Osun Defender - October 9th 2014, Edition by OsunDefender

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www.osundefender.org THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2014 Weeks before the August 9th gubernatorial elections which was won by the pragmatic Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola of the APC, it was obvious we were up against forces other than the people of Osun state which naturally should be the determinant of

how the elections will swing. The All progressives Congress (APC) still smarting from its shocking defeat in the previous Ekiti elections had literarily sworn it will lose Osun over its dead body. The murderous villain fielded by the Peoples Democratic

PEOPLE FIRST

Front Page Comment The War Called The Osun Elections-By Segun Tomori Party (PDP), outrightly unpopular with barely a few dozens of people trailing him at campaigns however worethe confidence of a Governor-In-waiting. He they

didn’t care a hoot about the people’s wish, all that matters was the full compliment of the paraphernalia of State activated by an

VOL. 9. NO.121 imperial President though utterly clueless, but desperate to add Osun to his conquest in furtherance of his stillborn second term bid. So lo and behold, the die was cast!I have not been emotionally attached to any elections in Nigeria as I was with the Osun elections,

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maybe June 12, 1993 Presidential elections presumed to have being won by my President, M.K.O Abiola could be an exception. It wasn’t because I had affinity with anyone in Ogbeni’s government or because I enjoyed any form of patronage but because Continue on pg5

Day Of Reckoning:

PDP Chieftain Jailed For Life •For Raping Pregnant Woman Osun Commissions 25 Rural - Pg 2 Projects Oyinlola - Pg 3 Canvasses Support For Aregbesola, APC Fayose Illadvised Over Eligibility Case --PgFalana 13

- See Story On Page 2

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd right); his wife, Sherifat (right); the celebrant, Chief of Staff to State of Osun Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola and his wife (4th and 3rd right); the Deputy Governor of the State of Osun, Otunba (Mrs) Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori (2nd left); former governor of the State of Osun, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola (3rd left) and first civilian governor of the state, Senator Isiaka Adeleke (left) during the 60th birthday anniversary reception of Alhaji Oyetola in Iragbiji, State of Osun, last Monday.

Ebola: Osun Govt Begins Distribution Of Infrared-Thermometers To Schools

- See Story On Page 4

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OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 9, 2014

Day Of Reckoning: PDP Chieftain Jailed For Life •For Raping Pregnant Woman

BAFEMI Kolawole, a political associate to Chief Ganiyu Oladiran, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Ilesa, was on September 23, 2014 convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment with whipping for rape. Obafemi was alleged to in the same compound have shortly after the 2007 with me had gone to gubernatorial election, Mosque because it was raped an Action Congress the period of the Muslim of Nigeria (now All fast. Progressives Congress) “Thereafter, he bundled member, Tosin Ajakaye, me into a waiting jeep to who was reported to be join two other men whom pregnant at the time of the I found in the same incident. predicament as mine,” Kolawole was charged Ajakaye said. before the State High She further narrated Court sitting at Ilesa, on a how she was driven along two-count charge of rape with the two others to the and indecent assault, home of Chief Ganiyu contrary to Sections 358 Oladiran, a PDP chieftain, and 360 of the Criminal and tied to a tree, where Code cap 34, Vol II, Laws the trio were mercilessly of Osun. flogged. During the trial, the She said, Kolawole later prosecution called a total untied her and plucked of four witnesses, out her pubic hair, put it including Ajakaye, Lawal in her mouth to swallow Sikiru, Dr. A.I Isawumi with dry gin, and and the Investigating thereafter, went ahead to Police Officer, Sergeant insert a tin opener into her Olatunji Arojo, while private part and as well Obafemi testified in his poured dry gin all over her defence and called body before he raped her additional four witnesses again. including Chief Ganiyu Lawal Sikiru, who also Oladiran, Adediran testified during the trial, Kehinde, Adewusi corroborated her story, Olowolodu and Olayinka saying he was one of the Alege. two naked men in the At the trial, Ajakaye waiting jeep; the other narrated how the convict was one Gbadamosi and his cohorts, who were Lasun. not police officers, came He stated further that to arrest her at her house he had earlier on received at about 7:30 p.m. for an his own share of beating, unknown offence. and bundled naked into On sighting them and the jeep belonging to Chief knowing their antecedents Ganiyu Oladiran, when in the vicinity, she took to Ajakaye was also brought her heels. in naked. The convict was Sikiru also confirmed gathered to have pursued, that the trio were driven caught up with her and to Chief Ganiyu’s house beat her up and having and tied to a tree where overpowered her, he they were mercilessly stripped her naked and beaten and the content of raped her. dry gin was poured all “When my cry for help over their bodies. became unbearable, he According to him, covered my mouth. Ajakaye was untied by the Unfortunately, those living accused, who plucked out

Group Admonishes Youths, Charges Politicians By FRANCIS EZEDIUNO

OUTHS in Ibokun have in Obokun Local Government Council Area of the State of Osun, been advised to shun politics of bitterness, thuggery and unholy behaviour before and after electioneering. They were enjoined to engage and support youth rather, as stakeholders, groups with creative ideas contribute positively to the and strategic approach to success of free and fair good governance. elections and transition from Would-be political one administration to representatives were also another. advised to make youth This call was contained in involvement in decisiona press statement signed making a mandatory policy. and made available to OSUN “Making of youth DEFENDER at the end of a advocacy, empowerment meeting of the Obokun and development should be Youths Assembly held on a priority and focus of Saturday. it added. The youths were also government,” The constitution review advised to participate fully committee of Obokun in the forthcoming general Assembly elections by contesting for Youths posts and turn out to cast comprising of Tosin their votes for candidates Odeyemi (Chairman), Kunle believed to have good Komolafe (Secretary) and vision for the teeming Arike Kolawole, Diran Ajayi, Ademola Ojo and Wole youths. Politicians were also Olasehinde as members was sensitised to embrace, inaugurated.

her pubic hair, inserted a tin opener into her private part, and as well went ahead to pour dry gin on her and then sought and got the consent of Chief Olaniran to have sexual intercourse with her. She was eventually taken to the boot of the jeep from where they heard her shouting for help. The medical examination conducted on Ajakaye at LAUTECH by Dr. Isawumi revealed that she was indeed raped, just as the swab taken from her was full of alcohol. It was also discovered medically, that as at the time of the incident, the rape victim was pregnant. Sergeant Arojo, the IPO, on his own part, testified that Ajakaye and others were brought to the State Police Command Monitoring Unit at Okefia in Osogbo by Chief Ganiyu Oladiran, who claimed that the trio, whom he got arrested, were the ones who assaulted him after the April 2007 gubernatorial election in the state. According to him, while receiving the statements of all concerned and conducting investigation into the matter, it was discovered that Chief Ganiyu Oladiran’s captives were indeed the victims, and the supposed complainants and cohorts were the accused persons and were consequently charged to court. Obafemi Kolawole (the convict) in his own defence, denied the allegations made against him, while admitting going to Ajakaye’s house on the fateful day and arresting her, but denied stripping her naked, rather he handed her over to his colleagues, who

By SHINA ABUBAKAR drove her and other the corroboration of captives to Chief Ganiyu’s prosecution witness was house, where they were limited to assault, it does later handed over to the not corroborate police. penetration, which is the The presiding Judge, vital ingredient necessary Justice A. B. Abdulkareem, for rape. while finding the accused However, the medical guilty as charged, report tendered by Dr pronounced that although Isawumi corroborated the

needed penetration and he thereafter found Kolawole guilty. The trial Judge held that the prosecution had been able to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and consequently convicted the accused, while he however struck out the charge of indecent assault.

•EVERY BANK HAS ITS OWN CUSTOMER: A mad-man at First Bank Automated Teller Machine (ATM) spot in Osogbo waiting to collect his own money last Saturday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI

Osun Commissions 25 Rural Projects By KEHINDEAYANTUNJI

OVERNOR of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbsola, has identified rural transformation as a key to overall development of the state and stride towards attainment of his six-point integral action plan. Aregbesola stated this Council Area, Aregbesola, while commissioning 25 who was represented by his projects out of sixty projects special Adviser on Water Rural executed for rural Resources and communities in the 30 local Development government council areas of Community Affairs, Mr the state including the Area Kunle Ige, noted that his administration is committed office, Modakake. The projects were to rural development for the executed under the second overall transformation of the phase of Replication of state. He explained that the UNICEF Community Development Initiative facilities had the potential of Programme in collaboration improving standards of with the state government living of rural dwellers and urged the people of the area and local governments. The projects, according to guard the projects to the governor, were aimed jealously, adding that his at enhancing standard of administration will continue to make welfare of the living of rural dwellers. I n a u g u r a t i n g people a priority. In his remark, the electrification project at Anarun and a modern palace Executive Secretary of Iwo at Agberire communities in Local Government Council the current Iwo Local Government said

administration in the state had resolved to position rural communities for economic development through provision of basic facilities in the area. He promised that the state government would rehabilitate some selected roads that link rural communities to Iwo, with a view to enhancing transportation of their farm produce to the markets, while calling on the rural dwellers to support government in its bid to advance the course of rural communities in the state. He assured people of the communities that government would not rest on its laurels in the task of making life more abundant for rural dwellers. The lawmaker representing Iwo State Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Honourable Ezeikel Adedibu, said the people of

the communities would continue to enjoy dividends of democracy and infrastructural development that will position the area for economic vibrancy. Speaking on behalf of the benefiting communities, the Baale of Anarun, Chief Samuel Oyewole and Olukotun of Agberire, Chief Waliu Adekunle‚ lauded the state government for the giant strides and promised effective utilization of the projects. He said the communities had suffered neglect for over two decades and urged government to open more rural roads to ease their transportation problems. Other projects inaugurated by the governor included locked up stalls, health centres, blocks of classrooms, maternity centres, palace building, town halls, and community halls among others.

