Osun Defender Online Version Of August 04, 2023

Adeleke Threatens Political Appointees With Sanction On Corrupt Conduct

Local Govt. Service Commission Head Not Job For The Boys Ex Chairman Pg. 4

Ismaeel Uthman

THERE is turbulence in the Osun State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

Affiliate unions who cons tute the congress in the state are sharply divided on the direc on of the labour organizaon, findings have revealed.

The crisis affected the prepara on and par cipa on of the NLC in Wednesday’s protest against the hike in fuel price in Osogbo.

While some affiliate unions of the NLC joined Joint Ac on Front and Osun Civil Socie es Coali on (OCSC) for the protest by walking through Rasco, Oke-Fia, Alekuwodo, MDS, Old

Garage back to Freedom park, the other unions stayed at the Freedom Park and later embarked on protest walk from Old Garage to Abere.

The Caretaker Chairperson of the NLC, Mrs Modupeola Oyedele, was not sighted in the protests.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the crisis escalated when elec on to elect new leadership of the NLC was disrupted by hoodlums on March 07, 2023.

Dr. Christopher Arapasopo, who is the Chairman of Nigeria Civil Service Union in the state and the Chairman, Na onal Associa on of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Comr. Olumide •Continued on page 2

Osun NLC Crisis Deepens As Affiliate Unions Pitch Tents Only Tinubu Can Resolve Osun

Pg.

5

•Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, Dr. Dare Victor, Speaker Osun Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adewale Egbedun and his Deputy, Rt. Hon. Akinyode Oyewusi during a three-day retreat for newly appointed Commissioners and Special Advisers in the state.

Crisis Rocks Osun NLC As Affiliate Unions Pitch Tents

•Conflict of Interests, Desperation Responsible For Crisis – Faniran

•Conducting Election The Only Solution – Arapasopo

the other groups. What effort has the caretaker made to bring everybody together? The answer is nothing.

“In a nutshell, we both resolved at the Sunday mee ng and a mo on was raised and seconded that within three weeks, the Na onal secretariat of the NLC should give a date for elec on. There was no counter mo on to that.

ing government. It is a ma er of quality delibera on, sincerity and logical reasoning. We are in a scien fic period.

“We held elecon on March 7 and it was disrupted by thugs. We know who brought the thugs and we have evidence to that effect. A caretake commi ee was put in place by the na onal secretariat.

•Continued from front page

Faniran, contested for the chairmanship posi on of the union in the aborted elec on.

The two groups of Arapasopo and Faniran have traded blames on who was responsible for the disrup on of the elecon.

It was gathered that the disrup on of the elec on led to inaugura on of caretaker commi ee to manage the affairs of the union.

But instead of calming the fraying nerves, the introducon of the caretaker commi ee has further deepened the crisis.

Leaders of some affiliate unions of the NLC in the state accused the Caretaker Chairperson, Mrs Oyedele, of an attempt to perpetuate herself in office and not carrying them along in the ac vi es of the congress.

A mee ng called by Oladele on Monday, July 31, 2023 was disrupted by some workers who demanded for her removal and conduct of an elec on.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER in an exclusive interview, Arapasopo said conduc ng elec on to have a democracally elected state

officers of the NLC is the only solu on to the crisis.

Arapasopo maintained that the caretaker commi ee had exhausted its threemonth s pulated me frame in line with the cons tu on of the NLC.

He said: “The crisis started in March this year when our elecon was disrupted; when we got to the elec on venue, some uniden fied persons chased me and most of our people out and that was how the elec on was aborted.

“A caretaker was therea er put in place by the Na onal Secretariat. But ever since the caretaker was put in place, there haven’t been any me the caretaker leadership called for any mee ng, and the fact remain that there are many things on ground that should be addressed by the state NLC. There was no mee ng un l Sunday when we received a massage that there would be a mee ng of NLC state execu ve council on Monday.

“We all went to the mee ng because even if we have groups, what is on ground and important to us is the interest of the masses. And when you have the interest of the masses, you should not have what

we called groups, it should be one because NLC is one.

“And one of the utmost assignments given to the caretaker is to go and unite the groups, put them together and let us have one happy family so that we will be able to have an organized NLC in Osun. Under the NLC cons tu on,

the caretaker has just three-month to operate.

“But no mee ng was called, nothing was done by this caretaker. What effort has the caretaker made to bring the groups together? Of the 32 affiliate unions in the NLC, 27 of them are with me, the other five unions are with

Dismissed Army Officer Arrested For Alleged Armed Robbery In Osun

Yusuf Oketola

A28-year-old man, Adeniyi Adesina, has been arrested for allegedly robbing students at their hostel in Osun State College of Technology, EsaOke.

The State Commissioner of Police, Kehinde Longe, who briefed journalists in Osogbo, yesterday, said Adesina confessed to be a dismissed army personnel and member of Aiye confraternity.

Longe said Adesina was arrested a er burgling St. Francis hostel at about 3:30am of Thursday, July 27, 2023 in a bid to rob innocent students.

According to him, one locally made cut size gun with two live cartridges were recovered from the suspect.

He said: “On 27/07/2023 at about 0330hrs, one Adeniyi Adesina a member of Aye confraternity was arrested in connec on with a case of burglary / stealing at St. Francis Hostel in Esa-

•CP Longe

oke town.

“The suspect confessed to has stormed the hostel at the odd hour of the day in a bid to rob the innocent students. He further confessed to be a member of Aye confraternity and also a dismissed army personnel.

“The suspect will soon be charged to court a er the conclusion of the invesga on; meanwhile surveillance was s ll in place to apprehend the remaining members of the syndicate.”

“We want to have one family, we want to have NLC back in Osun. We can’t watch our people suffering because their house is not in order. Once you have a democratically elected execuve of NLC in Osun, definitely we will have one common front and that will make sure there is smile on the faces of the en re workers in Osun.”

Commen ng on the ma er, Faniran who was Arapasopo’s opponent during the aborted elec on, attributed the crisis to conflict of interest and despera on.

Faniran, in a telephone interview with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, said: “What is happening in Osun NLC is as a result of conflict of interest. Some of us want change; we don’t want business as usual and some people are not comfortable with that.

“It is simply a clash of interest; some people believe it should be business as usual while we are calling for libera on in our group. We need libera on; the affairs of the NLC should no longer be about godfatherism or personal interest. It should be collec ve interest of workers in Osun; not interest of some set of people or individuals. That is what our group stands for.

