Osun Defender Online Version of November 18, 2022

STAFF of Osun State College of Educaon, Ilesa which has been upgraded to University of Ilesa, have claimed that their fate is hanging in the balance, following the crea on of the varsity.

According to the staff, the exis ng workers of the college are not be-

ing integrated into the University of Ilesa, and there is no modali es for se ling outstanding liabili es of the OSSCE, Ilesa.

In a le er wri en by the Nego a ng Council of Non Teaching Staff and Senior Staff Union of College of Educa on, Ilesa chapter, the workers called on the State Government and House

of Assembly to review the law establishing the university to take care of their employment and other important issues.

The workers also frowned at the appointment of Principal Officers into the University of Ilesa without considera on and input of the senior staff of the college.

They also condemned prohibi on of unionism in the University of Ilesa, describing it as uncalled for and undemocra c.

According to the workers in the le er signed by the Chairman of SSUCOEN, Comrade Olarenwaju A.F. and NASU Chairman, Comrade Adepoju M.A, there is need for the review of

•Oyetola.

the law establishing the university, saying there are many unaddressed ma ers in the law.

The workers said: “In order to ensure that the University takes off on sure foo ng, we wish to in mate your good offices of our ob-

serva ons rela ng to flaws in the law as well as the flawed approach adopted by the Implementa on Commi ee, and suggest necessary amendments in the law and correc on of some of the steps already tak-

Ismaeel Uthman

University Of Ilesa: Workers Fume, Call For Review Of Law

en by the Implementaon Commi ee.

“A er careful study of the law, we wish to observe that there is no part of the law addressing the integra on/transi on of staff of the defunct Osun State College of Educa on, Ilesa into the UNILESA for con nua on of their career.

“An amendment should be made to the law to allow all staff of the defunct Osun State College of Educa on, Ilesa to be uncondi onally integrated to the UNILESA as staff and placed on posi ons commensurate with their current posts.

“Your Excellency may wish to note that the defunct Osun State College of Educa on, Ilesa, had been running degree programmes of other Universi es for years and the profile of

exis ng teaching and non-teaching staff had always been used to obtain accredita on of the programmes. These

same staff profiles were used to obtain the NUC recogni on and cer ficate of prac ce for the new University.

“It will be morally wrong and unjust for the new University to rubbish the staff that were used to support argu-

ment for its existence.

“We observe that the appointment of Principal Officers was rightly put under the powers and

NDLEA Bursts Cannabis Sativa Farm, Arrest 13 Persons In Osun

THE Na onal Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), State of Osun Command, has arrested 13 persons for allegedly cul va ng cannabis sa va farm in the state.

According to the Public Rela ons Officer of the command, Charles Efosa, the NDLEA operaves stormed the illegal farm located at Obada Sawmill, Owena in Oriade local government area of the state, on Sunday night, and discovered that about 1.28 hectares of land were being used to plant Indian Hemp.

Efosa said officers of the agency were led to the farm a er intelligence gathering at about 3am on Sunday, November 6, 2022, adding that the suspects chose a far distant loca on of land to carry out the nefarious act.

According to him, the team seized about 2.823 tons of processed cannabis sa va and destroyed 1.2 hectares of Indian Hemp farm a er arresting the 13 suspects.

Revealing that the opera on lasted for 21 hours, Efosa named the suspects as Nnobi Sunday (25) from Abe local government area of Delta State, Michael Daniel (20) from Katsina Ala LG of Benue State, Chibuzor Ocheri (31) from Ndokwa LG of Delta State, Sunday

Raphael

day (28), Opule Eric (15), Samesu Lucky (30), Sunday Nwaka (26), Rapheal Jiouaka (25), Oseh Monday (30) and John Edem

(47) from Ndokwa LG of Delta State, and Jafaru Suleman from Esua LGA of Taraba State.

Efosa said: “The offic-

ers of NDLEA Osun State command led by Odigie Charles Efosa CSN, carried out a farm destrucon opera on at Obada Sawmill Owena Ijesa in Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State.

“The officers entered the farm at about 03:00hrs on Sunday, 6th November 2022, a er three hours drive and two hours of trekking.

“The team made a seizure of 2.823 tons of processed cannabis sa va, destroyed 1.2 hectares of cannabis sa va and arrested 13 suspects.”

The agency warned drug barons and others to relocate from Osun, sta ng that the agency would not spare anybody that is connected to illegal drug deals.

Stakeholders Want Sexual Assault Referral Centres In Osun

Yusuf Oketola

COMMUNITY Advancement

Ini a ve for Selfreliance (CAI4SR) in conjunc on with Lawyers Alert on Sexual Genderbased Violence, (SGBV) campaign has advocated the establishment of Sexual Assault referral centres to address sexual and gender-based violence in the State of Osun.

This is part of the SCALE Component Five by USAID on Sexual and Gender-Based Vio-

lence (SGBV) and Child, Early and Forced Marriage (CEFM) sector on strengthening of advocacy.

The Execu ve Director, CAI4SR, Mrs. Eni Ayeni, who made the call in an advocacy visit to the Director of Public Health, Dr. Hakeem Bello, in Osogbo, on Tuesday, noted that the ac va on and implementa on of Violence Against Persons Prohibi on Law (VAPPL) and Administra on of Criminal Jus ce Law, (ACJL) is targeted at five states

including Osun, and the FCT.

Ayeni said if the sexual assault referral centre is in place, it would aid speedy jus ce service delivery and resolu on of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence cases with the VAPP and ACJ laws.

In their goodwill messages, the chairman of Joint Na onal Associa on of Persons with Disability, Mr Oluwafemi Stephen and JONAPWD Women Wing Coordinator, Mrs Funmi Abdullahi, ex-

pressed the need for iden fica on of children with disability in mainstream schools and provision of medical interven on and free access and health support services to PWDs in the state.

In his response, Bello lauded the organisaon for being women, children and persons with disabili es-friendly, sta ng that the state government is ready to partner organisa ons in providing the needed enabling environment for its targets.

func ons of the Governing Council as on page 8 through 9 of the law.

