Bloodshed Imminent In Osun Community Over Land Dispute
●Children, Women, Aged Displaced
●As Stakeholders Accuse Elegbedi Of Fuelling Crisis, Seek Adeleke’s Intervention
•Residents of Iloba and Olosape during a protest against Elegbedi of Egbedi, Oba Muideen Azeez at the State Secretariat, Abeere, yesterday
FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2025
2 News
Bloodshed Imminent In Osun Community Over Land Dispute
THERE seems to be no end in sight to the land disputes crisis plaguing communi es are accross Osun State, OSUN DEFENDER reports.
The latest in the series of the crisis is the resump on of hos li es between Iloba and Egbedi towns in Egbedore local government area.
OSUN DEFENDER visited the two communies yesterday to witness the ongoing crisis between communi es.
At the ongoing construc on of Iloba townhall, the Elegbedi of Egbedi, Oba Muideen Azeez and some of his Chiefs were reported to have stormed the site to stop the project.
The medium learnt that it took the intervenon of officers from the Nigeria Service and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Osun Command to forestall the chaos.
Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER, a community leader in Iloba, Imam Muslihudeen Sodiq narrated the cause of the dispute between the two towns.
Sodiq in the interview accused Oba Azeez as the person behind the incessant a acks.
He said: “Iloba town has been in existence for years. Egbedi and Olosape towns are our neighboring towns and they have been with Oloba since incep on. The three towns have their boundaries. But chaos started when the new Elegbedi ascend throne in 2016 when he vowed that he do not want both Iloba and Olosape to no longer be in existence.
“Before he became king, the three towns have been coexis ng in peace. There are documents to back this claim. In 2018, he destroyed our property. All our villages were burnt down. We have approached court to seek redress on that.
“In the last one week, they have started going a er our people to beat them under the supervision of police. Currently, we are reconstruc ng our townhall that has been demolished for about six mes. All materials mobilised have been carted away by his thugs.
“We are begging Governor Ademola Adeleke to come to our aid. The Commissioner of Police should also intervene in this ma er urgently. Our people have been displaced. Some of them have relocated to Ilobu
and Ede. Successive governments in the state failed to listen to our cry.”
Recall that in September 2024, Elegbedi and four other defendants were remanded in the Ile-Ife Custodial Centre following their inability to perfect the bail granted them by the court while standing trial for alleged arson and malicious damage of a farm in Iloba town
Akibu Abioye, Yisa Akolapo, Rasidi Ayandiran and Sarafadeen Abioye were the other defendants standing trial alongside the monarch before an Osun State High Court, si ng in Ede on 29 counts.
Addressing the residents of Iloba and Olosape towns during a protest at the state secretariat yesterday, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Adeleke on Civil Society Engagement, Comrade Ebenezer Ige promised the swi interven on of the state government, adding that
•Children, Women, Aged Displaced
•●As Stakeholders Accuse Elegbedi Of Fuelling Crisis, Seek Adeleke’s Intervention
their grievances have been noted.
“Governor Ademola Adeleke is a peace-loving
man. All your grievances have been noted and will be reported to him appropriately. He will take
swi ac on on the matter,” Ige assured. All efforts to get the reac on of the Elegbedi
proved abor ve as his number was switched off as at the me of filing this report.
How Aregbesola’s OYES Changed My Life - UK-Based Tax Consultant Recalls
Kazeem Badmus
AUnited Kingdom-based tax consultant, Wahab Abiona, has taken to social media to explain how former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola changed his life through the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES).
OSUN DEFENDER reports that OYES was introduced on the 17th of December 2010 by Aregbesola within his first 100 days as governor.
The scheme empowered about 80,000 youths across the state’s 31 Local Government Areas including Ife East Area Office before Aregbesola exited office.
The beneficiaries were recruited, trained (at home and abroad).
The success of the programme led to its replica on in 18 other states and its adop on by the Federal Government as the model for its N-Power scheme.
The World Bank also adopted it as a model for its Youth Empowerment and Social Support Operaon.
Abiona, who expressed his gra tude to the Na onal Secretary of the African Democra c Congress (ADC) in a post on his X
handle on Wednesday, recalled how he joined the scheme in 2011 and was employed. The UK-based tax consultant also disclosed that he met his wife while taking part in the scheme.
He wrote, “Really enjoyed the program then, I was at OYES work in 2011 Sept was called for interview at
my local govt & I was given employment, during the period I married, my wife is also OYES beneficiary.
“I can never 4get in my life, more grace to our great @raufaregbesola”.
Commen ng on Abiona’s post, the ADC Na onal Secretary wrote, “Solidarity forever”.
2026: IREV Not For Collation Of Election Results – Osun REC Clarifies
Yusuf Oketola
THE Independent Na onal Electoral Commission, INEC, has clarified that the INEC Results Viewing Portal, IREV, is not meant for the colla on of elec on results.
INEC also stated that it is monitoring the Connuous Voter Registraon, CVR, stressing that allega ons of monetary inducements during the exercise were unfounded.
The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, for Osun State, Dr. Mu u Agboke, made this clarifica on during a media parley with the Osun Online Media Prac oners Associaon, OOPA, in Osogbo on Thursday.
Agboke explained that results uploaded on the IREV portal are
for viewing purposes only and should not be considered as the final elec on results.
He said, “INEC has processes star ng with colla on of results declara on is the last stage.
“The commission monitors the colla on very seriously. INEC also ensured that sensi ve stage if the colla on are monitored by staff to the final colla on to be sure of the certainty and accuracy of the result.
“For accuracy INEC also makes use of IREV to collate results and not to announce the results. It is not the final result.
“IREV is for viewing and not for colla on.”
He said INEC will engage the Independent Corrupt Prac ces and
Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and other security agencies to curb vote buying in the 2026 elecons.
“Anyone caught will face the law,” he stressed.
On the allega on of bribe collec on by INEC staff in the ongoing Con nuous Voter Registra on, CVR, Agboke dismissed the reports as unfounded.
