Osun defender may 10, 2016 edition

www.osundefender.org Tuesday, may 10, 2016

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VOL. 11. NO.046

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Ogbeni’s commendable move on Cocoa production

Not given to wasting time on making moves that will accelerate development and have quick positive impact on the people, it would appear

that Ogbeni Aregbesola is the first, yet again, to swiftly respond to the call for the diversification of the economy which our present economic crisis demands.

In his characteristic self - of quickly looking for solution in the face of crisis - the visionary Ogbeni wasted no time in resuscitating the moribund Cocoa Production Industry

(CPI) in Ede, state of Osun, with a view to making Osun hub of cocoa production in the country. This is a commendable step.

At this critical stage of our history as a nation the

solution to resuscitating our economic crisis brought about by the gross mismanagement of the proceeds from our monolithic economic mainstay (oil) by those on

whose hands providence had placed the destiny of this country, lies in diversification of the economy; with emphasis on agriculture.

...continue on pg4.

Osun Govt To Partner With NUPEC To Restore Peace To Public Schools

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Osun’s Economy Is On Positive Turn-around - Aregbesola - See Story On Page 2

•State of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (left), receiving an assessment report on the establishment of statistical system for the State of Osun from the National President, Nigerian Statistical Association, Dr Mohammed Tumala, during the presentation of the report, at Government House, Osogbo, last Thursday.

Use Communication To Promote Peace, National Unity, Clerics Tell Journalists

- Pg 2

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osun Defender Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Osun’s Economy Is On Positive Turn-around - Aregbesola T By kehinde ayantunji he Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has stated said that periodic statistics released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have continued to establish the positive economic turn-around the state has witnessed under his administration. of the final who reportcriticise on the hisThe government to that governor need stressed those study critically some of State of Osun Statistical the statistics released by System by the State various credible bodies, Consultative Committee which show what he on Statistics (SCCS) led called the phenomenal by the National President, g r o w t h s i n c e h i s Nigerian Statistical Association (NSA), Dr. assumption of office.

Aregbesola stated this Mohammed Musa.

He noted that a during the presentation

knowledge-driven society cannot exist without accurate data, adding that with the recent data by the National Bureau of Statistics, people who criticise his administration should know that statistics deals with facts and evidence.

The governor averred that the state under his watch has forged ahead, not minding what traducers say with massive infrastructural development all over the

state, which peaked in the Year 2014 before the decline in the revenue of the country.

Aregbesola observed that it is not just for sentiment that people hail him wherever he goes within the state, but the evidence is in the robust economic activities his administration brought to the state.

He said: “In the analysis for 2010 and 2011 by the National Bureau of Statistics, the

•President Muhammadu Buhari (sitting at the middle), signing the 2016 budget into law while with him is his Vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo (5th left); National All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman, Chief John Oyegun (right) and other government officials during the occasion.

banking transactions and other economic activities were tripled from 13.2 billion to 32.3 billion. I can explain it because it was the peak of our developmental activities before the drop in federal allocation.

“In 2013, the growth in Osun was phenomenal and stimulating. I want you to see what Osun did that some of our opponents will not want to see. But statistics does not lie; statistics is not a friend or enemy of anybody because it is dealing with evidence.

“When people hail, and children run after me on the streets, the reason is not magic, it is statistics. Statistics will show the performance of a government, no matter how some people hate such government. This is our situation.

“This stark reality shows how Osun in 2013 from its banking transactions and other economic activities rose from N13.2 billion to N170.2billion. No state in Nigeria, according to this statistics, recorded this phenomenal growth.

“Something must be responsible for this?

Use Communication To Promote Peace, National Unity, Clerics Tell Journalists By sola jacobs s the world marked World Communication Day, journalists have been urged to use their profession to promote peace and the unity of the country.

The Arch-Bishop of the an unbiased umpire and North Central of Anglican the watchdog between C o m m u n i o n , B i s h o p the governed and the Michael Akinyemi, stated government.

“Media should set this during an interactive session with OSUN the agenda for the government through the DEFENDER. He said, communication opinions of the people is germane in national but reverse is the case, as development as improper media practitioners have c o m m u n i c a t i o n c a n suddenly turned mouthdestroy national peace organs of politicians.

He therefore, urged and growth. them to promote reports Bishop Akinyemi that will promote peace commended the role of and be cautious in the media practitioners in promoting issues that will the national development, divide the country along w h i l e h e c a r p e t e d ethnic, religious, political s o m e i n f o r m a t i o n and socio- cultural lines. displayed on internet, In his own contribution, which he described as Ustaz Umar Opeyemi, a unwholesome, puerile Muslim scholar, advised and capable of destroying the media on online the essential fabrics of the reportage, which he nation. described as speedy as He therefore, called light, to report on only f o r m o n i t o r i n g a n d issues that could promote r e g u l a t i o n o f s o c i a l peace and unity. media, in as much as he He opined that solicited for free media. the social media is Bishop Akinyemi contributing to the commended the effort unpatriotic stances in the of Nigeria, media in nation, as he urged the the enthronement of operators to be cautious democracy in Nigeria as that their freedom should they fought and resisted not be taking for granted, so as not to threaten the military autocracy.

The cleric however, peace of the nation.

Ustaz Umar also implored them in the task of nation building advocated good welfare as members of the fourth package for journalists, estate of the realm to be as their remuneration is

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journalism, rather than armchair journalism.

He flayed today’s practitioners for not doing the necessary follow-up over issues that are of public interest.

“Let’s promote people’s welfare above politicians and stop praise-singing them.

Let them buckle up and deliver the promises they make to the electorate,” he charged the journalists.

In some church

services, especially at Saint Benedict Catholic Church, Popo, Osogbo, and Saint Mark’s Anglican Church, Oke-fia, also in Osogbo, prayers were offered for journalists, the nation and the leadership of the State of Osun in particular.

By shina abubakar he Church has been urged to ensure that it returns to the days of raising the perfect man in its attempt to raise leaders that are capable of transforming the nation to greatness.

This was disclosed being a role model, is b y t h e i m m e d i a t e - faced with contemporary p a s t C o m m i s s i o n e r challenges leading to the for Information and gradual destruction of its Strategy, State of Osun, integrity.

“Religious leaders Mr. Sunday Akere, w h o w a s t h e G u e s t today prefer to spend Speaker at this year’s endless hours preaching World Communication miracles and prosperity, Day organized by the neglecting the need to Social Communication admonish on morals, good C o m m i s s i o n o f t h e conduct and eschewing Catholic Church, Saint the fear of God. Christian B e n e d i c t C a t h e d r a l , leaders today do not see corruption as an Osogbo.

He lamented the rate anathema that they must of moral decline in the completely stay away church at a time when from, but will rather bless number of church is a member contributing on the increase in the money without enquiring country, challenging the about the source of such clerics to curb the trend funds,” he said.

T h e f o r m e r of worldly preaching in commissioner urged that the church.

According to him, the Christian leaders the church, rather than must go back to the basics of Christianity, to

preach morals and the fear of God, with a view to raising a perfect man and curb corruption from all facets of the society.

“The Church must go back to the era of preaching Godliness, in which the Christian leaders will speak up, be bold and fearless and put the administrators on the heels towards providing good governance,” he added.

In his opening remarks, Reverend Father Adetunji urged journalists in the country to discharge their duties with deep sense of responsibility towards uniting the nation than dividing it.

He challenged families to ensure that communications within and among the family is done with mercy with a view to ensuring that unity in homes and work tirelessly to ensure that society is intact.

very poor to the extent that most of them after many years of practising, have nothing to show for their active service.

A m e d i a practitioner, Mr Kamar Aderibigbe, commended the contributions and the resilience of journalists in nation-building but tasked them to focus more on investigative

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Certainly it is government activities, so when they tell you that we have done nothing, refer them to this statistics of the National Bureau of Statistics that showed that something happened here in 2013,” he emphasised.

He commended the State Consultative Committee on Statistics led by the National President, Nigerian Statistical Association, Dr. Mohammed Musa, noting that his administration will implement the recommendations submitted to the state.

Earlier in his speech, the President, Nigerian Statistical Association, Dr. Muhammed Tumala, said his committee’s investigation revealed that the state has a wellestablished Department of Macro-Statistics in the state’s Office of Planning Commission.

Tumala noted that the macro-statistics office equally has sufficient number of staffing with statistics background.

He recommended that for efficiency, there should be legal power to collect information through the establishment of State Bureau of Statistics.

He added that there should be development of human resources for statistics production; development of data production and establishment of management system for the Bureau of Statistics.

“We are of the view that the state is well positioned for the production of official statistics because of the existing institutional structure and human resources,” Tumala said.

