Osun Defender Online Version Of January 12, 2024

FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024 - THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2024 VOL 19 NO 01

Adeleke Shuts Osun Job Centre 2 e g Pa

•Withholds 12 Months Salaries Of Workers

•The new Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Osun State Chapter, Comrade Christopher Arapasopo taking his oath of office alongside other members of the newly elected executives of the chapter after the union’s 7th triennial congress in Osogbo, on Wednesday Photo: Shola Aderinto

How I Was Raped On OAUTH: Ife Youths Omoluabi: Osun APC Jittery Of Aregbesola’s Seek FG’s Intervention My Birthday By CCC Popularity - Ex Party Chairman •Says Oyetola Guilty Of Anti-Party, On 12 Months Unpaid Pastor – 20-Year-Old Pg. 5 Victim Pg. 6 Salaries Pg. 2 Should Be Blacklisted FOR THE RECORD

Inside Osun Primary School Where Pupils, Teachers Share Space With Animals •Host Community Laments Lack Of Electricity, Health FacilityPg. 4

FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024 - THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2024

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News

Adeleke Shuts Osun Job Centre, Withholds 12 Months Salaries Of Workers Ismaeel Uthman

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HE Osun Job Centre, an agency of the Osun State Government, has been shut down by the administra on of Governor Ademola Adeleke.

Inves ga ons revealed that the job centre located opposite Ayegbaju Internaonal Market, Osogbo, had been inac ve for 10 months before it was put under lock and key in October, 2023.

This is just as the salary of the workers of the agency have been withheld.

Findings revealed that the workers did not receive any salary throughout 2023.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that there was no official communica on from the state government to the workers before the agency was shut.

It was observed that the sign post of the agency has also been removed from the office building.

Osun Job Centre was under the Ministry of Human Resources and Capacity Building which had N401,663,270.00 expenditure, including N88,678,270.00 personnel expenditure and overhead of N211,542,310.00 in the 2023 budget.

A sum of N25,140,000.00 was specifically allocated to the agency under “Redefini on Of Osun Job Centre (MHRCB) - Land & Buildings” heading in the 2023 budget.

But Adeleke has scrapped the ministry and replaced it with Bureau of Human Resources and Capacity Building under the office of the governor.

Findings revealed that the bureau has a recurrent expenditure of N12,500,000.00, personnel expenditure of N58,692,725.00 and capital expenditure of N189,000,000.00 in the 2024 budget.

OSUN DEFENDER got across to three workers of the agency but two of them declined to comment on the ma er.

However, the third person confirmed that the Adeleke administra on has withheld their salary for 12 months running.

According to the worker who craved anonymity, the state government was yet to communicate to them on whether they have been disengaged or not.

He said: “We are in the dark; we don’t know what is happening. We just discovered the office was put under lock and key in October 2023 and the security personnel vacated the place. We have been in the dark since then, and our salary running to over a year now has not been paid.

“We are not poli cians; we do not belong to any poli cal party. Our recruitment and appointment were based on merit. We didn’t lobby.

The state government should come out on the state of the

job centre.”

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the former governor Gboyega Oyetola’s administra on had also withheld the running cost of the agency for three years, making the workers to foot the electricity, staonery, toiletries and cleaning bills by themselves.

The job centre was created in 2016 as part of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola administraon’s effort to reduce unemployment in the state.

It was established to facilitate recruitment of Osun indigenes and residents into private sectors and help the private employers to recruit suitable candidates from among unemployed youth in the state.

The agency was also conduc ng ICT, employability and entrepreneurial training for indigenes and residents of the state to make them suitable for available opportuni es.

Osun Job centre also engaged in career counseling, review of Curriculum Vitae (CV), interview prepara on and career coaching to indigenes and residents of the state.

•The Orangun of Ila, Oba Abdulwahab Oyedotun, paid a courtesy visit to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adegoke Fayoade, at the Lagos State Police Command Ikeja, yesterday Available records showed that the agency had secured employment for over 4,000 indigenes and residents of

Osun in private companies and trained over 10,000 youths in ICT in all the local government of the state be-

tween 2016 and 2022.

However, the state government has refused to make any statement on the Osun

Osun College In The Eye Of The Storm Over N200m Fraud Kazeem Badmus

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SUN State College of Educa on, Ila Orangun, is in the eye of the storm, following the discovery of a N200m fraud allegedly perpetrated by the management and the governing council of the ins tu on.

There have been allegaons and counter-allegaons from the management team and governing council of the college on who commi ed the alleged fraud.

The Provost of the college, Professor Jimoh Afolabi had alleged the Governing Council of misappropria ng the sum of N200m.

The Chairman of the ins tu on’s Governing Council, Elder Peter Babalola was accused of spending a sum of N81m for the accredita on of five courses and obtaining a N35m loan approved by the state government on December 6, 2023.

He was also accused of holding council mee ngs almost every week, with a minimum of N660,000 being his take-home per meeting.

Also, a sum of N4m was allegedly paid into the account of Akinlaja Wonuola, a bursary staff, on December 12, 2023, for accredita on which was allegedly diverted to Babalola’s account.

Babalola was also alleged of diver ng a sum of N1,785,000, which was meant for accreditors’ flight ckets during the accreditaon.

But Babalola refuted the allega ons, saying that the Provost and his team were only looking for ways to tarnish his image because he stopped them from further running the school aground.

Babalola alleged the Provost and his team of killing the ins tu on with some dubious ac vi es.

Speaking with newsmen in Osogbo on Monday, Babalola accused the provost of concealing documents to frustrate the effort of the Governing Council.

He said the provost, alongside the outgone Bursar of the college, misappropriated the college funds and hindered the progress of the ins tu on.

He said: “He is the sole signatory to all the school accounts and

he is being assisted by the Bursar and one nominee from the Bursary. The provost conceals a lot of things in order to frustrate the Council. He misappropriated the college fund.”

Meanwhile, Governor Ademola Adeleke has set up a commi ee headed by the Chief of Staff to the Governor Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye, to inves gate the ma er.

Job Centre.

The Head of Service of the state, Mr. Ayanleye Aina, did not response to enquiries made by this medium.

He neither respond to the messages sent to him nor answer his phone calls.

