Osun Defender Online Version of March 24, 2023

MARCH 24 - THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2023

NDLEA Arrest Drug Traffickers With 44kg Cannabis Sativa In Osun

THE Na onal Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Osun Command, has arrested two persons suspected to be drug traffickers with 44kg of Cannabis Sa va.

The suspects, Tope Ajayi (30) and Terameyu Abdulhakeem (50) were arrested at two different loca ons in the state.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER on the arrest, the Public Rela ons Officer of NDLEA in the state, Charles Odigie, said Ajayi was arrested with 18kg of cannabis sa va on March 4, 2023 at Area 5 in Ife South Local Government during a raid opera on on his residence.

Odigie said the agency conducted a detailed surveillance which lasted three months before Ajayi was apprehended by a team led by him.

He said Ajayi has

checkpoint along Ogbomoso-Ejigbo road.

He said Abdulhakeem was arrested with 26kg of foreign cannabis sa va (skunk) and was later transferred to the NDLEA office in Osogbo.

Inves ga on was said to be ongoing on Abdulhakeem’s case.

He stated: “Officers of the Nigeria Army on opera on safe conduct arrested one Teramiyu Akeem “m” 50 years of age with 26-kilograms of foreign cannabis sa va (skunk) and transferred him to the NDLEA with an hummer bus on the 20th March 2023 and inves ga on is on going.

“He will be charge to court as soon as invesga on is complete”.

GOVERNOR Ad-

emola Adeleke of the State of Osun has promised a posi ve turnaround for the state sports sector, sta ng that his administra on is ready to give the needed support to restore its lost glory.

The Governor gave the assurance on Wednesday, when he presented two new buses to the two stateowned football clubs, Osun United and Osun Babes in Osogbo.

Adeleke, in a state-

•Abdulhakeem

•Ajayi been charged to court.

According to him: “NDLEA Osun State Command Officers carried out a raid opera on at Area 5 in Ife South

LGA on the 4th of March 2023 around 12.30 am and arrested one TOPE AJAYI “m” 30 years of age with 18 kilograms of cannabis sa va.

My Administration Will Restore Lost Glory In Sports - Adeleke

ment by his Spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, stated that his administra on will ensure that players are mo vated to bring laurels for the state.

The Governor said he was surprised when he heard of the poor state of the teams in the area of mobility, no ng that the he is passionately prepared to fully equip them for be er performances.

He assured the players of the state-owned football clubs that his administra on will make them happy to deliver according to ex-

pecta ons, maintaining that his government is commi ed to sports development remains a priority.

“Our administra on will make you happy, so that you can keep moving forward. Sport is a big part of our plans. Our sports agenda will soon be fully unfolded.”

“Sports will make Osun more popular. By the me the many incen ves of our government materialise, you will be happy to play. Sports will become a major strength of our state”, he stated.

“We conducted a detailed surveillance on him which lasted 3 months and he has been charged to court”.

The second suspect,

NIPU

Abdulhakeem, according to Odigie, was arrested on March 20, 2023 by officers of the Nigeria Army, ‘Operaon safe conduct’ at a

He stated that the Osun Commander of the NDLEA, Chidi Nnadi, has warned drug traffickers in the state to desist from the business or relocate, noting that anyone caught with hard drugs shall be prosecuted.

Lauds Adeleke On Osogbo-IkirunIla-Odo Kwara Boundary Road

THE Na onal Ikirun Progressive Union (NIPU) has commended Governor Ademola Adeleke for con nuing the reconstruc on of Osogbo-Ikirun-Ila-OdoKwara boundary road.

According to NIPU, the reconstruc on has not only made the road motorable and comfortable for motorists but has also beau fied Ikirun town. NIPU made the commenda on in a statement jointly issued by its President, Dr. Mustafa Olawuyi and Secretary, Mag-

istrate Lateef Ajala, in apprecia on to Adeleke a er the commissioning of the second phase of the road termina ng at popular Alamisi Market Juncon in Ikirun.

The union recalled with nostalgia, the former deplorable condi on of the road a er being abandoned for years before Adeleke’s interven on; no ng that it was full of potholes which had hitherto made smooth driving from Osogbo to Ikirun impossible and always caused several avoidable accidents.

The Na onal Ikirun Progressive Union, while apprecia ng

the good gesture and hand of fellowship Adeleke extended to the indigenes and residents of Ikirun, following the con nua on of the road construcon; equally lauded the present administra on for embarking on reconstruc on of sta on road - Akinorun Grammar School road.

The union urged Adeleke to prevail on the contractors handling the roads to expedite ac on to ensure mely comple on of the two ‘important projects’, while praying for the administraon to be successful in all its endeavours.

Amotekun Arrests Hoodlums Terrorising Osogbo, Recover Firearms

OPERATIVES of the Western Security Network codenamed Amotekun in the State of Osun have arrested two hoodlums terrorising residents of Osogbo, the state capital.

The suspects, Afeez Olaniyan (27) and Ismail Wahab, (23) were arrested on Wednesday.

Olaniyan and Wahab were allegedly attacking inhabitants of Ita-olokan area of Os-

ogbo and its environs when they were arrested.

A locally made pistol gun was recovered from the suspects, according to the Chairman, Osun Amotekun Corps Board, Brig. Gen. Bashir Adewinmbi, who confirmed the arrest.

Adewinmbi said:

“The suspected hoodlums were arrested on Wednesday a er receiving a distress call from some people on the ac vi es of the suspects who were un-

leashing a ack on residents of Ita-Olokan Osogbo and its environs.

“Our opera ves swung into ac on instantly a er the complaint was made and the culprits were arrested with a locally made pistol gun was found on them.

“Upon inves ga on, they confessed to commitng the act and using the firearm to protect themselves.”

The suspects have been handed over to the police for subsequent inves gaon and prosecu on.

Yusuf Oketola

•Adeleke with Osun United players, during the presentation ceremony

Kazeem Badmus

Yusuf Oketola

Adedolapo Bamisedun

FOR the progressives, the situaon is dire. A er the loss to the PDP in the presiden al elecon and the loss of all federal legisla ve seats, a further hammering took place during last week’s elecon to the state house of assembly, and the nightmare con nues.

