Osun Defender Online Version Of December 15, 2023

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15 - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2023 VOL 18 NO 48

Sex Scandal Rocks Osun Sports Council e2

Pag

•Coach Allegedly Defiles, Impregnates 14-Year-Old Trainee •He Claimed He Wanted To Do Fitness Training On Me – Victim •I Was Unconscious, Didn’t Know What I Did - Coach

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Yusuf Oketola HERE is an ongoing sex scandal at the Osun State Sports

Council, inves ga ons

by OSUN DEFENDER have revealed.

The two-week old

scandal has generated controversies between the management of the Sports Council, the al-

leged perpetrator and the parents of the vicm.

Inves ga ons re-

•St. James Catholic Primary School, Owo-Ope, Osogbo where pupils were allegedly affected by food poisoining

vealed that the Lawn Tennis Coach, Mr. Yinka Akinrinade, was allegedly caught in immoral sexual affairs with his trainees.

Akinriande allegedly defiled and impregnated a 14-year-old girl (name withheld) who is a trainee under his supervision.

OSUN DEFENDER also learnt that Akinrinade, on the same day he allegedly raped the trainee, also defiled his own 13-year-old daughter (name withheld).

The medium learnt that Akinrinade allegedly defiled the two girls on the same day when they went for a tennis compe on in Lagos State in September this year.

According to findings, the 14-year-old trainee, was confirmed pregnant a month a er the incident.

However, Akinrinade did not deny, nor con-

Controversies As Pupils Develop Cholera Symptoms After Free Lunch In Osogbo P. 5 •My Granddaughter Complained Of Headache, Started Vomiting After Returning From School – Grandma

firm raping the young girls.

The coach who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER on Thursday said he was not sure if the rape allega on against him was true, saying he might have carried out the act under the influence of alcohol.

According to Akinrinade, he met himself naked inside the girls’ hotel room a er drinking alcoholic herb, stating that he didn’t know how he got to their room.

He said: “I remember that when we went for a compe on in Lagos, I complained of pile and Coach Saka introduced an herb to me, he said it was not alcoholic and that I wouldn’t be intoxicated. I don’t drink alcohol, but unfortunately, I didn’t know the said pile herb was prepared with alcohol.

“Immediately I drank the herb, I was unconscious. I can’t remember what happened a er that. I have never tasted alcohol in my life, that would be the first me I would experience alcohol. So, I can’t remember what I did with the girls.

•Continued on Page 2

Gunmen Invade Erimo-Ijesa •Police Suspend Activities On Prayer Mountain Over Ownership Crisis

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Sex Scandal Rocks Osun Sports Council •Continued from front page

“It was in the following morning that I found myself naked in their room. I asked them if anything happened between us and they said nothing happened. Everything ended there.

“A er we returned from another compe on in Delta State, the two trainees fell sick. I took my own to hospital and it was revealed that she had typhoid and ulcer. I called the mother of the other trainee to take her to hospital and I was persistent on that ll a er two weeks before her mother could take her to hospital.

“When the mother called to inform me that the trainee was pregnant, I ques oned who owned the pregnancy and how it came to being. Her mother later called back and told me they were given wrong test result, that her daughter was not pregnant.

“Later, I received a call to come to Sports Council, Stadium, Osogbo where I met the trainee and her mother. A colleague of mine called me aside and informed me that I was accused of having canal knowledge of the trainee. Then my mind went back to what happened in Lagos. I could not say if I am responsible for the pregnancy or not. I didn’t know what happened that night.”

Narra ng how the incident happened, the trainee told OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday that her coach, Akinriande, allegedly took advantage of her on the pretence that he wanted to conduct fitness training on her.

According to her, the coach called her from her own room to his hotel room, saying he wanted to carry out a fitness training on her.

She said: “We went for a compe on in Lagos State. And during our stay, the coach called me to his hotel room and said he wanted to carry out fitness training on me; that he always do same to all girls under him.

“He told me to lie on the bed and off my clothe. That is how he defiled me and told me not to tell anyone. He threatened to deal with me if I tell my parents.

A er that, he told me to call his daughter too for same claimed fitness training.

“I asked what happened when Mary came back to our room and she was just smiling. The coach is the one who defiled me. I have never had any in macy with a man before. The coach even told me that, that is how he do have sex with his two daughters.

“I got to know I was pregnant when I started falling sick and my par-

•Coach Allegedly Defiles, Impregnates 14-yr-old Trainee

ents took me for test.

He was not drunk as claimed by him. I want Jus ce from the government, he should face the consequence of his ac on.”

However, OSUN DEFENDER visited the premise of the Osun State Sports Council at

sogbo Township Stadium on Monday for further findings.

According to some staff members of the council who spoke with the medium under condi on of anonymity, one of the raped trainees was 13-week pregnant, while the other vic m

was also showing symptoms of pregnancy.

A copy of the pregnancy test carried out on the first vic m at a private laboratory in Osogbo, which was sighted

by OSUN DEFENDER indicated that the trainee was indeed pregnant.

According to the staff

•Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi with members of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Osogbo Branch during a courtesy visit to his office on Wednesday

Provide Locations Of Your Borehole Project, Osun OCSC Challenges Adeleke Ismaeel Uthman

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HE 332 borehole project which is a major achievement of Governor Ademola Adeleke in his first anniversary has not ceased to general reac ons from members of the public.

Controversies have con nued to trail the borehole project ever since it was announced as one of the 100-day achievements of the Governor.

Governor Adeleke had declared that he sunk a borehole in each of the 332 wards across the state.

But some members of the public, including opposi on par es and Non-governmental organisa ons have expressed doubt over the project, describing it as a fraudulent.

To lay the ma er to rest, the Osun Civil Socie es Coali on (OCSC) has asked Adeleke to provide the loca on of the boreholes in each of the 332 wards.

According to the OCSC, providing the specific loca on of

each of the boreholes will enhance transparency and build public confidence in the current administra on.

