Osun Defender - May 6th, 2014 edition

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TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2014

Iyi Omisore is to be pitied and certainly not envied.

His quixotic run for the governorship in the state of Osun looks more and more bizarre by the day.

VOL. 9. NO.054

Front Page Comment

Omisore’ Malevolent achiever and such as Politics (1) performer the Ogbeni governor T o s h o w magnanimity it is not entirely all of his making though.

Defeating a proven

is never goingto be easy.

Aregbesola’s vast

achievements speak for itself.

Furthermore, accolades in recognizance of this continue to come in from home and abroad.

Continue on pg4

Who Killed Chief Bola Ige, formerAttorneyGeneral and Minister of Justice?

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IGE

PDP Ready For Major Attack On Osun – Osun APC •Plan Concluded At A Senator’s House In Ibadan •To Fake GMT, OYES Cadets As Thugs - See Story On Page 2

•All Progressives Congress (APC) Interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande (left), presenting an award of The Most Innovative Nigerian Governor in first term to the governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (3rd left). With them are his wife, Sheriaft (3rd right); Chairman, Business World Newspaper, Mr Laisi Omidiji (2nd left); Speaker, State of Osun House of Assembly, Honourable Najeem Salaam (2nd right) and the Guest Speaker, Professor Pat Utomi (right) at the presentation of the award to the governor at Zenabab Hotel, Ilesa, State of Osun, last Saturday.

Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI

Girl, 12, Wins Osun First Spelling Bee Competition

- See Story On Page 2

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, May 6, 2014

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PDP Ready For Major Attack On Osun – Osun APC •Plan Concluded At A Senator’s House In Ibadan •To Fake GMT, OYES Cadets As Thugs

By ISMAEEL UTHMAN HE All Progressives Congress (APC) has alerted the security agencies and the citizens and residents of the State of Osun that any time from now, the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will unleash terror on the cities and towns of the state.

The party further stated in Ibadan few weeks ago.

According to the party, that credible information at its disposal revealed that in attendance at that plan for this terror attacks meeting were said to include was concluded during a the former senator, a meeting at the residence of notorious road transport a former Oyo State senator kingpin in Ibadan and some

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Osun PDP chieftains amongst others.

The plan is to clothe thugs that will be assembled by the transport kingpin in the uniforms of both Osun Governor ’s Monitoring Team (GMT) and the traffic section of O’YES to give the impression that they were state-sponsored thugs.

These uniforms were said to have already been sewn by the Osun PDP.

“However, the planned terror is to begin anytime after an the Osun PDP chieftain would have travelled out of the country, to provide an alibi, so that he will not be associated with the planned violence either.

“The PDP chieftain is scheduled to travel out of the country early this week, and his trip will be the trigger for the terror attack to start.”

The APC has, by this information therefore, alerted the security agencies to watch out for criminals, who will be imported from neighbouring states, dressed in uniforms of Osun O’YES and GMT officials, with a mission to create chaos and spill blood.

In a statement from the APC party’s Directorate of Publicity, Research and

Strategy and signed by its Director, Barrister Kunle Oyatomi, and made available to the media in Osogbo on Sunday, the party advised Osun citizens to stay at maximum alert to help the police and other security agencies to ensure that political criminals are successfully checkmated and prevented from disturbing the current peace in Osun.

Aregbesola Distributes Buses To State Tertiary Institutions

By KEHINDEAYANTUNJI

G •The governor State Of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his wife, Sherifat (6th and 5th right), in a group photograph with some of the traditional rulers in the state during the presentation of an award of Most Innovative In Nigeria In First Term to the Governor at Zenabab Hotel, Ilesa, State of Osun, last Saturday.

Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI

Aregbesola Bags Most-innovative Governor In Nigeria Award •Akande, Utomi Hail Governor

By KEHINDEAYANTUNJI OVERNOR of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, on Saturday, bagged the award of the Most Innovative Nigeria Governor in First Term from Business World, a leading business and economy newspaper in Nigeria.

At a colourful event held sectors has demonstrated competence and at Zenabab Hotel and Resort his in Ilesa, Chairman of the seriousness. I don’t just Business World, Daisi praise people, but it is Omidiji, said out of the 36 obvious that Aregbesola states in Nigeria, Osun is the has done well.”

Utomi added that Osun is fastest-growing state in the fastest-growing state in terms of innovation.

Omidiji stated that the public school enrolment, newspaper conducted while the government is survey in the six geo- equally addressing the political zones of the challenges of poor quality through country and selected seven teachers best states including Kano, technology.

“One of the major Delta and Osun emerged as in the the best of the seven states challenges educational sector is the selected.

Business World chairman quality of teachers, which added that innovations and require new training and transformation in the state modern skills, which Osun within three years is government is addressing unprecedented in the through innovation and technology. The Tablet of history of Nigeria.

The Guest Lecturer, Knowledge (Opon Imo) is Professor Pat Utomi, said one of the best technology the basis of government is to improve the quality of to administer the human and teachers and knowledge of economic resources of any the students,” Utomi said.

Utomi however, asserted society, to ensure security, harmony and development. that the world is moving very “The primary fast and people of Nigeria responsibility of any must also move fast to feel government is to improve what the nation has missed the quality of life and create in terms of development.

Chairman of the occasion, enabling environment that will make man to be Chief Adebisi Akande, the productive to make life APC Interim National described better, anything fall short of Chairman, this, such government must Aregbesola as one of the best governors in the world. be told to leave.

“He is an achiever and all “For any meaningful development to take place, of us will continue to government must give identify with him and by utmost priority to education August 9, we shall all be and health.

The here to vote for him.”

Responding after transformation of Aregbesola in the two receiving the award,

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Governor Aregbesola said power is only meaningful, when it is used to advance the cause of the people.

He said APC manifesto is designed to advance the course of long neglected people of Nigeria and dedicated the award to the people of the state, most especially, those that struggled and supported his emergence since 2005 to November 26, 2010.

Aregbesola commended the Business World Newspaper for consistently monitoring the innovations and development in Osun.

He said: “What we have done in Osun is what whoever that is entrusted with power must do. Power is responsibility to serve the people. We painstakingly studied the challenges of our people and addressing them with passion, vision and strong political will.

“The innovations we have engendered are manifesting through Opon Imo that have been distributed to secondary school pupils, O Meals and Electronics Smart Identity Cards for the workers.”

The governor added that education is the first priority of his administration, saying the difference between developed and developing countries is education and technology.

He explained that the OYES scheme, which employed 40,000 people, has been recommended for other states by the World Bank and urged the Federal Government to address the current rising unemployment.

According to him: “As a

matter of urgency, the government must address the economic debacle through emergency provision of jobs for unemployed youths. If there are jobs, Boko Haram would be a thing of the past within six months.”

Through innovation, according to the governor, Osun Internally Generated Revenue has been increased from N300 million to N1.6 billion without increase in tax, adding that Osun economy is the 7th largest economy in the country and second highest GDP per capital, despite the poor federal allocation coming to the state.

Aregbesola however, promised that his second term in office will not be a time to rest, rather a time to work harder for the betterment of the people.

OVERNMENT of the State of Osun on Friday reaffirmed its determination to continue to take steps aimed at providing quality, affordable and accessible education to all and sundry.

Governor of the state, efforts of the Aregbesola Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, administration in the noted that despite the pursuance of standard and scarce resources at his qualitative education in the administration’s disposal, s t a t e - o w n e d - t e r t i a r y he will continue to institutions.

Bello said the gesture massively invest in education to secure better would soon be extended to the National Association of future for the state.

The governor stated this Osun State Students while distributing four 18- (NAOS) and National seater buses to the Association of Nigerian students’ unions of the Students’ Joint Campus four state-owned tertiary Committee,(NANS/JCC).

Chairman, NANS/JCC, institutions at an event held at the Government House, Osun Axis, Awowole Samuel, stated that the Osogbo.

The institutions were administration of Ogbeni Osun State Polytechnic, Aregbesola is a complete Iree; Osun State College of departure from the trend of Technology, Esa Oke; Osun the former administration, State Colleges of Education when the tuition fees was exorbitant and unbearable, in Ilesa and Ila-Orangun.

Aregbesola urged the adding that the students’ students’ leaders to justify body was pleased with the the state government present administration’s aimed at commitment by efficiently efforts managing the buses and transforming the state.

Awowole, while appealing using them for the purpose for which they were meant. to the governor to find a He however, warned them lasting solution to the onagainst violence, reckless going industrial action in driving, impunity and any the state-owned tertiary also other acts that may bring institutions, disrepute to their condemned the abduction of school children in Borno institutions.

Earlier in her welcome State and charged the address, the Special Federal Government to Adviser to the Governor on ensure safe release of the Tertiary Education, Mrs innocent school girls and Mulikat Bello, described as curb the menace of Boko unprecedented, the various Haram insurgency.

Girl, 12, Wins Osun First Spelling Bee Competition

By SHINA ABUBAKAR twelve-year-old pupil of Unity Middle School, Miss Olawale Zainab, has emerged the champion of the maiden edition of Sheri Care Foundation Spelling Bee Competition.

