Osun Defender Online Version of February 26, 2021

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26 - THURSDAY, MARCH 04, 2021

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VOL 16 NO 07

Front Page Editorial

ITH just the odd glitch here and there, the renewed registration of members of the country’s dominant party, the All Progressives Congress, has been going on well.

However, in view of the often contentious landscape of Nigeria’s politics, there have been few incidents of disruptions.

Bola Ige Akande The renewal exercise in Awolowo the Nigeria’s ruling party is an opportunity to pause and look at the party structure and formation. The modern political party has evolved from what were essentially clubs, caucuses and even cabals into tightly organized, Tinubu Aregbesola Fashola cohesive structures based on the central party ethos and comto whip errant members into “democratic centralism” with mand. party “whips” in parliament line with subordination of inA critical issue is the nomendividual and caucus interests to

Political Parties As Mixed Grills?

clature of the interpretation of the party system itself in the Nigerian context. This is largely based on the hurried manner in which the parties were formed as a result of the swift retreat of the military junta back to the barracks in 1999 after a too long seizure of power in 1983. The hurried manner of formation has led many to dismiss the parties as mere special purpose vehicles which are in contradistinction to ideologically propelled cohesive political structures. In reality, a party as it were, is almost always a broad tent. Nevertheless, as the Federal Minister of Works and former Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola has sensibly pointed Concluded on Page 3

APC: The Redefinition Of “Progressive”

Back Page

HOODLUMS SACK OSOGBO COMMUNITIES Page 2

1 Feared Killed, Many Vehicles Vandalised Victims Of We’re Living In Fear – Obate Residents Ikirun Fire Police Arrest 11, Assure People Of Safety Outbreaks Seek Help 9 Ifeoluwa Actor Arraigned Oyetola Students Receives For Scamming Remanded Hotel N1.5m For Alleged Best Gov. Of Cultism, Page 6 Food, Drinks In The Year Threat To A Night Page 7 Kill Principal Award Page 7 Page 4

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News

Hoodlums Sack Osogbo Communities

By Ismaeel Uthman

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RIMINAL activities of cultists and hoodlums have continued unabated in Osogbo, State of Osun.

The cultists and hoodlums have at different occasions sacked normal daily activities for residents of some parts of the state capital, when they were out to strike, investigations have revealed.

On Monday, the thugs went on rampage, shooting into the air, harassing people and vandalising vehicles on their way around Oke-Baale, Kolawole, Ita-Olookan, Oluode, Obate, Egbatedo, Idi-Omo, Oke-Abesu, Ori-Eeru, Oke-Ayepe, Idowu Barber and other places in Osogbo.

According to residents of the affected areas, the hoodlums have been terrorizing the communities for the past one week.

The residents who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER on Tuesday said they were forced to close their shops, business places and houses when the thugs started their fight again around 7pm on Monday.

“The fight started around 7pm, the thugs were just trooping out from unknown places and started shooting into the air. They wreaked havoc on Oke-Baale, Kolawole, Atelewo, ItaOlookan, Oluode, Obate, Egbatedo, Idi-Omo, OkeAbesu, Ori-Eeru, OkeAyepe, and Idowu Barber. They were operating on about 40 motorcycles”, said credible sources.

OSUN DEFENDER learnt that each of the about 40 motorcycles was ridden by four hoodlums, who reportedly armed themselves with guns, cutlasses, axes, charms, clubs and bottles.

Findings by the medium revealed that the reoccurring clashes between two rival gangs in Obate were responsible for the persistent disturbances of peace of the communities.

A leader of one of the warring gangs was said to have just been released from prison and had since been reportedly waging war against some other groups in Osogbo.

According to sources, one person was feared killed in the clash.

Speaking with the medium, one of the victims of the hoodlums’ clashes on Monday, Mr. Waheed Adeleke said the windscreen of his vehicle was broken when he ran into

their midst at Obate area, around 7:30-8:00pm.

He said: “I did not know anything was happening. I unluckily ran into the hoodlums at Obate junction when I was going to Abesu.

They were coming on bike and some of them smashed the windscreen of my vehicles with the

cutlasses in their hands.

The car’s side mirrors were also broken. But I was lucky because I was not attacked. Some other road users were macheted by the thugs.”

Another commuter who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER but does not want his name in print said: “I was coming from

Oke-Baale, approaching Oja-Oba. Before getting to Obate River, I just saw the hoodlums trooping out on about 40 motorcycles from the neighbourhood. There were threeto-four of them on each motorcycle. They were fully armed. They were heading for Oke Baale.

I had to call my people

to close their shops and business places.

“I wanted to change my route and take Oke Abesu to Ita-Olookan, before getting to a burial ground around that area; I just heard gunshots and people started running helter-skelter. I had to make a U-turn again. The thugs were everywhere,

Chairman of the 73rd birthday event of Dr. (Mrs) Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu, Barr. Kolapo Alimi, presenting the portrait of the celebrator to her representatives, Dr. Lasisi Olagunju and Prof. Sat Obiyan, assisted by the Executive Secretary, Awolowo Centre for Philosophy and Ideology, Mr. Tope Mustapha and representative of immediate past Speaker, State of Osun House Of Assembly, Mr. Goke Butika in Osogbo on Saturday.

Photo: Olushola Aderinto

SRJ’s Bill Goes To Second Reading

By Yusuf Oketola

Sen. Basiru

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HE bill proposing a Federal Medical Centre in Osogbo, State of Osun moved by Sen. Ajibola Basiru at the Senate has scaled the first reading and it’s now slated for second reading. Analysts have described the establishment bill as vital for the health needs of Os-

ogbo and environs.

A lot of people wonder about the quality of the representatives they send to Abuja and rightly so since a lot

Symbol’s Quote

“People don’t just love us, they do because we represent something that’s very important to them”

rides on their efficacy and ability to deliver. Here, the perception is that Senator Ajibola is delivering on his statement of mission. the bill when passed will be a landmark achievement impacting on the social and health infrastructure of the state capital in particular and the state in General.

The Senator as a first timer has sponsored three bills in six months, the bills according to him include a bill for the establishment of Federal College of Education Ila-Orangun, a bill to provide for the establishemnt of the State Police and to ensure the effective Communal Policing and a bill for the establishment of political parties registration and regulation commission.

vandalizing vehicles and causing panic in the communities. People hurriedly closed their shops and houses. The communities were instantly deserted.”

OSUN DEFENDER met the Obate-in-Council, led by Chief Taye Oladele, the Baale of the community. Not only did they confirm the Monday attacks, but also declared that all residents of the area have been living in fear.

