Osun Defender Online Version of February 19, 2021

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19 - THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021 VOL 16 NO 06

143 Contributory Pensioners Receive N963m Bond Certificates The Significance Of Ash Wednesday And Lenten Season - Bishop Oyejola

Knocks As Osun United Unveil Jersey On Away Soil

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Police Arrest 3 Suspected Armed Robbers, Herbalist With Human Parts In Osun

Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola decorating his Orderly, Sunday Igwe who was promoted to Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in Abuja.

Facts Behind Kidnapping Surge In Osun O Page 2

Mining, Influx of Foreign Herders Responsible -Yaa Salam Osun Govt Needs To Support, Appreciate Security Groups – Aladesawe Police Set Prompt Response Unit, Vow To Flush Out Criminals Suspected kidnappers recently paraded by the police in Osun.

Osun Govt Shuts School As Suspected Cultists Invade Premises

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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19 - THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

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News

Facts Behind Kidnapping Surge In Osun

By Ismaeel Uthman

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INING activities in some parts of Ijesaland might be responsible for the incessant kidnapping activities in the State of Osun.

Security experts, in different interviews with OSUN DEFENDER, expressed strong conviction that influx of miners into the Ijesa axis of the state is posing serious threat to the safety of individuals residing in the area.

According to the experts, the combination of some criminal minded Yorubas with the Northerners who are coming into the state in mass on the pretence of mining activities is responsible for the spate of kidnapping in the state.

Four different incidents of kidnapping have been reported between December 25, 2020 and February 8, 2021 in two different areas of the state.

Also, the Deputy Registrar of the Federal University of Technology (FUTA), Akure, Ondo State, Dr. Amos Arijesuyo, was attacked by gunmen suspected to be kidnappers operating on the Ilesa-Akure expressway on January 16, 2021.

Arijesuyo did not survive the attack, as he died the following day.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER on the increase in rate of kidnapping yesterday, the CommanderGeneral, Harmonized Vigilante Group in the State of Osun, Alhaji Ridwan Hussein, popularly known as Yah Salam said the mining activities taking place in Ijesaland is attracting criminals into the state.

According to Hussein, the increasing rate of kidnapping was as a result of strong conspiracy of ‘criminal-minded Yorubas’, foreign Fulani herdsmen and some Northerners who are coming into the state for mining.

He, however, clarified that the Fulanis who had been living in Yorubaland for long were not responsible for the nefarious activities, saying that the ‘criminal Fulanis’ were those who came into Osun and other parts of Yorubaland from Niger, Chad and other neighbouring countries.

The security expert said: “I had told the governor during a security summit in Ilesa, that where we are experiencing these kidnappings are close to where mining activities are taking place. And we have three layers of kidnappers.

“The Fulani herders

are one, the second people are those miners who left Zamfara gold forest to Osun. Our fathers and other people are also engaging the Northerners for mining. I have discovered that we are the one creating problems for ourselves.

“If they kidnap somebody and hold him or her hostage in a bush, are farming activities not taking place in that area?

Who are the people buying food for the kidnappers and their victims in the bush? The kidnappers also sell body parts of any of their victims that are killed. Who are the people coming into the forests to buy the parts? We have much to do.

“People are also complaining about the Fulanis that have been living with us for long. I see that as a needless vituperation. We are all Nigerians and we know what is happening.

We should not start the war that we cannot end.

The government should find a way to address the influx of Fulanis from Niger, Chad, Mali and other places.

“Some of the appre-

Governor, State of Osun, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, a retiree, Mr Adedeji Kolawole and Head of Service, Dr. Olowogboyega Oyebade during the Presentation of Bond Certificates to Retirees on Contributory Pension Scheme at Local Government Service Commission, Abeere on Tuesday. hended suspected kidnappers were speaking French-intoned Hausa language, not the common Maiduguri Hausa language. It is not the Fulanis who have been living with us for long that are waging war against us. We know where the war is coming from.

“Those people who engage in illegal mining activities are responsible for the kidnappings. Those terrorizing us are not from this place. Unfortunately, our people are conspiring with them. If we say we want to declare total war on the Fulanis, what would happen to our peo-

ple conniving with them?

“I have taken the pain to hold meetings with the monarchs in border communities in Osun, warning them against accommodating people from the North for now. We have to be cautioned.

“The government also needs to regulate the so-

143 Contributory Pensioners Receive N963 Million Bond Certificates

By Solomon Odeniyi

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total of 143 retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme in local and state government services in the State of

Osun have been given their bond certificates.

The certificates, which were presented to the retirees by Governor Adegboyega Oyetola on Tuesday, worth over N963m.

Speaking at the event, Oyetola said: “Despite the harsh economic conditions of our state, arising from national economic challenges, our administration’s commitment to the welfare of workers, both serving and retired, remains un-

Symbol’s Quote

“The absence of love is the foundation of all evils in our society. Those who love others will not steal from them, kill them, tell lies against them or harm them in any way”

wavering since we came on board in November 2018.

“This, we have continued to do through the regular and prompt payment of full salaries and allowances to all categories of active workers as well as full pension to all our pensioners at all levels, including the monthly release of N509 million to pensioners under the Old Pension Scheme.

“So far, our administration has released about N31 billion to cater for our pensioners, including N26 billion for pensioners under the Old Pension Scheme and about N5 billion for those under the Contributory Scheme.

“I thank the latest beneficiaries for their patience and perseverance, while assuring those who are yet to collect theirs to be patient and keep faith with our government as we are working assiduously to ensure that we reach out to all of them as soon as possible.”

cial media. People are using social media to misinform the general public and cause panic.”

In his analysis, the Chairman of the Gani Adam faction of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) in the state, Mr. Deji Aladesawe said it is an established fact that some Yorubas were conniving with ‘criminal Fulanis’ for the kidnapping business.

According to Aladesawe, some Yorubas have been serving as informants to the kidnappers, disclosing that some of them were arrested in recent operations.

However, Aladesawe lamented what he described as negligence of the OPC members by Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, claiming that the governor has not been encouraging and supporting them financially.

He said OPC has always been involved in rescuing kidnapping victims in many parts of the state, maintaining that its members have been working for the security of the state and would continue rendering the services.

The OPC chairman called on every resident of the state to be vigilant, saying that the Fulani herdsmen that were chased out of Ondo State forests might be making their ways into Osun.

