Osun defender may 17, 2016 edition by OsunDefender

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VOL. 11. NO.049

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Ooni Ogunwusi’s empowerment plans for widows

“Death is inevitable. But we can reduce the sufferings that widows endure by raising their status and helping them in their hours of need. This will contribute to promoting the full and equal

participation of women in the society” - Ban Ki-Moon. We cannot, in the light of the above thoughts as expressed by the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon,

fail to appreciate the effort of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, geared towards alleviating the plight of widows in Ile-Ife and its environs as the revered young

monarch has commenced registration of widows in these areas for the purpose of giving them empowerment. This is highly commendable. This registration exercise aimed at empowering the widows

in these communities is another - out of other humanitarian initiatives - that Oba Ogunwusi has embarked upon within this short period of his installation as the Ooni of Ife. We cannot but commend

the Oba for deeming it fit, yet again, to extend a helping hand to the widows who happen to be one of the often neglected segments of our society. ...continue on pg5

No State ‘ll Be Able To Pay Salaries By August If... - Gbajabiamila

Osun PDP Finally Splits Into Two

•Operates Two Offices With Two Chairmen

- Pg 3

- See Story On Page 2

•Speaker, State of Osun House of Assembly, Honourable Najeem Salaam (right), receiving an award from President of Barbing/Hairdressing And Cosmetology Association (OBAHCA), Osun chapter, during their 3-day annual anniversary at Freedom Park, Osogbo, last Saturday.

Guber Poll: Ondo APC Delegates Reject Zoning

- Pg 2

News

osun Defender Tuesday, May 17,

No State ‘ll Be Able To Pay Salaries By August If... - Gbajabiamila Osun PDP Finally Splits Into •Operates Two Offices With Two Chairmen T osun Defender Tuesday, May 17, 2016

By our reporter sharp division is already causing ripples in the State of Osun Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as two party chairmen are now laying claim to the rightful of the party in the state. To this extent, the While Senator Iyiola two factions of the PDP Omisore’s faction, which have gone ahead to is putting forward Dr operate two state party Bayo Faforiji, former secretariats in the state Works Commissioner capital, Osogbo. under Prince

Olagunsoye Oyinlola’s administration, is operating from the party’s old secretariat at Ogo-Oluwa area of the state capital, the other faction led by the National Secretary of the party, Professor Wale Oladipo, with Chief Olasoji Adagunodo, as its chairman, has

just opened its new secretariat. OSUN DEFENDER on-the-spot assessment of the development on Monday showed that the new office of Professor Oladipo’s faction was opened with fanfare along Powerline, close to the state headquarters of Federal Road Safety

•Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai (left); former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Minister of Agriculture and President, African Development Bank, Dr Akimwumi Adesina, at the 2nd Regional Security Summit in Abuja recently.

Commission (FRSC), in Osogbo on Monday. One noticeable thing with the PDP crisis is that the two leadership of the two factions hail from Ile-Ife. In fact, information has it that both Omisore and Professor Oladipo attended the same secondary school in the 70’s at Saint John’s Grammar School, Ile-Ife. Faforiji and Adagunodo, who are at the centre stage of the political imbroglio, both hail from Ijesaland. A concerned anonymous member of the party said it was only God who knows how the party would survive this catastrophe. His words: “Although, it wasn’t the first time this kind of division will occur in the party, it happened before when certain former leaders in the party broke away, rented another office but had to later come back after mediation. “But the difference in that case was that there was no external influence, as we unfortunately have in the case at hand.”

Guber Poll: Ondo APC Delegates Reject Zoning

ot less than 1,003 All Progressives Congress (APC) delegates in Ondo State have cautioned the leadership of the party against zoning its governorship ticket to any of the senatorial districts of the state. The delegates took for pursuing the next a swipe at an alleged gubernatorial election in rumour that the party the state. The pro-Bola Ilori ticket would be zoned g r oup affirmed its to a particular senatorial belief in free, fair and district by the APC credible primaries, as National Secretariat. a vehicle for clinching They noted that apart from the fact that the gubernatorial seat zoning was alien to APC in the state, warning Constitution, doing that all aspirants to shun all t h r e e m o n t h s t o t h e forms of unfair tactics. The political group primaries would amount p a ssed a vote of to being inconsiderate, c o n fidence in the since aspirants had executives of the party expended millions of naira, time and energy as presently constituted campaigning across the across the state and endorsed their usage state. “ W e c a l l o n t h e as delegates for the national leaders of our gubernatorial primaries. party to totally reject the A communiqué read by call for zoning by some the Ose Local Government lazy politicians, who are Area Woman Leader, Mrs forever looking for unfair Adejoro Lydia, said: “It is our firm conviction that advantage,” they said. The APC delegates only an aspirant that has loyal to Honourable Bola what it takes to challenge Ilori took the decision and defeat Dr Mimiko’s during a meeting at the candidate of the PDP at the general elections will weekend in Ondo city. The meeting, which get the backing of this had in attendance one- group for the APC ticket. “We also like to use this third of APC delegates opportunity to commend from 12 local government the new entrants into council areas across the A P C i n O n d o S t ate, three senatorial districts which have shunned the of the state, resolved call for new congresses to adopt the banner of Sunshine Crusaders as to elect delegates for a rallying movement t h e g u b e r n a t o r i a l primaries or full blown

congress in the person of Honourable Victor Olabintan, Chief Olusola Oke and Honourable Derin Adesida. “We commend the listed aspirants, who rather than fight for selfish interest to promote rancorous electoral processes, have through a joint press statement, offered to abide by the existing party structure they met on ground. “ W i t h d u e consideration for the temperament of our people, or even the chaos that will greet such unthinkable exercises at this critical time, and the consequential impact it will have on our party’s

fragile unity in Ondo State, no genuine lover of the party can propose any form of open congress for now. “We, as active participants and stakeholders in the party, gauging the current mood of the party, wish to alert whoever it may concern that any attempt to zone the aspirations of the gubernatorial hopefuls to any part of Ondo State at this point will lead to unmitigated crisis. “The interest of the party supersedes the interest of any aspirant, and since we are going to need the entire state to vote in the general elections; we say, let the

•Bola Ilori answering questions from newsmen.

entire state delegates decide who they want. “ T h e y a r e representatives of the entire state members of the party. Whoever cannot convince just three thousand delegates within the party about his popularity would certainly find it difficult convincing the over four million residents of Ondo State. “We say ‘No’ to zoning”. The position was also supported by Senators Ajayi Borrofice and Ayo Akinyelure, who were personally in attendance at the meeting.