He said, “I don’t throw away such allegaons. We will inves gate to monitor where the truth lies. They should give us me. We are on top of the ma er.”
On vote buying, Agboke urged the media to assist the Commission by educa ng the public about its consequences.
“It is not correct to leave the bulk of the work with INEC. We will con nue to educate. We will increase our surveillance on those carrying the act with collabora on with security agencies,” he added.
The REC further urged poli cal par es to promote women and youth par cipa on in poli cs.
In the same vein, he called on women to acvely engage in poli cs to achieve gender equity.
Agboke assured Osun residents that their votes would count in the 2026 governorship elec on, while appealing for their coopera on and support to ensure the commission’s success.
Yusuf Oketola
•Osun @ 34: Governor Ademola Adeleke and his First Lady Titilola flanked by the Speaker Osun House of Assembly Rt Hon Adewale Egbedun , the SSG Alhaji Teslim Igbalaye, Royal Fathers and Cabinet members during the cutting of the state anniversary cake on Wednesday
FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2025
CONGRATULATIONS to Osun State as it celebrates and bears on a low key the thirty-fourth year of its coming into existence.
The key ques on to ask as Osun celebrated its thirty-fourth birthday is, has the state lived up to expecta ons? This is an important ques on to ask because thirty-four is an adequate me to reflect on the past and to charge a new way forward.
Unfortunately for the state and the millions of ci zens living in it, a dispassionate analysis will show that Osun has had highs and lows but has not raised a consistent crescendo of gradual improvement leading it to actualize its immense poten al.
Osun actually has immense potenal, and the Aregbesola administra on, which is s ll the gold standard for effec ve governance in the state, actually subconsciously or otherwise saw Osun as having the poten al to replicate the model of the Netherlands.
Osun is surrounded by six neighboring states. It should have used its propensity of being surrounded by six neighboring states to turn this into a trajectory for advancement.
If you go back to the Netherlands, for example, the state has the land mass of Eki State. Eki State is only ten percent of the land mass of Nigeria, but surprise, surprise, the Netherlands is the second largest exporter of agricultural products in the world, even though the land mass is only ten percent of the land mass of Nigerian States, in other words put into Nigeriaʼs Niger State the Netherlands will just be a senatorial district in Niger State. Nevertheless, the exports of the Netherlands are more than two and a half mes the income from Nigeria’s oil and gas export. This ought to provide food(The pun is deliberate) for thought!
And the popula on of the Netherlands is less than the popula on of Lagos State.
Kudos must be given to the Aregbesola administra on that they actually saw this model and began a process of working on it for the future of Osun State. We believe this model, should be revived.
The state must take advantage of the synergy of being bordered by six states and turn it into a big advance. The state must now go back to the original template of the Aregbesola administra on and look at how commodity exchanges and boards could be set up so that Osun State buys grains and other agricultural produce and then sets up its own processing plants, which is really the Netherlands model, for value addi on, and sell it across the country and indeed start to export.
This must be looked at because without it, the state will not be turning its immense geographical advantage into a posi ve trust.”
The underperformance of Osun State is because it has no clear strategy since Aregbesola’s regime ended. It was reviewed in the announcement by Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State. Imo State will be paying a minimum wage of 104,000 a month henceforth. This announcement by Uzodinma, whatever the mo ves, is laudable, and the upkeep should be where Oṣùn State should have been about a year ago if we had focused on an original template of ever-increasing produc on.
There’s no reason why Oṣùn State will not be paying anything less down 95,000 a month as is minimum wage, if the priority of government have been reorganized and if they focus and be con-
Osun At Thirty-four!
sistently involve staring from the superb economic and social programs of the Aregbesola’s administra on the would have really be the state where today increases if Oṣùn State is paying 95,000 a month as minimum wage. Because a minimum wage actually uses purchasing power parity to a ract investments.
Chief Obafemi Awolowo realised this in the 1950s when, in 1957, he paid more minimum wage than the Eastern and Northern regions.
At the me this look full hady or even there were cri sm from the opposi on and from the dominant opposi on NCNC party Awolowo was proved right because two year a er Awolowo did is minimum wage an emergency cabinet mee ng was held in eastern part of Nigeria in which he decided to increase the minimum wage because western region is now using a high purchasing power parity to a ract industrial and commercial investments which they felt ought to have gone to the eastern part of the country, this example shows that a sensible reordering of priority and it be cost machnery of government is of fundamental importance to economic development.
Today we must go back to the template of the past. One of the demos that has stunted the development of Osun State is the pe ness in which laudable programs were not built upon and connued. The president has been in Brazil since last week. One key thing he must
EXPLAINER
•Thirty-four years on largely promises half-fulfillment
• Immense potential untapped because of the absence of continuity
• Time for a reboot, emphasis must be placed on electing a government with a progressive agenda based on real sustainable development as opposed to fleeting ‘growth’
• The future should be based on making ‘life more abundant’ and shared prosperity
have learnt from the Brazilian experience is that the audacious thrust made by President Ignacio Lula Da Silva was largely pursued even by the right-wing government of Bolsonaro and has been proven once again on the front burner today. Successive regimes a er Lula Da Silva’s first appearance did not dismantle the excellent family program or the excellent housing program in which the Lula Da Silva government constructed a million social housing units a year for eight years on a monthly rent purchase program.
Asst.
Asst.
The programs put together by Lula Da Silva, the homegrown school feeding programs, added together and created an astonishing balance in which 40 million people were put out of poverty, the GDP tripled, and Brazil, through the school feeding program, was transformed into an export powerhouse of agro-allied products. It’s a shame a crying shame that eny emmosionally and so forth stunted the development of the outstanding programs put together by Aregbesola’s team policies which was so effec vely implemented should have been built upon con nued to be fine tune refine and built upon, Osun state should now be paying 95,000 monthly minimum wage, this would have even a racted more investment there would have been more investors and Oṣùn state wouldn’t have been paying nothing less than 110,000 per month in today purchasing power parity.
