Osun Defender Online Version of October 23, 2020

Akande, Aregbesola Mourn Mrs. Oyediran, Awolowo’s Daughter’s Death P 2

We Can’t Afford Another Crisis After COVID-19 - Oyetola

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EndSARS Protesters Defy Curfew, Mount Roadblocks

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23 - THURSDAY OCTOBER 29, 2020 www.osundefender.com e-mail: osundefenderbank@gmail.com VOL. 15 NO 43 ISSN: 0794-8050

Scanty Security Agents As ‘Street Page 2 Boys’ Effect Compliance With Curfew Exclusive Facts Behind Attack On Gov Oyetola At EndSARS Protest

P5 Officers Of The Nigerian Army Addressing EndSARS Protesters In Osogbo, During The 24 Hours Curfew Imposed By State Government Of Osun.

Photo: OLUSHOLA ADERINTO

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23 - THURSDAY OCTOBER 29, 2020

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News

We Can’t Afford Another Crisis After COVID-19 - Oyetola

By Isameel Uthman

G

OVERNOR of the State of Osun, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola, on Tuesday, said Nigeria could not afford another crisis, as the nation is still battling with the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Oyetola said Nigeria needs to properly harness its potentials for quick economic recovery, rather than engaging in things that can degenerate into national disintegration and disunity.

The governor, who stated this at the Government House, Osogbo, while receiving local government chairmen in the state, warned youths to be wary of being used by people with evil intentions, who are already hijacking the protests for criminal gains.

He reiterated that the demands of the youths were legitimate and that

they had succeeded in registering those demands, which were already being addressed at both federal and state levels.

Oyetola said: “The aspect of the movement that has become worrisome is that the genuine intentions of protesting youths have been hijacked by people who have ulterior motives. A number of states are beginning to have unpleasant stories to tell about the distasteful outcomes of this protest. This is rather unfortunate.

“Given that we just barely survived a pandemic, we cannot afford another crisis. This is the time to invest efforts in working for the economic recovery of our states and the nation at large, not engage in violence.

“We therefore, wish to appeal to youths that it is okay to make their demands known, but they should also show under-

standing and give the government time to act on their demands. This is particularly important to avoid playing into the hands of political thugs who are using the protests as a platform to advance their devious cause.

“Reforms are not what any government can achieve in a day or two. It is not a talk show. What we need is a comprehensive systemic intervention.

“Don’t join the bandwagon of destruction.

The protest has come and it will end, but the properties that have been destroyed will remain destroyed afterwards and cost the government a lot of money to fix. The state cannot afford for its infrastructure to be destroyed in the course of agitations.”

Responding to the solidarity visit, Oyetola appreciated the local government chairmen,

Scanty Security Agents As ‘Street Boys’ Effect Compliance With Curfew - Hoodlums Attack OSBC

By Our Reporter

T

HERE was a very little presence of security agents across the State of Osun yesterday and on Wednesday to effect the 24-hour curfew declared by Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for the maintenance of peace and order in all parts of the state.

OSUN DEFENDER reporter, who went round Osogbo, the state capital to monitor the effectiveness of the curfew, noted that only about 15 mobile policemen were sighted at Old-Garage and Oke-Fia altogether, while operatives of the Department of State Service manned LAMECO junction.

Only essential workers were allowed by the security agents to move round.

There was also heavy presence of soldiers at the Nigeria Correctional Services in Ile-Ife and Ilesa, when the medium

visited the two places yesterday.

Aside the aforementioned places, there was no presence of security agents in other part of the state.

However, ‘street boys’ of some major areas of Osogbo, Ilesa and Ile-Ife took up the unassigned role of effecting compliance with the curfew in their various vicinities.

Though some of them were extorting erring motorists, but they were peaceful in their conducts, as observed by the medium.

In Osogbo, the ‘street boys’ set up four different barricades on Gbongan-Ibadan road, turning back vehicles that were moving during the curfew.

The ‘street boys’ did not exempt essential workers, as they turned back journalists and medical workers with threats.

OSUN DEFENDER noted that the ‘street boys’ at Ogo-Oluwa were provided lunch by an

unidentified person who seemed to be coordinating their activities.

At Ota-Efun, the ‘street boys’ were extorting motorists, as they mounted roadblocks on Continued on page 6

tasking them to take charge of the security of their respective councils.

He also enjoined citizens to provide useful information to security agencies whenever they suspect brewing violence within their localities.

Oyetola continued:

“The security of our state rests on all of us. If you have any information about anything that could breach the peace and security of the state, do not hold back helpful details.

“We are also appealing to our commercial motorcycle riders to be

careful not to aid criminals. You are important stakeholders in the state and we see your struggles. We see you as responsible citizens and you should not become tools in the hands of people with wrong motives.”

Akande, Aregbesola Mourn Mrs. Oyediran, Awolowo’s Daughter’s Death

By Solomon Odeniyi

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ORMER National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande and Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, have mourned the passage of Rev’d Mrs. Tola Oyediran, the daughter of the late sage, Obefemi Awolowo.

Akande said Oyediran lived a fulfilled life, adding that for more than 50 years, God has helped her with her husband, Prof. Olukayode Oyediran, to contribute immensely to the development of Nigeria, to serve humanity and to raise Godly children.

“As a child who grew up during the time of po-

litical turmoil of the old Western Region of the 1960s, God has used her to uphold the legacies of our leader, Chief Awolowo.

She carried herself with serenity and queenly dignity as a lady of great purpose”, Akande said.

In his tribute titled: ‘Goodnight Aunty Tola; a darling Sister’, Aregbesola said: “I received with shock and grief but submission to the will of God the report of the death of Rev’d Mrs. Omotola Oyediran, the eldest daughter of our unforgettable leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

“Mrs. Oyediran was my darling sister. Her interest in and commitment to my success and wellbeing was extraordinary.

“My wife called to

Symbolic Quote “Clearly, our inability to empower youths is a reflection of our poor leadership. Our claims as political organisation has not fulfilled the necessity and fundamentals of economic development expected. Like our Symbol’s slogan, “Power Is Responsibility”. APC needs to fix it now and make the poor masses better off rather than the underground tussles for power ahead of 2023 general election within the party. The truth is surely bitter.”

