www.osundefender.org
THE
Front Page Comment
Asiwaju: Honours well deserved
no surprise. Given his contriutions to our democratic and national development he really deserves all this recognitions and even more. Within a period of one week Asiwaju
M O S T- V I S I T E D
NEWS-
VOL. 11. NO.019
Thursday, march 3, 2016
That the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been a recipient of one laurel after the other during this period of our national history is
5TH
deservedly received two awards; one in Lagos as The Sun Newspaper ‘Man of the year’ and the other at the University of Abuja as a recipient of honourary doctorate degree.
These honours are coming as a recognition of Asiwaju’s positive roles in our national development so far. It’s highly commendable that givers of these honours
deemed it fit to give honour to whom it’s due. Of course the honours have been directed to the right quarter. For we are living in the era of sychophancy so much that a lot of awards these days are politically
N100
motivated and directed to wrong quarters. It’s correct to assert that the history of Nigeria democratisation project can never be complete without the mention of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. ...continue on pg5
Allegation That Buhari Is Islamising Nigeria:
Fayose Running Diarrhoea Of The Mouth - Muric - See Story On Page 2
•Deputy Speaker, State of Osun House of Assembly, Honourable Akintunde Adegboye; Speaker, Honourable Najeem Salaam; Senator Mudashiru Husain; former Speaker of the State of Osun House of Assembly, Honourable Adejare Bello and leader of the House, Honourable Timothy Owoeye at a two-day training programme on legislative practice and procedure for the lawmakers and staff of the State of Osun House of Assembly, at Timsed Hotel Centre, Ijebu-Jesa, State of Osun, last Monday. Photo: GBENGA
Osun Assembly Worried Over Poor Law Implementation
- See Page 4
2
News
Osun Defender Thursday, March 3 2016
Allegation That Buhari Is Islamising Nigeria:
Fayose Running Diarrhoea Of The Mouth - MUBy ismaeel uthman recent statement credited to the Governor, Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, alleging that President Muhammadu Buhari was Islamising Nigeria by visiting Saudi Arabia, has been described as one from the most idle state governor in the country. This was contained in the President went on a statement issued, signed visit to Saudi Arabia in and made available to his effort to Islamise the newsmen by Professor country. Ishaq Akintola, The group asserted D i r e c t o r , M u s l i m that it was convinced by R i g h t s C o n c e r n the governor’s statement (MURIC), a religious that the state number one group, in response to the citizen is a confirmed governor’s allegation that rabble rouser, whose
A
opinion should not be given a second thought by all right-thinking members of the society. “By making such a wild and untenable statement, Fayose has just emerged as the most idle executive governor Nigeria ever had. The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) is now convinced that the landlord of Government House, Ekiti, is an unrepentant rabble-rouser and an advocatus diaboli nulli secundus whose only
good quality lies in his high nuisance value. “In the ranking of present and former governors of this country, Bola Tinubu stands tall as the greatest politician of our time, Lateef Jakande and Raji Rasaki were action governors, Fashola was the most performing governor, Rauf Aregbesola is the unusual and activist governor, Kwankwaso is the liberator of the North, Tambuwal is the
•R- L. Professor Harrison Adeniyi, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and Jolaolu Afolabi, Executive Secetary, Jabulani Media Link, during this year’s International World Mother Tongue Day held at Ife City Hall, Ile -Ife, State of Osun, on Sunday.
undeniable champion of education. “In the club of governors, Fayose is the only square peg in a round hole. Apart from being the brain behind Ekitigate, the selfconfessed bus conductor should point at a single thing that he has achieved since becoming governor in Ekiti. Just as we have money-miss-road among money-bags, Fayose is simply the executivegovernor-miss-road among our governors of today. Nigerians should help us ask Fayose where he was when his erstwhile mentor and former President Jonathan turned Jerusalem to the back-yard of Aso Rock, shuttling between Nigeria and Israel with jet-loads of marabouts and arms money. Was Fayose’s mouth padlocked at that time? “Even a ten-year old Nigerian child knows the reason for Buhari’s visit to Saudi Arabia. Turbulence in the price of oil has greatly impoverished Nigeria and Buhari is employing diplomacy to turn round our oil fortune. “Playing pranks with Buhari’s visit to Saudi Arabia simply shows that Fayose has lost all
Ooni, Ashafa Want Revisit Of Nigerian Language Education By kehinde ayantunji he Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi and Senator Olugbenga Ashafa, representing Lagos-East Senatorial District, have called on the Federal Government to revisit the country’s education language policy, with a view to preventing extinction of indigenous languages in Nigeria. T h e O o n i s a i d Professor Orimogunje indigenous languages Oladele to deliver a are the beauty of culture lecture on “The Role and moral values and o f L e g i s l a t u r e i n promised to convene a Promoting Indigenous stakeholders’ conference Language in Nigeria”, on the status of Yoruba said, regardless of legal Language in Nigeria. instrument in support Oba Ogunwusi and of Yoruba language, Ashafa also made case elite, especially those in for the promotion of academic community, Yoruba language during m u s t c h a n g e t h e i r this year’s International attitude and disposition Mother Tongue Day t o w a r d s Y o r u b a organised at the Ife City language. Hall in Ile-Ife, State of He urged them to Osun, by Jabulani Media develop more modern Link. literatures and see A c c o r d i n g t o O b a Yoruba as a language of Ogunwusi, poor status pride. of Yoruba as a language Ashafa further o f e d u c a t i o n h a s identified inferiority constituted hindrance c o m p l e x o f Y o r u b a to culture and tourism s p e a k e r s a g a i n s t development, adding E n g l i s h l a n g u a g e , that most educated elite as one of the dangers are not familiar with the against the survival of rudiments of Yoruba Yoruba language and culture and tradition. urged the Ooni of Ife to T h e p r o m i n e n t work together with the traditional ruler revealed South-West governors, that promotion of Yoruba traditional institutions l a n g u a g e w i l l f o r m and state assemblies to part of his peace and formulate a programme development plan to o f a c t i o n s t h a t w i l l integrate all Yoruba race sustain the existence of across the globe. the language. Senator Ashafa, Guest lecturer at the who was represented event, Professor Adeniyi a t t h e e v e n t b y Harison, said various
T
such as China and India, are using indigenous languages, which have expanded their economy beyond imagination. He blamed European infiltration and deficient language education policies in Nigeria for the poor status of the language and encouraged the youths to increase their passion in the study of Yoruba at university level. Executive Secretary of Jabulalani Media Link, Afolabi Jolaoluwa, while launching one million
stickers to stimulate speaking Yoruba language, said the event would be organised annually to promote Yoruba language and culture. Dignitaries at the event included the former Governor of the State of Osun, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, represented by Babatunde Ayanlade, Professor Kola Oyewo, Pa Peter Fatomilola among others.
orried by the incessant protests by residents of the State of Osun over epileptic power supply, the state government has called on the authorities of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) to embark on an aggressive public enlightenment campaign to address the issue of inadequate power supply. with the representatives Osun government also of the security chiefs in admonished the IBEDC the state. to find a lasting solution The meeting, which to crazy bills allegedly was at the instance of being circulated to its the state governor, was consumers in the state. borne out of the state Secretary to the State government’s concern Government of Osun, over regular consumers’ Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, protest against poor gave the admonition power supply with the during an interface with attendant crazy bills for IBEDC authorities along services not enjoyed.
The security chiefs expressed concern over the security implications of these incessant protests by the people, which they said could lead to a breakdown of law and order. They also expressed grave concern over the increase in the activities of night marauders, caused by regular power outage at night. They therefore advised the authorities of IBEDC to take urgent steps aimed at improving service delivery, in order to justify the monthly electricity bills.
studies have proved that mother tongue is the best language of education to facilitate better understanding by the pupils at the elementary level. He made reference to Ife project of late Professor Aliu Babatunde Fafunwa of 1975, where students that were taught with Yoruba language performed far better in sciences and mathematics than their colleagues taught with English language, adding that most developed countries
sense of objectivity. Like a comedian governor and a court jester primus inter pareil, Fayose prefers to cast a wicked joke with the fate of the Nigerian economy. “But his attempt to whip up religious sentiment has failed woefully because Nigerians know that Fayose is a pathological liar, an unstable politician and an unreliable judge of men.” The group however, wondered how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) picked Fayose as its gubernatorial candidate, despite the existence of better options. “The people of Ekiti are well-known as hardworking, resourceful, scholarly and highly intelligent. Why pick Fayose of all people? PDP is advised not to shop for its next candidate from Ado Ekiti Motor Park. “The landlord of Ekiti Government House is running diarrohea of the mouth. A counterstatement issued by the former Minister of National Planning, Dr. Abubakar Sulaiman, cements our position. While it is good that the statement came from a PDP leader, we must emphasize that Fayose needs more than ordinary counter-statements; what the man needs is regular and heavy doses of flagyl and tetracycline to curb his oral diarrohea. “Nigerians are tired of Fayose’s noise. This governor is not paying any attention to the problems of his state. Instead of working hard as a state governor, Fayose is working as PDP megaphone round the clock. Is the Ekiti State House of Assembly sleeping?” The group asked.
Osun Admonishes IBEDC On Enlightenment Over Power Supply
W
In his explanation, the IBEDC Business Hub Technical Manager in Osogbo, Engineer Omotayo Noah, attributed the general load-shedding to inadequate supply of energy from the transmission units. While lamenting that the number of megawatts of power accessible to the state on monthly basis is a far cry from what is actually needed, Noah regretted that energy theft in various forms is so rampant in the state.