She emerged after a governmental organisation rigorous 14-round contest anchored by the wife of the among forty-five pupils state governor, Mrs Sherifat from various public schools Aregbesola.

Miss Olayiwola Ameerat across the state.

The teenager spelt emerged second after ‘Marathon as the missing two different championship word to opportunities of winning emerge the first winner of the competition.

The duo, who were from the programme.

The event was the Fakunle Middle School in brainchild of Sheri Care Osogbo, went into the 11th foundation (SCARF), a non- round as potential winners,

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only for Ameerat to miss the opportunity to win the trip to the United States of America as a guest of the spelling bee.

The third place winner, Master Olatunji Damilare, a pupil from a public school in Modakeke, however controlled his emotion after losing out in the 10th round.

Having emerged the winner of the competition, Zainab is billed for a trip to the United States of America as a guest of the spelling bee, aside a cash reward of N250,000 by the wife of the governor, while Ameerat got N150,000, just as Damilare got N100,000 for his efforts.

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OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Aregbesola Alerts Osun People Over Planned Violence

By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

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OVERNOR of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has again encouraged the people of the state to always be at alert to prevent attempts by any politician to disrupt the current peace of the state in the name of political ambition.

He spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on Community Forum, Olatunbosun Oyinloye, on Friday, while joining Muslims to observe Jumat Service at Iragbiji Central Mosque, Boripe Local Government Council Area of the state during a public enlightenment at the grassroots

on government policies and programmes.

Warning that the younger ones should not allow themselves to be used for violence because of the ambition of some politicians, who are hell-bent in occupying the governorship seat, he said that all the developmental

programmes being executed by the present administration were only made possible because of the peace reigning in the state.

On the alleged plan to sack workers in his second term, the governor stated that the allegation was the making of desperate politicians and political party, who are jittery of the achievements of his administration, saying; “we are not sacking any workers, we will rather employ more of them.

“Through our efforts in governance and approach to issues of workers, it should be

clear to everybody that we are not ready to sack any worker, but our political enemies are just spreading such wicked rumours and lies to set workers against us.

“I am sure that our workforce consists of intellectual people and they cannot be deceived by any politician, who has nothing good to offer them and the entire people of this state.

“Another lie they are spreading is that we want to stop commercial motorcycling business, all in their efforts to gain the favour of the people, having realized that they have

nothing to justify their ambition.

We are not stopping the commercial motorcyclists, but we will make them more successful through our programmes and policies,” he added.

The governor then noted all the lies and rumours were meant to set people against him and his government, with a view to triggering violence and rigging, through which they intended to realise their ambition.

Speaking on the pension arrears owed the pensioners by the government, he said that the government, out of its magnanimity, had recently released N1 billion for the payment of the arrears, inspite that the pension crisis was the

making of the last administration.

Aregbesola added that his administration would continue to execute programmes and policies that would make life meaningful to the people of the state.

In his response, the Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Abdul-Rasheed Olabomi, urged religious leaders and parents to continue to echo it on the younger ones that they should not allow themselves to be used or bought for the purpose of violence.

Describing Aregbesola as a peaceful leader, who has done well in his efforts to transform the state, the monarch said; “such a leader should be supported and encouraged to do more”.

LAUTECH Hospital Workers Suspend Strike

By KEHINDEAYANTUNJI

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•State of Osun Commissioner for Health, Dr. (Mrs.) Temitope Ilori being assisted by Chairman, House Committee on Health; Hon. Ogunsola Leke and GM, Cipla-Evans Medical Nigeria Limited; Pharm. Kunle Ademola, in cutting the tape of the anti-malaria drugs donated to the state government recently.

Osun Lawmaker, Parents, Students Appeal To ASUP, COEASU Over Strike

By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

government to meet the OME parents and students have appealed to members demands of the striking of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic and Colleges of lecturers for the reopening of Education in the State of Osun to call off their six- the institutions. month old strike action.

Akinwumi, who said she It would be recalled that the home. was about finishing her Higher Polytechnic lecturers have been “I know the lecturers were National Diploma (HND) on strike since October 2013, fighting for better working when the strike started, said she while their counterparts in condition among other things, had wasted a whole semester Colleges of Education started but all the same, they should due to the strike. theirs since December 2013. put the future of these young “I want to appeal to both The unions were protesting students into consideration”. government and the striking the refusal of government to Miss Omolayo Akinwumi, lecturers to have mercy and meet their demands for better a student of Osun Polytechnic, return back to classrooms. We condition of service and Iree, also appealed to the state are tired of staying at home,” enabling teaching environment.

Mr Folorunsho Bamisayemi, Chairman of Osun House of Assembly Committee on Education appealed to the striking lecturers to have mercy on the innocent students and return

By FRANCIS EZEDIUNO back to the classrooms.

N a bid to curtail the spread of malaria, the administration Bamisayemi, who noted that of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has instituted bi-weekly government was doing environmental sanitation, distribution of free insecticideeverything possible to meet the treated nets to the populace, free malaria testing and demands of the striking dispensing of malaria drugs in state health facilities, which lecturers, urged the lecturers to has morbidity and mortality. return to the classrooms, while This was made known by the year world over. negotiation could still be State Commissioner for Health; “Each year, we take stock of continued.

He said due to the strike Dr. (Mrs.) Temitope Ilori, on the disease, what has been done action, students had wasted the occasion of the donation of to contain it and what still needs antimalarial drugs by Cipla to be done.” more that a semester.

She disclosed that children A parent, Mrs Funke Evans (Nig.) Limited to the Ajibola, appealed to the Government of the State of are most likely victims of malaria and most of them live in academic unions and Osun last Wednesday.

She maintained that the kind Latin America, Asia and Subgovernment to find a common gesture was in support of the Saharan Africa, where the most ground to resolve the crisis in efforts of the state deadly strain of the disease was the interest of the students. administration to achieve one of found.

Ajibola said for the sake of the six-point integral action She observed that malaria still the innocent students, the plan, which was; ‘the remains major threat to public unions should call-off the strike restoration of healthy living’ to health of the good people of and continue the negotiation her citizens.

Nigeria, undermining sociowith government.

The commissioner hinted economic development and “I want to passionately that the donation perfectly causing the nation billions appeal to the unions to please coincided with the season of the annually in treatment and call-off the strike. It is close to World Malaria Day. preventive costs. six months now when the In her words, “the World In his speech, the General polytechnics and colleges of Malaria Day is observed on the Manager of Cipla Evans; education were shut and the 25th of April of every year.

Pharmacist Kunle Ademola, students had been sitting at “Malaria is a disease that kills explained that his company more than 600,000 people every decided to partner with the state

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Akinwumi said.

Another parent, Mr Jide Akomolafe, said it was painful that the lecturers and government allowed the strike to prolong till now.

Akomolafe said many of the students could not participate in the one-year mandatory National Youth Service due to the strike.

He, however, appealed to the striking lecturers to call-off the strike for the sake of the future of the innocent students.

ORKERS of Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, have suspended their one-week industrial action, which had earlier paralysed major activities in the hospital.

The workers, after an agree- cumulated interest on loans obment with the representatives tained by staff of the hospital, of the Government of the State with a promise that Osun govof Osun to pay their outstand- ernment will continue to pay the ing salaries, agreed to suspend hospital regardless of joint ownthe strike action. ership.

Various workers’ unions, inThose who signed the cluding the Non Academic Staff communiqué were, Comrade Union( NASU), on Monday, Faniran S.O, NANNM Chairheld a congress at the premises man, Comrade Moronkeji M. A, of the hospital, to inform their NUAHP Chairman, Comrade members of the various unions’ Olukayode Ibitoye, NASU decisions to end the strike.

Chairman and other top manThis was contained in a agement staff of the hospital. communiqué signed at the end Speaking to OSUN DEof the meeting with the state FENDER after the union congovernment representatives gress, Ibitoye commended the chaired by Honourable Leke governor for his proactive reOgunsola, Chairman, House sponse over the industrial disCommittee on Health, the State pute.

He said: “The governor has Commissioner of Finance, Dr Wale Bolorunduro and Chief done it again. His commitment Medical Director of to the hospital is unusual. We LAUTECH, Professor Olufemi all appreciate the governor and

by God’s grace, on August 9, Fadiora. will not only vote for him, The government and the we we are mobilising our members labour unions agreed that the to vote massively. shortfalls that arose from the “We are not politicians, but payment of salaries and allow- it is all evident in the ances for the months of Sep- infrastructural development in tember, November and Decem- the hospital, procurement of ber 2013, and the allowances new equipment, while welfare owed by the Oyo State would of workers must continue. instalmentally be paid in three Ibitoye maintained that months. unions have confidence in the They also agreed that the agreement they have signed and welfare of the workers would hoped that government will be sorted out, including the ac- implement it as and when due.

Cipla Evans Partners Osun In War Against Malaria

•Donates 132,000 Doses Of Anti-malarial Artemef

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government after carefully observing the administration and was impressed on the level

of development.