Aina was the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Human Resources before his elevaon to the posi on of HOS. Also, the Commissioner for Informa on and Public Enlightenment, Mr. Kolapo Alimi did not respond to enquiries, likewise the Spokesperson to the Governor, Mallam Olawale Rasheed.

OAUTH: Ife Youths Seek FG’s Intervention In 12 Months Unpaid Salaries Yusuf Oketola

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OUTHS in Ile-Ife, Osun State, have called on the Federal Government to resolve the 12 months unpaid salaries to some health workers at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH), Ile-Ife. The youths in a le er addressed to the Minister for Health, Muhammed Pate, on Tuesday, noted that the affected health workers who are about 2,000 are majorly young individuals.

According to the youths, the affected workers have been enduring uncertainty, suffering and tragic experience for over a year due to their held salaries.

The youths under the aegis of Ife Youths Organisa on (IYO) stated that the unpaid salary has not only inflicted pains on the affected families but also poses significant threat to the health ins tuon and the host community.

It would be recalled that

the health workers had in November 2023 staged a protest against their withheld salary which was running to 10 months then.

The health workers lamented that they were incapable of feeding their families because of the unpaid salaries since December 13, 2022.

Meanwhile, Pate, the Minister of Health, in a tweet on his verified X handle on October 13, noted that inves ga on had been completed on the issue, stating that it would be resolved soonest.

“We are addressing the OAUTH situa on. The invesga on has just been completed on this unfortunate situa on. We understand the difficul es being faced by numerous innocent health workers and will do our best to resolve it equitably,” he tweeted.

But the workers are s ll yet to be paid as of the me of filing this report yesterday, three months a er Pate’s statement.

IYO in the le er signed by its Public Rela ons Officer, Ibrahim Oyesanmi, urged Pate to address the issue on me.

The youths appealed for immediate cessa on of any plans to terminate the employment of the affected workers, just as they called for their inclusion in the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Informa on System (IPPIS).

“The le er reads partly: “We are wri ng you with deep concern regarding the ongoing challenges faced by the youths at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife. “The uncertain es, hardships, and unfortunate deaths among these individuals have reached a cri cal level, demanding immediate a enon and compassionate interven on.

“For over a year, nearly 2,000 young individuals have endured uncertainty, suffering, and, tragically, some have lost their lives.

“This situa on not only

inflicts immense pain on the affected families but also poses a significant threat to the ins tu on itself and the surrounding community, affec ng the lives of numerous residents.

“It has come to our atten on that these youths, having received valid employment le ers, were engaged in ac ve service but have been le unpaid for over twelve months with no specific informa on as to why and when they would be paid.

“The financial burden imposed on them, with exorbitant screening and documenta on fees, adds to their plight, exacerba ng an already dire situa on.

“Considering the prevailing unemployment rates in the country, the despera on of these individuals underscores the predicament faced by many Nigerians in their pursuit of employment opportunies. We believe that your esteemed office, with its humane and passionate track record, can play a pivotal role in addressing this issue.”

PEOPLE FIRST

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E wish our readers a very fulfilled new year. They have had a well-earned end of the year break and must now face a new year which will be decisive for a society in a state of flux.

Recent events give a glimpse of renewed vigour in some areas. The government is to be commended for breaking away from hitherto established lethargy and taking a decisive an -corrupon posi on. This should be encouraged for corrup on con nues to be a hinderance to sustainable development.

We are s ll at the stage of allega ons, nevertheless, the prompt response to percepons of corrup on charges will be posi ve for the country’s risk analyses. There must be no wavering on the corrup on front and those seeking excep ons must be ignored.

The recent signal to take a

“2024 should also see a greater commitment to the progressive cause and the government’s stated objective to build a social market economy. We wish all a happy new year”

Welcome Back s ll get to grips with making holis c cuts in the To Our Readers must costs of government. In this

more decisive thrust on the costs of governance smirks of tokenism. This is unfortunate. A progressive poli cal party should see fiscal stability as the best way to a ain shared prosperity and sustainable development. In this new year, we urge the federal government to have a considered look and explore the feasibility of implemen ng the recommenda ons of the

Oronsaye report on the costs of the machinery of the government. The commi ee has done the heavy li ing and the report should be adopted for implementa on in line with current reality. The government has increased the percentage of funds allocated for capital expenditure; however, considering infla on and exchange rate adjusted, this is not a decisive gain, we

way, the pain of the con nuing sacrifices will be more evenly shared. Right now, the least protected social sectors are dispropor onately shouldering the pain.

2024 should also see a greater commitment to the progressive cause and the government’s stated objecve to build a social market economy. We wish all a happy new year.

The Discourse Please, Let Nigeria’s Judiciary Breathe

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ATE last year, the Chief Judge of Nigeria (CJN), Hon. Jus ce Olukayode Ariwoola, disclosed the totality of the judgments and rulings delivered by the Supreme Court in the 2022/2023 legal year.

Basically, the apex court decided 1, 271 cases which emanated from poli cal, criminal and civil appeals and mo ons. During the same legal year, the 20 Divisions of the Court of Appeal handed down 7, 295 judgements and rulings, as revealed by Jus ce Monica DongbanMensem, the President of the court.

In the same vein, the Chief Judge (CJ) of the Federal High Court, Jusce John Tsoho, es mated the decided cases of the court divisions to 12, 870 judgements. At the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the High Court Divisions adjudicated 4,293 cases while the Magistrate Courts determined 7328 cases according to Hon. Jus ce Hussein Baba-Yusuf, the FCT Chief Judge.

On the side of the Na onal Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN), the President of the court, Hon. Jus ce Benedict Kanyip, revealed during the commemora on of the 2022/2023 Legal Year of the NICN that 4,108 industry/labour related disputes were resolved by the divisions of the court within the last two years. Across the 36 states of the federa on, the Divisions of each State High Court must have recorded a great number of judgements, though no available unified breakdown of these decided cases.

The growing tradi on of handpicking one or two sensa onal poli cal cases within a plethora of decided

Binzak Azeez

cases as credibility test for Nigeria’s judicial ins tu on amongst legal prac oners, revered columnists and veteran public-affairs analysts has con nued to violate the basic principles of making a fair judgement. This barometric approach is farfetched from unveiling the exact hallmark of Nigeria’s judicial ins tu on.