“Making another provision under the same law for the appointment of Pioneer Council and Principal Officers as on page 44 is considered by us as unnecessary and capable of undermining the sure-footed take off of the University as due process and interna onal best prac ces in appointment can be sidetracked hiding under this provision.”

Making their demands, the workers said: “The provision, tagged “Appointment of Pioneer Council and Principal Officers” should be expunged from the law.

“We observe that provision number 13 of page 59 puts a ban on “Staff Associa on / Unions in the University. We want to state that this provision is uncalled for, par cularly during a democra c dispensa on.

“Labour ma ers are in the exclusive list of the Nigerian cons tu on 1999 (as amended) Cap 4 (40), Right to Peaceful Associa on is enshrined in the 1999 cons tu on of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Considering the foregoing, we ask that the provision banning union ac vi es in the law in ques on be expunged. This is moreso because unions are already exis ng peacefully in the defunct College and playing cri cal roles in ensuring smooth management/staff relaons.

“We ask that the modali es for staff Pension Scheme be spelt out in the law to enable us know where we belong.

“We ask that the government should state categorically the modali es for payment of the arrears of the peculiar allowances owed staff of the defunct Osun State College of Educaon, Ilesa transi ng to UNILESA.

“We ask that since the new UNILESA is fully owned by the Osun State Government which also owned and controlled the ac vi es of defunct OSCOED, Ilesa, the government should state categorically the modali es for the payment of the arrears of salaries owed the staff of the defunct OSUN State College of Educa on, Ilesa transi ng”

•Governor-elect of the State of Osun, Senator Ademola Adeleke, in a group photograph with the United States Delegates led by the American Consular General, William Stevens, after an interactive meeting at his residence in Ede on Wednesday

(45) from Kwale LG of Delta State and Igedi Chukwubem (47) from Kwale LG of Delta State. Others are Ode Sun-

Yusuf Oketola

•The arrested suspects at the canabis farm.

Kudos To The President

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari deserves a lot of applause for approving the sum of 134. 7 Billion Naira debarment allowance for re red military officers. There had been some protests but the right thing has been done now.

Issues like this should not be ensnared in bureaucratic entanglement. Our valiant officers have really been stretched. They have been at the forefront of the war against the terrorists, bandits and assorted criminals. They have with great valiancy done work which the police should have done. They deserve our gra tude because there is s ll a long way to go.

How society treats it’s veterans is an indica on of the moral fiber of the country. In the case of Nigeria there is a lot to be done. A lot should ll be done for the veterans such as infla on-adjusted pensions, discounts on mort-

gages, health insurance enhancement and much more. This is what is done in other countries and we should strive in spite of a ght fiscal climate follow suit.

All bureaucra c roadblocks should now be streamlined in order to forestall future delays.

Vital lessons should have been learnt from this incident. All the same we appreciate the interven on of the president who is not just the Commander-in-Chief but also a former military officer himself.

Clearing The Desk

IN nine days me, a new administra on will take over. For con nuity all manner of outstanding issues and poten al not-sohidden land mines should be ironed out So far the process of “transi on” has been unedifying.

The outgoing government should make a clean breast of the transfer of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) to the government of Oyo State.

Inconvenient ques ons have to be answered. They include - how much was paid by the government of Oyo State, in how many trenches and what are the outstanding obliga ons if any? Fundamentally the incoming administra on and the people of the State of Osun need to know how any money collected from Oyo has been expended. This is an unsa sfactory state of affairs, the outgoing Oyetola government must answer the quesons now!

OPINION B Y BY E R I C ERIC T E N I O L A TENIOLA

Undeserved Assault On The Bureaucracy

OF all the mistakes made by the military, none is greater than the 1975/1976 assault on bureaucracy in this country. It was termed THE GREAT PURGE by the media at that me. But that ac on destroyed the robust Civil Service system and since that me this country has lost its way. In any Na onal development there is no alterna ve to a robust civil service system. Tampering with the bureaucracy is the founda on for total collapse of the government itself. The military indulged in playing the civil service like a spor ng event without knowing that it will lead to the decay and the rot we are witnessing now.

Bureaucracy means “the civil servants, the administra ve func onaries who are professionally trained for the public service and who enjoy permanency of tenure, promo on within service-partly by seniority and partly by merit.

Bureaucracy me culously is also professed to be apoli cal. This basically insinuate that a bureaucrat is not to have a poli cal agenda of his own but preferably, faithfully effectuate the policies of the government of the day. It also has another and presumably more important meaning and that is: a civil servants allegiance and adhesion should be to the cons tu on of the land and not to any poli cal party, poli cian, etc.

Public bureaucracy is a very invigorate element of the development process. Bureaucra c capacity adjudicate, what will get done, when it will get done, and how well it will get done. The dexterous capacity of the bureaucracy to implement labyrinthine economic and social development plans, the higher the development poten al of that society.

Bureaucracy epitomizes the most

consummate and ra onal way in which one can codify the human ac vity and that methodical process and standardized hierarchies are indispensable to maintain order, maximize efficiency, and eliminate favori sm.

A bureaucracy is ostensible to be impersonal. This predominantly, means that a bureaucrat is an cipated, to be guided by objec ve premeditaon while ensuing rules and regulaons in the scheme of implemen ng opalescent policy measures and direcves. In other words, a bureaucrat or a civil servant or a government official regardless name we choose to call him by – is not puta ve to be guided by his idiosyncra c whims and fancies, biases and prejudices in the dispensa on of his official du es”.

These are what we are told that bureaucracy stands for by Dr. V. Pardha Saradhi.

Inspite of the purge of 1975, what posi ve thing have we achieved since then. Discipline erring officers but don’t collapse the system. In an attempt to discipline certain officers, what was done in 1975/1976 was to collapse the system in itself. We fought a civil war between 1967 and 1969 and we fought that war without borrowing a kobo but the success of that war could be traced to a robust civil service that was in existence at that me. No doubt the military officers went to war as foot soldiers but the backup energy was provided by the bureaucracy. In case we forget, Mr. Nowa Omoigui made a comprehensive report on the efforts of

“All the same we appreciate the intervention of the president who is not just the Commander-in-Chief but also a former military officer himself.”

