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www.osundefender.org THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014
As August 9 draws closer by the day we must continue to remind the electorate in our dear state of t h e i r responsibiliies; the need to vote right and to jealously guard their votes. To use the power of our
PEOPLE FIRST
Front Page Comment Compatriots, Jealously Guard Your Votes! thumb to vote for continuity - as the state cannot afford to do away with the level of unprecedented development
going on in the state since the inception of Ogbeni Aregbesola's administration - is our first major
responsi bility as responsible citizens of our state. Of course we are not in doubt that the votes of our people will be for Ogbeni Aregbesola who has done the state much good. Continue on pg5
VOL. 9. NO.091
Who Killed Chief Bola Ige, formerAttorneyGeneral and Minister of Justice?
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IGE
Osun 2014:
INEC Plans To Undersupply APC Strongholds - APC Beware: Osun PDP Now Gives Out Fake Naira - Pg 2 Notes
- See Story On Page 2
Lagbaja Rejects Omisore’s - Pg 2 Offer Eid-El-Fitri: Osun - Pg 4 Speaker Celebrates With Constituents Murder: Osun Lawmaker Wants Omisore To - Pg 2 Produce Suspect
•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (arrowed), acknowledging cheers from his numerous admirers during the 2014 Eld-El-Fitri festival at Oke-Baale Praying Ground, Osogbo, State of Osun, last Monday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.
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OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, July 31, 2014
Osun 2014: INEC Plans To Undersupply APC Strongholds - APC
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LANS by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to under-supply all the strongholds of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) with electoral materials across the State of Osun ahead of the governorship election in the state has been uncovered. The APC in the state, in Democratic Party (PDP) a statement issued and and the Independent signed by its spokesman, National Electoral Barrister Kunle Oyatomi, Commission to underspoke of the plan by the supply APC strongholds opposition Peoples with electoral materials.
“According to sources close to both PDP and INEC, insufficient materials would be sent to Ilesa, Osogbo, Ede, Ila, Iwo, Ikirun, Aiyedire, Ife North, including Modakeke, as well as Egbedore and Olorunda Local Government Council areas.” According to the party, the idea is to significantly
reduce the number of votes of APC and create opportunity for the PDP to boost its numerical edge in the election. The party stressed further that information at its disposal suggests the INEC’s assurances for a free and fair election, is to create a sense of false security among APC supporters to keep their
guards down, while a massive rigging plan is being executed behind the scene. “Part of the plan, which has been on-going in the past weeks, is the scheme to prevent APC supporters from receiving their permanent voters’ cards.” Already, the rumour is rife that the PDP and INEC plan a late arrival of materials to critical polling units, with the intention to create chaos and possibly
prevent voting from taking place. The APC however, warned that should any of such plan becomes effective, INEC will take full responsibility, because there will be absolutely no excuse for such to happen anywhere in Osun. The party therefore, called on INEC to ensure that adequate materials get to the polling units early enough before voting starts.
Lagbaja Rejects Omisore’s Offer
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•Chief Imam in the State of Osun, Sheik Mustapha Ajisafe (with mic), delivering a sermon. With him are some Islamic clerics during the 2014 Eld-El-Fitril festival at Oke-Baale Praying Ground, Osogbo, State of Osun, last Monday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.
Beware: Osun PDP Now Gives Out Fake Naira Notes
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S the governorship election draws nearer in the State of Osun, out of its desperation to win the election in the state at all cost, the state chapter of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has devised a new means of short-changing unsuspecting members of the public by giving them fake Naira notes. OSUN DEFENDER reliably gathered that majority of those who had fallen for the PDP scam in the state were students of tertiary institutions, who recently expressed their anger on the development. According to them, members of the major opposition party in the state had approached some of them at their various halls of residence on the possibility of surrendering their voters’ cards for N10,000 or release their cards’ serial numbers for N5,000 each. One of the victims, who spoke with the medium during a protest to the medium’s head office in Osogbo, the state capital, revealed that a prominent PDP chieftain in Ilesa had approached them on the deal and since they had exhausted their pocketmoney, they were left with no option but to agree to the PDP terms. It was however, to their chagrin to discover that 75 per cent of the cash given to them were fake, a development that almost landed one of their colleagues in jail. The said victim had gone
to one of the commercial banks in Ilesa to save part of his money, when it was discovered that N7,000 of the N10,000 collected from the PDP chieftain before parting with his voter’s card was fake. In a related development, the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned residents in the state of the PDP antics, as members now go from house to house, room to room, giving rice and offering a promise that on the voting day (Aug. 9), whoever votes for their party will receive N5,000. According to the APC, the opposition party resorted to this out of its fear that the people may ditch them, it will only give the N5,000 after the individual has voted. “To be sure that the voter votes PDP, one agent will be planted at each polling unit. As the voter goes to cast his vote, the agent will raise up his/her hand, spread out the five fingers to indicate the amount that the voter will receive if he/she votes for the PDP.” The APC however,
described this gesture as ‘the leprous fingers of PDP’s criminal hand.’ “To actualise this mean and illegal as well as undemocratic plot, the sum of N2 billion is alleged to have been given by the presidency to one of the notorious PDP serving ministers of Yoruba origin to dispense. “Hundreds of citizens in Osun have bombarded the APC office to report this incident and the party has advised that the PDP’s move is the action of a fraudster, who wants to ruin their future and that of their children. “What PDP is distributing is blood money. After you have taken it, you have been paid off to continue in poverty and misery”, the APC warned the citizenry. “Nobody, who wants to serve the people will bribe them with money first. That person must convince the people first of what he plans to do and what benefit the people will get from the plan. “People should not sell their birthright for PDP’s N5,000. That party will enslave you and ruin your children’s future. “What Aregbesola is doing in Osun and for its citizens guarantees the present and secures the future,” the APC said, adding that “the PDP is only coming to steal Osun’s wealth, not to build it.” The medium further gathered from credible
sources that more of the fake Naira notes would be given to the unsuspecting voters on election day, while security officials on duty would be invited by the party agents later to arrest whoever collects the money but refuses to vote for the party.
HEN a number of his fans were lamenting the seeming eclipse of his singing career, mask-styled musician, Lagbaja, like a bolt from the blues, caused a stir last weekend, when he reportedly shunned an offer by the Iyiola Omisore Campaign Organisation to perform at the grand finale rally and reception for President Goodluck Jonathan scheduled to hold in Osogbo, the State of Osun capital, next week. T h e ‘ K o k o the murder case against the Below’ crooner had former Minister of Justice reportedly been in Nigeria, the late Cicero approached to thrill of Esa-Oke and foremost supporters of Senator nationalist, Chief Bola Ige, Iyiola Omisore, the I have deep-rooted candidate of the Peoples innermost conviction that Democratic Party (PDP), you are culpable in the in the August 9 death of my mentor and governorship election in benefactor. “If you offer me all the the state. However, the award- allocation of Osun State winning musician, who during your four-yearwould not want to sell his tenure, peradventure, you conscience for a pot of win (which I seriously porridge, stoutly declined doubt), I will not perform for Iyiola Omisore the offer. For a man, who is seen governorship election.” Since the news went as a social commentator of sorts, especially viral, there have been considering the oeuvre of strong reactions from his his music, he was said to fans saluting what some have rejected the offer described as his daring purely on moral grounds. stance, unlike some other In a very biting and artistes, who would soul-searching piece, he prioritise pecuniary motive any other said: “Though the court of over the land discharged and consideration. acquitted you (Omisore) in
Murder: Osun Lawmaker Wants Omisore To Produce Suspect By ISMAEEL UTHMAN
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HE Chairman, Governor Rauf Aregbesola Re-election Campaign Committee for Ijesa-South Federal Constituency, Honourable Timothy Owoeye, has called on the Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Abubakar, to compel the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyiola Omisore, to produce the hoodlum that killed a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Tolu Tewogbola Adeosun, in Ilesa last Friday. Owoeye, who is the Leader allegedly shot by a miscreant of the Osun House of within Omisore’s entourage, Assembly, urged the police who identified the deceased as boss to thoroughly investigate a vibrant APC member. The lawmaker said there the killing of the APC member that was allegedly shot by a were too many questions hoodlum in Omisore’s begging for answers on the campaign entourage at Ward 9, death of the young aspiring Ilesa East Local Government Nigerian, stating nothing whatsoever could warrant Council Area, last Tuesday. Speaking with OSUN attacking the deceased, not to DEFENDER in a telephone talk of killing him in cold blood. interview on Tuesday, Owoeye: “Before now, Owoeye said Omisore and other PDP chieftains at the Aregbesola had moved round rally could not deny knowing the entire villages and towns of the blood-thirsty hoodlum that Osun without a record of violence. All markets and killed the APC member. He revealed that the slain stores in Ijesaland were under APC member was sitting at the lock and key due to the arrival front of his house, when he was of Omisore and his campaign
team. “This act of PDP in Osun is equivalent to harassment, intimidation and political terrorism ahead of the August 9, 2014 governorship election. But nobody has monopoly of violence. If the PDP continues in this trend of political violence, it will meet its waterloo. People would stand to defend themselves. “We call on the InspectorGeneral of Police to please, mount pressure on Omisore to produce one of his thugs that shot our member; Tolu Tewogbola Adeosun before the election. Anybody found wanton in connection with the vibrant APC member must be duly prosecuted. “We also warn the police against sweeping the case under the carpet because of the possible PDP and Presidency’s obnoxious influence, as the PDP had been boasting of using the police and other security agencies in the state to terrorise the APC and electorate in the state, before, during and after the election,” Owoeye stressed.