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OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 9, 2014

Cash For Arm: Another Civil War Imminent In Nigeria - Civil Societies By ISMAEEL UTHMAN

HE Osun Civil Societies Coalition (OCSC) has warned of possible civil war in Nigeria before or after the 2015 general elections in the country. According to the human Chairman of the rights body, the warning coalition, Comrade came on the heel of the Abiodun Agboola, in a proliferation of arms in the statement made available country and the recent by the Publicity Secretary $9.3 million and $5.7 of the OCSC, Comrade million cash for arms deal Ismaeel Uthman, on in South-Africa by some Tuesday, maintained that Nigerians. some individuals were

preparing to unleash terror on the country before or after the 2015 general elections. Agboola rejected the claim by the Federal Government that the cash was meant to buy arms to fight the Boko Haram insurgency, stating that it has never been the practice of a reasonable government to fly cash from one country to the other to buy arms.

According to the human rights crusader, the Federal Government might be protecting some individuals that are culpable in the illegal arms deal, describing the claims as flimsy and unreasonable. The controversy generated by the $9.3 million cash in South Africa by two Nigerians and an Israeli arms dealer had barely subsided when

•(L-R) National President, Erin-Osun Progressive Union, Alhaji Hassan Alao; former Chairman, Irepodun Local Government, Honourable Kamardeen Ajisafe; the Eesa of Erin Osun, Chief Musa Adeyemi and the Elerin of ErinOsun, Oba Yusuf Omoloye during the Eid-il-Kabir prayer at Erin-Osun praying ground on Saturday.

Don favours Technical Education To Fast-track Development By SHINA ABUBAKAR

ECHNICAL education has been described as the greatest weapon that can herald quick desirable development in the country’s socioeconomic and human resources that abound in the country. This was disclosed by job creators, rather than Dr Oluwole Oluleye, while job seekers. delivering a paper titled: Hence, he said technical “Government Obligation/ education must provide Intervention in the trained manpower in the Promotion and applied science and Development of Technical technology and business, Education in Nigeria” held particularly at craft, at the first Igbajo advanced craft and Education Summit held at technical level. the community “Technical education polytechnic during the must provide the technical week. knowledge and vocational He disclosed that the skills necessary for National Board for agriculture, commercial Technical Education and economic (NBTE) should ensure the development; give training compliance of the and impact the necessary technical institutions to the skills to individual, who boundaries of their vision and mission statements shall be self-reliant within the national economically,” he added. He revealed that one of education schemes. He maintained that a the greatest problems of training system should be education is that every put in place to ensure government wants to give sustainable deployment of an impression that it is technical manpower to the doing something, thus policies that are not well industry. According to him, for a thought out are introduced country to advance both and changed arbitrarily and socially, economically and whimsically. “Political rhetorics technologically, its citizens without action will not must be productive and creative, as well as having solve Nigeria’s problems, a mass of productive hence, there should be an citizens, of which can be end to policy somersaults

and governments (state and local) can key into the Vision 20:20, as it relates to technical education. Dr. Oluleye recommended that there should be a closer cooperation and greater collaboration between education and employment, particularly self-employment in order to help the youngsters acquire the necessary skills from the onset. “Entrepreneurship

development should become part and parcel of tertiary institutions’ curriculum. “Teaching prevocational subjects in the primary and junior secondary schools should be taken more seriously to raise the interest of students for these vocational programmes. “All stakeholders, especially those within the private sector, should provide more funds for the purchase of instructional facilities”, he recommended further.

another $5.7 million, allegedly wired into the account of arms dealer, was intercepted by the South African authorities. “What we understand is on the two tranches of the cash for arms deal is of money laundering or illegal arms purchase by some individuals close to the power that be,” Agboola said. He therefore, called on the security agencies to be at alert and rise up to the challenges of insecurity and what he described as possible worse scenario during the election period. Agboola maintained that it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for a government that wears regalia of corruption, to absolve itself of the seized $9.3 million by the South African government. “The reported lies that the money was meant for arms purchase by the Federal Government obviously holds no water. “If that was actually what the money was meant for, why couldn’t any of our security

Eid-El-Kabir: Lawmakers Sue For Peace In Osun By FRANCIS EZEDIUNO

ENATOR Mudashir Hussein, representing Osun West Senatorial District of the State of Osun, has urged Nigerians to pray for peace and unity of the country during and after the Eidel-Kabir. While speaking at a tolerance, patriotism, programme to mark the prayer and commitment to celebration in Ejigbo Local nation’s building, the Government Area of the country would develop and state, he insisted that ensure better life for the people should eschew citizens. differences in ethnicity, In his comments, opinions, political views Honourable Najeem and religions, among Salaam, the Speaker, State others to promote the of Osun House of peace and unity of the Assembly, stressed the country. need for religious leaders to He said Nigerians must pray for total elimination of learn how to tolerate one insurgency in the country. another, pray for the The Speaker said stability of the nation and religious tolerance remains support their leaders. a vital tool for sustainable Hussein noted that with peace and political development of any country. “I want to urge transforming the present Nigerians to embrace situation in the country positively to the advantage peace for the stability and of the people, saying it is progress of the nation. “Peace and stability will high time people voted for enable the country to attain alternative. He said the APC is the sustained socio-economic only party Nigerians should development and peace,” entrust with the he said. responsibility of building a Earlier in his remarks, country with viable socio- Sheikh Sulaiman economic environment, Omotokese, the Chief saying the PDP has failed Imam of Ejigbo, also urged in this task in almost the last Nigerians to live in peace two decades. and harmony to overcome He then urged the APC the country’s current members not to relent in security challenges. their effort aimed at He specifically called on mobilising support for the politicians to assist the party ahead of the polls, government in ensuring a saying their effort in the peaceful atmosphere that August 9, 2014 poll was could guarantee credible tremendous, charging them elections in 2015. to do more.

Oyinlola Canvasses Support For Aregbesola, APC By SHINA ABUBAKAR ORMER governor of the State of Osun, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has urged the teeming masses of the state to support Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s administration to steer the state to the promised land. He disclosed this at a push people towards Sallah party organised by a achieving set objectives. prominent politician in the According to him, with state, Alhaji Fatai Oyedele what the man has done in his Diekola, at his country first term in office, it is crystal home in Osogbo. clear that if given the The retired military necessary support, he officer said the people of would drive the state to the state need to support attain the vision of its the present administration founding fathers. He further charged the to make it more responsive to their needs and enhance people to support the All the socio-economy of the Progressives Congress (APC) in the forthcoming teeming masses. He said Governor 2015 general elections and Aregbesola has shown that ensure its victory at the he is not just a committed polls. Oyinlola reiterated that leader, but a politician with the needed wherewithal to the APC is capable of

agencies (Army, Air force, Navy, Police etc) be represented? Why was the National Security Adviser (NSA) not represented? How come no Nigerian diplomat or government official was involved? Why the choice of a private jet owned by the President of the Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor?” “We still need to ask: Why purchasing black market arms? Why just two unofficial government representatives and an Israeli arms dealer on board? Was the money really meant for arms? Our government is covering something up.” Agboola further stated that as 2015 general election approaches and the politicians are gearing up, issues like this are not unexpected. “Firstly, to have enough money to buy the votes and secondly, to have something to fall back to if they lose the election.” He described the arms deal as criminal and unbecoming of responsive government, calling on the security agencies to be professional and thorough in investigating the matter.

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OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 9, 2014

Ebola: Osun Govt Begins Distribution Of Infrared-Thermometers To Schools By FRANCIS EZEDIUNO

S part of efforts to prevent the deadly Ebola virus in the state, the state government of Osun has started the distribution of NonContact Forehead infrared Thermometers to public schools ahead of the October 8, 2014 resumption date. The distribution, which started in Ejigbo, Iwo and

Ede Local Government Council Areas will have priority given to flash points council areas like Ejigbo, Ede, Iwo, OdoOtin and Ikirun governments, who would have students that might have travelled to

neighbouring countries like Cote-de-Voire, Togo, Ghana and Benin Republic during the long vacation. Supervising the distribution, despite the festive period and public holidays, the Permanent

Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr Lawrence Oyeniran, explained that the thermometers will go round the 1,593 public schools in the state. He noted that there is need for schools in the country to put necessary

•(R-L) The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; the celebrant/Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola; State Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Wale Afolabi; wife of the celebrant, Mrs Kafayat Oyetola and other dignitaries, welcoming the governor to the venue of the birthday of Alhaji Oyetola’s 60th birthday anniversary at Iragbiji, State of Osun, last Monday.

Commuters Commend Osun Govt Over Roads By FRANCIS EZEDIUNO

RAVELLING through Osogbo during festive periods has been described as a nightmarish experience.

This is due to the long traffic hold ups that usually characterise most of the roads leading from Osogbo to other parts of the state and country. As OSUN DEFENDER gathered during the just-concluded Eid-el-Kabir holidays, the major routes in and out of Osogbo, the state capital, was characterised by long traffic gridlocks, a site which was unusual but had gradually become a recurring decimal. Commuters associated the problem with the fact that its only an arterial road that criss-crossed the town and motorists heading towards Ikirun, Ilorin, Ilesa and other parts of the state had to negotiate it through the popular Olaiya Junction. Those headed towards Ikirun, Ilorin and Offa often encounter another set of harrowing traffic gridlock along Ring Road, Stadium, Mallam Tope to Powerline axis especially at night.