News
3
Osun Defender Thursday, March 3, 2016
2015 General Elections: How Gbenga Daniel, Doyin Okupe, Segun Seriki Siphoned N500m, 100 Transformers - Ogun PDP Chairman By ismaeel uthman
T
will not say we are member of our party in Ogun PDP set up w r i t i n g a p e t i t i o n Ogun State. We are also he Chairman of the Peoples Democratic “The money and the Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Engineer Bayo transformer were given disciplinary committee against our member. going to work on Doyin Dayo, has thrown a bombshell on the to us by ‘National’. on the matter to know It will be a petition Okupe and OGD at the funding of the 2015 general elections in the state, Ogun State was not the what actually went against Segun Seriki. appropriate time. alleging that some PDP bigwigs cornered the only one that collected wrong. Segun Seriki He is the one that “I am still going to write e r s . was invited more than actually collected all a petition to the EFCC money meant for the Aside the N500 million, tEhaec ht rsatnast feo rom f t h e three times but he to investigate and know elections. 100 transformers were federation was given did not turn up. At the money and the where the transformers transformer. Specifically, Dayo also given to them 100 transformers. located. I don’t even the end of the day, a “ T h e p a r t y h a s were a c c u s e d f o r m e r to be distributed to know where the N500 recommendation came “ O l o y e J u m o k e governor of the state, various communities A k i n j i d e c o l l e c t e d to the party that he accordingly expelled million came from; maybe Otunba Gbenga Daniel, in Ogun State. Those the transformer for should be expelled Segun Seriki and a it is part of the money they copy of the suspension (Federal Government) are Ogun State Coordinator t r a n s f o r m e r s w e r e O y o P D P a n d s h e from PDP. letter has been sent to of J o n a t h a n / sold; they were not d i s t r i b u t e d t h e m . “ T h i s i s b e c a u s e National Secretariat, looking for. But EFCC will S a m b o C a m p a i g n given to anybody. investigate the issue at Our own people did by the time we write Organisation, “I will petition the not give us a single petition to EFCC and and I can tell you that the appropriate time”. Seriki is no longer a Honourable Segun EFCC to ask what transformer here. he is being tried, people Seriki and Dr Doyin t h e y d i d w i t h t h e O k u p e , w h o w a s transformers. People J o n a t h a n ’ s S e n i o r are saying PDP did Special Assistant not perform well on Public Affairs, of here and there, if 100 siphoning the funds t r a n s f o r m e r s w e r e meant for the elections. d i s t r i b u t e d t o 1 0 0 D a y o , w h o communities in Ogun threatened to petition State, it would have t h e E c o n o m i c a n d enhanced the output Crimes Commission of the PDP in the last (EFCC) on the matter, elections. But that did said the party has not happen! expelled Seriki, while “And if you ask OGD, Daniel was on the he will be saying: ‘I am b r i m o f r e c e i v i n g an eight-year governor, disciplinary action I am this; I am that. If from the party too on you are that important the matter. and credible, will you S p e a k i n g w i t h take 100 transformers OSUN DEFENDER t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e in an interview on coordinator and get Tuesday, Dayo said: rid of them in another “N500 million was sent state other than Ogun? to the Ogun PDP for the We did not get a single 2015 general elections; transformer in Ogun the money was taken State from the 100 by Segun Seriki. The given to us.” N500 million was taken When asked where •(L-R) Adebisi Alo; Olusola Egbodofo, State, Treasurer and Internal Auditor of NUJ; Mr Muritala Agboola, OSt o O G D ’ s ( O t u n b a t h e f u n d s c a m e UNDEFENDER Admin Manager; Abiodun Olalere, Osun NUJ Chairman; Mr Niyi Olasinde, Chairman, OSUNGbenga Daniel) house, from, the Ogun PDP DEFENDER Chapel; Kehinde Ayantunji, State Vice-Chairman and Bola Bamigbola secretary during the visit of where they shared it. c h a i r m a n r e p l i e d : the new State executivse members to OSUNDEFENDER office in Osogbo on Monday. SHOLA ADERINTO “The money was not used for the election. They cornered the money as they used it for themselves; OGD, be worshipping at confirmed to have By kehinde ayantunji Segun Seriki, Doyin Christ Miracle Church, impregnated and even younger sister, while the Okupe. Senator Buruji plank dealer, Mr Olusola Onifade, on Monday, Orisun-Iye, Power Line, insisted on not leaving plaintiff was her husband Kasamu went to OGD testifying that truly, his asked an Ile-Ife Customary Court, to dissolve Ajebamidele, Ile-Ife, not her. to ask about the money sister was having an affair “God exposed them to his 10-year-old marriage, alleging that his knowing that Pastor Femi and he was given five with the pastor. me in a dream, in which I wife, Simbiatu Onifade, has been Impregnated by Olayinka was having per cent of it for the “ The family had tried saw the pastor struggling a 63-year-old pastor, who has been threatening to anaffair with her. elections. was no longer giving kill him. all we could to resolve with me on a particular According to “We have it on record Onifade also accused him peace of mind in the him, Pastor Olayinka thing. When I woke up, the case, but it seems the how the money was his wife, a full housewife, house. had confessed to having I asked my wife, she pastor had used “juju” collected because they He explained that his of adultery, lack of love, s e x u a l r e l a t i o n s h i p denied having any affair for my sister. The day we collected it from bank went to the church, she and they signed for it. care and uncooperative wife recently insisted with his wife, and also with the pastor.
How Our Pastor Snatched My Wife -
A
attitude, saying Simbiatu
that the family should
Violence Against Women: Man Gets Stringent Bail Conditions
A
By SHINA ABUBAKAR
young man, Nurudeen Adeniyi, was given a stringent bail condition by an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court presided over by Magistrate A. Olowolagba for beating two women and inflicting injuries on them. His bail condition Criminal Law. was set at N500,000 and He was also alleged two sureties in the same o f a s s a u l t i n g o n e sum and the sureties Rasidat Oladeji by must possess three hitting her on her chest years’ tax clearance with a chair, thereby certificates. inflicting injury on her T h e s u s p e c t , and causing her harm. according to the charge The suspect was also sheet, assaulted one said to have conducted T o y i n O y e n i k e b y himself in a manner beating her up and likely to cause breach of inflicting injuries on her public peace, an offence right eye, contrary to contrary to section 249 section 352 of the State of the State Criminal
Code. According to the charge sheet, the suspect conducted the alleged crimes on February 18, 2016 at Agboole’s Compound, Oke-Baale area of Osogbo, the State of Osun capital. However, the suspect pleaded not guilty to the four-count charge preferred against him by the police. Defence counsel, Mr Okobe Nagite, pleaded with the court to grant the accused person bail in the most
liberal terms, saying he would not jump bail, if admitted. He pleaded with the court to exercise its discretionary right in favour of his client, saying, before the law, he is presumed to be innocent until proved otherwise. Police prosecutor, Sergeant Rasaq Olayiwola, did not object to the application but advised that the address of sureties should be verified. The case was later adjourned till March 10, 2016 for mention.
“ H o w e v e r , immediately I went to the pastor, he confessed that truly he was having an affair with my wife and vowed not to leave her, while claiming to love her enough to have impregnated her and even declared his readiness to marry her. “He appealed to me to leave her for him. He said he could not do without her and for the safety of my life with our two children, I should release her voluntarily,” he explained. Mrs Onifade admitted the claim, saying she has no interest in her husband again, but rather preferred the pastor to her husband. One of the witnesses in court, Mr Azeez Raheem, affirmed that the defendant was his
tore my mother’s dress,” he stated. Mrs Elizabeth Oyeyemi, the plaintiff’s sister, told the court that the defendant was befriending the pastor, who had been threatening to kill his brother. Mr Friday Okechukwu, one of the church members that witnessed in court testified that their pastor was fond of snatching members’ wives and any member who dares to challenge him will be threatened with grave consequences. The President of the court, Chief Bunmi Adegoke, then dissolved the marriage for the safety of the husband and awarded the custody of the two children to the plaintiff for proper care.
