Osun Defender Online Version Of December 8, 2017 Edition PDF

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VOL. 012. NO.41

N100

ISSN: 0794-8050

Outcry As SARS Officers Extort Residents - Page 2

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Make no mistakes about it, no nation grows with the kind of lopsidedness in favour of the recurrent expenditure such as we have in Nigeria today. It is the Capital Expenditure that grows the economy not recurrent expenses except of course, if you have a very productive economy which is not the case in our situation.

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Dr. Tunji Ogunyemi, Economic Historian, OAU See the details on Page 3

Crisis Edges Osun PDP Out Of National Convention Page 12

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Outcry As SARS Officers Extort Residents

Speaking on the He said the SARS are taken to the station, is easy to extort money

By Shina Abubakar development, a Lawyer officers just drive around such victims are neither from people being an Residents of major towns in the State of Osun in Osogbo, Barrister town in commercial arraigned in court nor officer of the law”, he have lamented the high rate of harassment and Bukola Onifade disclosed vehicles and burgle their cases investigated to added.

The learned fellow ridicule they are subjected to in recent timesby men that what the men of people into the vehicle ascertain their innocence of the Special Anti-Robbery Squads of the Nigeria SARS are doing is indiscriminately, drive rather, they are kept in however called on contrary to the position of them into a corner and police detention Nigerians not to allow Police Force, popularly referred to as SARS. the constitution because Many of those who other young men have it guarantees the right of intimidate them into perpetually until their ignorance lead them to paying ‘ransom’ to secure families can meet the suffer injustice, stressing spoke with OSUN been in police cell for individual to own the need for them to DEFENDER medium refusing to part with property, account and their r elease before police demands. getting back to the “Many Nigerians now always call on their disclosed that the special their money or transact business legally station. want to join the police lawyers as soon as they unit has turned into a sometimes their mobile without being harassed Onifade added that in force, not to service, but are burgled by SARS virus, feeding on the phones or laptops. by anyone. the case that their victims because they presume it officers unnecessarily. innocence of the citizenry An NYSC member in it is supposed to be Ile-Ife disclosed that protecting, while crime when he was arrested activities are perpetrated and presented his NYSC sometimes in broad light identity, the officers told unchecked. him the identity was just Mr Kehinde Oni who temporary and he must spoke with the medium part with his money in Ilesa disclosed that before he could be SARS as a unit of the released.

Police Force is no longer Similarly, a youth corp in tune with reality because it has actually member in the state who pleaded anonymity call turned into another crime syndicate that harass and for the dissolution of the intimidate members of unit due to their the public for personal recklessness and blatant disregard for the rules of gains.

He stated that the unit law, especially with has now specialised in regards to cyber crime using spies in banks to law in the country.

He said most of the alert them when young men has transactions, police men in the unit are •(L-R) Osun APC Secretary, Honourable Razak Salinsile; Honourable Babatunde Olatunji of Ife North State Coninvolved in crime stituency; Secretary to the State Government of Osun, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti and Chief of Staff to the Governor, with a view to extorting such persons, sometimes, activities while adorning Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola during the launching of the Nationwide Micro, Small And Medium Enterprises Clinics for as law at the Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, State of Osun recently. on the excuse that they uniform Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI. are too young to be in enforcement agents. possession of such money.

Sometimes, Oni added, the spies are banks OSSIEC was not aware clock to deliver the most said the state has power

By Kehinde Ayantunji security personnel or, of any court process to run the local even cash transaction There now seems to be confusion among involving it at an Abuja credible and acceptable council election in government by any officials in the banks, who political parties' members and candidates in the Federal High Court. system of government it January 27, 2018. later get their share from State of Osun over the Local Government election He said, the local the proceeds made by the Meanwhile, a lawyer deemed fit, saying, more gun-wielding police slated for January 27, 2018, as series of government election and Public Affairs so that the State House interpretations have followed the Federal High could not be stopped officers.

Assembly has Analyst, Yomi Obaditan of According to Qodri Court injunction, purportedly stopping the Osun through a funny means has said that by law, no amended the Local Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) Alani, a resident in Ogoby a court of law, adding court has stopped the Government law to Oluwa area of the state from conducting the elections. that the election would process of the election, make provision for capital, the attitude of still hold on January 27, but only ordered that the parliamentary system at The Peoples SARS officers is becoming Democratic Party (PDP) the process, as no service 2018 as slated. status quo should the local government irritating, particularly said it has gotten court of the suit was effected Querying the locus of remain, meaning that level. with regards to bully and injunction stopping the on the commission. the Federal High Court He also disclosed that the process would still A statement signed by intimidation of young the court would not go people who go about for process of the election the Chairman of the based in Abuja to continue. and that the court has Commission, Otunba meddle in a matter According to him, the ahead to stop any their lawful businesses.

Oladitan affecting the conduct of status quo as at the time electoral process going He narrated how ordered that Status Quo Segun Government the injunction was given by different court officers of the unit be maintained, but the wondered how such an Local extorted money from him OSSIEC said, the injunction would be Election in the state of was that the process of judgments on similar even after he had injunction could not granted without the Osun, the commission the election has started issues in Kwara State identified his place of stop the commission other party having a say insisted that it is focused and by interpretation of where the court noted work. from continuing with in the matter, saying the and working round the the injunction, it would that there was nothing “I was coming out of a still continue pending unconstitutional about bank along Ogo-Oluwa the January 23, 2018 the process, since the when a mini-bus adjournment date when House of Assembly has popularly referred to as passed law in that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state of doing in the last seven the matter would come ‘korope’ parked beside regard, as well as Akwa me and a gun-wielding Osun has been advised to, “take quality time off years is to concoct and up again.

He said the purported Ibom state. guy wearing a black T- for psychological therapy because it appear that the spread lies against the The legal practitioner order stopping the shirt with SARS party is too disorganized, disoriented and person and actions of inscription on it maladjusted to the serious responsibility of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. council poll was a also noted that the “In the process, they rumour to disturb the Supreme Court has, at approached me asking governance in the state.” me of my means of The All Progressives PDP is symptomatic of lost the ability to even electoral process and the different times ordered livelihood.

Congress (APC) stated the “greed and articulate a substitute power given to state that no electoral process to that of government over local must be disturbed, but After telling them of this through a statement inordinate ambition of an plan my means of livelihood, issued by the party’s individual within the Aregbesola-led APC government, saying, no the outcome of the one of them insisted I Director of Publicity, party, who wants to be government. Truth is that such order was given by election could be must enter the bus with Research and Strategy Governor at all costs the PDP has no plan any court. challenged. them and before I could Barr. Kunle Oyatomi and regardless of the fact that because it is empty; so However, the He noted that the state protest, I was pushed in made available to he is politically spent, there is nothing to government has the candidates for the and the driver moved journalists in Osogbo. articulate anyway,” the unpopular and power to supervise and election are now in towards Ola-Iya and on It is coming in the technically unqualified to APC said. dilemma on which side getting to Fakunle area wake of continued crisis run for that office.

“To tell how empty run the electoral process at the local government of the information to the vehicle was parked in the PDP Osun chapter “The APC argued, “the they are in that party, one level going by Section believe, as some of them and I was asked to in spite of interventions rank and file of Osun of their leaders the other 8 of the are confused on whether transfer fund into another from the party’s National PDP leadership appears day was engaged in a 7and to go ahead with their constitution. guy’s, (who I met in the Secretariat. to have no idea what they noisy debate on air with On the parliamentary campaigns or not, with bus), account number According to the APC, want to do to make the APC official over what before I was allowed to the intractable power State better. The only legacy either has to its system which is the bone a view to avoiding waste leave”. of contention, Obaditan of resources. struggle within Osun thing they have been •Continued on page 3 He disclosed that many

Confusion Over Osun Councils' Election

PDP Disorganized, Disoriented, Can’t Govern - Osun APC

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How Expert Views Osun Resources Allocation

By Kazeem Mohammed Of recent, the government of the State of Osun has been re-emphasising its commitment to welfare of workers and pensioners through payment of salaries, pensions and allowances, to the tune of about N200 billion, equivalent of 77 per cent and N60 billion, equivalent of 23 per cent on developmental project in the last seven years.

The justification came pensioners in the state.

The government since on the heel of some criticisms that the its assumption of office in Governor Rauf 2010 had been meeting its A r e g b e s o l a - l e d obligations on salaries, administration has not pensions and allowances, been paying adequate until sometimes in 2014 attention to the welfare of when the economic workers and pensioners, situations in Nigeria not a situation that had peculiar to the state of forced the triggered series of Osun protests particularly by administration to adopt

modulated salaries structure for its workforce, subject to agreement with labour unions, rather than disengaging workers from service.

An Economic Historian from the Department of History, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Dr Tunji Ogunyemi said, if government has actually spent only N60 billion on Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) and N200 billion on recurrent expenditure, which comprises of salaries, pensions and allowances, it amount to investing

Osun Assembly Reiterates Commitment To Protect Environment

By Israel Afolabi The State of Osun House of Assembly will not hesitate to give urgent attention to regulatory bills seeking to protect the environment, as well as prevention of hazards that could jeopardize the interest of the people.

This was disclosed by environment.

He noticed that the bill the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam who was require urgent attention represented by his because of its importance Deputy, Hon. Akintunde to the state and also the Adegboye while acknowledged presiding over the House damage done to the during deliberation on environment through the State of Osun illegal sand dealing and Regulation of Sand dredging.

In his words, “it is a Dealing and Dredging Operation Bill 2015 at the good bill that requires floor of the State urgent attention because Assembly Complex it is necessary to set a database for the miners in Osogbo.

Akintunde observed the state. The bill will not that the bill was coming only control activities of at the appropriate time operators but prevent when stakeholders are e n v i r o n m e n t clamouring for adequate degradation that could protection of the result from illegal

PDP Disorganized, Disoriented, •Continued from page 2 credit in Osun.

Shamelessly, this PDP leader sited payment of salaries to workers as PDP’s best social legacy throughout the seven years they were in power.

“Now this is the fact: when the PDP governed Osun between 2003 and 2010, the salaries paid to workers was slightly over N100 billion. But since 2010 till now, (also seven years period), Aregbesola has paid workers over N220 billion; which is twice as much as the PDP could afford!! So, who is fooling who?” the APC asked.

Again the APC exposed the plan less nature of the PDP by pointing out that while Aregbesola-led APC government was busy planning for the construction of the M. K. O Abiola Unique International Airport for Osogbo, the PDP was thinking to stop the project.

“All of the seven years

that Aregbesola has been in office, the only job that the PDP has consistently done is to condemn the projects and actions of the man and his government, and vowed to reverse or destroy them.

“Even as Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s mandate is rolling to its glorious end, the governor has not stopped thinking and planning for the future of Osun,” the APC indicated, emphasizing that, “by January next year, China and the State of Osun will begin the construction of a N216 billion Industrial Park complex that will be the first of its kind by any government ever in the history of the State.

“The PDP hasn’t been thinking of any such thing, but you just wait to hear how they’ll think to stop or reverse or destroy it.