“There is no doubt that those herdsmen sent out of Ondo, Ekiti and Oyo states would have made way into Osun. Our governor should be meticulous about the issue of security.

He should not discriminate against the security groups. Security is different from politics. You cannot wish any hand away on security”, he said.

Continued on Page 4

PEOPLE FIRST

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19 - THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

Perspectives

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By Most Rev. John Akin Oyejola

Symbolism Of Lent

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E congratulate Christians worldwide on this year’s observance of the annual Lenten Season.

The Christian lent, encapsulating a 40-day fasting as observed by Jesus Christ, is a period of congregational abstinence; which involves self-denial in eating, drinking and other carnal activities like sexual intercourse, visual and audio defilements, and the likes. It is a period in the year when the moral and spiritual tolerances of the individual devout is put to test and when he is set on course to live as he would be required to live ever after.

The significance and symbolism of Lent is fully appreciated when we contrast the First Adam in the book of Genesis with the Second Adam (Jesus Christ) in the gospels. The First Adam fell to temptation. The Second Adam, led by the Spirit, became insulated against the tempter. Having fasted for 40 good days, he conquered the intrigues and antics of Satan; breaking the jinx, once and for all, forever.

Today’s fasting, kick- “Christians are enjoined to restarted from the Ash order their steps, draw closer to Wednesday, climaxes on God, eschew all semblances of the 40th day (Sundays ex- sin and transgression and becluded), which is known as Good Friday. The Holy come prepared to reign with God Saturday marks the inter- and His Christ eternally in the vening day Jesus the Sav- hereafter” iour spent in the tomb; while the adjoining Sunday is the Easter Day, marking the resurrection of Christ.

We learn from this rich religious exercise the whole essence of the Christian Faith. When we purify our heart through the spiritual exercise of fasting, we get energised to resist the devil. We become dead to sin and we get empowered to resurrect with the Triumphant Christ on the last Easter (the Great Resurrection Morning).

Christians are enjoined to reorder their steps, draw closer to God, eschew all semblances of sin and transgression and become prepared to reign with God and His Christ eternally in the hereafter.

This is the high order of the Christian fast. We wish all Christian faithful and adherents a happy Lenten period and prosperous Easter celebrations in advance.

Selective Enforcement

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HE State Government of Osun and its imaginative, hardworking Health Commissioner, Dr. Rafiu Isamotu deserve commendation for going the extra mile in responding to the totally unexpected COVID-19 pandemic.

It must however be stated that at this crucial stage of a second wave, there must be a review and finetuning. Due to human frailties, lapses are beginning to show up. We are in full agreement that the rules in an existential threat must be rigorously enforced, but it must not be selective. Closing down a place of entertainment at the same time overlooking blatant infringement of the same protocols by politicians, religious houses etc, is unacceptable.

The authorities should ensure uniformity in enforcement in order to strengthen positive public perception and fairness.

A perception of unfairness or double standards is at variance with the consent that is so vital in enforcement in a democracy.

Furthermore, there should be leadership by example, which means that those in the spotlight must, like Caesar’s wife, be demonstrably above board.

Perceptions of double standards in effect undermine the acceptance of difficult orders so necessary for effective implantation.

Once again we commend the authorities for their sterling effort.

The Significance Of Ash Wednesday And Lenten Season

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SH Wednesday is the beginning of dinate desires and attitudes that belie us of annual Lenten observance. It is the our true Christian calling. By conversion day when we bless and distribute we renounce all other values that contest ashes as a sign of repentance in the Catho- the centrality of Jesus Christ in our quest lic Church. The practice itself dates back for eternal life, and wholeheartedly believe to the Old Testament; as a matter of fact, the Good News as a necessary principle for the heart of a sinner is compared with dust. daily living.

Prophet Isaiah described an idolater as one All through the Lenten season, fastwhose heart hankers after ashes cf. Is. 44: ing and abstinence are obligatory for all 20. Prophet Joel called on people of his time Catholics who are sixteen years and above. to repent in sackcloth and ashes, Joel 2: 1-2, However, those above sixty years and those 12-17. The ash is a symbol of repentance, a with health conditions that will affect the public admittance of guilt before God. wellbeing of those involved are exempted.

The ceremony of “The Ash Wednes- The rule is that one full meal is allowed in a day” places us in the shadow of death, with day. The Church however places emphasis the salutary suggestion that we take a good on fasting and abstinence from sins and hulook at ourselves, our specific vocations, man shortcomings during this period with and measure our present conditions and extra efforts made in prayer life, penance plans against the certainty of death. We are and almsgiving. reminded that on earth we do not have a According to the ancient traditions of “permanent city”, but we seek for that “city the Church, there are four important things of God” that is to come (Heb. 13:14). to be given attention during the Lenten obWe are reminded that all the valid and servance namely: Prayer, repentance, fasturgent preoccupations of our life in time ing and charity. must be subordinated to and evaluated in Prayer is the act of lifting up our hearts terms of life and eternity. We are remind- to God, a two-way communication between ed that the life span of the human person us and God. We reach out to God and he anis short and fleeting, swers in his own way and that the real man, “The Church however places em- and time. The solemn which is the soul, lives phasis on fasting and abstinence nature of Lenten seabeyond the grave. Fi- from sins and human shortcom- son makes prayer a nally, we are called wonderful exercise upon to repent and ings during this period with extra for the serious folefforts made in prayer life, penance welcome the message lowers of Christ. of salvation.

Fasting and aband almsgiving” During the impostinence are good sition of the ashes on the foreheads because they help nourish the of believers, which signifies repentance, the spiritual growth of the individual person priest says either of two things: “Repent and strengthen the will of everyone to overand believe the Good News” or “dust you come bodily temptations and seduction of are to dust you will return.” This is a time the soul by the evil one. Corporal works of penance, purification and conversion. By of mercy during this period is a required penance we show God through our actions, exercise, when we observe fasting and abthat we are sorry for our poor conditions stinence, whatever we abstain from is exof life and personal offences. By purifica- pected to be given to the poor and needy tion we purge ourselves of all those inor- and not food items to be consumed later or money saved for later use.

Finally, we must always remember that the kind of fasting that the Lord asks of us is to “break the fetters of injustice and loosening the thongs of the yoke, setting the oppressed free and breaking every yoke. We are to share our food with the hungry, to house the homeless and clothe the naked (Is.58:6-7).

