Osun Defender Online Version Of June 09, 2023

Aregbesola, An Example Of Humanism In Governance - Civil Society Leaders

Sodiq Yusuf

LEADERS of thoughts

have stressed the need for the na on’s poli cal leadership to toe the path of an ideological framework that will make humanism the forefront of governance.

They also recommended the people-centred par cipatory model of the immediate-past Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, for sustainable development.

The opinion leaders, including Mr. Lanre Arogundade, the Execu ve Director of Interna onal Press Centre (IPC), Lagos, Comrades Femi Aborisade, Owei Lakemfa, Segun Mayegun, among others spoke at the 66th birthday colloquium in honour of Aregbesola in Osogbo, on Thursday.

The rights ac vists described the former governor of Osun as an enigma and apostle of governance that works for the people, humanis c, driven by an unrelen ng commitment to make their lives be er.

Arogundade said the celebrant is a vibrant and dogged leader, whose lead-

•Recommend Ex-Gov’s Participatory Governance Model for Devt.

•Want Humanism In Political Leadership

ership skills and a ributes maintain his cult-like followership, even a er hold-

ing a public office.

He stated that: “Comrade Rauf Aregbesola

whether you disagree with him or not, is a very accommoda ng person.

“Aregbesola is a polical combatant who is able

to speak on issues with a very deep background and knowledge of how the government is supposed to work for the people.

“There are things you can not take away from

Subsidy Removal Backed By Ifa - Osun Traditional Religion Worshippers

Kazeem Badmus

TRADITIONAL Religion worshippers in the State of Osun have disclosed that the removal of fuel subsidy was endorsed by Ifa oracle, adding that it will bring blessings if people can endure.

President of Tradi onal Religion Worshippers Associa on (TRAWSO), Dr. Oluseyi Atanda, while speaking at a medical outreach organised for its members in Osogbo, on Tuesday, said Ifa supported the decision of President Bola Tinubu but harps on transparency in the process.

According to Atanda, though the decision is a difficult one and brings hardship on the people, there is the need for the ci zens to endure in order to enjoy the tremendous benefits that will come with the decision.

He said: “Ifa supported that the decision to remove subsidy is a good one, but the government must be sincere and do things the proper way, so that at the end of the day, you don’t act in a way that shows or seems that the people who are enduring the pain feel taken for granted.

“It (Ifa) further revealed that what follows the tough decision of subsidy removal is tremendous blessing if the people can persevere, hence, we urge the populace to support the decision of President Bola Tinubu and should collec vely monitor the ac ons of public office holders in order to cater for the cri cal needs of the people.”

Atanda urged tradi onal

religion adherents to take proper care of their health, saying rampant issues of sudden death was as a result of negligence by the people.

“We realise that over the

last few months, the issue of sudden death has become a societal problem which affects everyone and could be due to diabetes and high blood pressure.

“We feel that tradi onalists should also be aware that there is a need for them to check their blood pressure and know what is happening in their body, hence

the reason we decided to organise the medical outreach in celebra on of the second anniversary of the current execu ve members of the associa on”, he stated.

Comrade Rauf. One of it is his avowed commitment to the ideals of people centred and welfarist programmes. That is why the people are with him.

“Being energe c, a workaholic, a good dancer, a courageous man, a fast thinker, grassroots mobiliser, he is proud of his culture and an unrepentant socialist stands him out and makes him worthy of studying and following his polical sagacity.”

Lakemfa and Mayegun stressed the need for emerging leaders to embrace Aregbesola’s ideology of humanism.

They noted that: “It is humanity that makes Rauf different from us. Let us start an ideology where humanism will be the foundaon of every ideology. He is a different marxist. Ogbeni is a real comrade who is deeply passionate about the people.

“Aregbesola is prac cally minded. He is commi ed to seeing results. Our legacies are not bricks. They are the people. That is what Rauf stood for and what has made all of us celebrate him ll today.”

The Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Adedokun Abolarin, eulogised the celebrator for his passion for the growth of humanity.

“You have a name that transcends the Federal Re-

•Continued on page 5

Govt. Begins Reclamation Of Osun River

Ismaeel Uthman

THE State Government of Osun has begun the reclama on of the Osun river which has for years been polluted by mining ac vi es in Ijesaland.

The reclama on process began at one of Osun river’s tributaries at Idominasi, on Monday, as part of the ac vi es lined up to commemorate this year’s

World Environment Day.

Professor Lukmon Jimoda, Special Adviser to Governor Ademola Adeleke on Solid Minerals and Environment, who flagged off the process on Monday, warned miners in the State to desist from improper excava on of mining sites.

Jimoda who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Sanita on,

Mr. Oladele Olawuni, lamented that mining ac vies was responsible for the pollu on of Osun river.

He said the State government has observed that the ac vi es of the miners have con nued to have adverse effects on some tributaries that run into Osun River, thereby making it necessary for the reclamaon of the river.

Jimoda urged the min-

ers to always follow procedures for mining in order to make the communi es around the excava on sites safe for living.

He disclosed that the government will con nue to monitor the miners, saying any miner found to have gone against the rules and regula ons set for them will be fined, sanc oned and if possible, get his or her contract terminated.

Tribunal Dismisses 5 Petitions Against PDP Lawmakers-Elect In Osun

TYusuf Oketola biyi Fadeyi; Senator-elect for Osun East, Senator Francis Fadahunsi; and House of Representaves member-elect for Ede North/Ede South/ Egbedore/Ejigbo Federal Cons tuency, Hon. Bamidele Salam, among others.

HE Elec on Peons Tribunal, sitng in Osogbo, Capital of the State of Osun, has dismissed five peons filed by the Ac on Alliance (AA) against five lawmakers-elect of the Peoples Democra c Party (PDP).

