VOL. 10. NO.03 N50tuesday, jaNuary 6, 2015

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Front Page Comment

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, acknowledging cheers from his admirers during the cross-over service and fireworks display to welcome New Year 2015 at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, recently. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

- See Story On Page

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- See Story On Page 3

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2015: SW PDP Wants Presidency To Unleash Terror On Osun

PDP’s Desperation: How Oladipo Lied To Appease PDP Members

2015 Elections: Punish Bad Politicians

Ataoja Celebrates Xmas With Osogbo Christians

- Pg 4

Atiku Debunks Return Move To PDP

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Osun Compatriots: Time To SacrificeTough time, they say, never lasts, but tough people do. Based on human experience this aph-orism has proved to be right on count-less number of peri-od in the history of humanity.And it’s

backdrop that we like to make appeal - once again - to our com-patriots in the state of Osun to see this period as a period of sacrifice in the life of

In the face of the dwin-dling federal allocation it has really been tough for the ever-progressive Aregbesola-led admin-istration. No doubt the heavy deductions in

allocation which started last year is really taking its toll in the running of the affairs of the state and its negative effect is

down to the masses. The living conditions of the people are being grossly affected neg-atively as salaries are being delayed while there is little to pay contrac

tors. Truly it’s hard.However, it’s import-ant to mention it that this paucity of funds isn’t limited to the state of Osun alone. It cuts across the whole thirty six states of the feder-ation.

Contnue on pg5

2OSuN DEFENDER tuesday, january 6, 2015

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3 News OSuN DEFENDER tuesday, january 6, 2015

•Wife of the State of Osun Governor, Mrs Sherifat Aregbesola, answering questions from newsmen during her visit to first baby of the year 2015 at Primary Health-centre, Ijugbe, Oke-Eso, Ode-Omu, State of Osun, recently. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

2015: SW PDP Wants Presidency To Unleash Terror On OsunBareLy a month to the February 14, 2015

presidential election, the south-West caucus of the Peoples democratic Party

( PdP) has begun moves to frustrate the governments of the all Progressives Congress (aPC) in the geopolitical zone, in a bid to win the states for President Goodluck jonathan at all cost.

By Our rePOrter

In the centra l of the frustration plan

i s G o v e r n o r R a u f Aregbeso la o f the

State of Osun, who the South-West PDP sees as a coordinating governor of oppositions against President Jonathan.

An impeccable source among the leaders of the PDP confided in OsuN deFeNder on Sunday that the South-West leadership of the party

had been instigating the Presidency to unleash terror on Aregbesola and the APC in the state.

“The South-West leadership of our party wants the Presidency t o q u a s h O g b e n i Aregbesola before the presidential election, so that the PDP can

produce more votes for the President on the election day,” the source said.

According to the source, the decision to frustrate the APC governors was taking at a meeting of the leaders of the PDP in the region held in Akure, Ondo

State, on December 27, 2014.

In a t t endance a t t h e m e e t i n g w e r e Governors Olusegun Mimiko and Ayodele F a y o s e , S e n a t o r s Musiliu Obanikoro, Iyiola Omisore, Teslim Folarin and Mr Kolapo Ogunjobi among other notable leaders of the party in the geo-political zone.

T h e S o u t h - We s t leadership of the party, according to the source, acknowledged the fact that Omisore could not win his petition against the dec la ra t ion o f Governor Aregbesola as the winner of the August 9, 2014 governorship election at the election petition tribunal.

The PDP leaders have however, a l legedly concluded at the meeting to appeal the yet-to-be-delivered tribunal verdict and influence the matter at the Court of Appeal to favour Omisore.

At the meeting, it was alleged that Fayose brought the idea of using the Nigerian military, Department of State Security and the Police to intimidate the APC leaders and supporters in the South-West.

Specifically, Fayose reportedly said APC members and supporters in both Ekiti and Ondo states should be crushed before the election time, so that the PDP would have block votes for President Jonathan.