All the chiefs of the Obate community took their time to talk one by one, expressing their displeasure on the unchecked activities of the hoodlums, which they said have been taking negative tolls on their businesses.

They disclosed that for the past few days, they have not been sleeping with their two eyes closed because of the incessant clashes between hoodlums of different gangs.

In his reaction, Chief Oladele said he had on several occasions been attacked by the hoodlums, calling on government to show political will to end the menace.

Oladele said: “Hoodlum-related activities, clashes and attacks are recurring incidences, and very disturbing.

We were forced to close shops, business places and even our houses on Monday. That is what we are used to because it did not just happen on Monday. My people have been living in fear because of the hoodlums who are operating freely.

“We are always afraid whether we are at home, shop or markets. These hoodlums are terrorizing us and we call on government to come to our rescue.

We are ready to support the government when it is ready to take bold steps to curb the criminal acts.

“Government and politicians should be held responsible for the increasing rate of thuggery activities. We want to beg the government and politicians not to destroy the society because they are the ones using these thugs. These hoodlums are being sponsored by politicians. The politicians should stop killing us.

“The police and other security agencies are trying but the government is not supporting them.

If a thug is arrested, Continued on Page 7

PEOPLE FIRST

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Political Parties As Mixed Grills? and their families. He demonstrated this in words and deeds during his eight years dicey proposition to hand over the pul- of path-breaking progressive intervention pit to the yet-to-be-properly-integrated and as governor of the State of Osun. It is very ideologically tutored newcomer. This repre- clear that the Johnny-come-late flocking to sents an astute forewarning. join the winning team have completely difThe forewarning also motivated the cau- ferent ideas in mind. For them, the APC is tionary note issued by a special purpose vehiformer Osun State gover- “Aregbesola clearly sees cle to achieve personal nor and Federal Minister the party as an amalga- aims and ambitions; of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf mation forged to “make their signing up is not Aregbesola about not the life more abundant” for based on ideological quantity but the intent the overwhelming major- orientation. and stability of some of ity and their families.”

This position, if acthe new influx into the cepted, is profoundparty. Coming from Aregly disturbing. For the expectations of the besola, this is understandable. In fact as a merger of parties leading to the emergence committed lifelong social democrat and pro- of APC in 2013 is that the foundation was gressive, it will be a dereliction of duty if he being laid for the creation of a desperately did not. Aregbesola clearly sees the party as needed new national democratic majority an amalgamation forged to “make life more based on the social democratic progressive abundant” for the overwhelming majority principles which had propelled the Action Continued from Page 1

Group, the Unity Party of Nigeria and the Social Democratic Party.

Both the Action Group and the Unity Party of Nigeria were also broad-based, nevertheless at no time through twists, turns and turbulence did they once even consider or tolerate a deviation from their core ideological orientation to elevate the society’s living standards.

The original hope must not be dashed and Aregbesola is absolutely fulfilling his progressive obligation by speaking out now.

Broad tent or not, the party’s pulpit must not be handed over to those lacking in progressive antecedents and character. It will be a betrayal of trust. As Frantz Fanon has been often quoted: “out of relative obscurity, every generation has a mission which it will either fulfill or betray.” People like Aregbesola are correct to warn about a repudiation of the basis upon which the party was found. To do so will be unforgivable.

Making Olaiya Flyover Altogether Beneficial

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N the assiduous drive towards industrialization and overall development of any human society, infrastructure is key, basal and pivotal: infrastructure, not only in the physical sense of it but also human cum intellectual.

We applaud the infrastructural initiative that birthed the widely-talked-about Olaiya Flyover, Osogbo, capital of the State of Osun. Through this, the administration is proving its mettle in seeing through the smokescreen of the past; taking the bull by its horns by keeping alive the great, high-grounds broken by its predecessor in office.

To fully appreciate the Olaiya interchange and its attendant situational adjustive imports, we must not shy away from giving kudos to the foresight engendered by Aregbesola in his mass infrastructural initiatives, especially in road networks which he caused to see the light of day over his eight-year dual tenure.

The diversions, necessitated by the flyover project, if nothing else does, now sing loud praises to these illustrious landmark imprints. A clear case of efforts of yesteryears paying off well today, even beyond imaginable limits!

But in order to make the huge investments of the past to count and yield well; and to the effect

that the credits due to current initiatives may not feed innocent residents with undeserving bread of sorrow, the Oyetola administration should, as a matter of urgency, not leave some salient facts to chances. The harrowing tolls which road diversions currently take are biting hard on the citizenry. The access roads, ready on ground, are not yet fully well-utilised.

The effects are not slow in appearing from the horizons: traffic congestions, delays in arrival time at destinations, hikes in commuting fares and lots worse. We appreciate that these challenges are for a while and are endurable to certain extents. However, the fact that they are surmountable, tractable and manageable to lessen the burden on commuters provides us with wiser options. This means all of us should not be subjected to increasing hardships while the lifebettering project lasts.

Gladly, a few-hour demo was given a trial prior to kick-starting the project. Findings from that exercise should be improved upon daily. More of the traffic congestions and gridlocks could be averted, especially by providing traffic control officers at every bottleneck and making more appropriate use of the entry/exit routes provided by the West and East (Adesoji Aderemi) bypasses at

the city outskirts.

Above all, bold initiatives in keeping a ceiling on transport fares will now be timely and interventional. By this, the good, well-intentioned gestures of the government would not turn sour.

OSUN DEFENDER IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY OTHER NEWSPAPER, MAGAZINE OR ANY PUBLICATION WHATSOEVER

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News

Aregbesola, Oyetola’s Followers Cautioned On Bickering

By Ismaeel Uthman

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HE Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State of Osun, Comrade Wole Adunola has called on followers of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and those of the Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola to guard against comments capable of polarising the party.

Adunola said the namecalling and vituperations that greeted the recent comments made by Aregbesola while revalidating his party membership last week in Ilesa were needless among the followers who are members of the same party.

Making reference to the recent meeting held at Chief Bisi Akande’s residence in Ila-Orangun, Adunola stressed that no matter the differences between Oyetola and Aregbesola, it would later be resolved amicably in the absence of the followers.

He said: “While the Interior Minister is entitled to his opinions, I am however sad that within the same family, our members resorted into calling names and throwing caution into the wind without consid-

ering the consequences of such actions. They have all forgotten that whatever perceived differences today shall be resolved without any of the followers on the seat.