“They will viciously come through as the ‘Peoples Destruction Party’ of Osun”, the APC concluded.

operation”.

However, the speaker who noted other merits of the bill maintained that it requires accelerated Passage as he stressed the need for urgent consideration by the House.

Earlier, the Majority leader of the House, Hon. Timothy Owoeye presented the bill in which he explained its policy thrust to the House, saying it seeks to introduce license and permit to stakeholders in the mining sector.

According to him, “the bill which seek to regulate sand dealing and dredging through license and permit will checkmate illegal activities by the operators”,.

He noted other areas of policy thrust to include increase in revenue generation, creation of database for identification, streaming of operation and protection of environment.

Owoeye also added that there is illegal dredging and mining activities in Atakumosa East, Oriade, Atakumosa West and Obokun due to lack of bill to regulate the activities of miners in the state.

Other lawmakers, in their separate contributions, emphasised on the benefits accruable from the bill as they agreed on the need for priority attention and accelerated passage.

They added that State of Osun regulation of sand dealing and dredging operation bill will preserve our land and reduce environmental pollution.

They also said that there is need to regulate the bill for the interest of our people and bring sanity into the dredging activities of the operator.

The bill has scale through the second reading on the floor of the house.

only 23 per cent of total government expenditure on CAPEX. He said, “I think this is not bad at all and I just wonder why people who should know are still complaining about the government on its commitment to salaries, pension and allowances.

“Is it that they are not expecting government to spend at all on creation of wealth and expanding the infrastructural base of the economy, which is the direct meaning of capital expenditure?

“Or, are people saying that the government should spend everything it has on consumption? I think this is rather unfortunate. You cannot do governance without CAPEX. Those who complain today of this ratio of allocation will praise the government later for being farsighted.

According to him, there can and should be judicious balancing of the recurrent and the capital expenditure (CAPEX) which would go into the production of basic infrastructure, saying “In economies that grow all over the World, CAPEX is always greater than recurrent. But in our climes here, the recurrent which is the expenditure on consumption except in few states such as Lagos and Delta, is always greater than CAPEX. “My suggestion is that CAPEX should not be less than 30 per cent of the total expenditure, while the recurrent should take the remainder 70 per cent. By so doing, government would at least, have a cushion for providing for growth and expansion in basic infrastructure which is actually the key to

development and industrial take-off.

“Make no mistakes about it, no nation grow with the kind of lopsidedness in favour of the recurrent expenditure such as we have in Nigeria today. It is the CAPEX that grows the economy not recurrent expenses except of course if you have a very productive economy which is not the case in our situation”, Ogunyemi stressed.

He then suggested that the next budget for Osun should be along the lines of trying to allocate not less than 30 per cent of the total expenditure to the CAPEX and 70 per cent to recurrent.

Ogunyemi also appealed that the Federal Government should implement the Oronsaye report to the letter to ensure proper allocation of resources in the country.

•Osogbo city mini-bus drivers in hot altercations while struggling for fuel at BOVAS Petrol Station, Oke Ayepe, Osogbo, in anticipation of fuel scarcity on Wednesday.

Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

Youth Tasked To Be Productive

By Murtala Agboola The Catholic priest in charge of St Joseph’s Workshop, Inisa in Odo-Otin South Local Council Development Area (LCDA), of the State of Osun, Reverend Father Martins Obiyemi has admonished Nigerian youths to be productively engaged in learning one trade or the other.

He made the remarks any money rather, they at the graduation are given a token money ceremony of the 2017 set to sustain them. Father of six graduands at the Ibiyemi asked a rhetorical workshop. It specializes question, what is the in furniture making, major problem facing the carpentry and traditional country today? He answered by saying that carvings.

St Joseph’s workshop our youths are not oriented was established in 1974 properly by the Catholic Diocese towards learning a trade of Osogbo as that can complement apprenticeship training whatever income they programme for youths take in their chosen field between the ages of 12 of work.

“Learning a trade assist and 25. to be Students in JSIII, SSIII anybody as well as primary school productively engaged. leavers are also recruited Laziness and corruption are our bane because the for apprenticeship.

The church considers it youth only want whiteas part of its corporate collar jobs which are nonsocial responsibility to existent” he added.

Ibiyemi congratulated the society hence apprentices do not pay the graduands and their

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parents for taking wise decision.

The apprenticeship programme is nonsectarian as it is open to all religions; the training is free while there is free accommodation and free medical treatment for injured apprentices.

There is also facility for employment if a graduand elects to stay back while a token amount is also given every weekend.

According to the authority of the workshop, the church considers it as “an insult on our sense of entrepreneurship if as a nation we will import foreign furniture when we can make more durable and equally elegant ones here”.

The products of St Joseph Workshop are used in homes, offices, churches, tertiary institutions and other public places.

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4 Workers And Paris Club Refunds

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Clearly,

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OSUN DEFENDER Publisher

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Acting Editor

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Moremi Publishing House Ltd. Kazeem Mohammed (0806-220-7954)

Kudos For A Change Of Attitude May I commend your reputable Newspaper for your efforts towards ensuring that the people are getting the best interms of information dissemination, particularly on happenings in the state of Osun.

No doubt, before now, your newspaper had been one-sided, and even could be called a government gazette, particularly since the enthronement of the Rauf A r e g b e s o l a ’ s administration, but the restructuring of your organization within the last nine months, interms of contents and outlook has shown the seriousness of the

newspaper to remain on the newsstand, even after this government.

Due to the information you disseminate during

the struggle of Aregbesola to reclaim his mandate, I become one of your fervent readers before the advent of the present administration and about one year after the government was enthrone, but I have since stopped reading your newspaper, until recently

when I began to read again.

I began to read again because I have seen a change of attitude

interms of contents, as all parties are now being given says in your newspaper unlike in the past.

I can assure you that as members of the ruling party are waiting to read your newspaper, members of the opposition have also

been showing interest in the contents of your newspaper.

Particularly, the contents of your special edition to commemorate the seven year anniversary of A r e g b e s o l a ’ s government could be described as a masterpiece because both the opposition and ruling party were given opportunity to give their views about the government.

I urge you not to relent so that you can continue to build confidence about your ability to give the best to the people.

•BOLA IBIYEMI, Erin-Osun.

Lagos Editor

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MAGAZINE FRIDAY DECEMBER 8 - THURSDAY DECEMBER 14, 2017

Osogbo East By-pass:

Easing Commuting In The City Centre Prior to the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in the State of Osun, the hardship in navigating through the Osogbo city centers could not be over-emphasised. But the intervention of the administration in massive road construction within the city has opened-up the state capital to the world, particularly, the Oba Adesoji Aderemi East Byepass road is a road to behold. KINGSLEY OMOYEMI writes.

Reducing the distance between people, markets, services and knowledge – or simply ‘getting people connected’ – is a great part of what economic growth is all about.

Although, virtual connectivity has b e c o m e increasingly important today with the emergence of new communication avenues, a good and reliable transport network remains vital. There is a very strong positive correlation between a country’s e c o n o m i c development and •Aerial view of the November 27 bridge on the Osogbo East Bye-Pass road. the quality of its road network. The Governor Rauf upon taking the mantle of transformation is evident in the fact Aregbesola’s administration has leadership, made it clear to whoever that Osun is now a massive road nevertheless made significant efforts cared to listen that his administration construction site. The present to improve the road network as was ready to turn the State of Osun government is constructing, evident in the huge resources into a massive construction site A reconstructing and rehabilitating allocated to the sector over the past promise he has kept over the years. roads all over the state. few years.

To the relief of both the intra and The depth of commitment of the In the 21st century, good road present administration to road inter-state commuters who network plays a very significant role in the economic development of any society that is serious and eager to achieve any meaningful growth.

Apart from the fact that good road networks speed up the social economic development of an area, it also goes a long way in adding beauty to the environment thereby attracting would-be investors to such area.

It’s interesting however to note that the Aregbesola’s administration,

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Apart from the fact that good road networks speed up the social economic development of an area, it also goes a long way in adding beauty to the environment thereby attracting would-be investors to such area.

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constantly experience hardship in navigating through the Osogbo city centers, the G o v e r n o r flagged off the construction of the East-Bye Pass road, a road which has been attempted by two preceding administrations of Chief Bisi Akande and P r i n c e Olagunsoye between 1999 and 2010 without success due to financial constraints.

The 18kilometer road, named after a former governor of the old Western region and a former Oni of Ife, Sir Adesoji Aderemi is known as ‘Oba Adesoji Aderemi East-West Bye Pass Road’ and is designed to lead to all artery roads in the capital city as well as other inter-state roads.

The road, which is nearing its completion, has already been functioning as the viable alternative route for commuters passing through the state capital, Osogbo without having to go through the traffic in the city.

Traffic now flows freely as the new bye-pass provides alternative route to various destinations within and outside the state capital.

When completed, the road, which •Continued on page 6

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Easing Commuting In The City Centre

•A section of the Osogbo East Bye-pass road.

•Continued from page 5

is circular, will link the Ring Road (Ibrahim Babangida Way) to form a complete ring road round the state capital.

The idea behind the construction of Oba Aderemi East Bye Pass Road, according to Governor Aregbesola is to reduce the traffic congestion, daily experienced on the road leading to Osogbo, the city centre and to reduce the hours being lost to traffic.

Those who are heading to other states in the South-West or North and pass through Osun will no long need to go through Osogbo town as a result of the new bye-pass, thereby removing the traffic they normally experienced within the state capital.

The road which is estimated to cost about N14.5billion can be referred to as circumferential highway, starting from the roundabout along Iwo road and passes through Ofatedo to Ataoja Grammar School, through Ilesa Road and terminates at Osogbo city Stadium roundabout area.

The project has as its features, the construction of new culverts, three river bridges, concrete side drainages and retaining walls, pavement surface and marking,

construction of railway underpass, construction of interchange and provision of street light.

The road contract, awarded to a Nigerian-Turkish construction Company, Messrs Slava Yeditepe, is being constructed to meet very high standards in modern road construction. It’s being constructed with two asphaltic surface layers and 40mm binder with 30mm wearing.

The road is made up of four major bridges which have been carefully and significantly named by the Governor himself.

We have the November 26th and August 9th bridge which runs over the Osun river as well as the November 27th inter-change bridge and the five judges bridge which are all at advanced stages of completion.

A drive through the entire length of the 18-kilometer road which starts at Omobolanle junction will take you through places like: Ofatedo junction to Ebunoluwa, Ataoja Government

High School, to Okonfo area, then to UNIOSUN Area and Oke-Osun. It will also take you through places like the Ilesa Garage, to Oke-Baale and to Fiwasaye area while also taking you to Iludun/Testing Ground before terminating at the Osogbo city stadium.

A chat with some obviously excited residents of Osogbo, Ofatedo and other areas of the road showed that the construction of the Oba Adesoji Aderemi road has really gone a long way in easing vehicular movements in the affected areas, as well as boosting the economic activities of the area.

A mechanic, Mr Olalekan Olagunju whose workshop is located at the Omobolanle junction of the road, expressed gratitude to the administration of Ogbeni Aregbesola, explaining that the road has gone a long way in opening the area to more commercial and business activities.