He commended the State Ministry of Health staff for the

success it had achieved in implementing the health policy of the state government.

He used the avenue to solicit for more government patronage by the state government.

Alleged kidnapping: Jungle Justice Lands 12 In Prison

By SHINA ABUBAKAR

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O fewer than twelve persons were on Wednesday or dered to be remanded in prison custody by an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court for allegedly participating in the unlawful killing of three suspected kidnappers in Osogbo, the State of Osun capital.

The accused persons, accord- Samuel (21) and Olanrewaju ing to the charge sheet, burnt the Olawale (21).

According to the charge three suspected kidnappers alive at different locations within the sheet, Ismaila, Simeon, Sulaiman, Taiwo, Mathew and Seidu on state capital.

According to the charge sheet April 25, conspired to kill one read in court, the suspects and Segun Adewale (an alleged kidothers believed to be currently napper) by beating and setting at-large conspired to commit the him ablaze alive.

The charge sheet alleged crime between April 24 and 26, Oluwatoyin, Hammed, Ibukun, 2014 in Osogbo.

The accused persons were: Samuel and Olawale of conLawal Ismaila (22), Andrew spiracy and killing of Aliu Simeon (27), Surajudeen Mohammed (another alleged kidSulaiman (35), Taye Taiwo (20), napper) by also beating and burnAbolaji Mathew (30) and ing him to death on April 26, at Dugbe Police Station Area, Kamorudeen Seidu (25).

Other are: Ogundele Osogbo.

According to the charge Oluwatosin (40), Olasunkanmi Hammed (20), Sule Yahaya (23), sheet, Yahaya and other suspects Akande Ibukun (22), Ajibola at-large, also killed one Seun

Gbenga, who was suspected to be a kidnapper by beating and setting fire on him alive.

The actions of the accused persons were contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 391(1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 34 Vol.11, Laws of Osun 2003.

However, the pleas of the accused persons were not taken because of the capital nature of their offence.

Chief Magistrate Lasisi Muhammad, who presided over the case, then ordered that the accused persons be remanded in prison custody.

Muhammed further directed the police prosecutor, Promise Akanwa, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, to forward the case file to the Directorate of Public Prosecution, Ministry of Justice, Osogbo, for legal advice.

The case was later adjourned to June 11, 2014 for mention.

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Continued from pg1 why Iyi Omisore is so disorientated. He cannot say that Aregbesola has not performed. That would be ridiculous for the empirical evidence abounds. It is there for all to see. As clear as daylight.

In addition, Omisore lacks the diligence, the intellectual preparation as well as the seriousness of intent to put together an alternative programme.

His recent perfunctory attempt to submit a “manifesto” to the press was not surprisingly simply laughed out of court.

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Omisore’ Malevolent Politics (1) With the people of the state of Osun indifferent to his governorship ambition, Omisore is now in a quandary. With a performing governor in place and no inspiring alternative programme in place. What does he do next?

There are no prizes for guessing what he will do next. Omisore will simply slip back into what for him comes natural. What comes natural for the discredited former Senator is obvious. This is the politics of blood and thunder. The politics of malevolence and of violence. Omisore’s right hand man and enforcer is now in

charge of the policing system.

same pod. They do not throw their weight around to develop their people.

This has not happened by Far from it. The idea is accident. It is all part of a to brow beat the people grand scheme. The into submission. scheme is centeredon the militarization of politics. Instead of producing a This is the use of developmental agenda, intimidation and fear to they want to destroy. cower and coerce the Fortunately, it is not going populace. It translates to work this time around. into if you can’t win their In the course of the hearts get nasty with A r e g e b e s o l a them. administration, the state of Osun has witnessed We are already seeing profound and irreversible this in place elsewhere. changes. The people For example, the minister have witnessed the of state for Defense, difference between Musiliu Obanikoro has reactionary interlopers also been malevolently and a progressive throwing his weight alternative perspective. around. They are all throwing their weight On his part, Aregbesola around. They are all the has to use the words of same. Peas from the

APC’s Nationwide Spread – Life More Abundant For All

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EMEMBER that I wrote to you on a similar topic earlier this year. This second letter is for the purpose of emphasis – at least, to drive my points home. Events unfolding since the first letter have judged me right. The All Progressive Congress (APC) has since been expanding in size, composition, geographical spread and dominance. These developments are indicative of good electoral outings now and henceforth. For once, Nigeria can rest and be assured that people-oriented service would circulate round the length and breadth of their nation.

I’m the gladdest for it.

Thank God for this emerging opportunity. I also appreciate the privilege to have my opinions aired in your highly reputable and widely-read newspaper. I wish to commend your noble efforts in the past; while admonishing you to carry on undeterred in your fight at wrestling our people free from the fangs of intellectual and ideological enslavement. Some of us out here recognize and appreciate the weight of your selfless service to our state and the nation at large. I only wish to express my sincere hope that my choice of your medium is not misplaced as I nurse no doubts in my mind that you will find a space for its publication, and soonest too.

For some time now, I have kept under close observation the trend of events and happenings in the

political circles of our nation and truly, there has been a particular trend which I personally find most attractive and quite interesting.

The trend has been unfolding in phases, like a programmes sequence. First was the metamorphosing of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), alongside some other three or four former political parties into a mega political party in the name of All Progressive Congress (APC). This massive merger cum transformation and pooling of ideas and ideologies

alone came as the single wonder of the modern political terrain of Nigeria; as the hitherto prided political enclave, which had enslaved the people and their collective prospects of accessing good living conditions is manifestation to answered prayers. At last, the prayers and pleas of the masses had reached the highest heavens and God has given His assent to them. At last, it is obvious that our foisted captors are about to lose their vicious grip of their “empire”. In actual fact, the development

seems to me the triumph of the masses of Nigeria.

As if the foregoing was not enough, we began to witness wonders as various political groups, apparently considered incompatible decided to bury their differences and unite to chart one common cause for the forwardmovement of the nation and snatching it from the abovereferred-to vicious grip. I honestly confess that it took divine intervention for some of the subgroups in the alliance we now have on ground to have jettisoned

their strongly-held distinct political viewpoints and get them lost in the common will to rescue the poor masses from their tormentors.

No sooner these feats were recorded than we saw the giant oppressor and self-prided largest political party in Africa, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) melting and crumbling under the huge pressure and fierce force of change which the nation at its best must witness at this stage of its nationhood.

I have come across a horde of

pessimists who predicted the wave of change as not destined to last.

Another cross-section of pessimists viewed the success of the trend impossible. I married these two similar schools of thought together and filtered them out to a conclusion that both of them were hinged on an erroneous conviction that the former ruling party was far stronger than any collection of parties could unseat. This thought is as foolish as daring the omnipotence of God. Today, we have seen how far and well the various players have gone in the alliance. Not only this, we are seeing how the new group is gaining weight and enlargement, not minding inhibitions and hindrances. We have seen how various political office holders across various party convictions and across various arms of government dump their old associations for the new alliance.

We, in short, are viewing with pride from the horizons a brighter Nigeria; with promise of better, more people-oriented governance for the entire country.

As the good drama continues to unfold, I pray that the bond of the new-found alliance wax stronger, so that we for once in Nigeria could witness on nationwide scope good governance and the life of abundance it engenders.

Long live Nigeria!

•LAYI ODETOLA, Taiwo Road, Offa, Kwara State.

St.Francis of Assisi brought harmony where there was once discord.

The end of discord has resulted in profound development strides.

Schools have been refurbished. Roads have been constructed. Jobs have been created. A bright future beckons for the people with hope renewed.

All of this must be frustrating for the governorship wannabe Iyiola Omisore.

Nevertheless, his frustration should not lead him to rekindle the politics of malevolence.

For no amount of control of the security forces on Omisore’s part is going to threaten the populace

.The profound gains that have been made in the past three years across all sectors willbe resolutely defended. The people are aware that there is no alternative. They do not want to go back to a dismal and unedifying past. They will do everything to protect the gains made in the interest of their children as well as generations yet unborn.

The sooner Iyi Omisore and his sidekicks realize this, the better. In the state of Osun, the people have drunk from the well of liberty and progress. They are therefore resolute as they say NO! to Omisore’s malevolent politics!

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Infrastructure OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Ona Baba Ona In The State Of Osun

Counting The Costs; Celebrating The Benefits (III) Still in the mood of copious celebration of harvest of road infrastructure projects, Governor of the State of Osun, South West geopolitical zone of Nigeria, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, penultimate Monday commissioned a network of fully constructed accumulated road projects, numbering to almost twenty-one and stretching up to about thirty kilometres across the length and breadth of the metropolis of Osogbo, the state capital. This edition celebrates this laudable achievement in grand style; even amidst the commotion of well-deserved merit awards heaped on the seasoned administrator and socio-economic change-agent of our time. In this special commemorative package of OSUN DEFENDER Magazine, NIYI OLASINDE compiles full, comprehensive list of the road projects within Osogbo municipality, as a prelude to later publications on other ones recently commissioned in other parts of the State of the Virtuous.

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (arrowed), acknowledging cheers from his admirers during the inspection of the roads at Oluode, Osogbo, few days.

