Osun Defender Online Version of March 10, 2023

2 News Artisanal Miners Continue Operations, Disregard Govt. Directive

Ismaeel Uthman

ARTISANAL miners have con nued to operate at their various mining sites in Ijesaland in total disregard to the State Government’s direc ve, inves ga ons have revealed.

The miners, it was noted, have refused to leave their various mining communies, just as they con nued to extract minerals in the se lements of Ilesa and its environs two months a er Governor Ademola Adeleke shut down all mining ac vies in the state.

Inves ga ons revealed that the ar sanal miners who are majorly northerners did not for a day ceased from mining ac vi es in communi es like Ibodi, Itagunmodi, Ere-Ijesa, Idominasi, Osu, Iperindo and Ifewara.

However, OSUN DEFENDER noted that mining companies which were licensed by the state government, had stopped their opera ons since Adeleke shut down opera ons on mining sites on January 12, 2023.

But the ar sanal miners, it was noted, have con nued their opera ons, though with carefulness.

The medium was at Itagunmodi last weekend to monitor the level of compliance by the miners. It was observed that the level of compliance in the area was low as the local miners were sighted with their mining tools by the roadside.

It was noted that the arsanal miners were carrying tools like diggers, shovels and iron buckets.

Some of the ar sanal miners were also sighted on motorcycles and tricycles coming back from their mining sites.

The medium also noted that there was no presence of any security opera ve in the community.

While driving down to Ilesa, the medium observed that there were fresh mining spots close to the roadside a er Kajola, around Ora river.

The medium also sighted ar sanal miners with the tools coming from the bush, obviously from mining sites.

Mr. Samuel Akinwale, an Iperindo resident, told OSUN DEFENDER in a telephone interview yesterday that the ar sanal miners did not comply with the government’s direc ve.

Akinwale said the local miners have con nued to mine without the fear of being arrested by any security agent.

Speaking with the medium on Monday, a resident of Osun, Mr Idowu Fadele, confirmed that the ar sanal miners have con-

nued to operate at their various mining sites in the community.

Fadele said the ar sanal miners do leave their various home between 5am and 7am to embark on their mining opera ons and return late in the evening.

He said: “The local miners did not respect the direc ve of the state government; they have con nued to operate without any fear. They have con nued to degrade our land and environment. We were happy when the government or-

dered that all mining ac vies should be suspended in Osun, because our farmlands have been destroyed by these miners.

“But in spite of the government direc ves, some of these miners have connue to mine on our lands.

They leave home between 5am and 7am with their tools. These people are not complying with the government direc ve.”

OSUN DEFENDER who was took round some areas at Idominasi, Obokun Local Government of the state,

also sighted fresh mining spots of large hole le uncovered by the ar sanal miners.

A farmer in the town, Enoch Abimbola said the direc ve of the government on the suspension of mining ac vi es did not hold any effect on the arsanal miners.

Abimbola who was full of emo on while speaking with the medium said the local miners have con nued to destroy their farmlands, with total disregard to the government’s direc ve.

Confirming the report, the Advocacy Coordinator of Ijesa Mineral Resources Development Forum, Mr. Wale Idowu, said the arsanal miners have con nued to operate in the mining zones.

According to Idowu, large scale mining in the zone has stopped immediately the governor announced the suspension of mining ac vi es, no ng that only the local miners have refused to comply with the direc ve.

He stated the criminal

•Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, at the commissioning of the Ministry’s Information Communication Centre (ICT) and Staff Canteen in Abuja, recently

Continued on Page 7

Osun, 11 Other States Show Interest In Domesticating Startup Act

Yusuf Oketola

THE State of Osun and 11 other states have indicated interest to domes cate the Startup Act in accordance with the Federal Government policy to drive growth for the country’s tech and eco-system.

Oyo, Eki , Lagos, Kaduna, Kwara, Anambra, Imo, Niger, Nassarawa, Rivers and

Zamfara are the 11 other states that have also shown interest in domes ca ng the Act.

This was disclosed by Ms. Tracy Okoro, the Domes ca on and Adop on Lead at the Nigeria Startup Act secretariat, on Monday.

In a 2022 report by TechHive and Ikigai, the Nigeria Startup Act ranked best among other four African startup legisla-

ons, Senegal, Tunisia, Ethiopia and Kenya with rela on to their scope, label and governance, incen ves and enforcement.

However, analysts said that the implementa on of the Act in the country has been slow since the presiden al assent.

According to Okoro, “the whole country has been plunged into an elec on season, stakeholders want to

understand who is in power and what their ambi on and goals for the tech ecosystem will be like.

“Hopefully, now that we are almost done with the elecon cycle, we will start seeing ac ons towards the implementa on of the act.”

Okoro further stated that the crea on of the Council for Digital Innova on and Entrepreneurship, which is

Salary Arrears Payment Not Political - Adeleke

Kazeem Badmus

GOVERNOR Ademola Adeleke of the State of Osun has debunked the insinua on that the payment of salary arrears by his administra on was to canvass for votes during the presiden al, na onal and state assembly elec ons.

Adeleke, while speaking with journalists as part of the ac vi es that marked his 100 days in office on Tuesday, advised the All Progressives Congress (APC) to keep silent instead of peddling lies around.

According to the Governor, his administra on is doing what the immediate past

governor Adegboyega Oyetola felt was impossible.

He assured the people of the state that the payment of salary arrears and pension ma ers will con nue even a er the elecons, saying he was

only fulfilling his electoral promises.

Adeleke said: “There is nothing poli cal in the payment of the salary arrears. During my campaign, I promised to look into the payment of half salary and pensioners ma er.

“I think the people in the opposi on should applaud the current administraon for its capacity to do the impossible. It is what the past governor could not do for four years despite his background as an insurance person.

“The government is only fulfilling its electoral promises to the people of the state. It has nothing to do with poli cs. If APC and others have nothing to say, what they should do is keep silent and padlock their mouth.

“This is a commitment of our administra on. A er the elecons, the payment will con nue. It is a sin for workers to be denied their pay”.

the core part of the Act was underway.

“The council is responsible for the formula on and provision of general policy guidelines for the realiza on of the objecves of the Act and also gives overall direc on for the harmonisa on of laws and regula ons that affect a startup.

“For instance, Osun state has cancelled right-of-way fees, allowing telecom companies and internet providers to lay fibre op c cables for free, as part of its digital economy policy, this follows the state’s decision to localise the startup Act.

