Osun Defender Online Version of October 14, 2022

Osun Local Govt. Election Holds Amidst Litigations, Uncertainty

Ismaeel Uthman

THE Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) will tomorrow conduct the local government council elec on as scheduled.

The elec on is coming amidst controversies, cricism, li ga ons and uncertain es 42 days to the expira on of the administra on of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.

OSIEC will today deploy sensi ve materials to all the local governments, Local Council Development Areas and Area Councils in final prepara on for the poll.

However, OSUN DEFENDER noted that none of the poli cal par es purportedly par cipa ng in the elec on campaigned since the electoral body released guidelines for the elec on.

Sixteen poli cal par es were said to be par cipating in the elec on.

There are no indicaons that an elec on is taking place in any part of the state, as there are no posters, billboards, handbills or other campaign materials.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) which is the only major party in the elec on and its candidates across the local governments, LCDAs and Area Councils did not also campaign, nor canvass for votes in their various areas, findings revealed.

APC officially flagged off campaign on Tuesday with presenta on of the party’s flag to candidates in the elec on.

But no campaign was held a er that in any part of the state, inves ga ons have revealed.

OSUN DEFENDER observed that the candidates of the APC are assured of victory in what some polical analysts have described a one-party elec on.

But there is uncertainty on the fate of the winners of the elec on who might have been sworn-in before the inaugura on of the Governor-elect, Senator Ademola Adeleke.

There is the general impression that the elected local government officials will spend just 40 days before they are sacked by the new government.

The Peoples Democra c Party (PDP) had declared that all “illegally elected officials” will be dissolved after November 27.

According to the party in a statement signed by its Chairman, Dr Akindele Adekunle, the elec on is a waste of scarce resources, saying it will never support illegality.

The statement reads in

part: “In furtherance of our earlier warnings, anyone who emerged from the illegal elec on will be dissolved a er November 27.”

“The reason for this is simply because our party will never condone any act of illegality, which is the clear reflec on of the planned exercise.”

Adekunle who said his party is not averse to having elected officials at the local government, however, said: “The posi on of our party remains that laws should be a guiding principle, and not the shenanigan we have seen so far.

“It is on this note that we want to call on Osun people to stay away from this illegality by not par cipa ng in the exercise. The implica on of joining APC in its voyage of illegality is a costly one, especially for our struggling state, which has tones of obliga ons unmet, par cularly pension arrears.”

Reac ng to the PDP, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Poli cal Ma ers, Chief Sunday Akere, said no governor has power to dissolve any democra cally elected structure, saying the government and APC were not bothered about PDP’s threats.

Akere, in a telephone

interview with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, said the local government elec on is in line with provisions of relevant laws, dismissing the PDP’s claim that the elec on is illegal.

He said: “The cons tuon and the Electoral Act are clear; no governor has

cons tu onal right to dissolve any democra cally elected structure. Even when such will happen, I believe they will have to follow rules and procedure. Nobody is afraid of them (PDP).

“We are set to go ahead with our elec on. We are

not bothered with anybody’s distrac on. We are going ahead with the elecon on Saturday. We are going to elect democra c structures in all 293 wards and 59 LCDAs and Area Councils.”

On the legality of the elec on, Akere said: “why

How Oyetola’s Govt. Clamped Down On Me Because Of My Loyalty To Aregbesola – AARAJ

Yusuf Oketola

POPULAR Osogbo

indigene and philanthropist, Engr. Kehinde Raji, popularly known as Aaraj, has revealed while he ceased his support for Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s administra on in the State of Osun.

According to Raji, he distanced himself from Oyetola’s administra on

when it began to clampdown on him because of his loyalty to the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

The civil engineer and contractor, in a statement posted on his facebook page, on Wednesday, said Oyetola’s administra on refused to patronise him for 46 months despite working for the Governor’s emer-

gence in 2018.

He added that he was indebted to the tune of N425m because the government refused to release contract funds running into hundreds of millions indirectly owned by him.

Raji said he sold his property both in Nigeria and abroad to offset the debt.

In the statementtled ‘Summary of my grouse with this government’, Raji said: “A lot of friends and families started calling me when they saw my post since last week which shocked them, knowing fully well that I am a peace-loving dude, I have decided to summarise a li le for your sense of judgement.

“No patronage in the State for 46 months despite working for Oyetola’s emergence, I moved on.

s ll moved on.

“Bank loan secured for point no (2) rose from N300million to N425million. Hon Wale Bolorunduro and Gov Oyetola knew about it; property home and abroad was sold for bank repayment, I s ll moved on.

“All federal jobs opportuni es were closed because of my loyalty to Rauf and cer ficates le hanging unpaid since 2020, I s ll moved on

“A case of tax evasion was levied through a sponsored pe on but God sorted it, I s ll moved on.

will the elec on be illegal? Is there no law guiding the conduct of the elec on? The cons tu on of Nigeria is clear; that it is the State Assembly that will promulgate law that will guide the conduct of local government elec on. It is the law that was passed by the Osun State House of Assembly that the OSIEC is making use for the elec on.

“There is nothing illegal about it and the PDP are not in posi on to tell us if anything is illegal or not. We are working according to the law of the land and law guiding the local government as passed and promulgated by the State Assembly.

•Aaraj.

“Funds running into hundreds of millions indirectly owned was inten onally not paid to my major contractor (HONGYE) because I am involved while others got paid and remobilised, I

“A sponsored pe on was wri en against me again in Oyo by a senior aide of this government using PDP officials in Oyo as fronts a er the terrible loss of the elecon, but God sca ered their plans and exposed the brain behind it. Now tell me if you were in my posi on, will you connue to pray for this evilminded people?

Raji concluded that he will soon expose all that transpired in details.