The anonymous member of the party added that he had foretold it that Professor Oladipo and Senator Omisore have merely found idle battle weapons in both Faforiji and Adagunodo. He accused external forces as being responsible for the divorce with the strength that was usually contained in their numbers. “Two party chairmen have emerged at the careless, rapacious and wisdom-lacking instances of Senator Iyiola Omisore and Professor Wale Olaipo respectively. “While the Faforiji’s faction has chosen to remain at their old location, which is the PDP secretariat, OgoOluwa, the Adagunodo breakaway faction will henceforth be operating, may be at cross purposes, from the far end of the city along Ikirun road, adjacent Biket Junction, until God knows when.” He said, he was sad as his darling party couldn’t hold its head at a time others are losing theirs, adding that: “I am sad that things that were initially thought to be normal political batting could so generate to this irreparable state.” In his own contribution, a veteran journalist, who is a chieftain of the PDP, Mr Ayo Aluko-Olokun, said: “Softly, softly o! Sinking further in the abyss can never be a way out. Commenting on some of the PDP members who were accusing Governor Rauf Aregbesola of having a hand in the woes of the party, a member of the party, Mr Akinloye Zirhid, said it was uncharitable to blame Aregbesola. According to Akinloye, “who is to blame? Is it those who failed to handle the crisis carefully, even when there was a directive that the two factions should be given a level playing ground by mainly asking for their constitutional rights? Don’t let us blame Aregbesola.”

review the minimum review of the minimum realities, accept a situation By shina abubakar wage of all workers in where the cost of living wage in the country. he Leader of the House of Representatives, “ W i t h t h i s n e w Nigeria. Our country was will be increased without Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, has described development, I intend to built on social justice and a corresponding increase the state of the Nigerian economy as gory and fight with all I have for a I cannot, no matter the in wages. The sacrifices gloomy without the deregulation of the downstream sector by the Federal Government. He said this on his long term. This problem p e r s o n a l F a c e b o o k is not peculiar to Nigeria. page while addressing It is instructive that other Nigerians on the need oil-producing countries to support the present e.g. Bahrain, have been administration on its hit hard by the crash in oil effort to save the country price and are towing the from imminent collapse. same line and reviewing A c c o r d i n g t o t h e their subsidy policies. The sacrifices that we lawmaker, past administrations have need to make must be run the country without comprehensive. Indeed, long-term vision and the I believe the “wealthy” resources with which must not only pay their the nation could have fair share of taxes, if remained operational need be, there must be in the face of crumbling an upward review of world economy which taxes paid by the highest has been plundered for income earners, to enable government review the personal use. He added that he has wages of those on the always been an advocate lower rung. It is time to of subsidy on petroleum be our brothers’ keepers”, product, but the gory he disclosed. Gbajabiamila then picture painted by the assured workers that he Minister of Petroleum Resources, one had no would support the move •President Muhammadu Buhari (right) and others. option than to support by the labour union to the preposition. According to him, “the time the Minister on Petroleum finished his the farmer, as they were as well as the wife of By SOLA JACOBS doomsday prognosis and the deceased maintained not in good terms. gave a graphic account cocoa farmer and septuagenarian, Pa Johnson Police source, in an that the landlord was in supported with facts and Mebolosirin, has allegedly been murdered interactive session with the habit of beating and figures of where we are and roasted on his farm located at Atipa O S U N D E F E N D E R , threatening the deceased and where we would be Village in Ife East Local Government Council Area to remove his cocoa in a matter of months if we of the State of Osun by some individuals suspected stated that the confession plants from his land. by the landlord led to the did not alter the approach to be the two sons of his landlord. It was also revealed arrest of one of his sons or fundamentally change the Division C Police Adeoye, who committed during interrogation that Investigation by the the status quo, I had no Station, Aganun in Ile-Ife Adebisi only sent his sons option but to capitulate. medium revealed that and two policemen were the crime with his brother, to beat Pa Mebolosirin the deceased hailed from who is currently at-large. It was the first time I had detailed to accompany and not to kill or roast Walode Compound of The medium learnt been confronted with Ilode Quarters of the the search party to the f u r t h e r t h a t d u r i n g his corpse. such a gloomy picture. cocoa plantation at Atipa. the interrogation, the The matter had “ W e w e r e i n a n ancient city of Ile-Ife. I n t h e c o u r s e o f landlord of the deceased, T h e d e c e a s e d w a s been transferred to the economic cul-de-sac search by the police and the country was gathered to have bought officers, a shallow pit hectares of land from spiraling down fast was discovered, where due to no fault of this one Adeleke Adebisi of something burnt was present administration. Adagba Compound on covered with cocoa leaves committee of experts is being set up to In fact, it was clear which he planted cocoa and debris. look into the ways of assisting genuine that any responsible for commercial purpose. This reportedly peasant farmers in Iwo/Ayedire/Olaoluwa A c c o r d i n g t o t h e administration needed attracted the curiosity of to apply the brakes, bring widow of the deceased, the officers, who stopped Federal Constituency with a view to boosting food this to a screeching and J o s e M e b o l o s i r i n , immediately and used production and improve economic power of the painful halt and, at least, d u r i n g a c h a t w i t h a long stick to remove farmers. for now remove subsidy OSUN DEFENDER, her the leaves and debris theHonourable Gafar constituency in Akintayo the o f Amere, t h e representing previous husband left for farm on and deregulate. House of Representatives administrations. used to cover the shallow “It was a short term the fateful day he was disclosed this recently The lawmaker r e m e d y w h i c h , a l l murdered to inspect his pit, where the roasted remains of the deceased in an interview with e n joined all states t h i n g s b e i n g e q u a l , farms at Atipa, Aganran newsmen at the Nnamdi and local government would produce a long- and Logudu, all within were discovered. “The remains were later Azikiwe Airport, Abuja. administrations in the term solution, when the the same area, but did not Amere observed that country to look inward economy would have return home by 5.00pm, exhumed and packed recalibrated. as was his usual practice. into polythene bags by it would be disastrous, i n d e v e l o p i n g t h e i r “It was made She added that she the police officers,” the if problem of shortage areas, as oil boom was abundantly clear to all alerted his children and deceased’s wife narrated of food was added to gradually turning to seated that in two months, other members of their in tears. This discovery made the current economic oil doom, adding that there would be no federal family in the village who the police to ask her if her h a r d s h i p i n t h e if it was possible for allocation to states and immediately organised a husband had any quarrel country, occasioned the administration of no state would be able search party to the three to pay salaries, including locations, where the with anyone, to which b y t h e p l a n l e s s n e s s Obafemi Awolowo to achieve so much for the the buoyant ones. The deceased septuagenarian she told the interrogating officer that the deceased’s people of the old Western Nigerian nation was on had cocoa plantations. tenterhooks. That’s how Region without oil, All through, the sons landlord was in the bad a picture it was,” he of the late farmer and his habit of quarreling and then the time to turn to added. family members could t h r e a t e n i n g t o e j e c t agriculture as an agent of T h e l a w m a k e r not find him, while the her husband from the development has come. pleaded with Nigerians search continued till the s a i d a c q u i r e d c o c o a Amere commended to show understanding second day, when an plantation. G overnor Rauf This eventually led and support for the acquaintance said that he Aregbesola of the State government in its bid saw the two sons of the to the arrest of Adebisi of Osun for prudently to rejig the Nigerian deceased landlord on the Adeleke, who had sold managing the dwindling economy, adding that way to the late farmer’s vacant hactares of land economic resources in the masses would be the cocoa plantation with to the deceased on which ultimate winner after the kegs of petrol. the deceased later planted the state, adding that tough period. cocoa. despite the shortfalls in The widow stated “Let us consider it a The source confirmed the federal allocation further that the family temporary sacrifice for that Adebisi, on his to the state, Ogbeni members, on hearing the greater good, with the arrest and interrogation, Aregbesola was still the report, decided to hope that as promised, attested to the fact that •amere incident the matter at executing developmental we will be better off in the his two sons murdered