The Ac on Alliance had filed the pe ons against PDP and its candidates who won Senatorial and House of Representa ves seats in the February 25 general elecon, on the grounds that it was omi ed from the ballot.

But the five pe ons were dismissed on Monday.

The pe ons were against the Senator-elect of Osun Central, Mr. Olu-

At the tribunal sit-

ng on Monday, PDP’s counsel, Oyewole JimiBada, moving an oral applica on and ci ng the provisions of Schedule One, Paragraph 18, subparagraph 1 (A) of the Electoral Act, said failure of the pe oners to appear for the pre-hearing trial should automa cally amount to the dismissal of the pe ons.

Similarly, counsel to the first respondent, the Independent Na onal Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr Bukola Durojaye, argued that neither the pe oners, nor their representa ves or their counsels were in Court, which indicated that they had abandoned the case.

Also, one of the counsels to the PDP, Mr Kolapo Alimi, applied for an order

of the tribunal to compel the pe oners to pay a cost of N1m to the respondents.

In a short ruling on all the cases, Chairman of the Tribunal, Jus ce V. O Eboreime, dismissed the pe ons based on the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.

The judge noted that “In view of the clear provisions of paragraph 18 (11) (a) of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act and the Non-Compliance of Peoners, to wit: non-appearance of the pe oners and their counsels to obey this scheduling for pre-hearing, the case of the pe oners is hereby dismissed.”

Jus ce Eboreime, however, refused the applicaon for the award of cost and directed par es to bear their costs.

•Alimi

In his remarks, the Director, Environmental Health, Ministry of Environment and Sanita on, Mr. Biola Oni, said the reclamaon of Osun River was the best way to start this year’s World Environment Day.

Oni stated that State Government, having been aware of the danger caused by the ac vi es of the miners, is ready and keen on bringing back Osun River to its actual state.

He commended the State Government for giving the contract to the consultant who has started blocking all the tributaries being created by the miners through the use of alluvial bars thereby making it safe for the people in the State.

A consultant, Mr. Shamsudeen Alabi, said the reclama on exercise will make sure that Osun river returns back to its original state, saying its brownish colour is discouraging tourists from coming to fetch the water.

Alabi equally advised the miners to work with known best prac ces around the world and do it sustainably, so that the State will not only have the mining ac vi es supporting her economy alone, but will also have the environment suppor ng her economy.

•A Crowd of Osun residents at a colloquium marking the homecoming and 66th birthday of the former Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, at Aurora Events Centre, Osogbo, yesterday. Inset: L-R: Lead Speaker, Lanre Arogundade; Aregbesola, his wife, Alh. Sherifat Aregbesola at the event.

THE melodrama played out over the threat of strike ac on relating to the fuel subsidies removal says a lot about our out-of-date format of labour rela ons. It has to change.

The labor movement had no defined strategic imperave; this is reflected in the seven-point memorandum of understanding agreed with the government. Preferably it is all rather ad hoc.

Given past experience the emphasis on immediate mon-

A New Thrust In Industrial Relations

etary benefit is absurd. An astronomical increase in the minimum wage will be wiped

out by infla on in months and it will be back to square one. We should be thinking deeper

Happy Homecoming For The Favourite Son

AMIDST the gloom and hyperinfla on, the state of Osun was s ll delighted to welcome back home its avatar Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. He deserved the hearty recep on.

Luck is also on the side of the Ogbeni. The contrast between his progressive inter-

ven on and the confused inep tude that came a erwards is stark. Luck and history have been fair to him, deservedly so. The Ogbeni s ll has a lot to contribute to the development of the state. He is expected to rebuild the progressive base of poli cs in the state and. he

must. He must also contribute to the new progressive reinvigora on at the center. His input there will also be vitally required. For the Ogbeni it’s not yet me for re rement. Duty calls once again and we know that the indomitable tac cian will as always be up to the task.

The Discourse

in terms of the provision of long term benefits weaved around a social contract. For example an increase in the minimum wage without any agreement on infla on targets is u erly ludicrous. Nigeria cannot build a compe ve economy with this present system of industrial rela ons. There must be a fundamental rethink based on long-term planning and a clear definion of the social contract.

The Man And His Protocol

Barr. Abiodun Tiamiyu

THE intent of this piece is to bring to the fore the fundamental relevance of protocol services to any organisa on, most importantly a busy Chief Execu ve. Being at a vantage point as a protocol officer to Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola both as a two-term Governor of the State of Osun and Minister of Interior of the Federal Republic of Nigeria certainly gives me deep insight into the life of this public officer, from the binoculars of protocol administra on and therefore in posi on to explicitly demonstrate how that aspect of public administra on leaves chief execu ves be er or worse off

Limitless experiences acquired over the years via close interac ons during private and public engagements provide ample opportunity to help readers understand the place of protocol in the success or otherwise of those whose decisions touch millions of other lives.

Over the ages, there have been diverse meanings and defini ons a ached to protocol depending basically on how it originates.

To the Middle Age English, protocol denotes, “Original minutes of an agreement, forming the legal authority for future dealings relating to it”.

Protocol In General Terms

A protocol is a set of step-by-step guidelines—usually in the form of a simple one- or two-page document—that is used by educators to structure professional conversa ons or learning experiences to ensure that mee ng, planning, or group-collabora on me is used efficiently, purposefully, and produc vely.

While the specific purpose, process, and goals of a protocol may vary widely, educators commonly use protocols to structure professional discussions about instruc onal techniques, student work, student-performance data, or research studies and ar cles.

