Osun Defender September 22, 2017 PDF Version

NEWS

SOUTHWEST TO ABUJA: A MID-TERM APPRAISAL

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Doctors' Strike:

IGERIAN economy is centered on petrol dollar and that is what we all rely on to survive, because it is 70 per cent of our revenue. While I was ruminating on the generation of our income in Nigeria, which centered on oil production, I question myself, how much is this income generation from oil production? Pages 5,6 & 14

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Two Die For Lack Of Attention, Patients Stranded PAGE 3

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VOL. 012. NO.30

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How Political Patronage Triggered Thuggery, Cult Clashes - Page 2

• Security Operatives Fingered Osun Muslim Community Hijra Celebration: •Osun State Muslim Community (OSMC) held a colloquium as part of the celebration of the Hijrah 1439 with discourse on “Kidnapping And Ritual Killings In Nigeria” taking centre stage, as condemnations trail the act. It held at the OSMC Secretariat, Osogbo On Thursday.

(L-R) OSMC First Vice President, Alhaji Mustafa Olawuyi; an Islamic Scholar, Alhaji Abdulfatai Abajaoro; Chairman of the occasion, Dr AbdulFatai Makinde; the Mufasir of Osogbo Alhaji Maruf Isola and Alhaji Ganiyu Adejumo at the colloquium.

Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

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How Political Patronage Triggered Thuggery, Cult Clashes T

By Shina Abubakar financial come around to drink at thuggery, because they organisations allegedly enormous HE recent cult clashes in Osogbo and its his bar and stated that his see it a means to enrich belong to some of this support the cult groups environs have generated a lot of dusts over observation was that the themselves. fraternity, hence, it is enjoy from some internet the safety of lives and properties in the state way and manner Findings revealed that easy for cult guys to be fraudsters’ popularly capital as clashes between rival gangs in the last 24 politicians patronise cultism thrive in the state left off the hook when referred to as Yahoo boys, months had claimed the lives of about four young thugs during because some police they are taken court. who used the cult guys as electioneering period has officers, immigration It was also gathered shields from police men.

According to one of Investigation revealed the boys around testing encouraged young boys officers and other that the situation is exploitation. that the clashes was a ground who spoke on to want to engage in p a r a m i l i t a r y persistent because of the supremacy battle the condition of between the groups, as no anonymity, “there is gang wants to concede nothing special about defeat to the other in their those boys engaged by struggle to claim politicians who used big dominance over one cars and build houses another in the self- that others cannot do, claimed territorial hence, many of the boys ownership. believed in showcasing It was gathered that their strength to attract what metamorphose into politicians’ patronage. cult clashes is the usual A retired principal, Pa area thugs’ skirmishes Sulaiman Adekunle that evolve between while speaking on the “boys” in one area against issue said, if the menace others from another is to stop, politicians and environment, but the public office holders recent proliferation of need to stop patronising cultism among youth thugs and ensure that gave another dimension there are consequences to the crisis. for all their actions.

O S U N A bar owner at •Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; his Ogun State counterpart, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (left) and DEFENDER gathered Ayetoro who spoke with Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, during the All Progressives Congress (APC) committee meeting on true that the recent inter cult this medium revealed federalism. Team 1 Zonal Public Hearing on Restructuring for Edo, Delta, and Bayelsa states, held in Edo State on clashes in Osogbo are that the ‘boys’ usually Monday. product of misunderstanding between two cult members sometimes last there are as well fake or time, he recalled, were The news conference

By Murtala Agboola year over a girl which untrue leaders in other idol worshippers and was attended by top HE Osun State Muslim Community (OSMC), religions. Religion is just thereby resisted his executive members of eventually led to the has recommended stiffer sanction against a way to disguise and to message of only one OSMC such as the second killing of one Saheed Oba, kidnappers and ritualists to stem the tide of push away suspicious Almighty Allah, saying, vice-president, Alhaji who belongs to the “Eiye Confraternity”, around the dastardly acts in the society. attention.

Hijra in modern era Bola Bello, and the Public Abaku area of Owode.

The first vice- in human rituals and The OSMC leader said therefore is abandoning Relation Officer, Alhaji Subsequently, his president of the kidnapping, saying the the theme for this year’s one’s evil ways to Abdulateef Olayanju. group launched a reprisal community, Alhaji act is not only tarnishing Hijra Others include Alhaji Colloquium embrace a new one. attack on Mustafa Olawuyi gave the image of good clerics, “Islamic Rulings on The secretary of Bamigbade Kasali, Alhaji the”AiyeConfraternity” leading the recommended at a but also instilling fears Kidnapping and Ritual OSMC, Alhaji Hashim Asif Adegoke and Alhaji to the death of one Sodiq news conference and panic in the society. Killings, which held on Olapade complemented Ismail Tadese, among at Sadiat Area in Osogbo, organised by OSMC to “The only way to stem Thursday could not have Olawuyi by saying that several others. who was said not to be a usher in the activities to the ugly tide is to ensure come at a better time.

The week long the twelve months in cult member but a close mark this year Islamic that these hardened Hijra, according to the Islam can be found in the activities commenced on associate of the fraternity calendar, Hijra (1439) criminals are Islamic cleric, is the Holy Quran and is in Sunday, September 17th and allegedly one of their celebration. appropriately dealt with migration of Prophet conformity with the with a live interactive financiers. This was session on Osun State He said some in accordance with the Muhammad from Mecca moon (Lunar). followed by the death of hardened criminals laws of the land. to Medina as a result of He urged muslims to B r o a d c a s t i n g another guy at Dada masquerading as Alfas “The ritual killing stiff opposition he faced know more about the Corporation (OSBC) Estate area in Osogbo and and pastors are on the exist, not among fake in his native land, Mecca. Islamic calendar and Radio, EROYA and Breakfast Dialogue on the the death of prowl, deeply involved Islamic leaders alone, The Meccans at that embrace it fully. television arm of the Ahmed Olugbodi, who same corporation. was recently released Monday featured the from prison custody. press briefing at the At present, the Aiye parliament has backfired.

By Israel Afolabi seems to have a upper mandated all the banks Meanwhile, in their OSMC secretariat; the hand and another attack remarks, following day witnessed HE State of Osun House of Assembly has involved to appear for separate might be imminent as the proper verification and members of the house the Quran recitation ordered the stoppage of group loans amongst which Eiye is said to be clarification on the group committee blamed the competition teachers in the state. the best preparing for revenge to loan deduction. concerned teachers for involved Chairman, House received a lot of negative square up with their rival The Assembly then their involvement in memorisers of the Holy Committee on reports concerning the ordered that the group group loan which is now Quran which produced group.

Checks further Education, Honourable deductions in teachers’ loan should be stopped in difficult for them to bear. the finalists for the grand finale. revealed that one of the Oladoyin Bamisayemi salaries across the state the state, just as it Thursday, September reason cultism thrive is as gave the directive at a by SUBEB officials for the ordered the SUBEB to CHANGE OF NAME 21st witnessed the stop deduction of That I formerly known as a result of political meeting with primary repayment of the loan. colloquium where ADENIJI FUNMILAYO According to him, “As teachers’ salaries until it patronage the gangs school teachers and distinguished Islamic TITILAYO, now wish to enjoy, as each group officials of the State a matter of urgency, the gets to the root of the be known and addressed as Basic house had to meet and matter. scholars, academics and struggle to outsmart one Universal MRS OKE Board resolve the issue before it clerics did justice to the In his contribution, the another to attract Education F U N M I L A Y O (SUBEB) in a bid to topic: Islamic Rulings on gets out of hand state chairman, Nigeria politicians as the most resolve the dispute TITILAYO. All former kidnapping and Ritual especially in Ife-South Union of Teachers documents remains valid. viable to be engaged arising from alleged killings. local government area (NUT), Comrade Wakeel FIRST BANK and general during political activities, over-deductions of where some affected Amudah said the idea of Special Jumu’ah public should take note of particularly now that the salaries in respect of service held on Friday, this. teachers almost group loan started in governorship election is loans obtained.

22nd September collapsed”.

2005 and it was meant for approaching in the state.

CHANGE OF NAME The directive followed throughout the state The chairman added members’ welfare, but It was even gathered the complaints of fraud where the significance of the meeting was unfortunately changed to That I formerly known that the menace is by teachers that their that Hijra featured called to ascertain the aid corruption amongst as OSITA OKOYE attractive to the extent salaries were being over- reason behind the officials. prominently as the that secondary school deducted for the deductions of teachers’ sermon in the various Comrade Amudah STEPHEN, now wish to students are looking up to repayment of the salaries in the state and to confirmed that NUT be known and addressed mosques. thugs as role model and collected loans, which what extent.

The Osogbo city members were also not as OKORIE OSITA. All would want to enrol in were meant to take care documents stadium would play host To know the details on sincere to the extent that former ‘body-building’ to of welfare of the teachers. all the loans collected in some members had to remains valid. FIRST to the grand finale of the succeed as a thug rather Bamisayemi lamented the affected local forge NUT letter to obtain Bank and general public Hijra activities on than an athlete. that his committee has government, the the loan, which has now should take note of this.

Sunday, September 24.

Osun Muslims Recommend Stiffer Penalty For Ritual Killings

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Osun Assembly Stops ‘Group Loans’ Amongst Teachers

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Doctors' Strike:

NEWS

By Shina Abubakar & Kehinde Ayantunji S doctors under the auspices of Nigeria Medical Doctor (NMA) declared one week warning strike on Monday morning, two patients in the female ward of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital (LAUTECHTHC) in Osogbo died on the spot as a result of lack of attention.

The deceased were in and other medical the hospital while the workers on duty were doctors down tools, however carrying out which resulted in the routing checks such as casualties as the patients, blood pressure, weight who were on admission and other preliminary before the action, were no exanimations. longer attended to, after However, some of the which they died by the patients refused to move afternoon of Monday. out from the hospital for This is just as many not having the necessary patients during the week financial requirement to became stranded in the start registration afresh, public hospitals across hence, their decision to the state. stay put through the OSUN DEFENDER week. visit to LAUTECHTH, An Octogenarian, Pa Osogbo and the State Adereti Gbotemi who General Hospital had an appointment for Asubiaro, Osogbo Tuesday regretted the indicated substantial strike, calling on the compliance of the doctors and the medical doctors with the government to resolve NMA directive for the the industrial dispute in warning strike. the general interest of the It was also gathered public. that casualties were also Gbotemi said, “I came recorded at the male from Ora, Ifedayo Local ward of the hospital as Government this well as the emergency morning for an ward where other appointment, though I accident victims were heard about the strike on ejected immediately the the radio, but I didn’t strike was announced. know it will be total, I Most of the patients on have completed my admission in LAUTECH drugs for close to a week were ejected while the but no one to attend to me Accident and Emergency now, it is pathetic.”

Unit of the Hospital (A The situation also and E), that averagely remained similar at the accommodate 30 patients Asubiaro General daily who are accident Hospital, as the strike victims or requires also grounded services in emergency attention, was all the departments empty. expect the Maternity Investigations within Ward where some the hospital complex doctors were sighted revealed that other providing skeletal patients who required pregnancy delivery urgent attention were services. referred to other A medical doctor on hospitals in other towns duty who spoke to our in the state. reporter on condition of Though, our reporter anonymity said the was denied access to the directive of the NMA Intensive Care Unit of the was actually complied Hospital (ICU) that caters with, but “We are just for the patients who are here to complete all the on life support, but a staff cases that we have been of the unit confirmed that handling since Sunday all the patients in the unit night; we are referring have been referred to the any other patients to Obafemi Awolowo OAUTHC and private University Teaching hospitals.”

Hospital, Ile- Ife. The State NMA Patients who are on Chairman in the state, Dr clinical appointment on Tokunbo Olajumoke, had Tuesday and Wednesday on Monday directed were seen roaming NMA members to around the hospitals embark on 7-day without any doctor to warning strike after an attend to them. Nurses emergency general

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That I formerly known as A B E E B L A H I OLAYINKA OPEYEMI, now wish to be known and addressed as ADESINA YINKA ABEEB. All former documents remains valid. FIRST Bank and general public should take note of this.