“The Act is programmed to ensure that new startup promoters and entrepreneurs secure desired mentoring and financing. The law, once domes cated will enhance the goals of both the (state’s) ICT and the Tech Innovaon policy.”

“Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, disclosed on Monday during the flag-off of a mul -billion Naira digital economy project in the South Western state, to be financed by investors”, she said.

THE pun used in the tle of this piece is intended. The Nigerian economy for its size and potenal is grotesquely uncompe ve.

Mouthing shibboleths about “Africa’s largest economy” represents delusions of grandeur unless it goes with deepening the compe veness of the ecosystem. This is extremely important now that we have signed up to the Africa Con nental Free Trade Agreement (AFCTA).

Furthermore, with moun ng foreign denominated debts as well as excrucia ng trade debts and imbalance, we now have to “export or perish”! To sustain a real export policy, we have to be compeve. To be compe ve, we must modernise our structures and develop an all encompassing digital economy. Any ini a ve in this area is long overdue and is welcome.

A few years ago, Lagos State blazed the trail by very sensibly allowing Main One Cable the telco infrastructure development company free access to RightOf - Way for their fibre op cs in the Yaba area of Lagos Mainland in the Lagos Metropolis.

It has turned out to be a phenomenal success and Yaba has surmounted Nigeria’s other infra-

cate the Nigeria start up bill. Every state government should follow suit. The country needs it as it will make our economy compe ve.

The digital economy is now the decisive thrust. With bigger broadband width, we can now a ract investments in all areas of endeavour which will create sustainability and create jobs.

structure deficits to become Africa’s Hi-tech powerhouse. Lagos has also seen the emergence of five out of the nine billion dollars’ worth tech firms to have emerged from Africa. This shows the efficacy of posi ve think-

ing leading to beneficial policies!

It is therefore important to give plaudits to the announcement by the State Government of Osun that fees for the right of way to develop fibre op cs will be waved. The government also intends to domes -

There is no need to be cynical about sensible policy thrusts because of a contrived par san divide. For example, a call by a dissen ng listener to a leading radio sta on in Oshogbo on Wednesday angrily asked “what has this policy got to do with my aged mother in the village?” Actually, it will be beneficial. Wider broad bands will allow telemedicine to take off in a big way. Paramedics can now be directed though professionals using telemedicine as to how to engage in procedures, access to quality healthcare will be broadened and this from the experience of other countries will crucially affect maternal healthcare and help to cut down on infant and maternal mortality.

The (right-of-way) Position Review & Outlook Election, Leadership And A Boiling Conundrum - Nigerias’ Haunting Malady

Our country just went through fire and it refused to burn. Not because fire was not meant to burn but because of inven ons that changed the world. Nitwits guess they are smarter un l they encounter superior intelligence which dwarfs their wise wiles

GORDON Ra ray Taylor, the Consultant editor of the publica on, The Inven ons That Changed the World, an illustrated guide to man’s prac cal genius through the ages in his introduc on tled, The Roots of Inven on, says “from man’s inven veness has risen the vast difference between his ways of life and that of animals.

Who are the geniuses who made our civiliza on possible? Of the billions of people who have peopled the earth, less than one percent - have had the crea ve genius to conceive something new and useful.

Their inspira on did much more than raise our standard of living. It changed the size and distribu on of popula on, brought about great shi s in the loca on of poli cal power, created new class systems, transformed educa on and much else, in ways which few of us fully appreciate. Populaon, shi in poli cal power both happening to us in Nigeria now puts to test what we have done or refused to do with inven ons that changed the other worlds for good.

A survey of the lives of inventors reveals that they have aspects of character which are rela vely rare in combina on. Taylor opined. In all of these we were made to know that there were a lot of heroic failures in the drama of inven veness. They each wrote their history as ken . S.G Brown, American inventor had 235 patents on telegraphy, radio and gyro compass design; he once said, “ if there were any control over me and my work every idea would stop.” Their convic on is almost mys cal that there are more elegant ways of doing things. And above all, an extreme independence. Lee de forest another great radio inventor stated

that he found it difficult to work “under condi ons short of complete autonomy”

Thomas Alva Edison, John Logie Baird took a cue from Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone who sold his inven on for cash.

The main man of the moment in Nigeria today is Mahmood Yakubu, a professor of some academic kind. My mood changes with Mahmood each me I see him on the poli cal history of Nigeria. Repeatedly, this set man of history assured the world of how prepared he was to change the course of Nigerias’ poli cal narra ve for good. By extension cha ng an enviable pathway for the en re con nent of Africa

Wherever and whenever the opportunity presents itself to boast of the ingenuity swing of Elec ons 2023 in Nigeria it gives one a great pride. In fact according to him, over 12 million new voters registered to be part of the 2023 debacle.

Quo ng Mahmood Yakubu at the Chattam house, sha ering every iota of doubt regarding a successful elec on in Nigeria, he said,”...this informed an early choice of a new voter accredita on technology using

an electronic device called BIVAS. Tested in several bye elec ons and governorship Elecons that makes polling units results available for public viewing which has always been a major demand by ci zens and elec on observers. Falls into this early of elec on technology. He cited before the Cha am house select crowd the uploading of 105 Cons tuency bye elec ons results real me from

The next administra ons at every level must put the digital economy at the epicenter. There is no alterna ve.

August. He told the crowd how for fied IRev is to Elec ons 2023. He even told policians to compare the results on the results sheet from the party agents with what is on the IRev portals of INEC. Before that elite gathering, Professing Mahmood said he was sure that the IRev was 99.99% accurate. He was loudly applauded. He smiled to this.

Fast-forward to the 25th February, Presiden al and Na onal Assembly elec ons one begins to wander what removed the soul of a great na on from the umpire and brought out the ghost of Frankenstein. Bad enough it’s scary worse of it is that it’s horrid

OSUN DEFENDER

Did INEC not want to supritend a free fair and credible elec on? My answer is Yes at some point when it s ll had its independence. At the point of in mate closed door alliances the independence was lost and morbid alliances took charge. However, it will require an evil genius to beat technology because o en at that level like fire that doesn’t respect the lighter of the conflagra on tech will always outsmart you.

Publisher – Moremi Publishing House Ltd.

Deputy Editor – Ismaeel Uthman

Produc on Editor – Petkola Taiwo Ibitowa

Reporter – Yusuf Oketola

Reporter – Kazeem Badmus

Photo Journalist – Olushola 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.