The meeting came to an end with the constitution of four different committees which are Security,

PDP’s Desperation: How Oladipo Lied To Appease PDP MembersBy shiNa aBuBakar

iN a desperate move to persuade members of the Peoples democratic Party (PdP) in the state of Osun from losing hope ahead of the

general elections, the party’s National secretary, Professor Wale Oladipo, has been lying and giving false hope to the party members in the state.

The party’s national scribe had, during his birthday celebration, addressed journalists and members of the party that the PDP is working seriously to ensure that defected founding members of the party return ahead of the polls.

It was gathered that the party is currently faced with massive defection of its members to other parties, as most northern party members defected into the All Progressives Congress (APC), while those in the party did not really campaign for the president’s re-election.

Oladipo said the party’s reconciliatory committee i s work ing towards wooing back into the party the governor of Kano State and Former Vice-President, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar respectively.

However, findings at the National Secretariat of the party revealed that the party is not in any

way talking to either Atiku or Kwankwaso, as the duo are known to be committed to the APC, especially as Kwankwaso is billed to contest the Kano Central Senatorial seat under APC.

Similarly, Atiku is reported to have keyed into the Buhari/Osinbajo project and he’s ready to donate to the team to ensure its success.

A source close to the party scribe informed OsuN deFeNder that the members of the party needed to be given hope at whatever cost, hence, the decision to sell the dummy to them, especially as the propaganda on the Osun election tribunal is not working as expected.

Accord ing to the source, members of the party in the state, having seen how things played out at last year’s gubernatorial poll in the state seem to have no confidence in the party’s

ability to win the general elections in February, hence, the need for the scr ibe to give them something to hold on to.

This, however, exposed the desperation of the party in the face of the 2015 general elections and would stop at nothing to ensure that the President

holds on to power, even as the party hierarchy have an inkling that majority of Nigerians may not vote for the President at the poll.

The PDP National S e c r e t a r i a t s o u r c e disclosed that the move to reconcile the defected members, especially

Kwankwaso and Atiku, is not open, but would not dispute it if it is coming from the National Secretary, except that one man does not decide an issue of such magnitude.

2015 Elections: Punish Bad Politicians - Osun SpeakersPeaker, state OF Osun house of assembly of Osun,

honourable Najeem salaam, has tasked Nigerians to punish unscrupulous politicians, who have taken

them for granted all the while, saying the masses should seize the advantage of the forthcoming general elections to make a statement.

Addressing loyalists of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ejigbo at a local party meeting on Sunday, Speaker Salaam said politics is a game of number and that the masses should deploy their population to punish the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has allegedly messed the country up.

A c c o r d i n g t o h i m : “Democracy has provided chance for the people to make mistakes and to correct them simultaneously through balloting, and if a political class is found wanton, it is not out of place to punish such a political class. PDP has taken people for granted and they should not be spared.”

Lament ing on i ssue

of shortage of federal allocation, Speaker Salaam hinted that people should wake up to the reality that Nigerian economy has collapsed, asserting that the ailing economy on the life support, wrapped with the ruggedness of the country men and women, is still not spared by the magnitude of corruption bedevilling the system.

He disclosed that the implication of the reduction of the state allocation by 50 per cent was that individual’s standard of living has been reduced by half of what it used to be, arguing that the nation can no longer continue on that path.

“This nation is on the tenterhook, as the collapse

of the economy has affected other areas of influence. People’s lives have been short-changed, and the crossroads appear to be more difficult, requiring an urgent intervention with holistic overhaul, because the nation cannot continue like this,” Salaam quipped.

In another development, Speaker Salaam appealed to all mothers in Nigeria and across the globe to seek divine grace for the abducted Chibok school girls, saying that all indictors have shown that the government of President Goodluck Jonathan has abandoned them to their fate in the hands of terrorists.

The Speaker, who nearly betrayed his emotion while he dropped the hint, said those children in the hands of the terrorists did not commit any offence against the nation, other than they hearkened the clarion call

that all children, particularly girls should go to school.