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OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, July 31, 2014
Tumultuous Crowd Shows Support For Aregbesola •As Gov Calls For Peace On Sallah Day
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HE sight of Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the State of Osun on Monday created frenzy at the state capital, Osogbo, as he joined thousands of Muslim faithful at the Oke-Baale Praying Ground to mark the end of the 30 days’ Ramadan fast. The governor’s convoy, Many of the residents, who which snaked through the displayed Aregbesola’s capital city from the campaign posters, brooms Government House at Oke- and other insignias of Fia to Oke-Baale praying support for the governor, also grounds, created chanted various songs, excitements, as residents which indicated their trooped out in a show of readiness to resist any solidarity with the governor, attempt to manipulate the apparently because of the coming election. forthcoming governorship At various points in the poll slated for August 9, 2014. state capital such as Oke Fia,
Orita-Olaiya, Gbaemu,OjaOba, up to the praying ground, the residents held Aregbesola’s convoy hostage, as they insisted he must stop to listen to their songs and see them display their support for him. Speaking immediately after the prayers, Aregbesola said for Nigeria to be peaceful and progressive, Nigerians must promote religious tolerance, endurance and forbearance. He emphasised that Ramadan preaches tolerance, endurance and forbearance,
By KEHINDEAYANTUNJI adding that the message was not for Muslims alone, but for all Nigerians. The governor therefore, urged Muslims to imbibe the spirit of patience and tolerance, which are the major characteristics of the 30-day fasting, saying if this is done, the nation as a whole will be better for it. According to the governor: “Ramadan teaches tolerance, forbearance and forgiveness. We want Muslims to imbibe the virtues of Ramadan in their day-today lives and let it be part of
their normal routine and in their daily relationships. “All Nigerians of whichever faith must imbibe the attribute of tolerance, perseverance and forbearance. These are the things this country needs now to guarantee peace and stability that will make us to be productive. “I urge us all to embrace love and endurance, it is when there is peace that we can pursue productive engagements that will guarantee for us good life,” Aregbesola noted. He added that it is in good life that the people can enjoy their existence, stressing that if the essence of life is for human beings to live well, then peace, which is the only guarantee of happiness,
must be a watchword for all and sundry. Concerning the coming election, Ogbeni Aregbesola explained that he believed in God and the overwhelming support of the people of the state to be victorious at the polls. Speaking earlier in his Eidel-Fitri sermon, the PresidentGeneral, League of Imams and Alfas in the South-West including Edo and Delta states, Sheik Mustapha Ajisafe, said Muslims should endeavour to continue practising what Ramadan preaches even after the Ramadan. Sheik Ajisafe, who also called on the entire congregation to pray fervently for Governor Aregbesola, charged Muslims to remain steadfast and embrace always the tenets of Islam.
Eid-El-Fitri: Osun Speaker Calls For Tolerance, Peaceful Election By KAZEEM MOHAMMED
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PEAKER of the State of Osun House of Assembly, Honourable Najeem Salaam, has called for fear of God and tolerance among politicians, religious leaders and followers to ensure sustenance of peace in the state.
•A cross section of Polytene members endorsing Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for second term in Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI. Office at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo recently.
He spoke shortly after observing the two-rakat Eidil-fitri prayer at Songbe Praying Ground in Ejigbo Local Government Council Area, urging religious leaders to use the period to pray for peaceful election during the August 9, 2014 governorship poll in the state. The Speaker urged politicians to desist from any act that could trigger violence, killing and maiming during the
Violence Trend: PDP ‘ll Run And ‘ll Not Find A Hiding Place - Adeyeye By ISMAEEL UTHMAN
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HE Chairman, State Campaign Committee for the re-election of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Professor Sola Adeyeye, has called on the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to caution Senator Iyiola Omisore and members of the party on the use of violence to intimidate the electorate of the state. Adeyeye added: “A young Adeyeye threatened that if the PDP continues the violent man in Ilesa-East Local spate in the state, the people Government Council Area by would exhaust their tolerance the name of Tolu Adeosun, just last week, participated in the and then rise in self-defence. The senator stated this in an naming ceremony of his own interview with OSUN child. The day after, he sat in DEFENDER on Sunday in the front of his own house; and Osogbo, just as he condemned it so happened that the the killing of a member of the entourage of the governorship All Progressives Congress candidate of the Peoples (APC) in Ilesa, Tolu Adeosun. Democratic Party (PDP), “I agree with you that all of Iyiola Omisore, drove in front us should be concerned about of his house and one of the any escalation of violence. miscreants in the entourage Democracy ought to be an identified Tolu Adeosun as a occasion for celebration of the vibrant member of the APC. choice of the people to There and then, one of the determine who will govern hoodlums in that entourage them. Unfortunately, in the last shot Tolu Adeosun in cold couple of days, we have been blood. The photograph of the experiencing very troublesome remains of Tolu Adeosun is all manifestation of violence. over the internet now. “I thank God that we have Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola would not provide coverage for gone round this state; we have anyone to try to introduce gone through all the nine federal violence into the electoral constituencies, even though we are yet to hold a mega rally in process in Osun. “We of the All Progressives Osogbo. I thank God that Congress are supremely politicians and non-politicians confident that we enjoy the and especially, objective support of the electorate of members of the press could Osun. Because of that fact, we attest to the fact that we do do not need to violate anyone have mammoth crowd to enforce their support; we do everytime and everywhere. not need to intimidate anyone Often time, we drove through away from their one free areas where we even saw PDP members on the road. Had our choice.”
people gone to attack the PDP people, not to talk of killing them? “I want to remind all of you; especially those of you that have been in Osun for quite some time, that when we had the election of 2011, three or four days to that election, in a building very close to the residence of our House of Representatives candidate then, Rotimi Makinde, a church was invaded and four or five people were murdered there. Those that were murdered were members of our party. “That spate of murder and violence unfortunately and most tragically has begun again. We have been pleading with our members not to reward violence with violence; we have been begging them not to retaliate. But there is and has always been a limit to human endurance and needless provocation. “I do not know of any local government council area in Osun, where the APC does not enjoy overwhelming support and majority, so that it will make us to escalate violence. PDP will run and will not find a hiding place. “The laws of Nigeria and the laws of God gave to all human beings the right to self-defence. Therefore, I want to plead with the leadership of the PDP to terminate this orgy of violence. I want to plead with all law enforcement agencies to help
us to quickly curb this cancer of violence. “I want to tell the whole world, especially those who are hell-bent on turning Osun to a fragment of hell; I want to warn them that no party has a monopoly of violence. We know that one party has the monopoly of the police and the control of the arm forces. “We are praying that the Nigeria Police and the Nigerian Arm Forces will discharge their jobs with professionalism and patriotism, with conscience and the fear of God. If they so do, they will protect all and sundry, regardless of political affiliation. “If they do not, they will be involved in the cascade of events, the end of which nobody can tell. When you push people to the wall, they will rise to defend themselves. The violence we are witnessing is not limited to the infliction of body harm.” Adeyeye then called on wellmeaning Nigerians to join the campaign against politicization of the security agencies, saying: “We need those who love the country; we need those who fear God to join us in making sure that law enforcement agencies will dispense justice equitably to everyone of us.” Speaking on the distribution of the Permanent Voters’ Cards, Adeyeye said: “We have already received reports that in Ilesa, INEC brought shortage of permanent voters’ cards. I had gloated at the fact that candidate
Iyiola Omisore was the only senatorial candidate of a big party that could not win his council area and his ward in the 2011 elections. “Something tells me that the PDP would want to so manipulate the forthcoming governorship election that Aregbesola would also lose his own ward and council area. Something tells me that they would want to do something like that, that I believe is why INEC brought a shortage of PVC to Aregbesola’s local government council area. We will shout. On the match to Canaan, Joshua commanded the shout that the wall of Jericho, like an earthquake, began to tremble. “We will shout and Nigeria will tremble. Of all the Yorubas, Ijesa do embrace and smile at war. Nobody, nobody, nobody, I repeat, would disenfranchise the Ijesas. Ijesas are not just those you can treat anyhow. In the Bible, the Prince of Peace is also called the man of war. God is so great that I, Adeyeye and Jonathan Ebele Goodluck, are less than an ant. So, I can assure you, every member of our party, who registered would vote because that is the law of the land.” The senator expressed optimism that Aregbesola would win the governorship elections saying that the APC has already won the hearts of over 90 per cent of the electorate in the state with the popularity and achievements of Aregbesola.
election. “Even after Ramadan, as Muslims, the good deeds must continue and we must be ready to continue to do good to the people around us and be peaceful in whatever we do. “Now that election in coming up few days to this period, politicians should do it gently and the idea of ‘I-must-bethere-at-all-cost’ should not be the case in Osun. “Politicians must understand that it is purely inhuman and against the tenets of democracy to kill and maim people because they want to be in power. “We must all work towards ensuring peaceful election that will represent the will of the people in line with the guiding principles of our democracy,” he said Salaam charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be fair in the conduct of the election, noting that the commission is the umpire that everybody is expecting to be fair and allow people to chose who they want to govern them. Earlier in the Eid-il-fitri message issued by his Press Secretary, Goke Butika, the Speaker, who felicitated with Muslims on the celebration, said Nigeria in general and Osun in particular need fervent prayers from the people of faith, for the nation is faced with principalities of terrorism, poor leadership and discordant tunes, while the state faces governorship election. He frowned at the level of politicization of religions, saying that those who ought to intercede for the people of little faith have been exploiting the name of God to negotiate for their selfish interest, while some religious leaders are confusing their followers on the way to go, having mixed religion with politics of selfaggrandizement. The state parliament boss then admonished the religious leaders in Osun to preach peace, tolerance, good neighborliness and service to humanity, urging them to close the fault lines instead of widening the gulf of
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OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, July 31, 2014
Basic Education In Osun ‘ll Continue To Be Free – Aregbesola •Parents Associations Endorse Governor For Second Term
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OVERNOR of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, had stated on Monday that his administration will never support any form of levy at the elementary, middle and high schools in the state. He said such trend contradicts the ideology of his political party and his six-point integra action plans, adding that his administration will continue to pursue free and functional basic education in the state. The governor said this while responding to the request of the State Chairman of the Osun
Parents Teachers Associations (PTA), Dr Ademola Ekundayo, that the government should, at least, consider N100 PTA levy to assist the schools’ funding and serve as reimbursements for the association. The PTA Chairman made the request at an event organized to award the teachers, educational
inspectors, who have performed excellently and also to endorse Governor Aregbesola for a second term in office, held at Government Technical College play ground, Osogbo. Ademola also requested for the re-introduction of school hostel system and grant for the association to efficiently monitor the school system and provide a bus for the association among others. Aregbesola, in his response, said he will never
support any levy at the basic education level, noting that it is the responsibility of the government to ensure at all cost to reduce the burden of the people, which is the main reason his administration has been providing free education. According to the governor, “As I understand that your demand is important to you and important to education in the state, but you must also understand that it is the responsibility of
government to ensure that no burden is added to the burden of the people. “That was why we took the pains of leadership. That was why we decided to cloth their children for them; we feed them and we reorganize the education sector and at no time are we going to add any levy. We shall continue to be responsible for that as a government.” He advised the association to seek for funds independently, including dues from the PTA members without collecting fees or involve the government as an independent organization. “But our government will have nothing to do with levy collection in schools. We are committed to our ideal of ensuring that education at the basic level is absolutely free. Education at the basic level
is a responsibility a government must bear, and we are going to stand by that commitment.” He stressed that his administration introduced the same school uniform to boost the economy of the state and instill the culture of solidarity and equality among the pupils. Aregbesola added that student biometric data would soon be captured for an information management system and produce identity cards for the students to differentiate their schools. Earlier in his address, the PTA chairman commended the re-classification policy of the government, most especially, the creation of education districts in the three senatorial districts and the appointment of Tutors-General. He declared that the association has endorsed the governor for a second term for his infrastructure and technological transformation in education.
