Osun Defender Online Version of June 2nd, 2023

2 News Osun APC Removes Senatorial Leader For Wishing Aregbesola On Birthday

Ismaeel Uthman

THE All Progressives

Congress in the State of Osun has removed its leader in Osun East Senatorial District, Mr. Francis Famurewa, from its WhatsApp pla orm.

Famurewa was removed a er wishing immediate past Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, happy birthday on the pla orm, last week Thursday, May 25.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that Famurewa was removed from the pla orm named ’State Excos APC 2021’ by the State Welfare Officer of the party, Princess Sola Ogungbile, who is one of the administrators of the group.

Famurewa, according to findings, was also removed from the APC State Working Commi ee WhatsApp pla orm by the Deputy Secretary of the party, Comrade Waheed Adediran, on Saturday, May 27.

Confirming the development, Famurewa, in a telephone conversa on with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, said he was surprised on the step taken by the party.

He described his removal as childish and an thecal to peace and unity in the party.

Famurewa accused former Chairman of the party, Prince Gboyega Famodun, former commissioner for Works and Transportaon, Engr. Remi Omowaiye, former commissioner for Local Government an Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Adebayo Adeleke, popularly called Banik of complicity in the lingering crisis of the party.

The former Chairman of Atakunmosa West local government said: “It is true that I was removed from the APC pla orm because I congratulated Aregbesola on his birthday.

“I was removed from the state exco WhatsApp group and I was also removed from the state APC Working Commi ee WhatsApp pla orm on the third day and later from Osun Adaara and another group for Tinubu/ She ma Campaign.

“That ac on is not healthy for the progress and unity of the party. It cannot bring about unity to the par-

•IleriOluwa Gladiators, Frustrating Reconciliation – Famurewa

ing at the Government House some mes back, the late Alao Akala was also at the mee ng. He said we needed to se le dispute with Aregbesola; but Famodun sparked off immediately, he said we should move forward and forget about Aregbesola.

“Those people are the real problem. Is it a crime to wish a former governor of my state happy birthday?”

Famurewa’s message to congratulate Aregbesola on his birthday reads: “Under the guidance of a strong general, there will never be weak soldiers.” Socrates

“Wishing the happiest of birthdays to a fantas c mentor, a respected figure, a wonderful person and an inspira onally phenomenal leader.

“Your determina on, vision, and dedica on inspire us to do our best.

ty. That is the same animosity they bore that led to the downfall of the party at the July 16, 2022 governorship

“Those

and they don’t want it to end. Some

“People like Remi Omowaye, Banik and Famodun himself are frustra ng reconcilia on. I was at a meet-

“It is such a rare privilege to share my birthday with you, such an amazing personality! Happy birthday sir.”

Tweeps Seek End To Illegal Mining In Osun, Lagos

Yusuf Oketola

NIGERIANS on tweeter have called on the Federal Government to checkmate the ac vi es of illegal miners in Osun and Lagos State communies.

The concerned Nigerian converged on Twi er with hashtag #StopChineseIllegalMining on Sunday, May 28, 2023, in protest against alleged illegal mining ac vies by Chinese.

The tweeps stated that Chinese miners have made themselves lords on the Nigerian natural resources, which belong to the people and government.

Ci ng environmental pollu on, among other havoc wrecked by the Chinese miners, the tweeps lamented that communi es

where mining are taking place are s ll ba ling with degrada on, encroachment

and crimes.

Specifically, the tweeps called on necessary govern-

ment agencies to check the ac vi es of miners at the China Civil Engineering Con-

struc on Company (CCECC) in Lagos and others in Osun communi es.

“Marching with pride to protect our soil and environment. Chinese illegal mining has gone too far, and it’s me to put an end to it. Together, we can restore balance,” a tweep said.

Nafeesah Abdullahi, another Twi er user, tweeted: “Let’s take a collec ve step forward to stop Chinese illegal mining from spoiling our soil and ravaging our environment. Together, we can make a difference!”

“Stand up for what’s right! Chinese illegal mining is a threat to our ecosystem. Let’s fight back and protect our environment for future genera ons,” @nygnotorious said.

Osun Govt. Arraigns 3 For Illegal Felling In Forest Reserve

Ismaeel Uthman

THE State Government of Osun has arraigned three farmers, Emmanuel Igwe, Emmanuel Friday and Sulaimon Aliyu before an Osogbo Magistrate Court, for illegal entry into the government’s forest reserve.

According to the charge sheet obtained by OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, the accused persons, on May 19, 2023 unlawfully entered Shasha Forest Reserve, Area 4, Osogbo area and maliciously damaged economic trees.

The prosecu ng counsel, Mr. Moses

Faremi from the Department of Public Prosecuon, Osun State Ministry of Jus ce told the court that the damaged trees was valued a sum of N3m.

The accused persons were alleged of felling the trees to plant cocoa seedlings.

But they pleaded not guilty to the allega ons.

The charge sheet reads: “That you Emmanuel Igwe, Emmanuel Friday and Sulaimon Aliyu on the 19th day of May 2023 at Shasha Forest Reserve, Area 4, in the Osogbo Magisterial District, illegally entered Government For-

est Reserves and thereby commi ed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sec on 42(g) of the Forestry Laws of Osun State, 2002.

“That you Emmanuel Igwe, Emmanuel Friday and Sulaimon Aliyu at the same date and me in the aforemen oned Magisterial District, maliciously damaged economic trees worth One Million, Five Hundred Thousand (1,500,000) which is the property of Osun State Government and thereby commi ed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sec on 81 of the Criminal Code Laws of Osun State, 2002”.

“That you Emmanuel Igwe, Emmanuel Friday and Sulaimon Aliyu, at the same date and me in the same Magisterial District illegally fell economic trees worth One Million, Five Hundred Thousand (#1,500,000) which is the property of Osun State Government and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sec on 44(4) Cap. 46, Laws of Osun State, 2002”.

Magistrate Abike Daramola remanded the defendants at Ilesa custodial centre and adjourned the case ll June 13, 2023 for hearing.

