Osun Defender Online Version of October 28, 2022

News

Uproar Over Appointment Of New Akinrun

Ismaeel Uthman

THE appointment of Prince Olalekan Akadiri as the new Akinrun of Ikirunland has been genera ng controversies among stakeholders and other indigenes of the town.

Akadiri is from Obaara ruling house.

The State Government of Osun had on Wednesday announced Akadiri as the successor of the late Akinrun, Oba Abdurauf Olawale Adedeji.

According to the government, Akadiri’s emergence followed majority votes in his favour in a mee ng of kingmakers on November 19, 2021, where the new monarch polled six out of seven votes to beat 17 other candidates in the race.

Akadiri, according to sources, was installed around 12am on Thursday amidst heavy security and vigilance.

One of Akadiri’s supporters said: “He was coronated by a Chief from Oba Ile compound around 12am in Ikirun.

“All necessary process was followed. He (Akadiri) was taken round Basetan pillar seven mes. Therea er, he was taken to perform another rite at ‘ori apata, behind iso arobo, and he was coronated with the chie aincy akoko leaf a er that. Everything needed to be done was done for him.

“Six out of seven kingmakers in the town were with him, and they prostrated for him a er he was installed. It was only Eesa that was absent.”

However, Akadiri’s appointment sparked protest in Ikirun on Wednesday as some people rejected his emergence, accusing Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and a prominent indigene of the town, Chief Moshood Oluawo known as Moshadek of forcing him on the community.

The youths set up bonfire on the popular Oja-Oba/Palace entrance road, shoo ng into the air and harassing other people.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the violent protest lasted ll around 11PM.

In a short video watched by the medium, the youths were seeing stoning a security patrol van suspected to be that of Osun Security Network codenamed Amotekun, late Wednesday.

The medium gathered that two persons sustained gunshot injury in the protest. But normalcy returned to the town at dawn.

Akadiri’s appointment came a er a suit filed against the Obaara ruling house by Gboleru ruling house which claimed to be the next in line to produce the new Akinrun, in line with Akinrun Chieftaincy Declara on Law.

Gboleru had approached the court to challenge the right of the Obaara ruling house to produce Akinrun a er the demise of Oba Olawale.

It would be recalled

that Akadiri was announced by six kingmakers of Ikirun as the selected new Akinrun a er a mee ng with some Ifelodun Local Government officials on Friday, November 19, 2021.

However, Akadiri’s selec on was rejected by some stakeholders and indigenes of Ikirun, par cularly princes and princesses from Gboleru Ruling House which is originally supposed to

produce the new Akinrun.

This was followed by an injunc on of a State High Court on Thursday, November 25, 2021, restraining the Obaara and Adedeji Ruling Houses from nomina ng candidate for the Akinrun throne, just like the kingmakers, local and state governments were also barred from accep ng candidate from the ruling houses.

Gboleru ruling house, in a suit filed by Chief Adebayo Adenipekun SAN, argued that it was unlawful to allow Obaara to produce the next Akinrun.

However, Jus ce S. Oke dismissed the suit on Tuesday for being an abuse of the court process among other grounds.

Akadiri’s Appointment A Wrong Decision – Gboleru Reac ng to Akadiri’s

Suspended Osun PDP Members Petition Atiku, Ayu

Yusuf Oketola

SOME suspended members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in State of Osun have pe oned the Na onal Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu and its presiden al candidate, A ku Abubakar over their suspension.

The PDP members warned that the acvi es of the Adekunle Akindele-led Caretaker Commi ee of the party in the state could jeopardise the party’s chances in the 2023 presidenal elec ons.

The members, who are from Ayedaade Local Government area of the state and sympathisers of a governorship aspirant, Omooba Dotun Babayemi, were suspended for alleged an -party acvi es a er the July 16, 2022 governorship elec-

on.

In a pe on signed by Segun Odekunmi, the Secretary of the PDP Elders Forum in the State and seven other members, the suspended PDP members warned of dire consequences of leaving the party’s crisis unresolved.

The pe on wastled “Re: Complaints Against the Illegal Suspension of Party Leaders from Ayedaade Local Government of Osun State By the State Caretaker Commi ee, Pursuant to Ar cles 57 & 61 of Peoples Democra c Party’s Cons tu on of 2017(Amended)”.

A copy of the peon made available to OSUN DEFENDER yesterday reads in part: “Our party has the chance of winning all the elecons at the next general elec ons only in the at-

mosphere of unity and mutual respect for one another.

“We hope the Na onal Working Commi ee of our party will meously intervene to correct this anomaly in the interest of the party so that this untoward ac on will not consume our party in the forthcoming elec ons.”

While accusing the Osun PDP Caretaker Commi ee of witchhun ng them because of their avowed support for the gubernatorial aspiraon of Babayemi, they described the an -party allega ons slammed on them as baseless and ludicrous.

They said: “We want to state clearly that the allega ons were baseless and unfounded and cannot be substan ated with any material facts, by our traducers in the party.

“We say with all sense of responsibility that Prince Oyedotun Babayemi hails from our local government and we have a moral duty to support his ambi on.

“Suppor ng Babayemi’s ambi on never connoted an -party. We have worked relessly and assiduously for the success of the party as we believed he would win at the law court.

“Suspending members of the party at a me the elec ons were drawing nearer is capable of crea ng doubts in the minds of PDP members and could adversely dim the chances of the party at the 2023 polls if not urgently addressed.”

Other signatories to the pe on include: Adelani Ajanaku, Kehinde Adesiyan, Mayowa Adegboye, Aliyu Adeyanju, Kamorudeen Ojo Elegunmeje, Ajayi Solomon and Munurudeen Adekunle.

appointment, a representa ve of Gboleru ruling house, Tajudeen Adesegun, described it as a wrong decision.