The State of Osun urgently needs to build an alterna ve perspec ve to the PDP. The state’s finest hours have been associated with interven ons from the progressive tendency. The phrase “alterna ve perspec ve “ was coined by a former governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and reflected his administra on’s social democra c interven on which by pu ng the people first navigated a new poli cal economy in which the state made real advances in access to health and educa on. Aregbesola decisively altered the territory of both the discourse and opera ons in a posive direc on, bringing the benefits of democra c governance into the reach of the overwhelming majority of the popula on and not just a few.

The policy of inclusiveness ought to have been expanded upon and intensified. On the contrary, a selfserving crew did their very best to roll back the de of progress. The result is the catastrophic elec on results. The results are not a fluke, it represents a clear rejec on by the electorate of a poli cal formaon that has lost in the state of Osun its very reason for existence.

A review must now be done. A football team engaged in a delega on dog fight sensibly looks

and reposi oned from the base. It must return to its original founda on of pu ng the people first and must act as a change agent.

A contemporary example is important to use here. When the agent Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola went back to his base in Alimosho in Lagos, he was a game changer in a fiercely contested elec on. Aregbesola had an emo onal connecon, and empathy with the everyday concerns of the people and it made a difference, it changed the atmosphere as well as the poli cal calculus. We must learn from this.

AMIDST uncertain es, disputes and the new bugbear of inconclusive elec ons, it is a difficult task to make a final call on the efficacy of the advantage conferred on the incumbent seeking a second term. In the context of Nigeria, there is an addi onal factor. This is the spectre of the outgoing termbarred Governor seeking to impose a surrogate as successor. For analyses, the surrogate might as well be classified as the “incumbent seeking an addi onal term through the backdoor.

Does incumbency confer an advantage? The jury is s ll out. Many incumbents were returned such as the Governors of Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Nassarawa, Borno. The Zamfara Governor was not so lucky and it’s all systems go in Adamawa where the fate of the incumbent hangs in the balance.

The surrogates did quite well too winning in Delta, Rivers, Kaduna but got trounced in Kano (spectacularly so) and Plateau.

Quite a mixed bag. Incumbency was at a me the decisive factor. In sub-na onals with hardly any legisla ve oversight, the si ng Governor led all ace. With poverty weaponised holding the purse string is key. Campaign finance laws are observed in the infringement, meaning that control of the state’s finances counts. Much more so when there is no oversight or independent monitoring ins tu ons.

Controlling the purse string also makes a difference in the grim reality of the weaponisa on of poverty. Lacking an ideological thrust money becomes the essen al mo vaonal tool in voter mobilisa on and support.

For this reason, a comparison with contemporary experience in India might help. There are similari es of course such as landmass, differ-

at the ability if the head coach to marshal men and materials and to coordinate strategy. With the grim reali es of relega on staring them in the face the decision as to whether to change course has to be made. The ra onal

course is to change the manager (s).

Reconstructing The Base Review & Outlook The Incumbency Factor

The absence of empathy with everyday concerns has alienated the people of the state from the APC. Trust has been broken and must be rebuilt. It will only be rebuilt through a strategic framework if pu ng everyday concerns of the people first. Everyday concerns must be addressed and the solu ons to it okayed on top of the agenda.

ences in tribe and tongue, religion as a divisive issue and poverty rates. There are also resemblances based on poli cal par es developing client, patronage rela onships. A no ceable difference is that incontrover bly India is doing so much be er. Nigeria has replaced it as the poverty capital of the world and the projec on is that India will become the largest economy in the world by output by 2050. The difference is huge!

How does this affect the incumbency issue? It will be of help to explore as to if there is any relevance. Unlike in Nigeria incumbency is an encumbrance in India. The voters are less pa ent with fumbling poli cians and except much more in terms of delivery. For example, the government of Prime Minister Mordi was the first government at the center to be reelected in thirty-two years. Much of the same is replicated at the lower rungs - in the regions and the local government levels. This must be beneficial. For a start, it keeps the poli cians on their toes and shows very clearly that performance counts. This is in contradis nc on to the distribu on of largesse for immediate succour in the electoral cycle as indulged by the Nigerian poli cal establishment. A more expectant electorate also dents corrup on as

The APC must starve of a route to irrelevance by cons tu ng a new manager. A party chairman who con nues to lead the party into successive electoral routs has to go. The party must be rebuilt

It will require developing new ideas and a leadership to implement it. The party must not lump in from electoral debacle to ex ncon. Osun state needs a progressive alterna ve to guide and to guard,

the prac ce will have to be modulated in order to achieve more of benefits to the electors.

The so called advantage of the incumbent in Nigeria therefore actually acts as a brake on sustainable development. There appears now to be the early signs of a silver lining on the horizon. The electorate in Nigeria is now more discerning and increasingly inpa ent. This is a welcome development. We must begin to be like India, the empirical evidence indicates that impa ence with incumbents translates into be er dividends of democracy. There were near misses in places like Ogun State and surrogates were defeated in many places like Abia, neverthe-

•Overhaul of the APC imperative in the Statue of Osun OSUN DEFENDER

less the impa ence of the electorate is becoming manifest and it is a welcome development. The benefits are posi ve for the development process and will help to break the perennial problem of underachieving and the development of underdevelopment. It is the Way to go.

BRIEFLY...

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

The jury is out, there must be a revamp of the Independent Na onal Electoral Commission (INEC). It must begin with an evalua on of the method of selec on and recrui ng. The criteria are dodgy. It is now clear that being an academic does not necessarily translate into management capability. The performance of professors and the Vice-Chancellors on call in the present electoral cycle demonstrates this. It calls into ques on the managerial competence imputed into running the ter ary ins tu ons which are not just centers of teaching, learning and research but are large and complex organisa ons requiring scenario planning as well as project management skills and strategic impera ves. These skills were lacking in the opera ons of INEC. To plead in mi gaon, they are also lacking in the opera ons of the inept central bank of Nigeria.

Website : www.osundefender.com/index.php

e-mail : osundefender@yahoo.com osundefenderbank@gmail.com

All correspondence to the above email addresses.