Church Must Wake Up To Its Responsibilities - Akere

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He also urged members of the church to rededicate themselves to the service of God to ensure that no deaconry is lagging behind in the discharge of its responsibilities.

The chairman of the occasion, Mr Deji Akinsola, stressed the need for journalist to discharge their duties with all sense of responsibility towards the people, rather than to powerful individuals, who want to influence the decision of the majority.

He berated the rate at which some journalists discharge their duties, selling out their conscience to powerful individuals and report events in their favour, while also calling on journalists to maintain the ethics of the profession in the discharge of their duties.

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osun Defender Tuesday, May 10,

We Shall Not Relent On Our Youths’ Empowerment Programme - Aregbesola G By ismaeel uthman overnor Rauf Aregbesola of the State of Osun has canvassed for adequate and continuous engagement of the youths with empowerment programmes, describing it as the only way to stem the spate of youth restiveness and criminality.

According t o priority to the welfare Aregbesola, giving of the youths is a

good foundation of governance, promising that his administration would continue to rollout programmes for the empowerment of the youths, in a bid to get their active participation in the development of the

•PHOTO OF THE DAY. Source: Facebook.

Osun Govt To Partner With NUPEC To Restore Peace To Public Schools By ismaeel uthman he Government of the State of Osun has disclosed its readiness to collaborate with the National Unity and Peace Corps of Nigeria (NUPEC) on the need to strengthen security in all the public schools in the state.

The disclosure was readiness to collaborate made by the Deputy with the para-military Governor, Otunba (Mrs.) organization (NUPEC) Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, in its bid to provide during the passing-out adequate security in all parade of NUPEC, at the public schools in the Camp-Young, Ede, State state.

Attributing the of Osun recently.

L a o y e - T o m o r i , decadence and rots in w h o d o u b l e s a s t h e education to “negligence C o m m i s s i o n e r f o r of necessity” by the past Education in the state, administrations, Laoyesaid the decision was Tomori said the Governor taken in line with the Rauf Aregbesola-led government’s policies administration would to provide quality and leave no stone unturned to enhance functional functional education.

The deputy governor, education in the state.

She stated that the who was represented by her Special Assistant state was in collaboration on Education, Mr. Niyi with relevant agencies I d o w u , c o n d e m n e d on the need to ensure the incessant cultism, proper monitoring of all thuggery a n d the activities in the state hooliganism among the public schools, so as to pupils of public schools, cushion the effect of all saying plans are in top forms of gangsterism gear to restore sanity, and cultism among the decency, discipline and pupils.

She noted that the integrity back to schools. state, having prioritized She maintained that the state would continuously education, would not deploy the necessary lose focus to ensure mechanism to engender the provision of strong peace and unity among competitive products in the pupils across the all the public schools in the state. schools in the state.

The deputy governor Laoye-Tomori said: “We are partnering reassured the parents and guardians of the state’s with NUPEC on security

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consciousness in all our public schools, so as to banish all forms of immorality in the state.

“Our resolve at this was to instill discipline and inculcate virtues in our children, by promoting civic and “Omoluabi” ethos among the pupils.

“Our government would not for whatever reason condones immorality of any form, just as we are ever-ready to strengthen peace and unity and as well promote peaceful cohabitation among the pupils in our schools.

“As we are resolute and firm in our educational policies and programmes, so shall we remain in creating an enabling environment to ease teaching and learning process in all our schools.

“Based on these lofty policies, our government would not hesitate to partner with any organization, group and association on the protection of lives and property, as well as maintenance of law and order.”

She therefore implored all members of the organization to continuously champion peace and unity of the country in all their activities.

country.

The governor stated this at a symposium organized by the Adulawo Nigeria Network Limited, at the Conference Centre, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, State of Osun.

Aregbesola, who was represented by the Coordinating Director, Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Youth Engagement, Dr. Isaac Oluwabukola Aluko, described youths as central to the administration, saying that his administration had successfully harnessed the youths’ potentials in all its programmes.

He said all his policies and programmes had been youth-oriented, adding that the swift intervention of his government on agriculture, education, security among others over the years had yielded positive impacts in the lives of the citizenry.

Reminding all that the current administration had so far engaged over 40,000 youths on different engagements through an empowerment programme known as Osun Youths Employment Scheme, O’YES, he said the scheme had recorded tremendous achievements.

The governor reiterated that the motive behind the engagement of youths to government’s ministries, departments and agencies was to banish unemployment, as well as create an enabling environment for the younger generation to make positive impact in the society.

He said efforts had been made by the government to facilitate all-round transformation and positive change through the engagement of youths in agriculture, with the hope of turning the state to food basket of the nation and commercial hub of the region.

The governor also listed the Osun Rural Enterprises and Agricultural Programme (O’REAP) as one of the avenues through which the government had strategically provided opportunities for youths to be engaged.

According to him, the involvement of youths in agriculture had over the years brought about an improved efficiency of the agriculture value chain, creating jobs and as well making millionaires out of young farmers.

Aregbesola said the understanding of the needs of the youths by his administration, called for massive employment

By sola jacobs ncomiums trailed the final exit of the late Chief (Mrs) Bisi Bamigbetan as members of her family, friends, well- wishers and colleagues bade her farewell at Saint Paul’s Anglican Church, Ayegbaju in Ile-Ife on Saturday.

The late foremost Other siblings journalist, who died in d e s c r i b e d h e r a s March, was described affectionate, loving and as a staunch Christian, a disciplinarian. who in the presence of One of her colleagues life challenges, remain in Daily Times in the 70’s, steadfast, unwavering Toba Adeyemi, described , hospitable, sweet and her as a versatile, bold loving to all that came and dutiful journalist, across her. who had contributed in These were the words no measure to the noble of Reverend Samson profession.

Awoyode at the funeral He described her as service held for the late bold and brave Press media icon in Ile-Ife. Secretary to the former He further described President Jerry Rawlings the deceased as mother to of Ghana before she left the Bamigbetan family, a for Nigeria to work in the role model and a virtuous then Daily Times. woman.

Bisbam, as she was Speaking about the f o n d l y c a l l e d , a f t e r life and times of the first h e r e l e m e n t a r y a n d chairperson of Women secondary schools in Journalists in the State Nigeria, attended Ghana of Osun, the immediate School of Journalism younger brother of the and worked briefly with deceased, Senator Segun some media houses in Bamigbetan, described Ghana before serving as her as a sister and mother the Press Secretary to exto all.

President Rawlings.

Also in his tribute, In Nigeria, she worked the Special Adviser to with the former Managing Lagos State Governor Director of Daily Times, Ambode Akinwumi on Chief Yemi Ogunbiyi and Local Government Issues, Dayo Duyile.

Mr Kehinde Bamigbetan, She pioneered the described the deceased formation of the Nigeria as bold, influential and Association of Women expressive.

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generation and wealth creation since assumption of office.

He said: “We appreciate this programme because it is in line with our drastic social intervention on the general wellbeing of our youths, which our government considered as pillars of good governance.

“Our administration has generated mass employment in all aspects of our programmes and policies because our focus is to enrich common man and as well create wealth for the state.

“Osun Youths Empowerment Scheme (O’YES), Osun Rural Enterprises and Agricultural Programme (O’REAP), Osun Schools

Journalists ( NAWOJ) with the likes of Mrs Brenda Akpan, Chief (Mrs) Funke Fadugba and Mrs Moji Makanjuola.

Her quest for journalism made her the first woman publisher, as she founded Ife/Ijesa News in 1992.

As a humanitarian, she fostered many motherless babies’ homes and was a crusader of girl-child rights.

According to her philosophy, girl-child can do greater things just like the male child, while often advocating equal right and good education for the girl-child in her community.

Reverend Awoyode in his homily further implored women that God had endowed them the ability to nurture human beings, while men only assist them in procreation process.

“They should therefore, play their God-given roles, not only to their biological children, but to all that come across their ways.”

The funeral service was attended by dignitaries, politicians, journalists, families and well wishers.

Bisbam recently died at the age of 70 at her home in Ile-Ife.

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Ogbeni’s commendable move on Cocoa production ...continued from pg1

There is no any other alternative than to toe this line - diversification - if we are to get out of this quagmire which we have brought on our heads by our own profligacy.

It’s unfortunate that we have to learn our lesson in a hard way.

But we just have to accept the reality of our situation. For our case is synonymous with the case of the one who fails to plan. And as we know anyone that fails to plan surely only plans to fail. This has been an incontestible fact from time immemorial. Throughout the time that rain of money was pouring heavily on our land by virtue of heavy proceeds from crude oil we failed to utilise the money by building infrastructure and

establishing industries to provide employment for the youths.