OSUN DEFENDER recalls that many residents living in communi es where mining is taking place in Osun have made several complaints about the ac vi es of miners, both legal and illegal.

In December 2020, residents of Opa community in Osun accused a team of Chinese miners of environmental abuse and encroachment on their land.

The miners, who were allegedly looking for gold, had purchased a small poron of land near a stream from a local chief.

However, they later expanded their mining acvi es to other parts of the community, digging close to some houses and causing damage and flooding.

The residents said they tried to stop the miners but they were ignored and inmidated by armed policemen guarding the site.

•Governor Ademola Adeleke in a photograph with the newly appointed Iyaloja General of the Market Women and Traders’ Association of the State of Osun, after her inauguration, on Tuesday

•A mining site

elec on.

Ilerioluwa gladiators do not want peace. They are the one behind the crisis

notorious former commissioners are frustrating reconcilia on move.

•Famurewa

•Continued from Page 1

the progress of the na on. On a wing and a prayer Nigeria, might be witnessing its long delayed “cometh the moment cometh the me” trajectory.

The public presenta on could have been be er but the inten on now translated into reality to eliminate the racketeering known as fuel subsidies was masterful, the elimina on. of the sleaze propelled dual exchange rate must follow. President Tinubu here is going to the root cause of our na onal dysfunc on by a acking the rent-seeking economy. He must be supported whatever temporary incon nence; a realignment. Hit of the costs of the machinery of the government is also a ma er of priority. This will not be difficult as he demonstrated when he was governor of Lagos State between 1999 and 2007.

An a ack on the rent-seeking economy is to be supported. The country must move from consumpon to produc on or its slides into irrelevance. A key issue for Nigeria today is not the quantum of the debt but its structure and the ability to repay. And a geometric increase in revenue genera on is indispensable. The na on in the words of the postindependence Prime Minister of India, Pandit Nehru, must “export or parish”. The economy should rest on a tripod of monetary fiscal and trade func ons, we have neglected trade and it must now be on the front burner.

A Bold Commendable Move

The mari me lawyer, Olisa Agbakoba, SAN has sensibly advocated for a minister (not ministry) to take charge of shipping and the “ blue economy”, this is to be supported.

It is to be supported because such a thrust will allow the government to begin to put into produc ve use just one of the country’s many revenue streams.

Communica on Ma ers

As we can see from the response to the sensible elimina on of the gra propelled “fuel subsidies”, communica ng the causes and effects of policies is crucial. This is not to go back to the destruc ve creaon of alterna ve reali es but to shi the direc on of the acceptance of o en painful temporary realignment in favour of one’s own posi-

on. Bri sh Premier, Harold Wilson, like President Tinubu sailed into an economic maelstrom on ascension into office in 1964. Instruc vely, he assembled a savvy team of spokespersons who could and did explain the crises in simple language that the layperson could understand.

The Discourse

This is crucial now as events unfold and we must learn and indeed emulate the Wilson example. For there are bigger readjustments ahead which will pitch the government against entrenched, even divisive interests. Except a blow out over the inevitable merging of mul ple exchange rates as well as the cost driven ra onalisa on of the machinery of the government.

The Resolu on Must Be Unwavering

It will be a hard run thing to pursue reforms in a country hobbled with ins tu onal inadequacies as well as trust deficits. A democracy works best when at a me of crisis, the poli cal establishment work out in unison “a na onal democra c agreement” in order to forge a common front of civil and poli cal society to confront the crises in favour of the na onal interest. A good example of this in Nigeria was the unified response to the economic crisis of 1962, leading to the all-party acceptance of that year’s “austerity measures”. Difficult as it is in today’s context, the Tinubu government must forge a na onal consensus which will be needed to achieve amongst other things the devolu on of powers so desirable in other to breathe a fresh impetus into the Republic.

The inaugura on speech indicates a resolve to start anew. We are confident that it will be kept up, refreshed with the fierce urgency of now.

The Avatar And Social Democracy At A Crossroad

Kanmi Ademiluyi

THE birthday of the immediate past Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola came on the heels of the inaugura on of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as the President of Nigeria. There is a connec on here and it goes beyond the fact that the two men worked closely in a path-breaking administra on in Lagos State between 1999 and 2007. A significant thrust is the view that a government based on the ethos of social democracy has been installed on Monday, the 29th of May.

The an cipa on of the advent of a social democra c progressive government is not yet the conven onal wisdom, the expecta on is based on cau ous opmism. It has to be so because in the inheritance of a poisoned chalice real polics might overcome idealism and even cau ous projec ons. Nevertheless, the new administra on will be a litmus test for progressives and the con nuing relevance of the creed. It is a rare opportunity a er so many near misses as well as false starts.

Reinvigorated rather than jaded a er his ministerial interlude, Aregbesola will be relevant as a mixture of the keeper of the ins tu onal memory and sage-inresidence like an emeritus professor. Ins tu onal memory is important to guide and guard. Poli cs as the Italian poli cal philosopher, Antonio Gramsci, explained is about shi ing the territory of the discourse in the direc on of one’s posi on. The Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) was very much an a empt to completely discredit progressive poli cs and demon-

symptoms are already cropping up and a skilled astute tactician like Aregbesola will be essential to contain them and then mount a counterattack.

This is important as the incoming government sails into a maelstrom not entirely of their own making”

strate it as not just irrelevant but harmful. SAP le carnage in its wake not least the erosion of the produc ve base of the state and the weakening of purchasing power parity through the con nuous devalua on of the currency, it was a catastrophe much like a crime against humanity. The SAP con nues to resonate and laurels must be given to those like Aregbesola who in theory and prac ce have been at the forefront of moun ng a fight back.

Aregbesola had the good fortune to have had an opportunity to fuse theory with prac ce as governor of the State of Osun. He was instrumental in using the posi on to reinstate the efficacy of progressive administra on, demonstra ng that the State s ll had a decisive role to play contrary to the intellectually dishonest narra ve underlying the SAP narra ve. The gains not least in the social interven on, infrastructure, and educa-

onal programs were massive. The adopon of the social interven on program in other states and by the Federal Government tes fies to the acceptance of the program.