Adesegun described the lawmakers that went to local government council secretariat to vote for Akadiri as coup plotters, insis ng that it is the turn of his ruling house to produce Akinrun a er Oba Olawale.

Speaking on a private radio, Rave FM’s Frank Talk programme on Thursday, Adesegun dismissed the insinua on that Gboleru ruling house lost its right to Obaara because it could not produce a candidate for the vacant stool due to infigh ng.

He disclosed that Gboleru was not part of the judicial process where the court gave opportunity to Obaara to produce the new Akinrun.

The prince said: “I will call all those that went to the local government to vote a new king coup plotters. I will call them coup plo ers because from day one, they usually consult the oracle to know who’s going to become the next king. These days, they go to local government to vote. All these things are kangaroo elec ons.

“We s ll have a case at Appeal Court, we appealed the high court judgment and selec on of new Akinrun from Obaara ruling house. The only thing we could do to stop them was to file an appeal and the case is s ll at the Appeal Court right now as we speak. But they just came up last night (Wednesday) to announce a king.

“We made uncountable presenta ons to the government to no fy it that there is a lot of court cases going on as regards the selec on of new Akinrun, but this people always find their way to do what they want.

“People are not happy with what’s going on there. I don’t know who’s figh ng but a lot of people are not happy.”

Akadiri’s Appointment Followed Due Process – Chief Oyeniyi

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER, Chief Azeez Oyeniyi, the Obaile of Ikirun, said due process was followed on the corona on of Akadiri as the new Akirun of Ikirun.

Oyeniyi said Akadiri was taking to the normal tradi onal place where all the past Akinrun were coronated with chie aincy akoko leaf.

He stated: “The appointment of Prince

•Beneficiaries of the medical outreach organised by the Federation of Muslim Women Associations In Nigeria (FOMWAN), to mark its 30th Anniversary, on Wednesday. Photo: Shola Aderinto

Sharing Prosperity

DEMOCRACY represents the consent of the people; it should be anchored on the defence of living standards and shared prosperity.

The discomfiture over the announcement of presumably cost-of-living-based increases in severance and other remunera ons of the poli cal elite by the Revenue Mobilisa on and Alloca on body is understandable and indeed jus fiable. In a country devoid of any cost of living adjustments for pensioners, it is clearly inequitable to limit the “dividends of democracy” to a privileged strata.

The erosion of living standards is a reflec on of the absence of the macroeconomic

and the price stability essenal to a ain social jus ce, equity and cohesion.

We cannot deny people of their en tlement but fairness and equity should be the watchword.

Redesigning The Naira

COUNTERFEITERS, kidnappers, terrorists, and drug dealers must have been caught off guard by the announcement of the redesigning of the Naira by the Central Bank. This is good.

It will of course come with a price tag but we must dig deeper. It is reemphasised by the statement of the Central Bank Governor that Nigeria is s ll unacceptably underbanked, this is unacceptable, and policies must be put in place to achieve financial inclusiveness.

Good as the objec ves stated by the Central Bank are, we must not take our eyes off the ball. The Naira like any currency is a store of value reflec ng the pro-

duc ve base and the output of the economy.

The main policy thrust must be a Naira anchored on the defence of living standards and eleva ng towards “life more abundant”.

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

Criminalising Poverty Versus Weaponising It

Perspec ves on a social crisis

CALIFORNIA Dreaming? The evergreen hit associated with the band The Mamas and The Papas comes into mind when discussing a new law passed in the State of California.

The new law prevents the police from arres ng anyone for stealing items under $900 dollars. The reason for this is that it “criminalises poverty”! The law has predictably put retailers high and low in a pickle. Understandably so.

The law reignites the discourse on the causes and effect of poverty. In our own Nigeria, nostalgia of the opportunist type has come with the bringing up of the late Bashorun MKO Abiola’s great 1993 manifesto “A farewell to poverty”. The irony is not lost; a poli cal elite which has weaponised poverty is using MKO as a vote winning strategy.

In the same week, four poli cal opera ves were having their day in court over vote buying allega ons during the last governorship elecon in the State of Osun. Widespread buying of votes is of course the result of the ins tu onalisa on of poverty. No longer able to defer immediate gra fica on, the voter is now induced and has a compelling reason based on sa sfying immediate need. Those who bought votes are not “Good Samaritans”, they intend to maintain this framework of dependency and subservience forever. They are certainly not in the business of saying a farewell to poverty, on the contrary they thrive on it.

This is unfortunate; for a muchneeded war on poverty should be a fiscal s mulus as well as the trajectory for sustainable development.

Building Social Capital

present framework based on the weapanisa on of poverty has exhausted the limits of its possibili es and in the a ermath of #EndSARS has become a persistent threat to the self-preserva on of the elite itself. Unfortunately, the manifestos of the leading contestants don’t inspire confidence that they are aware of the existen al threats involved. To be aware is to make sacrifices which they are averse to. This will involve a fundamental and irreversible re-direc on of the public sector from a gargantuan bureaucracy into produc on to develop and deepen economic and social capital.

Social capital leading to an everincreasing middle class is a pivotal defense of democracy. It requires a new deal and ci zens involvement in educa on, health and housing as produc on genera ng bases.

In this area, we must learn invaluable lessons from the ‘free’ educa on policies of the western region in the nineteen fi ies, and the housing programs of the Shehu Shagari and Lateef Jakande governments in the nineteen seven es. The programs invigorated society strengthened the produc ve base and deep end social cohesion. They acted as stabilising buffers and led to a fairer society.