Salaam reiterated that for spending close to 300 days in the den of kidnappers, they have been recklessly abandoned by the government saddled to guarantee safety of lives and property, urging people with spiritual affinity to seek the face of God for the innocent children.

“It is heartbroken to know that Nigerian girls are still in the den of psychopaths called Boko Haram in a country entrusted in the hands of a President that lives on the taxpayers’ money, and the same man saddled with the constitutional duty of protecting them, has moved on, when he ought to be seen galvanizing the nation in search of the innocent girls,” said Salaam

4 OSuN DEFENDER tuesday, january

•A cross section of the passengers at Osogbo Railway Terminus ready to return to Lagos after the Christmas and New Year celebration on Sunday.

News

Ataoja Celebrates Xmas With Osogbo ChristiansBy FraNCis ezediuNO

the ataoja of Osogboland, Oba jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun, Larooye ii, has called on Nigerians to imbibe the virtues of

love, sacrifice and hope.Oba Oyetunji said these

should be the fulcrum of Nigeria’s progression into the New Year.

The Ataoja made this observation during the Christmas party organised in his Palace for Osogbo Christian Community.

Oba Olanipekun used the occasion to sue for peace and re l ig ious tolerance among the country’s different faiths as an elixir for Nigerians to think and act like one people under one God, where peace and love for

one another reigned.W h i l e u r g i n g

Christians and other Nigerians to pray for the country’s peace and unity during the forthcoming 2015 general elections to be violence-free, fair, credible and peaceful, he emphasized that people’s actions, attitudes and entire body language in the coming years must reflect these vurtues.

He reminded tha t Christianity epitomizes love, kindness, sacrifice, f o r b e a r a n c e a n d

humanity, the virtues that as a people, regardless of religion or tribe, we ought to demonstrate in deed and in words.

T h e r o y a l f a t h e r donated items worth millions of Naira, which inc luded car tons of vegetable oil, sacks of rice, live chickens, amd other ingredients for use during Christmas and New Year festival.

He explained that the gesture was aimed at cushioning the hardship being experienced during the season.

T h e r e c i p i e n t s expressed delight with the kind gesture and termed it as a commitment towards promoting re l ig ious

activities in the town.Oba Oyetunj i was

commended fo r h i s a c t i o n , w h i c h t h e y described as inspiring to others to dream more,

learn more, do more and become more in his charateristic manner in translating vision into reality.

He was described as

humble, pious, honest, transparent and implored to continue emulating the humility and compassion of Jesus Christ.

Osun Govt Lauds Airtel For ‘Touching Lives’ Interventionthe deputy Governor of the state of Osun,

Otunba (Mrs) titilayo Laoye-tomori and the First Lady of Ogun state, Mrs

Olufunso amosun, have applauded leading telecommunications services provider, airtel Nigeria, for initiating a robust platform, airtel touching Lives, that will empower and assist the less-privileged in the society.

Laoye-Tomori and Mrs. Amosun, who were among the top dignitaries that graced the premiere of the Airtel Touching Lives TV series held recently at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos, noted that the telecommunication c o m p a n y r e m a i n s exemplary in its efforts to assist under-privileged individuals, communities and groups in the society.

While delivering her goodwill message at the event, Mrs Amosun described the Touching Lives programme as a laudable project, which has positive impact on the lives of the people, who are affected by one disability or unfavourable condition.

S h e p r a i s e d t h e kind-heartedness and commitment of Airtel towards alleviating the hardship and suffering of Nigerians across the country.

The Ogun State First Lady, who also caters for

orphans and vulnerable children through her Non-Government Organisation (NGO), noted that Airtel Nigeria has over the years given huge support and generous donations to her orphanage.

Commending Airtel for the good work, she said: “You do not need to have lot before you can touch the lives of others. If we all can assist the next person in our community, it will go a long way. Airtel has demonstrated kindness, care and love through this Touching Lives intervention and we can all learn to share from the little we have, in order to bring smile to the faces of others.”