The OCSC, in a le er signed by its Chairman, Com. Waheed Lawal and Secretary, Emmanuel Olowu, tasked Adeleke to be more transparent in governance.

Findings revealed that the le er which was dated November 1, 2023 was received at the Governor’s Office on same date.

But the state government was yet to make the loca on of the boreholes public as demanded by the OCSC. The le er reads in part: “You will recall that you celebrated 100 days of your administra on with a borehole project reportedly sunk in each of the 332 wards in Osun State. You equally announced that each of the boreholes cost a sum of N1,500,000 during your public engagement progamme tagged Ipade Imole in October.

“In the wake of your plan to kickstart the second face of the borehole project as announced during the launch of the N100 billion infrastructure plan, it has become expedient as the eyes and ears of the public to say that majority of the residents of the state are very skep cal on the borehole project.

“This is because the process and implementa on of the first phase of the project are not known to the public.

May we also state that the civil society groups in Osun are also unable to track the project.

“Going forward; we humbly request that you make public the specific loca on where

•Adeleke

the boreholes are located in each of the 332 wards. This will enhance transparency and build public confidence in your administra on.

“Mr Governor, it is important to know the exact loca on of these boreholes; a sec on of the society already holds the impression that they do not exist, while some others believe that the project is a mere conduit pipe.

“While we await your response to this, by providing the exact loca on of the boreholes through any medium convenient for the government, we want to advise Mr Governor to be more transparent in governance.”

members, Akinrinade had in the past allegedly slept with two of his trainees.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER on Monday, the vic m’s father, Mr. Muniru Iwalewa, described Akinrinade’s ac on as an abominaon which could soil the reputa on of the sports council and that of the state government if not properly handled.

Iwalewa urged the state government to make sure the coach face the consequence of his ac on.

The father who spoke in an emo on laden voice said Akinrinade told his daughter that he was going to carry out a fitness training on her as being done by other coaches.

He noted that the girl was defiled and impregnated during the process.

The father said: “What the coach did is an abomina on which requires necessary punishment from the authority. How can a grown-up man defiled and impregnated a girl we asked him to train!

What lesson is he teaching these girls”?

Speaking on how the girl’s pregnancy was detected, the father asserted that he compelled her mother to take her to the hospital a er she was fallen sick.

Iwalewa said: “I discovered she was fallen sick and I compelled her mother to take her to our family doctor for test and treatment, it was at that point we discovered she was pregnant.

“We asked her who is responsible for the pregnancy and she said it is her coach. She told us the coach defiled her and his own daughter under the guise of carrying out fitness training on them”.

However, Akinrinade, in a 44-minute WhatsApp audio message obtained by OSUN DEFENDER was pleading for forgiveness from the vic m’s father while calling for se lement.

Akinrinade in the audio described his ac on as the work of the devil.

The medium gathered that Akinrinade has been queried by the sport council while a peon has been wri en against him at the State Criminal Inves ga on Department, Osogbo.

PEOPLE FIRST

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HE seemingly contrived theatre of the absurd about whether or not eighteen school pupils were hospitalized because of food poisoning in Osogbo, Osun State, is ge ng curiouser and curiouser as the fic onal Alice pondered in the Wonderland.

It is also ge ng insensi ve to the feelings of the trauma sed parents who have gone through a trauma c period of me.

A full independent enquiry is impera ve in order to unravel the mystery. Allega ons of a poli cal interplay is rather scary which indicates that there could be criminal undertones as well as malice premeditated. We must get to the root of the ma er.

Whatever it is without pre-judging, there is obvious ins tu onal failures and they must be rec fied.

The en re school inspectorate set up must be ques oned, a hard look must also be taken at the tendering and the procurement system. There is something wrong with the value-chain and it must be rec fied urgently. Furthermore, any criminal infringement must be met with the full force of the law to serve as a deterrent. It must never happen again!

However, the baby must not be thrown out with the bath water. The government headed by the reformist Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola deserves kudos for upgrading and sustaining the school feeding program. It was a

The “Food Poisoning” Saga pathbreaking move towards achieving sustainable development and the benefits are mul faceted. The inability of the succeeding administra on to sustain and deepen it is truly tragic and reveals a lot about the emo onal underdevelopment and lack of a commitment to progressive ideas of that government.

History has vindicated Aregbesola as the program has been widely adopted at all levels including at federal level.

History beckons on the administraon of Senator Ademola Adeleke to revamp and reinvigorate the laudable objec ves embedded in the program.

In reality, it is mul -dimensional and indeed all-encompassing. Prop-

“T he country struggles to meet its contractual obligation to supply billions of dollars worth of Soya products to China and other countries” erly implemen ng it should trigger off a grain revolu on by aggrega ng and incen vising the rural community to upscale and increase food produc on, since they now have a guaranteed market as well as fixed prices. In this way they will fulfill the very important

role of intermedia on once crucially provided by the Commodity Boards.

Observing a similar program in Brazil is instruc ve. During the first term of the reformist government led

by Ignacio’lunar da Silva, a commitment was made to provide a glass of free Soya milk to millions of school pupils everyday. In achieving this objec ve, Brazil a ained the economies of scale required to become a dominant exporter of processed and semiprocessed soya products. Indeed, the country struggles to meet its contractual obliga on to supply billions of dollars worth of Soya products to China and other countries. It is actually both a social and economic development program providing immense benefits on all fronts, including crucially the health sector.

The program is beneficial and must be reposi oned, we urge the present government in the State of Osun to do so.

Today we are in a serious economic crisis which portends both danger and the opportunity for a renewal. It must be turned into an opportunity for an advance. A program such as the school feeding must be used as a trajectory for human capital development, as a health ini a ve and a tool to transit subsidence into modernised commercial farming. The opportunity is too important to throw away.

A View From The Diaspora Nigeria Missing The Globalisation Train •Dateline - London

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IGERIANS born in the 21st century will ask how their country went from being wealthier than China un l the mid-1990s to becoming poorer and home to the world’s largest number of people living in extreme poverty. When Asia’s most populous na on embarked on liberalisa on reforms in 1979, its GDP per capita was five mes less than Nigeria’s. By 1993, it had overtaken Nigeria and today is nearly five mes wealthier and a global economic powerhouse.