It is man against machine.

The Chairman who boasted that the August, 2022 results and the July 16, 2022 governorship elec on results could s ll be viewed real me on the IRev portals.

When shall we three meet again, the witches asked rhetorically, in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. “ In thunder , lightening or in rain. When the hurley burley is done, when the ba le is lost and won. “

Read full article on www.osundefender.com

•Lanre Fadahunsi wrote in from Lagos.

“To a lot of people it looks like a selection than an election. It was a case of INEC against INEC and it’s the spirit, body and soul of INEC in disharmony”

“The digital economy is now the decisive thrust. With bigger broadband width, we can now attract investments in all areas of endeavour which will create sustain ability and create jobs”

Lanre Fadahunsi

4 News

Farmers Lament Destruction Of Farmlands By Miners In Atorin-Ijesa

•Residents Struggle To Get Potable Water

FARMERS in AtorinIjesa in Atakumosa

East local government of the State of Osun have lamented destrucon of their farmlands by miners in the area.

OSUN DEFENDER, in a three minutes video watched on the Facebook page of Urban Alert, a non-governmental organisa on in the state, observed that the unabated ac vi es of a mining firm, Lee Wei Wei, has contributed to environmental degrada on and loss of farm produce in the community.

Residents of the area also struggle to get potable water for drinking, as some of their sources of water has been polluted.

Speaking in the video, a farmer and tradi onal Chief in the area, Babatunde Ajayi, whose cocoa and palm oil farmland was destroyed as a result of mining ac vi es lamented the development

and sought for jus ce.

Ajayi said: “On July 15, 2021, gold miners encroached on a por on of

my land, Hon. Sanya Omirin was among those that brought the people into my farm to mine gold. All

the designated Chiefs in Aye Aluko also colluded with the miners to destroy this place but up

FG Sites Automotive Supplier Industrial Park In Osun, Two Other States

THE Federal Government of Nigeria has concluded plan to develop an Automo ve Supplier Industrial Park (ASIP) in Osogbo, capital of the State of Osun.

This is part of the FG’s efforts to unlock the opportuni es in the auto sector as well as the man-

ufacturing industry in Nigeria.

Two other benefi ng states of the project are Kaduna and Anambra.

Briefing the assessment team on the progress report of the project, the Managing Director/ Chief Execu ve of Hydraulic Equipment Development Ins tute ( HEDI), Kano, Prof. Abdulmalik Onuwe,

said the project would create employment and skilled labour in the region and sub-Saharan Africa.

According to Onuwe, the project will also save the country’s foreign exchange spent on impor ng vehicles and spare parts.

He said: “The ASIP inia ve was in line with the concept of the Federal Ministry of Industry Trade

and Investment, which proposed its establishment in three loca ons of the country for technology evolu on in the automove sector.

“The three zones Federal Government had planned to develop the industrial parks are Nnewi in Anambra State, Osogbo in Osun State and Igabi in Kaduna State.”

I May Reconsider Sacked Teachers — Adeleke

HE Governor of the State of Osun, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has disclosed that his administra on may review the sacking of 1,500 teachers recruited by the

TYusuf Oketola administra on of former governor Adegboyega Oyetola.

Adeleke, stated this while fielding ques ons from newsmen on the occasion of his 100 days in office at Execu ve Lounge of the Governor’s Office in

Osogbo, on Tuesday.

The Governor said issues rela ng to the teachers will be reviewed a er the elec oneering period.

He said: “I am a governor that believes in the rule of law and due process. A er the elec oneer-

ll now, I have not been given a dime.

“I have reported this ma er to the police and the case is presently at the

court. When the police officers asked If I signed any documents before the mining ac vi es by the Chinese Lee Wei Wei on my land, I replied no. The non-consent is why I am s ll winning at the court today”.

Ajayi is one of many farmers in the community struggling to keep a livelihood a er the miners destroyed their farmlands.

Narra ng his ordeal in the video, the Otun Baale of Ajebamidele Community, Chief Mukaila Adisa, said Chinese miners also entered his leased land where he planted cocoa.

Adisa said: “We didn’t benefit anything from them (miners). They only made us to suffer. I am one of those who went to meet them and asked them to dig a well for us for portable water but they did nothing ll they le the area.

“Our wives fetch water from far distance and we buy bags of sachet water to drink.”

170 Traffic Offenders Arrested In Osun - FRSC

Yusuf Oketola

THE The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has disclosed that a total of 170 violators of various traffic rules and regula ons were apprehended in the State of Osun, in February.

ing period, we will look into their (sacked teachers) case. If due process was followed then, I will know what to do, but I don’t believe in deploying sen ment into such issues.

“You will recall I set up various commi ees when I took over governance of Osun State. The committees are already submi ng their reports. I have consequently set up white papers commi ee on the recommenda ons of the various commi ees. Before long, our government will take decisions on the various recommenda ons through a white paper.

“On the University of Ilesa, the Adhoc Commi ee has submi ed its report. As I noted above, the white paper on the commi ee report will soon be issued. I assure the people of Ijesaland that my administra on is commi ed to the protec on of their interest. Our administra on is only determined to ensure a sustainable takeoff of the University”.

Of the 170 violators, 65 of them, amoun ng to 38 per cent, were educated people, said the Osun Sector Commander of the FRSC, Henry Benamesia.

Benamesia, in a statement by the command’s Spokesperson, Agnes Ogungbemi, said: “There was no record of death in the month under re-

view; this shows the level of commitment of our officers on highways.

“We were able to make the arrest of some persons charged with offences such as speeding, dangerous driving and wrongful overtaking, among others.”

According to him, the command will con nue sensi sing road users on the dangers of reckless driving.

He, however, called on stakeholders in the transport sector to support the corps in achieving zero accident records in the state at all mes.

•A dug spot of land where residents of the community fetch water

•Henry Benamesia, Osun FRSC Commandant

Yusuf Oketola

Yusuf Oketola

•Some of the sacked teachers during a protest recently

100 Days: Group Lauds Adeleke, Urges Him To Disclose Findings Of Committees

Acivil society organisa on, Transparency Group, has commended the Governor of the State of Osun, Senator Ademola Adeleke, for what it described as laudable performance since he took over the affairs of the State.

The group noted that Adeleke has been daring to do the right thing despite the paucity of funds, adding that his ac on is contribu ng in no small measure to the welfare of civil servants and residents of the State.