It is unfortunate that within the structures erected in the context of a rent collec ng economy this is not about to be done again.

“The erosion of living standards is a reflection of the absence of the macroeconomic and the price stability essential to attain social justice, equity and cohesion”

“Good as the objectives stated by the Central Bank are, we must not take our eyes off the ball. The Naira like any currency is a store of value reflecting the productive base and the output of the economy”

“The present framework based on the weapanisation of poverty has exhausted the limits of its possibilities and in the aftermath of #EndSARS has become a persistent threat to the self-preservation of the elite itself”

Collect Your Outstanding Rent From Oyetola, Adeleke Tells Landlords

THE Governorelect, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, has told landlords who lend their proper es to the State Government of Osun to collect outstanding rents from the government before the expira on of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s tenure.

Adeleke, who spoke through his Transi on Commi ee, accused Oyetola’s administraon of refusing to settle rent debt across the agencies, even as he declared that his administra on will not be responsible for any unpaid rent.

This was contained in a press release signed by the Director of Media of the Adeleke Transion Commi ee, Mallam Abdulrasheed Olawale, a copy of which made available to OSUN DEFENDER on Tuesday.

It alleged that the budgeted fund meant to se le the unpaid rent debt has been diverted

into private pockets by officials of the outgoing administra on of Oyetola.

The statement reads: “The Ademola Adeleke Transi on Commi ee

has warned landlords in Osun state to collect outstanding rents from government agencies before the November 27 hand over date.

“We also call on

Governor Oyetola not to ruin what remains of Osun economy by his administra on’s refusal to se le rent debt across the agencies. There should be a

limit to organised plot to bankrupt Osun economy.

fraudulent prac ce is so widespread that landlords are moun ng pressure on Governor Oyetola, his commissioners and heads of agencies to pay up before November 27.

“Rather than pay up especially when the fund were duly appropriated, the Oyetola administra on is reported to be reassuring the landlords that government is a con nuum and that the incoming government will se le the bill.

“Our checks showed that the outstanding debt on rented apartments runs into several millions of naira

“It has therefore become necessary to call on landlords and real estate prac oners to ensure the Oyetola government se le outstanding rent debt before the end of his tenure.

Stakeholders Want Children With Disabilities To Attend Normal School In Osun

TAli Ibrahim schools in Olorunda and Osogbo Local Governments to pilot an ini a ve to make mainstream schools accessible to children with disabili es.

HE State of Osun government has been charged to do more on inclusive educa on in the state by encouraging children with disabili es to a end mainstream schools like their mates without disabili es.

The charge was given by stakeholders during a reflec on exercise organised by Community Advancement Ini a ve for Self Reliance (CAI4SR) in Osogbo on Monday.

As part of its efforts to contribute to inclusive teaching and learning, CAI4SR is currently implemen ng a project in five

The reflec on exercise brought stakeholders including Chairman and members of the Osun State Chapter of the Joint Na onal Associa on of Persons with Disabili es (JONAPWD), representaves of Ministries of Educa on, Health and Works.

The reflec on mee ng provided a pla orm for the stakeholders to review CAI4SR’s strategies in order to iden fy the organisaon’s strengths and weaknesses in the delivery of its

than segrega ng them in the special school only.

“The warming is coming amidst reliable reports that many agencies of government have refused to pay accumulated rents because their chief execu ves have diverted budgeted funds.

“The report further indicated that the programmes.

Stakeholders at the event called on the state government to make public schools accessible to accommodate Children and Young Persons with Disabili es.

A disability specialist, Dr. Oluropo Ayeni, supported the views of the stakeholders.

Ayeni spoke against the backdrop of the need to expand access to public school for children with disabili es in the state.

He said there is need to make conven onal school accessible to children with disabili es, so that they can interact and develop with other children rather

The specialist maintained that access to educa on for children with disabili es is their right and should be given special atten on.

Ayeni urged Osun State House of Assembly to pass Disability Bill into law to curb discrimina on and protect the interest of persons with disabili es.

A girl with hearing challenge, Zainab, who was at the event said she declined admission into special school, insis ng on a ending conven onal/mainstream school in Osogbo.

She said: “I don’t want to be in special school. I can cope in the normal school. I prefer the normal school to the special school.”

Eunice Alani who taught Zainab when she was in primary school said the girl is keenly willing to be educated.

The Execu ve Director of CAI4SR, Mrs Eni Ayeni, said the NGO has trained some teachers in the state to strengthen their capacity to conduct simple early detec on and diagnosis of disability among children.

She said four exis ng government primary, secondary and one ter ary ins tu ons in Olorunda and Osogbo Local Government areas with high popula on of students with disabili es would be used to pilot the project.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the incoming Adeleke administra on will not be responsible for any unpaid rent debt, especially when available evidence confirmed that the budgeted fund has been diverted into private pocket by officials of the outgoing administra on”.

IPMAN To Increase Fuel Pump Price To N195 In Osun, Oyo Amid Scarcity

TYusuf Oketola due to the increment in the landing cost and the cost of transportaon.

HE Independent Petroleum Marketers Associa on of Nigeria (IPMAN) has said that Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) price would be increased to N195 per litre in Osun and Oyo States due to scarcity.

Mr. Mu u Bukola, Chairman of IPMAN, Ibadan Depot, which serves Oyo and Osun states, stated this to newsmen on Wednesday.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that queues have returned to petrol sta ons in Ibadan amidst panic buying as a result of fuel scarcity rumour across the country.

Bukola said IPMAN members would increase the pump price, sta ng the decision was necessary so as to avoid the long queues in Osun and Oyo.

