliament would do justice to the budget, while the people’s interest would be made to prevail. Commending the

governor for performing in the 2013 budget beyond expectations, he expressed hope that the 2014 budget, when eventually passed into law, would be executed to meet the yearnings of the people. The Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Honourable Kamil Oyedele observed that the executive arm has prepared the budget within the current reality of the revenue base of the state. He was optimistic that the 2014 budget would work, as the state legislature would be on the neck of all the agencies of government to perform better in the area of revenue generation.

Aregbesola Halts Fire Outbreak On Ilesa Road By KEHINDEAYANTUNJI

OVERNOR of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola defied protocol to become a fire fighter last Saturday.

•(L-R) Baba Adini of the State of Osun and Mayegun Adini of Yoruba land, Alhaji Jimoh Inaolaji; Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; his wife, Sherifat and a member of the House of Representatives, representing Irewole/Ayedaade/Isokan Federal Constituency, Alhaja Ayo Omidiran during the official commissioning of AnsarU-Deen Society Ultra-modern Central Mosque and launch of N100 million Development Fund for the construction of a multipurpose hall in Ikire, State of Osun last Sunday.

Aregbesola was on his way to the annual Iwude Ijesa celebration on Saturday evening, when his convoy ran into a bush fire along OsogboIlesa road. The governor instantly

We Won’t Delay Bill For LG Creation - Osun Deputy Speaker By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

HE Deputy Speaker of the State of Osun House of Assembly, Honourable Akintunde Adegboye has stated that the state legislature would not delay consideration of the bill on the creation of additional local government council areas from the existing ones in the state. He stated that the additional local priority of the House now government council areas is the consideration of the are eventually created, it 2014 budget, adding that would bring immediately after the development closer to the budget, the local people at the grassroots. government creation bill “The creation of would be considered. additional local This was just as the governments all over the State Commissioner for world is based on Health, Dr Temitope Ilori agitation and any said that the main focus government that is of the budget on health in determined to bring 2014 would be to government closer to the complete all the ongoing people must meet these renovation works on agitations. That is why health facilities and equip we will not waste time on them to standard. this bill. The duo spoke at the “What is paramount to Aregbesola Campaign us now is the budget that Office, Ibokun on Sunday we will work on between during the end of the year now and January and reception, organised for after that, the members of All consideration of the bill Progressives Congress for the creation of new (APC) by the Assistant council areas comes in. Director (Community “After the first reading Forum), Bureau of of the bill, we will call for Communication and referendum, where we Strategy, Office of the will also have to address Governor, Mr. some agitations and from Olatunbosun Oyintiloye. that, we will know how According to soon it will take to Akintunde, when

approve the bill. At the end, we may have more than 27 local government council areas being requested for and we may have less than that,” Akintunde stressed. Also addressing party members, Ilori stated that apart from focusing on the completion of all ongoing renovation works on hospitals in the 2014 budget, the government would also invest in capacity building for health workers to maintain and improve their skills for them to imbibe the spirit of selfless service to humanity and change their attitude to work. She added: “We are aware that there are some challenges in our healthcare services, but we are not folding our arms, we will not rest in our oars, until we see that our people get the best”. When conducted round the health facilities in Ibokun by Oyintiloye and leaders of the community, the commissioner commended the community for partnering with the government by erecting a structure within the hospital premises. Urging other

communities to emulate the gesture, Ilori noted that all other necessary steps would be taken to make all the state health facilities more functional. Responding, the host, Oyintiloye urged the people not to renege in their support for Governor Aregbesola, who according to him has

been doing his best for the development of the state. He therefore called on those who have not registered to ensure that they register to vote when the electoral body begins the process, while those who need to renew their registration should do so at the appropriate time.

stopped his convoy and in a show of leadership by example, defied any form of protocol, grabbed the fire extinguisher in his vehicle and proceeded to put out the fire. This forced his aides and members of his entourage to join in the fire fighting operation. Aregbesola also ordered that men of the Osun State Fire Service be invited to the scene because of its proximity to a filling station. The governor and his deputy, Otunba (Mrs) Grace Titilayo LaoyeTomori frowned at the incident, as nobody could explain the causes of the fire.

Free Train Ride: Travellers Commend Osun Govt By FRANCIS EZEDIUNO

OR organising ‘Omoluabi Atata’ free train ride for indigenes of the State of Osun during festive seasons, the government of the state has been encouraged not to relent in helping the people to make life easy for them. The idea, many of them, A cross section of who were interviewed at travellers interviewed, the Railway Station, who were Muslims, also Osogbo on Saturday, 28th revealed that the of December, 2013 during opportunity afforded their departure to Lagos, them to come home and stated that it had helped settle family issues. to make travelling While maintaining that convenient for the state’s there was nowhere like indigenes, who always home, they revealed that found it difficult due to the state of affairs in the financial constraints to State of Osun has come home during festive assumed a peaceful periods. context and that it was They revealed that ever also better for them to since the idea went into spend the holiday with effect, the problem of their families in the state. transport fare has been They therefore urged relegated to the the state government to background. make the free train ride a

state policy, so that s u c c e e d i n g administrations would continue with it. While appreciating the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for embarking on massive road construction and renovations, which included 10 Kilometres of roads in each local government council area and the Area office, they added that he should also diversify and include road transportation in the free transportation programme during such seasons. The purpose, it was revealed, was that the good roads in the state could be put to good use, as there is no cause for alarm on the road networks in the state.

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OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, January 2, 2014

2013: Osun Residents Score Aregbesola High On Performance By ISMAEEL UTHMAN

S the 2013 comes to an end, residents of the State of Osun have been passing their remarks on the performance of Governor Rauf Aregbesola in the just-concluded year. Aregbesola, according performance, it will be to a survey conducted by more than 100 percent, OSUN DEFENDER on because the governor has Saturday and Sunday in performed above Ayedire, Olorunda and expectations. Osogbo Local “They are physical Governments Council achievements for all to Areas of the state, has see. Everybody is seeing performed beyond the what the governor is expectations of the doing across the length majority of the people of and breadth of the State of the state in the Year 2013. Osun. Aregbesola is a The respondents super governor. In every scored Aregbesola high yardstick to evaluate the on infrastructural performance of a development; economic governor, Aregbesola has and social improvement, scored excellent marks. education, agriculture “We never had the kind and health sectors. of roads, schools and Mr Israel Alabi, one of hospitals, and the kind of the respondents in Ile- interventions in Ogbo, headquarters of education and Ayedire Local agricultural sectors we Government Council are having under Area, said: “If I were to Aregbesola. The governor award marks to has even redefined Aregbesola on his Nigerian politics by

executing projects in areas, where the opposition domiciled.” In his remark, Mr Olalekan Apanpa from Olorunda Local Government Local Government Council Area extolled Aregbesola’s leadership virtues, saying that Osun has been witnessing rapid growth since the governor came on board. Apanpa described A r e g b e s o l a ’ s performance in the 2013 fiscal year as a ‘show of good governance and progressive politics’ in the state. C o m m e n d i n g Aregbesola for his achievements in just three and half years, Mrs Deborah Akanni, from

Osogbo Local Government Council Area said Aregbesola’s performance has been of no match across the country. Akanni therefore appealed to religious leaders across the state not to play politics with hatred and sentiment, urging them to accept the education reform of the governor. Aside the separation of structures from the road exercise, where some people lost their shops and houses in Osogbo, according to some of the people, whose opinion were sampled, Aregbesola has no other shortcomings in the execution of his developmental projects.

Though they were compensated by the governor, some of the victims of the structure separation claimed that they felt the pains of governance only when their shops and houses were separated from the road. They argued that they were not given enough time for relocation before their shops and houses were separated, a situation that brought agony into their various families. However, the victims commended Aregbesola for having the political wills to pull down the various structures that were defacing Osogbo, which do not make it to have the look of a real

state capital. They however admitted that the separated shops and houses were illegally built on the roads setbacks, and that for Osogbo to be developed, such structures must be demolished to pave way for development and beautification. A renowned businessman in Osogbo, Alhaji Moshood Oladejo, popularly called MAO, whose building was separated from the road along Igbona-Ayetoro road in Osogbo, commended Aregbesola for compensating the victims, despite the fact that they were not entitled to any compensation.