“When you are talking about leadership, a leader or quality leader is one that knows when to blow hot and when to blow cold without losing his/her focus. This is not a ma er of fight-

“There are rules when it comes to unionism. NLC is a congress where we have affiliate unions and to any union or convenon, there are guiding rules. Nobody is saying that we don’t want elec on. We want elec on. But it is the Na onal Secretariat that will give direc ve for an elecon, not the caretaker commi ee.

“We are ready for elec on; but we believe that due process should be followed. It is not a ma er of bringing thugs and destroying peace and unity of the union because you want to be leader. It is not done that way. We want to follow peace and the rule to the core to achieve our aim. We are not desperate.

“If somebody claims he has 27 unions on his side, do you want to compare a union with just two delegates to that which has 91 delegates? The number of unions does not matter, it is the number of delegates. We are talking about quality not quan ty.”

However, the Caretaker Chairman denied the accusaon that she was perpetua ng herself in the office, saying she has no inten on to stay longer than necessary.

She maintained that the two groups were not ready for amicable se lement which will assure the na onal secretariat of their readiness for elec on.

She said: “I did not have it in mind to be in this posi on. I don’t want to stay longer

•Continued on page 6

•Members of Labour Unions, Joint Action Fronts and Osun Civil Society Coalition during a protest against economic hardship on Wednesday.

We are about to end a week which has exposed the dysfunc on of the republic. The week has been full of twists and turns exposing the so belly of a naon in transi on and much should be learnt as we a empt to correct the disadvantages.

The discontent of the labour unions intermingled with the screening of ministerial nominees. Both fronts le a lot to be desired.

On the industrial rela ons front, it became obvious that there were contradictory interpreta ons of the cost - of - living - crises caused largely by the sensible elimina on of the fraud propelled “ fuel subsidy”. The core cons tuency of the labour unions looked on bewildered at the incoherence of the leadership of the unions.

This is not surprising. The unions are s ll stuck in the adversarial mode necessitated by their origin in the colonial

A Momentous Week Exposes The Fault Lines

era. Commendably involved in the an -colonial struggle they have unfortunately failed to live up to expecta on in the new reality of the post-colonial state. The painful reality is that 133m people in Nigeria are trapped in mul dimensional poverty. With the devalua on of the Naira this figure now needs to be revised upwards.

The new administra on will

soon announce its economic team as well as those in charge of labour and social affairs as well as the social economy. The unions must now change track and be proac ve. They must no longer be reac ve, on the contrary they should set the agenda for social reconstruc on towards achieving shared prosperity in a fairer more socially just society. This is what their coun-

The Discourse

“On the industrial relations front, it became obvious that there were contradictory interpretations of the cost - of - living - crises caused largely by the sensible elimination of the fraud propelled “ fuel subsidy” terparts have admirably done elsewhere notably in Germany, Scandinavia, Brazil amongst other places. They have shown that a compe ve economy can be anchored on social just.

Frankly, the less said about the “screening” of ministerial nominees in the senate during the week the be er. It exposed another fault line. Some of the performances were laudable but without a aching the portfolios the exercise was to put it mildly inadequate. The whole process must be reworked to retain any value otherwise we descend from “tragedy into farce”.

The week about to end shows that the republic has demons to slay and it should do so.

The Other Side Of Fuel Subsidy Removal

TO most Nigerians, the expression “subsidy is gone” on the day of the inaugura on by President Bola Tinubu came as a surprise and a big disappointment. People conversant with the economic implica ons of subsidy removal and its consequences know that it will certainly bring untold hardships, hence their disappointment. But for others, since the opponents of the President are in court to contest his victory such a fundamental decision ought to have been deferred ll a er the Supreme Court pronouncement.

Whichever way these two categories of Nigerians felt, President Bola Tinubu thought otherwise. He felt and rightly so that he has been inaugurated and that he must hit the ground running. Hence, he took a decisive decision which his predecessors since 1999 couldn’t take. Some of these are General Olusegun Obasanjo and Major General Muhammad Buhari. The issue of subsidy has indeed become conten ous such that virtually all governments since the advent of the fourth republic have had to nker with the price of premium motor spirit a.k.a petrol.

This is because petrol rather than diesel and kerosene is the most consumed of the three. Diesel and Kerosene were deregulated which led to an increase in their prices yet the nega ve response wasn’t this high. Rather people revolt whenever the same was done to petrol. Besides the fact that the consump on of petrol for vehicles is high, we also need it to fuel genera ng sets in an economy where the electricity supply is unstable. Whereas most ci zens have objected to the aboli on of subsidy that has changed the trajectory, some Nigerians believe that if that cri cal decision was not taken on that first day, it would have been difficult. The other alterna ve strategy would have been what we are used to.

The government makes a par al with-

drawal of subsidy, the people react negavely, the organized labor force goes on strike and the government is compelled to reduce the price.

Some of us felt something different was needed. Was the president jus fied in doing so?

Events around our economy show that Nigeria is in dire straits resul ng in borrowing to fund our budgets. Over 90% of revenue is also spent to service our foreign debt. Nigeria is now the poverty capital of the world with over 133 million in mul dimensional poverty.

Also, Nigeria is the only member of the Organiza on of Petroleum Expor ng Countries (OPEC) that imports refined fuel. Above all, our young, bright, and educated ones have chosen to go abroad in search of greener pastures.

Do we need to go through the same route as we have traversed before? This simply means doing something the same way and expec ng a different result.

Nigerians believe that crude oil is part of our natural resources hence we must enjoy its benefits in terms of its availability and affordability. They are jus fied because mismanagement of our economy has ensured that our refineries are coma-

“We can make the best out of the current travails by exploring other ways of doing things. For example, experts have suggested that Com- pressed Natural Gas (CNG) can be used as an alternative to PMS. Some people have changed the petrol carburetors in their generating sets to that of CNG which according to experts is cheaper and environmental-friendly”

tose thereby resul ng in the importa on of refined oil with its cost implica on and other related hazards. Previous governments since Obasanjo, in spite of the large money spent on Turn Around Maintenance (TAM), haven’t made any of our four refineries func onal. Renowned economists like former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and the si ng governor of Anambra State, Professor Charles Soludo also an erstwhile CBN governor among others have posited that the subsidy regime is unsustainable. The

candidates of the three major poli cal par es promised to do away with the subsidy regime if elected during the elec oneering campaign. President Tinubu said even though organized labor would go on strike, subsidies would be withdrawn. And he went ahead to do so. However, some ques ons were le unanswered. If it is true that the Buhari government budgeted and made provisions for subsidy ll June 2023, what happened to the budgetary alloca on for June 2023 when the subsidy was withdrawn a month earlier? Was the Dangote refinery built in four years, commissioned with fanfare by ex-president Buhari with 650,000 liters daily capacity of PMS not meant to augment the importaon of refined oil? The cumula ve capacity of our 4 refineries is 450,000.