INSET: One of the completed 21 roads by the governor, at Oroki Estate, Osogbo, during the commissioning.

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OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Counting The Costs; Celebrating The Benefits (III)

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right), commissioning the completed 21 roads in Osogbo. With him; his deputy, Otunba (Mrs) Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori (2nd left); Secretary to the State Government of Osun, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti (left) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) RATCON Construction Company, Mr Elias Zaad (2nd right), during the occasion when the governor commissioned the completed roads in Osogbo few days ago.

Contiuned from page 5

•Continued from last week.

HE all-important nature of good, motorable road network to infrastructural growth and all other facets of all-round development of a society cannot be overemphasized. Lots of volumes of work had, in the past, been devoted to bringing to the fore the invaluable place occupied by good road provision in the socio-economic advancement of societies. In this connection, OSUN DEFENDER Magazine has never reneged in its avowed commitment to showcasing the laudable efforts of the incumbent All Progressive Congress (APC)-led administration of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola at fixing not all the urban roads but all the rural access roads within the nooks and crannies of the entire state as well. In this grand, noble and lofty project, clearly spelt out in the Six-Point Integral Action Plan of the administration, roads in n the category of the Rural Access and Mobility Projects (RAMP), a partnership project among states, the Federal Government and the World Bank are not left out. The successful exploits of the Government Unusual of Ogbeni Aregbesola in this direction have been our focus of celebration for some time now. Without mincing word and without attempts at procrastinating, we now move deftly to present the full roll-call of all the recently commissioned roads within Osogbo, the state capital.

As no account of this nature could attain a 100 per cent of accuracy, we present the list to the best of our ability, ensuring as usual that there are no embellishments or exaggerations whatsoever.

•Igbonna / Ago Wande / Oke Onitea / Winners’ Chapel / Ring Road Project HIS road project, inherited by the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from the immediate past administration in the state, was at inception time of the administration at the state of abandonment, neglect and disuse. As a matter of fact, tongues were wagging that the road project and the possibilities of its completion had become a farce. That was even as it became glaring that the fund for its construction had been released, either in part or in full to the contractor in charge of the work. It was startling and stunning to find the contractors of the project fully mobilized back to site.

The road was constructed up to the stage that it was macadamized, with the culverts, bridges and drainages properly fixed, at least to make the road reasonably motorable. This same road it was that was jocularly handled by the erstwhile Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola during one of the latter editions of his monthly audienceparticipation propaganda programme, branded Gbagede Oro. One particular complainant had approached the governor with a plea for the completion of that particular road project. Specifically, the complainant dwelt on the bridge over the stream at the precincts of C.A.C.

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WOSEM; which he complained that apart from its impassable nature, was so narrow that it could not take two pedestrians at a go. To this complaint, Oyinlola only replied with his usual jestive candor when he said “akuko Mecca ga to bayii; alhaji e re e le…” meaning that it was an exaggerated. That was all! The road was never fixed till his unceremonious ouster from office.

Upon the assumption of office of the Aregbesola administration in November 2010, work resumed on the project, and it was brought to completion before Christmas time that year. The first test of the usefulness of the road came during the Christmas festivities of 2010; precisely on the Christmas Eve on December 24, when due to traffic congestion on all access roads (all of which were then in a terrible state of disrepair), the road under consideration came to the rescue of motorists as the only escape route to the West Bypass (popularly called Ring Road). Since that time, it became clear that if all other linking roads in the state capital could be fixed, the problems and challenges of traffic congestion would have been flung overboard.

The case of this road is just only one instance among similar ones which were reopened by the new administration of Ogbeni Aregbesola all over the State of Osun. Today, all the roads have been made perfectly motorable.

•Olu Alabi / Anaye Market Link Way HIS road was totally in a state of disrepair at the time of the inception of the incumbent administration. The situation of the road was worsened by the presence of a bridge which had cut off; thus making smooth crossover difficult for pedestrians, not to talk of motorists. Residents of the area, especially those who were mobile with one mode of transportation or the other did not find the situation amenable at all.

The drainage situation of the area was an eyesore.

There were no clear-cut drainages at the road ends. To worsen matters, the supposed gutters and beds and banks of the stream which criss-cross the area became refuse dumping grounds for residents who could not find any better alternative for their refuse disposal needs.

Because of this prevailing situation, the area became perennially flood and erosion-prone; as fortunes of property and several lives were lost to the annual recurrence of erosion torrents.

One sorry sight in the area, which deserves mentioning, was indiscriminate defecation along the adjoining railway and its sides. The identified cause of this practice was the absence of toilet facilities in most residential houses, market stalls and complexes which dotted the area. This unhygienic practice has become a thing of the past today, via the proactive intervention effort of the Aregbesola administration.

Time and again during the time of the fiery siege, the searchlights of OSUN DEFENDER Magazine beamed on the ugly spectacle presented by this very area and

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the untold hardship which its residents were made to undergo. The disastrous floods of 2009 and 2010 in particular still remain fresh in our memories; as we reckon that the horrible experience is not what the residents of the area could forget in few years to come.

Today, the wave of Rauf Revolution has beamed to that area of the Osogbo Metropolis; not only in the area of road construction, but also in the area of environmental sanitation. The area under focus is exemplary of good sanitation practice today. The road and drainages are now perfectly well fixed. Aside this, the road is a shortcut from the earlier-mentioned one; and it also serves to avert unnecessary traffic congestion. Again, this good work came, courtesy of Ogbeni Aregbesola’s administration in the State of Osun.

West Bypass a.k.a. Ring Road HIS road had been in existence since the time of some military administration in the state. It was however brought to the present level of conceptualization by the administration of Chief Bisi Akande. The road, stretching from the Mobile Police Headquarters Junction /rare of Osogbo City Stadium to link the Osogbo-Iwo Road at Dele Yessir area spans between 15 and 20 kilometres. It also presents a stretch of good motorable road to motorists who intend to avoid the hustle-bustle of the township traffic. This, to a large extent, serves to reduce traffic congestion of the state capital.

Before the coming on board of the incumbent administration, the purpose of constructing this road had been almost defeated, as various forms of illegal structures had begun to litter both sides of the road.

Being a new road, various forms of workshop had occupied the roadsides and junctions. As if these activities were not enough, many residents of the metropolis found the patches of bushes at the edges of the road as ample refuse dumping ground. Activities of some motorists, especially the trailer drivers were also contributing to the deteriorating condition of the road.

Burning of tyres on the road, especially at nights, with a view to draw attention of other road users to damaged vehicle spots, contribute to damaging the road.

Also, other human activities like human defecation, gathering of earth and sands for building projects and selling to tipper operators and indiscriminate mounting of kiosks, stalls and other forms of movable structures for commercial activities contributed to unnecessary rapid congestion and overcrowdedness along the road.

Incursions and trespasses were made into the road boundaries/limits in an indiscriminate fashion. To cap it all, the street lights installed by the immediate past administration were just like mere decoration poles adorning that stretch of road. They never really provided light at night. Thus, the stretch of road provides ample hideouts for hoodlums, gangsters and criminals to carry

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OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, May 6, 2014

PHOTOTALK

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Presentation Of An Award Of Most Innovative Nigerian Governor In First Term To The Governor, State Of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, By Business World Newspaper At Zenabab Hotel, Ilesa, State Of Osun, Last Saturday.

Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

•(L-R) All Progressive Congress (APC) Interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; Governor Rauf Aregbesola and his wife, Sheriaft, at the event.

•(L-R) Speaker, State of Osun House of Assembly, Honourable Najeem Salaam; Guest Speaker, Professor Pat Utomi and Chief of Staff to State of Osun Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola at the event.

•(L-R) House of Representatives’ members, Alhaja Ayo Omidiran; Honourable Ajibola Famurewa and Chairman, Business World Newspaper, Mr Laisi Omidiji on the occasion.

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, May 6, 2014

PHOTOTALK

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Presentation Of An Award Of Most Innovative Nigerian Governor In First Term To The Governor, State Of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, By Business World Newspaper At Zenabab Hotel, Ilesa, State Of Osun, Last Saturday.

Photo:GBENGAADENIYI.

•A cross section of traditional rulers at the programme.

•Another cross section of traditional rulers at the event.

•Governor Aregbesola and his wife, Sherifat (3rd right) in a group photograph with some members of State of Osun House of Assembly on the occasion.

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PHOTOTALK

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Presentation Of An Award Of Most Innovative Nigerian Governor In First Term To The Governor, State Of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, By Business World Newspaper At Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI. Zenabab Hotel, Ilesa, State Of Osun, Last Saturday.

•(L-R) State of Osun Interim APC Chairman, Elder Lowo Adebiyi; Honourable Babatunde Komolafe ; APC interim State Treasurer, Mr Kunle Odeyemi and interim State Secretary, Prince Gboyega Famodun at the event.

•(L-R) Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Education, Otunba Fatai Olukoga; State of Osun Head of Service, Mr Sunday Owoeye and Senator Bayo Salami.

•A cross section of guests at the event.

