Osun Defender Online Version of March 12, 2021

FRIDAY, MARCH 12 - THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2021

VOL 16 NO 09

Front Page Comment

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What’s In An Anthem? (Ise Wa Fun’le Wa)

NTHEMS matter. They reflect the traditions, mores, aspirations and the indomitability of a nation’s spirit. An often cited example is the French national anthem La Marseillaise.

The anthem is fiercely political, reflecting the hopes and aspirations of French sol-

Ọmọ Odu’a dide, bọ́sí ipò ẹ̀tọ́ rẹ/ Iwọ́ ní imọ́lẹ́ gbogbo adúláwọ̀

ogy with the fervour of the song changes reflecting which ideological orientation is in power. When the left is in power, there diers during the revolutionary transforma- is a full revolutionary fervour in the beat, tion from the divine rights of kings into a the anthem is more demure when the conrepublic. The anthem of France unusually servatives are in office. In Nigeria, reflects the diversity of the nation’s ideolConcluded on Page 3

My 3-Day Travails In Kidnappers’ Den

Victim Recounts Ordeal Page 2 Gives Hint On How To Track Kidnappers Says Captors Spoke Mixed Fulani/Yoruba Languages

3 Killed, Many Injured As Armed Robbers Page 5 Raid Banks In Okuku

Scenes of the bank robbery in Okuku, Yesterday .

MINIMUM WAGE

Ex-NLC President Calls For True Federalism, Return To Parliamentary System Page 5

Protest Rocks Ilobu Over LG Caretaker Chairmanship Appointment Page 5

Robbery Suspicion Trails Osogbo Artists’ Village Inferno

Page 7

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News

My 3-Day Travails In Kidnappers’ Den

By Ismaeel Uthman & Solomon Odeniyi

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NE of the seven travellers kidnapped by gunmen last Tuesday at Egbeda area, Ibokun road in the State of Osun, Mr. Rildwanullahi Adewole, has recounted his ordeal in the hand of his captors.

Adewole, who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday at Oke-Baale, Osogbo, said he escaped death by sheer providence, stating that he was yet to recover from the shock of the incident.

According to Adewole, he and six other commuters on the Ibokun Road were kidnapped by 11 non-Yoruba gunmen, who were operating at a bad spot of the road with a Volkswagen Golf car at few minutes past 6pm.

He said the gunmen, who were in their early 30s, shot sporadically and forced him to a halt, while the vehicle he was driving was riddled with bullets.

Adewole said: “I, in company of two other persons, was coming from Ijebu-Jesa last week Tuesday (March 02) around five minutes past six in the evening. We had left Ibokun, approaching Egbeda with our bus. There is a bad spot on the road when you are about getting to Egbeda, some under-aged Fulani boys were herding on the other side of the road. Immediately we left the cows which were about 16, we started hearing gunshots and some persons were shouting on top of their voices, “Aye yin ma baje” (your life is ruined) in Yoruba language with Fulani accent. This was coming from the direction we were facing. I was forced to stop the vehicle.

“I was yet to come to terms with what was really happening at that time. They started shooting sporadically at us.

One of the bullets pierced through the vehicle we were in. There was a Golf (Volkswagen) car that was parked to obstruct us on the road. My friend who was in the vehicle with me had found his way out, I wanted to but it was difficult for me being the one driving and I also felt with the way they were shooting, I could get hit by a stray bullet.

“The kidnappers were closing in on us, I had to push one of my boys out, that paved the way for me to alight and I started running as far as my leg could carry me. I wanted to jump but the place was full of thorns and bam-

boos. I refrained from doing that because that could lead to a painful death. I had to immediately run under a vehicle parked there. They came and dragged me out.

They spoke Yoruba averagely but their accents gave them away. They are ‘bororos’.

“After they dragged me out, they took us to the bush. I had thought my boy had escaped but he was later brought to join us. We were seven in number. We walked for about 15 minutes and were asked to sit down in the bush. It was already dark. At that point, we heard sounds of gunshots from the security operatives, some of them entered the bush, whistling to us but we dared not respond. The kidnappers had pointed their guns to our ears for us to cooperate.

“The kidnappers were about 11 and were fully armed; the least gun with them was AK47. There was even a lady among them who had two guns with her; one in her hand and she hung at her back.

Those guys were younger to me. They should all be

in their late twenties and early thirties.

“In the dead of the night, we were asked to move and we started walking till dawn without food. We were always on the move at night when the whole place had become silent.

When the day broke, we

would be asked to look up facing the skies. They blindfolded us and were not allowed to move from that spot. Even when we wanted to urinate, we do that at the same spot and right in front of them.

There was no sleep for us in the night for the entire three days we spent

there.

“We were not offered any food. The only time they offered us water was when they told us that if we were thirsty, we could drink from the swampy water. Most of us did.

Security Hint “When we walked through the bush, we

Governor, State of Osun, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, his deputy, Mr. Benedict Alabi and other dignitaries, during the Foundation stone-laying ceremony of Minaret International University, Ikirun, a faith-based Institution owned by the Ahmadiyyah Muslim Society on Tuesday.

64,240 COVID-19 Vaccine Doses For Osun

By Opeyemi Alabi

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total of 64,240 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been allocated to Osun to stem the tide of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The State Government of Osun had on Tuesday night received doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines from the Federal

Oyetola, Wife, Health Workers Get Vaccinated Government.

According to the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mrs. Funke Egbemode, the vaccines were received by a state government delegation at the Akure Airport, at about 7:11pm.

Following the receipt of the vaccines, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and his wife, Kafayat and some health workers were vaccinated against the Coronavirus.

Speaking during the vaccination exercise for frontline

Symbol’s Quote

“We can begin right from here, the cradle of the Yoruba race, to plant the seed that may germinate into something that will in time surpass the wildest dream of the brains behind the idea.”

health workers, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Rafiu Isamotu, said vaccinating the frontline workers first is in accordance with the laid-down guidelines of the Federal Government for the exercise.

Isamotu said: “This is the first phase of the exercise.

We want to administer vaccines on our frontline health workers first.

“This would be followed by the elderly, people with underlying ailments and others.

“So, the people of Osun should rest assured that they will be duly vaccinated. We want our people to make themselves available for the vaccination when they are called upon.

“We want our people to continue to mask up, wash their hands frequently and continue to maintain social distancing. For as long as we still have COVID -19 around us; we must continue to observe these guidelines.”

First worker to be vaccinated in the state is Dr. Ajibola Olagunoye: Consultant, Public Health Physician and the Head of Case Management.

He was followed by the Matron in charge of the Intensive Care Unit, and Assistant Director of Nursing Services, Mrs. Akanbi Oluwakemi.

could see vehicles moving because we were not always far from the road.

We most times walked on the road in the dead night but anytime they (our captors) sensed that some people or vehicles were approaching or anytime they heard sounds, the kidnappers would redirect us into the bush, warning us not say a word. There was a time security vehicles were patrolling the road and we were looking at them but we could not make a sound. If the security agents had stopped and entered the bush, they would have spotted and rescued us. That is one issue I have with our security operatives, they knew we were kept in the bush but they were patrolling on the roadside.”