- Ola Adeyefa

confirm the news of her passage. ‘Two days ago, Mama had called to inquire about me and prayed for me. How could such a person therefore die?’, she asked with shock and astonishment.

“By our custom and religion, no question is usually asked about death.

But we are puzzled and perplexed and will continue to wonder why good people die! The death of anybody diminishes everybody without a doubt, to paraphrase the English poet, John Donne. The passage of aunty is painful and diminishes us all.

“Our last meeting was at the Ajimobi’s, soon after the elections in 2019. It was memorable because of the concerns she expressed on the outcome of the elections. I never for once doubted her progressive credentials. However, the thoughts she freely shared and the stoical spirit of a quiet fighter she displayed were reassuring and remarkable.

“She was a woman of deep faith in God and genuine love of people in her heart. She was graceful but humble. A big fish has indeed left the ocean.

“Death, having come at the nick of 80 years of the solar cycle, we must commiserate with all who are bound to sorely miss her, her husband, Professor Olukayode Oyediran and their children; Dr. (Mrs) Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu; the entire Awolowo family, and the progressives of the West and social democrats of Nigeria. May God comfort and imbue all with fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

“May she wake up to joyful activities in the next station. Aamin.”

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23 - THURSDAY OCTOBER 29, 2020

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ISSUES/POLICY

By Adebayo Rasheed Mabayoje

Established 2005

Editorial

A Reasonable Caution EndSARS, Leadership And Ideology zen of the State of Osun, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola and his entourage. All appearances and indications to it testify that if the protests are pure in intents and purposes, the struggles do not genuinely mean the same thing to all participants.

Our heart goes to the families of those who lost their lives so far in the struggle in Osogbo and elsewhere. We also sympathise with those who have suffered some measures of injury or losses since the protests began.

However, the note of caution to sound is that our situation calls for greater caution.

Protesters are hereby enjoined to exercise more civility and patience. Having driven home their point, we entreat them to rest their case awhile, to enable th e Federal Government and respective governments at the State levels to act on their requests.

Grave danger looms, should the protests continue unchecked. This note of caution should be taken in good faith.

God bless Nigeria.

At A Time Of Disconnect

I

N this parlous time, it is so easy to take one’s eye off the ball. Fake news is interwoven with conspiracy theories and the understandable search for quick wins and easy solutions. Realistically, we have to look deeper.

For the seeds of our season of discontent were sown decades ago. The misunderstanding of the process of change has led to a classic case of “the development of underdevelopment”.

With an establishment lacking the political will to defer immediate gratification in order to build sustainable development, Nigeria has created a low skills, low wages economy with the attendant mass underemployment. The inevitable result as we can see on the streets is the inducement into existence of a “dangerous class”; these strata

of flotsam and jetsam simply lack the wherewithal to subsist, let alone be competitive in a modern situation. The most pronounced end result is that the economy itself is grotesquely uncompetitive in an international context.

The country must go back to the drawing boards; we simply do not have a choice with population growth rates of 4.5% as opposed to economic growth rates of 2%.

Courage is needed to go back to the drawing boards and create a real economy underpinned by building Basic Industries as the foundational blocks to leveraging the modern tools of a digital economy. With the carnage on the streets induced by decades of wrong policy choices, we have no alternative, for the fire next time could be more devastating.

W

HEN something or someone causes the revelation of a hitherto not-quite-obvious situation or matter, especially without such intentions, then the colloquialism “let-the-cat-out-of-thebag” is appropriately used to describe such. That, exactly, is what the EndSARS issue has turned into in recent times, going by a recent drama from the political arena.

The Plateau State Governor and Chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum, Simon Lalong, was reported to have said that the Northern states were not

“

it is important to categorically state that any consideration of any reform, or restructuring, or the constitutional review, as being attempted by the National Assembly, must be drawn from some fundamental national ideologies, which our country currently lacks

“

T

HE wave of protests currently pervading the air across Nigeria is not only worrisome but frightful. This is more so as the protests are taking another dimension entirely.

Since the start, it appears that the protests are a child of necessity. However, events in the past one week have portrayed the outbursts as having tendencies of negative colouration.

They are now in the category of a handshake extending beyond the elbow. As they have turned, there are more to them than meets the eye.

Attacks and counter-attacks have been reported as witnessed between genuine protesters and some hoodlums in several places around the nation. The State of Osun has not been an exception. The seemingly unending pattern that the protests have assumed makes the susceptibility of its being hijacked. If the protest should drag on, what we have seen might likely be a sample compared to what lies ahead.

Most condemnable and highly reprehensible of all is the attack on the Number One Citi-

opposed to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad- SARS, because it had tackled insecurity in the North.

This came barely 24 hours after the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, of which he is a member, supported the plan by the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to reform the police - a move caused by the EndSARS protests which refuse to abate.

While the Nigerian governors are discursively constructing a gulf, apparently occasioned by group interests, the EndSARS is wearing new garments in some Northern states of Kaduna, Gombe, Kano, Bauchi and others - where several hundreds of youths protested, against the spate of kidnapping, armed robbery and banditry in the region.

Their slogan birthed the #EndInsecurrityNow. Clearly, the governors’ recent pronouncements signal ideology - which characterises the identity of political group and participants - hence leadership tendency and governance patterns of individual political leaders.

Ideology consists of social representations that define the social identity of a group - hence the identity of a governor or political leader as a member of the group. It is the shared beliefs and social practices, and ways of existence of members of the group.

Going by these experts’ explanations of what ideology is, then it is important to categorically state that any consideration of any reform, or restructuring, or the constitutional review, as being attempted by the National Assembly, must be drawn from some fundamental national ideologies, which our country currently lacks, obviously. A critical observation of the laws and modus operandi that the establishments currently operate with are implicit ideas and practices that are connected to either personal or group individuality. This, thus, suggests the background of the divergent positions of the governors regarding the disbandment of SARS. The perceptions of the leaders in the regions about the EndSARS issue is controlled by ideology hence this explicit polarity or distinctive positions between the Northern Governors’ Forum and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum umbrella body.