•(L-R) State of Osun Commissioners; Youths, Sports and Special Needs, Barrister Stephen Kolabalogun; Environment, Professor Bukola Oyawoye and Women and Children Affairs, Mrs Adetoun Adegboyega.

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PHOTOTALK

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Presentation Of An Award Of Most Innovative Nigerian Governor In First Term To The Governor, State Of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, By Business World Newspaper At Zenabab Hotel, Ilesa, State Of Osun, Last Saturday.

Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

•Some of the dignitaries at the programme.

•Another cross section of the dignitaries at the event.

•Governor Aregbesola (arrowed) dancing with some of his admirers during the programme.

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Counting The Costs; Celebrating The Benefits (III) Contiuned from page 6

out their nefarious activities under the guise of nocturnal darkness.

Today, all these anomalies are being radically addressed. Potholes and other accidentals which constituted persistent causes of road carnages are being fixed and incidences of carnages are being reduced to the barest minimum. The roadsides are being prepared for ornaments, while the street divides too are being prepared for the same purpose. The street lights are also made functional as the road is now well-illuminated at nights. Also, designated bus stops and pedestrian walkways are being planned for construction along that road.

•Bisi Bamikole Road / Owoeye / Apostolic Faith / Pepsi Cola / Obelawo Axis HIS stretch of intercity roads links Oke Onitea with Omo West Area of the city. It provides another veritable shortcut to count down on unnecessary traffic congestion and aid easy, smooth human and vehicular movement within the state capital. Before the intervention of the Aregbesola administration, the stretch of linkways was in a horrible state. The roads were a persistent source of chronic headache for pedestrians and motorists alike.

As has been mentioned for other roads earlier in this report, the roads included in this segment were also plagued with sanitation challenges before the administration of Ogbeni Aregbesola came up with its various intervention efforts. The absence of defined drainage facilities made the areas prone to water erosion and flooding to the detriment of residents. Also, residents were in the habit of indiscriminate refuse dumping.

Indiscriminate defecation and emptying of sewage waste on the road were habits which had eaten deep into the fabric of the people.

Upon the approach of the intervention efforts of the Government Unusual, people were most prevalently pessimistic that the intervention would be pervading enough, especially, as the guise in vogue, which was the poser used by the previous administration was that the state was cash-squeezed; being a civil service state.

But the pessimists were dumbfounded eventually, as the incumbent administration has, by its performances beaten the wildest imagination of all the people.

Not only did the intervention efforts see to the fixing of roads, but also the gutters and drains were fixed.

The sanitation needs of the entire area have also been attended to promptly. The area today is a masterpiece of decency and good habitation.

•Oke-Fia / Alekuwodo / Olaiya Junction HIS road was initially constructed by the first military administration of Colonel Leo Segun Ajiborisa in the state. Subsequently, it received facelift from the first and second civilian administrations of Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke and Chief Bisi Akande respectively. Still, the road appeared like that of a glorified rural settlement. Its overriding importance, apart from the fact that it is situated in the heart of the state capital, is corroborated by the fact that almost all workers making it to the state capital from Iwo, Ilobu, Ejigbo, Ede and other axes of the state; even Ikirun/ Ila Orangun

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•AREGBESOLA: Governor, State of Osun

axes, en route Ring Road must pass through this road for one reason or the other. This road is therefore a crowd-puller, sort of.

It is in apparent recognition of the foregoing fact that the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola picked interest in the refurbishment and rehabilitation of the road to make it more effective and more useful to the teeming populace.

Long before now, efforts had been made by previous administrations in the state to decongest the road, especially by attempting to relocate the Alekuwodo Market, but these were all to no avail. Along the line, another market sprang up there. This was a market in building materials cum sawmill and plank market. All these compounded the problems associated with the congestion of the area.

There were two additional challenges closely knit to these afore-mentioned ones on this road. The first was the problem of poor channelization of drainage and water canals; while the second is the encroachment on the land acquired for use by the Nigeria Railway Corporation. Closely woven to the former was indiscriminate erection of building structures on waterways and its attendant disasters of perennial flooding; causing wanton destruction of lives and property.

All these calamitous situations have been reversed by the Government Unusual of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola within the space of three years of its dominance on the landscape of politics and governance of the State of Osun.

First, the markets have been relocated with consummate ease; and without harm, injury or prejudice to affected traders. Secondly, the affected buildings on waterways have been demolished, with due compensation paid to affected property owners. Thirdly, proper channelization of canals and waterways has been carried out. These measures have helped to forestall the calamities associated with water flooding, erosion and the attendant annual disaster of destruction of lives and property. Also, the problems associated with congestion, which adversely affected human and vehicular movement have been averted.

Above all, the Oke Fia / Alekuwodo / Ola Iya Junction Road has today been rehabilitated. This has been so well one that what remains of the popular Alekuwodo Market has been fenced out from the road. The plank cum building materials market has been relocated elsewhere. The road today is so widened that there are enough tolerances for pedestrian walkways, bus stop stalls/ sheds, roadside drainages and ample fencing of residential and shopping buildings from the main road.

This has so much eased tension of traffic in the axis that Alekuwodo is now an envy of all in the city. The sanitation needs of the area having been promptly attended to, the residents are today heaving sighs of relief, as they have been salvaged from the disastrous fangs of flooding and water erosion. In addition to this, the rod is now well lit to make nocturnal traffic and security easy and smooth.

•Orita Sabo / Orita Elelede / Igbonna / Owode / Oluode HESE networks of roads were not so good at the time of the ascension of power of the incumbent

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administration. As their major features, they were too narrow and devoid of drainages for easy flow and passage of erosion water. Few kilometres down the Orita Elelede axis down Ahmadiyyah Junction down to Obalende could be found the ever-troublesome River Gbonmi, which was a perennial cause of water flooding.

The roads today have been fixed, with deep and wide drainages. Also, the roads are wide enough to allow for convenient roadside parking spaces for motorists. We need to emphasize it at this stage that the roads constructed so far are solidly made of asphalt and limestone dust to ensure durability. The emphasis and philosophy of the incumbent administration hinge on construction of durable roads that would be able to stand the test of time. In addition to ensuring this, the administration has, for the first time in the annals of the state, established the State of Osun Roads Maintenance Agency (OSROMA) which is intended to see to ensuring that the roads are kept in good conditions at all times as well as ensuring that they are not willfully damaged through actions and inactions of users and residents on various guises.

•Orita Gbaemu / Isale Aro / Our Lady of Saint Francis Axis Road HIS road was in a deplorable state before the emergence of the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola in the saddle of governance in the State of Osun. That stretch of road was not wide enough for two vehicles to share at the same time. As the case was with almost all the so-called roads in the state, the road was also devoid of drainage cum sewage system. Since two oncoming vehicles could not make too convenient a use of the road, it is needless to recount the predicament which pedestrians would be facing during their daily hustle-bustle and toil on the road.

It is this road that the administration of Ogbeni Aregbesola rehabilitated as one of its earliest projects upon assumption of duty. One major importance of the road is its location that is close to the heart of the town and the ample kink it provides with important locations in the city. For instance, the link it provides with the king’s palace, the shrine of Osun river goddess, major first-generation churches and some crowd-pulling stateof-the-art schools places the stretch of road in a place of high prominence. We also reckon that the presence of the headquarters of Osogbo Local Government at Oke Baale; the Main Campus of the multi-campus State University at the same Oke Baale; and the exit to Ijesaland through Oke Ijetu requires proper alternative route which the link this road provides with Odi Olowo affords.

There is no gainsaying the fact that the Aregbesola administration took adequate and abundant care of this road upon its assumption of duty and service as the proprietor of the state. Today, the good quality of the road is still on ground to attest to our claims. To a large and reasonable extent, these roads provide wide range of access opportunities for all – pedestrians and motorists alike, within the state capital of Osogbo. We fully appreciate the construction and rehabilitation of these access roads, more so as they were done in advance of the commencement of the reconstruction Contiuned on page 12

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•LAOYE-TOMORI: Deputy Governor and Commissioner for Education

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Counting The Costs; Celebrating The Benefits (III)

•A newly-commissioned road at Oroki Housing Estate, Osogbo.

Continued from page 11 and rehabilitation of Major Township and federal roads; so as to smoothen passage of traffic within the city.

We place on record how the state capital had played host to events, religious and otherwise, of national and global significance. In April 2013, the Nigerian Baptist Convention’s Centenary Annual Session was hosted in Osogbo. It was this good network of motorable roads that came to the rescue; otherwise, the mammoth crowd that graced the occasion would have been unmanageable. Other similar events which were held in quick succession include the annual conference of Ansar Ud Deen Society, the Lion’s Club and the State government’s hosting of the first-ever Oodua World Children’s Day celebrations in May 2013. It was demonstrated through these programmes that a good network of motorable roads is crucial to development in all facets.