Asked why there was no campaign in any local government for the elec on, Akere said: “The leadership of the party flagged off the campaign on Tuesday. By the guidelines of OSIEC, they have seven days to post the names of people contes ng which have been done over the weekend, and the leadership of the party flagged off campaign on Tuesday at the State Secretariat where everybody was present.

“All the 59 council chairmen candidates were officially given the party’s flag to go and commence campaign in their various local governments.”

Two different suits filed against OSIEC and independent Na onal Electoral Commission by the PDP and Ac on Peoples Party (APP) on the conduct of the elec on are currently pending at a Federal High Court, Osogbo.

The APP suit comes up today at the court.

•Students of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, at a rally to campaign against girl child abuse, at Ede recently.

Figures In The Republic Of Magical Realism

•Fear and loathing in the oil sector

THE week about to end posters Nigeria as a country working with the tools of cooked-up figures resembling the sort of magical realism associated with the endearing novels of D.O. Fagunwa, Amos Tutuila, and La n America’s Nobel Laureate and oneme presiden al candidate, Gabriel Marquez.

In this eerie world of incursions into the realm of the absurd, the country has ceded its regulatory powers over the oil sector to a private company owned by a nonestate actor who at a me had been declared public enemy number one! All very charming. The same former bad guy is also now patrolling Nigeria’s territorial waters.

We have certainly moved from tragedy into farce. Frankly, the cessaon of state authority to ‘Tompolo’ should have occurred two years ago. The state should not have waited un l it is now shackled by huge debt servicing repayment burden and grappling with the possibility of technical insolvency to act.

In view of the miscalcula on, we might as well plead in mi ga on heave a sigh of relief and say that “all is well that ends well”.

As in a blockbuster movie, the new na onal icon, Tompolo, has swung into ac on rounding up the bad guys and stemming the hemor-

“The case for devolution of security to the states and their agencies is now incontrovertible and beyond all reasonable doubts. Outsourcing should now be extended to Amotekun and other security networks backed by the sub-nationals or groups of sub-nationals. Delay and foot dragging has come with a horrendous cost”

rhage of the key na onal resource.

This is a silver lining for a poli cal economy in dire straits and should be used as an opportunity for a review across all other sectors.

It is now clear that the state indeed no state is omnipotent. The case for devolu on of security to the states and their agencies is now incontrover ble and beyond all reasonable doubts. Outsourcing should now be extended to Amotekun and other security networks backed by the subna onals or groups of sub-na onals. Delay and foot dragging has come with a horrendous cost.

We must now embrace the devolu on of func ons and powers with “the fierce urgency of now”. There is nothing new about this for it is the way that federal states work and it has been proved to be efficacious.

OPINION B Y BY K A N M I KANMI A D E M I L U Y I ADEMILUYI Imagine!

THAT the Independent Na onal Electoral Commission (INEC) formally “flagged-off ” the start of formal campaigns for elec ons is an anomaly, this is another indica on of the inability of the democracy we prac ce to transit from the shackles of the military mindset, and in the process deepen itself and become a real democracy. Years a er The Economist of London described Nigeria as a “semi-democracy”, we are s ll stuck in all mo on and no movement.

Poli cal par es should within the law, dictate the terms and condi ons of engagement. Here the ubiquitous INEC in the mode of a school master determines the tempo of engagement and of ac vity.

With the whistle blown what has subsequently happened is an an -climax. Same humdrum stuff centered on tales of the expected. The diversionary sideshows of intra-party have accentuated and no detailed manifestoes are on offer for the perusal and hopefully the endorsement of the poten al voters.

The lack of serious engagement is calculated to send the voter to sleep. Anyone befuddled about low turnout of voters already has the answer to his ques on.

Not rocket science at all! As a former president of the United States Franklin Delano Roosevelt once observed, “Nothing happens by accident in poli cs, anything that happens in poli cs was planned to be”. It is not by happenstance that nothing of consequence is going. Within the current, we are in the others are in essence ‘extras’ in someone ekse’s movie. It was planned

that way with the weaponisa on of poverty and the formalising of an eternal season of the inducement of indifference and a sense of haplessness. The ‘japa’ exodus of mass migra on is in itself a response to the predicament of helplessness.

The season brings forth memories of the beau ful, haun ng lyrics of The Beatle Jihn Lennon in the song Imagine. Lennon in lyrics which defined an era of poli cal ac vism imagined a much be er, more equitable order and a compassionate world.

Here Lennon echoed the thoughts of the philosopher Aeschelus centuries before. Aeschylus had stated that “ some men think of things that have happened and ask themselves why? For myself, I think of all those things that never were and then I ask myself why not?”.

OSUN DEFENDER

An important ques on to ask. Why is Nigeria stuck in a s llness? This is clearly what the ruling elite so fervently desires and will fight to maintain. They cannot for instance imagine let us say 38% of the registered voters who intend to vote earning roughly three mes the minimum wage a er the deduc on of contributory pensions and health insurance contribu ons. Furthermore a large propor on should be on monthly rent - to - home ownership schemes as obtained in the first republic and demonstrated by Shehu Shagari and Lateef Jakande in the second republic. This will solidify the sustainability of a democracy.

That it is designed not to happen is why the ‘japa’ exodus will intensify and the cycle of despondency and underachievement will connue. It’s a crying shame

Imagine if it was the other way round.

Feature

Anxiety As Ruling House Alleges Plot To Impose Famodun As New Owa Of Igbajo

THERE is anxiety over the stool of Owa of Igbajo, a community in Boluwaduro local government of the State of Osun.

The stool became vacant in 2020 a er the demise of Oba Olufemi Fasade, Akeran IV.