The Place Of Protocol In Public Life

Going by the various defini ons of what protocol is (provided over the ages), we can safely conclude therefore that the place of protocol in any given public place is all en-

compassing and broad. Without a properly structured protocol arrangement in any event, such as mee ngs, lectures, commissioning, weddings, naming, burials or anything, the event is tantamount to cooking soup without adding necessary ingredients. It amounts to a willful cacophonous se ng. It is the protocol arrangements that make everyone feel welcome and respected without needing to go through stress. They take the me out to do the si ng arrangements, labeling, the effec ve func oning of electronic gadgets thereby ensuring harmonious func oning at the event for the comfort of the invited parcipants. A protocol man also ensures the preferences and customs of each par cipant at any milestone occasion. They make every effort to minimize or eliminate any form of stress or embarrassment at any important event whatsoever. Protocol officers establish and enforce public decorum expected of civilised congrega ons.

From the foregoing, I say with every sense of convic on that a public gathering that is devoid of well-laid-out protocol arrangement is at best a jamboree and organised confusion.

Ogbeni: The Man And His Protocol

Let me borrow from the words of General Montgomery “My own defini on of leadership is the capacity and the will to rally men and women to a common purpose and the character which inspires confidence.”

The General’s words describe perfectly the personality of the man we all prefer to call Ogbeni. Working with the quintessen al

personality with a unique generosity of spirit will remain with me ll eternity. Is it his erudion and encyclopedic knowledge of subjects during mee ngs and other public gatherings? Do I talk about the conviviality of the environment? The cultured, deep recogni on of the personali es in a endance one a er the other? The hearty and rib-cracking laughter and jokes? The candour of delivery? The versa lity in both local and foreign music which most

mes, enliven the atmosphere during public func ons? Do I need to men on the dance steps? The seriousness through which official engagements are handled by Ogbeni can be gleaned via many of his reac ons the moment you beckon on him and say “the venue is ready.” Once his protocol man has spoken, no ma er who and what he is doing at that point in me, Ogbeni jumps up in his usual energe c form; tells whoever is with him to either join him to the programme or see him later.

Ogbeni is that chief execu ve who understands that for you to work and deliver results as expected, necessary and adequate provisions must be made both in terms of resources and other suppor ng logis cs. Here is a man who adequately internalised that a protocol man is not be er than a jelly if he is incapable of taking decisions on his feet or if he is deprived of the required mo va onal tools that could enhance produc vity.

OSUN DEFENDER

And then he watches for how you are presented. An improperly dressed protocol man has no place around Ogbeni. You dare not enter his office shabbily dressed for he had had occasions to demand redeployments of those who were too carefree to observe this abhorrence for poor appearance.

Produc

Reporter – Yusuf Oketola

Ibitowa

Reporter – Kazeem Badmus

Photo Journalist – Shola Aderinto Computer

But Ogbeni will not just demand perfect ou ngs from you. He knows it comes with financial demands. No wonder, it was Ogbeni who first introduced ou it allowances to all aides working around him. This generosity of spirit benefited a huge number of staffs in the Governor’s Office then, including Secretary, Typist, Clerk, policemen, DSS opera ves, Protocol and a whole lot of others.

All correspondence to the above email addresses.

“Nigeria cannot build a competitive economy with this present system of industrial relations. There must be a fundamental rethink based on longterm planning and a clear definition of the social contract”

“It can be well agreed that a protocol man in a political dispensation can be equated to a General Overseer whose prying eyes must see everything toward ensuring that no stress or embarrassment is allowed for the principal”

Homecoming: Osun Agog For Aregbesola

Ismaeel Uthman

IT was a triumphant entry for the immediate past Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, as he returned to the State of Osun a er the comple on of his tenure.

Aregbesola received rousing welcome from mammoth crowd in Ilesa, his hometown and Osogbo, the state capital on Wednesday.

The former governor of the state paid homage to the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba (Dr.) Adekunle Aromolaran and the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun Oyetunji, in apprecia on of the tradi onal rulers’ support for his poli cal career.

From his house at Amuta, jubilant residents of Ilesa trooped out to welcome Aregbesola, just as they followed him down to the Owa’s palace.

The residents were excited to see Aregbesola as they rushed out from their various areas to catch a glimpse of the former minister who was on his open roof jeep acknowledging cheers from the people.

Commercial motorcyclists voluntarily led Aregbesola’s convoy to the Owa’s palace, a development that alerted people of the former governor’s presence.

Aregbesola, at the Owa’s palace, enumerated some of the interven ons and projects he a racted to Ijesaland during his tenure as Minister.

He said: “We thank God for how far he has brought me.

“I must thank President Muhammadu Buhari for coun ng me worthy to be made a minister and also President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for coun ng me worthy to be a commissioner in Lagos. Because from there, God con nued to upli me to where I’m today.

“If you recall, when I le government in November 2018, I came here to pay homage and thanked God for a successful tenure.

“A er my tour of duty as Minister in Abuja, I felt it was proper for me again to come and pay homage as a worthy son of Ijesaland.

“Some of the projects God used us to achieve and facilitate to Ijesaland are the Fire Service Zonal Training School, 3,000 capacity custodial centre under construcon, Passport Front Office, Regional Passport Producon Centre, COVID-19 crisis interven on fund hospital, Ilesa and the Na onal Instute of Domes c Security.

“The ins tute is a research and training centre for all paramilitary agencies in Nigeria and all over Africa,” the former Governor of the State of Osun stressed further.

In his remarks, the Owa

•Mammoth Crowd Receive Ex-Minister

appreciate all that you have done for us. Osogbo will forever be grateful and be with you.”

The crowd became thicker as Aregbesola le the palace for Freedom Park. His convoyed was halted at Ajegunle where traders trooped out to receive the former governor with Kizz Daniel’s song, ‘Buga’.

