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Who KilledChief Bola Ige,former Attorney-

General andMinister of

Justice? IGE

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•All Progressive Congress (APC) National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande (4th left), presenting the party flag to Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi (2nd right). With them are,wife of Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi (right); the Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Professor Modupe Adelabu (3rd left); former EFCC boss, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu (2nd

left); former Head of State, General Muhamodu Buhari (rtd) (at the back of Fayemi); Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (at the back of Fayemi) and other APC chieftains during theofficial presentation of APC flag to Dr Fayemi to endorse him for second term in office, at Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, last Wednesday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

Osun Assembly To Approve LG Creation Bill After Recess

Adeyeye Leads Aregbesola’s20-man Campaign Team

Osun 2014 Governorship Election:

Ogbeni At 57

Today provides an-other opportunity forthe amiable anddoughty governor ofthe state of Osun,Ogbeni Rauf AdesojiAregbesolato thankhis creator for sparinghis life to be able towitness another dateof his birth. But notonly for the grace of

being alive should hebe thankful to God, forhaving lived a life of im-pact thus far also pro-vides a cause for himand his numerous ad-mirers to glorify

the name of theLord today.

A journey of fiftyseven years on theshore of earth is not ajoke and especially asthe journey is defined

by giant achieve-ments not only per-sonal but humanitar-ian. And it is for thisreason that we arehappy to identitywith this

visionary leaderwho has impactedpositively on the livesof so many

Continue on pg5

2 OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 2014News

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (with mic), addressing sympathisers and members of the APCduring the official presentation of All Progressives Congress (APC) flag to Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi,to endorse him for second term in office, in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, last Wednesday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

By FRANCIS EZEDIUNO

Osun, Ekiti Elections: Aregbesola Insists On VCR•Buhari, Akande, Tinubu, 16 APC Governors Storm Ekiti

By KEHINDE AYANTUNJI

FORMER military Head of State, General MuhammadBuhari, All Progressives Congress (APC) InterimNational Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, National

Leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, and other APC governorsstormed Oluyemi Kayode Stadium in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti Statecapital to rally support for the second term bid of GovernorKayode Fayemi last Wednesday.

Oyawoye Hails Aregbesola Over Environmental Sanitation

THE Commissioner for Environment and Sanitationin the State of Osun, Professor Olubukola Oyawoye,has disclosed that Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s

environmental sanitation drive had drastically reducedthe number of patients going to the hospitals for medicalcare.

Reeling out the statistics,the commissioner explainedthat less than 200,000people now have recordedcases of malaria in the state,contrary to the alarming750,000 and 500,000recorded in 2011 and 2012respectively.

She made the disclosurein a paper titled: “Clean andSustainable Environment,Panacea for Outbreak ofEpidemic: ‘The State ofOsun Experience,’ deliveredat the monthly guest lectureat the Correspondents’Chapel of Oyo State Councilof Nigeria Union of

Journalists (NUJ).She recalled the

challenge posed to thestate by flood at theinception of the currentadministration in the state,wherein some kids, cowswere drowned and othervaluable materialsdestroyed, but noted thatthe menace was tackledfrontally.

According to her, “floodcreated a huge challengefor the government ofAregbesola at inception,but as a result ofcleanliness advocacy ofgovernor Aregbesola, flood

became a thing of the pastand cholera hasdisappeared, with waragainst indiscriminatedumping of waste sustainingour success story.”

Oyawoye, who attributedthe beautification of thestate to doggedness anddetermination on the part ofthe governor, blamed thepast administration for thehuge dirt that dotted manyparts of the state,culminating in the outbreakof cholera then, adding thatthe sorry state of things,when Aregbesola took over,was due to the lukewarmattitude of the pastadministration.

She recalled that therewere incidences of flooding,which resulted in loss oflives, indiscriminatedumping of refuse alongwater courses and roads,resulting into dirty

environment andconsequently outbreak ofepidemic; indiscriminatefelling of trees within andoutside forest reserveswithout replacement.

“Governor Aregbesoladeclared a three-monthemergency on sanitation,which, though itinconvenienced peopleinitially, the end result wasencouraging.

“In a day, we removed 36lorry loads of waste from apublic dump site and welater dredged hundreds ofwaterways to avoidflooding and spread ofepidemic diseases.

“240 boreholes were sunkat the cost of $2.5 million,public toilets wereconstructed across thestate; we converted wastesto biogas, as well as planting‘Igi-Iye’ to facilitate cleanand healthy environmentfor our people to live in,”she explained.

Osun Assembly To ApproveLG Creation Bill After Recess

THE State of Osun House of Assembly has said that itwould give speedy approval to the Local GovernmentCreation Bill after it reconvened from its three-week

recess.At its sitting on Tuesday,

the state parliamentadjourned till June 16 toproceed on a recess.

The Deputy Speaker,Honourable AkintundeAdegboye, who presidedover the sitting, said that theAssembly is awaiting thereport of the referendum ofthe local governmentcreation exercise from theState Independent ElectoralCommission (OSSIEC).

He stressed that thereport is expected to bepresented to the Housebefore the end of the recess,“so that the House wouldapprove the bill beforeAugust 9 governorshipelection.”

“You will recall that wehave promised to approvethe local governmentcreation bill before theelection and after the recess,it will be part of the work thatwe will do by giving itspeedy approval.

“Also, part of the bill we

are expected to consider assoon as we reconvene is thebill for the State of OsunEducation District Officesin the three senatorialdistricts and TeachersEstablishment and PensionOffice,” he added.

Noting that thelawmakers are entitled to asix-week recess to rest,Adegboye revealed thatthroughout the 2013, theydid not go on any recess.

The Deputy Speakerhowever stressed that therecess would give them theopportunity to fraternisewith their constituents andstrategise for stategovernorship election billedfor August 9.

“During this recess, wewill have opportunity to sitwith our constituents,enlighten them the more onwhat the presentadministration has doneand the need to ensure there-election of the governor,”he added.

The formal presentationof flag to the party flag-bearer in the June 21governorship election inthe state brought togetherAPC national leaders, allthe 16 APC state governorswith a common goal ofensuring that the APCcandidate is voted backinto office.

Speaking at the event,Governor of the State ofOsun, Ogbeni RaufAregbesola, urged theIndependent NationalElectoral Commission(INEC) to ensure it does allwithin its capacity to usethe electronic Voter’s CardReader in the gubernatorialelections in the State ofOsun and Ekiti states, as

well as subsequent electionsin the country.

He argued that in order toconduct credible andtransparent elections, theelectronic voter’s card readermust be brought into use.

The Osun governorcharged party members toensure that they wait andmonitor the results of theelection after they mighthave cast their votes.

“I implore you to waitbehind after casting yourvotes and ensure they arecounted before you gohome, so that your efforts ofvoting back your credibleleader will not be destroyed.

“I am very confident thatDr Kayode Fayemi will be

returned back to office withyour votes, as all thei n f r a s t r u c t u r a ldevelopments are there forall to see,” Aregbesola said.

Also speaking on behalfof other 15 APC governorsin the country, GovernorRochas Okorocha of ImoState said Nigerian leadersneed to swing into action onthe current securitysituation of the nation andstop mourning.

He stressed that the 16APC governors are solidlybehind Fayemi and haveendorsed him in addition tothe trust the party haveshown in him at the nationallevel.

“Nigeria is not supposedto be mourning. We are notsupposed to be in crisis.This is not the kind of nationwe all dreamt of. We mustuse our voting power tobring about that positivechange we crave for.”

“When the wicked is inpower, the people mournand cry. You must use your

votes to kick out the wickedpeople in power in Nigeria.”

He described GovernorFayemi as a progressivethinker and a model, whoalways does his things toachieve positive results.

Edo State governor,Comrade Adams Oshiomole,charged the people of EkitiState to use the comingelection in the state to showgratitude to Fayemi for theu n p r e c e d e n t e ddevelopment he hasbrought to the state byvoting him back into office.

“We have found inFayemi a man that can betrusted with the future ofEkiti State and the APC isthe only party that canguarantee the progress ofour great country.”Oshiomole stated.

General MuhamaduBuhari (rtd) and former EkitiState governor, EngineerSegun Oni, both describedFayemi as the right man tosteer the ship of Ekiti Statein the right direction, notingthat this is the time to makea positive change in thestate.

Senator Bola AhmedTinubu described the APCas the cure to many of theproblems confrontingNigeria and Ekiti, sayingFayemi is the doctor, whocan heal Ekiti State.

“If you want to rejectpoverty, you must voteFayemi. If you want to rejectbackwardness, you mustvote the APC.”

He charged the people totake the bull by the hornthrough the comingelections in the state and

ensure that the state doesnot fall into the hands ofthose that will take themback into poverty andchaos.

Governor Kayode Fayemisaid he appreciated thepeople for their turnout,adding that he would not inany way betray the trustthey have in him andpromised moredevelopmental projects.

“This large turnout hasshown that you, the peopleof Ekiti, are appreciative ofgood governance. We areready and willing to leaveEkiti better than the way wemet it.

“We are ready to providea purposeful and servant-based leadershipadministration, which willbe ready to listen to whatthe people want and actaccordingly.

“My commitment toserve the people of Ekitiremains very strong and Iwill not relent in my effortsto make the state greaterbecause I am a vessel ofgood leadership in Ekiti,”Fayemi maintained.

Earlier in his speech, theInterim Ekiti State APCChairman, Chief Jide Awe,charged party members tostart mobilisation, as theelection is just a monthahead.

He noted that the giantstride of the party in thestate is a testimony that Ekitiis on the right track.

Highlight of the eventwas presentation of theparty’s flag to GovernorFayemi by Chief Akande,while other APC governorspresented their certificate ofendorsement to him.

Osun 2014 Governorship Election: Adeyeye Leads Aregbesola’s 20-man Campaign TeamBy KAZEEM MOHAMMED

THE State of Osun chapter of the All ProgressivesCongress (APC) has constituted a 20-man statecampaign committee to coordinate the re-election of

the current governor in the state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola,in the fast-approaching August 9, 2014 governorshipelection.

The Chairman of thecommittee is the senatorrepresenting Osun CentralSenatorial District, ProfessorSola Adeyeye.

In a statement signed by theDirector, Information andStrategy of the Osun chapterof the APC, Barrister KunleOyatomi, the committee hasProfessor John AdebunmiAyoade, who was a formerDeputy Director, Centre forDemocratic Studies (CDS) asits Secretary.

Tagged Rauf AregbesolaState Campaign Committee2014, members of thecommittee include, Speaker ofthe State of Osun House ofAssembly, Honourable NajeemSalam; Secretary to the StateGovernment, Alhaji MoshoodAdeoti; Chief of Staff to theGovernor, Alhaji GboyegaOyetola; Senator Bayo Salamiand Dr. Peter Babalola.

The committee alsocomprises three statecommissioners and fivemembers of the stateparliament.

The commissioners are,Finance and EconomicPlanning, Dr. WaleBolorunduro; Information andStrategy, Sunday Akere and

Local Government and

Chieftaincy Affairs, BarristerKolapo Alimi.

The state lawmakermembers in the committeeinclude Bamisayemi Oladoyinrepresenting Ife-South StateConstituency; TimothyOwoeye, representing Ilesa-East State Constituency; Ajibola

Akinloye representing Ola-Oluwa State Constituency;Femi Kujenbola and AlagbadaIsiaka.

Others in the committee areHonourable Biyi Odunlade,Comrade Poju Odusola,Obawale Adebisi, Alhaji SuleAlao and Mr. Bosun

OyintiloyeThe committee has been

given the task of coordinatingand giving effect to thegovernorship campaign exerciseacross the state.

It would be recalled that thestate chapter of the rulingparty had earlier inaugurated

Governor Aregbesola’s re-election campaign committeesacross the nine federalconstituencies in the state.

The various committeeshave since their inaugurationalso set up sub-committeessaddled with variousresponsibilities.

3 News OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 2014

If you have a story or advert for us, contact 08033927286, 08033880205, 08061197897, 08023191891.

•(L-R) All Progressive Congress (APC) National leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Ekiti State Governor, DrKayode Fayemi and APC interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande at Ekiti State Government House duringthe official presentation of All Progressive Congress (APC) flag to Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, toendorse him for second term in office, in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, last Wednesday.Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

National Assembly Fingered In Non-use Of VCR In Osun, Ekiti ElectionsBy ISMAEEL UTHMAN

FRESH facts have emerged as to the reason why theIndependent National Electoral Commission (INEC)suddenly made a U-Turn on the use of the Voters’s

Card Reader for the fast-approaching Osun and Ekitigovernorship elections.

