Osun Defender Online Version of May 13, 2022

FRIDAY, MAY 13 - THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2022

VOL 17 NO 19

Police Told Me I Would Pay To Get My Son’s Corpse Before His Death Was Announced Ismaeel Uthman

T

HE dust raised by the reported death of a 24-year-old Olufemi Oriyomi, who died in police detenon in Osogbo, State of Osun, is far from settling.

Oriyomi died eight days a er he was arrested and detained by some officers of CP Sur-

•The Story Of A Mother Whose Only Child Was Allegedly Tortured To Death By Police •We Had No Reason To Torture Him - Police

veillance, a special team of police under the direct supervision of the Commissioner of Police in the state.

The police claimed that Oriyomi and two others, Kehinde Olayade (25) and Raimi Sheriff (21) were suspected ritualists who were arrested

on April 7, 2022 at Safejo area, along Osogbo/OAU Ife Campus road, Ile-Ife, for alleged ritual killings.

According to a statement by the Police Public Rela ons Officer, Yemisi Opalola, on Friday, April 15, the police found human heart in the custody of the suspects when

they were apprehended a er been given ‘a hot chase’ by the police.

According to the PPRO, Oriyomi developed illness while in police custody and died at an undisclosed hospital where he was taken to.

But the mother of the •Continued on Page 5

Reconcile With Aregbesola Before Election, Pg. 2 APC Stalwart Advises Oyetola FG Launches N-Alerts To Deter Kidnappers, Bandits, Others Pg. 4 Osun 2022: INEC Seeks Protection Of Corps Members •Students of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, occupying Ife/Ibadan express road to protest ongoing industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), yesterday.

ASUU Strike: OAU Students Protest, Block Ife-Ibadan Road 53-Year-Old Man In Court For Allegedly Forging Family Land Agreement

Pg. 2 Pg. 6 Pg. 6

FRIDAY, MAY 13 - THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2022

2

News

Reconcile With Aregbesola Before Election, APC Stalwart Advises Oyetola Ismaeel Uthman

A

stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Iragbiji, Boripe Local Government of the State of Osun, Prince Babatunde Dansaki, has advised Governor Adegboyega Oyetola to reconcile with

his predecessor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola before the July 16, 2022 governorship elec on.

According to Dansaki, reconcilia on with Aregbesola is a task that must be achieved before elec on, charging the governor and other APC stakeholders in Osun not play to the gallery

and allow opposi on to win the forthcoming gubernatorial elec on.

Dansaki, in a statement exclusively made available to OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, said the opposi on Peoples Democra c Party (PDP) is desperate to takeover the state, warning that APC must not approach

the elec on with a divided house.

The APC stalwart said: “Aregbesola is my friend and poli cal leader. Oyetola is my family, my uncle and poli cal mentor, whose success I am commi ed to.

“I came to understand that it is the followers of the two leaders that are fan-

•Prince Babatunde Dansaki

•Chairman, Nigeria Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, Osun Branch, Mr. Adekunle Adedoye, addressing students of Kings and Queen College, Osogbo, during a sensitisation programme on Estate Management and Valuation, yesterday.

Photo: Shola Aderinto

ning the ember of discord between them. Those who are benefi ng from the crisis see Aregbesola and Oyetola’s mutual rela onship as threat to their ambi ons.

The two of them have no personnel grudge against each other.

“The set of people in The Osun Progressives (TOP) cannot be ignored. We must find means of reconcilia on and not to play into gallery and allow opportunist “Ajobiewe” (dancer) to dance to the Governor’s office. PDP are very desperate to takeover Osun State.

“There are reasons to

Osun 2022: INEC Seeks Osun Indigene Emerges Winner Protection Of Corps Members Of Microsoft Office Specialist Competition Kazeem Badmus

T

HE State of Osun Coordinator of the Naonal Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Mrs Ngozi Shokpeka, has appealed to security agencies, as well as poli cians, to protect corps members that would be par cipa ng in the July 16, 2022 gubernatorial elec on in the state.

Shokpeka made the appeal on Tuesday at a Stakeholders’ Summit organised by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Osun Command.

The summit, held at the command headquarters, Ilesa road, Osogbo, was organised by the Peace and Conflict Management Unit, with the theme: “Violence Free Elec on in Osun State;

•Ngozi Shokpeka, NYSC Coordinator.

Osun

Our Collec ve Responsibilies.”

According to a press statement issued at the end of the summit by the NSCDC Public Rela ons Officer, Mrs. Olabisi Atanda, the NYSC Coordinator said protec on of corps members is paramount to the management of the scheme.

The statement quoted Shokpeka as saying: “The protec on of corps members is very paramount to the management of NYSC and I want to appeal to the security agencies, as well as our poli cians, to protect our members during the elec on”.

Earlier in his address, the Assistant Commandant General, Zone J, Adeyinka Fasiu, said credible and fair elec on is possible in the state, if all poli cal gladiators could play by the rules.

Adeyinka, while explaining the importance of violence free elec ons and the preparedness of the corps, emphasized the need for all stakeholders in the electoral process to collec vely play their parts in achieving the same goal of a credible gubernatorial elec on and safeguarding the communies before, during and a er the polls.

He also appealed to the youths to shun thuggery and not to allow them-

selves to be used as agents of destruc on during the elec on.

In his remarks, the State Coordinator, Na onal Orienta on Agency (NOA), Mr Abiodun Oluropo, said for the elec on to be violence free, all poli cal gladiators as well as the general public must play poli cs according to the electoral laws and the Cons tu on of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Oluropo said poli cal par es must also educate their followers to shun inflammatory u erances during the campaign, just as he urged the security agents to uphold the tenets of their du es and exhibit professionalism during the polls.

He stated that NOA as an agent saddled with sensi sing and orienta ng the ci zenry on their civic responsibili es had doubled its efforts in discharging its mandate towards free and credible elec ons.

Oluropo appealed to the ci zenry to rise on their feet to reject any form of inducement from poli cians during the elec on.

He also appealed to poli cal stakeholders to shun rigging, fake news, chea ng, inducement, double standard, vote buying, among others, in order not to trigger elec on violence.

A

indigene of Osogbo, the capital of the State of Osun, Adunola Aliyah, alongside her school mate, Divine Ihonde, have emerged the na onal winner of the Microso Office Specialist Compe on in Nigeria.

The duo are students of City of Knowledge Academy and are among those who qualified to represent Nigeria in the United States of America for the world championship.

The Microso Office Specialist World Championship is a global compe on that tests students’ skills in Microso Office Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Aliyah was awarded the opportunity to study at City Of Knowledge Academy through a scholarship from Access Bank, after she par cipated in the school entrance examina on in 2016.