These discordant tunes from these groups of governors, particularly, is a delegitimisation of the Nigerian political leadership - where a regional political group must present adversarial stance against another when the matter is connected to socio-economic contexts that immediately and directly affect the Nigerian masses.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23 - THURSDAY OCTOBER 29, 2020

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News

EndSARS Protesters Defy Curfew, Mount Roadblocks

By Ismaeel Uthman

R

ESIDENTS of the State of Osun, who are protesting police brutality under the aegis of EndSARS, defied the 24-hour curfew declared

by Governor Adegboyega Oyetola to maintain peace and order across the length and breadth of the state.

The curfew was to keep everybody indoor, except the essential workers. But the EndSARS protesters stormed the popular Olaiya junction, which is their usual converging venue and Ogo-Oluwa, Osogbo on Wednesday and yesterday.

While mounting roadblocks, the protesters were turning back every vehicle that was on the roads, telling them to either join the protests or turn back to their various starting points.

On Wednesday morning, some soldiers who

As Soldiers Calm Down Angry Youths

were coming from the direction of Abere, in a convoy of about seven vehicles, had to halt their movement after sighting the

protesters at Ogo-Oluwa.

After about 10 minutes, the soldiers approached the protesters; waving at them and telling them to

Osun To Begin Mass Vaccination Campaign Against Yellow Fever Nov 20

By Solomon Odeniyi

T

HE Government of the State of Osun says it would commence a mass vaccination campaign against Yellow Fever in the state.

The campaign, which would be held in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), is slated to hold between November 20 and 29 across the 30 local government areas of the state, including Ife East area Office.

Health Promotion Officer, Ministry of Health in the state, Mrs. Taiwo Adeniji, disclosed this during a meeting with the social mobilisation members in the state.

Adeniji explained that the vaccination is meant for people between nine months and 44 years, adding that health workers would be stationed at fixed, temporary and mobile posts to administer the vaccine.

Adeniji said: “The government of the State of Osun, in collaboration with development partner, UNICEF is organising a Yellow Fever vaccination campaign from November 20 to 29 in all the 30 LGAs of the state. The vaccination is for people aged between nine months and 44 years.

“Health Workers will be stationed at fixed posts in health facilities, temporary posts in schools, markets , churches, mosques and other places and mobile posts which involve the health workers moving from place to place to administer the Yellow Fever vaccine.

“This will enable us cover more people in the state. The exercise is done once in 10 years. Unlike before when it was limited, it has been extended beyond nine months now nearly all the places in the state will be covered.”

She enjoined education and religious institutions and markets to grant access to their facilities within the period slated to administer the vaccine.

The UNICEF Consultant on Communication for Development in Osun, Dr. Godwin Olawale, said the prevalence of the virus was the reason for the vaccination.

According to him, the virus had recorded 50 per cent fatality rate in the country, adding that Yellow Fever was constituting a threat to the well-being of Nigerians.

He said the people between the stipulated ages were more prone to contracting the virus, urging residents to partake in the coming exercise.

Olawale listed ways to preventing the virus to

include: sleeping under long-lasting insecticide nets and putting on long sleeves cloth while going to bed, adding that vaccination remained the most effective way to protect one against Yellow Fever.

calm down as they were not out to attack anybody.

The leader of the soldiers alighted from the vehicle, walked towards the protesters and began to chant ‘Great Nigerian Youths, Great Nigerian Youths’.

He urged the protesters to remain peaceful and orderly, saying that the soldiers were out for their safety.

After addressing them for about five minutes, the youths expressed their displeasure on the killing of protesters in Lekki, Lagos State on Tuesday by sol-

diers, saying that such action was condemnable.

The youths later started to sing-praise the soldiers, saying that they were civil in their conducts. They handed the Nigerian flag to the leader of the soldiers and the road was cleared for their movement.

Some of the youths followed the soldiers down to Olaiya, where other protesters were and the soldiers also addressed them.

While the EndSARS protesters continued their protests, OSUN DEFENDER noted that some hoodlums also defied the curfew and converged at Ota-Efun, Ikirun Road and Sasa area of Oke-Baale, both in Osogbo.

The touts at Ota-Efun were extorting motorists and other road users while those at Oke-Baale set up bonfires on the road and damaged some properties by the roadside.

OSUN DEFENDER reporters, who went round the state capital to monitor the level of compliance with the curfew, observed that there was total shutdown of commercial activi-

ties as markets, shops and offices remained closed.

It was noted that mobile policemen were stationed at Old Garage, Oke-Fia and Stadium axis, while operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) were heavily present at LAMECO area of Osogbo.

Only essential workers were allowed by the security agents to move around, even as there was no security presence at Ayetoro, Oja-Oba, Abere, Dele Yes Sir, Ayetoro, Oke-Baale, among others.

Speaking on the curfew, Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties, Mr. Lekan Badmus, commended the people of the state for adhering to the directive of the state government on the curfew, saying it was to sustain peace and safety of lives and properties.

According to Badmus, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola is committed to the protection of lives and properties of every resident of the state, hence the need to safeguard further breakdown of law and order by declaring the curfew.

He appealed to the EndSARS protesters to be peaceful, saying that Oyetola is not opposed to peaceful protests and is in support of their demands.

Group Blames Govt, Security Agencies For Continued Violence

By Solomon Odeniyi

A

Non-Governmental Organisation in the State of Osun, Justice Development & Peace Makers Centre, has accused the state government and law enforcement agencies of failure to timely address crisis that had been erupting in the course of the EndSARS protests.

According to the JSPMC, the continuous violent incidences trailing the protests in Osun were the result of poor management of crisis on the part of the government and the law enforcement authorities.

The group stated that the refusal of the government and security agencies to ensure justice on the death of Idris Ajibola, a 22-year-old man who was chased to death by operatives of the Joint Task Force recently could have stirred the emotions of many

youths, thus creating a background of violence that may want to force its way into the legitimate EndSARS protests.

In a statement issued and signed by the General Coordinator of the group, Rev Fr. Peter Akinkunmi, yesterday, the group said it had expected the government and the law enforcement agencies to have foreseen the recent violent activities and provided excellent intelligence and security framework to guard the ongoing protests.

The group, however, commended Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for the calm, mature and peaceful manner he responded to verbal and physical violent attacks on him while with the protesters.

The statement, titled “ENDSARS: THE CRY OF NIGERIANS FOR NIGERIA” reads in part: “We commend and are proud of the peaceful conduct of the pro-

tests and the sense of patriotism manifested by them (the protesters).

They have kept the protests peaceful in spite of provocations by unidentified persons in most of the states, nationwide.

