Osun Defender Online Version of May 25, 2022

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25 - THURSDAY, JUNE 02, 2022 VOL 16 NO 20

The Symbol 65 Years On!

NASS, OSHA Primaries: Mass Defection Looms In Osun PDP Page 14

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News

Traditional Rulers, APC Leaders, Right Activist, Others Celebrate Aregbesola Ismaeel Uthman

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RADITIONAL rulers, leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) human rights ac vists and other notable people of the State of Osun have showered encomiums on the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who is celebra ng his 65th birthday today.

Leading the tradi onal rulers, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, congratulated Aregbesola, describing him as an enviable ambassador of the Yoruba’s Omoluabi ethos.

Oba Ogunwusi, who sent his warm birthday regards via a statement by his Director of Media and Public Affairs, Otunba Moses Olafare on Tuesday, said: Aregbesola who is the immediate-past Governor of Osun has over the years proven to be a true leader whose speeches, decisions and ac ons have contributed to the country’s na onal development.

He said: “In his current status as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the records of your enviable excellence are there for Nigerians to see how you have brought character of innova on, forthrightness, diligence and competence to the Nigeria’s public service leadership. Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula is specially proud of you.”

The foremost African monarch who further described Aregbesola as a great respecter and promoter of the pres gious Yoruba culture, wished the celebrant a happy birthday celebra on and a healthy long life filled with prosperity.

Also, the Orangun of OkeIla, Oba Dr. Adedokun Abolarin, described Aregbesola as a progressive poli cian who is passionate about the development of Yorubaland and Nigeria at large.

According to Abolarin, Aregbesola has been playing prominent role in advancing the cause of democracy and strengthening the system of government.

He said both of them played ac ve role in returning democracy to Nigeria during the military era.

The prominent tradi onal ruler said: “I congratulate Aregbesola on his 65th birthday.

He is a poli cian that is commi ed to the development of Yorubaland and Nigeria.

“During the turbulence days of the military, we are in the trenches together. We were both passionate about Yorubaland and Nigeria. I wish him well.”

In his birthday message, the Oloyan of Oyan, Oba Kelani Adekeye, congratulated Aregbesola on his achievements in life, saying he is no doubt a successful person.

According to Oba Adekeye, there is no gainsaying the fact that Aregbesola developed Osun, saying his administra on brought about unprecedented development in the state.

He noted: “Aregbesola is a development personified.

He is a great man, a successful man. I congratulate him on his 65th birthday. He is a man we

• A road marshal chasing a traffic law violator at Oke - Fia Roundabout, Osogbo, yesterday.

Photo Shola Aderinto can’t forget so soon in Osun because of his achievement.

There is no gainsaying the fact that he brought development to the state.”

Speaking on the Minister’s contribu ons to progressive poli cs, the fac onal Chairman of the APC in the state, Hon. Rasaq Salinsile, described Aregbesola as an ambassador of progressive ideology and a strong poli cian.

Salinsile said Aregbesola’s

style of governance has proved to people that there are differences between progressive and conserva ve governance, saying he is one of the few poli cians that remain commi ed to the progressive values and Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s style of poli cs and governance He said: Aregbesola is typical progressive minded poli cian. Aregbesola is a leading ambassador and a leader to emulate as core progressive poli cian. He is a strong poli-

cian who has laid a good example for all his followers to emulate.”

Also, Chairman of The Osun Progressives, Elder Adelowo Adebiyi, described Aregbesola as a dynamic avatar and uncommon patriot.

Adebiyi, in his birthday message, said: “Ogbeni, we are daily inspired by your visionary approach and ambience in making leaders and mo va ng more people to make appreciable imprints

the ins tu on with 60 per cent revenue while the school generates the remaining 40 per cent from the school ventures and students’ tui on.

Adebooye stated this while appearing on a private radio sta on programme on Monday, in Osogbo.

He said: “There are three categories of universi es in Nigeria; we have the private, state and the federal universi es. There are 179 of them and 79 of these are private, 48 are state and 43 are federal universi es.

“Some of state universies are run by models that

differ from the regular federal universi es. The first model is where the state carries 100% of the university’s burden, the second model is where the state says, this is the money I have in respect of your requirements, you generate the remaining 40 percent.

“When you generate the remaining 40 percent, it means you shi the remaining 60 percent to the state and when you do that, it means you generate the 40 per cent from the venture of the university or from the tuion of the students.

“So, UNIOSUN chose the

and impact in the society.

“We salute your cerebral, cogni ve and empathe c attributes, one which resonates in how open you are to causes that will engender mass prosperity in all ramifica ons.

“It is our wish that in the New Year, the Almighty will endow you with more wisdom, knowledge and sound health to con nue to your divine assignment to humanity.”

In his own message, the Chairman, Osun Civil Sociees Coali on (OCSC), Comrade Waheed Lawal, said Aregbesola is a candidate of the le ists in progressive government, saying he has so far demonstrated to be a dis ncve poli cian.

According to Lawal, it was not surprising that the former governor of the state ran his administra on with social programmes that impacted posively on the lives of the people, saying that he had a solid background in figh ng for the cause of the common people right from school days.

He enjoined Aregbesola to con nue being an upright poli cian with a strong character, no ng that his determina on and commitment to have a be er Nigeria are acknowledged.

The Execu ve Secretary, Awolowo Centre for Philosophy and Ideology, Comrade

Tope Mustapha, said Aregbesola eliminated the gap between the government and the people, saying he ran an all inclusive government.

Mustapha, in a birthday message issued on behalf of the centre, said the minister made government accessible and beneficial to the people of the state as a governor.

He said: “While you served in Osun as the Governor, you eliminated the heightened pronounced aliena on between the government and the people. You made governance accessible and approachable. You set interna onal standard records that will for long be unbeatable by poli cal chauvinists.

“You were and s ll an unrivaled and people’s beloved Governor, whose government unprecedentedly incorporated the tradi onal heritage system of mee ng into governance, giving the people meaningful consultaon and par cipa on as, well as a sense of collec vism and communality. Succinctly, your unusual government gave people’s life a meaning.

“You came to Osun; you served with commitment and zeal. The people of Osun shall never forget you. We shall always remember the good works of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola. While we cele-

Why We Didn’t Join ASUU Strike - UNIOSUN Vice-Chancellor

By Yusuf Oketola

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HE Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Prof.

Odunayo Adebooye, has explained why the ins tu on is not part of the ongoing industrial ac on embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universi es (ASUU).

Adebooye stated that state universi es in the country are running a model differ from the federal universi es, sta ng that UNIOSUN is running a 60-40 model.

The 60-40 model, according to him, is whereby the State Government supports

second model, the 60-40 model. When other schools go on strike, it means that the students are not in school.

It therefore means, the 40 percent generate by the students cannot be paid to people who are on strike.

“If it is 100 per cent state contribu on, of course, the governments have a way of being magnanimous. Also, Osun state university implement 100% of the labour law, the labour law states that workers have the right to go on strike. It is the statutory right of the workers to go on strike across the world.

“The same law goes ahead

Osun 2022: Ogunbiyi Receive $100,000 Donation From Liberian Govt.

By Yusuf Oketola

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HE governorship candidate of Accord Party in the state of Osun, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, has received dona on of $100,000 from the Liberian government as an apprecia on for his contribu on to the economic growth of the country.

The dona on was made to him in Osogbo, recently, by a delega on of Eminent Persons from Liberia.

The Liberians delega on led by Ambassador Dew TuanWleh Mayson and wife, Roberta had in its entourage, representa ve of Disability Union of Liberia (DUL), DJ Constance and the Chairman of Organisa on of Liberians Abroad.

In his remark, Ambassador Mayson, said although travelling to Nigeria was not so easy, but they had to come and show their support for

Ogunbiyi, saying he “is a disnguished and reliable individual and that Osun will be lucky to have him as their Governor”.

He further shed more lights on how the intending governor has helped people entrepreneur-wise, touched and set free many lives from the grip of poverty in Liberia.

He said the Accord Party’s candidate is not one “who makes money to take care of his family alone but one that makes money for the sole reason of touching lives with it”.

The ambassador added that Ogunbiyi started his company in Liberia from the “scratch and today the same company has grown to become a conglomerate”.

Announcing the dona on of 100,000 dollars and book wri en by Mayson to Ogunbiyi, Mayson noted that if Osun people had understand-

ing of the industriousness and capacity of the Ileogbo born poli cian and what he did in a country that was once devastated by war, they wouldn’t consider anyone for the governorship office in the state but him.

In his reac on, Ogunbiyi

•Ogunbiyi

expressed his gra tude to God on the steps he took to establish his company in Liberia in 1996 a er the war.

He also said it was the love of the country, that of Osun and her people that brought about his ambi on to be the governor.

Ogunbiyi said: “When it comes to the corporate world, I am a giant. The only reason why I am going for this leadership posi on is for the welfare of our people. When the PDP that rules us for 16 years destroyed the country, the APC that took over has done the worse.

“Osun has been under the APC for 12 years. There is no ini a ve in produc vity, agriculture, educa on, mining or the health sector. We can’t watch them to destroy this state further because for each passing day, Osun is dri ing further. Yet, Osun has the resources to make it be er.

and states that whenever workers go on strike, their salary should not be paid for that period and the numbers of days of strike should be deducted from the record of service of the workers. This is what the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria stated.

And this is prac ce in UNIOSUN because of the model we run.

“Government o en decide to pay salaries a er strike because of magnanimity. That is the fact of the matter. If the law is to be implemented. It is very clear.”

Adebooye also boasted that the ins tu on is doing be er than other universies in the country in terms of worker’s welfare.

He said UNIOSUN do not delay salaries of its workers in the last seven years, saying it has also been paying hazard allowance as and when due.

Speaking further on the ASUU strike, Adebooye noted that the federal government must be alive to its responsibili es, sta ng that scholarship board should be ins tuted in all ter ary ins tu ons to assist students in paying tui on fees.

“On the issue of ASUU strike, if government has decided that it will fund university educa on 100 percent, the government must be alive to its responsibili es.

“If government decides that they are going to give Universi es 80 per cent of what they need and the schools should generate 20 percent, then the universies will design its own model and come up with system by which 20 per cent will be

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News

Mother Of 28-yr-old Killed By Police Cries For Justice •Friend Reveals How Abiola Was Shot, Denied Treatment By Police Ismaeel Uthman Kazeem Badmus

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52-year-old mother, Ebun Olaiya, has cried for jus ce on the death of his son, Abiola Afolabi, who was allegedly killed by a team of policemen in Osogbo, State of Osun.

Afolabi was shot by the police during a raid on the residence of his friend, Mathew Adedokun, at Zone II, Osogbo, around 1am on Monday, April 4, 2022.

The police had earlier through a press statement by its Public Rela ons Officer, Mrs Yemisi Opalola, claimed that Afolabi, his friend, Adedokun and a lady were armed robbery suspects who engaged the police in gun duel which resulted to his death.

The statement came few hours to a protest organised by a civil society group, Osun Police Watch, on April 8, to demand for reason for shooting Abiola and his whereabout when he had not been confirmed dead.

However, Opalola made another statement on April 10, 2022, saying that the Commissioner of Police, Mr Wale Olokode, had resolved to unravel the circumstances surrounding Afolabi’s death.

The new press statement was as a result of the protest of the civil society organiza on and subsequent mee ng with the Commissioner of Police.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, Afolabi’s mother, Olaiya, accused the police of a emp ng to sweep the case under the carpet, saying that the police were not doing anything to bring the killers of his son to book.

The bereaved woman said instead of inves ga ng the ma er, the police were trying to frame up his son even a er his death and Adedokun, his friend, in their bid to jus fy the killing of her son.

According to her, the police did not commiserate with her nor contact her for any informa on.

She said: “Abiola was a gentle boy. He never fought with anyone and no one ever reported him to me for any wrongdoing. He was very generous.

“I was in Zaria when I was told police shot him in his

•Abiola

•Abiola’s mother friend’s house. I rushed down to Osogbo with the hope of staying with him at the hospital. I thought he was receiving treatment at a hospital. But when I got to Osogbo, the police officers refused to disclose his whereabout.

“The only thing I was told was that he was being treated in a hospital. Later, they came out to declare that he is dead.

“Before his death was announced, the police had gone to bury my son without our consent. It was when his friends and some people protested that the police went to exhume his corpse and took him to the mortuary. Till this moment, the bullet in his body has not been removed.

“The police killed my son for nothing. He was not an armed robber, neither a thief.

Till this moment, the police have not said anything on his death. They did not even visit to commiserate with me. I want jus ce for my son. The Inspector General of Police should please inves gate the death of my son. Well meaning Nigerians should please help me.”

Narra ng how Afolabi was shot, his friend, Mathew Adedokun, whose house was raided by the police, said they were ea ng noodles at the backyard when six policemen scaled the fence and bombarded them.

Adedokun said Afolabi was on video call with his girlfriend when the policemen who put on black jacket stormed their

residence around 12am.

He denied the allega on that they engaged the police in gun duel, saying the policemen were trying to frame them up to jus fy Afolabi’s killing.

The telephone engineer said: “On April 4, Abiola, his younger brother, Azeez, my girlfriend, Alimat and I were in my house around 10:56pm.

Abiola and his brother could not go to their house because they have misplaced the entrance key. Abiola and I le the si ng room to take fresh air in the compound because there was no electricity.

“My girlfriend brought noodles for us to eat and less than two minutes a er that, some gun wielding men jumped the fence and shouted ‘don’t move, don’t move.’ Abiola was on call with his girlfriend. There was no light and this people did not introduce themselves as policemen to us. Abiola ran away because we did not know who these people were. I wanted to runaway too but three of them had captured me and my girlfriend.

“We were so scared because we did not know maybe they were armed robbers as they didn’t introduce themselves and they were all on black. It was when they moved closer to me that I saw jackets of Osun An Cul sm and An Thuggery on them.

“The leader of the team told his men that anybody that run should be shot, the next thing I had was a gunshot. I thought they shot into the air, but one of the officers who chased Abiola came back and said he had been shot. The team leader said they should go and ‘pack’ him.

“They came with a mini bus known as Korope. They handcuffed my girlfriend and I and matched us into the bus.

Abiola was laid on the back seat in pain.

“I asked where we were going and they said sta on. I told them to no fy my neighbour.

The officers went to knock on the door of my neighbour, Mr Wale who is a DSS officer. The DSS officer came out and idenfy himself and went back inside, telling them to do whatever they wanted with us. It was then I suspected that he knew about the whole thing.

“The police drove us away.

As we were moving, Abiola was rolling in pain. I thought they were taking him to hospital but I was wrong. They did not take him to hospital. While in the bus, I no ced that Abiola’s waist was wet. I sensed the gunshot might have hit him in the waist or abdomen.

“I was pleading with the police to let us take him to hospital, but they turned a deaf hear. They started beating me for telling them to take Abiola to hospital. The policemen were communica ng with Wale, the DSS officer while in the bus. Wale had threatened to deal with me and Abiola before the incident happened.

“The police took me to a police sta on at Ansar-Deen, Oke-Onitea, Osogbo and drove Abiola away. They came back around 7:00am and I asked them were Abiola was, and they told me he was receiving treatment.

“They said they needed to search my house and I requested for a search warrant and a witness. I was beaten mercilessly for that un l I agreed to go with them. You needed direc on to my house because it is not describable. But I was surprised when the mini-bus driver was going without any direc on.

“When we got home, the first thing they do was to forcefully remove my plasma television and, in the process, the TV broke. They le it and

•Mathew

went inside the rooms, they checked all the wardrobes and found nothing. They went into the bathroom and they found soap and they claimed we use the soap when we are going for robbery opera ons. They asked for our guns and I told them we don’t have guns; we are not armed robbers.

“There was a Nigerian Army T-shirt hung in my room; it belongs to my elder brother, a soldier at the barrack in Ede. I always run errand for him because he gave me a ‘pass’ to enter the barrack. The police saw the T-shirt and pass and they claimed I was using them to rob. I asked them to call my brother to confirm my claim.

Instead of doing that, they started bea ng me again.

“They packed the soap, the T-shirt and pass, claiming they are exhibits. As we were about to leave my apartment, they said they needed to search the si ng room again. One of the officers bent down and picked up a nylon with weed inside.

They said the weed belong to us and that we were smoking weed.

“When we get back to the police sta on, they tortured me and asked me to wear the Nigerian Army T-shirt. They put the soap, weed and a keg of honey in front of me and started video-recording me.

They claimed the honey was blood.

“They took me to State CID a er that and when we got there, we met some of the officers who know me very well.

One of the officers openly said I am not an armed robber. At that moment, the police removed the handcuffs on me and my girlfriend. The police that arrested me became civil and we were discussing in a gentleman manner.

“We le the State CID to pick my belongings at the police sta on at Oke Onitea, where I was first detained. On ge ng to the police sta on, I asked about my friend, Abiola.

The OC An -Thuggery asked the officers to put me inside the cell again, accusing me of armed robbery.

“The police officers later came to take me to an office where I was asked ques ons.

They asked me if I knew Abiola was a criminal and was the one who first shot at them. I told them that was a lie. Abiola

didn’t have a gun, not to talk of shoo ng a police officer.

“They returned me to the cell a er that and since then, they did not allow anybody to see me. They always told people that came to ask for me that I was not with them, a er which they would show them the video they recorded, telling the people that I was a criminal.

“My mother came to ask for me on Thursday, the fourth day of my deten on at the police sta on. The police were telling her that she gave birth to a criminal; and she instantly rejected that. The next thing I saw was that a male officer started bea ng her up. Other officers joined and beat her ll she fainted. I was looking at them from the cell. She was detained a er that. It was my junior brother that came to secure her bail with a sum of N15, 000, the same amount they collected before releasing Halimat.