Rather we engaged in profligacy of the highest order while humongous corruption - as epitomised by the Jonathan administration - became the order of the day. Now we are paying heavily for our lack of planning.

But this is no time to lament.

Rather the situation demands thinking outside the box with a view to providing solution to our present precarious condition. And as we have collectively agreed at least in principle - our solution lies in promoting agriculture over and above our dependence on oil.

This is the way to go and this is why we are happy that the ilk of Ogbeni Aregbesola are not wast-

ing time in this regard. Aregbesola has taken the bull by the horn by embarking on aggressive revival of the agric sector. Like he said Osun will very soon become the hub of cocoa production in the country.

By the time this vision is realised Osun economy will bounce back and there will be enough to continue the provision of dividends of democracy for the people of the state.

We believe it can be achieved.

We must not forget that all the feats that Chief Obafemi Awolowo recorded as a Premier of western region were achieved with the proceeds from cocoa. All the giant strides he recorded were made possible with the money realised from cocoa as oil had not been discovered when the late sage ran the affairs of western region. Till date

Nigeria Not Yet A Nation omeone c a l l e d S me from London probing to find out what

lessons I learnt during the last campaign and elections in Nigeria.

I learnt a hell a lot! I will put my experiences in a book someday. Quickly, I swaddled them up in five quick snapshots: Nigeria is not yet a nation; we are just an assembly and conglomerate of people who are only tolerant of one another for different reasons.

Individually, there are Yorubas who love Igbos; there are Igbos who love Hausas; there are Itsekiris who love Tivs, and there are Ijesas who love Ogonis.

We all have friends we truly love in all zones, and many of them have become family members.

But corporately, there is a deep interethnic hatred that has overshadowed, and that threatens to eviscerate

any kind of individual love or admiration we may have for one another. The acrimony is at an acerbic and acrid level.

If you leave the door of your house wide open in the spirit of nicety and kindness, all mannersof characters will come in.

If you are too lax,

they will become your landlord, and before you know it, you and your children will not only become tenants to your tenants, but you will end up as homeless ignoramuses, roaming the same streets that run past the same house that your fathers built. So, beware!

You must know your history and teach them

to those who have no knowledge of it, especially your children.

It’s in the Bible…

Deuteronomy 6 vs. 7 – “…thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou

liest down, and when thou rises up”.

The history lesson must be continuous.

History not taught or learnt can be re-rewritten by those who don’t know your beginning. God has given every man his own well; but there are those who want to greedily control yours and theirs at the same time.

If you let them, they will. And your fathers

Chief Awolowo’s government still remains the best example in referring to good governance and pro-people government in this part of the world. Thus if Awolowo could record such giant achievements with cocoa, then it’s high time we started cocoa production on a massive scale towards resuscitating our economy especially in the South-West here.

The avatar had shown us the way, the ball is now in our court.

will be rolling in their graves in anger and shame about a child they had no business bringing to this world.

All ethnic groups in Nigeria can live together in harmony; and I think we will. But we must know what line separates the North-West from North-Central, NorthEast from South East, and South-South from South-West. The lines are there; they will never fade. In the spirit of the labours of our heroes past, we must all respect them. Then we will live happilly ever after.

•Fola Ojo, an indigene of Osun, lives in the United States of America.

We commend Ogbeni Aregbesola for quickly responding to what our present unpalatable situation requires. We hope other state governors too will follow suit. There is no time to waste.

To waste time is to wallow for long in our present quagmire and

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osun Defender Tuesday, May

Result-Oriented Service osun Defender Tuesday, May 10, 2016

These Examination Seasons II:

Appreciating Ogbeni’s Intervention Initiatives III Still in the endeavour to document the intervention initiatives ventured into by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration of Ogbeni RaufAregbesola in the State of Osun, NIYIOLASINDE moves on with the analysis of the depth and impact of the efforts;just as some puzzling questions are raised concerning noticed resistance and recalcitrance to recent changes, especially, those that pertain to changes in names of state-owned institutions.

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ISSN: 0794-8050 Telephone: 0803-392-7286, 08033880205 Website: www.osundefender.com/index.php e-mail: osundefender@yahoo.com

•Some of the Osun pupils displaying calisthenics in Osogbo City Stadium, sometime ago.

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Appreciating Ogbeni’s Intervention Initiatives III Appreciating Ogbeni’s Intervention Initiatives III 6

•Salvation Army Middle School, Alekuwodo, Osogbo.

•Continued from last week of Yoruba people and our rich

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HE opening editions in this series turned the sod on the multifarious education innovations and the large assortment of intervention efforts endeavoured by the Aregbesola administration in the State of Osun. Particularly, the curtains fell on those earlier editions at a point wherewe took toll of the massive transformation witnessed in the state’s public education terrain. Now, it will not constitute a serious digression to review the election pact made by the incumbent governor, OgbeniRaufAregbesola, as he offered himself for the service of his people in years preceding 2007, the election year in the state.

Most relevant to the particular angle of the discourse now in vogue is the aspect touching on the overall Six-Point Integral Action Plan and the specific area which had direct bearing on the Education sub-sector of the state.

For the purpose of freshening-up our memories, we draw reference to the most relevant portions here again: SIX POINT INTEGRAL ACTION PLAN · Banish Poverty · Banish Hunger · Banish Unemployment (Create Work/Wealth) · Restore Healthy Living · P r o m o t e F u n c t i o n a l Education · Enhance Communal Peace and Progress TOURISM Vision: Tourist’s cradle in Africa The State of Osun is the cradle

culture. The opportunities for wealth creation in Osun state through tourism have been underexploited. We shall: · Develop State of Osun tourism potentials to its fullest to promote employment and wealth among people of the State of Osun. · Encourage development of Yoruba museum and world heritage centre at Ile-Ife. · Encourage programmes that nurture and promote arts and talent. · Enhance the image of traditional rulers and institutions. · Mobilize our traditional rulers to showcase the state’s tourism potentials to Yorubas in the diaspora (e.g. Brazil, Cuba and West Indies).

ROADS Vision: Roads to and in all towns and villages in Osun. Road construction and maintenance shall be used to generate employment for the indigenes of the State of Osun. · Community based road maintenance units will be established to ensure timely repairs and deduce overall maintenance costs. · Development and regular maintenance of urban and rural roads to get top priority. · Access roads to evacuate agricultural produce shall be constantly improved and expanded. · C r e a t e p a r t n e r s h i p s with the private sector on road development and provision of infrastructure.

TRANSPORTATION

We shall produce a transport master plan to provide direction for development of the sector.

The safety of the lives of the indigenes of the State of Osun is of great concern to us. We shall: · R e d u c e t o t h e b a r e s t minimum, road traffic accident within 6 months on all roads starting with Federal roads. · C r e a t e a m o t o r i z e d division of the Osun troopers to patrol roads to prevent accidents on the highways and organize rescue and recovery operations.

INNOVATION urope , J a p a n , K o r e a , Malaysia and now China have made life for their people permanently comfortable through innovation, research and development, thrift and hardwork.

We Africans especially the people of the State of Osun are thrifty (a ki se oninakuna) and hardworking (atiagbe at oniseowo lo kaimelesiaidanile Yoruba) but we have been backward in looking forward.

We have not been innovative enough, we have not invested enough in research and we have not developed the fruits of innovation and research. In other words we remain backward, poor, unscientific and losers (eniigbehin) among the family of nations.

It is a matter of concern that our leaders do not car or worry enough about these issues.

I care and I’m deeply concerned.

As your Governor I will do everything possible to: · Create awareness and dissatisfaction among all in the

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osun Defender Tuesday, May

State of Osun about our position among the world’s people and the need to move up the ladder of human ascent and development aw ay fr o m pe r man e n t an d persistent poverty. · Ensure that ideas with original creativity are tapped for the enrichment of all. · Give real importance to education with skills development so that we can make what we need and become more competitive in the world as a people by creating more skills development centres in the State of Osun. · In these centres we shall teach Men and Women to think with their hands, sharpen our already proven entrepreneurial skills and stop Nigeria from importing: TOOTH PICK (IGI OPARUN FUN ITAYIN) FROM CHINA, ORANGE JUICE (OROMBO) FROM KOREA, SHOES (BATA) FROM SPAIN/ ITALY, FAN BELT/ CAR TYRES (RUBBER) FROM JAPAN AND FRANCE. When I know that these can be easily manufactured here.

I shall turn the State of Osun into a creative agro-industrial zone God willing INDUSTRIALISATION Key to banishing unemployment permanently anywhere is promoting conducive atmosphere for manufacturing and production.