He said it was as if the road was constructed mainly because of quarry drivers, stressing that they are now able to run more trips and make more money

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Many of the residents of the area had always found it extremely difficult to get to their various homes, while stressing that the road had brought about a lot of development to the area as new businesses are springing up almost on a daily basis.

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•Another section of the November 27 bridge on the Osogbo East Bye-pass road.

just because the road is now in good condition.

Another business owner at the Omobolanle area, Mr Seweje Samuel emphasised that patronage has been on a high side since the commencement of work on the East Bye-pass, because traffic has increased in the area.

Also speaking, the principal of a private school along the road, Mr Taiwo O. said, the construction of the road has brought tremendous opportunities to the school, saying that enrolment in the school has increased because parents now find it easier to drive to the school premises unlike before when the road was in bad condition.

Another resident of Ofatedo area, Engr. Abayomi Opaleye explained that residents of the area had hitherto been experiencing series of hardship in driving along the road before the intervention of Ogbeni Aregbesola’s administration on the road.

He said many of the residents of the area had always found it extremely difficult to get to their various homes, while stressing that the road had brought about a lot of development to the area as new businesses are springing up almost on a daily basis.

Today, with the near completion of the East Byepass road, history will never forget the visionary leader, who is turning the state into a modern state with its state-of-the-art infrastructural facilities.

Ogbeni Aregbesola has helped in raising the bar for land owners, would-be investors, motorists, small and medium scale business enterprises and put a smile on the faces of the citizenry through the construction of the East-Byepass road.

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 8 - THURSDAY DECEMBER 14, 2017

Ilesa East ES Inspects Ongoing Developmental Projects As the government commences the reconstruction be focused on food three-day workshop on for their support to her of market at Sabo Irojo in Ilesa, the Executive hygiene and medical food hygiene, the administration by paying Secretary of the Council, Mrs Adeoye Olusola has fitness of food handlers. Executive Secretary their dues, promising said that the idea behind the construction of the While declaring open a commended the vendors that the government market was borne out the desire of the Governor Rauf Aregbesola-led administration in the State of Osun to boost socio-economic activities of the area.

The Executive sites visited include, Ireti Secretary made the Ayo Community where statement during an installation of 500KVA inspection tour to some of transformer was taking the ongoing development polace; Bolorunduro/ projects in the council.

Odi-Olowo, where a road According to a linking other statement by the communities was being Information officer of the opening up. council, Mr. Kazeem Meanwhile, towards Opatunji, the council boss preventing outbreak of said that when the diseases in the Local market is constructed it Government area, the would improve the authority of Ilesa East revenue generation drive Local government has of the government. charged food vendors •The Executive Secretary, Ilesa East Local Government, Mrs Adeoye Olusola and her She noted that Sabo within the council area to supporters during the inspection of projects.

Irojo market will soon be ranked alongside the popular market in Onitsa main market in The summit, which held summit, the Commissioner Anambra, Alaba

By Israel Afolabi at Bode-Osi Community for Education, Mr Wasiu International Market in In a bid to ensure good performance among teachers High School Hall, Bode-Osi Omotunde-Young who Lagos and Kauri Market was represented by the in Kano where massive and pupils of Ola-Oluwa Local Government and Ola- on Wednesday, is themed, Zonal Inspector of Performance commercial activities Oluwa South East Local Council Development Area “Deportable Education, Iwo Zone, of Learners in Ola-Oluwa take place at one time or (LCDA), the caretaker management committees of the Local Government Primary Alhaji Tiamiyu Ajao said two councils, led by Hon. Asimiyu Oyediran and Hon. the other.

Dayo Adebiyi have organised a joint Education summit and Post Primary Schools” the purpose of this summit Other ongoing projects within the councils’ Areas.

In his speech at the is to find solution to the low

would not relent in meeting the yearnings of the people.

She also appreciated the efforts of the environmental health officers of the Local Government for their initiatives at this period of disease outbreak as reported in many States of the Federation such as Lassa fever, Typhoid, Cholera, Monkey pox among others, saying the timing of the workshop was commendable.

Adeoye thereby call on everyone to have high consciousness of their environment and personal hygiene which is important in guaranteeing healthy living among the people.

Councils Organise Education Summit

Ifelodun LG Completes Borehole Project

performance of pupils in the two councils.

According to him, “The only solution to our pupils’ low performance in education is for the parents to come into our aid. There should be encouragement from parents and government as well”, he added.

Alhaji Ajao also advised students to face their studies as their part to encourage government.

In his remarks, the Executive Secretary, OlaOluwa Local Government, Hon. Asimiyu Oyediran lauded the state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on his path towards education development in the state.

He said the aim of the summit was to find solution to education system in the council areas.

According to him, “We need to take their future very well by adding value to education”.

He also advised the students to shun examination malpractices

The Executive Secretary, Ifelodun Local Government, Ikirun, State of Osun, Alhaji Hammed Omoloye has assured the people of the community that no efforts would be spared in making life more abundant for the people of the council.

In a release signed by works done on the the Council’s Information abandoned market and Officer, Sola Olatundun, promised to support all Omoloye made this government policies and remarks, while inspecting programmes of the some of the already present administration in completed projects by his the state. administration.

The Executive Some of the projects are Secretary was motorised boreholes at accompanied by all the Oke Amola Ward 2 and caretaker members, the Oja Obà near Eesas Council Manager, Alhaja Palace, and newly Salaam Musirafat constructed Oja Oke. Mojisola and other A resident of Oke departmental heads.

Amola, Azeez Mariam Projects executed by commended the O m o l o y e - l e d administration of administration are, Omoloye for the grading of roads within provision of potable Ifelodun Local water towards addressing Government, purchase the water challenges in and distribution of drugs the area and assured the in all maternity centres executive secretary of among others.

•One of the newly completed borholes at Oja Obi, Ikirun. proper maintenance of the facilities.

The Iyaloja of Oja Obi and Alamisi Markets, To make life more comfortable for the people of support the present as more goodies are still Alhaja Wosilat Olaboye also lauded the good Ifelodun North Local Council Development administration, led by in the pipe-lines for the Authority, (LCDA), Hon. Kasali Oyewo-led Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola council.

CHANGE OF NAME Caretaker Management Committee has embarked on massive grading of bad roads across the local That I formerly known government to guarantee access to rural as MRS. OBEY communities and boost the economy of the council.

MARGRET , now wish to The Caretaker Management Committee of be known and addressed Ayedaade Local Government led by the Executive The roads include; as MRS BELLO Ikirun/Eko- Ende roads to complement the effort Secretary, Hon Bashir Oduwole, has described as a of the government on HABIBAT ADEOLA. All among other rural roads d e v e l o p m e n t a l huge loss, the death of the immediate past Head of Department of Works, Engineer Ismaila Olaniyan. former documents remain in the LCDA. projects. valid. UBA, First Bank The Council’s Eng. Olaniyan died greatly needed in the A statement by the and General public Executive Secretary, Hon Information Officer of the recently after a brief efforts to develop the should take note.

Kasali while answering LCDA, Azeezat Afolabi, illness. council. question from a said Kasali assured “He was not only According to a CHANGE OF NAME community head along residents that the statement by the resourceful but very jovial That LAWAL and accommodating.

Information Officer of the Ikirun/ Enko-Ende road, KUBURAT AYOADE rehabilitation and during the flag off grading of roads are in Council, Mrs Khadijat During his tenure, a lot of AND LAWAL-ALADE promised to ensure that phases and will ensure Amusan, the death of developmental projects, KUBURAT AYOADE are the road is motorable to that all communities in Olaniyan has dealt a huge especially construction the same person, I now wish allow easy access to every the council benefit from blow on the management and rehabilitation of roads to be known and addressed were executed. and staff of the council. as LAWAL-ALADE part of the council. the road projects.

“The management and According to the KUBURAT AYOADE. All He enjoined residents Oyewo enjoined sons statement, the death came members of the Nigeria former documents remain of the council to pay their and Union of Local at a time the contribution daughters of valid. General public should taxes and levies in order Ifelodun LCDA to of the late OLaniyan was Government Employees take note of this.

Ifelodun North LCDA Embarks On Roads’ Rehabilitation

for their future to have meaning.

Also, the Executive Secretary, Ola-Oluwa South East LCDA, Hon. Dayo Adebiyi commended the State Government efforts on education.

He added that the purpose of this summit is to put in place some strategy to improve students’ performance in education.

He advised the students to stand firm with their education because they are the prime target of development, urging parents to make provision for their wards’ needs for them to face their studies.

Meanwhile, the House of Assembly member representing Ola-Oluwa State constituency Honourable Akinloye Ajibola in his address urged parents to compliment the effort of the state government by providing basic needs for their wards.

According to him, “We all need to remove education from grave by complimenting the effort of government on education.

If we can revive education it will help the country so much”, he added.

Among personalities at the summit were, include Comrade Akindele Olawumi, Comrade Ajibade I.A., Mr. Alawode Zacheus and Traditional Rulers within the two council.

Ayedaade LG Loses HOD Works

•The late Olaniyan (NULGE) sorely miss you and can only pray that Almighty Allah will comfort your family.

“We prayed Allah to grant Olaniyan al-janat firdaus.

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A Cocktail Of Recent Happenings Launching Of A Musical Video Album (Tittled: Root Of Sin) By Temitayo Adeniyi (Glorious Rain Band) At Living Souls Church, Osogbo Last Sunday.

Oyintiloye Bags Most Outstanding Lawmaker’s Award

•Temitayo Adeniyi (at the front) and her Glorious Rain Band performing on stage.

•Chairman State of Osun House of Assembly Committee on Information and Strategy, Honourable Olatunbosun Oyintiloye (2nd left) receiving the Most Outstanding State House of Assembly Member in Nigeria Award from the Chairman Governing Council, Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, Professor Layi Fagbenle (left); Commissioner for Federal Matters, Honourable Idiat Babalola representing Governor Rauf Aregbesola (2nd right) and Director, National Bureau of Statistics, Alhaji Isiaka Olanrewaju, during the 2017 Patriots in Leadership and Service Awards (PILAS) at Royal Thropicana Hotel, Abuja on Saturday.

•(L-R) Comrade Biodun Agboola; Representative of Secretary to the State Government of Osun, Mr Kayode Agbaje; General Overseer (G.O) Living Souls Church, Reverend Julius Kolawole; Representative of Commissioner for Information, Mr Ismail Uthman and Administrative Manager Osun Defender Newspaper, Mr Murtala Agboola.

By Gbenga Adeniyi The Living Souls Church, Osogbo was full of important personalities on Sunday 3rd December 2017 as Temitayo Adeniyi (Glorious Rain Band) a fast rising Nigeria gospel artist who performed on both local and international stage lunched her musical video album titled: ROOT OF SIN. Adeniyi was a Choir mistress of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Agbala Itusile for many years and Choir mistress for CAC Ido Ijesa in Ilesa before the establishment of her group GLORIOUS RAIN BAND about ten years ago.