2013: Osun Spends N1.7bn On Hospitals’ Renovation - Ilori By ISMAEEL UTHMAN

HE State Government of Osun has spent a whopping N1.7 billion on the renovation of hospitals across the state in the just-concluded Year 2013. She added: “We have Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr also given tablets such as A, de(Mrs) Temitope Ilori vitamin to disclosed this in an warming tablets interview with OSUN children, blood tonics to DEFENDER on Monday pregnant women, and even in this year, in in Osogbo. According to Ilori, the collaboration with the renovation was part of the Society for Family Health, have efforts of Governor Rauf we A r e g b e s o l a - l e d distributed medicated administration to boost long-lasting insecticide free and qualitative nets to the people of the healthcare delivery to the state to reduce the incidents of malaria in people of the state. She added that the the state.” This step, according to state government embarked on the massive Ilori, has made the state renovation projects across government to receive an the nine state hospitals, award from the Society for with a view to ensuring Family Health as ‘The that they are in good Best Performing State in condition, with the the Area of Malaria workers working in Prevention in Nigeria.’ Commending Governor conducive environment. Ilori expatiated that the Aregbesola for fulfilling state government his campaign promises, has also spent over N300 especially in the area of million on the purchase of healthcare delivery, Ilori the current drugs and other medical said consumables for the administration has done hospitals, in its bid to a lot to improve the health ensure that patients at the status of the people of the hospitals are well-treated state, which makes it a pacesetter among its with free drugs. The commissioner peers. The commissioner stressed that the state government had spent added that Aregbesola huge sum of money on the has been very proactive provision of medical in all aspects of the health such as equipment to all the sector, public hospitals in the environmental sanitation to ensure clean state. Each of the 31 local environment, stressing government council that dredging of the areas, including the Ife- waterways has help them East Area Office, to reduce the incident of and other according to the malaria commissioner, do communicable diseases. “We did not record any averagely spend N1 million monthly on the case of cholera, and there purchase of drugs for all is reduction in the cases the health centres in their of diarrhea and other areas to compliment the diseases that normally state government’s efforts occurred in 2013. We give to restore and promote kudos to Ogbeni Rauf for this healthy living among the Aregbesola achievement.” people of the state.

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Plots To Kidnap, Eliminate Aregbesola Ahead 2014 Unveiled

N alleged plot by some politicians in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to kidnap and eliminate the governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has been unveiled. The plot is allegedly to take over Osun, Oyo, been hatched with a view Ogun, Edo and Ekiti to taking over the state states. and other states being “Before the recent controlled by the All governorship election in Progressives Congress Anambra State, I (APC) in the 2014 predicted that APGA governorship election. would win the election The Founder of the and that they would try to Evangelical Church of rig it in favour of another Yahweh, Primate party. Similarly in 2014, Theophilus Olabayo, they will like to take over unveiled the plot, as part the South-West of his predictions for the geopolitical zone, but it New Year, 2014. will not be possible. He said: “Governor “They will create Rauf Aregbesola of Osun troubles upon troubles. State has to be watchful, There is so much arms so that they will not and ammunition piled up kidnap and kill him in the New Year. He has to be in the country, because very careful, so that he we are inviting trouble for ourselves,” the cleric can survive the year”. “Governors of APC predicted. Primate Olabayo also states have to be vigilant, stated that President as attempts would be Jonathan’s made to make these states, Goodluck especially in the South- administration would not West ungovernable and extend beyond 2015, all efforts would be made stressing that the North

By KAZEEM MOHAMMED would also have the editions of this medium opportunity to produce that the PDP was planning to cause the next president. “Come 2015, they will mayhem in Osun ahead of governorship not allow President 2014 Jonathan to rule, because election in the state, with power is going back to the a view to attracting the North, if at all there declaration of a state of emergency. would be elections. The plots, according to “We have to pray as a people, so that there will the reports, were aimed at be elections in 2015. If the dislodging Aregbesola situation gets worse, from the governorship seat there may not be election ahead of the poll and appoint a military in 2015,” he warned. It would be recalled administrator that would that it had been reported eventually rig the election in some previous in favour of the PDP.

Security Tip In Osun The government of the State of Osun has procured special security numbers for use by people in distress. The numbers are: 08100000481, 08100000482, 08100000483, 08100000484, 08100000485, 08100000486. All the numbers became operational since August 17, 2012. Please, note and call to assist Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the elected governor of the State Of Osun, in sustaining a peaceful and crime-free environment. - Management

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OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, January 2, 2014

Aregbesola Brokers Peace In Crisis-ridden Communities •Reads Riot Act

OVERNOR of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has set-up a committee to broker peace between Oba-Ile and Oba-Oke in Olorunda Local Government Council Area of the state. The neighbouring stakeholders. communities have been He added that the state on each other’s neck since government, Police and October, 2013, coupled the Department of State with a crisis that had Security (DSS) would be claimed about four lives represented as well on the since it started. committee. The peace meeting, Aregbesola, while which was at the instance reading riot act to the of Governor Aregbesola, stakeholders at the was held at the Executive gathering, declared that Lounge of the the state government’s Government House, with fact-finding committee monarchs of the two would visit the communities, prominent communities and do a sons, including legal house-to-house search to practitioners from both unravel weapons and sides in attendance. mercenaries allegedly According to the imported into the governor, the committee communities. would comprise of five He warned that any persons from each of the mercenary found in any of warring communities the communities, along including a woman, with their sponsors would youths and other be made to face the full

State Unity Women Empowerment Marks 4th Anniversary By FRANCIS EZEDIUNO T has been ascertained that the goal behind the inauguration of the State of Osun Unity Women Empowerment was in an effort to empower women, create opportunities and positively affect the lives of husbands, children and people around women. This was made known Sherifat Aregbesola, in an address delivered Patron; Evangelist (Dr.) by Engineer Tayo Nathaniel Akinsoji Ogunjimi; the General Arabambi, Executive Secretary of the Secretary of Ayedaade association on the Local Government occasion of the 4th Council and Honourable anniversary of the group, (Mrs.) Ayo Omidiran held at the state secretariat representing Ayedaade, of All Progressives Irewole and Isokan Congress (APC) in Federal Constituency in Osogbo recently. the House of Continuing, the Representatives and the group’s scribe revealed Commissioner for that the association Information and Strategy comprises of good women in the State of Osun, of noble characters that Honourable Sunday are trustworthy, Akere for their efforts in influential, honourable making the association to and industrious across be alive and also for their the state, whose leader unflinching support. has been Alhaja Nike Honourable Sunday Oyewale. Akere; Commissioner for In explaining the Information and Strategy, achievements recorded by Barrister Kunle Oyatomi; the association so far, representing the state Ogunjimi noted that the governor, Evangelist association, in its four Oyeleye Timothy; years of existence, had representing the Olufi of been able to dole out Gbongan; Oba (Dr.) money to aged women, Adetoyese Oyeniyi, donate grinding Yeyemodu of Obokun; machines to some of its Chief Adenike Dunsi and members, organised a Prince Abiodun Fatusi; cooperative society, with all commended the a view to assisting activities of the members in uplifting their association and called on various businesses, the executives to continue supporting members to striving to make the lives become beneficiaries of of their members O’Meal, O’Tailor, worthwhile. O’Clean, Agba Osun The representatives of among others through the the governor observed state government, secure that women are now more temporary appointments involved in politics and and also facilitating the called for wisdom in engagement of youths politicking in the coming through state year. government’s programme He also advised the such as O’YES. members of the They appreciated the association to be weary of Matron of the association, deceivers and maintained the wife of the governor of that APC is a peaceful the State of Osun; Alhaja political party.