Ruling houses in the town have been making claims to the stool as the next in line to produce a new tradi onal ruler.

But one of the ruling houses, Owa lloro (Agbon), raised the alarm on Monday that the State Chairman of the APC, Prince Gboyega Famodun, was trying to use his posi on to become the new tradional ruler of the town.

The ruling house alleged that some people are trying to impose Famodun at the expense of Owa lloro ruling house which is next to produce the new Owa of Igbajo.

In an open le er to Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, the ruling house

alleged plots to manipulate execu ve and judicial processes to ‘stage-manage and unduly interfere with the Obaship’.

According to the le er jointly signed by the Head

of the ruling house, Chief Aderemi Adeife La lo, and its Ac ng Secretary of the house, Prince Taye Abodunrin, the family had ins tuted a suit registered: HIK/10/2021 before an

Ikirun High Court to claim that it is its turn to present candidate to fill the vacant stool.

The le er reads in part: “Since the ins tuon of this case, the mat-

ter has been ac ve and kicking with filling and exchange of processes by par es with the last one filed a few days ago by our counsel in response to the ones filed by adverse par-

es with about four hearing dates already a ended to.

“Of interest is the recent applica on for joinder dated 18th August 2022 by a member of Owa Oke-Ode (Akeran) Ruling House in the person of Prince Adegoke Paul Olaniyi Akande, who is a brother to Prince Gboyega Famodun.

“About two weeks ago, informa on filtered across the community of lgbajo that a strategic/high-level mee ng was held in Osogbo where some resoluons were made and assurances given to Prince Gboyega Famodun that everything would be done to actualise making him or any nominee of his choice the Owa of igbajo on or before the exit of the present government on the 27th of November 2022.

“Members of Owa Oke-Ode Ruling House resorted to wild jubila on in the community that the influence of their son Prince Gboyega Famodun would come into play in their favour.

Flood: Iree Residents Call For State, LG Intervention

Kazeem Badmus

RESIDENTS of Iree, the headquarters of Boripe North Local Council Development Area, State of Osun, yesterday, called on the State and Local Governments to come to their aid over incessant flood being experienced during downpour in the community.

The residents who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER said the flooding, if not urgently curbed, might lead to loss of lives and property in the nearest future.

According to the residents, there is a stream around the poly juncon area which usually overflows and causes flooding.

The residents also said lack of a proper drainage system around BHS to Polytechnic Junc on is the major cause of the flooding, adding that erosion that is supposed to be channelised has found free ways in the areas.

One of the residents, Olabamiji Ayodeji said: “If you look at the drainage from BHS to Poly Junc on, you will see that it is not properly constructed and that is the major cause of the

flooding.

“There is a stream around the poly junc on and whenever there is a downpour, the water overflows into the road and in the process destroys things”.

A household utensils trader at Obada market, Mrs. Folashade Kayode, while lamen ng her loss, said the flood occurrence during last downpour washed away some of her goods.

Kayode appealed to both the state and local governments authories to find a las ng solu on to the incessant flood occurrence in the town.

She said: “The last

downpour we witnessed here caused

some damages. I lost some of my goods to

the flooding. I wasn’t in the shop when the rain started and before I got back, the flood had already taken over the road.

“The flood washed away some of my goods when I was trying to pack them in the shop. I got injured when trying to salvage the goods from ge ng washed away and I’m just recovering from the injury.

“I am appealing to both the state and local governments authories to find a las ng solu on to this. Flood is not something to take with levity hand and if not properly a ended to now, it may lead to major disaster in the nearest future.”

Osun LG Election A Waste Of Meager Resources Of Hapless People – Omigbodun

Yusuf Oketola

THE candidate of the Social Democra c Party (SDP) in the July 16 governorship elecon in the State of Osun, Arch. Goke Omigbodun, has described tomorrow’s local government elec on as a bid to waste the meager resources of the hapless people of the state.

Omigbodun stated this on Wednesday in an interview with OSUN DE-

FENDER

He stated that he does not see anything posi ve coming out of the elecon, no ng that the resources of the state that could have been used for be er governance would be lavished on the elecon.

Omigbodun said: “The local government elec on is a foolish bid to waste the meager resources of the hapless people of the state. I do not see anything posi ve coming out

of it.

“At the end of the day, the resources of Osun State that could have been used for be er governance would be poured into that. The fund put into the elec on is a huge amount of money.

“What happened to the Airport in Ido-Osun? With N5bn, I will build the Airport. The over N1bn they’re pu ng into the elec on will be used to build offices at the airport and use the remaining

N4bn to build the runway.

“We have wasted the resources of Osun so far and the people of Osun should ask ques ons from the government about how their resources are being spent”.

Omigbodun’s party, SDP, is among the 16 political par es said to be parcipa ng in the elec on.

Only the Peoples Democra c Party (PDP) and Ac on Peoples Party (APP) have threatened to boyco the elec on.

“We started beaming our eagle eyes in all areas to see whether the plan and resolu on to unduly favour Prince Gboyega Famodun of Owa Oke Ode Ruling House would start to materialise or not.

“Alas, we received the highest shock of our life when we suddenly learnt two days ago that our case pending before Hon. Jusce Adeleke of Ikirun High Court had been recalled by Hon. Chief Judge of Osun State for re-assignment without any clear complaint or reason from any of the par es in the suit.”

The ruling house stated that the re-assignment of the suit to another judge outside the original jurisdic on of Ikirun High Court cannot be jus fied under whatever guise except with premeditated inten on to achieve a targeted result in favour of the APC Chairman, Famodun.