that we need to make must be comprehensive,” the lawmaker added.

Landlord’s Sons Kill, Roast, Bury Cocoa Farmer A Homicide Department of the Police State Headquarters in Osogbo for further investigation. Efforts to get confirmation from police spokesperson in Osun, Mrs Shade Odoro, proved abortive as her phone could not be connected at the time of filing this report.

Amere Plans To Empower Farmers

projects. Responding to a question, Amere said that Osun workers were better-off, if compared to other states where workers were completely neglected in the payment of salaries. He however said it was regrettable that some states with even 13 per cent oil derivation were now several months lagging behind in the payment or salaries. The lawmaker added that with the restructuring of the economy by the Federal Government and economic strategy being adopted by the Aregbesola administration, full and regular payment of monthly salaries would soon return to the State of Osun.

News

osun Defender Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Ooni Ogunwusi’s empowerment plans for widows ...continued from pg1

From his peace initiatives to his youth empowerment agenda, to Ile-Ife development plan, amongst others, there is no doubt that the Ooni is a man who has the interest of the people at heart. He is a highly gifted man but more importantly he is not selfish with the endowments that it pleases Almighty God to bestow on him. At a young age like that he is actually living up to the responsibilities which the stool on which he’s sitting demands. Since he assumed the throne of his ancestors he has not been found wanting. He has rather been demonstrating that intellectual acumen comparable to that of a sage. Of course it wont be out of place or an exaggeration for us to state that the young Ooni has the wisdom

of the Biblical Solomon and it’s this charisma that’s helping him to take the right steps ever since he mounted the throne. We are indeed proud of him!

No doubt widows deserve to be taken care of by the society. And more importantly they deserve to be empowered. For it’s only by giving them empowerment that they can also be a contributing class to the development of the society rather than being a liability. And talking of empowerment to widows it starts from government giving them employment (those among them who have one level of academic qualification or the other and can still do white collar job), setting up business for the ones with one skill or the other in their areas of competence and giving monetary assistance to

others to start their own businesses.

announcement of the deregulation of the oil sector is the last option open to all of us in Nigeria if we want to move forward. The criminally minded and fantastically corrupt leaders that have held us all by the jugular can now see that though painful, the PMB administration can take any decision it feels is good for Nigerians. Come to think of it, the shameless few have milked our economy dry, that surviving the odds is by the grace of God. How else can one explain a system that is oiled monthly with the injection of between N1.1 trillion to N1.3 trillion to be shared between the three tiers of government, having to make do with a paltry

N229 billion, ? The price of oil even when you get a buyer in the international market is at a terribly low level. The criminal elements under the aegis of the Niger Delta militant groups are daily blowing pipes supplying crude

oil to our refineries and other end users. We have said it that the money stolen and/or stashed away by these “fantastically corrupt elements” (apology to PM Cameron), if not retrieved, will continue to constitute a security threat to the sitting administration of PMB. No wonder they have made governance to

look like a jigsaw puzzle in which people with patriotic ideas are made to look like non-starters? Now that liberalisation of PMS has been announced, let the evil avengers in the Niger Delta continue with their vandalization and let

those diverting our oil to neighbouring countries venture into it again and see whether they will not incur calamitous loss. When we were buying Diesel oil at between N250 to N300 per litre, nobody ever knew the price will come crashing when it was deregulated. Nigerians should know that there

hardship before they can provide for themselves and their children. For instance available statistics has shown that 115 million out of 245 million widows across the world are being ravaged by poverty. This is quite saddening and it’s on this score that we appreciate Ooni Ogunwusi’s kind gesture towards these widows. To ensure that widows enjoy the rights and social protection they deserve other well-to-do people in the society need to follow in the footsteps of Oba Ogunwusi.

