Osun Defender Online Version of May 14, 2021

Aregbesola: Why Criminals May 3 Imams Die In Mother, Son Attempt Jailbreak Quick Succession Killed In •Gives Marching Order On Protection Of Custodial Facilities Page 2

FRIDAY, MAY 14 - MONDAY, MAY 24, 2021

In Inisa, Govt.

Shuts Central Page 5 Mosque

Modakeke Page 6

VOL 16 NO 18

Transfer Of Service To Osun:

LAUTECH Asks Profs., Others To Refund 6, 3-Month Salaries •Withholds Salary, Allowance Arreas

Page 2

•Eid-el-Fitr: Cross section of Islamic faithful observing Sallah prayers at Islahudeen Central Mosque, Alekuwodo, Osogbo, yesterday Photo: Olushola Aderinto

Accommodation Seekers Lament Poor Treatment From Caretakers, Agents

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FRIDAY, MAY 14 - MONDAY, MAY 24, 2021

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News

Transfer Of Service To Osun: LAUTECH Asks Profs., Others To Refund 6, 3-Month Salaries

By Ismaeel Uthman

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HE last has not been heard about the fallout of joint ownership dissolution of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso between governments of the State of Osun and Oyo State.

Findings by OSUN DEFENDER have revealed that the management of the university has been rolling out some policies that are not favourable to Osun as a former co-owner state and her indigenes.

OSUN DEFENDER authoritatively gathered that the university management has asked Osun indigenes who transferred their services to Osun State University (UNIOSUN) after the dissolution of LAUTECH joint ownership to refund between three and six months salaries.

Professors who transferred their services to UNIOSUN were asked to refund six-month salaries while others below the level of a professor were directed to refund three-month salaries.

The directive was contained in a memo sent individually to each of Osun indigenes who transferred their services to UNIOSUN. The memo was sent to

each of them on April 15, 2021. It was signed by the Registrar of the university, Dr. K.A. Ogunleye.

Investigations revealed that LAUTECH management has withheld the 2013 Academic Earned Allowance and Earned Allowance for both academic and nonacademic workers of Osun extraction who transferred their services to UNIOSUN. It was gathered that the 60 per cent balance of the 2013 AEA and EA, which was paid to all LAUTECH workers two weeks ago was not paid to those Osun indigenes that left the service of the university after the joint ownership dissolution.

The medium learnt that their allowances would not be paid till it accumulated up to three or six months’ salaries to be refunded to the university.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that two out of eight months’ salary arrears were also paid to LAUTECH’s workers on Monday, leaving out those Osun indigenes who have transferred their services to UNIOSUN. However, the medium learnt that Professor Olu Aina, who led the Osun committee on the dissolution of joint ownership of the university,

•Members of Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Osun Chapter and participants at the One-Day Solemn Assembly on Call-to-Prayer for Nigeria, held at NUJ Press Centre, Osogbo. has waded into the matter.

Some of the affected workers who spoke to the medium yesterday lamented that they were passing through tough period from both LAUTECH and UNIOSUN managements.

The workers chided the State Government of Osun for concealing the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the dissolution of the joint

ownership, arguing that they would have known what not to expect on the transfer of their services.

They stated that since the dissolution exercise was mutual between the two states, and the workers were given opportunity of transfer of service, it is morally wrong for the LAUTECH management to ask them to refund six- or three-month salaries.

According to the

workers, it amounts to breach of trust and backstabbing on the part of the university management, saying that they did not disengage themselves arbitrarily but sought transfer of service based on the letter from the State Government of Osun to the university.

The workers said: “The LAUTECH management demanded for three-month salary arrears for non-professors

and six-month salary arrears for professors from those of us that transferred our services to UNIOSUN after the joint ownership dissolution.

“The management has written each of us to that effect. The first step the university took was to withhold part of our arrears that the university owed us. Part of the arrears was paid two weeks ago, but we were •Continued on page 7

Upcoming Event Aregbesola: Why Criminals May Attempt Jailbreak

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HE Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola will celebrate his 64th birthday on May 25, 2021. Themed ‘Aregbesola Revisited: The Future of Progressive Politics’, OSUN DEFENDER is preparing a collector’s items for the special event. Advertisers and well-wishers should call the following phone numbers for booking of adverts: 08051212204, 09098077957, 08030417786

By Sodiq Yusuf

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HE Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has called on the new Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Haliru Nababa, to forestall future attacks on custodial facilities across the country.

Aregbesola, who charged Nababa to ensure strict protection of all the nation’s custodial facilities, noted that custodial centres have been under consistent attacks in recent times.

He lamented that when inmates break free from custody, the security of lives and property is in jeopardy and bad things happen.

The minister, according to a press statement by the Director of Press in the Ministry, Blessing Lere-Adams, stated this on Monday in his office in Abuja, while decorating Nababa as the new CG of NCS. Aregbesola explained that criminals might attempt jailbreak because some of the inmates belong to organisations which members will be planning to break in to the custodial

•Gives Marching Order On Protection Of Custodial Facilities centres to free the prisoners.

Charging Nababa, the former Governor of the State of Osun said: “Interestingly, you are mounting the saddle at a time of unusual security challenges.

“These are manifested in insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West and parts of North-Central, kidnappings in virtually all parts of the country, financial crimes and ritual killings in the South-West, militancy that is assuming an insurrectional dimension in the South-East and South-South and sundry other criminal activities in all parts of the country.

“The implication of this is that the custodial facilities will be bursting at the seams with the influx of inmates awaiting trials or convicts serving terms and awaiting execution.

“This poses a special challenge due to the fact that some of these inmates belong to organisations that will deem themselves to be fighting ethno-religious and

political causes. Therefore, their members outside will be planning jailbreak into the facilities to free their members.”

The Minister, who noted that whatever may be the motive, custodial centres have been under consistent attacks in a brazen challenge to the authority of the Nigerian state, added that when inmates break free from custody, the security of lives and property is in jeopardy and bad things happen.