We are human being created in the image and likeness of God, destined for love and must reflect that in our daily activities with one another. May the season of Lent renew our inner being and draw us closer to God and one to another.

OSUN DEFENDER IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY OTHER NEWSPAPER, Bishop John Akin Oyejola, MAGAZINE OR ANY PUBLICATION WHATSOEVER Catholic Diocese of Osogbo.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19 - THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

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News

Osun Govt Committed To Ease Of Doing Business, Sustainable Investments

By Ismaeel Uthman

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EPUTY Governor, State of Osun, Mr. Benedict Alabi, has reaffirmed the State Government’s commitment to providing enabling environment for ease of doing business and sustainable investments.

According to Alabi, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s administration is much interested in putting in place every necessary mechanism that could make businesses flourish and boost micro-economy in the state.

He stated this on Tuesday, while receiving in audience the State Executive Council of Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA).

Alabi said: “I want to assure you that this administration is much interested in putting in place every necessary mechanism that could make businesses flourish and boost our micro-economy in the state.

“We understand the inherent challenges in the line of your business, especially the menace of adulteration of petroleum products by dubious individuals.

“We are ready as a government to help you fight this infraction and support your association in sanitising the system and guaranteeing safety of our people.

Our amiable Governor, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, is so passionate about developing business environment in a secured atmosphere”.

In his earlier remarks, the

State Chairman of NOGASA, Owolabi Awolowo, appealed to the government for support to put an end to the activities of some bad elements in the Oil and Gas supply and distribution chain.

Awolowo said: “As an association, we have come to seek for support of government to be able to get rid of some unscrupulous individuals who are engaging in adulteration and diversion of products in the state.

“The activities of these bad elements have badly affected our business and this is why we are seeking your help.”

Artisanal dredgers inside contaminated Osun River, Gbodofon, Osogbo. Photo: Olushola Aderinto

We Don’t Want Herders In Our Communities telling the government - Ileogbo, Ogbaagba Monarchs that we don’t need them.

By Solomon Odeniyi

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RADITIONAL rulers of towns adjoining Iwo, State of Osun, have kicked against the recent call by the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi, that his town was ready to provide shelter for displaced ‘good and repentant’ Fulani herdsmen.

According to the traditional rulers, who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER in separate interviews, their towns are not ready to and would not accommodate any Fulani herdsmen, aside those that have been living with them for

long.

Speaking with the medium, the Olu of Ileogbo, Oba Abeeb Adetoyese Agbaje said: “Ileogbo is not inviting Fulani herdsmen and we are not ready to accommodate any of them. We already have Fulanis that are living with us and we are at peace with one and other.

“We don’t want

strange Fulanis in our community. We don’t want problems. We know what is happening across Nigeria and we don’t want anything that will disrupt our peace.

“The person inviting the displaced Fulanis does not have a farm. We have farms here and we don’t want foreign herders to destroy our farms

Olokode

step to curb criminal acts in every part of the state.

Public Relations Officer of the command, Mrs. Yemisi Opalola, who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday said the Commissioner of Police, Mr Wale Olokode was disturbed on the spate of kidnapping and has mapped out strategies to get rid of everyone involved in the criminal act.

According to Opalola, Olokode has set up a Prompt Response Unit (PRU) for the singular purpose of putting an end to kidnapping activities in the state.

Opalola said the PRU has been patrolling all the black spots in the kidnapprone areas to drive away

“We are at peace with the Fulanis living with us.

They have been with us for more than 50 years.

They don’t give us problems. They have never destroyed our farmlands.

We so much understand one another. So, we don’t need any strange herder in our community.”

Osun Moves To Protect HIV/AIDS Victims Against Discrimination

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HE State Government of Osun has taken a bold step to protect people living with HIV/AIDS

against discrimination.

Governor Adegboyega Oyetola has forwarded Osun HIV and AIDS Anti-dis-

Why Kidnapping Is On The Increase...

Continued from Page 2 Police Set Up Prompt Response Unit However, the Osun State Police Command has said that it has been responding decisively to kidnapping activities and taking every

here.”

In his reaction, the Agbowu of Ogbaagba, Oba Sikirulahi Akinropo said: “Ogbaagba is not ready to host any herdsmen.

Ikonifin is also not ready.

A person whose mother was killed by a mad man will run on sighting a mechanic. Iwo can host the herdsmen but we don’t need them and we are

kidnappers and other kinds of bandits.

She said: “The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Wale Olokode, is disturbed on the kidnapping activities.

Because of that, he has set up Prompt Response Unit against kidnapping activities. The PRU is basically to drive away kidnappers in the state. The unit is made of well-trained professional policemen.

“But we need support from the members of the public, in terms of information dissemination. Since police are not spirit, we can’t know what is happening everywhere. We should all embrace community policing.

“Thank God for the sup-

port from the State Government. For effective patrol; we need vehicles and other logistics because the covering area is large and we cannot take any chances. The Governor has promised to support us on that.

“The Commissioner himself has been very active in waging war against kidnappers and securing the release of their victims. He has been going into the bushes and forests with his men to free kidnapped victims.

“The Commissioner has also been holding meetings with the farmers and Fulani herders in the state for peaceful resolution, in which they both agreed to embrace peace.”

crimination Bill 2020 to the Osun State House of Assembly for passage.

The Executive Bill, when passed into law would protect the rights and dignity of people living with HIV, thereby eradicating stigmatisation.

Oyetola also forwarded Osun Private Veterinary Premises and Ambulatory Practice (Regulatory) Bill 2020, which seeks to prevent unregistered and quack veterinary doctors from practising, as well as improve the state’s InternallyGenerated Revenue.

The two bills passed through first reading on Tuesday at the floor of the Osun House of Assembly.

In his remarks, the

Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Timothy Owoeye said the House would do justice to the bills to enhance the living standards of the people of the State.

Owoeye said Osun Private Veterinary Premises and Ambulatory Practice (Regulatory) Bill would check excesses of unregistered veterinary doctors in the state.

He also noted that the other bill would protect lives of people living with the disease.

He said Osun HIV and AIDS Anti-discrimination Bill 2020 in particular would protect people living with HIV/AIDS against stigmatisation and discrimination if eventually passed.

NEWS

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19 - THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

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Aregbesola, Akeredolu, Oluwo, Others Nominated For World Peace Laureates

By Sodiq Yusuf

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IGERIA’S Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrauf Adewale Akanbi have been nominated for the World Peace Laureates Award.