“Thirty-four years on, it’s me for a reboot. The pivotal upcoming governorship elecons should be used to elect a progressive government with main efforts based on sustainable development leading to shared prosperity.
We have seen how shared prosperity can be achieved in the past with the government of the Ac on Group in the 1950s, the government of the Pioneer Trust of Aregbesola’s administra on, and the examples so lauded by the President of the Federa on during his trip to Brazil.
OSUN DEFENDER
Produc on Controller – Petkola Taiwo Ibitowa
OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Behind Oranmiyan Building, Gbodofon, Off Gbongan Road, Osogbo, Osun State.
ISSN : 0794-8050
Telephone : 0809-301-9152
Website : www.osundefender.com/index.php e-mail : osundefenderhq@gmail.com osundefenderbank@gmail.com
All correspondence to the above email addresses.
Osun State has immense poten al, but it needs crea ve, progressive leadership armed with a detailed program, especially in the field of human capital development and linking up integrated rural development to achieve a cri cal mass to push the state forward.
It is incumbent upon all ci zens of Osun State to be unrelen ng in working towards achieving this important, life-enhancing objec ve. Once again, we wish our dear state many happy returns and look forward to a much be er, prosperous, and invigorating future.”
•Isiaka Adeleke•Bisi Akande
•Rauf Aregbesola
•Gboyega Oyetola
•Olagunsoye Oyinlola
•Ademola Adeleke
10th NASS: Three Osun Federal Lawmakers Rated Low In Performance Report
Yusuf Oketola
THREE members of the House of Representatives in Osun State have been rated low in their contribu ons at the floor of the house between June 14, 2023 –June 23, 2024.
This was revealed during the unveiling of the Na onal Assembly Delibera ve Barometer and Policy-Focus Produc vity Report, a ground-breaking digital accountability pla orm developed by ERGAF-AFRICA in collabora on with CISLAC and partners.
The affected lawmakers are Rep. Omirin Olusanya representing Atakunmosa East/ Atakunmosa West/ Ilesa West, Oladebo Omoleye represen ng Ayedaade / Irewole/ Isokan and Rep. Adetunji Olusoji representing Odo-o n/ Ifelodun / Boripe.
Both Omirin and Adetunji scored zero in the number of legisla ve ac ons while Oladebo has only one legisla ve ac on within the year under review.
The pla orm, described as Africa’s first interac ve legisla ve performance barometer, uses real- me data to evaluate the produc vity of all 469 federal lawmakers.
It tracks bills, moons, debates, peons, and plenary contribu ons, providing ci zens, researchers, and civil society groups with unprecedented access to legisla ve performance data.
Meanwhile, Rep. Bamidele Salam represen ng Ede North/ South/ Egbedore/ Ejigbo was ranked among the top 20 most produc ve lawmakers in Nigeria’s House of Representa ves Delibera ons with 33 number of legisla ve ac ons pu ng him at the top of the chart of lawmakers from Osun.
Also, Rep. Oluwole Oke represen ng Ibokun/ Oriade federal cons tuency scored 26 in his performance while Ajilesoro Taofeek represen ng ife central/ east/ north/ south scored 20 in numbers of legisla ve ac ons.
Reac ng to the report, Omirin’s media aide, Akeem Olaoye described the claim as false and poli cal, say-
ing his principal contributed immensely at the floor of the report.
Olaoye in an interview with OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday said: “The report is fake and poli cal. Hon. Omirin contributed immensely at the floor of the house. The report should be disregarded by the members of the public. If it was also based on numbers of bills sponsored, my principal has some bills to his name”.
Responding to enquiry by the medium, the media assistant to Rep. Oladebo, Ibidamola Orolade said the report is not true.
He said: “It is not true”.
In his own respond, Oluwasegun Taiwo, the Media Assistant to Rep. Adetunji described the report as misleading and inaccurate. This was contained in a statement made available to OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday. Taiwo said: “Whatever data released by an agency called ERGAF AFRICA is both inaccurate and misleading. No doubt, Hon. Bamidele Salam
IN the rich cultural tapestry of Yoruba society—and indeed much of Africa—wisdom is o en embedded in proverbs. One such adage, “Omo ó bá fọ ọwọ, á bá àgbà jeun” (“A child who washes his hands will dine with elders”), is more than a poe c phrase; it is a guiding principle for personal growth and leadership.
This simple statement, passed down through genera ons, teaches that humility, self-discipline, and respect for elders are not just social courtesies—they are the very founda ons upon which greatness is built.
Growing up in rural Osun, I remember how my grandfather would pause in the middle of his evening tales to explain the layered meanings of our proverbs. “You see,” he would say, “when a child learns to greet properly, to
was deservedly ranked among the 20 most produc ve lawmakers, a par cular infographic analysing the performance of other lawmakers from Osun State is deeply faulty.
“In the report, the duo of Hon. Sanya Omirin and Hon. Soji Adetunji were each scored zero under the parameter of legislave ac ons. I may not extensively speak for
Hon. Omirin, but it is a ma er of public record that in April he reintroduced a bill to upgrade Wesley Guild Hospital to a Federal Medical Centre. If that is not a legisla ve ac on, then ERGAF AFRICA must explain what it considers legisla ve ac on to be.
“As for Hon. Soji Adetunji, the facts are clear: he sponsored a bill for the establish-
ment of a Federal Medical Centre Ikirun at second reading, Bill to establish Federal university of Agriculture that already passed first reading even before the speedy passage of FUA, Iragbiji.
Two months ago, he moved a mo on on the urgent need to strengthen security in order to restore banking opera ons in OdoOtin/Ifelodun/Boripe
A Child Who Washes His Hands: Respect As A Path To Leadership Art/Culture
listen more than he speaks, and to honour the wisdom of those before him, that child is already preparing for leadership.” He was right. Those who lead well in Yoruba land— and beyond—are not just bold. They are though ul, grounded in tradi on, and respec ul of the hierarchy that holds our communi es together.