This is a hint for the security. There was a day that I had the impression that we were closed to Ikirun on its market day because the rate at which vehicles and motorcycles were moving was much and it showed we were closer to the city that day. We were very close to the expressway.”

Asked if the kidnappers were working alone, Adewole said: “Our people, the Yorubas are working with the kidnappers.

I am very sure of this.

There was a day one of the kidnappers was calling someone with one of our phones, he requested from the person he was calling to help him buy cartons of milk, Maltina and Brown London cigarettes that he would pay him when he came back.

“The person spoke Yoruba like a native; we could hear him because the phone was on speaker mode. Also, when they wanted to get ransom from one of us, they connected with somebody that was residing in that area. Besides, our abductors knew the terrains very well and they had charms. They consulted with their deity to ask for which route to take when we were walking.”

Ransom Demand Speaking on ransom demand, Adewole stated: “It did not look as if they were interested in taking ransom from us in the first day. However, they asked for my father and mother on the second night. I told them they were late. And they requested to speak with my wife. I told them she was ill. They asked who I could call on and I told them I only have a brother who is a mechanic. One of the kidContinued on page 7

PEOPLE FIRST

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Kanmi Ademiluyi The Need For An Alternative Perspective What’s In An Anthem? (Ise Wa Fun’le Wa) Ogbeni Aregbesola symbolised an alternative perspective, we need a sequel

Continued from Page 1

anthems matter too. A majority have wanted but under pre-exof the older generation clearly isting conditions. As Herodotus has a greater affinity for the orig- said: “those who do not know inal independence anthem “Ni- anything about the events geria, We Hail Thee”; believing which occurred before they that it better reflects the spirit of the national con- “Credit is giving for its sensus upon which inde- reinstatement into relpendence was obtained.

The upsurge in the po- evance when he pointlitical firmament due to ed out that, “Rauf Arthe re-emergence of the contentious issue of the egbesola’s Osun State nationalities has brought EXHUMED [emphasis back the centrality of the ours] it and adopted the ethos of anthems.

In his column pub- melody of its sound some lished in The Nigerian Tribune on Monday, the years ago . Rauf’s succescolumnist, Lasisi Ola- sor, Gboyega Oyetola is gunju, titled his piece: “Akeredolu, Yoruba An- singing it with passion.” them And The Ancestors” putting the centrality of were born the ethos of anthems back on will remain forever children“; the front burner, zeroing in on Kudos to all those who exthe contrived controversies over humed an edifying past and the Yoruba Anthem. He did a have kept the flag flying.

To break the logjam, we yeoman’s job, tracing the origins of the anthem to the efforts need to work the talk and work of Yoruba worthies in the 1940s, the anthem by doing the folculminating in its adoption by lowing: •The Region needs to focus the defunct Action Group government as the Western Re- on functional quality education gion’s anthem in the 1950s.

•Out-of-school children Credit is given for its reinstatement into relevance when have been growing in number he pointed out that, “Rauf Areg- in the South-West and Osun besola’s Osun State EXHUMED was second in number (behind [emphasis ours] it and adopted Oyo), with respect to ranking of the melody of its sound some out-of-school children in 2019. years ago. Rauf’s successor, This sad trend requires urgent Gboyega Oyetola is singing it arrest and reversal •Remedial Education strucwith passion. Two three weeks ago, Governor Rotimi Akeredo- tures need to be promoted to lu took that song of strength to provide “second chance” to his Executive Council. He led those who drop out or miss the cast, having lately donned out.

•Adult Education prothe armour of Yoruba nationalism”. A government circular grammes need to be revamped last week came out, making it to bridge education gaps for compulsory for all in the serv- adults.

• Technical and Vocational ice of Ondo State to sing this Education relevant to the needs song from the past everyday”.

The reawakening of pride of the society need to be vigorand a longing for identity is the ously pursued all over the rereason why anthems are being gion.

•Upgrade the technical comreawakened. It is woven in cultural history and a testimony to petence and character of our artisans to be able to compete resilience. History itself is made not as those who make it would globally.

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impracticable at a time, are now in the mainstream and form a central plank of the present Federal Government’s social programmes. Indeed, in the course of time, a whole Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs has come into play. The Aregbesola incursion vindicates the position of the Italian philosopher, Antonio Gramsci that the essence of politics is to shift the territory of the debate, of thought translated into action in the direction of one’s one position. The persona, who came to symbolise a progressive alternative perspective, pulled that one-off very savvily.

A similar incursion and breath of fresh is urgently needed today in a republic riddled with dishevelment. There are, of course, several ways to skin the proverbial cat, the issue is which one to choose or to ask the important question that Vladimir Illich Lenin asked at a similar juncture, what is to be done? The question has to be resolved at a time of great uncertainty and heightened anxiety. Furthermore, the advent of the novel Coronavirus has accelerated profound changes due to innovative technologies which will have happened anyway, but has now had to be fast-tracked. A new post-COVID-19 era will harbinger great disruptions in virtually every area of endeavour, in logistics and international trade, coinciding with the take-off of the Africa Free Trade Agreement. At a critical juncture, the country needs a thoroughlyworked-out alternative perspective; since the current trend of thinking appears to be unable to untie the Gordian knot of perennial underachieving, a youthful demographic bulge amidst wide underemployment and an overall creeping pessimism.

Untying the knot and breathing a new lease of life can only come from the progressive block.

They are the only people-committed and prepared to do so in what is still largely a rentier economy and a political framework propelled by prebendalism. In the anticolonial struggle, the progressives dictated the territory of thought and eventual action; they had similar impacts in the First and Second republics and were a perennial handful for the military dictatorships.

We have had some invigorating interventions, notably in Lagos, Osun, as well as fleeting moments here and there.

Right now, alarmingly when it is needed, there is no coherent thrust. This is profoundly disturbing, for the present decade is make or break. The core of the progressives in this age of uncertainty and a season of discontent have to get back to the drawing board and present a OSUN DEFENDER IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY OTHER NEWSPAPER, clear alternative perspective to MAGAZINE OR ANY PUBLICATION WHATSOEVER break the logjam.

HE air is stale at the moment and it requires an extractor and fresh thinking. In the sort of logjam we are in, there is an imperative for a decisive break with what is clearly an underachieving, dismal past. Over seventy years ago, a wave of avant-garde thinking fermented in the activities of the London-based West African Students’ Union (WASU) triggered off a renaissance, which, transported back home to the colonies produced programs which reinvigorated the anti-colonial movements with beneficial effects.

In addition, the new thrust directed the thinking that went into the formulation of the manifestos of political parties such as the Action Group (AG) in Nigeria and the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) in Ghana, w h i c h when translated into practice, uplifted living standards and showed that the anti-colonialists had what it takes to create sustainable post-colonial states. In doing so, it also debunked racial myths. Overall, it was a vindication of “the powers of positive thinking”.