During the interview with newsmen, Adeniyi gave thanks to Almighty God

•A cross section of guests at the event.

for her life, family and her group members for the success of the programme, just as she thanked her friends, relatives and artists that performed at the event.

Chairman of the occasion, Honourable Adelani Baderinwa, Commissioner for Information and Strategy in the State of Osun described Adeniyi as a good singer and urge her not to mingle with bad singers.

Secretary to the State Government of Osun, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti represented by Mr Kayode Agbaje; General Overseer, Living Souls Church, Reverend Julius Kolawole; Administrative Manager, Osun Defender Newspaper, Mr Murtala Agboola; Comrade Biodun Agboola and other dignitaries were present at the occasion.

By Yetunde Odunayo A member of the Osun State House of Assembly, representing Obokun State constituency, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye has bagged the Most Outstanding Lawmaker Award in Nigeria.

The award was conferred on him by the Patriots in Leadership and Service (PILAS) Award last Saturday in Abuja.

Speaking at the award presentation, the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola said, he was impressed by the honour conferred on Oyintiloye who has distinguished himself in leadership and service to the people.

Represented by the Commissioner for Federal Matters, Idiat Babalola, the governor said, the honour speaks volume of the Oyintiloye’s commitment to service and poverty reduction in the society.

He said the commitment of the lawmaker to quality leadership, service to the people and fight against poverty was in line with the recent rating of Osun as the best in Poverty Index Level by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

He noted that the series of social investment programme of the government were people-oriented.

“We have a path with the people and we have been following that in spite the economic situation. Most of our social investment programmes are now replicated by the federal government.

“I’m impressed that Oyintiloye has done us proud and proved a point that Osun is always a state to beat in every aspect of governance”, the governor stressed.

He urged Oyintiloye not to rest on his oars by continuing to offer services to the people of Obokun

and Osun in general.

The Statistician-General of the Federation, Dr Yemi Kale reiterated that Osun State remains the lowest in Poverty Index Level in Nigeria.

Represented by a Director in the NBS, Mr Isiaka Olanrewaju, a Programme Analyst, Kale said, when people were thinking that Osun was not doing well in Poverty reduction, the report on the analysis and the indicators therein proved otherwise.

“We have compiled some indicators to rank States based on their performance and when some people are thinking that Osun is not doing well, those indicators proved otherwise.

“There is one indicator that measure incidence of poverty in Nigeria and on the ranking, Osun State came last, meaning that Osun is the first state where poverty would not have way.

“When you now talk of Osun state as the state that is not doing well, these indicators proved otherwise, that is again what has reflected in this award, meaning that such Honours should be given to those who actually merit it”.

Receiving the award, Oyintiloye charged governments at all levels to always adopt scientific tools in areas of development to measure society growth and planning.

While calling for funding of agencies whose activities relate with baseline studies and growth measurement, Oyintiloye stressed that society development must be anchored on sound logic, gap study analysis and planning.

Speaking on the award, Oyintiloye stated that the honour has again imposed on him a greater challenge of justifying the confidence reposed on him by the people.

Dedicating the award to Governor Aregbesola and the people of Obokun Constituency, he said the supports he received have been encouraging him to do more.

First Birthday Anniversary Celebration Of Rachael Oluwasindara Aderinto In Osogbo.

Members of Aderinto family were in joyous mood last week Saturday as their daughter, R a c h a e l Oluwasindara clocked one.

Presents at the celebration were relatives, family friends and well wishers.

The mother of the celebrant, while speaking at the event appreciated those who attended the celebration for their love and care. She also thank God for sparing their daughter’s life and that of the entire family to witness the celebration.

•The celebrant, being carried by her mother, Folashade Aderinto (2nd left) in a group photograph with attendees at the celebration.

2017 Annual Press Week Celebration Of NUJ Correspondent Chapel, Osogbo.

•From right, Guest Lecturer, Dr. Fassy Adetokunbo Yusuf; Chairman Correspondents Chapel of NUJ, Mr Hammed Oyegbade; State of Osun Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Lani Baderinwa, representing the Governor; Chairman, Council of Owu Traditional Rulers/Royal Father of the Day, Oba Hammed Adekunle Oyelude and Chairman Nigeria Union of Journalists, Osun, State, Mr. Abiodun Olalere,

•A cross section of guests during the service last Sunday.

Aregbesola To Journalists: Separate The Wheat From The Chaff, Truth From Libel

By Ismaeel Uthman Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the State of Osun has charged the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to device measure of separating the ‘wheat from the chaff’ – the amateur and imposters from the professional journalists.

According to Aregbesola, quacks and impersonators have infiltrated the journalism professional and are causing harm to the educative, enlightenment and informative role of media practitioners.

Aregbesola spoke at the opening ceremony of the Press Week of the Correspondents’ Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Osun Council on Monday.

He was represented by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Adelani Baderinwa at the event.

The governor lamented that the infiltration of the journalism profession by those he described as charlatans and quacks who are either deficient in its ethics and principles of conduct or are

totally bereft of necessary preparations for practice is a serious threat to the credibility and integrity of the media practitioners and the journalism profession.

Aregbesola said: “In most cases, these impostors, being scarcely versed in the requisite preparation for satisfactory conduct that is beneficial to the society, throw ethics to the thin winds; in rabid and inordinate crave for bread and butter, and for quick riches and gratification.

“Mostly, these amateurs have lent themselves, most pitiably and whimsically to the odd-jobber engagement of cheap, petty, desperate and unconscionable whims and caprices of renegade politicians who see nothing good and beneficial in the good, people-oriented programmes and initiatives of an administration that is dear to the hearts of the people.

“This clarion call goes to the entire fold of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to embrace a measure at this time to separate the wheat from the chaff so that the good image of this great union could be salvaged and redeemed.”

OUR SOCIAL REGISTER IS OPEN FOR YOUR SOCIAL ACTIVITIES TO BE MADE PUBLIC Spaces are available for your anniversaries such as weddings, house-warming and chieftaincy title ceremonies among other for your take. To take advantage of this, you can reach out to Murtala, 08023280935, Kazeem 08062207954 and Nike on 07032594744 Let the public know what you are doing.

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POLITICS

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Appraising A Progressive Govt In Office

By Abidoun Komolafe In less than a year from today, Rauf Aregbesola’s tenure as governor of the State of Osun will come to a close. A time like this therefore presents an opportunity to review his performance in office, vis-à-vis, his administration’s Six Point Integral Action Plan.

Although, it has become fashionable for the opposition to look for partners in its dubious search for raw materials to power its odious charades, a closer assessment of the specifics will lead Nigerians to draw appropriate conclusions on the success or otherwise of Aregbesola’s government. For instance, if the governor’s desire was to move the state from a public service economy to its rightful place as an agrarian state, how has he fared in activating market-driven value chain? If his vision and mission found solace in setting Osun on a genuine path to socio-economic development, hasn’t he done well in plucking a coin out of the mouth of the fish? What was the state of our roads before Aregbesola’s inauguration and why has his desire to make Osun the food hub of the Southwest been misconstrued for avenues to siphon funds out of the s t a t e b y a m i s g u i d e d and disgruntled clique? How has he been able to provide a soft landing for the salary bug, which no doubt has also caught up with Abuja?

Again, has Ogbeni betrayed the trust of his people or is it a case of his traducers woefully failing to purge their dirty excesses before coming to the table to seek equity? Is it an issue of the achiever, unsuspectingly shifting away from blowing his own trumpet loud enough to wake even the dead or that of the audience provably imprisoned by mute indifference? Perhaps, more importantly, is it one of unreconstructable spinners notoriously trying to destroy the threads of communal togetherness woven together over a long period of time?

With a motivation to rapidly develop the state in all ramifications as well as enhance the capacity of the people, Aregbesola’s government has in the last 7 years delivered “all round” development to at least 75% improvement on what it met in 2010. While the administration has been consistent in its investment in infrastructure without undermining welfare, lives of children, youths, adults, aged, the weak have also been positively impacted in line with its Social Protection programmes. In addition to ‘Opon Imo’ (Tablet of Knowledge), this administration’s ‘O’ Series have not gone without bearing positive fruits.

As we all know, Aregbesola’s intervention in the education sector is not limited to provision of infrastructure as government has so far been training a third of teachers in its public schools on a yearly basis. Besides, the state’s sterling performance in the West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE) is better understood from the context of where we are coming from. As at 2010, the performance level of students in WASCE was 15.7%. Within the last 7 years, Osun has recorded as high as 46.3%, which is quite a huge jump in the number of students with credit passes in English Language and Mathematics. The state’s position (between 1st and 3rd, since 2013) in the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) interms of matriculable students in Nigeria has rubbished the premise that WAEC rankings of states alone should be the basis for judging performance.

That Aregbesola has succeeded to a very large extent in all the critical indices is already settled.

For example, within the last seven years, Osun has ranked 2nd on Human Capital

Although, it has become fashionable for the opposition to look for partners in its dubious search for raw materials to power its odious charades, a closer assessment of the specifics will lead Nigerians to draw appropriate conclusions Index and has maintained the 2nd position in four years in a roll in the global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI). Besides, it is now the 5th largest economy in Nigeria with its GDP growing at 7.3% per annum. And, as we speak, Osun is the 2nd richest and the 13th crime-free state in Nigeria.

Enrollment rate for the state’s children in primary school hovers between 70% and 80% - no doubt is about the highest in the country while its performance ratings in NECO has also been in the units. In broiler production, Osun is now 2nd only to Oyo State. It also came 9th in the recently-concluded National Youth Games, a feat that has for a long while eluded the state. Predictably, Latifat Abiola Oyeleye and Alabi Philip Toluwalase have demonstrated that government’s transformational investments in the education sector have not been in vain.

Lest we forget, Aregbesola’s civil

servants-friendly disposition could also be seen in his commitment of more than N200 billion to salaries, pensions and allowances, compared to less than N60bn spent on infrastructure. It is also worth mentioning that, under its O’MEAL programme, government has so far committed more than N10 billion to providing over-200 million plates of highly nutritious meals to students in its Elementary Schools across the state.

Pre-November 27, 2010, Osun could not boast of a recreation spot anywhere in the state. Now, Nelson Mandela Freedom Park in Osogbo has added flavour to more than 80 Tourist centres, scattered all over the nooks and crannies of the state for fun-seekers to make merry. And, with more than 200 hotels, some of which can compete favourably in the comity of hospitality business, the state’s revenue base is assured of a huge boost. The signing of a N216 billion investment in Industrial Park with a Chinese firm, Jiangsu Wuxi Taihu Cocoa Food Company

Limited, also points to a ”fresh deal” for transforming the state’s ”industrial base.”

Of course, the governor deserves commendation for leading a new understanding in parliamentary Local Government administration in Nigeria. When fully operational in the 1st quarter of 2018, facts are that it will, among other advantages, help in expanding the potentials for accountability, transparency and societal capacity building.