In addition to the aforementioned monthly allowance must be made available to them all for up-keep of their homes so they don’t consistently dig hands into their business capitals. But the responsibility of maintaining and empowering the widows should not rest solely on government’s shoulder. The society as a whole must be responsible. Corporate organisations and wellto-do individuals must not neglect the widows. They must always lend a helping hand to the widows. Of course there is need for more Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to spring up that will cater for the needs and welfare of widows.

In conclusion it’s important to remind ourselves that the World International Widows Day comes up on June 23 of every year. So as the date is fast approaching, it behoves on us all to put the date in our minds with the aim of putting smiles on the faces of widows around us no matter how small is the quota we can contribute towards their well-being and that of their dependants.

It’s really sad that majority of widows - especially in this part of the world where poverty is so perva-

Fuel Price Hike: In Nigerians’ Interest he

sive - are passing through extreme

can be no gain without pain. One of the options staring us in the face is for us to continue living with the perpetual and agonising scarcity, when it is only the government that is importing for distribution. Or should we start another full scale war in the Niger Delta in a bid to ensure crude supply to our local refineries. With this bold step, the price of PMS will soon stabilise and even come down. There is indeed light at the end of our tunnel. Let’s stand with PMB as he meant well.

•FOLAKEMI AWODUMI, Ilesa.

OSUN DEFENDER

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Result-Oriented Service osun Defender Tuesday, May 17, 2016

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Appreciating Ogbeni’s Intervention Initiatives IV This series is ongoing; it’s the task of affirming the reform witnessed in the space of few recent months, especially in the area of change in the nomenclature of state-owned institutions of higher learning in the State of Osun. Without casting aspersions or pointing accusing fingers at anyone in particular, NIYI OLASINDE muses over the reluctance observed in adapting to those changes.

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

•State of Osun governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle); Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council, Professor Ajibola Obafemi (right); and Acting Vice-Chancellor, Bola Ige University, Professor Oguntola Alamu, during the Fourth And Fifth convocation ceremony of the university held at Osogbo Campus last recently.

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Appreciating Ogbeni’s Intervention Initiatives IV Appreciating Ogbeni’s Intervention Initiatives IV 6

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Continued from page 6 zone God willing INDUSTRIALISATION Key to banishing unemployment permanently anywhere is promoting conducive atmosphere for manufacturing and production. Our Government shall: · Develop integrated industrial estates for mini, micro and large manufacturing enterprises in the three senatorial zones of the State of Osun. · Provide the estates with 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.

•Commissioning of Salvation Army School in Osogbo, sometime ago. •Continued from last week wealth among people of the State

ERHAPS the best way to commence this edition in the series is to catch retrospective glance at the most significant aspects of the last edition. In that edition, we considered in full the entire blueprint issued out by the incumbent governor, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, more than ten years ago, when he was offering himself for service as the helmsman of the state, the main contents of the blueprint, titled: “My Pact With The People of Osun State” runs as follows: SIX POINT INTEGRAL ACTION PLAN · Banish Poverty · Banish Hunger · Banish Unemployment (Create Work/Wealth) · Restore Healthy Living · Promote Functional Education · Enhance Communal Peace and Progress TOURISM Vision: Tourist’s cradle in Africa

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 The State of Osun is the cradle agricultural produce shall of Yoruba people and our rich be constantly improved and culture. The opportunities for expanded. wealth creation in Osun state · Create partnerships through tourism have been with the private sector on road underexploited. We shall: development and provision of · Develop State of Osun infrastructure. tourism potentials to its fullest to promote employment and 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: · Reduce to the barest minimum, road traffic accident within 6 months on all roads starting with Federal roads. · Create a motorized division of the Osun troopers to patrol roads to prevent accidents on the highways and organize rescue and recovery operations. INNOVATION Europe, Japan, Korea, 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 oni nakuna) and hardworking (ati agbe at onise owo lo ka imele si aida nile 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 (eni igbehin) 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 State of Osun about our position among the world’s people and the need to move up the ladder of human ascent and development away from permanent and 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

Continued on page 7

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. · Establish free blood pressure checks in conjunction with private organizations at every local government office. · Undertake special programmes for the upgrading, retraining and working RESTORE HEALTHY comforts of all health personnel. LIVING · Encourage and nurture Vision: To work to save our alternative medical therapy. people from all avoidable deaths · Free treatment for due to accidents, emergencies, malaria to children below age poverty and inadequate health 18 and senior citizens (60+). facilities.

ENVIRONMENT ision: To embrace current scientific methods in controlling the generation of waste and the conversion of waste to wealth. T h e s t a t e o f t h e 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 Our ACN Government shall: · Help 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: · Ensure that electric energy Continued on page 10

•State of Osun governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd right) in a handshake with former governor of the state, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola (left) while Acting Vice Chancellor, Professor Oguntola Alamu (right), watches.

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Speaker, State Of Osun House Of Assembly, Honourable Najeem Salaam, Received An Award From Osun State Barbing/Hairdressing And Cosmetology Association (OBAHCA) At Freedom Park, Osogbo During Their 3-Day Annual Anniversary Last Saturday.