In his preparation for his run for the governorship of the State of Osun, the then Lagos State infrastructure czar, Rauf Aregbesola, similarly sought to break a mould of stultified framework, much of it created by a too long an incursion of military dictatorship. For this, he had to accept the moniker of the symbol of an alternative perspective when he successfully translated manifesto theory into practice on taking over the mantle of governorship. Aregbesola did not just wear a toga, he walked the talk by bringing social democracy long-stymied and made unfashionable by the structural adjustments programme back on the front burner. It is to his credit that much of the social intervention programmes which had looked

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News

Robbery Suspicion Trails Osogbo Artists’ Village Inferno

By Ismaeel Uthman

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ROPERTIES worth over N300m have been lost to an inferno that razed Osogbo Artists’ Village inside Osun Groove, Osogbo State of Osun.

Besides, owners of artefacts in the village are suspecting that the place might have been robbed prior to its being set on fire by yet-to-be identified persons.

According to them, the fire incident is not natural and there are reasons to suspect that some people looted expensive artworks in the Artists’ Village and later set the building on fire to cover their tracks.

The controversial inferno occurred in the midnight of Friday.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER on Tuesday, the Coordinator of the village, Ambassador Oluwafemi Ogundipe said the building was set on fire by some arsonists who had obviously stolen some artefacts from the place.

Ogundipe said the Fire Service Agency of the state corroborated his claim, as it could not find the causes of the fire outbreak inside the building, other than possibilities that somebody deliberately set the building on fire.

According him: “The inferno, with confirmation from Osun Fire Service Agency, was a deliberate act. Osogbo Artists’ Village was deliberately set ablaze. Some arsonists set the building on fire after stealing some expensive artworks in there to cover their tracks.

“There is nothing that could cause fire in that building. We did not have supply of electricity there, so there is no claim to power surge. Also, the incident happened in the early hours of Friday, so how can you explain what caused the fire?

“This is the first time an art gallery would be set on fire. It has never happened before anywhere in Nigeria. It is unfortunate that some people are out to destroy the first artists’ village in Osun. Some people took loan to get all these artefacts done.

Over N300m Artefacts Destroyed

The razed Osogbo Artists’ Village.

How would such people balance up? How do we pacify such people? This is a terrible experience.

“We have reported to the Police, and the State Government and Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun are also

aware. The Federal, state and local governments should help us on this. We need support of the governments.

Corroborating Ogundipe’s claim, the Secretary of the village, Mr. Isa Idowu, popularly called

Murphy said some artefacts were obviously stolen before the building was gutted by fire.

Idowu stated that remnants of some artworks were supposed to be found on ground even after being purportedly

razed, but there was nothing of such.

He said: “We have reasons to believe that the artworks in the Osogbo Artists’ Village were looted, while the evil doers set the building on fire to cover their tracks.

“Assuming without conceding that fire naturally guts the building, the remnants of some artworks we supposed to be found on ground. But we did not find anything. For example, we have some materials that were made with very strong wood, if such were gutted by fire, we will definitely discover their remnants. But we did not find any leftover.

“Also, some artworks were made with plastics; if such items were burnt, we will see their leftovers, but we did not see anything.

Also, we had in the building a big mattress but we did not see its burnt particles. There are so many expensive artworks which remnants were supposed to be seen that we did not see. That tells you that some people looted the place and set it on fire to cover their tracks.

“Among the expensive artworks in the building before the fire outbreak were the ones made by our revered Pa Jimoh Buraimo and other notable artists in the state.”

Osun 2022: Reactions As PDP Nat’l Chairman Purportedly Adopts Adeleke

By Sodiq Yusuf

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eputy National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Diran Odeyemi has stirred the hornets’ nest by declaring that the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, has adopted Senator Ademola Adeleke as flagbearer for the 2022 governorship race in the State of Osun.

Odeyemi, while addressing some PDP members at the factional secretariat of the party in Osogbo on Monday, said: “We are not saying other aspirants should not come out, but our boss, Uche Secondus asked me to tell you that he has stamped (adopted) Senator Ademola Adeleke.”

His statement has continued to spark up reactions from members of the party who described the purported adoption of Adeleke as a ruse and premature.

Adeleke was PDP’s

governorship candidate in the September 18, 2018 Gubernatorial Elections in the state.

Explaining the rationale behind his statement, Odeyemi, in an interview with OSUN DEFENDER on Tuesday, said: “What I was saying is that it is the tradition of the PDP to repeat candidates that was used in the last election. That is called the right of first choice. That

Adeleke

does not foreclose other aspirants from coming out. I as Diran Odeyemi have decided to support Adeleke and I am not shying away from that.

“If other aspirants are sure of themselves let them come out. The National Secretariat will give them a level playing ground. The Secretariat will not cast vote for the aspirants, it will only conduct the primaries. It

is the delegates that will cast their votes for aspirants they want.”

Asked if the primaries will not be manipulated in favour of Adeleke, who is said to have been adopted by the national chairman, Odeyemi said: “There is no way any manipulation can happen because it is a delegate system.

“It is the delegates that will be voting for who they have confidence in, and we know the number of delegates.

PDP is known to have always been organising free, fair and credible elections and that is why the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has never cancelled any of our elections.”

Reacting to the purported adoption of Adeleke, a stalwart of the PDP in Osun, Mr. Funmiso Babarinde said there was no assurance that Secondus, the National Chairman of the party, asked Odeyemi to make such declaration.

According to Babarinde, Secondus could not have sent Odeyemi such message because of his political experience and the internal crisis the PDP is currently witnessing in the state.

Babarinde said: “The National Chairman needs to confirm what Odeyemi said before I will believe him. Such message is not right for a party that is in crisis.

You just got a temporary ruling from the Appeal Court, while the substantive case is still there and the next thing to do is to declare that Adeleke has been adopted! Are you scaring away other governorship aspirants or party members who are supposed to exercise their obligations in choosing who flies the party’s flag?

“There are so many questions begging for answers but, anyways, events are just playing out and I am sure this is a democratic party and things will take its natural course eventually.”

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News

Ex-NLC President Calls For True Federalism, Return To Parliamentary System

By Ismaeel Uthman

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irst National President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Hassan Sunmonu, has made case for true federalism and return to the parliamentary system of government, which was

in practice at the early stage of Nigeria’s Independence.

Sunmonu, in an interview with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday in Osogbo, State of Osun, said it amounted to mischief and hypocrisy for members of the National Assembly to propose

removal of minimum wage from the exclusive list without talking about true federalism and decentralisation.

According to Sunmonu, if governors and permanent secretaries of the 36 states of the federation can be collecting the same amount of sal-

aries, irrespective of the Internally-Generated Revenues of their states, then there is nothing bad in having a national minimum wage.

He said: “I support the struggle of the NLC. I am amazed and surprised that a group of House of Reps. members

3 Killed As Armed Robbers Raid and two other people Banks In Okuku clist were reportedly killed by the

By Ismaeel Uthman

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OME daredevil armed robbers yesterday attacked an old generation bank and a microfinance bank in Okuku, headquarters of Odo-Otin Local Government Area of the State of Osun.