By SHINAABUBAKAR wrath of the law, saying it was unfortunate that the two communities could stoop low to resorting to hiring mercenaries to kill each other. The governor also charged individuals on both sides, who were part of an earlier agreement and were not at the meeting, to appear in company of their monarchs and counsel before the Director of State Security to sign an undertaking of peace. “We would by noon tomorrow (Tuesday) disinfect the entire communities of mercenaries, such that nobody would be able to intimidate anyone again. I advise both sides to disperse these mercenaries from your communities, because if we catch them, the mercenaries and their sponsors would be charged for murder. “I abhor the crisis in the communities and it would be our joy to witness that

peace returns there in the interest of development,” the governor disclosed. He also challenged the two communities to work towards attracting investors into their communities, rather than exhibiting acts capable of scaring them away. He also ordered the State Commissioner for Lands and Physical Planning, Mr Muyiwa Ige to conduct an assessment of the extent of damage inflicted on the communities and fashion out a method of alleviating their sufferings. In their various explanations on causes of the crisis, Alhaji Tijjani Oladosu (TILAD), who spoke for Oba-Ile, attributed the crisis to provocation from the side of Oba-Oke, who, he alleged of stoning Oloba of Oba-Ile on the day of the town’s traditional festival. While recounting from history, the business mogul also attributed the

crisis to bitter politicking between the two n e i g h b o u r i n g communities. According to him, the people of Oba-Ile, in his view, were only defending themselves, saying no one would hold a gun and watch another man aiming to kill him. He, however, pledged to ensure that the people of Oba-Ile did not carry out any attack, provided their neighbour did not attack first. In his view, Alhaji Kola Abiona, who spoke for Oba-Oke, traced the root of the crisis to a prolonged land dispute between the communities, coupled with intermittent provocation from Oba-Ile people, who, he described as tenants at their present location. He accused Oba-Ile of hiring mercenaries to wipe out the Oba-Oke people, saying they would always defend themselves against any aggression, except their assailants stop the act of provocation. In her view, the

Commissioner of Police in the state, Mrs Dorothy Gimba commended the state governor for the meeting, but stressed the need to apply the ‘sledge hammer’ to serve as a lesson to the irate youths. She emphasised that the two monarchs are disposed to peaceful resolution of the crisis, but have lost control of the communities to the enraged youths, who, unfortunately are in possession of illegal weapons. The state Director of DSS also informed the governor that his officers, in conjunction with members of the communities, are working on information on weapons importation into the communities by some personalities. Thereafter, the monarchs and other personalities from the two warring communities signed an undertaking to maintain peace, while the committee works on unraveling the causes of the perennial crisis in the area.

•State of Osun Unity Women Empowerment in a group photograph, after their 4th year anniversary at the APC State Secretariat, Osogbo, recently. Photo: ABRAHAM JESUDOYIN

Osun Speaker Tasks Monarchs On Security By KAZEEM MOHAMMED PEAKER of the State of Osun House of Assembly, Honourable Najeem Salaam, has tasked traditional rulers across the state to be security-conscious in their domains, with a view to ensuring peaceful co-existence in their communities, as the period of election draws nearer in the state. Salaam said this on nearer and hence there is Monday when traditional need for you to be rulers from Ejigbo Local Government Council Area of the state, paid him a courtesy visit in his office. He said that as the governorship election is fast-approaching in the state, some overambitious politicians have been planning to cause chaos, starting from communities and spread it to other parts of the state. He said: “The governorship election is •SALAAM

security-conscious in your communities. “You know your communities better than anyone else and that is why you must cooperate with government in ensuring peace in the state, so that some overambitious politicians would not disturb the peace the state is presently enjoying,” he stated. Salaam, who also commended the monarchs for their cooperation with the government, said their role in ensuring peace in the state was paramount to the development of the state. The Speaker then urged the monarchs to always give useful

information to the police and other security agencies on happenings in their communities. Speaking on behalf of the monarch, the Olu of Songbe, Oba Kamil Ajadi, assured the government of their total support. Commending the government of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for its d e v e l o p m e n t a l programmes across the state in the last three years, the monarch noted that the governor has made the state to be a model for other states. He then assured that the traditional rulers would continue to ensure peaceful co-existence in their domains as part of their contribution towards the development of the state.

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, January 2, 2014

Aregbesola: Symbol of an alternative perspective Continued from page 1. conomic issues affecting the State of polity and most of those who navigate the Osun. This has proved to be a very senshop of state? sible thing to do. For taking over the state The choice of the State of Osun helmsman is after a ludicrously long judicial battle came in response to the need to roll back the tide of with a hefty debilitating prince tag. cynicism. We know of course that there is an The lacuna was that the state had barely intellectual-in-residence in the State House in Ado-Ekiti. Concomitantly there is also an activ- seen even perfunctorily sensible goverist in residence in Osogbo, the capital of the nance for a long-time. The state’s public finance was not just opaque, it was in State of Osun. shambles. Waste, bizarre duplication of Often times in history the activist has disap- effort leading to cost inefficiencies had led pointed in office. Engineer Rauf Adesoji to bureaucratic elephantiasis. Huge recurAregbesola has here bucked the trend. He has rent expenditure, insecurity and a general shown a knack to turn deep philosophical con- feeling of desperation was fast turning viction into result-yielding good governance. It Osun State into a by-word as the generic has helped in that he actually prepared himself term for maladministration. for office both intellectually and practically. He The distinguishingly factor about has in this way merged ideological fervor with Aregbesola which facilitated our choosthe practical act of governance. ing him as our Man-of-the-Year, is that he The practical act of governance was horned redefined the territory of discourse and on an exhilarating eight years of being the infra- operations. The state’s public finances structure czar of Lagos State, good old rambunc- had to be re-directed away from consumptious, perennially demanding Lagos state. A tion towards the arena of production. Reseminal performance in Lagos State has been current expenditure has been slimed down horned into administrative sagacity in the state thereby increasing the capital votes. Emphasis on production has led to an inof Osun. crease in the capital votes in geometric The intellectual preparation has also stood proportion. him well. He came into office armed with a semiThe difference is clear. The State of Osun nal six point agenda spanning the key socio-e today has a spring (pardon the pun) in its

step. The emphasis is now on production and jobs led economic trajectory. This new thrust has implications for the nation far beyond the narrow confines of partisan politics. This is because if the unfulfilled promises that have resulted in widespread cynicism are to be rolled back, the nation must become a proper democracy. A proper democracy is based on social solidarity, community cohesion and a convergence of ideals centred on a social contract linking the political establishment with those they govern. Aregbesola has become a symbol of this new thrust. Imperfect yes, sometimes imperious. Nevertheless his policy thrust like his engagingly humane heart is in the right place. Nowhere has this shown more than in his policy on education. A sweeping repositioning of the education sector is clearly leading to a situation where generations will now be technically prepared and empowered to face the reality of a brutally competitive world. Some of it is contentious, certainly. Fine tuning has had to be done in implementation of course. However, this is nothing like the flak that United States President Barak Obama is today receiving over the implementation of Obamacare. In instances such

Let’s Avoid Unnecessary Disasters

NE of my lecturers once said and I quote him: “Accidents don’t just occur, they are caused.” With this in mind, it is pertinent to note that as the harmattan and dry weather has set in, there is need to be cautious and be very careful of how we manage our affairs. The reason is that the weather is dry and contains little level of moisture and a little spark from anywhere could ignite what might lead to an inferno. Unfortunately, it’s during this dry season that most residents tend to burn the bushy parts of their surroundings and in so doing, fire is set, which when exposed to dry wind and oxygen in the air, may spread to houses, electrical lines,

which would may get out of control and cause unquenchable blaze. There is need to educate our people about the negative attitude to our surroundings and properties during this critical period, and the Ministry of Environment has a lot

of work to do in this regard. A lot of properties would have been destroyed due to ignorance, especially how we control use of electricity in our homes. The people of Osun are ‘Omoluabis’ and this should be reflected in the way they handle their affairs.

Often times, there had been cases of burnt buildings or near disasters resulting from bush burning activitities and before emergency services get to the location, the deed would have been done, leaving the victims without help. Many a time, these

that to avoid unecessary fire disasters, all electrical appliances and equipment must be switched-off the instant there is power outage or when going out. Added to this is that we should not engage in bush burning, especially under electrical cables or power lines. Who else than the Fire Brigade and the State’s Ministry of Environment to help educate our people? Education should be transmitted through the radio and television jingles, documentaries and playlettes. By so doing, we would be able to avoid all the unnecessary disasters waiting to occur.

victims would rush to government for help, but the very first thing to be done was neglected. May evil never happen to us as we move into 2014, but the truth is; some people have felt the slap of •SANGOTUNDE Moore these disasters because AKINTAYO, they ignored the basics. Quarters, Ile-Ife, State It should be noted of Osun.

