FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 09, 2024 - THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2024 VOL 19 NO 05
6 Ruling House Pg. Disowns Appointed Akosin Of Ekosi
Viva Rauf! Bastion Of The Left! The Last Hope Of The Nigerian Leftist 3 Movement? Pg.
2026: OSOGBO APC MEMBERS
EYE GOV’SHIP TICKET
•Say APC Needs To Neutralise Ede Votes •Oyetola Will Jeopardise Our Chances – Group Ismaeel Uthman HERE is a growing resentment against the plan of former governor Adegboyega Oyetola to retain the cket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2026 governorship elec on in Osun State. Majority of the APC members who have been expressing their views at series of poli cal discussions in the state maintained that Oyetola is not popular and does not have the poli cal strength to mobilise the needed number of the electorate to win any elec on in the state. This is just as some indigenes of Osogbo who are members of the APC have expressed their sen ments on the cket, sta ng that the party should consider the state capital to produce its flagbearer in 2026. The Osogbo indigenes called on the APC to bargain with the vo ng strength of Osogbo, no ng that the APC should consider a city that can neutralise the amount of votes that would be turned out for Governor Ademola Adeleke’s second term. Findings by OSUN DEFENDER revealed that this is the second me the Osogbo APC stakeholders would move against Oyetola’s interest. The medium noted that some of the Osogbo APC stakeholders had in 2023 wrote President •Continued on Page 2
•Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIOs) of the Osun State Government arresting a traffic offender at the Ogo-Oluwa area of Osogbo, on Tuesday Photo Shola Aderinto
•Awards N1bn Rehabilitation Of Ora-Igbomina Waterworks
Epileptic Power Supply Pg. 6 Responsible For Prolonged Public Water Supply Failure - Osun Water Corporation
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Osun Govt. To Recruit 5,250 Teachers, Pg. 5 6 EducationPg.Offi cers
Osun CJ: No Judicial Officer Will Be Shielded If Found Guilty - NJC Pg. 6
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2026: Osogbo APC Members Eye Gov’ship Ticket
•Say APC Needs To Neutralise Ede Votes Bola Tinubu, asking him to consider the state capital for min- •Oyetola Will Jeopardise Our Chances – Group Continued from page 1
isterial appointment, not minding that Oyetola had already considered himself as a ministerial nominee. It was gathered that the le er leaked to Oyetola who called some of the signatories to inform them of his awareness and displeasure on it. However, the medium could not confirm if those who wrote President Tinubu in 2023 are the brain behind the calls for Osogbo to produce the governorship candidate of the APC in 2026. Findings revealed that the objec on to Oyetola’s return is already gathering momentum as some former state lawmakers, local government chairmen and other stakeholders of the party have been canvasing for a ‘be er candidate’ in replacement of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy. Some former council chairmen during Oyetola’s administraon had disagreed over his adop on as the sole candidate of the party for the next elec on. It would also be recalled that Otoge, a new group within the Oyetola’s caucus of IleriOluwa, has reportedly wri en President Bola Tinubu, asking the president not to force Oyetola on the Osun APC. The group, in its mee ng held in Osogbo, on Wednesday, January 3, recommended the Na onal Secretary of the APC, Senator Ajibola Basiru and the Execu ve Director of Marine and Opera ons, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mr. Lekan Badmus as replacement to Oyetola. Both Basiru and Badmus are from Osogbo, which has not produced a governor since the incep on of the state over three decades ago. The Otoge members contended Oyetola’s ambi on will further jeopardise the interest of the party,
•The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, in a group photograph with the disengaged staff of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, after a meeting, on Tuesday
adding that Osogbo, deserves to produce the next governor under APC. But Badmus disociated himself from the Otoge group, maintaining that he remain loyal to Oyetola and commi ed to the progress and development of the APC. One of the arrowheads of the group, who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER under condi on of anonymity, dissociated the group from Omoluabi, a poli cal movement established by the immediate past minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. However, OSUN DEFENDER authoritavely gathered that Oyetola’s ambi on for 2026 is just a poli cal gimmick to ensure that no member of the APC contested the cket for him to be able to hand it over to his favourite, Alh. Bola Oyebamiji, the Managing Director, Na onal Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA). Oyebamiji is from Ikire, Irewole local government of Osun West Senatorial District. Sources among the Oyetola’s aides confided in the medium that Oyetola would not contest the 2026 governorship elecon, explaining that his reported ambi on is a poli cal move to
favour Oyebamiji, his loyalist. According to the sources; “Oga (Oye-
tola) is not going to contest in 2026. He acknowledged the fact that age is not on
his side again. He is 69 now and will be 71 years by 2026. What he plans is that he
would mobilize all the party’s structure for his purported ambion in 2026 and later withdraw for his political son, Oyebamiji. “He knows if he doesn’t show interest now, some members of the party will come up to declare their ambi ons and that will further cause crisis in the party. But with his ambi on, except one or two persons, nobody is likely to contest the cket with him.” OSUN DEFENDER learnt that some of the Oyetola loyalists have begun campaign of calumny against Basiru, the APC Naonal Secretary, for his purported governorship ambi on. Basiru, has been forced to maintain low poli cal ac vi es and has reportedly instructed his followers not to engage in any social media encounter with anybody.