Leaders of the APC from former Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeo , former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salaam, former State Chairman of the party, Revd. Lowo Adebiyi, former State Secretary of the party, Hon. Rasaq Salinsile, took their turns to speak on the need for the restructuring of the party.

•The jubilant residents of Osogbo welcoming Aregbesola at the Freedom Park, Osogbo, on Wednesday when he first arrived Osun to contest governorship elecon, and how the people started eulogising him for his contribu ons to the turnaround of the state capital after four years.

Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba (Dr.) Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran praised Aregbesola for being a worthy son of the Ijesa.

The monarch recalled with nostalgia the myriads of projects and achievements recorded while the former minister governed Osun, and his imprints, which stands him out as a worthy ambassador of the state.

He prayed for higher responsibility and God’s connued benevolence on Ogbeni Aregbesola.

From the palace, residents of Ilesa followed Aregbesola down to the boundary of the town when he was coming to Osogbo, while sizeable number of them followed the ex-minister down to the state capital.

Some followers and supporters of the former governor had waited to receive him at Osunjela, a boundary community to Osogbo.

Aregbesola’s entry into Osogbo was rousing as his convoy passed through Owode, Owo-eba, Ilesa Garage, Sadiat, Oke Ayepe, Itaolokan down to Oja-Oba where he paid homage to the Ataoja of Osogbo.

OSUN DEFENDER noted that the Osogbo residents erupted in jubila on, singing and dancing as they sighted the convoy of the former governor of the State.

The shout of “Ogbeni,” “Symbol,” “Aregbesola,” “Baba Niyen,” rented the air as Aregbesola’s convoy drove through Oja-Oba, Gbaemu, Sta on Road, Old Garage, Ajagunle, Igbonna and Ayetoro where it turned to meet thousands of members of the APC wai ng for the former governor at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park.

Speaking at the Ataoja’s palace, the former minister reminisced on how he was well received by the people

Aregbesola noted that: “I’m happy to say that between then and now, the eulogies have not stopped. Between Ilesa and Osogbo this morning, the people trooped out in their numbers to welcome me.”

“I am not taking the credit alone; we all did it together, though some people might be denying us and dissocia ng themselves from our administra on. Some of these said people are from Osogbo. I am not figh ng any of them. Kabiesi, I beseech you to plead with them to have a rethink.

“It was because of my promise to the then Ataoja of Osogbo that I picked my deputy from Osogbo as a

governor. It is never my desire to leave any of them, but now that they have gone the way they did, I beseech you, our royal father, to plead with them. I would always wish them well and always desire to work with them.

“I hold no grudge with anyone in Osogbo or Osun. My hands are wide open to work and receive anyone. Anyone who have issues with me have their reasons, but I hold no grudge against anyone.

“On the ministerial assignment, please thank President Buhari for giving me the opportunity to serve in his government.

“For the rest of my life, I will con nue to thank Osogbo and its people for adopting me as their son. I deeply appreciate it.

“Anywhere I am, please be rest assured that Osogbo’s interests are covered.”

Responding, Oba

Olanipekun described the former minister as an achiever, one whose golden imprints in Osogbo would forever linger.

The monarch said the people of the town are aware of Aregbesola’s efforts to sustain the level of development in Osogbo, which he has not backtracked.

Oba Olanipekun said: “When Ogbeni took over governance in Osun, everyone thought he was going to dethrone me because I was enthroned by an opposi on government, but he announced publicly that he wasn’t ready to dethrone any monarch.

“When the loca on of the Nigeria Air Force base was going to cause issues, the former minister intervened on our behalf. He stood by me, Osogbo, and he’s s ll with us.

“We appreciate you. We

Aregbesola, An Example Of Humanism...

•Continued from page 2

public of Nigeria because of your passion, commitment, and resilience towards the growth of humanity. We are always proud of you. You are a man with a good heart. You say it as it is, and that is why all of us are behind you.”

Oba Olatunde David Olusola, the Onikun of Ikun-Eki also showered encomiums on the former governor, stressing that: “Aregbesola has the capacity to liberate the people from poverty and the society from underdevelopment.

“If people like Rauf had got poli cal power in the last 20 years, they would have liberated a lot of people.”

Responding, the celebrant, Aregbesola, noted that good governance is

all about bringing all facets of society together for peace, progress, and development.

Aregbesola noted that the secret to the success of his administra on in Osun and poli cal leadership is the aggrega on of all interests of the society, stressing that people will always iden fy with those who are keenly passionate about them.

“Governance is not rocket science. It is all about pu ng the interests of the people at heart. We included every strata of the society in our government. This is why the people trooped out to receive us a er 54 months of comple ng our tenure.

“From the market women associa on to religious leaders, to the youths and other segments of the state, we rallied everybody.

The peace and progress that characterised our administra on in Osun was reflec ve of how committed we were to the people that brought us to power, which they have con nued to reciprocate.

“The warm recepon we received yesterday from Ilesa to Osogbo shows where the people belong and how much they believe in our capacity and poli cal leadership. It is clear from all quarters that the people appreciate us and are proud to associate with us. I am grateful to you all. We will con nue to represent what has endeared you to us.”

He thanked his supporters, friends, associates, and the people of Osun at large for believing in his poli cal ideology, assuring that he will forever remain commi ed to them.

Addressing members of the APC, Aregbesola who was elated by the warm recep on from the party members, said it was unfortunate that ‘some people’ mismanaged the affairs of the party and ran it aground.

He said he had in 2019 called for the unity of the party with a warning that failure to unite different interest groups would not produce any good result.

The former governor of the state said: “I have come back to thank you, the people of Osun and those who made it possible for me to progress in poli cs.

“I need to thank Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, it was through him that I became a Commissioner in Lagos state and a two-term governor in Osun.