“On Friday, the fi h day of my deten on, I saw many policemen outside the sta on.

The OC An -Thuggery came to meet me in the cell, telling me that my people were protes ng on the street. I told her I did not know anything about any protest.

“It was that day that I knew Abiola was dead. I was not given food throughout that day.

“On Sunday, the seventh day of my deten on, I was taken to an office at the State CID where I met some DPOs. I was interviewed and they asked some officers to go and check if I had any past criminal record, they went and came back with a nega ve answer.

They used the ques ons to write a statement which i was not privy to and I was asked to sign it. I signed it and I was detained there (state CID).

“On Monday morning, they took me to the office again and they con nued the ques oning. The OC An -Thuggery came later with what she claimed to be the exhibits. She told them they saw gun but she didn’t present any gun. I was at the state CID for about four weeks.

“I was told I would be going to court on the day my lawyer wrote a pe on to the Inspector General of Police. I was sick that day and around 3:45pm, the woman (OC An -Thuggery) came to the State CID and said I would be arraign in court. The Deputy Commissioner of Police came down from his office and told the woman that I was sick and that I shouldn’t be taken anywhere, adding that me had already gone for court.

“A er the DC went out, the OC an -thuggery took me to court. That was around 4pm.

I was arraigned for alleged armed robbery, illegal possession of gun, live cartridge and Cannabis Sa va. I pleaded not guilty to the charges. The Magistrate Court asked police prosecutor whether I was caught me with gun and he said no.

The police said they needed to amend the charge, so I was remanded in Ilesa Correc onal Centre.

“On April 27, I was taken to court on a fresh charge and my lawyer argued for my bail and it was granted.”

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BY

Kanmi Ademiluyi Sixty-five Years On!

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HIS newspaper was founded to give a voice to the underserved and promote the causes of social jus ce and social cohesion.

For this reason, we always facilitate with those who support our mission of pu ng the people first.

In line with this tradi on, we are delighted to say hear elt many happy returns to the Federal Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola.

We are happy to do this because he has remained steadfast to the cause of democracy and progressive poli cs and governance.

He has never been found wan ng in keeping the progressive banner flying. A er a path-breaking spell as an innova ve governor of the State of Osun, giving him the portfolio of Minister of Interior at the Federal level in our opinion was inspired.

The interior ministry should be a liberalising force bringing in civilising processes to the agencies under its watch. Giving the por olio to a com-

“Giving the portfolio to a committed progressive with a compassionate mien was a masterstroke and predictably he has not in the conventional wisdom been found wanting” mi ed progressive with a compassionate mien was a masterstroke and predictably he has not in the conven onal wisdom been found wan ng.

We wish him well and in the best of health in the decades ahead. What is ahead will be decisive even perhaps make or break?

The epoch ahead will require men like Aregbesola who will stay the course and not bend to the expediency of the immediate and the convenient thereby sacrificing principles.

We wish him and his deligh ul wife and companero, Alhaja Sherifat as well as the family many fulfilling decades ahead.

Osun State Should Not Continue Like This Dear Editor,

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LEASE Osun State should not con nue like this.

Human capital trafficking is so high. Osun has many of her bests contribu ng to other states socio-economic development, but are not will to add value to their home state. Can something be done?

Our state leaders have not visualised developing local industries to e down the youths and brilliant people

who are fleeing Osun for other in search of greener pasture.

Nobody will develop the state more than the indigenous people. We are happy working in the state to contribute our quota to her development.

But there are brilliant youths who are yet to get job in the state and are willing to jet out.

The state government should come up with genuine empowerment programme for human development. The government should see agriculture as an inexhaus ble empowerment sector.

We need agro chemical industry and processing industries; this will create thousands of jobs. Many would love to stay back and work in our beloved state.

•Onadele Abiola Adesola, University of Lagos.

A New Thrust For Industrial Relations

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HE less said about the neverending industrial disputes in the ter ary educa on sector the be er.

The costs in economic terms to the host communi es where the ins tu ons are cited are horrendous.

Anywhere in the world, ter ary ins tu ons eventually become a microcosm of the economy wherever they are located. We should also be perturbed about the threat to social cohesion arising out of the conflict.

Inadvertently (?) the country is endorsing a class-stra fied educa on system based largely on the ability to pay. We are stoking up fires for the future. It is an ill-advised journey to embark upon.

The strikes will eventually be settled at excrucia ng costs on a myriad of fronts. When it’s done and dusted, the response should be “never again”.

We must now look at the overall landscape of the industrial rela ons framework in Nigeria. To put it mildly, there is something profoundly wrong.

Nigeria has for decades had invigora ng labour unions. There are s ll fond memories of legendary figures such as the very effec ve Michael Imodu who had an apprecia ve naon described as “Labour leader number one”.

The impact was posi ve then and has lasted. Today, alas, it is a new and hardly edifying ball game.

There is a paradox. Nigeria has an industrial rela ons system that has seen declining living standards as well as the erosion of purchasing power parity a er every decade.

Factory closures con nue unabated

“Nigeria has for decades had invigorating labour unions. There are still fond memories of legendary figures such as the very effective Micheal Imodu who had an appreciative nation described as “ Labour leader number one”

even though the country has a youthful demographic bulge badly in need of jobs to avert a social cataclysm.

The so-called na onal minimum wage which is observed in the breach can hardly be described as a living wage.

Doesn’t even meet subsistence level.

The me has come for a new direc on. The present adversarial system is a product of the colonial era and must be je soned. It is well past its sell-by date.

We should consider other systems that have delivered enduring benefits.

For example, the much-acclaimed German “Social Market” economic model has delivered ever-increasing sustainable living standards since the end of the SECOND world War in 1945.

By ensuring coopera ve nego aons amongst unions, government, and the private sector real advances in living standards have been achieved.

Indeed, in Germany, nego a on is translated as a process in which everyone comes out believing that they have obtained the lion’s share. We must adopt this proven model in place of connuous strife.

The adapta on of Publisher – Moremi Publishing the model by the govHouse Ltd. ernment of President Deputy Editor – Ismaeel Uthman (0805-121-2204) Ignacio Lula da Silva in Brazil led to forty million Produc on Editor – Petkola Taiwo Ibitowa people being pulled out Reporter – Yusuf Oketola Reporter – Kazeem Badmus of poverty in eight years in a democracy.

Photo Journalist – Olushola Aderinto Computer Graphics – Zainab Olalere There is no future in OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing an industrial rela ons system based on neverHouse Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite confronta on Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), Gbogan Road Osogbo, ending State of Osun deriving no sustainable ISSN : 0794 – 8050 benefits. Let us replace Telephone : 0805-121-2204 the outdated model Website : www.osundefender.com/index.php with a coopera ve new e–mail : osundefender@yahoo.com format based on long osundefenderbank@gmail.com term planning that can All Correspondence to the above email Addresses. deliver enduring benOSUN DEFENDER IS NOT AFFLIATED WITH ANY OTHER NEWSPAPER, efits and sustainable deMAGAZINE OR ANY PUBLICATION WHATSOVER velopment.

OSUN DEFENDER

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Feature

A fruitful Reform On Nigeria’s Passport Application Process Ileowo Kikiowo

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HE Nigeria Immigra on Service (NIS), has in recent me achieved various strides in its efforts to reposi on itself through innova ve reforms. Many of these reforms have received accolade from applicants who have pleasant experience with the new NIS. However, many of these reforms are largely unknown to the general public, especially passport applicants who have reason (s) to complain.

The complains by passport applicants are categorized broadly into three; opaque standard opera ng procedure on melines for the passport applica on process ll collec on; cash payment for the service and; patronage of unauthorized personnels/touts in the passport applica on process.

Recall, shortly a er his appointment as the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola began championing the passport applica on process reforms amongst many other restructurings being carried out in the ministry and other agencies under his supervision. Aregbesola promised to, in the first instance, limit through technology, the interacon between applicants and NIS officers, and in the long run, totally eliminate the needs for applicants to come face-to-face with the officers in the en re passport applica on process, such as from applica on to capturing, to submi ng of passport and eventual delivery to the applicants, all interfaces will be virtual. This is possible and doable. It has been done and being implemented in many advanced countries. However, the only challenge to it in Nigeria is the various databases sca ered across the country.

In August 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari received the report of the commi ee on Ci zen Data Management and Harmoniza on Commi ee which recommended amongst other things, the need for all government databases to be linked and verified with the Na onal Iden ty Management Commission (NIMC) through Na onal Identy Number, (NIN). The recommenda on of the commi ee was subsequently approved

by Mr. President, hence the new applica on requirement.

The new enhanced passport has now been linked to the Na onal Iden ty Number (NIN) to ensure one iden ty across platforms. O en me, the delay experienced by passport applicants can be linked to the discrepancy between the informa on provided to the Immigra on Service and that provided to NIMC. Applicants are advised to ensure their details are exactly the same across the two pla orms.

To limit human interference with the passport applica on process, the online applica on portal has been robustly improved.

It has to a large extent eliminated corrupon and improved efficiency. Anyone from any corner of the world can now pick their smart phone, visit the dedicated Passport Portal, apply and pay for his or her desired Passport.

Another novel reform in the passport process is the introduc on of a digital Appointment Management System (AMS) to op mize the passport applica on experience for Nigerians, and eliminate the inconveniences that they suffer in booking appointments for biometric data capture. By the click of a bu on on the portal of the NIS, applicants can now choose or reschedule an appointment online. This is a novel service that was hitherto frustra ng for Nigerians.

The Ikoyi Passport Office which processes more than 30% of the en re Nigerian passport applica ons worldwide is currently processing biometric data capturing appointment dates in four weeks maximum. All other passport applica on centres gives appointment dates far less than that. There are centres in the South-West for example who gives two-three days biometric data capturing appointment dates.

Also introduced is are new standardised passport processing melines to ensure ci zenship integrity through the verifica on of breeder documents. Before now, there was no standard collec on me, as passport were issued through whims and caprices a er the biometric capturing. However, the new me-

line for the processing and collec on of passport is six weeks for fresh applica on, three weeks for Reissue/Renewal a er the biometric capturing date.

The new melines which are one of the closest compared to other developed and developing country will allow enough me for breeder document verifica on, address verifica on, amongst others. For emphasis sake, the United Kingdom currently takes 10 weeks to issue its passports. In the United States, the official website reveals that roune processing is eight to 11 weeks and expedite processing (for an addi onal $60) is five to seven weeks. These and other countries can be verified online.

To make it impossible for non-Nigerians to secure the Nigerian Passport, the physical verifica on of the permanent home addresses of applicants and authen ca on of their ethnic origin before the issuance of the passport has also been introduced.

In addi on to the above listed reforms, as a policy, the Immigra on Service has totally eradicated cash payment for the passport services while channelling all payments through digital pla orms.

The Immigra on Service has also introduced the ICAO-Compliant Nigerian Temporary Passport. Prior to its launch, there was emergency travel cer ficate which was a paper that can be easily forged and contains no security features and could be used by anybody to enter Nigeria. Added to this is that, as of today, over 153,000 lost and stolen Nigerian passports have been uploaded a er successfully connec ng the passport database with that of Na onal Central Bureau (NCB) Interpol police database domiciled with the Nigeria Police. This has significant implica on for na onal security. It must be pointed out that Nigeria is the only country in Africa with this capacity in real me.

These and many more are some of the ongoing reforms being championed by the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

The ongoing reforms, when completed, will

fully automate the en re process so there won’t be need for anyone to carry files and papers in passport offices across the country anymore. A pilot phase of this is already being rolled out. Also, the website to track the status of one’s applica on is now live and has been launched last week. People can now track their passport via track.immigra on. gov.ng.

This is a game changer as applicants will be able to track their passport applica on process the same way they track goods ordered online.

To enhance good human rela ons, officers of the service are being trained and retrained on customer service and professional service delivery. The officers are diligent, mo vated and do not lack integrity. In fact, the service and the ministry are inundated daily with tes monials of how easy it is to access the services of the Nigerian Immigraon Service. This is not to say it is all utopia, as the leadership of the ministry is aware of some recalcitrant officers who are resis ng change. However, the service has con nued to take decisive ac ons on such unruly officers whenever they are reported. In fact, the Ac ng Comptroller General of the Service, DCG Isah Jere, carried out a s ng opera on at the Ikoyi and Festac Office back in October 2021. One or two officers who were implicated during the covert opera on have been sanc oned.

It is noteworthy to state that while we have witnessed a Post-COVID era surge in demand for the Nigerian passport locally and interna onally, the NIS con nues to rise to the occasion towards addressing evolving challenges in an effort to be er serve the Naon and its ci zens. Between 2021 (the year of this inves ga on) to date, an es mated 1.3 million passports have been issued. It will also interest the discerning public to know that as of March 2022, over 250,000 issued passports remain uncollected. Hence, indica ng the mul faceted nuances involved in the passport administra on process.

Members of the public are encouraged to report any suspected case of extor on or act of indiscipline to the NIS. Its social media pla orms are ac ve and responsive.

Aside this, the establishment of the passport contact center and digital channels makes it easy for anyone to report officially or anonymously for cases to be resolved.

The administra on of President Muhammadu Buhari is fully interested in ensuring that the hassles Nigerians face in securing the Nigerian passport becomes a thing of the past. Things have changed and they will con nue to get be er.

Lastly, below is a quote from the Facebook page of the Service of an ‘ordinary‘ Nigerian who shared her experience with the newly reformed Passport Applica on process and received excellency service from officers of the Nigerian Immigra on Service at the Ikoyi Passport Office.

“This apprecia on post goes to Mrs. AO Bewaji, the PCO, Ikoyi Office, this woman is in a class of her own, she is classy, humble, professional, courteous, kind, accommodating, and has a very good a tude to work and to everyone. She treated everyone with great respect and listened a en vely to everyone that came around for one passport issue or the other.

Her Demeanour and a tude to work is out of this world and not that of a regular public servant that we are used to. She understood the assignment as a public officer, and she delivered her role 100%...Mrs. Bewaji is different in all ramifica ons, and I want to encourage all other public office holders to learn from her.

Her office is open to everyone, and she ensured that all of us le her office with great smiles and fulfilled.

God bless Nigeria, God bless the Ministry of Interior and God bless Nigeria Immigraon Service.”

•Ileowo Kikiowo is the Technical Assistant to the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

Guinness Nigeria Empowers Women, Youths in Osogbo Sodiq Yusuf

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N line with its commitment to Nigeria’s socio-economic development, Nigeria’s foremost total beverage company, Guinness Nigeria Plc, has empowered 90 women with trade assets and simple business training through its Plan W-empowerment programme.

Forty other individuals received seed capital to start up or scale up their trade through the Orijin-Osun Osogbo partnership empowerment scheme of the company.

The two-day event climaxed at the Palace of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun Oyetunji, last Thursday.

Guinness Nigeria’s’ Corporate Relaons Director, Mr. Ro mi Odusola, said that the empowerment programme was

part of the company’s diversity and inclusion ini a ves aimed at growing the capaci es of the under-represented in Nigeria.

According to Odusola, the empowerment was also in line with the organisaon’s Society 2030: Spirit of Progress campaign- a 10-year ac on plan towards the achievement of the United Na ons Sustainable Development Goals.

Prior to the Osogbo ac vity, Odusola said that the Plan W-empowerment ini ave had been ini ated in the South-East and North-West of Nigeria benefi ng over 500 women.

He said: “By inves ng in more women, we hope to have a sustainable impact in the socie es and economies where we operate. The Plan W-empowerment programme aligns with our sustainability plan under the three pillars of leadership in

•L-R: Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun; Orijin-Osun Osogbo Partnership Empowerment Beneficiary, Mrs. Nahimat Ejide; and Corporate Relations Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Rotimi Odusola during the presentation of cheques to beneficiaries in the Orijin-Osun Osogbo Partnership Empowerment programme in Osogbo

alcohol in society, building thriving communi es and reducing our environmental impact in the communi es where we operate.

“We believe that the programme, empowering these women, will make a significant contribu on to the development of thriving communi es in Nigeria.”

Commen ng on the Orijin-Osun Osogbo partnership, Uche Onwudiwe, Marke ng Manager, Mainstream Spirit and RTDs said: “Empowering men and women living in Osogbo is one of the programmes put in place as part of our expansive yearly sponsorship of the Osun Osogbo fes val.

“Apart from the thrills that Orijin delivers, we have had wonderful support from the palace since the rela onship began last year in ensuring that we connue to inspire people to stay true to who they are, their roots, because that is when they can truly be at their best.

In his reac on, the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Oyetunji, expressed gra tude to Guinness for sponsoring the Osun Osogbo fes val under the Orijin brand.

All of the recipients, according to Oba Oyetunji, should make accountability their watchword and ensure that they use the skills they learned throughout the programme to create and grow their businesses.

The recipients, who came from several councils and wards in Osogbo, were taught skills like bookkeeping and accoun ng that would help them build their enterprises.

Mrs Bolanle Kaffi, a representa ve of the Commissioner of Women Affairs and a Deputy Director in the Ministry, thanked Guinness Nigeria for their support and pledged that the Ministry would con nue to provide the necessary guidance and counselling to the beneficiaries.

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Interview

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My Vision Is To Have A Greater Awolowo From Abolarin College – Orangun Oke - Ila Oba Dr Adedokun Abolarin is the Orangun of OkeIla in Ifedayo Local Government of the State of Osun.

He is known for his noble project of providing quality education for brilliant indigent students of different ethnic groups, amidst passion for national development, eradication of illiteracy and poverty in Nigeria.