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Two Die For Lack Of Attention, Patients Stranded

•Govt Pleads For Understanding

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meeting of the association in Osogbo.

According to him, within that 7-day, there will not be any form of clinical activities in all the state-owned hospitals and no doctor is allowed to treat any patient for that seven days, saying the warning strike was to allow the state government to engage the doctors in a dialogue to look into their demands.

The doctors embarked on strike as a result of their agitation that the Osun State Government should stop paying them Modulated Salary Structure, as agreed by the government and the Labour Unions due to economic crisis. Some other grievances of the doctors are non-payment of CONMES salary scale, over taxation and deduction, among others.

Attempt to speak with the Chairman of the NMA, Dr Olajumoke

prove abortive as he claimed to be in the midst of a meeting.

For the one week that the strike will last, patients who need urgent attention would have to resort to visiting private hospitals irrespective of their financial ability to receive medical attention.

However, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Rafiu Isamotu, urged the striking medical doctors in the state to bear with the government and be considerate to the plight

•(L-R) Special Adviser to the Osun Governor on Culture and Tourism, Mrs Taiwo Oluga and Director, Planning and Consultancy Services of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Alhaji Momoh Kabir during the First 2017 National Conference of the institute, Osogbo Campus in collaboration with office of Culture and Tourism, State of Osun, at the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding Osogbo.

of the people, while their entitlement is being sorted out.

The appeal was made in a statement signed by the Commissioner, a copy of which was made available to journalists in the state.

“The government of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola does not like strike. We consider the welfare of our people important and we do take it seriously. We will do everything to improve on the welfare of the people.

We appeal to our doctors to bear with us, reason with us and be considerate.

“We have laid our cards on the table; there are so many things the doctors are demanding for, two of those things bothered on payment of salaries in 2015 when they were on strike and Revised CONMES. “We have held meeting with the NMA and other stakeholders.

We have engaged them unofficially too. The government had been engaging the doctors since they gave 21 days ultimatum. We have told them what the government is doing and the two parties need to reach agreement”.

Osun Commissioner Advocates Yoruba Language, Local Examples For Teaching

By Ismaeel Uthman HE Osun State Commissioner for Education, Mr. Kola Omotunde-Young has charged teachers to make use of their Mother’s Tongue, Yoruba language, and locally available examples and concepts for illustration to achieve effective teaching and understanding.

He stated this recently results, parents and while inspecting some teachers need to see schools in some parts of themselves as major the state, maintaining stakeholders in the drive.

He urged the parents, that Yoruba should be used as the first language guardians and society to and English as second pay more attention to the e d u c a t i o n a l language in teaching.

The commissioner development of their called on teachers and children.

The commissioner parents in the state to support the functional maintained that parents education drive of must specifically ensure Governor Rauf that every child enjoys Aregbesola by showing good parenting as a right commitment to teaching and not a privilege and and give the children give the children moral education to complement adequate parental care.

According to what they are being Omotunde-Young, for taught in school.

He urged the teachers the efforts of A r e g b e s o l a ’ s to ensure effective administration at teaching and mentoring, improving education in appealing to them to classrooms the state to yield positive make

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friendly and learner centered so that the standard of education in the state can improve.

The commissioner urged teachers and school authorities to always maintain clean environment, noting that it will reflect in the overall behaviour of the students.

He said, “We should support our neighbours to be better parents so our children can be productive and have safe environment to live now and in future.”

Omotunde-Young appealed to parents and guardians to provide for the academic needs of their children, lamenting that many parents sent their children to schools to resume the new term in tattered dresses.

“It is the right of the child to be properly clothed and educated and parents must be made to

realise that having children come with responsibilities that cannot be ignored.

“Parents who failed to cater for their children must be reported rather than allowed to deny the child education. The Ministry of Education in collaboration with other child centred agencies of government shall soon publish telephone numbers, e-mail and contact details to report mothers and fathers who refuse to live up to their responsibilities on their children.

“It is in all our best interests to support, mentor and assist the uninformed and uncaring mothers, fathers or guardians to improve in their responsibilities to the child and report such to authorities if they refuse to be good parents”, the commissioner said.

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That BADMUS YUSUFF OLATUNJI is the same person as HISA YUSUFF OLATUNJI. I now wish to be known and addressed as HISA YUSUFF OLATUNJI. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

That AFOLABI OLAYINKA IYIOLA is the same person as MR ABIFARIM OLAYINKA. I now wish to be known and addressed as MR AFOLABI OLAYINKA IYIOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

That I formerly known as SAHEED ADEBAYO ISIAQ, now wish to be known and addressed as ATOYEBI SAHEED ADEBAYO. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note of this.

That I formerly known as KONWEI DAVID SEGUN, now wish to be known and addressed as KONWEI DAVID PREYE. All former documents remains valid.

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That I formerly known as ABRAHAM ADEKUNLE ISAAC, now wish to be known and addressed as ADEBAYO A D E K U N L E ABRAHAM. All former documents remains valid.

Banks and general public should take note of this.

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HE lessons of the past week particularly in the South-east should not be lost on anyone desirous of a peaceful and stable future for our country. It started when the Nigerian Army sent notice of its preparation for ‘Operation Python Dance‘ (Egwu Eke 2), a supposedly normal routine of the Nigerian Army field training exercise meant to sharpen the skills of the participating troops in the conduct of Internal Security Operations (ISO). According to Col. Sagir Musa, Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 82 Division, Nigerian Army, the exercise was being conducted to deal with the rising cases of kidnappings, farmers-herdsmen clashes, armed robbery, cultism, communal crisis, violent secessionist agitations, among others. The exercise was planned for September 15 to October 14.

However, few days to the September 15 date, the military launched what appeared to be a limited police action against the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and its fiery leader, Nnamdi Kanu. As would be expected, the development would stoke a raging debate on the propriety of deploying soldiers for what is primarily a police responsibility.

Many of course have argued that the action of the military was overkill, a case of an overbearing military seeking to kill a fly with a sledgehammer. Others

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HE Bible never fails to illuminate.

A famous forewarning points out the folly of perishing for lack of knowledge. Those who, through the centuries have sensibly heeded to this injunction have kept out of harm’s way and thereby had more purposeful lives.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have regrettably not heeded this sensible admonition with their illthought out allegation that the floating of the Sukuk Islamic bond by the federal government is meant to Islamise the country through the back door.

CAN, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja by its General Secretary, Rev Musa Asake, demanded the abrogation of the laws and framework behind the bond and threatened to seek legal redress if that was not done.

This ludicrous position must be repudiated by both Christians and Moslems, as it is aimed at stultifying the sustainable development of the economy. For a start, Islamic finance products have grown by leaps and bounds in the past few decades across the world. This is because it has met a need and closed a gap in the market. A few years ago, the Bank of England, the Central Bank of United Kingdom set up a dedicated Islamic finance desk which has grown in geometrical proportions, way ahead of expectations. Revered international institutions such as Goldman Sachs and so forth also have fast growing dedicated Islamic finance desks. At home in Nigeria, over 73% of the customers of Jaiz bank, an Islamic institution are Igbo traders who are

The Military And Internal Security More fundamentally however is that we cannot be seen to endorse what appears to be a systematic invasion of the civic space by the military. have questioned the constitutional basis of the action. While the debate rages, the military has since announced plans to stage a similar operation – Operation Crocodile in the South-south and parts of South-west purportedly to address the same challenges of insecurity. Earlier in the year, the military launched Operation Harbin Kunama II covering the Northwest and parts of the North-Central.

Beyond the emotive reaction to the latest development, there are a number of issues that cannot be ignored. First, as distasteful as the current exercises might be to some, the underlying basis of the actions cannot be discountenanced. To deny that country is adrift, or that an unprecedented anarchy is being let loose

in different parts of the country on a scale that the military can ill-afford to sit and watch, is to play the ostrich. While democracy thrives on freedom and civic engagement between the ruled and the rulers, it speaks to the mood of the times that cultural and institutional restraints that would have been expected in civic, democratic discourses have, over the course of the past few months, yielded to hate and treasonable behaviors. That cannot and should not be allowed to continue.

More fundamentally however is that we cannot be seen to endorse what appears to be a systematic invasion of the civic space by the military. That is being unwittingly promoted as the new normal speaks directly to the militarization of the nation’s psyche – an exigency that is tolerated only because the country has little choice in the circumstance of the abject neglect suffered by the Nigerian Police under the military in particular – and which the succeeding democratic administrations have done pretty little to redress.

We certainly do not see the various crimes listed by the military as justifying the operations as anything that an adequate, well-equipped police cannot deal with. In fact, the operations are such that a restructured and well-resourced

Perishing For Lack Of Knowledge virtually all Christians.

This also confirms the foresight of the Governor of the State of Osun Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. We may care to recall that Osun, under Aregbesola had in 2013 floated a N11.4bN Sukuk bond to fund government’s massive education infrastructure provision projects.

Modern international banking itself arose out of the Crusades and the attempts to capture Jerusalem in the middle ages.

The knights Chevaliers, a Roman Catholic holy order benedicted by the Pope, created such things as letters of Credits, Bankers Acceptances and so forth as they swept across ill-defined, not yet national borders. Do we now call investment banking Roman Catholic banking which should not be used by other Christian denominations as well as Moslems, Hindus and other religious groups?

Nigeria inherited the present AngloSaxon banking model from British colonialism and it has largely failed to deliver the development goods. Even in the Anglo-Saxon heartlands, it has long been seen as a problem.

For example, in 1945, a left-wing socialist government in the United Kingdom, created the World’s first Venture Capital Company – Investors In Industry, as a response to the perceived weakness of the British banking industry to bring in the necessary impetus to rebuild Brittan’s post second world war economy.

Furthermore, in a famous series of

This also confirms the foresight of the Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. We may care to recall that Osun, under Aregbesola had in 2013 floated a N11.4bN Sukuk bond to fund government’s massive education infrastructure provision projects.

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been a source of complaints for motorists and motorcyclists before the intervention of the government.

With the commitment of Aregbesola administration, the pains that the residents and shop owners were going through have now become a

thing of the past. Beyond the meaningful outlook, the expansion has now made transportation in the area possible.

In my view, no administration in the history of the state has done what Aregbesola has done across the state in terms of

Roosevelt and the more recent Obama fiscal stimulus both represented an attempt to navigate around the inadequacies of the short-termism of the Anglo-Saxon banking model.

Faced with the need to rebuild the economy, Nigeria must adapt to innovation, new ideas and try to adopt new models. Demagoguery does not help.

If the indecorous position of CAN is to be taking seriously, Christian schools must henceforth stop teaching Algebra.

As every school boy is aware, Algebra came about from the work of Islamic judges as they tried to navigate their way around the intricacies involved in solving problems arising from implementing the Islamic law of inheritance.

The times call for fresh ideas and innovation, thinking outside of the box and not childish or self-serving.

articles in the British Sunday Times in 1978, a former Financial Secretary to the British government, Harold Lever, effectively accused the British banking system of acting as a brake on the development of the Publisher prospects of British industry.

In contradistinction, he Acting Editor pointed out, the ‘Lander’ banking system in British industry’s great competitor, Lagos Editor Germany, by emphasising close long-term relationships and low Production Editor interest rates was taking British industry to the Senior Reporter cleaners. The New Deal of President Franklin Delano

OSUN DEFENDER

Why We Must Laud The Construction Of Rasco Bridge T is observed that the just concluded Rasco bridge project, along the road linking Oke-fia with Oldgarage in Osogbo has now given the people of the area, residents and shop owners rest of mind that flooding, which has become an annual occurrences in the area had been curbed.

No doubt, I have seen this project as one of the meaningful achievements of the administration which no government in the past has ever thought of.