It is really me to ditch the academics in INEC and bring in project management. Prepara on for the next electoral cycle begins today.

“We must begin to be like India, the empirical evidence indicates that impatience with incumbents translates into better dividends of democracy”

“The absence of empathy with everyday concerns has alienated the people of the state from the APC. Trust has been broken and must be rebuilt”

Kanmi Ademiluyi

• Time to look at India?

4 News

•Fear Grips Residents, As Police Assure Adequate Security Oyetola VS AdeleKe: Anxiety As Appeal Court Delivers Judgment Today

Ismaeel Uthman

THE Court of Appeal will today deliver judgement on an appeal filed by Governor Ademola Adeleke of the State of Osun, against the declara on of fomer governor, Adegboyega Oyetola as the winner of the July 16, 2022 governorship elec on by the elecon pe on tribunal.

The judgement will take place in Abuja.

Mr. Kolapo Alimi, one of the counsels to Adeleke confirmed to OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, that the appellate court would deliver its judgment today.

OSUN DEFENDER noted that the 60-day meline for the conclusion of the appeal would terminate on Sunday, a development that necessitated the delivery of the verdict today.

It would be recalled that the court had on Monday, March 13, reserved judgement in the appeal filed by Adeleke of the Peoples Democra c Party (PDP) against the decision of the elec on

pe on tribunal that invalidated his elec on as governor of the State.

In the appeal

marked: CA/AK/EPT/ GOV/01/2023, Adeleke asked the appellate court to set aside the judg-

ment of the tribunal and validate his declara on as the winner of the July 16, 2022 governorship.

I’m Not Involved In Any Killing, Osun APC Chieftain Denies Allegation

TIsmaeel Uthman for the killing of the PDP member. Meanwhile, the deceased was killed in Unit 5, Ward 4.

HE Organising Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State of Osun, Alhaji Rasidi Adeniji, has said that he does not know anything about the killing of a member of the Peoples Democra c Party (PDP) in Ila, during last Saturday’s House of Assembly elec on.

Adeniji said he was rescued by the police from armed thugs of the PDP who waylaid him when he was running from being attacked at his polling unit.

A video showing Adeniji being taken away by the police with a van had dominated the social media space with cap on that the APC chie ain allegedly led hoodlums to kill a PDP member in Ila.

But Adeniji, in an interview with OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday, said: “On the elec on day, I was at my polling unit 3, ward 5. I did not leave the unit since morning. I was wai ng to get the result of the votes before leaving the polling unit.

“While wai ng, a PDP man, Mufu Jope, rushed to my unit and shouted that some people have killed a PDP member known as Gani Gele and that they were going to kill six APC members in retalia on. He pointed at me where I sat and said I would suffer

“I stood up immediately and rushed down to my car. Before ge ng to my car, about 30 thugs of the PDP had arrived, but I managed to drive out of the place.

“The thugs were chasing me as I was driving. I drove through the College of Educa on trying to link a road to Osogbo, but before I got to the secretarial road, the PDP thugs had connected themselves and the waylaid me. They vandalized my car and star ng bea ng me.

“I was lucky that some police officers who were on elec on duty came on me; they rescued me and

took me to police sta on in Ila. The police wanted to keep me safe in a room but before we knew it, there was already a crowd of thugs outside the sta on. The police had to disperse them with tear gas to rescue me out of the place.

“The senator-elect for Osun Central, Olubiyi Fadeyi known as Ajagunla was inside the police sta on and he was video-recording me. He was the one who recorded and posted the video laying a false claim that I killed someone.

“I was taken to the State Police Command in Osogbo; the police asked for my offence and complainant, they insisted they could not detain me if there was no complainant.

“When I was about to be released, someone called the police and they

later detained me; I slept in the cell ll the following morning.

“On Sunday, the police went to the scene of the incidence in Ila and asked for the APC and PDP party agents; they brought the two agents to Osogbo.

“During interroga on, both APC and PDP agents said it was the PDP Ward 4 Party Chairman that brought the thug known as Ojo who killed the deceased. They explained that the thug had wanted to shoot an APC member before a misdirec on happened and resulted to the killing of the PDP member.

“It was a er that interroga on and upon convicon that I was innocent that the police released me.

“I didn’t know anything about the killing at all.”

Meanwhile the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on the state police command to invesgate the allega on against Adeniji.

Ac ng Chairman of the party, Tajudeen Lawal, in a statement said there is need for the police to get to the root of the killing.

He also enjoined the police to inves gate the pockets of crises that characterised the elecons in some towns like Ile-Ife, Osogbo, Iragbiji, Olorunda among others where some alleged PDP thugs had a field day unhindered.

of possible breakdown of violence a er the judgment as witnessed a er the elec on pe on tribunal verdict.

OSUN DEFENDER observed that members of the APC are anxious about the judgment, just as it was noted that PDP members were apprehensive.

However, the police have assured residents of the state of adequate security, saying that officers of the force are fully on ground to forestall any breakdown of law and other.

Police Public Rela ons Officer, Osun Command, Mrs Yemisi Opalola, in an interview with the medium yesterday warned poli cians and other poli cal stakeholders to warn their followers against fomenting trouble, maintaining that the police will not spare anybody in its opera on to maintain peace.

Adeleke, in the 31 grounds of appeal, also sought “an order striking out the pe on for want of competence and jurisdic on or in the alternave, an order dismissing the pe on on the merit”.

Adeleke submi ed that the tribunal exhibited bias when it said: “The second respondent cannot ‘go lo lo lo lo’ and ‘buga won’ as the duly elected governor of Osun state.”

Oyetola and the APC, in a cross appeal, also asked the Court of Appeal to set aside the judgement of the tribunal on Adeleke’s educa onal qualifica on and eligibility to contest the governorship elecon.

The tribunal had in the judgment read by its chairman, Tertsea Kume, dismissed the pe on challenging Adeleke’s qualifica on for the elecon.

The panel said the educa onal qualifica ons which the governor used to contest in 2018 does not need cer fica on.

