Sodiq Yusuf Kazeem Badmus
Economic Hardship: How Osun Single Fathers Are Holding Up
IN the face of rising economic challenges, single fathers in Osun State are naviga ng through difficules o en with li le support.
As the cost-of-living soars and job opportunies shrink, these men have found themselves playing dual roles of providers and caregivers, balancing work with the emo onal and physical demands of raising children.
The situa on is especially dire in Osun State, where agriculture is a major source of livelihood for many. For single fathers, the economic downturn has been par cularly brutal, as they try to meet both the financial and emo onal needs of their children with li le external support.
“I’ve always been a farmer, but these days, what I make from the farm can barely feed us. Before, I could sell enough yam and maize to pay for school fees and other needs. Now, the cost of fer lizer alone has tripled. I struggle just to keep food on the table,” Mr. Ololade Adebayo, a 42-year-old single father of
•L-R: CSP Ayeni Benjamin, DPO Epe Police Division, Lagos State, Osun NAWOJ Chairperson, Comrade Abisola Ariwodola and Director, Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Information and Public Enlightenment, Moshood Suleiman in a pose at their MSc Convocation ceremony, held at Redeemer’s University, Ede, recently
three who lives in Eleyele area in Ile Ife told OSUN DEFENDER Adebayo, like many other single fathers, has felt the s ng of infla on and the rising cost of basic necessi es. With Nigeria’s infla on rate hovering around 32.7%, prices of food, fuel, and healthcare have skyrocketed, leaving families with less disposable income.
Musa Garuba, a 37-
year-old commercial driver who lives in Sabo area in Ile Ife has been raising his two daughters alone since his wife passed away three years ago. He said, “Being both a father and a mother is hard. You go out early in the morning, work all day, come back, and there’s no one to share the load. I have to help with homework, cook, and make sure they’re okay.
Some mes, I’m just too red.”
Musa’s story is not unique. With many single fathers juggling long work hours with childcare responsibili es, burnout is a constant threat. The absence of affordable daycare or family support networks compounds the challenge, as these men must o en leave their children unattended or rely on neighbors
MEDIA VACANCY
for help.
He added, “I can’t afford to hire anyone to help look a er my kids. “I try to be around as much as I can, but I also need to work to feed them.”
While single mothers often have access to government or NGO support, single fathers say they are largely le out of the conversa on. In Osun State, there are few social welfare programs
specifically tailored to men raising children alone.
Kareem Sola, a mechanic who lives in in Ilesa said, “People don’t think single fathers need help. “They assume men can handle everything. But it’s not true. Some mes, we also need a hand. My oldest son had to drop out of school because I couldn’t afford the fees. I feel like I’ve failed him.”
“There’s no formal support system for people like us,” he said. “If there was a way to get financial help or even counseling, it would make a difference.”
Abefe Olayemi, a businessman who lives in Ede in Osun State told OSUN DEFENDER that, “Some mes, I meet up with my two children a er work, just to talk. It helps to know I’m not alone in this. We exchange ideas on how to cope, how to stretch the li le money we have. It’s not much, but it helps us keep going.”
OSUN DEFENDER reports that despite the challenges, many single fathers remain hopeful and resilient. They draw strength from their children and from the belief that their hard work will eventually pay off
Job Summary:
Lead a dynamic team of journalists and staff to produce a weekly newspaper and occasional publica ons, covering Osun’s latest news in poli cs, business, society, and human stories.
Key Responsibili es:
• Oversee news coverage and distribu on across Osun State
• Liaise with government, corpora ons and various organisa ons and Individuals for subscrip ons and revenue genera ng ac vi es.
• Manage online presence
• Drive adver sing revenue and explore paid event coverage.
• Manage marke ng and distribu on
Photo: Shola Aderinto
Sodiq Lawal
The 2024 Nobel Prize For Economics
•Its Significance for Nigeria
“It is backwardness in disguise when a nation continues to base its economic reforms on the recommendations of Bretton woods institutions. There is nowhere in the world where a country plunges its people into abject poverty by removing subsidies from critical government responsibilities of education, health, power, oil and gas and others too numerous to mention and expect growth”
THE trio of James Robinson, Samuel Johnson, Daron Acemoglu richly deserves the joint conferment of the noble prize for Economics 2024. Kudos!! The main thrust of their painstaking research is of great significance to a Nigeria mired in under - achieving failing to a ract long - term capital investments and sliding into irrelevance.
The trio have shown that economic sustainability is anchored on a country possessing strong independent ins tu ons. It is now the conven onal wisdom that a country needs an independent Central Bank focussed on macro - economic stability, a demonstrably efficient today judiciary as well as at today modern system of internal security to be relevant in the world of today. For example, how can a country be compe ve without efficient Ports and func oning systems of interna onal trade intermedia on mechanisms?
It is backwardness in disguise when a naon con nues to base its economic reforms on the recommendaons of Bre on woods ins tu ons. There is nowhere in the world where a country plunges its people into abject poverty by removing subsidies from cri cal government responsi-
bili es of educa on, health, power, oil and gas and others too numerous to men on and expect growth. As advanced as the Chinese, Bri sh, American and French economies are, basic necessi es of life are cut for the benefit of the average masses. The reason is to ensure that life is enviable and easy for the middle- and lowincome earners. Instead of the government to reorientate a system of values beginning from cu ng down the cost of governance that has become its stumbling block in decades, heavily tax the super-rich to provide for the poor and empower the downtrodden who are daily affected the obnoxious policies.
Nigeria must reboot and take to heart the lessons learnt from “Why Na ons Fail.”
It will not be out of turn or demeaning if one of the trio have a full interac ve session with the federal government’s economics team, which will be beneficial to efforts at economic recovery and stabilisaon.
With the present economic strategy stalled, we must explore alterna ve strategies and widen the discourse.
Exploring the theme of why this year’s economics prize was awarded is impera ve.
The Discourse
Cabinet Reshuffle Alone May Not Make Any Significant Difference
PRESIDENT Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to reshuffle his cabinet soon and some por olios may be reassigned and some ministers be relieved of their du es. According to the Special Adviser to the President on Informa on and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. When the reshuffle happens, it is expected to align with the President’s broader strategy to enhance governance and be er communicate the administra on’s successes.