OSUN DEFENDER

Publisher – Moremi Publishing House Ltd.

Deputy Editor – Ismaeel Uthman

Produc on Editor – Petkola Taiwo Ibitowa

Twin major policies were taken by President Tinubu to overcome the sharp prac ces a endant with the prevalent system. The wholesome withdrawal of subsidy and the floa ng of the exchange rate. Among other reasons, the president posited the subsidy had to go because some unscrupulous businessmen were profi ng from it as well as the fact that the product was smuggled across our borders to help our neighbors.

Reporter – Yusuf Oketola

Reporter – Kazeem Badmus

Photo Journalist – Shola Aderinto

Computer Graphics – Zainab Olalere

OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), Gbogan Road Osogbo, State of Osun ISSN : 0794-8050

Telephone : 0809-301-9152

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All correspondence to the above email addresses.

While the dual exchange rate lasted, the government fixed the exchange rate of the dollar at less than N500 while the autonomous, or the Bureau De Change (BDC) dollar changed for close to N800. This resulted in round-tripping which meant people with the right connec ons accessed the dollar at the official rate and disposed of it at the BDC rate and made around N300 cool money on each

•Continued on page 7

Murtala Agboola

4

Adeleke Threatens Political Appointees With Sanction On Corrupt Conduct

Yusuf

Oketola

GOVERNOR Ademola Adeleke has admonished poli cal appointees in Osun State to respect the public service rules while carrying out their respecve assignments, noting that the public and the opposi on par es are watching their acons and inac ons.

Adeleke noted that his leadership is about due process and rule of law, saying that his administra on will not compromise transparency and accountability.

He stated this on Wednesday at the closing of a three-day execu ve retreat for Commissioners and Special Advisers in Ede.

The Governor said: “We must get it clear that while the commissioners are the polical heads of the ministries, the Permanent Secretaries are the accoun ng officers. We must therefore work with the public service within the context of public sector laws and regula ons. Polical appointees must respect public service rules.

“Above all, my leadership is about due process and rule of law. You must not cut corners. I will not compromise transparency and accountability.”

The Governor also warned the appointees to be responsive and beware of conducts that can have nega ve impact on the people of the state, just as he called for prudence in governance and team work among them.

He stated further: “We must all beware of conduct injurious to the welfare of the public. We should be responsive at all mes to the aspira ons of the ci zenry. We must remain government of the people, by the people and for the people;

“The public is watching us. The opposi on is monitoring our ac ons and inacons. You must be above board. Corrupt conduct will be heavily sanc oned.

“Osun is confronted with mul ple governance ques ons, yet, our financial re-

sources are limited. Our only op on is to think out of the box. As heads of MDAs, I charge you to be very innova ve. You are to generate and implement problem solving ideas within the framework of the fivepoint agenda; “In mes of na onal economic emergency, I love achieving much with li le resources. You must be prudent and adopt measures that reduce the cost of projects and services.

“I am a team player. I expect synergy and collabora on. You must avoid infigh ng as much as possible. If you are in doubt, approach the Chief of Staff for clarifica ons. There won’t be any room for solo actors in our cabinet. You must

work as a team with a common goal to make a difference in the lives of our people.”

While lauding the partnership for development among the three arms of gov-

ernment, the Governor advocated sustenance of the close rela onship between

Local Govt Service Commission Head Not Job For Boys – Ex-Chairman

Kazeem Badmus

THE immediate past Chairman of Local Government Service Commission in Osun State, Elder Tunde Adedeji, has stated that the present occupant of the seat is not experienced enough for the kind of du es that the office required.

It would be recalled that Governor Ademola Adeleke appointed his 30-year-old nephew, Mr Tunji Adeleke (Jnr) to head the commission, a decision that has received strong condemna on from some sec-

ons in the state.

Adedeji maintained that Tunji Adeleke (Jnr) might not be able to func on well in his role since he has no working experience.

The former Chairman of the commission while speaking with newsmen on Wednesday, however, said if the new appointee could embrace humility, learn very fast and take necessary advice, he might succeed as chairman of the commission.

He said Governor Ademola Adeleke might have put his nephew there because he did

not know what the Chairman of the commission entails.

Adedeji said: “The person to head the local government service commission must be somebody who has wide experience both in private and public life; somebody matured. When I say mature, he must be calm and must be able to take calm acons.

“The job of the local government service commission is all about the en re staff of the local government minus poli cal office holders.

“So, if you put a

young person who doesn’t have experience, one thing that would happen is; if he is a well-trained person coming from a good home and is prepared to learn, he might be able to cope.

“If he is an arrogant type, the civil servants will mess him up because they are more mature, experienced and elderly. We have in the civil service people that are close to 60 years. People that doctored their ages and are calling themselves under 60 years.

“So, when you now

Osun Govt. Decries High Rate Of Deforestation

Yusuf Oketola

OSUN State Government has expressed concern over con nuous deforesta on in the state.

The government lamented that the rate at which people were cutng down trees in the forest indiscriminately is

alarming.

Speaking with journalists on Monday in Osogbo, the Commissioner for Environment and Sanita on, Hon. Mayowa Adejoorin, said the deforesta on rate is far higher than the rate at which people are planting trees.

According Adejoorin,

the state government is pu ng in place plans to check indiscriminate cu ng of trees, disclosing that the ministry will also embark on tree planta on to accelerate afforesta on in the state.

He said there is need for the ministry to organise sensi sa on programme to educate communi es on the dangers associated with deforesta on as well as to encourage tree planting in the society.

“The people that are engaged in deforesta on are not actually plan ng back, par cularly the wood exporters, loggers and charcoal associaons. They are the ones cu ng trees.

“As we progress, I am going to organise a sem-

inar to sensi se them that if they con nue cu ng trees at the rate they are doing, they will be out of business very soon because there will be no tree to cut again.

“Apart from going out of business, they are also doing damage to the environment and once the environment is wrong, our health is at risk”, he stated.