as this we must be careful not to throw out the baby with the bathwater. This sort of issue raises the bugbear of plas ce chang. Nothing ever really changes that much. In the process of the sweeping transformative repositioning of the Western Region in the nineteen-fifties, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, faced the same dilemma. This being how to negotiate a democratic agreement on key policy issue. No democracy has ever functioned effectively without this. What Engineer Rauf Aregbesola has done in the State of Osun is to redefine the terrain of thinking and practice. He has set a mark that must be a pointer to the future. If this country is to prosper, it must move in the direction of the new thinking determined by people like Aregbesola. The emphasis must be on production rather than consumption. Social contract must be the trajectory of policy developing both human capital and the physical infrastructure. Government must be located as the engine room for real sustainable development, the BIG D. This is why warts and all, in a fiercely competitive field, we have chosen the State of Osun helmsman as our Man-of-theYear. He represents a new wave of governance. A symbol of the aspirations of generation next that we need not be enmeshed in cynicism and defeatism. Continue on Back Page

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OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guarantee Trust Bank GTB, Gbongan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun. All correspondence to the above mail address. ISSN: 0794-8050 Telephone: 0803-392-7286, 08033880205 Website: www.osundefender.com/index.php e-mail: osundefender@yahoo.com

INTERVIEW

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, January 2, 2014

APC Is Consulting Obasanjo, Atiku Not Cultivating Them – Aregbesola Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State did not in any way seem unperturbed when answering questions from Sunday Trust last week on an allegation that his educational reform seeks to Islamise the state’s education sector. Governor Aregbesola waved the allegation away as ridiculous, saying if he is not Islamising his home – with his junior sister’s children living with him and going to Church from there – how can he want to Islamise an entire state? The governor explained why leaders of the All Progressive Congress (APC) needed to visit hitherto rabid political opponents like former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. The governor spoke on other important issues.

OW do you hope to sustain the unique computerised Opon Imo (knowledge tablet) that you introduced in the state’s educational system? Are you still issuing the tablets to students? Yes, that’s taken for granted. The challenge we have now is some abuses that some students are putting it to, which reflects the level of indiscipline in our schools. But we are rising up to it. We will check it. We have set up a committee to help us identify various levels of indiscipline in our educational institutions. The committee is yet to submit its report. We believe that we will apply the committee’s reports and recommendations to tackle the various forms of indiscipline in our schools and eliminate them. Two major factors warranted the introduction of the tablet of knowledge. One, it reduced the cost of purchasing books for the students. Cost of books has always been too exorbitant. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) was there when we launched the tablet and its Country Director identified overhead cost (salaries, etc.) and cost of books as contributing to the high cost of education. Of course, you cannot do anything about teachers’ salaries. No matter the level of digitalisation, you will still need teachers to physically manage the students. But the other aspect, the issue of books, you can influence with innovation. Were we to buy three books for each of our 150,000 high school students at an average cost of N1000 per book, that would be N3,000. It means we would be spending N45 million every year on books. Whatever book you buy this year, depending on how well the students could handle them, you have to buy another the following year; if not all, you have to buy, at least, some. Whereas in the Opon Imon tablet of knowledge, you have all the books, not just three. It’s virtually an electronic library that students carry about. Besides achieving democracy in Nigeria, what other fantastic breakthrough Nigeria has been able to achieve? Osun State now, is providing digital learning and examination advantages for students. The tablet is a virtual library. Apart from the textbooks, Opon Imon assists students to access other advantages that include practice onpast questions and answers of external examination bodies like the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NEC) and the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB). It’s an interesting

device that takes away the burden of carrying books around. The tablet stimulates learning and makes it interesting, and encourages students to be studious and serious. But there has been a criticism from Christianity and Islamic quarters that it incorporates the Ifa (oracle) divination. How true is this? That criticism itself is a function of the degeneration and decline in our consciousness. And that is unfortunate. When I was in school, we learnt Yoruba as a compulsory subject and there was a particular book, Asa ati Ise Ile Yoruba (Tradition and Culture of the Yoruba) written, of course, in the Yoruba language, to promote and explain the Yoruba tradition and culture. The Ifa divination bead illustration on the book’s cover boldly and clearly depicts the Ifa oracle and nobody condemned it then. So, why are they complaining about exposition of Ifa in the knowledge tablet. It’s a reflection of our understanding of what we must do for our students to be free and develop as proud Yoruba, proud Africans. We cannot run away from our customs and traditions, no matter how sophisticated we want to be. There is nothing extraordinary or fetish in the tablet. It’s purely Ifa on morals and ethics and does not offend anybody’s sensibilities. How do you react to the accusation that your reform of the education sector is working at Islamising Osun State? It’s just a misread of a genuine effort aimed at revamping the state’s education sector and making it more meaningful. How could the construction of new schools Islamise anywhere? School buildings were so dilapidated beyond repair to the extent that the only solution is to reconstruct new buildings in the schools entirely. How can such intervention lead to Islamisation of Osun State? There is one of the new schools that we just completed on the Alekuwodo Road, the Salvation Army Middle School. How would reconstructing a Salvation Army school lead to Islamisation? Some people are just being mischievous on this matter. We are only reforming the education sector in Osun State. The reform include, the tablet of knowledge and the new school uniforms, which we distributed to all students free of charge, while the reclassification aspect is just the tail end of the reform. In the reclassification, we are only trying to put the children in schools, according to their age group so as to maximise resources for learning and make learning interesting. The best

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reference to the issue of reclassification of schools in Osun is the consolidation of banks. The Central Bank of Nigeria, through an executive order and not even by law, compelled banks to merge. The banks, which are privately owned by individuals, were induced to merge. At the end of the day, strong banks emerged. In this case, the schools we are talking about had been taken over by government since 1975. That was 38 years ago. There was no whimper when government took over the schools. But there has been decline in the schools’ infrastructure with nobody raising eyebrow. When we came in, there were some schools with a high number of students with few teachers while there were some schools with a high number of teachers but with few students. The education sector in the state was clearly lopsided. We resolved, through advice from an education summit we had that, as part of the reform in the education sector, to regroup the children according to their age groups and put them together in a way that we can maximise our resources and make learning interesting for the pupils. For instance, it was decided that pupils in elementary schools between ages six and nine should go to schools in their neighbourhood so that they will not be too far away from their parents. The middle school can be a little distant from where the child lives, because by normal characteristic, when a child is growing beyond 10 years old, his sense of curiosity increases and he wants to explore his environment. Therefore, as part of education, you must encourage such natural urge and inclination. So, middle schools are at best a few kilometres away from wherever a child lives. For the high school, from the age of 14, the child is willing to be

far away from the parent because he wants more freedom. So the high schools must not be too close. Let the child begin to learn how to be on his own without the parent. That is the reclassification. Now, tell me how this can lead to Islamization. I must add that this controversy is limited. There are about 2,000 schools in this state and we are having challenges in only four schools – the Baptist Girls High School, Osogbo Baptist High School, Iwo; Baptist High School, Ejigbo and Baptist High School, Ede. Four schools out of 2,000 resisting a major reform in the education sector ought not to be an issue. We are happy that people of the state have accepted our efforts to a very large extent. The policy has no religious motive. Rather, we are committed to providing quality education for our children. It is ridiculous that people are accusing me of trying to Islamise the state. Yes, I’m a Muslim. But people should please note this: my immediate younger sister is a Christian and her children live with me and I allow them to go to church from my house. If I’m not imposing Islam on my own sister and her children, how can I be attempting to Islamise the whole state? Also, the allegation is ridiculous considering the fact that there is no collective salvation, as individuals will make heaven or paradise on their own. If there is no group salvation, what will be my benefit in trying to Islamise a whole state? It’s a baseless assumption that cannot stand logic; it is simply not true. How have you been able to resolve the differences between you and your colleague in Oyo State, Governor

Continued on page 6

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, January 2, 2014

PHOTOTALK

Free Train Transport From Osogbo To Lagos Organized By The State Government Of Osun To Mark The New Year Ceberation As Captured By Our Cameraman, GBENGA ADENIYI, Last Saturday.

•A cross section of Ede indigenes and non-indigenes boarding the free train at Ede Railway Station.

•Another cross section of Ibadan indigenes and non-indigenes waiting to board the free train in Ibadan.

• Cross section of Osun indigenes boarding the free train in Osogbo.

PHOTOTALK

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, January 2, 2014

Presentation Of 2014 Budget To State Of Osun House Of Assembly By Representative Of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Mr Bade Adesina, Special Adviser To The State Governor On Budget And Economic Planning Last Tuesday.

•Speaker, State of Osun House of Assembly, Honourable Najeem Salaam during the programme.

•A cross section of members of the State House of Assembly.

•Another cross section of members of the State of Osun House of Assembly.

•Some of the State House of Assembly Commission members at the programme.

