Osun APC Crisis Deepens Ahead Of Guber Polls
THE crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has assumed a terrible dimension as leaders of the party are strongly divided over the choice of the Deputy Governorship candidate of the party, Mr Benjamin Adere
This is even as the former Deputy Governor of the state and a governorship aspirant of
the party, Senator Iyiola Omisore has not hidden his resolve not to support the party’s gorvernorship candidate, Mr Bola Oyebamiji.
Recently, leaders of the APC in Ife zone under the leadership of Sooke Adeleke Adewoyin met in Ile-Ife and called for proper unity within the party, even as the party leaders expressed worry on why the party elders are not properly carried along before Olare
NYSC SDG CDS Group Carries Out Outreach
•Sponsors CAC Grammar School Students Training Medical Students
TAremu Bisola on of gi s and educa on support materials to selected students by members of the SDG CDS group as part of their efforts to encourage academic excellence and support learning.
HE NYSC Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) CDS Group in Osogbo Local Government Area of Osun State has carried out an educa onal outreach programme at CAC Grammar School, Araromi, Osogbo, aimed at encouraging students to embrace educa on as a pathway to crea vity and innova on.
Speaking at the outreach, themed “Educa on as a Tool for Crea vity and Innova on,” a corps member, Balogun David inspired the students to take their studies seriously and understand the importance of educa on in shaping their future.
During the programme, corps members engaged the students in an interacve session where they highlighted how educa on can help develop crea vity, cri cal thinking and innovaon among young people.
A major highlight of the outreach was the presenta-
Students present at the oitreyexpressed appreciaon to the corps members for the encouragement, mo va on and support given to them by the corps members.
The school Principal delivered a hear elt address, reminiscing about her own NYSC service over three decade ago.
She urged the corps members to give their best to the younger genera on and to perform excellently well wherever they are posted.
The ini a ve was carried out under the leadership of the SDG CDS President, Ojo Mukaila Oladimeji, with other execu ve members including Lasisi Hammed Ayobami, Balogun David Olaoluwa,
was nominated as the party’s deputy governorship candidate.
It was gathered that Omisore and other leaders of the APC in the four local government areas in Ife zone did not have hand in picking Adere as the running mate to Oyebamiji.
A source within the party informed that the former Governor of the state and current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola single handedly nominated the
deputy governorship candidate without consul ng the leaders of the party in Ile-Ife and the en re Life zone.
It was gathered that the situa on in the party has made some prominent members of the party, especially those loyal to Omisore to boyco party ac vies in the recent me.
In the recent me, Omisore and his core supporters are no where near the state secretariat.of the party, even as they con nue to shun important pro-
grammes organized by the leadership of the party.
At a recent recepon organized for some members of the Naonal Assembly who recently defected from the PDP to the party (APC) at the Nelson Mandela Freedom park, Osogbo all the supporters of Omisore were conspicuously absent.
Also, at the 15th remembrance programme organized by Oyetola for his late mother, Omisore and his supporters were ab-
sent. It was however learnt that efforts are being made by prominent leaders of the party including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the former Governor of Osun State, Chief Bisi Akande to resolve the crisis in the party.
Omisore was reported to have concluded arrangements to challenge his disqualificaon from the gorvernorship race in court but for the interven on of the duo of Tinubu and Akande.
Akinbode Oluwamayowa Akindele, Odetunji mercy olawumi,Adeleke Taofeek Adewale, Murtala Babatunde, Ishola Margaret and Akanji Olayide
The outreach further demonstrated the commitment of the NYSC SDG CDS group to community development and youths empowerment through educa on.
Gombe Forest Guards Begin Specialised Training In Osun
Yusuf Oketola
NO fewer than 700 forest guards recruited from Gombe State have arrived the Mobile Police Training School in Osun State to begin an intensive training programme OSUN DEFENDER reports.
The recruits were selected following a rigorous screening process in Gombe, where they were scru nized for their suitability for the specialized role.
The Gombe State Execu ve Council recently ra fied the approval of N337 million to cover the training and logis cal requirements for the guards, who are being prepared
under a na onal security arrangement coordinated by the Office of the Naonal Security Adviser.
The training curriculum is designed to transform the recruits into a disciplined and opera onally capable force.
It also focuses on equipping them with the technical skills necessary for field surveillance, intelligence gathering, and forest patrol opera ons.
By providing these guards with formal training in tac cal field cra and security protocols, the Gombe State government says it intends to bolster the exis ng security architecture and provide a more robust
defence against banditry, kidnapping, and the illegal exploita on of natural resources within forested areas.
The government added that the deployment of the forest guards is expected to provide essen al support to convenonal security agencies by ac ng as first responders in remote and difficult-toaccess terrains.
The state government said it remains committed to ensuring that the guards are adequately prepared to maintain law and order, ul mately safeguarding the livelihoods of communi es living in and around the state’s forest reserves.
UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital’s CMD Appreciates Osun
Govt Over Final MBBS Accreditation
•As Hospital Secures 150 Quota For Training Medical Students
Michael Bamigbola forts of all staff also yielded results.
THE Chief Medical Director, UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Dr Babatunde Afolabi has appreciated the Execu ve Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke for his unalloyed support towards the development of the hospital which gave easy passage for the final MBBS accredita on by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria ( MDCN).
Dr. Afolabi gave the apprecia on in his message to all the staff of the hospital during the recently concluded final MBBS accredita on exercise.