“I appreciate former President Muhammadu Buhari; a er God, it was him that made me the Minister which I just concluded.

“I am here today to seek restructuring of the party. I didn’t offend anybody, but whoever feels that we offend him or her should forgive us.

“We seek forgiveness from those who thought we offended and those who sought our downfall.

“We were here in 2019 a er the Supreme Court affirmed the mandate of the former governor. I called for unity in the party. I warned that disunity will not produce any good result. But devil didn’t allow them (those who handled the party affairs) to listen.

“We seek forgiveness from those who are smearing our image, though we never offended them.

“We supported them with all I have to see to their success. I didn’t ask for anything from them. I need to emphasise that I didn’t ask for anything from them. But they chose to repay evil for good.

“However, we are here for the restructuring of the party. That is why we are begging anybody that feels that we offended him or her to forgive us.”

How I Escaped Being Kidnapped Inside Police Station In Osun – Jumokol

Ismaeel Uthman

FOURTEEN years after he was alleged of complicity in the killing of a 27-year-old hunchback, Taibat Oseni, in Iragbiji, Boripe local government of the State of Osun, a former member of the Na onal Assembly, Senator Felix Ogunwale, has revealed how he managed the crisis and avoided incarcera on.

Ogunwale, popularly known as Jumokol, declared that the allega on was a deep poli cal plot by former governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola to implicate him and take him out of the Osun Central Senatorial race.

The Asiwaju of Iragbiji claimed that when he made moves inside the police sta on to frustrate the plan to hurriedly arraign him in court and get him remanded in prison, those who were persecuting him sent ‘some people to kidnap’ him while in police custody.

According to Ogunwale, he escaped being kidnapped by hiding under the staircase of the police sta on.

He spoke in an exclusive interview with E oba, an online television platform.

It would be recalled that Oseni, the lady with an hunchback, was reportedly killed on Tuesday, September 29, 2009.

She was said to have been dragged by her assailants to an abandoned building owned by Ogunwale at about 10.30 p.m. where she was murdered.

The allega on came barely four months a er Ogunwale defected from the Peoples Democra c Party (PDP) to the Ac on Congress (AC).

Three suspects were also arrested by the police in connec on with the incident

According to the police, the hunch of the purported deceased was recovered from Asimiyu Kolapo, Mukaila Kolawole and Isaac Ayandokun, the arrested suspects.

However, Ogunwale disclosed that Oseni was later found alive in Ore, Ondo State a er he was released from police custody on the direc ve of the then Inspector General of Police.

Ogunwale said: “I thank God! A very bi er and deep poli cs was played during that me. Why I said that is that a er everything was se led, and Oyinlola and I were becoming friends again, I asked why he wanted to implicate me, but he couldn’t u er a word. He was speechless ll I le his home.

“The issue of the hunchback murder was so shocking to me. I was in Lagos when I heard that a certain hunchback was missing and her dead body was found at the backyard of my house. I had rented out the said house to Boripe Local Government council for about two years then when Mr Bimbo was the Council Chairman. There was an agreement to that effect; but those who wanted to implicate me insisted that it was my house.

“In my usual character, I will always clear myself when there is frivolous allega on against me. So, I le Lagos to Osogbo and I headed to the office of the Commissioner of Police, Mr Johnson Moronike. I presented myself to him and he thanked me; he immediately called a Deputy Commissioner of Police at the State Criminal Invesga on Department. I was taken to the SCID and detained behind the counter.

“There was a police officer that usually handle dirty and poli cal assignments for Oyinlola then; he is now late. He usually incarcerated people and put them in prison without any trial before the court.”

OSUN DEFENDER noted that the only police officer who was notorious for prosecu ng poli cal cases during the Oyinlola administra on was Mr.

Ayuba Adekunle. He was a Deputy Superintendent of Police, and a prosecutor; he died few years a er he was transferred out of the state.

Ogunwale added: “That par cular police officer was known for persecu on, shady deals and sudden arraignment of suspects in court. Their usual prac ce then was that they had arrangement with a Magistrate and upon appearance of suspect at his court, he would

just adjourn the case and order that the suspect be remanded in prison custody either in Ilesa or Ife for months.

“While I was being detained, I suspected that they wanted to take me to court; it was then I knew Oyinlola meant to deal with me. I made a move and they got to know about it, and because of that, they arranged some people to kidnap me from the police sta on.

“I hid under the stair-

case where they kept empty bo les. I stuck myself inside the empty bo les. Those they sent to kidnap me ransacked everywhere but they could not find me, and they le

“The following morning, there was a team from the Inspector General of Police who directed that both the suspect (myself) and the case file be transferred to the force headquarters in Abuja.

“Moronike, the then Commissioner of Police acted mischievously and it was his conduct that prevented me from being transferred to Abuja. When the IG team arrived and Moronike was given the signal, he snuck out of office and we could not locate him for five hours.

“The IG team waited for him pa ently because he must sign the file. We did not know who he went to meet but we knew he was at the Government House.

“By the me he came back, he signed the file and we le to board the helicopter that brought the IG team. While leaving to board, a police officer arrived on a motorcycle and rushed inside the office. He was told we were leaving for Abuja already and he rushed to catch us up. He handed over the result of a forensic test on the purported hunch which was taken to Aragbiji’s pal-

ace as an evidence of the person I allegedly killed.

“The result indicated that what was brought for test was a male kidney; the hunchback I was accused of killing was a female. Then the team called Abuja and narrated what happened to their boss. He was furious on the phone; he declared that the case was polical and he ordered that I should be released on self recognizance. I filled the bail bond and I was released from there.