An impeccable source atthe INEC NationalHeadquarters has confidedin OSUN DEFENDER thatleadership of the NationalAssembly, particularly theSenate, was responsible forthe INEC’s decision not touse the VCR for thegovernorship elections inthe two states any longer.

According to the source,the National Assemblyleaders directed the INECnot to use the VCR for theelections a day after theelectoral body hadannounced that it would

first use the VCR for the Ekitiand Osun gubernatorialelections.

The source said: “All theblames on the INEC’sdecision on the VCR shouldbe directed to the NationalAssembly. It pays INEC touse the VCR, but in thewisdom of the leaders of theNational Assembly, theydirected INEC not to do it.

“The national officials ofINEC are currently workingto convince the NationalAssembly on theimportance of the use of theVCR for the Osun and Ekiti

elections. We know we willhave limited electoralmalpractices, if we use theVCR and that will add toINEC’s credibility.”

However, OSUNDEFENDER also learnt fromanother source that thedirective came from a strongPDP caucus of the NationalAssembly, whose membersare working to securevictory for the party’sgovernorship candidates inthe Osun and Ekitielections.

It was gathered that thesaid National Assemblyleaders have polarized theINEC commissioners at theheadquarters to achieve thenon-use of the VCR for thetwo elections with the aimof manipulating and riggingthe elections in favour ofthe PDP candidates.

The INEC decision on thenon-use of the VCR hasbeen steering controversiesin the State of Osun with theAll Progressives Congress(APC) and the civil societygroups in the state callingon the electoral body torescind its decision andensuring that it uses theVCR for the election.

Recently, the statechapter of the Inter-partyAdvisory Council (IPAC)joined the voicescondemning the INEC’sdecision on the VCR forOsun election, describingthe commission’s stand as‘policy summersault,suspicious andhypocritical.’

The APC Director ofPublicity, Research andStrategy, Mr Kunle Oyatomisaid : “We see the decision

not to use the card readermachine as a grievous over-estimation of its capacity.Since the card reader is tocheckmate electionmalpractices, we see noreason why INEC thatintroduced the systemwould make a U-turn anddecided not to use it in thecritical elections precedingthe general elections.

“If we are to analyze theINEC’s decision, it willsimply directly or indirectlyaid rigging and electionmanipulations in the Osunand Ekiti governorshipelections. Already,information has it that somepeople are planning tocompromise the voters’registers, clone voters’cards and make multiplevoting possible.

“Conveniently andconvincingly, the use of thecard reader will stop the evilplan of those people. It is inthe primary interest of INECto deploy the card readersto the two states.”

In its reaction to theINEC’s decision, the stateChairman of the IPAC,Prince Adesoji Masilo, onThursday in Osogbo, said:“We were shocked to readin the papers, statementscredited to the spoke-person of the commission,Mr. Kayode Idowu, thatVoter’s Card Reader wouldnot be used for Osun andEkiti elections.

“We are using thismedium to communicate tothe National leadership ofINEC, the outrightdisapproval of the politicalparties in the state of theCommission’s stance not touse e-card readers for theAugust 9, 2014governorship elections.

“In the first instance,what will be the essence ofthe recently-distributedPermanent Voters’ Cards

(PVC), if card readers will notbe used, considering thetechnological compositionof the card? How does INECintend to authenticate suchpersonal information of avoter, especially the fingerprints as contained in thechip of the PVC recentlydistributed in Osun and Ekitistates?

“The refusal of INEC touse the card reader will meanthat the only means ofchecking the authenticity ofa carrier of any voter’s cardis by mere examination of thecard, which was similar theusage of the previousTemporary Voters’ Cards(TVC) with attendantpossibility of manipulationthat can engender multiplevoting and voters’impersonation.

“There are fears beenexpressed in some quartersthat some unscrupulouspoliticians are alreadyperfecting strategies to clonethe PVC and we believe thatit is by deployment of e-cardreaders that this illicit actscan be frustrated.”

Masilo stressed further:“We also believe that usinge-card reader in Osun will bea veritable basis to test itsusage for the 2015 generalelections. It is ourconsidered view in OsunIPAC that the best approachto the forthcoming electionin our dear state is thedeployment of card readersto complement the effortmade so far.

“It will bring about asituation, where genuinevoters will vote and theoutcome of that election willrepresent the yearnings andaspirations of the people ofOsun.”

The Chairman, Osun CivilSocieties Coalition (OCSC),Comrade Abiodun Agboolasaid: “The whole world hascome to the conclusion thatheavy and appropriatedeployment of technologycannot be divorced fromconduct of credible electionsdevoid of rigging ormanipulation.

“This is the main fact thatcompels us to lend our voiceto the increasing demand forINEC to test-run thedeployment of VCR in thecountry with theforthcoming governorshipelections in Ekiti and Osunstates respectively, for wecannot toy with the futureof the country, knowing fullwell the import of rigging ofthe forthcoming elections.

“We owe no politicalparty allegiance, but thegood people of Nigeria, andit is our duty to speak up onany matter that will make thepeople triumph. One of thosematters is the issue of cardreaders for Ekiti and Osunstates’ forthcominggovernorship elections. Andour position is that the cardreaders must be deployed, iftruly INEC intends toconduct free, fair andcredible elections in the twostates”.

Osun Assembly Worries Over Bombings, KidnappingBy KAZEEM MOHAMMED

THE State of Osun House of Assembly has expressedits worry over the spate of bombings and abductionacross some states of the federation.

It said that the situationis frightening and must benibbed in the bud quicklywith all it requires.

In a statement signed bythe Press Secretary to theSpeaker, Mr. Goke Butika,the Deputy Speaker,Honourable AkintundeAdegboye, who examinedthe consequences of therecent bombings in Kanoand Plateau states, said thecountry’s sovereignty isbeing seriously challenged.

He called on the FederalGovernment to think quicklyon the state police for eachstates of the federation tostart bearing responsibilityfor the security of lives andproperty.

Adegboye furtherstressed that the challengesfacing the security agencies,as a result of multiplebombings, terrorism,kidnapping, oil bunkering,armed robbery and othervices, seemed to haveoverwhelmed the security

agencies.He added that for the fact

that the states have alwaysbeen assisting the policewith logistics for crimeprevention before this time,it was proper for the FederalGovernment to reconsiderits stand on the state police.

Adegboye said: “If therag-tag terrorists calledBoko Haram and Niger Deltamilitants can sap theenergies of the nation’ssecurity agencies, it meansthat a better-organizedcriminal gang can vitiate thesovereignty of the country.

“This is possible,because of unitarycommand structure for oursecurity agencies in a federalsystem of government andnot until our securityarchitecture is overhauled,the nation stands to be heldby the jugularoccasionally,” he said.

The state parliament thenadmonished the people of

the state to put up the thirdeye on some politicians,who were on a mission totruncate the current peaceand tranquillity currentlyprevailed in the state forpolitical reason.

It noted that only asecured environment,collectively guaranteed,could attract investment anddevelopment.

The parliament furtherasserted that most of the

crisis that have derailed thepeaceful atmosphere in theaffected states began withdirty politicking of politicalplayers, only to be helplesswhen the crisis developedthe lives of their own.

Osun To Spend N734m On Hand Pump Boreholes

THE State Government of Osun has revealed that ithad awarded contract for the construction of 564 hand-pump boreholes in its rural communities at a cost of

N734 million.Olaposi Adiatu, the

Programme Manager of theStates Rural Water andEnvironmental SanitationAgency (RUWESA), statedthat the project was acollaboration between the stategovernment and the AfricanDevelopment Bank (AfDB).

He added that contractors,who would handle theprojects, had signed anagreement to complete them inthree months.

The RUWESA boss notedthat the provision of theboreholes was part of stategovernment’s efforts to makepotable water available topeople in the ruralcommunities.

Adiatu stressed that theagency had completed more

than 139 hand-pumps andmotorised borehole projectslast year.

“We have awarded thecontracts for the constructionof 564 boreholes in the ruralcommunities and these are tobe completed in the next threemonths.

These 564 boreholes’projects are in addition to noless than 139, which wereinaugurated by the stategovernment in the ruralcommunities in 2013.

It was done by the stategovernment in collaborationwith the Africa DevelopmentBank,” he said.

Adiatu said RUWESA wasalso constructing 52 modernlatrines in 36 public schools in

the rural areas, to enhanceenvironmental sanitation there.

He said that the agency hadalso embarked on sensitisationprogrammes in the ruralcommunities.

“We have been sensitisingthe people at the ruralcommunities on the need tohave latrines, where they candefecate, rather than doing itin the open, to preventoutbreak of cholera.

Our agency is like a healthinstitution, but ours ispreventive and that is why weare telling people in the ruralcommunities to always keeptheir environment clean,” hesaid.

Adiatu added that theAfrican Development Bankhad committed N2 billion forwater and sanitation projects,manpower development andprovision of office equipmentin the state.

OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 20144 News

•The Honourable Commissioner for Health, State of Osun, Dr. (Mrs.) Temitope Ilori, cutting the tape to commissionthe ultra-modern e-Library at the State College of Health Technology, Ilesa, State of Osun recently.

Aregbesola Commissions N47m e-Library For College Of HealthTechnology, Ilesa By FRANCIS EZEDIUNO

AS part of the plans of the governor of the State ofOsun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, to boost qualitativehealth-care training in the state, a N47 million state-

of-the-art e-Library has been commissioned at the OsunState College of Health Technology, Ilesa.

The commissioning, whichwas held on Tuesday 20th,2014, was the first of its kindin the history of the institution,as the students, who were veryenthusiastic about thecompletion of the ultra-modernlibrary trooped out en masse,jubilating and dancing tomusical lyrics, to show theirappreciation to the governor’sgesture.

In his keynote address,

Governor Aregbesola, who wasrepresented by the StateCommissioner for Health, Dr.(Mrs.) Temitope Ilori, statedthat the reason for providingsuch libraries in the state healthinstitutions was for therestoration of healthy living,which was part of the cardinalpoints of his administration.

Ilori said, since the inceptionof the present administrationin the state, it has embarked

upon free treatment of thepeople, irrespective of theirstate of origin.

The health commissioneradded that apart from freetreatment, free distribution ofdrugs and medical consumablesto the people in the state werealso a top priority of thegovernment.

She further explained thatthe state government decidedupon this, as a result of surveyscarried out on health facilities,which revealed that most of thehospitals needed moremanpower, upgrading andprovision of adequate healthequipment for optimumservice delivery, adding that

these would soon becommissioned for the use of thepeople of the state.

Ilori noted that, with thelibrary in place, it was hopedthat the standard of training inthe school would bring aboutcompetitive learning, as thestudents would make best useof the facilities, which wouldimprove the quality of trainingin their health institution andtranslate to availability ofquality health workers in thestate.

The commissioner, who saidthe library was being equippedwith books, computers,internet accessibility amongothers, enjoined the students

to make judicious use of thefacilities, so as to complementthe efforts of the stategovernment aimed atrevamping health education inthe state.

Ilori assured the studentsacross the state that thegovernment would continue toprovide conducive leaningenvironment for the studentsin all health schools owned bythe state government, in a bidto improve health services inthe state and to improve theiracademic activities.

In his welcome address, theDirector Health Planning,Research and Strategy,Ministry of Health, Dr. BasiruAkintola, corroborated withthe state governor.

Akintola, whilecommending GovernorAregbesola and theCommissioner for Health, saidthe State Ministry of Health,through Health SystemDevelopment Project II, hadcontributed immensely tosupport the good effort of thepresent administration in thearea of provision of health careservices to the people of thestate.

Akintola said the prototypeof the newly-constructedlibrary complex was alsoreplicated at the School ofNursing and Midwifery,

Osogbo and a block of malehostel had also beencommissioned.

He stressed that medicalequipment were supplied toselected hospitals, while dentaland laboratory equipment weresupplied to all the statehospitals.

Advising the students on theneed for them to make judicioususe of the facilities, the SpecialAdviser to the Governor onHealth Matters, Dr. RafiuUsamotu said it was importantfor them to take their studiesvery seriously, so as to be ableto compete with theircolleagues across the country.

Usamotu charged thestudents to always display theethos of Omoluabi whereverthey found themselves, sayingthis was what Aregbesola andthe state are known for.

Some of the students, whospoke with OSUNDEFENDER, expressed theirprofound gratitude to thegovernor and theCommissioner for Health forfacilitating the construction ofthe ultra-modern library,saying it would help them toboost their academic pursuit.

The students thereafter,promised to continue to givesupport for the government ofAregbesola at all times.