It should be noted that the bridge which had been left unattended to for years had

police would have rendered superfluous. The problem, as far as we can see, is straightforward: Both in terms of manpower and equipment, the Nigerian Police Force is worse than inadequate. With 219 policemen for every 100,000 citizens, Nigeria currently falls below the United Nations recommended threshold of 222 per 100,000 people – a problem further compounded by the stifling structure of centralisation leading to wastes, inadequacy and misapplication of resources, and corruption. As for control, the current structure has become too distant from the grassroots for any operational efficiency.

These are issues that a new security architecture can help address. In other words, we harbor no illusions that the unbridled militarization of the civil space will guarantee security; it will rather create an atmosphere of siege, and possibly abuse of citizens’ rights and in the end, breed mass alienation.

Contrarily, a new security architecture, which allows for multi-level policing across the board, and which aligns with the demands of a truly federal constitution in theory and practice, and also well attuned to local nuances and sensibilities seems likely to prove far more effective in the long run. We therefore see state police as an idea which time has come.

development, and no doubt, these had added values to the well-being of all citizens in the state.

It is public knowledge that before the present administration, Osogbo the state capital was a “glorified local government headquarters”, but with the development that had been attracted to the town, its true beauty has been unveiled.

Kudos to the man, who has turned around the state and changed the ill believe that the black race cannot rule themselves effectively.

•FESTUS OJO, Osogbo.

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MAGAZINE FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22 - THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

SouthWest To Abuja: A Mid-Term Appraisal

Review And Outlook Basis Of Our Wretchedness And Poverty Is Reliance On Oil - Aregbesola

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IGERIAN economy is centered on petrol dollar and that is what we all rely on to survive, because it is 70 per cent of our revenue. While I was ruminating on the generation of our income in Nigeria, which centered on oil production, I question myself, how much is this income generation from oil production?

Giving by the OPEC permission that Nigeria can only produce 2.1 million barrels of oil per day, it means we produce 766.5 million barrel annually. Nigeria population is 170 million and if we divide the barrel of oil per head which we are all entitled to, it means, we are all entitled to 4.85 barrels of oil per year, approximately 5 barrel per head per year. The cost of barrel of oil as at today is 50 dollars, meaning that we are all entitled to 250 dollars per head per year.

The cost of dollar today in exchange for naira is between N366 and N370 per dollar, but let us assume that a dollar is N400 for ease of calculation. Multiplying 250 barrel by N400, it amount to N100,000 and that is what are entitled to per head per year. Diving this into twleve months, it means on monthly basis, we are entitled to N8,333.33. How much is #8,000 to an average Nigeria in a month; does it takes care of its basic needs?

As bad as it is, that is we all rely on, and that is why we languish in poverty and wretchedness, as every Nigerian hope is on oil money as our major source of our income on the other hand. The proceeds from oil seems enormous to us because only few, that is about 1 million Nigeria of our the entire population benefit immensely from the proceeds, which makes them richer before an average Nigerian.

By the statistics I have given, if the oil revenue proceeds entitled to by all Nigerian were actually given, even at the cost of N8,000 in a month, maybe the situation might not be as excruciating as this, but because about 99 per cent don’t have access to their entitlement, that is why we think we are rich.

But all this while, this is the basis of our wretchedness and poverty as a nation.

’

Communiqué of the One-Day Conference on the Second Anniversary of the Southwest in National Governance Organised By Urban Media Resource Limited, On 15th September, 2017.

Conferees at the Osogbo conference observed that the idea of popular democracy has come to stay in Nigeria.

They took notice of the facts that Nigeria’s democracy during the Fourth Republic has been in operation for the past eighteen years but that progressive politicians have not been part of the national government until the last two (2) years. Conferees al.so notc99ed that the Western part of Nigeria being always in the progressive mode of oppo-

sition politics have therefore not had any opportunity of being part of the political forces which constituted the Federal Government until about the last 2 years.

Conferees deliberated on the main theme of the Conference, that is, an appraisal of the place of the Southwest in national political equation, the issues of economic development and the place of Osun State in the anchoring of devel-

opment initiatives in the last six years and, the idea of federalising political parties in Nigeria.

Conferees agreed that the Southwest’s relative importance in the federation of Nigeria is such that it stands in a better stead in the continuance and stability of the federation and not in its disintegration. That the Southwest has nonetheless in the about the last thirty years judging by the physi-

cal development and the distribution of infrastructure from the Federal centre to the states regressed significantly from being a leading region in the country to a position less than what she occupied before the 1970s.

Conferees agreed that constitutional amendment to reflect significant transfer of power from the centre especially as contained in the Second Schedule to •Continued on page 6

’

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FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22 - THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

A Mid-Term Appraisal: Review And Outlook •Continued from page 5

Kazeem Mohammed Reviews The Discourse At A One-Day Conference On The Second Year Anniversary Of The Southwest In National Governance With The Theme; Southwest To Abuja: A Mid-term Appraisal

I

T took robust intellectual discussions for stakeholders in the Western Region to agree that the solution to the current political debate on restructuring of Nigeria can only be resolved in favour of adjustment of both constitutional and tax powers to reflect the urgent need to devolve power to the federating units and cut the excesses of federal intervention in those matters that are purely regional or local.

This was part of the resolution at a One-Day Conference on the Second Anniversary of the Southwest in National Governance, with a theme: ‘South West To Abuja: A Midterm Appraisal’, held at the Aurora Conference Centre, Osogbo, on Friday, September 15. The conference was organised by them Urban Media Limited.

Professor Mobolaji Aluko, the pioneer Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State spoke on, “The Southwest in National Governance: An appraisal of the first two years”, where he interrogated the major contribution of the South West to the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. Dr Charles Akinola, the Director-General, Office of Economic Development and Partnership, State of Osun, spoke on, “From Osun To Abuja: Investing in Social Infrastructure in A Recession” when he highlighted the social intervention policies of Osun government from which the Federal Government has had to take a cue.

Senator Olubunmi Adetumbi of the Ekiti North Senatorial District (20112015) spoke on “Federalising Political Parties to Conform with Local Need – APC As a case study”, where he explored the imperatives of the APC to ‘federalise’ the party to reflect the socio-

•Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, receiving an award from Mr Olakunle Abimbola. With them is the Lead Speaker, Professor Mobolaji Aluko, at the Conference.

“Conferees agreed that the cultural and religious adversity of Southwest’s relative importance in the Nigeria.

After a robust discourse, where federation of Nigeria is such that it politicians, journalists, civil society stands in a better stead in the organisations, academics, artisans, continuance and stability of the market men and women, religious federation and not in its disintegration. leaders, and other stakeholders were That the Southwest has nonetheless in participants, the conference, came up the last thirty years judging by the physical development and the with a communiqué, which read: “Conferees at the Osogbo conference distribution of infrastructure from the observed that the idea of popular Federal centre to the states regressed democracy has come to stay in Nigeria. significantly from being a leading They took notice of the facts that region in the country to a position less Nigeria’s democracy during the Fourth than what she occupied before the Republic has been in operation for the 1970s.

“Conferees agreed that constitutional past eighteen years but that progressive politicians have not been part of the amendment to reflect significant national government until the last two transfer of power from the centre (2) years. Conferees also noted that the especially as contained in the Second Western part of Nigeria being always Schedule to the Constitution of the in the progressive mode of opposition Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As politics have therefore not had any Amended) to the States, would be an opportunity of being part of the antidote to the regression of the political forces which constituted the Western part of Nigeria.

“Conferees noted that the most Federal Government until about the last significant way by which development 2 years.

“Conferees deliberated on the main can be more meaningful to the people theme of the conference, that is, an of Nigeria is to transfer resources from appraisal of the place of the Southwest the few and the privileged to the in national political equation, the issues majority of the pole through a system of economic development and the place of welfare and social safety nets.

“Conferees agreed that the of Osun State in the anchoring of development initiatives in the last six Government of the State of Osun has in years and, the idea of federalising the last six years significantly transferred public resources to the political parties in Nigeria. ordinary man and the majority of its Communiqué of the One-Day Conference on the citizens through its social welfare such as O’Yes, O’Meal, Second Anniversary of the Southwest in Na- programmes O’Rehab, Agba Osun and Women tional Governance Organised By Urban Media Empowerment. It was also observed that an additional and effective way of Resource Limited, On 15th September, 2017. transferring resources to the ordinary of physical infrastructure by which the man would and should be through the •Continued from page 5 majority of the people can be reached. capital budget in which resources are the Constitution of the Federal Repubnot spent on recurrent expenditure by lic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended) to the Conferees discussed the issue of salaries, overhead and wages States, would be an antidote to the re- political federalisation by which it paying alone but also on the simultaneous gression of the Western part of Nige- meant ensuring that all political parties creation of physical infrastructure by ria. in Nigeria and the leadership thereof which the majority of the people can be Conferees noted that the most signifi- reflect our federal character and that reached.

“Conferees discussed the issue of cant way by which development can be leadership should be progressive from more meaningful to the people of Ni- the grassroots to the state and federal political federalisation by which it meant ensuring that all political parties geria is to transfer resources from the levels. few and the privileged to the majority Conferees agreed that this political in Nigeria and the leadership thereof of the pole through a system of welfare orientation is not new to the western reflect our federal character and that and social safety nets. part of Nigeria but that there is the need leadership should be progressive from to avoid falling into conservative and the grassroots to the state and federal Conferees agreed that the Govern- reactionary politics into which the levels.

“Conferees agreed that this political ment of the State of Osun has in the last southwest fell during 2003-2011. orientation is not new to the western six years significantly transferred public resources to the ordinary man and Conferees concluded that the solu- part of Nigeria but that there is the need the majority of its citizens through its tion to the current political debate on to avoid falling into conservative and social welfare programmes such as restructuring can only be resolved in reactionary politics into which the southwest fell during 2003-2011.

O’YES, O’MEAL, O’REHAB, AGBA “Conferees concluded that the OSUN and WOMEN EMPOWER- favour of the continuance and growth MENT. It was also observed that an of Nigeria and not in its dissolution but solution to the current political debate additional and effective way of trans- more important also, in the adjustment on restructuring can only be resolved ferring resources to the ordinary man of both constitutional and tax powers in favour of the continuance and would and should be through the capi- to reflect the urgent need to devolve growth of Nigeria and not in its tal budget in which resources are not power to the federating units and cut dissolution but more important also, in spent on recurrent expenditure by pay- the 9xcesses of federal intervention in the adjustment of both constitutional ing salaries, overhead and wages alone those matters that are purely regional and tax powers to reflect the urgent need to devolve power to the federating but also on the simultaneous creation or local.

Conferees noted that the most significant way by which development can be more meaningful to the people of Nigeria is to transfer resources from the few and the privileged to the majority of the pole through a system of welfare and social safety nets. units and cut the excesses of federal intervention in those matters that are purely regional or local”, the communiqué read in full.

Professor Aluko in his paper said the South-West political alliance has achieved mixed results across all sectors of governance, “but early days – as well as the health issues of the President – mean that much can yet be achieved”.

Tasking the South West leader to clearly define the restructuring they want in line with their agitation, he said, “The South-West leaders must act purposively and with consistency, practicing locally (at the state levels) what restructuring they wish at the national level”.

In his own paper, Akinola highlighted the specific social welfare and protection programmes of the Governor Rauf Aregbesola administration towards managing inequalities and vulnerabilities in Osun, saying the government has robustly designed and continued to faithfully implement its innovative social welfare and protection programmes, spread across the MDAs and sectors, targeting the neediest sectors of the population including women, children and the elderly.

“Through ardent financial engineering, the state government has been able to ride the storm and provide social welfare and protection to the most vulnerable segments. The Aregbesola government has robustly designed and is implementing innovative social welfare and protection programmes, spread across the different Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and sectors, targeting some of the neediest sectors of the population including women, children and the elderly. The programmes include but are not limited to the following: Osun Elementary School Feeding and Health Programme (O-MEALS), Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES), Programmes for Women, Programmes for the Elderly ‘Agba Osun’, and programme for the destitute. These programmes are run to address some of the evidence-based vulnerabilities that are manifesting in the lives of the people”, he stated.