No democra c ins tu on, judiciary inclusive, has immunity against cri cism. There are no extant laws that criminalize the public expression of contrary viewpoints to court verdicts. And there could never be any reasonable jus fica ons for considering the enactment of such laws. Be it unfair or misleading, the representa on of the enre judicial ins tu on on the basis of cri quing a handful court decisions should never be criminalized.

Though, a dispassionate and comprehensive assessment of judicial ins tu on should be inculcated into legal cri ques for the sake of na onal interest and the develop-

on the en re judicial ins tu on by singling out a court verdict has no basis in advancing any good cause.

Painstaking approach is required in the cause of righ ng any perceived wrong decision taken by the court to avoid being unconsciously turned into a pawn. Over the years, the denigra on of the judiciary through coordinated a acks has become a ploy by some power brokers who could go any length in the pursuit of their vested interest. They do not mind towing the road of anarchy and flaming up the en re country just to actualize their selfish goals.

On the other hand, it would amount to intellectual short-sightedment of the na on’s legal jurisprudence. Every decided case ought to ness to classify every cri cism against be analysed in isola on within the the judiciary as a sponsored a ack. contexts of the available facts before Many judicial reviews are done in the court. The cas ng of aspersions good faith. Meanwhile, a half-baked legal appraisal may be synonymous to ambushing the judiciary. The tradi on of one-sided reviews has the tendenPublisher – Moremi Publishing cy to hamper a fair and House Ltd. just legal process in the Deputy Editor – Ismaeel Uthman country. Judicial ins tuProduc on Editor – Petkola Taiwo Ibitowa on thrives on public Reporter – Yusuf Oketola confidence. The fear of Reporter – Kazeem Badmus public backlash from the Photo Journalist – Olushola Aderinto strong voices within the Computer Graphics – Zainab Olalere society must not deterOSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing mine or sway the judicial House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), Gbogan Road Osogbo, decision-making process though judges are State of Osun encouraged to listen to ISSN : 0794-8050 the voice of legal reason.

Telephone : 0809-301-9152 Website : www.osundefender.com/index.php •Binzak Azeez writes from e-mail : osundefender@yahoo.com Newworth LLP (Legal osundefenderbank@gmail.com Practitioners), Onikan, All correspondence to the above email addresses.

Lagos

“Meanwhile, a halfbaked legal appraisal may be synonymous to ambushing the judiciary. The tradition of one-sided reviews has the tendency to hamper a fair and just legal process in the country. Judicial institution thrives on public confidence.”

OSUN DEFENDER

FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024 - THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2024

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News

Inside Osun Primary School Where Pupils, Teachers Share Space With Animals Yusuf Oketola

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T. Richard’s Primary School is the only elementary school serving 12 communi es in Oloba village, Ayedaade Local Government area of Osun State. The physical state of all the school’s buildings suggests years of disuse. One could hardly tell if the school was s ll func oning due to its dilapidated condi on. But it was actually opera ng, with pupils in the classrooms from Oloba, Aaje, Olobi, Dalemo, Fate, and Elewiri villages.

OSUN DEFENDER observed that the only school building available for use was in the shadow of its former self. The ceiling of the building has fallen while the windows and doors were in a state of disrepair. The classrooms were also without chairs; while the environment was bushy. The pupils were learning in an appalling condi on.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER on the dilapidated condi on of the school, a resident of Oloba, Mr. Samuel Aderounmu, noted that learning ac vies were s ll ongoing in the school despite the horrible state of the buildings.

He said: “The school is s ll func oning. I can tell you that teachers and pupils from here and other villages s ll use the school.

So, learning s ll takes place there. You think they are not using it because of

•Host Community Laments Lack Of Electricity, Healthcare Facility

how it looks?

“No one would expect to find pupils learning under a saggy ceiling in a bushy environment. You learn in a school, not in the valley of the shadow of death.”

Of all the structures in the school, only a block of three classrooms constructed 17 years ago, had a roof, while toilets and water facili es were not func oning.

The 17-year-old building was the only one where teaching was taking place.

The state of the school was exacerbated by the dearth of tables and chairs.

The headmaster and teachers have no office, so they cluster with the pupils. The absence of doors and windows gives easy access to animals to stray into the classrooms any me. At every given opportunity, domes c animals stray into the classroom and sca er both the teachers and pupils’ belongings.

A classroom that contained the teachers’ belongings was only par ally protected by a car tyre, some wood and a wooden door that stood in an awkward posi on.

A resident of the village, Mr. Olusina Phillips, fondly called Yellow, explained that his children a ended the school in spite of the poor condi on, since there is no alterna ve.

He said: “That’s the only school my children attend, we don’t have alterna ve here.”

Besides, the villages using the school are without electricity, as they were not connected to the na onal grid. Residents of the villages travel a considerable distance to Gbongan to charge their phones.

Findings revealed that leaders of the villages had for long been making every effort to keep the school running in the community, so that the government would not shut it down as a result of its deplorable

condi on.

According to the leaders, all their efforts to get the government’s a enon to the school for renova on have been unfruitful.

The Baale of Oloba village, Chief Olusegun Olaniran, claimed that the community recognized the need for educa on and has been visi ng the state government secretariat in Osogbo to draw the a en on of the government to the problems facing the village and neighbouring communi es, but to no avail.

In an interview with

OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, Olaniran said: “A er the last general elec ons, I wrote two le ers to the federal lawmakers from our cons tuencies to bring our problems to their atten on for possible interven on. I commissioned someone to take the letters to their offices at the Senate and House of Representa ves with the hope that when they resumed office, they would meet it on their desk. We have not heard any response since then, not even an acknowledgement of the le er.”

One of the le ers

N25m Refurbished ‘Imole De’ Buses Off Roads In Osogbo, Other Towns Kazeem Badmus

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HE N25m refurbished ‘Imole De’ buses are no more on the roads across Osun State, findings have revealed.

Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administraon on November 21, 2023, officially rolled out the 19 buses as part of efforts to cushion the harsh effects of the petroleum subsidy removal by the Federal Government.

Five of the buses were sta oned in Osogbo, the state capital, for commu ng people to earmarked routes.

Ede, Iwo and Ikirun have two each while the people of Ife/ Modakeke and Ilesa have three each.

Two of the buses are kept on standby for other con ngencies that may likely come up from me to me.

However, a week a er the rolling out, one of the newly refur-

bished ‘Imole De Bus’, was involved in an accident around Capital area of Osogbo, the state capital.