Igbajo Celebrates Oroke Ancient Festival By SHINA ABUBAKAR

THE town of Igbajo was in joyous mood as youths andconcerned princes and princesses thronged streets inthe ancient town in celebrating the annual Oroke

festival in commemoration of the founder of the townrecently.

Traditional chiefs, Princesand Princesses were the focusof the ancient festival, whichwas meant to pay homage tothe ancestral monarch of thetown.

The symbol of the festivalwas a male teenager, who boreon his head the agangan box,which contained palm oil andbean cake being carried throughthe town and distributing sameto the elderly, who could notjoin the energetic youths at thetake-off point.

According to the BabaLooye Akeran of town, HighChief Adewumi Ebo, theprinces and Princesses were thecelebrants of the festival, whichwas meant to celebrate theirancestral father.

He said the path the aganganbox passed through was thetraditional path the first rulerof the town walked before hewas last seen at the Igbo Esile,where traditional rite wereconducted to climax thefestival.

The high chief disclosed thatthe bean cake symbolised unityamong the people of thecommunity, saying the cake wasproduced as a result ofcollaboration of differentquarters in the community;hence it was given outindiscriminately.

He added that everyone whoate the cake did so in order toshow his love for thecommunity and readiness to

ensure unity in the town.Meanwhile, the procession

of the princes and princessesfrom Owa Oke to meet theircounterparts from Owa-Isale atthe Orita-Ipiun, was to rejoicewith each other and movetowards the ancestral Esile

Forest.According to the Looye,

Orita Ipiun is the junction,where the first Owa counselledhis wards before disappearinginto the forest. He said the twoclans decided to always meetto symbolise unity and set theirdifferences apart to ensure thedevelopment of thecommunity.

Before settling down theAgangan Box at the EsileForest, the procession stoppedat the compound of Aworogun

of Igbajo, who prayed for thetown, after which he was givenbean cake from the box and hereturned the gesture with a gifttoo.

One of the youths of thecommunity, who spoke withOSUN DEFENDER, SundayAjirebi, disclosed that theyouths were always eager forthe festival, which according tohim brings everyone togetherin the spirit of unity of thecommunity.

Group Hits Markets With One-Man, One-Vote CampaignBy KEHINDE AYANTUNJI

A pro-democracy organisation, Democracy Vanguard,has taken One-Man, One-Vote to the major marketsin the State of Osun ahead of the August 9,

governorship election in the state.The group, during the week,

stormed the popular, OluodeMarket in Osogbo, TimiMarket, Ede and AtakunmosaMarket in Ilesa with thecampaign for transparent freeand fair election in the state.

The organizationbombarded the markets withposters, leaflets and stickersbearing various inscriptions:“My Vote Must Count; “AllFingers Are Equal On The DayOf Election;” “Say No ToRigging” Say No To Violence”among others.

In Ilesa, members of thegroup were moving from oneplace to another with themegaphone, sensitizing themarket traders on how toprotect their voters’ cards andelection procedures.

State Coordinator of thegroup, Olowu Emanuel, whileaddressing the market women

at Atakunmosa Market, saidtheir vote is important for thesustainability of the currentdemocracy and goodgovernance and encouragedthem not to encourage anyonefor of rigging.

He stressed that marketsensitization and one-man-one-vote advocacy are among theprogrammes of the organization

aimed at ensuring that thecoming election in the state isacceptable to all and sundry.

Olowu said: “Democracy isabout the popular participationof the people and the marketmen and women are alsoimportant to the success ofelectoral process and that iswhy we are here to educate youon your voting rights.”

“Violence and intimidationbefore, during and after electionis against the law and you mustnot encourage it. Tell yourwives, your husbands, yourwards not to become

instruments to rig election.Election rigging is sabotage todevelopment,” DemocracyVanguard coordinator said.

Speaking, a market leader inAtakunmosa Marketcommended the organizationand urged them to sustain thecampaign, saying the people atthe grassroots also desire freeand fair election.

He noted that the majorchallenge of the people in themarket is voters’ education,which according to her theorganization can providethrough regular market visits.

AUD Teachers, PupilsGrateful To Aregbesola

TEACHERS and pupils of Ansar-U-Deen GovernmentElementary School, Isale-Osun, Osogbo recentlycommissioned by Governor Rauf Aregbesola, have

lauded the efforts of the state government to improveeducation sector in the state.

Some of the teachers ofthe school who spoke inunison with OSUNDEFENDER in Osogbo lastFriday said the newstructure of their school hasbecome a source of pride tothem and the pupils.

The teachers whopledged anonymity forofficial reason said theywere full of gratitude overthe new status of theirschool which was madepossible by the workaholicgovernor of the state.

In their words: “We thankGod because OgbeniAregbesola did not allow

the old structure of theschool to collapse on usbefore he replaced it with amodern structure capable ofcompeting favourably withanyone in the advancednations of the world.

“Could you believe thatthose of us teachers in theschool have become asource of envy to ourcolleagues who are yet toenjoy what we are enjoying?

“The school building andits environment are a beautyto behold. This is even morebeautiful than somebanking halls”, they said.

They also explained thatthe pupils who wereexposed to new fixtures inthe buildings haveincreased in number ingeometrical progressioncompared to what was thecase before the fortune ofthe school was improved.

The teachers said theywould forever remaingrateful to theadministration of OgbeniAregbesola for being thefirst governor to change thestatus of the teachers in thestate.

“It is worthy of note toalso explain that the pupilsare also not less happy andappreciative of the positivechange in the educationsector in the state.

“The pupils now come toschool early and manifestsign of happiness andfulfillment while in school.

“The new schools’structure has made primaryeducation a leveler as pupilsin public primary schoolsnot only enjoy what theircounterparts in privateschools are exposed to butare better positioned thanthose in the privateschools,” they hinted.

Foundation To Hold Foundation

DI-Root Foundation will host a workshop/seminar tagged IROBI 2014 on May 30, 2014at GMT multipurpose Hall, Ring Road,

Osogbo, State of Osun by 10am and to unveil anadvocacy movie titled IROBI, produced to educatewomen on how to prevent the causes of maternaldeath.

According to astatement from thedirector of the foundation,Taiwo Aderemi, the

purpose of the event is alsoto advocate for thereduction in maternalmortality rate most

especially among womenof childbearing age in theState of Osun.

Guest Speakers slatedfor the occasion are; Dr.(Mrs) Temitope Ilori, thestate Commissioner forHealth; Chief IfayemiElebuibon; Hon Kola Akanjiand Mrs Ajibola.

By BOLANLE BABALOLA

5OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 2014 News

Ogbeni At 57

measures. people and addedvalue to humanity in no small

For Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola ser-vice is what matters. His life ispurely defined by service to human-ity. Thus for those who are familiarwith his life history his stellar per-formance as the Governor of thestate of Osun is no surprise. For hehas always excelled in whatever po-sition of responsibility he foundhimself. Not for him to regard anyassignment as being small or unim-portant and so he always put in hisbest and handles every assignmentwith absolute commitment.

When it comes to work OgbeniAregbesola does not look back. Forhim what is worth doing at all iswhat doing well. He is such ahardworking man so much so thatthe word ‘workaholic’ has alwaysbeen used to describe him. Ofcourse he must be a workaholic tohave always worked for twenty totwenty one hours daily. It's this na-ture of his that made a journalist toonce asked him during an interac-tive session with the public whether

he (Ogbeni) even sleeps at all.Whenever Ogbeni Aregbesola

finds himself handling a particularassignment his mind is focused onresult. So as a result-orientedleader he loathes to hear from any-one to whom he might have givenassignment to come back and givehim excuse that he couldn't achieveresult. Thus for him there is no ex-cuse for failure. No wonder he hasachieved so much during just a pe-riod of four years that he has at-tained the position of leadership inhis home state even in spite of themonetary challenges he has beenfacing.

It is important to mention it thatOgbeni Aregbesola had for longprepared himself for leadershiprole. So it doesn't seem to be byaccident the position he finds him-self now. Even as young and assmallish in stature as he was heemerged the President of the BlackNationalist Movement in his daysat the Polytechnic Ibadan due to hisagility and vocal attribute. It wasthat platform he and his colleaguesused in fighting against perceivedbad government policies then.

OSUN DEFENDERPublisher – Moremi Publishing

House Ltd.

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OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing HouseLimited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guarantee Trust BankGTB, Gbongan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun.All correspondence to the above mail address.ISSN: 0794-8050Telephone: 0803-392-7286, 08033880205Website: www.osundefender.com/index.phpe-mail: osundefender@yahoo.com

As a Commissioner for Works andInfrastructure in Lagos state duringAsiwaju Bola Tinubu's administra-tion Ogbeni Aregbesola was an ex-cellent performer. For that he wonmany awards as the best Commis-sioner in Lagos state then in recog-nition of his hard work.

And since he became the chiefhelmsman of his state four years agothe story has not been different. Hehas carried on with the same spiritand determination. The reason whyawards have also been pouring in forhim both from near and afar.

As the Governor of the state of OsunOgbeni Aregbesola has proved thathe is equal to the task. Within fouryears he has turned the state around.The level of development the statehas witnessed under him is quite un-precedented. His style of governancewhich is quite unusual has been rec-ommended to other states of the fed-eration especially his educationalpolicy.

As this dynamo turns 57 today weat Osun Defender are proud to iden-tify with him as we wish him manymore years of meritorious service tohumanity. It also pleases us to wishhim victory in the coming governor-ship election in the state. Happybirthday to a focused, visionary andvirtuous leader!is

Continued from pg1

OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 20146 Tribute

Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola At 57:A Sterling Example In LeadershipBEST selling American author and

motivational speaker, ScottBerkun, once wrote of leadership:

“I think leadership comes from integrity”– that you do what you ask others todo. It is very apposite here to emphasizethe fact that integrity is a very rare virtueamong Nigerian leaders. I think thereare non-obvious ways to lead. Just byproviding a good example as a parent, afriend, a neighbour makes it possible forother people to see better ways to dothings. Leadership does not need to bea dramatic, fist in the air and trumpetsblaring activity. Walking the talk is amajor attribute of good leadership, thatis translating promises into concreteresults. Performance is the key. Theessence of leadership is all aboutperformance, that is, constructiveengagement of human energy, skills andnatural resources not only for qualityleaving of citizenry in contemporarysociety but equally for preservation ofvalues and natural resources that wouldmake life worth living for generationsunborn.

Leaders are celebrated not for thequantum of their earthly materialpossessions they acquired (legitimatelyor illegitimately) but for impactful andmostly sacrificial decisions, policy thrustsand actions that added value to thecollective fortune of their followers.Hugo Chavez of Venezuela becamevenerated in death by the majority ofVenezuelans not necessarily because ofhis publicized hatred of Americanimperialism, neither is it because of hisavowed socialistic ideologicalpersuasion. Hugo Chavez became ahero for the principal reason that heutilized Venezuela’s oil wealth for thebenefit of majority of Venezuelans. Thisis an instructive lesson for Nigerianleaders, especially, those of PDP stock.The question on the lips of many is: Whyis quality leadership a virtue that is notmuch in abundant supply amongstmembers of the self- acclaimed largestparty in Africa, PDP? Many will agreewith this writer that what PDP lacks,that is quality leadership, APC possessit in abundance as attested to by itssterling performance in both the statesand councils it has have the opportunityof controlling.

I have argued in my several write-ups in major dailies in the last eight yearsthat leadership matters in the life of anation. A visionless leadership ruins anation while a visionary one builds it. Itwas Chief Awolowo’s leadership thatgave the South-West a head start. Andbecause we have not been blessed withthat kind of leadership at the centre sincethe beginning of this republic, we arewhere we are today. History has neverbeen kind to leaders who chose to usepolitical power for personalaggrandizement rather than service tothe people. Indeed, past leaders(Obafemi Awolowo, Abubakar TafawaBalewa, Ahm uadu Bello and NnamdiAzikwe) continue to be celebratedbecause they were leaders who governwith the fear of God and posterity inmind. A philosopher once opined thatevery fool can make history, but it takesthe genius to write it. The role of Manin history is a regular controversy amonghistorians and other social scientist. Theinvestigation into the relative relevance

of Man and circumstances in shapingthe development of society has dividedthe ranks of philosophers. Today,perspectives, which celebrates Man asa helpless being, driven from pillar toposts by spiritual forces are in retreat.More men and women agree with thedialectics of the Yoruba cosmogony thatconceives Man as an active participantin the determination of his fate andcelebrate courage, honesty andperseverance as values critical to theliberation of the individual from thespiritual and material underdevelopment.The values listed above are the secretsof Aregbesola’s success in the businessof governance.