Akinola went memory lane that as far back as 2004, before the emergence of Ogbeni Aregbesola as the governorship candidate of the then Action Congress (AC), his advisory team had produced a green book titled ‘My pact with the people’ containing the Six Point Integral Action Plan that formed the philosophy of his administration. The six points are: · Banish Hunger · Banish Poverty · Banish Unemployment · Promote Healthy Living · Promote Functional Education · Promote Communal Peace and Progress The Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) Akinola who recalled that the scheme •Continued on page 14

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22 - THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

COMMUNITY

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Obokun LG Commissions Open Stalls

By Shina Abubakar

T

HE Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has affirmed his administration’s commitment to boost economy of rural dwellers and market men and women across the state.

He made this known commissioning of 20 unit on Thursday during the open stalls and VIP toilet

at Olorunsogo, Ile-Ayo, Obokun Local Government Area of state, executed by the Honourable Oladiran Ashaolu-led Caretaker Management team of the council.

Aregbesola who was

•Osun Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Kolapo Alimi (2nd right); Executive Secretary, Obokun LG, Asaolu Oladiran (3rd right) and others during the commsissioning of the market stall, in Olorunsogo Community.

represented by the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs, Water Resources, Rural and Community Affairs, Barrister Kolapo Alimi said that the purpose of commissioning the open stalls was to improve the economy of the council and complement the efforts of the governor in making life better for rural dwellers.

While advising the council’s management committee to continue following the developmental path, laid by the Aregbesola-led administration, he urged citizens to continue to support the administration in the local council and the state through prompt payment of levies and taxes.

In his address, the Executive Secretary of

Atakunmosa West Presents Score Card

T

HE Caretaker Management Committee of Atakumosa West Central Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Ifewara has embarked on multiple developmental projects aimed at bringing all round development to the newly created council area.

According to a statement by the Information Officer of the council, Adeoye Adegbohungbe, the projects which are at various stages of completion were embarked upon by the caretaker administration of Honourable Anthony Adedeji Adeboye in practical demonstration of his commitment to the socio-economic development of the council area.

Adeboye, according to the statement maintained that the vision of his administration was to lay a solid foundation for the council’s development and also to do everything possible within the limit of the available resource to make the council area a cynosure of all eyes among its peers in the state.

“Developmental projects embarked upon include opening and widening of lfewaraAruwa road which is ongoing”.

This, according to the council’s helmsman was to open up Aruwa community to business activities and also to give its people a sense of belonging.

According to the statement, projects that were receiving attention include, extension of electricity supply to the Aruwa community, construction of ultra modern toilet at the council secretariat and drilling of borehole at the secretariat for the use of council staff.

Also nearing completion are the

construction of culvert, line drains and de-silting of drains at the Headquarters of the council area, lfewara.

Other projects, the

statement stressed, are the conversion of two hand dug wells in Arunde and lfewara into motorised wells, in a bid to make the residents of the affected communities have access to drinkable water with a view to making waterborne diseases a thing of the past.

The Adeboye-led

administration, had also among other things ensured regular clearing of road verges along Aiyetoro/lfewara road, evacuation and clearing of illegal dump sites at Epe, ljana and ltagunmodi and regular cutting and clearing of weeds in market places in the LCDA since it came on board in May 2017.

the council, Honourable Oladiran Ashaolu said the market was another in the list of successes recorded in the history of Obokun Local government, saying, “We have been able to record t r e m e n d o u s achievements within short period of 100 days in office”.

It would be recall that the Ashaolu administration has purchased and distributed thousands of cocoa seedlings to farmers of the Council Area to boost agricultural production and to serve as employment opportunity for youths in the area.

According to him, “we will not relent in our efforts towards developing our socioeconomic infrastructure to make life more comfortable for our people”.

He stressed that his administration has been living up to its avowed determination to match its words with action and call for peaceful and harmonious co-existence among the people in the local area.

He said, “It is evident that much of what we have been able to achieve within 100 days in office would not have been

possible without the cooperation and support of the good people of the Council Area.

He urged the people of the council to continue pay their taxes and levies to government as and when due.

Meanwhile, the Secretary, Olorunsogo C o m m u n i t y D e v e l o p m e n t Association, Elder Ogunsina Oladimeji commended the Executive Secretary and his team for the good gesture towards the development of the community, saying, the residents were impressed by the efforts of the team to develop the council.

According to Ogunsina, “The execution of the open stalls is immeasurable in the efforts towards boosting the socioeconomic life of this community and it will save us the stress of going far to the popular Ilesa market before we could buy food items and other basic needs”.

Among the dignitaries at the occasion were, the Alademure of Ibokun, Oba Festus Awogboro, APC leaders, including Otunba Jumoke Ogunkeyede, Mrs Dupe Ajayi-Gbadebo, members of the caretaker committee and residents of the community.

Egbedore South ES Lays Foundation For Secretariat Complex, Commences Grading Of Roads

T

HE Executive Secretary, Egbedore South Local Council Development Area, Honourable Akeem Adekola Ajao has laid foundation for the construction of a new Secretariat Complex for the council, which is among the newly-created councils in the state.

According to a out the mandate statement by the successfully.

Information Officer of the He then solicited the council, Mrs Adefunke mutual understanding Iyabo, the site is located and cooperation in the beside Ido-Osun High implementation of School, Aje International g o v e r n m e n t Market Road, Ido-Osun. programmes and policies Laying the foundation for the betterment of the for the secretariat populace. recently, the council boss Ajao also commended emphasised the the Governor, Ogbeni commitment of his Rauf Aregbesola for his administration to vision and purposeful provide social amenities leadership which for the welfare of the translated to the creation citizenry. of additional councils in He said the building of the state, to promote a secretariat complex is development across the considered a necessity to state. ensure the smoothHe promised that the running of the council building of the secretariat activities and make the complex would be workforce of the council comfortable in the course of performing their official duties with a view to making them more productive.

Highlighting the three major mandates given to the new council by the state government, which include income generation, market management and environmental sanitation, he said workers must be made comfortable in their •Grading of Ido Osun/Nike places of work to carry road.

completed within a short period of time as he reaffirmed his commitment to make life more meaningful for the people of the LCDA. Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary has charged residents of his council to ensure adequate maintenance of infrastructural projects and other government properties in their domain.

He gave this charge while inspecting the grading of a 4 kilometre road in Ido-Osun township and the road linking Nike-Art Gallery, in the ancient town.

According to him, by making maintenance of infrastructural facilities in the local government area and state level a point of duty, he said this would extend the lifespan of the facilities.

Noting that the administration of Governor Aregbesola at the state level had spent a huge amount of money on provision and rehabilitation of roads across the state, he noted that the maintenance of the facilities will in no small measure reduce the stress citizenry go through while moving around in search of source of livelihood.

Ajao noted that his administration in the council was determined to put the roads in good condition to ensure that economic items are easily transported from one community to another, which would in turn increase sales and subsequently improve revenue generation in the LCDA.

The council boss then implored members of the communities to reciprocate the good gesture of his administration by paying levies and taxes promptly and ensure peaceful co-existence both in the Local council development area and the state.

CHANGE OF NAME That LAWAL SAMSUDEEN is the same person as LAWAL SAMSUDEEN OLA. I now wish to be known and addressed as LAWAL SAMSUDEEN OLA. All former documents remain valid. OSPOLY IREE and general public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME That I formerly known as TAJUDEEN AFUSATU IYABODE, now wish to be known and addressed as ADEREMI AFSAT IYABODE. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note of this.

CHANGE OF NAME

Art Gallery

•The recently-laid foundation of the secretariat.

That I formerly known as IGBAYILOLA LATIFAT ABIDEMI, now wish to be known and addressed as ADEWALE LATIFAT ABIDEMI. All former documents remains valid.

General public should take note of this.

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THE SOCIAL REGISTER

THE SOCIAL REGISTER

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22 - THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

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A Cocktail Of Recent Happenings Ajegunle New Executive Committee Begins With Prayer

The Late Eminent Ibadan Lawyer, Mr Olayinka Abiose Buried In Ibadan. Funfare As Otakiti Mosque Arabic

Centre Graduates Students •CHILDREN OF THE LATE EMINENT LAWYER, MR OLAYINKA ABIOSE: (L-R) Oladoja Abiose, Olanrewaju Awe, and Jaiyeola Ayanbadejo and her husband Olajide Ayanbadejo during the church funeral service for their late father.

•The newly-inaugurated Executive Chairman of Ajegunle Motor Spare Part Market, Alhaji Azeez Kamorudeen, addressing the traders in the market after the prayer session.

Agitation: Oyintiloye Sues For

Dialogue To Strengthen Democracy

A •Cross section of traders in the market during the prayer session.

By Shola Aderinto HE newly-inaugurated Executive members of Ajegunle Spare Part Market in Osogbo held an interdenominational prayer session to kick off his administration.

The prayer session had traders in the market in attendance during which Islamic and Christian clerics were invited to seek the face of God with prayers and advice.

T

The two religion leaders advised traders in the market to stay away from fetish things, but should seek the face of God in whatever they want to do.

The chairman, Alhaji Azeez Kamorudeen also advised the executive members to be loyal to each other and stay away from side-talk.

On the same note, the Vice-Chairman, Alhaji Rasheed Adebisi also advised traders in the market to be united and be a good ambassador of the market.

CAC Children Celebrate Annual Anniversary

P

ARENTS have been urged to bring up their children with the knowledge of God and qualitative education.

The Pastor of Christ Apostolic Church, Oke-Irapada Itunu, behind Bafoo Hotel, Okinni, Prophet Samuel Akinyemi Akintola made this known at the 2017 children Anniversary Celebration,

which held at the church premises.

Prophet Akintola who described children as “heritage of God” emphasised that with the trend of event in the country, the words of God should be inculcated daily into the children to protect and guide them in shunning crimes and vices.

He also stated that all children have the right of qualitative education and he prayed that God bless them in fending for the needs of the children.

S a way of finding lasting solution to crises and agitations in the country, as well as sustaining the legacy of nascent democracy, a member of the Osun State House of Assembly, Honourable Olatunbosun Oyinloye has appealed to Nigerians to always embrace the spirit of dialogue for their agitations.

The Lawmaker representing Obokun Constituency stated this in Ibadan after being conferred with a distinguished services award by the Centre for Leadership and Good Governance to commemorate the 2017 edition of the United Nations International Day of Democracy with the theme, ”Democracy and Conflict Prevention”.

Oyintiloye, who is the Chairman, Osun House Committee on Information and Strategy, was honoured for his leadership quality and contribution to the development of democracy, along with some other personalities.

Describing democracy as a tool to fast track peace building and national development, he said, “Democracy as a form of government offered platform for dialogue, negotiations and compromises”.

Expressing concern over the diverse level of agitations across the country, particularly

in the South Eastern part, he said the high level of aggression in the nation is attributed to what the agitators perceive as failures on the part of Leaders to do the needful in creating conducive environment for business to grow and employment opportunities.

According to him, no matter how strong or necessary the agitation might be, “it’s always better to jaw-jaw than to war-war”, saying such is the platform that democracy has created for every stakeholder in the system.

The parliamentarian, who pointed out that without doubt, democracy has come to stay in Nigeria irrespective of differences in tribes and languages, maintained the need for government to strengthen all institutions that promote dialogues, human rights and human dignity.

Oyintiloye who observed that the President Muhammadu Buhari, led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration in the country has set the machinery in motion to address the issue of restructuring in the country in line with the global best practices of federalism, said every stakeholder must participate in such a way that it would not hamper the peaceful coexistence of the nation.

Monica Becomes Mrs. Michel Desouza

I

•The Couple.

T was indeed a befitting ending to a long wait. The journey began in December of 2016 after the introduction between the Desouza family of Onitsha, Anambra State and Ezediuno of Ogbe Ofu Quarters of Ogwashi-Ukwu in Aniocha South LG of Delta State.

The wedding took place on Saturday 9th of September 2017 at Sango in Ogun State. It was attended by members of both families, friends, colleagues of groom and the bride and well wishers.