The driver of the bus, according to eyewitnesses, said brake failure was responsible for the accident.

Weeks a er the incident, OSUN DEFENDER observed the absence of the buses on the roads in Osogbo, and other parts of the state.

There were reports in some quarters that the buses have been

withdrawn by the state government because they were not roadworthy.

However, the state government through the Commissioner for Transporta on, Hon. Sesan Oyedele, debunked the report,

saying they were only going through some “skeletal services” in prepara on for students’ resump on.

The Commissioner said the buses would be on the road for the usage from Monday, January 08, 2024.

But only one of the buses was sighted in Osogbo, while none was opera ng in Ife, Ilesa and Iwo from Monday ll the me of filing this report yesterday.

OSUN DEFENDER observed that majority of the buses were packed in front of the Ministry of Transporta on during a visit on Thursday around 4:30 p.m.

Efforts to get the reac on of the State Commissioner For Transport, Sesan Oyedele proved abor ve as calls to his phone were not answered while test messages sent to his phone and Whatsapp were not replied.

was addressed to Hon Oladebo Lanre Alomoleye, who is representing Ayedaade/Isokan/ Irewole Federal Cons tuency at the House of Representa ves; and the other to Senator Olalere Oyewumi, represen ng Osun West Senatorial District at the Senate.

OSUN DEFENDER learnt that a man named Alfa Akinpelu Ademola recently donated a wooden door to the school.

Ademola who spoke with the medium on Wednesday, said: “We are scared that the school might soon be completely abandoned, and we have done all we could do but yet to get any results. In my own way, I was the one who fixed a door to the staff office a er a series of complaints by the teachers. We are really figh ng hard to sustain this school for our children, but we are unable to achieve much on our own.

The medium learnt that the school serves as a Polling Unit (PU) created by the Independent Naonal Electoral Commission (INEC) for residents of the rural communi es in the area to vote during elec ons. Traces of voters lists usually pasted at PUs were evident on the ageing school building.

Responding to findings, the Osun State Commissioner for Educa on, Mr. Eluwole Dipo, said the community had to write the State government about the situa on, promising that the government would look into the matter.

“Let them write a le er about the problem to the government, and we will look into it”, he stated.

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For The Record

Omoluabi: Osun APC Jittery Of Aregbesola’s Popularity - Ex Party Chairman

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SUN APC Ji ery Of Aregbesola, Omoluabi’s Pop-

ularity -Oyetola Guilty Of An -Party, Should Be Blacklisted We read in the news a report of a purported suit ins tuted

by Gboyega Oyetolaled fac on of the APC against our leader and former governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on the forma on of Omoluabi Progressives Caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

While respondents in the said suit are yet to be served, we note that the Gboyega Oyetola-led fac on of the APC is no doubt ji ery of the poli cal strength and popularity of Aregbesola and the Omoluabi caucus who have for decades been the pillar of progressive poli cs in Osun.

The purported li ga on is a clear case of frustrated individuals who had thought that their mischiefs, shenanigans and lies would have nega vely affected Aregbesola’s popularity, but were surprised that his popularity and influence are waxing stronger.

To the glory of God, Omoluabi is now a household name in the progressive family and Osun poli cs in general. That must have been giving the Oyetola-led APC headache to the extent of approaching the court on frivolous claims.

We had at incep on declared that Omoluabi “is a caucus within the APC.” We are not a facon. We are the genuine founda on members of the party and we have no inten on of abandoning the ship of the party as it navigates the most turbulent waters. We are no sprinters, but long-distance runners and we will s ll be standing when all the fair-weathers have gone.

May we school the li gants and their followers that a caucus or group is different from a fac on and that the right of assembly and associa on is cons tu onally guaranteed.

May we also remind the plain ffs that a group called the Legacy was formed within the APC in 2017 in support of Oyetola’s governorship ambi on without

the poli •Says Oyetola Guilty Of Anti-Party, Should Be Blacklisted ofcaldeploying power with him to

•Oyetola any eyebrow from any quarters. What about the IleriOluwa group?

The Oyetola-led APC has again shown its sign of weakness and inability to manage party affairs with lack of character and competence.

We reiterate that the Oyetola leadership of the APC is inimical and toxic to the development of the party.

Of a fact is the connuous move by Oyetola and his followers to frustrate any reconcilia on move to unite Aregbesola and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. They do not want the crisis they created through mischief and spiritual means to

se le between Aregbesola and Tinubu so as to con nue calling themselves what they are not. The poli cal jobbers who had assumed leadership posions and direc ng the affairs of the party now would no doubt connue to fan the embers of discord for their selfish purposes at the expense of the party.

On the an -party allega ons against Aregbesola and some members of the Omoluabi caucus, we have connued to challenge our accusers to bring out evidence(s) to prove their allega on, which they have failed to do for over a year.

•Tajudeen Lawal, Osun APC Chairman If there is anyone ke ng the APC and poi(guilty of an -party by soning the minds of the defini on) to be totally electorate against the expelled and black- party. An example of listed from the APC, this is the mismanagethe person should be ment of Osun Youths Oyetola who because Empowerment Scheme of his hatred for Areg- and O’ Meal vendors. It besola and a empts to is on record that Oyeassume the leadership tola didn’t recruit any of the party, malicious- OYES cadets in spite ly vandalised the po- of the deple on of ofli cal duplex building ficers of the scheme bequeathed to him by to about 6,000 from his predecessor. He in- 20,000. The social motroduced bi er poli cs bilisa on programmes and division to Osun put in place by the proAPC with an a empt to gressive administra on bring down Aregbesola of Aregbesola were at all costs. discon nued; party While Oyetola was members were not busy cas ng aspersions treated well and all the on Aregbesola and de- channels of empowerstroying his legacies, he ing the party members was indirectly demar- were blocked. Instead

News

NPC Seeks Osun’s Cooperation On Health Survey Kazeem Badmus HE Na onal Popula on Census (NPC) has sought the coopera on of local government chairmen and residents of Osun State in the ongoing Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey.

The survey which commenced in December 2023, will run ll April 2024.

Speaking with newsmen in Osogbo on Tuesday, the Team Lead of the survey in Osun, Mr. Olusola Karim, noted that some residents of the state in the local governments already visited were not as cooperave as expected.

