DECEMBER
•Najeem Salaam
Osun Citizens Should Rethink Voting Investment – Ogunbiyi
OSUN State governorship aspirant on the pla orm of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Group Chairman of Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, has challenged ci zens to re-think who they vote for as their leaders.
Speaking while mee ng with stakeholders in Osogbo, he queried those who waste their electoral investment.
He said, “A leader’s creden als should definitely include verifiable, balanced behavioural traits, track record of people-oriented achievements, and unwavering commitment to genuine service delivery. Governance must produce meaningful, value-adding results that effec vely meet the needs and aspira ons of the people.
“A true leader must be compassionate and courageous. He must genuinely empower ci zens and foster personal development, while also consistently achieving success and building on it.”
The APC governorship hopeful asked: “Why would anyone support a leader whose stock-in-trade is playing to the gallery to gain cheap popularity? A leader who fails to upli disadvantaged rural communi es, who ignores deepening poverty and daily struggles of ordinary ci zens, and who chooses to focus on trivial, a en on-seeking ma ers rather than addressing the real challenges confron ng the people. Such leadership offers no vision, no empathy, and no meaningful progress.”
Dr. Ogunbiyi ques oned why ci zens would not thoroughly scru nize the trajectory and character of those seeking public offices.
•Continued on page 2
2026: Salaam, Saliu To Pick ADC Nomination Forms
•As Party Debunks Social Media Reports On Primaries
•Shadow Election Will Be Transparent - Abdullahi
Kazeem Badmus
THERE are indicaons that two chieftains of the African Democra c Congress (ADC) - Hon. Najeem Salam and Dr. Rasaq Saliu would pick the nominaon form of the party for the 2026 gubernatorial elec on in Osun State.
OSUN DEFENDER reports that the primary elec on of the ADC, where the candidate who will fly the flag of the party in the August 08, 2026 elec on would be elected, would come on Wednesday, December 10. The party, in a state-
ment by its Na onal Organising Secretary, Prince Chinedu Idigo, said aspirants are to obtain the Governorship Expression of Interest Form for N5 million while the Nomina on Form a racts a non-refundable fee of N25 million.
The statement also said female aspirants are exempt from payment.
According to the guidelines, the sale of forms will commence on Wednesday, November 12, and close on Monday, December 1, 2025.
Idigo said aspirants must be registered members of the party for at least two years with fully
paid dues, adding that new members seeking to contest must pay four years of membership dues totalling N48,000 before obtaining a membership card.
The screening for the aspirants is slated for Wednesday, December 3, at the party’s na onal secretariat.
While the sales of the ADC gubernatorial forms will close tomorrow, Monday, December 01, OSUN DEFENDER gathered that Salaam and Saliu would pick up the forms before the close of work tomorrow.
Salaam, a former speaker of the Osun State
House of Assembly is reportedly being backed by the ‘Omoluabi Progressives’, a caucus within the party led by Alhaji Azeez Adesiji.
Meanwhile, OSUN DEFENDER gathered that Saliu is favoured by another chie ain of the party in the state, Senator Felix Ogunwale, ahead of the primary.
Meanwhile, the Naonal Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, has debunked a post circula ng online that the party has “picked” a candidate as its Osun 2026 governorship candidate.
Abdullahi, in a statement on Sunday, de-
scribed the post as “false and misleading”.
According to him, the party has already announced the official date for its Osun primaries, no ng that the “party remains firmly commi ed to the highest standards of internal democracy. ADC does not hand-pick candidates, and no individual has been selected ahead of the primary process.”
“The so-called ‘announcement’ being shared originates from unverified posts and publica ons, not from any official ADC channel,” Abdullahi stated.
The ADC further said
that un l the primaries are conducted by the party’s authorised organs, no candidacy is valid or recognised.
“ADC guarantees a free, fair, and level playing field for every aspirant. Accordingly, we ask the public to disregard any and all such reports,” the statement added.
It would be recalled that the Na onal Secretary of the party recently led the party mobilisa on across the nine federal cons tuencies in the state.
Speaking during the grand finale of the federal cons tuency tour in Osogbo, Aregbesola charged the leadership and members of the party to remain united and work together to ensure victory at the August 08, gubernatorial elec on.
The former two-term governor of Osun State, while addressing a large crowd of supporters who a ended the event, said the electorate was ready to vote for the ADC in the forthcoming elec on.