In today’s fastchanging world, these values seem threatened by a de of digital independence and social rebellion. Many young people now measure maturity by how loud their opinions are, or how boldly they challenge authority. But our elders remind us that true confidence does not roar—it listens. It
waits. It learns. Respect is not submission; it is preparaon. The child who kneels to greet is not weak—he is wise. The appren ce who watches before speaking is not inferior—he is strategic. And the youth who seeks counsel before making decisions is not confused—he is cul va ng clarity.
Federal Cons tuency of Osun.
“From all indicaons, I observed that the agency in ques on appears more interested in propaganda and promo ng some lawmakers while downplaying the efforts of others.
I challenge the agency to openly present the parameters used in their socalled assessment.”
In every village, town, or city in Osun State, there are stories of young men and women who rose to become kings, chiefs, teachers, business leaders, and community heroes—not because they were the loudest, but because they carried themselves with honour. They were the ones who washed their hands. They were the ones who knew that a gree ng could open more doors than a demand.
For the ability to sit among the wise, not by force, but by merit.
Leadership, in the African context, is rela onal. You cannot lead people you do not respect. You cannot inspire a community if you’ve never submi ed to its customs. Whether in polics, business, or faith, those who truly succeed are those who understand the power of humility. We must return to these roots. We must teach our children that washing one’s hands is not just a ma er of hygiene—it is a metaphor for readiness. For inner discipline.
As Osun con nues to grow in educa on, technology, and governance, we must not discard the wisdom that brought us this far. The proverb s ll stands. And so does the challenge. Will today’s child wash his hands? Will she honour those who came before? Will he prepare, not just to eat at the table—but to someday lead it?
Because in the end, character s ll ma ers. And in our culture, character begins with respect.
•Oladebo Omoleye•Sanya Omirin•Adetunji Olusoji
Apetu’s Conviction: Osun Govt Reveals Next Move
Kazeem Badmus
THE Osun State Government on Wednesday, said it will obtain the Cer fied True Copy of the judgment of a United States court that sentenced the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Oloyede, to prison over a mul milliondollar COVID-19 relief fund fraud.
OSUN DEFENDER reports that the 62year-old dual ci zen of Nigeria and the United States was on Tuesday sentenced to 56 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Christopher A. Boyko.
He was also ordered the monarch to pay $4.2 million in res tu on and another $195,000 to the IRS for filing a false tax return.
Jus ce Boyko also ordered Oloyede to forfeit $96,000 in money seized from his bank account and his home on Foote Road that he bought in 2021 for $130,000.
Oba Oloyede, a US-based accountant and informa on system expert, was appointed the new Apetu in July 2019.
The monarch was arrested alongside a Nigerian pastor, Edward Oluwasanmi in early 2024 for their roles in a scheme to fraudulently obtain $4.2m in COVID-19 relief funds.
The two men were charged with 13 counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, and engaging in monetary transac ons in criminally derived property.
Speaking with a journalist on Wednesday, the Osun State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Ma ers, Mr. Dosu Babatunde, said the government would not act based on social media reports.
“While it may be true that the monarch has been convicted and jailed, there is no official record with us.
“We cannot rely
on Facebook posts and stories to jus fy such a serious matter,” he said.
He added that the government would obtain the CTC of the judgment before making any decision regarding the stool. “We will direct that the Cer fied
ADC Queries
True Copy of the judgment be obtained. A er studying it, the govern-
ment will then decide on the next steps,” Babatunde stated.
INEC’s Registration Of 393,269 Voters In Osun Within 7 days
Yusuf Oketola
THE African Democra c Congress (ADC) has raised concerns over what it described as “sta s cally implausible” figures released by the Independent Na onal Electoral Commission (INEC) in its first-week report on new Con nuos Voter registra ons.
According to the party, the numbers from Osun State alone defy both historical pa erns and demographic realies, with nearly 400,000 new registra ons reportedly completed in just seven days.
In a statement signed by its Na onal Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC warned that such suspicious figures, if le unchecked, could undermine confidence in Nigeria’s en re electoral process. The
•says It’s ‘Statistically Implausible’
party therefore calls on INEC to explain how it is that in Osun State, one week’s registraon exceeded the total number of new voters recorded in the state over the last four years combined, while the South West zone alone accounted for an extraordinary 67 percent of all pre-registra ons na onwide.
The full statement reads: “The African Democra c Congress (ADC) has viewed the first set of data released by the Independent Na onal Electoral Commission (INEC) on new Con nuos Voter registra ons with great concern.
“According to INEC’s figures, Osun State alone recorded 393,269 pre-registra ons in just
one week. To put this in context, Osun added only 275,815 new voters between 2019 and 2023, a period of four years. In other words, Osun has now supposedly registered more people in seven days than it managed to do in an en re electoral cycle of four years.
“Even at its highest point of poli cal mobilisa on in 2022, Osun has never produced more than 823,124 votes cast in the Governorship Elec on. Now, by some miracle, nearly 20 percent of all eligible adults in the state have rushed to register. This is not just unusual, it is sta scally implausible.
“The anomalies become even more glaring when viewed in the context of the overall registra on report. Across the six geopoli cal zones, the South West alone accounts for 848,359 pre-registraons, an astonishing 67 percent of the na onal total. By contrast, the en re South East recorded just 1,998 preregistra ons. To further illustrate, three states— Osun, Lagos, and Ogun— make up 54.2 percent of all pre-registra ons in Nigeria, while five
states combined—Ebonyi, Imo, Enugu, Abia, and Adamawa—barely recorded 4,153, or 0.2 percent, while the enre North East recorded just 6.1 percent.
“These fantas c figures suggest either another technical “glitch” in INEC’s digital registraon system, or a more troubling possibility of deliberate manipulaon of data to lay the ground for a more sinister agenda in the coming elec ons. In either case, INEC has some explana ons to give.