Some analysts will explain the divergence by arguing that corrup on crippled Nigeria’s progress. But this is a simplis c view. In the early years of China’s economic transforma on, its ruling elites were not much less inclined to abuse public power for private gains. For instance, in Transparency Interna onal’s 1997 Corrupon Index, Nigeria ranked the most corrupt out of the 54 countries surveyed, but China was only a li le be er at 50th place.

The differences in the economic experience of Africa’s and Asia’s most populous na ons were not the varying levels of honesty of their ruling elites but their understanding of economics, par cularly the role of monetary policy and price signals in wealth crea on.

A er decades of failed a empts to grow China’s economy through central planning and in isola on from the rest of the world, the ruling communist party realised that development requires large amounts of foreign capital, especially machines, equipment and tools and knowledge. They also realised that the most crucial form of capital is money. Though it cannot directly produce anything, money can buy all the inputs of produc on.

China’s leaders knew that foreigners, especially materialist western capitalists, were not about to provide capital out of the goodness of their hearts.

Reliance on aid was not an op on. The

Tunde Obadina country had to trade for what it needed.

The answer was to promote exports.

The state pursued policies to facilitate and reward domes c companies to do business abroad. It encouraged them with subsidies, tax and tariff concessions and export credits. The most important strategy used to help Chinese companies to penetrate global markets was managing the na on’s currency, the renminbi, to limit or halt its apprecia on.

By undervaluing the currency, the government made Chinese goods cheaper and more a rac ve than those of other na ons. China’s strength was in its ability to produce low-cost goods by exploiting its abundant supply of cheap labour.

Western importers and investors flocked to the country despite its communist ideology because they got more value for their money compared with other markets. This advantage was mainly because of China’s currency policy and other financial support given to the export sector.

In contrast to China’s policy of subsiding export businesses, government monetary policy in Nigeria taxed them.

Following the import-subs tu on industrialisa on theory, the Nigerian state has endeavoured to channel resources to

“Exporters and foreign investors in China received more Yuan for foreign currencies sold to regulated banks than they would without government intervention, in Nigeria exporters and investors received fewer naira for their hard currencies than obtainable in the free market”

tries producing for domes c consump on.

While exporters and foreign investors in China received more Yuan for foreign currencies sold to regulated banks than they would without government interven on, in Nigeria exporters and investors received fewer naira for their hard currencies than obtainable in the free market.

The government’s currency system effec vely Publisher – Moremi Publishing taxes exporters and other House Ltd. earners of foreign exchange Deputy Editor – Ismaeel Uthman to subside imports for soProduc on Editor – Petkola Taiwo Ibitowa called import subs tu on Reporter – Yusuf Oketola businesses that generReporter – Kazeem Badmus ate no foreign exchange.

The result was the conPhoto Journalist – Olushola Aderinto sump on of scarce foreign Computer Graphics – Zainab Olalere capital without being used OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing produc vely to generate House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), Gbogan Road Osogbo, •Continued on Page 7 State of Osun ISSN : 0794-8050 •Tunde Obadina, is a Telephone : 0809-301-9152 former Editor of Sunday Website : www.osundefender.com/index.php Punch and was on the Edie-mail : osundefender@yahoo.com torial Board of National osundefenderbank@gmail.com Concord, wrote from LonAll correspondence to the above email addresses. don.

firms producing for domes c consump on, supposedly to reduce reliance on imports.

The state also maintained an overvalued na onal currency, the naira, ostensibly to direct cheap hard currencies to local indus-

OSUN DEFENDER

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15 - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2023

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PHC Goes Moribund As Health Personnel Abandon Building Ismaeel Uthman

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ESIDENTS of Adedapo Estate, Oke Sapo, Ido-Osun area of Egbedore local government of Osun State, have alerted the State government to the moribund Primary Health centre in the community.

The health centre, according to the residents, has dilapidated as a result of lack of maintenance.

OSUN DEFENDER visited the health centre and observed that it is one of the Millennium Development Goals projects executed in 2011.

The 10-bed space hospital which was equipped with modern equipment is now a shadow of its former self because of lack of maintenance.

Findings revealed that medical personnel who were working in the health centre had ceased from going there for safety reasons.

Apart from the bushy environment, the PHC’s building was near collapse with cracking walls and a roof in a state of disrepair.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the healthcare centre became nonfunc onal around April this year when the staff decided not to resume there as a result of its poor condi on.

Ever since, the gate of the PHC has remained closed.

A resident of the area, Abiodun Adeleke, told OSUN DEFEBDER that the PHC was serving Halleluyah, Woru, Abiola Oloke and other communi es before it was no longer func oning.

According to Adeleke, residents of the communi es who could not afford private hospital, have to go to a maternity at Rinsayo to seek medical service.

Adeleke said: “This PHC was serving people from Halleluyah, Oke Sapo, Woru, Abiola Oloke and other communi es around this place. It is a big health centre with equipment.

But, because of lack of maintenance, the health centre is no longer funconing. Our people are going to the maternity at Rinsayo to seek medical service.

“We used to have qualified doctors and nurses that a end to people here in the past.

But because the building is not maintained, those people have not been coming to work again. It is a major concern to us.

“The wall of the building has craved; the roof has caved in, the en re building needs total renova on. The state and local government should come to our rescue.”

•The abandoned P.H.C

FG Plans To Sell Osogbo Machine Tools Yusuf Oketola HE Bureau of Public Enterprises has said the Nigeria Machine Tools, Osogbo, Osun State, has been slated for the capital market.

According to the Director-General of the BPE, Mr. Alex Okoh, the machine tools, was among other assets of the Federal government that has been put on sale in the 2024 capital market.

Okoh, in a media chat with newsmen, on Tuesday, also revealed

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the inten on of the agency to sell remaining 40 per cent shares of the government in electricity distribu on companies on the capital market in 2024.