IMPORTANT VACANCY To exploit new opportuni es and reposi on for greater success, a leading publishing house based in Osun State needs to fill the following posi ons: 1) Chief Opera ng Officer/ Business Manager 2) Marke ng/ Distribu on Manager 3) Proof Reader/ Rewriter 4) Features/ Special Interest writers 5) Reporters 6) Graphic Designers. Interested candidates with requisite skills and experience should send their applica ons within two weeks of this publica on to osundefenderboard@gmail.com
PEOPLE FIRST
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 09, 2024 - THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2024
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“The bounty must go into real development such as schools, health facilities and rural roads. Parliamentary scrutiny must be tightened, otherwise we are in for another wasted opportunity”
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UESTIONS have to be asked about what the subna onals are doing with their increased earnings from Federal Alloca on. The Federal Government, States and Local Governments shared N1.17tn in December 2023. Much like striking Gold! The windfall should reignite the process of development, star ng from the local government base level. Unfortunately, the grandiose has replaced the quest for development. A fixa on has been developed for “projects” rather than the quest for sustainable development. We are now in essence developing underdevelopment and the trend must be reversed. The bounty must go into real development such as schools, health facili es and rural roads. Parliamentary scru ny must be ghtened, otherwise we are in for another wasted opportunity. This was precisely what
ve, the local government system must be reinvigorated and unshackled. Without greater democra sa on of the local root cause of poverty and tackle governments, we labour in vain. it in order to end the scourge of We should rise up to turn the poverty. present crises into an historic To achieve the desired objec- opportunity for an advance.
Bounty For The States happened to the Gulf Oil Windfall during the Babangida era; it must not happen again. This me we must go back to the
The Soaring Eagles
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E are all fervently wishing our Super Eagles the very best. Expecta ons are that they will come back home with the tle. They have shown the indomitability of the Nigerian spirit and our poli cal establishment must
learn from this. Rescuing victory from the jaws of defeat is what we all learn now at this me of adversity on so many fronts. We will have wanted to see more “home-based” players in the na onal squad. This is a source of concern and it must
be rec fied. The South Africans took us to penalty shoot-out with a largely home-based team. Our star goal keeper played in that league. Developing the Nigerian league is now a priority for the immediate future. All the best on Sunday.
The Discourse Viva Rauf! Bastion Of The Left! And Last Hope Of The Nigerian Leftist Movement?
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EFORE se ling on the above tle, we had considered Wither Rauf? Bason of the le , and last hope of the Osun Progressive Movement. we, however, se led for the current tle as the intent of this write up is on one hand to celebrate, and on the other to heap the responsibility and burden of history on the legendary symbol of progressive struggle in Osun State at a na onal level. In recent history, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, in our opinion is the most le leaning poli cian in Nigeria. He demonstrates this in rhetoric, ideas and in actual governance. At the core of his journey as the Chief Execu ve of the State of Osun as he christened it, was a desire to achieve the greatest good for the mass majority of the people of the state, irrespecve of their social standing, creed or religion. This is reflected in the investments in the school feeding, school uniform programme, youth empowerment, physical infrastructure, revamp across schools in all federal cons tuencies in the state. The biggest beneficiaries of these interven ons are families with low incomes. Some will argue that some other parts of his programmes were not as successful, that however is topic for another conversa on. He also set himself a task for the renaissance of the consciousness of the people of Osun, which when achieved would become an igni on of consciousness of the Yoruba race, given that the
By Tope Akanji
mythical source was within the state of the living spring and from there, the Nigerian State and at large and black people all over the world. This he pursued through symbols and anthems which provided an emo onal and ideological underpinning for the path to this renaissance which no doubt will require paence, forbearance and sacrifice. In our opinion, recent events, star ng with the governorship elec ons in Osun State and realignments around the 2023 presiden al elec ons have le Aregbesola free to pursue what we believe is his promethean purpose. His stubborn ideological puritanism on ma ers of Yoruba poli cal history as well a refusal or rather, inability to abandon his le leaning ideological grounding are responsible for the current impasse in his rela onship with long me poli cal allies. We see this as an opportunity and the end of the beginning, rather than as some others have opined, the beginning of the end of this poli cal pilgrimage. The paradox of the 2023 presiden al elec on was the fact the popular le ist pla orm, nurtured for years as a pipe dream of the Nigerian labour movement contested the presiden al elec on as a surprisingly viable third force without the obvious involvement of the ideological le of our poli cs. The labour movement (which birthed and nurtured the party), ASUU and the student
general acceptance of the Nigeri-
“Rauf’s Divorce or an incarna on of the global le ist orm, the workers party, the separation from the pla Labour Party by the largest demographic in the country, the youth, faux progressives in a fana cal and evangelis c is a pointer to the need provides a unique op- manner for a seasoned operator with le ideological leanings to provide portunity for him to ist thrust to the clear yearning of be true to what we the people for good governance. Our opinion, therefore, is that know to be his ideo- Rauf’s Divorce or separa on from the faux progressives prological constitution; vides a unique opportunity for to be true to what we know vibrant, radical and him to be his ideological cons tuleftist” on; vibrant, radical and le ist. We believe he has a choice to make(some of us don’t even think he has a choice as it is his manifest des ny) to take advantage of this unique opportunity by going back to his ideological home, the Publisher – Moremi Publishing working man’s party, House Ltd. and lead the awakenDeputy Editor – Ismaeel Uthman ing of the consciousProduc on Editor – Petkola Taiwo Ibitowa ness of the working Reporter – Yusuf Oketola people of Nigeria via Reporter – Kazeem Badmus a pla orm that is revPhoto Journalist – Olushola Aderinto olu onary in orientaComputer Graphics – Zainab Olalere on, funded by mass OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing subscrip on (Special Purpose Vehicle) dedHouse Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), Gbogan Road Osogbo, icated to gaining poli cal power for the State of Osun purpose of deploying ISSN : 0794-8050 the commonwealth to Telephone : 0809-301-9152 achieving the greatest Website : www.osundefender.com/index.php good for the greatest e-mail : osundefender@yahoo.com number of people. osundefenderbank@gmail.com All correspondence to the above email addresses. •Tope Akanji writes from Lagos