The Chief Medical Director stressed that the posi ve impacts of the Governor has tremendously assisted the hospital to live to its expecta ons in providing qualita ve care services in research and training, adding that the reless ef-
He further disclosed that the hospital has secured an increased Training Quota of 150 medical students from the usual number of 100 which has elevated the hospital’s reputa on and make UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital Osogbo one of the leading teaching hospitals in the Southwest.
The CMD added that the hospital is making history by producing the first set of Medical Doctors from OSUN State University and UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital
While commending all members of staff for their hard work, dedicaon, steadfastness and passion which he emphasized has contributed to the success of the exercise and earn the full accredita on to the medical school, Dr. Afolabi charged them not to relent in the discharge of
their du es and be good ambassadors of the hospital anywhere they find themselves.
Dr Afolabi assured all staff, pa ents and their rela ves that his administra on will not relent in providing everything needed for the hospital to stand out among its counterparts.
Earlier in his speech during the exercise, the Deputy Registrar, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Dr. Nnaemeka Nwakama eulogized the administraon of Dr. Afolabi in his vision at taking the hospital to greater height.
Dr. Nwakama said it takes a standard hospital like the UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital for a purposeful Research, Training and services.
He said it was very clear that the management of the hospital was fully prepared for the exercise.
Michael Bamigbola
ACROSS the globe, governments are up and against it, they try to work out a response to the collateral damage arising out of the bombardment of Iran and the response of the Iranians who are not about to meekly surrender.
The disloca on has resulted in long fuel queues. Some countries are already going back to the era of Covid-19 and asking people to work from home. No opon is to be le out.
Even before the events in Iran a spectre was already haun ng Nigeria in the form of a puni vely punishing cost-of-living crisis for which there has been no adequate response.
The situa on is worse now with increases in fuel price and the mul plier effects on essen al goods and services.
Proffering a solu on, the African Democra c Congress (ADC) has offered a sensible way out. A newspaper report a few days ago captured the posi on of the ADC- “The African Democra c Congress (ADC) has urged the Federal Government to introduce an immediate, temporary cap on petrol prices, warning that rising fuel costs are increasing the cost of living for millions of Nigerians. In a statement on Wednesday, the party’s Na onal Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the request was prompted by con nued increases in petrol prices, which have affected transporta on, food prices, and household expenses across
“Free-Market”. This is delusional. Countries that operate a version of a free market such as South korea are already naviga ng a course based on op ons such as releasing from their strategic reserves and a price cap.
Of Affordability
•We Support A Call For A Cap On The Increasing Price Of Fuel Price Caps And The Crises
“We already know about our foreign exchange reserve for sensible operational reasons, we should also know at any given time about our fuel reserve .For this is not only an economic issue, it’s also part of our national security template. In this instance, national Security is interwoven with economic issue. Henceforth,at any given time Nigeria’s fuel reserve must always be on the front-burner”
the country.”
We support the call for a temporary price cap. This is very important in order to ameliorate the punishing disloca on on an already hard-pressed people. A key problem here is the wholesale commitment of the present government to a roman cized concep on of a
Any delusion about an idolized interpreta ons of a purported free market will be a puni ve punishment on the people. The ques on must be brought up- what is the state of Nigeria’s fuel reserve?
The Na onal Assembly should have asked and demanded an answer to this ques on two weeks ago. It should do so now. We already know about our foreign exchange reserve for sensible opera onal reasons, we should also know at any given me about our fuel reserve .For this is not only an economic issue, it’s also part of our na onal security template. In this instance, na onal Security is interwoven with economic issue. Henceforth,at any given me Nigeria’s fuel reserve must always be on the front-burner.
The solid fuel reserve will be important in determining a price cap and the longevity of the price cap. without a price cap there will be even more disrupon to the already ba ered manufacturing sector, in addi on, the impacts on services and logis cs will also be nega ve.
OSUN DEFENDER
Deputy
Asst.
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
Website : www.osundefender.com/index.php
e-mail : osundefenderhq@gmail.com osundefenderbank@gmail.com
All correspondence to the above email addresses.
The price cap is imperave now and should be effected with urgency.Other temporary relief should come with effec ng proposals such as working from home and provision of LNG bosses directed in par cular at the schools and public sector workers just as we saw during Covid-19. No op on must be ruled out. We are in a crisis and there must be a price cap now!
•People lining at fuel stations in a metropolis in Nigeria three days ago
Publisher – Moremi Publishing House Ltd.
Editor – Michael Bamigbola
News Editor – Yusuf Oketola
How Osun Workers Consented To Modulated Salaries Under Aregbesola - Ex NLC President
PIONEER President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Hassan Sunmonu has clarified issues surrounding the modulated salary arrangement under the administra on of former Governor of Osun State, Mr Rauf Aregbesola.
He explained that the modulated salaries issue was a joint decision and agreement between the government and the state workers through a commi ee that comprised trade union leaders and government officials.
The commi ee, chaired by Comrade Sunmonu, made up of the then Chief of Staff and former governor of the state, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola as the Vice Chairman and other eight cabinet members.
The veteran labour leader said out of two op ons given by the state government to either retrench one third of the civil servants and pay them off or pay half salaries to workers who fall under the category of level 7 and above, he said the union leaders opted for the la er.
Comrade Sunmonu who launched his book recently made the disclosure while featuring on a popular radio programme, Frank talk on Rave FM, Osogbo where he was asked to clarify among many issues, his roles and involvement in Osun modulated salary arrangement.
Recall that some policians have introduced lots of twists to the issue and deployed it as an instrument of blackmail against Aregbesola’s administraon.