•Honourable Najeem Salaam (right); Leader of the House, State of Osun House of Assembly, Honourable Timothy Owoeye (left) and All Progressives Congress (APC), State of Osun Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun (middle) at the event.

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French President Francois Hollande Paid A Courtesy Visit To President Muhammadu Buhari At The State House, Abuja, Recently.

•President Muhammadu Buhari (right) in a handshake with his counterpart from France, President Francois Hollandes.

Newly-Completed Construction Of Ataoja High School, Osogbo, Under The Administration Of Governor Rauf Aregbesola. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

•President Hollandes inspecting a guard of honour during the visit.

Opening Plenary Of The Anti-corruption Summit At The Lancaster House, London, United Kingdom, Recently. •Frontage of Ataoja High School, Osogbo.

•A multi-purpose hall at Ataoja High School, Osogbo.

•President Muhammadu Buhari (right); Prime Minister David Cameron (middle) and U.S Secretary of State, John Kerry.

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Continued from page 10 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 girls’ clubs’ and name them Omoluabi Boys’ and Girls’ club to perform the roles similar to boys’ and girls’ scouts, boys brigade and more.

SECURITY ecurity 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. · Respond to the 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 Rauf Aregbesola shall:

· Provide free education at all levels in Osun State. Focus on functional education. Education 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. · Fix all collapsed educational 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. · Promote and support Special 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. ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND 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

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. Oluwa Olorun a ti wa l’ehin. Oodua a fun wa se E je k’a le ise wo’gbo K’a le osi sonu K’aye dara fun wa t’omo t’omo. This is my pledge; my PACT with you people of Osun State.

developed world. · I will make every tertiary institution in Osun State an independent degreeawarding one. · Encourage use of services of retired, but not tired dons and administrators, from reputable institutions.

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. JUSTICE SECTOR REFORMS Infrastructures and facilities for reaching, An attribute of good governance is to advising, guiding, warning me will be given promote justice, equity and fair play amongst constant nurture. citizens of the state. Outside these I have no rigging machinery Government of ACN will e3nsure speedy and will strongly appeal to you all Osun access to justice try all individuals in Osun voters to fight and defend your votes. State, by reforming the courts system and Do not sell your vote and our future to a procedural rules, introducing alternative moneybag or vote people who do not care dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms and enough about our future as I passionately do. fee legal services. I am entering into a pact with each To complement these, ACN government and all of you as you read this that I and shall improve welfare packages of Judicial my colleagues shall work in all honesty, Officers and upgrade courts with modern IT tirelessly to bring marked improvements to

ENHANCE COMMUNAL PEACE AND PROGRESS 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 socio-economic problems peculiar to the group (pension, health and education). Continued on page 11

•Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti (2nd right); Honourable Olatunbosun Oyintiloye (left) and other dignitaries at a function sometime ago.

•A cross section of graduands at the programme.

Continued from page 7 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 set up energy stations in the state.

osun Defender Tuesday, May

In the said edition, it was placed on record how the entire Osun State University got its name changed into Bla Ige University, Osogbo; and how its campuses / colleges got changed respectively into Okuku (Olagunsoye Oyinlola); Ejigbo (Isiaka Adeleke);Ipetu-Ijesa (Hezekiah Oluwasanmi); Ifetedo (Kayode Eso); and Ikire (Eniola Atanda). The Osun State College of Technology (OSCOTECH), Esa-Oke got renamed as Adebisi Akande College of Technology, Esa-Oke; while the Osun State Polytechnic Continued on page 12

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Continued from page 12

without burdening government and its students. He stressed ýthat there are lots of firms and individuals who will like to endow chairs, courses, programmes and projects willing to pay any amount to have themselves immortalized in a place like a university, saying not all of them merit it, but people deserving them must be reach out to. n his profound words of commendation for the newly-installed Chancellor, Aregbesola adored Dr. (Mrs.) Alakija, who with her investiture becomes the first female Chancellor in any public university in Nigeria, for counting the University worthy and accepting to serve as Chancellor when she could have easily turned down top universities in Europe and America with the same request. He went further to enjoin Dr. Alakija to join the state in the desire for an institution that exists for the society and advancement of mankind, saying most Nigerian universities are too withdrawn and unconcerned from the society and its problems. Speaking earlier during the moments for her acceptance speech, the new Chancellor, Alakija, who also bagged the award of honorary doctorate degree in Business Administration (Doctor of Business Administration, Honouris Causa), described the appointment as another glass ceiling broken by womanhood. She described education as central empowerment that can guarantee economic

•Anthony Udofia Elementary School, Osogbo. Continued from page 11

(OSPOLY), Iree got renamed as Sunday Michael Afolabi Polytechnic Iree. The two state-owned colleges of education at Ilesa and Ila-Orangun got renamed as Lawrence Omole and Adeyemi Oyedotun colleges of education respectively. Below is the full, comprehensive report of events which played out at the occasion: ISTORY was made on Wednesday, March 9, 2016 as Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola switched overboard the old traditions, as he took the bull by its horns when he renamed all the state-owned tertiary institutions after present and past heroes of the state’s extraction. Justifying the change, the governor hammered on the essence of according a pride of place in history to movers and shakers in the state’s socio-economic, political and educational history, through efforts made at immortalizing their giant strides and memories. In pursuance of the agenda set above, Ogbeni Aregbesola announcedd the renaming of Osun State University after the one-time governor of the old Oyo State and former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Bola Ige who was assassinated in December 2001; while the Osun State Polytechnic (OSPOLY), Iree, was named after the erstwhile Deputy Governor of the old Oyo State and former Minister of Internal Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Sunday Michael Afolabi. Other institutions renamed were: Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke as Bisi Akande College of Technology; College Of Education, Ila Orangun now Adeyemi