In a similar vein, the Deputy Governor of the State of Osun said: “This is a powerful and touching programme. Airtel has demonstrated i t s c o m m i t m e n t t o give hope to the needy in Nigeria. It is a big venture that is highly commendable. Airtel, out

of its genuine desire to assist the disadvantaged ones in our society, has taken from its purse to support the weak.”

She therefore, urged everyone to support the telecommunication company in the laudable course through patronage.

P r e m i e r e d a t t h e Oriental Hotel, Lekki, the first episode of the television series, which has two stories, evoked high emotion among the guests.

The premiere was a t t e n d e d b y o t h e r dignitaries including United States Consul-General in Nigeria, Mr. Jeff rey J . Hawkins; Cha i rman o f Ai r t e l Nigeria, Justice Alfa Belgore, (Rtd) (CGON) and HRH, Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu.

The Season One of Airtel Touching Lives TV series is a 13-week episode scheduled to air on terrestrial and satellite t e l ev i s ion s t a t i ons , beginning from January 2015.

It has been tipped to redefine the television-viewing experience of Nigerians.

Atiku Debunks Return Move To PDPa former Vice-President and chieftain of the

all Progressives Congress (aPC), alhaji atiku abubakar, on saturday denied a

statement made by a Peoples democratic Party’s chieftain that he might return to the PdP before the elections.

T h e f o r m e r v i c e -president said this in response to reports that he was being pressured by elements within the ruling party to stage a comeback.

The PDP had said on Friday that it was wooing former members of the party, including Atiku Abubakar and K w a k w a n s o , w h o defec ted to the Al l Progressives Congress to return to the party before the next general elections.

According to the PDP Na t iona l Sec re t a ry, Professor Wale Oladipo, who stated this at a press conference in Ile-Ife, State of Osun, the party had started making moves to bring back the former members.

He said: “The PDP has begun moves to bring back some of our former chieftains, who are now in the APC. The PDP reconciliation committee set up by the National Working Committee will meet with all former members for the purpose of bringing them back before the next general elections.”

H o w e v e r , w h e n contacted, the Director-General of the Atiku Media Office, Mallam Garba Shehu, said there was no plan by Atiku to return to the PDP.

According to him, news linking the APC chieftain to a possible return to the PDP were lies being peddled by mischief makers.

Shehu said: “There is no iota of truth in such claims. It is not only false, it is malicious and a product of the futile imaginations of those

peddling it.”Similarly, Kwankwaso,

who was one of the seven PDP governors who walked out of the party’s mini-convention last year to protest against “injustices” within the party, has also denied making moves to return to his former party.

Part of his grievances included the alleged high-handedness of the then Bamanga Tukur-led National Executive Committee.

The governor, who s p o k e t h r o u g h h i s Director of Press and Public Relations, Baba Dantiye, described the news of a possible return

to the PDP as baseless and a clear case of desperation on the part of the PDP.

Dantiye said: “He (Kwankwaso) is presently APC’s candidate for Kano Central Senatorial District. I think it’s just PDP’s desperation.”

•ATIku

Osun Compatriots: Time To Sacrifice

Continued from pg1

But a state like Osun happens to be the worst hit by this dwindling fortune in federal revenue because of its dry nature. If not for the ingenu-ity - the creativity of Ogbeni - coupled with his financial prudence the much unprece-dented development the state has witnessed in the last four years of his administration would have been practically impossible. This is why peo-ple continue to marvel at the level of development Ogbeni has brought to Osun in spite of the dry nature of the state.We know that the enlight-ened class of Osun popu-lation isn’t unaware of the cause of this ugly situation.