He speaks with ISMAEEL UTHMAN on his vision for the students of the school. Excerpt:

W

HAT informed your decision to establish Abolarin College where indigent students get free educa on, food and

shelter?

I became the Orangun of Oke-Ila in 2006. I didn’t go to school to become a king; I didn’t wish it for myself. But I saw and I s ll see poverty. I live in the midst of poverty and I know that the only means by which you can reduce poverty is through educa on. My father was the first educated elite in my extended family and to the glory of God today, since 1935, the difference is clear. In the family now, we have professors, we have lawyers. If my father had not gone to school, it would have been pathe c. That is why I took it upon myself to develop my immediate environment and ac vely contribute to na onal development through provision of quality and func onal educa on for students of less privilege background. As you know, the college is running free educa on for the students.

What is your vision for the school and the students?

The vision is to create great leaders of the future, and using educa on to fight poverty. I don’t always like people asking that when are we going to have another Awolowo, that is it possible for us to have another Awolowo? If we don’t have greater people than Chief Obafemi Awolowo, then we have not done anything. I pray that children of Abolarin College are going to be greater than Chief Obafemi Awolowo in terms of intellectual acumen, administra on, poli cal wizardry, development and the likes, because the best in terms of poli cal administra on in Nigeria today is s ll Awolowo.

That is the mindset. My father grew up here. They were brilliant and resourceful but they don’t have the opportunity. If you don’t have the opportunity, how will you excel. All we are just trying to do is give these young talented souls the opportunity to grow and excel in life.

How did you get fund to run the school?

I get financial support through my friends.

There is hardly any of my friends that will say that I haven’t solicited support from him or her to create a be er future for the children. I am a beggar; a beggar to provide educa on for the less privilege children, a beggar to create a be er future for the indigent students. I am happy to be a beggar for the poor. I thank my friends for being there for me, always. At the appropriate me, we are going to document what they have done for us. Nigerians are good people; they are only wai ng for good deeds to partake in it. To the glory of God, we receive assistance from friends all over the world.

There is no foreign support for the school as some

•Students of Abolarin College.

people would assume. Nigerians in diaspora and at home, people who believe in what we are doing are the ones suppor ng us and li le drop of water makes an ocean. We don’t run away from little support. We have people that gives us a bag of rice, beans, and other li le things. I have a widow who have been suppor ng Abolarin College for the past three or four years with N2,000 every month.

It is a duty that we owe. We have produced first and second set of 53 students and of the 53 students, 35 of them, to the glory of God are presently in various universi es. These are children that normally, you are not likely to recon with.

They are brilliant, confident and resourceful. If you train them, they know what to do. We have utmost believe in God, that with him, we cannot miss it and our emphasis on the scripture, the book of Isaiah 58, chapter 11, our Lord does not fail. He is going to do whatever he promised to do and that is the story of Abolarin College.

What is the total popula on of the students and how did you source for them?

We presently have 155 students. We source for them from the public schools in Osun state.

The catchment area is Old Osun North East – Ikirun to Okuku and part of Kwara and Eki , and all Nigerians who are domiciled in Osun. I have students from the east. The first Head Boy is a Niger-Delta boy from Abraka. We have students from the North - two from Borno and one from Plateau and two from Benue. We preach unity in diversity, and tolerance. These are things that we do not have in the system in Nigeria again. And it is not the leaders in government that will do it alone, it is also our duty. Humanity is one. I am thinking beyond today, and I pray in the next 50 and more years, Osun and Oke-Ila Orangun in par cular will develop to where I envisioned it to be. We just have to light the candle of educa on and every other thing will follow.

We run normal academic curriculum that we have in public schools in Osun state and it includes history and civic educa on. I teach the children history. That is my terrain. I have said that I’m preparing children for leadership in the future. I talk to them, admonished them, pray for them and we work hard. We know what it is to use our hands.

My children are in the kitchen to cook. We don’t have staffers to clean their rooms, we don’t have gardeners to cut the grasses. They do all these things on their own and we farm. We plant few of the things that we eat. We plant cassava, vegetables. These children work hard and we are preparing them for leadership. I am seriously working for the future and leadership is key, where I am, royalty, is the greatest ins tu on for development.

•Oba Abolarin We can have monarchy and have the best government in Nigeria.

It had happened in the past.

That is why, in the saying of Alexander Pope, “for all forms of government, let the fools contend, whatever is best administer is the best.” It is only fools that will complain about a form of government; dictatorship or democracy. There is no democracy in China, and it is likely to be the best country very soon.

Like I said, we are preparing these children for leadership in the future, and leadership is a gi of the nature all around us.

But we are not making use of what God has endowed us with.

I can’t be governor, senator, etc again. But in my own li le corner, we will fix this country and that is what we are trying to do with Abolarin College, and I am

okay with where I am. The is the best place to be in the world. OkeIla Orangun is the best place to live in the world. Osun can be richer than Lagos and Porthercourt. What we need is human capital and for the human to be commi ed with patrio sm towards the development of the state. It is not a big deal, but we have to do the work.

Comparing the quality of educa on in the past with what we have now, what do you think is missing?

There is progress. I don’t know what you know as a younger genera on to mine. What my daughter can do intellectually, I can’t do it.

We are doing well despite the challenges we have. But there is need for improvement on the educa on sector and more commitment on the part of the stakeholders.

How did you feel when you were chosen to be crowned then?

It was like the end of the world. Everything was about to collapse. 2006 was a terrible year for me. The day I was crowned was the most horrible day of my life. I was asking what the future holds for me. I was asking if I’m going to stay here with all my cer ficates and exposure, not knowing that it is what the Lord as des ned for me and an answered prayer, unknowingly, because I have passion for public service. But I thank God that I didn’t refuse the clarion call. If I had done so, I don’t know if it could be a fulfilling life again, because the Lord has answered my prayer. He said Ok! You want to be useful to humanity? I will take you to Oke-Ila Orangun where you are mostly needed and you are not going to think of making money but you can build a prosperous society.

You were closed to the late Alaafin of Oyo, how would you describe the late monarch?

He was a great man. He had passion for Yorubaland and Nigeria.

He was legendary. He was in a hurry for the development of Nigeria and that is the reason the man was sad about Nigeria un l his death.

He wrote a powerful piece. I called that piece the ‘Revela on, the Testament of Alaafin’, he was speaking on federalism that by nature, Nigeria is a federal state and that we should not create a Yoruba out of the Igbos or create a Fulani out of the Hausas, or Yorubas out of Fulanis; that we should live together and tolerate ourselves. He lived his life for humanity and I always treasure and appreciate him. He was a great man.

There have been calls for the inclusion of tradi onal rulers in the government of Nigeria, par cularly, to address insecurity in the country. Do you think the tradi onal rulers has the capacity?

If it is about capacity, we have it. The Emir of Lafia was a judge at the Supreme Court of Nigeria. To the glory of God, I’m not powerful but if I’m not a monarch, I will be a Senator or a Governor. So, we have intellects in the tradi onal ins tu on. We have all accomplished in our various fields before becoming a king.

Talking about your ques on, for me, I’m already there – in government. I have the freedom and within that ambit of the freedom is my inalienable rights. If I don’t do anything contrary to the cons tuon, what else do I need to do? I’m the Orangun of Oke-Ila. Tradionally, I’m next to God. What else do I want; do I want to be God? Here in Oke-Ila, I’m the Chief Security Officer, the Chief Employment Officer, the Chief Educa on Officer, what else do I want? In fact, 24hr is not enough for me to do what I have to do here in Oke-Ila.

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2023: APC Approves Revised Timetable For Primaries Kazeem Badmus

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HE Na onal Working Commi ee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has approved a revised metable/ schedule of ac vies for the primary elec ons for 2023 poll.

This was revealed in a statement by its Na onal Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka in Abuja, yesterday.

Morka said: “The NWC of the APC on Monday, May 23, approved a revised metable and schedule of ac vi es for the governorship, State House of Assembly, Senate and House of Representa ves primary elec ons.”

Morka said that the governorship, state delegates, State House of Assembly, Local Government Area (LGA) delegates primaries

would hold on May 26.

He said that the primary elec on for Senate and LGA delegates would hold on Friday, May 27, while House of Representa ves and LGA delegates primaries would hold on May 28.

He re-emphasised that the party’s

Special Conven on for its 2023 presiden al primary will hold as scheduled on May 29 and 30.

“Please note that the Special Conven on for the presiden al primaries will be held as scheduled from Sunday, May 29 to Monday, May 30,” Morka said.

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News

NASS, OSHA Primaries: Mass Defection Looms In Osun PDP Kazeem Badmus Yusuf Oketola

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HE Peoples Democra c Party (PDP) in the State of Osun is passing through a fresh turbulent me which might result into mass defec on of the party’s members.

OSUN DEFENDER noted that the Na onal and State Assembly primaries of the party which started over the weekend and concluded yesterday across the state, have widened the already exis ng division in the PDP. Findings by OSUN DEFENDER revealed that some aggrieved members of the party who felt cheated in the primaries have sharply concluded on leaving the PDP for either the All Progressives Congress (APC) or Accord Party.

There were hues and cries on the outcome of the primaries, par cularly in Osun West and Osun Central Senatorial districts.

Some irate members of the PDP in Ejigbo protested the alleged rigging of the Ede Federal Cons tuency primary elec on of the party in favour of the incumbent representa ve, Hon. Bamidele Salam.

Salam had contested the cket with an Ejigbo

•Angry Members Destroy Adeleke Billboard •Fadahunsi, Oke, Ajilesoro, Returned As Atidade Loses Second Term Bid born engineer, Ayodele Asalu, popularly called Asler, whom members of the party in Ejigbo were roo ng for.

Salam had 70 votes while Asler pulled 60 votes.

In a Facebook video posted by one Ayoola Ibraheem, the angry members who are mostly youths were seen destroying billboards of the candidate of the PDP in the July 16, 2022 governorship elec on in Osun, Senator Ademola Adeleke.

The irate youths also tore s ckers on some branded vehicles of the PDP gubernatorial candidate.

Some of the party members in the video where heard saying, “Bye Bye to Nonsense. No More PDP in Ejigbo. Asler is our own man. Ejigbo indigenes love PDP because of Asler.

“If someone is going to win, let him do so without rigging. Ejigbo was rigged out by the people of Ede. We are going to remove and burn all Ademola Adeleke’s billboards”.

The angry youths in the video said they were yet to decide which party they

•Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo addressing Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun and others during his consultation visit to Oṣùn recently.

would defect to.

Also, there were controversies on the outcome of the primary of the party in Ede South State Cons tuency.

Hon. Olaniran A dade who is currently represen ng the cons tuency,

lost his second term bid, as he was defeated in the primary by Barr. Taofeek Olayiwola.

It would be recalled that A dade contested the cket of the party with Olayiwola in 2019 and won.

But Olayiwola defeated

A dade this me around with five votes.

However, supporters of the lawmakers have alleged that the primary was rigged in favour of the winner, threatening to leave the PDP for another party.

Informa on has it that

Vehicles Destroyed, Journalists Injured As Thugs Attack Oyetola’s Campaign Ground Ismaeel Uthman

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O fewer than 10 vehicles were reportedly destroyed by armed poli cal thugs who a acked some people, including journalists, at the campaign rally of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola in Gbongan, Ayedaade Local Government of the State of Osun, on Monday.

Two journalists were also injured in the a ack that took place at Arapajo Area of Gbongan

around 6pm.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that Oyetola had finished addressing supporters at the campaign venue around 5:45 p.m. when the hoodlums stormed the venue and took over the road when the governor’s convoy was about leaving the town.

The thugs did not attack the governor’s convoy but descended on vehicles coming a er it.

When the bus conveying members of the Correspondents’ Chapel

of the Nigeria Union of Journalists was about to move out of the venue, the hoodlums started their a acks.

The windscreen of the Correspondents chapel’s bus was smashed on mo on with a big s ck by one of the hoodlums.

The side glasses of the bus were sha ered.

The Chairman of the chapel, Mr. Shina Abubakar and Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr. Victor Adeo sustained injuries in the process.

Other vehicles coming a er the chapel’s bus were also a acked while others made UTurn.

NUJ Condemns Attack Meanwhile the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), State of Osun Council, has condemned a ack on its members by the poli cal hoodlums NUJ, in a statement by the Chairman and Secretary of the Union, Comr.

Wasiu Ajadosu and Comr.

Bukola Elufadejin, de-

scribed the a ack on members of the Correspondents’ Chapel as unfortunate, uncivilized and unwarranted.

The union said it will no longer condone such unprovoked a ack on its members in the state.

It urged all poli cal par es in the state to urgently sani se the composi on of their teeming supporters in order to get rid of any form of hooliganism and poli cal thuggery, threatening that the union would stop its members from cover-

ing poli cal par es if their safety cannot be guaranteed.

The union called on the Osun Police Command to fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act and bring them to jus ce to serve as deterrent to others with such violent tendencies.

It further warned criminal elements to desist from working against the success of the forthcoming elecon in the State, so as not to discourage harmless electorate from performing their civic responsibili es.

A dade, whose father was a former local government Chairman of Ede South, was contempla ng on defec ng to APC. Shortly a er the primary, the governorship candidate of Accord Party, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi, paid a visit to A dade in Ede, a moved that raised suspicion that he wanted to woo the lawmaker to his party.

In Osun Central Senatorial District, the candidate of the PDP in 2019 senatorial elec on, Mr Gani Olaoluwa, was defeated by a fresh aspirant, Mr Fadeyi Oluwole Olubiyi.

Olubiyi who was the Osun Central senatorial candidate of the Acon Democra c Congress (ADC) in 2019, hails from Ila. The PDP candidate for Osogbo Federal Cons tuency in the 2019 House of Reps elec on, Mr Maroof Adebayo, popularly known as Gangaria, won the cket of the party again to contest the 2023 elec on.

Also, Hon. Taofeeq Ajilesoro who is currently represen ng Ife Federal Cons tuency won his second term cket of the party, while Hon. Wole Oke also won the primary elec on to return to the green chamber for the fi h term.

Oke currently serves as the lawmaker represen ng Obokun/Oriade Federal cons tuency in the House of Reps.

In Osun East Senatorial District, Senator Francis Fadahunsi won his second term cket, while Akogun Lere Oyewumi emerged the candidate of the PDP for Osun West Senatorial District.

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News

Contractor Accuses Osun Govt Of Breach Of Contract On Freedom Park

By Ismaeel Uthman

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HE management of Bristol Construcon and Engineering Company Limited has accused the State Government of Osun on breach of contract on the management of Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo.

According the company, the state government has reneged on the contractual agreement and Memorandum of Understanding entered into by the two of them on the management of the park.

The company said the state government had, in a contractual agreement dated November 2, 2018 awarded the management of the freedom park to it for a period of 30 years.

Chief Dapo Ayodele, the Managing Director of Bristol Construc on and Engineering Company Limited, said the company bided for the contract following an adver sement by the state government in The Na on newspaper early 2018.

He said the government adver sed that it needed a firm to take up the management of the Freedom Park job, disclosing that his company and five others bided for it.

According to him, Bristol Construc on and Engineering Company was awarded the contract by the state government.

Having won the contract, Ayodele said the company took over the freedom park in December 2018, inspected it and itemized things that needed to be put in place for the smooth running of the park.

Ayodele said all what needed to be done for the improvement of the freedom park were forwarded to Governor Adegboyega Oyetola who was the Chief of Staff to governor Rauf Aregbesola when the government awarded the management of the park to him.

But there was no response to the le ers to the Governor and Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt.Hon Timothy Owoeye, for months, said Ayodele.

A er about six months, Ayodele said the company was invited for a mee ng with the former Commissioner for Commerce, Coopera ve and Empowerment, Dr Henry Olanipekun, who reportedly claimed that the agreement between the company and the government was not valid.

The manager said when it was apparent that something was fishy, he sent a direct message to the governor who asked him to meet the Chief of Staff, Dr Charles Akinola.

He said all the papers on the contract were pre-

•Govt Had No Agreement With You, Ex-Commissioner sented to Akinola, saying the Chief of Staff promised to get back to the company but nothing was heard from him since.

According to Ayodele, he was informed by some government officials that the management of the freedom park had been awarded to another company, when its contract with the government was s ll valid.

He said if a contract would be revoked, due process must be followed with sincerity.

“Contract agreements are meant to be honoured and respected and if there is any cause for any change, both pares should be ac vely involved”, he said.

Ayodele called on the state government to rescind its decision of award the management of the freedom park to another firm and honour the contractual agreement it had

with Bristol Construc on and Engineering Company.

Reac ng to the accusa on, the former Commissioner for Com-

merce, Coopera ve and Empowerment, Dr Henry Olanipekun, said government had no contractual agreement with Bristol Construc on and Engi-

neering Company.

According to Olanipekun, the Aregbesola administra on which Ayodele claimed it awarded the management

of the freedom park to his company, did not sign any contract with Nigeria Railway Corpora on as regard Bristol Construc on and Engineering Company.

“You cannot put something on nothing. I have explained to him. There was no agreement between the state government and the Nigeria Railway Corpora on to release the management of the park to Bristol Construc on and Engineering Company.

“Under the law, there is something we call recita on. The agreement between the state government and the Nigeria Railway Corpora on on the management of the park ought to have been recited in the purported contractual agreement between Bristol Construc on and Engineering Company and the government on the management of the park. But that is not the case. The purported agreement with him is not valid.

Osun 2022: INEC To Track Campaign Finance Of Workshop held in Osog- poli cal gladiators at the able to track their camPolitical Parties bo, last Wednesday. event discouraged vote paign finances and the Yusuf Oketola

T

HE Independent Na onal Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed its readiness to track campaign finance of all poli cal par es contes ng the

July 16, 2022 governorship elec on in the state.

Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC in the State of Osun, Professor Abdulgani Raji, stated this at the Campaign Finance Tracking

Raji said there will be training for INEC staff to track campaign finance of all poli cal par es in the state.

The workshop was organized for governorship candidates and party Chairmen in the state.

Raji while addressing

buying on elec on day, just as he advised all candidates to be genuine on their campaigns.

He noted that the workshop was organised to sensi ze members of poli cal par es, most especially the governorship candidates to be

Stop Appointing Coordinating Directors In MDAs, ng Directors, as becoming Permanent SecOmigbodun Tells Oyetola Coordina Permanent Secretaries of retaries in their respec ve Kazeem Badmus

T

HE governorship candidate of the Social Democra c Party (SDP) in the July 16, 2022 governorship elec on in the state of Osun, Mr. Goke Omigbodun has berated the State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, for appoin ng a Coordina ng Director for the Ministry of Local Government and Chie aincy Affairs, weeks a er promising to appoint Permanent Secretaries.

Oyetola had during this year’s Workers day Approved seven major pressing demands of the members of the Joint Labour Movement, part of which included appointment of Permanent Secretaries in due course to put an end to the use of Coordina ng Directors in Ministries, Departments and Agencies.

According to Omigbodun, Oyetola did not showcase any inten on of sincerity on the fresh promises he made to the workers during the workers day, adding that the Governor should have

pronounced si ng Coordina ng Directors as Permanent Secretaries of their respec ve Ministries, having acted for such for so long.

He said: “My a en on has been drawn to radio announcements of yet another fresh Coordina ng Director appointed for the Osun State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, to replace a re ring one.

“I had warned the indefa gable workforce of Osun State public service to be wary of fake promises of Governor Oyetola and his APC, similar to ones he made prior to the 2018 elec ons concerning their promo on, that he never backed up with cash to date.

“If Governor Oyetola were to showcase any inten on of sincerity on the fresh premises he made to the same workers again this year 2022 May Day, just a few weeks to another governorship elecons, he ought to have immediately pronounced the outgoing and other si ng

their respec ve Ministries, having acted for such for so long.

“Any ruse about unnecessarily long promises for examining candidates for appointment as Permanent Secretaries of the Osun State Civil Service would have been perceived with confidence and reliability, had there been no unfortunate history of the re ring Coordina ng Directors never

•Omigbodun

life mes.

“Now that a fresh Coordina ng Director has been appointed, against the spirit of Governor Oyetola’s promises to workers this year’s May Day, I sympathize again with Osun workers, and I assure you all of a be er deal when I am elected and sworn in as Osun State Governor later this year, by God’s grace and the support of all Osun people”.

processes to do so.

The REC said: “There are no specific amount a party can spend for its campaign but each party is expected to be prudent and moderate in their spending. Poli cal par es are expected to raise funds and there’s a limit which they can actually go in doing that.

If it looks excessive, they can be called to order.

“We all know the present condi on of our economy and what is right from wrong.

Raji promised a free, fair and conclusive elecon.

The commission also organised a one-day training workshop for its field officers on Pre-Survey Methodology across the state.

Speaking with newsmen at the progaramme, Raji said the workshop was to train INEC field officers who are to gather informa on on some of the factors that can hinder conduc ng a free, fair and credible elec on in the state.

He said the researchers are to collect informa on in form of survey and analyse the informaon.

Raji said: “This programme is a training workshop, we are to train field officers who are to gather informaons on some of the factors that can hinder conduc ng a free, fair and credible elec on.”

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25 - THURSDAY, JUNE 02, 2022

18

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25 - THURSDAY, JUNE 02, 2022

VOL 16 NO 20

DISCOURSES ON PROGRESSIVE POLITICS y

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Producing An Alternative Perspective Preface By Kanmi Ademiluyi

I

N adop ng the methodology which to assess the impact of an outstanding persona a dilemma crops up which must be resolved, otherwise, the exercise becomes bifurcated and its intellectual honesty can be challenged.

In the course of over half of a century, a resolu on to this conflict has been mercifully obtained as well as accepted in the conven onal wisdom with the je soning of Lord Macaulay’s hitherto accepted “Great Man Theory of History”.

The ‘Great Man Theory’ centred around the interpreta on of history through the prisms of the interven on or contribu ons of an outstanding personality. The issue with Macaulay’s methodology is that, it places the great man Edited By Ismaeel Uthman outside the historical current as well as the dal waves Graphics By Zainab Olalere which projects the sequence of history. It is now agreed by James Ashipa - Page 12 the use of both logic and common sense that a be er understanding will be obtained by loca ng the subject and the contribu ons made within the context of the movement of social development and responses to the problems that society is compelled to and must resolve in its historical evolu on. methodology is very The Future Of Progressive Politics In Nigeria wellThe deployed in Karl Marx’s seminal analysis of the turbulent events leading to Louis Erasmus Ikhide - Page 13 Napoleon Bonaparte’s selfcoup (which subsequently became known later in La n America as the ‘Oligolpe’.)

Therein came Marx’ most famously eternally quoted submission that: “Men make their own history, But they do not do so in condi ons they will have The Reinstatement Of Social Democracy wanted or preferred; they do so under pre-exis ng condions and have only a limited Adebayo Mabayoje - Page 13 amount of me in which to impact their own exigencies. In the process THE MORES, THE TRADITIONS OF THE GENERATIONS PRECEDING WEIGHS LIKE A NIGHTMARE UPON THE SOULS OF THE LIVING “.

We analyse the path breaking interven on of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola from this posi on.

The Eerinlákátabú And The Fairweather Friends The Evolu on of An Alterna ve Perspec ve.

Rauf Aregbesola is from the Yoruba na onality and not Olalere Fagbola - Page 14 surprisingly reflects the mores and the tradi ons of the genera ons which had preceded him. Decisive here is a general thrust in the agreement, the peace treaty signed to end the horrendous 16 years civil war in Yoruba land, known as the treaty of the Kiriji war. A key posi on was the acceptance of the requirement that to Standing Strong In Higher Politics ensure a las ng peace, it was

s

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contents:

impera ve for the Yoruba to coalesce around a federal arrangement involving the devolu on of strategic ac vi es, including the powers of taxa on to the cons tuent parts as opposed to a unitary state with Ibadan as the pivotal (domineering?) force and controller of events.

This percep ve is reflected in Aregbesola’s own thinking and prac ce from his incursion into student union ac vism to his significant role in the gruelling struggle to end military rule, his par cipa on in community organisaon in Alimosho and in Lagos State as a whole.

This manifested itself in his social cohesion propelled management thrust as infrastructure czar of Lagos State where he had a pathbreaking thrust as the State’s Commissioner for Works. His interven on in the post of works commissioner echoed the earlier thrust of the legendary Lagos State former governor, Lateef Olukayode Jakande, to the effect that government policies must be for the benefit of the overwhelming majority of the popula on and their families and not just for the convenience of a cloistered, increasingly pampered elite and narrow strata.

The administra on he served gained great public acceptance and indeed electoral benefits from this percep on of the posi ve benefits of the impact of Aregbesola’s interven on. They have withstood the rigours of me. His achievements as infrastructure czar reminds one of the epitaph of Christopher Warren the architect of the modern metropolis of London: “If you seek to know what he has achieved, please look around you”.

Theory And Prac ce in The State of Osun

The entry into the Government House in the State of Osun has been well documented within the context of historical exac tude and for posterity. A mea culpa o en cited is Gbenga Fayemiwo’s “Journey to Jus ce”. Fayemiwo in an epic work used the analy cal rigour of a trained social scien st merging it with the forensic skills of a prac sing a orney - at - law. The fusion of two key disciplines enabled the author, who was also a par cipant observer to chronicle an epic struggle to reverse a heist against the expressed wishes of the people of Osun.

Here we see the fine tuning of the strategic impera ve first induced in the struggle for democracy as a member of the Na onal Democra c Coali on [NADECO]. In this framework, the people were not used as mere foot soldiers or ba ering rams in an intra - elite tussle for power and privileges. Rather than mere spectators, or extras in someone else’s movie, they were at the epicentre of a much-needed quest for the restora on of their democra c rights.

It was necessary. For it provided the anchor of a pro - people progressive use of the levers of the government to make posi ve interven on when Aregbesola reclaimed his mandate and was sworn in as the governor of the state. He could not at that junc on now repudiate the dal wave that had propelled him into office.

Poli cal Economy: Theory Into Pracce

The celebrated Italian poli cal philosopher, Antonio Gramsci, who reached his apogee in the nineteen-twen es has pointed out that, the main essence of poli cs is to shi or redirect the territory of the discourse in direc on of one’s own mission or project.

On a aining office, Aregbesola now had an opportunity to, as he had previously done in La-

“The ‘Great Man Theory’ centred around the interpretation of history through the prisms of the intervention or contributions of an outstanding personality. The issue with Macaulay’s methodology is that it places the great man outside the historical current as well as the tidal waves which projects the sequence of history” gos State, redirect the tenor of par cipa on in a progressive direc on. Good precedents were available and codified to assist the interven on in, and under “ pre-exis ng condi ons”. As a commi ed social democrat, he was aware of the UK Labour Party’s defining 1945 elec on manifesto “Let Us Face the Future “which significantly impacted upon the quest of the Western Region’s Ac on Group and its leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, to make “life more abundant”. In addi on, there was Jakande’s administra on in Lagos State amongst others to look at as posi ve development role models.

Significantly, Aregbesola was a throwback to a more edifying past. He was prepared for office. At first glance, the proposi on of an office seeker being prepared for the rigours of office sounds like a contradic on – in - terms, this is however on the surface. The painful reality is that the demeaning misinterpreta on of ‘poli cs’ in Nigeria has become linked to a booty sharing enterprise with a horde of poli cal apparatchiks in a scramble to drink from what has become alarmingly a rapidly diminishing trough.

To his credit, Aregbesola courageously took “the road less taken” and in doing so made a significant difference. In the course of his ascending to office, posi on outlines such as the Green Book were put together as roadmaps. Efforts such as the Green Book itemised key policy focuses in an interwoven manner with the theme of achieving much needed Social Cohesion which is essen al as both a stabilising force in a democracy as well as a key ingredient in the quest for sustainable development for the benefit of in par cular the least protected strata.

They were not high-sounding academic exercises, far from it, they were in reality detailed applied research. It helped to achieve a cri cal mass and it made a difference. With this kind of prepara on, Aregbesola came into office with clear Public Sector Targets, goals and objec ves to be anchored on fixed melines.

Once again, he echoed a more edifying me in Nigeria’s poli cal history. A me when for example the post of a poli cal party’s Director of Research was a pres gious, highly sought a er and strategic posi on. It will be of benefit to the polity to reignite that era.

•Continued on page ???

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25 - THURSDAY, JUNE 02, 2022

20 SYMBOL’S TRYST WITH DESTINY The Future Of Progressive Politics In Nigeria

By Ashipa James Olashupo

A

CCORDING to David Easton, “polics is the authorita ve alloca on of values”, which is necessary due to limited resources to meet the insa able needs of man and to reconcile the conflict between capital and labour on how to appropriate the surplus value.

Progressive poli cs is one of the strategies developed to ensure that the interest of the common man is taken care of in the society by having as its goals, the protecon of social welfare, promo on of moral improvement, crea on of economic reform and fostering efficiency. In modern poli cs, it is viewed as part of the le liberal tradition and in the 21st century, a movement that iden fies as progressive is “a social or poli cal movement that aims to represent the interests of ordinary people through poli cal change and the support of government ac ons.”

Furthermore, in order to underscore the significance of progressive poli cs to ensure the survival of democracy, Theodore Roosevelt recognizes that “a great democracy has got to be progressive or it will soon cease to be great or a democracy” and Bernie Sanders asserts that “the American people must make a fundamental decision.

Do we con nue the 40 years decline of the middle class or do we fight for a progressive agenda that creates jobs, raises wages and takes on the economic and poli cal power of the oligarchy?”

Since her poli cal independence on October 1st 1960, the Nigerian poli cal space has witnessed its fair share of progressive poli cs from the First Republic to the current Fourth Republic with such poli cal giants as Ahmadu Bello, Obafemi Awolowo, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Michael Opara, Tafawa

Balewa striding the poli cal space like colossus and implemen ng progressive programs in the First Republic. In the Second Republic, poli cally savvy individuals formed progressive poli cal par es such as the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), Nigerian People’s Party (NPP), Na onal Party of Nigeria (NPN), Nigeria Advance Party (NAP), Greater Nigerian People’s Party (GNPP), People’s Redemp on Party (PRP) and implemented progressive programs such as free educa on, housing for all, effec ve agricultural policies et al to move their socie es towards economic growth and prosperity. The Third Republic was brief as it was designed to be a s llbirth by the military. The Fourth Republic was ushered in on May 29, 1999 and brought a lot of hope and promises to Nigerians, especially a er the ill-fated June 12, 1993 elec on.

As the 2023 general elec on is fast approaching, Nigeria is now the poverty capital of the world and UNICEF has declared that the country is home to 18.5 million out of school children. Insecurity has assumed more dangerous dimensions as apart from a ack on schools, airports, trains are being a acked and our roads are no longer safe to travel on for fear of being kidnapped for ransom or killed, which has made the future of progressive poli cs bleak and opaque for several reasons. Medical tourism is now the order of the day as our health sector has literally collapsed due to falling infrastructure and a dearth of qualified medical personnel to man the dilapida ng medical facili es. Ter ary educa on is in comatose because government has refused to meet a 2019 agreement it willingly signed with ASUU. The reasons for the decline of progressive poli cs include ques onable character of poli cal personali es, lack of ideology and using the term for mere sloganeering, weaponiza on of poverty, adverse impact of money poli cs, and pervasive influence of cronyism to the detriment of competence.

The poli cal space in Nigeria is now populated by ques onable characters who don’t have the interest of the masses at heart. They are self-centered and enter poli cs solely for their personal aggrandizement, which has elevated cronyism over competence. It is bad at the na onal level and worse at the sub-na onal level

where poli cians have performed abysmally but are emboldened because performance is no longer used as the yards ck to gain poli cal office but loyalty to nebulous godfathers whose overbearing influences surfaced at both na onal and subna onal levels like Lagos, Edo, Imo states at one me or the other with different but damaging outcomes.

Another cause of the lack of progressive poli cs in Nigeria is the fluid nature of polics and absence of ideology in the poli cal par es. Where is the ideology of “social democracy, democra c humanism, and social liberalism as was ac vely enshrined and prac ced in such catchy phrases as “polics without bi erness, free educa on for all”, “affordable housing for all”, “poli cs of the talakawas (the poor)” in the past?

It is pathe c that whatever ideology they profess today is mere poli cal sloganeering that lack substance.

Addi onally, poli cians have largely weaponized poverty thereby je soning progressive poli cs. It is now “stomach infrastructure” or ‘dibo ko sebe (vote and cook soup)” poli cs whereby poli cians dole out s pends during every electoral cycle to buy votes.

Furthermore, progressive poli cs has been dealt a dastardly blow by the adverse impact of money in our poli cs. Many analysts have concluded that the only thriving industry in Nigeria is poli cs and decry the entry of moneybags into the Nigerian po-

“The reasons for the decline of progressive politics include questionable character of political personalities, lack of ideology and using the term for mere sloganeering, weaponization of poverty, adverse impact of money politics, and pervasive influence of cronyism to the detriment of competence”

li cal space thus shu ng the door against credible elements who don’t have deep pockets. This can be seen in the humongous sum poli cal par es are charging aspirants to buy nomina on forms. Most of those who are able to afford the money see their entrance into poli cs as an investment wherein they expect handsome ROI and are only interested in recouping their investment plus some good profit after winning.

Regardless of the regressing fate of progressive poli cs in Nigeria, the situaon can s ll be salvaged by adop ng the use of more technology in our electoral process to reduce the entry of unprogressive elements into our poli cal space. It is heart-warming to note that the electoral act 2022 recognizes e-transmission of results and INEC has insisted on the use of Bimodal Voter Accredita on System (BIVAS) during elec ons.

Poli cs of ideology should be encouraged so that poli cians will be iden fied by what they stand for. It is counter-produc ve for a poli cian to be in one party in the morning and another party in the evening like shi ing sands.

Last but not the least, voter educaon and par cipa on have to be encouraged so as to conscien ze and awaken the awareness of the people to ac vely take part in the poli cal process for progressive poli cs to be restored in Nigeria. The silence of the Na onal Orienta on Agency (NOA) is too loud and unacceptable and it should emulate the Mass Mobiliza on for Self-Reliance, Jus ce and Economic Recovery (MAMSER) agency that was created by the Babangida regime. Also, we must create a poli cally ac ve ci zenry in Nigeria who should be allowed to own the vehicles used to access poli cal power, which are poli cal par es, by returning such vehicles back to Nigerians right from the grassroots level rather than being hijacked by few, powerful moneybags. This will give room for transparency and accountability that are the essence of progressive polics!

Ashipa James Olashupo, PhD Osogbo, Osun state 08056002757, 08129458475 ashipaj@gmail.com, ashipaj@yahoo. com

Symbolising An Alternative Perspective •Continued from page ???

Post Script: In the State of Osun

Within the context of Nigeria’s non-ideologically forma ed ‘poli cs’, it is not surprising that a revisionist perspec ve funded to distort the forward advance made by the administraon headed by Rauf Aregbesola is at play. The highly cerebral former finance commissioner, Dr Wale Bolurundo, has consistently with stas cal evidence refuted this rather amateurish a empt at a revisionist excursion. I recall at university a tutor’s admoni on that, “A student who contrives to ignore inconvenient facts will get only a third (class honours degree) in a good university.