The Governor of the state, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola congratulated Aliyah for the feat a ained.

Oyetola said she indeed displayed the ethos and brilliance of an Omoluabi in the compe on and that he would be willing to meet Aliyah and her parents soon.

The governor said the role of Informa on, Communica on and Technology (ICT), in a basic educaon cannot be over emphasized, adding that “no one can deny the impact technology con nues to have on almost every aspect of our daily lives” Oyetola, in a press statement

•Adunola Aliyah. by his Chief Press Secretary, Ismail Omipidan, said, “I congratulate Miss Aliyah Adunola on her emergence as one of the na onal winners of the Microso Office Specialist compe on in Nigeria.

“I also congratulate the management of City of Knowledge Academy, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State for providing a well-rounded and innova ve educa on, and the proud parents of Aliyah on this feat.

“Reading through Aliyah’s academic trajectory, I am convinced that she is on a part of excellence and has laid a strong academic founda on for a successful future.

I commend your doggedness and consistency for Excellence”.

The Governor, who wishes Aliyah a successful representaon at the world championship in United State of America, disclosed that his government would connue to support efforts geared towards expanding the horizon of students and adding value to educa onal development in the State.

reelect Oyetola for second me, and going by his background, he is never a loser both in the business and poli cal worlds.

“I would advise Mr Governor to take se lement with Aregbesola as a task that must be done before elec on.”

He said the crisis between Oyetola and Aregbesola is very serious than being overlooked for the success of the APC in the elec on, urging the Governor to be warry of hypocrites, who may be deceiving and misadvising him.

The APC stalwart, popularly known as JKO, said majority of the people who are sing praising the governor are paperweight poli cians who lost their various units, ward or local government in the 2018 governorship elecon.

He said: “Those who are sing praising Mr Governor were losers at the last elecon; people that cannot deliver their domains and have not done anything to make correc on among the people of their jurisdic on.

They are the ones struggling to be state leaders of APC.” Dansaki suggested that Oyetola can nego ate the deputy governorship seat and Osun East Senatorial District cket of the APC with Aregbesola’s camp for reconcilia on.

He said: “We can negoate with office of Deputy Governor that has faded out in his home town and cannot deliver.

“Also, Osun East Senatorial District needs a very vibrant philanthropist to take over from PDP, not a one- me loser that remains loser in the hearth of his people for making no correc on. So what made him lose last elec on is s ll there unaddressed and APC cannot afford to lose the senatorial district to opposi on again.

“I don’t see what Osun APC lose if it nego ates and trade Office of Deputy Governor, Osun East Senatorial cket and some Commissioners with TOP, for peace to rain, so that we can be winner takes all.”

PEOPLE FIRST

FRIDAY, MAY 13 - THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2022

3

Review & Outlook

BY KANMI ADEMILUYI Safeguarding The Independence Education And Elections Of The Central Bank T is reprehensible that the “The industrial relations

I

strikes afflic ng the ter ary educa on sector have been so sensi vely mismanaged that there are now demands linking the holding of elec ons with the amicable resolu on of the strikes.

For democracy in par cular a fragile one, this is fraught with great dangers. Elec ons are statutory and their observance is at the heart of the sustenance of democracy, only the invasion of the country by foreign troops can and should disrupt their cons tuonal scheduling.

The demonstra on held at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, yesterday had the theme of Educa on before Elec ons. The agita on is on the backdrop of the ongoing strikes and the closure of the university the previous day. The biggest casual es of the insensi vity are of course the students. They cannot rewind the clock and regain the me lost to the incessant strikes, in addi on, they are now placed at a disadvantage compared to their contemporaries in the high fees paying private universi es.

The country is inadvertently promo ng combus ble class stra fica on and stoking up disaffec on for the future. It is disheartening, indeed puni ve and unjust that the public sector university stu-

set up in Nigeria which is datedly adversarial must be reworked. Competitive economies have replaced strife based industrial relations”

dents are placed at a disadvantage with poten al employers who insist on a certain age cut-off point for new graduate employment. This is unfair and it should stop.

In this poli cal season, the minds of the poli cal establishment is concentrated on elecons. Nevertheless, ending the strikes must become a priority. It has gone on for too long and the collateral damage is unacceptable.

Finally, the industrial rela ons set up in Nigeria which is datedly adversarial must be reworked.

Compe ve economies have replaced strife based industrial relaons systems with a model based on coopera on and long term planning inserted into an overall fiscal landscape.

We urge all involved for the sake of the students and in the interest of the future to end the strikes now.

Reviewing The CBN Act

T

HIS is not the me to trade blames or call names, the issue is far too serious for that.

The crux of the ma er is that given the conten ous incursion into the arena of par san poli cs by the current Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, a dispassionate readjustment of the CBN Act must now be considered.

The Central Bank of a country must have opera onal independence over par san poli cal interven ons and disrup ons.

Fundamentally, it must be uncompromising and focused on its core mandate of ensuring price stability. This is none nego able. For

sustained economic performance and the achievement of Social Cohesion can only be ensured by the a ainment of macroeconomic stability. The two are interwoven and indeed necessary for the protecon of democracy. The #EndSARs protest should be a forewarning that the necessary social cohesion is s ll fragile in Nigeria. Also the independence of the Central Bank is now observed in the breach.

It is now of the utmost importance to set up a bipar san committee to rework the CBN Act towards resta ng it’s independence and making sure that it is focussed on it’s core mandate.

T

HE opera onal independence of the Central Bank of any democra c country has been a key factor in the safeguards that emerged as a stabilising buffer at the end of the Second World War in 1945.

The implosion of the German currency had destabilised it’s democracy, leading to the rise of fascism, the a ainment of power by Hitler, and the Second World War which ended with sixty million people dying as a result of a preventable worldwide carnage.

It is incontestable that no democracy could have survived the free fall of the German currency the Mark. It was most absurd that people had to use wheel barrows to freight increasingly worthless currency to purchase a loaf of bread, it was that bad. Democracy inevitably collapsed under the weight of the currency collapse in a country that was an advanced civilisa on.

The response very sensibly was to say never again a er examining cause and effect. The post-war consensus was that only the independence of the Central Bank from short term poli cal calcula ons will ensure the desired price stability essen al to preserving the value of the currency of a country, thereby preven ng ant -democra c forces like Hitler and the Nazi Party from taking over.

In addi on, infla on was correctly depicted as a puni ve tax on the least protected sectors. To ensure that the least protected do not become cannon-fodder for an -democra c forces, infla on targets had to be set to protect the poor and shore up the purchasing power of the lowest-earning strata. The post-war consensus is eminently sensible and has protected democracies. It is ill-advised to depart from it.