“Therea er, I called Gani Adams, the Na onal Coordinator of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC). I told him to fish out the said hunchback I was accused of killing, because her dead body was not found. Gani Adams acted on it and he set machinery in mo on.

“Three days later, the said hunchback was found in Ore, Ondo State. She was tracked for two weeks a er which we reported to the police and she was arrested and transferred to Abuja. But the statement she made at the police staon in Ore was kept away from us.

“I went to Abuja to see her; I confronted her and unfortunately, she said she didn’t know me. She was later brought to Iragbiji and that sparked rumpus in the whole town. That was the end of the story.”

O’Ambulance Rescues 22,560 Accident Victims, Delivers 1,203 Pregnant Women In 10 Years

Ismaeel Uthman

Atotal of 22, 560 accident vic ms were rescued by Osun Emergency Medical and Ambulance System (OSEMSAS), popularly known as O’Ambulance between 2013 and 2023.

Also, no fewer than 1,203 pregnant women were delivered of babies by the service within its 10 years of opera on.

The General Manager of the agency, Dr. Segun Babatunde disclosed this in an exclusive interview with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday.

According to Babatunde, the service facilitated referral of 14,000 of the 22,560 rescued accident vic ms within the years under review.

“The referral services cover both private and public hospitals. It could be an accident vic m that needs to be moved from one hospital to another, depending on the medical a en on /inves gaons needed,” Babatunde noted.

O’Ambulance clocked 10 years on February 4, 2023. The agency was established as Osun Ambulance Services Agency on February 4, 2013 by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola whilst he was the governor of the State of Osun, and renamed in 2021.

The scheme is a pivot of one of the six-point Integral Ac on Plan of

Aregbesola in promo ng healthy living among the people of the state.

Speaking on the rechristening of the scheme from Osun Ambulance Service to Osun Emergency Medical Services and Ambulance System (OSEMSAS), Babatunde said the idea is to key into the Na onal Emergency Medical Services

And Ambulance System (NEMSAS) model.

He said O’Ambulance was rated the best in the country by a team of the Federal Ministry of Health which came this year to evaluate the service.

The General Manager is hopeful that Osun will be part of the pilo ng states for NEMSAS.

He said: “We hope to be part of the pilo ng states of NEMSAS because the team from the

Federal Ministry of Health rated us the best in the country.

“The focused areas of our services are prompt provision of emergency medical services to the vic ms of road accidents and evacua ng them to the nearest hospital, provision of quality referral services for pa ents from one hospital to another, depending on the specialist services required and provision of emergency medical services in medical emergency situa ons anywhere any me within the state.

“All services are free and our response me is between five to 10 minutes. Our service is 24/7 round the clock.”

As of the me of filing this report, the service has 40 Ambulances spread across the state.

On the quality of service delivery, Babatunde said: “Our paramedics are highly trained. We have regular quarterly update trainings. We have all facili es for basic lifesaving and advance lifesaving procedures. All our Ambulances are well equipped.”

•Ogunwale

Politics of Inclusion, Not Seclusion Is Needed To Bring Peace To Osun APC - Salaam

before you can even postulate any hypothesis for success. Importantly, we should not forget that we are mortals, and God is the Dispenser of our affairs.

What do you think is the fate of progressive poli cs in the nearest future in Osun?

SOME months ago, you announced the dissolu on of TOP and the birth of Omoluabi caucus of the APC in the State of Osun; what is the idea behind the caucus and is it not a con nua on of TOP as some people believe?

Some mes last year in December, a er a lengthy and cri cal discussion with major stakeholders of our tendency, we agreed to find means of working together with all progressiveminded people in the state to rebuild our party across all divides. Therefore, the old arrangements cannot be used for that purpose, and that was one of the major reasons that led to the birth of Omoluabi. Omoluabi, as the name symbolises, was the only name that can be used at that moment to appeal to the senses of all the progressives and not for The Osun Progressives (TOP) or any other caucus but to give peace a chance within ourselves and formed a formidable party.

In spite of the dissolu on of TOP and the birth of Omoluabi, there seems to be no peace in the APC in Osun. Are you sure your tendency is sincere on the call for reconcilia on?

Yes, very sincere and that was why we dissolved TOP and the party execu ve in our tendencies. It was not an easy task to dissolve well established party structure and the mother group, but we did that to give room for genuine and sincere reconcilia on. We made the sacrifice as genuine progressives; dissolu on of TOP and the party execu ve was a crisis management mechanism that, ordinarily, should put an end to the division in the party. Unfortunately, the other side did not welcome that move; they never seized the opportunity to end the crisis. Instead, they con nued in their usual poli cs of seclusion. What else can we do? Like Yoruba adage says: ‘you asked a thief to run, he runs, you asked him to surrender himself, he does, what else do you want? Let me also tell you that we had been making move for genuine reconcilia on in the party even before the birth of Omoluabi. We are progressives, we love the party, we would not want it to collapse. We had foreseen what is happening and we raised the alarm. But for selfish reasons, the other camp was recalcitrant and con nued toeing the path of perdi on. The result is what we are witnessing today.

Former Governor Oyetola recently cons tuted an 11-man commi ee for the reposi oning of the party. Is the commi ee in line with the reconcilia on move you’re clamouring for?

I can’t say anything about the commi ee be-

cause I am not privy to their terms of reference and the reason(s) for its forma on. I heard it on the news and we are watching as the event unfolds itself. I was never consulted before and after the inaugura on of the commi ee, likewise other persons in our tendency. A Yoruba adage says ‘He who will se le a fight must not be part of the fight’. I don’t see any sincerity in making people who are party to a crisis to be the ones to make recommenda ons for peace.

What is the way forward to ending the crisis rocking the APC in Osun?