To achieve the desired results, the performance review of ministers should be holis c, as various factors affect performance, some of which may be beyond their control.
The lag between policy announcements and implementaon has contributed to the perceived poor performance of this administra on.
The workload of the ministers should be reviewed to iden fy those who may be overwhelmed. No ma er how capable a person is, being overloaded with tasks will lead to longer turnaround mes and delays in policy implementa on. Some ministerial por olios may need to be split, or Ministers of State appointed in some Ministries where they do not exist. Some people think the Minister of Finance, who also doubles as the Coordina ng Minister of the Economy, should have a Minister of State.
The problem of bureaucracy in Nigerian governance has always existed. Tasks that can be completed in two days in a private se ng take much longer in government. The government should conduct a process review and streamline its opera ons for greater efficiency. This should be done without losing sight of the need for control and supervision. This will speed up policy forma on and implementa on thereby making the government more responsive. Beyond bureaucracy, another factor causing delays in policy implementa on is the lack of, or delays in, funding. In such scenarios, there is li le a minister can do.
One may ask if the roles, responsibili es, and deliverables with melines expected of the ministers were clearly communicated to them. For example, just recently, Bayo Onanuga said. The President has instructed ministers to ac vely communicate what their ministries are achieving. Some have been hesitant to engage with the media, but the President wants them to change that. While some ministers have been very vocal, though it
“There are factors beyond a minister’s control that can affect their perceived performance, apart from funding. For instance, whilst not celebrating or defending the performance of the Minister of Agriculture, without addressing insecurity, which has led to inces-sant attacks on farmers, farmlands, and livestock, domestic food production will remain impaired. The Ministry of Solid Minerals is faced with a similar circumstance with many mining sites under the control by non-state actors”
may seem implied, it is possible that others did not know they were expected to be, given that the government has other means of promo ng its successes. There are factors beyond a minister’s control that can affect their perceived performance, apart from funding. For instance, whilst not celebra ng or defending the performance of the Minister of Agriculture, without addressing insecurity, which has led to incessant a acks on farmers, farmlands, and livestock, domes c food produc on will remain impaired. The Ministry of Solid Minerals is faced with a similar circumstance with many mining sites under the control by non-state actors.
OSUN DEFENDER
Publisher – Moremi Publishing House Ltd.
Ac ng Deputy Editor – Sodiq Yusuf Produc on Editor – Petkola Taiwo Ibitowa Reporter – Yusuf Oketola Reporter – Kazeem Badmus
Photo Journalist – Shola Aderinto
Computer Graphics – Zainab Olalere
OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Gbongan Road, Osogbo, Osun State.
ISSN : 0794-8050
Telephone : 0809-301-9152
Website : www.osundefender.com/index.php e-mail : osundefenderhq@gmail.com osundefenderbank@gmail.com
As Mr President prepares to reshuffle his cabinet, it is impera ve that issues like workload, funding, bureaucracy, communica on of deliverables, and other factors beyond the control of ministers are properly addressed. Changing ministers or reassigning por olios without dealing with all the issues impairing performance may not lead to significant improvement. Performance review is holis c and goes beyond just evaluating the individual responsible for certain tasks. Nigerians deserve a more responsive government.
All correspondence to the above email addresses.
•Aguolu, FCA, FCIA, PMP writes from Abuja. He can be reached via kenerek1@ gmail.com or 08123245543.
Kenechukwu Aguolu
LG Tour: More ADP, PDP Supporters Move To Omoluabi Progressives
MORE than 200 members of Ac on Democra c Party (ADP) and Peoples Democra c Party (PDP) have declared support for the Omoluabi Progressives.
The new members joined at Egbedore, Ola-Oluwa, Ilesa East, Obokun, Oriade, Atakunmosa East, Iwo and Ejigbo local government areas, during the ongoing tour of the State Coordina ng Team to council areas across the state.
Addressing members of the tendency who trooped out en-masse to receive the visi ng team, Chairman, Omoluabi Progressives, Alhaji Azeez Adesiji, expressed delight that the caucus is gaining quality membership across the state.
Adesiji said so far, the fold has con nued to expand in quan ty and quality, expected of a team that is ready to take the reins of power in Osun.
According to him, efforts are in top gear to facilitate the entry of other competent grassroots poli cians who are grounded in local poli cs, just as top poli cians in the state are concluding plans to pledge their allegiance with the caucus.
The former local government chairman added that Omoluabi Progressives is solely for those who believe in the core values of character, competence and integrity, with a promise that the tendency if elected in 2026, possesses the requisite hands to take Osun to greater heights.
Adesiji said, “We are happy that as many people are possible are pitching their tents with us. We are more than inspired to also note that many of those who people thought would be afraid to associate with us are now members of our poli cal family.
“Our inspira on is in the warm recep on we have received from not just members, but the generality of the public any me we head out. The people love and show it to us every me. It is evident that they are ready for us. From traders to ar sans, civil servants and the en re populace, they are so much in love with Omoluabi and we will not let them down.
•As Massive Crowd Welcomes Caucus Leaders To LGAs
•Bad portion of road at Ofatedo area of Egbedore Local Government
“I have a single advise for you all, please, don’t be deterred. Go all out to your wards and units and con nue to mobilise vigorously. By the me we declare our final move, the people who have been hiding for so long will
come and be a part of the success train.
“Our membership registra on so far has been more than impressive but we can do a lot more. Let us not relent. Victory is assured,” the Chairman stated.
In his remarks, former Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeo said the caucus is full of poli cal eggheads and grassroots mobilisers who are fully on ground.
Alhaji Adeo urged
members of the tendency not to be swayed by the an cs of fairweathered poli cians admonished them to be united and embrace one another to achieve the caucus’s collec ve aim.
Also speaking in
Osun Govt Lights-Up Major Roads In Osogbo Osun Govt Roads In
Kazeem Badmus
OSUN State Government has commenced the light up of major roads in Osogbo, the state capital.
Findings by OSUN DEFENDER revealed that the light up project is coming close to two years a er Governor Ademola Adeleke’s promise.