“This is because Hon. Jus ce Adeleke of Ikirun High Court who presently presides over the ma er is not on vaca on, indisposed or in any way unable to adjudicate over the ma er to warrant the planned re-assignment”, said the ruling house

It had earlier been speculated that Famodun would be crowned the new Owa of Igbajo a er the second term elec on of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, which was believed he would win.

Kazeem Badmus

•President Muhammadu Buhari presenting an award of Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) to Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi Ojaja the II during the National Honours Award Investiture ceremony in Abuja recently.

•Flooded part of Poly Junction, Iree.

Osun Records Highest Number Of Out-Of-School Children

Yusuf Oketola

•Ekiti, Ogun, Oyo Lead In Infant Mortality Rate

2021 Mul ple Indicator Cluster Survey (MIC-6) has rated Osun as the state with highest number of out-of-school children in South West, Nigeria.

A

The MICS-6 is a Naonal Bureau of Sta scs data supported by the United Na ons Children and Educa onal Fund (UNICEF).

According to the UNICEF Social Policy Specialist, Muhammad Okorie, 14.88 per cent of male and 11.5 percent of female children in Osun were out of school in the state.

This is just as Eki state recorded the highest percentage of child marriage in the region.

This was disclosed yesterday at a two-day media dialogue organised by the Na onal Orienta on Agency (NOA), Lagos State Directorate, in conjunc on with UNICEF.

The programme was tagged: “A 2 Day Media Dialogue On 2021 Mul ple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS-6) for Journalists in Southwest

Zone.”

Speaking at the event, Okorie said that Eki has the highest rate of early child marriage in South-West with one out of 10 girls ge ng married before the age of 15.

He said the data also ranked Eki , Ogun and Oyo high on infant mortality rate, adding that Ondo State degenerated to 35 per cent within their 1st to 5th birthday.

According to the survey, between three and four children out of 10 die within one month of delivery in Eki , Ogun and Oyo states.

Speaking on overview of MICS-6 implicaons across South-West region, the UNICEF M4R Specialist, Mr. Oluwasola Olanipekun, affirmed that 21% of children in the region were delivered outside health facili es which he said contributed to child mortality.

Olanipekun added that Ondo State has the highest child mortality in the region, record-

ing 35 per cent of death between first and fi h birthday and higher by 12 per cent than the South-West average.

He also rated Eki State high on early child marriage, revealing that one out of 10 girls get married before age 15 while three out of 10 boys got married before 18 years.

UNICEF health prac-

oner, Dr. Ijioma Agbo, advised the affected states to comply with the global requirement of one primary healthcare facility per ward and make them funconal.

She also called for improved awareness on the need for expectant mothers to patronise health care facili es rather than faith-based

clinics which is a major factor responsible for the high mortality rate.

Agbo explained that though, Lagos State has the lowest rate of child mortality, there is the need for its government to also do more considering the popula on.

She urged government at all levels to leverage on the 2021 Mul ple Indicator Clus-

ter Survey (MICS-6) to catalyse na onal development in all facets, especially as they relate to women and children.

“There is an urgent need for governments of Eki , Ogun and Oyo to begin to adopt all necessary strategies to strengthen their health systems towards reducing the high rate of infant and child mortality

Powerful Politician Frustrating Selection Of New Aree – Iree Prince

Ismaeel Uthman

Aprince from Ojo Ayagaga ruling house in Iree, Alh. Adelani Olaniyi, has stated that a powerful polician in the town was frustra ng the process of selec ng a new tradional ruler for the community.

According to Olaniyi, everything was set for the selec on process of a new Aree except the official nod of the government which is being withhold by the said powerful poli cian.

Olaniyi, who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER in

Iree on Monday, said the kingmakers in the town are ready to kickstart the selec on process but wai ng for the approval of the local government and the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

He said the poli cian who holds an important posi on in the current administra on of Adegboyega Oyetola has influenced the local government and ministry officials and barred them from giving consent to the selec on process of the new Aree.

The prince said: “By now, we should have be-

gun selec on process for the new Aree. A er the court judgment in June this year, the kingmakers met and ini ated the process for a new tradional ruler to emerge. The four ruling houses that are in the race in line with the court judgment have also begun process.

“On the day the kingmakers were supposed to officially begin the process, a powerful poli cian from this same town barred the local government officials from a ending the mee ng. The poli cian is using his posi on to

frustrate the selec on of new Aree. I think that poli cian has his own preferred candidate to the stool.

“Please, help up to appeal to that powerful poli cian to allow Iree have a new tradi onal ruler. We are due for it. He should not hold the en re town down because he wants to force somebody on us.”

Olaniyi commended the tradi onal chiefs and other stakeholders in Iree for their efforts in giving the town leadership and keeping safe in spite of the absence of a king.

Accommodation Seekers Accuse Agent Of Using Father House To Defraud

Aself-acclaimed house agent, Joshua Siyanbola, has been accused of using his father’s house to dupe some accommoda on seekers in Osogbo, capital of the State of Osun.

According to some of the accommodaon seekers, Siyanbola usually take them to his father’s house located at Itedo Area of Ogooluwa, Osogbo, and refuse to pick up calls again a er paying him.

Some of the vicms who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday claimed that Siyanbola usually collect N50,000 for a room in a three-bedroom apartment.

A er collec ng the money, Siyanbola would allegedly refuse to answer their calls and would not release the room to them.

One of the vic ms, Femi Shi u, a photographer, told the medium that Siyanbola collected N50,000 on

the pretence of le ng out a room apartment to him from the said house.

According to Shi u, Siyanbola collected the money some mes in the month of May this year.

He alleged that Siyanbola has been on the run since he was paid without giving out the apartment, adding that all efforts to reach him on phone proved aborve.

Shi u said he was informed by some Siyanbola’s neighbours that he has been scammed.