•Eric Teniola, A Former Director At The Presidency Wrote From Lagos.

“This predominantly, means that a bureaucrat is anticipated, to be guided by objective premeditation while ensuing rules and regulations in the scheme of implementing opalescent policy measures and directives”

Who Impregnated Her? Posers As Mentally Challenged Girl Got Impregnated Twice In Apomu

RESIDENTS of Apomu, a community in Isokan Local Government of the State of Osun, have been asking ques ons on how a 21-year-old mentally challenged girl, Labake Najeem, got impregnated twice within 24 months.

The residents wondered why somebody would choose to be impregna ng Najeem and for what purpose.

Labake, according to the wife of Alapomu of Apomu, Olori Janet Afolabi, has however, been delivered of a baby boy a er a successful opera on.

Afolabi said the mentally challenged girl was impregnated by a man called, “Operator”.

She appealed to all men taking advantage of Najeem’s mental condion to sexually harrass her to desist, describing the act as inhumane.

Afolabi said: “Labake is a mentally challenged teenager. Two years ago, someone took advantage of her condi on, impregnated and abandoned her. She was begging for food and money to survive.

“The first me l saw her was in October 2020 when she strayed into my event. She was being dragged out by security men when she caught the a en on of Alhaja Kafayat Oyetola, the First Lady, who was my guest.

“The First Lady took Labake to Osogbo, rehabilitated her, took care of her ll she delivered. Then she brought Labake back to Apomu, headquarters of Isokan Local Government area of the State of Osun.

“This year again, 2022, an unknown man whose name, according to Labake, is “Operator” impregnated her and disappeared.

“On Thursday, November 3, l was told Labake was at the Palace gate. I thought it was her usual visit for support. I asked my staff to take some things to her. He came back with a paper and said Labake was crying profusely.

“The paper was the scan result which showed among other things that she had been due since October 24 and the baby’s breech posi on in her womb posed great danger to her life. The baby’s head was up instead of down. The ideal posi on for birth is head down.

“I decided to call Goke Odetunde, Chairman of our local government. He said Labake should to be taken to a private hospital in a neighbouring community and he paid the bill.

To the glory of Almighty God, the opera on was successful. She delivered a baby boy. Mother and child are alive.

“But the journey to save Labake has not end-

ed. I would like to rehabilitate and provide a secured shelter for her. She can then acquire a skill or start a trade.

“I want to appeal to the men who keep taking

advantage of Labake’s mental condi on to sexually harass or abuse or impregnate her to desist. If she were your sister or daughter, l do not think you will be happy if some-

one does that to her.

“Most likely, you would describe such acon as man’s inhumanity to a vulnerable teenager girl”.

OSUN DEFENDER had reported in its December 18, 2020 edi on that Najeem was allegedly impregnated by one Abideen Sadipe who is also said to be mentally challenged.

Najeem, during her first pregnancy was taken to Osogbo by the Wife of the Governor, Mrs Kafayat Oyetola, for rehabilita on. She was later delivered of a baby at the State Specialist Hospital, Asubiaro, Osogbo.

The mentally challenged girl was a er the delivery of the child handed over to the Alapomu of Apomu, Oba Kayode Afolabi, by Mrs. Oyetola.

Attack On INEC Facilities A Waste of Taxpayers’ Money – Osun REC

Yusuf Oketola

THE Resident Electoral Commissioner of Independent Na onal Electoral Commission (INEC) in the State of Osun, Dr. Mu u Agboke, has described the recent a acks on the commission’s facilies in Osun and other parts of the country as a waste of tax payers’ money.

This is just as he noted that INEC would easily adjust and bounce back irre-

spec ve of the a acks.

Agboke stated this during an interview a er featuring on OSBC Current Affairs Program, The Na on, on Wednesday.

He said the commission remains neutral and independent and would provide a level playing ground for all poli cal par es and candidates in accordance with the electoral laws.

The REC reassured Nigerians that the outcomes of 2023 geenral elec ons

would be determined by peoples’ votes, saying the recent and con nuous technological improvement in the elec oneering process will make it hard for anybody to engage in any form of rigging.

Agboke stressed that the commission has begun series of sensi sa on programmes and consulta on to major stakeholders in order to ensure that the general elec on is hitch free, smooth and credible.

He said: “It is just about 100 days to the general elec on and I want to assure you that the commission is fully prepared. The recent a acks on the commission’s facili es in Osun and Ogun would not affect the commission from organising a credible, free and fair elec ons.

“No ma er the a acks on INEC facili es, the commission would easily adjust and bounce back. The effect won’t be on INEC but

Irogbo Gets New Traditional Ruler As Adifagberu Gets Staff Of Office

Kazeem Badmus

Anew tradi onal ruler, Oba Ademiju Kehinde Adifagberu, has been installed as the Arogbo of Irogbo town in Atakumosa East Local Government of the State of Osun.

Adifagberu was presented his Staff of Office on Wednesday, in Osogbo, by Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.

Presen ng the Staff of Office and Instrument of Appointment to Oba Adifagberu, Oyetola, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Local Government and Chie aincy Affairs, Mr. Rasaq Adeosun, urged indigenes and residents of Irogbo to support the new monarch for all round development.

Speaking a er receiving the Staff of Office and Instrument of Appointment, the new monarch appreciated the State Governor for his support and the people of his town, promising that he will be a monarch for all.

Oba Adifagberu appealed to the people of the town to cooperate with him, assuring that his reign will bring development to the town.

He said: “I give glory to God for this day. I want to thank my chiefs and the people of Irogbo for

the trust reposed in me. I want to assure you of my zeal to bring development into this town. Good things are coming to this town very soon by God’s grace. The sky is our limit.