Oyedotun College of Education and the College of Education Ilesa which will now be Lawrence Omole College of Education. The governor also named the Osun State University(UNIOSUN) Cýollege of Law, Ifetedo, as Kayode Eso College of Law;ý College of Social Sciences and Management, Okuku, now Olagunsoye Oyinlola College of Social Sciences, Okuku; Cýollege of Agriculture Ejigbo, now Isiaka Adeleke College of Agriculture, Ejigbo; ýCollege of Education Ipetu Ijesa, now Hezekiah Oluwasanmi College of Education and Cýollege of Humanities and Culture, Ikire, now Eniola Atanda College of Humanities and Culture.ý he grand point of the occasion was the investiture of the first-ever female chancellor of a public university in Nigeria; cum the conferment on same with a doctorate degree, honouris causa.This was as the governor also installed Dr.(Mrs.) Folorunsho Alakija as the Chancellor of the of the Osun State University (UNIOSUN). In his words of admonition at the occasion, Governor Aregbesola said one of the best ways to promote and reward hardwork is to honor those who have demonstrated exemplary leadership in governance and public life with a view to serving as a model for the incoming generation. Justifying the rebranding exercise done to all state-owned tertiary institutions, the helmsman of the state said recognition of the past leaders will definitely motivate the present leaders to commit themselves to public service and gear up current and intending leaders to serve meritoriously. The governor, who doubles as visitor

of the institution urged the university to improve on research and skills that address major problems facing Nigeria and African continent; in order to justify its existence and in its pursuits of achieving the lofty groundsenvisioned by the founding fathers of the ivory-tower citadel. Aregbesola said:

growth among the people of the country. According to Mrs. Alakija education cannot and can never be over-emphasized because the lack of it could only bring poverty of body, mind and of living. The Chancellor said being educated would give anyone the opportunity to play significant role and articulate his or her own agenda for change within space such individual occupies. She called on all stakeholders involved in politics to wake up to give deserved attention and priority to education, as true liberator of human minds and society at large. In her message to woman folk, the female icon charged members of her gender to rise up to claim responsibilities m gaining much of grounds considered to be lost to women. In her admonition, Alakija challenged women to break forth through all barriers of limitations and do valiantly for their gender to be accorded its deserved recognition and regard in the present world order. It is most notable and impressive to place on record that about fifty-one (51) of the graduands at the epoch-making occasion bagged First Class degree Honours in their respective fields.

We expressed wonders in that edition why references made to those institutions in recent times in the media (print, electronic and even social media) are yet to reflect these changes. In that edition, it was made known in a copious manner that changes generally, especially those of the sorts under consideration hardly go down well with all concerned people – either stakeholders, bystanders, onlookers, passers-by or other observers called by whatever name. The time is yet to arrive when changes of this manner will go down absolutely well with all concerned. However, since those changes were effected through the appropriate Acts of Parliament, they are expected to have behind them the full force of law; so they ought to be accorded full recognition, respect and adherence by all concerned. But the foregoing does not stand to reason that those who have some sorts of opposing views to the changes should have no say. Within the ambits of the law, and in tandem with democratic ideals, those who feel strongly opposed to changes like this have the legitimate paths of law to thread; as they are at liberty to approach the courts of HE last edition ended at the point of competent jurisdiction to seek redress. In spite of differences in leanings, according wondering why and how the changes brought about by those proclamations to political, socio-economic, religious and by the Governor of the State of Osun, who other strata, it is important, first and foremost, doubles as Visitor to the various institutions that we must objectively weigh the merit of concerned, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola the changes and consider in all honesty the are becoming slow to take full operation. Continued on page 14

“I therefore want this university at three levels to affect our society. The first is at the level of teaching which should prepare the students for post-graduate life by equipping them with life-sustenance skills, especially technical and entrepreneurial education. “Secondly, the university should tailor its researches towards immediate and prospective challenges of mankind in health, food, housing, infrastructure, societal organization and the seemingly unknown aspects on nature and so on. “The essence of the education enterprise is for man to be able to conquer nature and dominate the environment. This should translate into better life for all. An end should come to the idea of research for getting promotion which then gathers dust in a shelf somewhere. “Thirdly, the universities should also be engaged in society through public service, by bringing their knowledge and research findings to bear directly on needed areas as their counterparts in other parts of the world are wont to do”. The visitor, who graduated his written speech intermittently with post-extante insertions, advised the university to reprogramme itself to be able to raise funds Continued on page 13

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•(L-R ) State of Osun Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo; Justice Jide Falola and State Head of Service, Mr Sunday Owoeye.

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•Some Osun pupils displaying calisthenics in Osogbo City Stadium, sometime ago. Continued from page 13

merit of the names and namings. While we have no business questioning anyone’s grouse against the naming exercise; we also have no right to challenge anyone’s opposition to the changes. Yet we owe it a duty to discuss and argue the merit or otherwise of the names involved, vis-à-vis the personalities of the bearers of those names, dead or alive. hile they were alive, Chief James Ajibola Ige and Chief Sunday Michael Afolabi were almost deified into household names; as they bestrode the socio-political terrains of our state and even those of the other parts of the old Oyo State like Colossus. Needless to say, the duo was governor and deputy-governor respectively of the old Oyo State for the greater part of the Second Republic. It was through the instrumentality of their Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN)-led administration that the reputable Polytechnic Ibadan of old got proliferated into satellite campuses, which gave it the desired spread across the nooks and crannies of the then expansive state called Oyo. Let us remind readers that those satellite campuses of those times were situated in Saki, Eruwa, Esa-Oke and Iree. Not to weigh readers down with boredom of history, it is note-worthy that upon the creation of Osun State out of the old Oyo State in 1991, two out of the institutions, known then as satellite campuses fell on the soils of the emerging Osun State. Not only that, in 1992, those two institutions became; through Acts of Parliament, autonomous and full-fledged polytechnic / college of technology for the new state. Thus, we had up till early this year the Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke and the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree. Now, considering not only the fact that these two institutions provided formidable