They complained that even before the decision of the Osun government to expand and dualise the road, it had been a rucurring problem at festive periods. Commuters during these periods, it was revealed, had to negotiate alternative roads in order to beat the already

annoying hold up. However, they were quick to commend the vision of the governor of the state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, for not waiting for the Federal Government to intervene before actualising the decision of the state government to dualise the Osogbo to Ila-Odo Federal Road and opening up the East Bye Pass Road (Oba Adesoji Aderemi Road), which would further decongest the overstretched

Gbongan-Ibadan Road. Aregbesola was also commended for deciding to tackle the problem of road infrastructure head on with the opening of more interstate and township roads. According to one of the motorists, “travelling to my home town has never been so easy but with the new roads I see all dotted about, the experience is what I want to repeat again. “The only bad experience was the traffic

hold up on the way here because many travellers were making use of the roads.” It was however, observed that the roads were not free from gridlocks, as the holiday was over, due to the influx of more vehicles from different parts of the country. However, cost of transportation was stable, as the difference was appreciated by many of the commuters.

preventive measures in place to guard against the disease, which was why the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has committed millions of naira into the procurement of the infrared thermometers. The Permanent Secretary disclosed that any pupil with body temperature of 40 0 C would be separated for further medical checks, emphasising that it does not mean the pupil is affected with Ebola but prevention is always better than cure. He also charged all heads of schools to encourage the culture of hand-washing in their various schools, noting that Osun is Ebola-free and efforts must be made to ensure it remains so. While demonstrating how to use the equipment, the Director, Schools and Special Education (SSE) in the ministry, Mr. Oluyemi Oyewole, advised that the accompanying user manual should be followed as a guide before use. In his remark, the NUT Chairman in Iwo Liadi Government Council Area, Mr Atanda Laidi, who spoke on behalf of others, appreciated the efforts of the current administration in the state for considering safety measure in schools, while also appealing to government to always ensure prompt release of running grants, especially now that schools are resuming for the 2014/ 2015 school year, saying this would enable schools to procure other needful things like hand sanitizers, washing bowls, liquid soap and hand gloves. He also commended all the heads of schools, who converged for the distribution exercise despite the very short notice and urged them to put in their best for the students’ success.

Traditional Rulers Advised To Wade Into Osun/Oyo Inter-state Boundary Disputes

T has been observed that traditional rulers in the disputed areas between the State of Osun and Oyo State have a vital role to play in the amicable resolution of boundary disputes between the two states. This observation was both Oyo East and Iwo contained in a Local Government communiqué issued Council Areas. recently in Oyo town Led by the Regent of after a peace meeting Iwo land, High Chief held to settle the Yekeen Orobimpe and contention over Oba Hill Bariyun of Oyo land, Forest Reserve along Chief G.A. Adeleke, with Olori enclave by a c c r e d i t e d

representatives of Iwo and Oyo had earlier defended their claims on the hill forest reserve. It was apparent that neither of the two sides was willing to shift grounds with regards to its claim on the ownership of Oba Hill Forest Reserve and Olori. The meeting therefore agreed that the final resolution of the matter should be done by the

National Boundary Commission, warning that status quo ante should continue to be maintained pending the resolution of the dispute. The communiqué also appealed to residents in the border communities not to engage in any other act that could disturb the peace and the ancient bond of unity existing between the two states.

Among those who attended the meeting,

which was co-chaired by Oyo State Surveyor General, Mr. Issac Akintola, along with his State of Osun counterpart, Mr. Raifu Akintola, were the Executive Secretaries of Iwo Local Government, Alhaji Kamorudeen Alao, Ejigbo Local Government boss, Alhaji Tiamiyu Akinwale, as well as the Chairman of Oyo East Local Government, Alhaji Adekunle Adegboye.

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 9, 2014

By ISMAEEL UTHMAN

The War Called The Osun Elections-By Segun Tomori Continued frompg1 I just couldn’t imagine my home State go back to the disastrous “years of the locust”. I had participated actively n the campaigns, interacted with the people, felt their pulse and the story was the same – Osun has never had it so good, the people vowed to defend their votes by all means possible! From that moment I had made up my mind to give my all and put myself at harm’s way if need be to ensure we form a bulwark of resistance against the machinery of State to be deployed to thwart the people’s wish. When I was about to proceed on my journey to Osogbo, the Osun State Capital on Monday preceding the elections I prepared for the worst. Few associates privy to my trip advised strongly that I removed any APC sourvenir from my luggage,any ID card that can associate me with the party amongst other security tips. They were right to be apprehensive, soldiers, officials of the Department of State Security(DSS) including the hooded ones,lorry loads of mobile policemen had since being deployed across the nook and cranny of Osun State. Bearing in mind the desperation of their paymasters, we knew they could stop and search vehicles and abduct anything synonymous with APC, so I took all the precautions. I took off on the journey which in itself was dramatic. As we got close to Oshogbo, a discussion ensued in the bus and I found out I was not alone in the Save-Osun initiative. Most of the passengers shared the same sentiments with me and were also natives of the State. They spoke emotionally and fiercely about their determination to ensure Aregbesola’s victory. Speaker after speaker reeled out programmes and interventions of the Governor that has brought smiles to the faces of the people. They concluded he was the best thing to happen to the State since its creation. The menacing apparatus of State then suffocating the enviroment will not deter them, they thundered! “Ko si ohun ti soja o se, a ma duro gboin gboin lati dibo Aregbe” they said in yoruba dialect meaning “there is nothing Soldiers can do, we will stand firmly to vote for Aregbe”. I thought to myself, we are about to witness mass resistance unequally in our national history if anything go against the people’s will. Hopefully, the soldiers we met on the various checkpoints didn’t stop and search, they just peeped through the bus windows and passed us on. I heaved a sigh of relief when I arrived Osogbo safely late in the evening. I have attended rallies, mega-rallies , name it, but what I

saw on Tuesday at the grand-finale of the campaign was frightening. A stadium whose capacity can’t be more than 60,000 almost caved in due to pressure from an unprecedented mammoth crowd. Every space on the covered stands were over-filled, the main bowl of the Stadium was virtually unpassable. My associates and I had to hold ourselves to navigate our way through the crowd, it took us about an hour from the entrance of the stadium to find somewhere to perch! Yet thousands more extend to adjoining roads outside the stadium. It was the APC mega-rally and to say it was awesomely mega is an understatement! We even heard that the Lord of Aso-rock caught an instant migraine seeing the magnitude of the rally! The effect of that was seen in the sealing off of the freedom park that was supposed to host workers rally the next day by “hooded soldiers” They got the now familiar, albeit emergency “orders from above” to forcefully if need be halt the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its affiliates endorsement rally for the Ogbeni. Co-incidentally, Wednesday, 6th August was my birthday but I was in no mood for celebrations of any kind. I told my wellwishers, family and friends that you don’t clink glasses in a battle-front! Interestingly, one of my compatriots who was also a major ‘battle-axe” and good friend’s birthday was 8th August so I told him we’ll do a birthday plus victory party on the 10th, a day after the elections,when we triumph at the polls. We know we had the people behind us, we never gave defeat a thought! By Thursday, preparations had reached feverish pitch, the towns, hamlets and villages was now massively flowing with uniformed men of all hues and shades. Some DSS operatives came to the restaurant we were having dinner, Thursday evening, apparently on surveillance mission. We got the message and we left in a jiffy! On our way to our location, we noticed a car trailing us, so we had to take a decoy to a bar. As we turned to the bar, the car also turned in another direction. Their mission still remains a mystery. Thank God for little mercies! When we arrived our abode, we swung into action to put finishing touches to our master-plan which was to run a coordinated and effective live broadcast of the elections on social and online media in collaboration with the APC situation room which was to start from Friday evening till the announcement of the results on Sunday. This was necessary because leaking the plans of our devious opponents was key to frustrate their rigging machinery; announcing results online as we get it directly from our agents was also crucial to frustrate any manipulation at the collation level. By Friday afternoon, I had to tactically separate from my friends who then proceeded to a high security location. The curfew was going to start around 56pm. By 4pm, I arrived at my own secure location and quickly

moved to set up. I surveyed the enviroment to assess the possible threat level. I saw that it was negligible so I settled down for the task ahead. By Friday evening we got intelligence report that notorius election rigger, Chris Uba was in town with a unit of 50 soldiers attached to him. We sent that out and made sure it went viral. Later that night, information about the arrest of our leaders ranging from APC Publicity Secretary, lai Mohammed, the Attorney-general Of Osun State, barr. Wale Afolabi, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on media, Mr Sunday are, Commissioner for Agric among others were swiftly publicised with dispatch. The far-reaching effect of the noise we made contributed in no small measure to the release of most of those picked up by Saturday morning. We discovered by Saturday morning that fake soldiers and policemen had surfaced in many locations. Their logo was a red ankara tied to their left hand. Quickly we activated our instant alert to our people,through all means possible. That again thwarted efforts to manipulate the elections from the beginning. The elections started peacefully however in most locations with accreditation going on smoothly. The only snag was the continued harassment of APC leaders across the State. The case of the 1st Civilian Governor of Osun State, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke was quite instructive. After failing to assasinate him over-night due to resistance by his security aides, he was trailed from the polling unit to his mother’s residence where he went after accreditation. He escaped the siege by the whisker after he was discreetly notified. He couldn’t come back to exercise his franchise. The results started trickling in by afternoon and the PDP demolition squad sensing their rejection quickly switched to a plan B to disrupt the collation process. We instantly alerted the public about their norturnal meeting and evil plot. What really helped the APC apart from the determination of the people was our access to classified information. We were always a step ahead of them and that frustrated the election riggers. I got an anonymous call from a patroitic police officer around 8pm who claimed he was at a location at modakeke and that results being collated was about to be altered. You could detect the fear in his voice as he asked me to ensure his cover. He was an igbo officer deployed from other states, he wasn’t familiar with the terrain but what was gratifying that there could still be few men of integrity in the corruption-ridden Nigeria Police Force. In order to confirm the authenticity of his Statement, I asked the Apapa Local Government Chairman who was with me to speak to him. He sounded credible, he concluded. So I made some calls to the authorities and sent text message to our men to act immediately.

Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Orisajafor. I still need to ask: Why purchasing black market arms? Why just two unofficial government representatives and an Israeli arms dealer on board? What if the arms

dealer refuses to deliver the arms after payment since the transaction would be done by cash? Was the money really meant for arms? If yes, who would use the arms and for what purpose? Is our government or President Jonathan not covering something up?

As 2015 general elections approach and politicians are gearing up, issues like this are not unexpected. Firstly, to have enough money to buy the votes and secondly, to have something to fall back on should they lose the

election. President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan government is no doubt the most corrupt (civilian) government I have ever known. The flimsy excuse that arm purchase embargo is placed on Nigeria by the Western nations holds no water. Is

If we thought the threats have been subdued, we were in for a shocker! The returning officer whose task it is to announce the final result was under pressure to collect a whooping N1b and announce Omisore winner! They were ready to damn the consequences and ask us to go to court. So we had to practically go on our knees! I salute the indefatigable people of Osun State, they were resolute, they stood like a rock, stayed on the streets all through and formed a human shield around the collation centre. Then the returning officer came in around 1.35pm. The results of all the local governments were announced before 5am. Then we now witnessed dilly-dallying of the highest order. It got to a point around 7am, anxious journalists and people started singing asking for the results. Lo and Behold, at about 7.10am, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was finally pronounced the winner! There was instant jubilation across the nook and cranny of Oshogbo. Never in the history of elections have I seen such spontaneous excitement pervade the landscape because of results announcement. Within the twinkle of an eye, the whole town went agog with people clutching their brooms- symbol of the Governor’s party, congratulating themselves, okada riders driving menacingly in such euphoric ecstasy and finally we could say hurray! We won! We didn’t win an election, we won a WAR with a stone like the biblical david. Goliath came to battle with the best arsenal at his disposal but we came with the will of a determined people that vowed that never again shall they go the road of perdition they once trodded. Who says the voice of the people is not the voice of God? Because ultimately the hand of the Almighty saved the day and gave us victory. Osun ti dara ooooooo. Segun Tomori

Before 11pm, we already had all the results and we had won, though unofficially. What sealed the deal for us and put paid to

Jonathan And $9.3m Arms Purchase Scam T will be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for a government that wears regalia of corruption to absolve itself of the seized $9.3 million by the South African government. The reported lies that the money was meant for arm purchase by the Federal Government obviously holds no water. If that was actually what the money was meant for, why couldn’t any of our security agencies (Army, Air Force, Navy, Police etc) be represented? Why was the National Security Adviser (NSA) not represented? How come no Nigerian diplomat or government official was involved? Why the choice of a private jet owned by the President of the

any manipulation the PDP had in stock was the unexpected congratulation of Aregbesola as the winner of the election around 9.40pm by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade. Omisore according to our sources had already informed Asorock that there was fighting in his home-town of Ile-Ife because according to him, the results we were circulating were fake and he was actually leading in the “original” results. The Ooni swiftly debunked that, not only congratulated the Governorelect, but also stated that nobody was fighting in Ife! That took the sail out of the wind of Omisore and his treacherous gang.

it the same America that donated warship to Nigerian government that will refuse to sell arms for us, even when it is clear that we are facing security challenges? Besides, when last did we buy arms from the West? I can authoritatively establish that our arms in the last one decade were purchased from the Russians. Do we have problems with the Russians too? GEJ must come out and give Nigerians satisfactory answers to the question of the Nigerian integrity in the League of Nations, rather than doling out cash (bribe) to the legislators. Nigeria will be rescued soon from these looters! •JIDE AFOLABI, Jos.

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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

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 9, 2014

FEATURE

TAN, Jonathan And Mandela’s Single Term HERE is no stopping President Goodluck Jonathan from falling into the clairvoyance trap. Already, the presidency has reached the empty point. The timeless advice, “Say what you mean, and mean what you say”, which must be preceded by knowing what you mean did not find a place in the heart of Mr President. We are not at a loss as to how things come to this sober moment. Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, (TAN) has given him the reasons to continue to wobble and to violate the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; the same Constitution he swore to uphold and protect. President Jonathan now believe that truly committed following like TAN’s group and others automatically sense his ambition and know what he wants without being told. They have been reading his decisive body language and had keyed into the anomalies, forthwith. Now, the oddity. The hempy group called TAN has dragged the name of the Sainted late former South Africa President Nelson Mandela onto the bargain. The immoral swamping mud of Nigeria politics as a cynosure of presidential waywardness has taken the centre stage. This is a country where executive recklessness, status arrogance, presidential corruption of all hues, electoral manipulation, ritual killings are given metaphors of governance. Interestingly, those who stole the nation’s fuel subsidy billions are said to be the ones sponsoring TAN and several other frauds recorded under President Jonathan’s administration. Any wonder that the N32.8 billion Police Pension Fund; N40 billion Gbenga Daniel’s theft of Ogun State money, the former Minister of Works and Housing N75 billion looting, N94.2 million Faruq Lawal versus Femi Otedola bribery, N58 billion squandered by four governors, N20 billion NNPC missing fund, N7 billion Shell Petroleum Tax Evasion, the $1.1 billion OPL 245 Malabu bribe, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor’s $9.3 million arms deal can never be unearthed. There is no doubt that President Jonathan got Pan-Nigerian mandate in 2011 for his seemingly candid promises to fix the rust of the nation. He also promised to run for single term in office. So far, he has failed the nation on the two promises. Nigeria has got the worst of image problems in terms of insecurity and doing exactly opposite what its leader promised. Yet, TAN has consistently; in its daily advertisement, equates President Jonathan with the South Africa icon, late President Nelson Mandela. Madiba was one of the world’s most revered statesmen, who led the struggle to replace the apartheid regime of South Africa with a multi-racial democracy. Jailed for 27 years, he emerged in 1990 to become the country’s first black president four years later and spearheaded the drive for peace in other spheres of conflict. He also won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993. His charisma, self-deprecating sense of humour and lack of bitterness over his harsh treatment, as well as his amazing life story, partly explain his extraordinary global appeal. One wonders, therefore why TAN should be equating President Jonathan with the Madiba, the last liberator of the 20th century, whose exemplary life of struggle, triumph, dignity, freedom, and hope found expression in the live of billions across the globe? Why would TAN compare the Otuoke man with the Thembo man, who gave potent voice to the claims of the oppressed and the moral necessity of racial justice? Why must the President enjoy the adulation of his lifeless presidency as portrayer for excellent leadership? Why would TAN disingenuously compare Jonathan with Mandela; a who man erected a constitutional order to preserve freedom for future generations? A man, who was committed to democracy and rule of law and ratified same not only by his election, but by his willingness to step down from power after only one term? Madiba’s commitment to this cause was aptly captured thus: “I have fought against white domination and I have T

•JONATHAN By ERASMUS IKHIDE fought against black domination. I’ve cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal, which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” Granted that Madiba was not a bust made of marble; he admitted so: “I am not a saint,” he said, “unless you think of a saint as a sinner, who keeps on trying.” But President Jonathan credited sainthood to his administration in his 53th Independence Day speech, saying his administration has touched every segment of the society: “We have recorded notable success in the social sector. Nigeria has been globally acknowledged for reducing extreme hunger by more than half, with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) formally presenting the country with an award for achieving the Millennium Development Goal on Hunger three years ahead of the 2015 target date set for the Millennium Development Goals.” This is coming at a time Nigeria has been rated one of the worst governed countries in Africa based on the 2014 Ibrahim Index of African Governance [IIAG], which was released a few days ago. In the report, Nigeria is rated 45.8 per cent lower than the African average (51.5 per cent) and ranked 37th out of 52 in the overall governance scale. The country scored lower than the regional average for West Africa which stands at 52.2 percent and ranked 12th out of 15 in the region. While Nigeria got the damning rating by the IIAG, Mauritius is adjudged the best governed country in Africa, with 81.7 per cent, followed by Cape Verde, with 76.6 percent. IIAG is sponsored by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, MIF, a non-grant making organisation committed to defining, assessing and enhancing governance and leadership in Africa. It presents annual assessments of the quality of governance in African countries. It also provides the framework for citizens, governments, institutions and the private sector to assess accurately the delivery of public goods and services, and policy outcomes,