“All I want from my people is to cooperate

with me. With their coopera on, I believe everything will be okay.

“There is no perfect person. We are bound to make mistakes1 and whenever there is a misunderstanding, I want us all to come together and se le it amicably”.

the a ackers should know that they are just was ng tax payers’ money. This is where we need to think deep and be wise.

“I urge all poli cians to go to people with good manifestoes. The era of elec on rigging is over. The vote will determine elecon winner and there is no shortcut to that. Our policians should also stay clear of vote buying because it is a criminal offence. We all have roles to play to bring sanity to our poli cal system and all arm should be on the deck to make Nigeria great.”

Agboke described the a ack on the INEC office in Ede as unfortunate, revealing that the inferno did not affect any of the commission’s sensi ve or insensive materials.

He however warned anybody or group of people who may be planning a ack on any of the INEC offices or facili es to desist, saying law enforcement agents have been ordered to decisively deal with anybody culpable of the act.

The REC said: “I want to urge all parents to warn their children not to be used as instruments of destruc on by poli cians. We have resolved to crush anybody who makes any move to a ack or destroy our facili es henceforth. What is important is for us to organise a credible pla orm for people to vote and the expecta on from electorate is to vote for candidates of their choice. Any other plan to destabilise the process will not be tolerated.”

•Labake and her baby

•Oba Adifagberu with his family after receiving his Staff of Office and Instrument of Appointment at the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Abere, on Wednesday

Yusuf Oketola

Osun 2022 Transition - A Discourse -

A New Era Beckons In Osun State - Dr. Muyiwa Oladimeji

The head of the transition Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State of Osun, Dr. Muyiwa Oladimeji, in a depth discussion with Yusuf Oketola, examines landmines laid, problems and prospects ahead of the incoming administration of Sen. Ademola Adeleke which takes over in nine days to come. Excerpt:

the country. This is ridiculous.

“That is because many of the cocoa trees our farmers depend on are as old as their children. That means the produc on will be less. Whereas, in this modern day, bio-technology has produced cocoa seedlings. You can buy cocoa seeds and in the next two years you are able to harvest.

“If money and me are invested in this area, a lot of people will be employed and it will generate funds for the state.

“Commodi es board type ac vi es will be induced to ensure minimum guaranteed farm-gate price and off-taker mechanisms to ensure higher price for the farmer leading to greater producon”.

The transi on Commi ee Chairman is acutely aware of the precarious financial situa on in the country and interna onally. He knows that there are going to be great fiscal challenges ahead.

He said: “There are challenges because of the present situa on worldwide. At home, the challenges are based on the very inept Federal Government which has been most inefficient. There would have to be a robust intellectual rapport and discussion with economists and industrialists.

“In doing so, we will be able to fashion a way out even with the paucity of resources available. We also know that the present Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s government which will become the immediate past administra on has been laying traps which I call poli cal landmines for our administra on to make life difficult for us.

PROFILE

DR. (Hon) Muyiwa Oladimeji is a Fellow of the Euro Ins tute of Re culo-endothelial Biology & Medicare, and the Ins tute of Bioradia on Medicine. Oladimeji has been a member of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Board, University of Abuja Governing Council, Chairman of the university’s Teaching Hospital, and Chairman of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, among others. He was also a Fmr. Snr. Special Adviser (Poli cal) to Senate President Adolphus Wabara.

DR Muyiwa Oladimeji is very upbeat about the prospects of the incoming Adeleke’s administra on which will be inaugurated on Sunday, November 27, 2022. He is empha c that, “the people (of the State of Osun) should expect good governance.”

Defining good governance, Oladimeji believes that the central factor of a good government is the welfare of the populace. Important to this, in his opinion, is ensuring that employment situa on is improved upon. A lot of other social welfare facilies, such as healthcare and educa on should also be made available.

On educa on, Oladimeji said: “Recently, Osun State was classified in some media as extremely bad in WAEC. The moment any South-West state comes 30th in posi on, it means it is extremely bad.

“I remember when my kids were to get into university a er JAMB, South-West was rated as highly educated. Now WAEC says that Osun State didn’t do well. They are not in the top 10 as far as I’m concerned.

“That’s horrible and I know Senator Ademola Adeleke is very depressed at such news because he knows we have the poten al, the capacity and possibili es to do a lot be er than that. That is what we are going to do”.

On the health sector, Oladimeji is of the opinion that some of the hospitals in the state are quite alright. However, what makes a hospital is not just the building but the facility and the people that are there.

FOOD SECURITY

“Of course, food is essen al. The administra on of Sen. Ademola Adeleke is going to pay premium a en on to food produc on in a way that will encourage people to go to the farm.”

Oladimeji pointed out that in the past before the dominance of oil income, “The South-West region was the most prosperous area of the na on. It was from cocoa money that Cocoa House was built and that was the first skyscraper in Nigeria.

“Nigeria was number two in cocoa produc on then. Now, Ivory Coast has overtaken us, Ghana and other countries have le us behind. The SouthWest is now not doing be er than other areas of

“They didn’t remember that they needed to employ people and without employing them, they s ll owe pensioners quite some money. Yet, in the twilight of their administra on, they are employing thousands of people, backda ng some of the employment le ers among other things.

“This Oyetola’s administra on is laying its own booby traps. I am very hopeful that Sen. Adeleke will overcome these challenges with me and coopera on and with prudent government.

THE DILEMMA..... Technocrats or Policians?

Dr. Oladimeji spoke about the forma on of Sen. Adeleke’s administra on and the quality of people to engage in the running of the state’s affairs. Asked whether poli cian or technocrat will be engaged, the Chairman of the Transi on Commi ee said: “The dilemma will be resolved because Senator Ademola Adeleke is going to put round pegs in the right holes. That is what I can assure you of.

Whether they are poli cians or technocrats, he will surely put the right people in the right posi ons”.