This is why the perceived incursion into the poli cal sphere by the si ng Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria is seen as untoward. The Central Bank of Nigeria, like the judiciary, must fight with vigour and determina on to maintain its

independence from poli cians who are inevitably fixated on the next elec ons and crowd-pleasing populism. Nigeria’s perennially ‘nascent’ democracy is too weak not to have a Central Bank that is independent and focused on price stability.

Price stability ma ers. The con nuing deprecia on of the Naira has increased the erosion of purchasing power and is affec ng the well-being of families, leading to closures of factories in an economy desperate for jobs because of a youthful demographic bulge. The mind bugles as to how many of those exi ng the mandatory Na onal Youth Service Corps (NYSC) will get gainful employment within two years of obtaining the discharge cer ficates.

This is a clear indica on of inappropriate fiscal and monetary policies in urgent need of a rethink.

The central bank governor has made too many tac cal errors and should have repudiated the percep on that he was ge ng involved in poli cs from the beginning. Frankly his performance in office is ques onable and that is pu ng it politely.

It must never happen again. This must not be taken as a precedence. It will be dangerous and a repudia on of commonsense to do so. Furthermore, the Na onal Assembly should have made a robust interven on as part of its statutory responsibility and oversight func on.

That it did not is unfortunate. The debacle once again brings to the fore the urgent need to set up a long-delayed Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

Done properly, the CBO Publisher – Moremi Publishing will assemble the techniHouse Ltd. cal capacity to do rigorous Deputy Editor – Ismaeel Uthman preemp ve oversight func(0805-121-2204) on.

Produc on Editor – Petkola Taiwo Ibitowa The o en cri cised meReporter – Yusuf Oketola dia in my opinion acqui ed Reporter – Kazeem Badmus itself very well by poin ng out the dangers entailed in Photo Journalist – Olushola Aderinto what can be charitably deComputer Graphics – Zainab Olalere scribed as an error of judgOSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing ment by the Governor of House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite the Central Bank.

Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), Gbogan Road Osogbo, In my opinion, a whole State of Osun load of safeguards now ISSN : 0794-8050 have to be put in place to Telephone : 0805-121-2204 insulate the Central Bank Website : www.osundefender.com/index.php from poli cal interference; e-mail : osundefender@yahoo.com this should be a wake-up osundefenderbank@gmail.com call. It had be er be.

All correspondence to the above email addresses.

OSUN DEFENDER

FRIDAY, MAY 13 - THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2022

4

News

FG Launches N-Alerts To Deter Kidnappers, Bandits, Others Yusuf Oketola

T

HE Federal Government has said that the na on’s security agencies are winning the war against insecurity, even though there are s ll occasional flashes of a acks on so targets.

This is as the FG said the numbers of a acks connue to go down as more criminals are apprehended and others are deterred, just as peace con nues to return to hitherto troubled areas.

This was revealed by the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, at the launch of the Nigeria Internal Security and Public Safety Alert System (N-Alerts), held at the Ministry’s headquarters, yesterday in Abuja.

“The good news is that government is winning. The government has committed and con nued to commit unprecedented amount of resources – human and material - to addressing the security challenges in the country, with personnel and equipment spread thin”, Aregbesola said.

The Minister was of the opinion that many a acks would have been foiled if the security agencies had been no fied in real me,

hence the need for a common pla orm that can interface the public with the security agencies.

“One no ceable lacuna is informa on and mely alert of the security agencies to incidents of crimes, breach of security and natural disasters before they happen or while they are going on. In most cases, they would have been prevented or mi gated if the alert had come in me,” the Minister noted.

He con nued; “As part of the response to this challenge, the Ministry of Interior has therefore developed an applica on, a technological innova on that works with the smart mobile phone or any other devise with android or IOS capability, to send alerts to all security agencies in real me.

“The ini a ve is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s administraon’s policy of making the security of lives and property of Nigerians a priority.

It is also part of the objecve of leveraging on Informa on and Communicaon Technology, in doing government business and opera ons”.

Aregbesola who announced that the applicaon is free to use for Nige-

•Says Nigeria Winning War Against Insecurity

• L-R: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Dr. Shuiabu Belgore; Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Minister of Information and Culture, Alh. Lai Mohammed; Former Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau; and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Monisola Udo at the launch of the Nigeria Internal Security and Public Safety Alert System (N-Alerts), held at the Ministry of Interior Headquarters in Abuja, yesterday. rians, further noted that for ual and geospa al loca on Services and Police Head- Strategy (NDEPS) under the now, it only works on smart iden fica on of the caller quarters for joint inter- purview of the Federal Ministry of Communica on and devices and encouraged all and scenes of incidents on agency opera ons.

Nigerians to download it for the Ministry Inter-Agency “You will recall that Digital Economy (FMCDE) in use.

Situa on Room (MISR) and the Federal Government 2019 with the goal of drivHe said: “The app u lizes Command and Control Cen- launched the Na onal Econ- ing the digi za on of the a combina on of audio-vis- tres, Dashboards of the four omy Digital Policies and na onal economy sector, as well as related sectors to which the security sector is one key component.

“It is to this end that the called on the state gov- LCDA and by extension so they have wri en the Ministry designed and is ernment to take prompt the people of Iwoland to state government through now deploying the Nigeria Internal Security and Public ac on to fix the damage fix the Okeola-Bokusoro- the Ministry of Works. culvert, saying the local Aipate culvert that caved “We want this serve Safety Alert System (N-Alert) government has disclosed in due to heavy rainfall as a reminder to the min- Mobile Applica on for joint that the project was be- few weeks ago. Up ll the istry of works that the opera ons and monitoring yond what the council me of this release, noth- broken culvert along Oke- of the preparedness of the could handle. ing has been done about ola-Bokusoro-Aipate s ll Services and the Nigeria PoThe statement reads: it. remains there undone. lice. This is a tool to enable “We are using this oppor“IICN have wri en the Businesses and residents the public access real- me tunity to call on the State local government and they of that area are suffering response to distress and Government of Osun to have confirmed to us that as a result of this. Ac on emergencies in the areas of take prompt ac on on the it is beyond the capacity has to be taken as soon as crime, fire, flood, medical ambulance services etc.” request by the Iwo East of the local government, possible”.

Also speaking at the event, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, congratulated the Ministry for the launch of the app, saying it is coming at a me the Staff Unions in the when Nigeria most needs Yusuf Oketola na on’s federal universi- it.