According to sources, the armed robbers, who were armed with sophisticated weapons, besieged the banks around 3pm with heavy gunshots.

The sources disclosed that the armed robbers forced their way into the banking halls by destroying the metal detectors with gunshots.

A commercial motorcy-

Sunmonu

now want minimum wage to be a state affair, when the permanent secretaries in various states are on Level 17 like permanent secretaries at the Federal level.

“The 36 states governors are receiving salaries of same amount without minding wheth-

armed robbers, while many other residents of the area were hit by stray bullets.

According to the sources, the robbery operations lasted for about an hour, a development that halted commercial activities, human and vehicular movements.

The armed robbers were hooded, said eye witnesses.

Confirming the robbery operations, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mrs. Yemisi Opalola said the Commissioner of Police, Mr., Olawale Olokode led a team of policemen to dislodge the armed robbers.

She said she did not have details of the incident as at the time of filing this report.

Protest Rocks Ilobu Over LG Caretaker Chairmanship Appointment

By Odunola Akinbode

S

OME members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ilobu yesterday besieged the residence of Chief Sola Akinwumi, the Chairman of APC Elders Caucus in the State of Osun, to protest alleged plan to return former Chairman of Irepodun Local Government Council, Mr. Abayomi Oyedeji as Caretaker Chairman.

The protesting APC members alleged Akinwu-

mi of influencing Oyedeji’s return, against the wish of majority leaders and members of the party and Ilobu stakeholders.

According to the APC members, Oyedeji had served twice: first, as a nine-month Caretaker and later for three years as elected Chairman of the council, saying that he does not deserve to be returned for the third term.

The protesters converged on St. Paul’s Grammar School, from where

they marched to Akinwumi’s contryhome at Kuelu Area, Ilobu around 8am.

Chanting political songs dominated with ‘Abayomi Must Go’, the aggrieved APC members warned against imposition of a candidate, as it could lead to anti-party activities from faithful party members.

Speaking at Akinwumi’s house, the Chairman of Ward Chairmen of APC in the local government, Comrade Ganiyu Wasiu,

Driver Remanded Over Failure To Deliver 12 iPhones

By Yusuf Oketola

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commercial bus driver, Olayinka Oluwagbenga has been accused of stealing 12 iPhones, which he supposed to deliver to a phone dealer in Osogbo, State of Osun.

Olayinka allegedly received a pack containing the phones valued N1, 239,000 as ‘message’ from Judest Nigeria Company, Lagos, with promise of delivering them to one Moses Fafowora in Osogbo, but failed to do so.

According to the charge sheet obtained by OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, Olayinka committed the alleged offence on March 9, 2021 at about 8:00am at Freedom Park, Old Garage, Osogbo.

But, the accused per-

son pleaded not guilty to the two-count charges of fraud and stealing.

Defence counsel, Mr. Olatunbosun Oladipupo, prayed the court to admit the accused person to bail on liberal terms, promising that he would not jump bail if granted.

The bail application was opposed by the prosecutor, Inspector Kayode Adeoye, on the ground that Olayinka had committed similar offence in the past.

Adeoye alleged that immediately Olayinka received the goods from Lagos, he put a telephone call through to the complainant that he had collected the goods and they agreed on price for delivery.

The prosecutor said

when he got to the park at Old Garage in Osogbo, Olayinka said he could not find the packs containing the phones again.

He prayed the court to dismiss the bail application by the defence counsel.

However, the presiding Magistrate, Dr. Oluwasegun Ayilara, said the court has to take caution as regard the bail application, saying that the accused person had earlier confused the court by giving two different addresses of his residence to the court.

Ayilara ordered that Olayinka be remanded in Ilesa Correctional Centre.

The case was adjourned till March 31, 2021 for ruling on bail application.

said all the party chairmen in the town and community leaders have unanimously rejected Oyedeji’s choice because of his underperformance.

Wasiu said since the party leaders and stakeholders in Ilobu were not pleased with Oyedeji, it would amount to working against the party and town if somebody is making case for his return, as Akinwumi was being alleged.

Another chieftain of the party, Mr. Yusuf Adebowale from Ward 7, Ilobu, said they embarked on the protest to register their displeasure on the reported move by Akinwumi to influence Oyedeji’s return, describing such plan as inimical to the unity and

The protesters

progress of the APC. According to Adebowale, the protest was peaceful and instructive as Governor Adegboyega Oyetola would be aware that imposing a candidate on members of the party in the local government will not go down well with them.

However, Akinwumi while addressing the protesters said the protest was unnecessary as they could have sent delegation to him, stating that he is a man of the people and would do whatever they want.

The former Secretary to the State Government assured the aggrieved APC members that he would do their bidding.

er their states are rich or poor. Why is anybody talking about decentralising minimum wage for Nigerian workers and making it states’ affairs?

I see it as discriminatory. Let the governors and permanent secretaries also revert to state wages.

“What our legislators should actually do is to make sure that Nigeria goes back to true federalism and the parliamentary system of government that we started with at Independence. It was when the military staged their coup, counter-coup and so on that they imposed unitary system of government on Nigeria and Nigerians. Why should anybody just take out the minimum wage for decentralisation without taking all the other items that should be decentralised?

“Instead of them to let Nigeria revert to the parliamentary system of government and true federalism, they now see the defenceless and powerless workers as the ones to be disenfranchised on minimum wage that had been enacted for the country.

“What they (lawmakers) should be fighting for in order to have peace, security and development in Nigeria is that Nigeria should revert to true federalism. Nigeria is a military republic and we need to go back to our parliamentary system of government that was in place at the early stage of independence.

“Everything, from federal, state, local government, national and state houses of assembly should be done according to true federalism.”

Sunmonu stated further: “Under normal circumstances, each state has the right to have State Police, Local Government Police under federal system, but that is not the case in Nigeria. How can somebody control the whole Police system from Abuja?

“The state governors who are the so-called chief security officers of their various states cannot have the Committee of Police to take decisions without first clearing from the InspectorGeneral of Police. That is not how to run a federal system.”

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Religion

LL praise is due to Allah, The Lord of the worlds, The Entirely Merciful, The Especially Merciful. The Sovereign of the Day of Recompense; You alone we worship and from You alone we seek help. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon Muhammad (SAW), the last of the Messengers and the seal of the Prophets, upon his household and all of his faithful companions.

By Allah The Most High, in order to rescue mankind from Sheikh Ibrahim destruction, sent down many Prophets and Messengers, Oladejo Raji known in the language of the Qur’an as: Al-Ambiyaau and Ar- Rusul, respectively. An-Nabiyy is the singular of the former, while Ar-Rawsool is singular of the latter. According to the teachings of Islam, the Prophets are designated and purified individuals, randomly chosen by Allah through a genuine divine revelation during which some of them conversed directly with Him (Allah) or received the message via the Arch Angel Jibreel (AS). The primary task of all the Prophets was to create awareness for mankind that God really exists and that He is One and Only; The Supreme Being Who is incomparable to any creature.