When we are all ready to come to terms and accept our blames and display the maturity that a poli cal organisa on like ours requires, then and then we can forge ahead. Inclusion, not a secluded poli cal arrangement as it was displayed some years back, can lead to a good reconcilia on. Everybody should be carried along; anywhere, any organisa on where poli cs of seclusion is being played will not succeed. It is even worse when a smaller size of a group is trying to disregard the majority. It is a commonsense poli cal statement that you don’t drive people away in poli cs, instead, you con nue embracing them and ensure there is discipline.

How soon do you think the APC will return to power in Osun?

Poli cal success is always a result of teamwork, perseverance, hard work, and good strategies. All these must be ready on the ground

The future of progressives lies in their hands and the efforts put together by them. The earlier the be er they realise this. Time will tell. We were in this state when Chief Bisi Akande was the governor of the state. We are also living witnesses and ac ve par cipants of the opposi on days of the progressives. It was possible for us (the progressives) to win the 2007 governorship elecon because we had our house in order, the party was formidable and members of the party were all happy and encouraged to mobilise for the elec on. When our mandate was even stolen, we did not relent, and the party members were undaunted, and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was eventually declared winner of the elec on by the Appeal Court. We need collec ve efforts, unity, organiza on, team spirit and purposeful leadership now more than ever.

Do you foresee an alignment if some stakeholders forming a third force to rescue power from the APC or PDP in the nearest future?

Well, poli cs can take any dimension at any me. Don’t forget that, interest is the only constant factor in the poli cal arrangement. Right now, APC and PDP are the major par es that are well entrenched in the State. I believe the future will take care of itself.

You are part of the bigwigs in Osun APC that some people accused of an -party during the last general elec ons, how true is that?

An -Party? Well, it depends on what this means in your dic onary but as far as I know, I am as faithful to the party as anyone that sees himself/herself in the party today. Or is there any record of declara on for another party? How sincere are those people that are alleging members of the party of an party? If they want the party to win an elec on sincerely, they know how to play the game.

How did you feel when you were not chosen as the governorship aspirant from your tendency in 2022?

Well, I always believed in whatever God gives me and have never struggled with my des ny with Him. Whatever He pleases Him, He ordained. No bad feelings.

•Salaam

Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam is the Chairman, Omoluabi caucus of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State of Osun. He is also a former Speaker of the State House of Assembly. He provides way forward to the lingering crisis that has robbed APC of electoral successes in this interview with ISMAEEL UTHMAN . Excerpts:

“Everybody should be carried along; anywhere, any organisation where politics of seclusion is being played will not succeed. It is even worse when a smaller size of a group is trying to disregard the majority”

MAN o en appears to himself as the sole owner of the landscape upon which he walks daily, and in the observa on of John McMahon in his “ Delights and Dilemmas of an Ecologist”, he is some mes tempted to see nothing like any boundary before him while the thought of ever being bounded by any other may never have occurred him.

And which is why man may have been prompted by this lunacy in which his thinking is so much engrossed, to fiddle with the percep on that he is not in anyway involved in mankind while believing foolishly that the knell that tolls for another man or another environment does not concern him.

But as distance has kept on shrinking into a global village of brotherliness, it has become a fast speed in which rela onships are tempered with Moderaon rather than a fast food of playing fast game on one another in the cyber space of criminality or satanism.

It has consequently brought about the death of bossism as it is no longer the physical space of the office that determines leadership, but being relevant in bringing about solu ons to problems and needs of one’s immediate environment.

With the marriage between media and technology shrinking distance and leaving the whole world as a one global village, it may not have appeared to man that the word itself has taken a dynamic in which experts are discovering that indigenous words in one land are very much related to indigenous words in other lands, even as words are now seen beyond the parochial and superficial level.

Equally, holiness has ceased to take the myopic defini on of excusing oneself from touching the opposite sex but taking the garment of modera on in which religion is surveyed from the eyes of spirituality, seeing it whole, seeing it in history, in interfaith and holis cally.

This has also posi vely affected the defini on of philanthropy which before now was narrowed down to mean capacity to donate from one’s fat purse.

But now, philanthropy is now the art of giving one’s life to a worthy cause. No wonder why Jesus Christ defined it from the perspec ve of the Biblical widow who gave out all the mite in her possession and was approved of as philanthropic rather than the droppings which rich men gave out from their own largesse at the occasion.

Hence Titans are no longer defined by physical strength of rabble rousing but one in which power is exercised on the realm of higher poli cs and higher economics where-in it is not acquisi on of power for the sake of lording things over others but exercising power with responsibility.

That Chief Obafemi Awolowo was a man of solid strength in interfaith disposion, accounts for why, even as a Chris an, he was the pioneer of the sponsorship of Muslims pilgrimage to Mecca in Nigeria.

When in Ibadan the ba le to make sure that a Muslim indigene became the governor of old Oyo State, and Chief

Politics

PERSPECTIVE

BY OLALERE FAGBOLA

Aregbesola: A Titan With A Difference (Part Two)

Awolowo was approached to ensure that a Muslim son of the soul emerged, the sage, in his own wisdom, began to train two indigenes of Ibadan, one a Chris an and the other a Muslim for the cket.

Awolowo Centre For Philosophy And Ideology: A Crea on Of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola

The centre is advancing forward the Omoluwabi culture which Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s administra on pioneered in the State of Osun.

It is furthering the cause of peace which the state enjoyed during Aregbesola’s even ul tenure while following up intelligently, the interfaith disposi on of Awolowo.

Even though some cri cs have cricised his government (and successive governments in Nigeria) of using it to se-

cure second tenure in office, the quest of the centre towards internalising interfaith as an enduring culture through value reorienta on for the media is now convincing the world that the centre named a er Awolowo is championing his vision as an enduring legacy, which is not only becoming unsquaderable by posterity but is now being used as a potent weapon of fostering peace and stability of democracy.