And we must appreciate their sense of understanding so far. Thus the target audience of this editorial is actually the less enlightened class of the populace who may not un-derstand the true situation of things. But this editorial is meant to appeal to the good people of the state generally to bear with the government for this tough period.We should all see this period as a period to sacrifice espe-cially bearing in mind that we have been fortunate to have a pro-people government in place but which is only being incapacitated by lack of fund. Lack of fund occasioned by two main factors; federal con-spiracy and the non-buoyant nature of the state.Indisputably Ogbeni Aregbes-

ola’s government is the one that loves the people. It’s a govern-ment that puts the people first. It’s a government that has been working for the people. It’s a government that is concerned about the welfare of the peo-ple and a government that has been prudently managing and efficiently utilising the meagre resources accruing to the state from the centre. No doubt all these are evident in the level of development we have on ground in all facets in the life of the state.And at personal level from what we know of him Ogbeni is a leader who loves the people much. He hates seeing people suffering and he doesn’t in the least revel in putting people in difficult condition. This is why our people must understand

with his government. We must persevere and bear with the government while having it in mind that no condition is ever permanent. We are of the be-lief that light will soon appear at the end of the tunnel.As we said in our opening paragraph; tough time doesn’t last, only tough people do. At Osun Defender we don’t have that doubt that our compatriots in the state of Osun are tough people who have the charisma to outlive a tough situation like this. This is a period of sacrifice no doubt. Let’s con-tinue to endure at least for this temporary period to pass. This is a passing face in the life of our dear state. We shall soon overcome!s only one word

Making Osun The ScapegoatAT the close of last

year, it was widely- reported that the

Federal Government and some states were owing workers up to, and in some cases, more than three months salaries. This allegation was first made by the Secretary General of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Mr Alade Lawal.

His concern, on which he gave details, was the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government. However, the Punch newspaper, in its usual mischief and anti-Aregbesola diatribe, added some states to the mix, prominent of which is Osun.

A f e w d a y s l a t e r , regrettably, the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) just took the newspaper’s false report verbatim and also included Osun prominently in the list of states owing workers three months’ salaries and in which industrial action could commence.

This is unfortunate. If the Punch had done any investigation as it claimed, it would have known that as at

the time of the report, it was only November 2014 salary that was outstanding since the October salary had been paid. So much for mischief and adversarial reporting that makes no distinction between truth and falsehood.

We must however have a holistic understanding of the salary situation. When Governor Rauf Aregbesola was sworn in on November 27, 2010, the total wage

bill in the state was N1.6 billion. The following year, the Minimum Wage Act was passed into law and it became binding on all states. By 2012, all states of the federation had complied, making Osun wage bill to rise to N3.6 billion.

By the same token, with higher oil prices and increase in the pump head price of refined fuel locally, Osun’s revenue jumped to N4.6

billion, which was relatively safe, wage wise. However, by July 2013, Osun’s revenue had dropped to N2.8 billion.

Within the same period, Aregbesola had shored up internally generated revenue from the meagre N300 million he met to N1 billion, thus he was still able to pay salaries usually by the 26th of every month.

However, allocation has dropped progressively since

then and the last allocation Osun got for November 2014 from the Federation Account was N1.03 billion. There is no magic to this. Aregbesola should be commended for the astute manner he has managed the state’s economy, implementing wondrous projects and still fulfilling obligations to workers in spite of dwindling revenues.

The grim options before any state in this situation is

OSUN DEFENDERPublisher – Moremi Publishing House Ltd.

Managing Editor – Kola Olabisi (0803-392-7286)

Editor – Kayode Agbaje (0803-388-0205)

Lagos Editor – Kola Odepeju (08023191891) Production Editor – Pet-Kola Taiwo Ibitowa Senior Reporter – Sola JacobsSenior Reporter – Kazeem Mohammed

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Computer Operator – Saheed AfolabiComputer Operator – Mary AkintolaAssistant Computer Operator – Lukman Oseni OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guarantee Trust Bank GTB, 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

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either to reduce its workforce size to a sustainable level or find creative ways to generate revenue.

The governor has chosen the latter and should be commended. Even the workers understand the dire situation. If the NLC and the Punch newspaper are so concerned about salaries, let them pay the workers or ask them to transfer their services to their organisations.

Dwindling state allocation is a time bomb that portends the grave danger of state meltdown and the Federal Government should be held accountable for the malaise of oil theft and underproduction, which brought this about, not states trying to cope with the consequences.