News
4
Osun Defender Thursday, March 3, 2016
Osun Assembly Worried Over Poor Law Implementation
T
By kazeem mohammed
he State of Osun House of Assembly has expressed worry over the poor level of implementation of the laws being passed by houses of assembly in Assembly, Honourable the country. Najeem Salaam, stated S p e a k e r o f t h e this in Ijebu-Jesa on
Monday at a two-day training workshop on legislative practice and procedure organised for members of the state parliament, saying, the executive
only implement laws properly if they are interested in such laws. According to him, it is very unfortunate that there were several bills that could improve the
economy of the states and the federation at large which have been passed, but poorly implemented or not implemented at all. “On the passage of
Osun Speaker Canvasses Change of Perception Against Nigerian Legislature
By kazeem mohammed “For instance in Osun, the discharge of their he Speaker, State of Osun House of Assembly, the activities of legislature we have a man at the legislative duties, but Honourable Najeem Salaam, has said that the in Nigeria and it is then h e l m o f a f f a i r s t h a t there is no financial call for financial autonomy for houses of we can appreciate what believes in the rule of autonomy, just as it is assembly could only be meaningful, when attitudes parliaments are doing in law and listens to the happening in other states of Nigerians are changed towards appreciating the the country. advice of the House, as of the federation. duties of parliamentarians. Speaking on the “We also need to study well as complying with He noted that virtually Assembly in Ijebu-jesa, the mechanism of the our resolutions. workshop, the Chairman, all the state houses of headquarters of Oriade working of parliaments, “ W h e n t h e s e a r e House Committee on a s s e m b l y h a v e b e e n L o c a l G o v e r n m e n t by stop seeing them as happening, there will be I n f o r m a t i o n a n d tagged rubber stamp, Council Area of the state, rubber stamps. no sense in it to just be Strategy, Honourable just because they work regretted that the push “As much as financial fighting the executive Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, in the path of peaceful for financial autonomy autonomy for houses of for the sake of it, so that said the workshop would co-existence with the has not been successful assembly will assist state people will not see you assist members to make because of the wrong parliaments to be more as rubber stamp,” he meaningful contributions executive. Salaam, who spoke on perception of the people effective, we will still not explained. to burning issues, either Monday at a two-day towards legislature. He noted that though on the floor of the House be able to appreciate it, “We need to change if we don’t change our the Assembly members or on anything relating to training for members of the State House of our orientation towards attitude. have the autonomy in governance. Describing legislative business as tedious, he said lawmakers must always be on top of the situation by being conversant with issues of governance, which he said the workshop would help to achieve. “I believe this training will enhance capacity of members on the applications of legislative rules and procedure. It will also facilitate effective, robust and participatory legislative business in the House. He noted that in the process of building capacity of members, the state parliament was conscious of current economic reality, hence, organising the training locally rather than travelling abroad. He commends the leadership of the house, under the supervision of the speaker for deeming •A presidential welcome parade was given to President Muhammadu Buhari as he arrived Nigeria from Qatar last it important to have the event and decided to cut Sunday. cost.
T
NGO Awards WASCE Scholarship To Pupils In Iwo Fed Constituency
A
By ismaeel uthman
Non-Government Organisation (NGO), Iwoland Development Coalition (IDC), has registered six less-privileged secondary school pupils for the 2016 West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE) in Iwo Federal Constituency of the State of Osun. T h e s c h o l a r s h i p the WASCE fees of the scheme, according to public students, due to the IDC Coordinator, the financial constraints M r . A d i s a K a b i r u , of the state. “The stakeholders was initiated by the coalition to assist the must come together to educational desire of the rescue the decay in the less-privileged pupils in education sector. It must the constituency and to not be left to government reduce the number of alone. I urge the rich to initiate a working school dropouts. Kabiru stated that eternal scholarship to the organisation took discover and promote it upon itself to register first class ambassadors the pupils, following of Iwoland,” he said. According to the the inability of the state g o v e r n m e n t t o p a y coordinator, two pupils
each were selected from the three local government council areas of Iwo, Ayedire and Ola-Oluwa that constitute Iwo Federal Constituency. Abioye Hammed and Adesiyan Miracle of Iwo Grammar School and Baptist High School, both in Iwo, respectively were the beneficiaries from Iwo Local Government Council Area. Two orphans, AbdulRosheed Zakariyahu and Amusan Monsuru from Luther King’s College, Ile-Ogbo and Kuta Community High School, Kuta respectively were selected from Ayedire
Local Government Council Area. For Olaoluwa Local Government Council Area, Ibrahim Morufat Ajose, a double orphan from Ogbaagba Community Grammar School and Abioye Jamiu from Ajagunlase High School, Ajagunlase were the beneficiaries. The IDC coordinator stated that the scholarship scheme was mainly for the lessprivileged secondary school pupils, who could not afford to obtain the WASCE form, just as he described the selection criteria as objective and transparent. He charged the beneficiaries to be good
ambassadors of the federal constituency and study hard for them to come out in flying colours in the WASCE. Adisa expressed his displeasure on what he described as unpleasant disposition of most well to do people in the society to the lessprivile g e d child re n in schools, urging the wealthy individuals to always come to the rescue of the lessprivileged in the society.
bills, not minding the number, bills would only be passed for the sake of it, if they are not being implemented. “There are several bills passed in this country after legislators have put in their best, but not being implemented. There are bills that can develop this state and Nigeria as a whole that are there lying fallow,” he said. The Speaker however, stressed that the state parliament would be careful and do thorough jobs before the passage of the 2016 budget, with a view to ensuring that a realistic budget is approved. He said, the current cash crunch in the state and the country at large was responsible for the delay in the passage of the budget. According to him, the Assembly has been looking critically into the budget, monitoring the trend of revenue, to arrive at a reasonable conclusion in appropriation law for the year. Explaining the rationale behind the training for members, the Speaker said, it was meant to enhance capacity of members on the application of legislative rules and procedure, as well as ensuring effective, robust and participatory legislative process. In his lecture, a former Clerk of the House of Representatives, Dr Niyi Ajiboye, said lack of financial autonomy has been responsible for the failure of the executive to take the implementation of the laws passed by houses of assembly with seriousness. He said, if the state parliaments are given autonomy, it would make them more efficient to be able to hold executive responsible for nonimplementation of laws.
Public notice
This is to confirm that TIAMIYU OSENI TAYE is the same person as TIAMIYU HUSS E I N TAY E . Guarantee Trust Bank Plc and the General public should take note. That all my documents still remain valid.
5
Osun Defender Thursday, March 3, 2016
Asiwaju: Honours well deserved
....continued from pg1
Tinubu, who was there to defend democracy even in the face of fierce military dictatorship - as epitomised by the Abacha era - has also been around to fight for the deepening of the country’s democracy since 1999 that Nigeria embraced democracy. Except those who may be suffering from amnesia, the role Asiwaju Tinubu played in our collective effort at ensuring the return of democracy to our fatherland was no minute. We can all recollect his unwavering disposition at the level of NADECO (National Democratic Coalition) with respect to the clamour for the de-annulment of the June 12 1993 presidential election won by late chief M.K.O Abiola of blessed memory. No doubt chunk of the credit for the democracy we are enjoying today goes to the Bola Tinubus of this world. And like we unmistakably stated
above the role Asiwaju has been playing ever since the advent of democracy in 1999; in terms of sustaining our democratic gains and deepening its process, couldn’t still in any way be seen as minute. For the mind that will not be afraid to call a spade its name Asiwaju’s appearance on our political landscape has brought a lot of positive development to our democracy. When we view his role during the de-militarisation struggle and the role he has been playing so far during this civilian era, subscribers to the truth will agree with us that Asiwaju really deserves all this laurels. He is a consistent democrat, a dogged fighter for good governance and defender of democratic norms. Of course no mind that is truth-disposed will dispute our position here.
As a leader of opposition Asiwaju played that role admirably well. For him it was constructive criticism throughout and consistently putting the PDP government on its toes without exhibiting any PHD (Pull
Him Down) traits in his approach. Well versed in democratic praxis and as a man who, for years, was exposed to the ideal role of opposition in the advanced American democracy, Asiwaju Tinubu positioned himself well as leader of opposition in our national politics and succeeded in his quest to providing a better alternative to the PDP’s misrule. With the success of the opposition in dislodging the sitting government in the last presidential election, an unprecedented happening in our democratic experience, Asiwaju Tinubu has opened the eyes of the people to the imperative of opposition politics in a democracy as we have been made to know that a virile opposition is germane to democratic growth. Indisputably without Asiwaju it would have been difficult for Muhammadu Buhari to be president today. Thus a lot of credit goes to Asiwaju for the success of the main opposition party, APC, in the last election. What’s more? Asiwaju as a leader has impacted on the lives of many
Save us From Petrol Dealers’ Extortion
S
ir , I w r i t e t o request for a sp a ce i n your widely-read news paper to complain about the current extortion by the Premium Motor Sprit (petro) dealers in Ikinrun, Ila axis in the State of Osun. It would be recalled that after the fuel scarcity across the country in January, the pump price of PMS has returned to N86.50 per liter but the petrol dealers have refused to revert to the new price. It is sad to note that up till date, even before the current “artificial scarcity” we are still buying fuel at the rate of N100- N110, while the people at the state capital and other urban areas are enjoying governmentapproved price with
same applicable to kerosene and diesel. The exploitation has just become so unbearable and several complaints have yielded little or no result because the dealers know you cannot go to Osogbo from Ikirun or Ila to
buy PMS at the official price. Earlier this month, some representatives of Petroleum Product Price Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) sealed off some petrol stations in Ikirun and its environs for selling above the stipulated price, but they were opened the following day.
Surprisingly however, the affected fuel stations that were closed down were selling the product to black market operators who complicated the issue and made the situation more difficult by selling the
product far and above the official price. Another terrible aspect of the problem is that they have formed an association which does not give room for price competition. The N100- N110 is across the board, as they will always communicate whenever there is change in price.