He said he was told that a lot of people, especially corps members, have also been vic ms of Siyanbola’s fraudulent prac ce.

Shi u said: “I met Siyanbola when I moved to Osogbo last year from Akure and I got my first apartment through him. When I’m about to get a new ac-

commoda on in May this year, I contacted him and he told me he would let out a room apartment to me from his father’s house at Itedo area, Ogooluwa, Osogbo.

“He told me the rent was N60,000 but I was able to raised N50,000 which I paid to him with a promise to pay the balance as soon as I moved in. When I’m about to move to the place, I called him but

he said he was not in Osogbo.

“Last Saturday, October 1, 2022, I called him again and he told me he didn’t have money to come down to Osogbo from Ipetumodu, saying that he was having issues with his bank account. I sent a sum of N3000 to his Kuda bank account to facilitate his movement to Osogbo.

“Since then, he has not been answering my calls nor replying WhatsApp messages. I went to the house on Sunday and met his father at home. He also said he was unable to reach him on phone.

“I later found out from people staying around the house that the guy has scammed a lot of people, especially corps members with the house. A er showing them the house, he would collect money and abscond.

“I called the father on phone last week but he accused me of conspiring with his son to use his house to dupe people. I tried to explain to

him that I’m also a vicm but he wasn’t listening”.

Reac ng to the allega ons, Siyanbola, in a telephone interview with OSUN DEFENDER on Tuesday, confessed that he collected the N50,000 from Shi u and refused to let the house to him as promised.

He said he was indebted and has used the money collected from Shi u to se le a police case.

“All what he accused me of is true. I am ready for the consequences. I was indebted, I used the money to se le a police case and I have been unable to sell a laptop of mine”, he stated.

•The suspected fraudster.

Yusuf Oketola

Religion

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.

Shirk (“making a partner [of someone]), in Islam, is idolatry, polytheism, and the associa on of Allaah with other dei es.

JUMAT SERMON JUMAT SERMON

should be ousted from the Muslim community; all their legal rights are suspended un l they denounce their polytheis c beliefs.

By Imaam Muhammad Abdulalimi

By Imaam Muhammad Abdulalimi

It is essen al to men on here some details of the greatest sin which will not be forgiven by Allaah Almighty. This unpardonable sin is Shirk.

Shirk implies ascribing partners to Allaah, ascribing divine a ributes to others besides Allaah Almighty and believing that the source of power, harm and blessings comes from others besides Allaah.

Islamic scripture stresses in many verses that Allaah Almighty does not share his powers with any partner.

Qur’an 4:48 says: “Indeed, Allah does not forgive associa on with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly fabricated a tremendous sin.”

Allaah also says in Qur’an 23: 101-108: “And then no sooner the Trumpet is blown than there will remain no kinship among them that Day, nor will they ask one another. It will be an Hour when those whose scales are heavy, they alone will attain success; and those whose scales are light, those will be the ones who will have courted loss. They will abide in Hell. The Fire shall scorch their faces, exposing their jaws. “Are you not those to whom My revela ons were recited, and you dubbed them as lies?” They will say: “Our Lord! Our misfortune prevailed over us. We were

SHIRK

indeed an erring people. Our Lord! Take us out of this. Then if we revert (to evil-doing) we shall indeed be wrongdoers.” Allah will say: “Away from Me; stay where you are and do not address Me.

Verse 117 of Qur’an 23 reads: “And whoever invokes besides Allah another deity for which he has no proof – then his account is only with his Lord. Indeed, the disbelievers will not succeed.”

Other verses for this sermon include Qur’an 23 verse 117 and 18 verse 102-110.

The Qur’an warns those who believe their idols will intercede for them that they, together with the idols, will become fuel for hellfire on the Day of Judgment (21:98). “Indeed, you (disbelievers) and what you worship other than Allah are the firewood of Hell. You will be coming to (enter) it.”

The great majority of mushrikuun (polytheists) in the Prophet’s me were those who had never become Muslims; thus, the words of the Qur’an were addressed not to Muslims with the inten on of keeping them firm in their faith but rather to non-Muslim Arabs.

In fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), shirk became legally equivalent to kufr (unbelief). Those Muslims who profess it are considered outlaws who

Shirk, however, received considerable extension of meaning throughout the dogma c development of Islam. It did not remain simply a term for the idolatry prevailing outside Islam but came to be used as the opposite of Tawheed (the oneness of Allaah Almighty) and became synonymous with any belief or prac ce rejected by a par cular sect.

Different grades of shirk have been dis nguished, apart from pure and blatant polytheism. There is shirk al-ʿAadah (“shirk of custom”), which includes all supers ons, such as the belief in omens and the seeking of help from soothsayers.

Shirk al-ʿibaadah (“shirk of worship”) is manifested in the belief in the powers of created things—e.g., the reverencing of saints, kissing holy stones, and praying at the grave of a holy man.

There is shirk al-ʿilm (“shirk of knowledge”)— e.g., to credit anyone, such as astrologers or interpreters of dreams, with knowledge of the future.

All these types of shirk, among them are shirk Sagheer (“minor shirk”) and shirk Kabeer (“major Shirk).

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

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

Crime Public Holiday Stalls Trial On OAU Student’s Death

Adeyemi Raheem Tolulope Babatunde

AGAIN , the trial of the owner of Hilton Hotel, Ile-Ife, State of Osun, Rahmon Adedoyin and six workers of the hotel over the murder of Timothy Adegoke, a Master’s student of Obafemi Awolowo University, was

stalled on Monday.

The trial was adjourned ll Tuesday, October 25, 2022, by Jus ce Adepele Ojo, the presiding judge and Chief Judge of the State.