Karim who explained that the survey would help the Federal Government put appropriate measures in place in the area of house and health de-

T

mography, sought the maximum coopera on of Osun residents.

He said: “So far, we have visited about four local governments in the state but the challenge is that our people do not give us the

needed a en on.

“They claim some people had already visited them and were not interested since it is not a census.

“We want to urge the local government and the community

people to give us maximum coopera on. This will help us in our job.

“The survey will help the government to put appropriate plans in place, especially in rela on to house demo•Continued on page 7

•Mr. & Mrs. Shola and Folashade Aderinto with ministers of The Reedmed Christian Church Of God, Eagle Assembly Parish at the naming ceremony of their daughter recently.

serve the people, he was only serving his cronies.

Of importance is the bastardisa on of the educa on sector by the Oyetola administra on which brought Osun to the 35th posion in WAEC performance. His ill-thoughtout ac ons dras cally reduced the love of the people for APC and they paid him back in his own coin during the elec ons.

It is also on record that as of 2019, Osun APC had 23 House of Assembly members, six House of Representaves members and two Senators. But Oyetola who allowed himself to be misdirected by political jobbers, massacred all the poli cal structures that had for long been winning elec ons for the progressive party. The result of that is the electoral misfortune suffered by the APC in 2022 and 2023 governorship and general elec ons.

We note that a er his shameful defeat in 2022, Oyetola withdrew from the party and elec on ac vi es.

It is on record that he didn’t campaign for any of the Na onal Assembly candidates in 2023.

He reluctantly did a skeletal and “don’tkill-me” campaign for some House of Assembly candidates because he believed he would need the assembly if his pe on against the July 16, 2022 governorship elec on was successful. This is another evidence of Oyetola’s selfishness.

Oyetola does not have the capacity to lead a party at the ward, not to talk of local government or state, because he is pe y, cheap and embi ered.

Since they (Oyetola’s APC) have filed the suit, we will wait to have concerned individuals served before adequately replying to the watery issues raised by the misfits who have seized the APC and made it rudderless.

We in the Omoluabi Caucus remain undaunted; we are staunch progressives, deeply rooted in the principles of Omoluabi, and this guiding light will always illuminate our path.

•ADELOWO ADEBIYI FORMER CHAIRMAN OSUN APC

FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024 - THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2024

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How I Was Raped On My Birthday By CCC Pastor – 20-Year-Old Victim Kazeem Badmus

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RIMES and violent deeds have gradually found a safe haven on the alter. Some selfacclaimed religious leaders have turned out to be animals in human skin, predators, extor onists and the demons they are cas ng out of the people.

Unfortunately, the unsuspec ng members of the public, especially females seeking spiritual help, have con nued to patronise these unholy individuals, making them to fall prey of their an cs and evil acts. Of note are women – mothers, grandmothers looking for spiritual way out for their loved ones.

Among the vic ms of these self-acclaimed prophets is a mother in Ijeda Ijesa in Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State, who got a prophecy that her 20-year-old daughter, Yemisi, had li le more years to spend on earth.

Trouble started when the daughter, a student of one of the ter ary ins tuons in Osun, received a prophe c message from one of his colleagues during a prayer mee ng in school that she needed to pray fervently if she wanted to live up to 25 years on earth.

Yemisi called her mother and informed her about the message.

The mother, like every good mother would do, ran to a pastor to assist in reversing the nega ve prophecy, not knowing that she had approached a devil in white garment with an ulterior mo ve.

Iden fied as Omiri Kayode, the pastor of the Celes al Church of Christ, Ona Iye Parish, Ijebu Ijesa road, Ijeda Ijesa, who the mother ran to for help, ended up raping her daughter on her 20th birthday.

Narra ng how the incident happened, Yemisi, in an interview with newsmen, said: “We were holding a prayer mee ng in school last year when a boy gave me prophe c message that I should be prayerful.

He said I might not live up to 25 years if I didn’t pray fervently.

“I called my mother and informed her of what I heard. She got scared and asked me to come home.”

On how they went to the church to seek help, the vic m said: “When I got home, my mother took me to a pastor near our house to pray for me.

“The Pastor prayed for me that day and he told us that I must not make any call on my birthday which was on January 04.

“On December 30, 2023, the pastor came to our house to remind us about the warning and my

mother told him she could not forget something like that. My mother collected my phone early in the morning on January 3 to prevent me from making call. I went to the church to greet the pastor on January 04, a er cooking at home.”

Speaking on what transpired in the church, Yemisi said: “I went inside the church to greet him and he told me to stay outside.

He later came out to pray for me. A er praying, he told me I would be around the church environment ll 6:00 pm.

“He said I could sleep if I wanted to sleep and gave me a mat. I slept on the mat inside the church but he later came to wake me up that he needed to talk to me.

“I went to meet him and we sat down in the church compound alone. He told me he saw a vision where four people appeared before him and told him to assist me. He said I must have sexual intercourse with a man that midnight and I must not leave the church premises. I was wondering how such will be possible.

He insisted that it must be that midnight.

“I asked him how I would go about such a thing since he said I should not leave the church. He said I should not worry that the spirit of the Lord will guide him.

“Later, he asked if I had someone I was da ng and

I said yes. He told me if I was going to use my boyfriend for the job, it meant he (boyfriend) would not lay his hand on me forever again because the person who would help me could only have sexual intercourse with me once.

“I told him I didn’t have anyone who could be helpful in that aspect. That was when he said he was the one the Lord directed to assist me and he would surely assist me.

“He said if I did not agree with him, something would happen to me and that my future husband would be the one to bear the consequences.”

Speaking further, a tearful Yemisi said the Pastor told her that, “Once he is

done that midnight, I would travel to my boyfriend’s place early in the morning and ensure he has sex with me, even if I’m going to force him.

“I told him I couldn’t do it. He said I should not worry that he only wanted to help me. He warned me that if I tell anybody, my life and that of my parents and boyfriend would be in danger. He said we had to do it as he said. I le him and went back inside the church crying.

“Around evening me, he sent someone to call my mother. When my mother arrived, he told her to get me white garment and socks. When she came with the garment and I wanted to bathe, the pastor told me

I must remove everything I was pu ng on but because I didn’t want what he said to happen, I only removed my ght and le my pant on a er bathing.”