The implication of this in the affected area is that the motorists have no other alternatives than to buy PMS at the exorbitant rate, which is affecting all aspects of the economy in the area. I therefore call on all regulatory agencies, especially PPPRA and the State Task Force on Petroleum Products to save our people from the exploitation of the petrol dealers. We are part of Osun and there is no demography hindrance that could have subjected us to such hardship. •A d e k u n l e
Bisola F. Ikirun, State of Osun.
positively. He has brought so many people up politically especially in the southwest here which is his regional constituency. Many who have attained high political posts today owe their positions to Asiwaju’s political generosity. In fact, to say that his political magnanimity is unparalleled in contemporary Nigerian politics is really not disputable. For a leader who has contributed so much to the country’s democratic development Asiwaju deserves more laurels as we fervently believe that our heroes must be appreciated and celebrated while they are still alive. Failure to recognise them while they are alive only for us to start rolling out the drums when they pass on, is doing disservice not only to their memory but to humanity at large. It’s for this reason that we appreciate The Sun Newspaper and the University of Abuja for deeming it fit to honour this icon. Kudos to these institutions! Congratulations to Asiwaju…!
OSUN DEFENDER
Publisher – Moremi Publishing House Ltd. Managing Editor – Kola Olabisi (0803-392-7286) Editor
–
Kayode Agbaje
(0803-388-0205)
Lagos Editor
– Kola Odepeju
– Pet-Kola Taiwo Ibitowa
Production Editor Senior Reporter Senior Reporter
(08023191891)
– Sola Jacobs – Kazeem Mohammed
Magazine Editor
– Niyi Olasinde
Reporter Reporter Reporter Reporter
– – – –
Shina Abubakar Ismaeel Uthman Kehinde Ayantunji Francis Ezediuno
Photographer Photographer
– –
Oluwagbemiga Adeniyi Olushola Aderinto
Admin. Manager
–
Murtala Agboola
Computer Operator – Computer Operator –
Saheed Afolabi Mary Akintola Assistant Computer Operator – Lukman Oseni
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
6
interview
Osun Defender Thursday, March 3, 2016
Babangida Sent Delegates To My Coronation – Olowu
Olowu of Owu-Kuta, Osun State, Oba Hammed Adekunle Oyelude started his life as a sojourner living in different parts of the country. He is very outspoken and indeed a journalist’s delight. In an interview with TUNDE BUSARI, he speaks on his road to the palace. Excerpts:
wu National Convention held here last year. How can you describe it? The convention was well attended. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the Balogun of Owu attended and many other important indigenes of Owu. Owu people are very unique among Yoruba race. We spread across different states. There are about 46 Owu communities. Yet, we are from only one source. The late Chief Akin Olugbade, Balogun of Owu started the Royal Union of Owu People and we are waxing stronger. Anlugbua is an important history of Owu-Kuta. Don’t you think it deserves to be upgraded as a tourist destination? We have commissioned a tourism company to work on how to make it a tourist attraction. Infogem is handling the project. Some traditional rulers would say they never dreamt of mounting the throne when they were growing up. Are you one of this category? I am not one of them. Every prince must see himself as a potential king of his town. So I had the message that I would become king. How did you feel with the message? I was okay. I did not feel any difference but I felt I needed to be serious in life, especially with whatever I was doing to make the dream realisable. I knew it would happen. But what I did not know sincerely was that it would be this soon. In fact, my cousin, seated here (pointing at him) used to remind me and ask me to get prepared. Above all, to God belongs whatever one becomes in life. I think my appointment is a divine call, which no one else could have done except God. I would be ungrateful to start boasting that my exposure, my experience, my connection made me the Olowu. God is behind it and I will forever be grateful to Him for making my dream come to reality. We have to bear it in mind that not every prince who aspires to the throne eventually makes it to the palace. So, it is nothing but God’s doing. Does this mean you had to slug it out with other princes in a contest to the throne before you were eventually picked? Of course, that was what happened. You hardly see princes not struggling among themselves to get there. I think it is only in Ibadan that you don’t have to contest for the throne. What is good is not meant for only one person. It is a natural thing. Everyone would want to have it. Same goes to the throne. How many of you vied for the throne? We have four ruling houses in this town. All of the four ruling houses belong to one family. I always say
O
•Olowu-Kuta
it that our monarchical system of administration is the best. After the contest and one emerges, the struggle is over and the town joins hands. This is the case except on a few occasions whereby modern government involves going to court. Six of us contested. Tegbosu, my ruling house is the eldest of all the four ruling houses. When the late Olowu joined our ancestors, it was the turn of my ruling house to produce the new Olowu. So, six of us showed interest. What was the experience during the contest? Everyone was making effort as it is expected. It was a period one needs great wisdom and energy to weather the storm because different things come into play. You just have to be very careful in handling things because all eyes are on you. People are watching all of you. They are watching your movement, your comportment, your mannerism and other things they need to consider because they cannot afford to install a misfit. What did you observe gave you the advantage over other contestants? I think the achievements of my fathers who had occupied the throne earlier worked for me. The kingmakers said ‘we know how your father did during his reign’. ‘We know what he achieved. So, we are supporting you.’ This is what happened. I can tell you I enjoyed what can be called a popular support. How did your coronation day look like? My coronation day was a memorable day in the history of my
town because over 10,000 people won’t gathered for the event. In fact, an Oba who attended the event told me that the town might not witness such number of crowd again until perhaps when I pass on. People came from far and near. Former President Ibrahim Babangida sent a delegate and a congratulatory letter. What is your link with former President General Babangida? He is my mentor. My history is incomplete without mentioning the role he played in my life. He is always there for me. Can one call you one of Babangida boys? I want you to know and understand that every river has a source. And this life is all about meeting people and working together. Your employer who takes you away from labour market and gives you means of livelihood is next to God. Regardless of how you see it, it is on record that I passed through him at a stage of my life. I am a royal father today and father of my entire subjects. But sincerely I will not forget where I was coming from. Now that you are a king, does the former master-servant relationship between you subsist? eneral Babangida is a man G who respects culture. I can recall my first visit to him after coronation. I was touched with the kind of reception he gave me. He is very proud of my new status and he is of immense assistance. How comfortable are you with the current role Nigeria constitution gives to traditional rulers? It is not a matter of argument,
the situation in the country requires giving traditional rulers more responsibilities. There should be a constitutional amendment to that effect. The late Ooni of Ife, Oba Adesoji Aderemi was GovernorGeneral in the old Western Region Government and he did well. The late Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Iyiola Oyewale was also a commissioner in the former Oyo State during the Second Republic. He also did well. We are closer to the grassroots. This advantage should be explored for good governance in Nigeria. Yo u r c a l l f o r a d d i t i o n a l responsibilities may mean sitting here in the palace is boring to you. Is it? I am not saying that. We are still serving our people on a daily basis. Palace activities are round the clock. People still want to take their matter to the palace because of their strong attachment with our culture which says Oba is the head of a town. So, it is not boring. As a matter of fact, my friends come here from time to time and I also travel for visitations. Aren’t you missing urban life? That is a natural thing. But I must say that coming home has its beauty. There is no noise. There is permanent peace. It is a new life, which I am enjoying. But it is restrictive, in term of what you wear and your movement. For instance, you cannot see me putting on a T-shirt in the public or hanging out anywhere. But it is a life I am enjoying because it is all about serving my people. Talking on the marital status of traditional rulers, do you support an Oba to practice monogamy? hen I am not a bastard, I W must not be seen to support or encourage any Oba to practice monogamy. In fact, if anybody practices monogamy the person should not be a traditional ruler. The throne the traditional ruler occupies is all about our custom and tradition. How then does he justify his role as the protector of the custom when he also violates its tenet? Is it stated in Yoruba custom that Obas must be polygamists? Even if it is not written, is it not odd for the father of all to be discriminatory? Where does discrimination come in here sir? Thank you. When an Oba who has all the rights and opportunities to marry more than one wife goes for only one is a discrimination against the other female at an age when the population of females is far more than that of males? This sounds funny, Kabiyesi? Does it really sound funny? Let me make myself clearer. If our progenitor Oduduwa had married one wife, how would we have •Culled from Nigerian Tribune
Osun Defender Thursday, March 3, 2016
7
feature
IkirunRobberyAndOsunAirport
I
By gbolahan yusuf
t is currently, highly unlikely that any gang will try to raid a bank in the State of Osun; at least for the foreseeable future. The basis of this supposition is the big blow that was dealt to a gang that attempted just a few weeks ago, to rob banks along Ekoeinde Road in Ikirun, the headquarters of Ifelodun Local Government Council Area. More often than not, these heinous activities are carried out successfully, often coming at the cost of human lives and properties, and in this case, it had looked like normal business, until reinforcements in the form of tanks secured for the police by the state government arrived. Two of the gang members were reported killed, with another four arrested, having had their firepower rendered ineffective. And so in one full-swoop, Osun sent a clear note to robbers: ‘Stay off.’ The confidence of the security operatives, who stood against these robbers, must be commended and their act encouraged but another side to the story that must be told is the empowerment of these security forces by the equipment secured by the state government, which helped make the foiling of this incidence, a success. This is because, it resonates the view that our security operatives can post better results in crime fighting, if better equipped. But it is also because when these equipment, worth N1.3 billion, were procured by the state government in 2014, it generated hues and cries from political opponents, and misled citizens who labeled it wasteful spending, with some saying the state was not much of a security risk to warrant such. There are other things to do with money, while some posited, comfortably ignoring that the major essence of any government is the security of its people. Governor Aregbesola, being one not to cow to unhealthy criticisms, had gone on to procure the equipment that last week must have marked Osun as a red zone for prospective robbers. It is with this in mind that my mind raced to recent happenings as regards the ongoing construction of the MKO Abiola Airport at Ido-Osun, in a joint venture between the state government and the Federal Government. The airport has continued to generate criticism from left, right, centre as a result of the nationwide financial
•(From left) the Deputy Governor State of Osun, Otunba (Mrs.) Titi Laoye-Tomori ; Governor, Aregbesola durin the inspection of project recently.