He (Ogbeni Aregbesola) seemeddetermined to make history. Onethousand, two hundred and twenty daysof Aregbesola administration is like thearrival of a new dawn. Theachievements recorded are sufficientsignposts to measuring the capacity ofthe incumbent helmsman in the state ofOsun to bring Osun out of the woodsand take it to the promise land. We willsoon mark the fifteenth anniversary ofunbroken civil democracy. MostNigerians, except beneficiaries of PDP’s

rein and their praise mongers, found verylittle cause for celebration. Our economyis comatose as 70 percent of our citizenslive below breadline.

Today, my beloved country, Nigeriais at the bottom rung of all indices ofhuman development, no thanks tovisionless, sleaze-infested andinsensitive leadership at the centre.Mounting frustration of Nigeria youthsis a serious cause for concern. Thisexplains why two youths, Aruku Afe andKazeem Adekeye committed suicide osometimes ago. Many others have takento crime and anti-social behavior likekidnapping, prostitution, armed robberyand suicide bombing. No doubt, youthsare at the burning end of the stick ofour leaders iniquities. Our democracyis fetid as the people’s sovereignty hasbeen raped and the votes of theelectorate have hardly counted in thepast fifteen years. The horizon is bleakand gloomy; even in the perception ofincurable optimists. It is increasinglybecome certain that if we do not destroyPeoples Democratic Party, PDP, anatural refuge of soulless politicians,scoundrels and congenital liars, it willdestroy us all. I have never met anybody(except its members) that believes thatPDP is good for Nigeria. This is the solereason why positive thinkers always

seek out the silver lining in our horizonand amplify it in order to keep hope aliveamong a disgruntled, disenchanted anddisillusioned populace. Any where willfind a speck of light, a glimmer of hope,we highlight so that our humanity mayclutch onto the fact that in the darkestof times, there remains possibilities ofprogress, of change, that if it happenedin some African countries like Ghana,Niger Republic and in civilizeddemocracies the world over whereopposition candidates defeated theincumbent, then, it is possible yet in ournation that fulfillment of the dream ofdemocracy may yet come. That is theessence of this tribute, which aims notonly to celebrate Aregbesola’sleadership qualities, but also to documentfor posterity his invaluable contributionsto Nigeria’s democracy and goodgovernance. He has sufficientlydemonstrated that things can be donerightly to make our democracy yieldpositive values for our people instead ofthe raging poverty, unemployment andphysical and spiritual decadence thatenvelope our country today.

I am not interested here in recountingsome of the many positive actionsAregbesola has taken because evidenceof his land mark and verifiableachievements which are on groundabounds everywhere, including on theinternet as well as from the streetswhere the results of the actions aremanifest. It is to be found in theinvestment in job creation, education,transportation infrastructure like goodroads, human capital development andskills acquisition, commercial agriculture,health care delivery, environment andso on. It is on record that Aregbesola’sadministration school feedingprogramme and the adoption of tabletknowledge (Opon Imo) for learning inour secondary schools instead of textbooks has attracted internationalattention. According to the NationalBureau of Statistics, Osun underAregbesola’s watch is one of the statesthat have the lowest rate of poverty andunemployment in Nigeria today, despitethe meager resources at his disposal. Inview of the above, many will agree withthis writer that Aregbesola has becomea model for good governance in Nigeriatoday. Any modicum of hope thatNigerians might have in the presentdemocratic dispensation is attributableto the colorful leadership credential ofthe likes of Aregbesola, a visionaryleader that represents the generation ofour time.

He has rubbished the myth thatprophets are seldom ever honoured intheir own homes. Rauf AdesojiAregbesola is one of the new leadersthat are truly leaving the ideals of thelate sage, Chief Awolowo, that Yorubawill follow without looking back. For histravails and triumphs, his rise and riseto a spectacular National PoliticalPhenomenon and his loadedachievements in the last three and a halfyears, we should salute a great man,leader of leaders, a man of courage andvision. We say congratulations on his57th birthday anniversary.

•Aminu is the NationalCoordinator, Oodua Youth for GoodGovernance.

By LANRE AMINU

•AREGBESOLA

7OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 2014 Tribute

Rauf: The Responsibility In PowerTHOSE who have encountered

the City of Gold: Dubai andthe Dream of Capitalism,

authored by that former AssociatedPress’ Correspondent in thePersian Gulf, Jim Krane, wouldeasily reconnect with the story ofhow that hitherto isolated villagegrew to today’s centre ofcommerce and tourism, that is thedestination for all from across theglobe.

Really, the aborigines of presentday Dubai, were dismayed to learnthat no part of the world knewabout their existence (despite theirglorified exploits in fishery andother aquatic activities) until thearchitect of that modern heaven,Sheikh Rashid Makhtoun, decidedto change that course throughpurposeful leadership; challenginghis power with the responsibilityto change the history of his people.No doubt, the Dubai’s story todaystands tall among those who havedemonstrated in practical termsthe fact that in power really liesome heavy responsibilities.

Rauf Aregbesola, 57 today, sitsatop the affairs of Osun, the almostfour million strong populated areain the South-West of Nigeria. Withan epic and tortuous journey topower, what manifests majorly inmore than three years of being inthe saddle are the responsibilitiesthat accompany his position ofpower.

Arriving as a leader in a state thatnot many seeking peace andpleasure would want to live, thereis a grandiose display of therealization that the power pails intoinsignificance if it does nottranslate into a tool for changinghistory from an unenviable past toa new world of possibilities.

The very grim scenarioAregbesola met in Osun is worthremembering! It was story of apeople boxed to an unfortunatecorner of misery, hopelessness,want, violence, injusticeoccasioned by lack of functionaleducation, jobs, dangerousenvironment, uncoordinated plansof actions and total failure ofleadership. They had equally butpainfully resigned to fate given thedearth of choices away from themisery.

Any leader who fails to confrontthese multiple under-developmentevils with coordinated plans ofactions must realize ab initio thathe has written his name indeliblyin the hall of infamy. Thus, whatwould be tools to confront thesemaladies with were no more thansome six cardinal objectives thaton their own appearedcomprehensive enough to havetaken care of the variousdimensions the Osun challengepresented.

The ingenious manner with whichthe Aregbesola administration’sbanishment of poverty, hunger,unemployment, restoring healthyliving, functional education and

communal peace and progress havebeen pursued has produced onlyone result: transformation.

With doggedness, Osun is fasttransforming to what Lisa Jonesdescribes as “a model ofprogressive urban development” inher article, “The improbable storyof how Bogota, Colombia, becamesomewhere you might actually wantto live.”

Giving one of the reasons forawarding Aregbesola the DailyIndependent’s Man of the Year2013 honour, the national daily’sEditor, Rotimi Durojaiye, had citedthe drift back to Osun as one strongillustrative point that the statewhere those who lived there werewithout choices is where dwellersof metropolitan Lagos, Abuja, PortHarcourt and others now want toreturn.

After three years of exploits, nota few are coming to terms with thepotency of the Osun experimentsunder Aregbesola. There is afascinating way in which the media,the voices of the people, appear tobe amplifying what DailyIndependent called “Symbol ofAlternative Perspectives” and TheNation newspaper just last weeksimply dubbed “The OsunExample”. It was what PUNCH’serudite columnist, Prof NiyiAkinnaso, referred to as“Unravelling the NigerianParadox”.

Of course, the isolated case that“The Osun Example” has becomein the face of national developmenttragedy appears to be the reasonfor clamour that Nigeria needs tolook into that tiny fraction of itsgeographical spread to see how anapplication on a national scalecould help provide answers tosome of the nagging nationalquestions.

In another article, I once madereference to Waller Newell’s TheSoul of a Leader: Character,Conviction and Ten Lessons inPolitical Greatness. “What, theauthor asked in his book, “are welooking for in a leader?” Given theNigerian experience, what we mustbe looking for in a Nigerian leaderis salvation through thedeployment of those creativestrategies that have practicallysolved some puzzles such asunemployment and itsconcomitant offspring, promotionof justice and fairness,commitment to the welfare of thepeople through people-centre,people-focused policies.

Jettisoning political sentiments,the Peoples Democratic Party-ledSenate had recommended in veryclear terms to Nigeria the latesteducation policies of Osun aspragmatic solutions to the currentnational education policies thatproduce more illiterates thaneducated minds.

What, for instance, is in it forNigeria as a whole adopting the

Osun initiative in youthempowerment just as The WorldBank has compellingly suggested?The scheme that takes 20,000 idlebut able-bodied youths out of thejob market every two yearsdefinitely has the magic to ward offyouth restiveness, insurgency andother crimes. What is in it forNigeria to restructure itsagricultural policies in a way thatcauses positive ripples in jobscreation, food sufficiency andother value chains? Is thereanything in it for Nigeria if itdedicates its resources to massiveinfrastructure upgrades innationwide roads networks, energygeneration and distribution andprovision of adequate security toinvestments to thrive? Are thesenot the requirements for ignitingan industrialization revolution thatwill engage more hands than thecurrent army of idle hands? IsNigeria not fertilizing the pullfrom which insurgency draws itsArmy of mindless attackers byfailing to adopt a method that willerode that pull?

Perhaps, Nigeria’s mainproblems stem from that acuteignorance of the responsibilitiesthat lie in power before those inleadership positions take it. Themany decades of failed leadershipin Nigeria buttresses Gary Hamel’sargument in The Purpose of Powerwhere he claimed, and rightly so,that “Power has long been regardedas morally corrosive, and we oftensuspect the intentions of thosewho seek it.”

I am more than convinced thatmany of those who passed throughOsun as leaders in its 23 years ofcreation must be asking themselveswhether it is the same Osun theygoverned that Aregbesola iscurrently handling. Compelled bythe responsibilities he believes liein the power he holds, Aregbesolahas demonstrated that his eyes canbe open where others are blind andthat he can hear where others aredeaf and dumb. That, to me, seemsto be the layman meaning of TheNation Newspaper of last Tuesdaywhen it succinctly said that the statehas shown that “there is ability indisability”.

And the lesson here! Power isempty and of no use when it isstripped of its responsibilities.Every genuine leader mustsubscribe to that Martin LutherKing’s position that “I am notinterested in power for power’ssake, but I’m interested in powerthat is moral, that is right and thatis good.”

This appears to be whatAregbesola, 57 today, has sworn toand for this, salute to his mottowhere he proudly and dailydeclares: Power is Responsibility!

•Okanlawon is the Director,Bureau of Communications andStrategy, Office of the Governor,Osogbo, State of Osun.

•AREGBESOLA

By SEMIU OKANLAWON

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AUDACIOUSEXPLOIT

withMURTALA AGBOOLA

TEL: 0806-119-7897E-mail: murtalamuag@yahoo.com

Rauf Aregbesola: AClarion Call For More

GOVERNOR Rauf AdesojiAregbesola is 57 yearstoday. Aregbesola has

introduced many innovations intogovernance, while he hassimplified the bureaucracysurrounding the office of thegovernor.

On assumption of office closeto four years ago, he re-christened Osun from the Stateof Living Spring to the State ofVirtue.

Baba Kabiru, as he is fondlycalled, introduces the stateanthem and the symbol.Aregbesola is the first governorin the State of Osun to go withoutthe usual siren blaring ahead ofhim. Not only that, he obeystraffic regulation whenever hegets to traffic light junction,Aregbesola has transformed frombeing a symbol of Oranmiyanduring his electioneeringcampaign to a symbol of goodgovernance.

It is not for fun that hecontinues to win laurels from allsegments of the society. Beforehis assumption of office,Osogbo, the state capital, had thetrappings of a local governmentheadquarters. Today, Osogbo isseriously opened up by way ofinfrastructural renewal. The OldGarage-Kwara State Boundaryroad and Alekuwodo Street havebeen made dual-carriage wayswith streetlights to light the wholeplace at night.

The Nelson Mandela FreedomPark is part of his innovation.Until the advent of theAregbesola’s administration,there was no public place, wherecitizens could converge for publicoutings. Now social clubs,individuals, political parties,religious groups and governmentcan organize public functions atthe Mandela Park.

Schools’ reclassifications havebrought about good and modernschool complexes in the State ofOsun. Pupils now learn in anatmosphere conducive tolearning. They were given a pairof uniform each at thegovernment expense. Schoolfurniture were also provided forstudents.

The urban renewal project isnot limited to the state capital.Most towns are beneficiaries ofthe state government gesture.