Other assets slated for the capital market include Eleme Petrochemicals Company Limited and Nigeria Re-Insurance, Nicon Insurance, according to Okoh.

Okoh said the original intent of the government, following the par al priva saon of Discos, was to

list its 40 per cent on the stock market in a bid to democra se its ownership to more Nigerians, not just a core group of investors.

He said: “One of the original inten ons of the way that the paral priva sa on of the Discos was done was to be able to list that 40 per cent that is s ll being held by the government in the stock market. And that way you are democra sing the ownership of these government en es.”

The DG said this

Accident Claims OAU Final Year Student’s Life, Others Injured Kazeem Badmus 500-level student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, Chisom Nwankwo, on Tuesday, lost his life to an accident that occurred on the campus of the ins tu on.

Nwankwo, a finalyear student of the Department of Agric Economics, was said to be on a commercial motorcycle along Road 1 on the campus when the accident occurred.

According to sources, the accident occurred when the motorcyclist who carried Nwankwo lost control due to a lack of concentra on while looking a scene of an earlier accident.

It was gathered that a motorcyclist and another student of the university, Deborah

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Okunola, had had an accident on the campus.

While they were being a ended to, the motorcyclist conveying Nwankwo, upon arriving at the scene, got carried away and lost control, making the bus coming behind him to hit him.

Both Nwankwo and the motorcyclist were rushed to the health centre, from where they were moved to OAU Teaching Hospital immediately a er the accident, said the sources.

She was however confirmed dead at the hospital.

The Spokesperson of the university, Mr. Abiodun Olanrewaju, while confirming the incident, said: “Around 11am, along Road 1, an accident involving two Okadas and two vehi-

cles occurred.

“One par cular Okada rider was trying to overtake a red-coloured Toyota Corolla car. Unfortunately, the side mirror of the car hit the motorcycle and the rider fell with the passenger.

“The passenger is a Part 2 student of Psychology in our school by the name of Deborah Okunola. As those were trying to a end to themselves, one

Chika Nwakore carrying a Part Five female student of the Department of Agric Economics by the name of Chisom Nwankwo arrived at the scene.

“The motorcyclist carrying Nwankwo was distracted by the first accident and he lost concentra on. A bus that was coming behind hit the bike.

The rider and the passenger fell.

“What we were

told was that Nwankwo and the Okada man were injured and taken to our health centre where they were referred to the OAU Teaching Hospital Complex but unfortunately, Nwankwo was later declared dead.

“The body is in the Anatomy Sec on on the campus. The university authority has informed the police and is taking necessary ac on. The Vice-Chancellor is not happy with the situaon and management has frowned at all this carelessness on our roads.

“We sympathise with the parents of the deceased and we pray that God Almighty will give them the for tude to bear the terrible loss. We are not happy to lose any of our students.”

would enable Nigerians to buy shares in the Discos, adding that the government was working on this.

“Once we resolve the 40 per cent ownership in the Discos.

We also plan to take Eleme Petrochemicals to the capital market.

We had also planned to take Nigerian ReInsurance and Nicon Insurance to the capital market, of course, but we then started to have some problems with the former core investor, Jimoh Ibrahim.

“So, there are a lot of issues that are involved in taking some of these en es to the market. The Nigerian Machine Tools in Osogbo is also slated for the capital market.

“Yes, on all fronts, we expect a more acve year in 2024 for the BPE, and every step of the way, both in terms of educa ng the public and also helping us to navigate various stakeholder concerns, we will have to work with the media,” Okoh stated.

Okoh said President Bola Tinubu administra on was more open to the idea of privasa on, adding that moves were underway to bring this to fruion.

He noted that it was the inten on of the Federal Government to generate N298.4bn from the priva sa on of government assets in 2024.

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Gunmen Invade Erimo-Ijesa, Residents Scamper For Safety Ismaeel Uthman

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HERE was pandemonium in Erinmo-Ijesa, Oriade local government of Osun State when some gunmen invaded the community.

The gunmen, who were said to be 30 in number, invaded the community with motorcycles and two buses.

According to residents of Erinmo-Ijesa, the gunmen started shoo ng sporadically in the heart of the town, forcing people to run helter-skelter.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the invasion was not unconnected with the ownership crisis rocking the popular ‘Ori Oke Erinmo”.

Erinmo-Ijesa which is the host community of the prayer mountain has been resis ng an alleged a empt by the children of the late prophet of the mountain, Joseph Odeyemi, to cede it to Efon Alaye, a border town in Eki State.

Odeyemi, according to findings by OSUN DEFENDER, hailed from Efon Alaye and un l his death oversaw the administra on of the famous Ori-Oke Erinmo.

However, there was an

said: “We were •Police Suspend Activities On Prayer Mountain Over Ownership Crisis yesterday, moun ng surveillance on the road leading to Ori Oke;

•Erinmo-Ijesa prayer mountain alleged move by Odeyemi’s children to personalise the prayer mountain and cede it to Efon Alaye.

The children, according to indigenes of ErinmoIjesa, were making move to bury the late prophet on the prayer mountain to

claim its ownership.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the indigenes mounted surveillance on major roads leading to the prayer mountain on Tuesday when informa on filtered in that the children of the late prophet were

coming with helicopter to bury him.

The informa on generated tension in the community as commercial transporters suspended opera ons with a view to avoid anybody from accessing the prayer mountain.

Speaking with the medium, the youth leader of the community, Mr Sunday Agbetanmije, alleged the children of the late prophet of leading the gunmen that invaded Erinmo Ijesa.

Agbetanmije, in an interview with OSUN DEFENDER

Controversies As Pupils Develop Cholera Symptoms After Free Lunch In Osogbo Ismaeel Uthman ONTROVERSIES have con nued to trail the alleged food poisoning involving some pupils of St. James Primary School, Owo-Ope, Osogbo, Osun State, who were reportedly hospitalised a er ea ng the free lunch provided by the state government, on Monday.