Well, this is where Aregbesola’s accusers deserve some tutorials on the politics and the complexities of capital city centres. As an illustration, though Obafemi Awolowo hailed from Ikenne-Remo, he chose Ibadan as capital of the then Western Nigeria to concentrate the greater part of his development efforts. Gawain Bell who served as governor of the old Northern Region between 1957 and 1962 was a South African, while Ahmadu Bello, his premier, was from Rabbah in Sokoto. But that never deprived Kaduna its privilege as the administrative capital of the Northern Region. Ditto for Enugu under Michael Okpara whose source was Umuegwu in the present day Abia State.

•KOMOLAFE writes in from Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State, Nigeria (ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk)

How Empowered Youths Can Dictate The Security Of A Nation

By Israel Afolabi

The economic challenges of the nation have in no small measure affected commitments to managing and checking threats in internal security.

The Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola made this known during the courtesy visit of the staff and students of Armed Forces Command and Staff College, on one week study tour themed; National Security and Youth Empowerment, at the Government House in the state capital.

Governor Aregbesola stated that, it is critical that internal security must never be undermined, and that the challenge faced in higher proportion of security is same with countries in African sub sahara.

Linking the theme of the study tour with National Security and Youth Empowerment of the student was to understand the situation of Security and Osun Youth empowerment, with emphasis on Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme OYES and Osun Elementary School Feeding programme which been adopted by Federal Government of Nigeria and World Bank.

Governor Aregbesola stated that with his administration’s policy, higher percentage of Osun Youths were empowered and engaged, and with that, the youth find it difficult to harass anyone, but focus their energy on being successful, through the social protection programs implemented by the state government.

He also stated that Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme has not only curbed youth restiveness, but has also contributed to economic growth, thereby placing the State as one of the safest state in the country, and one with reduced poverty index economically, as well as high rate of human development.

Speaking at the event, the Team

Coordinator, Wing Commander Abiodun Ogunmola stated that the Senior Course Forty’s one week study tour to the State was in fulfillment of criteria of training of the students during their course of study at the college.

He stated that the State of Osun is one of the twelve states selected for the study on National Security and Youth Empowerment, and he affirmed that the senior course forty students will understudy the empowerment policies and its link in the state to National security, as well as write reports and make recommendations where needed.

Ogunmola appreciated the State Government for approving the study tour group and all agencies of the government and the ministry of Empowerment and Youth Engagement for the success of the programme.

Narrating his military experience and linking it with his involvement in

Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme, OYES Commandante, Colonel Eniibukun Oyewole rtd affirmed that Governor Aregbesola’s investment in Osun Youth and other social protection programmes are attestation that Osun Government believes in empowerment and engagement of youth as an active measure for national security via safe society for its citizens.

Earlier in her welcome address, the Commissioner for Empowerment and Youth Engagement, Mrs. Adetoun Adegboyega stated that when youths are not empowered or engaged, older generations are threatened and the survival of the state and country are also threatened.

She emphasized that Governor Aregbesola’s administration have been able to ensure security by empowering and engaging youths in the state with meaningful programmes to take them off the street.

•(L-R) The Wing Commander of the Nigeria Armed Forces, Abiodun Ogunmola; Commissioner for Empowerment and Youths Engagement, Mrs Folake Adegboyega; Commissioner for Special Duties, Honourable Toogun Oguntola and O’YES Commandante, Col. Eniibukun Oyewole (rtd), during an interactive session.

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Self-esteem And Self-worth

11

Sex & Life

Most of our struggles have By Damilola Ojenike something to do with self- Twitter: @d_real_dee esteem. As much as self-esteem Instagram: life_of_dee_ is part of our lives, it makes sense that some of our biggest E-mail: damilolaojenike@gmail.com struggles are a result of unhealthy self-esteem. Relationship society, the kind of relationships we issues, anti social behaviour, fears, get into would be determined by anxiety, failures, financial trouble – self-esteem and sometimes the delinquency, - even many of our relationships we get into develop losses tend to have elements of low and change our self-esteem. self-esteem that fuel them. SelfIt’s not possible to have “too esteem and relationships are much” self esteem. This is another inseparably connected. Our minders tending. We think those relationship impact our sense of who are overly confident or who we are and how we feel about narcissistic are full of self-esteem. ourselves, and how he felt But, inferiority and superiority ourselves impact the types and complexes are just different lengths of our relationship. In our portrayals of the same issue – how self-esteem. At the core of selfesteem is self-worth, the sense of timeless, unchanging and inborn value each possess. If self-esteem is hard to comprehend, it seems selfworth may even be so. Yet, selfworth, a deeper sense of who we are is one of the most important truths we can uncover in life. I define self-worth as “the ability to comprehend and accept true value – for clear understanding, to be more than body, mind, emotions, behaviours, to see myself as God sees me, to accept his love for me, and to learn to love myself in like manner.

When we can tap into car deeper, truer, unchanging self, we will naturally exude self-esteem. And that is something everyone should definitely know.

There is a big difference between self Esteem and Self-respect.

Self esteem is simply the way you feel about and how you see yourself in this world we lived in.

How you compare to everyone else and how you measure up to what you think a decent human being should be.

There are different levels of selfesteem.

One level could look like depression, doubt, negativity with thoughts consisting of “I am insignificant”, “I could never accomplish that” and “life seeks”.

Another level may be as deceit, pride and vanity with words and thoughts like, “I am superior”, “I am so much prettier than she is”, “Who are they”.

Or, your level could be somewhere in the middle which could look like, unhearing, indifferent, unmoved and apathetic thoughts like, “I don’t care”, “It’s not my business”, “No matter what I say or do, it won’t make difference”.

Self worth on the other hand, is the essence that makes you alive.

Self-worth is recognizing, “I am greater than all these things”. There is nothing you could feel, say, do, or think that would increase or decrease it.

Your thoughts consist of “I have infinite value”, “I can accomplish anything”, “I am equal to all men”, “I am loved” just to name a few.

Self worth is on a spiritual plane.

What it means is that you have always been of great value from the beginning of creation. Your selfworth is what you have been longing for.

I didn’t set out to become an expert on self-esteem and selfworth. It just happened or just being of help to let people feel their worth and value. I would like to share some of the things I learned about self-esteem and self-worth.

How important is your confidence? If you want to rise against any challenge, you must believe in yourself. Without confidence in what you do, and in who you are, what chance do you have of happiness or success?

The Matrimonial Act enacted in 1970 (now cap M7 laws of the federation 2004) mainly governs marriages, marital breakdown and the welfare of children in Nigeria.

A person who is domiciled in any state in Nigeria, irrespective of state, can bring a petition of divorce in the High Court of any state in the Federation.

Prenuptial agreement is entered into by two people before they are married or united by a civil union.

These agreements commonly include provisions for the division of property and payment of spouse support in the event of separation. The final decision on the settlement of assets and property upon dissolution of a marriage resets with the Judge.

In section 72 (2) of the Matrimonial Causes Act, the law states that "the court may make such order as the court considers just and equitable with respect to the application for the benefit of all or any of the parties to, and the children of the marriage of the whole or part of property dealt with by ante-nuptial or post nuptial settlements on the parties to the marriage or either of them".

Divorce which the Nigerian Family law gives recognition, allows marriage dissolution decree or nullity if it is made in accordance with the law. The only

Family Law LAW & U WITH

DEBBIE OBASA

ground accepted by the law to dissolve a marriage is if the marriage has completely broken down and it is not retrievable. The petitioner must make case to satisfy the court of law that there is lack of consummation in the marriage, and there is a case of adultery and the petitioner finds it very intolerable to live together with the respondent. If the parties have been living separately for a continuous period lasting for at least three (3) years before the petition is filed and the other party

to the marriage has been away from the petitioner for a given period of time, it therefore provides reasonable ground for the presumption that he or she is dead.

Also, in 2003, Nigeria enacted the Childs Rights Act, pursuant to the United Nations convention on the rights of a child. It serves as a legal documentation and protection of Children rights and responsibilities in Nigeria. It also acts as legislation against human trafficking since it forbids children

from being separated from parents against their will, except where it is in the best interests of the child.

An application for adoption is made to the High Court accompanied with the following documents; " Where the applicant is married, his or her marriage certificate or a sworn declaration of marriage. " A medical certificate or sworn declaration of age of each applicant. " Two passport photographs of each applicant. " The medical certificate of the fitness of the applicant from a Government hospital " Such other documents, requirements and information as the Court may require for the purposes of the adoption. " All these are upon the application of adoption.

However, family law has not fully developed in Nigeria compared with some other jurisdiction.

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Crisis Edges Osun PDP Out Of National Convention

By Kehinde Ayantunji Internal crisis rocking Osun Chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) will deny its participation and voting right in the PDP National Convention holding on Saturday in Abuja as a result of “irreconcilable difference”, over the local and state leadership of the party.

The indication had been done in Osun. emerged during the Makarfi said, it has inauguration of the party become practically convention main and sub- impossible to make committee by the party progress in conducting National Caretaker local and state congresses.

Chairman Senator Ahmed The implication is that Makarfi, as the state the Osun branch would delegates were excluded not be able to participate from the convention in the convention, except delegate lists. the statutory delegates Osun local government recognized by the party’s and state congress as at the constitution. time of this report Since August that the remained inconclusive party NEC has appointed and was excluded from Sharafadeen Ishola as the congress report approved Chairman, Caretaker by the National Executive Committee of the party in Council of the party last the state, all efforts to week. conduct an acceptable Makarfi, had last week, congress at the local and sought the approval of the state level had been party leadership of the unsuccessful. report of congresses as The statutory delegates produced in nine states that may participate in the which includes; convention includes Chief Adamawa, Borno, Kebbi, Shuaib Oyedokun, a Kwara, Kogi, Lagos, Member of the Board of Ogun, Oyo, and Osun.

Trustee of the party; Chief While the party Ebenezer Babatope, affirmed the conclusion of Trustee Member; Erelu the ward, local Olusola Obada, former government and state Minister; Mr Jelili congresses in all the states, Adesiyan, former Makarfi said in the memo Minister; Professor Wale that only ward congress

Ladipo former National Secretary; Senator Ademola Adeleke representing Osun West; the two serving Federal House of Representative Members, Hon Albert Adeogun and Hon Wole Oke, and the two current serving House of Assembly Members.

The party’s NEC had at

its meeting on August 12 dissolved all party structures in Osun state and ordered fresh congresses for the purpose of electing party executive at all levels.

The contest between Hon Soji Adagunodo and Dr Bayo Faforijin for the chairmanship of the party has split the party and

hold Saturday.

Prominent among the leaders are the two former Deputy Governor, Mrs Erelu Olusola Obada, Member Security Committee; Senator Iyiola Omisore, member Venue and Protocol Committee and Chief Francis Fadahunsi, Member Security Committee.

Igbo Group Cautions Ohaneze Over Partisan Politics An Igbo group, Igbo Mandate Group in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State of Osun has cautioned the traditional rulers of the Igbo tribe, Eze Ndigbo against involvement in partisan politics.

This is just as the group the cultural aspect and be declared support for APC fathers to politicians of all and Governor Rauf divides.

Anselem said, “the Aregbesola, hinging their support on the involvement of our developmental legacies cultural leaders in partisan that the administration has politics is abnormal, put in place within the last because they are cultural leaders and they should be seven years.