•Odi Olowo / Baptist High School / Gbodofon / Aregbe Axis HIS access road, an obvious exit from and link to the ever-busy Gbongan Road from the interior of the city was in a complete state of disrepair as at the time the Aregbesola administration came on board in the state in November 2010. The administration swung promptly into action in carrying out the reconstruction of that important road. Pessimists were dazzled as it transited from one stage to another until completion. Today, that road provides good ample link between the interior of the town and the exit Gbongan Road; obviously, the one and only aside the Olaiya/ Odi Olowo Road..

A practical demonstration of the importance of this road came in April 2013 during the afore-mentioned 100th Annual Session of the Nigerian Baptist Convention hosted by the Osun Conference of the denomination.

The Main Venue of the Convention Session being the premises of the former Baptist Girls’ High School (now Baptist High School), Gbodofon, Osogbo, the delegates were helped to easy movement and punctual attendance at events due to the good state of our roads. Also, the non-delegate public coped amenably well with the crowd of the period through the assistance of these newlyconstructed roads. Today, the roads remain useful and invaluable for our convenience and easy movement in and out of the state capital.

•Ola Iya / Odi Olowo Junction Opening HORTLY before the unceremonious exit of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola from office as governor of the state, traffic lights were introduced to some major junctions in the state capital. One of such junctions was the Orita Ola Iya/ Odi Olowo Junction. Other points within the state capital were the Old Garage Roundabout and the Oke Fia Roundabout. It was initially conceived (erroneously though) that the congestion of the time was due mainly to huge vehicular movement in and out of the city. The emergence of Aregbesola, a trained and seasoned Mechanical Engineer, tested and trusted, in the saddle of governance discovered other concrete causes of this unnecessary congestion.

Within the three years of the administration’s giant strides in the saddle, the Ola Iya Junction has been transformed; having been opened up with many link

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mouths with the main road. This has facilitated smooth and easy movement of vehicles a great deal. It has also effectively counted down on the huge volume of carnages at that junction. As at the time of compiling this report, work is earnestly in progress on the side of the defunct Ola Iya Petrol Station. It is certain that the remaining work on this side and those on the other side of the road (the Apostolic and Odi Olowo Junction) must have been completed by the end of year 2013.

•Oke Fia / Rasco Cinema / Old Garage Opening HIS axis constituted one of the gravest trouble spot in Osogbo metropolis, especially in years preceding the emergence of the Aregbesola administration in office. In terms of environmental sanitation challenges; in terms of water erosion and flooding; in terms of indiscriminate waste disposal; the challenges were too rife to cope with. Residential and commercial structures were indiscriminately erected with gross violation to all known rules.

Beyond the Railway Crossing toward the Old Garage centre was especially perilous in all ramifications; even to the average pedestrians. The goriest event in living memory at that railway crossing is the carnage involving one intra-city commercial mini bus (korope) and a locomotive train. That accident recorded one casualty, and it is just one of the many which occurred in the city.

At the Old Garage end from Oke Fia; just after the level crossing, there also was the presence of traffic lights. But these traffic lights were not just the panacea to the myriads of problems militating against residents and passers-by of our roads. The Aregbesola administration wielded the magic wands, as it saw the timely need for broadening of the roads. Today, the road has been broadened to ease off traffic for those exiting toward the old MDS area without unnecessary delays and hiccups. Work is rapidly progressing on other sides of the road.

It is hoped that before the year shall reach its very end, the road at that point must have been completely freed of all hiccups, bottlenecks and lockjams.

•Freedom Park ( a.k.a. Nelson Mandela Freedom Park) S far as the stretch of area hitherto referred to as Old Garage in Osogbo, the state capital is concerned; the Freedom Park is clearly the greatest accomplishment of the Rauf Revolution. Before the wave of success which brought the revolution came about, there was a slum patch of rickety shops and stalls where itinerant traders sold odds and ends. Right and left, at the roadsides, haphazardly-located shops and stalls, which were clearly efforts taken in the uglification process of a state capital, littered all available spaces. Before now, the Osun Capital Territory Development authority and other town planning authorities merely existed for the fun of it.

The genesis of the evolution process which brought the Freedom Park into being derived from the master plan contained in the policy document of Ogbeni Aregbesola. In that policy document, where he highlighted the Six-Point Integral Action Plan with which he vowed to govern his people; and which formed his pact with them; the seasoned administrator vowed to

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revamp the rail transport system as a veritable mode of transportation. For that plan to materialize properly, the railway terminus in the centre of the state capital must be standardized, cleared and provided with well-befitting warehouses.

Hence, work started on the clearing of the massive expanse. Already, the occupants knew themselves as violators and trespassers of Land Use Act; since the stretch of land belonged ever to the Nigeria Railway Corporation. Really, it was upon the actual clearing of the expanse left and right that the unsuspecting public realized that the area was so spacious!

Today, the ensuing Freedom Park is not only beautiful to behold; but also presents an ample space for decent assemblies, congresses and other forms of rendezvous.

All these events being held at the venue are staunch sources of revenue for the proprietor of the space, the Government of the State of Osun. As part of the purposes of the park, motorists who have businesses to transact at the New Orisunmbare Market or elsewhere around the centre have ample spaces to park their vehicles without disturbing the flow of traffic.

•Rasco / Railway Station / Old Sawmill / Ola Iya Link EFORE now, making passage from Rasco Cinema end via a shortcut to Ola Iya Junction would present a spectacle of ghettos and residential buildings ready to collapse at any time or be subsumed by the spate of apparently unavoidable perennial flooding.

This stretch of land as well is the property of the Nigerian Railway Corporation. Funnily, yet pitiably, many more structures were springing up daily in the area as if they could be built with impunity!

Most of these structures looked dilapidating and they were annual hosts to water flooding. During rainy seasons, many of the occupants fled to other places, pending the time when the floods would subside!

Beyond the river, both at the Railway Station side and at the side overlooked by the Dugbe Police Station, there were patches of bushes which appear dangerous as they could be ready hide-outs to hoodlums and drug addicts who could be the same bunch of criminals unleashing various shades of terror on residents.

Still beyond the stream at the side of the Railway Station, was located the old Salvation Army Primary School, one of the schools chosen as demonstration sites for the State Government’s intervention initiative efforts branded the State of Osun Schools’ Infrastructure Development Project (O’SCHOOLS).

Today, the new, ultra-modern Salvation Army Elementary School is standing tall and imposing, to the pride and admiration of all progress-loving indigenes and residents of the State of Osun. Even passers-by from other places cannot hold back rendering spontaneous prayers for the administration that has deemed it fit to rehabilitate the hitherto dilapidating structures of public schools in the state.

The Government Unusual did not terminate its reconstructive efforts with the rebuilding of schools and provision of befitting furniture; but also all buildings and structures which could pose impediments to smooth teaching-learning processes were demolished with compensations paid as and when due to owners of such structures.

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OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Counting The Costs; Celebrating The Benefits (III)

•Newly-commissioned road at LAMECO Area, Osogbo.

Continued from page 12 volumes of the disservice dispensed to the state and its the railway, people had found a convenient spot for Concerning the markets and sawmill / building people by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)-led dumping of refuse and indiscriminate defecation. Upon the materials market earlier mentioned in this edition, the administration of Brigadier-General Olagunsoye Oyinlola fresh creation of the State of Osun in 1991, a portion of the

(rtd.). To God be the glory, the market complex today is being put to utilitarian use. OSUN DEFENDER Magazine in one of its recent editions presented an account of a vox pop conducted with a cross section of traders displaced from various illegal locations within the metropolis of the state capital. One of the respondents was Mr. Sunday Jonathan, who confessed that he was all prayers for the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. This, according to him, was due to the unquantifiable benefits accruing For the traders at the broad Alekuwodo Market, the from his relocation from his former location at Ayetoro to Government of the State of Osun has fenced their temporary the new shop he occupies at the New Orisunmbare Market market out of the road; pending the time when they, Complex. alongside with the traders at the old Orisunmbare Market The case of Mr. Jonathan is just one out of many we and the MDS Market would be relocated to their new market bases along the same earlier-mentioned Osogbo/ Iwo Road. have around us in recent times. As a matter of honesty and In a nutshell, the expanse of land between former Rasco sincerity, many of the relocated traders never realized their Cinema and the famous Ola Iya Junction is now free, clear relocation as blessing in disguise until they got to their and it is hoped that apart from effecting a possible new locations. Earlier parts of this particular edition has expansion of the newly created Freedom Park, Government reported how traders relocated from the Ola Iya / Unusual would fashion out other befitting uses for the Alekuwodo sawmill were full of prayers for the Government space created. Apart from ensuing work of beautification, Unusual on arrival at their new location. These are the Government has through this intervention effort saved indications to it that the government of the day in the State a proportion of the populace from the ravenous fangs of of Osun means well for the entire citizenry. annual devastating flood and its attendant disasters. incumbent administration is through with W HEN the its urbanization efforts, not only would the State •MDS / Railway Station / Ola Iya Access Way of Osun be entirely turned around; but the state capital, Osogbo, in particular, would have transformed into HE earlier-discussed stretch of land in-between the T old Rasco Cinema and the famous Ola Iya a state capital in the true context of it. Before now, the Roundabout is a different ballgame from the present appearance and features of the city had been that of a area of discourse. We now dwell on the area between the glorified rural settlement. Thanks and gratitude to the Railway Terminus per se and the Ola Iya Junction; with the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola for inclusion of the roadsides (left and right) of the popular deeming it fit to give facelift to the state capital in order to make it more befitting and able to stand contest with other MDS area. state capitals in the country and yonder.