Igbajo Community Holds Support Rally For Aregbesola By SHINA ABUBAKAR
T •Hon MBO Ibraheem distributing free school uniforms to public school pupils in Oriade Local Government Council Area, State of Osun, held at Ipetu-Ijesa Town Hall, last Thursday.
Lawmaker Distributes Free School Uniforms By KEHINDEAYANTUNJI
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TATE of Osun House of Assembly member representing Oriade State Constituency, and Osun East Senatorial Whip in the House, Honourable MBO Ibraheem last Thursday distributed school uniforms to 15 schools in Oriade Local Government Council Area of the state. The benefiting schools were man that will be useful to the St Paul Elementary School, society through sound and Ipetu Ijesa; African Church qualitative education.” “The uniform alone is a Elementary School, Ipetu Ijasa; Ansarudeen Elementary challenge to some of the School, Ipetu Ijesa; Ikeji Ile students, which has been Middle School, Ikeji-Ile; making some of them to feel Owena Ijesa Community inferior among their peers, Middle School, Owena among which by extension, may be distracting them from their others. At a formal distribution of studies, and we believe that our the uniforms held at the Ipetu intervention will go a long way Ijesa Town Hall, Honourable to overome the barriers.” Speaking on the forthcoming Ibraheem described the gesture as an effort to support the governorship election in the educational transformation of state on August 9, Honourable the state governor, Ogbeni Ibraheem urged the people to collect their voters’ cards, guard Rauf Aregbesola. According to him, the it jealously and vote for intervention of the governor in Governor Aregbesola for a the educational sector is second term, while urging them unprecedented with the to be conscious of politicians, introduction of various who are buying voters’ cards innovations, which include from them. Also speaking, the All school feeding programme, Tablet of Knowledge and Progressives Congress (APC) massive infrastructural Chairman in Oriade Local development reflecting in the Government Council Area, Honourable Blessing building of model schools. He said the uniform Ademikore, said the vision of presentation was part of his the governor is to transform the contribution to help the less- state to a level where there will privileged and secure a good be equal opportunities and no future for the children through one will be at any disadvantage to survive as human beings. education. “That is why the governor He said: “The state governor has become a model is providing free education to internationally in the education ensure that the children of the sector and it is part of our poor are also successful, and responsibility to assist the building a strong and reliable government in building a new best public health sector, so
that the poor can also get best medical attention to be healthy and living longer.” He stressed that there is no alternative to Governor Aregbesola and urged the people not to be deceived with Kerosene and “expired rice” but vote for Governor Aregbesola. The Ajalaye of Ipetu- Ijesa, Oba Adekunle Baderin, represented by Princess Moradeyo Baderin, said
Aregbesola’s administration was a complete departure from the old trend with serious commitment to the welfare of the public. Chairman of the occasion and Chairman of the Local Education Authority in Oriade, Alhaji Muieeb Adebanbi, said Aregbesola has already built new men with his education policies and would forever be remembered by yet unborn generations.
HE people of the ancient town of Igbajo last Friday thronged into the streets of the town, bearing brooms, as well as singing political songs, to show their support for the second term bid of Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the State of Osun. The train was led by the Palace, Obaala-Iloro, Isalepolitical leaders in the Oja , Oke-Irun road community including the roundabouts and other major former Commissioner for points in the town before Education, Dr Onifade, converging at Iloro Square, Secretary of All Progressives where party leaders addressed Congress (APC) in the state, their supporters. Mr Akere counseled the Prince Gboyega Famodun, the State Commissioner for supporters on the need to Information and Strategy, Mr continue to evangelise the good Sunday Akere, Mr Kunle deeds of Governor Aregbesola and win him more votes from Adegbite among others. Residents of the town, as the people before the August 9 well as party faithful, joined the poll in the state. He also assured members of train from their various points, to walk round the community, the party the PDP candidate brandishing their inscribed polo has been intimidating, to be rest shirts, bearing the picture of assure of their safety, saying Governor Aregbesola amidst no one can harass them nor whisked them away as they dancing and singing. The rally walked through publicly boasted. In his own view, Prince Famodun called on the people to ensure that their voters’ cards are adequately protected deployed on the election day, and should not exchange them as they are meant to protect for anything, saying whoever the people and their votes, requested for their cards before urging them to troop out to vote assisting them means no good for them. for Aregbesola again. He charged the people of Speaking in their palaces, the Olu of Songbe, Oba Ojetoye; Igbajo to once again Alawo of Ilawo, Oba Azeez demonstrate their love for Faronmi among other monarchs progressive politicking by coming out en mass and vote said Aregbesola’s first term has for Governor Rauf Aregbesola been translated to and stand by their votes. development, saying that such Famodun told the people a leader deserves to be given not to be intimidated by the another opportunity to serve presence of security the more. operatives, saying they would They said the security of be out to protect everyone and lives and properties that is now ensure that no one rigged votes guaranteed in the state under or try to cart away ballot Aregbesola’s administration boxes. According to him, Igbajo has was enough to bring more benefited from the development. administration of Governor The monarchs then charged Aregbesola and would continue politicians not to use the to benefit more if the governor election to disrupt the peace of is re-elected, saying those the state, saying that what is seeking to take his seat do not needed at this period is possess the credential to development and not perform like the governor is doing. destruction.
Eid-El-fitri: Osun Speaker Celebrates With Constituents By KAZEEM MOHAMMED
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PEAKER of the State of Osun House of Assembly, Honourable Najeem Salaam, on Monday celebrated the 2014 Eid-il-fitri with his consttituents in an unusual manner, as he visited villagers to celebrate with them. After observing the Eid-il- villagers not to allow fitri prayer at Songbe Prayer themselves to be deceived by Ground, the Speaker and those who have been teelling members of his party, All lies and making promises that Progressives Congress (APC), they can never fulfil, with a accompanied the Olu of view to getting votes. Songbe, Oba Kamil Ojetoye, to He said that Governor Rauf his palace, from where they Aregbesola deserves to be removed to the market square in elected because he has laid a the ancient town to wine and good foundation and he is the dine with the people. only person who know what After Songbe, the Speaker’s to build on it. convoy moved to Idi-Igba, According to him, the Olorin, Ibogunde, Afaake, governor has already started Araromi-Iwata and Ilawo, all in bringing development to the Ejigbo Local Government state and his focus during Council Area, where he second term is to continue the celebrated the festival with agenda and touch the areas that monarchs and residents of the have not been touched. communities. He encouraged the villagers Speaking at the palaces of not to fear the security the monarchs, Salaam urged the operatives that would be
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OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, July 31, 2014
Compatriots, Jealously Guard Your Votes! Continued fromg1 But to guard our votes jealously could even be said to be more important than casting our votes. This is in view of the desperation of the far from being democratic Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its gubernatorial 'wannabe' in the state, Iyiola Omisore Mr. 'Money miss road', to coast home victory in the coming election. Thus while it's important to give our votes to Ogbeni, it's even more important to jealously guard our votes. This is what we need to do to ensure that the PDP doesn't succeed in its evil machinations. Already there are threats of violence from the party on members of the ruling party, APC as they (PDP) are threatening fire against APC members. Going by their antecedent violence and rigging are their stock-in-trade. And since there is no hope for them of winning the coming election through 'One man One vote' then their hope lies in repeating what they know how to do best. Another way through which the PDP
is hoping to claim victory is by throwing money and other valuable gifts out to entice voters to sell their votes. In this regard the handwriting had for long appeared on the wall. With the distribution of kerosene to their members and some members of the public which started last year their journey to entice voters with the aim of buying their votes started.
dire for our state. Of course the citizens can collect the gift of money and other gifts the PDP is ready to offer them but they must not do so to do their bidding. The votes in the coming election are for Ogbeni Aregbesola who has raised the bar of good and responsible governance in the state and should never go to any other party let alone the PDP.
This stratagem rather than strategy, being viciously employed by the PDP in the state of Osun, is what we see as 'jeun s'iku' should citizens get swayed by it. 'Jeun s'iku' literally means 'eat and die' or 'eat the food that will lead you to your grave'. The money and other forms of gift which the PDP and Iyiola Omisore rely on to buy citizens' votes are nothing but 'Greek gift' and 'blood money' and collecting them to do their biding means doing so at one's peril. It simply means sending our state back to the pre-Aregbesola era; backwater of development. May God forbid!
The PDP and Iyiola Omisore are free to go about to throw carrot to the people in their desperation to capture the conscience of voters but never should the voters allow their conscience to be captured by these unscrupulous elements who have nothing to offer our state. The PDP has been in power for close to eight years here without any positive thing to show for it. All it had to show for its eight years of misrule are purely negative; violence, hunger, unemployment, collapsed school system, bad roads and general under-development across the state.