•(L-R) State of Osun Commissioners; Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Barrister Kolapo Alimi; Finance, Dr Wale Bolorunduro and Specia Duties, Barrister Ajibola Bashiru.

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, January 2, 2014

PHOTOTALK

•(L-R) SUBEB Chairman, Prince Felix Awofisayo; Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr Gbenga Adebusuyi; Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Honourable Sunday Akere and others at the Gallery during the budget presentation.

•Representative of Governor Aregbesola, Mr Bade Adesina (2nd left) answering questions from journalists after the budget presentation. With him, State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Sunday Akere, (3rd right); Special Adviser to the Governor on Agric and Food Security, Mr Agunbiade Festus (left); Special Adviser to the Governor on Tourism and Culture, Mr Oladipo Soyode (at the back 2nd left ) and others.

Traditional Rulers’ Courtesy Visit To State Of Osun House Of Assembly Recently.

•Speaker, State of Osun House of Assembly, Honourable Najeem Salaam (left) and some of the Obas during the visit.

•Honourable Najeem Salaam (4th left) in a group photograph with some of the visiting Obas .

PHOTOTALK

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, January 2, 2014

Osogbo Oroki Honours All Progressives Congress (APC) Interim National Chairman, Chief Adebisi Akande And The State Of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola At Osogbo City Hall, Olonkoro, Osogbo, Last Saturday.

•Ataoja of Osogboland, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun (3rd left) presenting 2013 Best Governor in Nigeria Award to the governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd left), at the 2013 Osogbo Oroki Honours and Awards Ceremony. With them are, the deputy governor, Otunba (Mrs) Titilayo Laoye-Tomori (left); President, Osogbo Progressive Union (OPU), Ambassador Rasaq Shiyanbola (2nd right); former OPU President, Alhaji Ajadi Badmus (right) and other dignitaries last Saturday.

•Governor Rauf Aregbesola (left); Chief Adebisi Akande represented by the former Deputy Governor, Chief Sooko Adewoyin (middle); President, Osogbo Progressive Union (OPU), Ambassador Rasaq Shiyanbola (right), at the presentation of Award of Excellence in Good Governance in Nigeria to Chief Adebisi Akande, during the 2013 Osogbo Oroki Honours and Awards Ceremony.

State Of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola Declares Open 96th Islamic Vacation Course (IVC) Of The Muslim Students’ Society Of Nigeria (MSSN), B Zone, at Imolisa Village, Ogun State, Last Thursday.

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (3rd left); Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar (3rd right); Former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Prince Bola Ajibola (2nd left); Secretary, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Professor Ishaq Oloyede (2nd right); Chairman, Oyo State Muslim Community, Alhaji Kunle Sanni (left) and others, at the formal opening ceremony of the 96th Islamic Vacation Course (IVC) of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), B zone, at Imolisa Village, Ogun State last Thursday.

INTERVIEW

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, January 2, 2014

APC Is Consulting Obasanjo, Atiku Not Cultivating Them – Aregbesola Continued from page 6 Isiaka Ajimobi over Osun and Oyo states’ joint ownership of the Ladoke Akintola University? I strongly believe in the joint ownership of LAUTECH. I’m a firm believer in regional and collective management of tertiary institutions. A university is not a cheap institution to manage. Why does a state have to have a university? All the states in one region should come together to run only one university, with campuses in each of the states. What is the total population of students in our miniature universities in this country? It’s less than 100,000. A single university in Nepal, Triurban, has a population of over 300,000 students. We are not comparable to Nepal, of course. Nepal is a backward Third World nation. What I’m trying to say is that we will gain more if we co-operate to run our higher education collectively. So, on the LAUTECH joint ownership issue between Oyo and Osun states, I have no problem with Governor Ajimobi, though there could be challenges. There is no disagreement or failure of commitment. Why has there lately been default in your administration’s prompt salary payment, as workers have been heard complaining? There could be a problem but it is not because of lack of resources. We have organised ourselves so well to be able to meet our salary obligation, regardless of whether there is allocation or not. There are reservations about the defection of some top members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), on ground of seeming philosophical and personality incompatibility. How, for instance, would you settle in rancour-free with Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola if, eventually, he joins the APC? I have no problem with Prince Oyinlola. He is welcome. He served his term and did his best as he could. He left his own mark and I’m struggling to do my best and leave my own mark. History will not forget him. History will judge me too. I do not see him as an enemy. Rather, I see him as a compatriot with whom one could work to improve our society and better the lot of our people. I have no grudge against him. Oyinlola is welcome. The behind-the-scene moves of how the APC emerged have not really been told. As a strong, inner caucus member of the old Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and now the APC, could you tell us how the merger was forged? Who first approached whom? You think I am a strong member of the APC? The APC held a rally in Port-Harcourt today (last Monday) and I was so busy with my work in Osun State to the extent that I could not attend that rally and I could not even watch it on the television despite that it was broadcast live. The movers and shakers of the APC were at that rally. If I’m as important in the top hierarchy of the APC as you believe, definitely, I should be there. The fact that I was not there is a clear evidence that I do not have the kind of influence you are trying to attribute to me. So let us just leave that area. The APC is doing very well in Nigeria and I must commend the brilliant work of its leaders. I join all patriots who

•AREGBESOLA

genuinely believe in the survival of Nigeria in wishing the APC grand success in its endeavour to rescue Nigeria from the clutches of those who don’t know how to manage a nation with the sophistication and complexity of Nigeria. The issue is that Nigeria is being grossly mismanaged at the centre and it is the duty of all patriots to rally round those who have shown sufficient capacity to rescue the country and save it from the imminent collapse PDP and its crisis can bring. Leadership of the APC has been very consistent in their efforts to save Nigeria. Our nation requires diligent and resourceful visionary leadership and PDP is not capable of giving that. The only party that can provide a visionary leader that Nigeria needs is what APC promises and we believe this will be achieved in 2015. But the APC is wooing the main component of the PDP and observers, worried about this manner of membership drive, believe it is becoming more of new wine in old battle? I get worried when people raise that particular issue. The rainbow coalition has been the most appropriate political arrangement to displace a ruthless incumbent administration, particularly on the African continent. When there was crisis in Kenya, how was it resolved? It was through the rainbow coalition. If democracy is still our means of government, there would be what we called synthesis and antithesis of ideas and opinions until we fully resolve tendencies and differences to now clarify who is where. At the state we are in presently, sorry to say, we cannot be

too puritanical. The worrisome situation with this nation has degenerated so badly and there is no time to start being puritanical. In this situation, what is too much to sacrifice to ensure that many Nigerians who do not accept the depth of maladministration, poor leadership and bad governance are mobilised to overcome the problem? So, rather than be blaming APC leaders, one must just commend their sense of patriotism for the sake of survival of Nigeria. So, nothing is too much to sacrifice in rescuing our nation. Our nation needs salvation. Our nation needs a new leadership that will reposition it to attain its historic responsibility in Africa and the world. Nigeria is the hope of black man. May God forbid, if Nigeria fails, it will be a mortal blow to the black race. In the interest of all blacks worldwide, let those who genuinely believe in the destiny of Nigeria as the beckon of hope for the black race rally round APC and ensure that we take over the leadership of Nigeria in 2015 and provide the right leadership for the nation. The visit of APC’s top leadership to former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has also been generating cynicism, considering the extent of the well-known disaffection between the APC topmost leaders and Obasanjo. The visit is being seen as just a desperate ploy to capture power. How patriotic and sincere is the APC in its mission? When this kind of dangerous situation occurs, consultation is imperative. Must we wait for disintegration and collapse of Nigeria before we consult with those who can still render reasonable advice and intervention