•adekuNLe ajayi, Mushin, Lagos.

6 OSuN DEFENDER tuesday, january 6, 2015

G o o d G o v e r -Fresh Tenure Well Deserved! (III)

We closed editions for last year with reminiscences of events which characterized the Government unusual for the last four years; the selfsame events and elements qualified the administration for re-election in the August 9 Gubernatorial Election; the success of which residents still bask in the euphoria. Niyi OLasiNde now picks the baton from where it was hung, even at this very turn of the year.

Aregbesola’s Second Coming:OSuN DEFENDER tuesday, january 6, 2015

7 OSuN DEFENDER tuesday, january 6, 2015 MaGaziNe

Continued on page 11

Fresh Tenure Well Deserved! (III)

Continued from last week.

IN the last edition for last year, we did justice to the astonishing strides of the Rauf Aregbesola administration in the Education Sub-sector of the

state, as well as the most significant aspects of the administration’s policy thrust, which clearly marked it out for re-election in the Governorship polls. It was portrayed that given the laudable ground-breaking achievements of the administration; and the insatiable thirst of the people and residents of our land for growth, development and progress; the electorate is always ever ready to do it massively for a progressive government, the kind of wh8ich is exemplified by the administration today in the State of Osun. Prior to the last edition, the opening edition did justice to achievements in the Agriculture, Human Resource / Youth Empowerment and Social Integration / Special Duties sub-sectors of the economy of the state. In all the covered areas, we found out that there had not been dearth of substance as all are replete with boat-rocking achievements to the delight of the generality of the progress-loving people of the state.

Earlier, in the preface to the editions, we traced the events which served as antecedent to the coming on board of the administration. We took readers through the horrendous rot and decay of years previous to the administration’s ascension to power in the state in 2010. We also narrated the events of the 2007 Gubernatorial Elections, the supplanting antics that made the people’s collective will, expressed via their ,massive mandate to hand in the balance for quite some time. We traced the issues of perverted justice that characterized earlier hearings of the election petitions before justice came in handy on November 10, 2010. On top of all these, we reminisced the affirmation given by the people and residents of the state then, as they welcomed the unanimous judgment delivered with roaring wild jubilations which shook the state to its basest foundations. We summed up at the foot of our commentaries that all jubilations and festivities witnessed then are a velar attestation to it that God confirmed the collective voice of the people by bringing victory the way of the Action Congress (AC) of the time. As a matter of fact, it was no longer necessary to wait for a better confirmation. The people’s voice became the voice of God; therefore, we had the victory that we won.

Last year, we had for a repeated time a round of rousing jubilations which greeted the declaration of results of the August 9 Gubernatorial Elections in the state. The wild jubilations received their crowning moment on Thursday November 27 that year when history was made as Governor Rauf

Adesoji Aregbesola was sworn in for the second term in office. The people trooped out in their droves as they converged on the newly upgraded and reconstructed Osogbo City Stadium, venue of the Swearing-in ceremony. The mammoth crowd of the day was quite intimidating. The Governor in his later remarks observed that the crowd, their quality and their teeming support gave credence to the election results, his declaration as winner and the entire victory as being a product of unanimous endorsement by the people.

On Sunday August 10, it was jubilations galore throughout the nooks and crannies of the state as people trooped out in their tens of thousands to celebrate the victory of the Man of the People, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola at the polls as announced and declared by the Chief Election Umpire – the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). As a matter of fact, as early as the evening of the Election Day, it had become as clear as mercury where the pendulum of victory was swinging. As soon as election results per polling unit breezed in, collation was in progress as much on individual basis as it was ongoing at the central collation office stationed at the Government House. Unit by unit; local government by local government; the results were moving in, in droves. The progressive transmission on the outdoor CCTV stationed at the vantage Oke-Fia Roundabout was unbiased as it reported the results in situ. Thus, the people were not left in ignorance or doubts as to the authentic colour of events following the elections held earlier in the day and its ensuing outcome.