But Oyetola and the APC were not sa sfied with the decision of the court. Their counsels, Lateef Fagbemi and Akin Olujimi, approached the Court of Appeal to set it aside on the ground that forgery of cer ficate was proved against Adeleke.

OSUN DFENDER noted that there is palpable fear among members of the Peoples Democra c Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), as well as other residents of the state.

Some of the residents have expressed the fear

Opalola also warned poli cal thugs and other miscreants in the state to be ready to face the full wrath of law, advising them to stay away from causing violence or any misconduct.

Rights Ac vist Warns Against Violence

A Civil Rights ac vist, Naheem Olaore, has warned poli cians and their followers against violence as the Court of Appeal delivers judgment today.

Olaore who is the Secretary of Centre for Social Jus ce and Public Protec on (CSJPP), said the warning became imperave going by the pockets of violence witnessed before and during the last general elec ons.

The former Chairman of Joint Campus Committee of the Na onal Associa on of Nigerian Students (NANS) in the State of Osun, in a statement on Thursday, tasked policians to be civil and allow democra c processes to grow.

He lamented what it described as growing poli cal violence in the state, calling on the police and other security agencies to ensure that Osun is not turned to a theatre of war.

According to Olaore, thuggery and pollical brigandage are fast becoming an existen al threat that needed to be nipped in the bud before it goes out of hand.

Olaore submi ed that he would con nue to campaign against social vices, corrup on, bad governance and poli cal violence, not minding the threats to his life as a result of his acvism.

•The Secretary to the State Government of Osun, Honourable Teslim Igbalaye and Senator Mudashiru Husain, Federal Commissioner representing Osun at the National Population Commission, Abuja in a group photograph with State Census Security and Logistics Committee after their inauguration, held at Exco Chamber, Governor’s Office, State Secretariat, on Tuesday

•Adeniji

Ifon-Orolu Community Seeks Transfer Of HLA, Director of Finance

STAKEHOLDERS in Ifon-Orolu community have called for the immediate transfer of the Head of Local Government Administra on and the Director of Finance, Orolu Local Government, Prince Adewale Adedapo and Prince Sunday Olaoye respec vely over alleged poor working rela onship with the community.

The stakeholders, in a pe on to the Coordina ng Director, Local Government Service Commission, alleged that the two principal officers have been absent from their offices many mes, adding that they only come to work when there was the need to share the financial alloca on of the council.

In the pe on signed by the Eesa of IfonOrolu, High Chief Babatunde Oyetunji and Baba-Kekere Olufon, Prince Oladepo Akintola, the stakeholders also accused Adedapo and Olaoye of financial recklessness, saying their acons were a deliberate effort to tarnish the good image of the administraon of Senator Ademola Adeleke.

The pe on reads in part: “The stakeholders in Orolu Local Government area that comprises community leaders, Olufon Royal family, Olufon Tradi onal Council of Chiefs recently met to review issues affec ng the development of the Orolu Local Government.

“We are constrained to forward the unanimous resolu ons of the Stakeholders in Orolu local government to you as follows:

“We are demanding immediate transfer of Prince Adewale Adedapo the Head of Local Government Administraon, and Prince Sunday Olaoye - the Director of Finance in Orolu Local Government, Ifon-Osun based on the following reasons:

“Both Principal Officers have been working in Orolu Local Government for accumulated about five years. They are truly having poor working rela onships with the community.

“It has been observed that both Principal Officers were officially posted to Orolu Local Government area but they are absent from their offices most of the mes, except on few occasions when there is a need to balkanize the financial alloca-

ons of the Council.

“The administra ve styles of these officers have been contribu ng to the poor development of Orolu communi es despite numerous opportuni es.

“The fact that Orolu Local Government is one of the local governments with high monthly statutory revenue alloca on and the lack of commensurate development calls for accountability that the community will look into, and we urge your office to do the same.

“The community has observed a lot of operaonal abnormali es, financial and administrave recklessness in the mode of managing the affairs of the Orolu Local Government.

“We can no longer bear such a trend because these are having nega ve effects on our community security and

overall development of Orolu Kingdom.

“In view of the above facts, coupled with other

privileged and confidenal informa on at the reach of the community leaders; we are request-

ing for immediate transfer of both Principal Officers. Orolu Stakeholders/ Community leaders rec-

ognise the need to take appropriate ac on to nip any possible public revolt in the bud”.

Ooni Inaugurates National Orisa Day In Brazil

Oketola

THE Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, has officially presented a Cer ficate of Yoruba Territory to Quilombola territory in Brazil, making the city the first outside Africa to receive the tle.

Ogunwusi, while addressing the Brazil’s Federal House of Assembly on Tuesday, officially inaugurated the first-ever Na onal Orisa Day in the South American country.

A statement from Ooni’s Media Aide, Otunba Moses Olafare, said Ogunwusi addressed the Brazilian Parliament on the special session for Isese Prac oners marking the na onal day for Orisa religion in Brazil.

Olafare said the royal visit was undertook to bridge the gap between the Yoruba race and the rest of the world through cultural integra on and globalising Yoruba culture in the diaspora.

According to him, Ooni and his entourage from Nigeria arrived in the Brazilian city of Bahia on Sunday and met with President Lula da Silva in the Brazilian capital, Brasilia, on Monday.

The monarch delivered the tle in the Quingoma community, in Lauro de Freitas, in the Metropolitan Region of Salvador.

Residents of Quilombola celebrated the delivery of the tle of Yoruba territory which would further strengthen and preserve the Yoruba history, culture and language in

the community.

The Quilombola was recognised for having received and welcomed Yoruba people who were

enslaved and forcibly removed from their base in Nigeria during the era of the slave trade in Africa.

“The recogni on of

Quilombola as Yoruba territory is another step in the fight for respect for African history; for the history of the Quilombola

FG Inaugurates National Livestock Breed Improvement Programme In Osun

Yusuf Oketola

THE Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, through its Department of Animal Husbandry Services in conjunc on with Real People Concept Limited, has inaugurated the naonal livestock breed improvement programme, in the State of Osun.

The programme, which was said to be going on in some other states of the federa on, is targeted at improving indigenous cattle breeds for dairy producon.