Today, Oladimeji is the Chairman, Transi on Commi ee of the Governor-elect of the State of Osun, Sen, Ademola Adeleke, who will assume office on November 27. In 1991, Oladimeji joined the Social Democra c Party (SDP) and won the elec on to the House of Representa ves, where he became the Chairman of the House Commi ee on Health and Human Services. He was very ac ve with others in the pro-June 12 struggle which led to the bombing of his Abuja house by suspected Abacha boys.

THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ISSUE

The former lawmaker wants to see properly func oning and autonomous local government administra ons. “It is an abomina on when you interfere with local government administra on where some of them cannot do their jobs properly. The problem is interference by the poli cal elites. We have a situa on now in Osun whereby new local government administra ons were sworn-in by the outgoing Oyetola’s government, but I am also aware that there are legal interpreta ons about the validity of the elec on”, he said.

WORK OF THE TRANSITION COMMITTEE

Illumina ng on the work of the Transi on Commi ee headed by him, the former Chairman of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital said: “We have made recommenda ons to the Governor-elect and he is the only one that can reveal what is in the report because they are some hard facts in the report that we are unable to establish.

Oladimeji stated: “Oyetola didn’t let any of his func onaries to meet with us. For example, LAUTECH has been ceded to Oyo State. It was a joint heritage, Osun/Oyo. Having served as chairman in the teaching hospital, I was privileged to know some of the things that are going on there.

“For example, we should know how much we ceded the ins tu on to Oyo State for, how much has Oyo State paid, how much is le or have they paid everything?

“These are issues that only the government func onaries can answer. That is just one example out of many. We also have issue of World Bank loans. How much we have paid and what is le to pay. These are reasonable issues which an incoming government should raise. Nevertheless, when Senator Ademola Adeleke is sworn-in, we will be able to get some of these facts from the head of different agencies.

•Oladimeji

“In doing so, we will be able to fashion a way out even with the paucity of resources available. We also know that the present Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s government which will become the immediate past administration has been laying traps which I call political landmines for our administration to make life difficult for us.”

2023 Census: NPC, NOA Sensitise Osun Residents

Sodiq Yusuf

AHEAD of the April 2023 Naonal Popula on and Housing Census, officials of the Na onal Popula on Commission (NPC) and the Na onal Orienta on Agency (NOA), on Thursday, sensi sed residents of the State of Osun on the need to ac vely par cipate in the exercise.

The sensi sa on was done with a road show which took the officials of the two agencies through Oroki Estate, Lameco, Oke-Fia, Sta on Road, Orisumbare Market, Oja-Oba, Sabo, Ayetoto, Igbona, Ajegunle termina ng at the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, the state capital.

Speaking on behalf of the Chairman of the Commission, Hon. Isa Kwarra, the Federal Commissioner represen ng Osun in the board of the NPC, Senator Mudashiru Husain, noted that the sensisa on was to alert residents of the state, on the need to fully key into the 2023 Digital Census.

According to Husain, the census is to assist the government plan be er its development programmes for Nigerians.

The commissioner said the commission recently launched its e-recruitment portal to take ad-hoc staff for the

exercise, while op mising 40% local content in line with the presidenal direc ve in the virement of gadgets needed for the enumera on exercise.

Husain said the commission is ready to give Nigerians an acceptable headcount, saying

measures are underway to do more of capacity building for its staff, to make the first digi zed census in Africa hitchfree and credible.

He said: “In line with the direc ve of our Chairman, Isa Kwarra, we are going round in partnership with

NOA to further create awareness among our people for par cipaon in the exercise. The forthcoming exercise is a fully automated and digi zed effort.

“We are complying with the presiden al direc ve on local content to get the equipment

Osun CP Seeks Lawmakers’ Support In Tackling Crime

THE new Commissioner of Police in the State of Osun, Mr. Sunday Faleye, has promised to make the

State a haven of peace with all the logis cs available.

Faleye gave the assurance during a familiarisa on visit to the Speaker, State of Osun

House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Timothy Owoeye, at the Assembly Complex on Wednesday.

He stressed that the command would not relent in tackling

crime and criminality headlong to keep residents safe as the general elec ons approach.

Faleye solicited the support of the House of Assembly to rid the state of criminal ac vies through effec ve legisla ve func ons.

In his reac on, Owoeye wished the police boss well in the course of his duty and assured him of the 7th assembly support, irrespecve of poli cal affiliaons in ensuring the sustainability of peace across the State.

He described residents of the State as peace-loving people, urging the commissioner of police to be focused regardless of insinua ons in some quarters.

Truck Driver Remanded For Allegedly Killing A Medical Doctor

A29-year-old man, Taofeeq Lateef, has been remanded in Ilesa Correc onal Centre by an Osogbo Magistrate Court for allegedly causing the death of a 63year-old female medical doctor, Oluwasola Falayi.

Lateef, who was driving a truck registered MUS 65 YE was said to have driven in a dangerous manner which caused an accident that led to Falayi’s death at Osu juncon, Ilesa-Ife expressway, State of Osun.

Late Falayi was working at the Federal Teaching Hospital Ado-Eki , Eki State.

The accused person was also alleged of damaging one Toyota Hiace valued at N4million, property of one Mr. Oluwasegun Adetunji of Olorunda Zone 5, Ado-Eki , Eki State.

According to the charge sheet obtained by OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday, the accused person commi ed the offence on November 9, 2022 at Ilesa-Ife road, Osu junc on, State of Osun.

The alleged offence, according to the police,

contravened Sec on 18, Cap 115, 146, Vol.2, 6 Laws of the State of Osun State and Sec on 27 of the RTA, Cap 548, Laws of Nigeria.

But the defendant pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge of dangerous driving, manslaughter and mali-

cious damage levelled against him.

Defence Counsel, Okobe Nagite, prayed the court to admit the defendant to bail on a liberal term, no ng that he would provide a reliable surety.

Objec ng the oral bail applica on by the

defence counsel, police prosecutor, Inspector Akintunde Jacob, prayed the court to turn down the bail applicaon, saying the accused person would jump bail if granted because of the nature of the case.