Spokesperson of the group, Ayo Oloogun, in a statement made available to OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, encouraged the Governor to con nue to ensure that the welfare of the people of the State comes first in his approach to government decisions.

The statement reads in part: “I have keenly monitored events in the State since the incep on of the government led by Gov. Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke. Like every democra c government, he has succeeded in certain areas that we must commend, while we also must not fail to cri cise the areas he has failed.

“I commend the Governor’s remobilisa on of contractors to the Osogbo-Ilaodo boundary road construc on. The project being one so strategic to the con nued development of our dear State, has to be sustained to full comple on so that the State and all communi es on the route can fully enjoy the intended benefits of that road.

“Worthy of note is also the government’s inten on to release re rement bond cer ficates to re rees who have been on the wai ng list for a fairly long me. This is highly commendable and I encourage the Governor to con nue in this direc on, ensuring that the welfare of the people of the State comes first in his approach to government decisions”.

Ologun, however, tasked the government to come out with the findings of the various commi ees inaugurated to look into ac ons of the past government, adding that, it owed it a duty for the people to know the truth.

He urged the state government to use the

occasion of its 100 days anniversary to update the people on how far it has gone with her findings.

“Several commi ees were formed to review such ac ons that the government deemed wrong, but 100 days a er the incep on of this adminis-

tra on, the people of the State are s ll wai ng to know what the committees found out and what the government will be doing about those findings.

“The State people want to know when the Adeleke government unfroze the State’s ac-

counts that the Governor ordered a freeze on in his inaugural speech.

If Mr. Governor ordered a freeze on the State’s accounts to carry out important inves ga ons and make this intenon public knowledge, the people deserve to know what his govern-

ment found out before it dipped its hands in the same accounts to fund government expenses it has undertaken since incep on.

“The people also deserve to know what the various commi ees found out with their inves ga ons. If a contract

Rainstorm Destroys Houses In Osun

Yusuf Oketola

PROPERTY worth millions of naira has been destroyed following a rainstorm at IwoyeIjesa in Oriade local government area of the State of Osun, last Sunday.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that more than 60 houses, including blocks of classrooms, churches and market stalls were blown away by the heavy wind.

Speaking with newsmen on the development, the Oluwoye of Iwoye-Ijesa, Oba Amos Ogidiolu, said the rain which lasted for about 15 minutes wreaked havoc on the town.

Oba Ogidiolu appealed to the Oriade local government authority, the state government and wellmeaning individuals to come to the aid of residents who have been rendered homeless.

Also speaking, a community leader, Chief Oludare Ajayi and a trader, Mrs Omolola Oginni, de-

scribed the situa on as a complete disaster, no ng that an incident of such magnitude had

never occurred in the community. The duo called on Iwoye Ijesa sons and

daughters in the diaspora to assist their people in the trying period.

award commi ee was commissioned to find out the wrongdoings of the past administra ons in its contractual obligaons, the people should know when the government finished its findings and decided to con nue the construc on of Osogbo-Ila odo boundary road.

“The people also deserve to know what became of the kingship review commi ee that the Adeleke government set up. By a single order, the government destabilised the tradi onal ins tuons of several towns and villages in the State. Government can therefore not rightly keep mute on the outcome of this commi ee that has thrown confusion into the Obaship ins tu on of our important towns and villages.

“I am concerned that this government made loud its suspicion of the past administra on’s inten ons and its own resolu on to probe the ac ons it suspected to be wrong. I believe that since whoever comes to equity must come with clean hands, government, the Governor par cularly, owes it a duty to our people to tell them what it found out through the several commi ees it formed earlier”.

Osun APC Ignorant Of Digital Economy, Telemedicine, Says PDP

he Peoples Democra c Party (PDP) in the State of Osun has said that the All Progressive Congress (APC) was ignorant of telemedicine and digital economy which Governor Ademola Adeleke’s administra on has embarked upon.

TSodiq Yusuf “The statement by the State’s APC just confirmed why former Governor Gboyega Oyetola failed woefully, as his team are ignorant of the significant advances in the field of digital economy financing through telecom investors, expansion of healthcare access to the poor through telephone powered telemedicine and innova ons in

This is just as the PDP denied APC’s claim that the state has received N90billion naira in the last three months of the Adeleke administraon.

Ac ng Chairman of the PDP in the state, Dr. Akindele Adekunle, in a statement made available to OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, said the APC, through its statement, has jus fied why former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola failed in governance.

Adekunle said:

good governance delivery through selfless leadership.

“Reading through the APC statement, you feel a party uneducated with stone age mentality about broadband fiber opc, the impera ve of access to healthcare through mobile phones, the new governance mantra of people first in disbursement of public fund, the focus on people-impac ng projects like the ongoing 332 boreholes projects across the wards, the life-giving impact of ongoing statewide medical surgeries with targeted 18,000 beneficiaries, among others.

“Osun people should know that for four years ,former Governor Oyetola refused to allow the laying of broadband fiber op cs for Osun state.

Under three months, Governor Adeleke approved an MOU and flagged off the laying of the broadband internet connec vity cable. The project to be financed by telecom investors will interconnect Osun state without the state patching a kobo.

“To the stone age opera ves of APC , expanding internet access in Osun state through the fiber op c project has no meaning. For Osun to now have the first state ICT Policy, State Tech innova ons policy and domes ca on of the na onal start up act are no achievements. But the educated and enlightened world and ci zenry are full of praise for Governor Adeleke for achieving these feats.”

Akindele reassured the people of Osun of more dividends of democracy.

•Pupils of Good Tidings Nursery and Primary School, Osogbo, in a group photograph after a practical in journalism, held at the school’s premises

Kazeem Badmus

•Adekunle

ALL praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the universe, the Sustainer, and the Cherisher of our lives. He whom Allah guides is rightly guided, but he whom He sends astray, for him he would find no guiding friend (Waliyy) to lead him (to the right path). I tes fy that there is no deity worthy of worship except Him and I also bear witness that Prophet Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger. May the peace and mercy of Allah be upon his soul, members of his household, his companions and those who follow him ll the day of accountability.

Religion

Imaam Raji Musa Oladapo

By Imaam Raji Musa Oladapo

“In the name of Allah, most Gracious most Merciful, and strive hard in Allah’s cause as you ought to strive (with sincerity and with all your efforts that His Name should be superior). He has chosen you (to convey His Message of Islam monotheism to mankind), and has not laid upon you in religion any hardship….”, Qur’an 22:77.