“The recent example was the close-door between the Governor Oyetola and

the Interior Minister himself, Aregbesola, at the instance of Chief Bisi Akande and our National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The quartet held a meeting for hours without any of the followers near the meeting room; this should be a lesson that no

matter the level of misunderstanding today, it will be resolved without those puffing embers of discord around the vicinity.

“As a party, we shall continue to attract valuable politicians into our fold, politics is a game of number and that is the basic

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HE Asiwaju Musulumi of Iwoland, Alhaji Liadi Tella has called for collective efforts to combat and defeat criminals who are terrorizing Osun and the entire South-Western part of Nigeria.

According to Tella, leaving the fight against rising kidnapping and herdsmen attacks to the security agents alone was tantamount to prayer without work.

Tella, who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER in a telephone interview yesterday warned against labelling a particular ethnic group as criminals, saying that each and every society has its own bad eggs.

He said: “A criminal is a criminal. Whether

nation.”

Adunola said Osun APC still remains an indivisible entity, adding that the governor has given consolidation a perfect definition through many impactful programmes across the length and breadth of Osun to the admiration of resident and stakeholders.

Victims Of Ikirun Fire Outbreaks Seek Help

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ICTIMS of the recent incidents of fire outbreak in Ikirun, Ifelodun Local Government Council Area of the State of Osun have cried out for help from the government and well-meaning Nigerians.

Eight different shops were razed by fire at Oja Oba and Olawuwo Hassan Street, beside Ifelodun Local Government Council Secretariat, Ikirun last weekend.

Two of the shops were razed early Friday morning at Oja Oba while a FADAMA II complex of six shops were razed on Saturday morning.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that power surge might be responsible for the fire outbreaks in the two areas.

It was learnt that goods and equipment worth millions of naira

The shopping complex were lost to the two fire disasters.

One of the victims who own a saloon shop at the FADAMA complex, Ramat Oladimeji, said she recently stocked her shop with goods but lost all to the inferno.

She said: “I was called yesterday (Sunday)

around 4am that our shops were on fire. By the time I rushed down, everything had been lost to the inferno. I could not salvage anything. I sold bulk weave-ons and attachments at dozen prices. I had dryer (for hairdos), freezer that I used to

started night patrols to confront the hoodlums.

“When we did it thrice, the hoodlums surrendered and ran away from our area. Other communities also did the same thing and this made all the streets in Lagos to have gates. We defeated the armed robbers.

“It is still the same Nigeria. Between 2018 and early 2019, there was this phenomenon of 1m boys who went from house to house in Lagos, almost 150 of them, looting houses. When the youths decided to face the security challenge, within four weeks, they were rooted out.

“We must learn to take responsibility in order to face problems that arise within our domains. What is the number of policemen

we have in Nigeria? We have less than 450,000 officers across the country.

By these figures, we do not have more than just 60 policemen to provide security for over 350,000 Nigerians. They are not angels; they are human beings like us.

“Except the communities join hands with the existing police and begin to map out plans to checkmate criminals, it will be difficult for us to have peace. Let us stop blaming government.

We can converge against kidnappers, round them up and hand them over to the security agencies.

“These people are not angels; they are not coming from the skies. The people need to rise up, join forces with the security agencies and flush out these criminals.”

Only Collective Efforts Can Flush Out Criminals From Osun – Iwo Chieftain

By Odunola Akinbode

strategy of politics globally. We want to assure our members and leaders that our party is big enough to accommodate every interest; no one can play other’s role. Every sane individual is important in politics, irrespective of class, religion and other social discrimi-

Yoruba, Hausa, Ijaw, Igbo, Fulani. Criminality does not and should not have tribal or racial segregation. The criminals we are talking about did not descend from heaven, they live in our midst.

Some of us know them and we need to support efforts at nabbing them at the local government, state and the federal levels.

“Giving quit notices to an ethnic group all the time is not the answer.

In 1985/86/87 in Lagos, armed robbers took over everywhere. They would issue notice that they were coming on so-soso day and they would come. The people were helpless until we decided to take our destiny in our own hands. Every male in each household formed vigilante and we

sell drinks and I recently stocked my shop.

“Everything lost to the fire outbreak will be up to N500, 000. I was, by the help of God, operating the biggest saloon in this area. This is what I have been doing in the last eight years. I want Nigerians and government to help me. " Another victim, Mrs. Nofisat Kamila, who said she and her husband used two shops as pharmaceutical stores, lamented that their only source of livelihood was gone.

She said: "My husband and I managed two shops here, which we used as pharmaceutical stores. We sold in bulk.

We sold drugs and other medical materials, equipment at wholesale price. I can't give accurate figure of the goods we had in shop before the inferno, but they should be up to N2.1m. My husband and I struggled to set up that

place. We engaged in hard labour. We were just getting relieved when the shops were gutted by fire. This has been the only source of income for us. We have children and dependents.”

Segun Oluseyi, a 25-year-old fashion designer said he lost all his machines and customers’ clothes to the fire outbreak.

“I have one industrial threading machine and four ordinary machines.

I have different wardrobes filled with customers’ clothes. What I lost to the fire is more than N550, 000. I seek the help of people on my loss.

There is nothing left for me. I don't know where to start from.”

Expressing his pains, Alhaji Ademola Oladimeji, the president of Goodluck FADAMA Association, the group that owns the razed shop, described the loss as a huge one, not only to members, but other occupants of the shops.

He said: “We built the shops with the help of World Bank under the FADAMA III project. We have gone to the local government through the desk officer of FADAMA to complain. We hope they pass the information to the national body to seek their assistance.

“We also hope Nigerians will come to our aid.

This is a huge loss to the occupants of the shops.

They are people who are struggling to make ends meet and members of the Goodluck FADAMA Association.

The razed shops at Oja-Oba, Ikirun.

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Feature

Osun APC: Of Jolly-Good-Fellows And Fair-Weather Friends Ilesa, State of Osun came alive last Friday, when the homecoming of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Nigeria’s Minister of Interior to participate in the ongoing nationwide registration/revalidation exercise of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) cascaded into a carnival. ISMAEEL UTHMAN gives graphic details of the event.

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OLLY-GOOD-FELLOW and Fair-Weather friends are not strange in phraseology. While the former, a song, is always used in congratulating a person (a steady good relationship) on significant events, the latter refers to a person whose friendship cannot be relied upon in times of difficulty.