“We must be clear: the voter register is the founda on upon which the en re electoral process rests. If the founda on is compromised, it brings the integrity of the elec ons into ques on. Nigerians s ll remember the bi er consequences of flawed voter rolls and “technical glitches” in past elec ons. Our democracy cannot withstand another one.
“The ADC therefore calls on INEC to urgently conduct and publish a full forensic audit of the first-week preregistra on data, with a state-by-state breakdown of both physical and online registra-
ons. INEC should also disclose the server logs, bandwidth distribu on, and regional access reports for the registraon portal during this period.
“We call on all opposi on poli cal par es to set aside rivalry and jointly demand clarity from INEC on these glaring anomalies. We urge elec on monitoring groups, fact-checking organisa ons, and legal advocacy bodies to independently interrogate these numbers and press for accountability.”
But the Public Relaons Officer of INEC in Osun, Musa Olurode refuted the claim, saying the figures were not fabricated.
Olurode while speaking with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday said: “Firstly, the figures are not fabricated, it was generated from the various data across the 37 States Offices of the Commission.
“Furthermore, the public should not be carried away with the figure because what was released was the figure for the pre-online registra on which is not yet a completed process of becoming a voter”
•Osun State Commissioner for Health, Barrister Jola Akintola flanked by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, Children and Social Welfare, Mrs Abimbola Babatunde, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Isiaka Adekunle and the Director of Public Health, Dr Hakeem Bello, displaying Osun State Early Childhood Development Commitment Plaque for Children age (0-5), recently
THE federal government’s policy enforcing the minimum age of 16 years for admission into ter ary ins tu ons has sparked outcry in Osun as parents are said to be miffed by the development.
The decision, though not new, has gained momentum this year as universi es across the country begin to strictly implement it during the ongoing admission processes.
In an interview recently conducted by the Nigeria Educa on News team in Osogbo, many parents were displeased over what they described as a “sudden clampdown,” insis ng that the rule should take effect from next year rather than immediately. According to them, the strict enforcement has le many families stranded a er years of inves ng in their children’s
educa on.
A mother of two secondary school graduates, Mrs. Funmilayo Adebisi, said she was shocked when her son, who scored impressively in the Unified Ter ary Matricula on Examina on (UTME), was denied admission simply because he was not yet 16 years old. “We were never warned that this would be enforced this year. If the government wanted it, they should have informed us ahead so we could plan properly. Now, our children are le idle,” she lamented.
Another parent, Mr. Kayode Adeyemi, shared similar concerns, describing the sudden applica on of the rule as unfair. He explained that his daughter completed her secondary school educa on at 14 and had been adequately prepared for higher educaon. “It is not every child
Admission Age Limit: Outcry In Osun As Parents Call For Implementation Shift News
that develops at the same pace. Some are academically advanced even if they are younger. Why should the law deny them opportuni es simply because of age?” he queried.
Parents also raised fears that many affected children may lose mo va on during the wai ng period before turning 16. Some argued that Nigeria’s declining educa onal standards do not allow for such delays, as many students risk driing away from academics if forced to remain idle at home.
One father, Mr. Sola Olaniyan, called for flexibility in the policy. He argued that while the rule might be necessary to prevent immaturity among underage students, the government should allow exempons for gi ed children. “If a child is 14 or 15 but academically sound and emoonally stable, why should
such brilliance be wasted?” he asked.
Educa onal analysts, however, believe the policy has merits. According to Dr. Tolu Akinwumi, an educaon consultant in Osun, children below 16 o en struggle to cope with the social and emo onal demands of university life. “This rule exists to protect young learners from the psychological challenges of premature exposure to adult environments. It is not only about academics but also about maturity,” she explained.
S ll, cri cs argue that Nigeria’s educa on system does not give parents enough clarity. Many parents insisted that if the government wanted to strictly enforce the age limit, it should have engaged in proper sensi sa on campaigns years earlier. “Suddenly springing it on families this year is unjust. It
Campus Review Campus Review
feels like the goalpost was moved without no ce,” said Mrs. Adebisi.
Another pressing concern raised during the interviews was the poten al increase in financial burden.
Parents pointed out that keeping children at home for addi onal years means spending more on tutoring, extracurricular classes, and alterna ve engagements to keep them busy and produc ve. For low-income households, this represents a major challenge.
Some parents suggested that rather than enforcing a blanket age restric on,
Osun Ex-deputy Gov. Slams Adeleke
For ‘Neglecting’ Rural Communities
FORMER Deputy
Governor of Osun
State, Benedict Alabi, on Wednesday, cri cised the state government over the ‘concentra on’ of road infrastructure in the city while dwellers suffer due to a poor network of roads.
He also lamented the state of educa on in Osun, saying that the government sacked over 1,500 teachers employed by the past administra on because of poli cs, without replacement to date.
Alabi stated this on Wednesday when he declared his inten on to contest the 2026 governorship elecon in the state under the pla orm of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He promised to concentrate on agriculture, health, and infrastructure, par cularly in local areas, saying that people at the grassroots are lacking good roads as a result of the government’s concentra on on the capital city.
He said, “Today, I can state authoritavely that Osun is in disarray. No investment
in educa on, no ma er how small. The state government sacked 1,500 teachers without replacement because of poli cs. Unemployment con nues to increase.”
Alabi, who was the deputy to the immediate past governor of the state, Gboyega Oyetola, while addressing journalists in Osogbo, Osun State capital, said the experience he possesses sets him apart from other aspirants.
He added that the insinua on that the
former governor and Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has anointed a candidate is a “mere rumour”.
According to him, “The claim that former governor Oyetola has a preferred candidate and that he anointed Alhaji Bola Oyebamiji is an insinua on.
“If you listen to him when he declared that he is no longer contesting for governorship in Osun State, he said he wished all aspirants
success.