Our Government shall: · D e v e l o p i n t e g r a t e d industrial estates for mini, micro and large manufacturing enterprises in the three senatorial zones of the State of Osun. · Provide the estates with

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Continued from page 6 infrastructural facilities that reduce the cost of setting up industries (roads, electricity, water and telecommunications). · Provide incentives targeted at attracting manufacturers/ investors. · Develop skilled personnel through our Life Academies, Universities and colleges to service specialized industrial and manufacturing needs.

RESTORE HEALTHY LIVING Vision: To work to save our people from all avoidable deaths due to accidents, emergencies, poverty and inadequate health facilities.

To achieve this for all and particularly our children and senior citizens, we shall: · Provide effective and available healthcare for all. · Provide efficient accident and emergency ambulance service. · Provide primary health clinics within 10 kilometre radius of every Osun town, with special attention to the needs of children, women and the elderly. · Provide functional General hospitals within 20 kilometre radius of human habitation. · Provide referral hospitals within 30 kilometre radius of human settlement. · E s t a b l i s h f r e e b l o o d pressure checks in conjunction with private organizations at

•Ataoja High School, Osogbo.

every local government office. · U n d e r t a k e s p e c i a l programmes for the upgrading, retraining and working comforts of all health personnel. · Encourage and nurture alternative medical therapy. · Free treatment for malaria to children below age 18 and senior citizens (60+).

ENVIRONMENT Vision: To embrace current scientific methods in controlling the generation of waste and the conversion of waste to wealth.

The state of the environment, especially waste generation, management and the embarrassing filth in our communities demand special attention. The CAN government shall: · Encourage all houses in the State of Osun to have a modern and affordable toilet facility through a special scheme. · Provide private sector driven waste management and beautification schemes to rid our communities of filth which threaten public health. · Beautification of town centres as a starting point of general urban renewal. · Work with the private sector to establish appropriate waste-to-wealth projects under a composite waste management policy.

WATER Vision: Water for all in the state of the living spring.

It is a painful regret that most

cities in Osun do not have potable water running at any time and Osun is the state of the living spring!!!

Our Government will do everything possible to bring potable water to all parts of the State of Osun and correct this anomaly.

All abandoned water schemes shall be reactivated and speedily completed.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING ur ACN Government shall: · H e l p Osun indigenes realize their dreams of house ownership or rehabilitation of failing structures through deliberate programmes that improve their income earning capacity. · Support mortgage schemes that make house ownership pocket friendly. · Actively support research and development on the use of local materials to force down building costs.

ELECTRICITY Electricity for all shall be the creed of ACN Government in Osun. We shall: · E n s u r e t h a t e l e c t r i c energy is available in the state for domestic, commercial and industrial activities. · We shall endeavour to provide electricity to all villages, hamlets and farm settlements in the state. · Private sector-led power agencies shall be encouraged to

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set up energy stations in the state.

SECURITY Security of lives and properties are of paramount importance to us. Our Government shall: · Have special programmes for the police and neighbourhood security outfits. · Provide special allowance to all security agents deployed to Osun State and enhance their operational facilities for efficiency. · R e s p o n d t o t h e operational needs of security agents through provision of mobility, communication gadgets, protective gears and conducive working environment.

FIRE SERVICES We shall improve capacity of fire services to respond to emergencies.

PHYSICAL WELL-BEING Our Government will promote physical exercises as a deliberate policy which will form a crucial aspect of our healthy-living programme. This is in keeping with the adage that a sound mind only resides in a sound body.

PROMOTE FUNCTIONAL EDUCATION Vision: Eradicate the frustration of youths caused by education that does not lead to employment.

To achieve this, the government of AC under RaufAregbesola shall: · Provide free education at all levels in Osun State. Focus on functional education. Education

Continued on page 10

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osun Defender Tuesday, May

Visit To Osun Pig Improvement Centre, Ilesa, State Of Osun, By Ministry Of Agric Last Friday.

Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

•Team leader of the Germany Train Youths, Mr Omoboyeje Olalekan (right) while explaining the process of taking care of the pigs; while with him is one the German trained youths, Mr Makanju Olalekan (left).

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National President, Nigeria Statistical Association, Dr Mohammed Tumala, Presented Assessment Report On The Establishment Of Statistical System For The State Of Osun Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, At Government House, Osogbo Last Thursday.

•Governor Rauf Aregbesola (middle); his deputy, Otunba (Mrs) Grace Laoye-Tomori (4th left); Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti (3rd right); Chief of Staff to State of Osun Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola (2nd right); State of Osun Head of Service, Mr Sunday Owoeye (3rd left); Dr Mohammed Tumala (4th right) and others in a group photograph at the event, last Thursday.

Symposium On Youths’ Empowerment Organised By Adulawo Nigerian Network Limited At Conference Centre, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Recently.

•A cross section of the pigs.

•(L-R) Representative of Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun and Coordinating Director, State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Isaac Aluko; Vice Chancellor, OAU, Professor Bamitale Omole; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi and CEO Adulawo Institute Division of the American Heritage Defense Corporation, Professor James Fabunmi, shortly after the programme.

•Omoboyeje and one the workers feeding the pigs.

•The widow of the late Comrade Rotimi Obadofin flanked by her children during a symposium in honour of the fallen comrade at Ola-Oni Research Centre, Osogbo, State of Osun, rerecently.

At A Symposium In Honour Of The Late Comrade Rotimi Obadofin In Osogbo Recently.

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Appreciating Ogbeni’s Intervention Initiatives III Appreciating Ogbeni’s Intervention Initiatives III

•Some of Osun pupils hailing Governor Rauf Aregbesola sometime ago.

Continued from page 7 that makes one useful to himself and society. · Improve incentives to teachers and work with the NUT to restore the dignity of the teaching profession. · Restructure administration of school management and create Tutors-General (Permanent Secretary Cadre) from among Head Teachers in three Educational Districts which we will establish. · F i x a l l c o l l a p s e d e d u c a t i o n a l infrastructures in all the schools. · Support with modern teaching aids and well-stocked libraries. · Ensure cooperation with parents and teachers to improve discipline and morality. · Introduce non-partisan communitybased governing boards for all schools. · Reduce number of students per classroom immediately. · Introduce home development plans for teachers who wish to build houses in their home towns, through access to special mortgage packages. · Promote mass adult literacy and numeracy programmes. · P r o m o t e a n d s u p p o r t S p e c i a l programmes that give special attention to education of girls and women. · Establish institutions that impart life-long skills for all, in and out of formal schooling.

O N HI G HE R E D U C A T I O N A N D UNIVERSITY · I am committed to ensuring that an Osun State University takes off on a sound footing and becomes a first-class institution with linkages to renowned universities in the developed world. · I will make every tertiary institution in Osun State an independent degree-awarding one. · Encourage use of services of retired, but not tired dons and administrators, from reputable institutions.

ENHANCE COMMUNAL PEACE AND PROGRESS

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ision: To restore the bond of trust between the Governor and the governed.

Over time, people have disconnected from government because those in authority have not shown enough concern about their welfare or actively engaged them in formulating policies that affect them.

Our Government shall restore partnership between government and people through: SAGES COUNCILS (EGBE AGBA) Our state is blessed with a large pool of elderly folks who are invariably well educated, have enjoyed successful careers, travelled widely in the world, but are currently reduced to irrelevance in the society.

Our Government will support the formation of non partisan community based sages councils, capable of providing guidance in management, moral and ethical development in our society.

Our Government will seek elderly guidance and advice as inputs to our policy formation and implementation.

Government will support the senior citizens and help in their management of socioeconomic problems peculiar to the group (pension, health and education).

YOUTHS COUNCIL (EGBE ODO) People age 30 and below constitute the majority of our population but unfortunately are often frustrated and unfulfilled as a consequence of intolerable social and economic policies.

Our CAN Government shall support the creation of non partisan community based youth councils to provide a platform for them to articulate and work out solutions to various problems confronting them.

Our Government will encourage cross fertilization of ideas between the Sages and Youth Councils through which public policies would be influenced.

Government will promote sporting activities and creation of physical facilities forb sporting and related activities.

We shall reinstate the abandoned ‘boys’ and

osun Defender Tuesday, May

girls’ clubs’ and name them Omoluabi Boys’ and Girls’ club to perform the roles similar to boys’ and girls’ scouts, boys brigade and more.

JUSTICE SECTOR REFORMS An attribute of good governance is to promote justice, equity and fair play amongst citizens of the state.

Government of ACN will e3nsure speedy access to justice try all individuals in Osun State, by reforming the courts system and procedural rules, introducing alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms and fee legal services.