that will save the country? Consultation does not amount to cultivation. Before the G-5 governors invariably came over to the APC, they visited all these leaders. It was consultation. Consultation has become necessary in the situation we find ourselves now. And that is the traditional African method of resolving knotty social problem. What is happening in Nigeria tells you that politics is actually a game of infinite possibilities. The major opposition to the Christian Democratic Party in Germany was the Social Democratic Party, yet, the two of them are now together in the coalition that is ruling Germany. Liberal politics is a system of infinite possibilities. The fact that some people could not agree yesterday should not be the basis for foreclosing a relationship tomorrow. What is most important is principle. What were the reasons for our disagreement yesterday? Was it selfishness or our inability to agree on how best to manage affairs or conditions? Those that we are relating with today were not with us because our own understanding of society and the leadership was different. If they have now come to our own understanding of what leaders should be and do, then we must embrace them. That is what is happening. The nation is in fermenting. And fermentation is a process that we leave all the properties in the process to dissolve and form a new thing. I want to believe that Nigeria will come out of this and the weaknesses and deformities in each and everyone in this process will be eliminated and our finest capacity will be brought out for Nigeria to utilise for its greatness. That should be the focus of all. Don’t let us assume that our weaknesses will survive while our strengths will disappear. Rather, let us believe that our weaknesses will disappear in this transition and our strengths will survive and push Nigeria through this dangerous stage. Your administration has been in office for more than three years. Which aspects of your electioneering promises have you not been able to fulfill? None. There is none of my campaign promises that has not been met. Some public-spirited individuals who have excelled in business, academics and other areas of life produced for me a blueprint. From it, we came up with a six-point integral action plan which formed my campaign promises. My six-point agenda include banishing hunger, poverty and unemployment; restoring healthy living and promoting functional education and communal peace. Those six have been the focus and primary objectives of this administration. We have been dogged in our passion, action and general administration since this government came. If you look at our performance, today, you will see a clear distinction between us and previous administrations here. Our administration is people-oriented and human-focused. Talk about banishing poverty is not superficial, nor is talk about banishing hunger esoteric. These are things you can measure by the condition of the people. Within the first 100 days of my assumption of office, I pioneered youth engagement that is second to none in Nigeria, if not in the whole of Africa.

Continued on page 12

INTERVIEW

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, January 2, 2014

APC Is Consulting Obasanjo, Atiku Not Cultivating Them – Aregbesola Continued from page 11 Nobody ever thought an administration could employ 20,000 youth at once. Nobody believed that it was possible. But we made it possible. The first set of the 20,000 youth exited the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme after serving for two years, while another set of 20,000 youth came in last year. That means 40,000 youth have benefited from the scheme. Apart from providing valuable skills and jobs for the youth, the scheme also inculcated in them a great measure of discipline. They were given leadership training so much so that most of them became sufficiently successful before the end of their stay in the scheme. Majority of them who were lucky were engaged in government employment. Still on banishing poverty, unemployment and hunger, we have restructured our Ministry of Agriculture. Our farmers are now engaged in activities that are making them successful in their business. How? We are supporting the farmers with high yielding variety of seedlings and fertilisers, among other incentives. With these, our farmers are earning much more returns on their efforts. To enhance farmers’ earnings, we introduced free meal in our elementary schools. Through this, we are feeding 500,000 pupils in our elementary schools each day. The relationship between the school feeding and the support for farmers is the fact that all the food items used for the feeding are locally purchased. Through that, there is increased demand for farm produce, which has, in turn, increased farmers’ gains. This has guaranteed better living condition for farmers in the state and encouraged them. Let me give you an example. We ensure the food we give our pupils is nutritious. We give each pupil an egg per day, supported by other items like chicken, turkey and fish. A consequence of this is that many poultry farmers, in the state, enjoying the demand and supply connection, have become millionaires. As a matter of fact, the local capacity for egg production in the state is less than our requirement, so after consuming all eggs produced in Osun, we have to go to Kwara and Oyo states before we can make up our demand for eggs. Our educational and agricultural programmes are integrated and are fulfilling our objectives. In the process of feeding pupils in elementary school as a way of banishing hunger, we are creating wealth for the farmer, generating employment and reducing poverty. As important as what people see as the main preoccupation of government, which is constructing roads and providing other infrastructural amenities, which is building physical structures, the human capital development angle of governance is more important. We are concentrating more on this, giving it greater attention over other normal routine activities. While doing that, we are performing excellently in the area of provision of socio-amenities. There is no aspect of life that my government has not touched. Beside the youth that we are empowering, we have equally been looking at the numerous elder citizens who lack care. We undertook a survey with the support of a gerontologist from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, who assisted us using a scientific approach to identify the critically vulnerable aged people across the state. We’ve been taking care of more than 16,000 aged people who lack care from their

the people of Osun State. We shall continue to maximise our resources and ensure that the work is done. Another challenge is the human capacity that one needs to achieve his objectives. We are coping with what we have. You had to wait for the court to declare you governor of Osun State. How did that long route affect what you met on the ground, and how have you been able to address the ruins, if there were any, or build on the benefits? I have put all of that behind me. I have overcome whatever inadequacies that I met on assumption of office. It was rough and tough but then I have no excuse not to move forward. The situation actually inspired and motivated me to perform, and the results have given me satisfaction and fulfillment. If the road had not been as rough as it was, probably one would have relaxed, as there may not have been the impetus to strive hard. I will not dwell too much on how we met the state because it is of no benefit. What is important now is the fact that we are marching on. When we came in, the first thing we did was ethical reorientation and rebranding. We rechristened the state Ipinle Omoluabi, which means the Land of Virtue, to give our people a sense of pride in themselves, take them back to their historical origin, remind them of the values, valour and decency of their forbearers, promote a culture of high level of ethics and character and then transfer all that into several symbols as the emblem, flag and anthem of the state.

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families. We are paying these aged people a monthly stipend of 10,000. We also have a scheme for the widows which we are working on. We are working on providing succour for them. We are also taking care of people with special needs, including the mentally deranged, by removing them from the streets, rehabilitating them and resettling them with their families. My administration met a very insecure society, but which we have now stabilised by developing a security outfit, the Swift Action Squad, a combination of men from the Nigerian Army, Police, Civil Defence and the SSS. We’ve also been providing ambulance service at strategic locations all over the state to respond to emergencies, either from motor accidents or any form of medical attention that requires emergency action. We have extensively developed physical infrastructure, building roads, and we are even building an airport. We are providing water for the people and working hard at ensuring constant and regular electricity. We are not generating electricity, but we are extending it wide, including to the rural areas. Once there is supply of adequate electricity, nobody in Osun State will suffer from power outages that are due to transformer shortages. It is heartwarming to know our people are appreciating all these. Any time I find myself in the midst of the people, their reactions have been encouraging. Considering the short duration of my administration and the impact we have made, I have no feeling of dissatisfaction in meeting my set objectives. I’m quite satisfied.

From indications, you intend to go for a second term. If you are quite satisfied, to use your words, so why would you be angling for another term? There cannot be an end to human needs. The more you meet a need, the more you face a new challenge that will bring a new need. Life does not give you a respite, so you don’t say it’s over. The more you do, the more you still need to do. Every need met will inspire more needs. So, we cannot say we have met all the people’s needs, but we have achieved our set objectives, in the short-term. If you consider the present level of underdevelopment in our society, you will realise that even if you are working 24 hours each day for 20 years, you will still be scratching on the surface of meeting the people’s needs. However, we are happy that now, there is obvious improvement in the living standard of our people. What have been the major constraints that hamstring your administration’s performance? It’s been financial resources. My major challenge is the fact that resources available to us to do things we want to do are grossly inadequate. To me, though, that is normal because needs usually outstrip the means. The good thing here is that success is determined by effective, prudent and efficient management of your means to meet your need. I’m not disturbed by this challenge, as tough as it is. I see it as normal. It is the ability to overcome that challenge that makes one a good leader. I have taken it in my stride to make sure that we use what we have to meet the demands of

Many governors tend to concentrate on physical development of only the state capital and flaunt that to hoodwink observers as achieving a commendable development of the entire state. How has your administration impacted on the rural areas and the people? Observers only need to visit the rural areas to see what we have done. There is another way I can answer you without being selfadulating. Some few states bid for the World Bank and French Development Agency intervention in rural deployment, particularly in access to the rural areas and farms, and we came first. Osun was adjudged the best state in terms of positively affecting the rural areas. We are in no way shortchanging the rural areas. We are ensuring a good balance in development between the rural and urban areas. For instance, we are constructing 10-kilometre roads in each of the 30 local government areas in the state, and majority of those local governments are in the rural areas. How have you been able to improve on the state’s internally generated revenue to boost funds to execute projects? We are doing well. We met a low monthly IGR ceiling of N300 million, which could even sometimes drop to as low as N150 million. That was the way we met it. But now, our IGR is hovering around N1.6 billion monthly. Our target is N5 billion. And that is without putting any tax burden on anybody. We only improved on our revenue collection strategies and blocked leakages. Culled from BIOREPORTS