“This is the sociology of your emergence as the Comptroller-General. It is a call to leadership, sacrifice, patriotism and selflessness,” he reiterated.

Aregbesola further charged Nababa to keep focus on the core mandate of correction. The minister stressed the need for inmates to be kept healthy and safe from harm and from harming others.

He added that inmates must be reasonably fed and their health well taken care of.

“Their dignity should

be well respected and they should be protected from abuse of any form – physical, sexual, verbal and psychological.

“They should leave the facilities on completion of their terms feeling welltreated and their dignity as God’s creature restored.

They should feel grateful for being handled by firm but kind and compassionate officers,” the Minister emphasised.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, told Nababa to see his appointment as a position of trust and given the current security challenges confronting the nation at the moment, he should work in collaboration with other security agencies in the country to ensure that all the correctional facilities are protected.

In his response, Nababa promised his commitment to boosting the morale of officers and men of the service as well as working to justify the confidence reposed on him by Mr. President.

PEOPLE FIRST

Ananwureyi Ohine Joy

FRIDAY, MAY 14 - MONDAY, MAY 24, 2021

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BY

James Ashipa More Sacrifices Ahead

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ESSONS from the momentous holy month of Ramadan must guide and guard us as we navigate a tumultuous future. Ramadan is a month in which Muslims abstain from sinful acts, do good deeds like charity, devote more time to prayer and striving to improve their self-discipline.

It is a month in which every Muslim is cautious of his act in order not to engage in anything that will render his fast invalid.

Charity and abstinence from unholy behaviour are well pronounced in Ramadan.

It is from this perspective of the need to act with sensibilities as a community that we wholeheartedly support the measures announced during the week by the Federal Government aimed at preventing the spread of deadly strains of COVID-19 into the country.

This reflects concerns about the strains of the virus in India, South Africa, Turkey and Brazil. Unfortunately it has been confirmed that the Indian strain is already here.

From the daily horror news reports from in particular India and Brazil, even the most ardent COVID-19 deniers must now show circumspection and allow for proven scientific evidence. A hard pressed country cannot afford diversions and sideshows at this moment.

Faithfully adhering to the governments guidelines is not just about public health, it is interwoven with strengthening the economy. The government’s own economic advisory team unambiguously stated a few days ago that, “Nigeria’s economy is still fragile despite

“Ramadan has left with us a lot of lessons, including love and compassion for other fellow, the less-privileged and vulnerable in the society, endurance and perseverance, increased devotion to God and piety.” exiting recession”. This is stating the obvious. The fragile recovery has certainly not been jobs creation led. Furthermore, unpalatable decisions will soon have to be made with regard to pricing affecting consumers in the fuel and electricity sectors.

The country will not be able to adjust to the new realities if the government is forced to impose a national lockdown.

Already, there are warning signals. The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha has raised an alarm that foreign passengers are escaping from our facilities during the required quarantine period.

This cannot possibly be done without insider connivance by unpatriotic elements in our public services. The government must go out of its way to ensure deterrence by making an example out of someone.

Sacrifices have to be made and as stakeholders, we must all be involved. Ramadan has left with us a lot of lessons, including love and compassion for other fellow, the less-privileged and vulnerable in the society, endurance and perseverance, increased devotion to God and piety. We should not allow all these lessons to slip off, but rather, we should holdon to them.

Curing The Inertia Of Creative Destruction

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ISTORY is replete with cases of spite the popular aphorism that “the only resistance to new development, permanent thing in life is change”, the inadvancement in technology, ide- troduction of new machines and ideas is as and fresh innovations that often result always vehemently opposed to by such into chaos, crisis and destruction due to conservative elements who intentionally the fear of the unknown. This behavior attempt to stall such moves. When the and tendency is a reaction to the crea- electronics typewriter was introduced tion of a new order and is an economic into the civil service in Nigeria, those concept, which is an inertia to growth who were used to the traditional typeand development and is referred to as writers rose up against such progressive CREATIVE DESTRUCTION, sometimes introduction and same negative attitude known as Schumpeter’s gale,and defined greeted the introduction of computers

by Joseph Schumpeter as the “process of as some of such machines were willfully industrial mutation that continuously damaged. Although the call for electronic revolutionizes the economic structure voting is gaining currency, those who are from within, incessantly destroying the used to snatching ballot boxes in order old one, incessantly creating a new one”. to disenfranchise voters are up in arms The concept is derived from the work against such new introduction. On the of Karl Marx who defined it broadly as issue of empowerment, old politicians “the linked processes of the accumula- surreptitiously kill every idea meant to tion and annihilation of wealth under elevate the common man as they want to remain perpetually relevant and in capitalism”.

Creative destruction is not a novel con- the driving seat of power, forgetting that cept as it has historical examples as dis- NATURE has a way of ordering societies from one generation played in the action of the Luddites in Eng- “Emerging from this is the to another. In the practice of mediland from 1811 – 1816.

Luddism is a philoso- neo-luddites who exist today cine, those involved phy opposing many and oppose any new innova- in traditional health forms of modern tech- tion in the society because service delivery kick against every attempt nology and has been used pejoratively to re- they are not comfortable and to modernize the sector. For instance, fer to people showing are afraid of labor loss.? ” traditional birth attechnophobic leanings. tendants still take They embarked on the destruction of labor saving machinery as birth delivery at home under substanda protest out of fear that new machines ard environments, which compromises will take away their jobs. It is an attack safety and deny the country of invaluable of a new order by an existing, old order. data. In the business environment, soleEmerging from this is the neo-Luddites proprietorship is prevalent as many busiwho exist today and oppose any new in- ness owners refuse to take advantage of novation in the society because they are the benefits of modern business practices not comfortable and are afraid of labour and as a result of this practice, most busiloss. Empirical evidences show that the nesses die soon after the demise of their society is still full of those who are an- owners. Food security is still a mirage tagonistic to new and fresh ideas. They in Africa because we have not embraced permeate the whole strata of society technology to improve our farming techfrom politics to business, public service, niques and increase yields and a case in education, health, agriculture, et al. De- point is China that now produces “uncontaminated garri” and better yam to the detriment of Nigeria and Ghana just as Malaysia came to take palm seedlings from NiPublisher – Moremi Publishing geria years back and now House Ltd. export palm oil to Nigeria.