Speaking during the flag off ceremony held for the project in the state at Makaiza Farms, IwoyeIjesa, Oriade local government of the state, consultant for the project, Mr Tunmise Olagbaju, said the programme is aimed at improving indigenous ca le breeds for dairy producon.

Olagbaju said: “The programme is actually to improve our indigenous ca le breeds for dairy produc on and this involves ar ficial insemina on with exo c dairy breeds to our indigenous cows so that the offsprings they produce will produce more milk so that is the essence of the programme.

“The main target is to

increase milk produc on of the indigenous cows to livestock farmers. And when these ca le produce more milk, it means more income for the farmers. Farmers can have more revenue for their labour.

While stressing the need for farmers to parcipate in the programme, Olagbaju noted: “It is important for farmers to parcipate in the programme so that they can also benefit.

“The insemina on is going to be done with sex semen because we are focusing on dairy, so it is sex specific that means that more than 95 percent of all the offspring will be female.

“There is possibility of male but is should not be more than five percent. All the offspring we are expecting from the programme will be female.”

While commen ng on

the breed improvement methods adopted for the programme, Olagbaju listed introduc on of exo c gene cs which the government is doing and selecon. “We have not done anything on selec on, even this ar ficial insemina on the government is doing, there is no plan for selecon. I am aware that there is na onal livestock idenfica on and trackability programme that is ongoing. I do not know how far it has gone.

“There is a need for us to have a programme where we can monitor the development of these animals. There must be a way to follow them up, to select the highly performing ones. This will help us to be able to iden fy next genera on of ca le that are highly performing.”

In his address, Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, State of Osun, Mr. Sunday Atoyebi, called on ca le farmers and other stakeholders in the state to support the programme and key into it.

He noted that: “All hands must be on deck so that this programme can boost meat produc on on the state and bring about economic growth and development of Nigeria.

dates back to the 17th century.

“Currently, around 580 families live in the area covering approximately 1,200 hectares. Quingoma has been recognised as a Quilombola territory by the Palmares Founda on since 2013,” the statement read.

It added: “Ooni disclosed that the rich and robust history of the Brazilians and the Yoruba people have dated back me in memorial.

“The royal father said that the steps taken would not only preserve the history via cultural preserva on, but would also give Brazilians a sense of belonging which would help to foster improvement in strengthening the heritage of Yoruba globally.

“He asserted that the event was a very personal one for him as he is passionate about preserving the Yorubas culture and its deep-rooted values.

“According to him, the Brazilians hold their gods like Sango, Ogun, Yemoja, and Obatala in high esteem and have designated days to celebrate these gods with colorful displays infused with plenty aesthe cs.

“They also speak Yoruba which is one thing I love about them; It is very essen al to harmonise them and also show solidarity that we are part of them and they are part of us.

“This will foster good bilateral trade between Brazil and Nigeria and it will also put the Yoruba culture at an advantage.”

Kazeem Badmus

Yusuf

•Governor Ademola Adeleke in a group photograph with people living with disability after the presentation of Mobility Aids to them, on Tuesday

ALL praise is due to Allaah, and may His peace and blessings be upon the final Messenger, His pure family, noble companions, and all those who follow them with righteousness un l the day of Judgment.

JUMAT SERMON JUMAT SERMON

Ramadhaan is considered the ninth month of the Hijri year, and it is one of the best months of the year for all Muslims, because it has a great reward and reward for Allaah Almighty, and it is the month of fas ng, where the fas ng Muslim refrains from ea ng food and drink and all other things that break the fast from dawn to dawn-sunset prayer.

By Imaam

TARAWIH PRAYERS

Imaam Muhammad Abdulalimi

Muhammad Abdulalimi

The word Ramadhaan is derived from the original “ramad”, which means the intensity and strength of the heat, and its deriva on is based on the weight of the souring of Ramadhaan, that is, it got ho er, and the heat fell in the sense that the heat increased in intensity on them, and at that me they transferred all the names of the months from the language that prevailed in ancient mes, and they began to call them names related to the mes, and this coincided with Ramadhaan , as it was days of great heat, and from that me it was called Ramadhaan

In Ramadhaan, a Muslim performs fas ng, which is one of the obligatory du es imposed on Muslims, and it is one of the five pillars of Islaam, in which the Islamic religion is not valid without it, and fas ng is defined as the Muslim’s absnence from ea ng and drinking and all other things that negate the fast from dawn un l sunset. That is, when the me for the sunset call to prayer comes, and this ming is specific to all parts of the world because of me difference.

One of the most important benefits of fas ng is that it works to purify and purify the human soul, and draw us closer to Allaah Almighty by adhering to the obliga on of fas ng, and in this great month, all the gates of Hell are closed, and the doors of mercy and forgiveness are opened for Muslims, and many Sharia evidence has confirmed fas ng. Allaah Almighty says: “…..and eat and drink at night un l you can dis-

Ramadhaan: Meaning And Characteristics

cern the white streak of dawn against the blackness of the night; then (give up all that and) complete your fas ng un l night sets in.” Quran 2:187. Before fas ng, Muslims wake up before the ears of dawn, and in this period, eat light and healthy food, and it is called suhur. It is one of the most important ac ons that a Muslim does during Ramadhaan, because of its benefits and blessings, and our honorable Messenger - may the blessings and peace of be upon him - urged us to adhere to it.

Night Of Power And The Revela on Of The Qur’aan

The most characteris c of the month of Ramadhaan is the presence of the greatest night, which is the Night of Power , in which the Noble Qur’aan was revealed to our Master Muhammad - may Allaah Almighty bless Him and grant Him peace - and it was revealed in the year 610 AD, and at that me the Messenger - was present in the cave of Hira, and in this place The revela on came down to him, and the first verse revealed to him was the Allaah Almighty saying: (Read in the name of your Lord who created).

Tarawih prayer is one of the Sunnahs that Muslims perform in the month of Ramadhaan , and the me for this prayer is between the night prayer and before the dawn prayer, and the number of its rak’ahs is not specified. Tawawih is two-two rak’ahs (as long as a Muslim can go), and a er comple ng the prayer, the Muslim prays the Witr prayer a er which there is no prayer. Taraweeh prayer is valid collec vely or individually, depending on the ability of the Muslim.