•MANDELA across the continent. Other countries that made it to the top of the list included Botswana which is rated the third best governed country in the continent with 76.2 percent and South Africa which comes fourth with 73.3 percent. Ghana is rated 7th; Rwanda 11th; Benin Republic 18th; Egypt 26th; Mali 28th; Niger, 29th; Liberia; 31st; Cameroon 34th and Togo 36th; all ahead of far more endowed Nigeria. With a population of 173.6 million and population growth rate pegged at 2.8 percent, Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP, is put at $3013.3 USD, while inflation and unemployment rates stand at 8.5 percent and 13.7 percent, respectively. Nigeria also received appalling ratings in such categories such as safety and the rule of law where it is rated 44th with 38.1 per cent, 32nd in the rule of law with 41.0 percent and 30th in accountability with 36.6 percent. The country got its lowest rating in personal safety where it is ranked 49th with 16.5 per cent and second lowest in national security where it is ranked 48th with 58.2 per cent. Under participation and human rights, the country is rated 26th with 46.9 per cent, 31th on sustainable economic opportunity with 43.3 per cent and 34th in human development with 53.0 per cent. The danger in the arc of Jonathan’s administration is histrionic. The danger in it is that young and gullible Nigerians would be tempted to conflate actual governance, purposeful leadership and broad mindedness witnessed in the life and time of Madiba to mean mere opportunism masquerading as governance in Nigeria. They will be confused into believing that President Jonathan is offering socio-economic panacea needed in the 21th century, as presented by TAN. Such grandstanding by President Jonathan and TAN will erase the legacy of Madiba, his sense of equality, economic and political justice which he fought and died for. In Nigeria today, we still see children suffering from hunger and disease; 10.8 million children are out of school, we still see run-down schools everywhere. We still see young people without prospects for the future and without means of livelihood. In and around Nigeria today, men and women are still imprisoned for their political beliefs, and are still

persecuted for who they worship, and how they worship, and who they love. The grinning president has no answer to the chronic poverty and growing inequality in the country. This is where clarity of purpose suffice. Without doubts, the starting point for all effective leader is vision and visioning. It’s only when a leader is absolutely clear about what he wants that the hard work of leadership is simplified and can be actualised. Then, the distance between beloved leader and despised leader becomes shorter than we think. The swath is so thin that proper conceptualisation will readily bridge the gap. That is one of the reasons we have been witnessing the public downfall of leaders from almost every area of endeavor - politics, religion, business and sports. Today they are on top of the heap, the next day, the heap is on top of them! Unfortunately, President Jonathan is trying to become a leader and has fallen into the trap of leadership “becoming”. Incidentally, leadership flows from natural inner vision and character. President Jonathan’s administration is suffering from lack of leadership clarity. This has manifested in the way and manner the president has been double-speaking. When leaders are unclear about their purpose in governance, they often hide their confusion and uncertainty in the continuity subterfuge. President Jonathan, long before now had slipped onto the slopping valley of failure. A nation is in danger when its leader confuses manipulation for leadership and when compromised ethics is rationalised away as necessary for the “greater good” for the “greatest numbers”. These are more manifest when leaders over indulged themselves in any pleasures, be they food, drink, drugs, gambling or sex with increasing acerbity. Mark Sanborn, who has been acknowledged for expository essays on leadership classifies leadership thus: “A leader’s credibility is the result of two aspects: what he or she does (competency) and who he or she is (character). A discrepancy between these two aspects creates an integrity problem”. That is the oddity confronting Presdent Goodluck Jonathan and his administration. •Erasmus wrote in from Lagos, Nigeria

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 9, 2014

PHOTOTALK

Some Of The Newly-constructed Roads In The State of Osun Under The Administration Of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

•Ajia Estate road in Ijebu-Jesa, State of Osun, rehabilitated and asphalted under the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, as captured by our cameraman, GBENGA ADENIYI, recently.

•Ikirun to Obaagun road rehabilitated and asphalted under the administration of Governor Aregbesola, as captured by our photographer, GBENGA ADENIYI, recently.

PHOTOTALK

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 9, 2014

People Of The State Of Osun Acknowledging Cheers From Governor Rauf Aregbesola, In Osogbo, Last Saturday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI

•Governor Rauf Aregbesola (on top of a vehicle), acknowledging cheers from his admirers in Osogbo last Saturday.

•Some of the Aregbesola supporters.

•Market women displaying brooms in honour of Governor Aregbesola on the occasion.

•Admirers of Aregbesola acknowledging cheers from him.

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 9, 2014

PHOTOTALK

60th Birthday Anniversary Reception Of Chief Of Staff To State Of Osun Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, In Iragbiji, State Of Osun, Last Monday.

•(L-R) Former All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; Pa Ayo Fasanmi; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, former Deputy Governor of the State of Osun, Sooko Adeleke Adewoyin and Professor Sola Adeyeye.

•A cross section of traditional rulers at the event.

•Head of market women in the State of Osun, Alhaja Awawu Asindemade (middle) and other market women during the programme.

FEATURE

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 9, 2014

Waiting For W.F. Kumuyi T

HE people of Kumasi in Ghana did not wait for too long for the much anticipated visit of Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi from Nigeria. In 1973, he had been used by God to set up a Bible Study Group that had radicalized Christianity in a country just crawling from an internecine civil war. The Ghanaians were themselves passing through stormy times, tossed for several years by billows of military regimes. In 1979, Kumuyi was invited to lead a crusade in the second biggest city in Ghana, the country, whose military rulers played the peace maker as Nigeria stood inexorably on the cusp of war. Was Kumuyi coming with scars of conflict? Was his message going to be relevant to the people of Ghana, who were also writhing under the boots of the soldiers? If what his Bible Study Group was offering was healing the wounds inflicted by 30 months of a carnivorous war in only a few years of its existence, let him come and wave the “magic wand” in Ghana too. The Ghanaians were thinking right. The people needed a healing; spiritual and physical, at the touch of something new, something fresh, something not born of the jaded prescription that had worsened their condition day after day. Those who invited the young Nigerian evangelist (only in his late 30s) to Kumasi accepted the man, whose group has since blossomed to become the Deeper Life Bible Church with stable and dignified presence all over the world. That trip to the land of the Golden Stool and home of popular football club Asante Kotoko has been notched as a reference point in church history in Ghana. Annalists of developments within DLBC have hailed the event as the beginning of the international reach of the church. That visit has spawned massive changes in the heart of Asante land: the landfall of old time gospel message, accompanied by signs and wonders; It is freeing the people of the area from spiritual and physical poverty; it has made the dark ages of the day to recede and give way to the “more abundant life” promise; it has brought development and employment to the community of Santasi in the western suburb of Kumasi and nearby Brofoyedu. There is a 149-acre citrus farm, a community clinic and a water purification plant in the area, all available to the public. They are in existence as a result of the 1979 DLBC crusade in Kumasi, where Pastor Kumuyi ministered. Now in Ogun State, as we look back to those days of spiritual and physical renaissance engendered by a crusade, we are compelled to expect a similar boon, indeed a greater turning point, while we await a three-day crusade at Kobape, Abeokuta, with Pastor Kumuyi preaching from October 24-26, 2014. Only recently, when Deeper Life Bible Church held a three-day crusade in Osogbo, State of Osun capital, the Pastor spoke of the all-round impact of the programme in the life of society and its people. He said the crusade was brought to Osun for the manifestation of God’s power and love for the people, to heal and turn every life around, saying that the event was meant to be enriching.

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right) and General Superintendent of Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor Williams Kumuyi (left) during a courtesy visit to the governor at State of Osun Government House, Osogbo, recently.

•Aregbesola (3rd right); Kumuyii; his wife, Esther; a veteran journalist, Pastor Segun Babatope (left); and Deputy InspectorGeneral (DIG) of Police, Mr. David Omojola, during a visit by members of Deeper Life Church to the governor at the Government House, Osogbo, State of Osun, recently. By BANJI OJEWALE

He declared: “We want you to believe in God, that He can conquer any challenge, that is the most significant aspect of our crusade… to remind the people that no matter how bad it may be for individuals, state and nation, God can still turn things around and can move things forward.” Isn’t this the message Nigeria needs at the moment? The message of hope, that by the Mercy of God and Faith in Him Nigeria can pull through her challenges. This broad vision and mission of Christian open-air gatherings correct the erroneous views that sacerdotal functions are restricted to the spirit of man. It can’t be so. Instead, the church, its agents and all its organs of administration and operations exist to deliver man and his institutions of governance from the faulty terrestrial philosophy of prosperity without purity.

Otherwise, Jesus Christ the Head of the Church would not be speaking of coming to offer “life…more abundantly.” Meaning real-time existence enriched by all-round development: The purged soul, nourished by the Laws of God serves as the basis of all other enterprise of man. This outlaws the prevalent crave for unbridled and competitive materialism. The basic teaching of Pastor Kumuyi at the crusades is that man’s main need is the salvation of his soul and that all other basic demands will be met after that experience. When that is resolved, there ensues a flood of miracles: The lame will walk, the deaf hear, the dumb speak, the sick healed; and myriads of challenges are met by sheer Divine intervention. There is more as in the case of Kumasi: God deposits enduring totems of blessing in the host community in the form of communal

harmony, schools, clinics, cottage industries etc. it is a fulfillment of God’s promise in Exodus 20:24b. To be sure, Ogun State, which is hosting Pastor Kumuyi in the October edition of the series of DLBC’s international crusades, needs this breeze of blessing. We need it to silence the political war drums as the 2015 poll approaches. We need the man of God to pray for the government of Senator Ibikunle Amosun to continue to excel. We need him to plead for peace to reign in every nook and cranny of Ogun State in particular and Nigeria in general. We need him to pray for poverty to be banished out of the land. We need the crusade to transform the citizens into a peace-loving lot, who would enjoy the spiritual and physical benefits that follow a Divine visitation. •Ojewale is a journalist at Onibuku, Ota, Ogun State.