And that He must be worshipped without associating a partner with Him. They equally enjoined believers to perform virtue deeds and avoid evil ones. his immediate predecessors, Prophets Isa and Musa (Jesus and Moses (AS)).

Finally, they taught people that there is a resurrection after death whereby This explains why it is a commonplace to hear Muslims referring to other Prophets like Isa or Musa (AS), etcetera as their Prophets, and even quoteveryone shall be rewarded according to his or her performance on earth.

Some Prophets are intermittently raised subsequently to continue the ing them in their preachings. One undisputable fact is that, the teachings of mission of the former Messengers. Such Prophets were not given independ- the designated Prophets and Messengers strictly circled around monotheism; ent scriptures of their own, but merely based their teachings on that of their nothing less, and nothing more. They all admitted to having been sent by A predecessors’. There could be more than one Prophet at a particular period Supreme Being Whom they all worshipped and are accountable to.

Believing in all the Prophets and Messengers is mandatory for all manas was the case of Ibrahim and Lut (Abraham and Lot (AS)) also Musa and Haroon (Moses and Aaron (AS)). Of all the Prophets, the appointment of Ha- kind and jinns. That is a nonnegotiable fact. They were like an inseparable roon (AS) was a complement to that of his brother Musa, who personally chain, hence believing in one of them entails believing in all, while rejecting invoked upon Allah to grant him that honour. This was recorded in Suratu any one of them means rejecting all. Allah says: “The Messenger (MuhamTaa-haa, verses 24-36, where Allah, while addressing Musa said: “Go you to mad SAW) believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord and Fir’aun (Pharaoh)! Verily, he has transgressed (the bounds). “Musa (Moses) (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and said: “O my Lord! Relieve my mind, and ease my task for me; and loosen a His Messengers. They say, “We make no distinction between one another of knot from my tongue. That they may understand my speech. Appoint for His Messengers” – and they say, “We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your Forme a supporter from my family, Haroon (Aaron), my brother, Confirm my giveness, our Lord! And to You is the return (of all).”Quran 2:285. The above strength with him, and let him share my task (of conveying Allah’s Message verse has clearly outlined what it means to be a true believer.

Meanwhile, all the Prophets and Messengers were Males. And every and Prophethood); that we may glorify You much, and much remember you.

Verily! You are of us Ever a well-Seer. Allah said: You are granted your re- Rawsool (Messenger) is a Nabiyy (Prophet) while a Nabiyy is not necessarily Rawsool. quest, O Musa.”

The number of Al-Ambiyaau (Prophets) is greater than that of Ar- Rusul Aside from the Prophethood, there is Messengership. Messengers were higher in rank than Prophets. They were scripture bearers who usually (Messengers).Once The Messenger (SAW) was asked by Abu Zarr concernbrought new laws in addition or omission to what they met. Therefore, the ing the number of the Ambiyaau. He replied: “One-hundred and twentylaw of each Messenger might slightly or considerably differ from that of his four thousand. I then asked what about the Rusul? He said three-hundred predecessor’s; nevertheless they are of the same origin. That exactly is the re- and thirteen. I said: “O Messenger of Allah! Who was the first of them? He lationship between the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and that of said Adam. I asked, “Was he a Prophet as well as a messenger”? He said

JUMAT SERMON

Prophethood And Messengership In Islam

“yes, Allah created him with His Hand and breathed into him from His Spirit and made him a perfect creature”. Then he further said O Abu Zarr! “Four of them were Syrians i.e. Adam, Shi’th, khunookh and Idrees. Four of them were Arabs, i.e. Hood, Saalih, Shu’ayb and your Prophet O Abu Zarr (i.e. Muhammad (SAW). I further asked: O Messenger of Allah! How many Books did Allah send down? He said one-hundred and four books. Shi’th was given fifty books, and khunookh got thirty books and Ibrahim got ten books, Musa got ten books prior to Ataorah, then followed by Ataorah, Injeel, Zaboor and Furqaan (i. e. Qur’an). Then I said O Messenger of Allah! How was Suhuf (scripture) of Ibrahim? He said they were all in form of parables; e. g. “O you the tested arrogant monarch! I did not create you in order to accumulate the worldly materials but I sent you to protect the interests of the oppressed people. For if they, out of distress call on Me, I certainly will come to their aid even if they are non believers.”

In relation to that, Allah says: “Verily, we sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad (SAW)); among them those of whom we have related their story to you and of some We have not related to you their story, and it was not given to any Messenger that he should bring a sign (in form of a miracle) except

by Allah’s permission, but when Allah’s commandment comes, (the cause) is judged aright, and the followers of falsehood will then be lost.”Quran 40:78.

The Glorious Quran also affirmed that Allah appointed many of the Prophets among the Israelites, as stated in Quran 5:20: “And (remember) when Musa (Moses) said to his people: “O my people! Remember the favour of Allah to you, when He made Prophets among you, made you kings, and gave you what He had not given to any other among the ‘Alamin (mankind and jinns, in the past).”

Now, a frequently asked question is: “Apart from those Prophets and Messengers mentioned or alluded to in the Quran, are there a set of people who can be referred to as Prophets or Messengers of Allah”? As far as Islamic teaching is concerned, anybody after prophet Muhammad (SAW) that claims to be a Prophet is not only a blatant liar, but also an impostor. Such person unless repents is considered an infidel, for any claim that contradicts th e teaching of Quran, the last testament is regarded as infidelity. Allah said as regards the seal of Prophet-hood: “Muhammad (SAW) is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last (end) of the Prophets. And Allah is Ever All-Aware of everything.” Quran 33:40.

May Allah Who has bestowed upon us the favour of believing in Him, in His Angels, in His Books and Prophets without discrimination, continue to guide us till we meet Him. And may He count us to be among His righteous servants. May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon His Messenger (SAW).

• Sheikh Ibrahimd Oladejo Raji, Imaam Kosemani Jum’ah Mosque, off Iwo Ibadan Road, by Adetoro Shopping Complex, Mercyland Area, Dada Estate Osogbo, Osun State. irajoladejo1951@gmail.com

Crime

Fake Lawyer Arrested Inside Court Suspected Armed Robber Remanded For Stealing Motorcycle In Osun Stories by Yusuf Oketola

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N average-aged man, Adebowale Babatunde, who allegedly falsely claimed to be a lawyer, has been arrested by the Police while appearing before a magistrate’s court in Osogbo, State of Osun.

Babatunde was suspected to be a fake legal practitioner by lawyers in the court when he was unable to move a motion appropriately in a charge suit number MOS/M.95/2021, before Magistrate Adeyeba Adekanmi, on Wednesday.

The attitude of Babatunde, who claimed to be practising at Oyewale & Co, Osogbo, while addressing the court made Magistrate Adeyeba and other lawyers in court to ask him some basic questions in legal practice which he was unable to answer.