But it's not enough to pray to God to forbid evil things. We the citizens must also not use our own hands to bring evil things on our heads. To collect PDP's blood money to sell our conscience in the coming election will be tantamount to 'jeun s'iku' the consequence of which will be
And on the part of the party's candidate, 'Mr. Money miss road' himself, he too had nothing positive to show for representing the state at the highest legislative body of this country even as he held a juicy position in the Senate, being Chairman Appropriation Committee for four years. Rather than serving the people and made positive impact in their lives he was only there to serve
Aregbesola, I Doff My Cap I feel a high sense of fulfillment as a citizen of the State of Osun and as a patriot at that, to write this letter of commendation to Ogbeni; knowing full well that it will catch his fancy to read. Meanwhile, accept my hearty congratulations, as the team in OSUN DEFENDER newspaper also has its own share of credit that I have to apportion at this period. Your contribution to the success story is immense. Whether anyone remembers or deems it worthy to reward you commensurately or not; the imprints of your noble role in the liberation struggle for Osun are golden and evergreen. The most fulfilling aspect of the joy I know is the fact that Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has not let us down. Throughout the first four-year tenure, there had not been a boring moment, as he continued to roll out new programmes, policies, projects and innovations, which have all added much value to the lives of the generality of our people. Under some other dispensations, governments
were made to run policies and programmes to the exclusive benefit of the privileged few, the elites in particular. Under others, it could not be accurately placed whether anyone else than the helmsmen and their co-travellers had anything to benefit. Fortunately under Ogbeni, everyone in the State of Osun has one thing or the other to gain. If there were losses, they should not be such that must be moaned over; as such losses should have arisen in order to promote the overall interest of our state, its people and generations yet unborn. Ogbeni moves me close to tears each time he speaks at public forums, defining the whole duty of a government that is responsible and responsive. As a man, Aregbesola lives his words. He has run a government that is responsible and responsive. He committed his might and means to give to his people all that they need within the ambit of available resources. He made
accountability and prudence the twin-watchword of his official conduct. In spite of dwindling statutory monthly allocation from the Federation Accounts, owing to whatever reasons it was attributed to by the handlers of the government at the centre, Aregbesola never derailed nor faltered in his determined strides to make the living conditions of his people better. It is most deserving that we should give credit to those who
deserve it. It is more of weakness than strength of character to condemn all leaders all the times. The experience in Osun in the past forty-four months has been such that if it continues, our state shall soon become an advanced sub-nation within a backward nation. Those who make noise running the government down do so for selfish ends. At best, Osun as at today does not require change of leadership. Anyone who clamours change among the middle or lower
class is treading the path of regret. Now that it is not too late to take recourse, I strongly advise such misled ones to wake up and reason well. None of the fake contenders around could bring about transformation that will be all-embracing as the one in vogue at present. Among them, the noisiest is outright bad product which all of us should reject. The deceit of aligning the state with the government at the centre did more damage than good between 2003 and 2010. God intervened on November 27, 2010 when He installed Ogbeni to administer a rescue mission. Such intervention does not come at frequent intervals. Let us remember how we sweated blood before the 2010 intervention. The cheapest approach, which offers greater gratification to all, above any other, or above all others combined is to vote Ogbeni for a second term. I pray that the devices of the enemy will not prevail over our state. Latest by August 10, we shall jubilate that things have turned out the way we want. God bless our state. •YEMI OLATUBOSUN, Ita Akogun Area, Osogbo, State of Osun.
his own pocket. So in what way are they both the PDP and Omisore - going to effect any meaningful change in the life of the state as they are shouting around? We know that the virtuous and responsible citizens of our state who have enjoyed dividends of democracy in unprecedented term under the able and visionary leadership of Ogbeni Aregbesola will not waste their votes. We are sure they are not going to sell their conscience. We believe fervently that their votes will be for Aregbesola as they are not ready to 'jeun s'iku'. However,as we said above it's one thing to vote, the next important task before them come election day after voting is for them to protect their votes. Our people must guard their votes jealously so that these visionless elements who rely on vote stealing like they did in 2007 and who have nothing to offer the state and its people don't succeed in their fraudulent and evil plans. For them not to succeed the ball is in the court of the people. Our responsibilities are clear; to vote and to protect our votes. These are what we must do to ensure the return of the Aregbesola-led progressive government that has done so well for our state.
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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
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OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, July 31, 2014
WISE SAYING
Osun, Wake Up A stitch in time saves nine. We learn from the mistakes of others- the forerunner that falls teaches the follower wisdom. A person who eats his yam sets is set for hunger in the seasons to come. A house not planned is planned to fail. The leader of a home determines the quality of the products of the household. Heavens help those who help themselves. The Eyes know the value of the food. My fellow people of Osun, look before you leap; learn from the past; see the present situation of Ekiti State to make up your mind in the forthcoming polls. The elite, opinion moulders and leaders, arise and go home; talk to your people; the next four years and the far future of your people are going to be determined; don’t take it with levity; do not feign unconcern. If you allow just anybody to take up the mantle of leadership, you will have just anything in governance; in your life and the life of your people and your children. We cannot afford a draw back. While nobody is a saint, some are still more saintly than the others. Some are still more public-minded than the others; Some are still more devoted to developing the land than the others. Some are still more peaceful than the others. Some are still closer to the more grassroots than the others. Some are still more approachable than the others. Some are still more considerate than the others. Some are still more dependable than the others. Some are still more respectable, respecting and respected than the other. Some are still more presentable than the others. Some are still more cultural, cultured and culturable than the others. What is the future of Nigeria, what is the prognosis of the Nigeria nation as persecuted by the PDP in the past and now? What is the position of the South-West and the Yoruba race in case of any ontoward occurrences? What is the future of Osun in case Nigeria continues like this; in case Boko Haram and the multifarious Harams deal Nigeria a deadly blow? How are you going to come out unbloodened; unbroken and intact? How is the future of our children determined as from now?
What are the antecedents of the candidates? What are the antecedents of the political parties? How do the masses of Osun, their destinies, their economy, their infrastructure and other growth factors fair in the hands of these people and their political parties? What future plans for growth and development do they have for the ordinary people of Osun man and woman? The mistakes, misdeeds and excesses of the candidates, their parties and their croonies, how do they compare? How mild? How malignant? How pleasing? How hostile? How grassrooting, how elitist? How peaceful, how violent? What potentials for geniality, growth and peace does each person hold for the State of Osun? What outside impressions, acceptability or favour does each of them connote in the outside world? What can you genuinely and realistically expect from each camp? Is the outside world going to be flabbergasted, shocked and disappointed like in the case of Ekiti recent poll result? Please think twice! The elite, the politicians, the opinion moudlders, the traditional rulers and working class public servants should shun narrow parochialism to enlighten the masses in getting a governor and a party that will augur well for Osun people now and in the future. We should seek out our people deliberately and tell them succinctly what they stand to gain or lose by going one way or the other; not minding minor shortcomings. The pecuniary Greek gift, the campaign “egunje” and “jeunsoke” are just baits to get you to swallow the pills of whosoever is offering them. They are not the issues for consideration at all but the real dividends of democracy continuously, judiciously and equitably delivered to transform lives, the land and the economies of majority and/or all of the masses of Osun people. We have a duty to vote future development, peace and prosperity not chaos and empty pre-occupations with fracas, showmanship and puerile statesmanship that will keep Osun backward. Vote Aregbe. Vote APC. Vote Peace, Prosperity and Growth. Vote Osun to a greater height. Vote Omoluabi. By, Rev Dr. Andrew Adebayo Orire, Chairman, Hospitals Management Board, Ekiti State, Ado-Ekiti.
OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, July 31, 2014
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PHOTOTALK
OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, July 31, 2014
State Of Osun Governor Rauf Aregbesola At 2014 Eld-El-Fitri Festival At Oke-Baale Praying Ground, Osogbo, On Monday.
•Governor Rauf Aregbesola (on top of a vehicle), acknowledging cheers from Muslim brother and sisters.
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• •Governor Aregbesola acknowledging cheers from his Muslim admirers during 2014 Eid-El-Frtri festival at Oke-Baale Praying Ground, Osogbo, on Monday.
OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, July 31, 2014
PHOTOTALK
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State Of Osun Governor Rauf Aregbesola At 2014 Eld-El-Fitri Festival At Oke-Baale Praying Ground, Osogbo, On Monday.
•Governor Rauf Aregbesola (left), addressing the Muslim faithful, during 2014 Eid-El-Fitri prayer at Central Eid Praying Ground, Osogbo, on Monday.
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•Another cross section of Muslim faithful, achnowledging cheers from Governor Aregbesola at the Eid.
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PHOTOTALK
OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, July 31, 2014
State Of Osun Governor Rauf Aregbesola At 2014 Eld-El-Fitri Festival At OkeBaale Praying Ground, Osogbo, On Monday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.
•(L-R) Senator Bayo Salami; Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Aare Adinni of Yorubaland, Chief Tunde Badmus and Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Oyetunji Olanipekun.
•(L-R) Deputy Speaker State of Osun House of Assembly, Honourable Akintunde Adegboye; Barrister Ajibola Bashiru and Chairman of Omoluabi Schorlar Buses in Osun, Mr Bade Adesina.
•A cross section of Muslim faithful during the prayer.
FEATURE
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OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, July 31, 2014
OLUSESI ISAAC writes that Namadi Sambo’s ‘back door’ thesis, rubbishing the Rauf Aregbesola governorship of the State of Osun, only reminds the people of the state of the 2007 gargantuan tragedy in human and material terms as the corollary of election heist.