Speaking on the flood that ravaged Ikire in Irewole local government recently, the commissioner assured the people that the state government would soon commence the dredging of waterways to ensure free-flow of water.

He urged residents of the state to desist from dumping refuse in drainages and waterways.

put somebody of 28 years in charge of 58 years old staff, one could imagine what would be the result. Definitely, there would be some brushes here and there.

“I don’t know what the Governor saw and why he put his nephew in that posi on. Maybe he just wanted a job for the boys. Because somebody who has never gone through any training himself, who has not gone through several courses, training and re-training, how will he be able to supervise the training of people?

“Also, somebody who has never really worked, how would he appreciate the criteria to be used for appointment, promo on, placement, advancement and other things? How will he be able to appreciate the placement of people in posions?

“Everything ends on the table of the chairman of local government service commission. It is unfortunate, some people don’t understand. I believe what happened was that the Governor doesn’t understand the difference between the Local Government and the Local Government Service Commission. I don’t think he thought it out wise. Maybe he just felt like giving the boy something.”

•Director of Victory Montessori College, Dele Yes Sir area, Osogbo, Engr. Isaac Olatunji presenting a cheque to best Outstanding SSS 3 Student, Miss Dada Demilade, during the valedictory service, held at School premises on Saturday. Photo : Shola Aderinto

the Execu ve, Legislave and Judiciary to achieve good governance.

•Adeleke

Employers Tasked To Prioritise Corps Members’ Welfare

THE Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has charged local governments, employers and other stakeholders to priori se the welfare and security of members of the Na onal Youth Service Corps posted to their organisa ons.

Adeleke made the call while addressing the Batch B, stream I NYSC members during the closing ceremony of the three-week orienta on Camp in Ede, on Tuesday.

The Governor who was represented by his Deputy, Prince Kola Oyewusi, said employers of corps members and cri cal stakeholders in the society owed them the duty of mentorship towards building quality ci zens.

He charged the corps members to integrate themselves with their host communi es and adapt to the new environment.

“I would like to seize this opportunity to assure you, irrespec ve of wherever you might find yourself across the length

and breadth of the State that your security and general well-being is considered a major priority of my administra on.

“ I urge all local government, employers and other stakeholders in the State to also priori se the welfare and security of the NYSC members

posted to them. Always live up to your responsibili es to the corps members and NYSC as spelt out in the enabling Act.

“I implore you to integrate yourselves with your host communi es, iden fy with their problems and aspira ons. Rid yourselves off eth-

nic prejudice, religious intolerance and fear by befriending the people of your host communies, respect their culture and tradi ons and always strive to live peaceably among them. Our people are loving and hospitable and I want to assure you that you will enjoy living

Only Tinubu Can Resolve Osun APC Crisis - Oranmiyan DG

THE Director-General of Oranmiyan Worldwide, Mr Sodiq Olajide, has said that only President Bola Tinubu can resolve the crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State.

Olajide said elders of the party did not provide required leadership and objec vity to se le the crisis.

The DG in an interview with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday highlighted steps taken by the immediate past Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola to reconcile the

party in the state.

According to Olajide, the former governor Adegboyega Oyetola led IleriOluwa Camp was not ready for reconcilia on and frustra ng every effort in that regard.

He said: “The way things are going now, the President is the last person who can resolve Osun APC crisis. If he says ‘stop’ today, it is done. What report has the Adewole Commi ee brought to the table? Now, this is 2023. 2026 is so close by.

“These people are not disposed to any form of reconcilia on. The elders haven’t made ma ers

any be er. It’s unfortunate! The so-called leaders of our party have not done well.

“Whether anyone likes it or not, Aregbesola has that record in this state as the only governor who won elec ons on two straight consecuve terms. Even the winning margin in 2014 elecons remain boat-rocking – over 100,000 votes!

“How would one now say a two-term governor and former federal minister is not a stakeholder in his state of origin? He wasn’t invited to the Stakeholders’ Forum of 2021 – highest ranking

among them.”

He assured the corps members of adequate security and enabling environment to u lize their poten al in the state.

“I want to assure you that my administra on will con nue to create an enabling and conducve environment for you

to operate. We shall connue with the regular payment of your state allowance to those of you serving in the State instu ons and agencies”, he stated.

Earlier, the NYSC Coordinator in Osun, Mr Agbor Obim, had commended the corps members for their conduct in the course of the three weeks orienta on, parcularly the rapt a enon they gave to the Skill Acquisi on and Entrepreneurship Development Programme (SAED).

Obim advised them to avoid truancy and lateness at their Places of Primary Assignment (PPA), while urging them to be team players and a shining example by contribu ng to the success of the organiza on they are posted to.

The Coordinator also admonished them to serve their host communi es with patrio c zeal.

He thanked the Osun State Governor for donating 2000 ma resses to the camp, reroofing of the pavilion as well as the repain ng of the administra on block.

OSSCE Ila Student Declared Missing

office holder at the me within the party.”

He added: “We have made every effort for reconcilia on. Ogbeni cannot and will not be a member of the PDP. He had made several efforts with APC under Buni and Adamu to reconcile the party in the state.

“Oyetola’s people are recalcitrant. They are neither repentant nor penitent. They need to embrace reconcilia on. In Yoruba, we say: ko si b’ara ‘e da s’ohun ninu oselu; b’ara ‘e da s’ihin l’o wa That boils down to the fact that we make further friends in poli cs; we do not create enemies.

“If the Osun APC faces another round of elecons today, we will s ll lose. We lost not because our members worked for the opposi on; but because they just did siddon ‘n’ look.

“Looking at sta s cs of guber polls, only about 17 per cent of voters go to the polls willingly. Coercion and mobilisa on becomes highly necessary.

“We normally mobilise on elec on mornings to make people come out and vote. Without reconcilia on therefore, who will mobilise in subsequent elec ons?

Astudent of Osun State College of Educa on, Ila Orangun, Adewale Wemimo Oluwatoyin, has been declared missing.

It was gathered that Oluwatoyin, an NCE part 1 student from the Department of Physical and Health Educa on was declared missing on Wednesday, 26th July, 2023.

The Students’ Union President of the instu on, Comrade Taye Adeoluwa, confirmed the story to our correspondent in a statement.

He urged anybody who comes in contact with her to call any of these numbers, 09036348500, 08165306367, 07088875686.