Nigerian politicians, except for a few who are ideologically grounded with self discipline, are much of fairweather friends, than jollygood-fellow. While there was distinctive difference between progressive and conservative politicians before the Fourth Republic; politicians of the new millennium have notably massacred their various parties’ ideologies, on the altar of continuous stay in power.

Their participation in politics is not ideologically defined; rather, it is based on survival theory. That is why cross-carpeting is easy for them.

Criticisms have always trailed the inconsistency of Nigerian politicians, who either lay claim to being a democrat or republican in followership of the American politics, but refused to imbibe the admirable discipline of members of the party. In Nigeria, a sitting governor who enjoyed the votes of the electorate under the aegis of the All Progressives Congress left the party for the Peoples Democratic Party. Also, another governor who was voted in on the platform of the PDP defected to the APC. This is the peak of crisscross in Nigerian politics, so far.

In recent times, some of the South-West politicians, are dangerously playing the Machiavellian game of ‘stooping in order to conquer’, against the principles of Chief Obafemi Awolowo who would say ‘death is preferable to prostrating before your tormentor’.

Realising the facts above, the Minister of Interior of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has warned the APC members against the Fair-Weather friends who are currently trooping into the party with the ongoing membership registration and revalidation.

Aregbesola, who spoke during his membership revalidation at Unit 1, Ifofin Ward 8, Ilesa East Local Gov-

“ Nigerian

politicians, except for a few who are ideologically grounded with self discipline, are much of fair-weather friends, than jolly-good-fellow

”

ernment Area of the State of Osun, last Friday, said with the exercise, APC members now have a say in whoever becomes the flagbearer either at the party level or for government elective positions.

However, the former governor of the state stirred the hornets’ nest by stating that the party had admitted people of questionable characters, advising that those who constitute majority of the APC membership must represent the core values of the party. He noted however that the members have a moral duty to ensure that such elements with bad records do not occupy leadership positions and use it to subvert and derail the party, just as he reminded them of the imperatives of internal democracy in the party.

Aregbesola reminded the people that Chief Bola Ige was their leader and stood all his life for a compassionate government, commitment to the good of the majority and ideas that would bring good

Aregbesola, flanked by his wife, Alhaja Sherifat and enthusiastic party members during the revalidation of his APC membership. life, happiness, progress and security to the people. He urged them to be conscious of those who continue to dance on Ige’s grave and avoid anything that would dishonour the late statesman’s memory.

He went further to declare that anybody that wants to rise on Ige’s tomb shall not rise.

Aregbesola’s submission swiftly attracted reactions from within and outside the APC. Political analysts were quick to draw inferences from his statements to mean that he was referring to the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2018 gubernatorial elections, Senator Iyiola Omisore, who defected to the APC last week. Governor Adegboyega Oyetola said the APC had caught a ‘big fish’ with Omisore joining the party. There were insinuations that Oyetola is warmer to Omisore than Aregbesola.

Omisore was part of the founding members of the Alliance for Democracy (AD).

He was a deputy to former governor Bisi Akande. He was impeached as deputy governor for allegedly plotting Akande’s removal and that led to crises in the AD.

The senator left for PDP, under which he became a senator in 2003 and 2007. He contested and lost to Senator Babajide Omoworare of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in 2011. Omisore left the PDP for SDP in 2018, later to form coalition with the APC in the build-up to the governorship election rerun of that year before he eventually joined the APC last week.

But Bola Ige’s death has remained an albatross on Omisore, even after being acquitted of his alleged involvement in the murder of the former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, by a court of law.

Many would have thought that joining the progressives would have put an end to the question of who killed Bola Ige, because they were and are still the people making accusations on the Cicero of Esa-Oke’s death.

At the event, Aregbesola assured the people of working towards greater success of the party and of his commitment to progressive ideals. He reminded them that he made a debut in Osun on the Oranmiyan platform 17 years ago, and with others fought

Speaker, OSHA Rt. Hon. Timothy Owoeye, former APC Chairman, Elder Lowo Adebiyi and former Chairman, Ilesa West LGA, Alhaji Azeez Adesiji exchanging pleasantries with Aregbesola at the event.

the agents of darkness and regression and firmly consolidated the party in the state.

This effort has produced two successive progressive administrations in the state and also won presidential and national legislative elections thrice since then, noting that it would be difficult for those who lack such pedigree to displace him in the party in the state.

In closing, he delivered the message of President Muhammadu Buhari on his resolve to tackle the problems the nation is facing, especially on security. He assured them that President Buhari and the Federal Executive Council are working hard to make these challenges a thing of the past.

The minister, as usual pulled cheerful crowd at the event. Members of the APC, Aregbesola’s supporters and admirers trooped out in their thousands to welcome their beloved, Aregbesola. The excited crowd had been waiting as early as 8am and waited till around 5pm for his arrival.

Aregbesola had left for the Lagos airport at 7am to catch a flight to Ibadan, from where he hoped to continue the journey to Ilesa by road.

The flight was however delayed due to bad weather at the Ibadan end. He waited till noon when the airline regretfully announced the cancellation of the awaited flight.

He returned to his house and made the journey to Ilesa by road, which lasted for four hours.

Though, he had planned it to be a private affair, he was received at Ibodi by an enthusiastic crowd of supporters, well-wishers and party members. Aregbesola had earlier been joyfully welcomed into the state by hawkers at Ikire, who upon sighting him in his car ran after him and started shouting his name.

On getting to Ilesa, Aregbesola went straight to the venue of the exercise at his Ward 8 in Ifofin, in Ilesa East Local Government, where to

his even greater surprise, a larger crowd had been waiting for him.

On sighting him, the crowd, which included drummers and residents of neighbourhoods on streets along the route he passed through, especially Ifofin, welcomed him with jubilation and fanfare. His coming home became a carnival, to his great delight. The mammoth crowd was chorusing ‘Aregbe ti wole, Aregbe ti wole… menaing: ‘Aregbesola has come, Aregbesola has come’.

He was officially received by party leaders, government officials (past and present) and his former aides.

Leading them was Pa Kunle Odeyemi, the leader of the APC in Ijesaland; Elder Lowo Adebiyi, who was State Chairman of the party; the Speaker of the State of Osun House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Timothy Owoeye and his wife; and Hon Idowu Korede, his Commissioner for Environment when he was governor in the state.

Other party leaders and dignitaries present were chiefly cabinet commissioners, advisers and assistants during his time as helmsman of the state, comprising: Barrister Kolapo Alimi (Commissioner for Local Government), Hon. Biyi Odunlade (Commissioner for Sports and Special Needs), Hon. Kunle Ige (Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security), Engr.