Of Sambo’s ‘Back Door’ And Osun Governorship
B
Y turning all arsenals on Iyiola Omisore, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the State of Osun, we are unwittingly fighting the ringworm, while the more deadly leprosy, the man from Kaduna State, Nigeria, is left untouched. The man craves for a centre stage in the governorship election affairs of Osun and he cannot have it. He is not a politician in the public spirited perceptive. His own job, like the genteel in a Thousand and One Nights is to hear and obey. Go, and he goes; come, and he comes. He sees nothing, hears nothing and knows nothing about the politics of Osun gubernatorial election. He likes giving evidence when he has none, doling out combustible remarks with the same aplomb with which Father Christmas gives out gifts. But Osun people would not step out to applaud the remarks, with shameless éclat, like medals. The man is Namadi Sambo, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. and chairman, PDP national committee on governorship campaigns. Ii was in the news that Sambo said that the governorship of Osun was “taken from our party, PDP through the back door” by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the sitting governor of Osun State.’’ Meaning, Sambo has reached for a can of petrol or some such liquid that may readily ignite. He has grabbed a tyre on the roadside, one that the motor mechanic has written off, to hang on the neck of Osun and set ablaze. It means also that Sambo is not imbued with any sense of justice or the rule of law. His sense of justice, if any is not free from his own bias. A sense of outrage against justice, the correcting fluid and the tippex of injustice. The 2007 governorship tussle in Osun between Sambo’s PDP and Aregbesola’s Action Congress (AC) now All Progressives Congress (APC) was about the stolen mandate of Osun people, freely given to Aregbesola. A crime, committed. Of course, where there is a crime, there must be a criminal; and where there is an offence, there must be an offender. If the law catches up with the criminal or offender and mete out appropriate punishment to the guilty, then justice can be said to have been done. The court of justice used as synonym for the court of law stepped into the middle of the 2007 warring PDP and AC. The final arbiter in the matter, had no personal interest; he understood the meaning of justice, had the will to do it, and he did it without fear or favour, affection or ill-will. He consulted the avalanche of electoral laws and citable judgements; and the final arbiter, not put on the horns of dilemma, nor bulked under pressure saw to it that justice was done. The PDP governorship of Osun was terminated in 2010, and the other party, the AC personified in Aregbesola was permitted to pack into the Oke-fia Government House, Osogbo, state capital. As though, accusations of partiality were loudest, the accusations only made the judiciary the sacrificial lamb on the altar of the governorship election result robbery by the PDP. Part of the benevolence of law is that once some doubt exists about the guilt of a suspect, such doubt must be resolved in favour of the accused. This attitude derives from the fact that it is more in tune with justice for the guilty to be set free than for an innocent person to be convicted. But in the Osun 2007 governorship case, there was no such legal imperative to set the guilty, the PDP free. No doubt existed about the guilt of the suspect, the PDP. The wheel of Osun moved on the wings of justice, not blocked by it. Aregbesola believes so much in the efficacy of the law. Pass the law and everything else will be added unto you, he would always say. Aregbesola, the sitting governor of Osun is a product of justice, justice represented by a person blindfolded, indicating that justice was blind to the PDP and blind to the AC and to all considerations that could have impeded the exercise of the sacred duty of serving the two parties in the governorship dispute. The road to the 2007 justice was long, patient and painstaking so that injustice was not done when justice was intended. Justice could have been condemned if the criminal PDP had been discharged and acquitted, for that could have defeated the purpose of law which ought to be the Taming of the Shrewd. Justice could have been condemned the more if the innocent AC was convicted, for such miscarriage of justice could have led to a breakdown of the fence that separates justice from injustice. And if the Osun PDP was not sent out of
•SAMBO campaign secretariat of Engineer Rauf the Bola Ige House, Osogbo, for one reason or Aregbesola, Action Congress (AC) the other, the aim of justice could have been governorship candidate and arch challenger of defeated. That is the birth of justice. But, that the PDP governorship in the April 14 election. is what Sambo called the birth of ‘back door “About 55 minutes ahead the Governor through which Osun governorship was taken convoy, was a bus full of the PDP thugs and from our party,’’ that’s PDP’. Shamefully, other people of squabble characters, issued Sambo is the only vice president of the with a gun each. The occupants of the bus, in nations’ vice presidents who has a limited disguise, erupted into praise-worships, singing understanding of the mere rudiments of and clapping. The rendition of the sweet justice. It does appear. Sambo should go back religious melodies was strong enough that to the university for preliminary skills in made them deceptively look friendly to the jurisprudence. But he cannot be attired in the well-known religiously overzealous Ijesa robes and the dog collar, the familiar people. As the bus pulled up at Isokan, the accoutrement of the legal trade. PDP thugs savagely jumped out of the bus, The Sambo ‘back door’ declaration smirks throwing tear gas, wielding batons and lethal of collective insensitivity of the PDP as the weapons and unleashing terror on the irate declaration reminds the people of Osun of the youths and women in their inside-out dresses 2007 gargantuan tragedy in human and who had gathered chanting songs, dancing and material terms that also brought grief, sorrow, protesting on reflex, the PDP-INEC deliberate tears and death to many homes when Sambo’s and systematic falsification of the result of the PDP in Osun, in criminal collaboration with April 14 gubernatorial election in favour of the the nation’s election administrators, stole at incumbent PDP governorship. gun point the 2007 Osun governorship “The scene was one of the stunned mandate freely given to Aregbesola. Perhaps, disbelief, shock and fear as the protesters the social, economic and political dislocations caught unawares, beat a hasty retreat with the of Osun as the consequence of the election PDP thugs in hot pursuit. The terror grew. robbery would input a re-think in Sambo, the Bullets zinged into the walls of the buildings master reminder of the ‘back door’ thesis. The around with the same velocity just as the thesis is the abnormal, the unorthodox, the bullets also rammed into human beings. The irreverent, and the heretical, asking to be noticed; but capable of reaction generation like first person to be found in the pool of her blood was a heavily pregnant woman, who the disruption of normal life, the capacity to incidentally was said to be a relation of the reverse societal gains, the penchant for PDP State women leader, an Ijesa chief. misdirected aggression, and the tyranny of its “Youths and women around fled from the will. A few hours after the 2007 Osun horror into a sleepy cluster of houses nearby, governorship flawed results, there was and the cluster also had own experience of the burning, breaking, beating, and bulleting as unexpected as a pall of smoke hung on the anybody and anything in sight became a ready vicinity from the police indiscriminate target. It was a spontaneous revolt aimed at shooting, while a nearby hotel had its doors seeking a redress for a perceived wrong, or broken down, windows shattered by the perhaps a way of avenging a wrong. In his “PDP’s Rampage Mission In Ilesa”, armed policemen and soldiers and free ladies were menacingly chased, some of them in their (Osun Defender, Friday 13 May, 2007) Isaac nude, were openly raped. Olusesi writes:”At 10am, Monday, April 16, “In the midst of the sound of exploding tear 2007, the convoy of the heavily armed antigas, rat-a-tat sound of automatic rifles and the riot policemen of the Peoples Democratic sight of billowing smokes, a police bullet Party (PDP) burst through Okefia-Odiolowosmashed into the head of a 72-year old woman Ojaoba on Isiaka Adeleke dual carriage way, fondly called Iya Saro (Sierra-Leone), Alekuwodo, Osogbo, sirened towards Ilesa and pulled up at Isokan, Ilesa, in front of the “It is rife that special water marked ballot papers were used to give President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe a resounding victory. Original reports online by Nasini projects, a private intelligence firm based in South Africa indicated that the ballot papers had water X against Mugabe’s name and the ink placed on the ballot papers made the substance on the ballot papers react and removed the ink that stimulated the water marked X into print. If the findings by the Lucia Mordia Nasini Projects had not been convincingly argued against on all available parameters, it may well be said that the PDP’s umbrella in Ekiti gubernatorial election had probably been specially water marked and the Ekiti voters’ ink imprints of the APC broom on the ballot papers must have reacted with the substance pre-imbued in the ballot papers, removed the voters’ APC imprints and activated the water marked PDP umbrella-thumb space into a bold thumb print of expected size and brightness during the counting of the Ekiti votes. Osun voters should be vigilant, ensuring that the August 9 ballot papers are not placed face down on the table and not rolled up by the election officials. The trick is that the officials would not want the ballot papers exposed to sun rays as the rays might activate a PDP umbrella thumb print on the ballot papers, even before the voter thumbprints on the ballot papers. And watch out again! The ink instantly dries from your thumb or index finger. And please, thumb or finger print carefully, to avoid being voided.”
oblivious of what the scene was, fell just in front of First Bank Plc, Roundabout, Ilesa and her body twisted grotesquely in death. Also a young beautiful bride simply called Janet still in her honeymoon, was shot dead with blood gushing out of her body, like water would from a faucet. “The Ilesa protest left in the trail a gory sight of burnt houses, hundreds of lives lost, and properties including cars worth millions.’’ By the ‘back door’ thesis, Sambo has just reminded us of how his PDP drew the flaming machete from the scabbard, took law into their hands, engaged the services of barbarians, and deployed several other methods that engineered Osun 2007 governorship election results in their favour and attempted manipulation of electoral law in defence, albeit unsuccessfully. It is rife that special water marked ballot papers were used to give President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe a resounding victory. Original reports online by Nasini projects, a private intelligence firm based in South Africa indicated that the ballot papers had water X against Mugabe’s name and the ink placed on the ballot papers made the substance on the ballot papers react and removed the ink that stimulated the water marked X into print. If the findings by the Lucia Mordia Nasini Projects had not been convincingly argued against on all available parameters, it may well be said that the PDP’s umbrella in Ekiti gubernatorial election had probably been specially water marked and the Ekiti voters’ ink imprints of the APC broom on the ballot papers must have reacted with the substance pre-imbued in the ballot papers, removed the voters’ APC imprints and activated the water marked PDP umbrella-thumb space into a bold thumb print of expected size and brightness during the counting of the Ekiti votes. Osun voters should be vigilant, ensuring that the August 9 ballot papers are not placed face down on the table and not rolled up by the election officials. The trick is that the officials would not want the ballot papers exposed to sun rays as the rays might activate a PDP umbrella thumb print on the ballot papers, even before the voter thumbprints on the ballot papers. And watch out again! The ink instantly dries from your thumb or index finger. And please, thumb or finger print carefully, to avoid being voided. Law is invented to curb the Sambos of this world, but in Nigeria, the Sambos in government at all levels who vote for a strict observance of the law are the first to breach it. Abraham Lincoln had preached: “Let reverence for the law be breathed to the lisping babes that prattle on their mothers’ laps. Let it be taught in schools and seminaries.” The PDP seek power to dominate the rest of us because, to the party elements, power is the ultimate aphrodisiac. And in Osun, Omisore, a nincompoop whose orders must be carried out with exactitude, is attracted to power the way butterflies are attracted to nectar. His obsession with power must be more than the sweet siren. He is seeking power, not responsibility to be able to get angry without the rest of us being able to answer back, in the words of Albert Camus, the French writer and thinker who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1957 in his famous book, “The Fall”. Though Sambo is dandy and innocuous, of expansive mood and photogenic smile, he is not brave to withstand the tornadoes of his ‘back door’ that may ricochet like an errant bullet. Ordinarily, he wants to be admired, but in the world of the progressives, Sambo is an anachronism, a living danger and a contagious virus. And like water poured on a duck’s back, Omisore would still want to go violent, playing to the gallery of Sambo’s ‘back door’ to snatch the Osun governorship.The PDP HIT LIST of Osun APC egg heads, already in the public domain now a few days to the August governorship election, is still shrouded in mystery. How and why did the PDP determine the names that made the list? What is the fate of the individuals who answer the names on the list? To be assassinated, kidnapped, or simply kept away till after the poll? These are the posers for President Goodluck Jonathan, Inspector-General of Police, civil society groups and journalists. But I am sure, Omisore and his master Sambo, must be nostalgic about their PDP’s ‘sweeping victory’ at the 2003 governorship polls in the Southwest Nigeria.