To complement these, ACN government shall improve welfare packages of Judicial Officers and upgrade courts with modern IT and communications facilities.

COMMUNICATION Our Government will restructure OSBC to: Ensure its professional are motivated and continuously trained for competency Provide digital equipment and infrastructure upgrade to conform to international best practices in broadcasting.

Exploit its tourism promotional capacity and capability.

CONSUMER PROTECTION Consumers deserve to have the best goods and services at the best price and not have to pay more for goods and servi9ces than their counterparts in other parts of the world.

Our government shall support the establishment of a consumer watch agency and also cooperate with organizations that have similar objective of protecting our people from unfair business practices.

In all the above and above all these I intend to run a people-friendly government – a Government of the people, by the people, FOR THE PEOPLE. A GOVERNMENT UNUSUAL in this land.

Infrastructures and facilities for reaching, advising, guiding, warning me will be given constant nurture.

Outside these I have no rigging machinery and will strongly appeal to you all Osun voters Continued on page 11

Continued from page 10 to fight and defend your votes.

Do not sell your vote and our future to a moneybag or vote people who do not care enough about our future as I passionately do.

I am entering into a pact with each and all of you as you read this that I and my colleagues shall work in all honesty, tirelessly to bring marked improvements to your life.

Apart of this pact you will be able to see that your children are better educated and have jobs; farmers, artisan, traders are more prosperous, general quality of health has improved and you are no longer afraid to go to the hospital.

Osun will again be producing food enough for its people.

Through my Government Unusual, I shall work with and for you to create wealth through our toil as our fathers and mothers did to make us prosperous until 1962.

Only you and I can bring change but through new ideas and work.

OluwaOlorun a tiwal’ehin.

Oodua a fun wa se E je k’a le isewo’gbo K’a le osisonu K’ayedara fun wat’omot’omo.

This is my pledge; my PACT with you people of Osun State.

SOMETIMES during the month of March, superlative waves of change which hold strong promise of charting the course of development and progress for the state and its people (generations yet unborn inclusive), stormed the State of Osun. The wave of change, like any other kind of tsunami, attracted to it; and was greeted with diverse thick and shades of reactions (mostly uncomplimentary) from residents, indigenes and others outside the state alike.

It is noteworthy how in this part of the globe, any step, programme or policy action of government is greeted with resistance,

•A.U.D. Elementary School, Isale-Osun, Osogbo.

recalcitrance and pessimism; as people are often held spell-bound to loyalty to the past, to the extent that the stark reality of change fills them with nausea, much so that they feel that anything that represents change could not have come to stay. We shall have to trace the antecedents of this fact as far as the State of Osun is concerned. hen , f o l l o w i n g t h e j u s t i c e delivered through the judgment of the courageous judges of the Federal Court of Appeal, Ibadan, Oyo State on Friday, November 26, 2010, Governor RaufAregbesola of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) became the governor of the state, the development was greeted with lots of pessimism by a considerable crosssection of residents who believed that even though administrations may go and come, administrators, and politicians in particular, remain the same. In other words, they believed that any reform or change packaged or promised by the nascent administration was just an enticement or a product of sugar-coated mouth, reeled out in the heat of passion.

To some, the entire package of [promises rolled out by Aregbesola and his political party during the election and electioneering campaign of 2007 was an effort made on the spur of the moment; and as such they saw the renewed promises of 2010 as promises borne of euphoria of eventual victory.

Upon his coming on board of governance of the State of Osun on Saturday, November 27, 2010, many people viewed the new administration of OgbeniAregbesola as just one of those administrations already experienced here or elsewhere, with lots of sweet promises at the outset but never fulfilling much of the promises. To some, most of the promises were mere delusions. Some felt that the promises were too sweet or too good to be real!

Let us take for instance the State of Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES).

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osun Defender Tuesday, May

Many people viewed the programme as an utter impossibility; asking where twenty thousand unemployed youths could be fixed up within the economy of the state. The fact of the matter is that the conviction of many concerning the State of Osun, traditionally is that it is a civil service state. In view of this, any talk pertaining employment prospects or opportunities had the tendency to be viewed against the spectrum of civil service engagement.

One of the first surprises with which the administration of OgbeniAregbesola demonstrated and asserted itself as a “Government Unusual” in actuality was the manner in which the first batch of twenty thousand (20,000) youths was recruited and absorbed, with as much as a monthly sum of Two-Hundred Million Naira (N 200 Million) injected into the economy of the state.

During the first quarter of year 2011, precisely in the month of February that year, the administration opened a new chapter in translating its lofty promises into achievable action. That was done in the Education SubSector. Needless to say, education is one of the most veritable and vital sectors of life of a people. The State of Osun can never be an exemption. During the contest for the space and reins of governance of the state in years preceding the 2007 Gubernatorial Elections, Engineer RaufAregbesola endeared himself, his party and his candidature to a large chunk of the people, the electorate in particular, through his laudable programmes and policies contained in a blueprint, tagged: “My Pact With the People of Osun State”. For the purpose of reminder, appropriate reference has been made in earlier part of this edition to the contents of the pact, as contained in the document. This, it is intended, will help in substantiating the claims we are going to make concerning bold steps taken by the administration, virtually in on allpage sectors Continued 12 and

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osun Defender Tuesday, May

Continued from page 12

•Anthony Udofia Elementary School, Osogbo.

Continued from page 11

sub-sectors; especially, in the Education SubSector.

Before plunging into the full discourse of the programmes and policies of the Government Unusual packaged into the blueprint tagged My Pact With the People of Osun State; and before we beam our searchlight once again on the remaining giant strides made by the administration so far, OSUN DEFENDER Magazine feels high sense of obligation in reporting the most recent of the strides.

During the combined convocation ceremony for the graduates of the Osun State University (UNIOSUN) for the 2013 / 2014 and the 2014 / 2015 academic sessions, held during the second week of March, at which a total of about fifty-one (51) students of the institution graduated with First Class Honours the Visitor to the institution, OgbeniRaufAdegbesola announced certain monumental changes that were to transform a lot of things concerning the landscape of higher education in the state forthwith.

According to the changes as announced by the governor, the Osun State University (UNIOSUN) was henceforth to be known as Bola Ige University, Osogbo, being named after one of the most illustrious sons of the state; unarguably a founding father of the state, former governor of the old Oyo State (1979 to 1983) and former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief James AjibolaIge, who was assassinated by yet-to-be-identified killers on December 23, 2001. he colleges of the institution, located across the state were equally named after some illustrious sons of the state (living or dead), as follows: The College of Social Sciences at Okuku was named after the immediate past governor of the state, under whose administration the university was founded about ten years ago, Prince

T

OlagunsoyeOyinlola. Therefore, the Okuku Campus of the institution is now to be called OlagunsoyeOyinlola Campus. The College of Agriculture at Ejigbo was named after the first civilian governor of the state and a serving senator of the Federal Republic, representing Osun West Senatorial District, AlhajiIsiakaAdetunjiAdeleke; hence, the Ejigbo Campus of the University is now to be called IsiakaAdeleke Campus.

In furtherance of the rechristening, the Ifetedo College of Law of the institution is now to be called KayodeEso Campus, being named after late Justice KayodeEso, a top legal luminary of his time and an indigene of the state. The Ipetu-Ijesa College of Education of UNIOSUN now bears Hezekiah Oluwasanmi Campus, named after the late Professor Hezekiah Oluwsasanmi, pioneering ViceChancellor of the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife).

The College of Arts and Humanities of the institution situated at Ikire now answers as EniolaAtanda Campus.

Also in the line of change, the institution hitherto called Osun State College of Technology (OSCOTECH), Esa-Oke, has been changed to BisiAkande College of Technology, EsaOke. This institution, one of the four first generation state-owned institutions of higher learning in the state is being named after Chief AbdulkareemAdebisiAkande, the second civilian governor of the state (2000 to 2003), the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and National Leader of the Party.

The state-owned polytechnic at Iree, hitherto known as Osun State Polytechnic (OSPOLY), Iree now bears Sunday Michael Afolabi Polytechnic, Iree. It has been named to immortalize the life and memories of former Deputy Governor of the old Oyo State and former Minister of Internal Affairs, Chief

Sunday Michael Afolabi, who died on May 10, 2004.

The two state-owned colleges of education also witnessed rechristening. The Osun State College of Education (OSCOED), Ilesa is now Lawrence Omole College of Education, Ilesa; while the Osun State College of Education (OSC OED), Ila-Orangun now becomes AdeyemiOyedotun College of Education, Ila-Orangun.