The group National fathers to politicians of all Chairman, Prince Anselem divides, rather than Echekwu and the Osun involving in partisan State Chairman of the politics. They should face group, Chief George cultural and leave we Iheonu made the call at the politicians alone to do it.

Declaring support for inauguration of the Aregbesola’s mandate group in Osogbo the administration, Anselem recently.

The duo said, rather noted that, “all Igbo in than involving in partisan Osun have come together politics, the Eze Ndigbo to support the APC and which they described as governor due to the cultural group should face development he has

Seven Years After, Where Has The Bulk Of Osun Money Gone To? The major issue of discourse in Osun today and in recent times, especially by the opposition and its ally, most often centres on salary, salary and salary and the ability or “incapability” of government to pay. Not many take time to praise or commend government for superlative infrastructural and welfarist developments over the years. Another issue but similar in content that dominates the news space is the amount of resources deployed to infrastructure vis-à-vis recurrent or salaries, allowances and pensions payment. The narrative has been popularized to seem as if infrastructure take whopping sums to the detriment of workers’ welfare. But in reality, opposite is the case.

Most often, when lies are repeated and wrapped in sugar-coated phrases, with some sentimental garb, they inevitably, but erroneously transform and transmute into “The Truth, and absolute Truth”, as is the case today. But truth, the real Truth, they say, is constant. There can never be opposing truth, or, another truth that negates the real truth.

What then is the truth?

Well, the truth can never be obtained through rumours, sentimental outbursts, hatred, political maneuvers, self pity, and the likes. There is only one route to the truth and that is through empirical, scientific search. Searching for the truth should be devoid of the aforementioned, if truly, we are seeking the Truth, which we all agree, is sacred.

This is where I am at crossroads with armchair journalists.

The Freedom of Information Bill which was recently passed into Law was aimed at getting the truth in governance, especially when it comes to finances and expenditures. After all, the Act was to promote, enhance and develop our precarious democracy. The Act (which is an expansion of Section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria), was signed into law on 28th May, 2011 by then President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

both camps have rejected several consensus proposals from the caretaker committee headed by Sharafadeen Ishola Meanwhile, 19 PDP leaders from the state were inaugurated on Monday to serve in the various party national convention committees that would

brought on board since his assumption of office.

“We Igbos in Osun have come to realize that Aregbesola is a sincere man and he is committed to the development of the state, hence, our support for him”, he said.

Iheonu on his own, said, the group would mobilize Igbos to continue to support Aregbesola’s administration and the APC, saying, “we have gone round and appreciate A r e g b e s o l a ’ s transformation agenda”.

“Seeing all he has done in the area of education, i n f r a s t r u c t u r e development, human capital development as well as social intervention programmes, we are committed to genuinely support the administration and the

APC in the state”.

He said: “From here, we will start to inaugurate this group local government by local government in Osun to localize our mobilisation machinery.

This is the first time Igbos in APC, supporters of APC and admirers of Governor Aregbesola who appreciate his good work will come together as a political group openly to declare support”.

The state APC chairman, Prince Gboyega Famoodun who was represented at the programme commended the Igbo group for the support being given to the administration of Aregbesola, saying that the party would ensure that they are carried along in the scheme of things.

Truth Of The Matter with

allowances, pensions, b o n u s e s , allowances for O’YES Cadets, etc. So, where ayoakinola444@gmail.com comes the obnoxious narrative that w o r k e r s emoluments are sacrificed on the altar of infrastructural development?

Did these people know that the totality of all Osun workers is about, or slightly less than, 1% of the t o t a l population of all Osun Kobo for Kobo, both recurrent and residents who are equally capital expenditure from 2010 up till entitled to government care? November of this year. It was really an No matter the financial eye opener. Between January and predicament we found October, 2017, government spent the ourselves, government must provide sum of N35 billion on recurrent and dividends of democracy to the entire emoluments while a relatively paltry sectors and citizenry, apart from paying sum of N7 billion was expended on salaries. If we deploy 100% of our capital projects. resources to paying only salaries, what For the totality of the seven years so then is the fate of other citizens who do far on the seat of Osun administration, not earn salaries and allowances from a total sum of N200 billion was government and who are equally expended on salaries and pensions entitled to government services? Why while on the other hand, N60 billion must our future and those of our goes for infrastructure. children unborn be sacrificed on the This is rated in percentage as 77% to altars of most times unearned wages? Is 23% respectively. it a crime to deploy 21st century Answer to the headlined question is infrastructure to our people, give quality therefore obvious from the above education to our children in a 21st analysis: The bulk of Osun revenue goes century environment, feed our children for salaries, emoluments and pensions. from humble homes with nutritious We need to go this length to explain foods, build durable roads, energize the things because of the erroneous aged, etc, even if it means borrowing? impressions created either ignorantly or And how much are we really talking otherwise that Osun massive about? Paltry 23% of total income! infrastructural development is For example, figures obtained from responsible for the modulated salary. government show Naira for Naira and

AYEKOOTO

Well, the truth can never be obtained through rumours, sentimental outbursts, hatred, political maneuvers, self pity, and the likes. There is only one route to the truth and that is through empirical, scientific search.

The purpose of the Act is to make public records and information more freely available, provide for public access to public records and information, among others. This Act empowers every citizen to obtain information regarding how they’re governed.

But instead of our educated elites and some men of the pen to make use of this route, they find it quite easy to peddle rumours, misinformation, half-truths, and slander to get to their predetermined ends which includes scoring political points for selves and paymasters.

It has been found out that, in the State of Osun, from 2010 when this government came to power to the very recent, November 2017, only 23% of all resources of government go into infrastructures, while whopping 77% go into payment of workers’ salaries,

FRIDAY DECEMBER 8 - THURSDAY DECEMBER 14, 2017

OSUNDEFENDER www.osundefender.org

13

Osun Health Insurance Scheme Law: Taking The Bull By The Horn The Osun State Health Insurance Scheme which would provide affordable health care for all citizens across board has been described by stakeholders as a welcome development.

The scheme is not in place yet, but indications have emerged that before the first quarter of 2018,the scheme would be put in place.

According to first hand information, the Governor of the state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola had given a directive to both the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Rafiu Isamotu and Special Adviser on Health, Dr. Oyinlola 90 days to come up with a draft bill on the establishment of the Osun State Health Insurance Scheme to be presented to the State House of Assembly.

Prior to this directive, it had been the policy of the administration of Aregbesola as enshrined in the six point integral action plan to promote healthy living through the provision of free and accessible health care services.

Notwithstanding the success achieved by the free health scheme, more are still being done in the area of health care provision.

Although the health insurance scheme is totally different from the free health care provision, as for the latter, the government provides health care services in all its primary and secondary health care facilities for free, while in the former, every citizen is expected to pay a certain amount of their income into a specified pool and at the end both the have and the havenot will receive health care services without recourse to their social standing in the society.

With that mandate given to the state’s health ministry, the Commissioner for Health and the Special Adviser to the governor on Health were reported to have swung into action and brought together all the experts from the State Ministry of Justice, Finance, Health, State of Osun Primary Health Care Development Board, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in a two days stakeholders workshop on how to draft a working state health insurance scheme bill that the state executive council under the administration of Aregbesola could present to the House of Assembly for passage.

The workshop objective was in three fold, and they are; to understand the components of the legal framework for the state health insurance scheme and its implications to the Osun State context; to draft a bill that provides for the establishment of the Osun State Health Insurance Scheme (OSHIS) while ensuring involvement of key stakeholders; and to reach a consensus on the key provision and contents of the OSHIS bill that will ensure universal health coverage to the residents of Osun.

From the administration point of view, if the bill on the establishment of the Osun State Health Insurance Scheme (OSHIS) becomes a reality, it would be another feather on the success cap of the administration, as most stakeholders at the bill drafting workshop agreed that though, the provision of free health care services is desirable, but no more fashionable.

They all agreed that the in-thing now was in health insurance scheme as practiced all over the world, since

With FRANCIS EZEDIUNO

•Participants in a group photograph at the workshop held to draft a bill for the Osun Health Insurance Scheme.

there are benefits to be enjoyed when the law is fully operational.

The State’s Health Commissioner, Dr. Rafiu Isamotu also asserted that

the Insurance Scheme on establishment would take into consideration, the vulnerable people and those who are so poor and cannot

pay for proper health care services.

The bill when signed into law and with the subsequent establishment of the OSHIS and its agency, will ensure that the rich pay for the poor and the healthy will pay for the sick since it is an insurance scheme.

As informed by Alhaji Ahmed Yahaya, the NHIS coordinator, the NHIS has been at the forefront of getting the state to log into the health insurance scheme.

Aside that, Pharmacist Nuhu Ajodi, noted that the NHIS and the state will collaborate, saying, the state will be in the driving seat and NHIS will collaborate based on what both parties agreed.

Cancer Of The Cervix: What Women Should Know

Everywhere, we see the consequences of neglect, be it corrupt governments, health hazard, abuse or death and accidents.

Neglecting to take care of our health includes failing to provide sufficient supervision, nourishment, medical care or other needs for which the victim is helpless to provide for him/her/ itself.

The victim may be a child, physically or mentally disabled adult, animal, plant, or inanimate object. All are subjugated to one common thing which is ignorance/ carelessness.

Cervical Cancer is the most common cancer affecting women in developing countries with highest incidence in parts of Africa and parts of South America. Approximately 500,000 new cases and deaths which amount to 250,000 are recorded each year. Around the world, one woman dies of cervical cancer every two minutes.

Women in developing countries are the worse affected as they suffer disproportionately from the burden of cervical cancer and account for over 80% of cases.

It is the most common cancer in women in Northern Nigeria (due in part to the practice of early marriage) second only to breast in the south.

Overall, it is the second most frequent cancer in women, after breast cancer, occurring most commonly in women over the age of 30 and is the second most frequent cancer among women in Nigeria after breast cancer, with an estimated 10,000 women dying of cervical cancer annually.

If current trends continue, by the year 2050, there will be more than one million new cases of invasive cervical cancer annually.

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) 16/ 18 / 45 / 31 are responsible for 80% of invasive cervical cancers worldwide.

HPV is transmitted through sex, and it can cause an infection in the cervix (the neck of the womb).

This virus has a very high transformational effect on the epithelial cells of the cervix especially before the age of 18 years as this is the age where these cells undergo a transition to a more protective form of cell type.

Thus, early age at first sexual intercourse is a great risk. Engaging

with multiple sexual partners or a male partner with multiple previous sexual partners also heightens the risk for HPV infection.

Other risk factors include exposure to oral contraceptives for greater than 3-5 years and high parity.

The infection usually doesn’t last very long because your body can normally fight it, but an HPV infection can change cervix cells into pre-cancer cells.

Most cells with early pre-cancer changes go back to normal on their own and if detected can be treated. But if they are not found and treated, the precancer cells can lead to cancer.

Cervical cancer screening is a method of preventing cancer by detecting and treating early abnormalities.