He explained that it is not possible for members of the associa on to sell at the old price

He said, “We can’t buy petroleum in Lagos again. Wherever we see, they are selling for us at the rate of N178 without transport.

“The landing cost is now N195. If we buy at the rate of N178, it will take a minimum of N12 to get to Ibadan. If you add N178 to N12, you will know how much it will be. We are struggling to ensure that queues are no more in the petroleum staons.

“But we will be selling at the rate of N195 to N200 to avoid long queues in Oyo and Osun states.”

IPMAN had in June this year asked marketers across the country to sell petrol at N180 per litre and above.

The union gave this direc ve on the ground that it was no longer possible to sell at the government’s price of N165 per litre.

•Guest Speaker and member representing Ede, Egbedore and Ejigbo federal constituency at the House of Reps, Hon. Bamidele Salam, and other dignitaries during the opening ceremony of the 2022 Press Week of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Osun Coucil, held at the NUJ Press Centre, Osogbo, on Monday.

Photo: Shola Aderinto

Yusuf Oketola

•Stakeholders, after the progamme.

Google Partners Local Community To Restore, Preserve Osun Grove

Yusuf Oketola

GOOGLE Arts & Culture in partnership with Adunni Olorisha Trust and CyArk has announced the launch of the first and largest digital library of content showcasing the Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove.

The launch which was held in Lagos last Thursday will mark the digital preserva on of one of Nigeria’s remaining sacred groves, being part of Google Arts and Culture’s wider Heritage on the Edge project.

Edge project supports site managers in digitally documen ng heritage sites at risk due to climate change, using the imagery captured to support community maintenance and conserva on further.

The highlights of the Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove project which can be explored online include a Street View of the Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove, including the Busanyin Shrine before it was affected by the flood and 3D models of four of the site’s dynamic shrines.

The collec on allows people to view 900 highresolu on photographs of the site, contemporary and historical artworks and sculptures, ar sts and spiritual leaders.

It also tells 28 stories about art, community and spirituality at the Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove, and the effect of climate change at the site and includes three audio interviews, including one with popular ar st Jimoh Buraimoh about Susan Wenger.

Nigeria’s Minister of Informa on and Culture, Lai Mohammed, expressed his delight and gra tude that the Grove has been brought online.

He said: “I said during the visit to the Grove in 2019 that it was important to refocus na onal and global a en on on this world heritage site, and I am glad we achieved our purpose, as can be attested to by this project digi sing the shrine and its surroundings.

The Program Manager and Digital Archaeologist, Google Arts & Culture, Chance Coughenour, while speaking at the event, said: “We are grateful that through partnerships we are now able to preserve one of the most recognised, culturally rich Yoruba heritage site, known for ac ve tradi onal worship and contemporary art movements.”

In his address, the Chairman, Save Our Art! Save Our Heritage! Cam-

paign, Olufemi Akinsanya, said: “The Yoruba community is one of the largest in Nigeria and the Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove is truly a unique and special place that embodies the essence of the Yoruba culture and heritage.”

Robin Campbell, a member of the Adunni Olorisha Trust/ Adunni Osun Founda on, stated that over $300,000 has been raised and spent in restoring and preserving the site over the past 15 years.

He said: “The funds have been raised for interested individuals and organisa ons. It will require roughly ₦10–15 million ($14,300–21,500) per annum to keep this historical site running op mally.”

The preserva on of the historical site is expected to increase tourism, provide an avenue for the younger genera on to learn about history and provide jobs for ar sans

Oyetola Avoids Open Presentation, Sends 2023 Budget To Osun Assembly

GOVERNOR Adegboyega

Oyetola has silently presented a N136bn 2023 budget es mate to the State of Osun House of Assembly.

Christened ‘Budget of Consolida on’, the 2023 appropria on bill was sent to the assembly with a cover le er dated September 29, 2022, OSUN DEFENDER gathered.

The budget has N96,377,740,930 for Recurrent Expenditure while capital expenditure has N39,888,247,710, making a total of N136,265,988,140.

The 2023 budget es mate is about N6,509bn higher than the 2022.

This is the first me, since 2019, that Oyetola will avoid public presenta on of budget for each fiscal year.

Oyetola has always been personally presen ng the budget to the assembly with funfair.

Some poli cal analysts have commented that the outcome of the July 16, 2022 governorship elec on humbled the governor and deterred him from appearing before the house.

However, the ap-

propria on bill scaled through the second reading at the floor of the Assembly on Tuesday.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon Timothy Owoeye, stated that the budget es mate for 2023 had gone through some considera ons at the parliamentary processes where it was agreed to be brought to the floor for the policy trust and second reading.

Owoeye said: “The considera on of year 2023 budget has nothing to do with poli cs, the Governor should be commended for his courage to meet up with the January to December budget cycle.

“This year’s budget presenta on should not carry any poli cal

baggage because the bilateral consideraon of the budget had been on before now and had since been concluded by the state execu ve council.”

The Speaker directed that all ministries, departments and agencies of government in-

cluding ter ary instu ons should submit 35 copies of their dra budget to the House on or before today, Friday, October 28 for further considera on.

Osun Assembly Has Cons tu onal Duty To PerformAdeleke

Reac ng to the budget, the Governorelect, Sen. Ademola Adeleke, defended the State House of Assembly on the processing of 2023 budget proposal, declaring that the House of Assembly has a cons tu onal duty to perform.

Responding to enquiries in a statement by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke posited that the legislators were elected to treat

and process bills, including appropria on bill from the execu ve arm of government.

He said: “As a former lawmaker, I support the legislature as an arm of government that is independent and must be allowed to do its job of legisla on and appropria on. So, there is nothing unusual if the House of Assembly is processing budget 2023 proposal.