Kazeem Salami (Commissioner for Works and Transport), Barrister Gbenga Akano (Special Adviser on Tax Matters), Hon. Muyideen Olateju (Special Adviser on Science and Innovation), Hon. Tunde Ajilore (Special Adviser on Natural and Mineral Resources), Hon. Ademola Adeyinka (Special Adviser on Public Production and Efficiency), Hon. Wale Alabi (Senior Special Assistant on Regional Integration) and several others.

After completing the revalidation exercise, he displayed his slip to the enthusiastic roar of the crowd present.

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Continued from last week

S

ECONDLY: Pride is an attribute that is not befitting for anyone except Allah. Allah will destroy whoever seeks to compete with Him on that, wreak vengeance on him and make things difficult for him.

It was narrated that Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri and Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (SAW) said: “Might is His garment and pride is His cloak; whoever seeks to compete with Me concerning them, I will punish him.”

Religion

JUMAT SERMON By Imam Zakariyah Sarumi

Narrated by Muslim, 2620. Al-Nawawi said: This is how it is narrated in all texts. The pronoun in the words ‘His garment’ and ‘His cloak’ refers to Allah, and there is something omitted; what is meant is ‘Allah says, ‘whoever seeks to compete with Me concerning them, I will punish him’.

What is meant by ‘seeks to compete with Me’ is seeking to acquire that characteristic in the sense of sharing in it. This is a stern warning against arrogance, which clearly demonstrates that it is haraam. Sharh Muslim, 16/173.

Everyone who tries to be arrogant and puts himself above others, Allah will bring him down among the lowest of the low, and will humiliate him, because he is going against reality. So, Allah will punish him by thwarting his aims; the punishment is to fit the crime.

The one who is arrogant towards the people will be trampled beneath the feet of the people on the Day of Resurrection, as a punishment for his arrogance.

It was narrated from ‘Amr ibn Shu’ayb via his father and grandfather that the Prophet (PBUH) said: “On the Day of Resurrection, the arrogant will be gathered like ants in the form of men. Humiliation will overwhelm them from all sides. They will be driven to a prison in Hell called Bawlas, with the hottest fire rising over them, and they will be given to drink of the juice of the inhabitants of Hell, which is teenat al-khabaal.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2492; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 2025.

Thirdly: Arrogance is of several types, including the following: 1 – When a person does not accept the truth and produces false arguments against it, as we have mentioned in the hadeeth of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood, “Arrogance means rejecting the truth and looking down on people.”

Arrogance In Islam (II) 2 – When a person admires himself for his beauty or handsomeness, or the fineness of his food or clothing, so he feels proud and arrogant and feels superior to other people.

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Whilst a man was walking, dragging his garment with pride, with his hair nicely combed, Allah caused the earth to swallow him and he will go on sinking in it until the Day of Resurrection.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3297; Muslim, 2088.

A similar case is the story of a friend of the man whose companion spoke to arrogantly. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And he had property (or fruit) and he said to his companion, in the course of mutual talk: ‘I am more than you in wealth and stronger in respect of men”.

(Quran 18:34).

It may be that he was boasting about his tribe and linage.

Fourthly: One of the remedies for arrogance is to think of yourself as being just like other people and realizes that they are like you; they were born from a mother and a father just as you were, and that taqwa (piety, fear of Allah) is the true criterion for superiority.

Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that (believer) who

has At-Taqwa i.e. he is one of the Muttaqoon (the pious).” (Quran 49:13).

The arrogant Muslim should realize that no matter what he achieves, he is still too weak to attain a stature like the mountains in height nor to rend or penetrate the earth (Quran 17:37), as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning): “And turn not your face away from men with pride, nor walk in insolence through the earth. Verily, Allah likes not any arrogant boaster.” And be moderate (or show no insolence) in your walking, and lower your voice. Verily, the harshest of all voices is the braying of the asses” (Luqmaan 31:18-19).

Al-Qurtubi said: The phrase “nor walk in insolence through the earth” is a prohibition of arrogance and is enjoining humility. Marah (translated here as insolence) is excessive joy, or it was said that it means being arrogant in walking, or thinking too highly of oneself. Qutaadah said: it means showing off in walking; or it was said that it means vanity.

All of these suggestions are close in meaning, but they may be divided into two categories: those which are blameworthy and those which are praiseworthy. Arrogance, vanity, showing off and thinking too highly of oneself are blameworthy; joy and energy are praiseworthy. Tafseer alQurtubi, 10/260.

Another remedy for arrogance is for a person to realize that on the Day of Resurrection, he will be gathered in a small form like an ant which will be trampled underfoot.

Arrogant people are hated by other people just as they are hated by Allah; people love humble, tolerant and gentle people, and they hate those who are harsh and cruel to people.

Another remedy is to remember that he and urine came out of the same place; that he began as a despised drop of sperm and he will end up as a rotten corpse, and that in between he is a vessel for faeces. So what does he have to feel so proud and arrogant about?

We ask Allah to rid us all of arrogance and make us humble.

And Allah knows best.

• Concluded.

• Imam Zakariyah Sarumi Imam, Ipetu Ijesa, State of Osun.

Crime Polytechnic Student Arraigned We’re In The Dark - Family Of Policeman Attempted Murder Allegedly Killed By DSS Operatives In Osun For student of Igbajo on breach of peace, assault

By Solomon Odeniyi AMILY of the Police Corporal, Rauf Fawale, allegedly killed by some operatives of the Department of State Service in Osun, has accused the Nigeria Police and DSS of keeping them in the dark on the matter.

The late Fawale, who was attached to Dada Estate Police Division in Osogbo was said to have died from injury he sustained on his head after he was allegedly attacked by one DSS operative identified as David Olowoporoku and two others at a social place in Oke Fia, Osogbo.

The father of three reportedly died on Sunday, January 24, 2021 at private hospital in Osogbo.

His wife, Balikis, had said her late husband went to a birthday party held by his boss after he was promoted to the rank of Inspector, alleging that her husband was killed because of his promotion.

The spokesperson of Osun State Police Command, Yemisi Opalola has, while briefing journalists said the Commissioner of Police, Wale Olokode had met with the Director of DSS and was assured of ongoing disciplinary action against those complicit in the matter.

However, in an exclusive

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interview with OSUN DEFENDER, Muse Fawale, a family member of the deceased, lamented that they have not heard anything from either of the Police or the DSS since the last time they went to the state command.