We have earlier bared our discussion on the Freedom Also before now, Osogbo, the state capital was noted Park, initiated and put in place by the incumbent administration at the Railway Terminus situated at the area for narrow roads, illegal structures, unplanned terrains and hitherto referred to as Old Garage. Right from the Railway indiscriminate bus stops and motor parks. The rowdiness Terminus Building to the Ola Iya Junction, work in progress and clumsiness which surrounded the city was not justified has currently reached advanced stages. The provisions by the population; especially when it is considered that made at that place include an overhead pedestrian bridge people are just beginning to troop in into the city on the across the rail; obviously to avert occurrence of hitherto impetus of the new vibrant and viable industrial cum commercial drive of the incumbent administration. persistent rail accidents.

Government Unusual has so reorganized things that the sawmill / building materials market has today been relocated to somewhere along the Osogbo / Iwo Expressway – somewhere in the axis of the famous Osogbo Grammar School. On the day dedication prayers were held at the new site of the market, the traders were full of prayers for the Government Unusual for the provision of a more spacious and far more befitting market arena for them.

•Rasco / Railway / Old Sawmill / Olaiya Link The remaining strand of land to the side of Ola Iya Junction is meant for the provision of various amenities like conveniences, police post, eateries, recreational spots, T HIS was the point at which we drew the curtains on the last edition. We traced the activities that had taken and camp / retreat avenues and other social amenities for place along the expanse of area between the Rasco the benefit of all.

Cinema end of Oke Fia / Old Garage axis to the Olaiya area, At the sides of the main road linking the Old Garage with bordering the railway line. We placed on record how the the Ola Iya Junction, work is in progress to clear both sides area had become a slum or ghetto; and how it had been of the road of obstructions to free human and vehicular that persistent occurrence of water erosion and flooding had made the adjoining environment not only unfit, but movement and free flow of water during the rains. also unsafe for human habitation. In spite of that fact, The other side of the MDS area occupies the New people kept defying all safety rules and danger signals as Orisunmbare Market, a brainchild of the Bisi Akande illegal structures kept springing up day-in day-out in the administration in the state. The prevailing lethargy over area. Also, it was placed on record how the area had become making effective use of the ultra-modern market complex trouble spot in view of the dilapidating structures and since its erection and completion in the early 2000s speaks hideout spots for criminals. For the areas directly bordering

affected area was initially used as Motor Park / Terminus for the defunct Osun State Transport Corporation (OSTC).

That stretch had become desolate. In consequence, illegal structures had begun to spring up in the area. In a nutshell, the entire area had become an eyesore to all; and it had all along awaited the arrival of a focused and well-intentioned government to put it back in good shape.

The canal end of the area also had long required proper channelization. The natural river course had grown bushy and obstructed by refuse dumped indiscriminately by residents and traders in the area.

Today, the entire expanse has been cleared. The rubbish occupying the area has been ridded. The buildings and structures obstructing the river courses have been demolished. The river courses have been properly channelized. All the ghetto areas which had hitherto served as hideouts for hoodlums and criminals have been opened up and exposed. The area now looks befitting and free for human and vehicular movement. Work is still ongoing in the area. It is however certain that by the time the government is through with its effort on the area, there shall be provided a link; a sort of shortcut between the Old Garage area and the Old Olaiya Junction / Alekuwodo.

One significant event worthy of mentioning which have taken place in the area since the time of compiling the last edition has been the broadening and dredging of the river course at Rasco end. It is a highly commendable landmark achievement on the part of the Government of the State of Osun that the perennial problems of water erosion and persistent flooding in the area have been arrested. Thick and heavy as the rains have been this year (2013); residents have been full of praises and prayers for the administration of Ogbeni Aregbesola for coming to their aid by rescuing them from the ravaging and horrendous calamity of water flooding and its ugly after-effects; which had hitherto become a recurring decimal in the area. Today, the entire area has been opened up. Even mere physical inspection shall reveal that the area and its residents have received a new lease of life and a clean bill of health; courtesy of the Aregbesola administration.

•MDS / Railway / Olaiya Access Way stretch is the expanse that is parallel to the area T HIS examined above. It is the area due to the other stretch of the railway, closer to the main road linking the Old Garage of the Olaiya Junction. The stretch had hitherto been befallen by much the same predicament as the other stretch considered above. In addition, it was dotted with illegal structures; mainly shops, kiosks, stalls and al manners of movable structures for trading activities, which constituted obstruction to free human and vehicular movement. In consequence, the area became rowdy, clumsy, ugly and unplanned. Instead of having in place a layout befitting of the heart of a state capital, all manners of occupants just erected structures after their patterns in gross violation of all rules of building and town planning.

Continued on page 14 What an ugly and horrible spectacle it was!

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MAGAZINE

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Counting The Costs; Celebrating The Benefits (III) Continued from page 13 The patch of bushes in-between the road and the railway; which had not been developed was carelessly used for refuse dumping and human defecation, making the entire area stuffy, smelly and uncomfortable for passers-by. A greater portion of the bushy area was used as hideouts for hoodlums, hooligans, criminals and hemp-smokers. It was obvious that no meaningful attempts had been made by the previous administrations in the state to convert the area into some meaningful use. It is this area that the incumbent administration is now utilizing for profitable and more beneficial purposes.

In the grand plan for the area, various amenities are to be provided in a matter of next few months for the maximum benefit of the generality of the citizenry of the state. Such amenities include park (already constructed), pedestrian bridges and rail crossing aid for cyclists (currently under construction), police station, conveniences for ladies and gents, warehouses, eateries and other facilities that could enhance enjoyment of all.

•Ajegunle / LAUTECH / First Bank / Station Road Link T had been long that this major link between the main I township road (Old Garage / Igbonna Road) and the popular Station Road, which form major exit to Ilesa and Ijesaland had craved for reconstruction. The way it was, the link served as access to the main entrance of the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospitals (LAUTECH-TH) Complex (formerly State Hospital). This hospital facility and its College of Medicine is a fond legacy and joint asset between the State of Osun and its sister-state – Oyo State; and had been sited in Osogbo since the time of old Oyo State which comprised the two states. In view of the lucrative nature of a tertiary health institution of that magnitude, the hospital facility had attracted to itself an impressive number of shopping outlets. What is not impressive about it all was the fact that the shopping outlets were located in a fashion that violated every rule of a modernized market layout.

This situation had particularly been horrible and ugly more so a tertiary health institution is located in that area. It is important to note that the site of a hospital should have an aura of sacredness and sanctity around it. A good, clean and serene environment for a hospital is in itself an effective healing therapy. More so, the access provided by that road draws heavy human and vehicular traffic such that the area is almost always congested. This was a frightful barrier to easy access to service delivery in times of emergency. Even in normal times, the congestion constituted strong barriers to easy movement.

It is this ugly situation that the incumbent administration in the State of Osun seeks to rectify by venturing into the rehabilitation of that road. The road which links the popular Station Road; which importance in the state capital has been underscored above; and which shall be the subject of our discussion at a later segment of this discourse. Today, all illegal structures dotting the roadsides and all such ones dotting all unallocated parcels of land in the stretch have been demolished.

This development has paved way for easy human and vehicular movement in the area. Great kudos to the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in the State of Osun!

•Station Road HE stretch of road linking the Old Garage Area to the centre o the city, the Palace Area, popularly called Oja Oba; which also plays host to the Central Mosque; is the road under review in this segment. It is the same road that has been referred to in the just-concluded segment above. As has been pointed out earlier, it is this same road that projects further to

T

•Another recently commisssioned road in Ilesa.

Oke Ayepe / Oke Ijetu / D.O. Area of the city; and which exits into the Ijesaland axis of the state. From the Palace Area, there is a diversion of the road to the left hand-side towards Ibokun, the seat of Obokun Local Government Council Area of the state.

Apart from this, this road connecting Oke Baale Area plays host to some significant places in the state capital. It is the main junction to the Main Campus of the multi-campus Osun State University (UNIOSUN). It is also the road leading to the headquarters of the state-owned media organization, the State of Osun Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC) – Radio and Television.

In addition to these, the road is the access to the headquarters of one of the first-generation local government council areas in the state – the Osogbo Local Government. This is not to talk of the presence of the Federal Secretariat, which is under construction along that route. We can go on and on, but all we know is that there is huge presence of many places of note along that route which provides attraction to great crowd. The ancient residence of the late icon of culture, the Austria-born Susan Wenger is also located there. A great number of hotels, guest houses and hospitality places is located in the axis. Constructing a good motorable road to access such an area could not be a misplaced priority.