PUBLICATION

ABIONA KAZEEM OLADIMEJI

That I was formerly known and addressed as ABIONA OLADIMEJI DANIEL. Now wish to be known and addressed as ABIONA KAZEEM OLADEMJI. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

JIMOH HAMMED ADEKUNLE

That I was formerly known and addressed as ADEREMI HAMMED OLASEYI. Now wish to be known and addressed as JIMOH HAMMED ADEKUNLE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

MRS. AYANLEYE BALIKIS ADESHOLA

That I was formerly known and addressed as MISS KASHIMAWO BALIKISSOLA.Withformerdate of birth 22/11/1980, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AYANLEYE BALIKIS ADESHOLA, with correct date of birth 05/11/1985. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

Yusuf Oketola

Ismaeel Uthman

•Adewusi acknowledging salute from corps members

Kazeem Badmus

Police Advice Religious Bodies Against Having Programmes In Isolated Places

Kazeem Badmus

THE Osun State Police Command has advised religious bodies against having programmes late in the evening or early morning, especially in isolated places.

Police Public Rela ons Officer in the state, Yemisi Opalola, gave the advice at the Command’s headquarters, in Osogbo on Tuesday, while parading some suspects.

The suspects were arrested for allegedly a acking members of a Celes al Church located in Odu Village near Osogbo, during a vigil at the early hours of Tuesday.

According to Opalola, the suspects abducted 12 members of the church, but the vic ms escaped from their captors when they ran into some hunters and other local volunteers that responded to the distress call.

During the incident, a member of the church, whose iden ty was not revealed, was reportedly raped by the perpetrators.

Narra ng what transpired, a musician, who was invited by the pastor in charge of the church to the vigil, Esther Ayo-

•As Gunmen Attack Osun Church During Vigil

deji, during an interview with newsmen, said: “I arrived at the church few minutes a er 10pm on

Monday to prepare for the vigil. We commenced the vigil around midnight. A er my ministra on, my

drummers were s ll in the church, but I stepped out.

“A few minutes later, from where I stood with

the pastor, we started hearing gunshots. The church is located in a bushy environment, so, we all ran into

Dubai-Based Footballer Arrested For Attempted Murder, Cultism In Osun

Yusuf Oketola

A27-year-old Dubai-based footballer, Yusuf

Baoku, has been arrested by the police for alleged a empted murder and membership

JITSolutions Launches LearnCertify, A Virtual Learning Platform

Arenowned IT company in Nigeria, JITSolu ons, has launched an online learning pla orm named “LearnCerfy”.

LearnCer fy, according to the Chief Execu ve Officer of the company, Mr. Gideon Aloba, will empower individuals from all walks of life to pursue their dreams of becoming cer fied ICT professionals while acquiring industry-relevant skills from the comfort of their homes.

Aloba, in a statement made available to OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, said LearnCer fy aims to ease the process of acquiring professional IT skills and cer fica ons, par cularly for busy individuals and those constrained by distance.

“The pla orm provides a way for skilled IT professionals to transfer knowledge and earn extra income, and also promotes the skills of professionals to prospec ve employers

globally, thereby contribu ng to the development of a skilled genera on”, he stated.

The Ilesa born ICT expert said: “As a prominent IT company in Nigeria, JITSolu ons has gained a reputa on for excellence in delivering cu ng-edge technologies and empowering individuals and businesses.

“They have trained over 30,000 students in the IT industry and facilitated more than 30,000 interna onal cer ficaons through their affilia on with Pearson VUE, establishing their credibility in the IT educaon landscape.

“This launch represents a significant step towards bridging the skills gap and crea ng a qualified talent pool of ICT professionals in Nigeria and beyond.

“With technology rapidly advancing, there has been a hike to the demand for cerfied professionals in the IT sector. LearnCer fy addresses this

need by offering a structured and comprehensive learning path to equip individuals with the necessary knowledge and skills to excel in their chosen ICT field.

“LearnCer fy pla orm boasts of a user-friendly interface and intui ve naviga on, ensuring a seamless learning experience for all par cipants. It u lises one of the cu ngedge technologies developed by JITSolu ons, “Edusolu onsLearning Management System,” which is used by hundreds of Educa onal Ins tu ons within Nigeria and beyond to create an interac ve learning experience by incorpora ng the latest educa onal technologies to facilitate effec ve learning and engagement among students.”

Aloba said JITSolu ons has always been commi ed to promo ng learning and career advancement, making highquality educa on accessible to all at an affordable rate.

of unlawful society in Osun State.

Baoku was paraded alongside some armed robbery suspects at the Osun State Police Command, in Osogbo, on Tuesday.

The footballer was said to be a member of a cult group.

During interview with journalists, Baoku confessed to be a member of a cult group, Alora confraternity.

He said he joined the cult group to have social protec on hoodlums.

“I am a professional footballer based in Dubai. I had an injury and I came to Nigeria for treatment. I was at Igbajo Polytechnic when some guys were threatening me. I decided to join cult for my social security,” he said.

Public Rela ons Officer of the Command, Yemisi Opalola, said a sharp cutlass was recovered from Baoku.

She said: “He was apprehended by the patrol team of AnCul sm Squad at Igbajo town, Osun State while other members of the gangsters took to their heels immediately they sighted Police vehicle.

“The suspects were apprehended in connec on with a case of a empted murder of one Ajayi David and assault of one Tiamiyu Adesola, a student of Igbajo Polytechnic.”

the bush. At a point, seven of us met in the bush. We were six women and a man. As we were wandering in the bush, two armed men suddenly appeared in front of us and we all ran in different direc ons.”

Another member of the church, who did not want his name in print, said the church member that was raped had been a ended to at a hospital.

He added that their abduc on failed due to the quick response of the villagers, hunters and police opera ves.

Opalola said the three suspects arrested near the scene were s ll being interrogated, even as she refused to men on their names.

Other suspects paraded by the police include Adebayo Adedayo and Adeyemi Sodiq, who allegedly a acked a business owner in Iragbiji, stole her money and other items esmated at N877,000.

Crisis Rocks Osun NLC As...

•Continued from page 2 than necessary. But the two groups have been making things difficult.

“The Araposo’s group does not have confidence in the caretaker commi ee; instead of rela ng with us, they went to the na onal secretariat to ask for elecon, but they were referred to the caretaker commi ee in the state.

“The Faniran group has confidence in the caretaker commi ee but they appear not ready for reconcilliataion. The two groups are making things difficult for me.