Deputy Editor – Ismaeel Uthman What an irony!

(0805-121-2204) There is no gain-saying Produc on Editor – Petkola Taiwo Ibitowa the fact that one can go on Reporter – Yusuf Oketola and on recounting several Reporter – Kazeem Badmus sectors where progress Photo Journalist – Olushola Aderinto have been stifled due Computer Graphics – Zainab Olalere to hostile and conservaOSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing tive tendencies, the focus should be on suggesting House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), Gbogan Road Osogbo, ways forward to bring progress and prosperity to State of Osun our people and give them ISSN : 0794 – 8050 better living conditions.

Telephone : 0805-121-2204 Website : www.osundefender.com/index.php •Read full article on e–mail : osundefender@yahoo.com www.osundefender.com osundefenderbank@gmail.com •Ashipa James Olashupo All Correspondence to the above email Addresses.

Osogbo, Osun state.

08056002757, 08129458475 OSUN DEFENDER IS NOT AFFLIATED WITH ANY OTHER NEWSPAPER, ashipaj@gmail.com, ashipaj@ MAGAZINE OR ANY PUBLICATION WHATSOVER yahoo.com

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FRIDAY, MAY 14 - MONDAY, MAY 24, 2021

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News

It’s Barbaric To Consider Slashing Civil Servants’ Salaries - Osun TUC Chair

By Yusuf Oketola

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HE Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the State of Osun, Comrade Adelola Adebowale, has said that it is barbaric for the Federal Government to consider slashing the salaries of civil servants.

According to Adebowale, the statement credited to the Minister of Finance, Hajia Zainab Ahmed that the FG may consider slashing salaries of civil servants to reduce the costs of governance is a callous idea.

Adebowale stated this yesterday while answering questions from journalists in Osogbo, the state capital.

He stated that the minister’s statement was made to test the waters - ability and capability of the labour movement in Nigeria.

The TUC Chairman said: “Slashing of civil servants’ salaries is illegal, unconstitutional, a barbaric idea, uncultured, unfair, ungodly and satanic.

“This is not the only country experiencing economic meltdown and this type of situation calls for an adjustment that can give us smooth landing.

“It is not a welcomed idea at all and nobody in his or her right senses would allow such a thing to scale through. It is just a proposal. It will go the same way it came.”

Adebowale noted that most people in the country are not well-informed; claiming what government expends on the salaries and allowances of political office holders, is much more than the salaries of civil servants.

He said: “Politicians are the people getting the larger sum from the government’s fund. Let the government reduce its unworthy expenditures, you would see that we will have a good landing in this country.

“Our politicians always like to malign the good workers of Nigeria. That is one of the reasons the slashing of workers’ salaries was proposed. The proposal is ungodly and nobody will accept it from them.”

Adebowale also

•Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in discussion with the Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VOA), Osita Okechukwu, at the Memorial Colloquium put together by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commision, ICRC, in honour of the late DG/ CEO, Chidi Izuwah of the organization who died last month. cleared the air on the rumour going around that leaders of labour unions in the State of Osun have been compromised, saying it is

very unfortunate that some people don’t understand how things work in the civil service.

The TUC Chairman

said: “There is nothing like compromise. We are working according to the ethics of our job.

We civil servants operate under civil service

regulations and general orders. These are tools that we work with.

“The summary of the whole thing is that

we have to work with every government in power. Whoever is saying the civil service in Osun has been compromised is suffering from lack of information, intellectualism and unexposed mentality and they don’t have the idea of how the civil service operates.

“The labour leaders were not elected to be fighting the government.

I want it to be clear. No labour leader in Nigeria or outside Nigeria, according to the International Labour Organisation, is elected to fight the government. Rather, what we are elected for is to agitate for the welfare and benefits of our members.

“During the process of agitation, collective bargaining comes up. This means that both labour and government will sit and fashion out ways of getting middle ground, which will not jeopardise the interests of both sides.”

Accommodation Seekers Lament Poor Treatment From They accused the cause of their own ben- house rent from his Caretakers, Agents brother, showed him caretakers of jacking up efits.

“There was a time the apartment, but lathouse rents far above ByYusuf Oketola

S

OME residents of Osogbo, capital of the State of Osun, have registered their displeasure on what they described as poor treatment received from caretakers and estate agents in the course of searching for accommodation.

The prospective ten-

ants alleged the caretakers of exploiting them in the process of securing accommodation through them.

According to the residents, who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER at different places in Osogbo yesterday, the caretakers are responsible for the hike in house rents in the state capital.

what the landlords ask them to collect from prospective tenants.

One of the victims of the caretakers’ alleged exploitation, Mrs. Rachel Adejumo, a baker, said: “House agents are making life difficult for people. When the landlord placed houserent at N50,000, they will inflate the price to N80,000 or N100,000 be-

Symbol’s Quote Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Dr. Lamidi Adeyemi III

I rented an apartment here in Osogbo at N60,000. All of a sudden, it changed to N120,000 through the agent. My family spent two years in that house before we knew it was not the landlord that increased the rent. Also, none of the caretakers has been refunding caution or damage fee they collected from tenants at first payment.”

Another tenant, Mr. Kaseem Olagoke, a civil servant, condemned what he described as exorbitant charges being collected by the caretakers from intending tenants.

Olagoke said: “For instance, I paid N2,000 to a caretaker before he could show me some vacant houses to rent.