Their parents admonished them to start their family with God as their foundation and to always allow the fear of God to rule and guide them in their marital journey.

Monica and Michel before their marital union met as colleagues in Abeokuta, Ogun state and courted for many months.

An Evening Of Asun With Journalists

•Cross section of the children during the programme.

•Family members and friends at the graduation ceremony.

I

T was an assemblage of family members and friends of Mr Ismaeel Mohammed, a Motor Spare Part Dealer in Ajegunle Market recently, as his daughter, Hikmot Mohammed graduated from the Otakiti Central Mosque Arabic Center in Osogbo.

She graduated along with other 12 graduands from the same arabic

•Chairman, NUJ Osun Council, Comrade Abiodun Olalere (left); Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Semiu Okanlawon (2nd left); Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Lani Baderinwa (2nd right) and other guests at the programme.

•Chairman, State of Osun House of Assembly Committee on Information and Strategy, Honourable Olatunbosun Oyintiloye (2nd right) receiving United Nations’ 2017 Distinguished Service Award from Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi (2nd left); Senator Mudashiru Hussain (left) and Special Adviser to Osun Governor on Legislative Matters, Hon. Ipoola Binuyo, during a Public Lecture and Award to commemorate the United Nations International Day of Democracy at NUJ hall, Iyaganku, Ibadan on Friday.

•(L-R) Mallam Isiaq Arikewusola, the Proprietor; one of the graduands, Hikmot Mohammed and her father, Mr Ismaeel Mohammed at the graduation ceremony.

It was an evening of light music, jokes, and other forms of entertainment on Tuesday September 19, 2017 as some gentlemen of the Press gathered to share plates of Asun and drinks at the instance of the Osun State Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon.

Okanlawon said the small event was put together to fraternize with his colleagues and others in the spirit of the just celebrated Ileya festival.

Those at the event were drawn from the Ministry of Information, the state-owned media houses, men of the Correspondents chapel (print and electronic).

center.

Gathered at the graduation ceremony were Islamic clerics from far and near and family members of each of the graduands.

Highlights of the programme were the recitation from the holy quran by the graduands, Islamic preaching and prayers for the families and graduands amongst others.

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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VOX POP

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22 - THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

Mixed Reactions Over Restructuring, Devolution Of Powers Of recent, issues of constitution review has taken the centre stage, and divergent views have continued to greet some particular aspect of the exercise like the restructuring, devolution of powers to state and return to parliamentary system of government and several others. Joshua Afolabi, Kehinde Oladele, Modupe Omotoso and Yusuf Oketola went to town to sample the opinions of the people on the exercise.

Regionalism Is Not The Solution Regionalism Will Guarantee Federalism

W

I

N my own view, I prefer we continue with the federal system of government that we are using now and I believe that things will get better, because we are known to be the giant of Africa. We cannot compare Nigeria with other countries in Africa in terms of population, as countries like Ghana, Cotonou and others have lesser population. I think we should stick to the federal system for now, and when the time comes, things will be normal.

Besides that, we should jettison the idea of regionalism for now, because there are some region that cannot even manage their resources, eventhough they have it. I believe that that returning to

Regional System, Solution To Our Problem

•Ajadi Wasiu

regional system is not the solution to our problem in this country.

HEN we talk about regionalism, it is also called true federalism, whereby each regional unit will be given power to maintain their resources and less power will be given to the federal government. As far as I am concerned, this system will be more productive.

True federalism is the answer to our problem, and we can achieve that easily if we regionalise. We have been facing one problem or the other since we gained independence and the problems still remain.

Devolution Of Power Is Necessary

P

ART of what I think will solve our problem in this country is restructuring, hence, we must restructure, because as it stands today, things are lopsided. There is too much power at the federal level and that is not the intent of the federalism that we claim to be using. More power should be shifted to the regions and less power at the centre. That is the reason why people are embezzling our money.

If there is restructuring, every regions will strive to control its own resources and we will be better for it.

When talking about devolution of power, it will work because every region will have maximum power to

•Eshiozomey Joseph, A Technician N my opinion, restructuring of the country and devolution of power make different things to different people. Nigeria is a country that we have been managing from the genesis just like diluting petrol with water, they are not compatible but they are both useful. God has blessed this nation with many resources, but we don’t have self-service. Selfishness has been the major problem in this country.

We are claiming to be one in unity but we are not one. So, I suggest we go back to the regional system so that every region will manage its resources. We should have stronger regions and weaker government at the centre, in which, each region will give little to the central government. The regional system will solve all the problems we are having because everybody will be able to understand themselves.

I

•Olagoke Francis

do things on their own. If we can shift power to the region, the federal will have less power to operate.

I

P

F

EDERAL system of government is the best and we don’t need to restructure this country. The only task that should be taken serious is that government needs to monitor all the resources in every state and stop mismanagement. If we decide that each state should stand on its own, it would cause more problem because there are some states who are hiding the resources they have from the federal government.

By my own understanding, it will give political leaders in the state, the opportunity to

•Joel Idowu, welder behave without recourse to the people’s interest.

A

s far as I am concerned, Nigeria must be restructured for us to make headway. Also, the federal system we are practicing now is better and should be continued along the regional system line.

Moreover, devolution of power will bring much problem and war to this country; therefore, let’s maintain our federal system because it will allow every citizen of this country to stay anywhere.

•Ola-Oluwa Mathew, Public Servant

Regionalism ‘ll Make Govt Farther From The People

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•Mr. Rasheed Tiamiyu – A Welder

Regional System Can’t Work For Us ERSONALLY, what I think is that the devolution of power thing can’t pay anybody. I agree that the people at the centre are not doing anything, they are just sharing our resources and we are all clamouring that they should give more power to states, but I can tell you, if we regionalise, many of us will suffer, because we are all corrupt.

Regional system cannot come back to existence because there is no knowledge of war unlike before. For example Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the IPOB doesn’t know anything about war, he

Federal System Of Government, The Best

Devolution Of Power ‘ll Bring More Problem

FG Should Share Resources Fairly just urge the federal government to share resources fairly, because the way and manner the resources are being shared presently is not fair. I am neither in support nor against the return to the old system of regionalism, but I must say, even if we go back to the old system, without considering how we will manage our resources, we might be having the same problem.

•Mr. Adebisi, A Civil Servant

Most of our political leaders are just campaigning for infrastructural development but what we need is economic development because it determines who we are.

In addition we don’t deserve bi-cameral legislature in Nigeria, we should adopt unicamera because I don’t know the duties of the National Assembly and the House of Representative. They are all carrying out the same duties.

should go and learn from those who fought in the Biafra war or experienced it.

•Mr. Gbadebo Araoye, Computer Engineer

E-ADOPTING regionalism would not bring back the nation’s glorious days, an era when robust activities and the spirit of nationalism is evidenced in the effective governance and even development in the then Nigeria.

Federalism, as known, has, as one of its merits, the protection of the interests of the minorities, owing to the heterogeneous state of the country as regards its ethnic groups and tribes.

If Regionalism is adopted, the government which in the real sense at present is far from the people would be taken much farther away. Peradventure, the Southwest region is birthed and it has Ibadan, Oyo state as its capital, how effective would the midas touch of the administration reach the nooks and crannies of the would-be defunct states under it?

The absurdities however is that there are numerous agitations from a range of diverse groups, thus, what the nation truly need may on the long-run not be feasibly achievable.

My take now is that the constitution of the country

should be reviewed in such a way that it would see to the countless shortcomings in the 1999 constitution. Subsequently, the presidential system of government should be abolished and a parliamentary system be embraced as this would curtail extravagant spending, hasten the passage of right bill at the right time.

Our constitution as it stand today is a ‘Military Constitution’ designed in the selfish interest of majority of military men who never envisaged the sudden return to civilian rule in a socalled democratic era.

•Abu Ridor

OSUNDEFENDER www.osundefender.org

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22 - THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

11

From this edition, a new column is born exclusively to Osun Defender Truth Of The Matter newspaper to say it as it is….

Osun….Do We Have To Eat Our Tomorrow Today? Defender Parrot I

N those days, and even now, parents go to any length to see to the education and future of their children and wards.

They go hungry; sell farm produce, and sometimes at ridiculous prices to raise funds for these. In most cases, the whole community will contribute to support a promising child of other parents to see such a child through higher education home and abroad. Such a child or ward comes back home after the long sojourn abroad and becomes a pride, not only of the parents but of the whole community.

When he or she is returning home, the whole community goes agog, including the traditional ruler, welcomes him back home. The fruits of their endurance are ripe and everyone is happy.

Lesson: Such a child is no longer the child of the biological parents alone, but that of the whole community, even including the neighboring communities.

He joins the civil service, which was, and still is, the in-thing noble profession, bringing glory to the community which prides itself as having produced a ‘son’ or ‘daughter’ working for government. He or she reciprocates the community’s gestures by being a good ambassador. He or she does not engage in sabotage or corruption that soils the image of the community. From his paltry wage which was a big deal in the community in those days, he assists the indigents, lobby for community projects to be cited, and when he or she becomes capable financially or otherwise, builds schools, hospitals, and becomes an iconic star of the community.

It becomes a win-win situation for the individual, families and the community.

Sometimes one marvels at the ingenuity, wisdom and futuristic thinking of our forebears, even at their zero level of exposure to westernization and education, when parents go any length to secure the future of their wards, even at communal level. Many of us are products of this. The immediate, extended family

Our civil servants have been very enduring and it is very commendable. What we are all passing through today is normal as far as true development is concerned. We must be ready to persevere further so that our tomorrow and those of our children and grand children become better. We must not allow agents of retrogression to divert us from our predestined greatness.

Obafemi Awolowo, one-time Premier of the old Western Region of Nigeria, built the Cocoa House, he built the first regional university at Ife, the first television station in Africa and the first stadium-Liberty, the same way Governor Rauf Aregbesola is today building mega schools, equipping them, building a cargo airport, not for luxury but for business, building durable linkage roads for easy access, sponsoring the best of our brains to the best schools home and abroad, securing our lives and properties by partnering with security agencies and feeding our children to be able to learn better, even with paucity of funds…very lean purse indeed! Today, the Awo legacy lives on, and for sure Aregbesola’s legacy will live longer after him.

What our economy and civil service are passing through today is not the fault of our governor, neither is it entirely that of the former federal government under President Goodluck Jonathan, but a natural phase which a potentially great nation, State, People and individual must pass through. Osun is not alone in this, as many would want to believe. Take a simple trip to all states in Nigeria, and go to Abuja… you will discover similar or worse situation. The only difference is that what other states are going through are not being celebrated in the media, the way it is being done here in Osun. The oppositions in other states are not as loud as we have here.

Rauf must be strong indeed, not to have

By OMO AKIN

•Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the entire community struggled to make us what we are today. For sure, we are not only the pride of our individual parents but of our extended family and community which contributed in no small measure financially and morally towards what we are today. And this is where the present government in Osun is wearing its thinking cap.

‘

As painful as it may seem, the products of the alleged massive debts are there for everyone to see in our mega schools, good roads, interchanges, functional education, etc.

’ Bracelet And Its Necessity In Fashion

A

bracelet is an article of jewelry that is worn around the wrist.

It may have a supportive function, such as holding a wristwatch or other items of jewelry such as religious symbols or charms. There are various types of Bracelets for women, differing by shape, style, design and there are materials that are made up of bangles and when worn in the hands in groups, they make a sound as they strike with each other. They can be made up of glass, plastic, wood, metals, etc.

Some of them are smooth whereas some are stylish and have attractive designs. They can be found in different colours or only in a single colour; medical and identity information is marked on some bracelets, such as allergy bracelets, hospital patientidentification tags and bracelet tags for newborn babies. If a bracelet is a single, inflexible loop, it is often called a bangle.