“Unfortunately, the protests in Osun State have suffered continuous disruption, due to violence perpetrated by unidentified persons protecting some other interests that are not clear. This escalated to the attack on the protesters, even while the Executive Governor was in their company.

Unfortunately, two lives were reportedly lost.

“While we commend the calm, mature and peaceful manner in which the Governor had personally responded to verbal and physical violence meted on him in the company of the protesters, we wish to state that the continuous violent incidence which trail the EndSARS protests in Osun is the result of poor management of crisis on the part of the government and the law

enforcement authorities.

“It would be recalled that on September 15th, a violent youth protest erupted in Osogbo against Special Anti-Robbery Squad – SARS’ brutality, when Idris Ajibola was chased to death by the JTF agents while in the company of his friends.

“The government and law enforcement agencies have since been silent about the outcome of the promised investigations and the pursuance of justice for the late Idris. We think that in this sense, this incident which stirred the emotions of many youths in Osogbo, being recent with wounds unhealed, could create background of violence that may want to force its way into the legitimate EndSARS protest.

“We expect the government and the law enforcement agencies therefore, to have foreseen this and provide excellent intelligence and security framework to guard the ongoing EndSARS protests from the possibility of violent disruptions.”

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23 - THURSDAY OCTOBER 29, 2020

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News Analysis

Facts Behind Attack On Gov Oyetola At EndSARS Protest

By Our Reporters

I

T is no longer news that Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of the State of Osun was violently attacked by hoodlums who infiltrated the EndSARS protesters at the popular Olaiya junction in Osogbo, the state capital on Saturday.

But the circumstances that led to the reprehensible and unacceptable attack are what many people, including security agents, are yet to unravel.

The attack did not just happen by happenstance; it occurred because of accumulated violent activities and misdirected aggression, hooliganism rivalry and criminal conducts.

The attack was not carried out by any of the protesters and Governor Oyetola himself has absolved them from complicity in the attempt on his life. So, anybody trying to link any of the protesters to the assault might be out for mischief or have other motives.

Findings by OSUN DEFENDER reporters who were at the scene of the event revealed that the hoodlums were not originally out to attack Governor Oyetola, but to purposefully engage in a clash with members of the ‘Asiri Eniba’ gang, who had earlier allegedly unleashed terror on the EndSARS protesters on Thursday and Saturday, the , 13th and 17th of October.

Investigations revealed that the

Comrade Oyadele EndSARS protesters were violently attacked by hoodlums suspected to be of the ‘Asiri Eniba’ group at Olaiya junction, where they usually converged.

The following day, Friday, October 16, the protesters stormed the streets again, armed with stones in anticipation of another attack on them.

However, members of the Osun Civil Societies Coalition, led by renowned activist, Comrade Waheed Lawal, joined the EndSARS protests and provided not only direction, but orderliness during the protest which convinced the protesters to drop their stones.

OSUN DEFENDER reporters who were at the protest ground on Friday noticed that some touts who were said to be ‘Egbatedo boys’ infiltrated the protesters at noon, smoking cannabis sativa

Gov. Oyetola while addressing the protesters. openly, and driving dangerously on motorcycles. The said ‘Egbatedo boys’ were shouting ‘where is Asiri? Tell him to come out now. Let him come and face us.”

Two of the active participants of the EndSARS protests, Comrade Ayo Ologun and Ige Ebenezer (Ebby) were seen cautioning the Indian hemp smokers and at a point asked them to leave the venue of the protests. But the touts were coming and going.

While the Friday protest was on, OSUN DEFENDER observed that four different vehicles; two Lexus 320 and two Toyota Camry (Muscle and Big Daddy), which number plates had been removed, were coming to Olaiya at intervals. The occupants of the vehicles were suspected to be yahoo boys because of their look, mode of dressing and the slangs they used for communication. Some people alleged that the vehicles were stocked with arms and ammunition.

Around 2:30pm same day, two people came to the protest with Pump Action guns, brandishing them and telling the protesters not to worry, that they were supporting their cause.

Around 5pm, four young men alighted from a Volkswagen Golf car with double barrel guns. They came from the Old Garage area, shooting into the air. The protesters had hurled stones at them, thinking that they were assailants. But the young men were quick to identify some of the people at the protest ground.

The gun carriers were also assuring the protesters of safety and readiness to confront Asiri boys if they ever surfaced.

There was no chaos all through the Friday protests.

On Saturday, few of the EndSARS protesters who were waiting for others around 9am were attacked by hoodlums suspected to be members of the Asiri Eniba gang. One of the Conveners, Olatokun Oyadele, sustained machete cut on the head.

The Saturday attack on the protesters spurred them to mobilise more members, and as well attracted the attention of the Egbatedo boys who had been having a running battle with the Asiri gang.

It was observed that after the attack, the Egbatedo boys were coming to Olaiya one after the other. They were armed with guns, cutlasses, axes, charms, catapults and other dangerous weapons.

The Egbatedo boys were openly calling out for Asiri Eniba, who was accused of unleashing terror on the

did not go down well with the protesters and the touts. Both Bakare and Captain insisted that the Governor should make a clear statement on Asiri Eniba, saying they do not want political statements.

The governor also insisted on following due process as he did not want to trample on the rights of any individual.

The crowd became aggressive, as they were not pleased with the Governor’s response on Asiri Eniba matter. While the crowd became charged, a distraction occurred, in form of a loud bang, which made some of the onlookers to run for safety.

Governor Oyetola also ferried into his car and when his convoy was about to move, some of the protesters lied on some of the vehicles’ bonnets, saying the governor had not addressed some of the issues they raised. The drivers of the vehicles professionally navigated through the crowd and they zoomed off towards Odiolowo. While taking off, the hoodlums hurled stones at the Governor’s convoy. Some of them used cutlasses, axes and clubs to attack the convoy. They also pursued after the convoy with motorcycles in a hot chase. The security operatives in the convoy shot into the air repeatedly, but not directly at any of the touts or protesters as witnessed by OSUN DEFENDER. The governor was rescued to the Government House, while the hoodlums continued their nefarious activities, which included attacks and looting of Osun Mall.

Nobody died before, during and after the Governor left the protest ground at Olaiya. But the circumstances surrounding the death of two people that lost their lives on that day remain controversial.