•Saliu Rasaq
Yusuf Oketola
MONDAY, DECEMBER 01, 2025
Despite Release Of Kwara, Kebbi Abductees, Mass Kidnapping Continues Across Nigeria
Kazeem Badmus
DESPITE the recent release of abducted vic ms in parts of Kwara and Kebbi states, new data shows that mass kidnappings remain widespread and unabated across Nigeria, cas ng doubt on claims that high-profile rescues signal a turnaround in the country’s security crisis.
According to a 2025 report by research firm SBM Intelligence, at least 4,722 people were kidnapped in 997 separate incidents between July 2024 and June 2025.
In that same period, 762 people lost their lives in abduc on-related violence, a grim reminder of the lethal human toll.
The ransom industry also boomed: kidnappers demanded a staggering ₦48 billion from vic ms’ families, though only about ₦2.56 – 2.57 billion was reportedly paid.
The geographic dis-
•Moment of pride for a party member: amid crowd of supporters, former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, displaying his ADC membership card, after registration, recently
tribu on of the crisis remains heavily skewed. The report indicates that the Northwest
region — par cularly states such as Zamfara State, Katsina State and Kaduna State — con n-
Protest In Madrid Over Kidnappings Of Nigerian School Children
Yusuf Oketola
HUNDREDS of demonstrators gathered outside the Nigerian embassy in Madrid on Saturday to express concern over recent a acks and kidnappings of schoolchildren in Nigeria.
The protest followed the abduc on of more than 250 students from a Catholic school in northern Nigeria last week.
Chris ana Wariboko, President of the Na onal Youth Council of Nigeria, called for interna onal interven on.
“We’re standing on behalf of Chris ans, represen ng Nigerian Chrisans,” she said. “Please intervene and do something as it regards the killings of Nigerian Chris ans.”
The demonstra ons coincided with a broader wave of a acks, including a raid on a predominantly Muslim school in Kebbi State, where 30 students were abducted before being released by authories. Security analysts have linked such incidents to financial mo ves, no ng that schools are o en targeted due to inadequate security.
The protest occurs amid heightened interna onal a en on, including statements by US President Donald Trump threatening military ac on in Nigeria over perceived persecu on of Chris ans
by Islamist groups. Nigerian authori es have cauoned that such claims oversimplify a complex security situa on and do not account for government efforts to protect religious freedom.
President Bola Tinubu recently declared a
state of emergency and expanded police deployments in response to the rising number of a acks. Since 2014, at least twelve mass abduc ons have occurred, involving over 1,700 students, some of whom have not been recovered.
ues to bear the brunt.
For example, Zamfara alone recorded 1,203
kidnapped vic ms in the period under review.
Mass kidnappings defined as incidents involving five or more vic ms accounted for roughly 23 per cent of all incidents. These o en involved whole villages, travellers, schoolchildren, or people working in remote farms and mining areas.
High-profile recent cases have drawn public a en on. In November 2025, for instance, 24 schoolgirls abducted at a boarding school in Kebbi State were reportedly rescued, according to a statement by the presidency.
Yet at the same me, other large-scale abduc ons con nue: in a separate incident that month, more than 300 students and staff from a Catholic school in Niger State were kidnapped. Despite such drama c rescues, security experts warn that isolated successes offer li le solace for most Nigerians.
With thousands s ll
being abducted and hundreds killed every year, the phenomenon has become deeply embedded. Analysts describe kidnapping not as sporadic criminality, but as a structured, profit-driven industry, fuelled by poverty, weak policing and porous rural terrain.
The human cost goes beyond numbers: en re communi es have been displaced, farming and trade disrupted, and many families plunged into debt or des tu on a er ransom payments. Schools, farmlands and highways are increasingly deserted; ruralto-urban migra on has surged in many affected states.
While the release of some high-profile abductees like the Kebbi schoolgirls provided momentary relief and hope, the broader crisis con nues, mul dimensional and deeply entrenched.
For many Nigerians, fear, uncertainty and trauma remain everyday reali es.
SERAP Wants Akpabio, Abbas To Account For N18.6bn Allegedly Paid To ‘Unknown Company’
THE Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has dragged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and the Speaker of the House of Representaves, Tajudeen Abbas before a Federal High Court, si ng in Abuja, over their alleged
failure to account for ₦18.6bn reportedly allocated for the construc on of the Na onal Assembly Service Commission office complex.