FEATURE

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 9, 2014

Again, In Defence Of Tinubu I

T is in my character to use reading

any sort to put me back to sleep whenever the night chooses to play the game of the day in my twenty four hour chore. And so it was on the night of 30th September 2014. Trying to apply that tranquilizer therapy that midnight, I came across a Punch newspaper story where Asiwaju Tinubu advocated “Common sense” revolution by voting out PDP in 2015 to end all forms of substandard governance. I read it online and as usual of me, I love to read comments, which is called feedback in journalism parlance. But in this instance, there seems to be cast iron mistrust for the guts of this consummate politician by many commentators. As a keen observer of the political adventure of Bola Tinubu, though not a daft follower, I am inclined to express my own opinion and perception of the man in a “No hostility, No Commitment” paradigm. Suffice to say that this piece is intended to deconstruct him on the bases of his political voyage and his performance as ex-governor of a state, which is a microcosm of the entity called Nigeria. And this is sure a clear departure from my previous opinions about him which tilted more in his favour. But, before going any further, it is imperative that I disclose my imperviousness to vituperations from subjective minds. It may be instructive to start the deconstruction on the substance of the statement as reported by the newspaper. Asking for a mindset revolution that rejects dogmatism of voting based on sentiments is an inspirational material in the first instance. Perhaps some readers chose to adopt selective amnesia. Happenstance, some were too busy to read the story the catchy headline attracted, or were being outrightly mischievous in giving a different interpretation to a lucid story presented in simple English. And here is the link to the story in contention (http://www.punchng.com/news/ tinubu-calls-for-revolution/). An objective digestion of this message regardless of the personage of the messenger in the opinion of this writer only corroborates the Yoruba proverb on subjectivity that “The one we don’t like cannot win a dignity of persuasion “. (Eni ti a ko fe aalo ko ran). Unless we chose to play the ostrich, we all know that we are more divided today along religious and ethnic dichotomies more than ever before, when indeed we should be united against our multidimensional challenges militating against good living. You could criticize the dalliance of Bola Tinubu with a medley of societal scourge, which comprises cells of militias, hireable political thugs, extortionists and bloodshot crude and ill-trained security guards. Unfortunately, that seems to be the vogue among many politicians and also the pass time of major political parties. More of the blame goes to the security agents, who more often than not exhibit partiality and partisanship, when the occasion demands for neutrality. Notwithstanding however, patronizing hirelings for whatever advantage is condemnable. This writer unreservedly condemn the role of Tinubu and other 1999-2003 South-West governors in supporting Obasanjo’s second term bid in 2003 as a counterproductive strategy and the one that ridiculed their claim to progressive politicking. Good people like ex-governor Chukuemeka Ezeife were available then as Presidential material but the Alliance for Democracy bungled the opportunity to give him ticket.

•TINUBU By TOBI IDAOMI

Tinubu and others’ decision then was short of altruism. Bola Tinubu is also perceived by some opinion groups as being greedy on the account of his wife becoming a Senator of the Federal republic of Nigeria and his daughter becoming the Iyaloja in Lagos. He is also often accused of imposition of candidates for elective positions. As a democrat, should a qualified spouse be discouraged from legitimate aspirations? Even in developed democracies, spouses have had the cause to aspire to positions regardless of their partners’ past position. The Clintons in the USA are a good reference. There is little literature to understand the succession culture in the Iyaloja title, but Tinubu himself once denied influencing his daughter’s choice as Iyaloja. On the allegation of imposition, the man may have been travelling the route of a hero, which is the “road less travelled” by others and in the process he is always seeing what others are not seeing. Perhaps, where others see imposition, he sees talent and good material, hence the likes of Barrister Babatunde Raji Fashola, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Professor Yemi Osinbanjo, and Leader of House of Representatives, Tambuwal among many others who are a blessing and not a curse as the imposition by others often brought. There is no sin in aspiring to be rich provided it is pursued legitimately. It is also not a sin to tap into an opportunity when it beckons itself. An investment or seed of growth can grow to become massive; it depends on the investor’s vision. Many think Bola Tinubu’s famed stupendous wealth occurred through corruption but it is doubtful if he joined politics as a poor man. Tinubu was one of the financiers of NADECO and other activists in the

struggle to dislodge dictatorship. The ability to give and spend is a gift not bestowed on many, but Bola Tinubu may have been one of the cheerful givers going by the attestations of those who have benefited from his deep pocket. Is Bola Tinubu an expansionist? No. Rather, he is an agent provocateur against the oppressors but also for spreading freedom and discouraging tyranny across the land through the instrumentality of the law. Now one needs to come to the real value of the man Ahmed Bola Tinubu in the political process in Nigeria since his days as a Senator in the aborted Third Republic and as a two-term governor of Lagos State, which is a microcosm of Nigeria. Tinubu, along four other Senators, demonstrated courage in defence of democracy, when others chickened out of the arrangement that would have nipped in the bud the usurpation by the military under Abacha. In exile, Tinubu was not only financing the activities of the opposition groups, he was actively involved in every act that were putting the dictatorship at edge back home. As the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Tinubu started on a good note by remembering the fallen heroes and naming streets and infrastructures after them. Intangible to some, but very tangible to the vicarious victims of oppression. The Bola Tinubu administration reversed all the fire brigade approach to governance and instead applied soundly wrought policies to tackle monstrous challenges of governance. Refuse heaps that were hitherto winning the war against residents of the state were not only conquered, but wastes were turned to wealth and also became a source of remarkable employer of labour through private sector partnership initiative. Though, the “Operation Sweep” security outfit was getting result, but it took away civility

and reduced the police to redundancy in its traditional role, Tinubu modified the outfit by empowering the Police and also restored civility. The security efforts have now been taken to an enviable level under Fashola. Tinubu demonstrated leadership during the ordinances accident that happened in Ikeja Military Cantonment in 2001. There was a severe confusion on that day, that many leaders went into hiding thinking there was a coup d’etat. The coming on air later that day by Tinubu saved many more lives that would have perished in the confusion. Tinubu challenged the willingness of the man at the centre to turn Nigeria’s federalism to unitary government where governors could be summoned at will to report in Abuja by presidential order. While Abuja gravitated towards de facto, Alausa was in favour of de jure. The Abuja de facto leader visited his irascibility on Odi community in Bayelsa State, when he ordered the military to pummel the poor community. The president did it and he liked it and wanted to visit same on Lagos. He wrote a letter to Tinubu expressing his intent to order shoot-onsight on warring communities in Lagos. The governor, Bola Tinubu, replied that they were running a democracy based on federalism values and would therefore not welcome any violation of those values. Perhaps that started their frosty relationship. Hardly did any other government pursue liberation through judiciary as did Lagos under Bola Tinubu against the determination of Abuja to enforce a “Principal and Students” relationship between the Federal Government and the state governments. Lagos also scored many firsts during the regime of Bola Tinubu in innovative initiatives such as Egovernance, healthcare, housing, rural integration and human rights, Infrastructural renewal and human capital development. To his administration’s credit goes the adoption of templates of traffic management and internally-generated revenue (IGR) by other states that were and are in government under different political parties platform outside the then AD and AC. This writer is a strong critic of the excesses of authorities and agencies like LASTMA, KAI and the federal /state arrangement like VIS, but LASTMA has been a blessing more than a curse and would indeed become more handy if reinvigorated and reformed. The establishment of traffic radio, where travellers are advised on how to plan their journeies is part of the wisdom of the agency. History would be kind to Tinubu and Orji Uzor Kalu, who both as governors refused the enticements of third term by frustrating the subterfuge of the then desperate government at the centre. Mention must made of Senator Ken Nnamani, a man of immense quality and a gentleman, who also demonstrated strong conviction to do what was morally right. Also to Tinubu’s credit and few others is it, that the PDP has not been dead drunk. With the formation of the APC, an initiative that put an end to regional parties, the PDP knows that there is fire on the mountain and that they have to work extra hard to retain their hegemony. Going by the vehemence of the “For” and “Against” responses whenever this political colossus sneezes, the following are easily deducible: that his adversaries are succeeding in winning converts against him; that he is grossly misunderstood by those who should be grateful to him; and that his image launderers are lagging behind in the battle of wits for political leverage.

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 9, 2014

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POLITICS

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 9, 2014

Fayose Ill-advised Over Eligibility Case - Falana Mr. Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, speaks with OLUSOLA FABIYI on the crisis rocking his state, Ekiti, and what to expect from the regime of the governor -elect of the state, Mr. Ayo Fayose