“The legisla ve process provides for supplementary budgetary ac on, including execu ve bill proposing amendments to any Appropria on Act. So, we are not worried at all. If anything, we want to encourage the Assembly to con nue the processing of subsis ng bills.”

•Oyetola.

Ismaeel Uthman

•Osun grove.

Religion

Iseek refuge in Allah from the devil the accursed and I start in the name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful. I tes fy that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah. I also tes fy that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is His Messenger. May the benedic on be upon his soul, members of his household, his companions and those who follow his ways ll the last day.

JUMAT SERMON JUMAT SERMON

Say O ‘Ibaadi (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves by commi ng evil deeds and sins. Despair not of Mercy of Allah, verily Allah forgives all sins. Truly He is o Forgiving Most Merciful.

By Imaam Raji, Musa Oladapo

By Imaam Raji, Musa Oladapo

This discourse would not have come at any other me be er than this, when various degrees of sins are being commi ed every moment unabated. And if truly we are seeking the countenance of Our Creator, we must put an end to wallowing in sins. Allah (SW) our Creator honours and prefers us to other creatures. He gives us reasoning faculty that makes us to excel above other creatures. But alas! What we are doing is contrary to the expecta ons of Allah, and then we s ll expect His mercy to be in abundance, whereas mercy and blessing of Allah are not given to sinners and perpetrators of evil acts.

Allah (SW) is happy when a servant repents to Him, because He was created by Himself and created other things for the benefit of mankind. He (Allah) has made the heavens and earth and whatever therein of service to the mankind. Even the angels whom we believe to be closer to Allah, Allah s ll makes them to be subservient to mankind by charging them (angels) to guard mankind at all mes. As a result of this uniqueness of mankind, he has succeeded in having a manifest enemy (satan) or devil who always wishes to distant mankind from Allah. He (devil) always provides paths that will lead him (mankind) to distant him from Allah. In fact in most cases, he (devil) will make the path a rac ve and adorable for his perceived enemy to follow because his happiness lies in that. Should somebody fall prey to his trick, he rejoices at this type of situa on, because he considers it as part of his score card over the mankind.

If however, a servant turns to Allah in repentance, the devil became annoyed because he regards it as a loss, but he will s ll strive harder probably such person can s ll be

Let Us Turn To Allah In Repentance

in his shackle. It is our duty therefore to do everything humanly possible to free ourselves from this avowed enemy. If a servant returns to His master confessing his misdeeds with moody appearance, there is every probability for the master to change his anger to pleasure and punishment to reward.

Nevertheless, my esteemed readers, sincere repentance has five condi ons that must be in place before Allah accepts it. These will be explained in brevity:

(1) Repentance must be SINCERE for the con nence of Allah, without any atom of showoff or because of worldly gain. If it is otherwise, such repentance is not accepted. Allah says: “So, call you upon Allah making worship pure for Him” (Quran 4:14).

(2) Showing of REGRET over one’s misdeed: This must reflect on him of being sober and blaming his soul for the sin he has commi ed.

(3) Total REFRAIN from such sin: This is necessary because if he persists in repea ng the same act, it appears as if he does not take Allah serious or his repentance could be likened to being sarcas c. This type of repentance lacks sincerity of purpose and it is not accepted.

(4) Taking a FIRM DECISION not to commit such sin in future.

(5) The repentance must be TIMELY: i.e. when it is acceptable, this is divided into two; general and specific.

The general one is the repentance a sinner makes before the sunrise from where it used to set. Any repentance

Crime Timothy Adegoke: Osun CJ Threatens To Transfer Case To Another Judge

THE Chief Judge of the State of Osun, Jus ce Adepele Ojo, has threatened to transfer the murder case of the Obafemi Awolowo University postgraduate student, Timothy Adegoke, to another judge.

Jus ce Ojo while ruling on the case on Tuesday noted that she would transfer the case on the next adjournment date if the Nigeria Correc onal Service refused to produce one of the prime suspects, Chief Rahman Adedoyin, before the court to stand trial.

The Chief Judge stressed that she would either grant other defendants bail and allow Adedoyin to face the murder case or transfer the case file if the NCS refused to bring him.

She decried the longer me it is taking to conclude the case because of Adedoyin’s absence in court on two

occasions reportedly on health grounds.

Jus ce Ojo urged the NCS to ensure his presence in court on the next date of adjournment, just as she demanded that a medical report on Adedoyin’s health condi on be brought to court.

The CJ therea er adjourned the case ll November 7, 2022.

Earlier, the prosecu on counsel, Fa ma

Adesina, had told the court that she was informed that Adedoyin was sick and could not come to court.

Adesina had prayed the court to take judicial note of the defendant’s absence on several occasions.

Adedoyin had earlier pleaded not guilty to the 11-count charge of conspiracy, murder, attempted felony, unlawful interference with a dead body, altering and intent to destroy evidence.

The case file number HOS/5C/2022, dated February 14, and filed on February 17, had earlier been subs tuted with HOS/5C/ 2022, dated February 22, 2022, and filed on March 2, 2022.

The six other defendants standing trial in the murder case are Magdalene Chiefuna, Adeniyi Aderogba, Oluwole Florence, Oyetunde Kazeem, Adebayo Kunle and Adedeji Adesola.

TWO siblings were on Monday arraigned before an Osogbo Magistrate Court by the police for allegedly stealing N80, 000 belonging to one Mrs Rukayat Yaya.

The siblings, Kehinde Adeyeye (30) and her sister Omolola Adeyeye were arraigned before the court on a three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and assault.