On his part, the MinisHE management es. of the Obafemi The statement reads ter of Informa on and CulAwolowo Univer- in part: “To this end, all ture, Alh. Lai Mohammed, sity (OAU), Ile-Ife, State of undergraduate and post- pledged the support of his Osun, on Tuesday, direct- graduate students in the ministry, the Na onal Oried all students to vacate Halls of Residence are enta on Agency and other departments and agencies their halls of residence. directed to vacate their A statement signed respec ve hostels and go under his ministry in promo ng and publicizing the by the Dean, Division of home ll further no ce.

Applica on for the use of Student Affairs, Prof. I.O. “It is our hope that Nigerians.

Aransi, dated May 10, issues necessita ng the In his welcome speech, 2022, said students must strike ac on will be re- the Permanent Secretary, comply with the direc ve solved as soon as possi- Ministry of Interior, Dr. no later than today, May ble.

Shuiabu Belgore, thanked 13, 2022.

“The University Man- the former Minister of InteAccording to him, the agement and the Division rior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman direc ve was sequel to of Student Affairs wish all Dambazau, for ini a ng the the latest development students a safe journey project and also taking out on the ongoing strike to their respec ve des me to a end the launch of his ini a ve. embarked upon by all na ons.”

Iwo Indigenes Seek Govt’s Intervention On Collapsed Culvert Kazeem Badmus

I

NDIGENE of Iwo under the aegis of Iwoland Indigenes Council of Nigeria (IICN) has sought the interven on of the State Government of Osun to fix the Oke-Ola-Bukusoro-Aipate Culvert in the town.

The culvert, according to them, caved in due to downpour few weeks

ago.

IICN, in a le er dated May 9, 2022 and signed by the Coordinator, Sola Isola, alerted the local government on the urgent need to fix the culvert to avert impending casual es.

A copy of the le er was sent to the Chairman of Iwo East Local Council Development Area.

The group, in a press statement on Tuesday,

ASUU Strike: OAU Directs Students To Vacate Hostels Till Further Notice

T

•The collapsed Oke-Ola-Bukusoro-Aipate culvert.

FRIDAY, MAY 13 - THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2022

5

Feature

Police Told Me I would Pay To Get My Son’s Corpse Before His Death Was Announced •The Story Of A Mother Whose Only Child Was Allegedly Tortured To Death By Police •We Had No Reason To Torture Him - Police •Continued from Page 1 deceased, Mrs. Yemisi Adesina, disagreed with the police, claiming that police killed her only son, Femi.

She punctured the police claims, saying all what the police said on the arrest and death of her son was far from the truth.

According to her, the allega on that he was a suspected ritualist was a cover up story to incriminate him a er his death and shielded the concerned policemen from jus ce.

OSUN DEFENDER had earlier established a false claim from the statement of the police on where Femi and his friends were arrested.

Contrary to the claim of the police that the suspects were chased and arrested at Safejo area, along Osogbo/OAU Ife Campus road, Ile-Ife, inves ga ons

by OSUN DEFENDER revealed that the suspects were raided at their residence located behind Olubuse Memorial Grammar School, Ogooluwa community, IleIfe on Thursday, April 7. They were arrested around 4am.

The policemen scaled the fence to gain entry into the apartment of the suspects, who were suspected to be internet fraudsters, notoriously know as YahooYahoo boys.

Inves ga ons by the medium revealed that an informant had told the police that Kehinde Olayade and Raimi Sheriff had ‘cash out’ (go en money from cyber fraud), which prompted the police to act swi ly with the inten on to extort them.

Femi, the deceased was not living in the same house with Olayade and Sherif, but decided to sleep over in their house when it was late on the day they were arrested. The trio had gone to watch the first leg of Chelsea vs Real Madrid match which ended around 10pm that day.

Speaking with the medium in an emo on laden voice, the mother of the deceased, Mrs. Yemisi Adesina, asked the Inspector General of Police to probe the circumstances surrounding the death of his son, saying the police in the state of Osun are guilty of extrajudicial killing.

Adesina said the police tortured her son to death for commi ng no offence, saying that he was neither a ritualist, nor an internet fraudster.

She said all effort to secure the bail of the suspects proved abor ve as the policemen insisted on collecting a sum of N2m before they could be released.

According to Adesina, a policeman called her on phone on April 14, 2022 (the seventh day of Femi’s deten on) and told her that she would pay to get the corpse of her son.

She said: “Femi visited me on Wednesday and we talked. The following day, he called his younger sister to prepare food for him, telling her he would come to eat a er watching a football match that evening.

“It was late before the football match ended and his friends told him to go with them to sleep over in their house. I was told he was awake around 4am, playing game when the police scaled the fence and raided the house.

According to some other people in the house, nothing incrimina ng was found on them and inside the house. The only thing the police took in the house was an herb for

•CP, Wale Olokode

•Femi.

•Femi’s mum.

hernia inside a gin.

“I was informed of Femi arrest around 4pm by my dad.

I was disturbed on hearing that he was arrested by the police because he was a gentle boy. He would not involve in any bad thing. He had never engaged in quarrel or fight with anybody; and he had never been arrested by the police. I rushed to my dad’s place where Femi was living and my people encouraged me to be strong, saying he would be released.

“A er the arrest, I was told the same policemen came to check Femi’s house at evening on same day. They searched his room but found nothing. Surprisingly, the police took away the foodstuffs (Rice and Beans) in his room.

My dad asked what their offence was and the policemen said they found human heart in their custody. Femi and his friends instantly denied that before the policemen hurriedly took them away.

“On the seventh day of his arrest and deten on, a police officer called me on phone and asked if I am a responsible mother, and I told him yes. I told him I had been trying to see my son but could not because I did not know where he was being detained. The policeman told me Femi was sick, I was perplexed but he told me to be praying that nothing bad would happen to him, but he did not disclose where he was being detained. He just told me to come to Osogbo. Around 6:00pm that same day, the police officer called me again and gave the phone to Femi, I spoke with him and he told me he was ge ng be er; the phone was taken away from him a er that. I called back and Femi said he was ge ng be er. I asked the policeman where my son was being detained but he did not disclose the place to me. He only told me I should come to Osogbo.

“The following day, I went to meet a re red police officer in our area and he help to call one policeman known as coach. It was coach that told me that Femi and his friends were being detained at a police sta on in Obelawo, Osogbo. The officer told me not to worry that Femi and his friends would be bailed on that day. Around 6:30pm, I received a call from a police officer and as soon as I picked the call, he said: “you will have to pay before the corpse of your son will be released to you”. I rebuked that immediately and he cut off the call. I called several mes but he didn’t pick up again. On Friday, the ninth day, a policeman called and told me my son is dead. That is how I lost my son, a gentle and harmless Femi. Femi was a cool and calm boy.