Osun Civil Societies Coalition, an umbrella body of pressure groups in the state, has condemned the attack on the Governor, saying it was orchestrated by some hoodlums who had infiltrated the EndSARS protesters.

“We dissociate ourselves from the attack, and anybody that participated in it.

“We call on the security agencies to investigate the circumstances that led to the attack and the earlier assaults on the EndSARS protesters today and that of Thursday by armed thugs.”

protesters. They were apparently waiting for a clash. The crowd was 70 per cent populated by the hoodlums. Both male and female of the thugs were openly smoking marijuana (Indian Hemp) and brandishing their weapons.

When it was announced around 1pm that Governor Oyetola would be coming to address the protesters, the crowd was charged and eager to hear the message of the governor in fulfilment of their dream.

Both the protesters and some of the touts approached Oyetola at the Akindeko area of Alekuwodo. The Governor came down and started walking as the protesters demanded that he should come to the centre of Olaiya junction to address them.

While advancing towards Olaiya, some of the protesters and touts were complaining about the attack on them by the Asiri Eniba gang. One of the touts said: “Asiri is not an indigene of Osogbo and he is terrorising Osogbo indigenes.

We will deal with him. Tell him to come down from the car.” The members of the Governor’s entourage were calming down the protesters and touts, saying Asiri issue will be addressed. They told the angry youths that Asiri was not among the governor’s entourage.

Addressing the protesters, Governor Oyetola apologised to them for his unavailability to address them earlier, saying that he was out of the state.

While the Governor was talking, Olawale Bakare, one of the conveners of the EndSARS protests and his lieutenant simply known as Captain were interjecting with series of demands.

Bakare and Captain claimed that Asiri Eniba is an agent of the government, accusing the governor of knowing about the attacks on them. They said: “We know Asiri is your boy, and we want him arrested with immediate effect.”

Responding, Oyetola dissociated himself and his administration from thugs and thuggery-related activities. He said he would discuss with the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Undie Adie, on the Asiri Eniba matter.

But Oyetola’s response The vandalised vehicle

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23 - THURSDAY OCTOBER 29, 2020

6 F

Religion

REEDOM, both as a concept and as a value has been denied in many individuals, groups and nations. It has been often misunderstood and abused.

The fact is that in no human society can By man be free in the absolute sense of the word. There must be some limitations Alh. Zakariyah of one sort or another, if the society is to Sarumi function at all.

Apart from this general idea, Islam teaches freedom, cherishes it and guarantees it for the Muslim as well as for the non-Muslim. The Islamic concept of freedom applies to all voluntary activities of man in all walks of life. As already stated, every man is born free on the fitrah or in a pure state of nature. This means that man is born free from subjugation, sin, inherited inferiority and ancestral hindrance.

His right of freedom is sacred as long as he does not Thirdly, Allah has delegated to man the responsibildeliberately violate the law of Allah or desecrate the ity to decide for himself. Fourthly, man is sufficiently rights of others. provided with spiritual guidance and endowed with One of the main objectives of Islam is to emanci- rational qualities that enable him to make responsipate the mind from superstitions and uncertainties, ble, sound choices. Such is the foundation of the Isthe soul from sin and corruption, the conscience from lamic concept of freedom; there is no room for relioppression and fear, and even the body from disor- gious persecutions, class conflict or racial prejudice. der and degeneration.

The individual’s right of freedom is as sacred as his The course which Islam has enjoined on man to re- right to life. Freedom is equivalent of Life itself. alize this goal includes profound intellectual endeavEQUALITY ours, constant spiritual observance, binding moral “O mankind! Verily we have created you from a principles and even dietary regulations. When man single (pair) of a male and a female, and have made follows this course, religiously, he cannot fail to reach you into nations and tribes, that you may know each his ultimate goal of freedom and emancipation. other. Verily the most honored among you in the The question of freedom with regard it belief, wor- sight of Allah is the most righteous (Quran 49:13). ship and conscience is also of paramount importance The differences of race, colour, or social status are in Islam. Every man is entitled to exercise his freedom only accidental. They do not affect the true stature of of belief, conscience and worship in religion. “Truth man in the sight of Allah. Again, the value of equalstands out clear of error. Whoever rejects evil and be- ity is not simply a matter of constitutional rights or lieves in Allah has grasped the strongest bond that gentlemen’s agreement or condescending charity. It never breaks. And Allah knows and hears all things. is an article of faith which the Muslims take seriously (Q uran2:256). and to which he must adhere sincerely. The foundaThe Islamic concept of freedom is an article of tion of the Islamic value of equality is deeply rooted faith, solemn command from the Supreme Creator. It in structure of Islam. It stems from basic principles is built on the following fundamental principles. First, such as the following: man’s conscience is subject to Allah only, to Whom 1. All men are created by One and the same eternal every man is directly responsible. Secondly, every Allah, the Supreme Lord of All. human being is personally responsible for his deeds 2. All mankind belong to the human race and share and he alone is entitled to reap the fruits of his work. equally in the common parentage of Adam and Eve.

JUMAT SERMON

Freedom And Peace In Islam

3. Allah is just and kind to all his creatures.

He is not partial to any race, age or religion.

The whole universe is His dominion and all people are His creatures.

4. All people are born equal in the sense that none brings any possession with him and they die equal in the sense that they take back nothing of their worldly belongings.

5. Allah judges every person on the basis of his own merits and according to his own deeds.

6. Allah has conferred on man, man as such, a title of honor and dignity.

Such are some of the principles behind the value of equality in Islam. When this concept is fully utilized, it will leave no place for prejudice or persecutions.

And when this divine ordinance is fully implemented, there will be no room for oppression or suppression. Concept of chosen gentile peoples, words such as privileged and condemned races, expressions such as social castes and second-class citizen will all become meaningless and obsolete.

PEACE To appreciate how Islam approaches the question of peace, one has only to consider a few elementary facts about Islam. Peace and Islam are derived from the same root and may be considered synonymous.

One of the Allah’s names is Peace. The concluding words of the daily prayers of every Muslim are word of peace. The greeting of the Muslims when they return to Allah is Peace. The daily salutations among the Muslims are expressions of peace. The adjective “Muslim” means, in a sense, peaceful. Heaven in Islam is the abode of peace.