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INTERVIEW
OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, July 31, 2014
Osun Election: We Call For Electorate’s Support - Prof Adeyeye Professor Sola Adeyeye is the Chairman, State Campaign Committee for Re-Election of Governor Rauf Aregbesola. In this interview with ISMAEEL UTHMAN, he speaks extensively on the electioneering campaign of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and his optimism that Aregbesola would win the around the state. You need to ask yourself, the election. Excerpts: same person who is a jihadist is also painted SDF: Are you not concerned with the introduction of violence into Osun electoral process? ADEYEYE: I agree with you that all of us should be concerned about any escalation of violence. Democracy ought to be occasion for celebration of the choice of the people to determine who will govern them. Unfortunately, in the last two days, we have been experiencing very troublesome manifestation of violence. The last time I was here, I said the government of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola would not provide coverage for anyone to tries to introduce violence into the electoral process in Osun. We of the All Progressives Congress are supremely confident that we enjoy the support of the electorate of Osun. Because of that fact, we do not need to violate anyone to enforce their support; we do not need to intimidate anyone away from their one free choice. A young man in Ilesa East Local Government Council Area by the name of Tolu Adeosun just recently participated in the naming ceremony of his own child. The day after, he sat in the front of his house; and it so happened that the entourage of the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyiola Omisore, drove in front of the house and one of the miscreants in the entourage identified Tolu Adeosun as a vibrant member of the APC. There and then, one of the hoodlums in that entourage shot Tolu Adeosun in cold blood. The photograph of the remains of Tolu Adeosun is all over the internet now. I thank God that we have gone round this state; we have gone through all the nine federal constituencies, even though we are yet to hold a mega rally in Osogbo. I thank God that politicians and non-politicians and especially, objective members of the press could attest to the fact that we do have mammoth crowd everytime and everywhere. Often times, we drove through areas, where we even saw PDP members on the road, had our people gone to attack PDP people, not to talk of killing them? I want to remind all of you; especially those of you that have been in Osun for quite some time, that when we had the election of 2011, three or four days to that election, in a building very close to the residence of our House of Representatives candidate then, Rotimi Makinde, a church was invaded and four or five people were murdered there. Those that were murdered were members of our party. That spate of murder and violence, unfortunately and most tragically, has begun again. We have been pleading with our members not to reward violence with violence; we have been begging them not to retaliate. But there is and has always been a limit to human endurance and needless provocation. I do not know of any local government council area in Osun, where the APC does not enjoy overwhelming support and majority so that it will make us to escalate violence. PDP will run and will not find a hiding place. On the 5th of December 1968, I embraced the Prince of Peace, My Lord Jesus Christ, as my Lord and Saviour. That Prince of Peace enjoins me that as far as it depends on me, I must live in peace with all men, regardless of their religious, ideology and political affiliations. I must not inflict injury on anyone. But the truth is: God has not taken from me, the right of self defence. The laws of Nigeria and the laws of God gave to all human beings the right to self-defence. Therefore, I want to plead with the leadership of the PDP to terminate this orgy of violence. I want to plead with the all law enforcement agencies to help us to quickly curb this cancer of violence. I want to tell the whole world, especially those who are hell-bent on turning Osun to a fragment of hell; I want to warn them that no party has a monopoly of violence. We know that one party has the monopoly of the Police and the control of the Armed Forces. We are praying that the Nigerian Police and the Nigerian Armed Forces will discharge their O
•ADEYEYE jobs with professionalism and patriotism; with conscience and the fear of God. If they so do, they will protect all and sundry, regardless of political affiliation. If they do not, they will be involved in cascade of events, the end of which nobody can tell. When you push people to the wall, they will rise to defend themselves. The violence we are witnessing is not limited to the infliction of body harm. Some days ago, one of my own people; a young man, who is a man of peace, Stephen Dosumu, who is the Executive Secretary of Boluwaduro Local Government, was in his house. He was accused of running weapons. He denied it and he himself invited the police to inspect his house. They inspected everywhere they thought he could be hiding any weapon, but they found no weapon in his possession or in his abode. The PDP used its access to federal power to wickedly intimidate Dosumu. They took him to Osogbo and locked him up, even though no evidence was found or any weapon around him or in his possession, abode or in his office. While Dosumu was being incarcerated, hoodlums, who were inflicting bodily harm and terror on others, against whom we have written petition, were left totally untouched. This clearly showed that the Nigerian Police are being reduced to an arm of the PDP. We need those who love the country; we need those who fear God to join us in making sure that law enforcement agencies will dispense justice equitably to everyone of us. The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria grants to any of us, the right to belong to any party of our choice. I have brothers, who are not brothers of the APC and I will defend their rights to choose whatever party they belong to. I have brothers who are members of the PDP and they have the rights to belong to any party they chose to. I must not use my position to injure them or harass them. The same thing should happen in the PDP. The PDP must not use its position to harass me or my supporters. To so do is to infringe on the unalienable rights of every Nigerians to freedom of association and freedom of participation in political process. The violation is not even limited to those of us in partisan association. Only recently, a poll organization that simply published the outcome of an opinion survey in Osun, because their survey showed that Aregbesola is far more acceptable than Omisore, the
Police and SSS invaded the office of that poll agency in Lagos. When they got there, they asked for questionnaires used for conducting the opinion poll. The questionnaires asked most innocuous questions such as: “If you would vote, which party will you vote for? Which candidate would you vote for? Which candidate do you think will move Osun forward? When the SSS looked at the questionnaires, they asked the Chief Executive of the company: “So you are conducting opinion poll for a terrorist organization”? In the name of God, when did the APC become a terrorist organization? In the name of fairness, when did the government of the State of Osun become a terrorist organization? If a survey disclosed that one party is more popular than yours, you have two options: either to conduct a different survey and release the results of your survey or you go and say if this survey is correct, what can we do to close the gap. Incidentally, this polling agency had been conducting polls for a long time and it is an affiliate of Gallop Poll, the most widely-recognized and credible polling agency on this planet. The most credible polling agency is Gallop Poll, and you now invade their office just because you are not comfortable with their findings. This is the beginning of the dissent of Nigeria into fascism. If the press would be witch-hunted and mal-handed every time it publishes whatever is in the comfort zone of those in the corridor of power, if power must be used to twist the press, distort them or silence them, then we are all in trouble. That is the beginning of the dissent into fascism and all of us, regardless of where our sympathy is, we must stand tall to protest. I guarantee you that by the grace of God and as my Lord Jesus Christ gives me the grace, if Aregbesola uses his office to intimidate any person, who is not APC member in Osun, I will oppose him. I thank God he will not do that. He fears God too much to do that. He knows that power ultimately does not end with human beings. God is the custodian of power and those who abuse it will answer to God. But men and women of conscience, we must stand together to ensure that the truth is not muzzled in our land. Already, will know they are trying to make religion an issue in the state. To the Christians, Aregbesola is a jihadist, to the Muslim, they will not call him a jihadist, but rather they will say he is a promoter of idolatries. We see what they are distributing
as an idolater. What makes him an idolater? It is because there are cowry shells on the flags of Osun. Before the flag of Osun was made, Lagos had flag and the flag of Lagos has cowries because the cowry shells were the cowries of our forefather and foremothers before the white men came. You are also all aware that a few days ago, a former Head of State, General Muhamadu Buhari narrowly escaped death, only because his own orderlies were smart enough not to allow the bomb-laden vehicle to drive by his side. The bomb-laden vehicle tried to overtake three times but it was prevented. When they detonated the bombs, the three cars following Buhari got victimized. People were sent to untimely death. I don’t believe that the attempt to assassinate Buhari came from Muslims. Anybody that knows Buhari will know that he is a devout Muslim. I don’t believe that the attempt to kill Buhari came from his own party. I believe that the purveyors of power, the merchant of survivalism are the ones who are trying to eliminate Buhari, because they perceive him to be, perhaps, one unrepentant voice of the opposition to the mess that their government is visiting on this country. Buhari is not an Osun man. He is a member of APC. If we see him only as such, we are all in trouble. Today, they may for the Baptist, if the Methodists keeps quiet, they may come for the Methodist. If the Catholics keeps quiet, they may come for the Catholics. If the Anglicans keep quiet, the next day they may come for the Anglicans. If the Adventists keep quite, they will come for the Adventists. If the Muslims keep quiet, they may come for the Muslims. If you keep quiet, they next day they may come for you are nobody will speak for you. This is the time for all of us to speak, regardless of where we fall in the political spectrum. When justice is threatened, when equity is threatened, when and women of conscience must kick up. OSDF: As the Chairman of Aregbesola campaign committee, one would expect you to have an entourage of security. Why don’t you have any? ADEYEYE: In the book of Isaiah, My Lord says….I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. All who go against you shall be dismissed and ashamed. All who oppose you shall be as nothing. Though, you will look for them, you will not find them, for they shall be as nothing. I am your God, I shall help you, I shall protect you. That is my confidence. I have taken risk all my life. I am not a foolish man. If I see bullet, I will dodge. I am a scientist and just I am a scientist, I am a good one. But I also know that there is a limit to the security of man. I had told you that I am Bola Ige’s first child. To get into Bola Ige’s bedroom, you would enter through a gate; then a door to an anteroom; to another door to a step…you will pass through six doors, some of which were supposed to be impenetrable to get to Bola Ige’s bedroom. Despite that, Bola Ige was killed in his room. The arms of flesh would fail. I take more precaution than you; trust me, it may not be obvious to the naked eyes. But despite that fact, I know that ultimately, my security must be of God. He will not cause my feet to stumble. OSDF: Why do we have to kill before getting into power how do you think we can curb these political killings in politics? ADEYEYE: It is a shame. For as long as a man or woman, who last year, could not afford to buy a motorcycle, but could get into politics and within a year, build a house, travel to America and buy a Range Rover SUV, you will always have miscreants attracted to politics. If it is left to me, politics should be a part-time job. That is what I believe. If you leave it to me, there is no need for a full-time National Assembly. In
Continued on page 13
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INTERVIEW
OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, July 31, 2014