In his ruling, the presiding Magistrate,

E.O Aluko, ordered that the defendant be remanded in Ilesa Correc onal Centre, just as he directed the defence counsel to file a formal bail applica on before the court.

The case was adjourned ll January 9, 2023 for ruling on bail.

needed for the census. We would not leave any stone unturned to ensure a credible result.

“We are the first in Africa to embrace digital technology in popula on and housing census in the whole of the con nent, and President Buhari is keen on making the process the best in the history of Nigeria.

“We are going to ensure that it is the best, acceptable to both global and interna onal standards. As a country, Nigeria needs an effec ve database of its popula on and housing spread, so as to assist the government in effec ve and efficient Na onal Planning.”

In separate interviews with OSUN DEFENDER, the State Directors of the NPC and NOA, Mr. Mar ns Owoeye and Mr. Abiodun Ibikunle restated the need for the people of the State of Osun to take part in the forthcoming census.

They pledged the readiness of the two agencies to collabora vely join hands to mobilise the people of Osun to understand the benefits of enrollment in the na onal exercise, and purposively par cipate.

Messrs Owoeye and Ibikunle also told OSUN DEFENDER that the two agencies have perfected plans to connue rigorous trainings for their officials, in a bid to ensure the smooth running of the exercise.

Embrace Peace, New Akinrun Urges Ikirun Youths

THE newly installed Akinrun of Ikirun, Oba Yinusa Olalekan Akadiri, has appealed to the youths of the town to embrace peace and work with him for the development of the community.

Oba Akadiri made the appeal on Wednesday a er receiving his Staff of Office and Instrument of Appointment from the State Government in Osogbo.

Akadiri’s appointment as Akinrun had sparked protests in the town, a development

that led to the closure of the palace.

As of the me of filing this report, Oba Akadiri has not been able to access the palace since he was appointed over a month ago.

Speaking a er his installa on on Wednesday, Oba Akadiri appealed to aggrieved members of Ikirun community, saying resolving issues amicably is be er than engaging in acts that can disrupt the peace of the town.

He urged some other aggrieved indigenes of the town who are not pleased with his appointment to seek redress in court and avoid

violence.

The tradi onal ruler said: “My advice to the youth of Ikirun is that they should embrace peace because to talk peacefully and amicably is be er than figh ng.

“If you have an issue with what has happened, I think the court is there as the last hope of the common man. I want to advise them to stay away from violence.

“When you go out there and harm someone, the law is there to catch up with you. Instead of doing that, I think embracing peace is be er and that is what I want them to do”.

Yusuf Oketola

Kazeem Badmus

Yusuf Oketola

•Oba Akadiri

•State of Osun Commissioner of Police, Sunday Faleye, during his visit to the State House of Assembly Complex on Wednesday.

Aree Stool: Kingmakers Want Court To Jail Oyetola’s Commissioners

Yusuf Oketola

KINGMAKERS in

Iree, Boripe North Local Council Developmet Authority of the State of Osun, have prayed a State High Court, si ng in Ikirun, to commit the Commissioner for Local Government and Chie aincy Affairs in the State, Hon. Adebayo Adeleke to prison, for allegedly viola ng the court order.

The kingmakers’ prayer was contained in a conptemt suit filed before the court against Adeleke and A orney General and Commissioner for Jus ce, Oluwafemi Akande.

Also joined as respondents in the suit filed before Jus ce Isiaka Adeleke of the court are the Chairman, Boripe North Local Council Development Area and the just appointed Aree of Iree, Prince Ponle Ademola.

The plain ff, High Chief Saliu Atoyebi, the Aogun of Iree, who filed the case for himself and other kingmakers, members of Iree and Aree in Council, in the suit marked HIK/41/22 and dated November 11, 2022, asked the court to commit the defendants to prison for disregarding the court’s order issued on November 8, 2022 to stay ac on on the appointment and

installa on of Aree.

According to the plain ffs’ counsel, Folorunso Apantaku, the defendants risk six months jail term if they are found guilty of the allega on.

A copy of the applicaon no ce tled: “Noce to Show Cause Why an Order of Commi al to Deten on Should not be Made Against You”, addressed to the Commissioner for Local Government and Chie aincy Ma ers, was made available to OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday.

The no ce reads partly: “Take note that the plain ff/applicant shall apply for an order commi ng you, Prince Adebayo Adeleke, Commissioner for Local Government and Chie aincy Ma ers, Osun State, to deten on at the Nigerian Correc onal Service Custodial Facility, having disobeyed the ruling/order of this honourable court made on 8th day of November, 2022, manda ng all the respondents not to take any further step or steps in respect of the filling of the vacant stool of Aree of Iree Land pending the determina on of the Mo on on No ce in the case.”

It was gathered that par es are due for response and no date has been fixed for hearing of the no ce.

July 16: I Was Defeated During The Vote Counting - Oyetola

THE Governor of the State of Osun, Adegboyega Oyetola, has stated that he did not lose the July 16 governorship elec on that produced the Governor-elect, Sen. Ademola Adeleke as the winner.

Oyetola made this posi on on Tuesday in Osogbo during the inaugura on of “Nigeria for BAT” to canvas votes for

the presiden al candidates of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

The Governor stated that he was defeated during the vote coun ng exercise.

Oyetola who was represented at the programme by his Special Adviser on Poli cal Affairs, Oluomo Sunday Akere, said: “I did not lose the July 16 elec on but only lost in the count-

ing of the votes.”

“We did not lose an elec on in Osun but we lost the votes count and that is what everybody must know, we are at the tribunal and we are going to regain our mandate.”

He claimed that both Adeleke and the Peoples Democra c Party (PDP) will be sacked soon by the elec on pe on tribunal for stealing his mandate during the last

governorship elec on.

On the inaugura on of Nigeria for BAT, Oyetola said: “Nigeria for BAT in Osun is to canvass masses’ votes for the party’s presiden al candidate in the coming elec on.

“We are flagging off Nigeria for BAT here in Osogbo and also flagging off the campaign for APC na onwide to tell Nigeria and Nigerians not to lose hope on this na on.”