Other nominated for the award are the Gover-

nor of Borno State, Prof.

Babagana Zulum, Legal Icon, Aare Afe Babalola, Orangun of Oke Ila, Oba Adedokun Abolarin, Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom, Oba Frederick Obateru Akinruntan, among others.

The Executive Chairman, World Institute for Peace, Mr Lamina Kamiludeen who disclosed the nomination yesterday, said

Aregbesola and Akeredolu were nominated for Laureate of Security (LOS) while Zulum was nominated for Laureate of Peace and Security (LOPS) awards.

Oluwo, Oba Abolarin and Babalola, SAN, were shortlisted for Laureate of Development (LOD).

Kamiludeen stated that the nomination of the Nigerian leaders for laureates of the World Peace Award

was disclosed via a virtual meeting presided by the chairman of the award jury, Amb. Janith Prabashwara Perera from Sri Lanka.

He said they were nominated by residents of their various states and communities.

He disclosed that the World Institute for Peace would also hold World Peace Conference in Nigeria.

OAU Workers Protest Unpaid Hazard Allowance

By Solomon Odeniyi

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ON-ACADEMIC workers of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife have protested non-payment of hazard allowance to them by the management of the institution.

The workers, who shut all the entries and exits of the university on Wednesday, accused the OAU Vice Chancellor, Prof.

Eyitope Ogunmodede of non readiness to accede to their request.

Chairman of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, OAU branch, Ademola Oketunde, had on Monday, said the university workers had given the manage-

ment a 24-hour ultimatum to pay them hazard allowance from a sum of money released to it by the Federal Government.

Oketunde said unions of non-academic staff had started negotiation with the Vice Chancellor over the issue and urged him to use the Earned Allowance released to the university for the payment of hazard allowance of staff.

At the expiration of the ultimatum on Wednesday, the protesters comprising members of the Non-Academic Staff Union, and SSANU members, locked all entries to the campus of the institution, as well as staff quarters.

“Nearly all the universities, including FUNAB,

Unilorin, UI, FUTA have all paid their staff but our VC refused to pay by favouring only one union; National Association of Academic Technology.

“If he is paying only NAAT members, I can assure you that we will not open the school gate for the next one month. We gave him 24 hours ultimatum, but he took us for granted. The way out is that the VC should learn from how other universities around utilise their earned allowance and pay us”, Oketunde said.

Reacting to the matter, OAU Public Relations Officer, Mr. Abiodun Olanrewaju, describe the protest as unfortunate, saying that the management of the

university should not be the target of the protesters.

Olanrewaju said: “It is unfortunate that the gates leading to the campus were closed. The fight should not be against the management of the school because what brought about the strike was the fund released by the Federal Government as allowance to the three unions.

“The management of the school met with the three unions that they should go and reach an agreement on how the fund would be utilised.

“I assure you that some of the gates have been opened. The leaders of the union are in Abuja meeting over the matter and it will be resolved.”

Aregbesola Kamiludeen said the conference, according to the award jury of the institute, is slated to hold on March 14, 2021 at the premises of Osun State University, Main Campus, Osogbo, State of Osun by 10:00am.

According to Kamiludeen, the chairman of the award jury, Perera, stated that the proposed event is to discuss the best solutions to banditry in the world and to honour those who have in one way or the other contributed immensely towards the peace of the world.

He added that the event would also create a platform to present the suggested solutions to ban-

ditry to all presidents and governors as well as other leaders of the countries affected by banditry.

Dignitaries expected to grace the event are world peace leaders, renowned poets, foremost rights activists, students as well as community developers and African traditional rulers.

“On his part, Dr. Pedrito Marrero (USA), the secretary of the award jury, implored the recipients not to relent in promoting culture of peace, saying ‘this is why their names were confirmed as the winners among the over 200 nominees received by the Institute’, said Kamiludeen.

Social Diary

Presentation Of ‘Portrait Of A Sterling Activist’, A Compendium Of Tributes To Celebrate Com. Waheed Lawal @ 56

The Celebrator, Lawal exchanging pleasantries with Field Commandant, Osun Amotekun Corps, Chief Amitolu Shittu and Com. Abiodun Aremu.

The celebrator cutting his birthday cake with well wishers.

The celebrator with his wives and Senate Spokesperson, Sen. Ajibola Bashiru and Hon. Taiwo Akeju, who represented Governor Adegboyega Oyetola at the event.

Cross section of guests during the programme.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19 - THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

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rrogance or pride is the blamable characteristic of a person that Allah Almighty dislikes the most. Arrogance is the feature of Iblees (Satan) and his followers in this world. We all know that the first one who showed arrogance towards Allah (SWT) and His creation was Iblees. When Allah Almighty commanded Iblees to prostrate to Adam, he refused to do so and was arrogant, and said, “I am better than him (Adam), You created me from fire, and You created him from clay.”

Religion

JUMAT SERMON By Imam Zakariyah Sarumi

Allah Almighty said in the Noble Quran about the greatest sin arrogance (pride) in these words: “(To them) it will be said, “Enter the gates of Hell to abide eternally therein, and wretched is the residence of the arrogant”, (Quran, 39:72). According to the Holy Quran, arrogance (pride) is the sin that will be severely punished by Allah Almighty. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) said that pride is the disease which is the greatest sin in the sight of Allah Almighty; one who is proud is arrogant. People who are arrogant will not enter paradise. Prophet (SAW) said, “One will not enter Paradise if one has an atom’s weight of arrogance in his/her heart.” (Tirmidhi).

Arrogance or pride is when an individual thinks too deeply about himself, and when he tends, moreover, to consider others as inferior to him. On the contrary, when one thinks of himself as small and insignificant, is known to be modest and this characteristic is called modesty. When someone considers others superior to himself, that is called humility. Allah loves those who possess these great qualities and disliked those who in any case have the arrogance. In the Noble Quran, Allah Almighty says: “… truly He likes not the proud”, (Quran, 16:23). Pride or arrogance is disliked the most because it is a thick veil which hides one’s shortcomings from his own view, and thus prevents him from removing them and attaining perfection.