Osun Election: We Call For Electorate’s Support - Prof Adeyeye Continued from page 12 the days of Awolowo and Balewa, it was a parttime job. My own Principal at Ilesa Grammar School, Canon J.A Akinyemi, the father of Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, who is now the Vice Chairman of the National Conference, was a member of the House of Representatives as well as being a school principal. Papa Adekunle Ajasin was a member of the House of Representatives as well as a school principal, Chief Jonathan Odebiyi, who later became the Minister for Finance under Awolowo’s Western Region, was Vice Principal at Egbado College in Ilaro. Adewuja in Ekiti had a job and was also a member at the House of Representatives. What I am saying? Unless you are a frontbencher, unless you are a cabinet member, until 1966, politics was not a full-time job and there is nothing we are doing that necessitate for it to be a full-time job. Anybody who says so should come and challenge me in a debate. We are just copying this Oyinbos and it is nonsense. For as long as the material benefit of politics are so much, out of proportion to the benefit that those who labour and sweat can accrue, people will always want to kill. If the total enjoyment of a Senator is what a professor of a university or permanent secretary gets plus N100, if what a House of Representatives members get is whatever a permanent secretary get with N50, I swear you will cut the half of those that who want to go to the National Assembly. What is the problem? The reason people kill is because the benefit of holding political office in Nigeria is wantonly disproportionate to the labour and the benefit you get for your labour. OSDF: There were reports that APC is calling for postponement of the election, how true is that and why and when do you want the election to hold? ADEYEYE: My party did not call for postponement. What my party said is that if INEC does not have all the materials that are needed to conduct a free, fair and credible election in Osun, let them postpone it. Some of you would remember that in 2011, the first election had gone for few hours and we got announcement that the election had been postponed. What you may not know is that it was we in Osun that forced it. It was because when we saw some many polling booths where people were about to be disenfranchised, we said no, this is not an election. When we saw that the voting process was nothing fair; nothing truthful, nothing credible, nothing free, we cried and we thank God that Jega listened to the voice of the people. It is the same reason we are applying again. Let INEC bring all the materials; bring all the ballot papers that are needed in each polling booth, bring recording papers that are needed in each polling booth, bring ink pad that are needed in each polling booth, bring supervising agents that are neutral in each polling booth. If they do that, APC is ready any day they call for election. But if those things are not in place, the election cannot be said to be a reflection of the sovereignty of the people to choose who govern them. Therefore, we say it is better to postpone than to hold an election that is not credible. OSDF: What do you think could be the consequence on the nation of this political violence continues unabated? ADEYEYE: First, I pray to God in His mercy to intervene and stop this pestilence of violence. If it does not stop, what do I expect? Violence can only beget violence. Sooner or later, others would respond, and unfortunately when they respond, the knight and dukes of the system have a retinue of the security apparatus surrounding them and protecting them. It is the common man and woman that will become victims. That is why as you defend the common man and woman, you must help us to insist that whatever it would take, violence must be terminated. OSDF: Why do you think it is people who are in power that are behind the assassination attempt on Buhari? ADEYEYE: In crime and criminal justice, sometimes, if the evidence is not complete, they will look for one: circumstantial evidence, two they will look for motive; that is who stands the more to gains if this event were to occur. There is no question that with a devout Muslim like Buhari, Muslims have nothing to gain in his killing and I do not believe the Christians have anything to gain from killing him either. Those that stand to gain are the purveyors of power; they are the ones whose custody of power is threatened by the personality, the aura and the influence of Buhari. That is why I am not going to mince world that I point my own accusing finger to the PDP. Let them sue me. OSDF: How fair is the Permanent Voters’ Cards distribution? ADEYEYE: The exercise has just started, therefore, it would be premature of me to say
•ADEYEYE whether it has succeeded or it has not. However, we have already received reports that in Ilesa, INEC brought shortage of permanent voters’ cards. I had gloated at the fact that candidate Iyiola Omisore was the only senatorial candidate of a big party that could not win his local government council area and his ward in the 2011 election. Something tells me that the PDP would want to so manipulate the forthcoming governorship election that Aregbesola would also lose his own ward and local government council area. Something tells me that they would want to do something like that, that I believe is why INEC brought a shortage of PVCs to Aregbesola’s council area. We will shout. On the match to Canaan, Joshua commanded the shout that the wall of Jericho, like an earthquake, began to tremble. We will shout and Nigeria will tremble. Of all the Yorubas, Ijesa do embrace and smiles at war. Nobody, nobody, nobody I repeat, would disenfranchise the Ijesas. Ijesas are not just those you can treat anyhow. In the bible, the Prince of Peace is also called the man of war. God is so great that I Adeyeye and Jonathan Ebele Goodluck are less than ant. So, I can assure you, every member of our party, who registered would vote because that is the law of the land. How many people would those that kill Bola Ige kill in Osun? By the time they kill 300, the whole world come in. we are ready to die. We pray they don’t force us to it. I don’t want to die but if death comes, I will welcome it. We will defend this terrain. I am pleading with INEC to bring the PVCs out wherever it is hiding them. Jega, I plead with you in the name of God, bring the rest of the PCV out. If you don’t, you will see the justifiable wrath of our people. Our people do not deserve the terror and the tyranny of being disenfranchised. OSDF: PDP had accused the APC of reporting any allegation against the party of its members to the press instead of the police, saying that media is not the appropriate authority to report to. Could it be that your party does not have confidence in the Police? ADEYEYE: It is not true that we have not been reporting the PDP atrocities to the police. In fact, the APC in Osun has personnel that have been given no other duty than that when any infringement of rights occurred on the members of our party, it should be reported immediately to the police. I am saying before God Almighty, if my party is involved in making false allegation against anyone, I will resign my office as the chairman of the campaign committee. If we think so low and want to punish the innocents, I would have violated my conscience because I know I will answer before God. The thing is severally, we make reports to the police and they will not act because of the unfortunate fact those who pay the piper dictates the tunes. That is what is happening to the police. If a
policeman writes a report on Omisore, Adesiyan as police minister will get rid of the file. If a police write a negative and false report against Aregbesola, on account of opposition, the policeman will be promoted. That is why I said all of us should remember that God is the ultimate owner of power. We are just temporary custodians of power and we must use it well. It is not as if we are not friends of the police. We
believe that police should belong to the people, and we are not even afraid of the presence of the military during the election. If the military would come and maintain law and order, they are welcomed. If on the other hand they will go and put fake uniforms on some people, so that they will use them to terrorize our people, we will not be in support of that. Our prayer is that the police and the military will do what is right and curb violence on each side. OSDF: What have you done to make sure that members of your own party do not engage in violence? ADEYEYE: Even at campaign, our members do not violate the law. I do tell Aregbesola that any of the APC members that breaks the law should face the consequence of breaking the law. What we are saying is that the same thing should happen to members of other political parties. Nothing more, nothing less! OSDF: PDP had denied the killing of Tolu Adeosun in Ilesa and the party said Omisore was attacked. What is your reaction to this? ADEYEYE: What the PDP even claimed is that our party wanted to kill Omisore and that in their resistant of it, Adeosun got killed. For God’s sake, even thugs are not idiots. If you want to kill Omisore, will you go and attack him on the day that his entourage, policemen, military, his own thugs are going for campaign? Hell No! Sometimes, I wish Nigeria could have the same constitutional amendment that obtains in the US, which allows all of us to have guns. When you equalize the instrument of terror, the harassment of everybody will stop. If we have guns, nobody will harass us. Nobody will be foolish enough to see Omisore on campaign day and go and attack him. It is not possible. It insults all of us when they make that kind of excuse. The boy was in his house, not even his neighbour’s house. I want to attack Omisore and I stayed at the front of my house, got killed at the front of my house and I now become guilty of the allegation that it was because I wanted to kill Omisore that I was killed at the front of my house. We must not insult the dead. OSDF: The PDP appears so much confident in winning the governorship election, are you not jittery about this considering what happened in Ekiti. ADEYEYE: We are not in any way jittery. We have known what they did in Ekiti. We have known what they did. We will see. I will not say more than that.
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INTERVIEW
OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, July 31, 2014
“We Are Not Hungry, Go Away With Your Bags Of Shame And Kegs Of Diabolism” Chief Kareem Igbalaiye, Community Leader, Okuku, Osun State. It was a surprise package and the visitors who had come with two buses filled with bags of rice, kegs of groundnut oil and kerosene did not bargain for what they met. Okuku is a community in the State of Osun and the hometown of immediate-past governor of the state, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola. Pa Kareem Igbalaiye is a community leader. He is loved by his people and you will see this in the way his modest, though big house is swarmed by both the young and old on daily basis for advise and one form of assistance or the other. He is a retired civil servant, who had lived in Lagos and Ibadan for most part of his life. He refused to join politics. even when his friends and family members urged him to do so because of his good education, influence and popularity. The people urging him had thought that with his wealth of experience, Pa Igbalaiye would be an asset to the community, if he accepts their proposal. In this interview, Pa Kareem Igbalaye told our correspondent that when he heard that some people were sharing food items to urge people to vote for them, he could not believe his ears until they came to him for the same purpose. EXCERPTS:
O
SDF: Sir, can you let us know your views on the politics of the state? IGBALAYE: Thank you very much. First and foremost, politics should not be a do or die affair. We were here before and even during the first republic when Papa Awolowo and his political associates held forte. Politics then was like social gathering, when everybody contributed his own quota, irrespective of political leaning, until betrayal, violence and intrigues started to set in. There emerged two sets of politicians: those who truly wanted to serve the people and those whose interest was their pockets. They were using all sorts of methods to deceive the people to get attention. Some people fell for their pranks because of the poverty and mass illiteracy that existed then, while others refused bluntly to fall to their antics, due to education and enlightenment. But really, our people were too wise for them then. Even with threat to lives and inducements, they were put to shame. So, to answer your question, politics to me, should be to the service of humanity. When it comes to personal aggrandizement, we should all reject them totally. I say this because when you become president, governor or local government council chairman, the resources in your care do not belong to you. Rather they are put in your trust to the betterment of the whole people, irrespective of who voted for you or who did not. OSDF: Sir, you seem to be very politically aware and you command lot of respect and following judging by the number of people who throng your abode day and night for one reason or the other. Why then are you not into politics? IGBALAYE: Let me correct you.
Everybody is into one form of politics or the other. In as much as you interact with people, you are into politics: with your wife, your siblings, and your community and even in your church or mosque. That is why there is a popular saying that man is a political animal. But when it comes to partisan politics to seek elective posts, that is a different ball game. As you can see, my home is an abode for everybody in this community. Every politician, irrespective of party affiliation, come here and I do not discriminate in offering my assistance or advise to them. That is why I cannot afford to be partisan. The only difference now is that I cannot but be sympathetic to the government of Aregbesola and the APC as a party. Why do I say so? Being sympathetic is different from being partisan. I am not their card-carrying member but my people will not forgive me if I act differently. We have had a government in this state for close to eight years and we can hardly pinpoint what they have done. That period in the history of the state was like wasted years of our lives. They go to government even as councilors and come back multimillionaires. What type of government is that? They were very far from our people. So, I would say we had no government throughout that period. But this government came to power barely four years ago with a different orientation to serve and nothing but to serve. At least, the deaf can see it, the blind can smell and hear it. The whole state has almost been turned to a giant construction site where everywhere you turn to, it is development. There is no community in this state that has not been touched by what I always call the Aregbe Wonder. Look at the Gbongan-Osogbo road. It is the deadliest death trap in the south west
judging by the fact that it leads to a state capital. So you can imagine the traffic. You only need the grace of God to go through the road without an incidence. And we have had governments who did not see that road as priority until this government came on board. Look at the giant construction going on there. It amazes me. Even the Lagos-Ibadan road under reconstruction cannot compare with what this man is doing there. Do you know that that road belongs to the Federal Government? That is the excuse by successive governments in Osun for not touching the road. Imagine the flyover being constructed at the Gbongan junction. And I learn that Aregbesola is using what he calls financial engineering, whereby the huge bill will not affect other essential services of government. This is the first of its kind in innovative governance. That is just on one road. All other roads in the state are of the best quality. I’m not surprised because he is an engineer and he has been a commissioner for works in Lagos for eight years. Now, let us look at other areas. He has revolutionalised education. And don’t forget that education is the bedrock of any sane society and development. Politics has blinded them to see what this man is doing. We don’t want to go back to those years of the locust, when anything goes, when it was their pockets and those of their relations that mattered most. This is why I said that I am sympathetic to Aregbesola and his party. At this period in my life, I should stand for the truth, no matter who is involved. You know that the immediate-past governor is from here. But I cannot betray my conscience because of that. And it comes to a time in one’s life that you will decide not to sit on the fence.