The new government will face resistance from a conserva ve block used to cozy rela onships as well as the old order which has been so beneficial to them. Here we can recall Antonio Gramsci again. In the Prison Notes observing a similar dysfunc on in Italy of his me, he noted that “ the crisis lies in the old order that refuses to go away, a new one cannot be born, in the interregnum all manner of morbid symptoms reveal themselves”.

OSUN DEFENDER

Publisher – Moremi Publishing House Ltd.

Deputy Editor – Ismaeel Uthman

Morbid symptoms are already cropping up and a skilled astute taccian like Aregbesola will be essen al to contain them and then mount a counterattack. This is important as the incoming government sails into a maelstrom not en rely of their own making.

Produc on Editor – Petkola Taiwo Ibitowa

Reporter – Yusuf Oketola

Reporter – Kazeem Badmus

Photo Journalist – Shola Aderinto

Computer Graphics – Zainab Olalere

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

Telephone : 0809-301-9152

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All correspondence to the above email addresses.

The context in which history is analyzed is of importance. To paraphrase Marx, Aregbesola made an impact in “ways and in circumstances,” he might not if giving the choice not have chosen. He s ll has “a long way to go and promises to keep”, he will con nue to be a key mova ng factor as the torch bearer and beacon of a propeople “alterna ve perspecve”. He is up to it and here is wishing him the best.

“Difficult as it is in today’s context, the Tinubu government must forge a national consensus which will be needed to achieve amongst other things the devolution of powers so desirable in other to breathe a fresh impetus into the Republic”

“Morbid

•The president must be resolute!C’ttee’s Report

4 News

Ex-Osun Deputy Gov. Under Attack Over Comment On Reconciliation

IMMEDIATE past deputy governor of the State of Osun, Mr. Benedict Alabi, has come under heavy cri cism from members of the IleriOluwa camp of the

All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Alabi had in an interview with an online media last week Monday declared that he was willing to lead a reconciliatory move to reunite aggrieved members of

the party.

According to Alabi, the lingering internal crisis rocking the APC gave victory to the Peoples Democra c Party (PDP) in the July 16, 2022 governorship elec on.

Alabi said the only way to reclaim the state from the PDP is for all the facons in the APC to come together to form a united party.

The former deputy governor, however, said the

party requires the service of a trusted individual to lead the reconcilia on move that will pacify the aggrieved members of the party.

He said he has the qualies to reconcile the aggrieved members of the party because he does not belong to any of the facons.

Alabi’s comment sparked reac ons from former governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s supporters who described the former deputy governor as a betrayer.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that Alabi has been removed from all the WhatsApp pla orms of the IleriOluwa camp and has been disconnected from Oyetola’s structure.

Oyetola’s supporters have also taken to their various social media handle to a ack Alabi who they called

out for allegedly backstabbing his boss, Oyetola.

Also, a former Minister of Police Affairs, Mr Jelili Adesiyan, ques oned Alabi’s loyalty to Oyetola who both ran a joint cket in 2018 and 2022.

Adesiyan who commented on a whstapp group, described Alabi’s statement as an act of disloyalty, saying prosperity will not be kind to him.

He said: “How can deputy governor says such? He is calling the rest of us who stood by the government in which he was the second in command a fool. In fact, his ac ons is worse than Aregbesola and his TOP supporters because we know where they are and we simply placed them there.”

“It is me he come out to say he is misquoted otherwise prosperity will not be kind to him”

•O

fficials of the State Ministry of Works fixing one of the faulty streetlights at Ogo Oluwa Area of Osogbo

I’m Going Back To Medical Practice – Ex-Osun PDP Chair

THE former Caretaker Chairman of the Peoples Democra c Party (PDP) in the State of Osun, Dr. Adekunle Akindele, has disclosed that he will be going back to his pracce as a medical doctor a er 12 months of steering the affairs of the party in the state.

Akindele stated that he is a medical doctor before he was called to serve as the PDP Caretaker Commi ee Chairman, disclosing that he will be eager to contribute his quota if there is another call to serve the people.

He stated this while speaking with journalists on the recent judgement of the supreme court which affirmed Governor Ademola Adeleke as the duly elected governor of the state.

Akindele said: “I am a medical doctor and I was called upon to serve the people and the party and to the glory of God, I have been able to record some successes, and after now I would be going back to my prac ce. If there’s another call to serve the people and the party, I will be eager to contribute my quota.

‘”I have some special people to thank for their support in the course of my assignment in Osun. I want to thank Dr. Deji Adeleke, a father figure, and one of the biggest

financiers of the party. I thank him for believing in me throughout my tour of duty in the state”.

Speaking on some of the challenges he faced during his tenure, Akindele stressed that the party has issue of mistrust among party members, which emanated from the governorship primaries in the state.

He said the APC then was taking advantage of the crisis by pouching into some of their members and winning them

to their side.

According to him, “We had issue of mistrust among party members, which emanated from the governorship primaries in the state that took place before I assumed office. And it was so obvious that if we did not do anything about it and resolve all issues raised by aggrieved party members, it would have affected our July 18, 2022 governorship elec on in the state.

“One thing we ob-

I’m A Beneficiary Of The Judiciary - Adeleke

served was that All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state was already taking advantage of the crises, by pouching and encroaching into our party and winning some of our members to their side.

“At the end of the day, we were able to reconcile a sizeable number of our party members. We made them see why we had to come together as one big family to kick out the uninspiring APC administra on”.

THE Governor of the State of Osun, Sen. Ademola Adeleke has said he is a beneficiary of the judiciary, sta ng that he remains a governor because the Supreme Court validated his elec on.

Adeleke stated this on Wednesday while speaking at the 3rd dis nguished personality lecture of the Osun State University College of Law, Ifetedo Campus.

“I regard the judiciary as the home of rescue for the wronged ones, a place of succor for the oppressed. I’m on this seat today as a governor because the Supreme Court validated my elec on by the good people of osun state.

Food Security: Osun Varsity VC Advises Farmers To Embrace Smart Agric

THE Vice-Chancellor, Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Prof. Clement Adebooye, has advised Nigerian farmers to embrace smart agricultural prac ces for high yield and greater produc vity.