That same caretaker collected another N10,000 as agent fee after N30,000 house rent for a one-room apartment.

My own is even minimal compare to what the agents are doing to others.”

According to Mr. Adeyemi Adekunle, some of the caretakers are fraudulent, urging members of the public to be careful in dealing with them.

Adekunle narrated his experience with an agent who collected

er rented out the same apartment to another person within few days.

He said it took months before the caretaker refunded the rent to his brother.

But a caretaker, Mr. Akinloye Adeayo, said it would be wrong for people to generalise the bad behaviour of some agents.

According to Adeayo, consultation fee and ‘agent fee’ are legitimate for collection from intending tenants, even as he urged his colleagues to be reasonable in charging the accommodation seekers.

He said: “While I cannot deny all the people have alleged the caretakers, I need to state that they should not generalise the matter. It is not every caretaker that is bad. We have many good agents among us. Just like in every profession, we have the good and the bad eggs.

“On the issue of exploitation, I can only speak for myself. But I need to say that consultation and agent fees are legitimate. Caretaker job is an engagement for us and we need to get paid for the services we render. But in spite of that, we should not exploit people who are already stressed.”

FRIDAY, MAY 14 - MONDAY, MAY 24, 2021

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News

Reactions Trail 753 Additional Polling Units In Osun

By Kazeem Badmus

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TAKEHOLDERS in election process have reacted to the creation of 753 additional polling units by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the State of Osun.

Last week, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), in the

state, Mr. Olusegun Agbaje announced that the commission had converted the 753 existing voting points into polling units.

Agbaje, while speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting in Osogbo last Thursday, said the development is to reduce voters’ apathy and ensure that the elector-

Cleric Urges Parents To Be Good Role Model

By Kazeem Badmus

A

prominent Islamic Scholar, Usman Sanu-Sheu, has urged parents to be good role model for their children, saying that they influence the kids in every aspect.

Sanu-Sheu charged the parents to be alive to their responsibilities to the children, maintaining that they play critical role in the future of their offspring.

The cleric stated this at a Ramadan Lecture organised by the Muslim Community of State of Osun Police Command, held at the Command Headquarters, Osogbo.

He said: “Children of nowadays do not believe in what their parents told them but rather trust what they see them doing.

“It is the duty of every parent to lead their children in the right path by practising what they preach instead of just ordering them to do things which they are not doing themselves.

“The problem we have nowadays is that parents want their children to tow a good path but these parents are not demonstrating the traits needed to lead those children in towing that path.

“Unfortunately, children of nowadays wanted to do what their parents are doing, not what they ask them to do because they believe what their parents are doing is the right thing.

“Parents’ roles are critical to the future of their children and they must not avoid their responsibilities as they are the one who influenced the children in all aspect”.

Speaking further, the Sanu-Sheu admonished police officers to be God-fearing, saying that they are messengers of God and must always be

truthful to their calling.

He said: “Anybody can preach the Gospel of Islam. The only difference is the way and manner in which we do so.

Police are messengers of God and must use their position to do good at all times.

“I want you to know that for someone to spread the Gospel of Islam, especially where it is not easy, such person must be Godfearing, patient, friendly and someone who uses something good to erase bad things.”

ate have easy access to where they will cast their votes.

However, mixed reactions have been trailing the announcement and stakeholders are of different opinions on the issue.

Chairman of the Social Democratic Party in the state, Mr. Sola Oladeinde, in an Interview with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, called on INEC to be honest on the exercise and put

the polling units where they are most needed.

Oladeinde said: “It is a very good development because the population has increased and voters have also increased. But INEC should be able to identify the areas where the polling units are needed most. They should not just put the polling units in areas where some people will take undue advantage to rig the election.

“INEC must make sure there is honesty and fairness in the creation of the polling units.

As the Osun State Governorship Elections is around the corner, anywhere the voting strength of the people is over 500, such place deserves additional polling unit. They should not just put the polling units where they favour some sets of people”.

In his own reaction, the Chairman, Osun

•State of Osun-bound passengers boarding the free train ride provided to mark this year’s Eid-elFitr celebrations, courtesy of the Government of the State of Osun, at the Iddo Terminus of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Lagos State, on Wednesday.

3 Imams Die In Quick Succession In Inisa, announcement, the Govt. Shuts Central Mosque government adduced

By Ismaeel Uthman

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HERE is palpable fear within the Muslim community in Inisa, Odo-Otin Local Government of the State of Osun, following the death of three Chief Imams of the Central Mosque of the town.

The three Imams died in quick succession, raising suspicions that they might have lost their lives to the spiritual battles over the Chief Imam post.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that

•Gov. Oyetola

there had been hot contests among Muslim clerics and elites in Inisa on who becomes the Chief Imam.

It was gathered that the contests might be responsible for the quick succession of deaths of the three chief Imams.

One of the late Imams, Sheik Surakat Asiyanbi (81), was sick for over 10 years before he died in 2020.

The medium learnt that when Asiyanbi died, his deputy, Qaseem Adebisi (87) was installed as the new Chief Imam of Inisa.

However, Adebisi was able to lead one Jumat Prayer before he fell sick and later died in 2020.

Another Imam, Sheik Mustafa Baruwa (85), who was installed after Adebisi did not spend three months before he gave up the ghost in 2020 also, according to some residents of the community.

Since the death of the three Imams, there has been crisis in the Inisa Muslim community on who to fill for the vacant Chief Imam position.

It would be recalled that the Eesa of Inisa, Chief Enoch Ajiboso, slumped and died while settling rift among the Muslim community members, late December, 2020.

Realizing the danger in the trend of the crisis, the State Government of Osun on Tuesday, shut down the Inisa Central Mosque indefinitely and also banned any central congregation at the Mosque for Eid prayers.

In a public service

the inability of the Muslim Community of the town to peacefully install a new Chief Imam for the mosque as reason for the shutdown.