He said: “Sunday made it exactly a month he was mur-

dered. Nobody in the family knows where the matter has reached. They (the Police and DSS) did not carry us along.

We hope they are not trying to sweep the matter under the carpet. The only time we heard something on the issue was when we were at the state command. It is only when the

perpetrators are brought to book that we can be pacified.

We want Nigerians and civil societies in particular, to help us get justice.”

When contacted, the spokesperson of the Police, Mrs. Yemisi Opalola, said the DSS was yet to hand over the suspects to the Police.

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According to the charge sheet obtained by OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, the defendants and other suspects at large committed the offence on February 17, 2021 at about 10:00am at Ifeoluwa Co-educational Grammar School, Osogbo.

The alleged offence contravened Sections 516, 64, 249(d), 213, 86 and 451 of the Criminal Code Cap 34. Vol.II Laws of Osun State, 2002.

However, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the sevencount charges of conspiracy, breach of peace, assault, malicious damage, unlawful possession of charms, engaging in unlawful society and threat to life.

Defence counsel, Mr. Oladipupo Olatunbosun prayed the court to admit the suspects to bail, saying that considering their ages, the court should be magnanimous in its decision by admitting them to bail.

The bail application was opposed by the prosecuting counsel

from Osun State Ministry of Justice, Mr. Moses Faremi. He requested that a formal application should be made to the court.

However, Magistrate Ishola Omisade ordered that Timileyin, Akinlolu and Abass be remanded in Ilesa Correctional Centre, while others were to be remanded in Juvenile Home at Testing Ground Juvenile Home because of their age.

9 ByIfeoluwa Students Remanded For Alleged Cultism, Threat To Kill Principal Yusuf Oketola

INE students of Ifeoluwa Co-educational Grammar School, Osogbo have been remanded in Ilesa Correctional Centre and Juvenile Home, Testing Ground, Osogbo for allegedly engaging themselves in an unlawful society and causing pandemonium in the school premises.

The students are: Adeniyi Timileyin (18), Tajudeen Akinlolu (20), Waheed Abass (19), Ok Manni (17), Mood Rid (17), Ade Broom (17), Leks Kiki (14), Money Freeze (17) and Abd Ballings (16).

According to the Police, the students were members of Aiye confraternity.

They were accused of arming themselves with cutlasses, axes and charms, with intent to kill the Principal of the school, Mrs. Mary Adeoye, just as they allegedly destroyed her office.

All the teachers of the school were also chased out of their offices by the students, the Police alleged.

Olokode

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Polytechnic, Toyibu Adesokan has been arraigned before an Osogbo magistrate’s court for allegedly damaging a fan of the Nigeria Police Force and attempting to kill two persons with broken bottle.

Toyibu, according to the charge sheet obtained

by OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday attempted to kill one Dada Damilare and Bolanle Olawale after he bought a bottle of wine worth N12, 000 and refused to pay for it at a hotel in Igbajo, State of Osun.

The accused person also allegedly assaulted one Olaniyan Oluwasiji, a security in charge of the hotel by giving him a fist blow and also biting him in the thumb which made him to sustain injury.

According to the charge, the defendant committed the alleged offence on February 19, 2021 at about 10:00pm at a hotel in Igbajo.

The police said the alleged offence contravened Sections 249, 320, 355, 451, 419 and 86 of the Criminal Code Cap 30, Vol. II, Laws of Osun State, 2003.

But the accused person pleaded not guilty to the seven-count charge bordering

and attempted murder.

Defence counsel, B.Y Dada prayed the court to admit the suspect to bail on a liberal term, saying that all the charges against him were just an allegation until the contrary is proven.

She stressed that the defendant is a student of Igbajo Polytechnic and will be going for his NYSC next month.

Police prosecutor, Inspector Fatoba Temitope told the court that Toyibu had been a threat to the members of the public in Igbajo and if he was admitted to bail, there was probability that he would commit similar offence.

Temitope added that the suspect damaged the police fan when he was trying to escape from the police station.

The Police said the broken bottle was recovered from him and presently at the police station.

Toyibu was however admitted to bail in the sum of N500, 000 a surety by Magistrate Ishola Omisade.

The case was adjourned till March 23, 2021 to be mentioned at the Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Igbajo.

PEOPLE FIRST

News

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26 - THURSDAY, MARCH 04, 2021

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Ooni Unveils Adire Textile Production Hub, Harps On Youth Engagement

By Solomon Odeniyi

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ONI of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, on Monday launched an Adire textile production hub; a cultural centre built on a 30,000 square metres of land with a vision to empower the youths through the revival of local fabrics.

While declaring the hub open within the premises of the Ife Ground Resorts, Ile-Ife, Ogunwusi revealed that the ancient Adire textile is an agelong tradition of Ife, from where he said it was taken to Abeokuta by the Egbas and from there to other parts of the world.

Oba Ogunwusi said: “Our vision is to empower our youths because that is the way

Oyetola Receives Best Gov. Of The Year Award

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OVERNOR of the State of Osun, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola was awarded ‘Best Governor of the Year’ for 2020 by Business Day Newspaper.

Oyetola received the award in Abuja yesterday for his exemplary leadership qualities and his administration’s effort in transforming the state.

The governor’s recognition followed the assessment carried out by the organizers’ 2020 States Competitiveness and Good Governance Awards Committee.

to go. If we empower them, they won’t be interested in protests and other things that might disrupt the system. A lot of them will be productively engaged and I am happy to inform you that we are doing that already.

“We are working with the textile department of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and other tertiary institutions across the country as well as Yoruba-speaking countries like Cuba, Brazil, Venezuela among others.

“This innovation is a clear message to all that lots can be achieved through local technology and intelligence. Look at this whole place, it was built and decorated through local intelligence while these fine touches were done with local fabrics (Adire).

“This is the beginning and I can assure you that we have mapped out plans to take it across the entire country and beyond.”

Earlier in her address, Co-founder of the textile hub, Princess Ronke Ademiluyi, described the concept as a viable means of youth empowerment, cultural promotion and cultural exchange.

Ademiluyi said: “His Majesty decided that we should launch this production hub during this year’s Aje festival because she (Aje) is about wealth creation and entrepreneurship and textile hub aims to provide a lot of wealth-creation opportunities for the

local artisans in Ile-Ife who work with us and the hub will enable them to increase their production capacity and generate sustainable income for them-

selves.

“Most importantly, His Majesty will also want the hub up engage in the use of sustainable practices, in-

it is the politicians that will get them released.