Adebooye gave the advice last weekend during a workshop on Scaling-up Lifelong Learning for Farmers (L3F) sponsored by the Commonwealth of Learning (COL), Canada, in conjunc on with Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) and Agricultural and Rural Management Training Ins tute (ARMTI).

He said with the advent of modern technol-

ogy, farming has gone beyond the era of hoes and cutlasses, urging farmers to upgrade their skills through lifelong learning.

“Smart agriculture needs to be priori sed by farmers through indirect learning so as to have greater produc vity”, the university don.

Adebooye urged farmers to plan ahead for lifelong learning, just as he appealed to the organisers of the training to design modules for farmers to sustain lifelong learning.

Speaking at the workshop, the Director of ARMTI, Dr Olufemi Oladunni, said the training would ensure food security, agricultural produc on and support the

a ainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Nigeria.

In the same vein, Prof. Victor Okowua of the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Ibadan, spoke on: “Priori sing the value chain for the attainment of SDG of selfsufficiency”.

Okowua appealed to farmers to ensure that they choose par cular value chain to concentrate on so as to achieve the SDGs.

He asked the farmers to priori se value chain through acquisi on of relevant knowledge.

Also speaking, Prof. Adeolu Ayanwale of the Department of Agricultural Economics, OAU, said that the knowledge gap among the farmers was discouraging youths from farming, resul ng

in lower produc vity and welfare among farmers.

“But if lifelong learning persists, there would be a posi ve change among the prospec ve youth farmers” he said.

Earlier, Head of Department of Agricultural Economics, OAU, Prof Adebayo Akinola, said that the workshop was designed to bring together farmers, ins tuons of learning, banks and informa on and communica on technology providers to facilitate learning.

According to him, the workshop would empower vulnerable farmers and their families to gain knowledge on skills development, increase their produc vity, food security and would liberate agricultural communi es from socio-economic constraints.

“On Osun case, my lord jus ces at the apex court dared all odds to stand by facts, law and the people. Permit me to again use this opportunity to pay homage to my lord jus ces. Osun people will never forget those panel of judges who validated their will.

“My convic on is that democracy is strengthened when democra c ins tuons are solidly built and provided enabling environment to thrive, this is the magic within the developed democracies.

“Our judiciary and other ins tu ons must be supported, fully funded and granted opera onal autonomy. A well mobilised judiciary has the potency to deliver equitable and impar al jus ce administra on,” Adeleke said.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof Odunayo Adebooye, commended the Governor for supporting comple on of a 2-storey building of 57 office units complex of the College of Health Sciences and saved the university from losing accredita on to run MBBS and allied health course.

Adebooye noted that the newly competed building is the first project since 2011 (in 12 years) contributed by the State Government to the university.

Speaking on the tle of the Dis nguished Personality Lecture, “The Supreme Court of Nigeria and Recent Developments in Public Law,” Adebooye said, “If the Supreme Court is the apex court and has original and appellate jurisdic ons, then the logic is simply that no na on can be be er than the quality of its Supreme Court.”

Ismaeel Uthman

Yusuf Oketola

Yusuf Oketola

Yusuf Oketola

Termites Take Over Osun Primary School, As Students Share Classroom

•Staffroom Converted To Classroom

teachers having difficules in teaching them.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER, a parent at the school, Mrs Folashade Babarinde, said the Parent Teachers Associaon (PTA) had intervened to put the classrooms in proper shape, but nothing much could be done as a result of the fund that was required.

Babarinde noted that the lack of adequate classrooms was not ideal for the students, calling on the state government to provide more classrooms for the school.

She said: “The school is in urgent need of government a en on and I want to appeal to the state Governor to urgently intervene before it is too late.

saw the classrooms and termites had already taken over most of the planks there and it is very dangerous as the planks might fall any me.

“We the PTA have tried to do something about it but the money involved is more than what we can afford. The reason why our children are going there in the first place was because we were not financially buoyant.”

Another parent who iden fied himself as Alfa Misibau told the medium that the number of students in a class was too much, saying provision of another building will ease the burden.

Kazeem Badmus Yusuf Oketola

PRIMARY educa-

on is one of the most important aspects of a person’s life. It is the beginning of growth and development. Basic educa on enhances the producon of a complete man at a later stage of life.

However, some obstacles to educa on can prevent a child from performing well academically. The school environment has a strong impact on the learning and assimila on of students. When there is a conducive teaching and learning environment, both teachers and students will perform op mally.

But with an unconducive learning space, the students might find it difficult to excel even when the teachers go extra mile to teach.

If environment is anything to go bye, pupils of C.A.C. Primary School, Araromi, Gbodofon area, Osogbo, may find it difficult to receive the needed func onal educa on.

The pupils, as sighted by OSUN DEFENDER on Monday, were in unconducive classrooms. The li le available classrooms were overcrowded by pupils.

Termites have destroyed the planks of majority of the classroom roofs, genera ng debris and dust. As a result, the ceiling of some of the classrooms have fallen, posing threat to the safety and wellbeing of both the pupils and the teachers.

OSUN DEFENDER noted that a pupils of difference classes were arranged in a classroom due to lack of adequate

classrooms. The school library has also been converted to staff office while the main staff office has

been turned to a classroom.

Primary I and II pupils of the school were using one classroom with

“The report I get whenever my children came back from school is not encouraging and it always scared me, thinking about the condi on of their classrooms.

“When we went for the PTA mee ng, I also

“I want to appreciate the teachers in that school. It is not easy at all but they have been managing the situa on very well. I want to appeal to the Governor to provide another building for the school and try to renovate the one currently in use.”

COVID-19: Over 3m Residents Fully Vaccinated In Osun - Report

Long-Las ng Insec cidal Nets (LLINs).

Areport by World Health Organizaon (WHO) has revealed that a total of 3,467,808 residents of the State of Osun have fully received COVID-19 vaccines since the outbreak of the virus.

WHO also reported that 313,732 people were par ally vaccinated while 959,686 had received the booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in the state as of April 30, 2023.