Undeserved Assault On The Bureaucracy Students Lament As OSPOLY Increases Tuition Fee By 93%

STUDENTS of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree have cried out for help due to the sudden increment in their tuion fees.

This is coming few weeks a er the management of Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, released a memo no fying the students of about 40 per cent increment in their tui on fees.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered the OSPOLY management increased tui on of science-related courses, including that of Informa on and Communica on Technology from N62,000 to N112,000.

The tui on fees of students in the facules of Management and Financial Studies was increased by 83.3

per cent, going from N53,000 to N97,000.

It was learnt that the polytechnic students got to know the increment on their individual portal.

One of the students who prayed not to be named said: “We only got to know about the increment on the school portal. We are supposed to be informed about everything, not in this way that we are ge ng to know that our tui on fee has been increased at the point of payment.

“The economy is bad, a lot of people struggle to survive, and if you want to increase school fees, at least, you have to state the reasons and not this one that we are asking to pay double of our tui on fee”.

Reac ng to the increment of the fee, the Spokesperson of the ins tu on, Mr. Tope Abiola, told OSUN DEFENDER that the school management was reviewing the fees because of the prevailing economic situa on in the country.

According to Abiola, returning students may not be affected by the increment.

He said: “We are in the process of reviewing the fees because of the prevailing economic situa on in the country.

“The review may be for the newly admi ed students into both the Na onal Diploma and Higher Na onal Diploma programs of the Ins tu on, while the returning students in the ND 2 and HND 2 may not be affected”

•Continued from Page 3

bureaucracy before and a er the civil war. He wrote that “for the ten months of the Gowon regime, there was no federal cabinet. Permanent Secretaries who dealt directly with Gowon headed Federal Ministries.

American envoys, these men counseled cau on in the heat of the events that were unfolding.

These pre-war grand strategic and poli cal machina ons aside, the federal civil service played a complex role during the war, alternately being viewed as an ally or irritant by the front-line military. Civil servants suggested the establishment of security and civil defence organiza ons in various states, tapping into logis c resources provided by various ministries. They counseled the promulga on of many war- me decrees, such as the Public Security Decree (No. 31 of 1967) which outlawed the private possession of weapons and ammuni on, and the Military Courts (Special Powers) Decree (No. 4 of 1968) designed to enforce dis-

In the confusion of the weekend of July 29, 1966, the birth of his government at the Ikeja Barracks had been par ally mediated by a group of federal permanent secretaries. These included Abdul Aziz Attah, Phillip Asiodu, Allison Ayida, Musa Daggash, Ibrahim Damcida, HA Ejueyitchie, Yusuf Gobir, BN Okagbue and others. Other prominent federal public servants included the Chairman of the Public Service Commission, Alhaji Sule Katagum. Along with others, as well as the Bri sh and •Read full content on www.osundefender.com

cipline among federal troops. A whole variety of Trade disputes emergency decrees were also promulgated to settle war me trade disputes. Mr Gray Longe, who later became the Head of Service, recalls that ini ally there was an Armed Forces Commi ee on the procurement of Supplies. This commi ee included the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the MOD, along with the Army QMG, Air Force Logiscs Officer and specialised differences between services needs, this Commi ee gave way to a purely military Joint Supplies Board to reconcile compe ng requests. Then in October 1969, apparently in response to abuses in the system, as well as compe on between Army Divisions (who were each doing their own

•Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, State of Osun, Mr. Adelani Ademola, addressing Foreign Nationals during the official inauguration of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Club, for secondary school students in the State, organ ised by the United States Consular General in Nigeria, Mr. Will Stevens in Osogbo, on Wednesday. Photo: Shola Aderinto

Yusuf Oketola

Folahanmi Ajayi

THE bas on of democracy is its inbuilt mechanism for periodic change of leadership by the people. At the centre of it is the conduct of free, fair and credible elec on as a gauge to determine the majority wish. The people, who are the sovereign, therefore, periodically surrender their mandates of sovereignty to a very few people to govern them to “secure their rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” In the process of this leadership change, the choice of the majority, right or wrong, is the material driving force. Assuming and conceding the majority make the wrong choice in their wisdom, their choice must prevail ll they make be er choice over me. And that’s the beauty of democracy.

The interlude between the outgoing government and the incoming one is known as the transi on; it is a period to organise a smooth change from one government to another since governance is con nuum and abhors vacuum that can only be filled by chaos; it is to guarantee a peaceful transfer of power from outgoing government to a newly elected. This period is of great import as delivery of democracy is incomplete without it vis-a-vis campaigns and canvassing the people for votes by polical par es, elec on and the announcement of the choice of the majority and the final step, installa on of the choice of the majority. Smooth transi on must, therefore, be jealously guarded whether the outgoing and the incoming governments are of the same or different poli cal par es. Hence, any one or a group of people who makes such transi on trauma c is nothing but an enemy of democracy and by extension, an enemy of the people.

In this very Osun, it is not the first me the progressives lost to the conserva ves, fair and square or unfairly via manipula on. Chief Bisi Akande, the third Republic Osun Governor from 1999-2003, did the most dignifying thing by addressing a valedictory session of the House of Assembly and ensured a rancour free transi on, leaving the state in peace and the people

“A transition unnecessarily made difficult will elapse next week as Osun people witness the inauguration of a new government. What the real progressives require as they become the new opposition is to rebuild from the scratch, embrace and inject into their system principles rooted in egalitarianism, omoluabi virtues, dignity, selfless devotion to public service and work their way back into power at the soonest opportunity”

Transition Made Difficult

to learn their lesson. In 2014, the incumbent Eki State Governor Kayode Fayemi of APC lost to Ayodele Fayose of PDP, fairly or unfairly, but ensured a smooth transi on. In 2018, the same (former) Governor Kayode Fayemi came back for a return match and defeated incumbent PDP candidate. Governor Fayose, as Fayemi did unto him in 2014, ensured smooth transi on to the second term of Fayemi government in 2018. In 2015 presiden al elec on, the incumbent Nigeria President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP lost to Muhammadu Buhari of APC. Despite Godsday Orubebe, former Minister of Niger Delta, demonstra on of despera on to scu le electoral process at the venue of coun ng and declara on of the winner by Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), President Goodluck Jonathan congratulated Buhari, President-elect,

and ensured a smooth transi on. Government is con nuum and a smooth transi on from outgoing to incoming government should not be a big deal to any poli cian especially the one who claims to be democrat and progressive.