Already on that evening, a stroll round town in Osogbo the state capital conveyed the handwriting on the wall that victory had begun to tune the song of the progressives. From Old Garage Area, through the Olaiya Junction to Ogo Oluwa; the entire stretch played host to people who had voted and who stood by their votes and who were there at that post-election stage to exchange notes and compare what they had in record. My journey on foot from the Aregbesola end at Gbodofon, through Ogo Oluwa to Ataoja School of Science neighbourhood where the state headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is situated was quite revealing. Not even the campaign office of the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the contest, Senator Iyiola Omisore was spared. The stretch of major Osogbo / Gbongan / Ibadan Road which passes in front of that office had a mighty group of people who were chanting victory songs. Passengers of motor vehicles that had then begun to move in trickles waved in

acknowledgement of the cheering crowd. By around seven o’ clock when I left the scene for the Central collation centre, the crowd had so swelled that you could not help wondering who voted for the candidate of the other side!

The evening of the Election Day drifted slowly into night. An unprecedented crowd converged on the State of Osun Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at Osogbo. Apart from the trickles of results already posted to and accessed through the internet, human physical substantiation came in handy, as people who arrived from various locations across the state narrated their experiences as well as shard news as to how the elections turned out at their respective locations.

Lots of events occurred which marked out the victory celebrated in 2014 as surpassing in quality and uproar than that of 2010. The 2014 victory, like that of 2010 before it; was victory of the people against imposition and foisted leadership. While the 2010 victory was one won over a cabal of captors who held them hostage from within; that of 2014 was won in advance against grand designers of captivity who intended to employ all inordinate means within their reach to entangle the state and its people under the awe of an unwanted leadership. It was an attempt that gave a warning sign. The people responded aptly by employing utmost care and vigilance. An event occurred which nearly set the stage for a Matinmas summer for the State of Osun and its people. That event began to unfold in early August, 2014 as preparations reached the climax for the grand-finale of the political rallies of the leading opposition party in the state – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The party holds sway at the federal level; and as such, the National Leader of that party, who doubles as the incumbent President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was being expected in the state for the afore-mentioned occasion. Naturally, it was expected that if such a dignitary is being expected in any part of the country, advance team of sorts, comprising security details, protocol and other retinues. In view of this fact, the development under reference should not have, ordinarily been a serious cause for worry. More so, the 2014 Gubernatorial Election was barely a week away! But there was more to the event than was pleasant to the eye.

Following the Gubernatorial Election which held in Ekiti State on June 21, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), apparently spurred by euphoria of victory at that election made a declaration

•Calisthenics display of ‘GOV BY GOD’S POWER’ during Governor Aregbesola’s second term inuaguration on November 27, 2014.

8 OSuN DEFENDER tuesday, january 6, 2015 PhOtOtaLk

•Some of the beneficiaries of the free train boarding the train at Osogbo Terminus on Sunday.

•Some of the passengers inside the train ready to return to Lagos after the New Year festival.

•Ecstatic passangers inside the free train showing their appreciation to the governor during their trip back to Lagos.

•

People returned to Lagos From Osogbo With Governor rauf aregbesola’s Free train after the Christmas and New year Festival On sunday. Photo: GBeNGa

9 OSuN DEFENDER tuesday, january 6, 2015PhOtOtaLk

•Crowd at the event.

•The tallest bell in the world.

•Mammoth crowd at the event.

•Fireworks display during the programme.

More Pictures On Cross-over and Fireworks display to Welcome New year 2015 at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, state Of Osun, recently. Photo: GBeNGa adeNiyi

10 OSuN DEFENDER tuesday, january 6, PhOtOtaLk

•Aregbesola (4th left); Mrs. Folashade Olabode (middle); Alhaja kehinde Aduamigba (4th right); Mrs. Omolade Saidat (3rd left); Mrs. Mustapha Rachael (2nd left) and another member of the association in a group photograph, during the courtesy visit to the governor at the Government House, Osogbo, recently.