Babatunde claimed to have attended the Law School in Lagos and was called to bar in 2015, but could not mention names of two of his lecturers when asked.

A warrant of arrest was issued against Babatunde right inside the court room and he was arrested by the

Police.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER, Babatunde claimed that his brother is the owner of Oyewale &Co chamber, but was not aware of his presence in the court.

He claimed to have been approached by mother of the respondents in the case to represent them in court, stating that he was appearing the court for the first time.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that he had collected a sum of N10, 000 from the applicants to

appear before the court.

He was arrested and taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department for interrogation.

Babatunde.

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magistrate’s court, sitting in Osogbo, State of Osun, has remanded a 25-year-old suspected armed robber, Adams Abubakar, in Ilesa Correctional Centre for allegedly robbing two commercial motorcyclists of their motorcycles in Osogbo.

Abubakar and others now at large, according to the charge sheet obtained by OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, armed themselves

with cutlasses, knives and other dangerous weapon to rob one Babatunde Kadiri of his Bajaj Motorcycle with Registration number GNN 515 QM valued N380, 000.

Abubakar and others at large were also alleged of robbing one Isaac Peter of his Bajaj Motorcycle with Registration number BDS 566 QD valued N380, 000.

They allegedly committed the offence on

December 24, 2020 at about 11:30am at New Muslim Prayer Ground, Oke-Baale, Osogbo.

But, the plea of the accused person was not taken as the Magistrate Court lacks jurisdiction to trial the case.

However, the Magistrate, Mrs. Olubunmi Ajanaku ordered that the defendant be remanded in Ilesa Correctional Centre.

The case was adjourned till April 4, 2020 for mention.

Landlord, Tenant Arraigned In Court For Injuring Night Guards

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OR allegedly breaching public peace and injuring night guards, a 34-year-old landlord, Wakilu Ganiyu and his tenant, Segun Amos (26) have been arraigned before an Osogbo magistrate’s court.

Amos, a driver, allegedly hired hoodlums to beat his landlord and in the process attacked and injured two night guards in the area, Omoyele

Ogayemi and Dare Adegbiyi with cutlass and Axe. According to the charge sheet, two android phones valued N25, 000 and N48, 000 and cash sum of N60, 000, properties of Ogayem and Adegbiyi respectively were carted away by Amos and 18 other suspects at large.

Ganiyu was accused of attacking and injuring Amos with an iron object on his left hand.

The accused persons committed the offence on March 4, 2021 at about 8pm at Odetoyinbo Street, Behind Ayegbaju Market, Osogbo, according to the charge sheet.

However, Amos pleaded not guilty to the allegations while Ganiyu said he was guilty of the allegations against him.

Defence counsel, Okobe Nagite prayed the court to admit the accused

persons to bail, promising that reliable sureties would stand for them.

But the Police prosecutor, Sergeant Kayode Adepoju said Amos should not be released on bail because he was not residing with the court’s jurisdiction, adding that nobody came to check on him when he was arrested.

Adepoju claimed that if he was admitted to bail,

he would surely go back to gather his colleague thugs and disturb the peace of the area again.

However, the presiding Magistrate, Mrs. Olubunmi Ajanaku admitted Ganiyu to bail in sum of N200,000 with two sureties, while Amos was remanded in Ilesa Correctional centre.

The case was adjourned till March 23, 2021 for definite hearing.

PEOPLE FIRST

Sports

FRIDAY, MARCH 12 - THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2021

7

Osun United Confident Of Appeal Against Punishment

By Solomon Odeniyi

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HE Omoluabi Giants, Osun United have expressed confidence that the Nigeria National League would overturn some of the punishments slammed on the team on Tuesday.

Osun United were banished to Ilorin for their NNL fixtures and fined N300,000 by the league organisers after the club flouted COVID 19 protocols, sold tickets on match day and seized the cable of the visiting team’s video crew, among other offences on their match-day four tie against Vandrezzer FC on March 6 at the Osogbo Township Stadium.

Osun United had in its appeal against the NNL verdicts defended some of the allegations against the team; while

also indicting the visiting team for also contributing to the problem.

The copy of the appeal, which OSUN DEFENDER sighted, reads in part: “The decision to cancel the match/result of the match and an order of replay is not worth it. This decision should be reviewed, reconsidered and overruled as it was not contained in the COVID-19 circular sent to all teams in NNL and NPFL. “Also, in the rules governing NNL, Osun United or FA never moved closer to what can make a match to be cancelled for the following reasons: the match was not inconclusive, the two goals scored by Osun United were good goals which could be seen in the videos, Vandrezzer players and officials did not walk out on the pitch

as they accepted the decision of referee, Osun United did not in any way influence any of the officials who coordinated the match, including the Match Commissioner.

“As for the damaged equipment, Vandrezzer

My 3-Day Travails...

Continued from page 2

nappers said we were just unfortunate; that their target was a rich Yoruba man who was to get to the area (he was to travel along that stretch of the road) around the time we were abducted.

From his conversation, it was a Yoruba person who gave them the information.

“He said they were to take N50m from him and since they were unable to get him, my people would raise the money or they would be left with the option of killing me. I told them whether they killed me or not, I will die eventually because I was hypertensive and had not taken drugs since they kidnapped me, coupled with the sufferings in their hands. He later reduced the ransom to 10m, but I made him understand that I could only raise N100, 000. He was angry and said he would send N150, 000 to my brother to add it to my own N100, 000 and help him to buy bullets they use. He asked if I knew how much the ammunition they are carrying is worth. I was beaten mercilessly thereafter.

“On Friday (March 5) we were hearing gunshots intermittently and it was as if the security operatives were closing in on us. Our abductors said they knew the Amotekun people were

in the bush but they were not scared of them. They said they would first kill all of us before they engaged the Amotekun in gun duel. I became more scared on that day. They were extremely harsh on us. Two extra people joined on that day.

“There were some students among us whose father is based in Ibadan.

They paid the highest amount of ransom. Those students were afraid all through. They piled pressure on their dad and told him what did not happen.

One of the students had gunshot wound and he was not treated. I stood on the N100,000 I said I could afford. I explained to them that I was an ordinary driver. I had to plead with my brother to help look for a means to get money. I was getting tired, no food, no sleep at all. Fortunately, I did not eventually pay ransom before I was released but others did.

“My brother was asked to bring the money and stay at a bridge close to Obokun Local Government Secretariat.

He was there waiting when some policemen on patrol asked what he was doing there, he was later asked for tinted permit of the car but did not have. He was taken to a Police station along Ada-Ikirun.

“At that period, one of them had gotten there and could not find him, so they called him severally he was unable to

pick the calls. But after he was released, he told the kidnappers what happened, he was coming from Ada on a bike when it started raining and the bike rider said he could not go again.

That was how I was unable to pay the N300, 000 we intended to pay as ransom.

“When those who wanted to take money from my brother came back, they said my brother lied to them.

They separated me from others and threatened to kill me. They flogged the hell out of me. Later at night, we were all freed. The kidnappers returned to the bush while they showed us where to go.