Arrogance leads people to sickness of the mind and incorrect behaviour. People who live in a state of pride and betrayal reside in a dark internal world. A world full of a sincere dread of losing, making a mistake, being humiliated, stress, doubt, hatred, anger, and passion. Arrogant peoples’ behaviour is always expected

Arrogance In Islam (I) to make them appear more valuable and superior in the eyes of other people. In other words, they feel superior to others. Allah Almighty turns the arrogant people away from being guided with his signs. For those people, Allah Almighty says in Holy Quran: “I will turn away from My Ayahs (verses of the Quran) those who behave arrogantly on the earth, without a right, and (even) if they see all the Ayahs (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons signs, revelations, etc.), they will not believe in them…” (Quran; 7:146).

The most severe arrogance is being arrogant against Allah Almighty by rejecting submission and worshipping Him. Allah Almighty says about these arrogant people in the Holy Quran, “Verily! Those who disdain My worship (because of arrogance), they will surely enter Hell in humiliation!” (Quran, 40:60). The person who is arrogant or proud likes that people should stand up for him, whether on his coming or while he is sitting, does not like that anyone should sit or walk beside him. An arrogant people live in a constant state of discomfort due to which they never find peace in life.

When pride finds its way into the hearts of Muslims, it quickly affects the way they talk, act and treat others.

May Allah Almighty keep us all away from this disease of arrogance and pride! Ameen.

Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And

surely, We created you (your father Adam) and then gave you shape (the noble shape of a human being); then We told the angels, ‘Prostrate yourselves to Adam’, and they prostrated themselves, except Iblees (Satan), he refused to be of those who prostrated themselves.

(Allaah) said: ‘What prevented you (O Iblees) that you did not prostrate yourself, when I commanded you?’ Iblees said: ‘I am better than him (Adam), You created me from fire, and him You created from clay’”.(Quran 7:1112).

Arrogance is one of the characteristics of Iblees, so whoever wants to be arrogant should realize that he is acquiring a characteristic of the devil, and that he is not acquiring a characteristic of the noble angels who obeyed their Lord and fell down prostrate. Moreover, arrogance may be the cause of a person being deprived of paradise and may mean that the Lord of Glory will not even look at him, as it says in the following two hadeeth: 1 – It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood that the Prophet (SAW) said: “No one who has an atom’s-weight of arrogance in his heart will enter Paradise.” A man said, “O Messenger of Allah, what if a man likes his clothes and his shoes to look good?” He said, “Allah is Beautiful and loves beauty. Arrogance means rejecting the truth and looking down on people.” Narrated

by Muslim, 91.

2 – It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “Whoever lets his garment drag along the ground out of pride, Allah will not look at him on the Day of Resurrection.” Abu Bakr said: “Sometimes my garment slips down on one side, unless I pay attention to it.” The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said, “You are not doing that out of pride.” Narrated by alBukhaari, 3465.

• To be concluded next week.

• Imam Zakariyah Sarumi Imam, Ipetu Ijesa, State of Osun.

Crime

Corps Member, 2 Others Arraigned For Alleged Cultism In Iree

By Yusuf Oketola

A

26-year-old 2020 Batch A member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Wisdom Akintade and two other persons have been arraigned before an Osogbo Magistrate Court for allegedly terrorising Iree community and engaging in unlawful society.

Akintade was arraigned alongside Sodiq Opeyemi (29) and Olayinka Fadeyi (21) on a three-count charge of conspiracy, breach of peace and engaging in unlawful society.

The defendants, according to the police, were suspected to be members of Eiye Confraternity and were unleashing terror in Iree and its environs.

According to the charge sheet obtained

by OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday, the accused persons and others at large committed the offence on February 12, 2021 at about 11:45 am at Osun State Polytechnic, Iree.

The alleged offence contravened Sections 516, 64 and 49(d) of the

Criminal Code, Cap 34, Vol. II. Laws of Osun State, 2002.

However, the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Defence counsel,

Mr. T.B Ayodele applied for the bail of the accused persons, saying that they were ready to stand trial and would provide reliable and credible sureties.

He said Akintade Wisdom was a corps member serving in Kogi State and passed out on Thursday, yesterday; pleading with the court to be magnanimous in

its ruling by admitting the defendants to bail.

However, Magistrate Ishola Omisade admitted the defendants to bail in sum of N200, 000 with two

sureties each.

The case was adjourned till March 18, 2021 to be mentioned at the Chief Magistrate’s Court in Iree.

Captain Cook Staff Arraigned Police Arrest 3 Suspected Armed Robbers, For Alleged N2.1m Theft Herbalist With Human Parts In Osun

A

worker with Captain Cook Bakery in Osogbo, State of Osun, Fadulilah Ahmed, has been arraigned at an Osogbo Magistrate Court for allegedly stealing a sum of N2, 117,850.

The 24-year-old Ahmed was arraigned on a count charge of stealing the company’s money.

Ahmed, according to the charge sheet made available to OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday, committed the offence in the month of December 2020 in Osogbo.

Police prosecutor, Mr. Taiwo Adegoke, told the court that the alleged offence contravened Section 390(9) of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Vol. II, Laws of Osun State, 2002.

But the accused pleaded not guilty to the allega-

tion leveled against him.

The defense counsel, B.O. Odubola prayed the court to admit the defendant to bail in a liberal term.

Odubola noted that settlement was going on between the complainant and the accused person.

He promised that by the next adjournment date, substantial part of the alleged stolen money would be brought to court as part of settlement agreement.

However, the accused person was admitted to bail by the presiding Magistrate, Mr. Ishola Omisade in sum of N1, 000,000, with two sureties.

The case was adjourned till March 24, 2021 for hearing.

By Ismaeel Uthman

T

HREE suspected armed robbers have been arrested by the Police in the State of Osun.

The suspects, Muyiwa Abereijo, Sunday Clement and Joseph Emmanuel were arrested with a locally-made cut-to-size gun in their possession.

Parading the suspects on Wednesday, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Wale Olokode, said: “the suspects confessed to have successfully snatched 15 motorcycles from different motorcyclists in Ile-Ife and its environs.

“Two of the victims have identified two of the suspects as the culprits that snatched their motorcycles sometime in January this year. However, efforts are being intensified to apprehend the receivers of the stolen motorcycles.”

Also, a 40-year-old herbalist, Moshood Adeboye, was arrested for alleged unlawful possession of human parts.

Adeboye was said to be in procession of two human legs with other flesh in his apartment when he was arrested on Tuesday by Joint Task Force.

Olokode said the suspects confessed to have cutoff the human parts along Iwaro area of Gbongan, in Ayedaade local government area of the state.