Eighteen pupils of the school had reportedly developed cholera symptoms, vomi ng and defeca ng at the same me a er ea ng rice and eggs in the school.

However, inves ga ons

by OSUN DEFENDER revealed that none of the pupils showed any symptom of cholera before the closing hour of the school.

According to findings, some of the pupils started defeca ng and vomi ng at their various homes, a development that brought about the insinua on that they were affected by food

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•My Granddaughter Complained Of Headache, Started Vomiting After Returning From School – Grandma

poisoning.

One of the pupils who this medium traced to her house at Ologun area, complained of headache to her grandmother simply iden fied as Iya Dodo, immediately a er ge ng home.

The li le girl, according to the grandmother, started vomi ng and defeca ng while complaining.

The girl was s ll on admission bed ll noon at the pediatric sec on of Osun State University Teaching hospital, Osogbo, when OSUN DEFENDER visited her yesterday.

Findings revealed that few pupils of Primary I, II and III were reportedly affected by the purported food poisoning.

A primary 6 pupil who shared from the egg served to his sister in Primary III was also affected by the food poisoning.

Some of the pupils were reportedly taken to a private hospital at Sabo area of Osogbo while three others were taken to different hospital at Abaku and Oluode areas.

OSUN DEFENDER noted that the development came to public awareness when some members of the All Progressives Congress who are loyalists of former governor Adegboyega Oyetola, took to their various social media accounts to talk about the incident.

Findings revealed that a total of 32 pupils of Primary I, II and III of the school were presented for test at the Pediatric emergency unit of Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, on Tuesday.

The food vendors were also summoned and placed under surveillance un l after the result of the test was

released.

According to the Special Adviser to the Governor on O-Meal, Hon. Ayodele Oluwaseyi, none of the pupils tested posi ve to food poisoning.

Oluwaseyi, in a statement issued on Tuesday, said the pupils were not poisoned under the Osun Home Grown School Feeding Programme (O’Meals).

She said: “The clinical tests conducted at the teaching hospital confirmed no traces of food poisoning and the affected vendors have been discharged accordingly.

“The reported food poisoning should not be associated with the mid-day meal given to the pupils by the O’Meals food vendors.

“The whole allega on was discovered to be poli cally ini ated by some miscreants who intended to score cheap poli cal goal. “it will interest the public to know that the students who were said to have been poisoned have since returned to school to con nue their examina ons. They were fed in the morning and they showed no sign of illness throughout the day”.

Oluwaseyi disclosed that the state government has invited security agencies to inves gate the ma er with a view to bring those peddling false informa on on the ma er to book.

Narra ng how the incident happened, the troubled woman said: “She returned from school at noon and started complaining of headache. As I was asking what happened to her in school, she started vomiting and before I knew it, she had been stooling too.

“I bathed her and as I was about to clothe her, she started another round of vomi ng and stooling. I asked what she ate in school as she said rice and egg. She didn’t eat the food she took to school.

“I saw some other parents on the road when I was taking my daughter to a nurse around the area; they were also carrying their children who were going to same school with my grand child and were also vomi ng and stooling. They told me some other parents have taken their children who were having same symptoms to a hospital around Sabo. They said the children might be affected by food poisoning from the food they ate in school.

“The following morning, we were told to bring our children to school and from there they were taken to UNIOSUN (formerly LAUTECH) teaching hospital.

Some of the children have been discharged, but my own granddaughter is ll on the bed. She is weak, but responding to treatment.”

we were about eight men.

We were not armed with anything. Suddenly, some gunmen invaded our area, they came with motorcycles. They were about five.

“One of the late prophet’s children led the gunmen, he pointed at me. The gunmen started shoo ng at us but luckily, we were able to escape.

“The gunmen are vigilantes from Efon Alaaye; some of them wore green uniform while some others were hooded.”

Another indigene of the town, Mr Sunday Orimogunje, told OSUN DEFENDER that two of the late prophet’s children had earlier led some cul sts from Ilesa to Erinmo to threaten anybody who oppose to burying their father on the mountain.

According to Orimogunje, the Tuesday incident was the peak of the harassment and in mida on of indigenes of the town by the prophet’s children who wanted to bury their father on the mountain at all cost.

However, OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the indigenes apprehended two persons in connec on with the invasion and handed them over to the police.

Inves ga ons revealed that the two arrested suspects have been detained at the State Criminal Invesga ons Department, Osun State Police Command, Osogbo.

It was also gathered that the Commissioner of Police in the State, Isyaku Mohammed, have ordered that all ac vi es should be suspended on the prayer mountain to avoid breakdown of law and order.

“There must be no movement to and from the mountain for now, pending the outcome of the police inves ga on. There would be no climbing of the Ori-Oke Agbara in Erinmo-Ijesa for now un l further no ce, and no burials would be allowed on the mountain”, Mohammed reportedly said.

Pastor Kayode Adebisi, an indigene of Erinmo, confirmed that ac vi es on the prayer mountain have been suspended as ordered by the commissioner of police.

When contacted, the Ac ng Police Public Relaons Officer, Osun Command, Mr. Theophilus Adekola, also confirmed that the police boss has ordered suspension of ac vies on the prayer mountain.

According to Adekola, inves ga ons have begun on the ma er, urging all interested par es to respect the law.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15 - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2023

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News

Justice On Hold In Osun As JUSUN Vows To Continue Industrial Action Ismaeel Uthman

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HERE seems to be no end in sight for the industrial ac on declared by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Osun State chapter.

JUSUN had on November 22 embarked on indefinite strike following a clash with policemen during a protest against the emba led Chief Judge of the State, Jus ce Adepele Ojo. The strike ac on has halted delivery of jus ce as courts across the state have been shut.

Asked if the union would suspend the strike following the affirmaon of Jus ce Ojo as the Chief Judge of the State by the Na onal Judicial Council of Nigeria (NJC), the State Chairman of JUSUN, Comrade Gbenga Eludare, said the industrial ac on would con nue un l their demands are a ended to.