They called the father of the students among us and told him that he would see his children on the road.”

He spoke further: “Fortunately for us, we saw flashlights of vehicles and we followed the direction of the light. We met people on the road and pleaded with them to assist us but nobody waited because it was getting late. It was one man that summoned courage; he waited and gave us direction to Ibokun and Ada. That was how we found our ways to Ibokun. While walking on the road, we saw a car with hazard light. It was the father of the students. We all entered his car, while two of us sat in the boot.”

were being economical with the truth as there was no video evidence showing any Osun United supporter or fan cutting the cable or destroying their camera.

Here are some few facts: Vandrezzer came from

Lagos with about seven fully kitted Mobile Police officers, with guns. What were the jobs of these officers during the match after Osun FA had provided enough security?

Were they not supposed to be monitoring their

Crime

Medical Doctor Docked Over Assault On IBEDC Workers, Metre Theft

By Solomon Odeniyi

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MEDICAL doctor, Olajumoke Tokunbo (46) and a staff member of his hospital, Oyinlola Oluwatosin (26) were yesterday arraigned before an Osogbo magistrate’s court for allegedly beating workers of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC).

Tokunbo and Oluwatosin were also accused of stealing the IBEDC prepaid metre numbered 14313649.

According to the charge sheet, the accused persons committed the offence on January 27 and March 9, 2021 at Ogo-Oluwa area, Osogbo.

Police prosecutor, Sergeant Kayode Adeoye told the court that Tokunbo assaulted three staff members of the IBEDC, Paul Taiwo Ishola, Kehinde Fashakin and Ibrahim Lawal on their lawful duty by blocking them with his car.

Adeoye further al-

leged that Tokunbo threw away the IBEDC leader and other accoutrements belonging to the company before men of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were later deployed to the scene to rescue them.

However, the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the sixcount charge slammed against them.

Defence Counsel, Sunday Abolade, applied for the bail of the accused persons in the most liberal term.

In his ruling, Magistrate Adekanmi Adeyeba admitted the accused persons to bail in the sum of N500,000 with one surety in like sum.

He thereafter adjourned the matter till April 14, 2021 for hearing.

E AC V P S D A

R FO T R E

gadgets? Where were they when the math was going on? Who authorized them to be taking armed security agents to the venue of their away matches? Was there any circular or memo to this effect written to the NNL? “Vandrezzer came to Osogbo with seven cameras, together with chest cameras which were all in use. They could have captured the way one of their cameras was seized or how their cameraman was molested. This lie

by Vandrezzer is too far from the truth.

“If Osun United were punished for allegedly harassing the referee, why was Vandrezzer spared after the video evidence showed how players and officials of the team harassed, intimidated and nearly beat the referee up after the final whistle? What is good for the goose is also good for the gander. Can we say their own harassment is justified under the rule of NNL or is this deliberate attempt to punish Osun United and overlook the many errors of Vandrezzer?

“We urge the NNL, NFF and other sister football bodies to investigate this, as this was the root cause of the many crowd who were not allowed to enter until a few minutes to the end of the game when the gate was open for a few fans in the stadium to go out.”

In an interview with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, the team Media Officer, Tajudeen Amodu, said the team would appear before the disciplinary next Tuesday, restating confidence that the team would be given soft landing on some of the punishments against them.

He said: “We are confident that some of the verdicts shall be overturned. We have forwarded our letter of appeal to the Disciplinary Committee and we shall appear before them on Tuesday next week.”

CHANGE OF NAME

OLADIPUPO RAPHAEL OLAYEMI

That I was formerly known and addressed as OLADIPUPO DARE OLAYEMI now wish to be known and addressed as OLADIPUPO RAPHAEL OLAYEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ISSN : 0794 - 8050

FRIDAY, MARCH 12 - THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2021 VOL. 16 NO 09

www.osundefender.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com

Fake Lawyer Arrested Inside Court In Osun Page 6

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NSECURITY is a state of uncertainty about oneself, lack of confidence and a state of being open to danger for lack of protection, which has become a daily phenomenon in Nigeria. If it is not marauding of farmlands by herdsmen, it will be mass kidnapping of school pupils for ransom. If it is not news of gunmen invasion, rape, killings and kidnap, it will be mass killings of farmers on their farms and sacking of communities by Boko Haram terrorists.

This state of lawlessness, fear and insecurity where no one seems to be in charge to guarantee security of lives and property of the citizenry has been brewing for quite some time, especially in the Northern part of Nigeria. Whereas criminality is nationwide and is ethnic-blind, it is not strange that the current insecurity, extremism and terror should eventually germinate in the North and spread nationwide; decades of cruel neglect of the masses, a perplexing level of irresponsibility and nonchalance by its core elites are responsible. This is acknowledged by the most progressive section of the Northern elites themselves, and they have been drumming the inevitable consequences to the dysfunctional ears and hearts of their colleagues for years, in vain.

In a large part of Northern Nigeria, the ruling elites refused to educate their wards who eventually turned Almajiri in thousands. They did not provide them decent working and living conditions to better their future. They refused to provide them opportunities to demonstrate their capacities. They refused to address gender discrimination, household poverty, child labour, child marriage, drug addiction, homelessness, hopelessness and prostitution which became virulent, grooming frustration and bottled anger. It was like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. Unlike their counterparts in the South who, by and large, commit at least to universal basic education, as some form of individual tool to conquer extreme poverty, the Northern ruling elites, for half a century, only took care of their own children and left the children of the majority poor to fend for themselves. All these are open secrets!

For instance, Nigeria has the highest number of out-of-school children in the world. Out-ofSchool Children is defined by United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as those within primary school age but either never enrolled or dropped out of primary school education. North-East is domicile to 60% of Nigeria’s 13.5 million out of school children. In 2019, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, stated that females constituted 75% of the 13.5 million out-of-school children with more worrisome case in the Northern Nigeria.

Statistics of leading states with highest out-ofschool girls is terrifying with Sokoto, Katsina, Niger, Taraba and Kano having 270,586; 267,132; 257,165; 242,100 and 240,766 respectively. If Borno is the incubating centre, these other states constitute the networking and service centres of Boko Haram, banditry and other associated criminalities that have engulfed the entire country today.