The tertiary sector of educationis not left out. The tuition feepaid by students in public tertiaryinstitutions was reduceddrastically to enable brilliant butindigent students to access it.The value of bursary received bystudents was increased to enablestudents have a feeling of havinga taste of government largesse.Students offering professionalcourses like Law and Medicinein the universities also benefited

from government’s benevolencesince they pay higher fees fortheir professional training.Without education, there is noway we can progress or catchup with the developed society.

The government of RaufAregbesola is concerned by thelegion of unemployed graduates.Series of programmes have beenlined up for people to benefitfrom. Training in critical areas ofthe economy is enabling theyouths to be productive and less-dependent on the government.

It is because this government,popularly called the RaufRevolution appreciated this factthat it encouraged the youths tobe self-sufficient.

The hidden gold in the tourismsector is being tapped by thisgovernment. Waterfalls and othertourists’ sites are being givenfacelift to attract tourists, whichwill generate income for thestate. During festivities,especially Christmas, Easter andIdil-Kabir, citizens of the stateand neighbouring states areferried to and from Lagos by train

at government expense.The revolution in the State of

Osun has permeated everysphere of life and the impact hasbeen felt throughout the countryand beyond.

The state parliament complexwas given a facelift, whichmakes one wonders if peoplebefore him ever thought of doingthat. Today, the State House ofAssembly compares with the bestin the land.

Until recently, when the federalallocation reduced by fortypercent, civil servants weregetting their salaries by the 25th

of the month.There is the presence of

government activity in virtuallyevery area. This has been madepossible because the architect ofit, Aregbesola had a vision and amission in government and hewas passionate about it.

While others fight to holdpublic offices for the sake of it,he really planned of what to doto impact on the lives of hispeople.

It would have been pretty

difficult to engage 20,000 youthsin the Osun Youth EmpowermentScheme (OYES) in less than 100days in office, if he had not reallyplanned well.

However, all these goodiescould not have been madepossible without the co-operationof the people. The reclassificationof buildings attracted a lot offurore from the public, especiallythe uninformed and themischievous, because theopposition party leaders wantedto capitalize on it to causedisaffection among the people.

The opposition party officialsfail to realize the fact that mostpeople affected had either takencompensation from previousgovernments or were aware thatthe eventuality would ultimatelyhappen. In the spirit of embracingthat which is good, the societytoday is the better for it.

The governor, in the spirit of aliberal and objective leadership,opened up access to anythingmeant by the state to both partymembers and the oppositionparty members.

It is on record that relatives ofopposition party members werethe greatest beneficiaries of theOYES.

For the All ProgressivesCongress, (APC) then ActionCongress of Nigerian (ACN),party members that were at thereceiving end of the unpopularpolicies of the immediate-pastgovernment, the expectation wasthat the governor would givethem preference. But MrAregbesola thought otherwise.Some party members also feltthat rather than spend moremoney on infrastructure, theparty members should rather betaken care of. Today, however,the governor remains not only apride of the party, but a superachiever.

His achievements areunprecedented. As we celebratehis 57th birthday today, wecannot but wish him God’sblessings and many years inservice; to the state and hisfatherland.

Part of his landmarkachievement in Nigeria is that heis the only Nigerian to have beenengaged in a protractedgubernatorial legal tussle thatlasted 42 months. It takes a manwith an extra gut anddetermination to be ablewithstand the stress and thefinancial commitment involved.

The only way to reward thisenigma of a man is to entrust himwith another four years. He isready to work and he has thevision and passion to carry on.People of the State of Osunshould not derail a train that is atthe top of speed.

Seven Gbosas to therevolutionary of our time!

•AREGBESOLA

15OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 2014 Tribute

INEC: Planning For Bedlam?OPINION

ALL those who care for the success ofNigeria’s democracy and its keycomponent, the electoral process,

have strongly kicked against the decisionof the election umpire, IndependentNational Electoral Commission (INEC) notto deploy the fraud-resistant Voter’s CardReader (VCR) technology in the Ekiti andOsun polls in 2014.

INEC Chairman Professor Attahiru Jegasays however that the body is notdiscarding the use of VCR altogether butrather reserving it for 2015.

In the strongest defence of his positionyet, Jega told a ranking United Statesgovernment official from the StateDepartment that despite the clamour fromwell-meaning Nigerians, including thegovernors of Ekiti and Osun State, INEC isnot ready to adopt the card reader systemin 2014.

He declared: “It will not be wise to use apilot scheme in an election (Ekiti and Osunin June and August respectively) that willbe keenly contested,” pinning his hopes onthe broader general ballot in 2015 for thetest-run of the new technology.

But by popular claim here in Nigeria andbeyond our shores, the voter card readermachine represents a great electioninvention that is capable of aborting anyscheme meant to thwart the will of the

electorate. It is ages ahead of the old (manualin relative terms) permanent voter cards(PVC) with which Jega has developed andimmoral love affair. Used alone, the PVC hasbrought nothing but ignominy to ourdemocracy and electoral system.

It is responsible for a thriving but illicitenterprise called ballot banditry. It allowsvotes not to count because results areconcocted according to the whims andcaprices of the electoral umpire and theirsponsors. The net outcome is that the realchoice of the people is relegated andsupplanted. That was what was at play inEkiti and Osun in the 2007 election until thelaw courts stepped in 2010 to usher in thereal winners of the poll.

With usurpers in power for years in Ekitiand Osun as a result of the compromisedballot and apparatus applied, the sufferingof the people of the two states wascalamitous. They were years of locusts.

Everything fell in to ruins. As they werenot those voted in to power, thepredecessors of the current governors inEkiti and Osun had no clue as to what to doto push their people forward. It was a bitterand painful backward march in the twostates.

The effect? Those who came after themupon the intervention of the judiciary havehad more than the task of Hercules. Theyhave had more to do than cleaning theAugean Stables. They met a run-downenvironment that looked as pillaged,violated and emasculated as a sceneemerging from an atomic bomb attack.

Ask Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, thegovernor of the State of Osun. He hasexperienced sleepless nights along with itsteam in government, attempting to put inorder the misdeeds of the past. In the faceof dwindling recourses, his government issacrificing comfort, time, leisure and

personal resources, so as to maintain theirhonour and to fulfil solemn electoralpromises. They are denying themselves allthe basic perquisites of office, in order tomake a difference.

All these because sometime in the past,an election was held that brought in thosewho did not win the polls because of an in-built compromise in the system. It is notwhat we should allow to be repeated if wecan help it.

To be sure we can help it with the aid ofthe card reader technology. It is the latestscientific method of the ballot. It has beenobserved that if handled with diligence andfocus, the card reader can turn in the actual

wishes of the electorate. It faithfully recordsthe imprint of the voter and forestalls thedanger and ill effects of double registrationand multiple voting. Let us note that theseare the areas where vote fraud is hatched.

Let INEC introduce the VCR in Ekiti andOsun in 2014 to demonstrate its status asan umpire of integrity fired by patrioticinstincts.

The result will then be analyzed and fine-tuned for application on the wider canvasof the 2015 general election. INEC’sargument that the poll in the two states hastoo much at stake to allow for test runningthe new VCR technology is myopic anddisingenuous. Every election, local, stateor national, bears the burden of influencingthe polity for good or for bad.

Otherwise, we would not have had thelocal Western Nigeria election of 1964-1965triggering a stormy crisis that snowballedinto a national inferno and ultimately a civilwar. So the question is: why would INECplan for a bedlam with the potential to costtrouble again, when it can make use of asystem to save us from bad governancearising from marred polls?

•Barrister Oyatomi is the Director ofPublicity and Communications of AllProgressives Congress (APC), State ofOsun

Aregbesola At 57: Passion Mixed With Action

By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

By KUNLE OYATOMI

EVIDENCE and testimonies haveestablished that since his early years,Rauf Aregbesola, now the governor

of the State of Osun, has demonstratedpassion for the development of the Yorubarace and Africa in general and he has beenworking towards it.

No wonder he has been engaging inpoliticking since his school days, especiallyat The Polytechnic, Ibadan, when he waselected a leader of Students RepresentativeCouncil (SRC). Since, and even before then,he has been engaging in activism in oneway or the other to fight for the rights of thepeople.

The activism he engages in and hispassion for development propelled him tosee the need to join partisan politics to beable to partake in the efforts for thedevelopment of the black race anywhere inthe world. His appointment as theCommissioner for Work and Transport inLagos State by the former governor, AsiwajuBola Tinubu, between 1999 and 2007 furthergave him the opportunity to exhibit hisknowledge and wisdom for the bettermentof the society.

He contested for the governorship seatof the State of Osun in the April 14, 2007governorship election, but was rigged outand his opponent, who was the candidateof the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),Olagunsoye Oyinlola, was declared winnerof the poll.

It took him three and half years to retrievehis stolen mandate and since the retrievalof the mandate in November 26, 2010, hehas been placing the state on the path ofprogress that the state has never witnessed.

At a gathering recently, Aregbesolastated that after being part of putting LagosState on a progressive path that isirreversible for any government, he choseto contest for the number one seat in Osun,which is the heartland of the Yoruba race.

The development that Osun haswitnessed since the assumption of office ofthe Ijesa-born politician has made Osun tobecome a reference point among the comityof states in the country, as hisadministration has recorded many firsts inall its programmes.

Do you want to talk of the engagementof 20,000 youths under Osun YouthsEmpowerment Scheme (OYES) within thefirst 100 days of the administration? Aftertwo years, another batch of 20,000 youths

were engaged under the scheme, making it40,000. The way and manner in which thescheme was implemented was so marvelousthat no government in Nigeria and even inAfrica has been able to march it.

One may begin to ask why the issues ofthe OYES is being over-flogged, but thetruth is that it can never be over-flogged.This is evident, as even the World Bank inconjunction with the Federal Governmenthas come around to learn how theprogramme was implemented.

Aregbesola did not stop at that, as hisadministration ensured that more youthswere employed into the civil service; somewere encouraged to enter into farmingbusiness, while some have been employedinto new companies - Omoluabi Garment

Factory and the $50 million RLG TechnologyCity called RLG/Adulawo Technology Cityin Ilesa and others - that have just beenattracted into the state.

Apart from that, the feat that Aregbesolahas recorded in the area of education cannotbe over-emphasised. Worthy of note in allthe programmes is the initiative of Opon-Imo, the computer tablet of knowledge thathas received accolade from within andoutside the country.

The tablet, which has been acknowledgedto be the first of its kind in the entire Africahas won several awards including theWorld Summit Awards (WSA) organisedamong 190 UN-member states and runswithin the United Nations (UN) frameworkof the World Summit on the InformationSociety. The Opon Imo initiative triumphedover 421 other innovations for the 2013

Awards vetted by the grand jury of globaleminent experts. What an innovation!

If this is not enough to convince themischief makers about the transformationefforts of Ogbeni as popularly called, thereview and re-organisation of the OsunFeeding Programme, popularly taggedO’MEAL is another initiative that hasattracted interests from far and wide.

The O’MEAL programme is not aboutfeeding pupils, with nutritious meals for thatmatter at the elementary schools alone, itstrickle down effects on the economy of thestate has made it acceptable to the people.Apart from the fact that the caterers that arepreparing the meal for the kids are localwomen that are empowered through thescheme, the chicken, cat fish, beef, fruitsand others stuffs that are being used toprepare the meal are supplied by localfarmers.

The implementation of the scheme andits impact on the economy, in my own view,might be reason why the United KingdomParliament invited Aregbesola to come andexplain and teach them how to implementsimilar programmes.

Also, the introduction of new uniform inthe public school and its free distributionto students was another initiative to behold.

Do you want to talk of the monthlystipend of N10,000 to the elderly citizensunder Agba Osun initiative; thetransformation in the health system of thestate; the strengthening of security and somany others.

The fact remains that no government inOsun has been able to achieve whatAregbesola has achieved within 42 monthsof his administration.

No wonder the Speaker of the StateHouse of Assembly, Honourable NajeemSalaam, described Aregbesola as a God-sentand a man of integrity and honour.

Salaam said at a gathering recently thatthe coming of Aregbesola has changed theface of governance in the state, as his vision,passion mixed with action has startedplacing Osun on a progressive path that isirreversible.

Canvassing for the second term bid ofAregbesola, the Ejigbo-born politician wasoptimistic that after eight years ofAregbesola’s administration, Osun wouldhave gone far above other states of thefederation.

•AREGBESOLA

OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 201416 Feature

Appraising Osun O-Meals Programme

By LANRE OLADEJI

WHEN the history of the FourthRepublic in Nigeria is finallywritten, one man, a public

administrator of uncanny acumen, willtower highly on the pages of thataccount. He will be so speciallyrecognised not on account of hisvolubility or seeming Spartan lifestyle.Reasonably, Governor RaufAregbesola will attract a huge focus inthat chronicle because of his sterlingperformance and consistent delivery ofgood governance in Osun State, a onceeconomically drab, socially sick, andpolitically explosive landlocked State.