With Eludare’s declara on, many awaiting trial inmates at Ilesa and Ile-Ife Correc onal Centres will con nue to spend me in custody, as the wheel of Jus ce has been grounded to a halt in the state.

Also, suspects in police custody, especially those with serious criminal allega ons, would not be arraigned in court any me soon, leaving them to the mercy of the police.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday in a telephone interview, Eludare said the union would not end the strike ac on un l their demands are met.

Eludare said: “We are not dispu ng that Jus ce Adepele Ojo is the Chief Judge of Osun State, and the fact that NJC affirmed her as the incumbent CJ is nothing to us; we are not dispu ng that and that is not part of our struggle.

“Our struggle is to protect the interest of our members, to fight for our rights, and we have put forward all our demands to the Chief Judge, government and general public.

Unfortunately, they have not been attended to up ll now.

“We embarked on strike ac on to drive home our demands, and I think the only thing that can stop that is seeing our demands a ended to. But there is nothing of such up ll now. So, what do we do than to con nue our strike? Don’t forget that the Na onal Secretariat has taken over the ma er, it is no longer our struggle.

“Apart from the effort of the state government by paying the outstand-

ing salaries of unlawful suspended judicial staff, members, there have not been any move or meeting with anybody on our agita on. And apart from the first dialogue we had

with representa ves of the body of judges and na onal secretariat also came to meet with them, nobody has approached us.

“It is the concerned au-

thority that will determine how long the industrial acon will last, because we have laid down all our requests.

“Ordinarily, what I expected from the Chief

Judge was to call a mee ng and dialogue with us on how to resolve the issues, see to the payment of our wardrobe allowances and reinstate our members that were unlawfully sus-

pended and pay their salaries, among others, but nothing of such has happened. In fact, the a tude of the CJ is not encouraging. Her a tude shows how unrepentant she is.”

How Suspected Ritualist Murdered, Dismembered Lady In Osun forma on that there was a dismembered body of a yet to be known adult and her private parts were removed and was packed in a sack and thrown into a flowing river at Old NEPA road.

“The corpse has been moved to state hospital, Oke-Ogbo, Ile-Ife and efforts are s ll ongoing to arrest the suspects”.

•A dismembered remain of the victim Yusuf Oketola lady whose iden ty was yet to be known has been gruesomely murdered and dismembered by suspected ritualists in Modakeke area of Osun State, OSUN DEFENDER gathered.

According to findings by the medium, the lady’s dismembered body was dumped in a river along Old NEPA road, beside Nikki Choice Petrol Sta on, Modakeke, on Sunday, December 10, 2023.

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Sources in the area who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER under the condi on of anonymity said the lady could not be iden fied, as she has been decapitated and her head taken away by the assailants.

Her private part was also removed, said one of the sources.

The source noted that the police has evacuated the body and deposited it at the morgue.

He said: “The news came to me on Sunday’s af-

ternoon a er church service that a dismembered body of a lady was dumped in our area. I went there and saw it myself. Nobody could iden fy her as her head has been taken away.

“The police later arrived and took the body away to deposit it at a morgue. I believe God will expose those behind this crime. I urge the police to do their job well and bring the people to book”.

OSUN DEFENDER learnt that nobody has been ar-

rested in connec on with the crime as at the me of filing this report on Wednesday.

Confirming the incident in a telephone interview with OSUN DEFENDER, the Public Rela ons Officer of the Osun State Police Command, Mrs. Yemisi Opalola said efforts was ongoing to arrest the suspect in connec on to the crime.

According to Opalola, “On Sunday, December 10, 2023, at about 8:30am, the command received in-

Three Arrested For Exhuming Corpses For Ritual Kazeem Badmus

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HE Osun State Command of the South-West Security Network codenamed Amotekun Corps, has disclosed that it has arrested three suspected members of a gang that specialised in exhuming corpses and selling their parts for ritual purposes in Iwo. The suspects are 43year-old mechanic, Kamilu Kehinde (43), a driver, Akeem Hamzat (56) and herbalist, Wakeel Baka.

According to a statement by the spokesperson of the command, Mr Adeniyi Adeshola, the suspects were arrested following intelligence reports by the opera ves of the agency in Iwo. Adeshola said the suspects made confessional statements that they were into the business of exhuming corpses from

their graves.

He added that they confessed to selling the dead body parts to buyers who need them for money rituals.

The spokesperson disclosed that the State

•The suspects

Commander of the Corps, Brig. Gen. Bashir Adewinmbi (Rtd), has directed that the suspects be transferred to the police for discreet inves ga on and possible prosecuon.

Adewinmbi, according to the spokesperson, encouraged residents of the state to be more security conscious and ensure they report any suspicious ac vi es around them to the agency.

Day-Old Baby Abandoned In Ikirun, Search For Parents Begins Yusuf Oketola

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SUN State Government has called on residents of the state to volunteer informa on that would aid the iden ficaon of the parents of a day-old baby who was abandoned in the Dagbolu area of Ikirun.

The baby, according to the Commissioner for Women, Children and Social Affairs, Ayobola Awolowo, was discovered in a carton that was placed at a spot in Zone ‘B’ area of Dagbolu.

Awolowo, in a statement on Tuesday, said the baby was found by a resident whose iden ty was not disclosed.

She said: “A day-old baby, named Temitope Daniel, who was abandoned inside a carton around Zone ‘B’ area, Dagbolu, Ikirun has been found by a good Nigerian.

“All efforts by the police and the social workers of the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Affairs to locate the child’s parents were fruitless.

“This release therefore enjoins members of the public with relevant informa on about the abandoned child to assist in loca ng his parents.”

Sports

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15 - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2023

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23/24 Season: 30 Clubs Registered For Osun Football League

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O fewer than 30 football clubs have been cleared by the Osun State Football Associa on to parcipate in the state Football League for the 23/24 Season, scheduled to kick off in the first quarters of 2024.