This is how fundamental and dominant the theme of peace is in Islam. The individual who approaches to Allah through Islam cannot fail to be at peace with Allah, with himself, and with his fellow men. Taking all these values together, putting man in his proper place in the cosmos and viewing life in the Islamic perspective, men of good faith and principles cannot fail to make our world a better world, to regain human dignity to achieve equality, to enjoy universal brotherhood and to build a lasting peace.

Alh. Zakariyah Sarumi Grand Imam Ipetu Ijesa and Chief Missioner Ansar Udeen Ipetu Ijesa

Campus

Curfew: UNIOSUN Suspends Harmattan Examinations Again

By Sodiq Yusuf

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HE management of Osun State University on Tuesday announced the suspension of the ongoing harmattan semester examinations for the 2019/2020 academic session.

According to a directive by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Labo Popoola, issued by the Acting Dean of Students’ Affairs, the university decided to suspend the exams, in line with the curfew declared by the State Government of Osun, on the security situation of the country.

The examinations were earlier suspended on March 23, 2020 due to the closure of schools in the state due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered the process resumed on Monday,

October 12 and was expected to end on Friday, October 23 before the latest suspension.

The statement circulated on WhatsApp platforms reads: “Dear colleagues, In view of the just-imposed curfew by the State Government of Osun, the management of the University, through the Vice-Chancellor has

directed that all examinations be put on hold until further directives.

You are hereby enjoined to pass this information to all students through their available platforms with immediate effect.”

Meanwhile, indigenes of Ikire, the community hosting the College of Humanities and Culture of UNIOSUN, took to the streets on

Wednesday, to join fellow Nigerians to protest against Police brutality and the lingering security situation in the country.

As at the time of filing this report, the popular Naira and Kobo junction has been barricaded, while there are reports of heavy security presence on the Gbongan-Ibadan expressway.

Scanty Security Agents As ‘Street Boys’...

Continued from page 2 both sides of the road in front of the Ota-Efun market.

Also, First Bank, Fakunle Branch junction, Egbatedo junction, Sasa market roundabout at Oke-Baale, Osogbo were blocked by the ‘street boys’.

The ‘street boys’ at

Sasa market set up bonfires, just as hoodlums went to attack the Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC). Two buses and the security post right at the entrance of the Osogbo headquarters of the state-owned media conglomerate were vandalised.

One of the ‘street boys’ manning the road-

block at the Sasa market, simply identified as Segun, lost his life when he attempted to jump on a moving truck. Segun reportedly fell down and the truck stepped on him.

At Ilesa, the Ereja Square roundabout was blocked, while the ‘street boys’ also mounted barricades at other popular

junctions.

The ‘street boys’ stormed Ijamo and Ayeso police stations, where they were engaged in discussions by policemen on duty.

They later left the stations peacefully.

At Iwo roundabouts, Iwo, the ‘street boys’ barricaded the road and later resorted to extort-

ing erring motorists.

There was little compliance with the curfew in the town.

In Ile-Ife, the popular Mayfair roundabout was reportedly blocked, even as there were skeletal business activities in the ancient town.

However, the curfew has not been effective in places like Ila-Orangun, Ede, Ikirun, Iree, Ikire, Otan-Ayegbaju, Ede, Ileogbo and Ejigbo.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23 - THURSDAY OCTOBER 29, 2020

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Sports

Balotelli, Essien, Zaha, Others Join Super Super Eagles Drop To 32 In Eagles Players To Condemn Lekki Massacre New Fifa Ranking Stories by Solomon Odeniyi

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OOTBALL stars including Mario Balotelli, Michael Essien, Yannick Bolasie, Antonio Rudiger, among others have joined Super eagles Players to condemn the shooting of peaceful protesters at the Lekki Toll Plaza in Lagos, Nigeria.

Super Eagles players like Ahmed Musa, William Troost-Ekong, Alex Iwobi have spoken out on the incident.

Some unarmed civilians were shot by soldiers on Tuesday night as they demanded an end to police brutality in the country.

Over the past week, Nigerians have taken to the streets to call their leaders for good governance and express their displeasure against harassment, extra-judicial killings by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) - a unit in the Nigeria Police Force which was recently disbanded.

Prior to the disband-

ment of the SARS unit a fortnight ago, Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil, Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham and Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford were among the players that lent their voices to the protest.

After seeing videos of Tuesday’s shootings circulate on social media with dozens of people injured, the football stars could not hide their emotions as they joined Manchester United’s Odion Ighalo in condemning the actions.

Zaha on his twiiter handle @wilfriedzaha) said: “I don’t know what is going on in Nigeria

right now but I pray it all stops because it’s painful seeing innocent people killed daily #EndSARS” Yannick Bolasie (@ YannickBolasie) said: “Seeing my people suffer like this is heartbreaking right now #CongoIsBleeding we all need to continue to make awareness & do what we can to help, praying for my brothers and sisters #Congo #Nigeria #Africa #EndSARS. “Police brutality in Nigeria needs attention.

You do that to your own people. It is so sad what is going on there. This has to end #PeaceFirst #EndSARS.”

Man-United Defender, Bailly Out For One Month

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ANCHESTER United defender, Eric Bailly has been ruled out for the next three to four weeks

by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after missing the team’s 2-1 win over Paris SaintGermain with a muscle injury on Tuesday night.

Bailly was an unused

substitute during Saturday’s 4 - 1 win at Newcastle and did not make the trip to the French capital for United’s Champions League opener.

The Ivorian international watched from home as Marcus Rashford scored a late winner to secure united victory

PMB: Building A Structure Of Credible Polls Continued from last week I recall here that a friend called me after the Edo election to express his disappointment in PMB for not using federal might to influence the outcome of the election in favour of his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC. I had responded to him in clear terms that he should think like a patriot rather than this idea of ‘it must be my party at all costs’ -- in matters of elections.

I told him that we should be concerned about the future of our country and the generations yet unborn because it’s only by free and fair elections that we can achieve democratic eldorado. I added that interfering in electoral processes by deploying power of incumbency to alter the results of elections will do this country no good, as that won’t allow for emergence of the people’s choice. When the votes of the people are not made to count in a democracy, then the essence of elections is defeated while democracy itself loses its true meaning.