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, January 2, 2014

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Remuneration £65,000 - £70,000 per year, accommodation, healthcare, vehicle, flights etc. Method Of Application Interested and qualified candidates should: http://m.randstad.com/ Application Deadline 2nd January, 2014 —————————————————— Employers in Nigeria British Council Job for an IELTS & General Examinations Officer, December 30 2013 The British Council is currently looking for a suitably qualified and experienced individual to join us in Abuja as IELTS & General Examinations Officer. Job Title: IELTS & General Examinations Officer Location: Abuja Reports to: Exams Services Manager, Nigeria Purpose of job: To support Examination Services in Nigeria in delivering exams and to maintain them at the highest professional standards as set out in the British Council’s EQS (Examination Quality Standards), examinations boards and partners. Context and environment: (e.g. dept description, region description, organogram) Nigeria Exams is the largest British Council exams business in the Sub Saharan Africa region. It administers exams in four subject areas: Schools, Professional/Vocational, Educational on behalf of UK institutions and IELTS. The post holder will be part of a team of 6 in Abuja who administer the growing exams business ensuring quality and compliance as well as control of income and expenditure to deliver on target. This role will support the delivery of IELTS in Abuja in addition to assisting other exams in Abuja. Main Duties and Responsibilities Administration of examinations in Abuja: Overseeing and taking delivery of examinations materials and checking them prior to exams commencing, packing and returning scripts daily, maintaining logs appropriately. Exam delivery: Delivering Examinations on test days which includes Supervision of venue staff and Ensuring adherence to examination day procedures Post-Examination administration: Secure and accurate despatch of test answers and materials to the examination board. Maintaining accurate logs of examination paper movements, amongst others. Venue Staff: Venue staff creation and payment. To be part of the recruitment, training and monitoring team for venue staff. To schedule venue staff for examination sessions. Exams Team Support: Maintaining logs of preparation materials for IELTS. To support in recruitment, training, monitoring of IELTS venue staff and clerical markers. Marketing & Customer Service: To assist Exams Services Manager in collecting qualitative and quantitative marketing data in order to contribute to the marketing action plan and support business development. Finance: To prepare and submit income reconciliations to agreed timescales.To record income correctly on the FABS system and in a timely manner. Experience Dealing with customers and enquiries in a service environment. Providing and monitoring service within quality standards. Working quickly and accurately to tight deadlines. Experience of handling and reporting on payments from customers. Experience of delivering examinations in a timely and secure manner. Managing and training casual staff. Qualifications Secondary School education up to ‘A’ Level standard A qualification in examinations management. How To Apply Please read through the IELTS & General Examinations Officer role profile. Download and complete the British Council external application form. To help you understand and complete the application form, read through the ‘How to complete the application’ document on the jobs page. Listed within the role profile document, you will find a number of listed ‘behaviours’ and ‘skills and knowledge’. Evidence against those criteria will need to be provided in your role application form. To help you understand those criteria, we have provided a ‘behaviours’ and ‘generic skills’ dictionary at the top of the jobs page. Completed application forms should be sent hposts@ng.britishcouncil.org no later than Sunday 5 January , 2014. Please ensure the subject of your mail is, ‘IELTS & General Examinations Officer”. Only applications received on the British Council application form will be considered and only short-listed candidates will be contacted. The British Council is committed to a policy of Equal Opportunity and Diversity and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community. We guarantee an interview to disabled candidates who meet the essential criteria. Application Deadline Sunday 5 January , 2014 —————————————————— Lagos State Government Graduate Trainee recruitment On behalf of the Lagos State Government, NAFS S.G. Nigeria Limited (a professional training and consultancy firm) invites dynamic and focused young graduates who wish to make a career in verbatim reporting to apply for engagement as trainees at the State’s newly established training centre. Job Title: Training and Employment Location: Lagos Qualifications: Candidates must have: A minimum of a Second Class (Lower Division) Degree from an accredited university or a Higher National Diploma; A good command of both written and spoken English. Prior working experience is not compulsory, although computer literacy is an advantage. Preferred candidates should be below the age of 35 years. If your application is accepted, you will: Be trained free of charge to use a stenograph machine to record court and other proceedings Be employed by the Lagos State Government as an official verbatim reporter upon successful completion of the training programme. Method of Application Interested applicants should submit as one attachment in Microsoft Word or PDF format, a CV and cover letter to: lagos.verbatim.training@gmail.com All applications must be submitted no later than 2nd January 2014. Only short listed candidates will be contacted Application Deadline 2nd January, 2014 —————————————————— Business Analyst vacancy at Growth in Value Alliance (GV Alliance) Growth in Value Alliance (GV Alliance) Partners is a business advisory and market intelligence services firm. Our objectives are to assist organizations to achieve their growth aspirations by providing market intelligence, strategy formulation and implementation expertise and business operation improvement skills. GVA Partners is recruiting to fill the position of: Job Title: Business Analyst Location: Lagos Job Description 6+ years of IT Experience with min 4+ Yrs in Telecom BSS/OSS Minimum 4+ Years of Telecom Background Good Interpersonal skills for Customer Interfacing Ready for International Travels as per requirement Flexible & Positive Work attitude Minimum 2+Years of Telecom Business Analysis Experience Proficient in Microsoft Project, Power point and Excel Very Good Fluency in Local & English language and Communication Skill How to Apply Interested and qualified candidates should forward their CV’s to: contact@gvapartners.com with Job Title as subject of the mail Application Deadline 6th January, 2014 —————————————————— Jobs At GE Energy What do you envision for your future? At GE Healthcare, we strive to see life more clearly. Our “healthymagination” vision for the future invites the world to join us on our journey as we continuously develop innovations focused on reducing healthcare costs, increasing access and improving quality and efficiency around the world.