“There is no doubt that Alhaji Bola Oyebamiji is close to the minister, being his commissioner for finance while in office; that could not be taken to be an endorsement. So, it is not true, and it is street talk that he has a preferred candidate.
“I know that former governor Adegboyega Oyetola has no preferred candidate. I’ve been with him. I know he is a man of his word. He has said that he has no preferred candidate,
universi es should design admission policies that assess a student’s readiness based on mul ple factors.
“There should be room for interviews, ap tude tests, and psychological evalua ons. Age should not be the only yards ck,” noted Mr. Adeyemi.
Despite the backlash, officials of the Ministry of Educa on maintain that the policy has long existed in Nigeria’s admission guidelines. They argue that what is happening now is simply a more consistent enforcement. The ministry insists that the age benchmark aligns with global best prac ces where university educa on is reserved for young adults, not adolescents.
and I believe him. So, the issue of whether he has a preferred candidate or not does not come into play”.
SCOBA Calls For Synergy To Improve Education In Osun
THE Old Boys Associa on of St. Charles Grammar School (SCOBA)-Diaspora has advocated a synergy among the state government, educaonal authori es, and àlumni associa ons of secondary schools in the state to improve the standard of educa on in Osun. Members of the associa on made the call a er their conven on, tagged “Charleans In Diaspora Conven on 2025,” held in Texas, United States of America. The associa on
maintained that a deliberate policy made to harmonise the contribu ons of all alumni bodies, educa onal authori es, and government will go a long way in allowing secondary school students to perform be er in their studies.
SCOBA-Diaspora conven on, which a racted par cipants from Africa, the Americas, Europe, and Asia, also stressed the need for the na on’s federal government to consistently review the na onal educa onal curriculum to reflect the dynamics of societal needs for the
development of science and technology.
The conven on featured the elec on of a new execu ve to lead the associa on into a new era.
In his remarks, the newly elected president of the associa on, Charlean Mudashiru Adeoṣun promised to improve on the achievements of his predecessors.
Earlier, the immediate past president of the Associa on, Engineer Ghazal Ajijolaiya informed the gathering that his team had repaired and equipped the iconic AFOLALU build-
ing in their old school, paid the WAEC and NECO fees of students, gave pallia ves during COVID-19, and mo vated students and teachers alike at St Charles Grammar School, Osogbo through the associaon’s Diaspora achievements awards.
Other officers elected at the conference are; Charleans Adesoji Oderinde as Vice Chairman (America), Oyekanmi Loremikan Vice Chairman (Europe), Kazeem Adetunji (General Secretary), Kayode Ajayi (Treasurer) and Kayode Fagbemi (Public Relaons).
Parents in Osogbo, however, con nue to insist on a more gradual approach. Many of them believe that implementing the rule from next year would give families and schools adequate me to adjust. This, they argue, would prevent the current wave of disappointment and frustra on.
Some educa onal experts also called for improved investment in voca onal and pre-university programs. These would serve as alterna ves for students below 16 who are academically ready but not legally qualified for terary admission. “Instead of leaving them idle, the government can channel them into preparatory colleges, skill-based training, or interna onal exchange programs,” Dr. Akinwumi suggested.
As the debate rages on, families in Osun and across Nigeria remain divided on the ma er. While some see the rule as a necessary safeguard for the psychological and social wellbeing of young learners, others perceive it as an unnecessary barrier that wastes talent and resources. What remains clear, however, is that the federal government will need to balance policy enforcement with public sensi vity. Without clear communica on and transi onal measures, the 16year admission age limit risks becoming one of the most conten ous issues in Nigeria’s educa on sector this year.
Kazeem Badmus
Kazeem Badmus
Yusuf Oketola
•Alabi
Nwabali Doubtful For Super Eagles World Cup Qualifiers
CHIPPA United goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali is doub ul for Nigeria’s upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and South Africa due to injury.
Nwabali was stretchered off in the 35th minute of Chippa United’s South African Premier Soccer League clash with Richards Bay on Tuesday night.
The 29-year-old now faces a race against me to be fit for the games against the Amavubi and Bafana Bafana.
The shot-stopper was named in Ni-
geria’s 31-man provisional squad for the crucial qualifiers last week.
Adebayo Adeleye, Amas Obasogie and Ebenezer Harcourt
NUJ
Tasks
THE Nigeria Union of Journalists, Osun State Council, has called on Governor Ademola Adeleke to fulfil his promise of absorbing some freelance staff of the Osun State Broadcas ng Corpora on as full- me workers.
Recall that Adeleke on Thursday, May 23, 2024 pronounced and reapproved a full- me job for the sacked freelance staff who had been working under the condi on of ‘casual engagement’ in the state-owned broadcasting industry.
The governor directed the immediate reabsorp on of the casual workers. But over a year since the promise was made, nothing has been done.
Rising from its monthly congress on Wednesday, the NUJ, while extending warm congratula ons to Governor Adeleke and the people of Osun State on the occasion of the state’s 34th anniversary, charged him to follow through on his promises to the 66 freelance workers.
In a communiqué signed by Wasiu Ajadosu and Adeyemi Aboderin, the NUJ chairman and secretary, respec vely, the body of journalists in the state reminded Governor Adeleke to effect the approval of the absorp on of 66
are the other goalkeepers included in the squad.
Nigeria will take on Rwanda and South Africa on September 6 and 10.
UEFA has introduced a major change to the Champions League final star ng from this season.
The European football governing body wants to make its flagship event in club compe on as accessible to as many supporters as possible.
And the organizaon has taken into account fans that will be a ending in person and a global television audience that extends into hundreds of millions.
UEFA has now decided that the final, star ng from the 2025/2026 season, will kick off at 6:00 pm local me.
This year’s final will be played at the iconic Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary.
News
Champions League: UEFA Introduces Major Change To Final Match
The 2024/2025 final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan kicked off at 9:00 pm local me.