OSUN DEFENDER reports that the Governor had on December 7, 2022, during the visit of the Presiden al candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji A ku Abubakar to Osogbo, assured to light up everywhere in Osun before A ku comes back to the state as President.
Adeleke disclosed that he found himself in an embarrassing situa on when the former Vice President, himself and other dignitaries moved round the state capital on the night of December 06, 2022, and discovered that the whole city was without streetlights, promising to correct the situa on.
He said, “I told our incoming president that ‘sorry, this is what we met on the ground but I can assure you that by the me you will be coming to visit us as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, there will be light everywhere.”
OSUN DEFENDER’s inves ga ons as at the me revealed that majority of the streetlights on major roads in Osogbo, were
not func oning, leaving the state capital in almost total darkness at night.
Areas like Dada Estate, Technical, Oke Fia, Old Garage, Igbona, and Ota Efun were without func oning streetlights.
However, the situa on has changed as most roads in the capital are beaming with streetlights at night.
OSUN DEFENDER observed that most of the streetlights from Akoda junc on to Kobongbogboe area in Osogbo are now working.
Also, the medium saw that street light were fixed on the Osogbo/Ikirun road.
In the mean me, some residents of the state have urged the state government not to limit the street light project to major roads in Osogbo.
The residents who
spoke with OSUN DEFENDER said there is a need to also look at ligh ng up major roads in other parts of the state capital and the state in general.
A resident of OgoOluwa, Osogbo, Abayomi Omolere, while apprecia ng Governor Adeleke, said there is more work to be done.
Omolere stated that, “I want to appreciate the Governor for ligh ng up Osogbo to Akoda expressway. The move has beaufied the city in the night as against what we have in the past.
“However, the governor does not know that there are s ll many places that need to be lighted up. Apart from the expressway, we have major streets in Osogbo that do not have street lights. It is important for him to look
into that and other parts of the state.”
In her submission, Mrs Ololade Makanjuola, a resident of Ede, said the governor needs to touch other parts of the state.
Mrs Makanjuola noted that the governor should not concentrate on the capital alone, adding that streetlights reduces crime and other vices perpetrated in the wee hours of the day.
“Governor Adeleke should not focus on Osogbo alone. Other major ci es in Osun State also needs to be light up so that the governor can live up to his name ‘Imole’.
“Having street light reduces crime because nobody will be bold enough to perpetuate criminal ac vi es when everyone can see him,” the trader reemphasised.
Ejigbo, former Speaker of the Osun House of Assembly, Dr. Najeem Salaam emphasised the need for further mobilisa on.
Salaam noted that while Omoluabi Progressives is a network of like minded and genuine poli cians, efforts must not be spared to a ract more people in order to actualise the vision of reclaiming Osun in 2026.
Highlight of the events was the rendion of poli cal songs and visit to notable stakeholders and political juggernauts in the areas visited.
Gbolahan Abolarin Oyindamola Abanise
THE Nigeria Police has said it has commenced a probe into the trending video of some its officers who allegedly stopped and brutalised a young man idenfied as Odesanmi Dare, an automobile dealer in the Osogbo area of Osun State.
OSUN DEFENDER reports that the video had surfaced online last Thursday where some officers from the Osun Command beat Odesanmi, a er he presented vehicle documents to them in front of Rinsayo Filling Sta on, Ring Road, Osogbo.
Force Public Relaons Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, while reac ng to the incident in a post on X, on Saturday, said the police would not condone professional misconduct from any quarters.
He affirmed that the Osun State Command had been tasked to handle the ma er.
“The Osun state command has been tasked to handle this ma er while the AIG Zone 11 Osogbo has also been asked to take some steps. We won’t condone professional misconduct from any quarters.
“We have intensified our efforts in addressing complaints and boosting oversight func ons and accountability in the police,” he wrote.
Photo: Shola Aderinto
Sodiq Yusuf
Economic Hardship: Graduates Throng Markets, Become P.O.S Operators In Osun
•Continued from front page
ing of the na on’s economy has led Nigerians, par cularly young school leavers to go into small scale businesses, online marke ng, cryptocurrency, e-commerce, network marke ng and others to put food on their table.
One of the areas where most young graduates have hugely diverted to is the Point of Sales business (P.O.S). Although, it is not a new trend across ci es, towns and villages across Nigeria since late 2017, the wave of the business has now moved to markets in Osun State.
OSUN DEFENDER visited major markets in the state in the last three months and observed a rising influx of P.O.S merchants, with our reporters losing count of them at their last visit from last weekend to yesterday.
From graduates to corps members, the small business owners due to the economic situa on the medium gathered stand in more than 10s at crical points at the entrance of the market, market stalls, inside major shopping malls, among others, scampering for would be customers in need of cash.
As no ced, most of the P.O.S merchants are more in tradi onal market areas, populated by predominantly old men and women who have li le or no knowledge of online bank transac ons and are unable to take electronic transfers for purchases.
OSUN DEFENDER visited Sabo and Lagere markets in Ile-Ife, Irojo, Ade and Roundabout markets in Ilesa, Ifon market, Owode-Ede market, Alamisi market in Ikirun as well as Igbona, Orisumbare, Alekuwodo and Oja-Oba markets in Osogbo, the state capital and spoke to some of the graduates, who have found employment in being P.O.S a endants.
“It was unemployment, and frustra on. I have been to many places, but got no response. I did a bricklaying job for good four months before searching for be er opportuni es. One of my family members introduced me into POS business in August. Since then, I have been managing myself, it is something at least,” Adekunle Adeyemi, a graduate of the Lagos State University told OSUN DEFENDER at the popular Owode-Ede market.
“I make up to five thousand naira in a day, and it depends on the loca on. I am not considering taking up a government job, but I will take an offer for a salary job if it is lucra ve and
sustaining,” the graduate noted.
Oluwapelumi Adeoye, a graduate of the University of Ilorin who is a P.O.S merchant at Igbona market, Osogbo stated that choosing the market
was strategic for her as she makes valuable profit daily.
Adeoye’s words: “Unemployment led me here. I looked for jobs everywhere but they gave me excuses. That is why I decided to
try the POS business, and I chose a strategic loca on to maximise my profit. Ever since I started few months back. It has been hugely profitable.”