“His dad and I went to the police sta on in Obelawo and we asked for him to be bailed. The policemen were just blabbering, saying they did not torture him to death.

My husband asked the policemen what his offence was but they could not say anything. We engaged them but they refused to talk to us again. And they did not allow us to see his corpse. Femi was my only child. He is not a stubborn boy. Police killed my only child.

“Femi’s friends told me that the police took Femi out

of the cell in the morning and returned him by evening for some days. They said Femi did not disclose what the police did to him when he was taken out. According to his friends, the police took him out on Thursday and did not return him to the cell. The police have threatened his friends not to talk to anybody again. My son was tortured to death.”

Mr. Oladapo Awoyele, a rela ve of Femi, told OSUN DEFENDER that he was with the deceased at the viewing centre where they watched the football match on April 6.

Awoyele said: “We do watch ball together and, on that day, we went to watch Chelsea vs Real Madrid. A er the match, around 9:50pm, his friends told him to sleep over in their house and he bid me goodbye. He went with them on that day because his friends have Play Sta on 2 and he was eager to go with them to play. One of his friends is a tailor while the other is into plumbing work.

“The following morning, we heard they have been arrested and we started looking for them. But we did not know where they were. Around 5pm, we were at a place where some of us, the youths in this area gather to play; then we saw a tainted hummer bus approaching us. The bus parked and policemen on jacket came down from it.

They brought out Femi with his friends handcuffed and we asked the police what they do. Ini ally, the police didn’t say anything but later, they told us they arrested them with human heart. Femi and his friends were laughing, saying it was a lie. One of the policemen slapped them and told them to shut up.

“They searched Femi’s room but nothing incrimina ng was found. They only carried his foodstuffs and le with the boys a er that. We tried to secure their bail but we couldn’t un l Femi died in their custody.

The police claimed that they chased the boys from OAU to Safejo area before they were arrested. That is a big lie. They were arrested in their house around 5:00am.

The other boys who were later released told us that they tortured them ll Femi died.”

Calling on the Federal Government, Inspector General of Police, human rights ac vists and other well-meaning Nigerians to help her get jus ce on the death of her only child, the deceased mother said the policemen collected another sum of N580, 000 from the rela ves of Femi’s friends before they were released on bail.

Femi’s corpse was s ll deposited at a mortuary at the State Government Specialist Hospital, Asubiaro, Osogbo as at the me of filling this report.

But the Police Public Rela ons Officer, Osun Command, Mrs. Yemisi Opalola, denied the allega ons that Femi was tortured to death, saying he complained of stomach ache and was taken to hospital for treatment.

Opalola said the police had no reason to torture Femi and his friends, saying they all made confessional statements to the police.

She stated that the police is commi ed to observing and respec ng the human rights of every Nigerian, including a suspect.

FRIDAY, MAY 13 - THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2022

6

Education

ASUU Strike: OAU Students Protest, Block Ife-Ibadan Road Idris Idowu

S

TUDENTS Of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile- Ife, yesterday, staged a peaceful protest to demand an end to the ongoing strike ac on of the Academic Staff Union of Universi es (ASUU).

The students who converged at their campus gate marched down to the major highway which connects commuters traveling from Ife to Ibadan and vice versa.

According to the students who gathered under the aegis of Fund Educaon Coali on, the protest will con nue un l their demands are met by the Federal Government.

The students were joined by some concerned members of the community. They held placards bearing various inscripons like “Fund Educa on Now”, “Educa on is not a Scam” among others, as they chanted “End ASUU Strike”.

One of the organisers of the protest, simply idenfied as Comrade Teemat, while speaking with OSUN DEFENDER, said the Federal Government’s failure to come into agreement with the striking lecturers

Owoade with other APC stawalts at his birthday programme. shows that Nigeria leaders are not concerned about the future of the students, since their children are not schooling in the country.

Teemat noted that the government values poli cal ac vi es than educa on as they prefer to spend millions of naira on their poli cal ambi on than to find las ng soluon to the ongoing strike ac on.

She said: “They don’t

have our interest in mind, they are careless about us, the government has refused to fund educa on, they are all only running around spending million for their fu le ambi on.

“The ministers who are now resigning shouldn’t be resigning because of their ambi ons, they should be sacked because of maladministra on, incompetence and inep tude.

“We are here to demand an end to this incessant and prolonged strike.

For how long are we going to con nue like this?

Enough is enough.”

The medium gathered that efforts by the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Wale Olokode, who visited the protest scene to calm the protes ng students proved abor ve as the students didn’t allow him to talk to them.

UNIOSUN Gets Reaccreditation Of 25 Programmes

T

HE Na onal Universies Commission (NUC) has re-accredited 25 undergraduate academic programmes of Osun State University, Osogbo.

According to the Public Rela ons Officer of the university, Mr. Ademola Adesoji, the new approval for the 25 academic programmes was contained in a le er from the NUC, dated April 14, 2022 and signed by the Director of Accredita on for the Execu ve Secretary.

Adesoji said UNIOSUN had presented 25 undergraduate programmes during the accredita on visit of the NUC between October and November 2021.

He said the various NUC teams had rigorously examined the University’s quality and quan ty of teaching staff, available facili es, budgetary provisions, among other criteria.

The PRO noted that the approval conveyed by the NUC revealed that all the 25 programmes presented got reaccredita on status, except one which got interim accredita on status.

The programmes with full accredita on status are: B. Agriculture (Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness); B. Agriculture (Agricultural Extension and Rural Development); B. Agriculture

(Animal Science); B. Agriculture (Agronomy); B.A. Islamic Studies; B.A. Philosophy; B.A. Theatre Arts; B.A. Yoruba; B.A. Tourism Studies; B.Sc. Anatomy; BN.Sc. Nursing Science; B.Sc. Physiology and B.Sc.(Ed.) Biology Educa on.

Other reaccredited courses are: B.Sc.(Ed.) Chemistry Educa on; B.Sc.(Ed.) Mathema cs Educa on; B.Sc.(Ed.) Physics Educa on; B.A.(Ed.) English Educa on; B.Sc.(Ed.) Economics Educa on; B.Sc. (Ed.) Poli cal Science; B.Sc. Entrepreneurship; LL.B Common Law; B.Sc. Building; B.Sc. Estate Management; B.Sc. Chemistry; B.Sc. Plant Biology; B.Sc. Zoology and B.Sc. Sociology.

Only B.A. Linguis cs and Communica on Studies was granted interim.