ZAKAT AL-FITR

Zakat Al-Fitr is one of the basic things that Muslims do in the month of Ramadhaan, which is given to the poor and needy people in order to meet their needs and requirements. Zakat al-Fitr is paid before the me for Eid al-Fitr prayer begins, a er the end of the blessed month of Ramadhaan , and it can also be paid before the end of the month of Ramadhaan as well. It is an obliga on on every Muslim man and woman, and zakat al-Fitr differs from other zakat in that it is obligatory on the soul of a Muslim and not his money, and it aims to purify the souls of Muslims and purify their bodies.

EID AL-FITR

A er the end of Ramadhaan, Muslims receive the happy Eid al-Fitr - where Muslims celebrate on the first day of the month of Shawwal, and it is the first day that Muslims break their fast a er fas ng the whole month, and that is why it is called Eid al-Fitr. The day of Eid is a day of joy and happiness, in which Muslims rejoice with the grace of Allaah Almighty.

May Allaah Almighty make this sermon a beneficial one for me, the writer, the readers, and the en re Muslims. And our last prayer, is praise be to Allaah Almighty, Lord of the worlds.

UNIOSUN Secures NUC Accreditation For 26 Courses

THE management of Osun State University (UNIOSUN) Osogbo, said it has secured full accredita on of 26 undergraduate and postgraduate courses for the ins tu on.

Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Clement Adebooye, disclosed this while speaking on the recent achievements of the university, according to a statement by the university’s Public Rela ons Officer, Mr. Ademola Adesoji.

“Various teams had assessed the ins tuon’s teaching and learning facili es, as well as the available personnel for the respec ve academic programmes both at undergraduate and postgraduate levels”, said Adebooye in the statement.

The statement which was made available to OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday, reads in part: “I am glad to announce that we re-

ceived the outcome from the NUC yesterday. I am glad to inform you that we recorded 100% full accredita on for the undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, 26 in total.

“Some of the undergraduate programmes

include, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Wildlife Management, Food Science and Technology, Computer Science, Guidance and Counseling, Urban and Regional Planning, Medicine and Surgery, Biochemistry, Industrial Chemistry,

ious Wallace Stegner Fellowship @Stanford.

Agraduate of Federal Polytechnic, Ede, State of Osun, Adedayo Agarau, has announced that he won the Wallace Stegner Fellowship in the United States of America.

Agarau made this announcement via his Twi er account at the weekend, sta ng that he never believed a boy from the Federal Polytechnic, Ede would be able to reach that peak in the world.

“I’m delighted to announce that I’ve been awarded the pres g-

I never imagined the boy from Federal Polytechnic, Ede would head to @IowaWritersWksp and now Stanford, but it’s happening and I’m grateful”, Adedayo twi ed.

Agarau noted that he selected Stanford over another pres gious fellowship, no ng that he was grateful for the goodness 2023 con nues to bring.

Also, he was selected for the Cave Canem of the Cave Canem Founda on, United States and as one of the 18 fellows for the

Geology, Mathema cs.

“Others include Microbiology, Physics with Electronics, Sta s cs, Public Health, Civil Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Economics, Geography, Poli cal Science and Interna onal Rela ons, Banking and

2023 cohort of Fellows.

The Wallace Stegner Fellowship which is for a dura on of two years only selects 10 fellows annually. The fellowship comes with a $50,000 living spend during his stay at Stanford University.

Speaking further on the feat, Agarau stated that his accomplishment could only be attributed to years of consistent hard work.

He said: “I can only be grateful to God for gran ng me the privilege to achieve all of these and I’m movated to do more.”

Agarau is also the only

Finance, among others.”

Adebooye also said a lecturer in the Department of History and Interna onal Studies, Dr. Samson Adesote, had been invited by the Nigerian Army to partake in the historical documenta on of the Ni-

gerian Army’s peacekeeping interven ons in Liberia and Sierra Leone. He said the university noted the assignment as a major na onal project, and expressed sa sfacon that UNIOSUN was playing a role through the involvement of its staff

•Agarau

African selected for the 2023 Ar sts-In-Residence of the Watermill Center in the United States.

Sofiat Oyebamiji

Fathia Salako

•Sheik Muhammad Abdulalimi, is the Mudiru Ad-Da’wah Wal-Irshad, Obaagun, State of Osun.

Controversies Over Action Alliance’s Petitions On NASS Election In Osun

CONTROVERSIES have trailed the Ac on Alliance (AA) party pe ons, challenging the victory of the Peoples Democra c Party candidates in the February 25 Naonal Assembly elecon, in the State of Osun.

It would be recalled that PDP won the three senatorial and nine House of Representave seats in the state.

The victory, however, is being challenged by the AA at elec on pe on tribunal that will hear cases emanating from the Na onal and State Assembly elec ons in the state.

Secretary of the tribunal, Mohammed Magaji, on Tuesday, said AA has filed a pe on against the three senatorial and nine House of Representa ves results.

But Chairman of the party, Ogunmodede Adeloye, dissociated the party from the legal acon, saying that those who filed the pe ons were not members of the party.

Adeloye who spoke at a press conference in Osogbo on Wednesday, said the Na onal Execuve Commi ee (NEC) and Na onal Think Tank

Commi ee (NTTC) of the party have directed him to engage the services of a lawyer to immediately withdraw the said pe ons.

He said: “It came to the no ce of the Na onal Secretariat of our party some days ago that some disgruntled elements parading themselves as the senatorial candidates and House of Assembly candidates of AA in Osun state filed some pe ons at the tribunal on the Na onal Assembly Elec ons conducted on February 25, 2023.

“Ac on Alliance wish to no fy good people of Osun state that the said pe ons are not to our knowledge and the persons who filed them are not members of our party at any me.

“More so, the peoners were never fielded as respec ve candidates of our party for the respec ve elecons they are purportedly challenging.

“Sequel to this, the Na onal Execu ve Commi ee (NEC) and Na onal Think Tank Commi ee (NTTC) of Ac on Alliance have directed me, Hon. Adeloye, to engage the services of a lawyer or team of lawyers to immediately withdraw the said pe ons”.

•Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his entourage condoling the family of Late Hajia Aisha Ahmed Rufa’i in Kano, yesterday

Aregbesola, Agency Heads, Mourn Late Rufai

THE Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has condoled the family and people of Kano State over the passage of late Hajia Aisha Ahmed Rufa’i.

Hajia Rufa’i was un l her death the Secretary of the Civil Defence, Correc onal, Fire and Immigra on Services Board (CDCFIB).

The minister described Hajia Rufai as a fantasc officer whom she met about 18 months ago and has le an indelible mark in the sand of me.

Aregbesola spoke on Thursday when he led a delega on to the family home of the late Board Secretary at Korau Road, Nassarawa, GRA, Kano.

A statement by the Media Adviser to the minister, Mr. Sola Fasure, quoted the minister

as saying, “Hajia Rufa’i brought into the federal service, an immeasurable transforma on to the Civil Defence, Correc onal, Fire and Immigra on Services Board (CDCFIB) where she served. She transformed the office space from the inside to the outside and s ll the transforma on is s ll ongoing as I’m talking to you.

“She turned around the infrastructure rot prevalent at the office building into something we are all proud of today. Today when the ministry has any special event, we use the Board’s conference room. The board room was also transformed, she created a very cosy office space for the chairman. All of these she did in less than 18 months.

“This is not to beli le the other things she did, which cannot be physi-

Opinion

cally measured. She has almost completed the digi sa on of the en re board opera on. Now you don’t need to know anybody to be employed. She opera onalised the use of Computer Based Test, CBT, in the conduct of recruitment and promo on exercise”.

The minister further eulogised the late Board Secretary, describing her as a dedicated officer, commi ed, loyal and transforma ve.

“All I have said today is to make you know how versa le, transforma ve, commi ed, loyal and crea ve Hajia was. Your daughter did her best and was a very fine officer who gave her best in service to her fatherland. The service will greatly miss her.

“We commit her to Almighty Allah, we pray that God forgives her

shortcoming, grants her Aljannah Firdaus and upholds those she has le behind.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Alh. Ibrahim Habu Sule, stated that Hajia Aisha Rufa’i emulated her father, adding that she was a worthy ambassador of the family.

Sule said: “Just like her father will bring files home to treat and make sure the job doesn’t suffer unnecessary delay, Hajia con nued that same path and was dedicated to the end.

“We feel honoured to have received you and the en re leadership of the ministry into our home today. We know our daughter to be exactly who you have described.”

The minister ended the visit with prayers for the eternal repose of the soul of the departed and divine comfort for her family, friends and associates.

Unlocking Nigeria’s Potential: How Artisanal Mining Can Drive Economic Development

ARTISANAL mining, also known as small-scale mining, is a type of mining that involves the extrac on of minerals using simple equipment and manual labour. Ar sanal mining has been a significant source of livelihood for millions of people in developing countries, including Nigeria. The poten al of ar sanal mining to develop Nigeria is enormous, and if properly harnessed, it can contribute significantly to the country’s economic growth and development.

Nigeria is blessed with abundant mineral resources such as gold, n, lead, zinc, copper and other precious and base metals. These minerals are found in different parts of the country, with some of them occurring in large quan es. However, despite the abundance of these mineral resources, Nigeria’s mining sector remains largely untapped, with only a few large-scale mining companies opera ng in the country.

One of the major challenges facing the mining sector in Nigeria is the lack of adequate funding and support for small-scale miners. Ar sanal miners often work in unsafe and unregulated condi ons, using rudimentary equipment and techniques that are inefficient and harmful to the environment. These condi ons make it difficult for ar sanal miners to

compete with large-scale mining companies and make a decent living from their mining ac vi es.

However, there is a growing recogni on of the poten al of ar sanal mining to contribute to Nigeria’s economic development. The Nigerian government has recently taken steps to support and regulate the ar sanal mining sector by providing funding, training, and technical support to smallscale miners. The government has also introduced policies aimed at improving the regulatory framework for the sector, such as the establishment of the Nigerian Mining Cadastre Office (NMCO) and the adop on of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act of 2007.

Ar sanal mining has the poten al to provide employment opportuni es for millions of people in Nigeria, par cularly in rural areas where other forms of employment are scarce. Ar sanal mining can also contribute to poverty reduc on and the improvement of living standards for communi es involved in mining ac vi es. Ar sanal mining ac vi es can also s mulate the growth of other economic sectors such as transporta on, hospitality, and trade, leading to the development of small and medium-sized enterprises.

In addi on to providing economic benefits, ar -

sanal mining can also contribute to the sustainable development of Nigeria. Ar sanal miners are o en involved in reforesta on and land restora on ac vies, which can help to reduce the impact of mining on the environment. The use of simple equipment and techniques in ar sanal mining can also reduce the use of harmful chemicals and promote sustainable mining prac ces.

In conclusion, ar sanal mining has the poten al to contribute significantly to the development of Nigeria. However, to realize this poten al, the Nigerian government must con nue to support and regulate the sector. The government should also provide access to finance, training, and technical support to small-scale miners. If properly harnessed, ar sanal mining can provide employment opportuni es, promote sustainable development, and contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth and development.

Akintunde Boboye, Valiant Mines Nigeria Limited, Ilesa Osun State.

Kazeem Badmus

Kazeem Badmus

Akintunde Boboye

WITH very infinitesimal excep ons, if there is one thing Nigeria ruling elite are renowned for, it is lack of foresight over astonishment. More often than not, they do not mean well for the mass majority of the people vis-a-vis their neo-liberal socio-economic policies that make life miserable for the poor. In some but very rare cases where they have good inten on in their policy formula on, it is badly implemented for lack of thinking outside the box from the very concep on of the policy. At all levels, they lack deep analy cal processes of various variables that could cons tute stumbling block to a hitch free implementa on of policy and proffering faultless solu on. Two examples of their abysmal failure will suffice.