OSDF: We heard that some people came here with gift items but you chased them away. What happened? IGBALAYE: Did you say gift items? I have been hearing that they were distributing food items and kerosene to woo people to their side but I found it difficult to believe. This is because it sounds so immature for anybody to try that in this age of enlightenment. But be as it may, I was surprised when three days ago, two buses drove into this compound and they were offloading what I will now refer to bags of shame. One of my children ran to this sitting room to inform me that some people were asking of me to take delivery of some food items. I knew I can’t remember requesting for that from anybody. I came outside and beheld a large consignment of bags of rice and kegs of kerosene and groundnut oil were being offloaded. One gentleman came close to inform me that they were for me and my subjects. I asked them from where? They said it is from their party (names withheld). I told them that I gave them twenty minutes to load back their bags of shame, refusing which I will give orders for the items to be put in flames. I told them that neither me nor my people are hungry. We may not be rich but we are not hungry. So they left in shame with the items. Some people told me we could have accepted the Greek gift and refuse to do their bidding. I told them that we are sending the wrong message to our youths if we did that. If election is not on the way, it would have been a different thing. Why now? OSDF: But don’t you think some people might see your rejecting these food items as rejecting your own person (names withheld)? IGBALAYE: I don’t care.
FEATURE
Osun Voters, Go On Introspection (Osun Ronu ) Y
ORUBA Ronu was a popular theatrical lyric by the late performing maestro, Chief Herbert Adedeji Ogunde. It depicted the political situation in the first republic, urging the Yoruba race to have a deep introspection on the on-goings at a time when the upheavals of the then Western Region was rearing its head. In those days, the Yoruba land, and indeed, the Western Region ranked high among other regions. Others look up to it in awe when it comes to civilization, finesse, education and good governance. The sordid events in the Western Region at that time, which led to this song, were indeed dare and quite disturbing. Politicians of this period were taking the electorate for granted. The rule of law was thrown into the dustbin, while over-ambition by politicians opposed to the then leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, made it impossible for them to reason beyond their personal ego. Thuggery was raised high as a political weapon to get back at opponents. Operation Wet-e became the order of the
By AYO AKINOLA day, which saw many lives lost and properties destroyed. This unfortunate event culminated into the demise of the first republic. Today, Osun ranks high as a muchrespected state not only in the South West but in Nigeria as a whole. This is due to the fact that Osun and her indigenes are known for peace and harmony which reign high in both political and social environments. The Omoluabi mantra popularized by the present governor, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, has been there with us time immemorial as a natural virtue imbibed by all and sundry. These are virtues of love, orderliness, collaboration, respect for elders, for leaders, for constituted authority and the rule of law. In fact, Osun used to have very low rate of political or social upheaval, if at all. So, it does not lost on us that we are the shining light guarding others when it
comes to virtuous life. But some of our so-called leaders in the recent past, for reasons of inordinate ambitions and selfishness, have ran this virtue aground, just like some did in the first republic. During the 2007 elections which results would have ushered in the incumbent governor, cautions were thrown to the winds. Ballot boxes were snatched and people were maimed or killed while properties were destroyed. Most towns and villages in the state were turned into theatres of war, as votes were cast but not allowed to count. The state was no longer at ease, as the centre could not hold. The electoral umpires at that time were bent on throwing away the wishes of the people by enthroning a less popular candidate. But because the wishes of the people shall always endure, today the rest is history. The governorship election is few days ahead, but news from the camp of the opposition in the state is a negation of the
Omoluabi mantra, which Osun is noted for. For crying out loud, what is the place of sharing of rice and kerosene and asking beneficiaries to swear to an oath of allegiance in electoral contests? Why is the opposition camp not engaging in rigorous campaigns to woo the voters, but instead, planning rigging? What is the place of military occupation in democratic process like election? Why does the opposition party in Osun and other states in the south west most often than not prefer well known and avowed political thugs and known criminals as candidates and leaders? Does the opposition camp lack Omoluabis or virtuous men and women in their camps? Would the outside world understand that it is only five per cent of the people of Osun that is creating ninetyfive per cent of our troubles? OSUN RONU O! •Akinola is a political and social analyst based in Lagos.
OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, July 31, 2014
PHOTOTALK
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Osogbo Indigenes Showing Their Appreciation To Governor, Rauf Aregbesola During The 2014 Eld-El-Fitr Festival Last Monday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.
•Governor Aregbesola acknowledging cheers from the crowd of his admirers on his way to Eid last Monday.
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•Aregbesola waving to the crowd of his supporters.
•Another cross section of Aregbesola’s supporters at Oke-Baale area of Osogbo.
•Some of the Governor Aregbesola ecstatic supporters at Oja-Oba area of Osogbo waiving to their political idol.
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TUESDAY, JULY 31, 2014 By ABIODUN KOMOLAFE
“A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.” - Proverbs 12: 3 not a politician but a I am ‘political animal’. I am also not a card-carrying member of All Progressives Party (APC) but a Rauf Aregbesola’s sympathiser; and an unrepentant one at that! If I am therefore tagged a politician because of my belief in the progressive credentials of Aregbesola, so be it! In the same vein, if I am labelled an ‘Aregbe wrapper’ as a result of my love for this great man of honour, I owe nobody any apology! At a time like this, I cannot but remember my days at Ijebu-Jesa Grammar School (IJGS), Ijebu-Jesa when it was all fun traveling to towns and villages especially, within the-then Obokun Local Government Council Area of the old Oyo State for sports and related social activities. I can confirm that those were relatively good old days, when towns were towns and schools were schools. At a time like this as well, one cannot but begin to wonder what became of our government that, for close to three decades, residents of my council area were at the mercy of the state government. No thanks to the bad roads and absence of other social amenities that were naturally taken for granted in saner climes. Specifically, between 1985, when I left IJGS and 2010, when Aregbesola was sworn-in as Osun State governor, schools in the state had become something else and hitherto passable roads had become such death traps that residents completely got cut-off from the rest of the world. People groaned in the rough of aches and moaned in the tumble of pains. Hunger begat hunger, poverty took the place of affluence and it was as if the gods were angry! Entered the Rauf Aregbesola-led administration on November 27, 2010 and the state was again on the path to greatness. Within the first three years in office, Aregbesola saw to the training and empowerment of over 5,000 youths in Information Technology through the Osun Youth Empowerment Technology Scheme (OYESTECH); some thousands of the stand-alone, multimedia, elearning Opon Imo Tablets were distributed to students, while others are expected to benefit from the scheme through local production by a company already sited in the state. Within the same period, no fewer than 750,000 pupils and students were given free school uniforms, with over 3000 tailors trained and empowered
Why Aregbesola Deserves Another Term
•AREGBESOLA
to sew school uniforms. Primary School Funding Grants also increased from 7.4 million to N424 million a year, while Secondary School Basic Funding Grants rose from N171 million to N427 million a year. During the period under review, tuition fees in state-owned tertiary institutions got reduced by close to 30 per cent, even as 254,000 elementary students were fed daily with nutritious meals through government’s O’MEALS scheme, a project that also led to the employment, training and empowerment as cooks of 3000 people. Since the foodstuffs were sourced and prepared locally, the scheme brought about the annual injection of N4 billion into the economy of the state. Aregbesola’s era also witnessed the inauguration of Omoluabi Garments Factory, as well as Omoluabi Conservation Fund into which N4.2 billion reserve has so far
been injected. Also worthy of mention is Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES), which has succeeded in taking off the streets and engagement of 40,000 unemployed youths. Efforts to enrol more youths into the programme is also in top gear. Stateof-the-art Police Stations were built and patrol vehicles, Armoured Personnel Carriers and related security equipment were also donated to security agencies towards the enhancement of security of lives and property. What about those ‘Stop! Ma P’ara e!’ Aregbesola-constructed roads that adorn the nooks and crannies of the state, in addition to O’CLEAN’s bi-monthly state-wide environmental exercise and Agricultural Farm Settlements Project through which 1,765 hectares of land were cleared and prepared for farmers? The state was able to build 74 Primary Health Centres and
rehabilitated its nine hospitals and 12 Comprehensive Health Centres, thereby aiding the provision of sustained free health services to all, irrespective of age, gender, political affiliations or religious inclinations. Through its free medical and surgical missions programme, government was able to provide free treatment and surgeries to thousands of citizens; and, through its Osun State Ambulance Service Authority, not less than 400 youths have been trained as paramedics. 123 kilometres of waterways (streams, arteries and canals) were dredged to keep the state flood-free for three years and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) increased from N300 million to N1.6 billion without any increase in tax payable by citizens. In my personal opinion, the education sector seems to have been the most blessed. Apart from those education-related dividends, which I have enumerated above, Government of the State of Osun, under Aregbesola, also embarked on the building of no fewer than 40 Elementary, Model and High Schools to cater for its ever-increasing population of pupils and students. Some have been completed and already put to use, while some will be commissioned within the next two weeks. This is in addition to the 20 new sites,, which will also be opened within the same period. During the period under review, 7,000 additional teachers were employed; with all outstanding allowances paid and all entitlements settled. The governor also graciously approved the creation of four Permanent Secretary positions (that is, Tutors-General) for the teaching cadre. And, on July 18, over 30 brand new buses were distributed to all council areas across the state to convey students to their respective schools. Aregbesola,within so short a period of time in office, has transformed Osun into an attractive city, a state of aquatic splendour and a centre of tourist attraction offering superb views. A man of poise and panache, this small-in-stature-butmighty-in-spirit Ilesa-born politician has changed the face of Osun into a state looking ahead to the future. No doubt about it: Aregbesola is witty, disciplined, teachable, responsible and passionate about leaving not only Osun but also the world better than he met it. Little wonder he was described in Wikipedia as “the Best Governor Osun State has ever produced since the creation of the state.” Of course, that’s why we all want him at Bola Ige House for another term of four years! •Komolafe writes from IjebuJesa, State of Osun.
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