With this latest approval, the university has renewed its opera onal license to run the above listed programmes for the next five years and the last one programme given interim for the next two years when the Commission will revisit for another re-accredita on.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Ayo Clement Adebooye, while receiving the le er of accreditaon, expressed his gra tude to the commission for being diligent in its du es, urging its leadership to con nue to uphold the standards expected of university educa on in the country.

Crime Supplier Remanded For Alleged N12m Cocoa Scam, Fake Affidavit 53-Year-Old Man In Court Yusuf Oketola

A

67-year-old man, Johnson Siyanbola, has been remanded in Ilesa Correc onal Centre by an Osogbo Magistrate Court over an alleged N12,000,000 fraud and making fake affidavit.

Siyanbola, a supplier, was said to have fraudulently obtained the N12m from one Waheed Oduwoye of Wakman Golden Heritage Ltd, under the pretence of supplying cocoa beans to his company.

The defendant was also accused of issuing a dud cheque No. 47071902 of FCMB Bank to Oduwoye on behalf of Wakman Golden Heritage Ltd to withdraw a sum of N12,922,000.

But the cheque was dishonoured at the bank and wri en Drawers Atten on Required (DAR).

Also, the accused person was said to have knowingly deposed to an affidavit dated November

17, 2020, at the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Osogbo Judicial Division, with which he allegedly defrauded the complainant and his company.

According to the charge sheet obtained by OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, the defendant and others at large commi ed the offence on November 17, 2020 in Osogbo.

The alleged offence, according to the police,

contravened Sec on 1(1) (a)(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, Sec on 1(b) (1) of the Dishonoured Cheque (Offences) Act, Laws of the Federa on of Nigeria, 2004 and Sec on 118 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Vol. II, Laws of Osun State, 2002.

However, the defendant pleaded not guilty to the fourth count charge of making false affidavit.

Meanwhile, the court refused to take his plea on count one, two and three of the charge because the Magistrate Court lacks jurisdic on to entertain them.

The presiding Magistrate, A.A Adebayo, ordered that the accused person, be remanded in Ilesa Correc onal Centre.

The case was adjourned ll June 23, 2022 for hearing.

20-Year-Old Bags 6 Months Jail Term For Theft David Osundeyi

A

Osogbo Magistrate Court has sentenced a 20year-old man, Monday Jonah, to six months imprisonment for stealing property worth a sum of N615,000 in Osogbo.

Jonah was convicted by the court after pleading guilty to a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing levelled against him on

Wednesday.

The convict was said to have stolen a 12kg gas cylinder, gerrard roofing sheets, generator ba ery, Moa machine, pressure pump, chandelier light, electronic light and slim pump, all totaling N615,000 from the shop of his boss, Abolore Oladeji.

According to the charge sheet obtained

by OSUN DEFENDER, the convict and others at large commi ed the

offence in the month of April, 2022 at Halleluyah Estate, Osogbo.

The offence, according to the police, contravened Sec ons 516 and 390(9) of the Criminal Code, Cap 34. Vol. II, Laws of Osun, 2002.

He was sentenced to six months imprisonment at Ilesa Correc onal Centre by the presiding Magistrate, Adekanmi Adeyeba with an op on of N20,000 fine.

For Allegedly Forging Family Land Agreement

A

53-year-old man, Shina Ogunwale has been arraigned before an Osogbo Magistrate Court for allegedly forging his family land agreement in his bid to sell four plots to one Obajuwonlo Olaiya in Okinni area of the State of Osun.

Ogunwale, according to the police, was said to have forged agreement document in the name of Lasigun family and signed it without the consent of the family.

He allegedly obtained a sum of N1,200,000 from Olaiya under the pretence of selling the land to him.

According to the charge sheet obtained

by OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, the defendant commi ed the offence in 2016 at Oke-Aigbe, Lasigun Estate, Okinni.

The alleged offence, according to the police, contravened Sec ons 419, 390(9) and 467 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Vol.II, Laws of Osun

State, 2002.

But the defendant pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge of fraud, stealing and forgery levelled against him.

Defence Counsel, Okobe Nagite, prayed the court to admit the accused person to bail on a liberal term, no ng that reliable surety would stand for him throughout the trial.

Speaking in the court, Olaiya, the complainant, said he recently found out that the accused person deceived him into buying the land, saying the head of the Lasigun family denied all signatories on the agreement document handed over to him by the defendant.

In his ruling, the presiding Magistrate, A.O Ajanaku, admi ed the defendant to bail in a sum of N250,000 with two surees.

The case was adjourned ll June 17, 2022 for hearing.

FRIDAY, MAY 13 - THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2022

7

News/Sport

Bursary: Oyetola Not Sincere On Supporting Students - Ex Students Leader Kazeem Badmus

A

former President of Federa on of Iwoland Students Union (FILSU), Obafemi Awolowo University Chapter, Comrade Sefiu Oladipupo has challenged the guidelines set aside by the State government of Osun in selec ng beneficiaries of the bursary award programme rolled out by Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.

Oladipupo, in a statement made available to OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, accused Oyetola of not sincere on suppor ng students, no ng that the idea of using bursary to

se le poli cal supporters is a very poor concept.

He said Oyetola wanted to use the bursary to boost his chance at re-elec on, urging the Governor to be genuine about helping the students and not trying to use them for poli cal benefits.

It would be recalled that the state Commissioner for Educa on, Hon. Folorunso Oladoyin, had few weeks ago said a total of 3,100 students benefi ed from the bursary award, meaning that 100 beneficiaries are drawn from each of the 30 local governments and the area office.

But Oladipupo ques oned

the selec on process of the beneficiaries, challenging the government to explain the public how it arrived at 3100 students and their iden es.

He said: When the Commissioner for Educa on in Osun state announced that students in the state will begin to receive the bursary, I hurriedly went for the records to serve my curiosity. The thought that Governor Oyetola is suppor ng students a er more than three years of neglect is enough promp ng.

“Let us start with the numbers. According to Oladoyin, a total of 3100 students benefited from the bursary, mean-

ing that 100 beneficiaries are drawn from each of the 30 local governments plus the area office. But the ques on that must agitate minds is how did the government arrived at that?

“As a one me students leader and an alumunus of two ter ary ins tu ons in the state, Federa on of Iwoland Students Union (FILSU), Obafemi Awolowo University chapter with the lowest number of an associa on of Iwo indigenes in ter ary ins tu on has a popula on of almost three hundred (300) students. Let us not talk of the popula on of Iwo students in polytechnics and colleges of educa on in the country.