What is fas ng (sawm)?It is total abs nence from eating, drinking, sexual intercourse and every other thing capable of rendering one’s fas ng invalid such as: telling lies, backbi ng, tale-bearing, chea ng, deceit, nonsense, etc.

WHY DO WE FAST AS MUSLIMS? The answer to this ques on is found in the Qur’an where Allah says “O you who believe! Observing As-sawn (the fast) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Mu aqun (the pious)”, Qur’an 2:183. To fast therefore, is a direc ve from our creator, the Most High. The verse also informs us that the same direc ve had been given to those before us. Not only that, the purpose of the fast is equally stated, i.e. God’s consciousness.

Apart from the above-quoted verse, the Prophet (SAW) made the fast as the Fourth Pillar of Islam. His tradi on says that Jibril (AS) appeared to him and demanded thus: What is Islam? He (the Prophet) said “Islam is that thou shall worship Allah and not associate (anything) with Him and (that) thou keep up prayer and pay the prescribed poor rate (zakat) and fast in Ramadan….”

In order not to be handled with levity or hide under a flimsy excuse, fast must be repaid back by those who have legal reasons to leave it during the Ramadan. Some of these reasons are men oned in the Qur ’an thus; “But if any of you is ill or on a journey, the same number (should be made up) from other days”, Quran 2:184.

WHEN DO WE FAST? We fast for the en re month of Ramadan, which is the ninth month of lunar calendar. Allah says; “Observing sawm (fast) for a fixed number of days (29 or 30 days).But if any of you is ill or on a journey,

Preparations For Ramadan

“It must be ushered in with pure heart, good intention and high spirit of preparedness to harvest its goodies”

the same number (should be made up) from other days. Qur’an 2:184.

It must be on record that Muslims fast only when some condi ons are met: (1) We fast when the crescent of Ramadan is sighted and If the crescent is not visible, we should count 30 days for the previous month, and then fast. The Prophet says; “Fast upon the sigh ng of the crescent and break the fast upon the sigh ng of the crescent”. (2) A fasting believer must form an inten on of fas ng for his fast to be valid. This must be done individually and not the tradi onal chorus way of doing it. Because the Prophet says, “Ac ons are judged according to the inten on”. (3) A fasting believer should not fast on the day of doubt; if he does, his fast would not be counted.

HOW DO WE FAST? A fas ng Muslim must abstain from everything capable of rendering his/her fast invalid between the dawn and the dusk. Allah says “….and eat and drink un l the white thread (light) of dawn appears to you dis nct from the black thread (darkness of night)

Group Calls For Public Hearing On Osun

AState of Osun based pressure group, the Coali on of Youths Voice Movement, has called for public hearing on the debt profile of the state.

The group chided the state assembly for keeping its findings on the debt profile of the state away from ci zens of the state.

In a statement signed by its President, Comr. Adebisi Emmanuel, Secretary, Comr. Owolabi Hassan and Spokesperson, Comr. Abiodun Saheed, the group charged the House of Assembly to convey a public hearing on the debt profile of the state, saying the public deserves to know how the funds were also spent.

“In our last press release dated December 23, 2022, we gave the state house of assembly 60 days ulmatum to convey a pubic hearing on the debt profile of the state and why the assembly approved the loans and how they were spent.

“The public deserves to know the amount of the Internally Generated Revenue of the state? What is the total amount of debt

incurred by successive administra ons in the state?

How were the funds spent?

Why did the House of Assembly grant approval for

the loans? What is the repayment terms and condion? The public deserves answers to these posers.

“Unfortunately, the as-

then complete your sawm (fast) ll the nigh all… ”Qur’an 2:187. This verse sounds rhetorical by comparing the night with a black thread and the broad day with white thread. The inten on is just to determine the period of fas ng in a concise manner, so that a fas ng person would not eat his/ her sahur dawn meal in the midnight and break his fast very too late in the night. While a Muslim is fas ng, he should shun vulgar talks, false witnesses and all evils deeds because the aim of fas ng is to a ain God’s consciousness. The Prophet (SAW) was reported to have said thus; “If a Muslim does not refrain from lying and indecent ac vi es, Allah does not want that he should abstain from ea ng and drinking.” The aim of fas ng, therefore, is to sani ze the society from all evils.

Whenever the fas ng was approaching like this in the past, the companions of the Prophet (SAW) used to share good ding of it among themselves. Ramadan period is considered to be a period of bumper harvest because of various acts of Ibaadat therein. We should therefore emulate them. The Prophet was quoted as saying: “O believers, take advantage of this great month and magnify it. Allah has blessed you therein with various acts of Ibaadat and other means of nearness to Him. Strive therein and follow Allah’s way for it is a great month. Allah has made it an arena for his servants so they can compete in goodness towards Allah. Therefore, establish prayers (obligatory and non-obligatory) therein, give charity therein, read the Quran therein, be kind to the poor, the needy and the orphans therein and above all, guard your fast jealously against all evil acts. Islam teaches that when anyone of you is fas ng, he should abstain from loose talks and the noisy exchange of words. If someone starts cursing him or picks up a quarrel with him, he should tell him: “I am fas ng”.

HOW DO WE USHER IN THE RAMADAN? It must be ushered in with pure heart, good inten on and high spirit of preparedness to harvest its goodies. Upon arrival of Ramadan, the Prophet said, “There has come to you Ramadan, a blessed month which has enjoined you to fast during which the gates of heavens are opened and gates of hell are closed and the rebellious devils are chained up. In it there is a night which is far be er than a thousand months and whoever is deprived of its goodness is indeed deprived.

Debt Profile, Chides Assembly

sembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Timothy Owoeye, has refused to call for a public hearing. The commi ee which the

assembly set up to invesgate the debt profile has not also been func oning, according to our findings. This is an the cal to

Osun LGs Got N58.42billion Allocation In 2022 – Report

A

According to a report by an Abuja based online platform, The Street Journal, the amount was part of the local governments’ share from the Federal Alloca on Account for the year.

The report stated that all the 774 local governments in the country received a total sum of N2.02trillion as their alloca ons in 2022.

However, a civil society group in the State of Osun, People Against Corrup on and Injus ce, has quesoned how the N58.42bn allocated to Osun was spent, saying that there is nothing to show for the huge amount in all the local governments.

total sum of N58.42billion was reportedly paid to all the 30 Local Governments of the State of Osun by the Federal Government in 2022.Chairman of the group, Comrade Emmanuel Olowu, said development level in each of the local government was not propor onate to the billions of naira accruable to them in the year under review.