“I didn’t propose the half salary arrangement. It was a joint decision between the workers and the government. The Governor sent me a le er that he wants to make me the chairman, at the demand of workers, of a committee to see to the problem rela ng to salaries.
“The workers asked for me because they have confidence in me. Before I accepted the offer, I consulted both the Osun State NLC and the then NLC President, Ayuba Wabba to inform them about the le er and they told me to accept it. Wabba said he believes that I will not betray Nigerian workers.
“There were eight commissioners including the Chief of Staff who later became Governor, Gboyega Oyetola. He was the Vice Chairman while I was the chairman. We also had eight trade union
leaders. Aregbesola came and the government told us what used to come from Abuja (alloca on) that it
has now been reduced and that he had only two alterna ves, either to reduce the strength of the
public service by one third or level seven and above receive half salary un l things improved and they
will pay back. “I askd the trade union leaders, do you accept to one third of your mem-
N175m Power Line Project Stalls 17 Month After Payment In Osun
THE construc on of a 33KV separate power line in Osun State has stalled seven months a er a sum of N175.2 million was approved for the project by the federal government, OSUN DEFENDER gathered. In a Facebook post by a Non-Governmental Organiza on, Tracka,
Yusuf Oketola a sum of ₦175.2m was paid to Enytem Global Ltd for the execu on of the project, from Obaagun road to Unity Polytechnic Junc on along Otan-Ayegbaju–Ila-Orangun road.
However, several poles erected are s ll without cable and not yet connected to the power grid.
“In September,
2024, ₦175.2m was paid to Enytem Global Ltd for the construcon of a 33KV Separate Power Line from Obaagun road to Unity Polytechnic Junc on along Otan-Ayegbaju–IlaOrangun road in Osun state.
“We tracked and reported that over 300 concrete electricity poles have been erect-
ed along Iree through Otan-Ayegbaju but several poles are s ll without cables, and the poles have not yet been connected to the power grid.
“We call on the Federal Ministry of Power, the implemen ng agency, to ensure the contractors return to site to complete this project,” Tracka wrote.
Art/Culture
The Broom That Sweeps The Compound Learns From The First One
• Apprenticeship And Tradition Remain Unmatched Schools of Leadership
IN African socie es, learning has always been a ma er of observa on, repe on, and guided experience. A simple proverb captures this wisdom beau fully: the broom that sweeps the compound learns from the first one. It is a lesson in humility, pa ence, and con nuity—an acknowledgment that mastery is rarely instantaneous and that leadership, in parcular, is cul vated over me. Before one claims authority or influence, one must first understand the rhythms, challenges, and responsibili es that the role entails.
Tradi on has long provided this form of educaon. In our communi es, young people did not simply inherit tles or offices; they earned insight through appren ceship. They watched elders navigate crises, nego ate disputes, and make difficult decisions. They listened to stories of triumph and
failure alike. Through these experiences, the foundaonal principles of leadership—integrity, foresight, and accountability—were absorbed long before formal authority was conferred. The first broom swept, and the next one learned not only the technique but the wisdom behind the sweep.
Modern mes, however, have shi ed percepons. Instant access to informa on, rapid social change, and the allure of status o en tempt younger genera ons to leap ahead, bypassing the tradi onal path of appren ceship. Poli cal offices, corporate posi ons, and public recognion are some mes sought without the grounding that comes from observa on and mentorship. Yet, the proverb reminds us that the results of such shortcuts are o en fragile. Leadership that is untested by experience can be impulsive, uninformed, or selfserving. Without the guid-
ance of the first broom, the second risks sca ering dust rather than sweeping clean.
In Osun State, the value of appren ceship is visible in both communal and ins tu onal contexts. Communi es that honor mentorship—whether in local governance, business, or cra s—tend to exhibit stability and con nuity. Leaders who have trained under experienced hands carry forward lessons that cannot be learned from manuals or online tutorials. They understand the weight of decisions, the nuances of accountability, and the importance of balancing ambi on with service. The broom’s path is not memorized; it is felt, refined, and internalized.
Moreover, apprenceship is not only about observing success; it is also about understanding failure. The first broom some mes sweeps poorly, misses corners, or disrupts the neat order of the compound. Observing these missteps teaches resilience, pa ence, and the
bers to be retrenched and paid off because of the dwindling resources by the state government or you don’t want retrenchment of your workers and certain categories of your members from level seven and above be paid half of their salaries on the basis that they will be paid back when the financial situaon improved .
“Contrary to the narra ves being pushed in the public by some policians, salaries of level one to six were not touched. They were paid full salaries. I asked the workers; do you accept retrenchment by one third or half salaries for senior civil servants and they opted for half salaries. It is what they accepted. It was not me. They said they do not want any of their members to be retrenched.
“Recall that a lot of state governments in the country during the period retrenched a lot of workers. Osun state did not do that on the basis of terms agreed by the trade union leaders that they didn’t want any of their member to be retrenched and it is not all the categories of workers that were affected by the half salaries,” he asserted.
need for cri cal thinking. This is leadership educaon in its most profound form: learning to an cipate challenges, correct errors, and lead with foresight. In many ways, African tradions offered a curriculum in ethics, strategy, and human understanding long before modern ins tu ons formalized these concepts.