The announcement reads, “Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, as part of efforts to ensure security of lives and properties in that axis of the state, directed that the Central Mosque be shut indefinitely to forestall further religious or communal crises.

“Already, the Mosque has recorded the death of two Imams in quick succession.

“Security operatives have been deployed to the town to enforce the closure and ban on Eid prayers.

“This directive will be in place until reconciliatory process towards amicable resolution is concluded.”

The government urged members of the public especially those in Inisa Township to be guided by the directive.

Civil Society Coalition, Mr. Waheed Lawal, said turning voting points into polling units is not enough for the development of the country.

He said: “What INEC is doing as good as it is, is not enough for the development of our country. Turning voting points into polling units is not enough.

We are having new style everywhere in the country now. Where there is no voting point before, there cannot be polling unit there.

“So what are the provisions INEC made for those who are living in new areas? For Example, Ward 1 Olorunda comprises Ile Idande and there is no polling unit there, neither in Ayekale and thousands of people are living in those areas.

“INEC should not deceive us. We want it to do proper demarcation so that they will know the exact number of polling units to create before transforming voting point to polling units”.

Mr. Yemi Olalere, a trader at Ajegunle market, Osogbo is of the opinion that the development is a good one but urged INEC to be vigilant and not allow politicians to hijack the process.

His words: “What INEC is planning to do is a very good thing but my fear is that some politicians will use that to their advantage.

“You will agree with me that the number of polling units we have is not enough to cater for the electorate. There are many people who want to go out and exercise their civic rights on Election Day but they prefer to stay indoors because they cannot stay under the sun waiting on line to cast their votes.

“I will urge INEC to make sure that politicians do not hijack this and I implore them to establish the polling units where they are needed most.

They should not put additional polling units where there is enough already.

“Going forward, INEC needs to create more polling units which will be enough to cater for the masses and that should be their agenda after the next General Elections.”

FRIDAY, MAY 14 - MONDAY, MAY 24, 2021

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N the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful.

Surely, All praises belong to Allah-the most high, come rain, come sunshine (all conditions of life man finds himself). We sincerely bear witness that Allah is one, having neither partner nor equal. And we also bear witness that Prophet Muhammad is a Messenger of Allah, sent as mercy to the entire world

Religion ed that Muslim should be observing prayers to ward-off evils of pandemic thus: “Oh Allah! I seek your protection against leprosy, insanity, infirmity and denigrating ailments.”

We exited the holy month of Ramadan with the belief that we are forgiven and purified due to our display, constraint, self-control and restrictions. As rightly put by our model Rosulullahi (S.A.W), “Whoever observe Ramadan fast in faith

SALLAH SERMON By Alhaji Salaudeen Abdulhameed

(universe). May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon His noble Prophet, His households, His companions and the generality of Muslims.

Brothers and Sisters in Islam worldwide, we use this golden opportunity to congratulate ourselves over the Divine Grace to partake in this year 1442A.H Ramadan and the grace to complete it, even in the face of multiple challenges. The Quran puts it that the days of Ramadan fast are numbered (Quran 2:184).

Ramadan 1442 A.H has come and gone. So also is our sincere believe in Allah that the threatening challenges occasioned by the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic would soon be over with our devotion to Allah, prayers unto him and total reliance on him.

We have all realised that the Coronavirus, which brought about lockdown of states in 2020 and restriction of gatherings in 2021 in which people are banned from gathering of over 50 people, has not only affected our religion congregation activities, it has also unleashed untold havoc on the world socioeconomic and educational settings. We should all admit that this period is really a trying time

by Allah’s design and by his grace, we would overcome that trial.

Remember that Allah says in the Quran: “Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: ‘we believe’ and will not be tested? And we indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah will certainly make it known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood

Life After Ramadan of) those who are liars (although Allah knows all that before putting them to test”, (Quran 29:2-3).

However, it is in recognition of the fact that the present pandemic is a test that Muslims should rise to the occasion. We need to intensify our prayers for divine intervention for Allah to end the ravaging COVID-19. It is in connection to this that we commend our government at the federal and state levels on various steps taken to combat the pandemic.

Brothers and sisters in Islam, Ramadan has left with us a lot of lessons, including love and compassion for other fellow, the less-privileged and vulnerable in the society, endurance and perseverance, increased devotion to Allah and piety. All these lessons should not be allowed to slip off we Muslims but rather, we should hold-on to them, because we never knew if another Ramadan will come to us while still alive, hale and hearty.

Brothers and sisters in Islam, we use this forum to enjoin us to observe health guidelines of the state and Federal Governments to ensure that we are safe healthwise. The laid down guidelines of the Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control (NCDC) should be adhered to in order to stay safe, because only the living have ample time to worship Allah, through series of Ibadah.

The holy Prophet has also recommend-

and sincere hope (of rewards and forgiveness) would be forgiven of his/her sins.”

In this case, the Ramadan 1442 A.H is marched out, Allah remains and therefore, our devotion to him as well should be faithfully sustained. All good deeds like obligatory prayers (Salawat al-mafruudoh), Sadaqat, (arms-giving), Nawafil (non-obligatory prayers) tilawatul-Qur’an (recreation of the Qur’an), Silatur-Rahim (keeping up good relationships with relatives) tarku’amal shuuhi wal qawlu-shuuh (abstinence from evil deeds and foul talks), adhkar (remembrances of Allah from time to time e.t.c) should be sustained.

Finally, we congratulate ourselves that we are graced to witness the end of Ramadan fast of this year, while we are alive. May Allah forgive all Muslim across the globe who lost their lives to this trying period and console their survivors.

Brothers and sisters, Ramadan is exiting to usher in Shawwal, observe your ShittaShawwal according to the sunnah of the Prophet (S.A.W) because doing that attracts great rewards. Anyone who fasts six days in Shawwal to accompany Ramadan would be considered to have fasted for the whole year.

We pray to Allah to accept it as an act of Ibaadah.