movements in all our ivory towers were absent as caucuses, or fac ons of the labour party. The
OSUN DEFENDER
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NAFDAC Shuts Alcohol Company For Having Banned Beverages In Osun Kazeem Badmus
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HE Na onal Agency for Food and Drug Administraon and Control (NAFDAC) has shut an alcohol-producing company, Oriade Dis llers Limited, located at Ijebu-Jesa road, Oriade village Ilo-Ayegunle, Oriade local government area of Osun State. The company was put on hold on Monday for having banned alcoholic beverages in its stock. NAFDAC had from January 31, 2024, banned alcoholic beverages in sachets, PET and glass bo les of 200ml and below. Though the company was not operating when the NAFDAC team visited, some unsold alcohol which were in the categories of the banned products were found in its factory. Speaking with news-
men a er burs ng the company, the Assistant Director, NAFDAC Invesga on and Enforcement, Mr Dare Moses, said about 40 cartons of the banned drinks were found with some evacuated from the factory. Moses said the move was part of its ongoing na onwide sensi saon and enforcement against the intake of alcoholic beverages in sachets, PET, and glass bo les of 200ml and below. He maintained that the exercise was aimed at reducing the excess intake of alcohol, especially by teenagers. Moses said: “We are here for the na onwide sensi sa on about the concern and abuse of alcoholic drinks especially by the young ones. “NAFDAC has already given a direc ve that every alcoholic product from 200ml downward
•Students at the Speech Giving Contest, tagged ‘Chastity: A Step Towards Achieving Life Goals’ organised by a NonGovernmental Organisation, Pen Publisher in Osogbo, yesterday Photo Shola Aderinto
should be taken off the market. “This is one of the
manufacturing companies in Ilesa, Osun State and we are evacua ng the drinks in small bo les as sachets. “We found about 40
cartons of the drinks here and some other packaging materials that have been moved. “This is just the begin-
ning and it will be an ongoing exercise. The exercise is going on na onwide and we will con nue ll we rid the market of the products.”
Abdullah Ajiboye
Ro mi George-Taylor, said a comprehensive assessment conducted revealed that a number of masts and cables were installed without proper approval or payment to the state government. George-Taylor said it is impera ve for all companies opera ng within the state to adhere to the established regula ons and fulfill their financial obligaons, and ensure they possess valid state approvals for their telecommunica ons infrastructure. He disclosed that the state government has set February ending as deadline for companies to regular-
ize their opera ons. The Chairman stated: “We have iden fied several instances where companies have installed telecommunica ons infrastructure without obtaining the necessary approvals or making the required payments to the Osun State Government. This not only violates the established regulaons but also deprives the state of muchneeded revenue.” “Global Transacons Nigeria Limited, in its role as the sole consultants to the Osun State Government, is commi ed to ensuring a fair and transparent telecommunica ons industry within the state. “All companies opera ng within Osun State that have not obtained valid state approvals for their telecommunica ons infrastructure are urged to take immediate ac on and regularize their opera ons before the deadline of the end of February 2024. Failure to comply would result in legal consequences and necessary ac on would be taken by the State Government.”
Osun Loses Property Worth N1.45bn To Fire Outbreak In 2023 Masts, Cables Installed Without Proper Ibrahim said: “The Approval In Osun – Consultant careless ways people SUN State Fire Yusuf Oketola
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Service has said it recorded 70 fire outbreaks in the state between January and December 2023 with property worth N1.45bn destroyed. The 2023 Osun State Fire Incident Record obtained by OSUN DEFENDER on Monday, in Osogbo, showed that January, May and December 2023 had the highest cases of fire outbreaks. A total of 13 fire cases in which property es mated at N302m were destroyed was recorded in January. According to the report: “In May, 12 fire outbreaks were also recorded, with property worth N715m lost, while eight cases of fire disasters were recorded in December, with property worth N25m destroyed by fire. “Property worth 30.9bn were saved from fire outbreaks, with no loss of lives recorded during the fire incidents.” Speaking on the report, the Spokesman for the fire service, Mr Adekunle Ibrahim, said a majority of the fire outbreaks were caused by carelessness on the part of the ci zens.
deal with electronics and electrical appliances at home and how they also handle naked fire o en serve as catalysts for fire outbreaks.” Adekunle, however, said the agency was always sensi sing residents, market women, religious bodies, banks, business owners and others on how to prevent and manage fire outbreaks. “We have been sensi sing the people and enlightening them to be very careful about how to handle naked fire as well as steps to be taken in cases of fire outbreaks. “We have also been enlightening them on the need to properly take care of electrical appliances to prevent fire outbreaks.” He said that the fire service had intensified fire safety awareness in the state, adding that it had also gone round to train hoteliers and others on fire safety and preven on methods. “We have also been going to banks in the state to inspect their fire safety equipment and also enlighten them on what to do in case of fire outbreaks,” he said.
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•Adeleke
The spokesman advised residents to always unplug their electrical appliances when not in use and turn off their electricity while leaving home. He also urged them to be mindful of bush burning, especially during the dry season, as well as their ac vies in the kitchen, noting that lots of domesc fire outbreaks start from there. It would be recalled that in January 2024, some people were feared injured in an explosion that occurred at a filling sta on located in Lagere, Ile-Ife, Osun State. In November 2023, an early morning fire incident destroyed goods worth millions of naira at Oja Tuntun, the biggest market in Ile-Ife, Osun State. The market had in July 2019 and December 2020 experienced three fire incidents which destroyed many shops and goods.