“Oladoyin tried to answer that ques on when he explained that beneficiaries were dra ed a er “rigorous ve ng and valida on of the names of indigent Osun students spread across Nigerian ter ary ins tu ons in the country.” What he however failed to tell the

public is the arbitrariness that defines the whole process.

“Before now, bursary was seen as an interven on by the government to lighten the burden of learning in our environment, given the harsh economic reality facing many students.

“But that was not what happened. Students who had waged hope on ge ng the interven on were le disappointed. And this was because the process that produced beneficiaries was faulty, or to be blunt, poli cal.

“Although Oladoyin wanted to pretend that that was not the case when he said “the list was generated by the associaon and validated by the Ministry of Educa on to fish out fake students”, what happened was en rely the opposite. While student bodies were allowed to nominate certain numbers as eligible beneficiaries, a larger percentage were rooted through the ruling party.

“It was so bad that some students dismissed the bursary

as a mere poli cal cover, as most of the beneficiaries are either members of APC or are believed to be favourable to the re-elec on bid of Oyetola.

“This is not to say that bursary is a wrong idea but the truth, as we can tell from the most recent experience, is that Oyetola is not sincere about suppor ng students. The idea of using the bursary to se le poli cal supporters and raise new ones is a very poor concept.

“Oyetola will indeed be interested in exploring any opportuni es to boost his chance at re-elec on, however, there should be a limit to the exploita on of the weak.

“Students deservedly need help and Oyetola as the Governor, should be genuine about helping them, not trying to use them for poli cal benefit.

“Certainly, the talk of bursary to Osun students was nothing but the usual trick to deceive the public and send a false impression about the Oyetola government”.

Nigeria to Host 1st CAF Cup Final After 18 Years

F

•Members of the newly elected national executive committee of Ilobu Development Union IDU led by its President, Pastor Olufemi Salako, being sworn in by Barrister Rauf Ogunsola, recently, in Ilobu.

Transfer Rumour: Newcastle, Man U Eye Victor Osimhen

N

EWCASTLE United and Manchester United have reportedly entered a race to sign Napoli striker, Victor Osimhen, amid the lure of the Premier League.

The 23-year-old has ne ed 17 goals and registered six assists in 30 appearances across all compe ons for Napoli during this campaign, surpassing his total from his first season with the Serie A giants.

Newcastle are in the market for a new striker to be er their league posi on from this year, while Man United will be looking to replace Edinson Cavani, and poten ally Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard.

Italian outlet Calciomercato reports that Napoli could be looking for an offer to break the £100m threshold before considering accep ng a deal, which Newcastle are now expected to be

able to fund under their new ownership.

The Nigerian interna onal is believed to be keen to play in the Premier League, a er going from the Bundesliga to Belgium and then

Ligue 1 before signing for Napoli in 2020.

Since joining the Italian giants, Osimhen has scored 27 goals and provided nine assists in 60 appearances for the club.

OR the first me since December 12, 2004, when the Abuja stadium hosted the final match of the CAF Champions League featuring Enyimba and Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia, a Nigerian stadium will be hos ng a CAF cup final.

Yesterday, the Confedera on of African Football (CAF) confirmed that the Godswill Akpabio Interna onal Stadium in Uyo will host the 2021/22 Confedera on Cup final on Friday, May 20, 2022.

This is the first intercon nental major cup final to be hosted in Godswill Akpabio Inter-

na onal Stadium in Uyo. Last year, the Confedera on Cup final was hosted in Cotonou, Benin Republic, where Morocco’s Raja Club Athle c beat Algerian side, JS Kabylie 2-1.

Four teams remain in the race to win the 2021/22 CAF Confederaon Cup. In the first match of the first leg of the semifinals, DR Congo’s TP Mazembe scored a late goal to secure 1-0 victory over RS Berkane of Morocco.

In the second semi-final, the first leg between Libya’s Al Ahli Tripoli and Orlando Pirates from South Africa saw Orlando

Pirates take a 2-0 advantage to the second leg.

The second leg of the semi-finals will be played on Sunday, 15 May 2022.

•Patrice Motsepe, CAF president

Entertainment Fans Tips Elozonam For African Magic Best Content Creator Awards

T

WITTER Fans of the former Big Brother Naja Season 4 Housemate, Elozonam Ogbolu, popularly known as Elozonam, has supported him for the best Digital Content Creator in the categories of Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Award (AMVCA), holding tomorrow in Lagos.

Some of the fans described Elozonam as the best amongst the nominees in that

category of the award.

Africa Magic View-

ers’ Choice Awards is an annual accolade

presented by Mul Choice recognising

outstanding achievement in television and film.

According to one of his fan with twi er handle name, Future’s Prayer, “I was expecting the unexpected.

Elozonam may be the most crea ve creator in Nigeria, seriously”.

Other nominees in that category includes Mr Macaroni, Tee Kuro, Bukunmi, Ilori, Oga Sabinus,Taaooma, Jacqueline Suowari, Edem Victor and De Ja Vu.

ISSN : 0794 - 8050

News

FRIDAY, MAY 13 - THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2022 VOL. 17 NO 19 www.osundefender.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com

Bursary: Oyetola Not Sincere On Supporting Students Ex Students Leader Pg. 7

N

IGERIA is located in the tropics with five classified temperature: hot-dry, temperate-dry, hothumid, temperature-humid and temperature-dry with good climate that could grow all kind of crops all year round. The country covers an area of 923,769 square kilometres (356,669sq mi) with popula on of over 211 million and over 525 languages. It is uniquely covered with plains and savannas and has one of the largest river systems in the world. This country is home to stupendous deposits of numerous natural endowments – Oil and gas, Limestone, Lead, Zinc, Niobium, Iron Ore, Coal, Metal, Stone, Sand and arable land. In addi on, the country is peopled with very industrious and crea ve creatures in virtually all areas of life. They have severally exhibited outstanding ou ngs any me opportuni es beckon to serve outside the country.

Ordinarily, ci zens of any country with these stupendous milk and honey flow, combined with wonderfully creave ci zens, should have guaranteed decent working and living condi on that will be enviable of ci zens of other na ons around the world. However, impoverished and debased living of the mass majority of Nigerians has shown that having resources is one thing, capacity to u lise and translate them into real wealth and development for the upli of the majority of the people is another. The disconnect of a poli cal structure with required ideology and commi ed leadership that can organise these assets and galvanise people to transform them into development and modernity since the country independence has been the challenge, and unless it is confronted and smashed, the country is doomed.

Already, the ever recycled ruling elite have completely alienated the poor working people from holding poli cal office that may bring them close to effec ng policies that could turn around their pathe c condi ons. For instance, only the moneybags and their par es could fulfil condi ons laid down by their organ – INEC – to register poli cal par es. Some of the poor people poli cal par es that did everything to get registered some mes ago have been deregistered with the affirma on of the Supreme Court.