Olowu said: “There is no jus fica on for the huge amount received by the local governments in 2022. Any person jus fying that the N58.42billion federal alloca on to all the local governments in Osun commensurate with the level of development in the LGs areas deserved to be arrested.

“We need to ask if the local government enjoyed autonomy under the last administra on of Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, for the LGs to plan and spent their funds for development purpose.

“The said N58.42billion was not properly injected to the development of our

various local governments in the state

“As of today, local governments in the state do not carry out capital projects like road construcon, building of healthcare, market development and other independently.

“It was the state government that was spending the local government

funds and that it why there is nothing to show for the huge amount of money accruable to them LGs.

“We need to probe how the N58.42billion was spent because the level of development in each of the local government is not propor onate to the amount received in the year under review.”

principle of transparency, accountability and good governance.

“We know as a ma er of fact that it is unpraccable and unusual to see a sustainable economy without loan burden because governance and development require huge financial commitment and progammes, but we need to know the actual amount of the debt profile of the state. That is our right.

“We are calling on the state legislature to convey a public hearing on debt profile of the state.

Osun Pastor Arraigned For Allegedly Tampering IBEDC Meter

A

Israel, according to a

charge sheet obtained by OSUN DEFENDER, committed the offence on February 12, 2023 at plot 4, Olu Alabi Way, GRA, Osogbo.

pastor with Salva on Ministry, Osogbo, capital of the State of Osun, Mr. Thankgod Israel, was on Wednesday, arraigned before a Federal High Court si ng in Osogbo, for allegedly tampering with electric fi ngs of the Ibadan Electricity Distribu on Company (IBEDC).The alleged offence contravened Sec on 1(10) of the Miscellaneous Offence Act, Cap M17, Laws of the Federa on of Nigeria, 2004.

The defendant however pleaded not guilty to the one count charge of unlawful tampering of the IBEDC metre.

Defence counsel, B.

Odutola, applied for the bail of the accused person.

Prosecu on counsel, Tolulope Ajayi, did not oppose the bail applica on.

Jus ce Emmanuel Ayoola of the court admi ed the defendant to bail in the sum of N2million with one surety.

The surety, according to Ayoola, must be a clergy man or woman with a recognised religious organisa on.

The case was adjourned ll April 26, 2023, for trial.

Yusuf Oketola

Yusuf Oketola

Kazeem Badmus

•Friday sermon prepared and delivered by Imaam Raji Musa Oladapo, the Chief Imaam of Telemuland, Telemu, State of Osun.

Read full article on www.osundefender.com

Reprieve As Owoeye Procures 9 Transformers To Communities In Ijesaland

REPRIEVE has come the way of some communi es in Ijesaland who were either lacking electricity or experiencing irregular power supply.

Speaker, State of Osun House of Assembly, Hon. Timothy Owoeye, procured nine electricity transformers to be donated to the affected communi es.

Owoeye gave two 300KVA electricity transformers to Odi-

olowo and Oke-Aga communi es in Ilesa East Local Government.

Other benefi ng communi es are Bolorunduro, Ilerin, Ilo Olomo, Fasoro Eid and Ido Ijesa.

The ini a ve, according to Owoeye, is a fulfilment of his campaign promises to the communies who had been witnessing epilep c power supply due to bad electricity transformers, since 2007.

Owoeye who not-

ed that the gesture has no poli cal undertone as the benefi ng communi es have people of various poli cal par es, sta ng that he will not relent in making people having access to varying dividends of democracy.

He called on residents of the communi es to go out enmasse on Saturday, March 18 to vote all candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for such dividends of effec ve

Cash Crunch: Teachers, Students Lament Stress In Getting To School

Kazeem Badmus

TEACHERS and students of secondary schools in the State of Osun have lamented the hardship they go through daily in ge ng to their various schools as a result of the lingering scarcity of cash ravaging the country.

The teachers and students who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER on Thursday, said the cash crunch has affected their daily allowance and transport fare, disclosing that some of them no longer go to school daily again.

They said they don’t have cash to pay for transport fare everyday.

A teacher at Adedayo Karim group Of School, OgoOluwa, Osogbo, Kingsley Odewole, while speaking with the medium, said coming to the school everyday has not been easy for him, disclosing that he trekked somemes to his workplace.

Odewole also revealed that the a endance of students since the cash crunch began has not been regular.

He said: “The student’s daily a endance reduces most of the me due to the cash crisis.

“We the teachers are also bearing the brunt of the scarcity of naira but as you know, we must get to school by all means but it has not been easy at all”.

A teacher at Community Grammar School Okua, Odo O n Local Government area who preferred

anonymity, told the medium that people in the rural area were seriously affected by the cash crunch.

According to her, ge ng cash has become so hard in Okua, saying there was no bank in Okua and neighbouring towns.

She added that the Point of Sales agents in the area was not sufficient to address the need of the people.

She said: “Not just the students, even we the teachers are finding it hard to survive, let alone the parents. Most of the students have stopped coming to school.

“Some will come

and says they haven’t eaten anything since morning. Parents are complaining bi erly, even we teachers have no cash at hand”.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER, a student of Christ Africa Grammar School, Aregbe area, Osogbo, Grace Adegbola, stated that she has not been going to school regularly since the cash crisis began.

The JSS 2 student who said she was living with her grandmother at Badmus Street, Baruwa area, Osogbo noted that though she trekked down to school, the pocket money her grandmother always

gave her has reduced.

“Before the issue of cash scarcity, my grandmother used to give me N200 for my feeding and pocket money but since the issue of cash crunch came up, it has been difficult for her to even give me N50. Some mes, I go to school empty-handed”, she stated.

Grace added that some of her classmates, especially those leaving in far areas, have been skipping classes since the scarcity of cash came up.

Omowumi Babawale, a student of Ataoja School of Science, Osogbo, in her submission, said she

had missed classes many mes due to the scarcity of funds.

Babawale said: “There are mes I have to skip school just because my parents couldn’t provide for my transport fare.

“I remember when I had to go to different POS operators to get money for my transport fare to school but unfortunately, I couldn’t get any cash and I had to skip school those days”.

She further stated that there were mes her mother borrowed N200 from their neighbours, just to provide her with transport fare.

Artisanal Miners Continue Operations, Disregard Govt. Directive

•Continued from Page 2

ac vi es, human and vehicular movement have reduced in the mining zones since the suspension of the mining ac vi es.