OW would you describe what is happening in Ekiti, your home state now? It is rather tragic although I was not taken aback. In my reaction to Ayo Fayose’s electoral victory in the governorship election, I did say that the Ekiti people had gone back to Egypt. The barbaric attacks on judges at Ado Ekiti last week have confirmed that the people have been taken to the wilderness. Is Ekiti still the fountain of knowledge as being claimed? It is ahead of other states in terms of literacy rate. For instance, while over 70 per cent of the children of school age in the North-East region are out of school, Ekiti State has barely two per cent. That figure of two per cent is the lowest in the country. Some people would describe the state as a fountain of anarchy now… That will not be correct. The masses of the people are generally peaceful. But a faction of the political class is utterly violent and lawless. Since we operate in an atmosphere of complete impunity, the few who engage in criminality are never brought to book. The crisis of the rule of law in the state has been compounded by the active involvement of the police in violence. Ekiti State is not a fountain of anarchy. But the relative serenity in the place is going to give way to anarchy, once again, at the instance of the incoming regime. Generally, it is a peaceful state. Even with what is happening in the state? On both occasions that the symbol of justice was recently attacked in Ekiti the armed thugs were not more than a handful. But the police deliberately refused to disperse them. Since they carried out the sacrilegious attack on judges in broad daylight, the thugs are well known. But the criminal suspects are likely to be granted amnesty by the ruling party. Who will you blame for the attack on the judges? Primarily, the police ought to be held responsible for the assault on judges. Because of the political tension in the state, the compound which hosts several magistrate courts and the High Court of Ekiti State, the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal was well secured. But in a premeditated attack on the High Court on September 23, the police flung open the gate for the armed thugs. That was when Justice Olusegun Ogunremi was chased out of the temple of justice. Assuming the detachment of the police in the precincts of the High Court was caught unawares on September 23, why were the thugs led by the governorelect, Ayo Fayose, granted access to the High Court on September 26 to wreak havoc? Why did you say so? There is no country where crimes are not committed. But whenever there is rule of law, criminal suspects are arrested and prosecuted. However, where the rule of law is non-existent or very weak, criminals are granted amnesty or immunity on the orders of the government. That is what is playing out in Ekiti State. The Senate President, General David Mark, has already announced amnesty for the mastermind of the violence. On its own part, the Federal Government has refused to condemn the perpetrators of the violent attack on judges. Some say it is because of the second term ambition of President Goodluck Jonathan that the violence was not contained by the police. Do you agree? I do not agree. Our country is undergoing a major crisis in the area of law enforcement. Every criminal action is politicised. When a judge is assaulted by thugs, it is viewed as a clash between APC and PDP. When a pastor’s jet is used to smuggle money to another country, those who condemn the crime are portrayed as enemies of Christianity. What has the second term ambition of President Jonathan got to do with the desecration of the temple of justice? It is so sad that impunity has been

•FAYOSE internalised even by lawyers. All kinds of jejune rationalisations are adduced to justify the mockery of the independence and impartiality of the judiciary. The other day a high court was bombed in Port Harcourt, Rivers state. Shortly thereafter, the wife of a Supreme Court Justice was kidnapped. A high court judge in Delta state had his right hand fingers chopped off by kidnappers. Mike Ozekhome (SAN) and Kayode Ajulo were kidnapped. Two lawyers were assassinated in Warri last year. A serving attorney-general and close to 10 lawyers have been mowed down in Borno state. Can you defend the case filed against the eligibility of Fayose? Having regard to the facts and circumstances of the case it is indubitably clear that Fayose was not properly advised. In any society where there is rule of law no one is allowed to resort to violence to settle disputes that are pending in court. In the entire continent of Africa it was only in the dark days of Uganda under the brutal dictator, President Idi Amin Dada, that judges were subjected to physical attacks. Under the defunct military junta in Nigeria judges were never assaulted. In this case, Fayose took a risk by not filing a defence to the case challenging his eligibility. The trial judge had only ruled on his jurisdiction to hear the substantive suit. Within the period that the judge stood down the matter, Fayose’s lawyers could have filed a Notice of Appeal and a motion for stay of proceedings. Why, in your own opinion, did thugs suspected to be supporters of Fayose disrupt the proceedings in the court where the judge was going to rule on his eligibility to run or not? After the election of Governor Adams Oshiomole, the PDP candidate pursued the issue of his eligibility up to the Supreme Court. The eligibility of Governor Gabriel Suswan was challenged by the former All Nigeria Peoples Party up to the Supreme Court. So the E-11’s case on the eligibility of Fayose is in order under the Electoral Act and the constitution. Is this case not belated? It is not belated. Under the law, even a sitting governor can be challenged. Some guys have just filed a suit challenging the eligibility of President Jonathan. If the President of the republic can be dragged to court, how can a governor-elect be heard to

•FALANA say that he cannot be sued? Even if Justice Ogunyemi had ruled against Fayose, he could have appealed to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. Mind you, Governor Kayode Fayemi gave a concession speech after the election. On that score, he is not a party to either of the two cases pending in the courts. Before the latest crisis, he was already on farewell tour of the state. Therefore, the stage was set for Fayose’s inauguration. With respect, the incendiary statement credited to the Senate President, General David Mark, that the inauguration of Fayose could not be stopped was totally uncalled for because up till now, no one has justified his resort to violence in the circumstance. Who are the members of E-11 and what do they actually want? I am not a member of E-11 but it is a sociocultural group in Ekiti State, a concerned non-governmental organisation of the elite with members drawn from all the political parties. Under the Electoral Act, any group of citizens or individuals has the locus standi to challenge the eligibility of any candidate who wants to contest any election. That is the basis of the action of E-11. Who do you hold responsible for the killing of the former boss of NURTW in the state and what do they want to achieve? The killing is sad, ditto for the burning of houses and properties. It has exposed Ekiti people to ridicule. Having regard to the involvement of the deceased in the crisis of the NURTW and politics in the state, I cannot point accusing fingers at any particular direction. The police have a duty to ensure that those who murdered Mr. Omolafe Aderiye are brought to book. I am sure that the killers will be fished out because the police and the SSS know all the killers in Ekiti State. Those who engaged in arson should also be prosecuted. How would you describe Fayose? Mr. Ayo Fayose is an interesting character. He is a wonderful mobiliser of the mob. But he does not know when to call his violence-prone supporters to order. He has scant regard for the rule of law. In spite of my criticism of his violent disposition and tendencies he appreciates my position. He has even invited me to his inauguration. He claimed to have become a changed person during his campaign…

The statement credited to him that he has changed is an admission that he was involved in violent activities in the past. While in power from 2003 to 2006, he was alleged to be linked with politically motivated killings. I complained to the police and the State Security Service. The police charged Fayose with the murder of Mr. Tunde Omojola. He challenged the warrant for his arrest at the Court of Appeal. He lost but he has taken the battle to the Supreme Court. He is currently being prosecuted for corruption and money laundering by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission at the Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti. Notwithstanding that the sword of Damocles is hanging on his head, Fayose was lucky to have been elected. But he should not take his luck too far. Would you say, with his election, that the people of Ekiti have made a right or wrong decision? The Ekiti people are perfectly entitled to elect whoever they like to govern them. That is what bourgeois democracy is all about. Up till now, the world is still paying for the decision of the American people to elect George Bush Jr. I believe that the wishes of the Ekiti electorate should be respected. However, Fayose owes himself a duty to turn away from violence because no leader can govern in an atmosphere of anarchy and chaos. He has to embrace the rule of law. What do we expect in the four years that Fayose is going to be governor of Ekiti? It is crystal clear that the people have been taken back to the era of statesponsored terrorism. Already, rival drivers unions, urchins and ‘lumpen’ elements are unleashing mayhem on innocent people including judges and judiciary workers. Fayose should be advised not to frustrate his own inauguration. With the ongoing political crisis, some development agencies have decided to pull out of the state. I know industrialists who have decided to relocate to neighboring states. I have some friends who have resolved to go on exile from Ekiti State for the next four years. The exodus of business and the elite will have adverse effect on the fragile economy of the state because no investor takes funds to any place where the rule of law is in abeyance. I hope Fayose will genuinely jettison violence in the interest of law and order in Ekiti State. Culled from THE PUNCH

INTERVIEW

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 9, 2014

OYES, Aregbesola’s Sole Thought - Eniibukun He is a retired Colonel in the Nigerian Army and has been saddled with the responsibility of growing one of the babies of the governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES), from the inception in February 2011. In this interview, Colonel Eniibukun Oyewole, bares it all with ABOSEDE AKINPELU. OSDF: Can we meet you sir? ENIIBUKUN: My name is Col. Enibukun Oyewole, a retired colonel of the Nigerian Army. OSDF: What is your role in this empowerment programme? ENIIBUKUN: I manage and decide over O’YES for Mr. Governor. I want to first thank God for how far we have gone and where we have got to. OSDF: How did the OYES come into existence? ENIIBUKUN: O’YES is a sole thought of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and he had been nursing that as far back as 2005, when he was preparing to contest for the gubernatorial election in 2007. We all know how history has been good to us as at 2010, when his mandate was restored back to him. He reminded everybody that he gave a promise that within the first 100 days in the life of his government, he would establish O’YES and that is what he stated in his six-point integral action plan. OSDF: How does one partake in the OYES scheme and what do they do? ENIIBUKUN: After the applicants have done the necessary things, such as filling and submitting their forms both online and manually, we screened them and within the first 100 days in office, we were able to pick 20,000 applicants that were trained for three weeks. The training was commensurate to the achievement and the objectives of O’YES which in-turn centres around the youths in the State of Osun. To give them a training that will enable them imbibe the ethos of Omoluabi and to show them how to make and create wealth. After the three-week training, they were issued uniforms and all other things and they were deployed into the seven areas of deployment. Those seven are: Sheriff Guard, Sanitation Czar, Green Guard, Teachers Squad, and Paramilitary Public Works and Traffic Marshals. This deployment has helped in the orderliness, cleanliness and rendering of service to the community and the individual must imbibe the ‘Apalara’ attitude. The requirement for O’YES is open to all youths in the state between the ages of 18-35, in addition to the fact that it is open to all youths of the state and those who reside in it. OSDF: What is ‘Apalara’? ENIIBUKUN: From the poem written by J.O. Odunjo, which clearly stated that a young man realised that to be able to make wealth, he must use his hands, and so we did not just put this word out but to internalise and