This, according to the report, ranked the state among top three states in Nigeria that have fully vaccinated at least 70% of the eligible popula on.

Osun has an esmated total popula on of 5,764,868 and about 50% (2,882,434) are in the age group of above 18 years.

The organisa on made the report during the 2023 Africa Vaccina on Week in Osogbo, last week Monday.

Parts of the ac vies for the Africa Vaccina on Week was administering of rou ne immunisa on an gens and deworming drugs; diarrhea treatment with Zinc tablets and Oral Rehydra on Solu on, distribu on of

It also includes antenatal care; nutri onal screening and counselling; distribu on of Vitamin A supplementa on for children, as well as sensi sa on on exclusive breas eeding.

In addi on, family planning counselling and the administra on of the tetanus vaccine and folic acid were given to pregnant and women of childbearing age.

Speaking at the programme, the State Coordinator of WHO, Dr. Bello Ahmed, said the COVID-19 and rou ne immunisa on sensi -

sa on and vaccina on drive was adopted to accelerate rapid progress to ensure more people, par cularly children are protected from preventable diseases.

“The COVID-19 and Rou ne immunisa on sensi sa on and vaccina on drive is one of the strategies adopted to accelerate rapid progress of vaccina on uptake to get back on track to ensure more people, par cularly children, are protected from preventable diseases”,Ahmed explained.

He stated that the campaign was in tune with the 2023 AVW

theme “the Big catchup” which sought to close the immunisa on gaps cause by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The AVW was leveraged to conduct Fixed and Outreaches sessions to Hard-to-reach areas across the 30 Local Government Areas (LGA) of the state.

“While the COVID19 vaccina on encourages eligible adults to receive the COVID-19 vaccines to protect themselves against the disease and serves as an opportunity to improve COVID-19 vaccina on coverage in the state”, he said.

Apprecia ng WHO

and partners for the support in protec ng the residents of the state, the Execu ve Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Board, (OSPHCB), Dr Oluwole Fabiyi, said Osun has recorded significant improvement on immunisa on ac vi es due to the quality of integrated campaigns conducted so far.

He disclosed that with support from WHO, Osun established fixed posts at primary, secondary and ter ary health facili es, outreach posts in places outside the health facili es and special loca ons like Border se lements.

•One of the affected classrooms

Traders, Transporters, Consumers Lament Astronomical Increase In Fuel Price

Kazeem Badmus

THE astronomical increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called Petrol has brought untold hardship on the residents of the State of Osun, findings have revealed.

Traders, commercial transporters and consumers who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER, told the medium that the hike in petrol price has affected their livelihoods.

It would be recalled that President Bola Tinubu during his inaugural address on Monday, announced that the era of fuel subsidy was gone.

According to the President, “Subsidy can no longer jus fy its everincreasing costs in the wake of drying resources. We shall instead re-channel the funds into be er investment in public infrastructure, educa on, health care and jobs that will materially improve the lives of millions.

“We commend the decision of the outgoing administra on in phasing out the petrol subsidy regime which has increasingly favoured the rich more than the poor.”

Tinubu said since there was no provision for subsidy in the budget from June 2023, it stands removed.

Less than 24 hours a er the announcement, the pump price of petrol skyrocketed to N300 per litre from N210 in many parts of the state.

On Wednesday morning, the price jumped from N300 to N500 as filling sta ons with fuel witnessed long queues.

The development equally triggered a 75 to 100 per cent hike in both intrastate and interstate transport fares, while foodstuffs and commodi es were not exempted.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that a bus to Ibadan and Lagos from parks in Osogbo is now N2000 and N4000 respec vely as against N1000 and N3000 before the fuel hike.

Speaking with the medium, a trader at Ota Efun market, Oluwabunmi Ariyo, lamented the hike in the cost of transpor ng her foodstuffs, adding that the situa on will automa cally result to increment in price of essen al needs.

Ariyo who noted that her suppliers had not increased their selling price said the driver

she engaged in bringing her goods from Lagos increased the transport charge by 100 per cent.

According to her, “I’m currently selling the foodstuffs I have in stock but I don’t think I will sell the ones they are bringing from Lagos at the same price.

“Although, my suppliers have not increased the price of what I’m buy-

ing from them, the driver who helped me in bringing the foodstuffs has jacked up his transport fare by 100 per cent.

“I now pay double of what I was paying before, and it means I have to also increase the prices of the foodstuffs to make a profit”.

A minibus bus (Korope) driver who idenfied himself as Kunle

Olamummy told the medium that the increase in fuel pump price was having nega ve effect on his daily income.

The driver who said he made between N9000 to N12,000 daily before the pump price hike noted that passengers have reduced which led to reduc on in his income.

Olamummy said passengers are not willing to

pay double the amount they were paying for transport fare before.

“The increase in fuel price is affec ng me. Before the increment, it was even hard to get enough to pay the bus owner and get something to take home to the family.

“Now with the astronomical increase, I don’t know how we want to survive. I can’t increase

Guilty Of Murder: Adedoyin To Forfeit Hotel To Osun Govt, Sponsor Victim’s Children Education

Yusuf Oketola

THE death sentence handed down the founder of Hilton Hotel, Ile-Ife, Dr. Ramon Adedoyin, by a State of Osun High Court on the death of a late master student of Obafemi Awolowo University, Timothy Adegoke, is one of the major issues of the week across Nigeria.

Adegoke was found dead on November 6, 2021 at Adedoyin’s hotel, where he had lodged.

Adedoyin is a foremost Nigerian educaonist and businessman, born on January 1, 1957. He is the founder and proprietor of Oduduwa University and The Polytechnic, Ile-Ife.

There are insinuaons that Adedoyin was punished for the offence commi ed by his son, Roheem Adedoyin who is now at large.

However, the court has declared Roheem Adedoyin wanted and asked interpol to fish him out wherever he is hiding.

Adedoyin faced charges of murder, conspiracy

and tampering with evidence, among others.

He denied the charges, sta ng that he was nowhere around the hotel on the day the incident happened. He refused to enter the witness box.

Adedoyin was denied bail but granted access to medical facili es of his choice during the course of his trial.