According to the charge sheet, the accused persons conspired to steal the N80,000 which was kept in Yaya’s bag.

a er this is not acceptable. Allah says; “The day that some of the signs of your Lord do come, no good will it do to a person to believe then, if he believe not before, nor earned good (by performing deeds of righteousness) through his faith” (Quran 6:158). “The signs of your Lord” in the verse was interpreted to be rising of the sun from the west (where it used to set) by the Prophet (SAW).

The specific one is the repentance that one makes when one is dying, this is not acceptable for Allah says; “Allah only accepts the repentance of those who do evil in ignorance and foolishness and repent soon (i.e. a erwards). It is they whom Allah will forgive and Allah is Ever all Knower, all Wise. And of no effect is the repentance of those who con nue to do evil deeds un l death faces one of them and he says; now I regret, nor of those who die while they are disbelievers. For them we have prepared a painful torment” (Quran 4:17-18). Any repentance makes during the me of death is not acceptable.

You will all recall that Pharaoh made the same a empt but Allah turned it down. Allah says; “ ll drowning overtook him, he said, I believe that none has the right to be worshipped but He (Allah) in whom the children of Israel believe, and I am one of Muslims” (Quran 10:10). Listen to what Allah says therea er “Now (you believe) while you refused to believe before and you were one of the Mufsiduun (evil doers, the corrupter)” (Quran 10:91).

With this last condi on, it is per nent to encourage ourselves and stress the need to flee to Allah in repentance because of our being shortsighted in nature, only Allah knows what the future holds for us.

DERIVABLE BENEFITS FROM SINCERE REPENTANCE

Love of Allah: Anybody that turns to Allah in repentance will be loved by Allah. Allah Himself says; “Allah loves those who turn to Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves” (Quran 2:222).

Repentance is a path to Paradise. Whoever turns to Allah in repentance is already on his way to Paradise because Allah says; “except those who repent and believe and work righteousness such will enter Paradise and these will not

Read full article on www.osundefender.com •Imaam Raji, Musa Oladapo is the Chief Imaam of Telemuland, State of Osun.

Police Arraign Siblings Over N80,000 Theft

They also allegedly assaulted the complainant and inflicted injury on her face.

The accused persons, according to the charge sheet, committed the offence on October 14, 2022 at Gbomi area in Osogbo.

The alleged offence contravened Sec ons 390(9) and 5(6) 355 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Laws of Osun State, 2002.

However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the threecount charge levelled against them.

In her ruling, the presiding Magistrate, Mrs A.O Odeleye, granted bail to the two accused persons in a sum of N100,000 with one surety each.

The case was adjourned ll November 8, 2022 for hearing.

That ADERINTO OLUSHOLA ADEWUMI AND ADERINTO OLUSOLA ADEWUMI are the same person but now wish to be known and addressed as ADERINTO OLUSHOLA ADEWUMI. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

That I was formerly known and addressed as MUSIBAU RASIDAT now wish to be known and addressed as MAJEKOBAJE RASIDAT MOROMOKE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

Yusuf Oketola

Yusuf Oketola

PUBLICATION

ADERINTO OLUSHOLA ADEWUMI

MAJEKOBAJE RASIDAT MOROMOKE

•Late Adegoke

5 Shot As Students Protest ‘Secrecy’ On Ilesa University, Demand Transparency

Ismaeel Uthman

FIVE students of Osun

State College of Educa on, Ilesa were reportedly shot yesterday by a gun wielding man during a peaceful protest on the conversion of the college to University of Ilesa.

The gunman, known as Ifa, according to some of the students, was riding a motorcycle when he ran into them.

It was gathered that the suspected hoodlum who was forced to stop by the barricade mounted by the students, brought out gun and shot directly into the protes ng students.

Femi Ibirogba, one of the students, said: “This guy was coming from town on a motorcycle and he ran into us. He was forced to stop because we have mounted a barricade. Immediately he stopped, he brought out a gun and opened fire on us. Five students among us were injured.”

The injured students were reportedly taken to the Wesley Guild hospital, Ilesa.

Police Public Rela ons Officer, Osun Command, Mrs. Yemisi Opalola confirmed the incident.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the students were protes ng what they described as secrecy on the conversion of the college to a University by Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s administra on.

According to the students, the conversion process has been shrouded in secrecy, saying that they do not know their fate when the university takes off

Speaking with the medium, a student of English Department of the college, Segun Ibirogba said: “We don’t know anything about the conversion of the college to a university. All we know is that the college is being converted to a university. The terms and condi on are not known to us.

“The staff union, management and student union were not carried along. The whole thing looks suspicious. The academic staff has requested for the university’s establishment law but the government could

not provide.”

A worker of the college, Bose Afolabi, accused the state government of being too poli cal and insensive to the plight of the workers of the ins tu on.

Afolabi said it is wrong for the government to want to do something that will affect the workers without carrying them along.

She said: “The students are protes ng against the conversion of the college to a full-fledged university which has been shrouded in secrecy.

“A lot of entry has been made to the state government to release the laws establishing the university but the government didn’t respond. Students felt agitated when they asked them to show willingness to convert their ins tu on to a university that has not been accredited by Naonal University Commission (NUC), and they are asking a lot of ques ons and when these ques ons are not answered, they resulted to staging a peaceful protest.”

Mining: Osun Community Raises Alarm Over Environmental Hazard

Yusuf Oketola

APOMU , a community in Isokan Local Government Area of the State of Osun, has raised the alarm over mining ac vi es by Baldoff Facili es Consul ng Ltd which it said cons tute grave environmental hazard to their community.

The community, in a statement by the Youth Leader, Abdulganiyu Abiodun, in Abuja on Tuesday, said the mining ac vi es were being carried out without the consent of the

town’s stakeholder.