Early detection and treatment can prevent 75 per cent of cancers developing but, like other screening tests, it is not perfect.

Early detection through screening and treatment of pre-cancerous lesions remains the best possible protection against cervical cancer.

Evidence shows that utilization of screening for prevention is very poor in Nigeria (South-East, North-Central, South-West, North-West).

A summary from the colposcopy units across tertiary health facilities in the country showed that only about 3,000 women were screened from 20052007.

The lack of policy on cervical cancer screening, public awareness, network formation, commitment from the government and communities and less operational research has mitigated on the overall success in Nigeria and Africa.

The decline in cervical cancer incidence and mortality in the developed world is attributed to successful mass cervical screening strategies.

Women between the ages of 15 and 44 are the most at risk for cervical cancer. Many of these women are mothers who will leave behind dependent children.

Although, there are no statistics specifically for Nigeria, it is estimated that about 21.5% of women in the general population of the West African sub region have been infected with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) at a given time, which is a significant risk factor for cervical cancer.

Of all the cancers, cervical cancer is the only one that has both an effective vaccine and screening program that can prevent disease and death.

Sadly, none of these are available to Nigerian women apart from in projects

by Society for Family Health (SFH) and others. In a country as wealthy as Nigeria, this cannot possibly be acceptable.

Governments of all levels must seat up and formulate policies that will help to mitigate thus health issue because, “a stitch in time saves nine”.

While we build high speed trains, new airports and stadia, maybe it is time to refocus on the things that matter the most, the lives of Nigerian especially our women.

Poor, rural women, who make up the majority of cervical cancer victims, are particularly unable to access screening and testing services.

Furthermore, women who are screened often can’t complete treatment or follow-up, citing unawareness of the significance of their symptoms, bad medical advice, or economic problems as main barriers to completion.

Because of the painful and dehumanizing death associated with the disease, women with cervical cancer are sometimes considered a ‘nuisance,’ and are left to die alone.

Overall, data suggest an urgent need for community screening and education programs to control and prevent cervical cancer.

We must raise our level of commitment to securing the lives of our women from the ravaging scourge of this near to total preventable Monster.

14

OSUNDEFENDERwww.osundefender.org

CRIME

FRIDAY DECEMBER 8 - THURSDAY DECEMBER 14, 2017

Couple In Court Over Threat To Life charges leveled against liberal terms, assuring oppose the bail accused persons bail in

By Oluwapelumi Fasoyin the sum of N200, 000 them. the court that they would application.

A couple, Badmus Femi, 39 and Christianah Femi, The Defence counsel, not jump bail.

The presiding with two sureties each.

She then adjourned the 33, have been arraigned before an Osogbo Moruf Adediran prayed Sergeant Razaq magistrate Adejumoke Magistrate Court for allegedly threatening the life the court to grant Lamidi, the police Olowolagba, in her case till December 14, 2017 for definite hearing. of one Akinwusi Adepoju. suspects bail in the most prosecutor, did not ruling, granted the The charge sheet life of the victim with disclosed that the violence by chasing him accused persons with cutlass and thereby conspired to commit committed an offence felony to wit, assault, contrary to, and occasioning harm, punishable, under malicious damage, threat section 86 of the state to life and violence, the laws of Osun. offence contrary to and The charge sheet punishable under section disclosed that the 516 of the criminal code, accused persons Law of Osun State. assaulted Akinwusi It further disclosed that Adepoju by slapping the accused persons did him, an offence contrary unlawfully assaulted to and punishable under Akinwusi Adepoju by section 351 of the state inflicting cutlass injuries penal code. on parts of his body an The accused persons, offence contrary to and the charge sheet punishable, under disclosed, committed the section 355 of the laws of offences in the month of •(From left) Mr. Sola Ladapo, the Oyo NUJ Vice-Chairman; Representative of Senator Durojaye; the awardee, Mr. Osun State.

June 2017, but they Yunus Akintunde, NUJ Chairman, Comrade Adewumi Faniran and the Secretary of Oyo NUJ, Comrade Bola The charge sheet pleaded not guilty to the Ogunlati, during the NUJ 2017 Press Week, recently. alleged that the accused persons wilfully and unlawfully damaged one Samsung Handset clients bail in the most valued at N185,000 of the

By Yetunde Odunayo at Igbona area of Osogbo. accused persons stole the liberal terms. victim, an offence They were alleged to property of the victims by Police prosecutor, The Osun State police command has arraigned contrary to and have conspired within converting the money Sergeant Ajayi Sunday punishable under section two suspects, Abdullahi Idowu, 33, and Adebisi themselves into personal use thereby did not oppose the bail and 45 of the laws of Osun Funmilayo, 50, for allegedly embezzling a sum of embezzled the said sum committed an offence application as requested N259,650.00.

State. of money contributed to contrary to section 383 by the suspects, counsel.

According to the persons committed the Opeyemi Co-operative and punishable under It also stated that the The presiding suspects threatened the charge sheet, the accused offence sometime in 2014, Society Club by one section 390 (9) of the state magistrate, Mrs. M.A Awodele admitted the Afusat Omoboriowo, penal code .

The accused persons two accused persons to Omotosho Adenike and Adebayo Mutiyat, pleaded not guilty to the bail in the sum of the sum of N500, 000 contrary to and two-count charge leveled N100,000 with two

By Damilola Olujide and Ayomide Fadairo sureties. with one surety. punishable under section against them She then adjourned the A 48-year old man, Shuaib Musa Sulaiman has The defence counsel, She then adjourned the 516 (A) of the criminal been arraigned before an Osogbo Magistrate Court case till December 12, code law of Osun 2003.

Mr. Olatunbosun prayed case till January 16, 2018. presided over by Mrs Fatima Sodamade over alleged 2017 for hearing It stated that the the court to grant his fraud. of osun state Nigeria The accused person 2002. committed the offence The accused person sometimes in April, 2017 pleaded not guilty to the persons obtained the sum section 390(9) of the

By Oluwapelumi Fasoyin at about 2:30am at km 4 two-count charge leveled of N300, 000 from one criminal code.

New Ikirun Road against him.

Three persons, Mustapha Lawal, 76, Suleman Basiru Ajibade, with the It also alleged that the opposite FRSC Zonal The defence counsel Lawal, 80, and Taiwo Samotu Ajimoko, 30, have pretence to sell seven accused persons Office Osogbo.

Amaechi Ngwu pleaded been arraigned before an Osogbo Magistrate for maliciously damaged plots of land to him According to the charge sheet, the accused with the court to grant stealing N300, 000 belonging to one Alhaji Basiru knowing fully that their three Beacon and corner intention is to dupe him piece of the victim, an person under pretence the accused person bail in Ajibade.

The charge sheet and thereby committed of his money, an offence offence contrary to and and with intent to the most liberal terms.

The police prosecutor disclosed that the an offence contrary to contrary to section 429 of punishable under section defraud, obtained a sum 451 of the state penal persons and punishable under the state law. of N840,000 from one Inspector John Udoko accused did not opposed the conspired together to section 516(A) of the It further disclosed that code.

Ibrahim Olayinka with The accused persons, commit felony to wit, criminal code law of the accused persons stole the pretence of supplying application. to the charge Magistrate Fatima obtaining money under Osun state, 2003. him with 10 cows and 12 the property of the victim according sheet, committed the According to the worth N300, 00 contrary rams and thereby Sodamade admitted the false pretence, stealing on November 2, committed an offence accused person to bail in and maliciously damage charge sheet, the accused to and punishable under offence 2012 at about 10:00 am at contrary to, and Eledu farmland, Oke punishable, under Osun, Osogbo. section 418 and They, however, punishable under section pleaded not guilty to the It disclosed that the By Damilola Olujide not guilty to the two419 laws of osun state charge accused person four-counts Nigeria 2002.

There was a mild drama at Osogbo Magistrate count charge leveled committed the offence on leveled against them.

The charge sheet Court presided by Mrs O.A Oloyade, as a suspect, against him.

The defence counsel to October 28, 2017 at about The charge sheet further disclosed that the Adebisi Idris recanted his guilty plea immediately the third and second alleged that the accused 11:39pm at Ago-Ayo, accused persons, Peter accused person stole the his lawyer arrived the court. person broke into the area of Osogbo. sum of N840,000 The defence Counsel Funsho, applied for their However, as the dwelling house of one He had earlier properties of Ibrahim bail in the most liberal defence Counsel, Mr. Olayinka and thereby pleaded guilty when the Mr. Adekola Adefisayo then prayed to the court term.

Adebukola Atobatele and stole electricity wires to grant his client bail in committed an offence charge sheet was first He said the accused arrived and insisted that valued N100, 000, an the most liberal terms. contrary to and read to him in the The police prosecutor persons under the law are the charge sheet be read offence punishable under punishable under section absence of his lawyer, to the suspect again, the section 383 of the state Inspector Olayiwola presumed to be innocent 383 (1) and punishable who arrived the court Rasaq opposed the bail until proven otherwise. accused person pleaded criminal law. under section 390(1) laws session late.

Inspector Olagoke application because the community has been Taiwo did not oppose the CHANGE OF NAME CHANGE OF NAME CHANGE OF NAME CHANGE OF NAME bail application. peaceful ever since the That ADEBIYI That I formerly known That I formerly known That I, formerly known as The Presiding accused person was not OLUWATOYIN KEMI OLOLADE LATIFAT as ADEMOLA as OLUWABUSUYI Magistrate Fatima in the area.

AND ADEBIYI ABIODUN, with date of MUSTAPHA JUBRIL, Sodamade admitted the SEYI, now wish to be The presiding O L A Y I N K A birth 23-08-1991, now wish now wish to be known and suspects to bail in the Magistrate O.A Oloyade known and addressed as to be known and addressed OLUWATOYIN are the same addressed as as JIMOH LATIFAT ordered that the suspect sum of N300, 000 with person, I now wish to be O L U WA B U S U Y I MUSTAPHA GABRIEL ABIODUN with date of known and addressed as be remanded in Ilesa one surety each.

SEYI DANIEL. All birth 26-01-1996. All former ADEMOLA. All former She then adjourned the ADEBIYI OLUWATOYIN prison custody and former documents documents remain valid. documents remain valid.

KEMI. All former documents adjourned the matter till case till January 8, 2018 First Bank and general remain valid. General First Bank and General remain valid.

General public for definite hearing.

January 15, 2017 for public should take note of should take note of this. public should take note. public should take note. mention. this.

Police Arraigns Two Suspects Over Theft

Man In Court Over Fraud

Three Persons Docked For Stealing

Drama In Court As Suspect Recant

FRIDAY DECEMBER 8 - THURSDAY DECEMBER 14, 2017

NEWS

OSUNDEFENDER www.osundefender.org

15

ISAAC OLUSESI observes that the politics of calumny presently taking place in the State of Osun is unacceptable.