crisis that has left Osun unable to meet recurrent expenditure demands. To many, if you cannot pay salaries, how dare you build an airport? While the governor has gotten many sticks for another social investment, many ignore however that the project was actually hatched and its approval secured by previous governments. When Governor Aregbesola took over, it is to his credit that the plan was changed, so as to make the airport a cargo maintenance hub, which will be the first of its kind in West Africa; furnished with hangars and the government reportedly has signed agreements with two hanger operators in a move to ensure that Osun becomes the destination for aircrafts seeking maintenance and repairs. Clearly, the idea for Aregbesola was if we can make this investment, let us make sure it will be a money-spinning one for us. It is however understandable that in a state where doctors are on strike and workers on half salary, many turn deaf ears to such projects. But in closing our ears, are we focusing on the problem, rather than the solution? It is already established that oil prices have fallen so bad and federal allocations have
dropped to abysmal levels, so much so that if the state were to decide to pay all salaries as at due, the state will be left with nothing for capital spending. That is what we as a people, are demanding for labour, but if the state really spends all on salaries, it will still owe some and with the continuous reduction of oil price and revenue, more and more will be owed and at what cost? Security, industrialization, and all other aspects of the state requiring capital expenditure will be forgotten. In truth, if we go down this route, the state will run into extinction faster than we think. hat we should be asking W the state government right now to do, is to diversify its earnings, by investing in money-yielding ventures, not prescribing the death pill of simply spending its entire budget on recurrent needs. No government does that. We must demand that Osun, and other financially-challenged states show us how they are investing to make sure that this dark cloud presently hovering over their accounts will disperse, sooner or later. In such a demand, lies the solution. And if we look at it this way, Osun is already making inroads. What that
•Some of the Osun bank robbery suspects after their arrested by Osun State Police Command recently.
airport will do to the revenue of the state has been conveniently ignored for so long that I think we might be missing the point. As with when the security equipment were procured for police in the state, this looks like a proactive step. The state did not wait for it to be attacked and many killed before spending on those equipment. It acted to prevent occurrences, with the future in mind. Same way, while the airport project does not appear pleasing now, it definitely holds great prospect for the future. It is projects like these that will ensure that in the next four years, we don’t find ourselves criticizing whoever takes over from Aregbesola for not being able to pay salaries also. or one, it would have been easy F for Aregbesola to ignore this important project for now and divert funds to paying more salaries, as this would mean him saving his name but the insistence of the governor to proceed with it shows a man who is ready to be hated for the next governor to be loved, as long as Osun does not go extinct from salary paying alone. It is very tough to defend salaries not being paid and the government must find a way to ensure that their investments start paying off for salary obligations to be met but the prospect of renewed efforts to increase cocoa production (Cocoa Omoluabi), and the opening up of the state to increased investments, and export via an airport, and the potential revenue stream from having the only aircraft maintenance facility in the West African region leaves a lot to look forward to in the State of Osun. They may not all come to fruition under Ogbeni Aregbesola but if they end up turning Osun into a mega state sooner or later, then just like those who had criticised the security expenses but turned around to praise the governor after seeing the fruits recently, maybe we will look back and commend Aregbesola for seeing what many of us are currently not seeing, or outrightly refusing to see. I have often heard that trying times are not the times to stop trying and it is inspiring to see the government of the State of Osun act it out. May its efforts come to fruition.
8
phototalk
Osun Defender Thursday, March 3, 2016
Two-Day Training Programme On Legislative Practice And Procedure For Lawmakers And Staff Of The State Of Osun House Of Assembly, At Timsed Hotel Centre, Ijebu-Jesa, State Of Osun, Last Monday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.
Osun Defender Thursday, March 3, 2016
phototalk
9
Two-Day Training Programme On Legislative Practice And Procedure For Lawmakers And Staff Of The State Of Osun House Of Assembly, At Timsed Hotel Centre, Ijebu-Jesa, State Of Osun, Last Monday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.
•A cross section of Security personnel and other participants at the training.
•(L-R) Honourable Abiodun Awolola; Honourable Debo Akanbi and Honourable Leke Ogunsola.
•(L-R) Honourable Bosun Oyintiloye; Honourable Musibau Azeez and Honourable Nureni Adebisi.
•(L-R) Honourable Oluseye Akinloye and Honourable Bello Dejo.
•(L-R) Honourables Akanni Clement; Aloba Israel; Famuyide Tajudeen and Olasunkanmi Akinola.
•State of Osun House of Assembly Speaker, Honourable Najeem Salaam (2nd left), answering questions from Journalists, while his Deputy, Honourable Akintunde Adegboye (left) watches.
•Guest Lecturer, Research Division, National Institute for Legislative Studies, National Assembly, Asimiyu Abiola (left), delivering his lecture.
10
editorial from other newspapers
Free Ese Now
Osun Defender Thursday, March 3, 2016
Educational/Study Abroad Advisor
•The Ese Rita Oruru story reflects a deeper malaise and impunity in our society
n this season of the rule I of law, the story of Ese Rita Oruru, a 14-year-old girl, of Urhobo extraction from Delta State, has gained traction. She was whisked away from Bayelsa State when she was still 13 years old, without her parents’ consent, allegedly to the Emir’s Palace in Kano. The story which was, at press time still developing, has all the evil trappings of molestation, child abuse, sexual deviance, abduction, religious coercion, constitutional violation, a network of shadowy big men manipulating the law. While we are still bellyaching over the abduction of the Chibok Girls by a group of militant daredevils in the name of religion, the story of Ese Oruru gives us a cause not only for national rage and condemnation, but for all those in authority to rise up and save not only the law, but also decency. Mentioned in this gory tale are the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi 11; the Kano Emirate Council, the Inspector- General of Police, the Bayelsa State Police Command, the Kwani police, the Kura Police Station, the chief of Tufa village, the Sharia Council and the Director of the Department of State Services. It conveys the story of either the paralysis of our big men and institutions that a 14-yearold can be abducted, and she cannot be released out of her captivity. Or it tells of shameless barbarity of complicity. These are the big individual and institutional names. But lesser names set the narrative in motion. A certain Yinusa, popularly known as ‘Yellow’, abducted the girl on August 12, 2015. The father, Charles Oruru and the mother, Rose Oruru, had no knowledge of their daughter ’s whereabouts. They learned later from one Dan Kano, who was also a mainstay in the Hausa quarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, that the minor had been ferreted away by Yinusa, whose full
name is yet to be revealed. he parents have T travelled to Kano, at least twice, and have visited the Emir’s palace, and they met brick walls of impunity. When the mother visited, the chief of Tufa village, reportedly queried the man known as Rabiu who accompanied her to the town, and he had the added audacity to tell the mother that her daughter had converted to Islam and was now married. He was also reported to have warned that if Rose touched or spoke to Ese, either she or her daughter would die. Top men in the emirate, including the Galadima and the adviser to the Emir, claimed ignorance. But the secretary to the Emir, reportedly said that the chief of Tufa village had secured an approval from the Kura Police Station in the state to take Ese to the Emir’s Palace and confirmed that she was now a Muslim convert. The reports also say that on August 17, last year, a meeting was held at the palace with the Emir of Kano presiding and it included the inspector from the Kwani Police Station, the chief of Tufa village and Ese Oruru who came in a black Jeep with two police escorts. But her mother was not allowed in. The Emir reportedly told them to go to the Sharia
Court. Now, the news report has it that the Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, has instructed the Sharia Commission to act in order “to repatriate and reconcile” the girl with her parents. The Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Seriake Dickson, and his Kano State counterpart, Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, have also intervened. The claim that she was not abducted by some partisans in the story is irresponsible. They claimed she eloped. A minor cannot elope with an adult. A 13-year-old cannot decide to elope because she has not reached the age of majority or consent. Whoever has a hand in this savage saga ought to answer to the law. o absurd was the story S that someone in the palace thought she knew the girl’s age more than the woman who gave birth to her. They claimed she was 18 and that she was now a Muslim. Religion, whether Islam and Christianity, works by consent and conviction, not coercion. The mother said when she tried to speak with her daughter on phone, a hectoring voice stopped her from speaking in her native Urhobo language. This matter has been simmering beneath the public eye for about eight months, and civil society organisations like Child Protection Network and
11
CEE-HOPE have been in the vanguard of the search for this girl’s release. But it took the effort of the news media to get this out before any sense of seriousness was attached to it by all the major institutions and persons, including the Emir of Kano. The Nigeria Police, the DSS, the Sharia Commission all acted as though no harm was done, whereas a grave injustice was being perpetrated against one of us. It is clear that the release of this girl is not only desirable, but it should not take any delay. The use of the word “reconcile” from the Emir implies institutional culpability. If the Emir’s secretary knew about this, how come the Emir did not? To free Ese Oruru is the first step. But beyond that all those who took part in this sordid tale should be prosecuted, and the full course of the law should be obeyed. Yinusa and Dan Kano are the duo who allegedly organised the abduction. What is really baffling is that for over a year the nation has mourned the abduction of school girls in the north. Many more have also been abducted by the dreaded Boko Haram. It does not reflect well on the Kano Emirate Council that its name should be sullied with such act of human abuse. The Child Right Act has been in effect since 2009, and most of the northern states have not signed it. Human rights organisations and civil society groups have constantly harped on the practice of underage marriage and abuse of nubile girls in that part of the country. The occurrences of vestico vaginal fistula in little girls are too rampant. We condemn roundly this practice; religion should not be used as a cover to abuse fellow human beings.