This method of learning also reinforces humility. The second broom does not assume mastery simply by wielding the handle; it recognizes the value of guidance, the necessity of pa ence, and the reality that competence is earned, not claimed. Such humility is rare in contemporary leadership landscapes, yet it remains cri cal. Leaders who understand the weight of mentorship are less likely to act recklessly, more likely to seek counsel, and be er prepared to nurture the next genera on. Appren ceship is therefore a bridge between tradi on and progress. It
ensures that knowledge, judgment, and ethical prac ce are passed down effec vely, while s ll allowing innova on to flourish. In governance, business, and community leadership, the principle holds: those who observe and learn from experienced hands develop resilience, strategic thinking, and credibility. They understand that tles and posions are temporary, but lessons earned through experience endure. Ul mately, the proverb teaches that no ma er how eager or capable one may feel, true leadership is cul vated over me. The broom that follows cannot hope to sweep as effecvely without understanding the first one’s path. In Osun State, where culture, history, and communal life remain intertwined, this lesson is as relevant today as it has ever been: appren ceship and tradion remain unmatched schools of leadership.
•Sheik Jabeer Gaosu delivering lecture during the 2026 Osun NUJ Ramadan lecture on Tuesday. Photo: Shola Aderinto
Yusuf Oketola
FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2026
Tribute
March 11, 2026
BABA ỌBELAWỌ IS A LEGEND
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un.
Baba Amuda Obelawo, the Ejigbo-born industrialist and business magnate, passed on to eternity on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at the ripe age of 95. The news of his death came as a shock to many of us, including his family, admirers, and the business community in Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and other places where he established an industrial presence. He had become such a permanent towering figure in our collective consciousness that we hardly contemplated his mortality. Nevertheless, we accept his passage as the successful completion of his sojourn on this earthly plane and the fulfilment of Allah’s will.
Baba was a great leader, an admirable community figure, a successful businessman and industrialist, a father figure to many, a great mentor, and a patriotic statesman.
He served as an informal advisor and inspiration to me when I had the privilege of serving the State of Osun as Governor and the nation as a Minister. Until his passing, he continued to offer me the benefit of his wisdom and guidance. His home was often a place of comfort and relaxation whenever I had the opportunity to unwind with my associates. He was also a strong pillar of support for my politics, my movement, and my administration.
Our movement, the Omoluabi Progressives, will deeply miss the periodic gatherings at his residence in Osogbo. During those meetings, we were often regaled with endless stories of his experiences as a budding businessman, a community leader involved in the struggles surrounding the installation of monarchs, the agitation for the creation of Osun State, his life in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and his relationships with several heads of state and local leaders. Those interactions were always both hilarious and deeply enlightening.
Sheri and I mourn the passing of this legend. We commiserate with his wives, children, family members, friends, and admirers, and we extend our deepest condolences to them.
We pray for the repose of his soul and for comfort for all who will miss him.
May Baba Amuda Obelawo — the man in whose honour Pa Yusuf Olatunji, the Sakara maestro, recorded a timeless and evergreen musical tribute in his volume 14 album, in the late 1960s — awake to joyful activities on the other side of existence. Aamin.
“SUN RE, AMUDA OBELAWO; AROLE LAWANI, OMO MUNIRATU, OMO ALESHILONYE, ATI DI GUN BABA.”
Ọgbẹni Rauf Arẹgbẹsọla
LAGOS:
OSOGBO:
483C Omotunde KM 2, Gbongan/ibadan Rd, Akinshola Street, Ayinke Towers. Osogbo Omole Phase One, Ojodu
FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2026
Poor Electricity Supply: Osun Community Threatens Not To Pay Bills, Warns IBEDC
Yusuf Oketola
RESIDENTS of Modakeke in Ife East Area Office of Osun State have issued a stern warning to the Ibadan Electricity Distribu on Company (IBEDC) over what they described as persistent and erra c electricity supply in the community.
OSUN DEFENDER gathered that execuves represen ng the Modakeke Youth Movement, local arsans, traders and residents have declared that IBEDC staff and agents should not demand electricity tariff payments from households, business centres, or any electricity
consumer in the community un l the power situa on improves.
The groups also warned against the disconnec on of electricity supply from homes or businesses in the town, stressing that such ac on would be strongly resisted if carried out under the current circumstance of ir-
regular power supply.
According to the statement, “the direcve became necessary due to the con nued inconsistency in electricity distribu on, which residents say has nega vely affected homes, businesses and daily ac vi es across the community.”
Community lead-
ers urged IBEDC officials and field workers to strictly comply with the no ce to avoid unnecessary confrontaon, while also calling for a more reliable and fair electricity supply to residents.
Meanwhile, IBEDC management in a public announcement on Tuesday, a ributed
the problem to a direct consequence of reduced energy alloca on, adding that it is engaging with relevant stakeholders to facilitate enhanced energy alloca on as soon as supply condions, par cularly gas availability to generaon companies improve.
Osun NYSC Coordinator Clears Complaints Over Non-Payment Of State Allowance To Corps Members In Osun
Yusuf Oketola
MEMBERS of the Na onal Youth Service Corps (NYSC), serving across government-owned establishments in Osun State have complained bi erly over the non-payment of their allowances by the state government.
But addressing the complaints, the state Coordinator of NYSC, Mr. Ekeng Kubiangha assured corps members that the NYSC management was already compiling the list of affected individuals and would forward it to the appropriate authories for prompt ac on.
Kubiangha made the assurance during a courtesy visit to the Ogunsua of Modakeke, Oba Joseph Olubiyi Toriola, as part of his ongoing familiarisa on tour of Local Government Areas across the state.
The tour began with Ife zone, where the coordinator met with corps members and key stakeholders to discuss cri cal issues rela ng to service delivery, security, and community development.