In terms of his impact on the poli cal economy of an era, Aregbesola broke new grounds.

By emula ng progressives past and pu ng the Big D at the centre of the Development paradigm, he redirected the territory of thought and ac on into the posi ve reigni on of the benefits to be obtained from social democracy.

In view of the carnage wrought on living standards by the ill-advised Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) this was an historical necessity which he did admirably well. In a dicey situaon, he implemented the programs with “the fierce urgency of now”.

In implemen ng the policies outlined in the Green Book, Aregbesola showed convinc-

ingly that there was a feasible alterna ve to the then discredited SAP. He also significantly reinvigorated the tenor and spirit of the Social Contract by emphasising Social Cohesion and inclusiveness. This hitherto had been alien in the poli cal economy created by successive military administra ons and the poli cal establishment they created. It is worthy of note that the theme of ‘Social Cohesion’ propelled a third party led by a thirty-five years old ac vist to win a convincing majority in the second round of Chile’s presiden al elec on in February 2022. In a lot of ways Aregbesola an cipated the future.

Social cohesion ma ers as a stabilising buffer for democracy, especially in the absence of an increasingly empowered middle-class which is the tradi onal stabilising strata in defence of democracy. Much of the social interven on programmes which were pioneering at the me have been adopted in states across the six geopoli cal zones and by the Federal government. A confirma on of the adage that imitaon is the sincerest form of cla ery.

An o en-stated example is of course the school feeding program. It is indisputably a necessary interven on and not just for the purpose of increasing school enrolment and ensuring that no child is le behind. Fine-tuned and extended as we have seen in a similar program undertaken by the government of Ignacio Lula

da Silva in Brazil, the free school meals ini ave interwoven with the purchase of local agricultural output should be a modernising agent for agricultural development and lead to the much needed resuscita on of the Commodity Boards upgraded into more modern Commodies Exchanges. There is s ll vital work to be done in this area, nevertheless kudos must go to Aregbesola as the ini ator and pioneering change agent.

Seminal ini a ves in educa on and health were also based on the need for social cohesion as well as extending access for the less privileged and the le behind.

All of the above had to be done within an increasingly difficult economic climate for the sub-na onal governments in a structurally defec ve misconstruc on of federalism. In addi on, he had to a empt to slim down the obstruc ve costs of the machinery of the government with great poli cal skills and tac cal savvy in order not to trigger off a paralysing crisis.

In pioneering work such as the one embarked upon by Aregbesola, there comes attached a bill of poli cal costs. It goes with the territory and is to be expected. There is a similarity here with what previous pioneers had to face. A good example comes from the 1950s Western Region. The regional premier Chief Obafemi Awolowo tried unsuccessfully

to take poli cs out of the taxa on issue. Sadly, he could not persuade the opposi on to agree on a democra c agreement to do so. The result was electoral setbacks in the 1954 federal elecons, subsequent local government elec ons and most debilita ng in the pre-independence 1959 federal elec ons in which the Ac on Group lost seats in the Western Region when every seat counted in Awolowo’s bid to head the government at the centre. Lula da Silva too faced a vende a and hideous manipula on of the judicial process a er he le office. The cri cal issue here is the certainty of a posi ve verdict for posterity which Awolowo and Lula received, and which Aregbesola will also get.

It will be otherwise for those luxuria ng in the temporary expediency of the present and disgracefully repudia ng the established principle of the acceptance of collec ve responsibility.

Overall, he led a very successful administraon and showed great poli cal sophis ca on as in “cometh the moment, cometh the man”.

In my considered opinion, he redirected the territory of poli cal ac on in way that was of benefit to the overwhelming majority and their families. It was pioneering, astute and commendable. The verdict of history will place him in the pantheon of those who made life be er for the by overwhelming majority of the ci zens paying a en on to disadvantaged and not just pampering a few.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25 - THURSDAY, JUNE 02, 2022

SYMBOL’S TRYST WITH DESTINY

21

The Reinstatement Of Social Democracy

By Erasmus Ikhide

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S we say in intellectual community, ‘ideas have consequences imprimis’. That is the plank upon which Comrade Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola – born 25 May, 1957 – has been engaging and driving the civil society and governance enterprises, each step of the way. As a philosopher King, an embodiment of true leadership, radia ng hope and vision, as a savant, raconteur of genius, gi ed litera , Aregbesola has dis nguished himself dis nctly from the pack of poli cians who are scarcely sensi ve enough to allow the confidence reposed on their offices to reflect on the output of governance.

Admirably for all his gi s, sacrifices, and his countless achievements, Aregbesola remained deeply spiritual, a thinker, humble, unassuming and self-effacing as he is earnestly loved by Nigerians. Truthfully, his total abstainer from impurity, his poli cs of inclusiveness, broad mindedness, has a root in his deep Islamic piety. These uncommon qualies as a visionary idealist contributed immensely to his stellar achievements as Works Commissioner in Lagos State for eight years, as well as governor of State of Osun for eight years, respec vely.

Outstandingly, Aregbesola is the Minister of Interior where he is reposi oning, digitalising and revitalizing the ministry with numerous paramilitary agencies under his watch to the admira on of even ardent haters of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administraon. It is quite absorbing and eleva ng that

Aregbesola’s ministerial acumen has brought a great deal of innova on and speed into the Ministry at a me Nigerians are disillusioned and nervous of the en re system that has lapsed into atrocious governance.

Since his assump on of office in August 2019, there has been approval for the New Visa Policy reclassifying the Visa Categories from 6 to 79. Aregbesola also ensured that Nigeria commenced Visa on Arrival to holders of passports of African countries without delays. It is on record that Aregbesola is the only Minister in recent mes that has procured four hundred and fi y-one (451) Opera onal Vehicles for the Nigeria Correc onal Service (NCoS). Di o for the crea on of Ci zens Integrity Unit at the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Under his supervision, three thousand (3,000) capacity custodial center in three geopoli cal zones of the country has been constructed in the last three years, at the same me, the ministry promoted eighteen thousand (18,000) personnel out of the thirty three hundred (33,000) that sat for promoonal exams in the years under review. Added to that is the construc on of a world class technology building to manage all immigra-

on ICT enhanced systems in Nigeria, as well as re-opening and rehabilita on of thirty-two (32) Satellite Custodial Centers previously shut down due to insurgency.

The digi za on process of the na on’s infrastructure did not end there. The installa on of Migra on Informa on and Data Analysis System (MIDAS) in all Interna onal Airports of the country is part of the ministry’s strategic plan towards ensuring the safety of travellers across the country. Within the same period, two thousand, six hundred and fi een (2,615) Fire distress Calls were responded to, saving seven hundred and twenty-four lives (724) and assets worth N1.629 trillion between June and October 2019 in the country.

Aside that, the ministry has deployed twenty-eight (28) newly procured fire engines across the country to boost emergency response in crisis situa on. The ministry also underwent the training and deployment of over one thousand five hundred (1,500) personnel as Agro-Rangers in Yobe and Adamawa States to protect farmers and their farms, thus promo ng food security.

In the midst of such gloomy sta s cs, Nigeria as a country has something to celebrate

in the spartan, austere, visionary and pragmatic g a m e changer called C o m rade Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, even though the naon is presently foaming in blood. As a dealer in hope, and an unusual Apostle of na onal self-renewal and self-valida on and a commi ed adherent of Islamic faith, it will not be long before Nigeria surmounts the legions of her self-afflicted woes!

Erasmus Ikhide wrote in from Lagos Nigeria and can be reached via: ikhideerasmus@gmail.com

“Under his administration, three thousand (3,000) capacity custodial center in three geopolitical zones of the country has been constructed in the last three years, at the same time, the ministry promoted eighteen thousand (18,000) personnel out of the thirty three hundred (33,000) that sat for promotional exams in the years under review” •Titans of the progressive linage: Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Michael Okpara and Aminu Kano

The Eerinlákátabú And The Fairweather Friends

By Adebayo Rasheed Mabayoje

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N every culture, the folklore stores, and (re) present beliefs, pracces, cra s, speech, legends, or stories that have been passed on orally from one genera on to a n o t h e r.

These representaons are not unconnected to the remarkable views of experts like Susan Armstrong and Richard Botzler on how animal ethics developed and its current stage globally. According to them -and very many experts share their posi on-modern rules regarding how to relate with, or treat animals today originated among hunter-gatherers.

Narra ves in this respect are established in various oral tradi ons- including the Yoruba folklore.

For example, a taboo was developed from a folklore regarding killing of a ma ng animal. This restric on is explained by equa ng the sexual affairs between animals to human sexual rela on-

ship, which should never be disturbed. This type of lesson from the Yorùbá folklore is a logical idea, and a pointer to moral concern for animals which contributes to the current global animal ethics.

This ethics on how to handle, treat or relate with animals have, since, grown- so that the freedom of life, and existence for the animals, have been established today. It is called “speciesism”.

The Yoruba folklore categories animals into three groups according to their physique. There are the furry animal group among whom kìnìhún or the lion is considered the king; the feather group which has the Ògòngò or the ostrich as the king, and the Ònfà or the squamate group, mostly rep les, which has the python as the king.

The African folklore, however, crowns the elephant or Eerin as the real king of the wild because of its terribly fearsome, enormously bulky, and sharp tusks. This is in addi on to its very, very big size and gait in the jungle- by which the Yoruba manner of describing the awesomeness of the elephant as Eerinlákátabú was derived!

This physiognomy of the elephant is prominent in the folkloric cultures across climes and mes.

The immediately relevant of such to this piece is related in the Godfrey Saxe’s poem- which is the most famous version of the 19th century tale of the elephant. It is tled “The Blind Men and the Elephant”. The theme of percep ons is established in the poem.

Six blind men were ‘commissioned’ to describe a par cular object. So, each of them moved towards it; touched it; and la er disputed loud and long. Each of them, in own personal opinion, was swearing s ff and strong that what is known about

the object is the only truth in the world about it.

Each of them concluded in own opinion that the Eerinlákátabú is like a wall; a snake; a spear; a tree; a fan; or a rope. They argued- short of physical violence. In fact, the conflict was never resolved each me the folklore about the blind men and the elephant is narrated.

In the understanding of the elephant metaphor in this writeup, readers intui on should be connected to the events and situa ons around the Osun poli cs and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola- the former governor, and the Minister of Interior.

The idea is to establish that there are lots of lessons for leaders to derive from the Aregbesola scenario. Unfortunately, space does not permit for

“However, ‘cutting the story short’ when he was in office as the governor of the state of Osun, the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was described uniformly by the Osun people. He was described as a giant- an Eerinlákátabú simple and straight!”

it to be adequately penciled right now.

However, ‘cu ng the story short’ when he was in office as the governor of the state of Osun, the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was described uniformly by the Osun people. He was described as a giantan Eerinlákátabú simple and straight!

Nobody had any different opinion apart from the fact that Rauf was a GOOD MAN. But out of power, people constructed various iden ty of Ogbeni.

‘Everyone has the right to hold opinions without interference, and cannot be subject to restricon or excep on. That’s fine. But it is a moraloverboard when opinions are built on fallacies and inten onal malignancy. Some of the opinionated iden ty construc on of Ogbeni Aregbesola derived from bile and hate. The owners of such opinions know themselves- even when they became a babalàwo drama st; holding a cow horn while they spew gibberish. Individuals in this category are the eighth character that didn’t relate the truth about what they experienced regarding the Eerinlákátabú story.

Ogbeni, is, no doubt, the metaphoric Elephantthe Eerinlákátabú, and everyone -except the lying characters- is each of those seven describer individuals. It only requires an someone to sincerely make advantage of the part of the elephant that was available to his own experience of Bàbáa Kàbírù. The category of people who never had the chance to touch the Eerinlákátabú should dare not say what they know not- lest they became deliberately malicious, and inadvertently construct their own iden ty as Fairweather-friend individuals.

God dislikes such characters.

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SYMBOL’S TRYST WITH DESTINY

Standing Strong In Higher Politics Aregbesola: Governance As Festival Of The Mass Olalere Fagbola

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H E who i n vests his labour on things of temporary value easily finds customers but quickly loses them; H e that also lays out his labour upon temporary subject, easily finds readers and quickly loses them too; for what should make the book valued when its subject is no more?”

Poli cians with mass appeal gimmicks that are based on sen ments o en succeed in hood winking the masses and their votes, but are always at the end of the game, ending up losing them as quickly as they win them, for it is one thing to command respect but quite another thing to retain and sustain it.

With the marriage between technology and media in the business of shrinking the world into a global village without walls, too many things have changed in connec on with poli cs, governance and the media, among others, even as crack economists have now begun to reason along the way of produc on of the masses for meaningful empowerment rather than mass produc on of mumble-jumble in which there is a conclusion at the end of which prac cally nothing useful is concluded.

It is the same thing with the media world where there is no longer the mass media of illusory ar ficiality but it is now the defined audience built on the fulcrum of relevance and humane ness.

Barack Obama changed the status quo of poli cs, obtaining the new electorates on the strength of personal touch (in ways that seem small but turn out to be larger than they first appeared) even through the social media of the people rather than relying on the stereotype of mass media of banality.

Conversely, it was easy for Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola to stay put with the old order by sa sfying the li le orthodoxies of power and powerful poli cians but he dared to venture into changing the status quo of the progressives, thus becoming a sworn enemy of conven on while s ll standing strong in the face of s ff opposi on from mediocre minds.

Says Walter De La Mare, author of All Hallows: “I can keep going as they say but not when my conscience and inner man are chea ng and misleading me.”

Aregbesola faithfully made a clear departure from the socio-poli cal and vigesimal convenon which believe that the legacy or heritage of the African poli cians must not last beyond two terms of office or for at most twenty years.

He is equipped with the uncommon posterity mindset in which legacy built in people should be measured in centuries, even as the man of legacy himself con nues to stand stronger.

Indeed, the sage does not live for himself alone, he lives for others but grows richer himself.

“Aregbesola faithfully made a clear departure from the sociopolitical and vigesimal convention which believe that the legacy or heritage of the African politicians must not last beyond two terms of office or for at most twenty years”

In one of the clear visions I had concerning Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola shortly before his elecon for a second term, I saw a mammoth crowd of people whose houses were demolished to pave way for a new State of Osun cas ng their votes for him enthusias cally.

Some mes I wonder how too many religionists have o en taken for granted the feat a ained by the wisest King Solomon towards building a new temple for God and a new Jerusalem city as if they were not through forced labour.

Was it for fun that the people went to his prospec ve successor if he could lighten their yoke?

Sensing how his adversaries had fought tooth and nail to bring down his legacy while he was before the senate standing at the red chamber as a ministerial nominee, I had in an ar cle tled: “Standing Before The Senate Is Rauf”, drawn the a en on of the hallowed house to the fact that there is a world of great difference between a man of character and a man of reputa on.

Quo ng Sir Samuel Johnson who opined that “ Reputa on is what you are when people are around but character is what you are when no one is around”, I took to the floor with a submission that: “ I am not here to present what Rauf Aregbesola is when people are around but what he is when no one is around”, adding that: “Standing before you is an ethicist that this na on needs at a me like this. “ Albert Schweitzer in his work: Civiliza on and Ethics” says: “although it is a poli cal and economic ques on that the present day prescribes for study, we can accomplish the problem of poli cal life if only we approach them as men who are trying to think ethically. All those who in any way help our thought about ethics are working for the coming of Peace and Prosperity in the world. They are engaged in higher poli cs and higher na onal economics.”

Each me I reflect on how God has used Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as a vessel of honour to impact my spiritual life, I am o en reminded of a message in one of my poetry collec ons, HEROISM, SONGS AND TROUBLES “ en tled: “The Muse”.

“From your seed, I raised my tree; I dispersed the seeds into hills I dispersed the seeds into valleys I will go on adding to your fruit.

From your fuel, I have made my fire; You have set my fire leaping I will set the forest heaven-ward I will put the world in flame.

From your melody, I have found my tune; You have made my fingers honey-comb.

I’II charge the air sweetly- roaring And the world a er its taste.”

Nothing can be truer than the veracity in Ogbeni Aregbesola’s statement (as quoted by a newspaper) that those who loved him are doing so because he represented something of value and of importance in their lives.”

This is so, even as proven true in his biography of my authorship: “A Sworn Enemy Of Conven on” being one uncommon cosmological document which wri ng is a debt paid reciprocally, as it was neither solicited for nor commissioned with any advanced financial inducement.

And this is where I quite agree with Sir Samuel Johnson when he said that: “Just praise is a debt but fla ery is a gi ,” To commemorate his 65th birthday as he s ll stands stronger in higher poli cs and standing my own spiritual life stronger, I am this week releasing online, his biography:” A Sworn Enemy Of Conven on” and” The Excellency Of Knowing Him”, being a follow up book (explaining why I have gone fana cal in wri ng his biography.)

The electronic copies are hereby released to the whole world through Amazon publishers.

The holy Bible has said it all: “Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up wings as eagles; they shall run and never weary; they shall walk and never faint.”

This is the por on of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and people of heroic stuff who stand strong regardless of different bo lenecks of challenges and opposi on (borne out of mischief and pe y jealousy) placed along their paths.

Owei Lakemfa

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ITNESS to history. Animated discussions. Banters. Back slapping. Roaring laughter. Seeming riot, but orderly.

Various groups, including the elderly and children. Then the crowds burst into songs and dances. They herald the arrival of the host. He is clad in white with a tradi onal white dogeared cap.

He flashes his white teeth, raising a twofinger victory sign. Yes, he is the Governor of Osun State, or as his government prefers to call it, The State Of Osun. But the crowds, and protocols do not refer to him as His Excellency, he is simply Ogbeni, the Yoruba word for Mister.