This is as far as the rechristening went. For the meantime, we turn to recapture the election promises of the enigma, RaufAregbesola as contained in his pact with the people of the state. An integral part of the pact was the Six-Point Integral Action Plan, epitomizing the entire package of goodies which the man, Aregbesola had in stock for the people of his indigenous state.

Since its assumption of office in November 2010, the administration of OgbeniRaufAregbesola has been focused with dynamism on these guiding stars in its dispensation of people-oriented service to the overall benefit of all and sundry in the State of Osun. More of the giant and astonishing strides of the administration; especially the ones made in most recent times shall be dissected in subsequent editions. Keep date with OSUN DEFENDER Magazine.

Lots of matters arose from those changes which took effect from the early parts of the months of March. The issues began to come up as I ruminated over those waves of changes that rocked the education sub-sector in the state; alongside those witnessed through the local government reforms which took place at about the same time, my mind pondered over what the topic of the next series of edition could aptly be. Solutions to my mind-boggling puzzle came with a brother’s comment in response to the breaking news I sent on

Continued on page 13

WhatsApp. The brother, apolitical juggernaut and highly ideological figure worthy of emulation has been for decades a shining light, whose viewpoints I so much respect in all fields of endeavor; political landscape in particular.

As soon as the message got to him, the response filtered back, as if this particular receiver had been long-prepared for the news.

Permit me to add in passing that two days or so earlier than the change in nomenclature of institutions of higher learning owned by the State of Osun, the governor, in a live statewide broadcast, announced the ontake of a local government reform, which had been in the offing since year 2012; and which many had considered moribund and comatose.

Apprehensive pessimists in particular had thought that due particularly to economic meltdown that gripped the nation, events had overtaken the reforms, so, the idea had gone completely extinct. However, the reforms, having successfully scaled through successive readings and deliberations by the State of Osun House of Assembly saw the light of day on Tuesday, March 8, 2016. The point of reference here is how two days after my erudition on the waves of change witnessed by our state-owned higher institutions; similar breaking news had been sent to my worthy contacts. On account of the foregoing, my brother responded to both messages with a single chat. The chat came in a fell swoop and reads as follows: “New local government creations and naming of tertiary institutions after late (and living) political leaders are timely populist masterstrokes!” his contribution, like its contents read, provided timely masterstrokes to the puzzle which I was passing through. I instantly took my cues from the dictions which

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I fell in love with.

Well, no single idea or development goes down well with all individuals. In other words, people are bound to differ in their reasoning and perception, concerning any occurrence or development. In the light of this, another respondent in the chat contributed as follows: “The others (apart from the one named after late Chief Bola Ige), the other ones may not be necessary, sha”.

Another respondent chipped in the following comments about one of the renamed institutions. The particular institution in question is withheld on the grounds of professional confidentiality: “On what merit?”

That was that about some recorded responses trailing the change in nomenclature in tertiary institutions owned by then Government of the State of Osun. However, it was placed on record in some of our past OSUN DEFENDER Magazine editions, the events at the occasion that brought to birth the changes in the names of the institutions. The event was the combined convocation ceremonies for two subsequent sets of graduates, i.e. 2013 / 2014and 2014 / 2015 sets of the institution, held at the main campus of the institution on Tuesday 8 and Wednesday 9 March, 2016.

Now, almost exactly two months into the change of nomenclature of state-owned institutions in the State of Osun, it is clear as crystal that there is strong resistance to those changes of names; as adherence is slow to come forth by students and respective authorities concerned. Visits conducted by our crew to affected institutionsshowed thatnothing noticeable has taken place with respect to effecting those changes on sign posts and indicators leading to the institutions’ campuses.

In addition, references to the institutions’

•Some of the school buses awaiting distribution sometime ago in Osogbo, State of Osun.

osun Defender Tuesday, May

names in news and advertisements aired on radio and television telecasts scarcely give regard to those changes! Ditto for newspaper references.The questions that continue to bug the mind include these: Are Acts of the Parliament not adequate and sufficient to implement such changes as these? Do these attitudes of resistance and recalcitrance to change not constitute abuse of dividends of democracy? Why do Nigerians require some forceful push before they get acclimatized to changes?

Well, time and events will provide satisfying answers to these and other related questions; bordering on dragging government policies.

To be continued

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osun Defender Tuesday, May 10, 2016

JOB VACANCIES IN NIGERIA

Finance Executive · Lagos, Market Related · Job Type: Permanent · Sector: Finance · Posted by Alexander Nelson on Sunday, May 8, 2016 · Reference: 162343 Job Details Employer: Alexander Nelson Our client is a top 5 brand in the Nigerian Real Estate Industry and part of a worldwide group of companies with offices in Lagos, London, Brisbane, Abu Dhabi, Ghana and Dubai.

Job Description · Provision of financial support to clients and colleagues to enable them make sound business decisions particularly in relation to finance. · Preparing financial reports and developing financial procedures in line with organisational objectives. · Reviewing operational performance, undertaking cost reduction and financial analysis in areas such as forecasting and budgeting · Create, monitor and interpret cash flows and to predict future trends in relation to project finance · Maintaining external relationships with finance stakeholders and partners including bankers, high net worth and corporate investors · Carrying out feasibility analysis and produce various reports for project stakeholders to aid investment decisions · Researching into, and report on factors influencing business performance in relation to project finance · Developing financial management mechanisms that help to minimise financial risk, · Conducting reviews and evaluations for cost –reduction opportunities · Producing accurate financial reports and managing budgets · Researching new sources of project finance for the organisation and analysing competitors and market trends · Supporting the Admin and Accounts deck in all required areas which include administration and Account Task and assignments.

Candidate Requirements · Candidates should possess relevant qualification Apply before Friday, July 8, 2016 - 62 Days left Companies may expire jobs at their own discretion. …………………..end…………………..

HR Executive · Lagos, Market Related · Job Type: Contract · Sector: Human Resources · Posted by Alexander Nelson on Sunday, May 8, 2016 · Reference: 162342 Apply before Friday, July 8, 2016 - 62 Days left Job Details Employer: Alexander Nelson Our client is a top 5 brand in the Nigerian Real Estate Industry and part of a worldwide group of companies with offices in Lagos, London, Brisbane, Abu Dhabi, Ghana and Dubai.

Job Description · Assist in the recruiting and hiring process, developing role descriptions, posting job openings, reviewing resumes, shortlisting candidates, scheduling and conducting telephone and face to face interviews etc. · Updating HR databases · Researching and collecting data for various HR initiatives · Perform previous experience reference and background checks · Preparing materials for orientation · Conducting new Staff orientation · Preparing HR related correspondence · Assisting with the recruitment and selection process · Provide support in developing and administering HR policies and procedures · Create, update and maintain HR records (electronic and hardcopies) · Administer payroll responsibilities as required · Coordinate and organize staff training programs · Provide assistance with performance management related tasks such as sending performance appraisal related correspondents, scheduling and organising appraisals etc. · Identify training and development opportunities · Organize staff training sessions, workshops and activities · Provide advice and assistance in developing human resource plans · Provide staff orientations · Conduct reference checks on potential applicants · Provide advice to Staff on human resource and work related issues. · Provide assistance to the human resource unit by performing any other related task Candidate Requirements · HR related degree is desirable · Relevant experience gained during a course placement, trainee programs or previous employment etc. · Knowledge of Nigerian employment law, ability to analyse, interpret and explain employment law; Apply before Friday, July 8, 2016 - 62 Days left Companies may expire jobs at their own discretion. …………………..end…………………..

Senior Software Developer · Rivers, Market Related · Job Type: Permanent · Sector: Technology · Posted by eHealth on Sunday, May 8, 2016 · Reference: 162340 Job Details Employer: eHealth eHealth Africa is focused on improving healthcare by creating effective ways to implement reliable health information management systems. We have developed eHealth and mHealth solutions that can be rapidly deployed to manage patient information, streamline clinical procedures, and provide data and analysis on health program outcomes.

We are recruiting to fill the vacant position: Summary · The Senior Developer is responsible for developing and supporting projects, functions and completing specific client work, projects and miscellaneous tasks. · This highly responsible position involves using established work procedures to analyse, design, develop, implement, maintain, re-engineer and troubleshoot applications. · Keywords: JavaScript, Python, Git, ReactJS, AngularJS, AJAX, CSS3 Duties and Responsibilities · To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. · Other duties may be assigned. · Directs technical aspects of operations related to client accounts or high severity issues · Participates in the evolution of company level software best practices, standards, and policies · Defines objectives by analyzing user requirements; envisioning system features and functionality

· Works closely with developers and end users to ensure technical compatibility and user satisfaction · Collaborates with product owners, technical architects and other software developers to plan, design, develop, test, and maintain web- and mobile-based applications · Provides thought-leadership as to emerging technologies and integrate them into business operations · Assist in estimation and assessment of feasibility of solutions for upcoming projects Candidate Requirements The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required to successfully perform this job: · Bachelor’s degree from college or university in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems Technology or related field. A postgraduate degree is desirable. · Minimum of 5 years of experience in Software Development or an equivalent of education and experience · Well familiar with the whole software development life cycle (e.g. requirements, analysis, design, implementation, testing, and documentation) and execution models (e.g.