Idowu said: “We are all aware that Mr. Governor gave a suspending order of mining ac vi es in Ijesaland and beyond. When you look at the compliance level, you cannot categorically say that we recorded 100 percent compliance.

“What we are experiencing now has to do with the scavengers and arsanal mining. We s ll have some of these happening around par cularly when you drive towards Ilesa/ Osogbo road, you will find them at an area called Oora stream.

Mining ac vi es are also going on in the hinterlands. Let me men on specifically that mining ac vies are going on at a place we call Morocco, along Okebode, Atakumosa West LG. So, you can see there is no total compliance.

“But the large-scale

miners are complying, except for Segilola which is an explorer with their own license obtained from Abuja.”

“Even with the suspension order, we are far from being sa sfied because the impact of those who were suspended are s ll all over the place by way of the environmental hazard that they created and the land degrada on.

“You will find out that up ll now, issues on the mining sites were le unattended to, the lands were not reclaimed; that is not an ideal situa on.

“We are not keeping quit at our end. You will also recall that in 2020, we went all over the place, parcularly all the mining sites as well as all communi es in Ijesaland. We met and engaged with all the stakeholders and we repeated the same exercise in 2021.

“This, we did not do in 2022 because we spent last year to assess impact. But this year again, we are into another dimension. We are

crea ng what we called, Local Government Consulta ve Commi ees. We want to set up commi ees that will be so empowered and can engage prospec ve miners.”

Asked if the group had informed the government about the noncompliance of the ar sanal miners, Idowu said: “At the resump on of the new government in the state, we wrote to congratulate the governor and to also in mate him about our ac vi es. We sort audience with him in order to unfold our ac vi es but up ll now, we have not receive their response to our request.

“We are looking forward to come into collabora on so that together, we can address the menace of illegal mining and then look at areas where we can record win-win situa on for all the stakeholders.

“We are aware that government needs money and the communi es must also be compensated because the resources are God giv-

representa on to go round the communies.

The Speaker said: “I want you to go out and vote, do not be afraid, the temporary government in power in the state can’t connue with the in mida on of our party members not to vote like they did during the presiden al and na onal assembly elec ons.

“Let me seize this opportunity to inform you that a vote for Owoeye is a vote for Ijesaland, a vote for experience because the only thing that we have in the State is the speakership posi on, a vote against Owoeye is a vote against this highly revered posion.”

One of the leaders of the communi es, Mr. Ademokoya Lawrence, in his remarks, appreciated the effort of the Speaker for his kind assistance on the electric poles, wire and the transformers.

That I was formerly known and addressed as MISS OLALUDE ZAINAB ADERONKE FOLASADE, with former Date of Birth 02/08/1984. Now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. MUSTAPHA ZAINAB ADERONKE FOLASADE, with correctDateofBirth02/08/1989.Allformer documents remain valid. General public should take note.

en and when you are mining such resources, the inhabitants must have good dividends.”

Idowu disclosed that criminal ac vi es have reduced since the suspension of the mining ac vi es.

He said: “It is obvious that since the suspension of the mining ac vi es, there has been no ceable reducon in the level of criminal ac vi es, par cularly, in the mining zones because the suspension also resulted to lower traffic of people going to mining sites.

“There are some areas, when you go today, you will find out that the traffic is not as what was obtained some months back. The ar sanal miners set out in hundreds as early as 5am on motorcycles and tricycles but that has not been the case for now.

“You will agree that with such high traffic comes criminal ac vi es; but in all honesty, there has been a reduc on in criminal ac vi es since the suspension order.”

SAHEED MUHAMMAD ADARI

That I was formerly known and addressed as TUNDE ADAM, now wish to be known and addressed as SAHEED MUHAMMAD BADARI. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OLATUNBOSUN OLAWALE LASISI

That AZOEZ OLATUNBOSUN and OLATUNBOSUN OLAWALE LASISI are the same person but now wish to be known and addressed as OLATUNBOSUN OLAWALE LASISI. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ARIYO HABEEB ADIGUN

That I was formerly known and addressed as ARIYO HABEEB OLAMILEKAN now wish to be known and addressed as ARIYO HABEEB ADIGUN. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

MRS. MUSTAPHA ZAINAB ADERONKE FOLASADE

Sodiq Yusuf

Cash Crunch: Teachers, Students Lament Stress In Getting To School

EXCEPT we have concluded to connue to live in self decep on and ignorance, our educa on system is in shamble and it is ge ng populated and administered by those who have no business in the system. For educa on to be of value, it must have meaning and func on. In Nigeria, the value of educa on is so li le even at the best of mes because it is neither problem conscious nor solu on oriented from the beginning. The best we have made of our educa on is schooling and cer fica on - without skill acquisi on, genuine educa on and the development of deep imagina on. Put differently, our schooling system has little educa onal value for our society as the products of it, with few excep ons, could not stand out in culture, character and usefulness to themselves and society.

Apart from other factors which may not be stated here, one of the contribu ng factors to comatose in our educa on sector is examina on malpracce. This is not a recent development. It is as old as Nigeria itself. It began in early 1970s popularly known as ‘expo’ among students. The effect of this is that those who are supposed to be qualified for jobs are actually not qualified as they cheated all through the system. Under this circumstance, your guess is as good as mine – efficiency, crea vity, etc will be lacking. The most devasta ng aspect is those who cheated in the educa on system and fraudulently got cer ficates but stay in the system to work as teachers. Elementary or Primary school is the bedrock of educa on as it is where kids get started through their forma ve years but it is riddled with incompetent hands. Like the saying in La n “Nemo dat quod non habet”- one cannot give what one doesn’t have. The assessment tests conducted by Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, for the elementary school teachers in the state in April 2014 are a classical example. There were teachers who could not spell or write their own names! What knowledge would such ‘teachers’ impact?

In 2018, Kaduna state government fired 21,780 teachers who failed competence test and replaced them with 25,000 newly recruited. In December 2021, three years a er, Kaduna State Universal Basic Educa on Board conducted another competence test for 27,662 teachers. Of this number, 165 performed woefully and 233 had fake cer ficates. This happens everywhere you go but most state governors are not bold enough to conduct such an exercise either for re-elec on bid or having skeleton of forged cer ficates in their own cupboards. This partly explains why poor parents swallow extra pain to pay high school fees in private primary and secondary schools for their wards, having realised that public educa on is suffering from hemorrhage. But this is

Like Education, Like Politics

not a solu on as same fate befalls these so-called private schools. As a ma er of fact, some private schools are worst than the public.