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HE Super Eagles of Nigeria dropped three places from 29th to 32nd position in the latest FIFA World Ranking that was re-

Before concluding this piece, it’s necessary to give kudos to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for performing creditably in the last two elections.

In fact, just like observers - both local and international - of those elections have said, the body has demonstrated to the whole world that it can be relied on to give the country credible polls in future elections. One hopes it will not derail from this patriotic path. Of course the security agents too deserve applause for an impartial showing during the exercises. However, it needs be added that their conducts couldn’t have been unconnected with the instruction from above. Having vowed to leave a legacy of credible election, PMB wouldn’t have condoned any misbehaviour from them. So undoubtedly their conducts; and that of INEC too were apparently in line with Mr. President’s vision of giving the country free and fair elections.

If this country must live up to the true mean-

ing of democracy then there’s no alternative to free, fair and transparent elections as we have been having under PMB. If the name Nigeria is to appear on the map of the truly democratic countries of the world, then people’s votes must be continuously made to count.

Indisputably the future of our democracy lies in credible polls. At the age of sixty, we ought to by now have put violent and fraudulent elections behind us. Or for how long shall we continue to make ourselves a laughing stock before the international community?

Like the Yoruba would say ‘he who gets eye must get shame’. Therefore the onus is on us all to cooperate with Mr. President to collectively build a society where our votes will count.

OLABISI ABIGAEL AWENI That I was formerly known and addressed as OLABISI ABIGAEL now wish to be known and addressed as OLABISI ABIGAEL AWENI. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

over last year’s Champions League finalists.

He will now miss games against Chelsea, RB Leipzig, Arsenal, Istanbul Basaksehir and Everton before the November international break.

The 26-year-old has been unlucky with injuries since his move from Villarreal in 2016, missing more than 300 days with knee and ankle issues.

leased yesterday.

The world football governing body announced the latest rankings on their official website.

Also, the Eagles experienced a slide in Africa as they now occupy fourth position.

Their next month 2021 AFCON qualifying opponent, the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone, did not fare any better either after dropping one spot to 120th.

The Teranga Lions of Senegal remain Africa’s highest ranked side at 21st and number one on the continent.

At number two in Africa is Tunisia which is 26th in the global rat-

ings.

Reigning African champions, Algeria climbed five places and are now 30th in the world and third in Africa.

There were no changes in the top five ranked countries in the world as Belgium, France, Brazil, England and Portugal remained first, second, third, fourth and fifth respectively.

At number six is Spain, number seven spot has Uruguay, twotime World Cup champions Argentina are eight, at number nine is Croatia and Colombia are number 10.

The next FIFA World Ranking will be published on 26 November, 2020.

Back To The Land As We Celebrate World Food Day

Continued from back page enough again.

It is regularly being augmented with heavy borrowing internally and externally.

Movement back to the land must be so organised that rural dwellers will be reluctant to go to cities, except it is very compulsory, while city people will be attracted to going to the rural. We must open up all farm settlements across the nation. At a stage, there will be no fundamental difference, apart from the nomenclature, between the rural and the city.

In the last 20 years however, Nigeria has been consistently declining in its attitude to agriculture. In the 2021

budget proposal presented to the National Assembly, only 1.5% is allocated to agriculture, which includes N66billion, N3.1 billion and 110.2 billion for personnel, overhead and capital expenditure respectively. This is grossly less than 10% of the total annual budget specified for every nation in Africa by the 2003 Maputo Declaration, to which Nigeria is signatory, with a target to guarantee food sufficiency and security in Africa.

As we commemorate the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) World Food Day on 16th October, 2020, tagged “Grow, nourish, sustain.

Together. Our actions are

CHANGE OF NAME

AKINOLA OPEYEMI TUNRAYO

That I was formerly known and addressed as BABATUNDE OPEYEMI TUNRAYO now wish to be known and addressed as AKINOLA OPEYEMI TUNRAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

AKINOLA PETER IMOLEOLUWA

That I was formerly known and addressed as AJAYI AKINOLA PETER now wish to be known and addressed as AKINOLA PETER IMOLEOLUWA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

our future”, we should revisit agriculture. With appropriate funding to agriculture, millions of people can be lifted out of poverty with quicker economic growth. The ongoing EndSARS has revealed that we have army of youths who could be engaged in agriculture. Once hunger is resolved, tackling poverty is a slender matter. Once there is abundant food, which will be very cheap for local consumption and the surplus packaged for export, the value of naira will rise as it was in the good old days and the agitation for increase in workers’ salaries will be less. We should not wait for the sound of the final whistle. It is high time we started.

AZEEZ

KIKILOMO

SILIFAT

That ABDULRAHAMON KIKELOMO SOFIAT AND MRS. ABDUL-AZEEZ KIKELOMO S. are the same person but now wish to be known and addressed as AZEEZ KIKILOMO SILIFAT. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

Group Blames Govt, Security Agencies For Continued Violence

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23 - THURSDAY OCTOBER 29, 2020 www.osundefer.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com ISSN: 0794-8050

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EFORE its flag independence, Nigeria was renowned for the production of cash crops like palm oil, cocoa, groundnuts, coffee and cotton, with subsistence farmers across the land producing most food crops for local consumption. As a matter of fact, agriculture was the indigenous occupation in Nigeria. In the 1950s and 1960s, it contributed 85% of Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings; 90% employment generation; and 80% Gross Domestic Product. Under the Regional Government, when Chief Obafemi Awolowo was the Premier of the South-West Region, revenue realised from Cocoa was used to build Liberty Stadium, University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, amongst others. His counterpart in the Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello, used agriculture proceeds to build the famous Groundnut Pyramids, Kaduna Textiles that employed over 30,000 people, build Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Ahmadu Bello Stadium, New Nigeria Development Company and construction of many roads.

With the discovery of crude oil at Oloibiri in the Niger Delta on Sunday, January 15, 1956 and the first commercial production in 1958, oil boom ensued. By 1960, subsistence farming was no longer profitable. This forced rural dwellers to leave their farms; thereby deserting working on farms where they had produced export crops while educated youth moved to cities for white-collar jobs. Consequently, prices of food items began to rise, which gave way to importation of foods.