•Culled from The Nation
Job Vacancies In Nigeria
Company: Skoola Location(s): o Lagos Towns:?Lekki Specialization: o Consulting o Human Resources / Recruitment Industry: o ICT / Telecommunications o Education Services o Recruitment / HR Services Application Deadline: 13 March, 2016 Job Type Fulltime JOB DETAILS Skoola is seeking an advisor to counsel, coach and assist prospective students of international institutions, through the process of applying and studying abroad in various countries. A detailed description of the job is as follows: o Assists with searching and finding the right institution to meet an applicant’s requirements. o Assists with all stages of applying to international institutions, including university application, accommodation, visas, and so on. o Communicates verbally and in writing with customers of diverse backgrounds. o Has occasional office administrative duties including data keeping and maintenance of student records. o Provides consulting services on behalf of the company, for all education and study abroad matters. Job Duties o Schedule and conduct in-person and virtual consultations with prospective applicants. o Manage all student advisory and consulting meetings. o Recommend key resources, guides, and personnel in the study abroad/ education service to partner with the company, where necessary. o Keep track of student application progress, including key metrics and update executive team weekly. o Actively seek out channels for getting new customers and suggest to management. o Maintain a very high standard of service and professionalism with all clients at all times. o Co-ordinate with customer service team to ensure a streamlined mode of communication with customers. o Meet with management team to feedback on key tasks and activities. JOB REQUIREMENTS MIN REQUIRED EXPERIENCE: 2 year(s) DESIRED COURSES: o Business Management o Human Resources o Sociology and Psychology o Social Work and Administration OTHER REQUIREMENTS: Required Education/Experience o Bachelor’s degree or any equivalent combination of training and experience. o Two years of experience in HR or human resource and recruiting. Preferred Education/Experience o Master’s degree or equivalent. o Two years of experience in the following: academic or related services, student advising, especially to people of diverse backgrounds and ages. To apply, visit: www.ngcareers.com ............................... Female Client Services Officer Company: Dogan’s Sugar Limited Location(s): o Lagos Towns:?Festac Specialization: o Administration/ Office/ Operations Industry: o Manufacturing / Production Application Deadline: 15 March, 2016
Osun Defender Thursday, March 3, 2016
Job Type Fulltime
JOB DETAILS Develop and maintain existing client relationships. Interact and correspond with prospective clients. Identify, develop and maintain relations with potential clients to drive billed revenue for attaining set revenue targets. Identify decision makers, services and products to meet client issues. Direct development of client customized solutions. Negotiate with client for efficient services delivery at profitable fees. Maintain relationships with clients by providing support, information, and guidance; researching and recommending new opportunities; recommending profit and service improvements. Identifying product improvements or new products by remaining current on industry trends, market activities, and competitors. Preparing reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing information. Maintains quality service by establishing and enforcing organization standards; establishing personal networks; bench marking state-of-the-art practices, Contributes to team effort by accomplishing related results as needed. JOB REQUIREMENTS MIN REQUIRED EXPERIENCE: 2 year(s) DESIRED COURSES: Not Specified OTHER REQUIREMENTS: Presentation Skills, Client Relationships, Emphasizing Excellence, Energy Level, Negotiation, Administration and office Management, Creativity, Independence, Motivation and Expertise for Work/Business process/support function. To apply, visit: www.ngcareers.com ........... Webmaster / Programmer Company: MeritChoice Limited Location(s): o Lagos Towns:?Isolo Specialization: o IT/ Software Industry: o ICT / Telecommunications Application Deadline: 04 March, 2016 Job Type Fulltime Salary ?480,000 - ?600,000 JOB DETAILS Our company, MeritChoice Limited, is looking for a competent webmaster/programmer to join our growing business. Our company develops and provides online marketing tools for different clients and customers. We also have some other online services we provide for our services’ users. With the recent and constant growth of our various services’ users and customers, there is need for us to employ able hands to join our hard working and well motivated team. If you are such a person that is excited about new challenges, have adaptation for rapid changes as is it normal with ICT world and interested in working in a place where new idea is a norm, then, you need to be part of our team. JOB REQUIREMENTS MIN REQUIRED EXPERIENCE: 2 year(s) DESIRED COURSES: Computer Science o Communications Technology o Information Technology o Information Systems Management o Science and Computer Education DESIRED SKILLS: Creative and Innovative OTHER REQUIREMENTS: Has advanced computer skills specific to web-based technologies including strong knowledge of HTML, HTML5, CSS, CodeIgniter (essential), JavaScript, Web Design, WordPress, ecommerce, PHP and web services.Experience in designing web pages using combination of web graphics packages such as Dreamweaver, Photoshop, and/or other related applications.Graphic design skill with Coreldraw, Photoshop or any other graphic package will be an essential added advantage. Comfortable with database technology in MySQL Server and can apply mobile web development.Preferred requirements include working with Google Analytics, WebTrends, Social Media campaigns and Search Engine Optimization and understanding of multimedia, mobile and emerging technology, as well as the application of these tools. To apply, visit: www.ngcareers.com
12
feature
Osun Defender Thursday, March 3, 2016
Opportunists Know No
•The govenor (right) pointing to an object of interest.
continued from back page N150million to over N650 million. The allegations of Orimolades would have been strengthened if only they could point to many other states that flaunts the record that Osun has on pensions’ commitment and other proworkers policies than Osun especially before the economic meltdown. A T RU E M E M O RA N DUM O F UNDERSTANDING Is this government unaware of the dangerous plots of the opposition to set the state ablaze by using workers? No! Today, the Adekomi-led NLC may be a target of the opposition attacks simply because the evil plots have failed. Labour activism is not about setting the house on flame. It’s about objectively representing the workers’ interests within the context of what is feasible and practicable. To that extent, the labour’s MoU with the government was predicated on what is visible to all in the face of the grinding national economic challenges. Even if the NLC, based on certain misconceptions, threatens to disregard the MoU earlier signed, it is a matter of continued engagement between the labour and government and not any crack that the opposition’s opportunists can hope to latch on. nly a government that has nothing O to hide would initiate the birth of a committee comprising labour and government representatives to oversee the apportionment of available revenues for salaries and other crucial aspects of running government. Nothing could be more transparent and those seeking to drive a wedge in-between workers and the government should rather find the reason for the memorandum of understanding in this idea. It could not have been Aregbesola’s making that Nigeria’s economy started its decline in 2013 when the then Federal Government declared daily theft of 400,000 barrels of crude. The irony is that while many maintained criminal silence, Aregbesola was vociferous alerting Nigerians to the doom that lurked in the criminal pillaging of the national resources. Not only was Nigeria saddled with the ‘theft’, the resources coming in was also frittered away desperately pursuing the agenda to perpetuate PDP in office. And then the last straw that broke the camel’s back; the glut in crude oil market and the consequent precipitous collapse of the revenue accruable from that sector. WHAT DID OGBENI DO WRONG? Then, what has gone wrong? The only thing that has gone wrong is that Nigeria (and indeed
the world) today faces its most turbulent economic time. The ‘crime’ of OGBENI was his zeal to develop infrastructure that will launch Osun into modernity. What are governments for? Perhaps, that is where to begin. As the anti-people, anti-development and anti-progress ilk of the Orimolade’s hue would prefer, governments are there to simply pay salary. This is incorrect! Governments, like all businesses, are there for production of goods or services. In discharging these responsibilities, staff must be engaged. The remuneration of these staff, though very important, cannot supersede the primary objective of government or any company. For governments therefore, social and economic infrastructures are fundamentals that nothing must jeopardize, followed by welfare services. This is so because legitimacy of governments is guaranteed by those things; tangible and intangible that are recorded for posterity. For instance, who remembers anymore the prompt payments of salaries for 40 months, who remembers anymore, the end of year bonuses, who remembers anymore, other largess granted to the civil servants when the economy effortlessly permitted, very few. Today, Nigeria, and the South-West part of Nigeria remember and celebrate our late sage, Obafemi Awolowo, not for the salaries he paid but for the enduring legacies that lifted
•One of Governor Aregbesola’s school buildings.
millions up and set a good, enduring stage for the development of this part of Nigeria. However, the market women, farmers, poor artisans and commercial vehicle owners and drivers, school children, vulnerable aged people and un-employed youth that directly benefit from OGBENI’s massive infrastructure developments, O’meals, Agba-Osun allowance, micro-credit schemes, Calisthenics, walk-tolive, destitute rehabilitation called O-REHAB scheme, O’Reap, free train services, Opon-Imo, OYES, OYESTECH, commercial agric loans to farmers, O’ Schools, environmental sanitation, etc, will forever appreciate these interventions. The Osun workers, highly valuable and trusted hands in our task of changing Osun, have never been relegated to the background. And that accounts for the very committed elevation of their welfare despite lack of agitations for those when the economy was stable. Nothing has changed! Just as we owe them their welfare, this government owes its commitments and passion to the downtrodden and not the disoriented petty bourgeois elements who think that the rest of the society must be sacrificed for their own comfort. MINDLESS OPPORTUNISTS KNOW NO GOD hould we marvel at the disparaging S comments over the trip abroad with President Muhammadu Buhari and the opportunity to seek the face of God in Nigeria’s affairs? No! Those given to opportunism really don’t have place for God in their calculations. That accounts for the many unkind words of Orimolade over the trip of Mr. President, Aregbesola and other members of his entourage to Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The Osun project, as complex as it was when this government took over, committed in the hands of God. The good people of Osun themselves have never left out prayer. The real people of Osun prayed. They embarked on days of fasting to ensure that Aregbesola triumphed over the forces of retrogression. Their prayers were answered and the forces of evil were defeated. Whatever challenges Osun faces as its own share of the global economic crisis, the people have not left God out of their affairs. The opportunists may do that.