While not neglecting the evidentchanges taking place in other sectorsof the state since the AregbesolaAdministration began in 2010, I mustconfess that I have been moredispassionately concerned with whathappens in the education sector of theState. From the reforms, the innovativeinitiatives, to the hefty sum being sunkin the public education system of Osun,there can be no doubt that the interestof the Aregbesola government in theadvancement of education as a vitalelement of enduring human and physicaldevelopment is not superficial.

Specifically, the vastly improvedHome-Grown School FeedingProgramme which is famously regardedas Osun Elementary School Feedingand Health Programme (O-MEALS)is one of the areas in the educationsector of the state that the incandescentlight of good governance has beendeterminedly beamed. The success ofthis programme brings to mind theindisputable fact that the sector-widedevelopment being witnessed in Osunis a product of the robustresourcefulness, rugged will, uncommonprudence, and practicable vision of theAregbesola Administration. O-MEALS has been sustained for twoyears. It is a stirring testimony to theinspiring ability of the Administration toprovide invaluably enduringprogramme.

This free school-feeding programmecovers some 500,000 pupils enrolledin Grades One to Four of allgovernment-owned ElementarySchools in Osun. It is firmly foundedon the objectives of alleviating hungerand malnutrition among school children;addressing specific micronutrientdeficiencies in school-age children forbetter school performance; motivatingparents to enrol their children in schooland have them attend regularly; andstimulating job creation, local goodsproduction and boost local farmers’incomes.

From what I gathered, on everyschool day, these pupils are fed withhighly nutritious meals made up of yamwith fish stew and orange; rice andbeans with chicken; beans porridge andbread with whole egg and banana; andcocoyam porridge with vegetable soupand beef, with a slice of pawpaw. Thisinitiative, as reports indicate, has seento the gainful empowerment of over3000 women who serve as foodvendors in all the schools across Osun.The disbursement of about N3 billionannually by the State Government tosustain the programme is itself a markerof the power of vision and what only a

responsible government like the one inOsun can do.

The O-MEALS programme is aresoundingly well-restructured idea.And this is no frivolous claim. Thisassertion can be logically substantiatedby looking at the quality of internationalsupports and acclaims the programmehas engendered, its implications on theeducation of children in the State, andthe economic spinoffs. All of theseprove that the programme is not amisbegotten idea.

With respect to geneticpredisposition to intelligence, goodnutrition plays an immeasurable role incognitive development of children.Studies have shown that nutrientdeficiency in children often affects thedevelopment of their brain, the engineroom of the human body. Children whoare deficient in nutrients and are poorlyfed will not only be sickly and lookterrifyingly gaunt; they will equally haveweaker brain power coupled with ademeaning lack of confidence. In class,they will do everything but givemeaningful attention to learning. Theywill listen to teachers desultorily. Ratherthan remember the salient thrusts of theirlessons, they have the rumbling wormsin their stomachs to remind them of thepang of hunger.

This is the hell from which theAregbesola Government has rescuedthe school children in Osun. With thenutritious meals, provision of modernlearning facilities, conducive learningatmosphere, and qualified teachers,there can be no doubt that sound andround education is the lot of thesechildren. The children now lookhealthier, more robust, and moreconfident. Their brains are beingenergised for effective performance ona daily basis. It now matters little, if any

at all, that these children attend publicschools.

The government in Osun understandsthat nutrients are quite critical foroptimal brain development, hence itsunwavering commitment to the free-feeding initiative and uncompromisingprovision of functional education. Thosewho steer the ship of governance inOsun understand that it is with well-fed, well-groomed, well-bred, and well-educated minds that society attainsgreat heights in development.

As a full package, the O-MEALSprogramme has positive impact on theeconomy and agricultural sector ofOsun. Cocoyam farming (aptly tagged‘Cocoyam Rebirth Farming’) has takena new dimension and many hands arealready being gainfully engaged in thatarea. Cocoyam, especially the pinkspecies, is said to have higher nutritionalvalue than yam. Its inclusion in the menuof the school meal is a sensible decision.

Similarly, poultry, livestock andcatfish farming now thrives in the state,improving the quality of life of farmersand reinflating the domestic economyof Osun. It can be safely concluded thatthe quest of Osun for economicdevelopment benefits richly from theactive involvement of its people. Theynot only benefit from government’sprogrammes, they also play importantroles in their execution. That is evidencethat people-oriented government iswhat subsists in Osun in the last threeyears.

It is equally noteworthy that therestructured O-MEALS initiative underthe watch of Aregbesola has attractedinternational attention. The internationalacclaims and backing fromorganisations like the Partnership forChild Development (PCD) UK, theWorld Bank, and the World FoodProgramme are strong proofs that out

there in Osun is a responsive andresponsible government. Given that theOsun State Government has by actionshown it is responsible, serious andprudent in the management ofresources, it will be good judgementon the part of these internationalorganisations to further support andhelp to expand the coverage of theprogramme to include both Middle andHigh School students. This will makefor a complete programme.

This is a programme that will do allof Nigerian children good – not onlythose in Osun. It is, therefore, awelcome development that the FederalGovernment has finally got the goodsense to copy this programme and makeit an essential part of the UniversalBasic Education programme. It is evenmore encouraging that roundtablediscussions are being organised on howto get the programme going in all theStates of the federation. I think it is aprogressive thing for the FederalGovernment to copy usefulprogrammes that will positively impactthe lives of Nigerians from StateGovernments not necessarily formedby PDP.

The whole of Nigeria needs the kindof revolution that has reshaped for goodthe public education system in Osun.Let those in charge rouse themselvesto action, demonstrating the right will,translating vision into reality, andproviding good governance throughprudence and creativity – all of whichare the hallmarks of the AregbesolaAdministration. They should know, asConfucius enlightens, that ‘[n]o nationgoes bankrupt educating its people’.Every naira spent to make the Home-Grown School Feeding programmework would be worth it.

•Oladeji wrote in from Ede, Stateof Osun.

•Pupils taking free lunch in an Osun public school.

17OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 2014 News

OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 201418 PhototalkOfficial Presentation Of All Progressives Congress (APC) Flag To Ekiti State Governor,Dr Kayode Fayemi, To Endorse Him For Second Term In Office, In Ado-Ekiti, EkitiState, Last Wednesday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

•(L-R) Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Professor Modupe Adelabu; APC Interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande; Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi; his wife, EreluBisi Fayemi; APC National leader, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari at the event.

•Deputy Governor, State of Osun, Otunba (Mrs) Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori (left); the governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd right); Kwara State Governor AbdulfatahAhmed (right) and another APC chieftain (middle) during the programme.

•(L-R) Former Governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki; former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Olusegun Osoba and former Governor of Ekiti State, Enginner Segun Oni on theoccasion.

19OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 2014 Phototalk

•General Muhammad Buhari (1st left); former Governor of Gombe State, Senator Danjuma Goje (2nd right); former EFCC boss, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu (1st right) and anotherAPC top notcher.

•(L-R) Dr Kayode Fayemi in a discussion with his counterpart from Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, during the programme.

Official Presentation Of All Progressives Congress (APC) Flag To Ekiti State Governor,Dr Kayode Fayemi, To Endorse Him For Second Term In Office, In Ado-Ekiti, EkitiState, Last Wednesday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 201420 Phototalk

Official Presentation Of All Progressives Congress (APC) Flag To Ekiti State Governor,Dr Kayode Fayemi, To Endorse Him For Second Term In Office, In Ado-Ekiti, EkitiState, Last Wednesday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

•Ecstatic crowd at the event.

•Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State (right) and former Governor of Ekiti State, Engineer Segun Oni at the programme.

21OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 2014

Official Presentation Of All Progressives Congress (APC) Flag To Ekiti State Governor,Dr Kayode Fayemi, To Endorse Him For Second Term In Office, In Ado-Ekiti, EkitiState, Last Wednesday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

•Another cross section of Governor Fayemi’s supporters and admirers at the event.

•Mallam Ribadu (2nd right); Ex-Governor Goje (2nd left) and other dignitaries welcoming Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) (right) to the event.

Phototalk

OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 201422 Phototalk

Opening Ceremony Of A Three-day Technical Meeting On Feeding And HealthProgramme (O’Meal) Held At Centre For Black Culture And InternationalUnderstanding, Abere, State Of Osun, Last Wednesday.

•(L-R) Special Adviser, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr ( Mrs) Omo Ohiokpehai; Executive Director, Partnership for Child Development ImperialCollege, London, United Kingdom, Dr (Mrs) Lesley Drake; Lead Specialist for Health, Nutrition and Population in Africa, Dr Don Bundy; Deputy Director, Ministry of Agric andFood Security, State of Osun, Mrs Ajibike Fagbemi and others, at the opening of a three-day Technical Meeting on Osun Elementary School Feeding and Health Programme(O-Meals), held at Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, Abere, State of Osun, last Wednesday.

•A cross section of pupils of AUD Government Elementary School, Isale-Osun, Osogbo, eating breakfast, during the opening of the three-day Technical Meeting on OsunElementary School Feeding and Health Programme (O-Meals), held at Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, Abere, State of Osun, last Wednesday.

23OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 2014 PhototalkOSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 2014

Opening Ceremony Of A Three-day Technical Meeting On Feeding And HealthProgramme (O’Meal) Held At Centre For Black Culture And InternationalUnderstanding, Abere, State Of Osun, Last Wednesday.

•(L-R) Lead Specialist for Health, Nutrition and Population in Africa, Dr Don Bundy; Executive Director, Partnership for Child Development Imperial College London, UK, Dr(Mrs) Lesley Drake and Special Adviser to Osun Governor on O’Meal, Mrs Funmi Adeyi, having a chart with the pupils of AUD Government Elementary School, Isale-Osun,Osogbo, during the programme.

•Dr Bundy (In glasses); Dr (Mrs) Drake (5th left); Mrs Adeyi (left) in a group photograph with O-Meal food vendors, during the opening of the three-day Technical Meeting onOsun Elementary School Feeding and Health Programme (O-Meals), held at Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, Abere, State of Osun last Wednesday.

OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 201424 Phototalk

State Of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Addressed World BankRepresentatives On School Feeding And Health Programme (O’Meals), Held At CentreFor Black Culture And International Understanding, Abere, Osogbo, State Of Osun,Last Thursday.

•(R-L) Deputy Director, Nutrition Division, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Chris Isokpunwu, representing Minister of Health; representative of Kano State Governor, AlhajiTajudeen Gambo; Executive Director, Partnership for Child Development, Imperial College, London, Uk, Dr (Mrs) Lesley Drake; Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni RaufAregbesola; World Bank representative, Prof Don Bondy and Deputy Governor, State of Osun, Otunba (Mrs) Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori and Deputy Executive Secretary, UniversalBasic Education Commission, Yakubu Gambo, at the opening of A three-day Technical Meeting on Osun Elementary School Feeding and Health Programme (O-Meals), held atCentre for Black Culture and International Understanding, Abere, State of Osun, last Thursday.

•Governor Aregbesola,declaring open the three-day Technical Meeting on Osun Elementary School Feeding and Health Programme (O-Meals), held at Centre for Black Cultureand International Understanding, Abere, State of Osun, last Thursday.

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OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 201432 Interview

Our Hope And Prayer Is That OsunElection Will Be Peaceful – Bolorunduro

Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s second term re-electioncampaign committees in all the nine FederalConstituencies of Osun State was recently inauguratedby the state chapter of All Progressive Congress(APC).The State Commissioner for Finance, Budget andEconomic Planning, Dr. Wale Bolorunduro, a renownedtechnocrat is made the chairman of the committee forIjesa North Federal Constituency consisting of Obokunand Oriade Local Governments. In this interview withMICHAEL OLANREWAJU, Bolorunduro discloses plansby his committee to ensure total victory for incumbentGovernor Aregbesola in the scheduled August 9governorship election despite the presence of big namesin the opposition political parties in the area.

AS the chairman of GovernorAregbesola’s campaignOrganization for Ijesa North

Federal Constituency, what are your plansfor the campaign?

My plans is to run the most effectivecampaign such that for the first time,Governor Aregbesola will deliver the highestvote ever recorded in the history of theconstituency in terms of number of votersand the vote casted for him and also in termof interest that his re-election will generate.It is going to be a rare privilege to rally roundour people and to get them out, get out thevoters and the votes for Ogbeni RaufAregbesola. By my training, am a strategistand a planner, I feel a little bit paranoid inthe sense that, the goal that I and mycommittee set for the re-election of GovernorAregbesola how are we going to deliver it?That is what made me paranoid and youknow when you are paranoid you will put inall your best and give yourself to spiritual,you will also need to use the best tools,mobilize all your resources for the project

What message are you dishing out tothe citizenry?