When it is worn around the ankle, it is called an ankle bracelet or anklet. A boot bracelet is used to decorate boots. Colloquially, handcuffs are sometimes called bracelets. Bracelets can be manufactured from metal, leather, cloth, plastic or other materials and sometimes contain

jewels, rocks, wood, shells, crystals, metal, or plastic hoops, pearls and

had problem of the heart in enduring all this. We must support him, fight for him, share in his pains and encourage him to soldier on.

Inasmuch as we see sincerity in him, as testified to by the national organized labour, comparing him better against many other states of the federation, it is our duty to be by his side always. He lives an austere and disciplined life the way Awolowo did. In a recent interactive session with the citizen dubbed Ogbeni Till Daybreak, Governor Rauf Aregbesola stated clearly, before local, national and international audience, albeit unbelievable, that he does not have an account either in Nigeria or anywhere globally and neither does he receive paycheck. This is an open challenge to the opposition to, at least for once, do some simple research, aided by the internet and all information technology, to unravel the truth in this statement. They ought to be honest enough to make public their findings, either way. But will they?

Using today’s wealth to create a far better tomorrow: As painful as it may seem, the products of the alleged massive debts are there for everyone to see in our mega schools, good roads, interchanges, functional education, etc. We must not eat our tomorrow and that of our children and grand children today in forced salary and wage bills.

Ogbeni could have decided to be a ‘salary only’-paying governor, leaving developments undone. But he chose to ride on the unpopular road for the sake of our future. What we are passing through today will definitely benefit us and our children and grand children tomorrow.

FASHION

worn on every outfit, depending on the type you choose to wear WITH because not all kinds of bracelets are worn on any outfit.

Beaded Bracelets: These bracelets are made of beads connected to each women love to wear these bracelets other by making a hole in the as they come in attractive styles and their hand look centre of the beads and passing a make small thread to each one of them. beautiful.Bracelets, like watches, can Some say that they can be helpful be worn daily. The variety of in control your mind activities and materials to choose from, includes stainless steel, gold, platinum, silver, concentrate in what you do.

Sports Bracelets: After the leather, copper, brass and hemp. A introduction of these types of bracelet is a versatile accessory your bracelets, they have been very that reflects popular among the people, especially personality and brings out the colour girls. Sports bracelets are made up of in your outfits.

It’s easy to say bracelets are not rubber and they have the logos and manly, however, if you know your names of the sports club or players history, you might printed in them. So, any remember that warriors girls who like sporting and kings from various would love to have cultures wore one of these armbands on their bracelets in their wrists. The fact is, wrist. men have worn Gold Bracelets bracelets for or Silver centuries. Some Bracelets: Gold wealthy men wore and silver bracelets to display bracelets or cuff their power and bracelets for status.Depending on women are very which part of the globe popular nowadays. you call home, the idea of They have good men wearing a bracelet is either appearance and also have attractive designs. Many girls and normal or unheard of.

TEMITOPE AKINYELE

many more materials.

In fashion, there isn’t m u c h importance when it comes to bracelets; it just makes people l o o k s stylish, and to the lovers of it, wearing of bracelets gives your hands the attention it deserves and also brings people attention to your wellmanicured nails. Bracelets can be

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NEWS

OSUNDEFENDERwww.osundefender.org

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22 - THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

Nigeria Presidential System Is Wasteful - Aregbesola • Advocates Parliamentary System

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HE Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has advocated for parliamentary system of Government in Nigeria, arguing that the present presidential system has been very wasteful. the country along He also said for regional line to meet the Nigeria to be truly wide clamour for true democratically governed federalism. as being aspired to by the Governor Aregbesola citizens, no effort must made the advocacy while be spared to restructure addressing the

participants during a One-Day Conference on the Second Anniversary of the Southwest in National Governance, with a theme, “South West to Abuja: A Midterm Appraisal”, at Aurora Event Centre, Osogbo on 15th Sept, 2017.

•Nature’s Call: A Truck Pusher catching naps during what can be called break period.

Photo: SHOLA ADERINTO

He insisted that parliamentary system of government remains the only system suitable for a nation like Nigeria in view of her socioeconomic tendencies.

Aregbesola described the presidential system of government which Nigeria is presently practicing as expensive, corrupt and tends towards waste.

He said the presidentialism has earned Nigeria a strong misery, which, if not reversed, could end the country in political perdition and doom.

The governor attributed some of the nation’s socio-economic predicaments and the spate of unrests in the society to the negative effects occasioned by presidential system being adopted by the government at the centre.

He said since Nigeria adopted the presidential system in the Second Republic, the country has been witnessing pocket of challenges.

“As a student of history, it is on record

that the parliamentary system which our country adopted at the First Republic proved to be the most resourceful and beneficial system of government.

“However, it is clear that despite the fact that democracy has come to stay in Nigeria, it is also being jeopardised by some anomalies with which the presidential system of government was one.

“So, we must do everything humanly possible to jettison the Presidential System of Government that had taken our resources away and set us on the path of misery”.

Governor Aregbesola ýalso described as an aberration and misnomer the agitation for Local Governments to be an autonomous tier of government in the country, insisting that Local Government Administration remained appendage to State Governments.

He said for a nation like Nigeria that is practicing federalism to

APC To PDP: Articulate Your Alternative Agenda For Osun

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LL Progressives Congress (APC) in the State of Osun has challenged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to stop “its nasty criticism of the state government” and come up with its own alternative agenda of what that party would do differently for the people of the state. or reject A statement by the consider APC Director of outrightly.

“Show your sincerity Publicity, Research and Strategy, Kunle Oyatomi and ability to think said, “it is senseless to outside the box like our keep criticising without unusual governor, or if providing an alternative you can’t, then keep the APC for the people to assess quiet”, whether or not the challenged the PDP, alternative offer is worth adding that, “he who without the effort to consider or criticises providing an alternative reject outrightly.

“We challenge these is an opportunist who has loud-mouthed and weak nothing to offer and critics of Ogbeni Rauf should not be taken Aregbesola’s projects to seriously.

“If PDP wants the tell us at least what the PDP will do better (and people of Osun to take their party seriously, let how) on education, youth employment and them tell us what they social security for a start. will do differently, and “PDP should tell the how they will fund their people of Osun what own project.

“Tell the citizens of policy thrust it has in plan to substitute what Osun, whether or not you Aregbesola has done for will break down the students, teachers and schools Aregbesola built. e d u c a t i o n a l Say it loud and clear infrastructure in the last whether or not you will redesign, uproot and seven years.

According to the APC, reconstruct the roads and “For over seven years bridges; destroy and now, the PDP has been rebuild Nelson Mandela shouting that it will Freedom Park; go round destroy all Aregbesola’s the state and urge the projects. The people of people to pile up dirt in Osun deserve to know, the streets in their what the PDP will replace environment.

“Tell us your the whole infrastructure on ground already, with. alternative plan to stop “It’s cheap and flooding different from indolent to keep how Aregbesola did it. criticising someone Are you going to now when you cannot provide stop feeding children at an alternative, so that the schools in the state which world can assess whether the Federal Government or not the alternative on has continued, but which offer is worth the effort to the PDP criticised? Will

the PDP cancel the airport project in which the Turkish government has shown interest?

“Let the PDP come clean and tell the world if it will reject and stop all the World Bank, European Union and other internationally funded projects that

Aregbesola attracted to Osun?

“If the PDP cannot give us details of what it will do differently - including how the party intends to find the money to pay full salaries to workers, different from what APC government is doing currently, then they will

be exposed for the fraudulent critics and politicians we have always known them to be.

“Tell us your plans now or stop disturbing us with senseless noises’, the APC Director of Publicity, Research and strategy declared.

succeed and maintain the constitutional stance that recognises states as federating units, local government authority must remain under the control of the states.

“A call for Local Government Autonomy is not only an aberration but also alien to our constitution as well as the tenets and practice of federalism.

“Nowhere in the world where federalism is being practiced gives room for such. The only tiers of governments recognised by law under the federal system of government are central government and either state or regional government. We can only talk of local government autonomy only in relation to the states, what can they do on their own, what role can they play in the development of their area, especially in revenue generation and taking initiatives in solving problems and confronting challenges, without being dependent on the states.

“So, it will be a misnomer to place consideration on such agitation because it is not backed by law in any way”, Aregbesola stressed.

In his lecture, the Secretary, All Progressives Congress (APC) Committee on Restructuring and True Federalism, Senator Olubunmi Adetunbi, advocated for genuine devolution of power from the central government.

Autonomy: Teachers Reject Giving

Primary Education Control To LGs

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HE Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Osun State wing has appealed to the state House of Assembly to place teachers’ salaries and emoluments in the first line charge from the federal allocation in the proposed local government autonomy.

The union chairman The union members who maintained that who besieged the primary education was Assembly complex, on key to national growth Tuesday in their hundreds posited that primary carried placard with school teachers should be different inscriptions paid through the demanding for special Universal Basic Education funding for primary Commission (UBEC) from education. first line charge from the Speaking, the chairman federation Account. of the union, Comrade He urged the Wakeel Amuda said, the lawmakers to use their step became imperative to positions of privilege to save primary education legislate on the matter to from collapse, saying, position primary primary education education for funding had suffered advancement and setback when it was under effective management and the management of local government.

CHANGE OF NAME Amuda noted that the That I formerly known union was not against the as QUDRI OLOKUTA, proposed local now wish to be known government autonomy and addressed as but hinted that teachers A B U B A K A R were being owed salaries ABDULQUDRI for months in some states OLOKUTA. All former in 1994 when local documents remains government had absolute valid. General public control on primary school should take note of this. funding.

called for handover of payment of salaries of primary school teachers to state government as a way of pulling the dwindling primary school system out of wood.

According to him, “Local government lack experience and political will to fund and manage primary education; any attempt to handover primary education to local government amount to consigning primary education to the abyss of total collapse.

He charged the lawmakers to facilitate enactment of appropriate laws and make adequate budgetary allocations to the education sector to

CHANGE OF NAME That I formerly known as ADEREMI OYEBAMIJI SAKA, now wish to be known and addressed as OYEBAMIJI SAKA AYOFE. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note of this.

enable effective management of primary education in the country.

In his remark, the deputy speaker of the Assembly, Hnourable Akintunde Adegboye assured the teachers that the parliament would look into their demands, saying teachers are key to education development in the country.

Receiving a document containing the positions of the union from the union chairman, he said the house would pay attention to every detail of the documents with a view to coming to acceptable submission.

He pointed out that the ongoing debate on local government autonomy was key, hence the need for stakeholders in policy making to be holistic in their approach to the issue.

The deputy speaker who described education as agent of socialization said, government must give priority to functional education in the interest of prosperity.

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22 - THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

OSUNDEFENDER www.osundefender.org

13

LLIN: Residents Complain Of Unavailability

• Govt Promises To Address Shortfalls

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S the State Government of Osun and its partners have commenced the distribution of the 2.99 million Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLIN) in the State of Osun, complaints have started to emanate from different quarters over the unavailability of the antimosquito nets.

Majority of the complaints are coming from residents who reside in areas like Ogo-oluwa, Ofatedo, LAUTECH Estate, Owode-Ilesa, and Fakunle Alabameta amongst others.

Their complaints were that when they got wind of the distribution of the treated nets, they expected officials to come to their residents, but were told that the distribution was going on in the public health facilities closer to them.

Some of them who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER revealed that before the house enumeration began, they had obtained prior information about the exercise but were surprised as they never see any enumerator visit them.

“We made alternative arrangements to get the nets at the health centres but were denied because we could not present net cards which qualifies us for collection.

“We tried to explain to them that it was not our fault, but because, our houses were not captured by the enumerators. All our pleas fell on deaf ears of the officials in charge.

“We were told that since we were not captured by the enumerators, we

should wait till after the exercise was over to procure ours”.

An on-the-spot assessment by this medium during the exercise observed that enumerators effectively captured area like Jaleyemi, Mallam Tope, Ayetoro and some other areas of Osogbo, but also observed that some areas were left uncovered.

Some residents have also

complained of malpractice against officials distribution the nets, alleging that some families were given more than the required number of nets.