A smooth transi on of power in Osun a er the defeat of the outgoing Governor Isiaka Gboyega Oyetola would have allowed Transi on Committees, with members from the outgoing and incoming governments review all the state assets and liabili es and do an overview of 2023 budget proposals transmi ed to the House of Assembly by the out-going government but to be implemented by the incoming government. It would have made unnecessary any suspicion, inquisi on and waste of precious me of the incoming government to hi ng the ground running as state of things in governance would not

be alien to it. By making a smooth transi on impossible, the outgoing government hurts the majority of the people and renders them a disservice.

Assuming without conceding that there is a mandate to be reclaimed by the outgoing administra on, how does one thereby hurt the people one claims to dearly love to serve by handicapping their incoming government with the intent to injec ng a lacuna for swi service delivery? Since there are lawful avenues – Tribunal, Court of Appeal and eventually, the Supreme Court – to seek redress in electoral ma ers, which is already being exploited, hea ng up the polity with vapid and an -democra c sloganeering like, “Aanigbelemo” is the least expected of any poli cian with dignity and true sense of responsibility to public service. Such slogan with disposi on of sit- gh sm and orchestra on of trauma sed transi on is symptoma c of autocracy, which is an -people.

Anyway, a transi on unnecessarily made difficult will elapse next week as Osun people witness the inaugura on of a new government. What the real progressives require as they become the new opposi on is to rebuild from the scratch, embrace and inject into their system principles rooted in egalitarianism, omoluabi virtues, dignity, selfless devo on to public service and work their way back into power at the soonest opportunity.

WITHIN 2 decades (2000 to 2020)

Borno transformed into a State of pains, tribula ons and misery, which the dynamic and innova ve Prof Zulum is successfully restoring to peace and progress but it has not always been a theatre of sorrow and bi erness. It used to host one of the best University Teaching Hospitals in Nigeria and, in ancient mes, one of the grandest African civilisa ons in the Kanem Borno Empire. Its biggest bequest to contemporary Nigerian poli cs, perhaps, is not the trauma c Boko Haram experience but “poli cs without bi erness” exemplified by the great Kanuri, Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim; founder and leader of one of the poli cal par es that par cipated in the 1979 presiden al elec on - the Great Nigerian People’s Party (GNPP), a new party then that did not directly metamorphose from any that existed in the First Republic.

Any set of ac vi es that is targeted at decision making and invariably determines resources alloca on, status, powerrela ons and so on in any given group or community is nothing other than poli cs. This takes place right from the smallest human unit, the family, up ll the na on and the world community as a whole, which is why - believe it or not, like it or not - every man or woman is a poli cal animal except he/she is an outcast, as explicitly stated by Aristotle.

Democracy in general, especially in Nigeria, involves poli cal ac vi es that lead to cons tu on of government: poli cal party forma on, registra on, internal elec ons, elec on of candidates and contest against candidates of other poli cal par es in general elec ons at the three ers of government - Local, State and Federal. Ordinarily,

Politics Without Bitterness

the ul mate end of these ac vi es should be the common good - services rendered by those elected (and appointed) that lead to the be erment of the society, at whatever self-sacrifices demanded. The passion and desire to serve the people should, therefore, never become a do or die affair, and is not something that can only be done when in government. Being in government, for men and women of excep onal ideas and capaci es only makes them serve be er.

In Nigeria, a mul tude of aberra ons in the last six decades have largely turned the concept of public service upside down, exactly to its opposite – self service at the ruinous expense of society: the most culpable of which is long years of military rule that completely ended our being a republic and a federa on. It gave birth to military mentality, arbitrariness, nepo sm and corrupon, while promo ng foreign culture, religions, economic and poli cal models and lack of self-esteem, value and believes.

In that climate of concentrated (unitary) power, considera ons for fellow humans is lost, much else service to community and society. Service became mere lip-service, a cosme c façade for a aining public posi ons for self-interest. How then will the struggle for governmental loca on not become cu hroat, with sit- ght governments and I-Must-Serve-You-At-All-Cost mentalies being displayed by dictatorial policians everywhere?

The greatness of Waziri Ibrahim and a few excep onal poli cians like him was their commitment and powerful examples to returning poli cs to its original objec-

ves - service to the people. If the primary mo va on for poli cal engagement is genuine interest to serve the community, opposi ons are not enemies but simply fellow compe tors in the quest to serve, whosoever ideas, programmes, ar cula on and charisma catches the people’s fancies the most wins the most votes (even if he/she is not the best), and begins to serve, while being monitored, cri cised and challenged by the opposi on - in view of the public interest and the next elec on contest. It is an Olympic in which par cipa on is what is vital, and sportsmanship the glory.

Let us not accept that “gone are those days,” just as we should not accept that in Nigeria, there are many more people outside government simply wai ng their turn to steal than the people currently stealing, fain ng, and offing the mic. The contemporary “soro-soke” and “not-too-youngto-run” genera on, if sincere and not just a smokescreen for freedom of fraud and violent crime, must reenergise themselves with the best examples of poli cal engagements from our local history, and from global best experience and realise that there is no escaping poli cs as the ulmate engagement for social transformaon. They should first purify their thoughts and engagements, then gather in substanal numbers around visionary, egalitarian ideal; map out a social and poli cal strategy; engage the people and the current aberrant and ruinous poli cal system; and in the end radically transform the poli cal space and take power as leaders of the immediate tomorrow.

STRIKER Striker is not the opinion of the Columnist featured above