UEFA has further explained that it is
looking to “enhance the overall matchday experience” and eradicate logis cal challenges that have posed problems in the past.
Adeleke On Promise To OSBC Freelance Staff
OSBC freelance staff as a mark of celebra ng the 34th anniversary of the state’s crea on.
The council urged the governor to take immediate ac on, which would not only benefit the affected staff but also contribute to the overall development of the state.
Commending Adeleke’s administraon for its remarkable progress in various sec-
tors, the union noted that progress has been made in educa on, agriculture, mining, health, infrastructure, and human capital development, describing the feat as a testament to the governor’s effecve leadership.
The council prayed for con nued peace in Osun as it celebrates its anniversary, urging cizens to come together and support one an-
other.
It emphasised the importance of registering for the Permanent Voters Cards in determining the outcome of elec ons, encouraging eligible ci zens to seize the ongoing registra on to register or transfer their cards ahead of the upcoming governorship elec on in Osun State.
The congress noted that the ongoing voter
registra on exercise is an opportunity for cizens to exercise their right to vote and shape the future of the state.
It urged everyone to take advantage of the exercise and ensure that their voices are heard.
The NUJ also commended security agencies for their efforts in maintaining peace and security in the state during this period.
The council praised their dedica on to duty and urged them to connue their good work. Members of the body have been charged to a end union programmes and ac vi es, emphasising the importance of acve par cipa on in union affairs, no ng that it would help strengthen the union and promote the interests of its members.
Osun LG Crisis: Muslim Clerics Sue For Peace
•Call On Parties To Comply With Rule Of Law
THE League of Imams and Alfas in Osun State have called on all par es involved in the local government dispute in the state to comply with the rule of law as affirmed by the June 22nd ruling of the Court of Appeal which confirmed the legimacy of elected PDP officials.
The League also called the a en on of the Federal Government to the increasing pains and hardship the local government crisis is inflic ng on the grassroots sector of the society.
This formed part of the resolu ons of the League in a communiqué signed by Imam Musa Animasahun, the Grand Imam of Osun State. The com-
munique was released a er a mee ng of the League on Wednesday in Osogbo.
OSUN DEFENDER recalled that there has been disagreement between the All Progressives Congress, APC and the Peoples Democra c Party, PDP, government in the state over the leadership of the local governments.
A er the Osun local government elec on on Saturday February 22, 2025, the state governor, Ademola Adeleke directed the PDP elected local government officials to steer clear of local government secretariats.
Violence had broken out days to the polls with a endant loss of lives including that of an APC chie ain, Remi Abass in Ikire, Irewole
local government area of the state.
The APC LG chairmen who were elected on October 22, 2022 were sacked by judgment of the Federal High Court si ng in Osogbo.
Reac ng to the development on Wednesday, the religious leaders noted that in a bid to resolve the crisis, the body had informed federal authori es of several pe ons and appeals from the Muslim ummah.
The statement said, “The assembly in a unanimous resolu on therefore specifically appeals to President Tinubu to direct the immediate release of Osun withheld allocaons and the recogni on of PDP elected officials in compliance with rule of law and
due process as exemplify in the Electoral Act and the Cons tuon of the Federal republic;
“The assembly further tasks all muslim office holders at the federal level especially those from Osun and Kwara States to ensure the implementa on of Number 5 above in the best interest of the muslim Ummah and as a sacred religious duty.
“The league commends President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for his consistent efforts to reform the na onal economy and make life be er for Nigerians.
“The league prays for the success of the Federal Government;
“The assembly praises Governor Ademola Adeleke for his diploma c and consensual based leader-
ship style which has ensured sustained growth and development of Osun state.
“The assembly parcularly appreciates the handling of local government ques on in a way that ensure peace and tranquility despite the very difficult nature of the local government crisis;
“The assembly hails the governor’s embrace of rule of law and due process as a smart strategy for the resoluon of the impasse.”
The clerics while commending the residents of the state for turning out enmasse for the Con nuous Voter Registra on, CVR, hailed the emergence of the state as the number one among the 36 states.
It urged all those who have registered to ensure they collect their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs.
Yusuf Oketola
Yusuf Oketola
FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2025 VOL. 20 NO 39 www.osundefender.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com
THE drama c pronouncements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at his inaugura on into office on May 29, 2024 triggered into mo on a level of infla on last experienced in Nigeria four decades ago in the mid-1980s, and as a result, millions of Nigerians find themselves trapped in wrenching poverty today, worse than at the introducon of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) by General Ibrahim Babangida.
This has cast a shadow over the Tinubu Presidency now in its third year, and has made how to survive PBAT’s impulsive and inconsiderate economic policy the main issue before Nigerians today.
The Nigerian media has recently been abuzz with sponsored cricisms of the efforts to form a viable poli cal coali on by forces cri cal about the disturbing condi on of living of the great majority of Nigerians caused by the policies choices of the PBAT All Progressives Congress (APC) Administra on and their impacts on the economy and the people over the last two years. The inaugura on of the African Democra c Congress (ADC), the poli cal Party adopted by the coali on of opposi on forces which many expect to be genuinely commi ed to making significant changes in the direc on of poli cs and governance in Nigeria has been received with enthusiasm by millions of ci zens across the country. The reason for this is not far-fetched: the majority of Nigerians are bearing the brunt of the Government’s policies which have triggered unprecedented levels of infla on, hunger, poverty and des tu on among Nigerians. These include the large number of youths who are without jobs, families unable to feed and keep their children in school due to the high costs of living caused by the Government’s infla onary policies which have raised prices far above the capacity of Nigerians to cope.