During his interac on with corps members, Kubiangha stressed the importance of discipline and dedica on to their Places of Primary Assignment (PPA).
He reminded them of the significance of Community Development Service (CDS) and urged them to strictly adhere to NYSC regula ons.
The coordinator parcularly warned against travelling without official permission and discouraged night journeys, advising corps members to remain security conscious and conduct themselves responsibly in public spaces. He also sensi zed corps members about their expected roles in the country’s electoral process.
According to him, the NYSC has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Independent Na onal Electoral Commission (INEC) which allows corps
members to serve as adhoc staff during elec ons.
Kubiangha encouraged them to take the training seriously when it begins, describing elec on du es as a vital na onal responsibility under the collabora ve CDS programme.
The NYSC boss further urged corps members to take advantage of the Skills Acquisi on and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, build meaningful networks and cul vate a culture of saving part of their monthly allowance to prepare for life a er service.
The visit to the palace of the Ogunsua formed part of efforts to strengthen collabora on between the NYSC and host communi es.
In his response, the Ogunsua of Modakeke,
Oba Joseph Olubiyi Toriola expressed sa sfacon with the conduct of corps members serving in
Modakeke, no ng that he has not received any nega ve reports about them. The monarch also ap-
pealed to the NYSC management to con nue to post corps members to the palace annually, ex-
Fashion Corner
Adire: A Fashionable Yoruba Attire
Jubril Islamiat
ADIRE is a tradional Nigerian tex le art form that involves resist dye-
ing techniques to create unique pa erns on fabric.
Adire means e and dye in Yoruba. Adire Ar-
sans use various methods like tying, s tching or applying wax to resist the dye, resul ng in beau ful, one of a kind designs.
Adire has a rich history in Nigeria, par cularly among the Yoruba people because It’s not
plaining that he values the opportunity to interact with them and exchange ideas and experiences.
just a fabric but a symbol of cultural heritage and tradi on.
The designs o en tell stories, convey messages or represent specific themes like prosperity or spirituality.
Adire is also a significant part of Nigerian fes vals and celebra ons,l ike weddings and tradi onal ceremonies.
The art form has gained interna onal recogni on with designers incorpora ng Adire into modern fashion and art pieces.
Adire produc on involves several steps like Design,Dyeing,Resist Removal. Adire has a significant economic impact in Nigeria. It gives employment,tourism because Adire a racts tourists interested in Nigerian culture, boosting local economies and Adire fabrics are exported globally, genera ng revenue.
The only disadvantage of Adire is limited access to markets, arsans o en struggle to reach broader markets.
JUMAT SERMON JUMAT SERMON
By IMAAM MUSA OLADAPO RAJI
By IMAAM MUSA OLADAPO RAJI
Importance Of (Laylatul Qadr) The Night Of Decree
AISHAH (RAA), his wife also relates that the Holy Prophet (SAW) was regular in re ring to the mosque for prayers during the last ten days of Ramadan up to the last day of His life. A er His (SAW) demise, His (SAW) wives con nued the prac ce. Bukhari and Muslim.
Lastly, Abu Hurayrah (RAA) says that the Holy Prophet (SAW) re red to the mosque for ten days every year in the month of Ramadan, but in the last year of his life he re red to the mosque for twenty days. Bukhari.
Whenever the Prophet (SAW) exemplified an act like this, it served as an impetus for his companions to follow suit. Apart from the fact that He (SAW) persuaded us of doing it because of the derivable benefits and spiritual growth therein.
Aishah (RAA), His (SAW) wife says that the Holy Prophet (SAW) used to endeavour (in worshipping) during the month of Ramadan more than He strove in any other month, and He prayed harder and more earnestly in the last ten days of the month of Ramadan more than He did in the first twenty days of this month. Aishah (RAA) says further that she asked the Holy Prophet (SAW): “O Messenger of Allah, if I come to locate the Blessed Night, then how should I pray in this night? The Holy Prophet (SAW) said: “ALLAHUMA INNAKA ‘AFUWWUN TUHIBUL ‘AFWA FA’AF’ANNI” (Allah thous art Most Forgiving and Love forgiveness then do thou forgive me).
With all these explanatory quota ons above, it suffices to say that it is part of religion to embark on ‘I’ kaf during the last ten days of the month of Ramadan. However, there are condi ons that govern this act of Ibaadah, parts of them are as follows: (i) Retreat with fas ng; Retreat does not count without fas ng. (ii) It must be done in a mosque where five daily obligatory prayers and Jum’ah are observed. Allah says: “And do not have sexual rela ons with your wives while you are in ‘I’ kaf (i.e. confining oneself in a mosque for prayers and invoca ons leaving the worldly ac vi es) in the mosques. (iii) If a person gets sick during the period, he should go home and when he gets well, he should take up where he le off. The same holds for a woman who menstruates while she is on retreat. (iv)A willing Muslim should enter his place of retreat before sunset of the night he wishes to begin his retreat. (During the period) He should not go out to visit the sick, to do Salat over the dead, or to trade. Someone on retreat should not leave the mosque except to take care of nature where the facili es are not. (v) Someone on retreat ll the last day of Ramadan should not return home un l he spends the night before the eid in the mosque then he leaves in the morning for the Salat praying ground.
At this juncture, it is per nent to state here that Zakatul Fitr (otherwise known as JAKA) is paid before going to the praying ground. It is an established Sunnah, prescribed by the Prophet (SAW) for every Muslims, young or old, male or female, free or slave. Each person must give a SA’I (or 12 ns of milk) as the standard of the Prophet (SAW) of the most common staple foods of the people. Head of the household pays for himself and for all his dependents and make sure that the food items reach the beneficiaries before they leave for the praying ground. Because the main aim of the act is for the poor and the needy to have sense of belonging. If it is not done that way, the reward may no longer be there.