pioneering bases for polytechnic tertiary education for the new state; but also the fact that they have since impacted positively the lives of teeming youths who had the privilege to pass through them; vis-à-vis transformed the socio-economic lives of their host communities and that of the entire state; is it then too much or over-rewarding to name institutions after those pioneering fathers who labored so selflessly for this state during their march through life? OSUN DEFENDER Magazine views it that naming the state university at Osogbo after late Chief Bola Ige and the state polytechnic at Iree after late Chef Sunday Michael Afolabi is a step that constitutes not just a timely masterstroke, but a rightful step that had been long overdue! Political sentiments aside, the duo of Bola Ige and S.M. Afolabi was a bunch of true patriots who never narrowed their vision down to the exigencies of their time; but who saw far into the future; hence, what the seeds they sowed have germinated into today. Yours sincerely, no good administration can do anything better than to immortalize these legends. They impacted so well that we never dare inter their good deeds with their bones! Concerning the institutions named after living former governors of the state; Chief Abdulkareem Bamidele Adebisi Akande and Prince Olagunsoye Oladapo Oyinlola; ears are filled with so much talk in antagonism to the step. The criticism is rife, most particularly because those two personalities are still very much alive and active in politics. Because of those selfsame facts and numerous others, OSUN DEFENDER Magazinehas little to comment on their case. For all we know, the two personalities took turns to be civilian governors of the state between 1999 and 2010. They did well for the state, so they so much deserve the honour.

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he honour done Alhaji Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke is singled out for discussion from those other two living personalities who had been civilian governors of the state. The reasons are many; but we shall mention just few. Adeleke is a politician who has maintained his relevance and acceptance across republics. He stands as a politician who, God willing can still have people’s massive acceptance and endorsement as governor of the state all over again! Adeleke is reputed by all as one who knows well and understands his people and wields the diagnostic magical wand as to where the shoe pinches them. Not only that, he knows well the prognosis of applying soothing and healing balm. Sincerely, his is an enviable successful exploit in politics! For the trio who was once civilian governors of the state, the government of the day used them to illustrate a lesson which many motivational speakers find fanciful to preach, especially at birthday and funeral occasions: “the essence of honouring our icons whilst still living”. As a matter of fact, we should not wait till our prominent sons and daughters have answered the supreme call before according them due recognition and honour. For economy of space,OSUN DEFENDER Magazine defers discussions on other awardees till subsequent editions.

•To be continued

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The Courageous Termination Of Oil Subsidy

conomic realities do not change solely because of wishful thinking however ardent these wishes may be. Current realities dictate that Nigeria can no longer sustain pandering to the gallery of cheap populism. Elsewhere, a prominent member of the 8th National Assembly has countermanded the termination of subsidy by citing the subsidy that farmers enjoy in the USA. However, he completely missed the very significant difference in the purpose and mechanism of American subsidy to farmers versus the purpose and mechanism of so called oil subsidy in Nigeria. For example, subsidizing dairy farmers in the USA is not done to keep prizes low; rather it is to prevent the prize of dairy products from falling too low! Such a fall would make farming unprofitable with farmers consequently choosing to abandon their farms. Hence, the US GOVERNMENT either pays farmers to produce less or buys excess agricultural products so as to decrease available supplies and thus increase price! Second, the U.S. subsidy targets local agricultural production rather than subsidizing the price of imported foreign products. With regard to petrol price, an analogous subsidy in Nigeria would be to subsidize the cost of resuscitating our local refineries rather than giving free money to those claiming to be importing petrol. Yes, if we must, let us give tax breaks to Dangote and other investors who are willing to build new refineries. We are all witnesses to the decline of telephone costs after that sector was privatized and somewhat liberalized. Nigeria has huge crude reserves but Crude oil is useless until it is extracted and refined! The USSR had extremely huge oil and gas reserve but lacked the technology to extract it! Consequently, the Soviet Union suffered energy crisis during the Cold War because the USA and NATO prevented Western Technology from being used to extract Soviet crude! Any lasting solution to Petrol price in Nigeria should focus on replacing our decrepit and obsolete local refineries. Lastly, subsidy in Nigeria has always been about abracadabra! It is money for the Mafia who ensures that our refineries remain comatose so that their importation business might flourish. We in the ACN played bad politics on this matter when President Jonathan first attempted to remove subsidy. We had robust in-house debate but eventually capitulated to the god of electoral politicking. Now the chicken has come to roost for all of us. I have read a litany of articles on the price of petrol in many oil producing countries. These and other pungent facts should make us sad. Even so, these are far from being all the pertinent facts! ow many of the countries cited import refined products like Nigeria does? What are the external

•adeyeye By sola adeyeye

reserves of these countries per capita? What is the per capita external reserve of Nigeria? These are pertinent questions because we do not pay for imported petrol with naira; we pay in dollar. Flaunting data and statistics that compare Gulf countries with Nigeria is outrightly disingenuous. There are more people in Oyo State than in Norway. Yet, Norway annually produces double the petroleum of the entirety of Nigeria. A similar comparison with any of the Gulf States yields a sobering different perspective of our predicament. In particular, President Buhari took over the country and met a looted and empty treasury. Two of the four refineries of Nigeria operate at about 40% capacity while the other two have zero capacity. All four have obsolete infrastructure that means they cannot be upgraded. We need new refineries but new ones take time to build. What abracadabra can Buhari perform within the circumference of these stark realities? The pump price of petrol in the developed

economies includes substantial taxes and business costs. In the UK, taxes account for 61% of the price paid at fuel pumps. For Nigeria, refined petrol should be sold at whatever price it costs to import it plus marginal taxes and margin of profit. Until our refineries begin to work well, we must stop the fantasy of easy solutions on the matter of petrol price in Nigeria! OPEC quota dictates volume and price of crude oil to be sold by member countries but gives total freedom on the production and price for internal consumption. If we refine all that we need within Nigeria, not one penny of the revenues earned from the sale of crude oil will be used to import petrol! As such, this is our permanent and indispensable solution. Indeed, Nigeria’s goal should be to sell crude to the rest of the world but sell REFINED petrol to all ECOWAS countries that do not produce oil.