The Chief Judge of Osun State, Jus ce Adepele Ojo, in a judgement on Tuesday, pronounced Adedoyin and two staff members of the hotel guilty of murder.

Jus ce Ojo, in a judgment that lasted over two hours, held that the circumstan al evidence available to the court pointed to the killing of Adegoke while being a guest at the hotel owned by Adedoyin.

The judge dismissed Adedoyin’s account that he was not within the hotel when the late Adegoke lodged there.

Jus ce Ojo also held that Adedoyin’s decision not to enter the witness box to convince the court that he was innocent was

fatal to his case because the burden of proof had shi ed to him.

In conclusion, the judge said the prosecuon proved the charges of conspiracy and unlawful killing pressed against Adedoyin and two of the six workers charged alongside with him beyond reasonable doubt.

Jus ce Ojo therea er convicted Adedoyin, the two hotel workers, Adeniyi Aderogba and Oyetunde Kazeem. The judge sentenced them to death by hanging.

In addi on, Jus ce Ojo held that: “The Hilux van, which was used as part of the instruments for the commission of the crimes for which the defendants have been tried and convicted, is hereby forfeited to the state.

“The hotel premises, which was used by the defendants for the commission of the crimes for which the defendants have been tried and convicted, is hereby forfeited to the state.

“As the vic ms of crime, the children of the late Timothy, whose breadwinner and ben-

the transport fare by 100 per cent. That will be too much but without that, we might not even be able to pay the owners.

“Since yesterday (Wednesday), my daily income has reduced. Most passenger would not board my bus once I gave them the new price.

“When we were buying fuel for N200, I use to make between N9,000 to N12,000 daily a er fuel, but since Wednesday, I have not go en anything near that. The government has to find a reasonable solu on to this”.

A civil servant in the state, Alhaji Hammed Adebayo, told the medium that if the situaon con nues, most civil servants would not be able to go to work.

Adebayo said the cost of fueling his car has become a source of worry, adding that he will be spending over 40 per cent of his salary on fueling his car.

He stated: “Cost of living is too high with our li le income and now the fuel price has increased. It is very difficult to survive in this situa on.

“You see, a lot of civil servants could not drive their cars to office today due to the scarcity and high cost of fuel. They resorted to public transporta on, but this will not even help the situa on as the drivers have also increased their fares.”

efactor had been gruesomely murdered and snatched away from them in his prime by the defendants, shall be placed under educa on up to university level at a cost to the 1st, 3rd and 5th defendants.”

The court, however, freed three of the hotel workers, Magdalene Chiefuna, Oluwole Lawrence and Adebayo Kunle.

However, the seventh defendant, Adesola Adedeji, who was the recep onist on duty on the day late Adegoke arrived at the hotel was sentenced to two years imprisonment, star ng from the day of her arrest.

Lamen ng the hardship that the removal of subsidy has brought, a buyer, Olabisi Kayode said the government should have put some relief measures in place before announcing the subsidy removal.

She said: “The new administra on should not start by inflic ng pain on us, as the high cost of fuel has a mulplier effect on goods and services.

“I went to the market today and to my surprise, prices of foodstuffs and other commodi es have gone up. I couldn’t get all I budgeted for.

“The country is already hard as it is. If this hike in fuel price is not urgently looked into, I don’t know what will become the fate of the average people in this country.

“With the current minimum wage, I don’t know how we will survive if this does not stop any me soon.

“The Federal Government ought to have put relief measures in place before announcing the removal of fuel subsidy.”

•Osogbo Area Commander of Nigeria Man O War, Tayọ Onifade and DC. Rabiu Saheed presenting certificate of recognition to Comrade Wakeel Nurudeen as their Patron in Osogbo Area Command, recently

•Adedoyin

Sports Osimhen Not United’s Primary Target

ACCORDING to British tabloid, ManUtd News, Manchester United are ready to invest heavily in a striker when the transfer window opens.

Man United’s primary target will be To enham Hotspurs’ forward Harry Kane while Victor Osimhen is the club’s second choice, said the tabloid.

Erik ten Hag guided the Red Devils to a coveted Top 4 Premier League finish in his first season in charge and they are also in the final of the FA Cup, where they face city rivals Manchester City on Saturday, but there’s ample room for improvement.

The website pointed out that among the sides to have secured European football for next season, only Aston Villa (51) netted fewer goals than the Red Devils (58), highlighting the frontline as the team’s weakest link.

Last season, United relied on Marcus Rashford to shoulder the scoring burden, with the 25-yearold racking up 17 league goals and five assists.

Rashford’s tally accounted for 38 per cent of the Red Devils’ overall scoring output in the Premier League, while he was also the only Man United player to hit double digits in 2022/23.

With the Devils in dire need of a prolific striker, several names like Osimhen, Kane and Goncalo Ramos have all been linked with a move to Old Trafford.

Osimhen was the star man for Napoli as they claimed their first league tle in 33 years, and has been pped to move to

United in the summer.

However, ManUtd News wrote that such a move would only happen if the Devils failed in their bid to land Kane from

Spurs.

“If talks for Kane’s switch to Manchester come a cropper, Ten Hag has a con ngency plan in place, with Napoli’s Victor

Osimhen emerging as another poten al candidate to fill the void,” the tabloid wrote.

“Despite several injury setbacks throughout the 2022/23 Serie A season, the 24-year-old won the

Capocannoniere award for the highest scorer in Italy’s topflight with 25 goals.”

NFF Admits Failure To Pay Coaches

THE Nigeria Football Federa on (NFF) says delays in paying several of its na onal team coaches are “nothing to be proud of”.

Some of the missing salary payments dated back over a year and those affected include Jose Peseiro, head coach of the men’s senior side, and Ladan Bosso who is currently leading the male Under-20 team at the World Cup in Argen na where they have reached the second round.

It is said that Bosso has only received three months’ salary in the past 15 months.

Meanwhile, with the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand less

Real Madrid Interested In Havertz As Benzema’s Replacement

REAL Madrid are interested in signing Kai Havertz from Chelsea as a poten al replacement for Karim Benzema, who looks to be off to Saudi Arabia.