Also, Pa ence Adako, a 29-year-old graduate of
Interna onal Rela ons is in the business and hunts for customers at the Ifon market every five days. She told OSUN DEFENDER’s reporter that the P.O.S business is lucra ve and enough to feed her family of three.
•Officials of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), attending to customers at the NERC town hall meeting, held in Òsogbo, last Friday
Outrage As Osun Records 150,000 Out-Of-School Children
•State
Of Education In Osun Worrisome, Group Laments
•Figure
Fallacious – SUBEB Chair
Yusuf Oketola
THERE are over 150,000 out-of-school children in Osun State, OSUN
DEFENDER learnt.
A nongovernmental organisa on, One House Development Ini a ve (OHI), who made the disclosure expressed worry over the state of educa on in the state, stating that Osun contributes significantly to Nigeria’s out-ofschool children popula on.
According to the organisa on, the state’s poor ranking in na onal examina ons adds to the concern.
OHI said, “Osun state with a popula on of about 4.7 million contributes 150,000 to that disastrous out-of-school number.
“Lagos with a populaon es mate of 21 million has 160,000 – barely 10,000 more than ours while Eki has just 40,000 with a popula on of over 2.2 million.
“If that was mul plied to match our popula on in Osun, it would be at about 80,000 which would s ll be a whopping 70,000 out-ofschool children gap.”
Its Team Lead, Tubosun Olabomi said the figures are based on data available on Sta sense portal.
Olabomi also highlighted some of the challenges faced by persons with special needs, lack of perimeter fencing, teaching and training equipment, and vocaonal materials in schools, as some of the reasons for the situa on, which deserves
emergency a en on.
He said, “The state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke should ensure that, educa on and health of special needs students and those of persons with disabili es are given top priority saying, other schools within the state also need urgent a en on.
“There are challenges in our society that are fast becoming menaces. Educa on, Health and Inclusion carry a bulk of them.”
Reac ng, the Chairman, State Universal Basic Educaon Board (SUBEB) in Osun,
Hon. Ibukun Fadipe described the figure as misleading while ques oning the credibility of the data source.
Fadipe a ributed the number of out-of-school children in the state to influx of non-indigenes.
He stated this while responding enquires by OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday.
He said: “This is not true. What is the source of the data being quoted here? Osun is one of the states in Nigeria with the lowest number of Out of the School children. What are the sources and causes of these Out of School Children in Osun state in parcular?
“As we all know, Osun is a welcoming state to all tribes and races in Nigeria, hence the influx of all sorts of people into the state. Hence, cultural and religious factors are the main cause. Thus, the occurrence of out of school children is not a result of a non-func onal educa on system in the state.
“The State Governor is doing all possible best to enrol, retain, and ensure the comple on of all these children in schools. The State is providing free, qualita ve basic educa on. The State distributes instruc onal and wri ng materials to schools and even note books to the learners in all our basic schools.
Ilesa Water Project: Court Dismisses $500m Suit Against Osun Govt
Yusuf Oketola
AN Osun State High Court has dismissed a $500 million suit filed against the Osun State Government for alleged unlawful termina on of the Ilesa Water project contract.
OSUN DEFENDER reports that Henan Water Conservancy Engineering Bureau Limited and Sagittarius Nigeria Limited, the project contractor, had, through their lawyer, Kunle Adegoke (SAN), dragged the state government to court in suit number HOS/ M.205/2021 accusing it of an unlawful termina on of the contract awarded them in 2018.
It would be recalled that the state government
had during the administra on of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola conceived and flagged the execu on of Ilesa Water Supply and Sanita on Project, funded through a loan from the Islamic Development Bank.
Defence counsel from the Osun Ministry of Jusce, Tijani Adekilekun, told the court that though the contract was agreed to be carried out within 24 months, with the me running from the date of handing over the project site to the contractor, the claimants failed to deliver as soon as it was due.
Adekilekun stated further that when the problem of delay in implemen ng the contract persisted due to the contractor’s inability to produce an approved design, the contractor was issued a no ce of termina-
on, rescinded at the interven on of former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.
He argued that a er an addi onal 12 months, the claimants could s ll not deliver the consultant’s approved design, so Governor Ademola Adeleke had to terminate the contract on August 16, 2022.
Kola Adegoke (SAN) had sought an interlocutory injunc on restraining the Osun State government from execu ng the project by re-awarding the contract to another contractor.
In his judgement, Ayo Oyebiyi dismissed the applica on and suit and pronounced that the Osun State government’s termina on of the contract was in order. He further directed the government to award the contract to another eligible firm.
“I served here between 2020 and 2021. I returned home to Enugu and a er five months, I decided to come back because I met my husband here. He was in paid employment before losing his job due to the current economic circumstances.
“We both applied in the Osun State Teachers Recruitment exercise but we are yet to be given letters of employment. That is why I resorted to the P.O.S business. A neighbour introduced me to it and it has been enough to feed. We have just a son who is less than two years. We are managing and God is faithful.”
Findings by OSUN DEFENDER revealed that not only graduates are in the business. Corps members who were posted to the state are also joining the long list of Point of Sales a endants at major markets.
Two serving corps member in Osogbo local government, Idris Sani who finished from Tai Solarin University, Ogun State and Emmanuel Ayo, a graduate of the Kogi State Polytechnic, bared their minds on why they decided to choose the business.
“I serve in a school. But, some mes, my alawee is not enough to take care of my needs. That is why I ventured into this business. There are several bills to pay and N33,000 is not enough. There are also no other jobs to manage with. That is why I come here everyday to make ends meet.
“I run a er people who come to the market to buy and want to withdraw cash. I am mobile, so I can run around and move around. Once I detect someone trying to pay with transfer and the marketer is not obliging, I will immediately approach and meet him/her. I make up to N10,000 as profit on a day that I make more sales,” Idris stated.
Emmanuel added that he is not interested in a white-collar job if he gets enough financial support to start a business.
“I do not intend to look for a job a er NYSC. I am more interested in doing business because it is be er than an office role. Once I get the capital needed to start, I will begin business and move on veritably with life.”