Asked if she tried to explain what was happening to her mother, Yemisi said, “My mother, having seen that I was not comfortable, asked me what was happening but I couldn’t say it because the pastor had already threatened that our lives would be in danger if I tell anyone.”

On what happened a er that, the vic m said: “A er my mother le , I sat down outside when the pastor came to call me and asked if I had removed everything on me. I told him I didn’t remove my pant and he got

OBITUARY Pastor John Kayode Salawu: God’s General Goes Home Moses Obaditan Esqr.

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ASTOR John Kayode Salawu, known as God’s General, was born on January 3, 1974 to the family of Pa Salawu of Ile Abi mo in Ikirun, Ifelodun local government area Osun State.

John was the second son of his mother.

He began his educa on at NUD Primary school, Ikirun, and proceeded to learn motor mechanics, a job he was doing ll he met the Lord Jesus Christ and got converted from Islam to Chris anity. He became zealous and le the mechanics work to a end a seminary called “Babajide Seminary” located at Ilesa, Osun State.

A er his gradua on, he received the call of God which led to the establishment of his Ministry,

CAIC Ambassador. The church was and s ll located at Lane1, Road 6, Adetunji Estate, Osogbo Osun State.

Tes monies In His Ministry Pastor John Kayode Salawu was sent on divine mission to the late Oba of Ikirun.

A 15-year-old barren woman got preg-

nant for the first me under his ministry and became mother of children, five-year crippled child stood up and started walking a er his ministra on, thousands of souls were led to the Lord Jesus in salva on.

Singles and unmarried young men and women in their hun-

dreds were married happily through his ministry.

Pastor John Kayode Salawu was a chaplain and officials of the Pentecostals Fellowship of Nigeria ll his death.

John Kayode Salawu was happily married to Mrs. Felicia Odunola Salawu.

They were blessed with three children namely: Joseph Ayobami Kayode, Mary Eniola Kayode and Deborah Inioluwa Kayode.

John Kayode Salawu was a gentleman ll he departed this world. He was strong physically and spiritually. He never complained about any sickness. He was my prayer partner.

He le like Elijah on the eve of his birthday, January 02, 2024. Adieu God’s General!!!

angry saying he had already told me I should remove everything on me except that white garment.

“He off his phone light for me to remove my pant a er which he asked me to come and sit beside him on his two-seater. I went there and he started caressing me. He was in this process when my parents came back. He saw their car light and asked me to go out to meet them.

“My father told him I couldn’t sleep over and that some Alfas were coming from Ilorin who needed to pray for me that night.

“The pastor told my father he could not leave me alone and that I would have to observe the 9:00 pm, 12:00am and 03:00 am prayers. Those are the three periods he had already told me he would be having sexual intercourse with me.

“He sweet-talked my parents and my father later told him that he would come back to pick me up by 10:00pm. He told them that we would have been through with the 09:00 pm prayer by that me and they could come to pick me up.

“As soon as my parents le , he dragged me back inside and pinned my neck on his chair, pulled my leg up and forcefully raped me.

“A er the incident, I picked up my pant and told him I wanted to pick something outside. I got out and started running towards our house.

“I fell on the road and didn’t know what happen a er that. When my parents got to where I fell, I explained what happened to them and they rushed me to a hospital in Ijeda Ijesa.

“The doctor checked my private part to ascertain my words and he discovered his sperm inside me.”

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the hospital management called the police to inform them about the situa on.

The pastor reported himself at the police staon the following morning and he was detained.

According to the Osun State Police Commissioner, Bzigu Kwazhi, the Deputy Commissioner for Police in charge of crime inves ga on has been directed to speed of inves ga on in the ma er to arraign the suspect in court.

He added police would not gloss over any criminal issues, adding that though the strike by the Osun chapter of the Judiciary workers is hampering the arraignment of suspects, but the force is collaborating with A orney-General to resolve cri cal legal ma ers.

News

FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024 - THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2024

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Coaches With Osun Sports Council Demand Review Of N15,000 Salary Yusuf Oketola

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OME coaches with the Osun State Sports Council have appealed to Governor Ademola Adeleke and his Deputy, Prince Kola Adewusi, who doubles as the Supervising Commissioner for the Ministry of Sports, to save their souls over poor renumera on.

Findings by OSUN DEFENDER revealed that most of the coaches are contract staff and were living in abject poverty as their salary could not take care of their basic needs.

The medium gathered that since January 2012, contract coaches were placed on N15,000 salary while contract athletes were earning N12,000, which is the lowest in the South-West.

In Lagos and Oyo states, contract coaches earn N40,000 while contract athletes receive N30,000 as salary, according to findings.

The poor renumera on, according to some of the coaches who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER on Tuesday, is affec ng the morale and performance of the athletes.

It was learnt that in a sport with three coaches, the sum of N30,000 would be shared among them as remunera on.

Findings also revealed that only two players in a team sport like Volleyball and Tennis are being paid the N12,000.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that out of 30 sports in the state, only football is being given priority by the General Manager.

Findings revealed that most of the sports in the state have no regular coach. Only Volleyball has a substan ve coach who is a civil servant.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER, one of the contract coaches who does not want his name in print said: “The amount contract coaches and athletes are being paid in Osun State is appalling. For 12 years now, contract coaches are earning N15,000 while an athlete is being paid N12,000.

“This will induce fraud and extor on in

to the system. It will also encourage coaches to go to individuals to solicit for money when they are short paid.

“The poor remunera on has also induced player migra on from Osun State to oil producing states.

“A coach in Osun United earn N15,000 while the players earn N50,000, how do you expect seriousness in such team. Majority of things in the stadium are being done by the coaches.

“The government has not done much for the Sports Council. The only thing they get from the government is two balls for a year. The focus of the government is only on

Osun United and Osun Babes. All other sports are not ge ng the necessary a en on.

“There’s no budget for other sports in the state aside football.

And we have about 28 Sports in the state.”

Stakeholders in the sport sector has also called for recruitment of more coaches across board and the need for mely program, seminar and training for coaches at the sports council.

The stakeholders specifically urged the state government to recruit more female coaches to train female athletes so as to avert sexual harassment.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER, the Director of Coaching at the

•Comrade Olusola Kayode decorating the newly elected President of Jolly Good Fellow, Comrade Tope Owolabi, at the hand-over ceremony held in Osogbo recently.