That is not helping the society. The government should address the issue of thuggery before it goes out of hand in Obate and Osogbo at large.”

A resident of Kolawole area who spoke with the medium on condition of anonymity said: “There is no resident of Obate among the thugs, and they don’t reside there. They had been coming to Obate to

buy Indian Hemp from some of the indigenes of the community. When the indigenes stopped selling Indian Hemp, the hoodlums took over and started expanding their tentacles. That is how the community became an abode for criminals.

“On Monday, all the residents of Kolawole were chased inside their various houses with guns by the hoodlums who were shooting sporadically. What is even happening at Kolawole is disheartening. “These

is also known as the indigo leaf as this is a resource that is yet to be tapped and can bring wealth creation to the local community.”

Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), National Leader, All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi during the 2nd Term Inauguration/Swearing-in Ceremony for the governor at the International Centre for Culture and Events in Akure on Wednesday.

Actor Arraigned For Scamming Hotel N1.5m Food, Drinks In A Night 36-year-old man, Ben Effiong, who claimed to be an actor was on Wednesday arraigned at a magistrate’s court sitting in Osogbo, State of Osun for allegedly fraudulently obtaining foods and drinks worth N1, 507, 200 in a night at an hotel.

Effiong was brought to court on a two-count charge of fraud and stealing.

The defendant, according to the charge sheet obtained by OSUN DEFENDER, committed the offence on February, 18, 2021 in Osogbo.

According to the Police, the defendant did by false pretence and with intent to defraud, obtain goods (food and drinks) valued N1, 507,200 on the pretence of making payment through mobile bank transfer into the hotel’s bank account.

The charge sheet said the alleged offence contravened Sections 419 and 390(9) of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Vol. II, Laws of Osun State, 2002.

But the accused person pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge of fraud and stealing levelled against him.

hoodlums have started robbing people of their phones and belongings at gunpoint during the day in the area.”

The clash reportedly lasted till around 11pm. Particles of broken vehicle windscreens were seen on the road at Oja-Oba, Obate junction, Kolawole and ItaOlokan.

However, it was gathered that the police have been flushing out the hoodlums from their various hideouts on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Speaking with the medium, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force, Osun Command, Mrs. Yemisi Opalola confirmed the incident, disclosing that 11 of the hoodlums have been arrested.

She said: “The police are on top of the situation and we have arrested 11 of the hoodlums. The thugs were arrested with cut-to-size guns, cutlasses and axes. We are still raiding the hoodlums and we will not relent until we flush them out.”

By Yusuf Oketola

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Cultists Sack Osogbo Communities Continued from Page 2

cluding researching and using dyes that are not harmful to the environment. He has emphasized that we make use of Elu leaf in Ile-Ife, which

Defence counsel, Kehinde Adepoju, applied for the bail of the accused person, saying that he was presumed innocent until the contrary is proven in a court of law.

The bail application was opposed by the prosecutor, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, John Idoko who insisted that the accused person should not be released, considering the amount involved, saying that he might jump bail.

“The defendant does not reside within Osun State, which means he cannot be traced to anywhere around the state.

The court should dismiss the bail application because the accused person is likely to jump bail”, said Idoko.

The manager of the hotel, Mr. Nurain Odukunle, told the court that a sum of N1, 507,200 was spent by the defendant on a night.

Odukunle said the accused person told him that he was an actor and was in Osogbo for a film production.

He added that being a customer, the hotel gave him everything to make his stay comfortable, including free transportation to everywhere he went as he promised to pay at the end of the day.

However, the presiding magistrate, Dr. Olusegun Ayilara, granted bail to the accused person in the sum of N1, 000,000 with two sureties.

The case was adjourned till March 24, 2021 for mention.

Al-Raheem Faidat Celebrates Maolid Nabiyy Al-Raheem Faidat Tijaniyah Wa Ibrahimiyah, Ede osun will on Sunday February 28, 2021 hold its annual Maolid Nabiyy celebration.

The event themed: Who is a believer will hold at Bode Street, Kitibi Compund, Ede. Sheik Khalifa Hammad Alkutawy is expected to speak at the event.

The chief host of the event is Abdulafeez Abdulwaheed aka Aduramigba.

ISSN : 0794 - 8050

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26 - THURSDAY, MARCH 04, 2021

VOL. 16 NO 07 www.osundefender.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com

Polytechnic Student Arraigned For Page 5 Attempted Murder

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progressive party advocates for reform and change, putting the common people first. It favours new ideas, policies and tactics that will enhance the living and working conditions of the ordinary people. That was the kind of party we had in the First Republic (1960-1966) with a party like Action Group (AG); Second Republic (1979-1983) with parties like Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and People’s Redemption Party (PRP); aborted Third Republic (19891993) with Social Democratic Party (SDP); and Fourth Republic (1999-2003) with Alliance for Democracy (AD), National Conscience Party (NCP), Democratic Alternative (DA), among others.

In those epochs, a progressive politician would never ally with his conservative counterpart, as their worldviews on how to move society forward were antithetical. If there would be relationship at all, it would be on a defined micro-issue and for shortterm mutual benefits; after all, there is still the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) and the need for cross-party cooperation. Although, the North is no exception in being blessed with progressive politicians like Aminu Kano, Ahmadu Bello, Balarabe Musa and co, the Southern part of Nigeria, especially the South-West, had always been particularly blessed with stupendous progressive politicians and parties who are always in ascendancy despite the presence of conservative parties and politicians.

While Bourgeois political party or multiparty democracy allows anyone to join political party of his/her choice, each party worth its onions has a dominant philosophy that must entail exclusion of characters whose antecedents in politics clearly show incompatibility. Yes, there are always tendencies within every party shades but these are by and large on issues of strategy and tactics, hardly on principles and philosophy. Therefore, a conservative party may have left-ofcentre, centrist, far-right and so, on but it is clearly an abomination for it to admit a renowned Communist!

From 2003 till now, things have taken a different turn. Since their formation, apparently as progressive and conservative parties, there has been continuous criss-cross between the APC and PDP to the extent that even the blind can clearly see that the difference between the two parties is six and halfa-dozen. This amalgamation of weird bedfellows has eroded the parties’ clear lines of political principles and practices, not to mention ideology, to such a level that any keen political observer will be very disturbed, if not for any reason than the fact that there is no other party yet that can upstage any candidate presented by APC and PDP at the national level. A victory against them at the state and local levels is rare and isolated.