The graduates, however, called on governments at all levels to introduce programmes that will make small businesses to thrive, amidst the prevailing economic circumstances.
•Shaykh Imam Zakariyah Sarumi is the Grand Imaam of Ipetu-Ijesa.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2024 - THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2024
ISLAM expects its followers to be master of live hearts and wakeful conscience, which would ensure the protec on of the rights of God and humanity and which would also protect their ac ons from the commitment of excesses. Therefore, it is necessary that every Muslim should be amen, trustworthy.
JUMAT SERMON JUMAT SERMON
By Imaam Zakariyau
In the eye of Shariah, trust has a very broad sense. This word contains an ocean of meanings, but underneath it all is the sense of responsibility, the sense of having to appear before and to account for one’s ac ons, the details of which are given in the hadith: “Everyone of you is a guardian and will be asked about his subjects. Imam is a guardian, he will be asked about his subjects. A man is a guardian of the people in his household, he is answerable about them. A woman is the guardian of her husband’s house; she will be asked about her responsibility. The servant is the guardian of the ar cle of his master; he is answerable about this responsibility of his.”(Bukhari). The narrator of the hadith, Ibn Umar, says he heard these things from the prophet and he thinks that the prophet also said: “A man is a guardian of the stock of his father and answerable about that.
By Imaam Zakariyau Sarumi
Trust And Honesty
•The Broader Sense Of Trust
The people take trust in a very limited sense and consider it to mean the protec on of others’ deposit, although in Allah’s religion, this has a very broad and unlimited sense. When a Muslim prepares to go on a journey, his brother prays for him in this way: “I pray to Allah for your religion, your trust and for the happy ending of your work.”(Tirmizi).
Hazrat Anas narrates that whenever Allah’s Messenger addressed a sermon to us, he invariably repeated this sentenced: “The man has no faith who cannot keep trust and man who does not respect his promises has no religion.”
Since the zenith of achievement and the highest limit of success are to be protected against the hardships of this world and the bad consequences in the herea er, the Prophet prays for safety from both the condi ons. He has said: “O Allah! I seek your shelter from the pangs of hunger, because it is a very bad companion, and I seek your shelter from dishonesty because it is the worst friend.”(Abu Daud).
Hunger is the name of depriva on in the world and
Osun Community Resort To Self-Help, Hires 51 Teachers
•As
Monarch Laments Poor Learning Conditions
OWAMIRAN of Esa-Oke in Oriade Local Government Area of Osun State, Oba Adeyemi Adediran, has expressed concern over poor state of public schools in his community.
Oba Adediran revealed that he had already reached out to the State Universal Basic Educa on Board (SUBEB) to report the poor condi on of the schools.
He noted that many public schools in the area were in dire need of repair, urging the state government to take swi ac on.
He stated this during the unveiling of a renovated four-block classroom building at The Apostolic Primary School, Esa-Oke, facilitated by
the children of late Pastor Ezekiel Daramola recently.
“I have contacted SUBEB to complain about the situa on, and I was asked to provide pictures and video clips of the structures. Many of our public schools are in a deplorable state, which is not a proper way to honour the memory of late Bola Ige,” Oba Adediran said.
Earlier, Chairman of the Esa-Oke Central Union, Mr. Yinusa Bamigboye, said that 51 teachers had been recruited for both primary and secondary schools with the support of the community.
He called on philanthropists and other indigenes to contribute to ini a ves aimed at enhancing the quality of life for residents.
“If a man is appointed to a certain high office, he should not use it for self-aggrandizement or for the benefit of his relatives, for the usage of public funds for personal purposes is a crime. It is a common thing that the governments and the firms give fixed salaries to their employees. Then to find out extra source of income is disrespectful, ignominious and mean”
dishonesty is the name of destruc on of religion. The Prophet had prayed for being spared from both. Before a aining prophethood, He was known among the people as amen (trustworthy).
Similarly, the trustworthiness of Moosa (Moses) was observed when He fetched water for the flock of the two daughters of the good old man, had helped them in a decent and gentlemanly way: “So He watered (their flocks) for them; then He turned back to the shade, and said: “O my Lord! Truly am I in (desperate) need of any good that you do send me!” A erwards, one of the (damsels) came (back) to him, walking bashfully. She said: “My father invites you that he may reward you for having watered (our flocks) for us.” So when he came to him and narrated the story, do not fear; (well) have you escaped from unjust people,” said one of the (damsels): “O my (dear) father! Engage him on wages: truly the best of men for you to employ
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is the (man) who is strong and trusty.”(Quran 28: 24-26).
This event took place when Moosa had not been made prophet, and was not sent to Pharaoh’s darbar.
And this is not at all surprising because Allah chose only those individuals for being appointed as His Messengers who were the most decent, most honest and righteous, among the people. The self which con nues to be attached to the high moral character even a er undergoing the extremes of the hardship of poverty and helplessness must be belonging to a very powerful and trustworthy man: and protec on of the rights of God and His slaves demands such condi ons and this is the spirit of trustworthiness.
APPOINTMENT
TO HIGH OFFICES AND POSTS IS A TRUST
There is also another sense of trust, and that is: everything should be placed at its proper and deserving place. An office or a post should be offered only to the deserving person; and responsibility should be given only to that person who is able to shoulder it and who has the capability to do jus ce to the trust placed in him.
Governorship, responsibili es of the party, na on or country which are granted and placing confidence in the person concerned are trust, about which they are answerable. A number of proofs can be advanced in support of this statement.
Hazrat Abu Zar reports that he asked the Prophet whether He would not make him a governor somewhere. Hearing this, the Prophet tapped his shoulder and said: “O Abu Zar! You are weak, and this responsibility is a trust. On the Day of Judgment, it will be a cause of loss of honor and ignominy. However, those people will be spared who will have accepted it with all its responsibili es and would have fulfilled whatever responsibili es they had in this connec on.” (Muslim).
It is a fact that mere excellence of educa on or experience does make a person suitable for some offic-
•Read full article on www.osundefender.com
Residents Lament Continuous Delay In Take-Off Of Imole Youth Corps
THE con nued delay in the take-off of the state youth empowerment programme, ‘Imole Youth Corps’, is raising concerns among residents of Osun State.