“Honestly, I don’t have interest in staying longer than necessary; the groups should let us resolve issues. If na onal secretariat put us here to oversee the affairs and make sure that the two warring facons come to terms, at least, they should give us the opportunity to give the feedback to the headquarters that the issue has been resolved.

“The make up of the caretaker committee is three from the Arapasopo side and three others from the Faniran side; I am the only one that does not belong to any

group. I have been conveying mee ngs with the two groups; I am trying to broker peace between them, but it seems they are not ready for peaceful resolu on.

“In the last State Execu ve Council mee ng, my opening statement was that we don’t have interest of staying longer than this me, let us resolve this issue. But they said the constu on does not allow a caretaker committee to spend more than three months, and the mee ng was disrupted. They mobilised thugs to the premises of the meeting at GRA.

“I don’t have interest of staying longer in that office but normal thing should be done so that we can tell the na onal secretariat that we are ready for elec on in Osun. Even if they want to conduct it tomorrow, by God’s grace, I’m ready. They should stop the blackmail and name calling.

“To resolve the crisis is in their hands. If we sit down together and work in synergy, we can put a mail through to the na onal secretariat, instead of going on their own. My own is for everybody to be ready.”

•Mr. Rotimi Adesigbin (R), presenting a solar street light to Alhaji Oloyede Adepoju (2nd right), chairman, Landlords Association, Ayedun Community at Wulemotu Adeyemo Street, Ogo Oluwa for commissioning. With them are Barrister Philips Afolayan and Elder Kunle Falode.

Kazeem Badmus

Rio Ferdinand Delivers Verdict On Rasmus Hojlund Ahead Of Manchester United Transfer

FORMER Manchester

United defender, Rio

Ferdinand, believes incoming striker Rasmus Hojlund has the required traits to make a name for himself in the Premier League - but warns paence will be required.

The 20-year-old is on the brink of finalising his move to Old Trafford after United agreed a deal with Atalanta to sign the forward last weekend. United will pay £64million up front and an addi onal £8m in add-ons, meaning the overall package is worth just north of £70m.

Hojlund, who held video calls with United manager Erik ten Hag before the end of last season, arrived in the UK on Tuesday a ernoon. A er flying into Manchester Airport, he was then whisked away in a people carrier and taken to United’s Carrington training base to start comple ng the formali es of his move.

However, the announcement of his arrival at the club could be delayed un l the weekend, though nothing has suggested that the deal is under any threat of collapsing. He remains on course to join the club and bring an end to their long-term search for a striker.

The response to Hojlund’s imminent arrival at Old Trafford has been dominated by fingers being pointed at the size of the price tag. United are paying a poten al £70m-

plus fee for a striker that scored only 10 goals in 34 appearances for Atalanta.

Despite that, Ferdinand is confident that the Dane has the capabili es to deliver the goods in the Premier League, though he believes he needs to be given me to se le in and

adjust, comparing him to Darwin Nunez’s situa on at Liverpool.

“The first thing you’ve got to look at is there’s huge poten al,” said Ferdinand. “Anyone who has seen him play will see there are a ributes there that you would like.

“He’s suited to the Premier League. I think the price tag is out of his hands.

“I look at it like Darwin Nunez from Liverpool. Last season was his adjus ng season. He’s a young striker coming to the league, everything about him fits the

Chelsea: Mauricio Pochettino Hopes Christopher Nkunku Injury Is Not “Big Issue”

BOSS Mauricio Poche no hopes an injury suffered by striker Christopher Nkunku is not a “big issue” as Chelsea drew 1-1 with Borussia Dortmund to end their pre-season US tour undefeated.

Mason Burstow scored a 90th-minute equaliser for Chelsea a er Marius Wolf gave Dortmund the lead in Chicago. £52m signing Nkunku, 25, went off in the 22nd minute a er appearing to injure his knee when he was tackled.

The pitch at Chicago’s Soldier Field was in poor condi on.

Areas were patchy and worn a er the stadium, home to the NFL’s Chicago Bears, was used for an Ed Sheeran concert a ended by 73,000 people last weekend.

“The doctors are checking him,” explained Pochetno, who felt the tackle which forced Nkunku off “maybe” should have re-

sulted in a penalty.

“He had the chance to score but he feels something in his knee.

“Hopefully it is not a big issue and that he can be quick with the team. We need a few days to assess him and until we get back

to London it is difficult to know.

“Always we take some risks because the pitch is not perfect as they are using it for different sports and that is some mes the risk of the tour.

“I think it was a bit unlucky in the situa on but we cannot complain about the pitch and to blame the pitch for why he suffered the injury. For me, it was bad luck.”

Premier League perfectly, but it didn’t go as well as he would have liked.

“But I think this season, we’ll see a different player for Liverpool ... I wouldn’t be surprised if that (a stu ering first season) happens with Hojlund, although I’d like him to have

a be er season than Nunez obviously. He may well do but it will take me to adjust.

“The quality is there but you’re always going to be paying big bucks - it’s Manchester United and English tax. That’s what happens.”

The Other Side Of Fuel Subsidy...

•Continued from page 3 dollar. This, the government felt should go. The twin policy at the same me has led to a sort of reducon in the value of our currency and the exchange rate has gone up thereby exacerba ng our problems. Some call it devalua on. The major economic theory underpinning the current government’s policy is the classical and neo-classical which strongly believe that the market forces (demand and supply) should be allowed to determine the price of fuel. The “invisible hand”, they argue will do it be er whereas economists of the Keynesian theory are of the view that there should be government intervention. Previous governments went the Keynesian way while this government has opted for the classical and neo-classical paradigms. Can our economy be classified as capitalist? if it is, what do we produce apart from the rent we amass from our sole inelas c product of crude

oil? At best my descrip on of our economy is pseudocapitalist. If we indeed produce goods as we did in the first republic ll the 70s, this current policy could have suited the direc on taken. If care is not taken the price of a litre which started off at N500 per litre and now at N615 may go as high as N1000 or beyond. This is predicated on the fact that if the price of crude oil goes up in the interna onal market, which is beyond our control, we the end-users will s ll pay more. Some economists have predicted that by the first quarter of 2024, prices will stabilize and the economy would be the greatest beneficiary. This hope and expecta on, good as it is, is subject to other economic variables, “ ie ceteris paribus,” other things being equal.