Real Madrid are discussing a poten al move to sign Havertz as they brace for Benzema’s decision over his future.

The striker has been the subject of an offer from Saudi Arabia that would earn him a staggering €400 million (£344m/$427m).

Havertz scored seven mes last season but is seen as possessing a profile similar to Ben-

zema and he is much younger, as he turns 24 this month.

Chelsea need to sell players this summer as they look to trim a bloated squad-but the final decision may come down to new manager Mauricio Poche no.

Real are said to be cas ng their net far and wide as they seek a successor to the Ballon d’Or winner, with To enham’s Richarlison also considered, according to Spanish outlet Marca.

Havertz has a contract un l 2025 with the Blues, having arrived in 2020 from Bayer Leverkusen.

The appointment of Poche no is likely to lead to a mass clear-out at Stamford Bridge, but it remains to be seen if Havertz is one of the players to leave.

News

than two months away, Super Falcons coach, Randy Waldrum, is owed more than $100,000, including bonuses from last year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Na ons.

“The NFF has been facing huge financial challenges and there is an ongoing effort to resolve all the issues rela ng to unpaid wages,” Ademola Olajire, the NFF’s Director of Communica ons, told BBC Sport Africa.

“It is unfortunate, not something to be proud of and the new board of the federa on is working hard to resolve the problems”, he stated.

Ibrahim Gusau, who replaced former NFF President, Amaju Pinnick, in September, inherited some of the debts from his predecessor and has been appealing to players and officials for paence, meaning the coaches are yet to make an official complaint.

Gusau has contacted sponsors in a bid to encourage them to se le longstanding debts but the feder-

a on, which receives part of its income from the government, also owes outstanding bonuses to players, including members of both the senior men’s and women’s sides.

The most recent missing payments to Super Eagles players dated back to 2021 while the Super Falcons squad boyco ed training before their 2022 Wafcon third-place play-off against Zambia over the non-payment of both bonuses and allowances.

Likewise, members of the U20 squad, who face hosts Argen na in their last-16 e on Wednesday, are also owed qualifying bonuses and tournament allowances.

It is not the first me Nigeria coaches have seen their wages go unpaid.

The list of those impacted is lengthy and includes Augus ne Eguavoen, Samson Siasia, Sunday Oliseh, Gernot Rohr, Florence Omagbemi and the late Stephen Keshi.

The NFF says it is working to se le the current arrears.

Fear Grips Residents As Hoodlums Terrorise Community, Kill Two

Kazeem Badmus

RESIDENTS of Odetoyinbo community in the OgoOluwa area of Osogbo, capital the State of Osun, are gripped by fear following the killing of two people by some hoodlums in the community.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that a commercial motorcyclist and a woman were killed last week Thursday and Friday in the area.

The upper private part of the woman, according to some residents who spoke with the medium yesterday, was cut off by her killer.

The residents said some hoodlums have been terrorising the area for the past one month,

a development that has created fear in them.

Confirming the incidents, the Community Chief, High Chief Gbadebo Adeyemo, while speaking OSUN DEFENDER said he had informed the police, adding that some suspects had already been arrested.

Explaining how the incident happened, Adeyemo said the commercial motorcyclists who lived at Oke Ijetu area of the state, came home with his friend who resides in the community around 11 pm on Thursday, May 25.

The commercial motorcyclist, according to Adeyemo, had altercaon with some hoodlums in the area which later resulted into free

for all.

He said the Okada rider was killed in the process, adding that it was a welder who alerted the community a er he saw a pool of blood in front of his shop the following morning.

Adeyemo said: “The rate of criminal incidents are very high in the past few months and it is giving me a sleepless night.

“Someone from this area went to visit his friend in Oke Ijetu and was there ll late at night. When he decided to come back home, he couldn’t get a commercial bus and had to beg his friend to convey him home on his motorcycle.

“They rode from Oke Ijetu but on ge ng to this area, the fuel finished.

They saw area boys, and in the cause of asking ques ons and giving answers, the area boys descended on them.

“The person who went to visit his friend escaped but the okada rider was not lucky. He was killed on the spot.

“It was a welder who saw blood at the front of his shop the following morning that raised the alarm.

“The police tracked the suspects who killed the okoda rider to Ore, Ondo State where they were arrested.

“I was also informed about the woman whose corps was dropped in the community. Her two upper private part has been cut off. I informed the

police about this and they came with the intension of evacua ng the woman.

“But they could not find her corps, forcing them to search around.

It was during this period that the police discovered the lifeless body of the okada rider beside the river”.

When asked about the hoodlums terrorising the community, Adeyemo said the thugs had been going around to harass innocent people, adding that he had already informed the police about their ac vi es.

“There was a boy called Oloke who was terrorising residents of the community during the past administra-

on. I went to report him to Ataoja Divisional Police Officer. The police with the help of Amotekun corps and hunters went to raid their base.

“A er arres ng them, Oloke and his boys signed an undertaking that they will not terrorise the residents of the community again. Since then, Oloke has been the one poin ng out whoever causes trouble in the community.

“But the area boys have returned to our community. They are led by someone called Koko. They are claiming to be the one in town now since there is a new government in the state”, he added.

THERE have been too many cases of misapplica ons and arbitrary use of innocent words beyond what the world could contain and endure. This may have evidently prompted philosophers around the world to raise their voices on the need for us to first of all redeem the WORD in order to redeem the WORLD.

A Chinese Philosopher, Confucius was definitely one of those who had been in this same frame of mind when he remarked that, the first thing he would do if given the opportunity to rule the world would be to first of all correct language.

“If language is not correct, what is said is not what is meant; if what is said is not what is meant, what ought to be done would remain undone; and if what ought to be done remains undone, morals and arts would deteriorate, if morals and arts deteriorate, jus ce will go astray; if jus ce goes astray, the people would stand in helpless confusion. Hence there must be no arbitrariness in whatever is said. This ma ers above everything. “ He had remarked.

One of such words definitely is the word: “Titan” which from facts available has been befuddled with misapplica ons through misuse, disuse and abuse.

Physically, a tan is a giant with immense stature and strength.