Meanwhile, Dr. Adepoju, the Director of Public Health in the Ministry of Health, revealed that the problem had been noted, but since distribution was on going, there was need to wait for the donating partners

With FRANCIS EZEDIUNO after which alternative action would be taken to address the shortfalls.

It would be recalled that a total of 2.99 million LLINs have been earmarked for free distribution during the 2017 replacement campaign.

•Osun Deputy Governor, Mrs Titilayo Laoye-Tomori (2nd left); Commissioner for Health, Dr Rafiu Isamotu (right) and other sitting under the LLIN in demonstration of its usage, during the distribution of the mosquitoes nets, recently.

OBITUARY Bisi Omidiora Path-Breaking Chartered Accountant, Board Room Guru, Balogun Of Ife

By Sola Jacobs

D

EATH is an inevitable price all mortals must pay, but when and how it will come no one knows.

Chief Olabisi Omidiora, a colossus, a patriotic Ife and an accounting guru joined the triumphant saint on 20th September, 2017 at 4pm in his Lagos residence, as revealed by a family source.

Balogun Bisi Omodiora, who had his education at Oduduwa College in Ife and the London School of Economics, is a former president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). He was also a former Director in UAC Nigeria.

He is a community and opinion leader per excellence who had contributed in no small measure to the development of the ancient city of Ile-Ife and Nigeria at large as he had been a former Ife Development Board Chairman, the socio-economic apex body of the city which had invested in agriculture and small medium enterprises so as to employ the teeming unemployed youth in the city.

He is also as well a devoted Christian who had contributed in no measure to the creation of Ife

Anglican diocese, as he doubled as permanent laity chairman and the Baba Ijo of the Saint Peter Anglican Church Iremo, Ile-Ife. Chief Bisi Omodiora as a socialite founded Ife club 90 and he is a member of the Lagos Metropolitan and Yoruba Tennis Club respectively.

He played great part in the reconciliation committee saddled with the responsibility to restore peace into Ife/Modakeke crisis in year 2000. Baba Omodiora, a peace lover as all fondly called him.

He lost his heartthrob Princess Eyinade Omodiora earlier this year but he is survived by children and great-grand children. A glimpse into his enduring affection for her is indicated in an excerpt from an interview with a website: For most men it’s a three-fold cord– smoking, drinking and womanising. Did you fall for the third one as a young man?

“I attended a mixed secondary school – Oduduwa College. I had my girlfriend there and she ultimately became my wife. I didn’t womanise.

People thought something was wrong with me because I didn’t go out with so many girls. I believe it is one of the disciplines that a man should have if he wants to live long. I didn’t even sleep with my wife before we got married”.

How did you eventually get married

to her?

“When I finished secondary school, the school wanted me to be a teacher so that I could come back and impart knowledge to younger students. That was the practice for brilliant students.

But I knew that if I became a teacher I would not be able to marry her. I started work after secondary school but immediately she finished secondary school, her parents sent her to England. We started having doubts about our love dream coming true. I then decided to go abroad. And as luck always follows me, my dad took me to the Oba (my father-in-law to be) to inform him that I would be travelling.

I got closer to the Ooni on that trip; we were together for 13 days. When we got to London, she came to meet her father and we saw ourselves and that was how we started again … and we got married. We were so much in love that I couldn’t finish my course before we got married. I got married when I was taking my A levels. I was about 26 then. I told her that I was taking a risk but we got married because we realised that we could no longer do without living together.

Fortunately, we had our first child on the day I was to resume at the London School of Economics. I must say here to young people coming up that your luck begins with your wife. After working for six months in England she

insisted it was time to go for my A level and then, the London School. I was also supposed to have studied engineering but I am lucky to have left it for accountancy. We have been married now for 55 years”.

According to Prince Adele Adeyemo in a discussion with Osun Defender, he described Balogun Omodiora is a patriotic Ife citizen as he had a deep interest in anything that hast to do with Ile-Ife and he will be greatly missed by all and sundry.

Also the former secretary of Ife Development Board, Prince Gbena Omiwole described the demise of Balogun Omidiora as a colossus loss to Ile-Ife, but full of gratitude to the life well-spent and the contribution of the community leader to the course of and development of the ancient city.

He said that the burial arrangement will be announced by the family while he prayed for the repose of his soul.

Adieu Balogun Bisi Omidiora.

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OSUNDEFENDERwww.osundefender.org

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22 - THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

A Mid-Term Appraisal: Review And Outlook •Continued from paage 6 was launched within the first 100 days of Aregbesola in office, through which 20,000 youth were engaged every two year said, “OYES is a revolving volunteers’ scheme designed to eliminate the frustration and paralysing effect of unacceptably high and seemingly intractable youth unemployment pervasive in Osun. It aims at creating a bridge to employment by equipping as many young men and women with positive work ethics and culture, self sustenance, resourcefulness and respect for the environment. It is designed to develop youths with Character and Competence.

“Over 40,000 youths have passed through the OYES Scheme and over 60 per cent of them have been given permanent employment in various ministries in the state. In February 2011, it was discovered that an unacceptably acute shortfall of teachers existed in the secondary schools. The Teachers Corps in OYES was set up through which 5400 graduate OYES cadets were seconded to schools.

“Through the scheme, N200 million is injected monthly into the State’s grassroots economy. This financial stimulant has recorded dramatic impact on local economies, creating multiplier effects for Osun people. Another spin off of the programme is that by gainfully engaging the youths, crime rate plummeted in Osun, making it one of the states with the lowest crime incidents in the country.

“OYES is designed by the state government to also engage and include Osun’s youth in the economic opportunities created by the O-MEALS. Over 300 OYES cadets have received training and a total loan of N100 million for them to act as cocoyam intermediaries between the cocoyam farmers and food vendors”.

The Home-Grown School Feeding Programmes (O-MEALS) Akinola said the programme was designed as a win-win social safety net intervention for children living in poverty and food insecurity, with the aim to: tackle hunger and improve nutrition; increase children’s access, participation and achievement in school; and support local livelihoods.

He said the programme has the capacity to get children into school and retain them there to enhance enrolment and reduce absenteeism, saying it is expected to contribute to their learning, and enhance their cognitive abilities as hunger is eliminated.

This scheme, he said, has gained international endorsement and in Nigeria, just as it has helped to increase

•Participants at the conference.

Little do the members of the general public of Nigeria yet appreciate that government can no longer play “Father Christmas” and that the socalled free money from crude oil may no longer come in steadily if and when Europe, America and China totally convert to electric motors that consume no petroleum fuel. school enrolment by a minimum of 25 per cent within the first four weeks of commencement of the revised programme.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics, July 2013 edition, Osun has the highest population to primary school enrolment rates in Nigeria, a feat no doubt attributable to O-MEALS, among other factors.

Social Welfare Programme for the Elderly: ‘Agba Osun’.

He said, the condition of senior citizens warrants attention as many are hungry while many are ravaged with preventable diseases, saying lean resources of the state notwithstanding, the administration is committed to the welfare of the aged to bring them out of destitution, hunger, sickness and homelessness through the provision of welfare package for highly vulnerable senior citizens who have been identified as not having any form of guardian

support.

“The scheme currently provides monetary support as well as free and personal medical attention because their other need as identified is healthcare. Those in need of urgent medical attention are therefore also treated. At some point, free eye treatment was provided for people in the state, in association with a partner organisation, Oranmiyan Worldwide.

A large number of the elderly received free eyeglasses and free eye surgery.

Osun is one of the few states where such scheme is being run in the country”.

The Osun Destitute Rehabilitation Programme (O-REHAB) “This programme was introduced in 2011. The objective was to reach out to the destitute, the homeless and vagrants, who could also be psychotic.

Those with physical or artificial disabilities are also helped. The state government under this programme was able to take all lunatics off the street. After given medical treatment, they were rehabilitated. While some were reunited with their families, some others were resettled, put under vocational apprenticeship and helped to establish a trade. The interesting discovery made was that all the lunatics put under treatment recovered and remained lucid as long they continued to take their medication.

The Osun Social Welfare and Protection Programmes Mutates Akinola hinted that the social welfare and protection programmes of the state government have been run so successfully •(L-R) Osun APC Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun; Senator Olubunmi Adetunmbi and Profes- in Osun and have since been adopted by the sor Mobolaji Aluko.

Federal Government and other states.

OYES was understudied by the World Bank and recommended to the Federal Government and other states.

It has now emerged in a variant as the Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO)ý.

OMEALS has also been adopted by the Federal Government and is being implemented in phases, all over the country. Other states joining the programme have sent personnel for training in Osun.

In his address, the Chairman of the conference, Chief Bisi Akande, the pioneer National Chairman of the APC said, “all over the world and particularly in Nigeria, the present business climate is not particularly positive and profitable for crude oil economy. Little do the members of the general public of Nigeria yet appreciate that government can no longer play “Father Christmas” and that the socalled free money from crude oil may no longer come in steadily if and when Europe, America and China totally convert to electric motors that consume no petroleum fuel.

He said, “the occasional negative reflections of the APC-controlled government results partly, from the silence of the APC party offices which should henceforth be encouraged to stimulate “deliberative Democracy” by frequently convening every organ of the party to brainstorming sessions where party leaders should discuss and be informed about various intended policies, plans and decisions of the party at its National Working Committee, at the state and the National Executive Committees, at the Board of Trustees, at the Elders’ Caucuses, at the congresses and the Convention levels.

“Through such regular policy deliberations and understandings, party members could become adequately informed and enlightened, and they would thus become regular mouthpieces and foot soldiers of the party and of its governments at all levels, with a view to favourably modulating and moderating the opinions of the general public, particularly now when Nigerians are reading back to APC its manifesto promises and are looking forward to the party and the government to bring about ‘True Federalism’, Akande stressed.

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22 - THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2017

NEWS

OSUNDEFENDER www.osundefender.org

15

Osun Debt Profile Is 179bn G

OVERNMENT of the State of Osun said it has “It is a well known fact financial facilities which been vindicated by the release of the National that most successful they put to good use as Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which put the debt governments in other have been done in the profile of the state at N179billion. parts of the world achieve State of Osun.

“We bring to fore, According to a this must be a product of development and great statement by the state deluded mind and or dynamic society through China and U.S.A that are the aid of loans and other the most developed Commissioner for mischievous head.

Information and Strategy, Adelani Baderinwa, the state government said that the NBS has put both the internal and external loans, bond and other credit line obtained by the State Government at N179bn, as against the wanton figure of N600bn at a time, N450billion at another and N400billion as found suitable by the bound of hopeless opposition.

The statement noted that the totality of the N179bn includes all loans and all other debt instruments obtained by all administrations that •(L-R) Chief of Staff to the Osun Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola; Special Adviser have ruled the state since on Culture and Tourism, Mrs Taiwo Oluga and wife of the late Chief Duro Ladipo, its creation and those Abiodun, during a recent visit by the family of the late Theatre Icon to the governor, at inherited from the old the State Secretariat Abere, Osogbo.

Oyo state.

The commissioner said that, even with the NBS’s N179bn debt figure, the loan is still within the capacity of the state

By Ismaeel Uthman government to access and presence in the state. pay back in a normal The commissioner said OVERNMENT of Osun has said that it has economic situation, Aregbesola has laid solid put in place policies, programmes and saying the government foundation for economic infrastructures that would totally liberate the has indeed been servicing development of the state the debts without public state from the shackles of the federal allocation and his efforts have been knowledge “before the which has for sometimes been deciding the progress yielding positive result Peoples Democratic Party or otherwise of majority of the states in Nigeria. with the recent induced economic Foundation for been enhancing and agreement of Turkish recession”. economic prosperity, continuing to uplift the government to partner According to him, but according to the economy of the state. for the sudden drop in the government, is being He maintained that Osun on trade, commerce industrial federal allocation which gradually built in Osun good infrastructure is the and was as a result of the and of socio- revolution. is working bedrock Baderinwa stated that mismanagement of the assiduously to attain a economic development, the Turkish government country’s resources and glorious height explaining that the brazen corruption by the economically. massive road has agreed to support the state at completing the PDP-led federal construction put in place The state government, the state Abiola Aregbesola’s MKO for by would have continued to Commissioner International Airport in and administration have been run without any noise Information Ido-Osun, stating that the connecting people, and financial stress as it Strategy, Mr. Adelani airport when completed Baderinwa stated this driving commerce and would aid the state’s had been doing. maintaining global recently while “For what it worth, we economy. state that the loans addressing members of a competitiveness.