HE Global Transac ons Nigeria Limited, the consultant to the Osun State Government on telecommunications infrastructure, has disclosed that many masts and cables have been installed in the state without approval and payment. According to the company, there is the need to regularize approval for the installaon of masts and laying of cables in any part of the state for safety and environmental purposes. Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER in Osogbo yesterday, the Chairman of the company,
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Olufon Stool: Adeleke’s Govt Satanic, Disrespecting Judiciary – Ruling House Ismaeel Uthman
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HE appointment of Prince Oluwole Peter Akinyooye as the new Olufon of Ifon has sparked protest in the community. Akinyooye, whose appointment was announced last week Thursday, hails from Morounfolu ruling house of Ifon, headquarters of Orolu local government of Osun State. There have been several protests against his appointment, especially from the Odunolu ruling house. The ruling house accused Governor Ademola Adeleke and his Chief of Staff, Alh. Kazeem Akinleye, of manipula ng the selec on process and flou ng the court injunc on on the stool. Describing the Adeleke administra on as satanic, the ruling house accused the governor of disrespec ng the judiciary by making an appointment on the Olufon stool in spite of exis ng court order. The spokesperson of the ruling house, Prince Tajudeen Gboyega, said it was wrong for Adeleke to have used the 1988 Chie aincy Declara on on Olufon Stool for the appointment of a new monarch. Gboyega noted that the 1988 declara on had been repealed by a state high court, stating that it is not a valid document to use for the appointment of a new Olufon. He said: “Governor Adeleke has taken a wrong step on the appointment of Olufon. The person appointed is from Morounfolu ruling house, and by virtue of 1979 declaraon, it is not the turn of Morounfolu to produce Olufon. “They are two chieftaincy declara ons on Olufon; the one made in 1979 which recognises five independent ruling houses was made during the reign of Oba Olagunju Akinyooye, the father of this imposed Olufonelect. There was interregnum in 1985 due to the passage of Oba Akinyeoye. “In 1988, another chie aincy declaraon was made, which grouped the five ruling
houses into two, three in one side and two in the other side. The Laojo ruling house has
Morounfolu and our ruling house, Odunolu, while the Orisatoyinbo has three ruling hous-
es, Olumoyero, Orisatoyinbo and Oluyeyin. “When we thought that it was improper
to make a chie aincy declara on during the period of interregnum, we approached the
•The Bishop of Ilesa South-West Diocese, Rt. Rev. Samuel Ẹgbebunmi, presenting a certificate to Rev. Titus Ola during the Installation of Canon and Induction of Canon-In-Residence, held at the Diocese of Ilesa South-West Church (Anglican Communion) recently Photo :Shola Aderinto
CDWR Demands Reversal Of Sack Of OAUTHC Workers
Ismaeel Uthman HE Campaign for Democracy and Workers’ Rights (CDWR), Osun State chapter, has called for the reinstatement of 1,500 workers of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, who were sacked by the management of the hospital. CDWR, in a statement made available to OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, condemned the dismissal of the workers, describing it as inhumane, arbitrary and unjust. The 1,500 workers were sacked on the ground that they were employed through racketeering into the hospital between 2022 and 2023. The management hinged the decision to lay off the health workers on alleged breach of Sec-
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on 100401 of the Public Service Rules. But the CDWR quesoned the supervisory capacity of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and why it took a whole year to unravel this ‘mystery’. Signed by its Coordinator and Secretary, Mr. Alfred Adegoke and Comr. Kola Ibrahim respec vely, the statement reads in part: “We condemn in absolute terms, the sack of hundreds of staff of the OAUTH, IleIfe by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collusion with the management of the hospital. “We demand immediate reversal of the mass sack and immediate payment of all outstanding salaries. “This mass sacked is not only inhumane but
also arbitrary and unjust. The affected staff were employed in December 2022, having passed through series of employment procedures. Since then, they were not paid salaries for a whole year, despite working for the ins tu on, something which is contrary to the extant labour law of the country. “But the same ministry that looked the other way when these workers were not paid for the work they were doing, suddenly realised that there was wrongful employment. “According to the report of the inves ga on conducted by the ministry over the employment process, the former Chief Medical Director, Prof. Owojuyigbe, employed more than 1900 staff above the 450 approved
Osun Govt. To Recruit 5,250 Teachers, Education Officers
•Awards N1bn Rehabilitation Of Ora-Igbomina Waterworks Kazeem Badmus HE Osun State government is set to recruit 5,000 teachers and 250 educa on officers into the state civil service to address shortage of teachers in the public schools. The State Execu ve Council, on Wednesday, approved the immediate recruitment of the teachers to fill the vacancies in the state
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teaching service. A statement by Governor Ademola Adeleke’s Spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, stated that the approval for the recruitment of the teachers followed the conclusion of the need assessment exercise ordered by the Governor. According to the statement, the council directed the Ministry of Educa on to fast-track the process of the re-
cruitment to strengthen the educa on system. The council also approved a contract for the rehabilita on of Ora Igbomina water works at a total sum of N1.3bn. In view of the worsening exchange rate, the council directed that the mobiliza on of the contractor should be handled immediately, according to the statement.
by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federaon. “As much as we would not support official malfeasance and fraud, we ques on the supervisory capacity of the ministry under whose nose such act was carried out, such that it took the ministry a whole year to unravel this ‘mystery’. “Worse s ll, why should it be workers, who have no say in the whole process, and who have been economically incapacitated for a whole year due to non-payment of salaries, who will now suffer for the deeds of the OAUTH management and the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. “Furthermore, it is our conten on that the government needs to look at the social implica on of sacking over 1,500 staff, who have been carrying out their respec ve jobs, albeit without pay for a whole year, especially in this period of government-ins gated accentuated mass suffering. “This mass sack is also coming especially at a dire period when the health sector is suffering from a massive brain drain as qualified doctors and health professionals relocate en masse in pursuit of greener pasture. “This sack is completely unacceptable and shows the disconnec on of Nigeria’s ruling elite, who do not rely on public health facility, from the reality confron ng society.”