For some poor people who think they could have their way in the ruling APC and opposi on PDP, the humongous price of inten on and nomina-

“As long as the majority of the poor people remain stubborn slaves to their ruling elite masters while privately groaning in pain, Nigeria may not survive this terminal ailment”

Can Nigeria Survive This Terminal Ailment? on forms has shown them that they are not wanted and that the poli cal game is big business of poli cs for the big boys – not any more decep ve call to service. Despite the exorbitant price tag on nomina on form, there is litany of presiden al aspirants whose “friends and associates” procured them forms.

At the close of work on Tuesday, 10th May, 2022, no fewer than 25 aspirants jostling for APC presiden al cket have bought the form, aside 105 governorship aspirants and more than 1,500 aspirants for states Houses of Assembly.

The ruling elite mobilised to buy the forms like a child buying ‘TomTom’ on a street. Interes ngly, none of these ruling elite has slightest idea of how to turn around the economy and bring peace to the land based on their interac ons and engagement with the people in the course of their so-called consulta ons with the people. All they want is acquisi on of poli cal power to fulfil their “life-long personal ambi-

STRIKER

on.”

As WAEC commences examina ons on Monday, 16th May, 2022, Zamfarawa and Sokoto states would not present students. Meanwhile, Sokoto Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, wants to become President under the pla orm of the PDP while his counterpart, Governor Bello Matawalle, last month of April, bought 260 u lity vehicles, including Cadillac 2019 model for Emirs and District Heads in Zanfarawa. As ASUU has con nued with the strike, so has Emeka Nwajiuba and Dr. Chris Ngige, the Minister of State for Educa on and the Minister for Labour and Employment respec vely, bought APC’s N100m nomina on form to become Nigeria President. Already, Independent Petroleum Marketers Associa on of Nigeria (IPMAN) has, through its Chairman in Kano State, Bashir Danmalam, warned of another looming fuel scarcity which has begun to manifest in Abuja. This is another misery in the pipeline for the poor people.

The most annoying thing is that the present crops of poli cians are very reckless and don’t mind pulling down the system. Anyway, they have laid the country prostrate by stealing more than enough for them to easily relocate to another country; only the poor have no place to go. All the signs the military always take as excuses to take over power from the civilians like mass dissa sfac on with bad incumbent government policies and programmes, mass protests, insecurity, etc are already living with us. At present, the Army are not in the barracks. There is virtually no state in Nigeria where the military are not engaged one way or the other to maintain normalcy in fighting kidnappers, bandits and terrorists, amongst other criminali es. The Generals, especially those being re red, have acquired enough resources to sponsor any funny military incursion into polics. It has happened in Chad, Mali and Guinea.

The only way out is for the poor in their huge number to be prepared to making sacrifices of using their sweat and blood to build their own poli cal party that will be so viable to contest and win elec ons; alterna vely, they could align with other smaller par es which have manifestoes closer to their yearnings and aspira on for a be er life; they must be prepared to refuse selling their votes on elec ons day; they must sacrifice today’s stomach infrastructure for a be er tomorrow where stomach and real infrastructures will be guaranteed for their permanent decent life. As long as the majority of the poor people remain stubborn slaves to their ruling elite masters while privately groaning in pain, Nigeria may not survive this terminal ailment.

Striker is not the opinion of the Columnist featured above

A Long Way From Home

A

S far as the historic des ny of Nigeria is concerned and its present locale in No Man’s Land, even the most op mis c observer will agree that we are a long way from home and sadly dri ing farther astray.

Anyone may ask, “Where is the desired HOME for Nigeria?” It is clearly stated in the second stanza of Nigeria’s Na onal Anthem: “... A na on where peace and jus ce shall reign.” Both are not mutually exclusive, they are interdependent: one guarantees the other. With jus ce reigning supreme, peace is guaranteed along with all the other supplica ons in that anthem – “great lo y heights a ained...” “One na on bound in freedom, peace and unity...”

The primal task of interroga ng our gloomy loca on and asking the hard queson of how we find ourselves so far from “a na on where peace and jus ce shall reign” belongs to the people. Sadly, the people have le both ques ons and answers to the very architects of our misadventure, the poli cal elites: majority by far of who do not think beyond their private and clique interests.

A casual glance at the affairs of the poli cal elites, their ac ons and inac ons, their conducts among themselves, within and between their various gangs labelled

poli cal par es, is sufficient for any ra onal ci zen to begin rethinking, reac ng and ac ng. That, however, is not the case.

There is an astonishing capacity for “suffering and smiling” typical of the average Nigerian, whereas those who are upset have largely embraced the most nega ve and socially destruc ve self-help solu ons.

Nigeria is not the first na on to go through a history of social damna on.

Many na ons did. Some perished, most vegetate endlessly therein, and some rose like phoenix and become shining examples of na onhood; and we don’t need to go a long way overseas to find example for each. For the last men oned happy batch of overcomers, Rwanda is a close by example, under the leadership of Paul Kagame and his crew.

Societal redemp on and re-engineering is not the task of the en re ci zens of a na on, whereas the majority of the ci zens need to key into it at a certain stage.

Its commencement is the task of only a few focussed, disciplined and highly organised patriots. The history of na ons prove so; from the story of the founding fathers of America, to European na ons, to contemporary “Asian Tigers.” What anyone will wonder about Nigeria is that: are there no men and women anymore in the larg-

est black country on earth (fortuitously put together by divine providence) that are capable of coming together as patriots to do the needful, in a land once traversed by Ahmadu Bello, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Aminu Kano, Balarabe Musa, Tai Solarin, Ola Oni, Eskor Toyo, Ken Saro Wiwa, Gani Fawehinmi and crea ve masters like Chinua Achebe, Fela Anikulapo Ku , and others too many to men on for lack of space.

Elec on is the least of Nigeria’s humongous problems and certainly not an all-inall bringer of solu ons. If it is a problem or solu on at all, it is only a problem and a solu on for the elite - for the a ainment of only God-knows-what for them! ASUU and ter ary educa on, like security and economic produc vity, like corrup on and “authority stealing,” like electrifica on and local refinement of crude, like many other tribula ons, do not need a new Presidency and Na onal Assembly to resolve. They all require a new order, a new system!

Just like a people produce the kind of government they deserve, let us hope our disposi on as a people is not too woefully damned to produce the kind of patriots that we deserve, and in me, for an end to this dastardly mo on without movement (other than into the abyss).

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.

Website: www.osundefender.com Email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com, osundefemder@yahoo.com