CURRENT REALITIES

Nigerians are groaning, the price of virtually everything has gone up except like someone jokingly said, salary, allowances, and prerequisite of people in government. And that includes the Presidency down to the councilor and other appointed poli cal office holders. Prices of transport fares, food, school fees across the board, electricity (in plan), house rents etc have all gone up. People point to the fact that outside Nigeria especially in the United States where we copied our system from only the President, Vicepresident, and Chief Jus ce are accommodated at the expense of the state or taxpayers. Besides a reduc on in salary and allowances, I

am of the view that items like computers, furniture, cars, etc can be done by leasing. Also, the homogenous money spent on accommoda on money can cease.

The Dangote refinery which we thought would come in handy is not ready going but the informa on in the public space indicates that the produc on may commence in 2025 rather than July/August 2023 earlier projected. The aboli on of subsidies has brought more revenue into the Federa on Account by extension higher revenue to the state governments. However, trust deficit on the part of the people based on past experiences does not give ci zens the confidence that governments will do the right things. Unfortunately for us, many Nigerians are of the view that the parliament that is supposed to scru nize public finance is in cahoots with the execu ve to mismanage the economy. Is the situa on irredeemable?

Certainly not, it only requires commitment on the part of the leadership and support from everyone. On the part of the government, they should come clean to show people the sacrifice they are prepared to make. Refineries should be made to work in the long run with a specific me limit which must not fail. Food security as promised by the president should be vigorously pursued with adequate security provided by the government to ensure that the farmers can access their farmlands unhindered. The

interim solu ons like the provision of public buses, fuel allowance for public servants, and public sale of some staple foods announced by some state governments are just temporary measures that cannot last.

At this juncture, I strongly believe that maybe in the interim, a combina on of the neo-classical and Keynesian theories can do the job. We are not capitalist per se where the neo-classical theory can be adopted and the control in the past to has not helped. The floa ng of the naira in such an economy may not serve our peculiarity.

LESSONS FROM THE CURRENT TRAVAILS

We can make the best out of the current travails by exploring other ways of doing things. For example, experts have suggested that Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) can be used as an alterna ve to PMS. Some people have changed the petrol carburetors in their genera ng sets to that of CNG which according to experts is cheaper and environmental-friendly. We should see the current adversity as a challenge to do things differently rather than see it as a problem to weigh us down. On erra c supply of electricity, we can explore and exploit other opportuni es before it becomes a serious problem. We can do more with proper and effec ve planning.

I humbly submit that a strike may not be the solu on to the challenges at hand but understanding and coopera on.

Crime

DESPITE the fact that it is blessed with stupendous human and natural resources cum clement weather that could grow cash and food crops all year round, Nigeria has not been lucky with leadership. Instead of harnessing these resources for op mal socio-economic growth of the country that would eventually launch it as a power to reckon with globally, the Nigerian ruling elite – Civilian and Military – have always played with the balls of the poor with various sloganeering – Opera on Feed the Na on; Green Revolu on; Structural Adjustment Programme; Millennium Development Goal such as Educa on, Housing, and every wonderful thing for All By Year 2000; Vision 20:2020; taking 100million Nigerian out of poverty by 2030, etc.

The ruling elite are not commi ed to any developmental agenda. All they care is for how to loot the resources in their care and convert them to their private pockets with resultant effect of hardship for the poor people especially. The most annoying aspect is that instead of retracing their steps to do the needful for the interest of the collec ve, they con nue to launch pro-liberal policies that choke the breathe of the poor and at the same me, asking the poor to persevere, promising them be er future while they live in opulence and gallivant around the world. Hear Mr. Buhari (Mr. Integrity, Mr. Change) speaking to Nigerians in London on Saturday, February 21, 2015, for instance: “We intend for instance to bring back our Na onal Carrier, the Nigerian Airways. We shall do this by bringing all the aircra s in the presiden al fleet into the Nigerian Airways and within a year increase the fleet into about 20, why should Nigerian President not fly with other Nigerian public? Why do I need to embark on a foreign trip as a president with a huge crowd with public funds? Why do I need to go for foreign medical trip if we cannot make our hospitals func onal? Why do we need to send our children to school abroad if we cannot develop our universi es to compete with the foreign ones?” Imagine! We saw how it all ended a er the cheap talk. All his children schooled and graduated overseas universi es and one almost killed himself ridding mul -million naira power bike!

Is it not a shame that of all OPEC countries, only Nigeria does not have a func onal local refinery for its ci zens’ local fuel consump on and export of excess despite the fact that it has four refineries with over 2,000 staff drawing billions of Naira in salaries every month without refining a single barrel of crude oil over a decade aside billion of Dollars regularly allocated for their rehabilita on and upgrade? Year in, year out, successive governments have con nued to fill these refinery baskets with our hard-earned water without qualms or calling anybody to explain why this pathe c situa on has remained with the target to halt the pathe c situa on and reverse such for op mal produc on. It is this situa on that has led to the so-called scam in fuel subsidy as the oil marketers and their conspirators in NNPC used this lacuna to create the subsidy scam regime.

Yes, in his July 31, 2023 na onal broadcast to fellow Nigerians, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu seems to feel the pinch of the miserable life Nigerians have been subjected as a result of his government launch of neo-liberal policies especially the removal of fuel subsidy on pms/fuel the very day he assumed office. He seems to realize

This Country Can Be Better

that small businesses are being radically killed and that cost of living is ge ng prohibi ve. To tackle this misery, he pronounced some policies that could alleviate the suffering. Interes ngly, Mr. President didn’t say anything about our four refineries that have refused to work; effec ve leaving the cancer while a ending to fever!

On February 16, 2023, the Vice President of NNPC Company limited, Danladi Inuwa, at a workshop in Abuja, said the Port Harcourt refinery would commence opera ons by the second quarter of 2023 and that Warri and Kaduna refineries were also being rehabilitated. This is August, 3rd quarter of 2023; nobody has queried NNPC on the failed promise despite billions of dollars that must have been sunk on it.