•ENIIBUKUN

practise it. OSDF: What are the characteristics of OYES? ENIIBUKUN: The major characteristics of OYES are as follows: It is voluntary, because it is an easycome-and easy-go scheme. You do not have to wait for your two years before you can optout. Some can get better job opportunities or relocate to other states. For whatsoever reason, you are free to take an exit. It is a revolving scheme; after two years, another batch is being taken in. And they are trained in social, cultural and economic activities in relevance to being ‘Omoluabi’ and the realisation of the ethos of Apalara. Apart from being trained, they are also empowered to learn other things that can make them also to empower and employ others. Such training includes soap-making, dettol, chalk, iru (locust beans) production, shampoo and so on. OSDF: What contribution has OYES have on the society? ENIIBUKUN: OYES has contributed to both beautification, social and morality of the citizens of the state. Talking about the social factor, it has been able to reduce the rate of unemployment among the youths. Although the allowance given to them

is a token, but before their two years runs out, they would be trained on how to be empowered and not to be employed, because when you are empowered, you can employ others such as things that can make youths forget their hopelessness. The rate of the unemployed youths as stated by the National Bureau of Statistics in 2013 was three per cent and in 2010, it was 12 per cent not only in OYES but but in every area. Directly related to that is the crime rate that has drastically reduced. It is easy to achieve that when we remember an adage that says “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” But since all the youths are engaged in one thing or the other, the welfare of the youths has improved. This indicates that their health attitude has all improved in commitment to the growth of an individual to make money. It has also helped in the beautification of the State of Osun. Once you enter the state, it is very easy to distinguish between Oyo and Osun. The neatness and the flowers all over has added more beauty to the state. This also has effect on the well-being of the citizens of the state, as they say: ‘Health is wealth’. The percentage of malaria and cholera infection has reduced drastically and helped in saving the money for health

for the development of the state and it has also reduced the rate of flood in the state. This is due to regular environmental sanitation exercise and ensuring that all the gutters are free for the flow of waste water. OSDF: How well have you able to supervise them single-handedly? ENIIBUKUN: Thank you very much. I believe you are aware that we have 30 local government council areas and an Area Office. And in all these places, we have the OYES. The coordination is not a one-man thing. There is a Monitor in each of the council areas, as well as a Prefect and Deputy Prefect and a Provost. And in all local government council areas, we have groups that serve as eyes of their monitors. OSDF: In comparing the OYES empowerment programme and the regular employment, which one do you think is more economical? ENIIBUKUN: The O’YES is a part-time job, which starts from 6:00am till 10:00am and they are being given N10,000 as the allowance for their jobs. After they close for the day, they go for other things to boost their income. But this is not so with others OSDF: How do you think the OYES impacted on the August 9, 2014 gubernatorial election outcome? ENIIBUKUN: As I said earlier, the O’YES is a revolving event that every two years, a total number of 20,000 youths are being empowered and this has been on since the first 100 days in office of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s administration. Come to think of it, during the electioneering campaign, different candidates presented their manifestoes and it was so clear that some of them wanted to scrap the O’YES programme. Let us not forget that the electorate are youths (males and females). When a programme had picked them from the streets and someone thinks such is a waste of money. The governor was reelected based on his works and not for any other reason. If we look at all what he has been doing, you will see that he deserved the second term; most especially for the love he has for the people and for being a faithful and caring leader. OSDF: Do you have any message for the youths? ENIIBUKUN: I first of all want to appreciate the people of Osun; the old, the young and the OYES group. I really appreciate their support for voting for Ogbeni Aregbesola and I pray they won’t regret ever voting for him.

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 9, 2014

PHOTOTALK

State Of Osun Omoluabi Free Train Ride From Osun Back To Lagos.

•Passengers boarding the Omoluabi Free Train Ride offered by Governor Rauf Aregbesola for this Year’s Eid-el-Kabir Celebration, for a Return Journey to Lagos at Osogbo Terminus, State of Osun, on Tuesday.

•Another cross section of the Aregbesola’s free train beneficiaries at Osogbo Termius

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2014

T is good that every government in power is not oblivious of the existence of opposition that is able to sensitize the people about the action and inaction of those they have elected as Custodians of their franchise. This is desirable in the face of common denials that people suffer as a result of failed promises from our political leaders. Government in power will know that there are watchdogs that will criticize them if they are not doing it right. However, such criticisms must be constructive enough to convince people that opposition parties are really out to defend the interests of the common man. We have seen many regimes that took off well with people’s welfare paramount to them at inception. They reeled out plans that people considered as essential to their wellbeing, only to let people down afterwards because no sooner have they started their execution that those project that emanated from them were abandoned. So people-oriented projects and programmes may emanate from a government peopled by those given to visionary leadership, but experience has shown that complacency may set in if checks from those in opposition are lacking, except of course by those political leaders that are properly and thoroughly bred. Such criticism came the way of Ogbeni Aregbesola’s government of late, when the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), gave her a hard knock against the backdrop of poor results emanating from last May\June Senior School Certificate examination. They alleged that the government of the day is not doing enough to change the fortune of education that has been dealt deadly blow through the neglect of the past. The party that just lost to Governor Aregbesola in an election that gave him a second berth failed to counsel the governor on the better way they are handling a similar matter in which the Federal Government is possibly making headway. We need to point out something important that may be overlooked by the critics before making such generalization. Those who are directly affected should be able to see where things went wrong before the mother was blamed for skewed head of the child. Those who see things with utmost objectivity will then be able to judge on whose doorway the blame should alight. There must be a way forward at the end of the day as to know whether it is ringworm that should gain more attention that leprosy or the other way round; because we have gotten to a critical point, where we have to eschew all forms of hypocrisy that has assumed

By ADE OLUGBOTEMI

Decay In Education: Beyond An Individual’s Ingenuity “Ogbeni Aregbesola has made remarkable impression at his micro level of the State of Osun; he has equipped schools with modern buildings, recruited teachers following mass exodus of old hands in the teaching profession, invested in the training and retraining of teachers, spending a lot on school meals to encourage the young ones to stay in school and for their healthy living, jacked up the grants payable to schools on students’ teaching aids and materials, embarked on mass recruitment to prove that all hope is not lost for school leavers, and done so much more. It is the duty of parents, teachers, and other stakeholders to encourage the Students to remain focussed; so that the much needed excellence can be recorded in this all epidemic dimension. lacking in entirety because the Itimportant may be very wrong to treat the sector.” Federal Government is paying lip case of Osun in isolation because the state is an integral part of the ‘Whole’ called Nigeria. Like the proverbial Oya worshippers therefore, what has befallen one of them calls for serious concern amongst all devotees. Anyone that feels that the problem of educational decadence is peculiar to the State of Osun will only be failing in the onerous duty of having to identify the cause requisite to effectively addressing the ailment. Following the knowledge of an ailment therefore, the physicist will be able to assess, which of the possible solutions will best be applicable to reduce the headache of endless permutation and experimentation. We all know that the Federal Government’s employment generation is a mere paperwork today. It is the duty of the Federal Government to create job opportunities and enabling environment for experts and specialists to operate. This can only be made possible if necessary basic facilities are put in place; which are

service to them. The whole world is aware that the transformation agenda of Nigerian Federal Government is in place, but ordinary Nigerians are not feeling any impact of transformation; because there is no positive impact on their lives. Gone are the days when fresh graduates would bother less about gainful employment because of numerous opportunities that competed for their considerations. The only way this can be possible now is to choose a course of study in the tertiary institution and also look inward on what may likely create a buffer against hunger in the event that the toiling involved in the pursuit of a degree and higher degree fails to yield its desired benefit of good job that will enable one to make ends meet. It is now a matter of making do with what one can get in the absence of what is desirable. It is now permanently stuck to the psyche of an average student that, added with the task of excelling in

one’s studies is the need to learn a craft that will provide immediate solution to meeting the basic needs of survival; peradventure the golden fleece of job opportunity fails to come handy. So, instead for an engineering student to face the arduous task of becoming an excellent engineer, he is inundated with what alternative means of survival can be fashioned if the opportunity to practice as an fngineer fails to avail itself eventually. Rather than become a liability and a parasite, it is better to take one’s fate in one’s hand. For someone that desires to be a trader, the basic requirement is to know how to communicate effectively with potential customers; and this in itself only requires that one is proficient in the understanding and speaking of the basic language(s) of communication of the environment of operation. This doesn’t require a university degree at all. Probably a secondary education would do; but the orientation today is so skewed that parents even encourage their wards in the secondary and tertiary institutions to make multifaceted struggle their watchword. This doesn’t give room for total concentration anymore, as a lot of time is wasted on extra engagements other than the basic pursuit of education excellence. Ogbeni Aregbesola has made remarkable impression at his micro level of the State of Osun; he has equipped schools with modern buildings, recruited teachers following mass exodus of old hands in the teaching profession, invested in the training and retraining of teachers, spending a lot on school meals to encourage the young ones to stay in school and for their healthy living, jacked up the grants payable to schools on students’ teaching aids and materials, embarked on mass recruitment to prove that all hope is not lost for school leavers, and done so much more. It is the duty of parents, teachers, and other stakeholders to encourage the Students to remain focussed; so that the much needed excellence can be recorded in this all important sector. It is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that controls the macro structure of Nigeria, it also lies within their power to fix it where any disjoint is noticed. They should create an enabling environment where it will be possible for school leavers to get jobs or be self-reliant. This is the only way students will concentrate on their studies to get desirable results. Teachers will be happy they are not labouring in vain, and the performing governor will also feel encouraged to do more, not only for education but also in every area, where he has been impacting on human lives.

OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guaranty Trust Bank GTB, Gbongan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun. All correspondence to the Managing Editor, KOLA OLABISI, Telephone: 08033927286 (kolaolabisi@yahoo.com); Editor, KAYODE AGBAJE, Telephone: 0803-388-0205, E-mail:

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