The Commissioner of Police said: “Upon information received that there were some human parts kept by one Moshood Adeboye ‘m’ in his apartment, operatives of JTF swiftly swung into action and arrested the suspect, known to be an herbalist in Gbongan Area.

“He confessed to have cut off the human parts found in his possession along Iwaro

area of Gbongan. The suspects will be charged to court after the completion of investigation”, Olokode stated.

In an interview with newsmen, the suspect said: “I only found the human parts on my way and I believe it would be useful for me.

“I did not kill but I took the part for money ritual, I am a herbalist. It was after when the people in my house were shouting that I should come and carry the human parts I kept in the house that police arrested me”.

Also paraded for conspiracy and stealing were four other suspects, Oyebajo Sunday, Oludokun Damola, Olaniyi Akeem and Chimeze Umeh.

They were said to have stolen a Truck loaded with 20 water pipes worth 3.5million naira, belonging to Thomas Chase Company, Ilesa.

Sports

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19 - THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

7

Knocks As Osun United Unveil Jersey On Away Soil

By Solomon Odeniyi

R

EACTIONS have continued to trail the unveiling of the Osun United jersey for the 2020/2021 Nigeria National League season at the Krisdera Hotel Stadium, Omoku, Rivers State Osun United Media Officer, Tajudeen Amodu had uploaded pictures of the unveiled home and away jersey on his Facebook page few minutes to the team’s away match against Go Round FC. Social media was awash for days as sports enthusiasts in the state beared their minds on the matter.

A sports presenter in the state, Joseph Ateweh described the development as strange, saying he was yet to hear where a professional club unveiled its jersey at an opponent’s stadium.

Ateweh added that the excuse that the jersey arrived

late was an indictment on the team’s management.

He said: “The pride comes with what you do on your home ground. Have you ever heard that a football club, a professional club for that matter unveiled their jersey away from home? These are cheap excuses that the jerseys arrived late. As a responsible club, all the necessary things should have been done before the season kick-started. Admit that something is wrong with the club and needs urgent attention.”

Another sports enthusiast, Emmanuel Shaibu said the Omoluabi Giant got it all wrong by unveiling the team’s Jersey away from home, adding that there was nothing that could justify the action.

He said: “Osun United FC is just like a public defendant trying to defend a well-known criminal. Unveiling the jersey at opponent’s stadium was

just too wrong “Yes, Nigeria might have unveiled their jerseys in London but not at Wembley or any other stadium in London.

If late arrival of the Jersey was the problem, then, why not unveil it at the team’s hotel or even on social media.

“Can we all just imagine Man Utd unveiling their jersey at the hawthorns or at

the Kings power stadium...it is wrong from all fronts, just trying hard to defend the indefensible. “ Reacting, Amodu, the media officer of Osun united, said there was no law or tradition against unveiling the jersey away from home.

He added that if the jerseys had been supplied earlier or the first match was at

home, the unveiling could have been done in Osogbo.

Amodu also blamed the bureaucracy in accessing the fund for the club as one of the reasons for the delay in the arrival of the jersey which was why it was unveiled in River state.

He said: “By law, is there any designated place to unveil? No! By tradition, is there

any particular place to unveil?

No! If there is anything wrong about that, the Nigeria Football Federation should not have unveiled Super Eagles jersey in London.

“Why was the jerseys not unveiled in Osogbo? The supplier of the jerseys sent the consignment on the day we set out for the journey to Omoku. What led to the late production was that there was an existing contract between the maker of the jersey and the management of Osun United which needed to be sorted out before another contractual agreement was entered into.

This took time to be sorted out, hence late production.

“Whatever is required to be backed up with fund from the government is not always gotten quickly. Some of them take months before the bureaucratic bottleneck is sorted out. This is one of the factors that cause the delay.

Opinion

Oyetola: Doing Much Without Noise

By By Kola Olabisi

P

OWER indeed is responsibility. There is a correlation between an ability and performance. Trial is a prerequisite measure to know the ability of a human being.

Some talents have been eternally buried because of lack of sufficient pedestal of such a gifted fellow to prove his mettle.

No human being is outrightly useless in this world.

Rather, it is only that some people are not saddled with a tasking responsibility which is in line with their core area of comparative advantage that it will appear that such a person is a failure in life.

Life can be likened to a metaphorical partisan political space where there is latitude for all manners of characters to exhibit their God-given endowments. There is an allowance for the wise ones just in the same way that the gate is not shut out for the pathologically stupid ones and those who are skilled in thuggery.

My cursory and systematic study of the activities of an illustrious son of State of Osun with primary source of power for over two years running revealed so many things.

Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, with his rare ability to squeeze water from the stone in his efforts to provide qualitative and enviable leadership for the state, despite the paucity of fund, qualifies him to be described as an unrivalled financial engineer, financial wizard or a financial magician.

Discerning minds within and outside the ruling party, APC the state have been wondering how the technocrat

turned politician has been able to smoothly run the state.

The shocker handed down to the major opposition party in the state by this maverick state governor is legendary as he has been steadily fulfilling his campaign promises without any hitches. The state workers have not only been collecting their pay in full but it has also been effected as and when due.

This singular achievement of the Governor in the area of salary payment has sent jitters into the spine of the major opposition party in the state, PDP. At the onset of the Oyetola administration, the sing-song of the opposition had been that the government would soon go under by reason of its inability to pay salaries. But they have been proved wrong as the Governor would not have anything to do with obstruction of the payment of the workers’ salaries.

If the prompt payment of salaries by Oyetola is marvellous, of equally wonderful fact is how he has turned the entire state into a construction site.

There is no local government across the state where legacy road construction projects are not either in progress or already completed. Of particular interest is Edeland where Oyetola has been introducing and effecting rapid and ferocious reconstruction of their township roads despite the fact that the voting pattern during the last governorship election showed that the ancient town was an opposition enclave.

Another noticeable attribute of the Oyetola administration is that it does not neglect any sector for

another as health, security, welfare, education, culture etc have also been given due attention in the overall interest of the people of the state.

The Governor who cherishes behind the scene approach to issues requiring attention is a workaholic who has no time for frivolities. Behind his taciturn, easy-going, suave, urbane nature is a strong will resolution to entrench exemplary beneficial governance in the state. It is equally of importance to state that all the inherited projects from his predecessor are all works in progress across the state.