What marks the end of it all is Salatul I’dul Fitr. This fes val is an established Sunnah. The Imam and Muslims Faithful (male and female) would leave for a praying ground earmarked for such, just a er sunrise to observe a two Raka’at. The Imam is expected to recite Suratul Fa hah and other chapter aloud. A er the prayer, he is expected to deliver a sound and meaningful sermon.
The feast has a member of e que es. They are so numerous that this piece can’t take them all. But let us look at few of them. (1) It is Sunnah to eat before going to the eid (Ramadan feast only). (2) Glorifica on of Allah while going to the eid. (3) Taking bath before going to the eid. (4) Wearing of one’s best cloth. (5) Applica on of scent on one’s cloth (men only). (6) Congratula ng one another on e‘id. by saying; “TaqabalaIlahu mina waminkum” i.e. May Allah accept it from us and from you.
Finally, the Prophet (SAW) recommends that a er the feast of eidul fitr we should endeavor to fast for six days during the month of Shawwal. (tenth month of lunar calendar).
As narrated by Abu Ayub (RAA), the Prophet (SAW) said: “One who observes this fast throughout the month of Ramadan then followed by fas ng six days in shawwal, is as good as if he observed the fast throughout the year. (Muslim)
My esteem readers, I enjoin you all to take solace in doing all the recommended acts of Ibaadah during all the last lap of this glorious moment: one for our spiritual growth and two for the be erment of the society because if we (all of us) take its advantage to repent sincerely and turn to Him (The Most High) for assistance, Allah is ever ready to come to our rescue. He is our Waliy (protector). I say all that you are listening to and I seek forgiveness of Allah from my sins and yours.
•Concluded
•Imaam Musa Oladapo Raji, the Chief Imaam of Telemu, Ola-Oluwa LGA, Osun State.
Sermon By Wole Omotunde
Fasting And It’s Significance
MATTHEW
17:21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.”
Many people do pray, but very few fast. Yet in the Bible, whenever God wanted to shift a person, a family, a nation or a generation, fasting was involved.
Beloved, fasting is not a religious ritual. Fasting is a spiritual law.
Fasting is not about abstinence of food; it is about focus. Fasting is not punishment or affliction to the body. It is alignment of the Spirit. It is an act of humility and subjection of flesh to the Spirit.
Fasting is a deeper hunger for God.
Fasting is a spiritual tool and not a religious routine. In the Bible, fasting is presented as a weapon, not a ritual. Jesus Himself said: *“When you fast…”* Not if you fast. This means fasting is expected in a serious spiritual life.
Our perfect example is JESUS CHRIST.
FASTING IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE:
1. It Brings You Into Spiritual Connectivity.
Your body and emotions can be loud, and your flesh demanding. But fasting quiets the flesh so that the spirit can hear clearly every word spoken by God. Jesus says in Matthew 4:4 that, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.”
So, when you fast, your flesh becomes weak, your spirit becomes sharp, and your spiritual discernment becomes active. Fasting restores divine order in your life.
2. It Humbles The Soul Before GOD.
Fasting is a posture of brokenness.
David said in Psalm 35:13 “I humbled my soul with fasting.”
Fasting takes off pride, self-confidence and spiritual arrogance.
God does not release fresh grace into a proud fasting vessel.
3. It Builds Spiritual Sensitivity.
When you fast according to the Will of God: It increases your spiritual perceptions. You will hear God faster, more audibly and with clearer directions.
Your spiritual antenna to sense danger earlier will not be confused.
Spiritual atmosphere will be easily detected. Daniel was a man of spiritual perception. The Bible records the fast of Daniel in the book of Daniel 10:2–3 that his fasting activated angelic encounters and spiritual revelations.
4. Fasting Activates Spiritual Authority.
Jesus clearly teaches us that certain spiritual battles cannot be won by prayer alone. “This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
Some doors are ancient. Some battles are territorial and aided by principalities. Some oppressions are ancestral and stubborn.
So, for you to have victory over all these, you need fasting alongside prayers to upgrade your spiritual authority.
5. Fasting Invites Divine Intervention.
“Jesus clearly teaches us that certain spiritual battles cannot be won by prayer alone. This kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. Some doors are ancient. Some battles are territorial and aided by principalities. Some oppressions are ancestral and stubborn”
When all human solutions fail, fasting brings heaven into the matter.
A national fast was declared by Esther before approaching the king. The fast was necessitated because of the inherent Jews genocide in Shushan.
Esther 4:16 “Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
That fast reversed the genocide, conspiracy, and the satanic policy.
Fasting can change verdicts.
6. Fasting Opens The Channel Of Directions.
Many believers are confused because they are prayerful but not separated.
In the early church, leaders were fasting and God spoke.
“As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said…” ( Acts 13:2)
Fasting produces clarity of divine instruction.
7. Fasting Empowers Consecration and Holiness.
When you fast, you wet your appetite for consecration, your spiritual discipline grows, and your resistance to temptation increases.
Fasting weakens the flesh and strengthens spiritual restraint.
This is why Jesus fasted before entering into ministry.
8. Fasting Prepares You For Spiritual Assignment.
Before Jesus stepped into public ministry, He fasted for forty days and forty nights. (Luke 4:1–2)
Fasting precedes divine assignment or deployment.