It would be recalled that Adedoyin was arrested on November 15, 2021, over Adegoke’s death.

Adegoke was found

dead at Adedoyin’s hotel, eight days a er he was declared missing.

The case, which is being heard at High Court 1, Osogbo, experienced its third delay due to the public holiday declared by the Federal Government to mark this year’s Eid-ul-Mawlid celebraon on Monday, October 10.

The court had ad-

journed ll Monday, October 10, for adop on of final wri en addresses, but OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the court couldn’t sit because of the public holiday.

The case was first stalled on July 14, 2022 because of the absence of the presiding judge.

On July 21, the trial was also stalled for the second me, due to the

failure of par es to file their wri en addresses.

Adedoyin and six other accused persons, Magdalene Chiefuna, Adeniyi Aderogba, Oluwole Lawrence, Oyetunde Kazeem, Adebayo Kunle and Adedeji Adesola had since March been remanded in Ilesa Correc onal Centre on their alleged complicity in Adegoke’s death. •Adedoyin.

Obituary

Madam Moradeke Apeke Oladapo To Be Buried Next Friday

THE final burial arrangement for a prominent Iwo-based Trader, Madam Moradeke Apeke Oladapo has been announced.

Oladapo’s final journey will start on October 20, 2022 from Osogbo enroute Iwo in a motorcade where a Lying-in-State ceremony will be conducted.

This was contained in a statement released by the family members and made available to journalists in Osogbo, on Thursday.

According to the family, a Wake-keep service will be held at the premises of First Bap st Church,

Aipate, Iwo, on Thursday a er the Lying-in-State.

Final funeral service would hold on Friday, October 21, 2022 at same church premises by 10.00am a er which her remains would be interred at her residence behind Bap st High School, Iwo, according to the statement.

Entertainment of guests will cap the event at the expansive Reality Television premises along Iwo/ Ibadan Road in Iwo.

Madam Moradeke Apeke Oladapo is survived by children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

•Oladitan

Entertainment Babaloja’s Murder: Ora-Igbomina Residents Call For More

Anikulapo Ranks No.1 Globally On Netflix

ANIKULAPO , a Ne lix original movie produced and directed by veteran actor, Kunle Afolayan, has topped the Ne lix weekly global chart as the most viewed non-English Ne lix original movie.

Since its release, a weekly top 10 list of the most watched movies by Ne lix showed that Anikulapo had been viewed for 8,730,000 hours between October 3 and October 9, 2022.

This was confirmed in a statement by Kunle Afolayan’s Produc on on Wednesday.

The movie, which was set in the pre-colonial era of the 17th century old Oyo Empire, tells the story of a sojourner who finds his way to Oyo in search of greener pastures, where he at first finds favour, but later finds love in a forbidden place.

The movie featured A-list actors like Kunle Remi, who played the main character Saro, alongside Bimbo Ademoye, who played the role of Queen Arolake, Sola Sobowale, Mr. Macaroni, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Taiwo Hassan, Oga Bello among others.

The producers had said the acceptability of the movie was prove that the film resonated with people from diverse cultures all over the world.

RESIDENTS of Ora-Ogbomina in Ifedayo Local Government of the State of Osun have appealed to the State Government to deploy more security personnel to the area to curb insecurity.

This was coming days after the Babaloja of the town, Chief Oladepo Asaolu, was murdered.

Asaolu’s decomposing body was found four days a er he was declared missing.

The late Asaolu, according to the State Police Command, in a statement by its Spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, was reported missing at about 12:30pm on Saturday, October 8, 2022, at the Oke-Ila Police Division.

Opalola said upon invesga on, one Sunday Johnson, a motorcyclist who took the deceased from his house the day he went missing was arrested and he revealed the forest where the vic m was killed and dumped.

She said: “The DPO led a team of policemen and some vigilante men in search of the vic m in Akisa forest Ora-Igbomina where the vic m had a farm, together with Sunday Johnson (motorcyclist), the suspect to where the vic m was found already decomposing.”

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, some Ora-

Igbomina residents urged the police to do thorough invesga on to unravel those behind the killing of the deceased for them to face the full wrath of the law.

One of the residents, Seyi Adeniyi, called on the govern-

ment and police to charge the culprits to court without further delay.

He said: “Police should beam their searchlight on the case very thoroughly. It was gathered that the suspected killers sold Babaloja for

N1million. We want the police to unravel those behind it.

“Also, we want more security personnel in Ora. As we all aware that Ora is a town that shares boundaries with Kwara and Eki . Government should please provide more security for the town”.

PUBLICATION

FULL

hearing will commence on the pe on filed by Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against the declara on of Sen. Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democra c Party (PDP) as Governor-elect, on October 26.

The governorship elec on pe on tribunal had yesterday concluded prehearing on the pe on, declaring that proper hearing will commence on the

case on the next adjournment date.

Counsels for all the par es in the ma er, a er arguments on pending applica ons, agreed to commence the full hearing by calling witnesses on October 26, 2022.

In its ruling, the tribunal declared the pre-hearing session concluded and announced that the pre-hearing conference report would be presented on Monday, October 17.

OWOLABI JOHNSON AYOBAMI That OWOLABI JOHNSON AYOBAMI, OWOLABI SAMSON AYOBAMI AND JOHNSON AYOBAMI AYODEJI are the same person but now wish to be known and addressed as OWOLABI JOHNSON AYOBAMI All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

2023 Census: NPC Inspects RLG Nigeria Factory For Local Content

•Continued from Page 1

produces the needed skills required to service the ICT devices sector.

During the inspec on, the NPC team witnessed live assembly of TVE Setup Boxes (decoders) for one of the major cable TV providers for the country, as well as the factory’s efforts in local assembly for Nigerian made electric meters.