We were made to belief that oil refinery problem would be technically resolved by Dangote Oil Refinery which has the capacity to refine 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day, as one of the largest in the world. Although it is a private business, since it will refine in Nigeria, diversion of fuel, tou ng,

cost of haulage of crude oversea and haulage of refined product back, and others associated costs with fuel importa on would be edged off in the very least and the price per litre down, and the so-called subsidy will be consequently eliminated. Nigerians were curiously awai ng last quarter of 2022 that was adver sed it will start producing. Eventually, President Buhari commissioned Dangote Oil Refinery and Petrochemicals Plant at Ibeju-Lekki free trade zone in Lagos on Monday, 22 May, 2023 – a week to hand over power to President Tinubu. June and July had gone. This is August, Dangote refinery has refused to produce, and we are now told it will start producing in 2025; meanwhile, it has been purportedly been given license to join in fuel importa on! But this is not an isolated case of insanity. There have been several cases of commissioning without produc on or ac vi es therea er. I remember Lagos Blue Rail, Nigeria Air, Rice Pyramids, Tucano Jets, Siemens Electricity Project, Second Niger Bridge and the New Naira Notes. Commissioning

is bringing new thing into working condi on; it’s an act of gran ng authority to something to start opera on having thoroughly tested, adjusted and verified the facility is ready for service delivery. These are all laudable projects that could spring socio-economic development for the be erment of the populace.

If truth should be told, all the policies highlighted by President Tinubu will not make any fundamental improvement in the lives of the people. Like similar policies in the past, money and resources will go down the drain. Why should we be impor ng what we should produce locally and be the net exporter of same –fuel? Why should we be impor ng grains that could grow on our fer le land and good weather? We have brains who have demonstrated capacity to fabricate farm tools and machine; we have huge youth popula on who are ready for engagement. Leadership that could harness all these poten als is what is required. If the people are unproducve and given to licen ous, en tled and criminal lifestyles, they only copy an evil leadership example. A visionary, dedicated and patrio c leadership will surely redeem them.

In its June 2023 edi on of Nigeria Development Update (NDU), World Bank Lead Economist for Nigeria, Alex Sienaert, said 4 million Nigerians were pushed into poverty in the first half of 2023 and that about 7.1 million more would further slip into poverty by the end of the year if proper measures are not taken to manage the impact of fuel subsidy removal. Despite its warped structure and mul plicity of challenges, things are not as complex as they seem for Nigeria. Once the leadership is prepared to take the bull by the horn and frontally break the chains of underdevelopment, one of which is immediate op mal local produc on of our fuel consump on, and solving the epilep c power supply, this country will drama cally experience a rebirth for goodness for all.

STRIKER Striker is not the opinion of the Columnist featured above

LIKE the prodigal child, Nigeria has strayed from home as far as anyone can imagine; as far away from a Federal Republic as you please to find out. It is the root cause of all its problems and un l it returns home to glory, like the prodigal child, it will con nue to wander as an aimless, disturbed nonen ty.

Nigeria’s former colonial master, as well as its “founding fathers” clearly appreciated the diversi es of its people: poli cally, economically, culturally, religious wise and ethnically. Within a Pan-African recognion of the cultural and historical unity of Africa, they realised that for the “mere geographical expression” to forge ahead as a country and become a na on, the best form of coexistence poli cally is a FEDERAL REPUBLIC. On the FOUNDATION of this, it was granted independence and self-government in 1960 and became a republic in 1963, with an appropriate Cons tu on. However, the mismanagement of its freedom by its disoriented poli cal elites led to military interven on in 1966, to civil war that lasted ll 1970, and to military staying in government ll 1979. That chain of event destroyed the founda on of the Federal Republic completely.

The return to democra c rule was then supervised by the very architect of the destruc on of the Federal and Republic founda on – the military, which bequeathed a centralised dictatorship to their civilian colleagues in the garb of a democracy via the 1979 Cons tu on. The civilians stayed only 4 years before the military again came back uninvited, stayed ll 1999, and bequeathed a repacked 1979 Cons tu on as 1999 Cons tu on, much more an -Federal, anRepublic, dictatorial and an -people, to their civilian prodigal partners, and Nigeria has been perambula ng in the wilderness

A Federal Republic

since then ll date; far away from its father’s home though s ll bearing its father’s name - Federal Republic of Nigeria.

A Republic “is a state in which supreme power is held by the people,” modern republic being founded on the idea that sovereignty rests with the people, who have equal rights and responsibili es before the law, without any person, class or group having any special privileges by birth or associa on.

A Federa on is “a group of states with a central government but independence in internal affairs.” It is “the forma on of a poli cal unity, with a central government, by a number of separate states, each of which retains control of its own internal affairs.” The economic and poli cal concerns, especially territorial defence, that mo vate the forma on of poli cal unity in a central government are always clearly defined, asides those, every federa ng en ty is independent in the conduct of its internal affairs.

Long years of military in government le a nega ve legacy of centralism, arbitrariness, subversion of rule of law, abuse of human rights and corrup on of the public service. It bred nepo sm, non-accountability, the sole dependency on oil rent revenue while neglec ng all other forms of produc vity, and promoted favouri sm and sec onal oppressions along ethnic and religious fault lines. All these were bequeathed to the civilian poli cal elites who were mostly co-travellers of the military and whose greed, indolence, lack of imagina on and sustained fixa on on oil rent revenue sharing have condi oned against rethinking the non sustainability of the present opera ng system and a return to

genuine federalism. The sharing of oil rent accruals into the “federa on account” and its unaccountable spending as the execuves deem fit became the poli cal do-ordie objec ves of who takes charge.

The federa ng units at incep on were the regions, which were balkanised into states by the military. However, each state s ll knows its regional origin. Only two exemplary governors of states since the return to “civilian rule” in 1999 made spirited a empts to challenge the exploita ve, oppressive and unsustainable centralised system - Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Lagos and Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola in Osun. The sad reality for Nigeria today is that the two beloved champions of federalism and egalitarian, innova ve governance are struggling to sync for Nigeria, as they did to deliver for Lagos the greatest good for the greatest majority.

The truth, however, remains sacrosanct. Un l we find a team at the Presidency that is self sacrificial, beholden in love to the common people, and have the courage to RETURN NIGERIA TO A GENUINE FEDERAL REPUBLIC, all policies and efforts of all levels of government, Federal, State, Local, will always end in nullity, in agony and tribula ons for Nigeria and Nigerian, as each previous woeful government looks be er than the current and as we inch closer and closer to inevitable disintegra on! A hopeless and doomed UNITARY Opera ng system can never deliver anything good for Nigeria, whosoever is the president, and the earlier we start figh ng the right fight, the sooner we get to the Promised Land and reverse from Armageddon.

“Why should we be importing grains that could grow on our fertile land and good weather? We have brains who have demonstrated capacity to fabricate farm tools and machine; we have huge youth population who are ready for engagement. Leadership that could harness all these potentials is what is required”