Abiodun said the tradi onal ruler of the town, Oba Kayode Afolabi, had instructed that all legal steps be taken to put a stop to the con nuing environmental hazards in the community because of the mining ac vi es.

According to Abiodun, members of the community had been exposed to environmental hazard sequel to the mining ac vi es since 2017 by the company.

He however urged the Federal Government to intervene by hal ng the

mining ac vi es, adding that the company has been carrying out its opera ons in Apomu without the consent of the rulers of the community.

Also, the Alapomu’s lawyer, Kayode Ajulo, in a pe on to the DirectorGeneral, Nigerian Mining Cadastre Office, alleged that the mining company with its business opera ons has caused grave environmental hazard to members of the community and endangered their lives.

Ajulo said several efforts made by the tradi on-

al ruler of the community to discuss with the mining company of the effect of its ac vi es and lack of consent has proved abor ve

According to Ajulo, it was discovered that the Baldoff Facili es Consulting Ltd Small Scale Mining Lease has been effec ve since December 18, 2017 and is due for expira on on December 17, 2022.

Ajulo stated, “According to the provision of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007 before a Small Scale Mining Lease is issued by the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, the Mineral tle holder must have sought the consent of the rulers/ authori es of the host community.

“That a Small Scale Mining Lease upon its expira on is subject to a non-renewal pursuant to the failure of a Mineral tleholder to comply with the provision of Act.”

Ajulo alleged that Baldoff Facili es Consul ng Ltd has not complied with the provisions of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007.

He stated that the company’s license should not be renewed upon its expira on on December 17 this year, saying that the mining company did not comply with the provisions of the Act.

Akadiri as the new Akinrun of Ikirun followed due process. You will recollect that he had been selected about a year ago by six out of the seven kingmakers.

“When the government finally approved his appoint on Wednesday, it is my duty and responsibility to coronate him with the chie aincy akoko leave at designated place, and I did that yesterday.

“We were attacked yesterday by some hoodlums hired by other contestants to the Akinrun stool. They did not want us to go to the tradi onal desig-

nated place to coronate Akadiri. But we took other route to reach the designated place at Olonkoro, and we did what we were supposed to do there.”

Asked the me Oba Akadiri was coronated, Chief Obaala said: “There is no me we can’t coronate a king or chief in the tradi onal way. The tradi onal rite was performed for Oba Akadiri around 12am (on Thursday).

“We are supposed to con nue the process but the thugs hired by some people have been sta oned at palace area, so we could not proceed to do other things.”

Uproar Over Appointment Of New Akinrun

Mining

•Continued from Page 2

•Akadiri after his coronation at the wee hour of Thursday.

•An instructive message on a protesting placard.

Asthe world through the United naons marked Mental Health day on October 10, for all as priority for global community, it is harrowing to observe the rude fact that mental illness has become rampant, judging by alarming number of Nigerians, par cularly youths being admi ed at psychiatric hospitals for treatment.

For instance, in the month of June 2022, spaces available at relevant wards in Federal and State Government owned hospitals in the south western part of the country were so overcrowded beyond capacity, even to the extent that those who were rushed there could not be admi ed, forcing their families had to patronise private hospitals with their huge bills.

Even though mental health problems affect quite a large number of people, especially youths, the issue of mental insanity is hardly discussed in public for obvious reasons, amid its a endant unhealthy implica ons of worsening Nigeria’s legisla on and a tudinals against the mentally disabled people.

Believing that realism is a product of posi ve thought; even being the very opposite of ignorance and prejudice, I am here assigning value to my personal experience on mental health issues and which is what informs why I have wri en a new book tenta vely tled: “DADA DODONDAWA”

Dada Dodondawa, being a crea ve nonfic on, is detailing the diary of agonizing experience of a father whose boy (Dada Dodondawa), along with other media genera on of youths, got drowned in the media bathroom of mental insanity.

A vic m of a new form of bullying, Dada dodondawa, is a Nazirite who at a tender age, was exposed to narco cs as a choreographer while he ended up in five different psychiatric homes within the spate of three years.

Having experienced same agonizing encounters peculiar to rela ons of mentally ill pa ents, amid my access to volumes of literature on mental health, it becomes per nent for me (towards assigning value to this collec ve experience) to stress the need for society to make fundamental change in our a tude to and legisla on on mental ma ers.

Going by an anonymous conclusion contained in a paper presented at a workshop on legisla on and the mentally disabled people, (which available shred does not contain the name of its writer) the author of the paper (a legal luminary) argued that such radical change could only be attained through a revolu on in Nigeria’s legisla on.

According to him, exis ng laws governing mental illness both under the Northern

PERSPECTIVE

BY OLALERE FAGBOLA

Reforming Hostile Legislation And Emphasising Rehabilitation For The Mentally Disabled

Penal Code and the Criminal Code in the Southern Nigeria are out of tune and deficient on the criminal responsibili es facing the mentally disabled people.

The writer contended that neither the mentally ill kept in the custody of their rela on, nor those confined to asylum by the court is beneficial to the society, adding that their confinements are capable of aggrava ng their illnesses.

He stressed further that there is a need to accept the mentally disabled as part and parcel of the society while Nigeria, more importantly, requires new legisla on that emphasises rehabilita on, especially for pa ents that have suffered long-term mental illness.

The paper which frowned at the way people o en jeered at mentally disabled

people, described the a tude as irresponsible, arguing that exis ng legisla on in the country is further compounding this irresponsibility.

“It is my considered view that our existing laws in respect of the mentally ill are deficient in that they do not sa sfy the aspira ons expected of them.