SERAP filed suit FHC/ABJ/ CS/2457/2025 before the Court last week, naming the dou of Akpabio and Abbas as defendants on behalf of all
Osun Citizens Should Rethink...
•Continued from page 1
He said, “We should ask ourselves the following ques ons: Does the candidate genuinely listen to sound ideas and diverse perspec ves? Does he demonstrate a commitment to growing his knowledge, deepening his exper se, and sharpening his wisdom? Is he even concerned with meaningful innova on and true crea vity?”
Dr. Ogunbiyi said he is consistently driven by the desire for empirical creavity. He explained that he adopts prac cal and relevant strategies to develop and sustain people-centredini a ves. He also noted that many of his bold interven ons are already yielding significant benefits—not only in Nigeria but also in Liberia, the Niger Republic, Europe, and the United States.
“My team and I are constantly delivering value, enhancing value, and creating greater value through discipline, determina on,
and empirical crea vity,” he stated.
Speaking about his state of birth, Dr. Ogunbiyi emphasized that, “From the way things stand today, Osun State must urgently and genuinely pursue a rebirth.”
He stressed that governance in the state must put an immediate end to the crippling consequences of Cost of Inac on (COI). He then posed cri cal quesons: “By all standards, is Osun State truly producve and compe ve? Is the state self-sustaining? Can it survive without support from Abuja? And why has no government meaningfully ‘exploited’ Osun State’s vast and diverse agricultural as well as industrial potenals?
“Do you know that entrepreneurs like myself, working with minimal support, are already establishing farm resorts as new gateways for economic opportuni es? Where do we see a government-backed Adire Exhibi on Centre or a
dedicated marketplace that promotes indigenous creavity and culture?
“If given the opportunity to govern Osun State, my full a en on would be devoted to its transforma on, with a focus on providing basic needs for both rural and urban popula ons through empowerment ini a ves.”
Dr. Ogunbiyi stated.
Speaking more on his plans for the state, Ogunbiyi said, “l will pursue a policy of func onal educa on and healthcare. Greater emphasis will be laid on educa on and health care services, because the two remain the bedrock of sustainable human development.
“We will invest on these two sectors to ensure sound minds, healthy and wealthy ci zenry. We will also create jobs for our teeming but now largely idle youths. We will also do this by crea ng an enabling environment to make Osun State an investment-friendly state. If elected governor, l will also ini ate and sustain an agricultural revolu on in
the state by u lising our vast arable land, not only to a ain food security, but to generate huge revenue from the sector. We will make so loans available for small scale farmers to produce food and crops and by so doing, provide jobs for many Osun youths.”
He con nued: “We will unleash our energies and resources to boost industrialisa on in the state by maximizing the benefits of our vast mineral resources –gold, kaoline, iron ore, talc, columbite and other mineral resources located in different parts of the state.
“We will intensify the mining of these deposits at a commercial level that will be beneficial to the state. We won’t play poli cs with such revenue -yielding ventures or enter into deals that will short-change the state.“We will also assist arsans, women groups and youths through skill acquision and so loans to enable them to be self-sustaining and become employers of labour.”
members of the Na onal Assembly.
The NASC was also joined as a respondent in the suit.
In a statement signed on Sunday by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP said the suit followed “grave allega ons” contained in the 2022 annual report of the Auditor-General of the Federaon, published on September 9, 2025.
Ci ng details from the Auditor-General’s report, SERAP said the NASC “paid over N11.6 billion [N11,647,302,594.00] to ‘an unknown construc on company’ for ‘the construc on of the Commission’s Complex within 24 months.’“The payment was reportedly made on 11 August 2020. But ‘the contract was inflated by over N6.9 billion [N6,930,000,000.00]’ and the money was reportedly paid to the construc on company on 29 November 2023 ‘for the conversion of the roof garden to office space.’
“The contract was reportedly awarded without a Bill of Quan ty (BOQ) for the upward review of the contract, and the ‘BOQ for the contract of N11.6 billion was not priced.’
“Both contracts were reportedly awarded without any needs assessment, newspaper adver sements, bidding process, contract agreement, bidders’ quota ons, or any approval by the Federal Execu ve Council (FEC). There was also no Bureau of Public Procurement Cer ficate of ‘No Objec on’.”