To the right hand-side of the junction from the Ataoja Palace Junction is the road linking Isale Osun, which plays host to the main Groove of the Osun goddess. The internationally recognized deity of Osun, from which the state derives its name and identity, draws lots of adherents, worshippers, admirers, tourists and visitors from all parts of the world annually. On the basis of this feat, the Osun Groove got listed in October 2005 on the world tourism map; and the United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization has listed the Groove as a world tourism centre. In effect, year after year, the Groove attracts increasing volumes of crowd; placing the irresistible demand on any responsible and responsive government to pave wide roads all around the place.

All along, before the Palace Square end of the Station Road, the stretch of the road from Gbaemu Junction is strewn with places of note – schools, arts and culture centres, churches and other worship centres; all of which contribute to make the place a beehive of activities. On the whole, fixing the Station Road in Osogbo is a major breakthrough achievement of the Rauf Aregbesola administration in the State of Osun. Right from the Old Garage Area of the state capital, the Station Road is an extension of the commercial nerve-centre of the city. With the proposed relocation of the Oja Oba and the location of the two major city centres along this stretch of road; that is, the Old Garage and the Palace Square areas, the ground is set for the dramatic transformation of the state capital, which had hitherto remained a semi-urban centre into a highly urbanized city.

•Olaiya / Odi Olowo / St. Francis / Asubiaro / Ita Olookan W HILE it is true that this stretch of road had been constructed by an earlier administration, it is truer that the state of the road upon the assumption of the reins of power by the incumbent administration was not good enough. The road had become damages and the rate of congestion was higher due to wrong u-turn points. The importance of this road cannot be over-emphasized. It constitutes a faster link from the Iwo /Gbongan roads end of the city with the Ilesa Road. It also aids faster access to the Palace Square city centre. Aside this, the road links such other vital places of note as the famous Osun Groove and the State Hospital Asubiaro. It also provides access to the famous Our Lady of Fatima / St. Francis Hospital; some notable schools and worship centres. It is therefore a great work of ingenuity that this road has been properly fixed. With the street median properly fixed and the street lights fully functional, the city life of the state capital has not only received a boost, but also the economic importance of the road has been maximized.

The trouble spot at the junction of Fagbewesa Road has been blocked so as to enhance smooth vehicular movement.

•Fagbewesa Road / Station Road N spite of spurious efforts by the immediate past administration in the state to fix this road, nothing significant happened to it at the end of the day. Immediately upon the assumption of office of the incumbent administration, however, frantic steps were taken to restore the road to proper shape. These efforts paid off well at the end of the day. The Fagbewesa Road today offers a smooth safe ride to motorists and cyclists while pedestrians too enjoy a nice walk. The road, with the additional access it has from the Old Garage / MDS axis is a good shortcut. It also provides ample link with Egbatedo and Isale Ijebu areas of the city.

I

•Aregbe / Akindeko /Capital Hotel I N spite of the location of a proposed housing estate somewhere along this route by the immediate past administration, the access roads at that entire area were not fixed. The major problem that bad plagued Osogbo city life all this while had not been that there had been too many motor vehicles; it had been that apart from the major roads, there had not been alternative routes. In effect, the major roads were overused and overstretched. The incumbent administration however gave a timely diagnosis to this problem and responded to it promptly. Today, the stretch of access from Opposite Aregbesola Campaign Office / First Bank Gbongan Road through Akindeko to Capital Hotel has been fixed right. This has saved a lot of traffic congestion within the state capital.

•Old Garage / Orisunmbare / MDS HE other side of this stretch of road has already been captured in an earlier segment of this report. That portion is that which centred on the MDS / Olaiya axis.

The stretch of road from the Old Garage through the Post Office Junction to the New Orisunmbare Market Complex is covered under this sub-heading. The former feature of this entire expanse of road, as is the case with the Station Road just considered is narrowness; which has caused vehicles to be parked at roadsides; thus further narrowing down the road.

T

With the ongoing broadening of these roads and the relocation of street hawkers to new organized market locations within the metropolis, the stage is set for the transformation of Osogbo into a real state capital – spacious, beautiful and well laid out.

•Capital Hotel / Tinumola / Boorepo /Ring Road IRECTLY opposite Capital Hotel lies a stretch of road network covering the entire expanse of area to the opposite side of Technical College along Iwo / Ibadan Road of the city. In times past, these roads had been in an absolute state of disrepair. The importance of roads in this area is quite inestimable. With this road, taking exit from Capital Hotel area toward Ikirun / Offa, Iwo, Ilobu and other relevant places would not necessarily require passage through the ever-busy Oke Fia. The road network at this end has actually solved much of the traffic problems in this part of the state capital.

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•To be continued.

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, May 6, 2014

FOR THE RECORDS

15

State Of Osun Govenor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Presented Buses To Students’ Union Governments Of State-owned Tertiary Institutions At The Government House Lawn, Osogbo, Last Friday.

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (3rd left); his deputy, Otunba (Mrs) Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori (left); Special Adviser to the Governor on Tertiary Institutions, Alhaja Mulikat Bello (2nd left) and other dignitaries, during the commissioning of four 18-seater buses for the Students’ Union Governments (SUG) of the stateowned tertiary institutions at Government House Lawn, Osogbo, State of Osun last Friday.

•Governor Aregbesola (2nd right), presenting an 18-seater bus key to the president, Students’ Union Government (SUG), Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun, Comrade Saheed Badmus (right), during the presentation of four 18-seater buses to the SUG of the state-owned tertiary institutions at Government House Lawn, Osogbo, State of Osun last Friday.

•Governor Aregbesola (2nd right), presenting another 18-seater bus key to the President, Students’ Union Government (SUG), Osun State College of Education, Ilesa, Comrade Elusakin Feranmi (left), during the presentation of four 18-seater buses to the SUG of the state-owned tertiary institutions in Osogbo last Friday.

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TUESDAY, MAY 6, 2014

WE

need no f u r t h e r testimonials any more after convincing evidences have been tabled before jurists to either plead for exoneration for the guiltless, or for the offender to be summarily hammered. It is true that even the vilest offender will desire to plead his way out of condemnation, but the meticulousness of an impartial Jurist will not allow the guilty to be exonerated; even if the throat of the offender turns dry in an attempt to prove case out of perfidy.

By ADE OLUGBOTEMI

the Federal Capital Territory.

Why Jonathan, PDP Must Go

I still do not understand why we merit the kind of leadership that the people of this country have at the moment. If we are sinners, I believe we have Intercessors, and with the people that are genuinely standing in the gap for us, our God is merciful enough to avail us better options, and give us people with modicum of mere pity to be at the helm of affairs. I don’t think the left option is for us to be stripped of our toga of compassion that we are known and cherished for; all because inordinate obstinacy has subtly crept into our ethos and •JONATHAN usages. national life. We are known to be our brothers’ keepers; with Flagrant exhibition of compassion wafting all around us. heartlessness has never been as It is alien to have unbridled manifest in our creed and character impunity displayed so much that all as is presently evident in our other people now see us as

•A soldier attempting to kill a peaceful protester in Osogbo, State of Osun, during the statewide protest against the rigging of 2 0 0 7 governorship election in Osun.

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan displayed the highest level of insensitivity, when less than forty eight hours after Nyanya incident, he consciously, albeit flagrantly, went on political jamboree to Kano, dancing to the hurts of concerned individuals, who were never at the scene of the ugly event, but mourned and groaned for lives’ extermination that just took place.

Mr President was physically there with some of his kitchen cabinet members, appearing sober with melancholic and mournful look.

He feigned compassion when he put on hold the planned trip to Ibadan to felicitate with the Olubadan of Ibadanland on the occasion of his centenary birthday, only to appear at PDP’s political rally in Kano raining abusive words on the state governor. He later appeared in Ibadan, where mere emotion initially prompted a restraint that later became a derelict, as if nothing calamitous recently took place; when in fact hundreds of Nigerian citizens are epidemically callous. No evidence writhing with pains in various is germane anymore when the hospitals all over the Federal President disdainfully disregarded capital. scores of lives that perished in the There are some people in hands of heartless miscreants at Nyanya Motor Park, the outskirt of Nigeria that can succinctly be regarded as thoroughly bred and Gate-Keeper Democrats through their antecedents. Such never had military background that might have shrouded their proclivity for full adherence to democratic norms. Mention cannot be made of the first ten people in this category without due reference to President Jonathan; for having occupied almost all available political offices in the land. They must have understood that in democracy, it is not possible that all voters will vote for one amongst many contestants.

Where a contestant is not known to any voters, one of them will make mistake to inadvertently vote in his\her favour. The winner must know at the end that he\she has won for all.

It is now a known fact that most states of the federation are groaning under fund starvation that the man at the centre deliberately employed to stifle opposition. Mr President has no justification for this because our revenue has not dwindled. This is not what obtains in developed democracy.

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 Managing Editor, KOLA OLABISI, Telephone: 08033927286 (kolaolabisi@yahoo.com); Editor, KAYODE AGBAJE, Telephone: 0803-388-0205, E-mail: osundefender@yahoo.com, kayodeagbaje@yahoo.com. ISSN: 0794-8050.Website: www.osundefender.org.