The carriages of some electoral aspirants in the State of Osun, Nigeria to malign the Governor Rauf Aregbesola‘s achievements, to ram into elective offices come 2018, are bellyaching and nauseating by their kicks and rankles that could not just be ignored, just as they provoke acute depression on the fundamental integrity, dignity and discipline in the electoral praxis of Osun. It is the desperation of the muddled electoral aspirants across political parties in the state, aided by distortions and the whiffs of conspiracy of the absurd, vulgar and vulnerable other aspirants, behaving as foot soldiers in the apparent horse racing for the next year councillorship and governorship polls. Such witticism cannot be anything but yelp that has only adduced clumsy objection to the Aregbesola’s 2010-2017 magnificent mile of very high performances in office.

Paradoxically, the reedy aspirants bow and scrape before Aregbesola, only to go behind, cutting at the very root of evaporative loyalty and make slanderous pronouncements in the public glare to rustle his laudable magnificent mile. It is a familiar trick, ironically showing them as the guff, wearing dissonance as a virtue on their epaulettes. It is ironically amusing indeed! A less-charming streak of calumny, is it not? Their ambition is easily captured: to garble, scoff and conquer Osun, the kind of revulsion at Aregbesola, that is just empty, pretentious babbling, jibbing here and there, to earn public attention.

The rot, the frivolous electoral, aspirants say about the Aregbesola’s magnificent mile in Osun governance and administration is merely sensational, devoid of substance and deliberately un-informed, riding on the dilapidated crest of subterfuge and wicked outrage. Mark you! When ambition is patently weird, wild and unguided, it often digs its own grave. ”All men that are ruined,” reasoned Edmund Burke, ”are ruined on the side of their natural propensities.” The electoral aspirants, marching against the Aregbesola’s magnificent mile of trending development politics, policies and projects in the state, might be arranging a rendezvous with self-entrapment because his governance and administration cannot be trashed by refuse nicks in politics and society. The heaven of the aspirants’ dissent, repugnance, warts and all, is ”The preserve of the idiots as after all, in the first place, God created idiots and that was for practice,” in the words of Marks Twain, the great 10thcentury American writer in his book, Following the Equator.

As though, the aspirants, getting to forge ahead in the 2018 electoral race is worthwhile an enterprise, even in the most elementary ambition, their public utterances appear too reeked of the opposition in the astute sense, as they are rather unsuitably decked in the penchant for damaging politics and muddy politicking reductio ad absurdum. Lies and falsehood on the idiot board, are the aspirants’ ingenious device for persuasion and acceptability; but the lies and

Magnificent Mile

‘

The ultimate requirement in Osun for continuity of the magnificent mile is that the aspirants must have sufficiently imbibed the Aregbesola’s populist leadership, politics, government and administration!

’

falsehood, coated in such penetrating betrayal, decisive treachery and political humbug to trick Osun people, have only created a pseudo image of the eerie aspirants as men of candour and integrity, joking and preening, with the easy air of society fops; but mudslinging at the Aregbesola magnificent mile of theeverywhere-in-the-state monumental achievements in office in just 7years.

Osun people hate their lies and falsehood as acidic and caustic and never struggled to be counted around them, because the incendiary aspirants remain non-charming, keeping the hair of their body glued to the skin. It can thus be said, with profundity that the electoral aspirants have only made themselves an apt study in the under-nourishment of the mind. The psychologist’s interest.

Why? The aspirants behave unsuspectingly in the public domain like the characteristic housewife, forever whining about the imperative of having her way all the time at the cost of unguarded mandolins, inordinate sentiment and furious illogicality.

Although, the law is always there to take care of the aspirants’ mindunder-nourishment and combustible, firework malign, slander that soonest will assume the logic of selfconsumptive war dance, a permanent retreat from the flippant aspirants will be very much in order for the wellcultivated, well-nourished mind around. Yes! Nobody will take any of the self-decimated aspirants to a court of law to be jailed for their multiple lies on Aregbesola’s magnificent mile of high performances in the state as the court might not spare them. Justice Oladipo Williams told Aper Aku, a one-time governor of Benue State, ”We will be failing in our responsibility and duty if liars of your kind are not visited with a severe punishment to serve as a deterrent to others.” And the judge jailed Aku for 15years. Bang! No court has pity for liars.

As the aspirants, mimetic of the crumbled opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, have now deployed dirty politics and politicking, prelude to the 2018 elections, to reactivate contradictions in the state, the crippling conditions engendered by the aspirants’ own poverty of understanding of Aregbesola’s magnificent mile of massive developments in Osun have correspondingly canonized primitive resentment in incidence and magnitude, with lavatory rottenness, exemplifying the effervescence of their calumny and banality of their eccentricity. But the Osun people will not allow the irritant aspirants to cast the state in the famine garb of a woman to be defiled, ”the woman whose soul is so small, all heart and no head,” in the words of Samuel Butter, a British philosopher. Neither will the people allow Osun to be stampeded into crying to be raped, like “the cry of Dioki after she had been raped by the snakes she kept as pets and protectors,” in Camera Laye’s The Radiance of the Kings.

Osun, with Aregbesola in the saddle in the last 7years has passed the age of when all manner of electoral aspirants would want to rape her effete. The people of the state, now more efflorescent, perspective and truculent, have devised a fullproof litmus test of the ambition of anyone, desiring to be elected in 2018.

Someone to tell the reveler-aspirants that the Osun people will appropriately at the polls twist and turn them like a schoolboy caught red-handed.

For now, the state should keep a safe distance from the effusion and decay in the aspirants that stir Osun people in the face. In a maddening haste, should anyone of the awkward aspirants, wrapped indirectly in the PDP anarchism, or those of the PDP direct extraction eventually secure the ticket to be in power at any level of governance in the state for just one year, every of inch of Aregbesola’s

magnificent mile will be touched, savaged and turned into dust and ashes and get crumbled , with the state patrimony, our commonwealth get dramatically chopped up because the aspirants revile Aregbesola and his phenomenal achievements in office. God forbids! Otherwise, ”the touch will be the touch of hell” as Satan Lucifer aptly puts it in his book, The Paradise Lost: ”my touch, the touch of hell, which way I fly is hell? Myself, ‘am hell.” But Osun is never ready to go to hell with any of the weirdo aspirants. Rather, let them just tell the people of the state what they have: sterling personal attributes, enchanting vision, goal-getting mission, earth-shaking cognate experience, if any? All that must be after they have complied with ”the constitutional provisions and other legal requirements applicable to the elective offices they seek to contest. This compliance shall be without prejudice to the necessary requirements of the party constitution and such additional guidelines as may be issued.”

Excuse me? The ultimate requirement in Osun for continuity of the magnificent mile is that the aspirants must have sufficiently imbibed the Aregbesola populist leadership, politics, government and administration! Governance is no revelry, not a tea party, please.

Aregbesola has re-jigged the state, reinvented its intellectual property, reworked resources, re-fueled IGR, redeveloped rural areas and urban city centers, revamped public service, reveille private sector, redefined health, revivified education, revolutionized agriculture, reformulated youth employment, resurged women and children, revaluated social priorities, rehabilitated destitute, refracted the aged, constructed new roads, bridges and flyovers, and decapitated insecurity and re-stringed security.

All of that has continued to fire up reverberated applause across Osun.

Let the Aregbesola magnificent mile get extended after him. There must be continuity, period!

•OLUSESI is Assistant Director, Directorate of Publicity, Research & Strategy, All Progressives Congress (APC).

State of Osun.

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FRIDAY DECEMBER 8 - THURSDAY DECEMBER 14, 2017

Page 13

OSUNDEFENDERwww.osundefender.com

Why The National Theatre By Invitation Must Not Be Concessioned

BY KOLA ODEPEJU The news making the rounds about the federal government’s plan to concession the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos cannot be said to be a palatable one.

And if the news is true, then such a plan must be resisted by all patriotic Nigerians. To conceive the idea of concessioning a national monument of that importance is, to me, most unpatriotic and an insult to the sensibility of Nigerians. I hold this opinion much because such a plan is nothing, but a plot to sell another valuable asset of this nation through the back door to those who brought our country to this morass by their kleptomaniac attitude.

The fundamental question to ask here is: what could be the reasons for the government to want to give up such a valuable asset to concessionaires? It could be argued though, that the National Theatre has lost its past glory, this is not peculiar to the Theatre alone. Just like most of our national institutions, it has not been living up to expectations in the recent years.

But there’s an obvious reason for this and is not far-fetched. The cankerworm of corruption which has been the bane of our society is a factor responsible for the doldrums in which the Theatre has found itself.

However, to conceive the idea of concessioning or selling it off is not the solution. The solution is to fight the disease that has made it near moribund. And this task is not beyond the capacity of the new leadership of the Theatre headed by that seasoned, committed cultural scholar and renowned artist, Comrade Tar Ukoh, who, since he came on Board, has demonstrated the capacity to rebuild the institution.

Those familiar with his antecedents cannot deny the fact that Comrade Ukoh - as the new Artistic Director/CEO of the National Theatre - has what it takes to lift the place out of its present parlous state and return it to its past glory. Whatever

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The government should do away with the thought of concessioning this institution. The government needs to reflect on the admonition of that great Romanian philosopher and essayist, Emil Cioran, that; “Each concession we make is accompanied by inner diminution of which we are not immediately conscious”.

argument the government may want to advance as the reason for wanting to concession this institution cannot in any way be plausible enough to take this step, as throwing away the baby with the bath water would be grossly unwise, while cutting off the head would be suicidal in looking for solution for the headache. Thus, to conceive the idea of concessioning the Theatre, especially now that it has worn a new garment of responsible leadership, armed with the vision and competence to reposition it, doesn’t augur well in the interest of our nation.

Since coming on Board as the new Artistic Director/CEO Comrade Ukoh has shown a committed effort at fighting the monsters of corruption, mismanagement of resources and poorly motivated staff all which have brought the Theatre

to its present undignifying state.

At the National Theatre now, the mantra is “Corruption Must Fall”. Conspicuously hung on the wall at the entrance of the Theatre is a banner that reads “Culture Must Kill Corruption, Before Corruption Kills Culture”. This new spirit at the National Theatre is in tandem with the anti-corruption ideology of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. And it’s not just a mere sloganeering, the new leadership of the institution is visibly walking the talk, as we heard in the news sometimes in November, 2017 that some Directors of the Theatre were quizzed by the EFCC last over allegations of corruption. This shows that a man with zero tolerance for corruption, who is sincerely committed to reviving this national asset and restoring

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its past glory, is now at the helms of its affairs. For me this is a commendable step that deserves to be applauded by every patriotic Nigerian.

In the light of the above, the government should do away with the thought of concessioning this institution.

The government needs to reflect on the admonition of that great Romanian philosopher and essayist, Emil Cioran, that; “Each concession we make is accompanied by inner diminution of which we are not immediately conscious”. Should the government refuse to heed this warning, then, patriots of our land must rise against any attempt to carry out this plot.

For, with its new responsible, visionary and transparent leadership, this institution is already set on the path of revival.

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

All correspondence to the Acting Editor, KAZEEM MOHAMMED, Telephone: 0806-220-7954, kazeemayofe26@yahoo.com. ISSN: 0794-8050.Website: www.osundefender.org., E-mail: osundefenderbank@gmail.com,