Yusuf Oketola
THE report by our Yusuf Oketola in the OSUN DE FENDER issue of Friday, November 28, 2025 tled ‘How Absence of social investment programmes Worsened Child educa on in Osun As Pupils Resort to street begging, picking plas c bo les to survive’ was a master class of incisive reporting, it was also heartbreaking.
With no inten on of sounding parochial, we cannot resist the tempta on of saying that this sort of social destruc on should not be happening anywhere in the South West of Nigeria, it is beyond disgus ng to observe in real me the rolling back of all the social advances and the game changing made over the last seventy years in Western Nigeria.
The ghost of Obafemi Awolowo must be crest falling and not only him, successors who carried the banner of so-
“ The entire gamut of the social intervention program initiated by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola must be reinstated for they were beneficial for example the school feeding program, Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (O’YES), Calisthenics among other social investment programmes was a mastedtroke and must be reactivated”
Letter
To The Editor
Ambassadorial List:
Matters Arising
DEAR Editor, I would like to highlight concerns about Nigeria’s recent ambassadorial appointments. The list submi ed to the Senate a er two years and two months feels like a response to cri cism. Here’s what I observe:
The William Weld case (U.S.) teaches us this: suitability for a specific country ma ers. Ambassadors aren’t “jack-of-alltrades”;they need skills fi ng China South Africa elsewhere. No more ve ng without pos ng details this is basic.
Some names on the list are frankly dodgy. I’d be surprised if countries don’t reject a few. A few lack the emo onal maturity Nigeria deserves. We’ve had worldclass diplomats like Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Olu Adeniji, Leslie Harriman… Contrast that: some names here? Going backwards. Forty years ago, they’d struggle ge ng an embassy job. We must raise standards, not lower them!
To the Senate: Do serious work, no “take-a-bow-and-go”.We represent Nigeria abroad scandals loom if wrong picks slip through!
I hope you find this worth publishing.
•Sincerely,
Safety Nets And Development
in his report ex-
posed all the fault lines. The stun ng of development was not just about alarming out-ofschool figures it also encom-
passed environmental degrada on as well as child abuse. A good example cited is the use of out-of-school to pick harzadous waste but also as canon fodder for nefarious ac vi es as well as the ubiquitous street hawking. We call for a judicial enquiry into the issues raised for the effect Will act as a brake on the progress of Osun State and its quest for sustainable development for years to come.
We have a crisis on our hands and the response must be to turn a mishap into a reboot for progress.
The en re gamut of the social interven on program iniated by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola must be reinstated for they were beneficial for example the school feeding program, Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (O’YES), Calisthenics among other social investment programmes was a mastedtroke and must be reac vated.
The crisis in Osun is a setback for all of us in the western region and to the memory and achievements of great men like Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Bode Thomas, Mojeed Agbaje, lately, Lateef Jakande and so on. The en re report is a disgrace to the present genera on of the Yoruba speaking na onality, therefore, res tu on must be made. Once again, human capital development and the quest for a sustainable framework must be at the heart of policy and prac ce in the Western region. Let’s honour our forebear by once again pu ng the people first.
The Discourse
Rebuilding Osun’s Roads: Why Comprehensive
ROAD infrastructure is the backbone of any thriving economy, and for Osun State, it represents more than just physical connec vity. It signifies access to healthcare, educa on, markets, and overall development.
However, despite various rehabilita on efforts over the years, many of Osun’s roads remain in poor condi on—vulnerable to seasonal weather, substandard construcon, and poor maintenance culture. The root of this problem is not a lack of effort, but the absence of a truly comprehensive and sustainable planning framework.
For far too long, road projects in Osun have been reac ve rather than strategic.
“Rebuilding Osun’s roads isn’t just about laying asphalt—it’s about vision. It’s about building with tomorrow in mind. With careful planning, technical expertise, and community involvement, we can pave a future that is economically vibrant and physically connected”
We o en build in response to poli cal melines or public outcry, not based on data, long-term use cases, or environmental considera ons.
This approach leads to repe ve road failures, inflated costs, and community frustra on.
OSUN DEFENDER
Publisher – Moremi Publishing House Ltd.
Asst. News Editor – Yusuf Oketola
Asst. Features Editor – Kazeem Badmus
Deputy Photo Editor – Shola Aderinto
Deputy Graphics Manager – Zainab Olalere
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
Comprehensive planning starts with an integrated assessment of Osun’s road networks— both rural and urban. It requires mapping out traffic pa erns, economic relevance, topography, soil types, and hydrology. A road serving a farming hub like Iwo or Ife South should be priorized differently from a road leading to a low-traffic residen al area. This kind of planning ensures that scarce resources are allocated efficiently and impac ully.