Waterfall, Agile, etc) · Strong understanding of JavaScript, its module loaders and frameworks such as AngularJS and ReactJS · Good understanding of asynchronous request handling, partial page updates, and AJAX · Proficient understanding of cross-browser compatibility issues and ways to work around such issues · Familiarity with front-end build tools, such as Grunt and Gulp.js · Basic understanding of web markup, including HTML5 and CSS3 · Understanding of accessibility and security compliance · Knowledge of user authentication and authorization between multiple systems and environments · Understanding of fundamental design principles behind a scalable application · Understanding of the differences between multiple delivery platforms, such as mobile vs desktop, and optimizing output to match the specific platform · Strong unit test and debugging skills as well as proficient understanding of code versioning tools (Git) · Desired: Expert in Python, with knowledge of at least one Python web framework · Familiarity with ORM (Object Relational Mapper) libraries and event-driven programming in Python · Able to integrate multiple data sources and databases into one system · Experience in creation and review of software and architecture designs Language Ability: · English is the spoken and written language.

Reasoning Ability: · Ability to interpret data that is not well defined or documented and develop recommendations based on findings. · Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.

Apply before Thursday, July 7, 2016 - 61 Days left Companies may expire jobs at their own discretion. ……………………….end……………………….

Junior Software Developer · Lagos, Market Related · Job Type: Permanent · Sector: Technology · Posted by eHealth on Sunday, May 8, 2016 · Reference: 162327 Job Details Employer: eHealth eHealth Africa is focused on improving healthcare by creating effective ways to implement reliable health information management systems. We have developed eHealth and mHealth solutions that can be rapidly deployed to manage patient information, streamline clinical procedures, and provide data and analysis on health program outcomes.

We are recruiting to fill the vacant position: Summary · The Junior Developer is responsible for analysing, designing, developing, implementing, maintaining, re-engineering and troubleshooting customer’s’ applications, whilst working with other team members using established procedures.

Duties and Responsibilities To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Other duties may be assigned: · Ability to solve problems where analysis of data requires evaluation of identifiable factors[2] · Designs solutions attending to both business and technical considerations Participates in the evolution of company level best practices, standards, and policies[3] · Analyzing user requirements, envisioning system features and functionality · Works closely with end users to ensure technical compatibility and user satisfaction. · Collaborates with product owners, team leads and other software developers to plan, design, develop, test, and maintain web- and mobile-based applications · Works on bug fixes and improving application performance Candidate Requirements The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required to successfully perform this job: · Bachelor’s degree from college or university in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Systems Technology or related field · 1 - 4 years of experience in Software Development or an equivalent of education and experience · Basic knowledge of all aspects of the software development life cycle (e.g. requirements, analysis, design, implementation, testing, and documentation) and associated execution models (e.g. Waterfall, Agile, Iterative Development, etc.). · Familiarity with JavaScript, its module loaders frameworks such as AngularJS and ReactJS · Good understanding of asynchronous request handling, partial page updates, and AJAX · Proficient understanding of cross-browser compatibility issues and ways to work around them · Familiarity with front-end build tools, such as Grunt and Gulp.js · Basic understanding of web markup, including HTML5 and CSS3 · Basic Understanding of accessibility and security compliance · Understanding of the differences between multiple delivery platforms, such as mobile vs desktop, and optimizing output to match the specific platform · Unit test and debugging skills · Understanding of code versioning tools (Git) is a plus Language Ability: · English is the spoken and written language.

Reasoning Ability: · Ability to interpret data that is not well defined or documented and develop recommendations based on findings. · Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.

Apply before Thursday, July 7, 2016 - 61 Days left Companies may expire jobs at their own discretion. …………………………end………………………..

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Buhari’s One Year Assessment So Far J

ust a year ago, Nigerians votedin Muhammadu Buhari and the expectations of the generality was a change from a visionless regime to a new but tested general, who had attempted to lead the nation democratically three times, but failed. However, through national cooperation among various political parties, who realised that their dream of leading the nation can only become a reality, if individual interests are swallowed for national interest; only then can they wrestle power from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

So, the merger began like a dream, scorned by the ruling elites as a merger of strange bedfellows that could not last for six months. It however turned out to be the PDP’s Waterloo. By the time the party at the centre realised that they were living in fool’s paradise, it was too late to make amends. Even the trick of postponing the general election for another six weeks failed to save the President and his party; they suffered election defeat to the extent that the Godsday Orubebe’ effort to thwart the election like Ibrahim Babangida did to June 12, 1993 election failed to materialise. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was swept out of power unceremoniously! Ever since, the party has remained in chains. Things have fallen apart and their centre could no longer hold even till date.

Buhari has since been in the firing line. He is either being fired by the opposition for non-performance or he is being chastised for oppressing and suppressing the opposition with the instrumentality of the state; the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Those who are apolitical in their assessment of the presidency are liberally asking those that are before the court; are they in court because they were in opposition or they were in court because they have cases to answer? That is the basis on which this writer will be x-raying Buhari in the last one year.

When Buhari came on board, he told those that wanted to listen that he intended to focus on three major areas in his administration; security, economy and corruption. Buhari seems to be saying, vision is the most desperate need Nigeria requires. That his vision focuses on the aforesaid three issues. That Nigeria is not in a hopeless situation, if only these three issues are well-handles. Buhari’s dream of a nation that can get rid of corruption and failure to do so will make corruption to kill Nigeria. A year later, Buhari might not have conquered corruption, as no nation can be totally corruption-free, but any serious nation must put things in place to cage and demobilise corruption with unbreakable iron cage, if progress is the goal. The question today is; how far has Buhari gone on corruption?

Buhari’s War Against Corruption President Muhammadu Buhari has started well by digging out some can of worms, which no one ever envisaged would have been such gargantuan. First, it was the Dasukigate; a scandalous security arms’ purchase that turned out to have been diverted into the hands of political associates of the outsted President Goodluck Jonathan. From the big fishes in the outsted political party, to the boot lickers in other minor political parties that needed fund for their survival and personal upkeep; from the top military hierarchy to the campaign managers and ex-ministers,

osun Defender Tuesday, May 10,

By yomi obaditan Kidnapping is not yet over but there is a reduction in the magnitude. A lot needs to be done by providing jobs for the jobless youths and providing necessary welfare as enshrined in Section 14 (4) of the 1999 Constitution.

Buhari needs to pay the security agents, provide them with modern training and be well-equipped for the job they are being assigned to perform.

We cannot afford to use 18th century equipment to secure our nation in the 21st century. We need to emphasise to this government that security cannot be compromised. Effort must be made now with all urgency to install effective and functional close circuit television in strategic positions in our cities.

Buhari On Economy o far so good, the President has done his best to turn the economy around but not much has been achieved. Many reasons have been given, first being that the 16 years of PDP rule was too damaging on the economy; that the fall in the world market of oil price to a monoeconomy like ours made it difficult for the President to make any meaningful impact on the economy. Others felt that the rancour among the political leaders in the ruling party is a cog in the wheel of progress of Nigerian economy.

Other were of the opinion that the APC was lacking in economic blueprint for the nation. Some hold the view that the President economic strategy is archaic; a command and structure that cannot work in a democratic nation.

However, the China visit for economic collaboration with our nation on the invitation of investor on our core economic sector gave hope that Buhari knows his onions.

There is no doubt that the present regime has faltered in the power sector and lacking in making fuel available for the people in its first year in office that have since negatively affected the welfare of the generality, the President must be advised to jettison the Minister of Petroleum portfolio, and face the business of the presidency. The NNPC must also hands off importation of oil into the country and face the production of crude oil and strive to put the nation’s refineries in good shape. The people’s patience is running out, effort must urgently be made to reposition the devaluation of our currency, even when it was not officially devalued. The inflation rate is high, as prices of domestic needs products are skyrocketing.

Buhari’s presidency has a long way to go over economy. Salaries are no longer payable both at the state and the federal levels. And when a nation cannot afford the emoluments of its workers, it is a dangerous signal that such nation must strive to avoid bankruptcy.