Managing Director of the company, Mr Tosin Ilesanmi, while showcasing the devices and the daily assembly capacity of the factory, assured the visiting team of the RLG’s readiness, capacity and track record to deliver world class devices required to power the coming 2023 census.

Ilesanmi added that the factory is well equipped with both manual and automated assemblage lines, that is capable of delivering world class products and handheld devices that will aid the success of the 2023 Na onal Popula on Census.

He said over the years, the factory has successfully made products for the Federal Government through N-Power, FREE TV as well as StarTimes, and training over 20,000 youths under the Osun Youth Empower-

ment Scheme Technology (OYESTECH), among others.

Addressing journalists a er the inspec on, the Leader of the team, Dr. Clifford Zirra, a Federal Commissioner at the NPC, told newsmen that the facility tour is to ensure that the agency contracts the best hands to do the job.

Zirra added that the commission will ensure partnership with competent Nigerian companies like RLG to encourage local content, towards making the forthcoming Na onal Census hitch free and acceptable to all Nigerians.

He said: “We are a pacese er. We are now going to conduct a digi sed census for the first me in the history of Nigeria and Africa, we want to do something very acceptable and of great standard. That is why we want to associate ourselves with people who can give us value; value that would add to our work.

“We have a lot to do in terms of mobilisa on, manpower and logis cs to do the census next year. That is why we are here to look at what they have. For now, we have what we need but we are discussing and by the me we reach the bridge, we will cross it

over. We have started discussion and we pray we get it on me.

“We will also ensure that in line with presidenal direc ve, we will ensure compliance with standards in making sure that local content is op mised to the best of standards.”

Corrobora ng him, other members of the team, who included the Federal

Commissioners of the NPC, Hon. Darlington Okereke and Senator Mudashiru Husain, and the Director General of the Agency, Mr. Tellson Ojegun, lauded and expressed sa sfac on on the factory’s readiness for the project.

Earlier in his address, the Chairman, RLG Adulawo Technology City, Alhaji Rasaq Animashaun,

noted that the company is open to partnership and alliance with government and relevant stakeholders in ensuring that Nigerians enjoy more of quality technology produced locally.

Animasahun said the NPC/RLG partnership will promote indigenous technology and local content, retain jobs directly and

indirectly.

He noted that all the devices will be assembled at RLG facility and the aftercare will be in partnership with local technicians na on wide, adding that NPC can take credit for reversal of capital flight as well as be in charge of championing adherence to Local Content Execu ve order.

•Managing Director, RLG Adulawo Technology City, Ilesa, Tosin Ilesanmi, explaining the assemblage process to the Federal Commissioners of the National Population Commission, Dr. Clifford Zirra, Hon. Darlington Okereke and Senator Mudashiru Husain during the facility tour

•R-L:Alhaji Ademola Oladosu recieving Distinguished Meritorious Award at the 2022 Grand Finale of Ilobu National Students’ Union week, held recently in Ilobu.

Kazeem Badmus

THE fundamental problem confronting humanity all over the world is the refusal of the ruling elite of different countries to be commi ed to abridging the ever expanding gulf between the very few rich and the overwhelming number of poor people. Being rich here means availability of every necessary material thing one needs in life while being poor means lack of it.

Before going further, perhaps it is important to state what every human being needs on a regular basis, first and foremost. Every person on this planet Earth needs food and water, clothing and shelter, freedom and security. Once these necessi es of life are guaranteed, all other needs could follow. While economically produc ve countries have taken some measures to address the growing inequality but have not been able actualize it, it is a hell in unproduc ve or underdeveloped socie es. In Nigeria, for instance, about 1% wealthiest of its 200 million popula on control 80% of household net wealth with middle class withering away rapidly. According to Na onal Bureau of Stas cs (NBC) 2020 reports, 40% of Nigerians - 80 million - live below poverty line. Meanwhile, the best resource any country could be blessed with is human being.

However, for that resource to be producve for the growth and development of such a society, it must be resourceful via quality educa on and skill acquisi on in all areas of life. It is quality of workforce that makes fundamental difference between developed and underdeveloped countries. Japan, for instance, is predominantly mountainous and prone to earthquakes. As a ma er of fact, about three-fourth of its land is mountain. This dis nc ve geology makes farming difficult as only 49,000 square kilometers (19,000 sq mi) of its 377,973.89 square kilometers (145,752.16 sq mi) territory is available for intensive cul va on. Hence, agriculture contributes only 1% to Japan GDP but it is one of the largest and most developed economies in the world. As at 2020, Japan is the world second largest developed economy and a member of both G7 and G20. G7 is an informal grouping of seven of the world advanced economies – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, United States, European Union and Japan. Di o for G20. It has high standard of living with highest life expectancy. Meanwhile, it has no major natural resources like oil and gas, gold and copper, coal and iron; it depends on imported raw materials and energy to run its economy. It is instruc ve to note that it is the largest importer of liquefied natural gas and coal and the second largest importer of oil in the world. Japan is able to a ain this feat not by prayers or magic but by real investment on its 125.88 million popula on who are well educated and skillful in all areas of life. This unique country has demonstrated that being blessed with natural endowments is one thing, having capacity to translate them into growth and development for be er life for the people is another.