The message is simple, ‘AregbesolaLeekan si’ that is, Aregbesola ‘one more time’and the message will be dishing out to ourpeople that we have never had it so goodlike this, telling them not to sit down at homebut rather go out and vote, don’t just vote,make sure your vote count and ensure thatthe count is preserved and announced. Weare going to rally our people as we all knowthat Ijesa people are very tenacious, so weare going to unleash the power of Ijesasthat is in term of aggressively demonstratingtheir love for Ogbeni Aregbesola and thatthey’ve never had it so good. I know thatthey believe in giving back and they willdefinitely give back. The people are veryconscious about re-election of governorAregbesola, we are getting quick feedbackfrom our people and they are verycooperating, they know that this is give backtime as Aregbesola has done much for themand that, this time around they need tocompensate him with their vote. They knowthat it is the time to put all energy into it andstart campaigning door to door, street tostreet, Ijesa people will vote for the first timethe way they’ve never ever voted before,they will vote come rain come sunshine andensure that their vote count.

On the issue of violence, people areafraid that violence might trail theelection. What are you doing concerningit?

What we are telling our people is that,the security personnel are there to protectthem, whatever things that may happen theywill all be protected and safeguarded by thesecurity personnel that will be deployed forthe purpose of that election. What we aretelling our people is to come out en-massand vote, they should not be intimidatedby anybody. We hope there would not be

any violence and strongly believed too thatthe security agents will take charge andensure that there is peace and violent freeelection. Having said that, I think as aYoruba people, looking at Osun actually beat the centre of the South West, we are atthe peak of that historical facts that theYoruba people are sophisticated and theyknow how to defend themselves, the Yorubapeople believed that nobody has monopolyof violence, they know how to defend theirvote, if you look at the history, it happenedin 1965 when election were rigged andmarred with violence, people then rose anddefend their vote and the First Republic fell.In 1983 also, elections were rigged in SouthWest, Ondo and old Oyo, the SecondRepublic fell also not because elections wererigged in other places but in South West.Our hope and prayer is that, the electionwill be peaceful, it will be violent free and ifits violent free, the President of the countrywill come out as a responsible leader andshow courage to ensure that the vote of thepeople count. We are only enjoining MrPresident to ensure that the vote of thepeople of Osun and Ekiti states count.

What words do you wants to pass to theopposition?

My message for the opposition is to playthe game according to the rule. They shouldknow that they don’t have monopoly ofviolence, they should not subvert the wishof the people which the only way to expressthemselves is to vote democratically and tobe able to do that, they must come out withtheir manifestoes and up till now, we havenot seeing the manifestoes of the majoropposition. We expect them to come outand let us have robust arguments not to bepoisoning the air that they will reverseeverything. Osun is on the move towardssocio- economic development and it cannotbe reversed never will it be reversed.

You are a corporate person but nowdigging deep into politics. What have youseen to be the driven force and differencethat has happened in the two worlds?

In the world of corporate, politics areplayed but somehow politics in the corporateworld are at a stage lifted you above lifeand also lifted you above being shamelessnot because you cannot come down. Theirony of life is that, human beings has theopportunity to live above life and thingsthat are not profitable to development eitherby virtue of events or determine andactualization. So, in the corporate world, youare elevated above pedestal things but youcan actually come down, so in essence,what I mean is that nobody has monopolyof violence, the progressives which APCrepresented will not be a folks but neitherbe eating up by the folks. In corporate, thatelement of preservation and defending yourright exists. In the political domain inadministrative politics, there is always asimilarities and that is you are providingservice to humanity just as in corporate

world too by growing your business andallowing the business to employ morepeople but in term of politics, whether inthe corporate, they are the same, the onlydifference is that the corporate people liveby the rule, they are somehow elevatedbeyond the pedestal things. We are allpolitical animals which will always look foropportunity to provide service and to defendit.

Which of the Aregbesola’s programmesdo you admire best and why?

I admired his socio- developmentalprogrammes like the infrastructures puttingin place. Am an admirer of physicalinfrastructure person, I believed so much inphysical infrastructure development why?Because it is the only way as a federatingunit in the federal system whereby you canas a leader attach yourself and stimulategrowth, when you build road, airport,schools, you automatically created job andit will drastically reduce unemploymentwhich will jacke up peoples standard ofliving and moving people out of poverty.As an applied economist, that is the bestprogramm and you know coming from acorporate background, people think you area monetary, and am not but a fiscal policyman who believed in the federating systemwhere you do not have currencysovereignty as a state. The only instrumentyou have is fiscal instrument and you mustdrive it like crazy, you must create linkagesbetween your fiscal, expenditure andeconomy growth and between real growthand development. For me I love the socioservice. The most critical thing above all isphysical infrastructural development.

As a technocrat, how are you copingwith the job assigned to you consideringthe PDP bigwigs in your federalconstituency?

I will not want to discuss our strategiesand make it known but we have being goingout, door to door, street to street and askingour people a simple question, who have notbenefited from Aregbesola’s government?There is no house hold that has notbenefitted directly or indirectly from

Aregbesola’s government. So we go out withthat message and challenging our peopleto come out en-mass and vote. Talking ofbigwigs of PDP in my federal constituency,yes we are not scared of them, the questionwe are asking our people is that, despite theclaim of the opposition of being closed withthe people when they are in governmentand now claiming of being closed with thefederal government, what do they do forthem? If they have not done anything forthem in the past, people should come outand vote against them, cast their vote forAregbesola who is performing wonders.

How are you going to sustain theintrigues of politics as a technocrat?

You must first realise that governmentand corporate policies are different, incorporate policy, many people play by therule but in governance, it is not so, so yourrole is to call the attention of the umpire andthe security operatives to ensure thatopposition play by the rule, that is going tobe very key.

What are your plans to dislodge themoneybag politician?

We have being sensitizing our people notto sell their vote, selling their vote amountto selling their future. Osun people aresensible, they have tested these peoplebefore and know what they were up to, theinfrastructural development putting in placein Osun as of today has seriouslytransformed the state, people can not fallinto their hands again, we have learnt ourlessons. Our people and to get them out getout the voters and the votes for Ogbeni RaufAregbesola. By my training, am a strategistand a planner, I feel a little bit paranoid inthe sense that, the goal that I and mycommittee set for the re-election of GovernorAregbesola how are we going to deliver it?

That is what made me paranoid and youknow when you are paranoid you will put inall your best and give yourself to spiritual,you will also need to use the best tools,mobilize all your resources to ensure thatyou deliver all your set goals.

•Culled from DAILY NEWSWATCH

•BOLORUNDURO

33OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 2014

OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 201434

Job Vacancies In Nigeria

You can subscribe to Job Vacancies in Nigeria, Jobs in Nigeria viayour e-mail: www.recentnigerianjobs.com

Osun State Jobs at Tilad Nigeria LimitedTilad Nigeria Limited - A newly established Automobile Company based in Ede, Osun State requires theservices of:Job Position: Purchase & Logistics OfficerJob Description: Coordinate of supply department activities. Maintain a list of approved materials and parts suppliers. Receive purchase requests and prepare purchase order for items requested. Coordinates clearing of 510 parts at the ports and arrange transportation to the factory Carry out other duties that may be assigned to him by the General Manager. Planning the delivery of production parts to assembly line in accordance with the schedule of production. Receive all incoming production parts and materials keep stock until required for use. Carry out periodic inventory and ensure that a minimum stock of materials is maintained. Identify staff annual training and submit proposal.Job Requirements: Qualification: BSc/HND in Transport and Logistic Management, Mechanical or Electrical ElectronicsEngineering Competence: 3 years experience in store keeping.Job Position: Commercial Sales OfficerJob Description Be in charge of sales at designated sales region. Organize sales campaign. Evolve sales strategy. Improve market share of production and spare parts. Carry out sales forecast and develop dealers for volume sales.Job Requirements: Qualification: B.Sc/HND in Social Sciences Competence: Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office Suite Aggressive and bold Good knowledge in automobile sales strategy Modern selling skills. Good communication skills

How to ApplyInterested candidates should send their application and CV to: tiladauto@gmail.com———————————————————————————————————————Job Positions for Marketing Officers at Apex Consults

Apex Consults is recruiting to fill the position below:Job Title: Marketing OfficerJob DescriptionPreparing, planning and project managing the publication of all publicity material to maximise brandpromotion.Creating marketing campaigns and working with the company’s external PR agency to see them executed.Supporting the marketing manager in day to day marketing activities.Plan, develop and deliver campaigns as agreed within timescales. Requirements of the role Previousexperience in a similar marketing role.Ideally a degree in marketing although not essential. Strong and confident communicator. Excellent copywriting skills and experience. Creating and developing new innovative ways to communicate the company message to their existingcustomers. Contributing to the annual sales and marketing plan. Planning and project managing marketing events and evaluating their success. Evaluating the effectiveness of all marketing activity. Developing and implementing an internal marketing program.Requirements Applicant must have minimum of OND, HND or BSC Interested applicants should forward their name, phone number and email address Strictly Lagos residents.How to ApplyInterested and qualified candidates should forward their CV’s to: career.apexconsults@gmail.com———————————————————————————————————————Jobs for Marketers in Lagos at Emprex Associates

Emprex Associates a fast growing company based in Lagos is looking to recruit a proactive, dedicated andhighly motivated individual to kick start the marketing department of her firm.

Job title: MarketersResponsibilities Identify and develop new markets and business opportunities in the region in order to create strongawareness of the company products. Maintain client relationship Achieve the designated individual sales target. Meeting customers and closing sales. Maintaining sales details/registers/quotes. Achieve the set revenue, yields and volume targets. Maintain and develop relationships with new and existing clients Aggressive marketing of company products Meet aggressive sales targets.Requirements A bachelors degree or equivalent. Minimum of two years working experience in the marketing field. Positive mental attitude and Self motivated. Abililty to work with minimum supervision. Ability to maintain a professional appearance and providing a positive company image to the public. Willingness to work a flexible schedule. Ability to develop and deliver presentations. Ability to work well as part of a team. Creativity and problem-solving skills. Ability to identify business opportunities and viable prospects. Good communication skills. Strong analytical skills. High level of confidence. Good interpersonal skills. Agile, intelligent, proactive, self-motivating.Benefit Monthly bonus Commission on every sales made Travelling AllowanceMethod of ApplicationInterested applicants should forward detailed CV to: emprexassociates@gmail.com Note: All candidatesshould quote the position applied for as the subject of the mails.———————————————————————————————————————Office Assistants Job Vacancies at Pat Irvinis Nigeria Limited

Pat Irvinis Nigeria Limited requires the services of qualified candidates to fill the position below:Job Title: Office AssistantsResponsibilities Screening of all incoming calls, enquiries and requests, and handling as appropriate. Ensuring all routine correspondence is treated accordingly. Preparing and tracking business expenditure, sales reports e.t.c. Ensuring timely payments to vendors and suppliers of services. Scheduling business appointments for line managers and ensuring that they are well prepared andpunctual for meetings. Producing documents, briefing papers, reports and presentations.Requirements Fluency in spoken and written English Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines Ability to work with little supervision and must be self motivated Good communication skills Good organizational and time management skills Proficiency in the knowledge and use of Microsoft Office packages Honesty, reliability and attention to detailAcademic Qualifications: OND/Part Time student in a higher institution of learning (Arts or Social Sciences). Age: Between 20-28 years. Experience: 1-2 years working experience.How to ApplyInterested applicants should forward their CV to: cvdatacentre@gmail.com Note: Only shortlisted candidateswill be contacted.———————————————————————————————————————

35OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 2014

OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 201436 Feature

Taxation As A Veritable Source Of IGR

•JONATHAN

NIGERIA has for a very longtime been operating amono-cultural economy.

Her major source of foreignearning and revenue for many yearshas been oil. Oil revenue accountsfor over 80 per cent ofgovernment’s incomes. PetroleumProfit Tax (PPT) constitutes amajor part of government taxes.Experts predict that in the next 15to 20 years, the oil wells may dryup and there is need to source forother means of running thegovernment.

Countries all over the world arerun mainly through taxation andlaws governing taxation are heldsacrosanct and religiously too. Allthe developed and emergingeconomies like the United States,Canada, United Kingdom, China,among others use tax to develop.Seeing the importance of using taxrevenue to grow, Nigeria iscurrently developing mechanismnecessary to improve the taxrevenue system in the country .