With continuous exodus of people from the agricultural hinterland to the cities, prices of both locally produced and imported foods continued to rise. Hence, in May 1976, General Olusegun Obasanjo’s military government launched Operation Feed the Nation (OFN). OFN was a deliberate and calculated approach to solving Nigeria food problems via massive food production and introduction of modern technology and high-yielding seeds. The military government appealed to high schools, colleges and institutions to be self-reliant in food production by growing their own produce and selling the excess. Aircrafts were procured to spray pesticides; poultry chicks were distributed to farmers; agricultural estates were leased to farmers with extension support from the government. Massive publicity was given to raising interest in large-scale commercial farming with highly subsidised fertiliser.

In 1980, Alhaji Shehu Shagari’s civilian government replaced OFN with Green Revolution. The objective was the same – massive food production and introduction of modern technology with high-yielding seed varieties.

After Shagari government, every successive administration has only paid lip-service to agriculture or economic diversification. We have abandoned either mechanised or subsistence farming to sole reliance on petrodollars.

In the 1960s till the 1990s, apart from government, textile mills were the second largest employer of labour. Where is textile today? Dead!

Back To The Land As We Celebrate World Food Day How could our situation degenerate to the extent of borrowing 5,000 metric tonnes of assorted grains from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the peak of COVID-19 pandemic? We have so degenerated to the extent that we import handkerchiefs, toothpicks, cotton buds, etc. We even import the petroleum products, having exported the crude oil! Any country that finds itself in this pathetic situation should not expect its currency to be strong. It is not a curse; it will continually devalue.

Everything humanity requires to survive and make life a better place for man and animal comes from the land.

The only ones that come from the sky are sun, moon and rain and they are still connected to the land. Everything we install in outer space comes from

Striker

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the land. Apart from the air we breathe, the most important thing a man and animal need is food. Next to it is shelter, clothing, etc. It is an established fact that a reasonable nation will embark on mass production of goods and services and productivity optimisation in its areas of comparative economic advantage. We have fertile land, natural resource and clement atmosphere. What is required is federal, states and local governments’ deliberate programmes and policies on mechanised farming.

It is not a rocket science. We had done it under both military and civilian governments. To restart however, basic amenities that will make life comfortable in the rural areas must be guaranteed. There must be massive electrification and potable water, good road network, digital network

for telecommunications, banks, recreation centres, schools, hospitals, playing grounds and standard fields for sporting activities, among others. Cocoa Research Institute, established in 1964 by the Federal Government, based in Ibadan with its six substations in six geo-political zones must be revitalised.

Its mandates cover conduct of high quality research on cocoa, kolanuts, coffee, cashew and tea. We must have a working relationship and understanding with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan.

It is a non-profit International Organisation founded in 1967 for agricultural innovations to meet Africa’s hunger, malnutrition and poverty challenge.

We are talking of mechanised farming with agro-allied processing industry, which will bring out real value of farming that can spark off chain of economic activities that will create millions of good jobs and generate billions of dollars as revenue to investors, employers and government. Apart from the fact that millions of job seekers are unemployable, the era of white-collar job is over. Mechanised farming has capacity to absorb all unemployed.

To kick-start, students in all tertiary institutions, private and public, should be enlisted; corps members under the auspices of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and correctional centres should be enlisted; enlightenment programmes to co-opt the paramilitary and civil servants should be well publicised. It must be a deliberate government policy to revamp our pathetic Continued on page 7

Striker is not the opinion of the Columnist featured above

N the light of the increasingly ugly turn of the #EndSARS protest and its management, it is not too much to emphasise to ourselves, especially to Nigeria’s ruling elites that deepening democratic culture and practice is the solution to any and all governance and development problems occasioned by democracy. The alternative is anarchy.

Democracy has limitless capacity in terms of processes for civic engagement even in war situation as to guarantee the fulfilment by government of its basic functions: security of lives and property of the citizens. A protracted protest for good governance is among the least challenges for a committed democratic government and people to handle.

Understandably, the present sad realities are products of history. In preindependent times, the mode of government common across Nigeria and most of Africa is Monarchy. The monarchs were next in rank only to the Almighty God and had powers of life and death and engaged citizens according to their whims and caprices, with mechanism for checks and balances almost nonexistent. This went on for hundreds of years before the colonial masters came.

The colonial masters, of course, came with forceful domination of the citizens (natives) for the achievement of their colonial interests - political, economic and social; and that lasted for another hundred years before Independence. The narrative,

More Democracy Is Solution To Democracy Problems therefore, for hundreds of years, is that whosoever is in power is Almighty and has his way against the will of the people.

Independence then came through hard struggles. Democracy was then adopted as the mode of government along with a federation and republic structure to deliver its dividends. The failure by our elites from the onset to understand this transition and new concept, and their continuation in carrying on with the attitudinal hangovers of monarchy and colonialism in governance, quickly led to the collapse of the republic and democratic governance. Long years of military rules, replica of monarchy, only more brutal through the force of gun, followed with attempts to return to democratic rule twice aborted until finally a stable return to democracy was achieved in 1999.

For the last 20 years, civil society, rights and democracy organisations, the ruling elite and the professions, society leaders in cultural and community organisations had the golden opportunity to first of all retrain their minds and become compliant with democracy and rule of law, republicanism and federalism, and then spread the compliance down the citizenry through enlightenment and great examples, in and out

of government. Rather than achieve that, majority of persons mentioned in the classes above only reinforced their authoritarian dispositions within all organisations and within occupied offices.

Not only has the country consequently stagnated in development, the gap between the rich and the poor has continued to widen, deep-seated anger and animosities across all Nigeria’s fault lines (religious, ethnic, class) developed until an unacceptable level of poverty, ignorance and insecurity came in place.

The occasion of Nigeria’s Independence Anniversary amidst Covid-19 management presented opportunity to revaluate the past and recommit ourselves, from leadership down to citizenry, to democratic values and a genuine federal republic, and at least begin a restructuring process accordingly. We missed it yet again. Few weeks later, here we are!

While hoping for a peaceful resolution of the challenges posed by the #EndSARS Crises management in the immediate, nothing can change fundamentally until we restructure all our institutions, polity, minds, attitude and practises to reflect and abide by the letters and spirit of a Federal Republic and Democracy, thereby throwing away the vestiges of our monarchical and military mentalities and orientations forever. For development, peace, harmony and prosperity, there is simply no other lasting solution.

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, usmanismail@yahoo.com. ISSN: 0794-8050.

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