OSUN DEFENDER reports that Governor Ademola Adeleke on February 16, 2023, dissolved the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) and replaced it with Imole Youth Corps.
The state government in a circular signed by its Secretary, Hon. Teslim Igbalaye, said OYES was dissolved to restructure the agency for op mal performance.
It also urged residents to apply for the new programme through a free online applica on, which was made available in all the local governments, including Ife East Area Office.
A er persistent calls by applicants and residents over con nued silence on the issue, Adeleke on August 7, 2024, promised that the proposed Imole Youth Corps would be unveiled soon. Addressing a stakeholders’ mee ng of the Peoples’
Democra c Party (PDP), the Governor said, “I assure you, your government is working to deliver on our electoral promises. More good things are coming. Your government is doing a lot to bring relief to our people.
“We will soon announce the take-off of Imole Youth Corps; New teachers will soon be announced”.
Despite the reassurances, residents have expressed worries that the exercise might not see the light of the day.
They expressed concern that the recruitment exercise, which ought to have been concluded 20 months a er its announcement, is s ll yet to be flagged off
An applicant from Ilesa East Local Government, Hamidu Abubakar, while speaking with OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday, said government’s con nued silence on the recruitment exercise is appalling.
He urged the state government to come clean about the issue and let applicants know their fate.
“It is so frustra ng. When O’YES was dissolved and Imole Youths Corps was
announced. I was one of the people who rushed to apply, hoping that I would be a beneficiary, but 20 months later, nothing has been heard of it.
“This is not good at all, especially from the government. People have a lot of hope in this government but, unfortunately, this is taking too long.
“I will just appeal that the governor should do something about it. He will soon clock two years in office and it will be good if he can use that occasion to put this issue to bed,” Abubakar noted.
Another applicant, Omotoyosi Adeosun, said the exercise may have already been hijacked by
poli cians.
Adeosun said some people were already cleaning the streets, calling on the state government to let residents know the true posi on of things.
She said, “I’m not a polician, but I applied for the scheme hoping it would not be based on poli cs. With what we are hearing now, it seems we, the nonpoli cians, don’t even have a chance.
“Some people are already on the streets cleaning, and it seems they are the ones the government is ready to recruit. They should just come out to let us know what is happening. The whole thing has taken too long than usual.”
•Gov. Adeleke
•Shaykh Imam Zakariyah Sarumi is the Grand Imaam of Ipetu-Ijesa.
Kazeem Badmus
Yusuf Oketola
After OSUN DEFENDER Report, Adeleke’s Deputy Bows To Pressure, Meets Coaches
Yusuf Oketola
AFTER OSUN DEFENDER’s reports on the deteriora ng condi on of Sports in Osun State, the Deputy Governor, Prince Kola Adewusi, who doubles as Commissioner for Sports has met coaches for dialogue on issues affec ng them.
The medium had on Monday reported that the coaches have run into debts while sourcing for funds to prosecute compe ons, due to the alleged failure of the deputy governor to approve funds for them.
OSUN DEFENDER however learnt that immediately the report went viral, Adewusi invited the coaches for an emergency mee ng.
Sources within the mee ng confided in OSUN DEFENDER that the deputy governor promised that henceforth, all necessary funds will be approved for coaches to a end compeons.
“The deputy governor a er the OSUN DEFENDER report went viral invited us to his office for a dialogue. He promised us that our files will be approved henceforth. He promised that all sports will enjoy necessary financial support.
“He told us that the reason why most our files
•Secretary to Osun State Government, Alhaji Teslim Igbalaye, exchange pleasantries with
Olanipekun, at the 3-day Fidau prayer for Late Chief Ajadi Badmus, on Tuesday
are not passed to the Governor for approval is because we always inflate the figures. But that is not true. The athletes and their coaches need to be mo vated to win medals for the state.”
Meanwhile, staff and athletes in the Osun State Sports Council have called on Governor Adeleke for the total revamp of the sports sector, saying lack of prepara on and support is already taking its toll on performance of some athletes.
They said Osun’s Volleyball team, which was supposed to par cipate in the 2024 Na onal Divi-
Osun Communities To Experience Five-Day Heavy Rainfall
THE Federal Government has predicted five days of heavy rainfall, which may lead to flooding in Osun and other 21 States including the Federal Capital Territory.
According to the FG, four communi es in the state, which include, Ede, Ile-Ife, Ilesa, Osogbo may be affected.
The flood predic on, obtained on Monday by OSUN DEFENDER from the Na onal Flood Early Warning Systems Centre of the Federal Ministry of Environment, advised communi es on the flood plains of Rivers Donga, Benue, and Ogun to evacuate due to rising water levels.
The centre indicated that the iden fied locaons and their surroundings are likely to experience rainfall that could result in flooding from the 14th to the 18th of October 2024.
“The states and loca ons affected include Osun State (Ede, Ile-Ife, Ilesa, Osogbo); Delta State (Escravos); Cross River State (Ikom); Anambra State (Onitsha); Taraba State (Donga, Ibi, Wukari, Bandawa, Beli, Bolleri, Dampar, Duchi, Garkowa, Gassol, Gungun Bodel, Kambari, Kwata Kanawa, Lau, Mayo Ranewo, Mutum Biyu, Ngaruwa, Ser , Yorro); Nasarawa State (Rukubi); Kebbi State (Argungu, Birnin-Kebbi, and others).
“Also, due to the rise in the water levels of Rivers Donga, Benue, and Ogun, communi es on the flood plains of these rivers, as well as other flood plains, are advised to evacuate,” it added.
sion 2 Volleyball League in Umuahia, missed the event due to lack of funds.
Mul ple sources within the sports council told OSUN DEFENDER that since the Adewusi emerged as the Commissioner for Sports, Osun’s profile on the na onal stage is reportedly in a state of disrepair, with many a ribu ng the rot to underfunding by the Adeleke administra on.
The Deputy Governor was also accused of sabotaging sports in the state due to his inability to
pass some files rela ng to sports development to his boss, Governor Ademola Adeleke for approval.