As he walks in, it is announced that Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has arrived. No, he is not a unique person, he says he is simply at that material me the elected leader of the state.

Tradi onal drumming and songs take over. He breaks into a dance with the fine dance steps of an accomplished tradi onal dancer. The crowd breaks into a frenzy, dancing as if it were a tradi onal fes val. People do not rush to shake his hands or press against him.

They see him quite o en, some mes in the streets. So he is like a familiar neighbour. As he dances, the edges of the crowd seem to be burs ng with wild dances, including by street toughies called the ‘State Boys’.

Then he raises his hands to signal a stop.

The drummers go silent, the songs taper off. The Master of Ceremony tries to take control. Then one of the market women breaks into a popular song. It is about the market women being the soul of society. The Governor’s mother, Madam Saratu Aregbesola, known as ‘Iya Olobi” (Kolanut merchant) was a market woman. So the women have a pride of place in the state.

Aregbesola shakes his head as if resisting the tempta on to stand up. But he has no choice, the crowds are ge ng back to their feet, the drums come back to life. He is again on his feet with tradi onal dance steps. The frenzy is on again.

Then a er some songs, Aregbesola takes the microphone, faces the market women and sings: “She bi omo oloja niwa…”(Aren’t we the children of market people?) The rest of the crowd take over and the market women take centre stage as the most honoured group; they are the mothers who ensure natural and economic reproduc on and produc on, take care of the family and make society run. While leading the vocals, Aregbesola seems transported to the past when his mother was his world.

Soon, the songs and dances come to an end. It is like the opening glee of the tradi onal Yoruba Alaarinjo (I nerant) drama groups who perform a musical (opening glee) before beginning their stage plays. Although it is a state func on, but the swea ng crowds are at ease.

There are no security details pushing anybody around. It was like a family mee ng or a communal reunion. In a sense, part of the a rac on to state func ons are these collec ve dances and songs which the famous Palm Wine Drinkers Club in Nigerian ter ary ins tu ons would call “gyra on”.

What the Aregbesola government did in the state was to incorporate the tradi onal system of Village Square mee ngs into governance, giving the people, a sense of collec vism, communality, consulta on and mass par cipa on in governance.

When the university system began in Nigeria in 1948, there was a sense of aliena on between the ivory tower and the populace.

“Aregbesola faithfully made a clear departure from the sociopolitical and vigesimal convention which believe that the legacy or heritage of the African politicians must not last beyond two terms of office or for at most twenty years”

There were strenuous efforts made to bridge the divide between ‘Gown and Town’. Part of the efforts were building cultural centres like the Mbari Mbayo in Osogbo and the Ori Olokun in Ife. However, the aliena on between government and the people was far more pronounced.

But what the Aregbesola government did was to put the people at the centre of governance and try to involve them by demys fying state events and turning them into fes val-like ceremonies in which the governor and the governed, the high and the lowly interact. With the dances and songs over, the Na onal Anthem which promises that: “The labour of our heroes past, Shall never be in vain” is played.

Then the ‘State of Osun Anthem’ in Yoruba is rendered. It is a patrio c and Pan-Africanist anthem which emphasises hard work. In part, it tells the populace: “There is work to be done for our land, for our fatherland…Our belief is that everyone is born equal. We need to work, to work and work to create wealth…Yee children of Oodua, rise and take your righ ul place.

You are the light of the en re Black Race.”

The crowd recites this like a pledge. Then, Chris an, Islamic and African Tradi onal Religion prayers are offered. The Special Adviser to the Governor, Biyi Odunlade, then takes over, rendering enchan ng panegyrics in Yoruba to which the crowds nod, snap fingers and concur as they soak in the poe c lyrics which somemes take the form of chants.

Finally, the programme begins. When it is the turn of the governor to speak, he begins by breaking into songs, the dances resume, the drummers heighten the tempo and more bodies are soaked in sweat.

Finally, his speech, o en laced with proverbs and wise sayings, is delivered. Quite o en, the speech is interrupted by somebody from the audience breaking into a song and the crowds, as if on cue, join. On such occasions, the governor rocks from side to side, breaks into pracced dance steps, then like a skilled conductor at the opera, weaves the songs to a stop and con nues his address.

Some mes, as the crowds quieten, he raises his own song and the dances resume. Speeches and programme over, the governor takes his leave, sent off with dances and songs. Various persons move to talk with him; he seems to have me for everyone. He rapidly gives appointments with aides taking note. Some mes, it is a mother trying to cope with feeding her children. Such cases are quickly a ended to.

On this par cular day, November 26, 2018 as the programme reached a climax, the Ooni of Ife (The Cradle of Yoruba Civilisa on) Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, in fi ng into the atmosphere, sprouts into instantaneous crea vity. He teaches the crowd a song he cra ed while si ng in the audience: Aregbe wa so Osun (thrice) Osi fara sinlu o.

Se lama ran O (thrice) Fun ise rere Ogbeni “Aregbe came to Osun.

He served with commitment.

We shall always remember The good works of Ogbeni”.

In Osun State, a cultured, warm and hardworking people, blended with a charisma c and commi ed leader. Under Aregbesola, it was indeed, ‘governance unusual’.

This Wednesday, May 25, 2022, Aregbesola who has moved from Osun State to central polics as Interior Minister, turns 65.

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ASUU Strike: Drivers, Traders, Others Lament Students’ Absence On OAU Campus Idowu Idris

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RADERS and commercial vehicle operators in Ile-Ife have lamented the absence of students of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife, on campus, as a result of the ongoing industrial ac on embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universi es (ASUU).

The absence of the students, according to the traders and commercial vehicle operators, was having adverse effects on their businesses, saying that they no longer make sales.

OSUN DEFENDER reporter who visited the university environment yesterday observed that traders, food vendors, commercial vehicle operators were witnessing low patronage as against the influx of customers, who were mainly students, any me the university was on.

Speaking with the medium, Mr. Idris Olaoye, a commercial bus driver on campus, expressed his displeasure over the ongoing strike ac on, lamenting that it has crippled his business.

Olaoye said the absence of students of the university on campus had made it difficult to get passengers as commercial drivers are jostling for the few students who are yet to leave the campus.

He said: “It is very unfortunate that we find ourselves in a situa on like this in this country. The

absence of the students on campus doesn’t only affect we the drivers alone, it affects everybody because we all know how things used to be when our students were around.

“As a driver on this campus, I know how much I used to take home when the students were around.

I have been at the campus gate since 9am and this is almost 11:00am, it is not even my turn yet. The drivers I met here have not seen anyone to carry”.

A food vendor at the OAU Central Market who iden fied herself as Iya Ila Sariyu told OSUN DEFENDER that the effect of the strike was telling on her business as she has been recording low patronage.

According to her, students are her major customers and with their absence on campus, she had to reduce the quan ty of food being prepared.

She said: “The absence of the students on campus is really affec ng my business. As you can see, there is no one in here when you came in. This place is empty, which is not supposed to be. This place is usually filled with students who always come to buy food but because of the strike, there is no one here”.

The woman appealed to the Federal Government and ASUU leaders to find a las ng solu on to the ongoing strike ac on, saying it does not good for the educa on and economy of the country.

Odo-Otin APC Members Allege Marginalisation, Want Rep. Ticket

By Ismaeel Uthman

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OME members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Odo-O n Local Government of the State of Osun have expressed their dissa sfac on over what they described as marginaliza on in sharing of elec ve posi ons in Ifelodun/Boripe/OdoO n Federal Cons tuency.

According to the APC members, the leadership of the party has not been fair to the local government on the House of Representa ves ckets of the party.

The APC members who gathered under the aegis of Odo-O n People’s Concern, made their feelings known when they paid a visit to a leader of the party in Faji, Hon. George Durosinmi.

Addressing the APC members, Durosinmi said he shared their view, call-

ing on the APC leaders in the State to zone the cket of the party for federal cons tuency to Odo-O n local government.

He said: “Party leaders in Ifelodun and Boripe have marginalized us at Odo-O n since we returned to democracy in 1999. The House of Reps has been rotated between Boripe and Ifelodun local governments.

“If the party wants to be honest and transparent to us in Odo-o n, the House of Reps cket must be zoned to OdoO n local government.

“The people of OdoO n should be considered for the post of House of Representaves because they have been marginalized since incep on of democracy in 1999; and in terms of vo ng strength, OdoO n has a larger vote percentage than the other two local governments in the Federal Cons tuency”.

Mr. Sunday Samuel, an Okada rider, said he had to leave the campus environment for other communies in Ile- Ife in order to make ends means.

Samuel said the industrial ac on has dras cally reduced his daily income, calling on the government to do whatever it takes to end the strike.

He said: “As old as I am, when the students were on campus, I go home with at least N3000, but with the

strike on, I find it difficult to go home with just N1000.

“I had to leave the campus environment to other communi es in other to get something to take home for my family. It has not been easy at all. Government needs to pity those of us who are feeding on this innocent children”.

A Point of Sales operator, who simply idenfied himself as Alaba, disclosed that the strike

ac on was causing more damage than good to POS operators within the OAU environment.

Alaba added that the absence of students on campus has made life harder as he only relied on the residents most of whom prefer to go to the bank to carry out their transac ons.

“Life have been very difficult since ASUU commenced strike. Ini ally, it was not bad because stu-

dents were s ll around, but things have turned around since last two weeks when the school management ordered students to vacate the school premises.

“I hardly get customers since then. The people we rely on now are the residents and these people prefer going to the bank to go and do their transac ons. You can imagine how bad it has been for us here”, he said.

Residents Beg Osun Govt To Fix John Mackay, Costain, Arogunmasa, Oke-Oroki Roads Kazeem Badmus

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ESIDENTS of Costain, John MacKay, Oke-Oroki and Arogunmasa in Osogbo, capital of the State of Osun, have appealed to the State government to fix their deplorable roads.

The residents who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday decried the bad state of the roads, calling on Governor Adegboyega Oyetola to consider the roads for rehabilitaon and reconstruc on.

According to them, the roads have been abandoned by the government for long, adding that they were red of fake promises from the government.

A resident of John MacKay, Mr. Alao Adebayo, said the road has become a death trap for motorists and Okada riders plying it.

Adebayo noted that some residents, most especially youths in the area, always fill some parts of the road with sand to make it a li le passable for motorists and Okada riders.

Adebayo said: “I have been living in this area for the past six years and the road have been like that since then. The road is not worse like this before but you know, since the gov-

ernment is not doing anything about it, once rain fall every year, it damages the road more.

“The only thing those in

government do is to empty promise to do something on the road without any ac on. We have some poli cians in the area and all we have been hearing from them is that the governor will help us fix it.

“If not for some youths of the area who normally patch up some parts of the road with sand, it would have become impassable for motorist and Okada riders”.

Adebayo appeal to Governor Oyetola to come to the aid of the community and help in fixing the dilapidated road.

A resident of Costain, who simply iden fied herself as Silifa Abayomi, while speaking with OSUN DEFENDER, said the road is a defini on of frustraon, saying that it has not been easy for motorists plying it.

She said: “As you can see, the road is in a bad

state. The execu ves of the landlord associa on have been trying their best in seeking the assistance of the government in the fixing of the road but it seems the government don’t care about the people living in this area.

“This place is not a village. This par cular road leads to the front of the Osogbo Local Government Secretariat and the Local Government have done nothing to help also.

Those in power just abandoned us to our fate.

“We have accepted our fate but the thing is that, any poli cian, especially those in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), who come here to campaign will be subjected to shame. That is it! Some of us are determined. If we gained nothing from them, why should we allow them to come and fool us as usual again?”

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Accident Victim Seeks Help, Says I Want To Walk With My Leg Again •As Wife, Children Abandon Him Ismaeel Uthman

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OMETIMES, it beats imagina on that where one is supposed to find love, one does not find it there, but one finds it where one does not expect or believe it could ever exist.

This is the pathetic story of a 38 years old commercial driver, Akeem Adeyemi, a vicm of ghastly road accident whose wife has abandoned him to his fate since 2019.

Adeyemi, a commercial driver, was involved in a motor accident on April 15, 2016 at Abuja Road, Kaduna.

He sustained a spinal cord injury in the accident, a development that has reshaped his lifestyle since then.

According to Adeye-

mi, he spent about four year on same spot on bed before he was able to sit down.

His wife le with two of her children in 2019, three years a er he had the accident, to marry another man.

He uses a wheelchair go en from a Non-Governmental Organisa on.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER in an emo on laden voice, Adeyemi, an indigene of Obaagun, Ifelodun Local Government of the State of Osun, said: “I want government and Nigerians to help me. Life has been hellish for me. I want to walk with my leg again.

“I had an accident on April 15, 2016 at Abuja road, a er toll gate in Kaduna. I was on my way to Abuja. Did not know what caused the

•Aliya, also abandoned by her runaway mother, clings to her father on wheelchair.

accident I had about nine passengers in the vehicle. But according to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), I was the only that sustained injury. There was no trace of blood on me, but I was told I went into comma. Passengers in the bus suffered from shock. Many of them were unconscious for some minutes. So, a er the accident, the passengers were transferred to another vehicle to connue their journey.

“I was the only one that was comatose. The road safety officers took me to a nearby maternity. But I was not given any medical a en on.

The incident happened on Friday; I came back to life the third day, Sunday.

“My fellow drivers came on Monday and took me to Osogbo. We went to two different hospitals but they could not treat me. We were advised to go to specialist hospital because I had a spinal cord injury.

So, we went to Onward hospital, but the management of the hospital said it does not have capacity to treat me a er conduc ng tests.

“I was advised to fly out of the country for treatment. We later went to Biket hospital and the management demanded for a sum of N900,000 for surgery.

We later le the hospital when we could not get the money.

“Somehow, I came across a tradi onal medicine expert who specialised in bone fracture treatment. He administered some treatments but things were just getng worse, instead of improving. His so called treatment resulted to many sore on me. When he couldn’t get solu on

•Adeyemi Abiodun Akeem, being presented with cash award by RTEAN , Chairman Ota-efun chapter,Adebayo Moshood. to the problem, he le and never return. That was a moment when everyone lost hope on me. They thought I could not survive. Then I started to pray with fast and I was listening to radio. One day, there was this radio programme for physically challenged persons; I got the phone number of the anchor of the programme and we talked.

“From there, I got to the chairman of people Living with Spinal Cord injuries, Lucky Olaoye.

I got relieved through a call from him because he told me some facts concerning my condi on.

He visited and gave me some medical materials.

He told me some methods and exercise to do while on bed to be able to sit.

“I began to do the exercises and no ced some level of improvement,

and I was taking some herbs throughout the period. I was able to sit on the bed a er someme, and later on the wheelchair. Since then, I was able to go around. I was able to survive and sustain myself through the help of God. My second born of nine-yearold is the one that is taking care of me.”

Speaking on finding permanent solu on to the spinal cord injury, Adeyemi said: “I was at the University College Hospital, Ibadan and Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTH) for some tests few weeks ago. The next step will be known a er that. The treatment will definitely involve a lot of money and nobody to help me. I want the government and wellmeaning Nigerians to help me. I want to walk with me legs again.

Ilobu-Asake Dev’t Union Congratulates Alabi, Osun New Accountant General Kazeem Badmus

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LOBU ASAKE Development Union has congratulated Mr Rasheed Olalere Alabi on his appointment as the new Accountant General of the State of Osun State

by Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.

Na onal President of the union, Pastor Olufemi Salako in a statement on Tuesday,

described the eleva on as reward for hard-work, resilience, integrity and dedica on of Alabi, which according to him, are symbols of every Ilobu son and daughter.

The statement partly read: “On behalf of the Olobu of Ilobu, Oba Asiru Olatoye Olaniyan II, the na onal execu ve commi ee of Ilobu-Asake De-

velopment Union, sons and daughters of Ilobu home and in Diaspora, I congratulate you on your eleva on as the Osun State Accountant General.

“Your appointment is no doubt a reward for your dedica on, resilience, integrity and unquan fiable hard-work which I believe, are symbols of every son

and daughter of Ilobu-Asake. While we have no doubt in our minds that you will not only excel in your new role as the number one Accountant in Osun, we also believe you’ll make Ilobu proud more.”

The IDU President also commended Oyetola for finding Alabi worthy of the appointment.

Alabi was an-

nounced last week Tuesday as the new Accountant General in a statement signed by Mr Leye Aina, a Permanent Secretary in the office of the Head of Service.

Un l his appointment, he was the Director, Treasury and Pension Services in the office of the Accountant General.

Adeyemi said he was heartbroken when his wife filed a divorce at court.

He said: “My wife was pregnant when I had the accident. He gave birth to a baby boy, but the boy died a er two years.

A er that, she le me in that condi on to marry another man.

“The day my wife brought a divorce letter, I was heartbroken.

I thought the world would collapse on me.

But, thank God the person that brought the letter was an elderly man.

When he handed over the le er to me, he saw my reac on; and he started encouraging me to be strong. He made a statement that consoled me. He said: “It is your wife that abandoned you, not God, your Creator”.

“Instead of me to appear in the court on the day the divorce was to be heard, I wrote a le er to the court and said: “I did not divorce my wife and she did not divorce me. It was her family that encouraged her to divorce me.” That was how she le me at the tale of 2019.”

Adeyemi had his first public ou ng on Saturday, May 7, 2022 after six years. He visited the motor park of Road Transport Employer Associa on of Nigeria (RTEAN) at Ota-Efun, where he belongs. He was presented with cash by management of the park, led by its Chairman, Mr Moshood Adebayo.

OSUN DEFENDER watched with disbelief how one of the RTEA members, who was apparently moved by the plight of Akeem, broke down in tears.