Spiritually, a tan represents huge, primi ve and hard-to-control forces while symbolising a spirit of rebellion.

Mythologically, tans were reportedly pre-Olympic gods who ruled the cosmos in ancient Greek before the Titanomachy war.

In the Bible accounts of Titans, they are described as giants of extraordinary size. It was said of Og, (a giant) King of Bashan, whose bier was nine cubits in length and four cubits in width. Also, there was Goliath of Gath, a giant who blasphemed the God of Israel and was killed by young David.

As widely circulated on the internet, the Titanic ship which was built by Thomas Andrews was also a story of a challenge which ended up in calamity. The ship was said to have met its waterloo in the Atlan c Ocean, lying at a depth of 2.5 miles and located at an es mated 370 miles off the coast of the Newfoundland in Canada where it was split into two a er running into an iceberg.

Ostensibly playing Mr-Know-it-all, the owner of the newly constructed Titanic ship, who was answering a

Crime

PERSPECTIVE

BY OLALERE FAGBOLA

Aregbesola: A Titan With A Difference (Part One)

reporter’s ques on concerning its safety, challenged God, spi ng blasphemy that:” Not even God can sink the ship.”

So much for the Titans and the Titanic that the word Titan has not failed to ins ll fears and unhappy memories into the vocabulary mindset of people, the world over.

Some authori es have, however, defended the Titan phenomenon as the word is reputed to mean a Defender. According to an account picked on internet, Titan is a bold person. It is a name des ned for greatness, o en associated with the film: “Remember The Titans.”

But who are the real Titans?

While we are not controver ng or contes ng that Titans have giant strengths, the virtues peculiar to them are the ones that have suffered misapplica ons and misuse.

Before the birth of Jesus Christ, good news, o en called Gospel was only to be expected from palaces of kings and royalty. This was why when the Shepherds saw the uncommon stars which signaled the birth of a Messiah, their first port of call was the Palace of King Herod.

That Jesus Christ was however born in a manger, redefined the concept of gospel and changed the whole meaning of the word Titan. Rather than defining it by mere physical heights or academic achievements, the word is more of spiritual and of metaphysical significance.

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ corrected the concept of Titans as a being measured only by mere physical appearance. He stamped on it the spirituality of a child of God, Peace Maker, Reconciler and Democrat who understands the meaning of Dividends of democracy.

“Blessed are the Peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. “ He admonished.

Therefore, today’s peacemakers are those who understand and respect the principles of dividends of democracy while realizing that the essence of true development and democracy fulcrums on the art of Carrying Together rather than Carrying Go, with an a tude of WinnerTakes-All.

Our world of arbitrariness of language has kept us from knowing the real meaning of Dividends of Democracy as we o en believe that it revolves only around building of physical bridges instead of building bridges of minds and developing minds.

Today we are talking of Titanic perspec ve to Leadership, and not to rulership which o en plays God, even, with no sense of modera on.

With the marriage between media and technology, the world has shrunk into a global market, hence the death of Bossism and the yielding of power (is responsibility) to the true democrat, Leader and Reconciler.

The world of physical giant in the movements of big monuments has yielded space to gigs, (same family of Titans and giants in gigas; giant) where-in we are now having gigabytes, with a unit capacity equal to 1,024 megabytes.

To know those who are genuinely taking good poli cal lessons from the Sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, they would not be defining themselves as true Awoists through the way they are sheepishly aping and pu ng on his cap or glasses.

From the Titanic perspec ve to leadership, it is high me Awolowo’s Free Educa on (at all levels) programmes graduated to and accommodated Peace Educa on.

Nothing else we do or tend to accomplish, would ma er without Peace.

It is instruc ve, right from here, even from this juncture, to note that it is never for fun that Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, right from childhood, had been given to the habit of expressing

compassion for the poor, the aged, the needy and other less privileged people. According to the interpretaon of his name “AR-RA’UF being a personifica on of mercy, it has the same meaning as AR-RAHM.

Conversely, and by the implica on of his name, Rauf is being admonished constantly to live by the quality personifying the a ributes of his name and by the virtues of his character regarding showing pity, compassion and mercy to others.

Just as a Yoruba adage also says that “Oruko ni nro omo” meaning that the child lives in the spirit of his name, Rauf Aregbesola has been living true to the spirit and le ers of his name AR-RAUF, even in words and in deeds:

To know how this becomes relevant to Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, as a Titan at 66 is to go back to the day he was born, Saturday, May 25, 1957, which was a day of Saturn, being the sixth planet from the sun; a heavenly body revolving round, using a mo on of its own among stars.

From all intents and purposes, it was a day of prophecy in which diviners in the clothes of Journalism, had a free day sign-ac ng in ar stry, language-use and in prophe c u erances about leadership in Nigeria.

Certain ar s c impression that reportedly aroused the curiosity of newspaper readers on page two of the Daily Times Newspaper on Saturday, May 25, 1957, was the drawing of a SUPERMAN who rode in a car, driven along with about 15 persons while the inscrip on accompanying it read:” Superman on his way”.

What was strange in the whole episode was that the car whose brand bore no name, conveyed more people than it was designed to carry.

It was as if the newspaper adversement was being futuris c on such a day which turned out to be a day of prophecy.

From the etymology of the word “SUPERMAN, it means “a man of the people” but as the car was nameless, it stood to reasonable conjecture that the superman was riding in the car of democracy.

If democracy is the form of government in which the sovereign power is in the people’s hands, the word sovereignty, which is from popular La n SUPERANUS is formed from La n. “Super” could only be genuinely exercised etymologically by a superman.

When in 1957, the ar s c drawing on page 2 of the newspaper, cap oned “Superman On his way” became a mystery which made no sense, as it was shrouded in Secrecy, psychics and prophets who knew that the day was a day of prophecy, understood that in God’s own calendar are specific words des ned for fulfilment.

In later years, it became apparent that Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was the 1957 Superman being referred to prophe cally, as he is evidently bearing a tes mony of Super-manliness.

“It became apparent that Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was the 1957 Superman being referred to prophetically, as he is evidently bearing a testimony of Super-manliness”