As-salaam alaykum warahamotullahi wabaraqaatuhu •Alhaji Salaudeen Abdulhameed, Chief Imam, Ila-Orangun, State of Osun.

News

Mother, Son Killed In Modakeke

By Idowu Idris

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woman and his son have been killed in Modakeke, Ife East Area Office of the State of Osun.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the woman and her son were gruesomely murdered in the early hours of Tuesday by unknown assailants while walking to their farm in Alapata village, between Ife and Modakeke.

The death of the people, who were residents of Modakeke, has been generating tension in the town as youths were seeking revenge of their death.

The youths and residents of the town, upon receiving the news of the death of the deceased, moved en masse to the scene of the incident and took the corpses to the palace of the Ogunsua of Modakeke, Oba Moses Oyeniran.

Oba Oyeniran plead-

•Corpses of the deceased ed with the aggrieved youths and residents to allow the community leaders and the Police investigate the matter.

Sources in the town, who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER under condition of anonymity said: “A woman and her son

were killed on Tuesday at Alapata village. Their bodies were taken first to the palace and then to Oke Otububu Police Station.

The state’s Police Public Relation Officer, Mrs. Yemisi Opalola confirmed the incident.

By Kolapo Azeez, Iree

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TUDENTS of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree have protested the increment of transportation fare by commercial motorcycle operators plying the school campus.

The commercial motorcycle operators (okada riders) have increased a drop from the campus junction to the campus gate from N50 to N100.

The students described the new development as a callous decision from the motorcyclists, stating that they need to be considerate on the economic situation of the state.

On Monday, the students came out in their large numbers for a peaceful protest at the popular Poly Junction, few metres away from school campus to register their displeasure on the increment.

The demonstration led to disruption of

OSPOLY Students Protest Hike In Transport Fare academic activities for over two hours before normalcy returned.

Speaking, a student of the Business Administration Department in the institution, Mr. AbdulRaheem Ishola, said the N100 increment is on the high side for a drop of a less than 400 metres.

Ishola urged the commercial motorcyclists to reduce the amount in the interest of the harmonious relationship between them and the students.

“I want to appeal to commercial motorcyclists here in Iree to beat the amount down because we are not working here as student and if the amount comes to stay every student will spend more than N200 every day on transport.”

However, the President of the Students’ Union Government, Mr. Samson Ajao, has been holding meetings with leaders of the commercial motorcyclists with a view to persuading them to reduce the transport fare.

CHANGE OF NAME ADEKOLA KHADIJAT OLAYINKA That I was formerly known and addressed as BELLO KHADIJAT OLAYINKA now wish to be known and addressed as ADEKOLA KHADIJAT OLAYINKA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ADELODUN CECILIA ADEBOLA That I was formerly known and addressed as MISS OLAJIDE CECILIA ADEBOLA now wish to be known and addressed as ADELODUN CECILIA ADEBOLA. All former documents remain valid. State Govt. of Osun, Osun Health Insurance Agency and General public should take note.

PEOPLE FIRST

Sports

FRIDAY, MAY 14 - MONDAY, MAY 24, 2021

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SWAN Leadership Visits OSUN DEFENDER, Seeks Greater Support Yusuf Oketola

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HE leadership of the State of Osun

Chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) on Monday paid a courtesy visit on

OSUN DEFENDER Chapel in Osogbo, the state capital.

The visitation, which was led by

the Chairman of the association, Mr. Timothy Agbor, was to familiarise and fraternise

•Newly executives of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, (SWAN) Osun State Branch, in a group photography with deputy Editor, Mr. Ismaeel Uthman and some Staff of Osun Defender News Paper, during their thank you visit to the office.

News

Oyetola Urges Muslims Not To Forget Ramadan Lessons

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OVERNOR Adegboyega Oyetola of the State of Osun has urged Muslims not to forget the significance and lessons of the just- concluded month of Ramadan.

Oyetola said this in his Sallah Message to congratulate the Muslim Ummah on the successful completion of the Ramadan fast.

He prayed Allah to accept all acts of worship and supplications of the Muslim faithful during the glorious month.

While urging the faithful to celebrate in accordance with COVID-19 protocols, he encouraged them to reach out to the less privi-

leged in the society to make them share in the joy and happiness that come with the festival.

Oyetola said, “The occasion of Eid-el-Fitri provides a great opportunity for families and friends to come together, pray, share meals and gifts. I urge us all to engage in all of these cheerfully and in accordance with COVID19 protocols.

“And as we do these, let’s not forget the less privileged in the society. We should reach out to them and make them share in the joy and happiness that come with the festival.

“As we celebrate today, we must not for-

get the significance and lessons of Ramadan.

Let’s continue to uphold the virtues of the Holy month. I implore Muslims and non-Muslims in Osun to take advantage of today’s celebration to offer special prayers for the peace, progress and development of our State and country at large.

“Let me also use this opportunity to once again appreciate you all for your support and prayers for our Administration, and appeal for more support and understanding as we continue to strive to fulfil our Administration’s promises and and make Osun better than we met it.”

LAUTECH. We sought transfer of service based on a letter from the State Government to LAUTECH management that we should be released with immediate effect.

That letter was dated March 31.

“The LAUTECH management is demanding the salary arrears refund in lieu of notice of termination of service. But our case is different from a worker that left an organisation without notice. There

was a mutual agreement between Osun and Oyo state governments on the dissolution of joint ownership.

“And there was a letter from the Government of Osun to LAUTECH, requesting for our release. The letter contained the list of every one of us that wanted to transfer our services.

“The State Government of Osun should please intervene in the matter. We are passing through tough time.”

of SWAN for the courtesy visit, just as he commended their activities for the promotion of sports in the State of Osun.

Uthman urged the SWAN leadership to up their games by extending their network beyond the shore of media organisations for the promotion of sports and other activities.