Aside the airport, Baderinwa noted that s o c i o p o l i t i c a l obtained by the Aregbesola said Osun A r e g b e s o l a ’ s organisation, The Young the road construction economy will in no time administration have been Mandate Group in would in no time reduce receive boost when the prudently and judiciously Osogbo. costs in many economic $30.5million contract used for the undisputable, Baderinwa said sectors in the state by won by the Osun RLG/ glaring and Governor better Rauf providing t r a n s f o r m a t i v e A r e g b e s o l a ’ s accessibility to markets, Adulawo Technology Company for the supply development that is administration has increasing employment, evident in every part of invested heavily on bringing in foreign of Terrestrial Broadcast the state. Any thinking or profitable and lasting investment and submission contrary to infrastructure that has improving global

economies in the world and are incidentally countries with highest debt profile which indicated that as rich as they are, their resources seem not enough for their development plans, thereby resorting to loans.

“The administration of Aregbesola as a visionary, prudent, accountable and proactive one took the loans to finance rapid development of infrastructure that made Osun a reference point and cynosure of good governance in the land.

“With the new look that the state is carrying today in terms of infrastructure and socio-economic development by which many accolades had been poured on the government of the State of Osun led by Ogbeni Aregbesola at national and international levels, and the facts that many of its projects have been

copied at national and international levels, commendation is what should be showered on the government by the people as they often do.

“We are proud of Aregbesola for his ingenuity, vision and ceaseless efforts in transforming Osun to an Eldorado. With the loans, Osun has been able to summon the challenges of poor roads and dilapidated school infrastructures.

“We now have good roads and modern schools; our hospitals are now a reliable healthcare centres and not death centres; the state capital is now having a befitting look unlike before. It is left for the mischief makers and the naysayers to appreciate the good work of Ogbeni Aregbesola”, the statement read.

Osun ‘ll No Longer Rely On Fed Allocation Soon - Commissioner

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Cult Clashes: ONSU Tasks Stakeholders To Curtail Excesses

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HE Osogbo National Students’ Union (ONSU) has appealed to the government of the State of Osun and security agencies to take active steps in curtailing the activities of cult gangs in Osogbo and neighbouring town.

In a statement signed recently, particularly on by its Public Relations the activities of cult Officer, Sikiru groups who have been Obarayese, the union truncating the peace of frowned at the activities the Osogbo and its of the cult groups, environs. particularly the recent “Osogbo in particular clashes among the and Osun in general have groups, which disrupted been known over the business activities and years to be peaceful, created fear among the owing to the investment populace, saying the of the government in activities must be security of lives and curtailed. property, but the recent “The ONSU is cult clashes had shown absolutely unhappy with that there are lots more to the turn of events be done.

“It is unfortunate that some security operatives are not helping matter, as their activities have shown that they are either indolent or determined to aid and abet criminals” as some of them were seen standing aloof during the clashes, the statement stressed.

The union then called on the government, security operatives, and other stakeholders to collaborate and take proactive measures towards curtailing the threat of peaceful atmosphere the state is known for.

Set Top Boxes flows into the market.

According to him, the 15-year-old moribund cocoa processing industry in Ede has been revived by the administration, disclosing that a Chinese company, Shanghai Golden Monkey Group was ready to invest N10billion into the economy of Osun state through cocoa processing and production.

The company, according to Baderinwa would have the capacity to provide 1,000 jobs for the unemployed youths in the state in the next two years when it begins full production.

Baderinwa submitted that Aregbesola has laid foundation for economic development, stating that in the next five years, the economy of the state would be sustainable and make the state

independent of federal allocation.

The commissioner stated that Aregbesola’s administration recognised agriculture as a strong pillar for the economy, hence his commitment to promoting agriculture and food security through intervention programmes like Osun Rural Enterprise and Agricultural Programme (O’REAP) and Osun Rural Access and Mobility Project (O’RAMP).

He said the O’REAP and O’RAMP programmes have afforded the farmers opportunity of getting their farm produce into the markets with ease with the provision of compact roads, culvert and bridges in all the villages across the state for smooth transportation.

NOTICE IGBIMO ODO YORUBA FORUM

This is to inform the general public that the above named association has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

Names Of Trustees 1. Olayinka Ayodeji Sokoya 2. Fagbamila Adebowale Gabriel 3. Emmanuel Olajide Bamiduro 4. Owoeye-Wise Olatunde Tope 5. Amudah Monsurat Olayinka 6. Mariam Arike Kashimawo 7. Adeniyi Olayinka Saka 8. Damilola Bidemi David 9. Goke Williams 10. Bello Quadri Oladayo Aims And Objectives 1. To promote and protect the norms and

values of Oodua land as well as preserving our cultural heritages.

2. To support orphans, widows and less privileged ones in our various communities.

3. To serve as a platform for social interaction, economic development strategy as well as youths empowerment in our various communities.

4. To act for the interest of the public at all time.

5. For a strong commitment to integrity, ethical values and the rule of law.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Irons I street PMB 198, Maitama, Abuja within 28days of this publication.

Signed: Secretary

NEWS

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Osun Debt Profile Is 179bn

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FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 22 - THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2017 OSUNDEFENDERwww.osundefender.com

‘From Osun To Abuja: Investing In Social Infrastructure In A Recession’,

Review & Outlook

Excerpts From A Paper Delivered By Dr Charles Akinola

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HE Poverty, Vulnerability and Development Challenge: The Justification for Social Welfare and Protection Programmes .

In the context of rapid globalization, economic growth is becoming increasingly uneven and often contributes to inequality. Without significant direct government investment in social policy, the benefits of economic growth do not “trickle down” as expected to bring about human development.

Consequently, due to a number of intersecting factors, poor and socially excluded groups find it increasingly difficult to escape the chronic poverty trap and even put large numbers of people who live just above the poverty line at the risk of sliding into poverty if care is not taken.

(Chronic Poverty Report 2008-09). On the account of all these, the poor and vulnerable suffer therefore deprivations such as malnutrition, high mortality, poor housing and sanitation and other debilitating conditions.

Despite projected improvements in poverty reduction and inequality in Nigeria, high rates are persistent and even increasing especially now that government revenues are falling due to the collapse of international oil prices.

Inflation is also on the upward trend rising from 12.8 per cent year- on- year in March, 2016 to 13.7 percent in April, 2016 and by June 2016 had reached 16.5 per cent being the highest since October 2005. The economic downturn in Nigeria have further exacerbated vulnerability while informal coping strategies are under stress.

The programmes to address poverty have oftentimes been limited both in terms of scope and impact. The factors that have contributed to this include among others: · Poor health and education outcomes; · High levels of unemployment and huge under employment especially among the youths; · Gender inequality and · Child protection deprivations.

Youth unemployment has reached a frightening stage where by the second quarter of 2016, 49.5% of youth labour force population was unemployed or underemployed and the associated social and political risks in this regard are most ramifying indeed. In the face of these deprivations, a lot of people are still without any social protection coverage just as this has highlighted the importance of social protection in preventing, managing, and overcoming situations that adversely affect people’s well-being.

In view of the pervasive gender inequality in terms of access to rights, resources and opportunities, the situation of women and children becomes more vulnerable. This is the reason why many programmes and projects interventions are being undertaken today by governments and development partners in Nigeria targeting women and children in particular.

Women, Youth, Children and Vulnerabilities in Perspective There is increasing recognition that chronic poverty results from the cumulative impact of discrimination, risk, vulnerability and exclusion across individual’s life-cycle and between generations. The multiple factors contributing to vulnerability across the life cycle are not only related to age (children, young people, older people) and life stage (adolescent men, widows) but also

•Bola Oyebamiji, Osun Finance Commissioner.

...A FAREWELL TO POVERTY

CHARLES AKINOLA

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In view of the pervasive gender inequality in terms of access to rights, resources and opportunities, the situation of women and children becomes more vulnerable. This is the reason why many programmes and projects interventions are being undertaken today by governments and development partners in Nigeria targeting women and children in particular.

...into life more abundant. important social and cultural factors such as ethnicity, gender, disability and religion as they intersect with age and life-stages.

Gender is a critical social factor that may contribute to people’s vulnerability, because of the perpetuation of patriarchal values in many societies.

In many African societies, social exclusion is usually seen as a direct consequence of poverty, and they can both be linked to discrimination based on race, ethnicity and gender inequality, unbalanced rural/urban development, unequal distribution of assets or unequal access to services. Persistent conflicts and instability, often resulting from long-term exclusion may therefore impede poverty reduction efforts if the factors are not carefully analysed and addressed effectively.

Vulnerability refers to exposure to contingencies and stress, and difficulty in coping with them. Many factors contribute to vulnerability. They include rapid population growth, poverty and hunger, poor health, low levels of education, gender inequality, fragile and hazardous location, and lack of access to resources and services etc. Vulnerability and poverty are typically interlinked and complex with no solution valid in all situations and or locations.

From the early 2014 when oil was still selling above $70, state governments started noticing a dwindling in their monthly allocation from the Federation Account but since the lowest recipient was still earning close to N3 billion, the situation didn’t look particularly alarming.

It was just a slight glitch that would soon return to normal. Before then, in 2012, the government had won the fuel price increase war with the civil society, which put more money in the pockets of the state and an upsurge in the price of crude oil,

raising it above the $100 bar, saw the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting disbursing revenue in excess of N1 trillion in some months.

By the middle and towards the end of the same year, allocation has dropped sharply and many states became distressed by not being able to fulfil their salary and other obligations. By the time the presidential election of March 28, 2015, was conducted, many states, and by the admission of President Buhari, after he was sworn in, (29 states) could no longer pay salaries to their active workers or pensions to their passive workers.

Osun was caught in this tempest.

However, through ardent financial engineering, the state government has been able to ride the storm and provide social welfare and protection to the most vulnerable segments.

The Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola government has robustly designed and is implementing innovative social welfare and protection programmes, spread across the different Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and sectors, targeting some of the neediest sectors of the population including women, children and the elderly. The programmes include but are not limited to the following: • Osun Elementary School Feeding and Health Programme (O-MEALS) • Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) • Programmes for Women • Programmes for the Elderly ‘Agba Osun’ • Programme for the destitute These programmes are run to address some of the evidence based vulnerabilities that are manifesting in the lives of the people.

Looking at the Social Welfare and Protection in Osun: In the Beginning.

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In its narrowest sense, social welfare includes those functions of society, public or voluntary, which are clearly aimed at alleviating distress and poverty or at ameliorating the conditions of the casualties of society Social protection has also been defined as the “set of public and private policies and programmes aimed at preventing, reducing and eliminating economic and social vulnerabilities to poverty and deprivation.” (UNICEF Social Protection Strategic Framework 2012).

Social investment however is about investing in people. It is about policies and programmes designed to strengthen people’s skills and capacities and support them to participate fully in employment and social life. In this regard, key policy areas could include education, quality childcare, healthcare, training, jobsearch assistance and rehabilitation.

As far back as 2004, before the emergence of Ogbeni Aregbesola as the governorship candidate of the Action Congress (AC), his advisory team had produced a green book titled ‘My pact with the people’. This pamphlet contains the Six Point Integral Action Plan that formed the philosophy of his administration. The six points are: · Banish Hunger · Banish Poverty · Banish Unemployment · Promote Healthy Living · Promote Functional Education · Promote Communal Peace and Progress A detailed look at the Six Integral Action Plan would reveal that they are inherently social welfare and protection focussed in nature.

They are reminiscent of the Action Group (AG)’s welfarist government in the old Western Region and its ‘Freedom for all, life more abundant’ slogan..

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,