The clubs, according to a press statement issued by the Secretary of Osun FA, Mr. Amoo Abayomi, have been placed into four groups to minimise traveling by the par cipa ng clubs.

Abayomi disclosed that the football associa on will announce the venues to host the four groups as soon as possible.

“Security of players, good playing pitches, and television-friendly grounds are some of the variables that will determine the selecons of the venues,” Amoo stated.

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GROUP A ELEBUIBON BOYS FC OSOGBO HOMMY DAYS F A OSOGBO FEHINTY F A OSOGBO LOCAPY FC OSOGBO H M K. F A OSOGBO NET BREAKER FC. OSOGBO OROLU FEEDERS IFON OSUN DIVINE FC ILESHA

GROUP B ORIADE FC OSOGBO SHARP STRIKER FC OSOGBO RIDYEM FC OSOGBO IGBAJO UNITED FEEDERS OVIT F A IRAGBIJI ILA ORANGUN FEEDERS ZAKARIYAU F A. IKIRUN IJESHA WARRIORS FC

GROUP C GROUP D HAMMOLA INT'L F A IDO OSUN IWO UNITED FC IWO BRILLIANT UNITED FC IDO OSUN TELU FC IWO EDE CITY BOYS BRIGHT STAR FC IWO FEED TALENT FC ILE IFE SOCCER WIZARD FC IFE ODAN H C B FC IPETUMODU EDE NORTH FC EDE ILAALAN FC EJIGBO TIMI GIANT FC EDE KAMAL F A OSOGBO SUCCESS F A LLESHA

Osun FA Women’s League Organizing Committee Formed Osun NUJ HE Osun State Board.

Football AssoOSUN DEFENDER Inducts 4 cia on has an- gathered that the comnounced an organising mi ee is made up of Prominent commi ee that will professionals who are oversee the develop- making waves in their Nigerians ment and organisa on respec ve industries, of the Osun FA Wom- with men and women en’s League. working in football, as Into Hall The commi ee has well as in areas includbeen formed to drive ing financial and meOf Fame forward women’s foot- dia. ball across the state, Members of the taking on responsibili- commi ee are Hon. Today es such as agreeing Adebayo Rawlings,

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and implemen ng the strategic direc on of the Osun FA Women’s League, as well as making recommenda ons in respect of commercial partnerships, league development, and policy.

The commi ee will report to the Osun FA

(Chairman), Hon. Olayinka Olawale (Vice Chairman and Media), Mrs Ronke Ajibola (Club representa ve), Mrs Adeleke Kabirat Adebisi (Independent), Mrs La fat Ademola (Referee Associa on), Amoo Abayomi (FA Representa ve and Secretary).

Medals Rain For Team Osun At National category and Bassey make it three medals Para-Sports Festival Be er claimed Bronze for team Osun in Para in athle cs 100M T37 Canoeing.

Yusuf Oketola

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S the 2nd Na onal Para Games came to an end in Abuja yesterday, Osun State Athletes can boast of an excellent performance at the game a er winning five Gold Medals, five Silver Medals and eight Bronze Medals, totaling 18 Medals overall.

T e a m Osun graced the games with just 30 athletes who par cipated in five games of Para Power Li ing, Para Swimming , Para Athletics, Para Canoeing and Para Table Tennis.

In Para Power Li ing, the Team won one Gold Medal, two Silver Medals and two Bronze Medals, totaling five Medals.

Mu au Rasaq was the gold medalist in the Para Power Li ing 65kg category, Anuoluwapo Akoleaje and Anifat Ganiyu won Silver Medals in 86 + kg and 41kg category respec vely while Alao Bukola and Opeyemi

Adefila coasted home Bronze Medals in their categories.

In Para Athletics, the team claimed three medals as Amaka Anum won Gold in shot put F40 category, Victor Saviour won Silver Medal in shot put F47

category.

In the Para Swimming game, Friday Urounah was the star of the show for team Osun as he coasted home two Gold Medals in 50 and 100M freestyle S10 male category while Olasunkanmi Mariam won one silver and two Bronze Medals totaling five Medals in Para Swimming.

In Para Canoeing, Sunday Akpodufaye won one gold and one silver while Alaba Metelewawon won Bronze medal to

In Para Table Tennis, Osun athletes won two Bronze Medals. Sofiyat Yusuf and Taiwo Mujeeb were the Bronze medalists.

Yusuf Oketola HE Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Osun State Council, will today hold it’s 2023 induc on into Hall of fame.

The event will come up at the NUJ Press Centre,IwoIbadan Road, Osogbo.

A statement by the Chairman and Secretary of the union, Comrade Wasiu Ajadosu and Adeyemi Aboderin, indicated that four prominent Nigerians including the Press Secretary to Ooni of Ife, Otunba Moses Olafare, Special Adviser to the Governor on Market Affairs, Mr Grace Omotosho,a business tycoon, Mr John Mba and An Engineer, Alhaji Najeemdeen Ajikobi, will be inducted at the occasion.

A lecturer with the Federal University, Oye Eki , Dr Dayo Sobowale, will speak on the topic, “Nigeria’s Economy, Poli cal Evoluon, Insecurity and Way Out.” The Chairman, League of Veteran Journalists, Prince Poju Atobatele, is the Chairman of the occasion.

The Alagbeda of Agbeda Ijesa, Oba Adesoji Adeniyi, is the Royal Father of the day while Osun State Commissioner for Informa on and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, is the Special Guest of Honour.

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Govt. Warns Against Bush Burning Kofoworola Popoola HE Osun State government has warned residents against bush burning during the dry season to avoid fire outbreak.

According to the government, it is important for every household do away with any prac ce that might lead to in-

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ferno during the fesve period.

The Special Adviser to Governor Ademola Adeleke on Environment and Sanita on, Mr. Babatunde Balogun, gave the warning in an interview with newsmen, yesterday.

Balogun said there is the need to take adequate measures during harma an season

to ensure that all the nega ve things associated with it are prevented.