“Qualitative Public Education for all, irrespective of status or background, is the surest way to empower people, reduce poverty and narrow the gap between the rich and the poor”

Resetting Nigeria Development

Apart from the fact that Nigeria is massively blessed with innumerable natural resources like oil and gas, coal and gold, etc, it is blessed with sizable popula on of over 200 million people. Again, it is blessed with clement weather as rain falls at its own me just as we have regular sunrise and sunset. Natural disasters like volcano, hurricane, earthquakes, etc are alien to us. Instead of these advantages transla ng to development and be er life, they have become burden and brought mystery to majority while very infinitesimal propor on of the people live in abundance. To get it right and eliminate poverty in the midst of stupendous human and natural resources, governments at all levels must be commi ed first to free but qualita ve public educa on at the primary and secondary schools level and affordable ter ary educa on for all irrespec ve

THE La n words in the tle of this piece means “through difficul es to honours.” It is a classical precursor to “no pains, no gains,” and captures the essence of human sojourn on earth; simply summarised – from the Hobbesian state of nature in which he found himself to “Man, the wise” - Homo sapiens.

Nothing is freely given from the beginning other than our freed hands, our enlarged brains and the abundance of nature; every other accomplishment of humans throughout the ages has been the outcome of hard labour and struggles – struggles with wild nature and with fellow men who made exploita on and oppression profitable enterprise; the ul mate des na on being the creaon of a free, just and prosperous society of “human beings.”

We are, however, s ll far from that historical des ny with an overwhelming popula on of subhuman beings and inhuman beings without a single shred of honour, a world dominated by “man, the unwise.” The difficul es persist, as does the ul mate status of man - honourable and excellent – words so abused today, ad nausea, in qualifying certain people in Nigeria. That is not the focus here; it is a topic for another day.

The focus of this piece is “struggle”; from difficul es to honour in the social arena. It is a sad thing to see, today, that men have largely abandoned struggle, chivalry and honour, world over, with Nigeria and Nigerians leading the pack. An ex-convict who was supposed to be a leader of his people shamelessly

Madam

of background, status and religion. It must build and heavily invest on skill acquisi on colleges for the people. The so-called empowerment programmes being done by poli cians to bring people out of poverty is a subterfuge; they are designed to give token to the people but eventually rip them off by making huge money from them and pretend to love the people to con nually obtain their mandates for elec on or re-elec on. The ruling elite only pay lip-service to educa on. They have refused to fund public educa on but send their children abroad for qualitave educa on. With excep ons of people like Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola when he held sway as a governor, most state governors in the past and now play poli cs with adequate funding of public educa on. The environments with which students are taught are not conducive for learning; the laboratories

Ad Augusta Per Angusta

claimed that a part of his loot was expended in funding the elec on of a presiden al candidate of his party!

More shameful is the capitula on of the people in the face of clarion calls to struggle against errors, injus ce and inhumanity. It is the unfortunate “nature of human beings” that once a new level of humanism is a ained in society, they simply enjoy the latest status and forget that the status they are enjoying is the result of pervious bi er struggles; and that the journey to excellence, if perfecon cannot be a ained on earth, is s ll on. Let us just take two examples from abroad and home.

In America, black people could not vote un l a er the 24th Amendment and the Vo ng Rights Act in 1965, five years even a er Nigeria’s independence despite the 14th Amendment to the Cons tu on in 1868 gran ng African-Americans rights to American Ci zenship! Similarly, Apartheid in South Africa was backed by Law and defended by the highest court in the land un l the freedom of Mandela in February 1990.

In Nigeria from mid-nineteenth century, the Bri sh were in control of all aspects of social, economic and poli cal ac vi es through direct and “indirect” rule un l October 1, 1960 Independence; and that was a er hundreds of

are eyesore; quality and adequate teachers are grossly lacking. Our schools are more of cer fica on than educa on. As long as this trend con nues, more Nigerians will con nue to wallow in extreme poverty which will lead to frustra on and then crimes in higher propor on. That explains geometric growth in the number of ritual killings, cyber crimes, armed robbery and other social vices cases on a daily basis as the frustrated see them as shortcut to success. Banditry, kidnapping and terrorism in North East Nigeria, especially, are not accidental; they are products of abandonment of children of the people tagged Almajiris who were out of schools and made to fend for themselves. Abandoned and out of school children of those days have become grownups with no educaon and skill but they must live and access necessi es of life. Where would they get it? Of course, in various crimes and social vices. The irresponsibility of these northern elite has become stubborn problems to everybody as nowhere is safe any long including military forma ons.

Although there are other programmes and policies that could reduce the poverty and the wide gap between the rich and the poor such as progressive tax, raising the income of the poorest workers, social security net, housing assistance, tax credits amongst others but the surest of all is huge investment in public educa on. Qualita ve Public Educa on for all, irrespec ve of status or background, is the surest way to empower people, reduce poverty and narrow the gap between the rich and the poor.

years of slavery. What changed the above status in America, South Africa, as well as in Nigeria was hard and bi er struggles in which many men of courage, wisdom and honour made huge sacrifices, some paying the supreme price.

Racial segrega on, gender discrimina on, slavery, apartheid, colonialism, much like today’s exploita ons, injusces and oppressions in Nigeria, were all backed by law and defended by the highest courts in the land, then. So, the fact that the highest courts in any land back an issue does not make their pronouncements right or just! Again, that is an issue for another day.

Nigerians as a people, patriots and champions of civil socie es especially, must “rediscover the fervour that scatters the mist,” and re-embrace struggle against injus ce and errors, as the road to the future of a just, peaceful, free, united and prosperous society that they earnestly yearn for. Individualism and self help through various illegimate, dishonourable and violent crimes against their fellow ci zens does not affect those who created their misery and sufferings in the first place but merely deepen the tribula on of the society.

Democracy interes ngly offers unlimited avenue for concerted ac ons by patriots and honourable ci zens, more than under dictatorship. It is amazing and pathe c that Nigerians acted more in furtherance of their redemp on under dictatorship than under democra c rule! It is not too late to “rethink, to reflect, and to act.”

STRIKER Striker is not the opinion of the Columnist featured above