According to them, “Governor Adeleke, as the leader of Osun State, should rescue the Sports Ministry from the hands of those who have no interest in its growth. If the Deputy Governor cannot fulfill his du es, we respec ully request that he step aside and allow someone more dedicated to take charge.
“The future of Osun State sports is at stake, and without your interven on,
of
we risk losing everything. As a known advocate for youth empowerment and development, the Governor must act swi ly to address the sports sector’s woes.
“The people of Osun State are coun ng on him to restore hope, dignity, and a sense of purpose to a ministry that has been le to crumble. The future of Osun’s athletes, its sports legacy, and the state’s reputa on are at stake.
“Our athletes who have won medals are not
being recognized, and our teams that have done well in na onal championships are ignored. We are losing talent because the files meant for the governor’s approval are gathering dust on the commissioner’s table.”
In his reac on, Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Goke Awoyemi, dismissed the claims.
Awoyemi, in a statement made available to OSUN DEFENDER said, “The a en on of the office of the Osun State Deputy Governor, Prince Kola Adewusi has been drawn to spurious allega ons from a faceless group of disgruntled elements, insinua ng the demand for the resigna on of Osun State Deputy Governor, Prince Kolawole Adewusi as the state Commissioner for Sports, published by online medium of OSUN DEFENDER, Monday, 14th October 2024.
“We acknowledge the fact that His Excellency, Prince Kola Adewusi is a very me culous person in all areas of human endeavours, he has never been found wan ng in his career spanning through both private and public endeavours.”
1,500 Osun Tertiary Institution Students To Participate In Maiden Intercollegiate Games
THE maiden edion of Osun Intercollegiate Games kicks-off on November 20, 2024.
OSUN DEFENDER reports that the tournament which will feature major spor ng events will feature par cipants from all categories of ter ary ins tu ons in the state.
According to the organisers, Ace Sports, in collabora on with Osun Ter ary Ins tuon Games Associa on (OSTIGA), the compeon which runs ll December 04, 2024, an aggregate of about twenty-two (22) terary ins tu ons in Osun State, with at least one thousand five hundred (1,500) student-athletes represen ng their respec ve schools.
Some of the games to be contested by male and female athletes are Football, Badminton, Table-Tennis, Chess, Scrabble, Athle cs, and Tug-of-War.
The Team Lead of Ace Sports, Olayiwola Olafiranye said, “This is
Ace Sports Group’s little interven on in discovering and honing the enormous spor ng talents and poten als deposited in our terary ins tu ons in Osun State.
“These games will subsequently be an annual event and by God’s grace, the aims of the compe on shall be
achieved in mul ple ramifica ons. Olafiranye also assures that adequate security measures will be put in place for the games as relevant security agencies will be deployed accordingly, while offering gra tude to Osun State Ministry of Educa on, Ministry of Sports, the Sports Council and other associa ons of
the prospec ve featuring sports for their approvals and other shades of support that would prove ulmately invaluable.”
Chairman of Osun Terary Ins tu on Games Associa on (OSTIGA), Mr. Agboola Akinbode, expressed delight at the level of prepara on towards ensuring a hitchfree compe on.
Ataoja
Osogbo, Oba Jimoh
Favour Fadairo Anjolaoluwa Subuloye
Yusuf Oketola
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2024 - THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2024 VOL. 19 NO 38 www.osundefender.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com
FROM pre-independence ll 1980 (before 1960-1980), our value system was basically opera onal. Money was the proceeds of labour, produc vity and services rendered. At this epoch, nobody, either as a private ci zen or public figure in government, could amass stupendous wealth in a jiffy without a rac ng ques ons and resentment from the society. In the recent period however, things have gone haywire! Money is no longer the proceeds of hard work and services rendered but of stealing, corrup on, scam and criminality. A Yahoo boy and a polician are two sides of same coin in this show of shame. Yahoo is a man/woman who carries out 419 frauds. Yahoo is named a er the internet company - Yahoo - whose free e-mail accounts are o en mes used by scammers. Yahoo boys use e-mail or message with the goal of tricking their vic ms or targets into providing valuable data such as login credenals to be used later to steal money or more data.
Ramon Olorunwa Abbas also known as Hushpuppi is a striking example. This young man was born in Lagos on October 11, 1982. He was raised in Lagos with a humble background and was struggling, selling secondhand clothes (Okirika) in Lagos before he relocated to Malaysia and finally to Dubai where he was arrested in June 2020 for alleged cybercrime by Federal Bureau of Inves ga on (FBI). Before his arrest, Hushpuppi was known for his flamboyant and luxurious lifestyle which was a major influence on youths who aspire to be like him. He was always flaun ng designer clothes and shoes like Gucci, D&G, Fendi and Nikki. In addi on to Range Rover Sport, Mercedes Benz G-Wagon, Brabus GWagon, Ferrari 488 GTB, Mercedes Benz Maybach S650 all in his garage, he acquired a Supercer Cullina, the first SUV ever produced by a Bri sh manufacturer worth over N126 million; Rolls Royce worth over N100 million; Buga Veyron worth N250 million; Ferrari 458 Italia es mated to be N150 million and Lamborghini Aventador worth N115 million. His net worth is said to be over $35.5 million (N17 billion).
For a lot of factors, a very large number of Nigerian youths have taken to Yahoo. They are easily profiled by their appearances like wearing earrings or ear studs, braided, locked or dyed hair, use of iPhone and always found with PC. The appalling thing is that when their scam doesn’t succeed for a rela vely long me and they get broke as they live ostentaous lifestyles, patronising night clubs and squandering huge money on drinks, smokes, drugs and women, they take to what they call Yahoo Plus which simply means other crimes and criminality aside cybercrime like ritual killings, kidnapping for ransom, armed robbery, etc.