Website : www.osundefender.com/index.php e-mail : osundefenderhq@gmail.com osundefenderbank@gmail.com
All correspondence to the above email addresses.
•Engr. Matt Olu Olowokere Public Affairs Analyst & Former GM, ORMA Osun State
•Read full article on www.osundefender.com
cial jus ce such as Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola must be devastated. Oketola
Ayo Davis, Iwo
By Engr. Matt Olu Olowokere
MONDAY, DECEMBER 01, 2025 VOL. 20 NO 66 www.osundefender.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com
EVERYONE that is asking for electoral reforms authoma caly becomes an enemy of Tinubu and his crew of life perishing sailors at the helm of the na onal affairs of this na on.
You’ve just embarked on tax reforms because it serves your whims perfectly. More money in the public coffers means more money to be stólen since this governance contrap on have very li le compunc on to serve the Nigerian public.
Tinubu is a beneficiary of the same electoral reforms he’s now spurning. It took a very special service to this na on from President Jonathan to appoint Prof. Jega. A man he never met before, just because he was a vocal cri c of the elecon that ushered in his dual presiden al cket with Yar’Adua. Taking such steps in Nigeria was like a poli cal suicide. But Jonathan would rather risk the power being taken away from him than to put the future of our common patrimony on the part of destruc on.
Jega got there and serve the interest that was against that of Jonathan. He was steering the elec on towards electoral college when Jonathan halted the process and opted out.
The coming of Buhari was the front runner that saw Tinubu emerged in the face of so many unanswered ques ons that bordered on legi macy and morality.
If the court case that was ensued in Chicago’s District Court took place while nubu wasn’t in power, it would have been impossible for his candidature to be presented or considered at all. There was also a copy of his Guinean passport on display.
Trying use these internet r(a)ts to deride a legi mate claim for elec on reforms would be most immoral. The European Union who are big stake holders in Nigerian elec ons in terms of finances have repeatedly voiced specific concerns about our electoral conduct. They posively engaged INEC to see that suggested concerns were addressed in a sweeping reform that shall usher in credible elecons forthwith.
Watching elec ons elsewhere shows quite clearly we have few hurdles to clear before we can beat out chests that we’ve conducted transparent and acceptable elec on vouching that genuine winners have emerged. What these supporters of evil are trying to avoid will equally affect them. When the powers that be, used the elec on to portray Nigeria as Savage na on where all manner of inhuman acts
“Electoral
Reform is critical for the continuity of this nation. I’m sure this president won’t allow himself to be goaded towards another misnomer presidential election where principal technicality that shall authenticate the election will not be functioning”
Protest In Madrid Over Kidnappings Of Nigerian School Children
that elec on without adequate reforms what ever comes out of it will their’s to deal with.
By
FREDERICK ODUJOLE
Election And Transparency: Electoral Reforms In View
s ll takes place, it will affect our internaonal image. Our global image is o en at stake. When Abacha was in power he damned the interna onal community and that reflected on our acceptability in the commity of na ons. Even Nigerian football team rarely appeared on connental compe ons. We were treated like leppers because of the indiscre on of our na onal ruler.
Now we have respectable stake holder in the wellbeing of this na on in person of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola voicing his concern about the quality or lack of it about the leadership of INEC that shall manage the next electoral circle. In normal climes such interven on are taken with all seriousness it deserves. Not pedestrian commentators reducing the vital counsel to reckless and ill-informed
“SOMEWHERE on a highway (a single carriageway) on the approach to a state capital in South-West Nigeria, I ran into a 1km-long stretch of crawling traffic that for minutes at mes was at complete stands ll. Within minutes, several meters more built up behind me steadily. Nobody a empted to overtake me as I was impulsively tempted to overtake the vehicles in front of me because incoming traffic was very light indeed. I curiously came down from the car to find out what was responsible for this unusual situa on.
“In the middle of the road ahead, lining-up at about 20 meters apart for as far as the eyes could see, were smartly dressed, armed police officers, monitoring development. The most stubborn and unruly drivers, soon as they made to overtake and form a new lane facing upcoming traffic, quickly calm down and begged the adjacent vehicle in order to return to the single lane forma on once they sighted the stern looking officers ahead, who hardly ever had to say anything or ges culate. Their look and disposi on alone inside the hot sun was enough to convince any driver to reconsider his/ her stupid inten on.