court and in 1994, the 1988 declara on was upturned by Jus ce Olowoofoye of blessed memory, and that judgment was not appealed ll date. “That was the reason former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola used the exis ng 1979 declara on to appoint the immediate past Oba. The administraon of Adegboyega Oyetola also cued into that 1979 declaraon to write the Odunolu ruling house to produce candidate in 2021. “But the satanic government of Governor Adeleke went back to the 1988 declara on that had been declared improper, all in the name of poli cs, that it was Oyetola’s administra on that gave us le er and anything done by Oyetola, whether good or bad, he doesn’t want to see it.” Asked why his ruling house didn’t produce candidate for Olufon a er a le er had been wri en to it by the Oyetola’s administraon, Gboyega said: “A day to the selec on, of the new Olufon from our ruling house, a direc ve came from the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs that we should stop the process because of the controversies on the Akinrun’s appointment. “The Morounfolu ruling house used the opportunity of the stoppage of the selec on process to approach the court that it was not comfortable with the 1979 declaraon. “We are already in court; and the court had issued an injuncon that nobody must do anything on the Olufon stool un l the determina on of the case. The state government is well represented in the case. “This desperate family of Morounfolu ruling house had sensed defeat on the case; they resorted to manipulating their ways into power, in connivance with the Chief of Staff. The Adeleke administra on manipulated the process on the Olufon stool and disrespected the judiciary for not honouring the injunc on on the stool.”
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Ruling House Disowns Appointed Akosin Of Ekosin “Olagunju Kasali Omotayo (3rd Defendant)” purporting to jus fy the imposi on illegally made by the chiefs named above is in the least uncalled for. “First, by implica on, the said Yemi Abiona is standing in for a case already pending before a court of competent jurisdic on. It is unethical for a counsel to comment publicly on a case that is subjudiced before the court. “One may ask, what case will Yemi Abiona further present before the court? “Much as we are not lawyers, all we need to say as bonafide members of Nyanbilolu Ruling House of Ekosin and in answer to the false claim of Mr. Yemi Abiona is that the pur•Members of the Peace Corps of Nigeria with the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi (middle), during an advocacy visit to his office, on Tuesday Ismaeel Uthman HE Nyanbilolu Ruling House of Ekosin, Odo-O n local government of Osun State has disowned the appointed Akosin, Prince Kasali Olagunju. The ruling house stated that Olagunju is not one of them as allegedly falsely claimed by some four kingmakers of the town. According to Pa. Abraham Bowofola, the head of the Nyanbilolu Ruling House, the appointed monarch is not a prince in Ekosin and does not have any right to the Akosin throne. Bowofola, in a press statement made available to OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, urged the state government, to disregard a statement credited to the four kingmakers who a empted to validate Olagunju’s appointment. According to Bowofola, the selec on, elec on and appointment of Olagunju on November 13, 2022 was fraudulently procured and greeted with consternaon, hatred and manifest surprise. He also noted that the counsel reported to have affirmed the legality of the selec on of the tradi onal ruler, Yemi Abiona, was wrong as the case is s ll in court. The family head who had earlier led a protest on February 2 to the State Secretariat, Abere, urged the state government to do the right thing with regards to resolving the kingship dispute in the town. Bowofola said, “Our atten on has been drawn to the publica on contained in the Vanguard News of February 4, 2024, and circulated online in vanguard. com. “In the publica on, the kingmaker in Ekosin
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disclosed that the newly appointed monarch, Oba Kasali Olagunju, is not just a prince of the town but also duly elected by them, contrary to the claim of some members of Nyanbilolu Ruling House. The four of the six Kingmakers in the saga, namely: the Ojomu, Chief Michael Adepoju; Ekerin, Azeez Kolawole, Ekefa, Muritala Adeleke and Olukotun, Ayoku Na-
jeemdeen was reported to have made the statement. “The Chiefs commit as we are aware of the ethical conduct among the error of fallacies when it was stated that the claims that the monarch is not a member of the Nyanbilolu Ruling House is far from the truth, as the chiefs failed woefully to men on the compound to which their manipulated king belong.