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Tuesday, may 17, 2016

e must be sensitive to unfolding events around us now than ever before. All the nations of the world know us inside out; even more than we claim to know ourselves. As a matter of fact, we know little or next to nothing about ourselves. That is why we have remained as we are; and until we wake up from our slumber, we may never get it right till eternity comes. As I ruminate over what I was to work on for people’s attention this week, I became discouraged because of the consciousness that past efforts have yielded little or no impact on the people I intend to reach out to. I later realized that I got it wrong altogether, because some people, one time or the other, have called me to appreciate the good work I am doing. This created some relief; and I feel as a winner that I am, it is not proper to hold back as I initially intended. Everyone in Nigeria today is aware that there is something called ‘Change’. Although, we all love to joke with everything, I have no doubt in my mind that Nigerians actually voted for ‘Change’. Nigerians in this context may refer to the simple majority, but I have no doubt in my mind that an overwhelming majority actually voted for Muhammadu Buhari’s presidency; disregarding the monumental manipulations that characterized the poll results that almighty Atthairu Jega released to herald in the symbol of ‘Change’. Rather than be sensitive of some positive things we are having unfolding differently, we trivialize the matters of life and death that occurrences really manifest. Peradventure we have forgotten that we are really what we think we are, and what we want to be. We are the product of our mentality; and we may keep hallucinating that all shall be well, when indeed we will be having it the other way round because we fail in our duty to take heed. We may claim to agree with the rest of the world that change is the only constant thing; it is however ironic that it is only in Nigeria (as much as I know) that we yearn for change, but we prefer to do things the same way constantly. My worry is not that we are not seeing envisaged results; I rather get bothered by the generalization we make by blaming others, especially the leaders for our perennial woes. Much as I will say the leaders cannot be exonerated, the rest of us cannot shy away from our portions of the burden. We encourage the leaders at times to do what ordinarily is not the content of their faintest imagination. When things go sour, we turn around to blame the leaders we coerced into errors, as if we are

By ade olugbotemi

Change Mantra As A Cut-up Instrument

•buhari

saints ourselves. This is why we may have to keep enduring our lots that are for now permanently domiciled in impropriety and confusion. The moment we get fed up with our sorry state, we will cease feigning ignorance; and we will deliberately take bold steps to get out of the endemic quagmire. I have constantly expressed it through this medium that we will be deceiving ourselves if we expect a new set of people to come from anywhere to begin a new thing. The much-expected ‘Change’ will come when the political class decides to take up brand new mindsets that will propel them to begin to do things differently. Past redeemable malfeasances may be revisited with a view to seeking redress to deter others of like propensity forthwith. This must be seen by all as being transparently and impartially executed. We must remain watchdogs to keenly observe whether the ‘Change’ agents are living up to their bidding. All of us as co-change agents must be meticulous enough to point out inconsistencies that run contrary to avowed pledges. Objectivity must remain our watchword, if we really intend to witness anything different. We need to refrain from

irrational blame apportionment, so as to convince the leaders that we are really interested in their success. This will enable them to listen to genuine complaints and help them to be wary of constant errors. Up till now, I have not seen much seriousness amongst the leaders and the led because self-will has beclouded the requisite objectivity. This gets the leaders more confused, such that they often discontinue a process, irrespective of its laudability. Policy summersault results, with the attendant tendency to remain at a spot. Time wastage is the order of the day; that is why we cannot really point at specific achievements that have been recorded. I expect that by now, one or two cases of fraud and financial impropriety should have been finalized and dispensed with. However, the reverse remains the case. Relevant agencies of government appear too lackadaisical about their responsibilities, which is a major clog to our wheel of progress. Our judicial process is so slow that cases that should not go beyond few months go on for years, due to irrational incessant adjournments. A more responsive and vibrant judiciary is required to keep the system moving. All encumbrances to quick dispensation of justice must

be addressed quickly, so that the known vices of corruption and indiscipline are mitigated with dispatch. British Prime Minister, David Cameron, recently tagged Nigeria alongside Afghanistan, the fantastically corrupt countries of the world; and we seem to get mad at that. We appear not to be ashamed of ourselves, hence the needless vituperations. How else could a country of corrupt leaders be described? We only think of how to better our lots individually at the expense of others. Spirit of embezzlement has so much hypnotized us that we even blindly defend those that should summarily be condemned and alienated. Meanwhile, it is in our nature to find faults in others; not minding whether we do worse things than act being condemned. We love to discourage those who desire to change our lot in a positive direction, just because we must insinuate, or say something. No wonder when we have ideas that are laudable, our usual impiousness force leaders to discountenance them. I still don’t understand why people who claim to be in the right frame of mind should condemn President Muhammadu Buhari for his numerous trips across the globe, when all he is interested in is how to move the country forward. We only need to be convinced that Buhari and his team members are exemplary to be trusted. Anybody who discovers any hypocrisy, or acts shrouded in secrecy due to insincerity should please not hold his\her peace any more. We are truly in the era of change and any government, its agencies, or personnel that are not honest should be exposed forthwith. We may be suffering now; but what should matter to us is whether what we are suffering about will soon turn to respite or not, in the light of transparent mode of running our affairs. In my own perspective, we must look inward to purge ourselves in thought, action, and disposition. Rational propensities should then propel us to painstakingly look at what is happening around us with crass objectivity. It will then be possible for us to know what is done right or wrong around us and react appropriately. This will help us to be less-subjective, with sanctified ideas emanating from us to relevant authority. The immunity clause in our Constitution needs be expunged, so that those who genuinely goof in the discharge of official duties can be called upon to defend themselves. It is when there are no more sacred cows that those in authority will be wary of doing anything that will bring their integrity to disrepute.

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:

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