Under the circumstance, one is more worried about APC that touts itself as a progressive party akin to the personages and ideas of such parties led by Obafemi Awolowo and Aminu Kano in the Second Republic, for instance. However, dilution of APC progressive content began in February 2013 when it was determined to wrestle power in 2015 general election from the ruling PDP at the national level. To construct a formidable formation to actualising this goal, opposition parties like the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), a faction of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and a New Peoples Democratic Party came together to form a brand new party - All Progressives Congress (APC) . APC was

APC: The Redefinition Of “Progressive” • Upholding Party Ethics Sacrosanct so formidable in terms “It must be clear to any pro- tion and revalidation of its alternative proin the wards is a pregressive programmes gressive party that have not cursor for the conduct and policies and tested completely redefined the word of a credible National leaders that it wrestled Convention, which has power in 2015 general “Progressive” that admittance opened a floodgate for election from the rul- of certain elements represents new membership. In ing PDP at the national a marriage between clear op- the process of the reglevel. istration exercise, amIn the new forma- posites, disparate bedfellows ple opportunity avails tion – APC – members and a mixture of day and night itself to known key of the former ruling of the PDP which nature itself abhors” members party – PDP – had who had been flirting joined APC; like Apabio, Amaechi, to men- with some APC leaders to officially get martion a few. In the run-up to National Con- ried. vention for the election of new National Although, everybody is entitled to join Working Committee (NWC) of APC, Yobe political party of his/her choice, these eleState Governor Mai Mala Buni led 13-man ments are known to be political businessmen Caretaker Committee / Extraordinary Na- who only want a platform for political calcutional Convention Planning Committee with lation and for personal interests at the detrithe mandate to conduct the convention of the ment of the people. They will eventually go party had resolved that membership registra- back to where they naturally belong but not

STRIKER

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without a dent or destruction of the “Progressive Party” they used as a nest to expeditiously navigate. Examples of such elements abound: Bukola Saraki and Atiku Abubakar are spiky examples. They got married to the APC at its formation but later left to where they naturally belonged - PDP - with debilitating blows to APC before their exit.

The same story of short-sighted and strange admittance into marriage of gladiators representing complete different political realities and praxis, simply for un-altruistic immediate political calculations, is now manifest in Osun, same as Ogun. Nationally, even GEJ and FFK are on the rumour list! It is instructive to note that Osun Gubernatorial election comes up next year - 2022 - like its Ekiti counterpart. However jaundiced and diluted its views, it must be clear to any progressive party that have not completely redefined the word “Progressive” that admittance of certain elements represents a marriage between clear opposites, disparate bedfellows and a mixture of day and night which nature itself abhors.

All the gladiators in APC National must rally to rethink such entries as nothing good or lasting comes out of such marriages except the penny that the foolish pounds greedily convert. For the real progressives within the party, the ensuing scenario calls for a review except they have conceded to the final polarisation of the party and the end of any possible consensus on party issues, especially elective offices either in the party or in the government; accepting that, henceforth, they all must be democratically contested. If so, the die is cast! The voting public in general elections who are watching will then have to decide on the true meaning of PROGRESS, the difference between 6 and half-a-dozen and look deeper for more meaningful choices.

Striker is not the opinion of the Columnist featured above

Rights, Peace and Responsibilities

URING the Buhari-Idiagbon regime (1983-85), there were reported incidences of people being shot at for as little as urinating in public. That was extreme enforcement of the War Against Indiscipline (WAI) by overzealous and trigger-happy soldiers; instance of the realities of bygone military rule.

With democracy comes freedom. However, democracy is not unlimited, unqualified freedom. If citizens want to enjoy rights, they must obey the Rule of Law and fulfil their civic duties; if they want peace and unity, they must demand justice and equal rights. The democratic deal is that power belongs to the people, and they have the responsibility to hold government that they elect accountable. No politician or government from heaven will come to build a paradise country for them for the asking; it can only be the outcome of their collective struggles (via all their various organisations), which is why it is said that “a people gets the kind of government it deserves.”

Under democracy, personal liberties are suspended in certain small measures in order for the society at large to be free, as government is constituted from amongst the people to see to the pursuit of their happiness. Individuals, as citizens, thereby have huge responsibilities in equal measures as they have rights. It is the failure by majority of Nigerians to properly understand and live up to these responsibilities and exercise

those rights that accounted for individuals and groups taking liberty for licence, in the light of near-absent government, leading to today’s grave threat to democracy, law and order and the corporate existence of the nation.

In the particular instance of the suffocating insecurity that is Nigeria’s present reality, let us take a look. Herders have complained for a long time in the North about cattle rustling, especially by terror groups (who needed food supplies and slaves - kidnapped persons - on their jungle farm, and ransom for funding their armoury). Policing and law enforcement ought to come to their rescue and neutralise the menace. Not being the case, self-help came into play with herders arming themselves with sophisticated weapons. This in turn dangerously impacted the age-old herders-farmers crises (particularly in Benue and Plateau), which had always been communally managed somehow without any creative intervention from the state in terms of modernising the cattle rearing profession. Consequently, the ordercrime-punishment equation ended up being politicised rather than balanced up!

With the State in self-serving slumber, with the citizens choosing arbitrariness and self-help rather than concerted actions to demand accountability from its elected government, and with the ever resourceful terrorist organisations seeing a loophole for tactical manoeuvre (in exploiting the armed-

herdsmen, herders-farmers imbroglio), they moved in. Again, rather than creatively assess and respond, the bungling state continued its drowse and the media (mis)adopted various nomenclatures for a clear, sophisticatedly coordinated terrorist and insurgency attack on the nation: “banditry,” “unknown gunmen,” “suspected herdsmen,” etc.

The majority of Nigerians know the truth: there have been Fulanis in virtually all parts of Yorubaland, and Southern Nigeria, grazing their cattle for decades and whereas it occasions periodic misunderstanding, they have always managed to resolve consequent disputes somehow; same as there are Yoruba and Southerners everywhere in the North doing their businesses and managing to get along with their host communities. The present crises have nothing to do with these common Fulani, Yoruba and Southern people who have little problems in peacefully coexisting. It is the failure of the state, the government and the ruling elite to solve fundamental and clear problems of insecurity that is playing out, straight to the advantage of the terror groups and politicians that senselessly think politicising insecurity will gain them political mileage in upcoming elections.

The truth is clear enough but the truth and the common people will continue to remain the casualty of the collapse of law and order, simply because they are, so far, reluctant to clearly understand and accept their social responsibilities and assert their rights under democracy. It is not too late to wake up as a people and do the needful.

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

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

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