Interestingly, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, a former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, a member of Dabo Royal Family of Kano and the Emir of Kano (2014-2020) from Fulani Sullubawa clan has always criticised the level of poverty in the Northern Nigeria, sounding warnings that the Northern ruling elites would destroy themselves if they did not change their parasitic style. He affirmed that 87% of poverty in Nigeria was in the region as its ruling elites failed to tackle social problems of Almajiri brought about by millions of children out of school. He asserted that for so long, they have relied on quota system without developing a make-up which makes terrorism and other criminalities attractive. His warnings didn’t start only when he was Emir, he had begun the crusade even when he was CBN Gover-

Insecurity: Harvest Of Irresponsibility nor. What did he get for elites in other areas of these warnings? He was “The most worrisome aspect life, since the time of Tai dethroned on 9/3/2020 now is that there are emerg- Solarin, have always supand banished from the ported government efState by Abdullahi Gan- ing facts that powerful people, forts to providing access duje, a “Progressive Gov- politicians and businessmen in to education and basic ernor” of Kano State. skills development, esLet us get it clear. the North are conspiring and pecially to the children of With some very few exthe poor and there are nuceptions, the entire Ni- supporting bandits especially merous examples to justigeria ruling elites are in abduction of school children fy this assertion till date. parasitic, greedy and To mention but a few in have always substituted en masse for ransom” recent times, Orangun personal interest to national interest. Unlike their of Oke-Ila in the State of Osun, Oba Adedokun counterparts in the North however, the Southern Abolarin via a school established by Orangun ruling elites are not as reckless in refusing to pro- Abolarin Aroyinkeke Foundation (OAAF), gives vide basic education and infrastructure for their free education, hostel and food to indigent chilpeople. Right from the inception, Chief Obafemi dren of natives and non-natives of Oke-Ila. The Awolowo had instituted free education in the town is populated by about 10,000 people who are South-West while power elites in the East made mostly agrarian. Rochas Okorocha Foundation, a similar arrangements and promoted entrepre- non-governmental, non-profit and charitable orneurship and development of trading skills. ganisation established in 1998 has provided free Apart from government’s role and responsi- and qualitative education to over 20,000 students bility to providing education, private citizens and since inception till date, reaching out and touch-

STRIKER

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ing lives of under-privileged. These are just two of hundreds of thousands scholarship awards for best students and sons and daughters of the indigents apart from state governments’ efforts in providing affordable education for the children.

Although, their best is not enough, the Southern elites see education as passport to bright future. For the very few children who do not go to school for other reasons, they engage them in skill training and acquisition in diverse areas of human endeavour like mechanical engineering, bricklaying, tiling, auto-electrical, painting, plumbing, trading, etc which make them useful to themselves and the society after graduation and becoming professional artisans.

The most worrisome aspect now is that there are emerging facts that powerful people, politicians and businessmen in the North are conspiring and supporting bandits especially in abduction of school children en masse for ransom. This criminality which has become a big business has spread to every nook and cranny of Nigeria. It has overwhelmed security apparatuses and rendered government incapacitated in its main responsibility to the people - protection of lives and property. This state of insecurity is a harvest of decades of irresponsible leadership by power elites in Nigeria, of which their Northern colleagues are particularly culpable.

Of Nigeria’s over 62 years of Independent government, military or civil rule, Northern power elites have run government for more than 42 years and still counting! The lust for power without corresponding sense of responsibility is not only inordinate but painfully disturbing. There is an urgent need to commit to the common people of the North, sincerely and sustainably, and their elites must lead from the front. Unless the root cause is gradually addressed as a part of the holistic solution, merely throwing military-might at the problem will yield only little, deceptive reprieve and time is not on our side.

Striker is not the opinion of the Columnist featured above

Party And National Affairs

AJORITY of “decent” citizens distance themselves from politics in their hardened opinion that it is a dirty game. Of course, a good majority is beginning to realise that it is unwise to do so but they care less nevertheless. It is simply unwise for good people to stay away from politics as it has suicidal consequences for the society.

The “good people” of America only recently escaped damnation by the whiskers on account of going to sleep as a passionate extremist minority hoodwinked the unwary majority and installed a “weird one” in the White House for four long and agonising years! Party politics is party affairs but there is no clearer contemporary example of how party affairs can impact national affairs, indeed global affairs, than the case of Citizen Trump as President. The world is still heaving a huge sigh of relief that he is now a former POTUS. In Nigeria, millions of people are gnashing their teeth today, each saying a muted or loud “had I known,” that is if you know what I mean! Political Parties are the ones who present candidates for public offices - elected and appointed - and those ones are the ones that run government – either faithfully in line with their parties’ manifestos or simply in line with their personal whims and caprices. Every sector of the economy, indeed every sector of life, including private, personal and national life, is affected directly and indirectly by the decisions, actions and inactions of those in government from political parties.

There are several quotes on the utter silliness of leaving politics and governance in incompetent hands and with disturbed minds, among the most instructive being the one by Bertolt Brecht and Pla-

to, “The worst illiterate is the political illiterate, he doesn’t hear, doesn’t speak, nor participates in the political events. He doesn’t know the cost of life, the price of the bean, of the fish, of the flour, of the rent, of the shoes and of the medicine, all depends on political decisions. The political illiterate is so stupid that he is proud and swells his chest saying that he hates politics. The imbecile doesn’t know that, from his political ignorance is born the prostitute, the abandoned child, and the worst thieves of all, the bad politician, corrupted and flunky of the national and multinational companies,” and “If you do not take an interest in the affairs of your government, then you are doomed to live under the rule of fools.”

Kwame Nkrumah, understanding that politics is everything and everything is politics counselled that “seek ye first the political kingdom, and everything shall be given unto you,” by way of paraphrasing a famous admonition from the Bible about the primacy of seeking the Kingdom of God. It is on that note that it is key to thus counsel every Nigerian adult who believes he/she is nice and wise: “go and join your favourite political party”! Carry the idea of the change that you want to see in the nation into it, strategise along with like minds within the party to steer it in the direction you believe is best for it and the national interest; which, simply put, is “a nation where peace and justice shall reign.”

Political parties do not need to be doing nationwide registration exercises before citizens can join as members. What is required is to do a stock-taking of the dominant characters in a party and its professed manifestos, approach existing members and start

supporting the aims and objectives of the party at the closest grassroots level through passionate participation in their activities. At the right time, your membership status will surely be authenticated. Any Party that systematically canvasses membership as a drive ought to be commended; especially if it is a ruling party in a particular space. Ruling parties in underdeveloped societies are notorious for closing up to intending members, dribbling out existing, unwanted members, and generally operating as a fraternity (because they are in charge of “the cake”); something they won’t dare do when they were in opposition! This is a sad reality that must be frowned heavily at by well-meaning party leaders.

Any organisation, be it a football team, a corporate brand or a political organisation, is only as good as the aggregate assets and liabilities of its entire members. A party has only one sacred duty in admitting members: ensuring that the content of the characters of new entrants tune up with its principles and ideals. If it doesn’t, it is admitting contradictions that might sound its death knell in the end! Other than the above, all potential entrants consistent in principle and professing to the party ideals and objectives must be allowed entry. Accordingly, stand up from the gallery of lamentation and agonising and go join the party of your choice.

The way the dominant interests in any party goes, is the way it will drag the country, if it becomes the ruling party. That is the way “family affairs” or party affairs either become the curse of a country, or its blessings. “If you can’t beat them, you join them” has more than one single (negative) meaning, for positive thinkers.

Osun DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Gbongan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun.

All correspondence to the Deputy Editor, ISMAEEL UTHMAN, Telephone: 0805-121-2204, usmanismail001@yahoo.com. ISSN: 0794-8050.

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