If you want spiritual impact, spiritual preparation is not an option.
9. Fasting Brings God’s Restorative Power. God Himself defined what acceptable fasting looks like.
“Is this not the fast that I have chosen…”* (Isaiah 58:6)
True fasting releases deliverance, healing, restoration, justice, and breakthroughs.
Fasting is transformational.
10. A Kingdom Divided Against Itself is Brought to Desolation.
Jesus says in Luke 11:17; Matthew 12:25 “…Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; …And every city or house divided against itself shall not stand”
I want to challenge all Christian leaders not as a divided body – but as a UNITED BODY OF CHRIST to come together with a teaming spirit and pray to God with one voice while we embrace a true fast to end the unjustified, reckless, and incessant killings of helpless innocent Nigerians.
2 Chronicles 7:14
“If My people, which are called by My Name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
Final Note and further reading: Luke 8:515
May God unite us, open our ears, sharpen our discernment, restore our fire and release fresh authority upon our lives in Jesus’ Mighty Name. Amen!
Pastor Wole S. Omotunde, THY WILL GLOBAL CHURCH, LAGOS. (08023134496, 08148094611), woleomotunde@gmail.com
FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2026 VOL. 21 NO 20 www.osundefender.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com
TODAY my inten on is to write on three issues and at three levels. Please come along with me one a er the other.
Last Wednesday was 18th of February. It marked the day President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the amended new electoral bill 2026, into an Act of Parliament. No longer is the document a bill but a law in Nigeria. It became a law from that Wednesday.
Some twenty-four hours earlier that day, the 17th some of the legislators from the opposi on par es had vehemently opposed and rejected it as a new introducon in the Green Chamber of our Na onal Assebley. Some how, it s ll managed to be passed as a bill in the Green Chamber against the wishes of the generality of Nigerians.
For two days in the week preceding this one that is about to end,, Rights Ac vists, Civil Socie es, defenders of democracy et al, had thronged the Na onal Assembly premises in Abuja to decry the Senate posi on on the bill which gave a proviso to the transmission of the elec on results to the irev portal of the Independent Na onal Electoral Commission INEC, “in real me” as Nigerian’s wanted it.
We may recall that late last year, just before it went on Christmas and New Year break, the House of Reps had done a deal for themselves and for their countrymen. Because Nigerians wanted it so, they applauded them for a good job done
The House had rightly passed the bill in their chamber with the electronic transmission of all elec on results to INEC irev portal without any delay and without any proviso.
The lower Legisla ve Chamber had won the admira on of the generality of Nigerians. The upper Legisla ve Chamber was expected to make Nigerians know where they stood on the ma er even long before now. But they did not. Instead they went on a long break that started in December last year and did not end un l 27th of January 2026.
Nigerians had by that me started to “smell rat”in the business of law making. Their suspicion was further escalated when even a er the Senators had resumed plenary, the amendments needed to be carried out on the electoral reform bill was s ll not being done by the senators. Yet me was running out. There was need to act fast knowing that whatever differences the Senate came up with in their considera on would s ll be looked at by a Harmoniza on Commi ee of the two houses before whatever they both arrived at would be sent to the president for assent to become law.
However, what happened in the Green Chamber on Tuesday 17th of February did not allow for any more harmoniza on of posi ons to take place at all. This was because the lower House managed to recind the collec ve decision they had taken before going on break late last year which
“Nigerians had by that time started to “smell rat”in the business of law making. Their suspicion was further escalated when even after the Senators had resumed plenary, the amendments needed to be carried out on the electoral reform bill was still not being done by the senators”
Shenanigans In A Bill Making
Nigerians had sincerely applauded. In a last minute change of mind on 17th February this year, the House chose in the end, what majority of Nigerians did not like The leadership of the House strategically introduced poli cs into what all along had been a bi-par san posi on they had held in the interest of democra c principles. Before the Speaker’s gavel could go the House became rowdy and rancorous.
The All Progressive Congress strategically u lized the majority they have in the lower chamber to call for a divide. What had all along been seen in the House as a truly bi-par san legisla ve ma er suddenly became uncomfortably par san.
The decision of the House leadership to allow members to vote along party lines, won the day for the ruling party, the APC. Consequently, the majority had their way as was expected, while the minority only had their tradi onal say. That ‘say’ the minority had led into the chan ng of “APC Ole, APC Ole” that rent the air as the opposi on bloc filed out of the green chamber.
If one translates the chant “APC Ole, APC Ole” from Yoruba into English, the opposi on members of the House were
An Uphill Task
Awell established and incontrover ble fact is that there are at least 3 unfailing ways to destroy any people and any naon (much else a “mere geographical expression”), easier and sustainably than the Hiroshima and Nagasaki style: 1. Destroy educa on; 2. Destroy culture and values system; and 3. Erase or Rewrite history. Doing only one is good enough. Doing two is a sure bet. Doing all three will set the na on or country on its way to automa c, voluntary self destruc on. Terrifyingly and unfortunately, all three are well accomplished today in Nigeria by forces seeking the nonexistent of the most populous, endowed and enterprising assemblage of black people on earth.
The wri ngs have been on the wall omniously since the end of the First Republic. Systema cally, the meaning and purpose of educaon is removed and EDUCATION is reduced to mere schooling for useless cer fica on. Then, from how to name our children to how to bury our dead and honour their memory, down to what to appreciate as honourable or despicable were gradually changed beyond recognion by any ancestor that miraculously wakes up like Lazarus today. Finally, we now have a genera on that will ask you “who is he, a musician or footballer?” if you were to ask one of them about who Herbert Macaulay was, not to men on Micheal Imoudu or Mokugwu Okoye!
screaming foul in fact, murder of what they felt was a brazen day-light robbery.