Photo: Shola Aderinto

Osun Sports Council, Mr Demola Daini, said the administra on of Governor Ademola Adeleke, was commi ed to ad-

dressing the challenges confron ng the sport council.

Daini noted that the government has sent con-

tractors to inspect facilies in the stadium, adding that there is enough provision for sports in the 2024 budget.

Approve Disbursement Of Our Bursary, Osun Law Students Beg Adeleke Yusuf Oketola HE Coali on of Indigenes of Osun Law Students at the Nigerian Law School has appealed to Governor Ademola Adeleke to approve the disbursement of their bursary.

The students noted

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that the bursary has sailed through all process and has also gained the approval of the Commissioner for Educa on, Hon. Dipo Eluwole and the Chief of Staff, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye, but s ll awai ng the Governor’s approval for disbursement

a er several months.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER, the President of the Law Students in the state, Toyeeb Abodunde, stated that they commenced the bursary process for their members in the year 2023 in view of the economic challenges

in the country.

He said: “We commenced a bursary process for the members of our associa on earlier last year. This was premised on the high cost of expenses a ached to law school, ranging from the school fees, feeding (be-

•Some of the law students with the Secretary to the State Government, Alh. Teslim Igbalaye

NPC Seeks Osun’s Cooperation On ...

•Continued from page 5

graphic and health in the country. By knowing this, it will help the government to plan and address the needs of the ci zens.”

Earlier while delivering the speech of the Na onal Chairman of the Commission, Hon Nasie Isa Kwarra, the State Director of NPC, Mrs. Tinuola Adeboye, explained the objec-

ves of the survey.

Some of the objec ves, according to Adeboye, are; “To gather high-quality data on a wide range of vital indicators, including fer lity rates, maternal and child health, contracep ve use, childhood mortality, gender-related issues, nutri on, HIV/ AIDS awareness, and more.

“To provide data suppor ng evalua on needs of maternal and child health and family planning programs, enabling evidencebased planning and resource alloca on, produce mely results and ensure wide data dissemina on, informing program managers and policymakers.

“To strengthen Nigeria’s capacity for

data collec on, analysis, and u lisa on, enhancing na onal ownership of the process and strengthen na onal capaci es by using collected data to iden fy demographic and health-related basic social needs, develop equitable growth strategies, address social poverty, and align with na onal development strategies.”

cause cooking is not allowed), purchase of textbooks, wig and gown, call to bar expenses, etc.

“Also, our colleagues from other states have been benefi ng same from their respec ve states’ government. For instance, Oyo state disbursed N500,000 to each of her law school students.

“We first met with the Secretary to the State Government. The office of the Chief of Staff has also been helpful in the course and through his office, a memo was eventually prepared on our behalf by the Ministry of Educa on.

“The memo gained the approval of the Commissioner for Educa on and the Chief of Staff and has been awai ng the governor’s approval for disbursement for several months.

“We therefore, wish to call the a en on of His Excellency to the existence of the said file and plead his good office to approve the said bursary.

“We believe that our dear Governor has a commendable interest in educa on and we look forward to enjoying from the benefits of his good governance and the new dawn that is shining on the people of Osun state.”

PUBLICATION

AJAYI OLUWABUNMI ABOSEDE

That I was formerly known and addressed as OJO OLUWABUNMI ABOSEDE, now wished to be known and addressed as AJAYI OLUWABUNMI ABOSEDE. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

ISSN : 0794 - 8050

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 12, 2024 - THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2024 VOL. 19 NO 01 www.osundefender.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com

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NLY God is the omnipotent, omniscience Who knows tomorrow and beyond. Premised on this, the statement credited to Hon. Lasun Yusuf, the ex-Deputy Speaker of the House of Representa ves few days ago on a radio program, sta ng that the former Osun Governor and immediate past Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, is now irrelevant and can never become the leader of any poli cal system in the State is simply what it is – a faithless and mean statement aimed at beli ling a man with an obvious growing influence.

Lasun is an energe c and steadfast individual in the South West progressive family. In the progressive family, debates and differences are accommodated and sorted out with eventual concession to the most superior posi on, which every genuine progressive poli cian then differs to. That is the tradi on bequeathed by the Avatar, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

Cri cism and differences are never taken for enmity within various caucuses as the objec ve remains the same - the building of an egalitarian society for the greatest good of the majority; life more abundant for all. We remain commi ed to that ideal in our tendency and do not make enemies out of those whose understanding of life is incomplete, thereby spurning errors in words and deeds.

Any genuine Chris an and Muslim especially, must believe in the primacy of Devine will over all Earthly decrees and accept total submission to the will of God. It is statement like that of Lasun that shows the difference between being religious in mouth and spiritual in prac ce. But what could have made our respected and energe c Hon. Lasun submit as such?

Some mes in 2015, Mr. Lasun Yusuf polled 203 votes to defeat his opponent, Mr. Tahir Monguno, who had 153 votes, to become Deputy Speaker of the House of Representa ves. This feat was achieved at the expense of the Speakership agenda of Hon. Gbajabiamila, who was loyal to the leadership of the ruling party and had been collec vely anointed by the en re Progressives in the South West as the man to lead the 8th Assembly. Rather than adhere to the Party agenda, Hon. Lasun broke ranks, aligned with the PDP, and saw to the emergence of Rt. Hon. Dogara as Speaker, House of Representa ves. This led to Hon. Lasun becoming an outcast in the progressive family as he became the Progressive Achilles heels that made the party lose the main Speakership.

It is on record that Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola eventually reconciled with Lasun a er the deed had been done and made spirited efforts to lead him to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, an act which Mr. Yu-

“ A n y h o w , Lasun’s political strength is simply paper weight as his talks is cheap and dismissible, any day, but a jolly fine gentleman in progressive politics if God allows him to redeem himself”

Coaches With Osun Sports Council Demand Review Of N15,000 Salary

PERSPECTIVE By OLUWASEUN ABOSEDE

Ogbeni Remains The Issue suf turned down ll he parted way with APC. Hence, there was nothing personal between him and Ogbeni then and now.

Ogbeni is a man of organisa on and loyalty to majority posi on. What could he have done then, as si ng governor of the state in which a rebel against the party posi on had emerged? He simply followed the majority line, while modera ng his longstanding personal rela onship with Lasun.