“Chapter 26, comprising Sec ons 320 to 331 of the CPC (Criminal Procedure Code) and Chapter 25 comprising Sec ons 222 to 235 of the CPA (Criminal Procedure Act) which provides for persons of unsound mind as it relates to their criminal responsibili es are completely out of tune with the role expected of the law.

It added that: “Releasing a mentally ill to a rela on or a friend does not benefit the mentally ill because our society’s a -

tudes towards such people are hos le.

“They will simply not come up. To keep them in custody to avoid danger to the public o en aggravated the illness. What we need about mentally ill are laws that emphasise on rehabilita on. The a tude of the society could be changed by a dynamic legisla on to accept the mentally ill as part and parcel of the society. And by such legisla on, such persons are assured of opportuni es to contribute to society.

The paper then submi ed: “Our present society s ll boos and jeers at the mentally ill and law can be made to change the society in this respect. The society is absolutely irresponsible as far as this is concerned and our exis ng legisla ons tend to compound this irresponsibility.”

Without a dynamic rehabilita on of exis ng legisla on and a tudes of people, a mentally ill person, par cularly at teaching hospitals may soon end up as objects of sterile experiment in the hands of westernoriented psychiatrists who do not believe that there are spiritual dimensions to healing mentally disabled people.

For fear of offending exis ng legisla on and tampering with the fundamental rights of pa ents to choose whether or not to embrace rehabilita on, psychiatrists (tails between their legs) are always quick to discharge pa ents from their wards to go to their rela on.

But barely few weeks a er being discharged into the society which does not welcome him as normal human being, the

Read full article on www.osundefender.com

LIKE the prodigal child, Nigeria has strayed from home as far as anyone can imagine; as far away from a Federal Republic as you please to find out. It is the root cause of all its problems and un l it returns home to glory, like the prodigal child, it will con nue to wander as an aimless, disturbed nonen ty.

Nigeria’s former colonial master, as well as its “founding fathers” clearly appreciated the diversi es of its people: poli cally, economically, culturally, religious wise and ethnically. Within a Pan-African recogni on of the cultural and historical unity of Africa, they realised that for the “mere geographical expression” to forge ahead as a country and become a na on, the best form of coexistence poli cally is a FEDERAL REPUBLIC. On the FOUNDATION of this, it was granted independence and self-government in 1960 and became a republic in 1963, with an appropriate Cons tu on. However, the mismanagement of its freedom by its disoriented poli cal elites led to military interven on in 1966, to civil war that lasted ll 1970, and to military staying in government ll 1979. That chain of event destroyed the founda on of the Federal Republic completely.

The return to democra c rule was then supervised by the very architect of the destruc on of the Federal and Republic founda on – the military, which bequeathed a centralised dictatorship to their civilian colleagues in the garb of a democracy via the 1979 Cons tu on. The civilians stayed only four years before the military again came back uninvited, stayed ll 1999, and bequeathed a repacked 1979 Cons tu on as 1999 Cons tu on, much more anFederal, an -Republic, dictatorial and an -

A Federal Republic

people, to their civilian prodigal partners, and Nigeria has been perambula ng in the wilderness since then ll date; far away from its father’s home though s ll bearing its father’s name - Federal Republic of Nigeria.

A Republic “is a state in which supreme power is held by the people,” modern republic being founded on the idea that sovereignty rests with the people, who have equal rights and responsibili es before the law, without any person, class or group having any special privileges by birth or associa on.

A Federa on is “a group of states with a central government but independence in internal affairs.” It is “the forma on of a poli cal unity, with a central government, by a number of separate states, each of which retains control of its own internal affairs.” The economic and poli cal concerns, especially territorial defence, that mo vate the forma on of poli cal unity in a central government are always clearly defined, asides those, every federa ng en ty is independent in the conduct of its internal affairs.

Long years of military in government le a nega ve legacy of centralism, arbitrariness, subversion of rule of law, human rights and public service. It bred nepo sm, non-accountability, the sole dependency on oil rent revenue while neglec ng all other forms of produc vity, and promoted favouri sm and sec onal oppressions along ethnic and religious fault lines. All these were bequeathed to the civilian po-

li cal elites who were mostly co-travellers of the military and whose greed, indolence, lack of imagina on and sustained fixa on on oil rent revenue sharing have condi oned against rethinking the nonsustainability of the present opera ng system and a return to genuine federalism. The sharing of oil rent accruals into the “federa on account” and its unaccountable spending as the execu ves deem fit became the poli cal do-or-die objec ves of who takes charge.

The federa ng units at incep on were the regions, which were balkanised into states by the military. However, each state s ll knows its regional origin. Only two exemplary governors of states since the return to “civilian rule” in 1999 made spirited a empts to challenge the exploita ve, oppressive and unsustainable centralised system - Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Lagos and Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola in Osun. In our next instalment, we will examine their exploit and the resistance to them by a power elite hooked on the status quo, as well as the rights to choice and iden ty in a federal republic.

For now, even with a stable, guaranteed 2m barrels per day at $100 for 365 days into the Federa on Account, the present system is recipe for poverty, chaos, oppression, violent crimes, and inevitable naonal collapse that no “elected” president or governor can salvage, however astute or well-inten oned. The return to genuine federal republic that the elites presently run away from is the inevitable salva on.

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

to the Deputy Editor, ISMAEEL UTHMAN, Telephone: 0809-301-9152.

0794-8050.

STRIKER Striker is not the opinion of the Columnist featured above

“What we need about mentally ill are laws that emphasise on rehabilitation. The attitude of the society could be changed by a dynamic legislation to accept the mentally ill as part and parcel of the society. And by such legislation, such persons are assured of opportunities to contribute to society”