Answering ques ons on the welfare package offered to Adeyemi by his associa on, Adebayo who described the accident vic m as a conscien ous driver, regretted that the accident had kept him from the roads for six years and confined him to a life on wheelchair.

“We are presen ng him the cash award to demonstrate that we are our brother’s keepers”, said Adebayo.

Adeyemi is no longer driving his vehicle but learning how to move about on a wheel chair.

With his daughter to care for without any means of earning a livelihood, Adeyemi appealed philanthropists to assist him in walking

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Tochukwu Ezukanman

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R D I N A R I L Y, religion should stabilize the func oning of the social machinery and promote on earth that primary law in heaven, order, by teaching us love, pa ence, toleraon, respect for others, etc. Lamentably, it has brought humanity so much hate, violence and disrup on of the social order. This is because every religion tends to claim a monopoly on the Truth. It is this erroneous belief that it is only one’s religion that encapsulates the Truth and the consequent disdain for the doctrines and devotees of other religions that is the basis of religious hate and violence. This contempt for other faiths can be so gross, to the point of considering their members deviants or infidels, whose connued existence is an affront to God. Therefore, that in slaughtering them, you are doing nothing wrong, but actually, establishing Divine Will.

Thus, arises the dilemma of how can peoples of different religions, each, with its

Opinion The Answer Is In Secularism own false sense of religious superiority, coexist peacefully in one country. The answer is in secularism. Ostensibly, Nigeria is a secular state. At least, our cons tu on affirms it.

However, secularism, in a way, is comparable to democracy in that it is not an endproduct; it is a process.

It is a process that can be undermined by the forces of obscuran sm, ignorance, and intolerance or strengthened by forces of enlightenment, modera on, and tolera on. Just as Nigerian democracy is being buffeted by President Buhari’s despo sm and repression of free speech, Nigerian secularism is being bludgeoned by Islamic fundamentalism.

The lynching of Deborah Samuel by her schoolmates at Shehu Shagari College of Educa on in Sokoto State, for alleged blasphemy, is an unvarnished proof of the eviscera on of secularism in Nigeria.

The revelry and merriment that was conspicuously evident in the mood of her assailants,

that is, that students of a higher ins tu on of learning found something celebratory in the lynching of a schoolmate, and the obvious support for the murder by many Nigerian Moslems evinced that secularism is on its deathbed in Nigeria.

But then, the cruel and brutal religious intolerance that pervades northern Moslems did not bloom out of a void. It bloomed from the incendiary rhetoric of narrow-minded demagogues and rabble-rousers masquerading as poli cal and religious leaders. The people generally have no understanding; they imbibe and do whatever their leaders are pleased to tell them. Not surprisingly, the killing of Deborah was in consonant with the religious convic ons of one of the most important Islamic leaders in Nigeria, the Chief Imam of the Na onal Mosque in Abuja Mosque, Ibrahim Maqari. In his jusfica on of the killing, he babbled like a frenzied zealot, “We, the

Moslem have some red lines beyond which must not be crossed. If our grievances are not properly addressed, then we should not be cri cized for addressing them ourselves”.

And a number of other Moslem leaders also jus fied the killing; others equivocated, and quite a few, in their sensi vity to the na onal poli cal barometer, half-hearted denounced it. A renowned Moslem cleric, Sheik Gumi, skirted the crucial issues raised by the murder: the impera ve of religious tolerance, inviolability of human life, illegality of mob ac on and perils of jungle jusce, and piffled about Moslem that involve in such murder will not make paradise. In his cynical opportunism, the former vice president and the PDP presiden al aspirant, A ku Abubakar, withdrew his earlier twi er post that condemned the killing. As to why he removed the post, he quibbled and hedged, but s ll did not denounce the killing.

Islamic fundamentalism and its bloodsoaked fana cism are deeply entrenched in parts of northern Nigeria. The responses of Maqari and other northern poli cal and religious leaders to the lynching of Deborah are powerful indicators that the situa on is not changing anyme soon; northern Moslem leaders and opinion molders will con nue to egg-on their followers to hysterical intolerance and wanton brutality. President Mohammadu Buhari is an avowed Islamic fundamentalist, and had, in the past, stated his desire that Sharia law be imposed on the en re country. Not surprisingly, his administra on has been an unsurpassable morale booster for Islamic-driven violence in Nigeria. It has unyieldingly emboldened and empowered Islamic extremism and chauvinism.

His administra on essen ally fenestrated the desiderata for secularism: enlightened religious a tude and un-

biased enforcement of the law. The promo on of secularism in Nigeria demands the elec on of a new breed of Nigerian poli cal leaders into every stratum of our governments, especially, the presidency. It is all about leadership, especially, poli cal leadership. Just as the present prejudiced, retrogressive presidency subverts secularism, an open-minded, progressive presidency will reinforce it by cul va ng religious tolerance and ensuring severe punishments for acts of religious intolerance.

In 2023, we must elect a president that appreciates that Nigeria is a secular state; and will by his words and ac ons advance secularism, and evenhandedly enforce the laws of the land. The power, influence and consequences of presiden al leadership are so enormous, almost all encompassing; it can literally re-define Nigeria.

Invariably, Nigeria is in her present disgraceful state because of irresponsible and dishonorable leadership.

•Tochukwu Ezukanma writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

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News Osun APC Leaders Petition N’tional Sec’t. Over Alleged Move To Impose Gbajabiamila’s Aide Yusuf Oketola

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OME leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State of Osun have pe oned the Na onal Secretariat of the party over an alleged a empt by the Speaker of the House of Representaves, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila to impose one of his aides, Mr. Seun Odofin, as the candidate of the party for Obokun/Oriade federal cons tuency.

According to the leaders in a pe on sent to the Na onal Chairman of the APC, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, Odofin neither appeared for Screening nor resigned his appointment as s pulat-

ed required by guidelines of the party.

In the pe on which was signed by Alofe Babatunde and Princess Modupe Adedayo respec vely, the APC leaders said such flagrant disregard for the party rules and conven on is capable of pu ng the party interest in jeopardy and may lead to the disqualifica on of the candidate if the opposi on approach the court to seek redress.

The duo said it was such inability to adhere strictly to party rules that led to the sacking of one of its governors, Mr David Lyon in Bayelsa by the Supreme Court on the eve of swearingin a er a hard earned

Yusuf Oketola

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•Gbajabiamila

electoral victory.

They also hinted the need to always do the needful as regards the party rules in order not to render the effort of the party

members a nullity after a hard won electoral victory, urging the na onal leaders of the party not to allow Odofin par cipate in the primaries.

Special Female Squad Ready For Deployment- NSCDC Kazeem Badmus

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HE Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Osun Command, Emmanuel Ocheja, has disclosed that the recently inaugurated Special Female Squad of the NSCDC are ready for deployment to schools across the state.

Ocheja made the disclosure yesterday in an exclusive with with OSUN DEFENDER. According to the commandant, the special female squad ini a ve was borne out of the quest to secure and protect children across schools in the country.

Ocheja noted that the squad has been trained in the area of proac ve intelligence, adding that there is also a backup for them in case of emergencies.

He said: “The fact is that, over the years, we’ve had cases of kidnapping, abduc on in our schools across the country, then the CG came up with a special ini a ve which is the forma on of a special squad to manage our schools.

“Women have be er understanding of the children. We are going to send the female squad to be in most of the school so that they will be able to a end to difficul es of these children and a end to them because they have been properly trained in arms bearing and to protect these schools against invaders.

“We have also trained them in the area of proac-

ve intelligence. Apart from that, we also have backup for them. Once they are in schools a ending to the children, they will also have a backup from our various offices within the Local Government. The quick response team will also be there for them in case of emergencies.

“The desire of the CG is for us to have a safe haven for our children, so that they will not have that fear to learn and nobody will come in to kidnap or abuse them.

“We’ve started the deployment of the female squad to schools and very soon, they will start working”.

Speaking on some of his achievements since his assump on in office, Ocheja said the command has been able to refurbished 16 opera onal vehicles and one ambulance.

He added that the command has been settling disputes between farmers and herders with the use of Alterna ve Dispute Resolu on (ADR), the result, he said, is the peaceful coexistence the state is witnessing among them.

Ocheja said, “I came here barely a year ago.

When I came, I met some vehicles giving to us by the immediate past governor grounded and I know that for us to be operaonal, all we needed was to get vehicles moving.

So, I went into that first. I started with 6 vehicles.

OSPOLY Set To Graduate 14,000 Students Tomorrow

“A er that, it became a kind of excitement to me, I kept on doing it. I tried as much as possible to refurbish a vehicle every week. To the glory of God, today, we’ve been able to refurbished 16 vehicles and there are two extra the mechanics are working on now.

“I thank the Commandant General and my management team who have been suppor ve.

Apart from the vehicles, I’ve been able to change the face of the command headquarters en rely.

This place was rocky before but as at today, we’ve been able to grade it and it as become smooth for easy passage.

“The command is presently construc ng a drainage now and the community around us will enjoy it. All what we are doing is not because of Civil Defence alone. We are doing it to help the communies surrounding us also.

NSCDC is beyond being a security ou it, we are to defend the defenseless.

“We’ve been able to se le alot of problems between farmers and herders through Alternave Dispute Resolu on (ADR) and that’s why you’ve not been hearing crisis between the farmers and the herders. Our Tradi onal rulers have also been very supportive”.

On the newly recruited NSCDC officers, Ocheja said they have been trained on self discipline, adding that the people of

the state should expect more of the command once the recruit complete their training.

“We have our trainees at our permanent site and the moment they come out, the workforce will be much and Osun people should expect more of Civil Defence because we are here and we want to achieve.

“We’ve been able to trained them and imbibe the culture of discipline in them. Life is all about discipline and once you are able to discipline your physical self, your spiritual self will align with it. If you are a serious Commandant, then those under you should be serious also. The moment you wear this uniform, you are represen ng the Federal Government of Nigeria and anything contrary will affect the en re system”.

SUN State Polytechnic, Iree will tomorrow, Thursday, May 26, 2022 hold its combined 7th Convocaon for no fewer than 14,000 graduates of the ins tu on.

Addressing a press conference to herald ac vi es for the ceremony in Osogbo, the Rector of the polytechnic, Dr. Woye Olaniran, said students from the 2016/2017 (NCE) Technical, 2017/2018, 2 0 1 8 / 2 0 1 9 , 2019/2020 would be graduated.

The visitor of the ins tu on and Governor of the state, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola is the Special Guest of Honour at the programme.

Ac vi es marking the ceremony, according to Olaniran, included a football match, convoca on lecture on a global trending issue: “Green Entrepreneurial inten ons and Business Sustainability in Post COVID19 Pandemic Era: Issue and Challenges” Reeling out the giant strides since the incep on of his administra on on July 1, 2019, Olaniran said the polytechnic has witnessed tremendous achievements in infrastructure, students and staff welfare and academic standard.

He said some of the programmes run by the ins tu on were accredited, adding that three projects including Engineering Lecture Theater, Computer Science Building Complex and Arts & Industrial De-

sign Building Complex were completed among other projects and to be commissioned by the state governor during the ceremony.

Olaniran said: “It is on record that since my assump on of office, the ins tu on has witnessed peace and tranquility. The Polytechnic has not experienced any ri between the staff and management. This is as a result of regular payment of emoluments and allowances of all categories of staff as and when due.

This has really created a good working condion and encouragement for workers.

“I have indeed given uncommon priority to the welfare of both staff and students which has facilitated the rela ve peace enjoyed by stakeholders in the Polytechnic community. I however a ributed the regular payment of salaries to Governor Oyetola’s welfarist administraon in the state.

“I will not relent in my efforts at transforming the ins tuon and making it to be an enviable citadel of learning in Nigeria.

Efforts are on top gear to affiliate the ins tuon to Degree Awarding Universi es in Nigeria and beyond.”

He added that the ins tu on is first in the country that produced hand sani zer during the COVID-19 pandemic adding that many products of the Polytechnic have excelled in their various callings.

Oranmiyan Holds Special Prayer For Aregbesola Today

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HE Oranmiyan Worldwide, a sociocultural and poli cal organisaon will today hold a special prayer in honour of its founder, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola.

Aregbesola who was a two-term governor of the State of Osun, is currently the Minister of Interior.

The former Commissioner for Works and Transports in Lagos State founded Oranmiyan as the vehicle by which he carried out his

aspira ons, campaign and struggle for Osun governorship between 2003 and 2010.

His eight years administra on (2010 to 2018) in Osun was marked with remarkable achievements which remained legendary, incomparable and unmatched in the anal of the state.

The prayers will be led by a renowned Muslim Cleric in Oyo, Imam Daud Igiogun at the Oranmiyan

House, Osogbo, by 10am.

Aregbesola will be 65 years old today.

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Feature As Passport Issuance Goes Digital

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HE Federal Government, through the Ministry of Interior deserves the support of all Nigerians in its bid to fully digitalise the processing of the Nigerian interna onal passport before the end of this year. When and if the plan eventually sails through, Nigerians will not just be relieved of the stress they normally go through while seeking to obtain or renew their passports; the feat will bring the country closer to the standard prac ce in the global community.

The interna onal passport is not only a proof of ci zenship, it is also a means of exercising one’s fundamental right to freedom of movement; an essen al travel document that Nigerian ci zens are obliged to possess, especially when travelling out of the country for work, business or pleasure.

However, over the years as the demand for the passport increased geometrically while the process of supply dragged on arithme cally, the quest for passport can best be described as a nightmare for applicants. An average applicant needs lots of paence and perseverance with the personnel and officials of the passport office. It is not unusual for the atmosphere in the passport office to be tense and anxious as applicants wait endlessly for passport issuance even a er the filling process has been completed.

This archaic scenario is obviously the defect the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is seeking to cure when he said that the process of issuing the Nigerian passport would be fully digitalised before the end of 2022, adding that the process of applicaons would no longer be business as usual.

He explained this during the commencement of a two-day capacity-building workshop organised for passport control officers from across the country and foreign offices. The workshop was to ensure effec ve and efficient service delivery to maximize the gains of the passport reforms by the Federal Government.

Highlights of the latest reform, according to Aregbesola include government’s decision to cut off completely any form of contact between applicants and immigra-

on officers which gives rise to corrup on in the process; the maximum period for processing fresh passport applicaons is now six weeks while passport renewal would no longer be more than three weeks. One objec ve is to eliminate corrup on and passport racketeering among immigra on officers. It is instruc ve that the minister’s assurance that Nigerians would be able to track their passport applica on process online through the passport portal is already working; and this is expected to reduce unnecessary conges on o en witnessed at the passport offices.

Indeed, the ministry’s ini a ve is long overdue, as smaller countries even in the West African sub-region are already implemen ng digital processing of passport.

Any organisa on or

agency dealing with large numbers of human beings must necessarily adapt its circumstance to curb challenges. Nigerians look forward to an end to their difficult and agonising experience over procurement of passports.

In promising Nigerians easy and seamless procurement of interna onal passports, the minister must seriously galvanise the Immigraon department and passport offices to act accordingly. This is because the idea of government’s reform of passport issuance and renewal is not new; it would appear that government’s resolve fizzles out before a reasonable standard is achieved.

Government must make conscious efforts to sustain the current plan lest it goes the way of the previous ones, to the chagrin of Nigerians.

A current challenge now is what the minister rightly noted as the verifica on and linking of passports with the Na onal Iden fica on Number (NIN). It is important that synergy is developed by the Interior ministry with that of the ministry and agencies concerned with the NIN provision. There should be no reason whatsoever for the delay in issuing passports. Government in fact should have envisaged the NIN linkage challenges and ensure that everything is put in place to ensure the seamless transi on.

In this new age of technology and twentyfirst century, Federal Government agencies should have li le difficul es in opera ng portals containing informaon of Nigerians from sister agencies. There ought to be a central

pool for ci zens’ data which would make it easy for any government agency to get vital details of any ci zen. The challenge of NIN linkage with passports should not become an excuse for the officials in passport office to jus fy delay to obtain passport.

Nigerians will remember the strong words of the minister (Aregbesola) when he addressed passport officers that: “We have adopted a maximum processing period of six weeks, it can be less but it should not be more. If it is more, let it be rare, let it be caused by an external factor, not you (passport office officials).” It is good to control the flow of human traffic at the passport office to encourage efficiency just as the ministry will do well to strive to reduce the wai ng me for a fresh passport

and renewal. This can be done with the use of technology.

The minister had warned the few deviant immigra on officers of the consequences of their greed and sharp prac ces. Passport applicants also need to comply with the laid down procedure and not seek to cut corners because, as they say, it takes two to tango.

The me is now for the Ministry of Interior to embrace technology in its en rety so as to stop permanently the malfeasance that has a ended passport issuance and renewal in the country. Such ac on will improve Nigeria’s image and bring succor to Nigerians who are probably among the world’s most travelled people.

•Culled from Guardian News Paper, May 13, 2022.

News Osun CAN Demands Justice On Deborah’s Death

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HE Chris an Associaon of Nigeria (CAN) in the State of Osun has demanded jus ce on the killing of Deborah Samuel, a 200-level female student of the Shehu Shagari College of Educaon, Sokoto.

Samuel was on Thursday, May 12, stoned to death and set ablaze on the school premises by some angry Muslim students for allegedly blaspheming the Holy Prophet Muhammad.

The deceased had reportedly cau oned her colleagues against posting religious materials on a WhatsApp group meant for assignments, a post some students found blasphemous.

Her death sparked reac on from the world over as people called for the arrest and prosecu on of the murders.

Chris ans in Osun were also not le out in the call for jus ce as they staged a peaceful protest in Osogbo, on Sunday.