“On our part, Kasali Omotayo Olagunju belongs to Adio family of Adio’s Compound, Ekosin, and no more. Adio’s family is not a family unit of the Nyanbilolu Ruling House and Mr. Kasali Omotayo Olagunju is therefore not a prince. “The la er aspect of the reportage in the Vanguard News credited to one Yemi Abiona, a counsel to the monarch, referring to
Osun CJ: No Judicial Officer Will Be Shielded If Found Guilty - NJC Yusuf Oketola
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HE Na onal Judicial Council (NJC) has said that it would not shield the Chief Judge of Osun State, Jus ce Adepele Ojo, or any judicial officer if found guilty of any misconduct. The NJC said inves ga-
Epileptic Power Supply Responsible For Prolonged Public Water Supply Failure - Osun Water Corporation Yusuf Oketola
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HE Osun State Water Corpora on has a ributed the prolonged public water supply failure being experienced in Osogbo and other parts of the state to epilep c power supply. According to the General Manager of the Corpora on, Engr. Modupe Jokotola, the epilep c power supply has been a barrier in supplying enough water for the residents. Jokotola who expressed worry over the situa on plead with members of the public to exercise pa ent while the corpora on sta ng that it would provide a las ng soluon to water supply. The GM, in a telephone interview with OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday, promised that the corpora on would improve on the water supply as soon as there is stable power supply. OSUN DEFENDER had in its February 2, 2024 edi on, reported that some areas in Os-
ogbo have been experiencing irregular water supply since June 2022. The water supply failure has subjected some residents of the state capital to stress as they find alterna ve portable water at far distance. Areas affected, according to findings by OSUN DEFENDER, are
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Estate, Alekuwodo, Tinumola, Ofa-Prime, Isale Osun and Ayetoro, among other areas in Osogbo. Explaining the reason behind the water supply failure, Jokotola said: “The inconsistent water supply in Osogbo and other towns is as a result of epilep c power supply, and as a
CORRIGENDUM
HIS is to dissociate ourselves from any act of plagiarism. OSUN DEFENDER Newspaper is known for its original, decent and investigative contents. We use this medium to extend our heartfelt apology to the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) on the usage of its original content (SPECIAL REPORT: Built in 2021, a N190m Bookless National Library Sits in Osun Bush) which was presented for publication by one of our reporters as his original work (Multi Million Naira Library Abandoned In Osun.) We deeply regret any discomfort the action might have caused. Our medium takes allegations of plagiarism and copyright infringement seriously and remains committed to upholding the principles and ethics of the journalism profession.
ported selec on, elec on, and appointment of Kasali Omotayo Olagunju on 13th November 2022 was fraudulently procured and was greeted with consterna on, hatred and manifest surprised as the unholy turn of event by the Chiefs to heap undeserved favour on a stranger to the household of Nyanbilolu Ruling House and the enre Ekosin town. “The false claims by both the four Chiefs named above and Mr Kasali Olagunju, through his counsel, Yemi Abiona stand reason on its head. And the good government of Osun, including the reasonable members of the society are hereby urged to ignore.”
result, we cannot deal for longer hours to get water for larger coverage of water supply for Osogbo township and other places in the state. “There would be improvement in our supply to the town as soon as we have regular power supply. We are so sorry about the inconvenience that our people in the town may be facing.”
PUBLICATION AYODEJI MICHEAL IGE That I was formerly known and addressed as ABBASS IGE SADIQ, now wish to be known and addressed as AYODEJI MICHEAL IGE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note. SHOKUNBI MARIAM OYINDAMOLA That I was formerly known and addressed as SODIQ-MICHAEL MARIAM OYINDAMOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as SHOKUNBI MARIAM OYINDAMOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.
on into the allega on of misconduct by Jus ce Ojo will not be swept under the carpet, sta ng that its findings on the probe would be made public when concluded. Mr. Soji Oye, the Director of Informa on of the NJC, in a statement on Monday, said a commi ee is already in place to look into the allega ons against Jus ce Ojo. Oye said once the preliminary commi ee finishes si ng, it will send its report to another party which will invite par es involved with their lawyers. He said: “The NJC is like a court for judges accused of wrongdoings. Preliminary commi ee has already been set up to look into the allega ons. “The commi ee will look at the pe on and decide whether it has merit or not. A er it must have been looked into and it is established that it has merit, another commi ee, like a court, will be set up, where par es will appear with their lawyers to argue the pe on. “The two sides will be invited to appear with their lawyers to defend themselves. It is a er this that the council will sit and consider the findings and make it public.” In the pe on before the NJC, some aggrieved members of Osun State judiciary, accused the chief judge of breach of the code of conduct for public officers. They claimed that Jusce Ojo allegedly engaged in misappropria on of public funds, illegal virement, disobedience of court order, diversion of funds and general abuse of office.
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FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 09, 2024 - THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2024
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Coalition Mulls Repeat Of 2012 Occupy Nigeria Struggle Amidst Economic Hardship Ismaeel Uthman
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HE Osun Civil Socie es Coali on (OCSC) has called on Nigerians, par cularly residents of the state, to gear up for a mass protest against the lingering economic hardship. According to the coali on, it is high me Nigerian ci zens stood up to repeat the 2012 Occupy Nigeria struggle against the removal of fuel subsidy by President Goodluck Jonathan administra on. The OCSC, in a statement by its Chairman and Secretary, Waheed Lawal and Emmanuel Olowu respec vely, accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led Federal Government of insensi vity to the plight of Nigerians. Maintaining that the economic reform of the Tinubu administraon has brought pains and agony to Nigerian homes, the OCSC said the me is ripe for the
poor to liberate themselves from hardship. The statement reads in part: “There is a need to revisit the 2012 Oc-
cupy Nigeria Struggle. The ongoing economic hardship and total disregard to the plight of Nigerians by the Fed-
eral Government has made it necessary for Nigerians to rise up and speak in one voice against the worsening
economic situa on. “Any economic reform that will s ff life out of Nigerians is satanic and should be re-
•The Olufi of Gbongan, Oba (Dr.) Adetoyese Oyeniyi Odugbemi 1, with the Chairman of the Osun State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, Adekunle Adedoye, during the presentation of Mathematics textbooks to the students of Mornach International College, Gbongan, yesterday
Corrupt Politicians, Individuals Should Be Given Capital Punishment – Oluwo Kazeem Badmus
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HE Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi, has called for capital punishment for corrupt poli cians and individuals in Nigeria. According to Oba Akanbi, corrup on among the poli cians is responsible for the lingering economic hardship in Nigeria. Oba Akanbi, who spoke with journalists on Wednesday, said there should be capital punishment for anyone found culpable of corrup on, adding that Nigeria should emulate Saudi Arabia and China in curbing corrup on. The monarch urged President Bola Tinubu to hold Governors and Naonal Assembly lawmakers responsible for the hardship being faced by Nigerians. He said Nigerians ought not to be suffering with the huge amount being shared to states by the Federal Government. Oluwo said Governors, Senators and House of Representaves members should be able to account for how the huge alloca ons they are ge ng from the federal government are being spent. He noted that Nigerians should not be cry-
ing of hunger with the increment in alloca on that the federal government gives out monthly to states. Oba Akanbi noted that the hardship facing the country is temporary, urging Nigerians not to lose hope in the current administra on. He said: “What is going on in Nigeria now is temporary. Economists will tell you that the step
that the federal government is taking is the right one. “There is no way residents can get money except through the Governors, Senators, House of Representa ves members and Council Chairmen. The alloca on being given to the states now is much and no government has given such before. “The subsidy money
is being given out by the federal government. So, why are Nigerians s ll hungry? It means something is wrong from those ge ng the funds. It seems that they are protec ng themselves, if not, the President ought to have asked them what they are pu ng the money into. This is the me for the President to demand accountability. “And any corrupt
poli cian or individual should be given capital punishment. We should emulate Saudi Arabia and China in curbing corrup on. Someone who steals a goat in Nigeria gets heavy judgment while the poli cians who stole billions got the opon of fines. If the federal government is serious, there must be capital punishment for some crime.”