He promised the association that the medium will not fail on her obligations in reporting local sports and news contents as the paper always puts the people of Osun first.

He said: “He’s motivating the team generally, everything we do, everything we talk to the players to do, he is ready to do and even the first to do it. He is ready to cooperate always and he concentrates so well. So my expectation whenever he starts you will see a new Kano Pillars.”

Musa, who has built two training and fitness

facilities in Northern Nigeria to help grassroots football, scored 18 goals for Kano Pillars to finish as top scorer in the 2009/10 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.

Musa made his 96th appearance for Nigeria in their 3-0 win over Lesotho in Lagos in the Super Eagles final Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

Ahmed Musa Set For Kano Pillars’ Debut

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FTER weeks of training, Super Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa is expected to make his first Kano Pillars debut at home against Adamawa United on Sunday, May 16, 2021 since joining the club back in April On a short-term deal that will keep him until the end of the NPFL season.

Kano Pillars coach, Ibrahim Musa says he expects to see a different team once Musa starts for the Kano-based team in the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

Speaking in an interview with a Lagos-based radio station, Ibrahim Musa stated that the former Leicester City star has done everything possible to motivate the team.

Transfer Of Service To Osun: LAUTECH Asks Prof., Others...

•Continued from page 2 not paid.

“They claimed the arrears would be deducted from the six- or threemonth salary arrears we were to refund to the university. That means that LAUTECH will not pay the arrears it owed us before we left the university until the salary arrears are fully deducted from our allowances.

“We are expecting the State Government of Osun to come to our rescue. We did not just leave

with the medium for more collaborations.

Agbor commended the editorial team of OSUN DEFENDER for their activities in giving preference to local news in their publications.

The Chairman, however, added that the association is looking forward to fostering the existing relationship between the leadership of SWAN and OSUN DEFENDER. In his address, the Deputy of Editor of the newspaper, Mr. Ismaeel Uthman, appreciated the leadership

•Ahmed Musa

Champions League Final Moved To Porto

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HE Champions League Final between Chelsea and Manchester City will take place in Portugal with 6,000 fans from each club permitted to attend.

The game on 29 May, 2021 has been moved from Turkey to the Portuguese city of Porto because of Coronavirus restrictions.

Portugal is on England’s green list so players and fans can attend without having to quarantine on their return home.

Turkey is on the red list.

It is the second successive year the final has been held in Portugal.

“To deprive supporters of the chance

to see the match in person was not an option and I am delighted that this compromise has been found,” said UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin.

UEFA, UK government officials and the Football Association met to talk about Wembley hosting the game but no agreement could be reached on quarantine exemptions for sponsors, VIPs and broadcasters.

Ceferin added: “Fans have had to suffer more than 12 months without the ability to see their teams live and reaching a Champions League final is the pinnacle of club football.

“After the year that fans have endured, it is not right that they don’t have the chance to watch their teams in the biggest game of the season.”

Lisbon was the location for the delayed final stages of last season’s competition, won by Bayern Munich.

The final capacity limit at the Estadio do Dragao in Porto is still to be fixed.

ISSN : 0794 - 8050

FRIDAY, MAY 14 - MONDAY, MAY 24, 2021 VOL. 16 NO 18

www.osundefender.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com

Upcoming Event Aregbesola’s 64th Birthday On May 25, 2021

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UBLIC institution is an entity established and controlled by government, either at the Federal, State, Local or Community.

It is the responsibility of government at any of these levels to exercise administrative control and responsibilities over the institution. In the contemporary world, public institutions like schools, hospitals, courts, library, Et cetera run for the public use to play very important role in our daily existence.

Public institutions are not for profit; they are made to provide quality services to the people to improve their wellbeing. It is in public institution that one could get the best hands in terms of professionalism and certification in every department of the institution. For instance, it is in General Hospital or Teaching Hospital that one could see professionals in all areas of medicine.

In fact, bad cases in private hospitals are referred there; anything that it could not handle has to be flown abroad. In the same vein, it is in public schools that one could see the best qualified and certificated teachers as all procedure will be utilised to getting the best recruited. This piece will examine the public education and challenges with the target to provide solutions.If anything isestablished to serve public in a non-profit manner, we must, as responsible citizens, collectively ensure its success as it is directly tied to the quality of life and living condition of the people it serves. This can be attained by looking at its services, environment, and employees working conditions among others.

The most important level of education anybody could attain in life is Basic - also known as Primary and Secondary education, which explains why it is called compulsory schooling.

Education begins with primary and secondary.

Tertiary Education is for specialisation and professionalism. The foundational background of primary and secondary schooling is what professionalism at higher institution is based. This explains the essence of creation of State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to ensure free and compulsory education for all children of school-going age to acquire literacy, life skills and values for lifelong useful living.

The target to make free and qualitative education available to our children seems to be merely theoretical as what obtains in reality points to the contrary. IfeoluwaCo-educational Grammar School, formerly Ifeoluwa Grammer School, Fadeyi Estate, Ilesa road, Osogbo will be used as a case study.

Population of teachers to students in that school is 47:3,000 respectively. In this second term, 18 teachers who have spent five years and above in the school were transferred to another school, which is normal in the civil service system. However, only 16 were transferred there from another school, leaving shortage of 2 for a school that is highly deficient of teachers. Against the standard recommendation of between 15 to 25 pupils per class, what obtains in the school is 70 pupils per class on register.

This implies that after the class has been stuffed, remaining pupils will hang outside and around the door and windows to receive lesson and instruction. How could learning take place and knowledge be impacted under this circumstance? Before now, the school was three-in-one with one principal manning each school. Now, the school has been reclassified with a coordinating principal doing all the work with the support of other two principals. How would a single principal efficiently and effectively cope with such a huge responsibility? Education and Research Planning Office in the Ministry of Education should be up and doing in correcting these anomalies.