He urged residents of the state to con nue to keep their environment clean in order to prevent diseases before, during and a er the coming Christmas and new year celebra ons.

ISSN : 0794 - 8050

News

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 15 - THURSDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2023 VOL. 18 NO 48 www.osundefender.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com

Provide Locations Of Your Borehole Project, Osun OCSC Challenges Adeleke

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HE adage - you are what you eat was first used by a French lawyer, Anthelme Brillat, in 1826 when he said, “Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are.” Decades a er its use, it crept into the English Language lexicon. The adage is targeted at demonstra ng the fact that what we consume is what our body system will process in the construc on and repairs of its cells, hormones and neurotransmi ers. Just like its iden cal twin – health is wealth – this popular saying gives credence to health as the most important thing for every individual.

A good health is connected to physical appearance, mental balance, a tude and perhaps, spiritual wellbeing.

We cannot, therefore, afford to take our health for granted as it requires servicing for maintenance via what we eat. A healthy person is a happy man/ woman who is built to face any challenges of life. An unhealthy person cannot be wealthy because he/she requires a good health to acquire wealth in the first instance. Assuming he/she inherits wealth, he/she will not enjoy it without a good health. The wealth inherited may all be drained into the struggle for good health. Again, an unhealthy man/ woman cannot a ain the peak in life.

As a result of neo-liberal policies and several severe a acks on the living standard of the mass majority of the people, in the process of our daily struggle to eke out a living, we seem to have relegated to the background the quality of what we eat, which has consequently poorly affected our health, resul ng into preventable terminal ailments and sudden deaths in some cases. We should not wait to be told by the doctor of specific foods to eat and not to eat. Lackadaisical a tude to our health is a tac cal suicide mission. Conscious alert to our health via what we consume is desirable and worthwhile.

An evaporated wealth could be recovered over me through hard work but a lost health may never be regained.

Many valuable and irreplaceable people have been lost to ailments that could be prevented, healed and managed if they had been conscious of what they consumed. As foods and all necessi es of life are becoming increasingly prohibi ve for the mass majority of the people, one thing is certain - we do eat

“As a result of neo-liberal policies and several severe attacks on the living standard of the mass majority of the people, in the process of our daily struggle to eke out a living, we seem to have relegated to the background the quality of what we eat, which has consequently poorly affected our health, resulting into preventable terminal ailments and sudden deaths in some cases”

You Are What You Eat

one thing or the other - and this is the crux of the ma er. Within the context of what we eat, we should be conscious of what we consume. I strongly believe that a be er Nigeria where decent working and living condi on for mass majority of the people is possible. Foot drag on socio-economic development will not endure forever. To a ain a naon of prosperity, there is need for us to struggle together for that be er Nigeria and partake in benefi ng from its fruit having yielded. Hence, a quality health must be guaranteed first and foremost.

I have some associates whose only me they consume fruits is during Ramadan. A er that 29 or 30 days, it is bye-bye to fruits un l the next Ramadan. I also have non-Muslims who don’t bother to eat fruits at all. In fact, some do openly express their contempt for fruit! It is as bad; and interes ngly, when they eat, its pounded yam with bush meat and constant visita on to eat junk at eatery. They consume expensive foods that are not necessarily beneficial to their system. Meanwhile,

whole grains, fruits, and vegetables that our body system requires for healthy living are not necessarily more expensive than other foods they consume. In fact, in most cases, they are cheaper.

Therefore, what we have is a tudinal problem rooted in poor educa on.

Ila-alasepo - okro - also known as ladies’ finger is a good vegetable that is very rich in minerals, vitamin k, calcium, iron, niacin, copper, phosphorus, an oxidants and fibre among others.

Research has it that lec n from okro is used to treat human breast cancer. It also reduces cancer cell growth by 63% and kills 72% cancer cells. Again, constant consump on of okro has capacity to lower blood sugar for those with diabetes. Interes ngly however, consump on of this fantabulous vegetable which flows with amala, fufu, eba and the likes is seen as poor people’s food as it is rela vely cheap!

Living healthily has no fundamental link with the soap one uses to bath or the cream one applies on the skin, it is the quantum of fruits, vegetables and clean water one takes at the right me

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“We cannot afford to eat just anything all the time. If we eat our vegetables and fruits like recommended drugs, we will pay none or less courtesy visits to the hospitals and live health long life” that ma ers. In addi on, some forms of exercises are required for fitness but it depends on each person’s capacity, each person needs to consult his/her doctor accordingly. We also need to get immunised against some killer ailments like Hepa s B, yellow fever and co, which are readily available in virtually all General and Teaching hospitals.

A serviced car does not malfunc on on the road; a serviced aircra does not misbehave in the air; a serviced man/ woman does not die unno ced. How do we service ourselves? Eat correct meals, fruits and vegetables, and drink clean warm water or water at room temperature (never cold water) at appropriate mes. Have medical check-up once in a while, if not regularly. Get all necessary vaccines on killer ailments and consult your doctor any me there is a problem. Doctors are human beings’ mechanics. Regular check-up to assess our health situa on ma ers as ailments discovered on me could be nipped in the bud and be be er managed. Most people who had ac vies yesterday and suddenly die today had one sickness or the other which they didn’t know about because they didn’t consult to know as there was no check-up to alert them.

Adherence to these protocols is not easy but it will boost our immunity to the extent that no ailment finds place of abode in our system if eventually religiously followed. Ailments do not like to visit anyone who eats fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans and legumes among others like recommended drugs. No! They seek refuge in the system of those who violate these recommenda ons. As every secret of life is in the book (Google, these days), so does secret of healthy living in consump on of fruits and vegetables. Most drugs are extracts from them.

Yes, things are rough for the mass majority of the people. However, the burst will not last forever as burble comes not necessarily tomorrow but later today. We cannot afford to eat just anything all the me. If we eat our vegetables and fruits like recommended drugs, we will pay none or less courtesy visits to the hospitals and live health long life. This should be taken as a New Year resolu on.

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: 0809-301-9152. ISSN: 0794-8050.

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