Although, no mortal could have everything his or her way at all mes, since first a empt at the ballot ll date, Ogbeni is point of reference in the Progressive Family vis-à-vis ideological direc on and dedicaon to the people welfare with Omoluabi virtue, especially in Osun and Lagos to the extent that his stance usually determines the outcome of every electoral process in these states. Whether he talks to give direcon for voters or keeps mute, his gestures

STRIKER

and body language have portent meanings to the extent of deciding every electoral contest that touches him. As long as God preserves his life and he is interested in any electoral contest even if push comes to shove in such contests, people simply follow him and respond to his algorithms and the tendency he represents. Like or hate it, this is the obvious reality in Osun especially which Hon. Sulaimon Lasun Yusuf and his likes find difficult to accept. The masses do not love and follow Ogbeni simply because he is Rauf Aregbesola. They follow him passionately because he is faithful to the ideals of progressive poli cs bequeathed to Yoruba especially, and Nigeria at large, by the founding fathers of progressive polics, Obafemi Awolowo foremost, along with Aminu Kano, Balarabe Musa, Ibrahim Waziri and the likes of those pantheons.

It is amusingly laughable that Hon.

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Lasun Yusuf, who had earlier on le the AD for PDP before returning to ACN and recently in-between 2022 and now, has been in APC, Labour Party and PDP a er coming Cap in hand, seeking Ogbeni blessing during the defunct TOP era, will now be denouncing same Rauf. That is human but it simply further exposes Lasun as an inconsistent element who blows hot and cold as he deems fit based on self interest without any iota of lo y, pro-people principle to which he is faithful.

Anyhow, Lasun’s poli cal strength is simply paper weight as his talks is cheap and dismissible, any day, but a jolly fine gentleman in progressive poli cs if God allows him to redeem himself. Or how would one describe a governorship candidate that couldn’t win his ward and local government in his own elec on?

The future of us all, religiously speaking – Chris anity or Islam - and in Yoruba cosmogony belief, rests squarely in the hands of Almighty God who is the best planner of all. Having conceded to God’s omnipresence, omnipotent and omniscience, one with the people will forever be a majority as the voice of the people remains the voice of God. The people might be for a me helpless but they always wield a simple but implacable logic, and they know their own. By staying with the people and loving them so, Ogbeni will con nue to harvest their love and solidarity and the favour of God, thereby remaining the issue and reference point in progressive poli cs.

The wise may accept and harvest his large goodwill and exemplary lessons in good governance, fools living in denial do so at their own poli cal and electoral peril.

Striker is not the opinion of the Columnist featured above

Without Genuine Federalism...

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N Plateau State, not less than 150 people lost their lives last year during a Christmas eve a acks by gunmen; by whatever name you choose to call them – terrorists, bandits, herdsmen, Boko Haram, etc - in a joyful season rooted in celebra on of love of humanity and the sacrifices made by Christ for human redemp on. The pa ern remains the same story of killings, kidnapping and violent crimes across the country ll now, into the first weeks of the New Year. Nevertheless, let us start it on an op mis c note, with gra tude to God for His mercies, grace and favours. However, we should not allow the persistency of the heartrending stories harden our sight, ears and heart to the extent that the trauma sed and the dead are now just related to in numbers. We must solemnly pledge to re-humanise our hearts and society this year.

Let us gladden our hearts that the killings can stop almost completely. What most people want to know is how. The disturbing part is that there are many in posi ons of authority who know precisely how but are either uncommi ed to the solu ons or outrightly hos le to them, infuria ngly and sadly so.

We are a Federal Republic of Nigeria and our major problem and source of almost all our tribula ons is that we are not a Federal Republic of Nigeria. The solu on to almost all our trials and dilemma, therefore, lies in returning us to a Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Before returning to that subject, the only sustainable guarantees for peace and security are equal rights and jus ce; and the provision of conducive environment and infrastructure for almost all ci zens to be produc ve via gainful employment. That way,

society and its government have done its most and those who will not want to stand up in the sun and earn their living through work but want other peoples’ earnings can be iden fied and dealt with for who they are – criminals.

The first condi on for guaranteeing equal rights and jus ce, and the condi on that can only allow sustainable produc vity and development based on work, and government by taxa on is a return to a genuine federa on. All the federa ng units will then be semi-autonomous en es with control over all the resources within their domain; exploring it and having control over the wealth accruing from the explora on, with a mandate to yield an agreed percentage of it to the Federal Government at the centre; for du es that are agreed as being in common for the prosperity and survival of the country. That is how all federal en es run, not the upside-down arrangement occasioned by the military and sustained by the greed and self-centred civilian poli cal elites in Nigeria, where the centre appropriates control of almost all major resources, dump the wealth thereby in a “federa on account” and share monthly to Federal, State, and Local Governments on a formula from nowhere that puts the Centre in substan al control of all wealth and powers.

The Federa ng en es in a federa on have their own cons tu ons (aligned with the Cons tu on of the Federal Republic) and have their own chosen power structure – policing and intelligent system, jus ce system, etc. The task of the Department for State Security is to detect crimes and violence before they happen. In a hundred cases, they might miss detec on and neu-

tralisa on only just a couple of mes. But a Governor of state in Nigeria only has the burden of remaining cordial with the Department head in his/her state over whom he/she has control; same with the policing and jus ce system!

It is clear that without control over basic resources by the federa ng units, with the centre’s hook up with collec ng oil rent money as major earnings for sharing on a weird formula, with inequality, inequity and animosi es everywhere, breeding widespread corrup on, disunity and cleavages along ethnic and religious divides, with educa on destroyed and relegated to irrelevance, with ci zen unproduc vity in a climate of woeful infrastructure for it, it is a climate for anger, disaffec on, hos li es and violent crimes to which an ill equipped, itself corrupted, poorly trained and centrally mismanaged policing and security system can only be reac ng a er the act of crime and violence.

The sad reality to which ci zens in their various organisa ons must wake up and start doing the needful about is that the power elites who benefit from the warped structural arrangement of the “Federal Republic of Nigeria” are not willing, are indeed hos le to returning us to a genuine federaon. The ques ons are hardly being posed in any quarter, as corrup on and the rape of the country’s commonwealth con nues unabated, much else being pushed to the front burner. For the people, it is a New Year and the resolu on should be that this is the year we begin our redemp on through pushing for that return, however gradually.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, as they say.

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