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the billions of dollars of our oil monies were in daylight drawn out of the Central Bank on the instruction of the “Oga at the top”. Those of the thieves, who had not sold their consciences, have been returning stolen fund to the Buhari administration. Those whose heart had been hardened are busy crying that it is only the opposition that is being tried for corruption, even when they were aware that the Senate President Bukola Saraki of All Progressives Congress (APC) is facing similar charges before the Code of Conduct Tribunal. uhari has successfully shown to the nation that most of the public servants own the buildings in Abuja and other big cities in Nigeria from the proceeds of illegality and thievery; that a director in a Federal Ministry was collecting N50 million monthly as salary; that a female civil servant owns over 61 buildings in our nation; that a former minister bought a wrist watch worth N20 million with our money; that soak away is a strong room, where our leaders kept stolen dollars. Buhari has exposed how our leaders multiplied poverty among the populace, as they kept laundering our commonwealth abroad. The Predident has exposed the wickedness of our political class, who lived in opulence, when our hospitals had no drug and our youths were left to die during the Immigration recruitment exercise, after they had collected money from them in exchange of death and frustration.

One year after, Buhari has successfully embarked on a war on corruption, by asking the judiciary to give him free hands to prosecute the pen robbers. He has told the National Assembly that it cannot be business as usual; that padding of budget will not receive his ascent; that things must be done with clear conscience before God and man. Buhari has told those that bother to listen that not even any member of his political party will be spared in the war against corruption.

One year into Buhari’s administration, we have recovered, within our nation, billions of dollars,

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stolen by the oil barons. We have recovered back into treasuries, billions of dollars stolen on the pretence of arms purchase. Our foreign allies, realising the sincerity and commitment of the President on accountability, are currently assisting us to regurgitate some of our stolen-hidden wealth in their banks.

Those who claimed that Buhari has done nothing in his first year in office were either one of those who have cases to answer or those who see his war as a blockage against their notorious stealings.

Buhari On Security Insecurity and insurgency in the nation might not have stopped completely, but the dimension of insecurity is not the same. About a year ago, Boko Haram insurgents were in control of some parts of Nigerian territories, with their flags flying. They terrorised and abducted men and women in broad daylight without resistance. Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi and other states in the North East of Nigeria were under real war. Life was made miserable for the citizenry by the insurgents.

Millions of refugees were displaced from their homes. It was a daily harvest of deaths of the innocent lives.

The then administration did not have the will to confront the insurgents.

Rather than buying arms to fight the monsters called Boko Haram, our then leaders were stealing funds on the pretence of arms purchase, sending armless soldiers to confront wellarmed insurgents and little by little, our soldiers were dying or fleeing from the battle front. Instead of doing the needful, the soldiers were being court-marshalled by conscienceless leaders, just because they wanted to keep their looted funds at the expense of the blood of the patriotic soldiers.

Despite the effort of Femi Falana (SAN) to rebuke the top military officers for wrongly trying the soldiers before the court, yet, they jailed the innocent soldiers, but thanks to Buhari that set them free.

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Tuesday, may 10, 2016

he ironies of the world we live in most of the time leave one in awe, not because occurrences are totally strange, but because familiar occurrences are portended as being strange. I use to wander whether people who present themselves as rational beings are actually rational in the true sense of it. Peradventure they do, it then means that there is incontinence in the assessment of their rationality.

Remove this ambiguity; it will become clear to them that they are actually not objective within the totality of assessment yardsticks. That is where it becomes pertinent that rather than assess oneself, the task of individual examination should be left in the hands of someone else; who in turn will ensure that impartiality and neutrality remain key in the entire assessment process.

I laugh; I really laugh at people who have unbridled predilection for castigating others and paint others around them in colours that they would not personally want to be painted in. I suddenly discover that individuals are saints in their own right. Imagine someone who just finished swindling another person, and shortly afterwards, arrive at the scene, where someone else accused of stealing from his neighbour is being stoned, and the swindler also runs to the nearby bush to draw a stick with which to beat the accused. We have all turned pretenders, who will see nothing good in others around us, no matter how saintly, and we see nothing absolutely wrong with ourselves, even if we are constantly contravening and flouting the rules of piety. We thus become the proverbial Judge that condemns others, without casting aspersion on ourselves for our own wrongs.

I discovered lately that everywhere I go, it is either people are discussing politics or they are bearing minds on economic imperatives. One cannot blame them because these are the things in vogue. So, it is either the issues on personalities involved in politics or those at the helms of affairs in our economic life. In all, it is that one personality or the other is being blamed for our economic woes. No one has been seen to own up that he or she is also culpable. People are seen either blaming one governor or the President, as if the governor or the President is everywhere handling all things pertaining to our lives. When people talk of government, they are either thinking of Mr Governor or President and their commissioners or ministers.

They have probably forgotten that we are all involved in governance in one way or the other. The scenario, to me, has become so worrisome to me that I feel it will be better if I explore the opportunity this medium offers to comment on the topical issue.

Recently, I visited a friend to commiserate with him on the demise of his wife, who was very dear to me while alive. People temporarily forgot their mission and started discussing politics as usual. One of them started

By ade olugbotemi being currently experienced; yet, they present themselves as saints in public parlance.

Diversion of public funds has contributed in no small measure to our present state. Billions of naira and other denominations is still being recovered from those who claimed to have led us in the past; but our insensitivity will always push us to want to rubbish any moves to instill sanity and institutionalize means that will facilitate work for progress. e can for once ruminate over what to do to add to efforts that will reinvigorate our value standard. Where we think our leaders are not getting it right, we can generate ideas and forward them to the policy makers. Where we think they are still not getting it right, we have full compliments of fundamental liberty to explore the free world that global interconnectivity creates to put across ideas for the benefit of crossfertilization. To be irrationally critical of every step taken by our leaders, to say the least, is to dampen and frustrate efforts at rejuvenating our system that can presumably survive or exist on the platter of self-justification. We must run as much away as from every usage that will not positively advance our course as a nation. Many ideas once regarded as coming from foolish platform have turned out to be useful in the past.

Our leaders must remove all encumbrances that prevent their people from having access to them.

All people, irrespective of their level of comprehension, have in one way or the other some benefits that will add value to the society and her quality of life. The led must also be objective in their criticism against the leaders.

Identifying our faults through objective self-appraisal will add to our speed and momentum. The needed symbiosis must be strengthened to reduce conflict of ideas. Rather than castigating ourselves and being engrossed in pull-down syndrome, we must be open to rational assessment to know where things are not correct with us and earnestly desire to change for the better. We have all gotten it wrong and unless we all desire to turn over a new leaf. We will be deceiving ourselves, if we expect some angels to right our wrongs. With full determination to have a normal society with normal ways of doing things, the unpleasant story of today will change to one that gladdens our hearts.

The Saint Should Cast First Stone W Our leaders must remove ‘all encumbrances that

prevent their people from having access to them. All people, irrespective of their level of comprehension, have in one way or the other some benefits that will add value to the society and her quality of life.

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raining abuses on the governor about his inability to send money regularly to his child schooling abroad. In his ignorance, he there and then owned up that prior to the economic downturn, he used to go home with extra money every week. Although, I challenged him on some issues earlier on, I couldn’t do so again because I suddenly discovered the reasons behind his grievances against the governor; the governor had plugged the drains and he was badly affected. It was because of the illegitimate weekly income that our friend contemplated sending his ward abroad to school. When the weekly largesse ceased; coupled with the general rationalization, the man became angry with the governor.

Issues like this are rampant in our midst. That is why some people will not want to hear anything good about the governor. Everybody is affected one way or the other by the current economic downturn. As a matter of fact, no nation of the world is spared.

However, while some people are able to adjust because it is possible to do so by the proportion of its brunt they bear, some cannot because of the circumstances of their operations.

Someone, whose child is schooling in United Kingdom or Ukraine, cannot suddenly withdraw the child to come

home; not having completed the course of studies. It is however unfair to blame anybody for such a befallen plight. I would not be surprised if the case at hand was a subject of braggadocio by the then overzealous civil servant, who looked down on others, who couldn’t send their wards abroad for the purpose of schooling. We have it on records that those who schooled abroad in the past were either sponsored by government or corporate organizations through scholarship awards. It was corruption and access to inordinate wealth that turned the tides the other way round. don’t know whether people bother to ruminate over what evils they have done the generality of people by diverting what would have gone to public utilities as resources.

Endemic corruption has prompted many medical practitioners to divert patients in public hospitals to their private clinics; causing the money chargeable to elude government.

Some civil servants in the past were richer than the ministry or agency of their employment. We have seen civil servants in the recent past who felt too big to sit on chairs provided by government because they compare them with what they have back home. The same set of people has immensely contributed to the woes

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