The protes ng Chrisans were armed with placards with various inscrip on such as “We demand Jus ce for Deborah”, “We Condemn Religious Killings”, “Enough is Enough”, We say no to Islamic extremists”, No more Killing in God’s name”, Killers of Deborah must be prosecuted”, Chris ans are not Second class ci zens”, Police Stop Killing In

•Protesting CAN members.

Nigeria”, among others.

Addressing the protesters at the CAN office in Owode Ede, the Osun CAN Chairman, Revd. Amos Kayode Olu-Ogunrinde described the killing of Deborah Samuel as ungodly and barbaric.

Olu-Ogunrinde called on the governments and security agencies to bring the perpetrators to book so as serve as deterrent to others.

He charged the leadership of the Senate and House of Representa ves as well as Sokoto House of Assembly to rise and condemn the act, so as to let the people know that truly Nigeria has government that stands for jus ce.

The CAN Chairman said: “We have come together today in mass to represent

the Chris an community in the state of Osun to express our feeling, our sadness, to express our sorrow over the death of Deborah Samuel.

“We felt that the Killing of Deborah is a great injusce to humanity, not only to Chris ans alone but to humanity because life is sacred.

“For somebody to have taken the life of another, for people to have connived together to take a life, a life they cannot give, it is a grievous offence before God and before humanity.

“We want to declare that the killing of Deborah Samuel is ungodly. The killing of Deborah Samuel is an oppression on the people of other faiths and we want to demand jus ce

for this gruesome Killing of Deborah.

“We have come together to cry to the whole world to know what’s happening in Nigeria and what just happened in Sokoto State.

“We want the perpetrators of this evil to be brought to book, to be brought to jus ce, let them be tried , let them be prosecuted and the law take the course, so that this act of barbarism, taking of life anyhow and taking laws into their hands will stop in Nigeria.

“Nigeria is a circular country which we all own together. No par cular person owns Nigeria. No par cular religion owns Nigeria, we own Nigeria together and we must coexist together in peace.

“Chris anity is a religion of peace. Jesus Christ has taught us to pursue peace with all men and that is what we are doing. We don’t want to take vengeance.”

Echoing a similar view, Special Mother in Israel, Prof. Dudusola Iyabode, the Chairperson of Osun State women wing of CAN, described the killing of Deborah as callous and inhumane, saying the perpetrators should be brought to jus ce.

Iyabod said: “Her killing is callous and highly barbaric. No right-thinking human being should even think of taking the life of another person. In Chrisanity, we don’t encourage fight, we don’t go for violent.

“The master of our religion that we follow is a Prince of peace and He commands us to be peaceful with everybody at all me so we don’t believe in killing People.

“There has been blasphemy everywhere. Some of these Islamic leaders have done a lot of blasphemies, condemning our Christ but you cannot see Chris an stand up to say they want to kill them because we understand the importance of living together in peace.

“As a mother, I condemn the killing of Deborah; she was brutally murdered and jus ce should be given to her case.”

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Insight

How Aregbesola Got His Ogbeni Title Tunde Odesola

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OST of life’s biggest accomplishments start as mere ideas. The mind of the journalist is a complex clockwork of curiosity and possibili es.

He doesn’t need to be as strong as the bull. But he needs to be as courageous as the lion. To fight tyranny, murder, corrup on, licen ousness, nepo sm etc, he needs more than strength, he needs ferocious consistency.

The journalist cannot publish everything he knows, every me. If he does, fire may spring up in his newspaper or house or country.

But as powerful as he is, the journalist, at mes, is the freedom fighter restrained by the interviewee’s censorship seal called ‘Off the Record’ or the dangling Sword of Damocles called libel.

The Chairman of a Nigerian big bank once told me a story that exemplifies the power of the media.

But he gagged me with the oath of secrecy called ‘Off the Record’.

Commen ng on his court case with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the bank CEO started, “In life, never look down on anyone.”

He con nued, “You know, when President Muhammadu Buhari assumed power in 2015, the anti-corruption war got on stream.

There was fear everywhere.

People were afraid because they weren’t sure if

the an -corrup on war wasn’t going to be a vehicle for vicmisa on or not.

“There was this par cular prosecutor of the EFCC, who was a terror to everybody in court.

Whenever he was in court, he talked to people rudely.

So, everybody tried to avoid him. When he talked, everybody shivered. He had an oppressive nickname he was secretly called. He would come to court and order people around, telling them where to sit, and where not to sit.

“On this par cular day, the fearsome prosecutor, as usual, walked into court before the commencement of proceedings. Everyone was seated. He went to the press gallery and tried to change the sitng arrangement of journalists.

“One very short journalist who dressed simply just sprang up and thoroughly tonguelashed the official, calling him unprintable names. It was as if we were watching a horror movie, everybody was rooted.

“The man couldn’t u er a word. After the court session, the journalist walked up to the prosecutor and connued his rade of abuse, the man s ll couldn’t talk.

It was as if he had gone deaf, dumb and blind. That was how we all got our freedom that day.

Whenever he came to court, therea er, he sat gently by the corner like a debtor.”

As a reporter of PUNCH newspapers

at the Lagos State Governor’s Office, Alausa, someone walked into the Bagauda Kalto Press Centre in the secretariat, one evening, and said the then Commissioner for Works, Rauf Aregbesola, wanted to see me. I went with the official to the commissioner.

That was in 2001 or 2002.

A no-holds-barred interview ensued.

During the interview, Aregbesola said every black man on the face of the earth should contemplate his estate, and cry for, at least, four hours a day, begging God to change the course of his life from bad to good.

A er the interview, I never spoke to or met Aregbesola again un l our paths crossed around 2005 when he began to stake his claim to the 2007 governorship of Osun State, where I had been transferred to as the Osun State correspondent of PUNCH in 2003.

The deaf can understand the oratory of Aregbesola. On the crest of his populist appeal and media strategy, Aregbesola made inroads in Osun poli cs with-

in a short me. The 2007 governorship elec on was fraught with killings and violence, resul ng into over three-year legal tussle between Aregbesola who was the candidate of the Ac on Congress and the incumbent governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, of the Peoples Democra c Party.

A er Aregbesola got victory at the Appeal Court, Ibadan, on November 26, 2010, he didn’t move into the Governor’s Office, Abere, un l 2011. A er his inaugura on, he operated from the Oranmiyan House in Osogbo and slept in Ilesa, his hometown.

One day, an incident happened at the Oranmiyan House, which was a beehive of ac vi es for party members and supporters. The incident bu resses the power of the media and also affirms the aphorism that cau ons against looking down on anyone. The incident marked the rechristening of Aregbesola, whom many had come to address as ‘Engineer’ or ‘Alhaji’.

The new governor had just finished addressing the press. He was in his boisterous element.

His media handlers suspected the governor could be red a er answering so many quesons, thus they told journalists to round off their ques ons.

But Aregbe, as he is popularly called, would have none of that. “I’m ready for them. Let them ask all their ques ons.

Don’t gag them,” he told Messrs Sunday Akere, Gbenga Fayemiwo and Lani Baderinwa, who were calling the shots in his media team.

So, journalists were allowed to ask some more rounds of ques ons before the curtain was finally drawn on the session. Aregbe took his me to answer all the ques ons.

But, before the closing remarks were made, I raised my hand and voiced my objec on to the tle of ‘Engineer’ that had been prefixed to the name of the governor and which had gained ground in the media.

I said, “It will sound trivial if everyone in the society is addressed by their professional qualifica ons and training.

I shall refer to you as ‘Alhaji’ in my stories because it is a well accepted tle across the country, but ‘Engineer’ will be too trivial. It’s funny that some people even go by the tle, ‘Town Planner’ and ‘Geographer’ in Nigeria now. Herbalists, drivers and gatemen will soon begin to demand they be addressed according to their callings.

It’s trivial. PUNCH as an organisa on recognises only tles such as ‘Mr’, ‘Mrs,’ ‘Ms’, ‘Miss’, ‘Chief’,

religious tles such as ‘Alhaji’, ‘Alhaja’, ‘Sheik’, ‘Imam’, ‘Pastor’, ‘Bishop’, ‘Evangelist’ and ‘Dr’ for medical doctors.

Smiling, the governor said, “What do you want to call me?”

I said, “I can call you ‘Alhaji’.”

Aregbesola: “No.” “I can call you ‘Mr’,” I said.

As he was thinking about it, I added, “I can also call you ‘Ogbeni’.”

His face brightened up, “Yes, ‘Ogbeni’ will be good!

Call me ‘Ogbeni’. I prefer ‘Ogbeni’.”

I filed my story later in the day - premising it on Aregbe’s preference for being called ‘Ogbeni’. The story came out the next day with a banner headline: “Call me Ogbeni - Aregbesola” Thus, a big-eyed journalist, who wasn’t born when the governor was christened Abdulrauf Adesoji Aregbesola in 1957, rechristened Alhaja Sherifat’s husband in Osogbo in 2010, free of charge.

A er the Jagaban of Borgu tle held by the APC Na onal Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, ‘Ogbeni’ appears to be the most popular tle in the South-West poli cal circle.

Beau ful things come in small packs.

They also come as simple ideas. As Aregbesola celebrates his 63rd birthday, he should also be planning the celebra on of the 10th anniversary of his Ogbeni tle. Ewe oye amori o.

Happy birthday, Ogbeni.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25 - THURSDAY, JUNE 02, 2022

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Accident Victim Seeks Help, Says I Want To Walk With My Leg Again

O

GBENI RAUF ADESOJI Aregbesola giant strides in Osun has taught me a lesson – there is a fundamental difference between holding an elec ve execu ve posi on and being an appointee/aide to an execu ve.

While the former gives the holder the la tude to think outside the box in impac ng posi vely in the lives of the people, the other creates a boundary and limit to what the holder of the por olio could do. Despite his marvellous performance in Lagos State as the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure between 1999 and 2007 and as the Minister of Interior from 2019 ll now, Aregbesola ini a ves, crea vi es and performances as Osun Governor between 27th November, 2010 and 27th November 2018 will con nue to resonate in the mind of the people as unusual progressive government. Although he already had his plan for his goal as contained in his green book tagged “My Pact With The People Of Osun”, Rauf is a master poli cian with a third eye as he sees far beyond the ordinary. To him, “Leadership is responsibility.”

As Ogbeni took the mantle of leadership in 2010, the roads to and within the State Capital – Osogbo – had hiccups and lock jam, causing unnecessary delays and pains to both motorists and commuters. These very slim roads were haphazardly surrounded by rickety stalls and shops with many residen al buildings along the roads wai ng to collapse as a result of dilapida on and perennial flood. He built dual carriageway of these roads with 50mm asphalt on stone base, marked lines and concrete drainages where required and sidewalks within the city. In addi on, he created a beau ful arena named Freedom Pack in the heart of the city- Old Garage - for recrea onal ac vi es and mass gathering. As these construc ons were on-going, Ogbeni rapidly completed 115km roads he inherited from his PDP predecessor.

He constructed 588km road covering 40 intercity; upgraded 138km roads covering 81 township; 74km roads covering Osun boundary directly to Lagos via Gbogan, Orile-Owu and Ijebu Igbo and 10km road for each of the Local Government Areas in the State. He also ventured into a 43km highway connec ng Osogbo to Kwara State; Osogbo east bypass named after the First Governor of Western Region, Sir Adesoji Aderemi, that connects Iwo Road and Adebisi Akande Trumpet Interchange Bridge on the Ife-Ibadan expressway; Olaiya junc on to Itaolokan named “Workers Drive”. He didn’t limit the works to towns and ci es, over 100km roads were built in the rural areas with 130km access roads upgraded in the rural communies especially around produc on cluster areas.

All these were not ordinary roads. They were built to stand the test of me.To forestall regular flood renown in the state, over 200km waterways and streams were dredged across the State with adequate drainages and installa on of Early Warning System in some strategic locaons for alert of any impending danger. Ogbeni expanded Rasco River around Oke-fia with reinforced retainer and concrete channelisa on of 12 meters wide and 2.5 meters high to pave for smooth flow of water. Bigger bridges which correspond with the wider range of water path to control huge water volume, triple cell bus culvert with each of the cell constructed to 2.5 meters wide and 3 meters high. In addi on, Ogbeni dredging machine worked 75km waterways annually before the downpour. Throughout his tenure, Osun didn’t witness any flood.

Within 100 days in office, Ogbeni engaged

The Architect Of Modern Osun @65

•Ataoja School of Science.

20,000 youths via Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES). The N10,000 monthly s pend each Cadet received every month translated to N200 million monthly and N2.4 billion annually, directly injected into Osun economy. Although the scheme was to engage 80,000 at 20,000 per two years, the financial meltdown of 2014 and 2015 allowed only 60,000 to be engaged.

The scheme earned Nigeria $300 million from World Bank grant to enable Federal Government replicate same across the country.

Over 100 schools with all facili es that promised conducive environment for learning were built across the state. Over 253,000 elementary school pupils were fed nutri onal meals – chicken, fish, beef, eggs, and fruits at every school day. This was a strategic tool enhancing primary school enrolment from 155,318 to 252,792 – 60%. This school feeding tagged ‘O-Meal’ won interna onal accolades and borrowed by the Federal Government.

School children were thought the act of Callisthenics – an exercise display at building new genera on of students that are physically robust, mentally sound and socially well adjusted. SSS3 students were give Opon Imo, Tablet of Knowledge, which made learning simple and interes ng as the devise contained all books required for SSS3 Syllabus with the last 10 years past ques ons of WAEC, NECO and JAMB. It is on record that Aregbesola was the first Nigerian to implement UNESCO recommenda on on digital educa on in Nigeria.

State hospitals in Osogbo, Ikire, Iwo, Ilesa, Ile-Ife, Ikirun, Ila, Ipetu-Ijesa and Ede were ren-

“Ogbeni political sojourn into Osun and his indelible landmarks revived progressive politics of the state as there was virtually no family that didn’t feel the positive impact of his governance”

ovated with modern medical equipment such as 100 hand-held Ultrasound Diagnos c Scanners to meet the health challenges of the people. For instance, medical check-up was free for civil servants while treatment of Onchocerciasis, Leprosy and Tuberculosis for farmers was free. In his Safety Net Programme, Aregbesola captured vulnerable elderly persons. 1,602 were selected via popula on survey in all the Local Government Areas and given N10,000 monthly Relieve Allowance with free eye test, glasses and surgery for those who required it.

For the mentally challenged, 67 were evacuated around the State for treatment at Yaba Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Lagos; Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife; Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Hospital, Osogbo; and the State Hospital, Asubiaro, Osogbo. A er trea ng them, they were moved to Omoluabi Rehabilitation Centre in Ilobu, for voca onal training in various areas of endeavour and therea er reunited with their family members.To demonstrate his belief in “ability in disability”, he gave appointments to six persons with disability in various cadres in the State Civil Service. He sponsored Osun para-soccer compe ons in 2013, 2014 and 2015. He organised voca onal training for 93 persons with disability with take-off grants to start their businesses a er the training across all local government areas of the state with a clear direc ve to the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Affairs, with logis cs, to con nue to organise regular training and retraining programmes for them.

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Salaries and pensions were paid by 25th of every month. Without being prompted, Ogbeni had always paid 13th month salary to workers.

This 13th month was a bonus based on basic salary. He paid 10% in 2010, 25% in 2011, 50% in 2012 and 100% in 2013. He increased beneficiaries of car loan from to this loan from N10 million to N20 million. Housing loan was also increased by 100% while leave bonus alert was structured to the month of worker’s birthday and paid promptly. Except the 2014 financial quagmire that engulfed Nigeria that slightly affected this arrangement, workers welfare was given priority. The limited space will not allow me to speak on security architecture built to prevent and combat crimes, different O’Scheme Programmes and ini a ves like O’Ambulance that has con nued to promptly respond to emergencies from road accidents round the clock, O’REAP for rural enterprise and agriculture reforma on, among others.

Ogbeni poli cal sojourn into Osun and his indelible landmarks revived progressive polics of the state as there was virtually no family that didn’t feel the posi ve impact of his governance. This is the kind of leadership that can transform our poten als into development and modernity for the upli of the poor people from poverty and penury to decent livelihood and happiness at the na onal level.

His appointed as the Minister of Interior in the cabinet of President Muhammadu Buhari has again exhibited his capacity. His crea ve ideas and a en on to details have radically transformed the Ministry to making Departments under it more produc ve in their services delivery. Federal Fire Service has been more proac ve in figh ng fire every state with newly acquired modern equipments; Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has been more proac ve in crime preven on, arrest of suspected criminals with good rela onship with other security ou its for service delivery; Immigra on Service has tremendously improved in issuance of passport and border control amongst others while a lot of transforma on is taking place at the correc onal centres. 3,000 capacity custodian centres are being built across six geo-poli cal zones to tackle overcrowded centres with special programmes of rehabilita on and re-integra on of inmates back into society. There is a radical change from colonial feeding of inmates to a more dignified one with improved feeding system as a hungry man cannot be reformed. He systemically decongested custodial centres during Covid19 pandemic with no single incidence of Covid-19 recorded in all the centres na onally.

Ogbeni’s demonstrated commitment to social protec on programmes is directly connected to his le ist orienta on, progressive

humanism, Omoluabi ethos and genuine devoon to lo y Islamic ideals. At all mes, in his dealings and opera ons, logic and reasons take priority over and above sen ments.

May Mr. Minister, Architect of modern Osun and harbinger of progressive poli cs to the state, con nue to wax strong in quality health as he celebrates his 65th birthday this day - 25th May, 2022. Congratula ons!

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

All correspondence to the Deputy Editor, ISMAEEL UTHMAN, Telephone: 0805-121-2204, usmanismail001@yahoo.com. ISSN: 0794-8050.

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