The superlative achieve-

ment of the Oyetola administration on its effective tackling of COVID-19 pandemic is still fresh in the memory of the people of the state. The technocrat-Governor refuses to be distracted by the needless noise oozing out from the market but rather, he is concerned with the activities of his co-patrons to the market.

It is not for fun that the manmade series of orchestrated distractive tendencies from both within and outside the party have been refusing to stand or fly. This is in fulfilment of the adopted moniker for the Oyetola campaign movement, Ileri Oluwa(The

Promise of God).

There is a nexus between the approach of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, former Premier of the old Western Region and leader of opposition in the First Republic who was Vice Chairman of Federal Executive Council and Finance Minister (Federal Commissioner) during the General Yakubu Gowon regime, and the Osun State Governor Oyetola.

When Awolowo (Awo for short) was in charge of the country’s finances, Nigeria embarked upon many infrastructural projects and even executed a three-year civil

Osun Govt Shuts School As Suspected Cultists Invade Premises

By Sodiq Yusuf

T

HE State Government of Osun has shutdown lfeoluwa Co Educational Grammar School, Osogbo as suspected cultists invaded its premises yesterday.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the suspected cultists, who were about 20 in number with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons in their hands attacked students of the school who were also suspected to be cultists.

Sources at the school areas told the medium that some of the students sustained injuries in the attack.

Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Osun Command, Mrs Yemisi Opalola said: “We received a distress call from

Ifeolu School, Osogbo that a group of youths numbering about 20 invaded the school with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.

“On receipt of this information, we deployed men to the scene and a suspect was arrested with a machete cut on his left arm and head.

He was rushed to Osogbo Central Hospital for treatment.”

In a swift reaction, the Ministry of Education through a statement by its Coordinating Director, Kehinde Olaniyan, announced the closure of the school.

Olaniyan explained that the closure was to prevent the breakdown of law and order occasioned by the invasion of the school by hoodlums and cultists masquerading as students.

The statement reads in parts: “This is to inform the general public especially parents, guardians, and students of lfeoluwa Co Educational Grammar School Osogbo, that the Honourable Commissioner for Education has directed that the School be closed down temporarily until further notice.

“This step is necessary to prevent the breakdown of law and order occasioned by the invasion of the School by hoodlums and cultists masquerading as students.

“Parents and guardians are advised to keep their wards at home while the closure lasts.

The Ministry is working round the clock to ensure that the hoodlums are arrested and prosecuted accordingly.”

war without borrowing money. That is just what Oyetola has been replicating in Osun as despite the fact that he has been ferociously impatient to develop the state, he has been systematically repaying all forms of inherited debts without no known case(s) of borrowing a dime from anywhere to run his government.

OLABISI is the Media Consultant to the Governor(Office of The State Party Chairman, Osogbo).

CHANGE OF NAME

HENRY UGOCHUKWU ODOEMENAM That I was formerly known and addressed as HENRY ODOEMENAM now wish to be known and addressed as HENRY UGOCHUKWU ODOEMENAM. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

AFOLAYAN AYODEJI EMMANUEL That I was formerly known and addressed as OGUNRINDE AYODEJI EMMANUEL now wish to be known and addressed as AFOLAYAN AYODEJI EMMANUEL. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ADEYEMI SIMISOLA MOTUNRAYO That ADEYEMI SINMISOLA MOTUNRAYO and ADEYEMI SINMILOLUWA MOTUNRAYO are the same person, with former date of Birth, 31-08-1998 now wish to be known and addressed as ADEYEMI SIMISOLA With MOTUNRAYO. correct date of Birth, 13-06-2000. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ISSN : 0794 - 8050

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19 - THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

VOL. 16 NO 06 www.osundefender.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com

Aregbesola, Akeredolu, Oluwo, Others Nominated For World Peace Laureates

L

EADERSHIP is an act of motivating a group of people to behave in a particular way towards achieving a common objective. It has to do with the capacity of an individual to inspire others to act and giving direction to a particular way they must act. A leader must, therefore, possess critical thinking skill and ideas with which he/she will galvanise followers to act in a particular way.

Above all, he/she must have courage, integrity, respect, gratitude and empathy among others.

After its Independence on 1st October, 1960, Nigeria was moving very fast to the path of development until when the Civil War broke out between the Nigerian government, headed by General Yakubu Gowon and the Secessionist State of Biafra, led by Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu between 6th July 1967 and 15th January 1970, where more than one million people died. After the “no-victor-no vanquished” war, Nigeria postCivil War times were very peaceful, especially between 1970 and 1999; with booming economy as it retains the Number One position in Africa and 6th in the world, vis-a-vis crude oil production. However, successive governments – military and civilian – with very few exceptions in the South-West states where Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) held sway squandered the boom and wreaked havoc to the system.

Apart from institutionalising the culture of corruption in Nigerian politics, General Ibrahim Babangida-led military administration that ruled Nigeria from August 27th 1985 till August 26th 1993 created a solid foundation for future crises times between 1993 till date; with only a respite of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo years, which is a junior brethren of the Babangida experiences. And just one of many instances, Babangida military administration could not account for $12.4 billion crude oil money derived from 1991 Gulf War windfall!

From return to unbroken civil rule from 1999 till date, instead of marching forthright to the high heavens in terms of delivery of democracy dividends to the mass majority of the poor, regarding better working and living conditions, it has been one step forward, several steps back as a result of leadership deficit in cumulation; and with Obasanjo, Yar’Adua and Jonathan PDP 16 years of maladministration, new leadership was needed to move the country forward.

Specifically, in the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign tour in Abeokuta, Ogun State in 2014, the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu said on the podium, “we begged Muhammadu Buhari to contest again. Nigeria is challenged and we present to you a great leader who has the ability to think and do and equals to performance. Buhari is the man that can deliver because he is honest. He has integrity .....”

Buhari, who had contested but lost in 2003,

“As at today, Nigeria drifts very fast to a status of a failed state, as its political and economic properties have become very weak to respond to its primary function – protection of lives and property”

Leadership In Critical Times 2007 and 2011, was packaged as the man who would salvage the situation and take us to the Promised Land. It was a difficult time as crude oil price crashed to the extent that about 23 states could not pay workers’ salaries, as allocation to states from FAC plummeted; daily stealing of crude oil in the creeks; Boko Haram operational attacks in the North-East and kidnapping of people, especially, students in boarding schools; incessant increase in fuel price and scarcity especially at yuletide; constant blackout as national grid was always dropping from 3,000MW; open corruption with impunity and a host of other challenges too numerous to mention.