For over a year ago, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had contemplated a new Naira redesign. On 26th October, 2022, it officially stated that the introduc on of the redesigned N200, N500 and N1,000 notes into the financial system would kick off by 15 December, 2022 and asked Nigerians to deposit old notes to commercial banks latest by 31st January, 2023 and access the new ones from same. For its inability to successfully actualise its target, CBN extended its deadline to 10th February, 2023.

Yes, the CBN had good intenons on the new note redesign. For instance, the policy was aimed at strengthening the economy, reducing expenditure on cash management, tackling insecurity challenges, enhancing CBN visibility of the money supply in the system amongst others. CBN knows the totality of money in the system and is aware that very huge sum of money could not be traced in the system because they are being warehoused in some people homes. Therefore, it intends to force these par cular people to release the money into the system and failure to do so would render these monies invalid by the expiraon of the deadline.

Suddenly, like an African magic, the new Naira notes disbursed for circula on by the CBN via commercial banks literarily became elusive. Every commercial bank was besieged by anguished and angry customers who need cash desperately to pay for domes c daily essen al needs as POS operators also could not access cash. Few that could now charge between 15 and 25 percent interest on every N1,000 to customers. The worst aspect is that electronic money transfer which is supposed to be succour has become either epilep c or not working at all. Most o en, transac on applicaons are not responding but con nue to roll like barber’s chair. It had never been so bad! If one is lucky enough to be successful on the applica ons, it takes between two, three, four days and some mes, a week for money transferred to get to the recipient, having debited the

Foresight Over Astonishment

originator. In some cases, one has to go to the origina ng bank physically to fill a complaint form and wait for days for the problem to be rec fied. You can imagine what it means to buy an item in a shop and have to wait for hours for confirma on of receipt alert! That is what life has become for majority of the people. As I write, someone to whom I transferred money just called, saying he was yet to receive it exactly seven days today (Thursday). Assuming the money is meant for health or medical emergency, what would have happened? Before the new naira introduc on palaver, electronic money transfer was rela vely averagely okay. With new money introduc on and accessibility brouhaha, a primary school pupil would have known that the new naira policy would encourage more electronic money transfer and will geometrically increase the number of users; hence, an expansion of facili es capacity na onwide to accommodate new users before commencement of the policy should have been done by all commercial banks.

CBN shouldn’t have solely relied on commercial banks for the new Naira notes circula on; it should have envisaged possibility of sabotage and designed a ‘plan B’. While monitoring commercial banks adherence to its direc ves on old notes collec on and circula on of the new ones and make a scapegoat of any that violates its direc ves, it could have also set up its own independent facili es for receiving old notes and circula ng new ones at the head offices of all commercial banks in every state, including its own very

state headquarters throughout the meline dura on. This is not a rocket science; it is a ma er of logis c deep thinking and organisa on long before the start of the policy implementa on. It should have known that the moneybags who warehouse money in different loca ons (for votes buying or whatever illegi mate purpose) and whom CBN targets are major stakeholders in commercial banks; it should have thought deeply that banks administrators would circumvent anything that will threaten these moneybags’ interest especially when it is within their purview except there is a dangling prohibi ve sanc on for erring banks and Chief Execu ve Officers. This explains why new notes first got to the moneybags while the li le remaining could hardly get to ordinary Nigerians who are the majority, with li le money deposits but with daily cash expenses on pe y needs and transporta ons especially that when summed up for millions of people amount to billions of naira, which could hardly be paid except through pe y cash, and on a daily basis.

For the hardship brought to their people, Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara state governments dragged Federal Government and CBN before Supreme Court and prayed that the old and new notes should con nue to circulate pending the resolu on of the case. Consequently, on Friday, 3rd March, 2023, Supreme Court ruled in favour of the applicants by sta ng that enough no ce was not given to Nigerians on the new naira meline. Hence, its extension to the end of the year which implies that old and new naira notes con nue

to be legal tender ll December. Although the CBN has given direc ves to commercial banks to dispense and receive the old naira notes in agreement with Supreme Court ruling, as I write, the chao c problem of accessing both old and new naira s ll lingers. The percep on some people had that a er the general elecons, things would normalise, has become an illusion in delusion. For lack of foresight over astonishment, all that the CBN intended to achieve have basically been thrashed into waste bin and the Bank Governor is at the end, tendering apologies to Nigerians.

Another one is Independent Electoral Commission (INEC). Apart from few staggered gubernatorial elec ons in about six states, its main job of conduc ng elec on is once in every four year. At all mes, it has always raised an alarm of hackers’ invasion of its server. Server is a computer program or device that provides a service to another computer programme. Depending on the par culars, its main job is content storing, processing and delivery; it is data and resources sharing and work distribu on. INEC should have had a foresight that most policians will a empt to disorganise its system just as fraudsters, yahoo boys and all criminals would want to hack commercial and central banks servers. Despite having to provide 24/7 online banking services, how many mes have banks cried foul of hackers a acking their servers, and thereby shu ng down online banking services? If there should be any server that unscrupulous Nigerians desperately need to a ack without let, it is bank server. Why can’t INEC borrow ideas of impregnable firewalls around sensi ve servers from the banks, especially with billions upon billions of naira dedicated to the whole range of electronic aspects of the vo ng – BVAS and Servers?

Aside, Huawei, just to men on one capable tech giant, could solidly protect INEC server and provide solu on to any of its technology issues to enhance performance. Huawei is a leading Chinese global service provider on informa on and communica ons technology (ICT) infrastructure and smart devices with a base sta on in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja – it is the leading global runner on the 5G revolu on, for instance. Being a major ini ator and influencer of the 2023 new electoral laws that have made votes count via enhanced electronic vo ng processes, INEC should have avoided a situa on where it needed giving apologies for inefficiency simply by avoiding astonishment through foresight. It shouldn’t have arrived at a situa on where it gives excuses on any ma er concerning its server. It should be more responsible in its electoral du es and make Nigerians proud in future elec ons. The soluon is simple -“be prepared”- as the Boy Scout says.

“INEC should have avoided a situation where it needed giving apologies for inefficiency simply by avoiding astonishment through foresight. It shouldn’t have arrived at a situation where it gives excuses on any matter concerning its server”