Osun Defender T hursday, March 3, 2016
55
5 10
advert
14
HEALTH
Osun Defender Thursday, March 3, 2016
Plantains Nutrition Facts Plantains, also known as plátanos, are closely related cultivars of fruit or dessert banana. In general, they treated as vegetables in the kitchen much like fellow tropical produces such as potatoes, taro, breadfruit, yam, sweet potatoes, etc. Indeed, plátano are one of the staple sources of carbohydrates for larger populations in Asia, Oceania, Africa, and Central Americas for centuries, served in main courses. As in bananas, plantain too belong to the Musaceae family. In the nature, it was thought to have developed by hybridization of two wild species of Muscaceae, Musa acuminata Colla (AA) and M. balbsiana Colla (BB), and consist of chromosomal triploid AAB genome. Plantain is quite different from dessert banana, being taller and larger and more drought tolerant. It is a perennial herbaceous plant that develops from the underground rhizome. Like bananas, it too flourishes well under tropical moisture-rich, humid low-lying farmlands. At maturity, the rhizome gives rise to flower (inflorescence) that is carried up along its smooth, elongated, un-branched stem, piercing through the center of pseudo-stem, finally emerging out at the top in between its leafy clusters. The flower eventually develops into bunch, consisting of 3 to 20 hands, with each bunch holding at least 5-10 fingers (fruits). Plantain (right) with Inflorescence and tender banana stem in a market. Raw green plantains can only eaten after cooking. Each fruit measures about 3 to 10 inches or more in length depending upon the cultivar type. They tend to have coarser external features with prominent edges and flat surfaces unlike smooth, rounded contour of dessert bananas. The flesh inside is rich in starch, with tiny edible black seeds concentrated at its core. Ripening process, however, enhances flavor and sweetness since much of its starch converts to sugar, similar to as in the case of fruit bananas but to a lesser extent. Plantain flower (inflorescence) as well as its interior stem (true-stem) too are eaten in various kinds of recipes in South-Asian regions. Benefits Of Plantains Plantain relatively has more calories weight for weight than that in the table bananas. 100 g plantain holds about 122 calories, while dessert banana has only 89 calories. Indeed, they are very reliable sources of starch and energy; ensuring food security for millions of inhabitants worldwide. It contains 2.3 g of dietary fiber per 100 g (6% of DRA per 100 g). Adequate amount of dietaryfiber in the food helps normal bowel movements, thereby reducing constipation problems.
Osun Defender Thursday, March 3, 2016
SPORTS
Guus Hiddink Has Given Chelsea More Confidence - Thibaut Courtois Guus Hiddink has given Chelsea back the aura created during last season’s Premier League triumph and lost in the final months of Jose Mourinho’s reign, according to goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Mourinho left having Stamfordthe Bridge for the second time in December, management and presided over a disastrous players. run of results and what The atmosphere has technical director Michael shifted considerably Emenalo described as since Hiddink’s arrival “palpable discord” that and Chelsea have lost had developed between just one of 14 matches
in all competitions, with underperforming star players Diego Costa, Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard all showing significant signs of recovery under the experienced Dutchman. Courtois believes teams quickly lost their fear of Chelsea when it
•Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink reveals the latest on the health of Pedro and John Terry ahead of their trip to Norwich.
Fresh plátanos have more vitamin C than bananas. 100 g provide 18.4 mg or 31% of daily required levels of this vitamin. Consumption of foods rich in vitamin-C helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful oxygen-free radicals. However, boiling and cooking destroys much of this vitamin in plantains. Plantains carry more vitamin A than bananas. 100 g fresh ripe plantains contain 1127 IU or 37.5% of daily required levels of this vitamin. Besides being a powerful antioxidant, vitamin A plays a vital role in the visual cycle, maintaining healthy mucus membranes, and enhancing skin complexion. As in bananas, they too are rich sources of B-complex vitamins, particularly high in vitamin-B6 (pyridoxine). Pyridoxine is an important B-complex vitamin that has a beneficial role in the treatment of neuritis, anemia, and to decrease homocystine (one of the causative factors for coronary artery disease (CHD) and stroke episodes) levels in the body. In addition, the fruit contains moderate levels of folates, niacin, riboflavin and thiamin. They also provide adequate levels of minerals
such as iron, magnesium, and phosphorous. Magnesium is essential for bone strengthening and has a cardiac-protective role as well. Fresh plantains have more potassium than bananas. 100 g fruit provides 499 mg of potassium (358 mg per 100 g for bananas). Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure, countering negative effects of sodium. Selection and Storage Plantains of all varieties can be readily available in the USA supermarkets all around the year. At maturity, they generally harvested unripe and right away carried to the market for sale. Look for firm, mature, deep green, well-formed plantains that feel heavy in hand. Do not buy overripe, damaged, split fruits, as they stay poor. Preparation and Serving methods Plantain chips (vaazhakka upperi)-India To prepare, just wash the raw fruit in cold water and mop dry using paper cloth. Using a paring knife, trim either ends. Then, cut the fruit into short lengths, split the skin superficially along the ridge and peel the skin gently away from the flesh to get firm flesh inside. Oftentimes, the whole fruit may be barbequed with its skin. Otherwise, its peeled flesh may be cut into thin slices, grated, chunks treated much like potatoes in many traditional African and West-Indian cuisine. In South-Indian Kerala state, plantain chips (vaazhakka upperi) seasoned with salt and pepper, is a popular snack. Tostones (plátano, fried twice), prepared in a similar way are again a popular snacks in the Caribbean and Latin Americas. Its flower head (inflorescence) and interior icicle-white, tender stem (vazhai thandu in Malayalam) too are eaten in various kinds of recipes in South-Asian regions. Mashed plantain served with fried onions is a national breakfast dish of Dominican Republic. Mashed platanos are served with rice, eggs, beans, poultry, fish, etc., in these regions. Safety profile Being a close relative of bananas, plantains too often can be a cause for skin and systemic allergic reactions in some sensitive individuals. The fruit may elicit urticaria and may cause potentially serious gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. “Oral allergy syndrome,” is a condition in which eating banana family foods may cause itching and swelling in the mouth or throat within hours. Another kind of allergic reaction may be related to plant latex. (Medical disclaimer).
15
Real Madrid Only Have Themselves To Blame - Levante’s Jose Luis MoLevante winger Jose Luis Morales says Real Madrid have only themselves to blame for their derailed title challenge, while Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo and coach Diego Simeone have reacted to Cristiano Ronaldo’s comments about his teammates following last weekend’s derbi. Frustrated after said Saturday’s La Liga defeat at home to points. Atletico, Ronaldo Real 1-0 “I don’t know if we will would be in first place if his teammates were on his level, upset Madrid’s La Liga though he later clarified he chances, they are doing that only meant to refer to his well enough themselves,” the Madrid-born player injured teammates’ fitness. Ahead of Los Blancos’ trip responded. “We will focus to Levante on Wednesday on our own job. We know night, Morales was asked if that Madrid are one of the his team would dent Real’s best teams in the world. But chances of claiming the title, we are doing well at home, with Madrid club trailing and hope to continue with leaders Barcelona by 12 that.”
•ESPN FC’s Craig Burley has his say on Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘incredible’ post-match comments following Real’s loss to Atleti.
became clear the Premier League champions were struggling in the early weeks of the season, but credits Hiddink with making the small adjustments that have allowed the Blues to rediscover their confidence. “In the beginning of the season, because we were champions, teams were more motivated because they wanted to win against the holders,” Courtois told the Evening Standard. “That’s normal. “But when we struggled after the first few games, the other teams saw we were a bit weak and tried to attack us, to put our confidence down. Obviously, a lot of teams were happy to play us because we were in a weak moment and they
with the subtle way in which the Dutchman has won over his players. “I think Hiddink has just tried to adjust some small details, but he has not changed a lot,” Courtois added. “Maybe on the training pitch he has just helped us have confidence again. I don’t know about everyone else, but I had some talks with the manager. I guess he has with other players. “Sometimes confidence can change things. When Diego scored his first goal after a while, he went on to get more. Sometimes one moment can change everything.”