One of the problems is thatNigeria has not been able todocument its tax payers, therebymaking it difficult to have adatabase of those who are supposedto pay tax. As a result of this,millions of naira are lost to non-remittance of taxation. For now, itis mostly salary earners that paytax. Big companies and businessesdo not pay much because there aremany tax holidays they enjoy.

There is need to ensure that taxcontinues to play its major role inproviding sustainable revenue forgovernment. Fluctuations in crudeoil earnings can affect publicexpenditure adversely and taxeshave become a veritable avenue, theproverbial egg that lays the goldeneggs, and its importance cannot beoveremphasized.

For instance, the Minister ofNational Planning, Dr ShamsudeenUsman, once said that Nigerianswould need about $3 million tobuild the public infrastructure inthe next 30 years and that more thanhalf of the amount would befinanced from the nations coffers.It is expected that the bulk of thatfund will come from tax revenue.To achieve this, the federalgovernment is hoping to toe theline of the Lagos StateGovernment, which has leverageon its burstling population tofinance its major publicinfrastructure through its taxcollections.

Lagos is one of the fewfinancially independent states inthe country Internally generatedrevenue from the seven tax typesin Lagos has moved from a monthlyaverage of about #600 million in1999 to approximately N17.5billion in 2012 thereby makingLagos State less dependent onproceeds from the federationaccount.

The problem that the governmenthas in this area of revenue

generation is that there are still farlow many tax-dodgers. And theycome from the top echelons of thesociety. This class is the mostcritical of the efforts ofgovernment; yet it is the leastwilling to discharge its ownobligations to society. Thequestion is not whether they canafford to pay their taxes or not- thetruth is that they prefer to use whatis due to the government for otherpurposes. Tax-dogging or taxevasion is not only unlawful, it isimmoral and unfair. There is theneed for a new drive to bring intothe net all those who have so faravoided paying tax or paying thecorrect tax.

In this connection, the long armsof the law cannot be stopped evenby the death of the tax-evader.Where it is discovered that acitizen did not fulfill his taxobligation before his death , aclaim will be made on his estateand such a claim will be givenpriority over those that may bemade by other creditors. Section48(i) of the personal Income TaxLaw provided that “ where anindividual dies, the amount of (a)tax in respect of income of hisarising before the death and (b) anytax for which, but for his death, hewould have been answerable inrespect of other incomes soarising, shall be payable by theperson administering thedeceased’s estate out of the assetsof the estate.

With respect to Pay As You Earn(PAYE), the defaulters are largelycompanies who deduct income taxfrom their employees’s salariesbut fails to pass the deductions tothe tax authorities as required bylaw. Internal effort on revenue andexpenditure is the main prop onwhich any administration stands. Itis the centre-piece of financialmanagement. The key to thesuccess of any administration in allfields of endeavour is the prudenceof financial management. If thereis no money, it will be difficult toexecute programmes. Excellencecomes out of sacrifice. We all wantour state to be one of the best citiesin the world to live in. It can be.But we must make our owncontribution towards making thisdream come true by paying ourtaxes. It is our civic responsibility.It is the law.

Fore each state in Nigeria and theFederal Capital Territory, buildinga viable state in this context meansexactly what is required at thenational level and more; a burningdesire to build a viable state in theshortest possible time; developingthose sustainable developmentparameters within each state tofocus on having sustainablesources of revenue that would drivesustainable development; anunrelenting focus to achieverevenue and developmental targetsso as to achieve the set goals,collaborative arrangements withinand amongst the state and localgovernments, between states,between the state and federal

By PROF. A.S ASAJU

government, between the state andits citizenry and residents.

The real focus should be ondeepening and widening the entirerevenue base; the focus should bemore on the quantum of collectionand how to grow that quantum andallocate it, than on merely whocollects it as such narrow focussub-optimises what can becollected, and how monies areutilized. Indeed it accentuates thechallenges of multiple taxationwhich is not only unconstitutional,but exarcebates the problem of thetax payer and electorate who getincreasingly frustrated at thenumerous amount of taxes borne-formal and informal, for which aclear solution needs to bearticulated and implemented by allof the state governments on behalfof both state and localgovernments as provide for in theconstitution

There is the need for a tax policyin the country. Hitherto, eventhrough tax policies have existedin various documents, these havenot been coordinated andharmonized into a documented taxpolicy that clearly articulates howto use taxation to drivedevelopment not just at the nationalbut at the sub-national level. Thestate governments need to enactclear laws on the taxes and rateschargeable by the localgovernments to reduce theincidence of multiple taxation.Multiple taxation is a major barrierto effective collection of legaltaxes. It is injurious to theeconomy. This is because itincreases the cost of doingbusiness in the country,discourages local trade andinvestment and also gives anegative perception of the Nigerianbusiness environment.

With government spendingrising, it is important for revenueadministrators to devise ingeniousmeans of improving tax collection.One sure way of doing so isautomation of the tax collectionprocess. Recently, the FederalInland Revenue Service (FIRS)announced ongoing efforts toautomate tax collection by 2014with the Integrated TaxAdministration System (ITAS). Theprimary goal of this project is tore-engineer the tax administrationservice delivery, eliminate gapsand redundancies in the currentadministrative assessment processby leveraging technology in linewith global best practicesultimately leading to simplertaxpayer compliance. The objectiveis to transform the taxadministrative systems andoptimize its contribution tonational development.

•Prof Asaju wrote in from theFederal University of Technology(FUTA), Akure, Ondo State.

37OSUN DEFENDER Sunday, May 25, 2014

•OMISORE •ADELEKE •ADESIYAN

A memorable quote from SenatorIsiaka Adeleke on the PDP candidatein the State of Osun, Senator IyiolaOmisore, Minister of Police Affairs,Alhaji Jelili Adesiyan and another PDPchieftain in the state, Sogo Agboola.

Omisore, Police Minister Beat Me Up - Adeleke“On entering the hall, I saw Omisore, Adesiyan, Sogo

Agboola sitting together. I went to Adesiyan to complainthat police officers and DSS operatives were holdingparty men outside. But, instead of listening to me, hejumped over a table before him and hit me with a blowon the chest. Sogo Agboola also attacked me. Before Iknew what was happening, Omisore hit me with a blowfrom the back. About seven guns corked were pointed atme,” Adeleke asserted.

•Culled from Nigerian Tribune,Thursday April 3, 2014

SUNDAY, MAY 25, 2014

IN the evil spiritual realm, itis learnt that if a witchintends to deal with

someone, she will table heroffence(s) before hercontemporaries and seniorcolleagues. It is almost acommon occurrence for aspouse who has found asubstitute for her or his partnerto fabricate all manner of liesto justify his or her exit fromthe most complex of all socialinstitutions called marriage. What thePeoples Democratic Party (PDP) in theState of Osun is doing in preparation forthe August 9 governorship election ismere laying of foundation for thejustification of rigging the election. Yes.The same method worked in 2003 whenChief Olabode George was a commonsight in the then State of the LivingSpring.

I am eminently qualified to speak onthe conduct of the election because Iwas fully on ground and my verdict onthe elections was that they werebrazenly rigged. Those who were closeto the illegal governorate of the periodwere fond of relaying the usual responseof the man at the helm of affairs in thestate then, to any of the elected orappointed members of his cabinet whomight had developed a swollen head, thatthey should remember how they illegallygot to power. It is highly disturbing thatit was the unchallenged rigged electionof the 2003 that had illegally enthronedfalse political leaders not only in Osunbut across the South-West geo-politicalzone.

If a student who has been sleepingwhen his colleagues are burning thecandle at both ends is boasting that hewould top his class, there is need towatch him during the examination. Areader is a leader; if you don’t read, youare not expected to pass yourexamination. Coupled with hissuperlative performance in all sectorsin the state, it will not be anunderstatement to observe that thegovernorship candidate of the AllProgressives Congress (APC) in Osun,Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has beenpreparing for a ten-kilometre race whenhe has only 100 metres to run withreference to the governorship electionof August 9, 2014.

While his main political opponent inthe state is going around on how to rigthe election, Aregbesola is busy fulfillinghis six-point integral action plan. It isinstructive to note that there is nothinghe promised in his pact with the peopleof the state that he has notaccomplished. The bonuses of hisachievements in government could evenbe said to be more than what he promisedduring the election. When somerenowned cheats are boasting that theircandidate would win the forthcominggovernorship election in Osun, I alwaysremember the Old Ondo State episodewhen the late Chief Akin Omoboriowowho enjoyed the federal might to rig an

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election could not sit on the seat for aday until the wish of the peopleprevailed.

Whoever is toying with how to rig theforthcoming governorship election inOsun is an enemy of this nation becausewhen the resultant effects of the riggingeventually become manifested, it mayspread across the nation as we arecurrently witnessing with the hydra-headed Boko Haram activities whichhad its offshoot from the North-Easternpart of the country. Boko Haramonslaught has now graduated from anational problem to an international one,and the same has succeeded in labelingthis country a terrorist nation. Anyattempt to rig the Osun governorshipelection is tantamount to deliberatelytoying with the continual corporateexistence of this country.

Whoever is thinking of hitting hisopponent below the belt in the electionmay be said to be working to the answerin actualizing the forecast of anAmerican lawmaker who once said hedoubted the corporate existence of

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

Nigeria beyond 2015. A stitch in timesaves nine. Must we sacrifice thecorporate existence of a nation for thepolitical greed of a party or individual?The answer is no. It is the beginning ofa schism that one can know; thefestering end cannot be predicted. Thehandlers of shameless politicians whoare thinking that their political ambitionis more than peaceful co-existence ofthis country should tutor their subjectson how not to rock the boat of unityand peace.

The recent indictment of PresidentGoodluck Jonathan’s Minister of PoliceAffairs, Mr Jelili Adesiyan, by the Osunoffice of the Public ComplaintsCommission over the attack of the firstcivilian governor of the state, AlhajiIsiaka Adeleke, is an indication thatAdesiyan is a misfit for the office he isholding. A president who has a genuinedesire to bring sanity into the alreadyrotten political turf across the nation willnot wait for a second to start preparinghis exit from his already stigmatizedcabinet. How was Adesiyan smuggled

into the Jonathan cabinet?It is on record thatAdesiyan would be thefirst appointed minister byany President without theapproval of all thesenators from his homestate, Osun. But becausehe was penciled down foran ignoble role in thePDP’s plan to rigelections in the South-West, his ministerial

candidature was approved with aPresidential fiat. So, Adesiyan could notbe said to be the nation’s minister butJonathan’s minister. He is PresidentJonathan’s agent with a mission to causeconfusion in Osun in particular, and theSouth-West in general. As an agent ofJonathan, the President should be heldresponsible for the established attack ofSenator Adeleke by Adesiyan.

Adesiyan should know that he wouldneither be the first nor the last ministerfrom Osun. He is writing his history,like other people, everyday. For him notto be consigned into the dustbin ofhistory, he should allow his conscience,if he has any, to guide his day-to-dayactivities while he is in his illegal officeas minister of police affairs. The cathas been let out of the bag by the publiccomplaints commission which disclosedthat like other ministers, Adesiyan evenas a minister of police affairs is notentitled to more than four police officers.The meaning of this information is thatanytime Adesiyan is accompanied bymore than four police officers, theexcess are either performing illegaloperation or are fake police officers.Adesiyan should think of how he will bean added advantage to the alreadyplumeling image of his principal ratherthan be his albatross.

Adesiyan should be guided by hisunpalatable experience in the hands ofthe Nigeria Police in Port-Hacourt whenhe illegally covered the number plate ofhis official car during his visit to theRivers State capital as OsunCommissioner for Education during theadministration of former GovernorOlagunsoye Oyinlola. I will also notdiscuss here how the same characterhad a raw deal in the hands of securityoperatives when he ran foul of the lawof the land at Murtala MohammedInternational Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. Inall these incidents, it was the then OsunPolice Command that came to hisrescue. Taking the totality of thenefarious activities of the controversialminister of police affairs intoconsideration since he was appointed, itwould not be out of tune to concludethat he was merely shedding crocodiletears on the floor of the Senate whenhe was confronted with questions on themurder of former number one lawofficer of the federation, the late ChiefBola Ige, who was killed in his Ibadan,Oyo State residence in a questionablemanner.

Omo OsunWith

Kola Olabisi�:08033927286 e-mail: kolaolabisi@yahoo.com

Matters Arising On Adesiyan’sAppointment As Police Minister

•ADESIYAN: Controversial Police Affairs Minister