“We spent about one hour to cover a distance of just two kilometers to see a stretch of as much traffic on the opposite lane before moving freely; officers equally lined up on that side, facing the other direc on, ensuring total compliance. I realized that we could have slept there in a possible traffic
commentaries
What a truly na onal leadership should be doing now is to consider every sugges on that will take away the image of this na on from the pathway of becoming a pariah na on. Electoral Reform is cri cal for the connuity of this na on. I’m sure this president won’t allow himself to be goaded towards another misnomer presiden al elec on where principal technicality that shall authen cate the elec on will not be func oning. He should be warned against possible disaster
It is very clear to most honest Nigerians that those wishing to see Nigerian con nue like this un l 2031 are scanty in numbers compared to those seeking sweeping reforms. If this government allow the current social frustra on go into
Electoral Reforms is the watch word. When Yar’Adua took the mantle of leadership in 2007 the first observa on he made was about the imperfec on of the elec on that ushered him into power. He promised a reform. Thankfully Jonathan pick up the gauntlet and turn the challenge to na onal electoral victories.
Now miscreant praise singers of the na onal defect have taken the center stage to rebuke every voice demanding acceptable elec on in Nigeria. These beastly acts are unbecoming. We need proper elec on to appoint our na onal leaders democra cally.
If you can permit tax reforms you should be able to allow for electoral reforms. All reforms are in the mindset of the just. The tax reforms is obviously a poli cal ploy against poli cal adversaries. Otherwise for a na on that’s suffering economically, the priority should not be set towards increased govt earnings at the expense of the public.
On electoral Reforms this na on stands. Without it, whomsoever that shall emerge shall have persistent issues to confront with the public. The people of this na on should be cleverly steered away from impending frustra on emana ng from the bad handling of this democracy.
Thank you Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for making such a just observa on at this cri cal me in the history of our na on. You are indeed a worthy Leader in this na on. God Bless you Sir!
is not the opinion of the Columnist featured above
Nigeria Can Work
malady, except for the interven on of the calm, cool, collected officers, who simply resolutely stood as armed guards in the sun, obtaining sense and discipline from everyone. The sad discovery was that there was a sprawling market that had half taken over the road at cri cal places on the approach to the city.”
The above narra ve was made to Striker by a compatriot. The story, rather than being strange, is one that most readers are not only familiar with but may have personally experienced at some me; the unique aspect only being the interven on of the law enforcers and the deligh ul outcome despite the arduous experience.
Instances and experiences like the above re-humanise us and bring home the realiza on that, clearly, Nigeria can work, and Nigerians are most reasonable and compliant with good rules and regula ons, so long as there is fairness and visible jus ce in the enforcement of rules; should those gallant officers do anything in controlling the traffic other than best conduct that they gave, everything would simply turn sour, ugly and nasty as Nigeria in the hands of its rulers today has.
Patrio c Nigerians, across all tribes and religion, are striving hard to drag Nigeria back from ‘the road to Afghanistan.’ Who are the ones that had drugged Nigeria and Nigerians and harried them to
that road? That is open secret: the highest level of rulership and majority of the cri cal state-drivers in Nigeria’s recent history.
There are several redemp ve situaons and personages that give hope of a turnaround to glory for Nigeria and Nigerians. Nigerians should focus more on these, while preparing in every way they can (within all their social organiza ons: poli cal, community, cultural, intellectual, professional, etc, without regards to religion or ethnicity that is manipulated by many of their rulers to divide them), to rally and unite for victorious struggle against retrogressive forces of darkness, division, exploita on and oppression.
An average Nigerian, anywhere, has no problem with any other average Nigerian from anywhere. Given just leadership, Nigerians are hardworking, enterprising, crea ve, fun-loving and will be law-abiding, when the laws are fairly and equitably enforced. The country has a huge poten al, human and material, to be the world leader; and Nigerians must put that fact at the back of their mind, as one that is not a palatable observa on to any of today’s “interna onal community” to whom most of our despo c rulers are slaves. So, help us God in these direly challenging mes, as we collec vely abandon frivoli es and selfishness, and collec vely work and pray hard with focuson our deliverance and prosperity.
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
•Frederick Odujole, a writer wrote from Lagos, Nigeria.
STRIKER Striker