Insecurity: We Are Protecting Our Borders - Osun there is a 24-hour cies in the neighbourpatrol to intensify intel- ing states, par cularly Amotekun Commandant that ligence gathering and the Amotekun corps in Anthony Faji
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HE South West Security Network codenamed Amotekun, Osun Command, has assured residents of its commitment to protec ng the state borders against infiltra on by criminal elements. The State Commandant of the Amotekun Corps, Brg. Gen. Bashir Adewinmbi (Rtd) gave the assurance in a telephone interview with OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday. Adewinmbi who was reac ng to the recent killings and kidnappings in neighbouring states, noted that adequate measures were in place to curtail the spread of insecu-
rity and crime in Osun State. He said the security ou it has taken proacve steps and strategies to man the interstates borders, adding
monitor the situa on. The commandant urged residents to stay calm, no ng that there is an ongoing collabora on with the heads of other security agen-
Eki , Ondo and Kwara. He said: “We do meet regularly to strategize and agree on issues rela ng to security and in the case of any emergency, we find ways to help one another and promote peace and unity in the society. “Amotekun in the state are ready and posi oned to protect all the ci zens. We are trying our utmost best to ensure that we curtail insecurity to the minimum level in Osun.” Adewinbi urged the residents of the state to be security conscious and call the a en on of security personnel in case of emergency or strange movement in their areas.
jected. We had for the past eight months exercised pa ence, hoping that the FG would take prac cal step to ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians. “We had thought the gains of the removal of fuel subsidy would rub off the pains. Alas! We are wrong. What we have discovered is that the government has taken away money from the poor and gave it to government officials. “There is no economic sense in removing subsidy on petroleum product, devalua ng the Naira, raising tax and electricity tariff at the same me. The supposed economic reform has brought pains, agony and uncertainty to Nigerian homes. “One does not need to be an economist to know that increment in fuel and tax will cripple local business and reduce produc vity. It is an open fact that devalua on of Naira and rising double digit inflaon rate have reduced the purchasing power of Nigerians; leading to paying more to buy little. “Nigerians are suffoca ng without hope of relief in sight. The comfortable has become poor while the poor has become poorer and living in abject poverty. The cost-ofliving has astronomically increased; staple foods are no longer available for the poor. Ailment and disease are persisted because the cost of drug has increased far above the reach of the common people. “The Federal Government has sufficiently displayed total disregard to the welfare and wellbeing of Nigerians, and it appears incompetent to address the worsening economic situa on. “We cannot connue to lament and grumble, the me to hit the street and occupy Nigeria is now. The poor should get ready to liberate themselves. “We were on the street against fuel subsidy removal in 2012 for a week; it is me to occupy Nigeria again to reject satanic economic reforms that have brought nothing but pains, agony and death.”