As a result of these strong voices of the aggrieved, there has been a backlash of loud and cri cal verbal assault on cri cs of the Government since the successful inaugura on and reinvigora on of the opposion forces of the ADC now mobilizing the Nigerian populace to speak up against the harsh and devastat-
“Government officials routinely mock the people who are hungry and poor while at the same time actively blocking or dismissing honest feedbacks from the electorate, the citizens, on the performance of Government as it should be in a country which prizes citizens’ well-being and security as the irreducible reasons for a Government”
By ENGR ABIMBOLA DANIYAN
Why Label
Aregbesola As A Traitor For Being Critical Of Tinubu?
ing economic policies of the APC government and their unbearable consequences for the poor Nigerians. The Government’s response through its spokespersons and other hired hands has been concerted and unfeeling, ignoring the plight of the poor majority of Nigerians who now live in desperate condi ons unable to afford basic needs while the Government and its inner circles live in obscene luxury. The severity of the media a acks on the opposi on is a brutal reminder of the Government’s sense of insecurity in power while it has failed to seriously address the people’s needs and demands. The government’s poorly thought through policies of simultaneous Naira devalua on and removal of subsidies on fuel and electricity have resulted in unprecedented infla on and paralysis of movement in a country in which small business transac ons depend heavily on movement and face- toface contact. The Government has invested very li le in the economic infrastructures that are essen al for efficient digital, remote opera ons: reliable electricity with affordable tariffs being charged to the consumers. The all-encompassing ramificaons of the rapid increases in prices, include infla on of the costs of Agricultural inputs, transporta on, petrol to fuel generators and to pump water for animals, raising farm and home needs are all beyond the means of many.
The overall effect of these policies has been the rapid erosion of the livelihoods of the majority poor, more of whom are unable to earn enough to sustain themselves are now trapped in squalor. Food is now very expensive and the poorest pay the highest prices for food purchases which they cannot afford; and meanwhile farmers trapped in debts get less and less for their produce while traders and transporters reap a windfall from the farmers’ despera on to sell their perishable produce just to survive.
As a result, many youths which took to farming in rural communies have taken the lesson: they have simply walked away from the conundrum to join the desperate
horde massing on Nigeria’s big ci es in the search for a be er life. They are finding out that the hard life in the city is accompanied by criminal underworld ac vi es which they have to find their ways around daily. This translates to severe shortage of labour on the farms which can afford only low wages. Rural communi es suffer from lack of good roads to the farms, no electricity, no proper healthcare, and no meaningful or modern social life in the absence of ameni es. This perennial reality has remained unchanged for 50 years a er Chief Awolowo’s daring programmes under the Unity Party of Nigeria. Is this the inclusive Government promised in every policy paper of Government? Is this how development will spread across the regions and communi es? Is this right and fair price of development?
The wielders of poli cal power in Nigeria’s Government today have doubled down on the very policies which precipitated the massive bleeding of the poorest segments of Nigerian Society, making the poverty in Nigeria much worse today than it has ever been.
Slowly but surely over the years, the idea/principles of Civilian Democra c Government in Nigeria has been eroded by successive administra ons of elected poli cians through a cornucopia of ac ons and behaviours. These include a system which deliberately allocates resources in lopsided a manner which does not reflect or correlate with the needs of the majority people the leaders claim to be serving. Evidences of this abound in their excesses, such as: expensive cars parked barely used in poli cians’ garages as status symbols and some mes foolishly put on display in public to show us all that they have ‘arrived’ in the league of the financially made who couldn’t care less what we say, or think. These vehicles are in fact used cash storage safes which they ferry around to corruptly enforce their wills. Government officials rou nely mock the people who are hungry and poor while at the same me acvely blocking or dismissing honest feedbacks from the electorate, the ci zens, on the performance of Gov-
ernment as it should be in a country which prizes ci zens’ well-being and security as the irreducible reasons for a Government.
And by doing these things the very founda onal declara on of rights by the Cons tu on are violated. They hire hack writers to put out false propaganda like Goebbels did in the prelude to the devasta ons done by WW2. And worse, they threaten to maim or kill those who demand a change in the direc on of government through legi mate organiza on of shared opinions as a group, and dismiss the right of associa on and the freedom of expression, rights enshrined in the Cons tu on as the core of the system we prac ce. It is a democracy in which the People’s pains and their feedbacks are rou nely are ignored, while those in Government luxuriate in excess, oblivious of the people’s daily reali es of hunger, lack, insecurity of lives and despera on. If this is the democracy upon which billions of Naira is spent - what manner of democracy is it? The ruling cliques in Nigeria however recombined are commi ed to only one thing: selfenrichment at the expense of the unfortunate and ignorant ci zens the poli cians claim to represent. This rank misdemeanor is immoral, unjust and unconscionable for a country the rulers of which are themselves children whose parents escaped rural trap of poverty into the big ci es only in the last half century. How could they forget so soon that they themselves were yesterday’s poor and wretched? Poverty is not caused by the poor. Rather they are the vic ms of a system designed to create and perpetuate the evil of denial of the right to improvement of their living condi ons by entrenched division into classes for the sake of possessions because they harbor in their darkened hearts the desire to discriminate against ci zens for whom the Cons tu on guarantees equal rights.
It should now be clear to all that an irresolute group of poli cians constantly cu ng deals to quarry home more money from the common teal at the expense of the rest of us stands no chance of displacing the Tinubu government given its history of longevity and wily poli cs. This why the Tinubu administra on’s conduct has to be closely watched if indeed we all share fairly the burden and blessing of being Nigerians at this trying me.
As long as the false theory of Priva za on and transferring Public wealth into a few hands is seen as the solu on to ending mass poverty in Nigeria without dealing with the underlying character issue of ranpant corrup on plaguing everything in Nigeria, we will travel far afield acros the globe and will find no answer to our problems. Our problems are us, they are within us, they are us. Character is the key that unlocks everything we have desired. The earlier we dealt with it the faster things will be be er for us.
OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Behind Oranmiyan Building, Gbodofon, Off Gbongan Road, Osogbo, Osun State. All correspondence to the Asst. News Editor, YUSUF OKETOLA, Telephone: 0809-301-9152. ISSN: 0794-8050. Website: www.osundefender.com Email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com, osundefenderhq@gmail.com