These precarious situations have made our

Public School Dereliction: Ifeoluwa As A Case Study should make the corps public schools breeding grounds for hooligan- “The outgone Ogbeni Rauf funding independent of schools so as to guaranism and gangsterism. administration tee regular payment of Little wonder that the Aregbesola salaries and allowances school was shut down three weeks before the made massive investment which could compromise end of last term and has on education with construc- security whenever it is threatened. been shut again this 2nd If the purpose for term on account of the ac- tion and building of model which our public schools tivities of hoodlums who constantly invade the schools and renovation of the were established will not be defeated, some funschool with charms and damental restructurings machetes to harm stu- existing dilapidated ones. ” must be undertaken. dents and vandalise vehiThe first and foremost cles, especially whenever there occurs counter is teachers. They are the souls of education on attacks from students resisting their terror.

The Disciplinary Corps engaged by the earth. Their reward cannot, therefore, be in Ministry of Education to intervene and curb heaven but here on earth. They must be well indiscipline in some selected black spot schools remunerated to the level that teachers should is being funded by the schools. The ministry be proud of their profession and profess it

STRIKER

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publicly. There should be regular training and retraining of teachers with incentives for the outstanding among them. This is where the ongoing teachers’ recruitment exercise in the state becomes important. The recruitment should be used to right the wrong. We should not play politics with the recruitment. Merit should not be relegated to other consideration and sufficient enough teachers must be engaged to meet the standard ratio of teachers-to-students which begins with 1:15 to maximum of 1:30 per teacher to students respectively as research has demonstrated that students in smaller classes perform better in all subjects and on all assessments compared to their peers in larger classes.

To produce desired result, researchers agree on a class size of 18 as ideal. The present Ifeoluwa Co-educational Grammar School cannot be said to be same Ifeoluwa Grammar School that the incumbent Governor of Osun, Adegboyega Oyatola, attended and graduated from in 1972.

Again, environment of learning matters. Dilapidated structures are antithetical to impacting knowledge and skills. The out-gone Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola administration made massive investment on education with construction and building of model schools and renovation of the existing dilapidated ones. This should not stop. While finances may not allow for building new schools for now, renovation of dilapidated schools structures should be a continuous exercise with enough security arrangement for the pupils, especially in this special period of kidnapping of students for ransom. If our State and Nigeria in general will be great, quality education for our children is the key as “Education is the most powerful weapon with which you can change the world,” as affirmed by the Great Nelson Mandela.

Striker is not the opinion of the Columnist featured above

Time To Be Decisive

N the last few months, several well meaning and patriotic Nigerians have spoken up concerning the insecurity situation in Nigeria, which threatens not only the survival of democracy but the very existence of Nigeria. To cap all such interventions, 17 Southern Nigerian Governors met recently, 13 of who were in attendance in person, and came out in one voice with a 12-point communiqué suggesting concrete steps to be taken by the Federal Government and President, Commanderin-Chief of the Nigeria Armed Forces, to arrest the drift, normalise the situation and advance Nigeria forwards to prosperity.

If the individual voices of commoners as well as elite Nigerian citizens don’t matter, it now remains to be seen how much premium the powers-that-be put on the united voice of 17 out of 36 Governors of states that make up the Nigerian Federation. The leadership of the ruling party and the President of the Federal Republic have been missing in action, not only in so far as comments on problems and solutions are concerned but in meaningful practical actions on proffered solutions pouring in from everywhere. The Southern Governors’ Forum specifically mentioned solid steps to be urgently taken, particularly concerning open grazing, nationwide consultation and restructuring.

However, few captured the strange mind-

set of the elements that fortune puts in today’s power like Dr. Muiz Banire in his recent article “Political Class and the Conspiracy of Silence.”

After capturing the insecurity situation in Nigeria brilliantly, he opined that “The worst aspect of it all is the average demented Nigerian politician who carries on campaigning for power grab in 2023 as if the whole security crisis in the nation is a tea party. We have seen them junketing from one local government to another mouthing their insane promises and wild projections. They keep quiet whenever the horrors being perpetrated by Fulani herders are being discussed. They maintain a tied tongue anytime their opinions would conflict with the sentiments of the Presidency. Their people are daily subjected to bloodshed and devastations and yet the Nigerian politician is insouciant in his reckless ambition to govern a burning entity. They are keeping quiet, except for a few whose conscience would not allow them to give further inordinate protection to party loyalty and collective insanity. It was quite impressive to hear Smart Adeyemi, the Senator representing the Kogi West Senatorial District, the other day lamenting the security situation in the country. His genuine emotions could not contain his manliness when he burst out in tears calling on his comrades on the floor of the Senate to rise up in defence of the land. Ali Ndume has been heard on a number

of occasions condemning the conspiracy of government and the elite in what is otherwise a consuming conflagration that is herding us towards Somalia, Liberia and Rwanda. Instead of the various political gladiators coming together to find a solution to the challenge of this vanishing country, they are busy strategizing over election into an office that is appearing to be a mirage. The elite in Nigeria, the civil society inclusive, have given all manner of justification in defence of Buhari’s government, from the sensible to the ridiculous.”

The handwriting is clearly on the wall for those who are not too prejudiced or blinded to see it. Nigeria is fast approaching the hour of decision. Neither democracy nor election takes precedence over Nigeria’s very survival. We all have a responsibility to speak up and commit to actions on the part of sanity and reason. It is time to be decisive and it is fitting to conclude as Dr. Muiz Banire concluded: “This is the time for the Nigerian politicians and elder statesmen to rise up. This is the time to call a spade a spade and let the devil both home and abroad be shamed. This is the time for the civil society to jettison its silly and empty sloganeering of fighting corruption in its roundtable approach and call for the government to do something serious about the insecurity in the land. While politicians can afford to run away, the question is where will you run to when the crisis finally embraces the entire land? Few peaceful spots in Nigeria that have not been effectively visited by these so-called foreign invaders are already under the spy gaze of their agents who are only waiting for the call to action.”

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