It’s same for most of the poli cians. In
“Fasting and prayers alone cannot salvage the situation. What is additionally required is the practical determination of the mass of the poor people who are the majority in the society. Henceforth, the poor people should not take electoral bribe of “vote and cook a pot of soup”
Like Yahoo Boys, Like Politicians
fact, theirs seems to be worst. Most of them emanated from humble background to stupendous wealth within a very short me. They get so rich by cornering into their private pockets wealth and resources meant for development of the society placed in their care. Meanwhile, every money a poli cian steals retards society and pushes poor people children into the street as harsh economic reality created by the greedy and shameless poli cians will make parents lose
their capacity for effecve parenthood. As Yahoo boys use online to scam people, so the politicians use thugs, rigging, vote buying and other electoral malprac ces to trick people to obtain their mandate to rule and loot. October 2021 revelaon by Pandora Papers of secret assets and businesses of some of our poli cians in power should s ll be very fresh in our memory. Pandora Papers are led by Interna onal Consorum of Inves ga ve Journalists (ICIJ). The
law of the land prohibits public officers from running private businesses except farming. Although, they have con nued to deny, they are alleged to be running highbrow businesses and buying castles abroad from our collec ve wealth in their care. They have con nued to steal money while pretending to be doing us favour by exhibi ng some projects which are statutory.
Just like their conjoined twins, the policians spend money lavishly on posh cars, women and other vani es. As yahoo boys engage in yahoo plus so also do poli cians engage in drug trafficking, rituals, etc. Have you forgo en Okija shrine palava some 15 years ago? The regre able aspect is that these young men and women see these shameless poli cians as role models to make money at all cost. In this melee, our value system has evaporated with mass of parents losing their parenthood due to harsh economic condi on that has made lives miserable for the majority as hyper infla on, mass poverty and unemployment have taken over as a result of bad leadership of majority of the poli cians. Although, the day of reckoning is at hand, as long as these thieving poli cians hold sway in our poli cs and run states affairs, sorrow, tears and blood will con nue to be the por on of majority of the people.
Fas ng and prayers alone cannot salvage the situa on. What is addi onally required is the prac cal determina on of the mass of the poor people who are the majority in the society. Henceforth, the poor people should not take electoral bribe of “vote and cook a pot of soup.” The present prac cal reality of hardship with no end in sight is a func on of the party delegates whose money collec on determined who they voted as candidates in their poli cal party congresses and ordinary voters whose choices of candidates were influenced by money collected at the polls. Where has this bribery taken them and all us - misery and penury? This is a lesson in future electoral engagement; that we must vote candidates on the basis of manifestoes, capacity and integrity not monetary terms. This is surest way for a be er life for mass majority of the people.
Unpunished Crime Is Enemy Of Democracy
Agreat na on needs good people. The definion of a good person is easy: a person who will do to his/her neighbours as he/she wants them to do unto him/her, and who would not do unto them as he/she wouldn’t want. This is the soul of the 10 Commandments, all the way through to Sharia and the millions of laws, civil and criminal codes that we are stuck with today. From just 10 Commandments by God to millions of laws by man the world is as unsafe as the me of Cain and Abel!
A good fellow will never covet or take what belongs to others – their valuables and their lives – much as he or she will not love other to take his or hers. However, yonder stands Lucifer “with his mean and hungry looks,” along with his mul tude of followers, in u er disobedience of God’s commandments! They are the reasons why man has mul plied God’s commandments a thousand-fold. From civil crimes to arson, murder and treason, laws are made to take care of them. It is the founda on of civilisa on, rule of law and democracy.
The degree to which ci zens live in obedience to the rule of law, and punish infrac ons promptly and impar ally, is directly propor onal to the degree of peace and prosperity experienced by society. Laws are made to be obeyed, irrespec ve of forms of government. It is popular struggle that purifies poli cal and jus ce systems. A me was when apartheid was legal, when slav-
ery was legal and colonisa on was legal. 70 years ago, black people could not vote in America despite the Declara on of Independence that “all men are created equal.” Ci zens have the courts available to challenge laws they feel are unjust and fight ll a more just system is obtained. However, once stabilised for every season, the role of government and the judicial system is to ensure speedy dispensa on of jus ce based on the Cons tu on – the rule of law.
Nigeria’s history of cons tu onal and legal evolu on is as old as its age. There are many areas crying for review and improvement but there are several se led civil and criminal posi ons, older even than Nigeria and as old as humanity and the 10 Commandments. Today, no one is in doubt about the law’s posi on on rape, the , arson, armed robbery, murder, fraud, kidnapping and terrorism. Why then are we helplessly overwhelmed today by relentless assault with these men oned vices?
Although Hannah Arendt said “no punishment has ever possessed enough power of deterrence to prevent the commission of crimes,” which is a clear recogni on of the power of the devil as men oned earlier, any elite in government, however weak and in moral deficit, must s ll mind Joseph Story’s words, that “without jus ce being freely, fully and impar ally administered, neither our persons, nor our rights, nor our proper es, can be protected. And if these, or either of them,
are regulated by no certain laws, and are subject to no certain principles, and are held by no certain tenure, and are redressed, when violated, by no certain remedies, society fails of all its values; and men may as well return to a state of savage and barbarous independence.” A state we are rapidly sliding into in Nigeria but must twice as rapidly retreat from.
The solu on lies in the courage of the best of our elites, few as they are, especially the top echelon of the judiciary, to set a powerful new tone, with powerful new examples. The laws available are more than enough to serve them in a Nigeria era when it seems like it is a crime to punish big crimes! “The Cons tu on is what the judges say it is,” said Charles Evans Hughes; and Andrew Johnson said “All the rights secured to the ci zens under the cons tu on are worth nothing, and are mere bubbles, except guaranteed to them by an independent and virtuous judiciary.”
Self-help and jungle jus ce are symptoma c of a failing policing and jus ce system in which majority no longer have confidence because of a litany of unpunished crimes commi ed in full public glare (indisputable examples too many to men on here) - a clear danger to order, rule of law and democracy; a recipe for anarchy. The restora on of Nigeria needs many medicines: a major one is a resurrected judiciary, encouraged by elites fully aware of the mes and the scope of their historic mission.
OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Gbongan Road, Osogbo, Osun State. All correspondence to the Acting Deputy Editor, SODIQ YUSUF, Telephone: 0809-301-9152. ISSN: 0794-8050. Website: www.osundefender.com Email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com, osundefenderhq@gmail.com
STRIKER Striker is not the opinion of the Columnist featured above