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lot is wrong with Nigeria as a country and Africa as a con nent. How else can we explain the persistent issue of misdiagnosis in our medical sector? Admi edly, there are instances where incorrect assump ons about a condi on occur due to typical presenta ons, as seen with typhoid fever and malaria or pneumonia mimicking tuberculosis. However, just as a bull snake resembles a ra lesnake but lacks venom, misdiagnosis should not be a recurring theme. On a different note, congratula ons to Nigerians at home and abroad for the Super Eagles’ slow and steady performance in the ongoing AFCON. While we wish them success, there’s more to worry about than football, as the decay in Nigeria’s system has seeped into the football sector, evident just days before the tournament began. On January 8, Nigeria played a pre-AFCON friendly match against Guinea, and Umar Sadiq, a striker, experienced a significant impact from two Guinean defenders. This incident led to the medical team recommending his subs tu on as a preven ve measure. Despite Sadiq insis ng it was a minor knock, the Nigerian medical team assessed him the next day and concluded that he had a minuscule injury that would sideline him for at least 15 days. Consequently, the reluctant striker was removed from the Super Eagles. Unable to con nue his journey with the na onal team, Sadiq returned to his club, Real Sociedad. Upon the club’s diagnosis and medical team’s assessment, he was deemed fit to play. Meanwhile, the na onal team insisted on his return for further assessment, prompting Sadiq to leave the Super Eagles camp for Spain. Within four days of his return, he played in a compe ve match for Real Sociedad against Osasuna and has since remained fit. Head Coach Jose Poseiro cri cized the medical team, sta ng, “I received a report that he was injured and can’t recover in 15 days,” explaining the decision to drop
“Umar Sadiq was fortunate to be misdiagnosed with a less severe ailment, unlike many families facing daily tragedies due to incorrect diagnoses. The Nigerian medical sector is an open sore, prompting those who can afford it to seek medical treatment abroad ”
News Insecurity: We Are Protecting Our Borders - Osun Amotekun Commandant
BLUE PRINT
By SEUN ABOSEDE Misdiagnosis: Shame Of A Nation
Sadiq. The Super Eagles’ medical team erred in their prognosis and decision. In a func onal system, heads would roll, and the medical
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team would face scru ny. However, in Nigeria, where anything goes, accountability is o en elusive. This incident isn’t isolated to
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sports; it mirrors the prevalent issues in Nigerian hospitals. I lost a friend last year due to a wrong diagnosis, and I have witnessed cases where individuals were treated for the wrong ailment, leading to dire consequences. The misdiagnosis of late Chief Gani Fawehinmi with pneumonia, later revealed to be throat cancer, serves as a poignant example of the devasta ng impact of medical errors. Umar Sadiq was fortunate to be misdiagnosed with a less severe ailment, unlike many families facing daily tragedies due to incorrect diagnoses. The Nigerian medical sector is an open sore, promp ng those who can afford it to seek medical treatment abroad. Despite Nigerian doctors being highly sought globally, infrastructural shortcomings, including inadequate and poorly maintained equipment, hinder their effec veness. Pediatric hematologist and oncologist consultant, Prof. Aderemi Ajekigbe notes that doctors somemes require specific machines for accurate diagnoses. The absence or unavailability of such equipment, coupled with financial constraints for pa ents, contributes to misdiagnoses. The Nigerian government must urgently intervene at all levels, providing necessary equipment and training for healthcare professionals. Un l this happens, the shame of the na on persists!
Striker is not the opinion of the Columnist featured above
N his seminar wri ng, “Nigerian, Who Are You?” the Late dis nguished philosopher, Pius Adesanmi, wrote, “Because the Nigerian does not know that the tragic backwardness of his country is a direct consequence of the absence of philosophy, because he is blissfully unaware of the costs of Nigeria’s na onal culture of hos lity to any no on of philosophy, theory, and abstract thinking, he becomes this perpetual laughable character, seeking doers who will make Nigeria like Dubai and London overnight, in the absence of thought and dogon turenchi. He does not know that those places he admires and wants Nigeria to be like are products of four hundred years of uninterrupted dogon turenchi – if you limit things just to The Enlightenment and modernity.” It is not backwardness and human sufferings that automa cally give birth to struggles, rebellions and freedom. For humans generally and Nigerians especially, tolerance to backwardness and sufferings has no elas c limit! It is deep sense of indigna on against injus ce that gives birth to struggle; and it is such struggles that birth men of excep onal honour and dignity. The problem with Nigeria is that the absence of illumina ng thought and prevalent contempt for crea ve thinking (amidst widespread hustle for anyhow-wealth without produc ons) has led into an intensely corrupt and toxic society where there are only an insignificant percentage of men and women of honour and dignity surviving. In October 1999, a BBC News Online Poll
Paying The Price picked Karl Marx as the Greatest Thinker of the Millennium. Every thinker and philosopher, be he/she in favour or against the fundamental conclusions of Marx’s thinking, must agree that the world is worse off today without the kind of rigor and depth that he brought into cri cal thinking. If the world is worse off, Nigeria is nowhere to be found in that world, as Adesanmi pointed out. We simply don’t believe that things must be well thought-out to arrive at certain basic truths. How then can we embrace the responsibili es imposed by those truths that we are blissfully ignorant and in contempt of? Deep thinking must precede ac ons, in private and public life. In ma ers of freedom, democracy, and governance, this applies even more rigorously. The price we must begin to pay, one and all in our small ways, is ge ng deep knowledge and following it up with passionate, organised ac ons. Otherwise, we will con nue to groan amidst endless trials, misery, trauma and tribula ons as each wickedly oppressive preceding government, in retrospect, sadly “looks even be er” than the current diabolical one: as an -people, self-serving, an -democra c vampires con nue their stranglehold on our “democra c” process and “governments” because we lack the profound, clarifying thought (and can never therefore commit to the logical, organised, self-sacrificing ac ons), to displace them from the governance space and re-
place them with patriots. Choices (especially in the face of compound ignorance and grinding poverty that are joined by divisiveness along primordial cleavages), can only be informed, logical, lo y, selfless and patrio c choices if they are anchored on sound philosophical thinking. An inspiring iden ty that can galvanize the people and catapult them to liberating ac ons can only be a func on of deep thinking and rigorous research that reveals the fundamental truth. Invariably, when these truths are embraced, so must the courage be found to follow the truths to the dark places where they lead - in order to emerge into the refreshing shine at the other side. Truths impose responsibili es. Among these responsibili es are struggles and self-sacrifices. Like Mandela said, “there is no easy walk to freedom.” Anger and agonizing amidst pain while embarking on spasmodic protests or occasional violent outbursts that hurt the very people more than their oppressors, leads to nowhere good. Those who desire to be free from ageold and unremi ed exploita on and oppression - that they do not want handed down to their children and their children’s children - must begin paying the price through seeking libera ng knowledge and philosophy; it is the only road to ar culated, organized ac ons and sustainable freedom in a just society where life more abundant is guaranteed.
OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Gbongan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun. All correspondence to the Deputy Editor, ISMAEEL UTHMAN, Telephone: 0809-301-9152. ISSN: 0794-8050. Website: www.osundefender.com Email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com, osundefender@yahoo.com