Says a school of thought:” Nothing else we do would ma er without peace.”

There is no doub ng the fact that Awolowo pioneered the free educa on programme in Western Nigeria and in Nigeria generally, but the intelligent follow up to FREE EDUCATION (in 21 century) SHOULD BE PEACE EDUCATION

By organising interfaith dialogue, it is believed that the centre would be making

Starting Out Right

LET us look at the poli cal/electoral

figures first. Nigeria’s popula on is esmated at 220m out of which a li le more than half, about 120m are of vo ng age. If we discount the infirm and indisposed, at least around 100m ci zens ought to be available to vote. With 93.4m registered voters, Nigerians did not do badly therefore. However, of this figure, only 87.2m collected their PVCs; over 6m persons were not interested at all in vo ng at the presiden al polls, which should be of some concern to any progressive poli cian.

That, however, is not the disturbing figure. Of the 87.2m that have their PVCs handy, only 24.9m came out to vote to choose a President, with the emerging President elected with less than 9m votes! At 29% voters’ turnout, our last presiden al elec on witnessed its very lowest in six decades of Nigeria’s Independence. This should be of grave concern to any progressive polician, and most of all the winning candidate of a progressive party. The fact that only 9m of the 24m who voted wanted him to be President is another cause for sober reflecon and serious determina on to start out on a note that will rekindle ci zen zeal, away from depression and apathy-if the progressives genuinely ruminate on a mandate of just 9m people to govern 220m.

No ma er how good the inten on of the government, and how well-meaning its policies, it should have been clear from the emergent figures from the last elec ons that the engagement of the people first is at no mes more crucial than today, divided as

the people are by the outcome. A er all, any and all policies are always said to be in the best interest of the people, whereas MKO Abiola says and affirms the Yoruba adage that you cannot shave a man’s head in his absence. If the removal is in the best interest of the majority–and we believe sincerely that it is–the majority should be persuaded to realise so, and be prepared to weather the pains ahead of the gains. The key stake holding organisa ons of the people and the concerned businesses to consequently take on before any ac on are well known.

Subsidy and its removal are the issue on the front burner today because petrol is simply not just petrol in Nigeria, and the situa on can never be compared with anywhere else in the world. In those places, petrol is only needed for powering automobiles and perhaps laboratory experiment, with only a few more uses besides. In Nigeria, next to air, life itself depends on it! Almost everyone agrees that the subsidy regime was and has ever been a scam, and must go; how and when are the issues that have kept it there to the delight and machina ons of all agents of darkness and corrupon profi ng from it. That is why it should have been clear that whatever the outgone government have provided or not provided for; it is clearly not an issue that the new government should take on without prior engagement of all stakeholders, however shortly, ahead of any implementa on. Making implementa on of the subsidy removal a fait accompli on account of an inherited

Awolowo Centre of Philosophy and Ideology a research library and acquisi on centre for books on different disciplines, including interfaith dialogue and interreligious discourse. It is a veritable method of turning the place into a con nuing educaon haven for all professionals.

By sponsoring and organizing interfaith workshops for the Media, clerics and other Stakeholders in the country, Awolowo centre will have automa cally opened itself to becoming centre of attrac on to interna onal organisa ons.

And this is why Aregbesola as a Titan with a difference is opera ng not on the basis of Awoism by the contour of his reading glass or by the shape of his cap but by the genuine tribute he pays to advance Awolowo’s legacy, Philosophy and Ideology.

I have had every genuine reason to be fana cal about Aregbesola and it is on this ground that some people, including friends have misunderstood me. Why going fana cal for Rauf?

Readers’ curiosity over this would for now remain unsa sfied ll the next series where-in I would explain how God has used Aregbesola as a worthy vessel for my spiritual upli ment.

In Civilisa on and Ethics, Albert Schweitzer is quoted as saying:” Although it is poli cal and economic ques ons that the present day prescribes for study, we can accomplish the problem of poli cal life if only we approach them as men who are trying to think ethically. All those who in anyway help our thoughts about ethics are working for the coming of peace and prosperity in the world. They are engaged in higher poli cs and in the higher Na onal economics. “

“no-budget-for-it” days a er inaugura on cannot escape looking like a play on the people’s intelligence, as if it is not the same party that just le , and just entered. Or is it an admission that there is no poli cal party in the true sense of it?

Nobody should have any wrong impression: subsidy has even become a crime, and should have gone donkey years ago, and must go! To that extent, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is quite right. How and when is what we need to also get right; consensually. Unless there is widespread, all-stakeholders’ engagements on a minimum consent, steps taken risk being doomed in the end, like the previous ones. The concerted and relentless efforts of the cabal who benefits from the subsidy scam, plus the damning pains on the already impoverished majority popula on, plus the unscrupulous and nega ve “business” orienta on of average Nigerians will all conspire to lead it to doom, if it did not throw society into unpredictable disaster.

It is gladdening that engagements had commenced soon a er. It is never too late while expec ng some calm to return to the disarrayed system. Though it has long been on the front burner, the shock of suddenness and chaos will always a end any policy a emp ng to end the iniquitous subsidy, unless it is preceded by thorough, transparent and sincere stakeholders’ engagement and a period of pu ng some shock absorbers in place here and there. It is the way to go for popular government and genuine progressive poli cal party seeking the deepening of par cipatory democracy, and prosperity and development for the mass majority.

“Although it is political and economic questions that the present day prescribes for study, we can accomplish the problem of political life if only we approach them as men who are trying to think ethically”

STRIKER Striker is not the opinion of the Columnist featured above