At the secondary school, students are not the only ones engaging in examina on malprac ce especially for external examina ons like WAEC, NECO and UTME. Parents, teachers and school administrators do conspire to cheat the system. The more nausea ng is that some of those who cheated to pass venture to go to the ter ary ins tu ons to further their ‘studies’; most nauseating is that some of them s ll want to be retained as teachers in the Universi es, Polytechnics and Colleges of Educa on, having survived all the hurdles via same malprac ce as we witness few cases of ‘sex for marks’, among numerous corrupt ac vi es that compromise quality educa on. As I write, staff of many of our universi es that are supposed

you remove “The People” from Abraham Lincoln’s popular defini on of Democracy, what you then get is “Government of ......., by ...... and for ......” and everyone is free to fill in the gap with anything but “the people.” Through experience, nothing as good can fill that gap except “the people.” Even with democracy redefined as “majority rule” we will be back to square one. Government of the majority, by the majority and for the majority is simply government of the people.

If you conduct an opinion poll among majority Nigerians today about their esma on of their government, nothing nice will be heard from them. Indeed, the state (armed forces, police, judiciary and correcon system) that protects the government will feedback the same uncomplimentary report; at least in so far as the majority of them, the men (and) women are concerned. They have no separate market, fuel sta ons and banks to go to, for instance. Excusing the unaccountable and brutal military governments, how come that since our growing up years, it is the same gloomy dividend that is the lot of the majority from almost all the democra c governments that are supposedly put in place by “the people”? What do the majority now have to do to change the misfortune and secure their rights to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” that is the primary reason why governments are ins tuted among men?

The very first step for them to take is the one that the majority really are unwilling to take - the difficult but simple task of seeking knowledge. Knowledge that is deep and objec ve will reveal to them why their reali es are the way they are today; what and

to be bas on and botanical garden of knowledge now engage in voodoo and mumbo jumbo, more than it is obtainable in backwoods villages, to compete for ‘juicy’ administra ve posi ons!

As with Educa on, so with Poli cs. For Poli cs to be of value to society, it must have lo y ideals and patrio sm as these are where the vision, passion and commitment to public good emanate. As Dwight Eisenhower said, “If a poli cal party does not have its founda on in the determina on to advance a cause that is right and that is moral, then it is not a poli cal party; it is merely a conspiracy to seize power.” Today, we have poli cians and poli cal par es that clearly know the meaning of “a cause that is right and that is moral” but have je soned that founda on for conspiracies to merely seize power for all kinds of self-centered and clique interests deleterious to public good.

When poli cal malprac ces are now joined to lack of vision, lack of patrio c cause and lack of commitment to the popular good, the result is a do-or-die affairs between poli cians and par es that are as different from one another as six is different from half-a-dozen. Under such circumstance, the people are le to simply choose the best among several evils presented them.

That is where Nigerians find themselves today as vic ms of mal-poli cs devoid of any good but riddled with mone sa on, ethnicity, religious bigotry and malprac ces across board. The solu on, however, lies in the hands of the people, never the poli cal elite that don’t mean well for them in the first place. They can start out by reflecting on what Chief Obafemi Awolowo told ordinary Nigerians in 1986, “As long as Nigerians remain what they are, nothing clean, principled, ethical and idealis c can work with them. And Nigerians will remain what they are, unless the evils which now dominate their hearts, at all levels and in all sectors of our poli cal, business and governmental ac vi es are exorcised. But I venture to assert that they will not be exorcised, and indeed they will be firmly entrenched, unless God Himself imbues a vast majority of us with a revolu onary change of attude to life and poli cs or, unless the dialec c processes which have been at work for some twenty years now, perforce, make us perceive the abominable filth that abounds in our society, to the end that an inexorable abhorrence of it will be quickened in our hearts and impel us to make dras c changes for the better.”

Government Versus The People

who are truly responsible for their trials and tribula ons; and what are the best ways to go about their redemp on legi mately and democra cally. The second and final thing is to rise up to the challenge of a change of a tude among majority of ci zens that will prime them for the ac ons needed, then go about it bravely, with all sense of patrio sm and readiness for personal sacrifices. Un l done, things can only remain the same at best, and worse and worse inevitably.

Without deep, factual knowledge, all their separate and collec ve ac ons can only be fuelled by ignorance, sen ments, fear, hatred, anger, selfishness and bigotry, as it is these days. Even the most audacious ac ons will only produce self-ruinous results that stupidly complicate their sorrow and sufferings.

Individually, to start with, in small numbers, then in large groups that eventually forge alliances for common advocacy and ac on; they must obtain knowledge of how oppressed, exploited and trauma sed people free themselves. Those who seek shall definitely find. The knowledge is available easily to those who seek it. To begin with, we were under colonial bondage just 70 years ago! How did we become an independent country and how did we start out in managing ourselves? What went wrong and how did we get here? Apart from personal experience of our own, many countries have fallen on evil days quite worse than our country and have managed to get out of their horrible mess, into the light of freedom and prosperity. How did they

manage it, are there similar things with us in their experience that can come handy in understanding our predicament and how to get out of it?

As the governorship and houses of assembly elec ons come up March 18th to which it is now postponed, Nigerians should appreciate that the elec ons, whosoever wins, will not automa cally catapult Nigeria into a paradise. That was a mentality we bought hook, line and sinker eight years ago under the mantra of “Change” and the experience of eight years, by now, should have opened our eyes that merely changing personali es within a system of doom will lead nowhere unless the system first changes, there are no messiahs anywhere to make hell into an air-condi oned paradise! That knowledge should calm down all desperadoes who are blind, unfortunate vic ms of bad poli cs, as to allow the elec on go violence-free.

Accordingly, we have a week to rethink, then go out next week Saturday and vote for whosoever pleases us, and allow all others do the same, in the understanding that we simply want the elec ons to go away peacefully, whatever the outcome, and that our work to fix Nigeria really begins therea er, not looking up to any government that is installed on the founda on of a defini on that does not recognise “the people” in the first place (except as pawns) BUT looking up to ourselves as the people, the majority, to be up and doing for our own salva on. There is no easy ride to freedom. The sooner begun, though, the sooner done.

“For Politics to be of value to society, it must have lofty ideals and patriotism as these are where the vision, passion and commitment to public good emanate”