Arsenal Have Money To Spend In Summer - Arsene Wenger
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says “money Sanchez was Arsenal’s will be available” to strengthen the team in this leading scorer last season summer’s transfer window, but insisted he is more but has struggled for focused on fighting for this season’s league title with form this campaign. He the current squad. Wenger opted not to reports that Arsenal are has just one goal in eight buy a single outfield close to handing star duo games since returning A t l e t i c o p r e s i d e n t player last summer, with Mesut Ozil and Alexis from a hamstring injury, Cerezo was asked by AS but Wenger backed the for a reaction to Ronaldo’s goalkeeper Petr Cech the Sanchez new contracts forward to rediscover his that would make them only addition to the first comments, and the veteran the highest-paid players scoring touch soon. film producer said: “I didn’t team. “He is just coming back hear [Cristiano speaking]. It B u t A r s e n a l h a v e in the club’s history. was my birthday and I went cash reserves of about “That’s not close, no,” from injury, I believe he to celebrate it.” is fighting to come back C e r e z o ’ s c o m m e n t s £135 million pounds in Wenger said. Ozil and Sanchez are to his best. His second were taken by some as an the bank and the Daily allusion to Ronaldo having Telegraph reported on both tied to the club until half was quite positive celebrated his 30th birthday Tuesday that £75m will 2018. Ozil signed a five- a n d e n c o u r a g i n g a t after a 4-0 derbi loss at be handed to Wenger as year deal when he joined Manchester United,” Atletico last February, with Arsenal for £42.5m from Wenger said. “So what that party which featured a transfer kitty. “I think if we want Real Madrid in 2013, we want from him is Colombian popstar Kevin Roldan making headlines to buy at the end of while Sanchez was given w o r l d w i d e , a n d a l s o the season, money will a four-year contract that he doesn’t lose upsetting many Madrid be available,” Wenger when he joined from confidence and continues supporters. to fight.” C o l c h o n e r o s c o a c h said on Tuesday at a Barcelona the following Simeone was more guarded n e w s c o n f e r e n c e . the year. Ozil is on course when he was asked about “But at the moment Ronaldo’s comments, at the we want to influence to break the Premier news conference ahead of our performances and League’s single-season Real Sociedad’s visit to the Estadio Vicente Calderon results. The money, until a s s i s t r e c o r d t h i s the end of the season will campaign, needing just on Tuesday. two more to tie Thierry “We always only think not help us.” about what could happen Arsenal are five points Henry’s mark of 20. with ourselves, it would behind leader Leicester be disrespectful to give an opinion about what happens going into Wednesday’s in other places,” Simeone Premier League game said. against Swansea, and three behind Tottenham ahead of Saturday’s Zinedine Zidane has confirmed that Cristiano North London derby. Ronaldo has spoken to his team-mates following his Wenger also denied outburst after Real Madrid’s defeat to Atletico on Saturday. G o a l u n d e r s t a n d s importance of Cris and we that Ronaldo issued an all are with him,” said the apology to his fellow Madrid boss.”The issue “If you pushed me, some them, no one has. players on Monday after with Cristiano has been could have two, but three an extraordinary rant in sorted. We are going to fix that good and as decisive as which he claimed that “if this all together. From the all my team-mates were inside, not outside.” at my level, we might be first.” The 31-year-old also fiercely defended his own form amid claims that he fails to step up in key matches.The Portugal international attempted to explain that his comments were in relation to Madrid’s lengthy injury list, and Zidane insists the team are behind their leading •Ronaldo scorer. •ESPN FC’s Paul Mariner breaks down Barcelona’s 2-1 “Cristiano has spoken Compiled by Lukman Uswin over Sevilla in La Liga, extending their unbeaten run to everyone, me and sein to 34 games. everyone. We know the
Jemez Has No Doubt, Barcelona Will Win La Liga Defending champions Barca hold an eight-point lead over Atletico Madrid at the summit and look on course to top the table for a second successive season. Real Madrid are 12 points behind in third. Although 12 matches remain in the top flight, the Rayo coach believes the relatively quiet Liga for Catalan side’s advantage is Barca, because I do not see them losing the advantage unassailable. “In football I’ve seen they have at this point.” The record-breaking form everything, but I do not s e e B a r c a l o s i n g t h i s of Luis Enrique’s team is Liga,” Jemez told Mundo in no small part down to the attacking trio of Lionel Deportivo . “I do not see Barca losing Messi, Luis Suarez and three or four games and I Neymar, a force Jemez do not see Atletico Madrid thinks no other side can match. winning all of theirs. “No team has those three “At this point and seeing what we have seen, it is players. There are teams that not plausible that would maybe have one player at happen. the level of those three, but “ I t i s g o i n g t o b e a no one has three,” he added.
could beat us. “Now things have changed and it isn’t like that anymore. We are playing very well and obviously we want to end the season well. “A few of our players have reached their best level again and we have started to win matches. The atmosphere in training is very good, we train very hard with a lot of intensity.” Antonio Conte is expected to be confirmed as Chelsea’s next permanent manager in the coming days but both Oscar and John Obi Mikel have voiced their desire for Hiddink to stay on at Stamford Bridge beyond the summer, and Courtois is impressed
Zidane: Real Madrid’s Players Are Behind Ronaldo
www.osundefender.org
THE
6TH
M O S T- V I S I T E D
NEWS-
thursday, march 3, 2016
L
et’s assume that
By semiu okanlawon
Jamiu Orimolade is
real and not a mask. His writing vividly reveals an ugly study in self-contradictory delusion. Were he not existing just in name but in flesh and
blood, he would be a fine illustration in confused personality. But we can look at the message and not the confused messenger. Orimolade represents the small clan of those who have tried vainly to demonize Governor Rauf Aregbesola and his government, especially in the face of the global economic meltdown that has not left out Osun. He began his unfortunate tale by the inability of his imaginary uncle to bail him out of crisis of existence; the same excruciating experience in joblessness that formed the first task before Aregbesola when he assumed power in 2010. If Orimolade had truly been a jobless youth in Osun as claimed, he must have forgotten that Aregbesola, in 2011, began the process that eventually took more than 40,000 youths off the streets through various ingenious strategies such as OYES, OYESTECH, and a host of other initiatives through agriculture. Are beneficiaries of those schemes the same after taking part? The answer is no! The clan of naysayers that Orimolade belongs has definitely forgotten that this government is not an happenstance. It is a product of rigorous years of thinking and cerebral activities. Had this government done things haphazardly, it perhaps would have been herculean dismantling the huge mountains of lies and fabrications that are the hallmark of this club that is obviously blind to what the blind can feel. If only to remind them; this government has tailored its development agenda along its 6-Point Integral Action Plan. This is listed as: 1. Banishment of hunger, 2. Banishment of unemployment 3. Banishment of poverty, 4. Promotion of healthy living, 5. Promotion of Functional education 6. Promotion of communal peace. hrough these carefullyT crafted programmes, the problems of Osun had been analysed and enduring solutions proffered. And so when the government settled for business, its religious adherence to the agenda was not negotiable. Let those who want to take Rauf Aregbesola to the pillory avail themselves of the trends in some other places over salaries, pension and gratuities, infrastructure provision, health, agriculture, security, social welfare and others. It is only then that fair-
Opportunists Know No God (A response to Jamiu Orimolade’s ‘Between Sleeping in Holy land of Mecca and Waking up in Medina; the Osun NLC just woke up’)
•Some of the Buses bought for Osun School pupils.
minded critics among them would pause to ask whether they have not been terribly unfair to a man and his team who had taken Osun to this height in a record time of just four years. If we may ask, with what did Aregbesola secure his second term in office? He bulldozed his way back to office matching on the
heads of a disgruntled electorate? No! This second-term governor, if we must remind the few, whose sense of what happened in 2014 August have gone awry, rode his way back to office because he had warmed his way into the hearts of Osun; the young, the old, the elite and the commoners with his people-
•Some of the Tablets of Knowledge (Opon-Imo), to be districbuted to Osun pupils.
centered programmes. e do not think that W with the gargantuan, frightening state apparatus deployed against him by the desperate PDP government at the centre then, anyone could have survived the onslaught and won the election. But the people, having seen and benefitted from good governance, patriotically formed a human shield around Aregbesola against the most horrendous forms of harassment ever witnessed in the history of election in Nigeria. Rather than be smashed; Aregbesola smashed the PDP. Today, an objective look back into the life of Osun reveals massive transformation never witnessed in its history. Let the Orimolades of this world avail themselves of the record in education reforms which has led to a 60% improvement in performance of High School students in WAEC and NECO examinations. The indices are there for those who wish to compare the performances in the pre-Aregbesola and the Aregbesola years. We didn’t set out to improve on examination results and leave our pupils morally bankrupt. The Aregbesola education agenda had in-built, a comprehensive moral ingredient that ensures that they become productive, cooperative and committed citizens to their state. Today, the impact of our Tablet of Knowledge (Opon Imo), more than 60 mega schools already completed for use, introduction of calisthenics, enhanced school running grants and a host of others have combined to produce results that make the Aregbesola administration’s education era an enduring one. Today, the Orimolades of Osun would easily put aside the landmark moves of the administration in changing the fortunes of the workforce. It’s easy to forget the annual end-of-year bonus which started with 25 per cent rising to 50 and eventually to 100 per cent of basic salaries. It is easy to forget that the Aregbesola administration jerked up car loans by 400 per cent doing same for housing loans. It is easy for the naysayers to discountenance the increase in state commitment to pensions monthly from
continued on page 12
OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guaranty Trust Bank GTB, Gbongan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun. All correspondence to the Managing Editor, Kola Olabisi, Telephone: 08033927286 (kolaolabisi@yahoo.com); Editor, KAYODE AGBAJE, Telephone: 0803-388-0205, E-mail:
osundefender@yahoo.com, kayodeagbaje@yahoo.com. ISSN: 0794-8050.Website: www.osundefender.org.