We employ more than 52,000 people worldwide and serving healthcare professionals in more than 100 countries. We believe in our strategy - and we’d like you to be a part of it. As a global leader, GE can bring together the best in science, technology, business and people to help solve one of the world’s toughest challenges and shape a new age of healthcare. At GE, developing people is embedded in our culture and integral to our growth. Something remarkable happens when you bring together people who are committed to making a difference - they do! Customer Project ManagerLocation: Ikos - Lagos, Nigeria Job Number: 1898056 Business: GE Healthcare Business Segment: Healthcare Eastern & African Growth Markets Posted Position Title: Customer Project Manager Career Level: Experienced Function: Sales Function Segment: Functional Management Location: Nigeria U.S. State, China or Canada Provinces: City: Ikos - Lagos Postal Code: 0 Relocation Assistance: No Role Summary/Purpose: This role will be responsible for developing partnerships with hospital projects stakeholders, ensuring the hospital projects feasibility, managing and coordinate the execution of the hospital project and ensuring the Customer Satisfaction Essential Responsibilities: Work closely with the Hospital & Healthcare Strategic Projects and the Region Sales team to develop partnerships with local companies that enhance GE Healthcare offering & delivery capabilities for hospital projects (eg. local suppliers, construction & engineering companies, consultants, architects & packagers). Facilitate comprehensive offering and pricing for large projects working closely with the GE Healthcare regional commercial operation, partners, Hospital & Healthcare Strategic Projects and sourcing teams. - Ensure our capability to implement and maintain the entire project in the end user country on line with Terms and conditions to optimize sales transfer. - Ensure Hospital Equipment Planning interface between Customer and Hospital & Healthcare Strategic Projects planners. - Once project is awarded, take over the project execution ownership and is the “One GE Face” in front of the customer. Coordinate all the project stakeholders, including GE Healthcare region team (sales, Order to remittance, logistics, Service) and external partners/suppliers. - Establish project implementation plan, on-time execution of equipment procurement, logistics, installation, application, acceptance & service hand off working closely with Heathcare OTR Regional team and EMEA Centre of Exellence. - Ensure On-site management as necessary. - Ensure Customer Satisfaction (End-User as well as Packagers, if any) and respect of the commercial contracts in compliance of GE policies (invoicing, revenue recognition, sourcing, cash collection…). Escalate & facilitate solving issues. Qualifications/Requirements: - Mechanical/Electrical/Biomedical/Electro-Mechanical/Civil Engineering university degree with an MBA as an added advantage. - Minimum of 5 years’ experience in large-scale project management, construction or installations with int’l exposure, including site management - Knowledge of the Healthcare High Tech Industry - Strong Project Management experience, Architects or EPC experience is highly desirous. - Experience in managing large/complex construction projects - Experience in multi-faceted projects involving managing multiple contractors, cutting edge technological or heavy equipment partners .(for example Power projects) - Relationship Manager experience in managing contractual relationships. - Experience in, pre-sale activities, project costing, pricing, risk assessment, costing assessment, quantity surveyor, and project feasibility. - Understands the complexities of contractual agreements, and long term feasibility of projects. - Must be able to evaluate/validate contractor technical expertise. - Must have a solid understanding of the complexities of the Nigerian market. - Face of GE to contractors, must be able to take ownership and lead execution of GE contracts - Strong leader, with technical and commercial competencies. - Experience in engineering site management, contracting, relationship management and commercial transactions. - Strong leadership & communication, proven ability to lead & drive resources, energize, develop, and build rapport at all levels within an organization in collaborative spirit - Proactive, self-directed, creative, clear thinking, able to implement plan via a well thought out process - Customer oriented and committed to quality - Strong computer skills - Open to travel extensively - Fluent in English (mandatory)And in relevant local language Additional Eligibility Qualifications: Desired Characteristics: - Good knowledge of GEHC OTR & Finance processes - Prior experience working in hospital projects - Project management tools Service Sales Engineer - Distributed Power Location: Lagos, Nigeria Job Number: 1899666 Business: GE Global Growth & Operations Business Segment: Global Growth & Operations - Africa Posted Position Title: Service Sales Engineer - Distributed Power Career Level: Experienced Function: Business Management Function Segment: Administration and Support Location: Nigeria U.S. State, China or Canada Provinces: City: Lagos Postal Code: Relocation Assistance: No Role Summary/Purpose: Essential Responsibilities: - Re-active and pro-active sale of all service products (Long-term service contracts, Overhauls & Repairs, New Service Products, bigger size Spare Parts Packages/Upgrades/Field Service jobs) in the assigned country / region - Not responsible for standard spare parts / field service jobs which customers order based on pre-agreed terms and therefore do not require a proposal - Interface directly with the customer base and Channel Partner (in indirect market) in the region (incl. presentations, conferences, fairs) - In indirect markets: Conduct regular technical and commercial trainings to the Channel Partners to increase their competences in the region - Overall lead generation & standard proposal offerings - Coordinate with Service CommOps. the preparation of non-standard offers and offers based on tenders - Coordinate activities with Back office Sales - Negotiate and conclude contracts and frame agreements within the respective Delegation of authority - Prepare and submit order confirmation - Hand-over orders to the execution team, enter as sold contract in contract management tool (ICAM) - Coordinate with Service Comm.Ops. on order entry - Segment entitlement analysis - Rolling sales forecast of all service products segments - Collecting operating hours on non-contractual fleet (joint effort with Back office sales) - Develop, coordinate and conduct growth activities for the region - Develop, recommend and support go-to-market service strategy decisions and growth-ideas, incl. product developments - Operational responsibility for the service orders, margins and other relevant business metrics - Develop competitive and customer analysis - Demonstrate boundary less teamwork and cross-functional cooperation in particular working closely with GE Energy and Jenbacher internal Service, Sales, Marketing and Finance teams Qualifications/Requirements: - Technical and commercial educational background - Minimum of 5 years of relevant sales and/or service experience in the energy market - Proven strategic skills to ensure growth and at the same time hands-on mentality in execution - Strong customer orientation and external focus - Excellent oral and written communication & negotiation skills - Time management skills, flexibility and ability to work under pressure - Team spirit - High level of Integrity - Strong business acumen and analytical ability combined with strong technical depth - Experience with the market and culture - Fluent in English (written and oral) - Willingness to travel > 50% - Well experienced with standard office software (MS Office) - Knowledge of data base and CRM software (Oracle or SAP) Last Entry Date: 2014-01-09 ——————————————————

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IN RETROSPECT

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, January 2, 2014

A Memorable Quote From A PDP Aspirant In The State Of Osun

“Recently, Chief Bola Ige came on radio here (Osogbo the state capital), to insult me and my family. THAT IS THE LAST TIME HE WOULD INSULT ME. He was beaten yesterday. The people of Ile-Ife beat him up and he was crying like a baby, as they removed his cap and glasses. If it had been at a political gathering, he will be dead by now..... In fact, what the people wanted to do was more than removing his glasses and cap....” -IYIOLA OMISORE. •Culled from Vanguard Newspaper.

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, January 2, 2014

www.osundefender.org

THE 6TH MOST-VISITED NEWSPAPER WEBSITE IN NIGERIA

THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2014

Omoluabi Rauf Aregbseola: 2013 OODUA PERSON OF THE YEAR After a careful deliberation By The Editorial Board - OODUA PATHFINDER of parameters necessary for our choice of the Oodua Person of the Year, the Editorial board of “ooduapathfinder” resolved on Adesoji Rauf Aregbesola, the Governor of the State of Osun, Nigeria. All of the others considered actually merited it but Adesoji Rauf Aregbesola came out tops. The main consideration was on his dogged pursuit of the quest for Yoruba Self-Determination *GOVERNOR RAUF ADESOJI AREGBESOLA that propelled him to embark and project certain ideas We avoided comparison of that was promoted by the which we feel are necessary Aregbesola administration. development programs or ingredients for that quest. The first is the celebration of projects because all of the “World Oodua Day”, where governments in Yorubaland The State of Underdevelop- youths and children of have things to show in that ment foisted on Yorubaland Yoruba extraction, both at direction and when such defrom 2003 by the ousted PDP home and in the Diaspora velopment efforts are viewed governments was inherited gathered in Osogbo for the against the backdrop of the by the then ACN(nowAPC) celebration which was held previously imposed underdegovernments which meant to mark the Nigerian-orches- velopment, when what ought virtually starting from trated “Children’s Day”. The to have been ordinarily availscratch, an undertaking well- second is the advocacy of able become much soughthandled by each of the gov- using Yoruba Language as after, we cannot but lament ernments under that political the language of instruction in the impact, both of the curparty. schools while the third is the rent developments as well as introduction of the Parlia- the previous underdevelopThree issues stood out in mentary System in the Local ment, would have on our sothe course of the year 2013 Governments being created. ciety.

Thus when actions are directed at challenging us to critically examine issues within the context of that underdevelopment, we cannot but promote and acknowledge such efforts. The consciousness generated by the celebration of “World Oodua Day” broke and will continue to break the barriers imposed by colonialism on the Yoruba Nation and encourage the growth of our minds to further challenge ourselves in the pursuit of our Autonomy and Self-Determination. Theuse of Yoruba language as a medium of instruction will also demolish such colonially-induced barriers. Yorubaland had always advocated the Parliamentary System as the best form of government both within the Yoruba nation as well as in Nigeria, hence that the State of Osun will put it into practice is a development that will reinforce those demands and maintain, now, officially, the momentum towards its eventual application throughout Yorubaland. These constitute fundamental issues in the continuous decolonization of Africa. Happy New Year to ALL of our readers.

Aregbesola: Symbol of an alternative perspective Continued from page 5.

He also embodies the new federalist Eagles of Nigeria, Stephen ethos to be used as a battering ram Okechukwu Keshi. against the military induced overtly centralist state. As the symbol of the new In a political space full of divisive thinking, he deserves to be our Man- characters, Bola Ahmed Tinubu divides of-the-Year. He has earned our appre- opinion ciation. Tinubu made a significant showing Aregbesola emerged from a list of placing second on the ballot.like few other distinguished Nigerians including others. As the man leading the resurthe former Governor of Lagos State and gence of the South West economically leader of the All Progressives Congress and politically, comparisons with the late (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Obafemi Awolowo are inevitable, and well as the Head Coach of the Super it is perhaps in this area where he di-

vides opinion the most. His supporters view him as a master political strategist who is a worthy heir to Awolowo’s legacy, while to others he is merely a political hustler who cannot be mentioned in the same breath with a man Ojukwu called ‘the best President Nigeria never had’.The story of Keshi is not lost on anybody who has been following soccer events in this country. When Keshi was appointed, the team was at its lowest ebb, having failed to qualify for the 2012 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.

The failure was not because the team lacked what it needed to sail through, but due to indiscipline that has taken root in the team. It was during this sorry state, and against all expectations, that Keshi turned around the team’s fortunes to become champions of Africa by winning the Africa Cup of Nations, 19 years after. By this feat, he became the second man in history to have won the Africa Cup of Nations both as a coach and player.

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 –ROTIMI DUROJAIYE/EDITOR 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.