The implica on of the House going the way the Senate had gone, meant that there was no need for any harmoniza on to take place again. The House had yielded itself to the Senate posi on at plenary. The leadership of the two legisla ve chambarr had to “with immediate effect and alacrity” take their “victory buty” to the Villa for a quick signing of it into law. That was a show of poli cal smartness. The local Yoruba expression that one does not have to stay too long in a bush toilet called “shalanga” is the reason the president signed the new bill into law and made it an Act of parliament without any delay. Delays could be very dangerous. If one stays too long in a bush toilet, different flies will hover all over the man easing himself and that could be dangerous as we all do know. Big flies do s ng you know!
There is a Yoruba word for the li le creature called water-bug. It is called “iromi”. In the saying of the Yoruba people, whenever the water bug or iromi dances on top of a body of water, be it in a pool, river or stream, the drummer whose tunes the iro-
So bad that even almost half of all youths born in 1999 a er return to Democracy (26 years ago) can not make any coherent statement about MKO Abiola - no knowledge of Concord Airlines, Concord Newspaper, Abiola Babes Football Club or SDP! Sadly, we dare not ask any graduate from a Nigerian University - even a graduate of History - who is Cheick Anta Diop?
How Nigeria has con nued to exist as Nigeria since 1970 ll date is a miracle that tesfies to the fact that it surely has a historical des ny that it must fulfil for Africa and the world.
However, the most fearsome state of the na on today is, without any doubt, the arrival at a situa on where nobody cares much for objec vity anymore - much else respect it, defer to it or defend it: it is now the me of defending anything and everything BASED Solely On Personal Preferences And Parochial Interests! Poli cal analysis is such that if the President were swapped and it is A ku Abubarkar that is President today AND IMPLEMENTING EXACTLY WHAT TINUBU IS IMPLEMENTING, the Tinubu camp (including all the Omokri of this world) would have almost brought down the government with destruc ve cri cism and Pro-max, an -Jonathan-type protests. The same is the result if, in same vein, you swap with Peter Obi - and so forth. No room at all for objec ve analyses of how the policies fulfil or negate the fundamental objec ves and direc ves principles of State in guaranteeing The Welfare And Security Of The Majority Of
mi/water bug is dancing to, is always very close by. In fact it is somewhere under the body of water. One may only be fascinated by the water bug’s rythmic dance steps that one may not have bothered to find out where the music it is dancing to comes from. Metaphorically the Villa which is the hallowed seat of Nigeria’s poli cal power must have been undeniably where the water bug/ iromi drummer was all along when the shenanigans took place on the floor of the green Chamber.
That is where we could easily and readily trace to, the poli cs of contextualizaon that we have seen so far. The “City Boy drummer” must have heard the opposion’s chan ngs of ‘APC Ole! APC Ole! “ very clearly in the Villa. I am sure the chan ngs didn’t bothered him at all. Why? He knew too well that the same mouths they used to chant “ APC Ole APC Ole”, is the same they will use to sing while smiling ‘On your mandate we shall stand”, another me, not too distant from now. This is how poli cs is played in Nigeria, our beloved country, one na on very excep onal a country in that it can readily re-define, what law is really. Yes, laws are laws! They are always absolute and are never given provisos as our law makers have just done in Abuja, the city of our collec ve hope.
The Biblical or even Koranic law instructs man not to kill! It is an absolute law! You see, it does not give a proviso that can make a man decide to kill.
Similarly Nigeria is a country that drives on the right. That is the law. It does not instruct any driver on Nigerian roads to drive le at any me even if there is a terrible road block ahead. There is no proviso telling the driver when he can drive le because that is the law. It is absolute.
•Read full article on www.osundefender.com
Ci
zens
We are ruinously into the era of blind parsanship (love or hatred) and followersip of “leaders,” par es, religion, tribe, fraterni es, stomach, pocket, etc – so long as individuals get their share of the “na onal cake.” Almost all organisa ons have fallen vic m to the toxic currup on and insane par sanship and lack of objec vity so long as the “benefits” flow!
The most lamentable, of course, are the last hope of the commoners – the judiciary; civil society and human rights organisa ons; trades and students unions; the fourth estate of the realm; and the likes: all now unrecognisable in their currupted, comatose, inept states!
But then, like Mar n Luther King Jr asked: “how long will prejudice blind the visions of men (and) darken their understanding?” For the sake of our children’s children (generaons unborn), let us hope and answer with him: “not long!” because “truth crushed to earth shall rise again… no lie can live forever… you shall reap what you sow.” Truth cannot be forever on the scaffold and wrong forever on the throne! “Yet that scaffold sways the future, and, behind the dim unknown, standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above his own….” “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward jus ce.” What is certain is that – for the few remaining patriots with correct sense of history and value, it is an uphill task to shi the paradigm; even as they are becoming leaner in numbers, as endangered species.
OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Behind Oranmiyan Building, Gbodofon, Off Gbongan Road, Osogbo, Osun State. All correspondence to the Deputy Editor, MICHAEL BAMIGBOLA, Telephone: 0809-301-9152. ISSN: 0794-8050. Website: www.osundefender.com Email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com, osundefenderhq@gmail.com
•Smolette Adetoyese Shittu-Alamu sent the piece from Osogbo, Osun State.
STRIKER Striker is not the opinion of the Columnist featured above