Almost six years in power, APC campaign promises brandished as alternative agenda to PDP look like advanced fee fraud in retrospect. In today’s Nigeria, there is no day that kidnapping, banditry, Boko Haram, Herdsmen/farmers clash, gunmen will not unleash attacks on the people for ransom, abduction, outright killings, raping and various forms of terror that have led to deaths of hundreds

STRIKER

G

of thousands and torment to many families.

There has not been any improvement in electricity. What we are offered instead is increase in electricity tariff in darkness; incessant increase in the price of petrol – a fresh increase is looming; increase in prices of foodstuffs and all necessities of life while the politicians brazenly steal money meant for development and welfare of the people and go into a feign spell at the slighted presence before a public enquiry.

Yes, the Buhari APC-led administration has done some worthwhile things like reviving the rail transport system and some social investment programmes among few others but these are just little drop of water into the ocean. Why should our four refineries not working? How do we export crude oil and import its refined products at prohibitive international market prices while workers are not paid international wages? The refineries should not only be working optimally, we should have built new ones. Where is electricity/power promised? What has become

Page 5

of all the money from the World Bank from 1999 till now to help boost access to electricity in Nigeria and enhance the performance of electricity distribution companies? What has become of $16 billion allegedly spent on electricity under the Obasanjo administration between 1999 and 2007? If the two - refinery and electricity - had been fixed, our situation wouldn’t have been so dismal with respect to poverty alleviation and job opportunities, and consequently, security. Electricity/Power is the bedrock of any development. With our functional refineries, we could sell our petrol at our own market price since the crude oil is in our backyard.

Under Jonathan, Nigeria was on frying pan.

Now, it is directly on fire! As at today, Nigeria drifts very fast to a status of a failed state, as its political and economic properties have become very weak to respond to its primary function – protection of lives and property. What Nigeria requires at this trying period is a leadership that will be ruthless with corruption, theft of public funds and violent crimes; that will promote real, deep education and skill acquisition, especially ICT; that will diversify economy, fix refineries and build new ones; that will fix electricity. All these are possible to actualise in two terms of eight years. It is inability to fix them that has left us gasping in the throes of insecurity, economic recession and unmitigated corruption. In the absence of such solid, visionary and upright leadership, fixing these problems will become a rocket science and very difficult as the complicated situation daily deteriorates alarmingly. Like Josiah Gilbert Holland said, “God, give us men! A time like this demands strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands: men whom the spoils of office cannot buy; men who possess opinions and a will; men who have honour; men who will not die.”

Striker is not the opinion of the Columnist featured above

OD bless the Late Sonny Okosuns. In the mid 1980s, when Nigeria looked like a paradise compared to today’s hellish realities, he sang, “Which way, Nigeria; which way to go? I love my fatherland, so I want to know which way Nigeria is heading to.” Were he to resurrect briefly to see how far we had journeyed into the jungle, how sad he would feel in the afterlife out there!

Our flight to the edge of the abyss is the story of the sufferings of democracy and the Rule of Law. The Rule of Law is the foundation of democracy and when laws are selectively applied or disregarded outright by institutions and personages of government, allowances are created for dangerous resort to self-help and subsequent slide into anarchy.

Barack Obama said, “One of the challenges of democratic government is making sure that even in the midst of emergencies and passions, we make sure that the Rule of Law and the basic precept of justice and liberty prevail.” These are what can arrest the rule of might and gravitation into chaos. In Nigeria, there are clearly spelt-out procedures for apprehension of all manners of wrongs and crimes in the constitution and the penal codes. It is the duty of the policing and security system firstly; which is under executive supervision, then the duty of the independent judiciary, to rigorously, promptly and impartially pursue. Once undone, the door to the rule of force opens wide.

Therefore, the first responsibility belongs to institutions of government manned by those the people voted for and elected into

The Agony Of Democracy offices at the executive and legislative levels (with their appointed aides); and the best of the professionals manning the policing/security system, and the third tier of government - the judiciary. Once they fail in their duties to the people and the nation, for lack of vision, courage, passion and democratic commitments, their wrongful acts and inactions precipitate public distrust, disrespect (and eventually even rebellion) towards government and institutions, and leads to a chain reaction of leadership failures down to the grassroots level. Self-centredness, nepotism and clique/ cabal rule replaces the Rule of Law and the travails of democracy begin, as patriotism and nationalism disappear down the drain.

When a nation finds itself as such at the edge of the precipice drowning in unremitted violence, crimes and rumours of war, what is to be done, with majority of its instructions weakened by corruption, ineptitude and dominated by blind and self-seeking drivers?

Of course, despair, desperation and panic are not the options; rather, it is time for sacrifices by well-meaning, forthright and patriotic leaders and citizens, with their first acts being the resurrection and purification of their organs for mass mobilisation against sinister errors, diabolic machinations and rules: a time for return to their popular organisations.

Dwight D. Eisenhower said, “The clearest way to show what the Rule of Law means to us in everyday life is to recall what has happened when there is no Rule of Law,” . So,

if these patriots remember not only the horrors of the civil war but the dark days of the military, they must now rouse themselves and rouse their slumbering, disoriented and compromised structures of struggle, shift the gear and step on the accelerator; turning the mass of the people, and thereby the nation, in a new, redeeming direction.

“When dictators and tyrants seek to destroy the freedom of men, their first target is the legal profession and through it the Rule of Law,” said Leon Jaworski, and we have seen that happened in this country; and Benjamin Franklin warned too that “whosoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech,” which we have witnessed along with assaults on peaceful protests while armed, killer bandits are being appeased!

Confronted today by what is quickly amounting to a taciturn government not alive to its core responsibilities in a crippled democracy, organised labour, trade and professional bodies, the students’ movement, rights and pro-democracy organisations, religious and cultural associations, the press and independent judiciary must now be rallied by those who can rightly do so, and are positioned to so do - to speak out, speak up and do the needful. It is surely one of our last resorts for a return to sanity, a retreat from the brink of destruction, and a match towards “unity and faith, peace and progress.”

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 Deputy Editor, ISMAEEL UTHMAN, Telephone: 0805-121-2204, usmanismail001@yahoo.com. ISSN: 0794-8050.

Website: www.osundefender.com Email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com, osundefemder@yahoo.com