Lagos textile dealers and Cloth sellers association honoured the state Of Osun Governor, Ogbeni rauf aregbesola, at the Government house, Osogbo, state Of Osun, recently.

•President, Lagos State Textile Dealers and Cloth Sellers Association, Mrs. Folashade Olabode, presenting the Best Governor of the Moment Award to the governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, during a courtesy visit to the governor at Government House, Osogbo, recently.

11 OSuN DEFENDER tuesday, january 6, 2015 MaGaziNe

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Fresh Tenure Well Deserved! (III)

that it was about to mount a lock-down on Osun, whose turn it was to elect a governor. There was much wonder as responses trailed that declaration from various quarters. But just as we were all taking it for granted that the declaration was made in the heat of passion, indications began to appear that the party, through the instrumentality of the Federal Government it heads was actually set for a lock-down or something close to it in the State of Osun.

On the evening of Thursday, July 31, I was appointed to meet a junior professional colleague at the popular Oke-Fia Roundabout. I arrived at the scene promptly as appointed and waited by. While still laying in wait, an activity caught my attention. A peaceful political rally was going on just by the roadside at the shoulder of the roundabout. I guessed from the contents of the political talk I overheard that it was a political rally put together by Ward 4 of Osogbo Local Government, in solidarity for the governorship aspiration of the incumbent governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. Participants at the rally sang, danced, made speeches and brandished their brooms with ecstasy and dexterity. It became a centre of focus for all passers-by. It was a pleasant sight to behold.

The venue of the occasion is the moderately spacious arc adjoining the State of Osun Government House Annexe. That arc is set on a triangular space stuck in the clef of Ilobu / Government House Road and the Iwo Road end of the roundabout. It is directly overlooked by the projector placed conspicuously at the centre of the turning point. The rally went on peacefully. It thus became spectacular for anyone who cared to stay by and participate or listen to the contents of the proceedings.

The first inkling I got about what would happen next was prompted by a phone call from the colleague I was waiting for. He called to tender an apology for the delay in his arrival. He hinged the delay on a traffic gridlock which caught him all the way from Ogo-Oluwa axis through Olaiya Junction down to Alekuwodo. Eager and perplexed to the marrow, I asked him if that excuse was tenable in a place like Osogbo where we both resided. Then he opened up that a huge number of masked security operatives, all dressed in black and armed to the tooth had besieged the streets in a long convoy; shooting sporadically into the air. Then I began to wonder why that could be happening as I waited to witness the show of power if it should come to Oke-Fia.

In the fullness of time, it did! On arrival at the junction, several gunshots were released to the air. I was expecting them not to have done that, most especially as they had sighted the political rally being held few metres away. As trained security operatives deployed on assignment to secure lives and property, duty demands that they should not demonstrate any act that could provoke violence and public unrest. But they shot the bullets on and on. The response to that event took various forms.

For the participants at the rally, they intensified their singing and dancing; frantically waving their brooms. They did all these fearlessly. Some hordes of passers-by and street hawkers who are less courageous withdrew from the scene as early as they could. I was amazed at the degree of courage demonstrated by motorists, cyclists and motor park conductors who defied intimidation and just watched and marveled at the reason for the unfolding scene.

Some of the motor park men accosted some elitist people around, my humble self inclusive, and asked what the fuss was intended to create. The elderly among them expressed shock and disappointment that this kind of event was unfolding under a democratic dispensation. They went as far as citing the various rounds of elections they had witnessed in the country, all of which were bereft of such brazen shameless show of might. On top of it, they chipped in the suggestion that the powers at the top and their might should direct their show of power to Boko Haram-ravaged states instead of dissipating needless time and energy in Osun where peace, tranquility and harmony are a creed. They never knew that they were giving a reportorial assignment to a willing pressman who would report their outcry purely as it is. But it gladdened me that people are becoming more vibrantly aware of the numerous acts that are out of place in our polity.

Earlier than the arrival of these security operatives, the same masterminds of intended hostage had constituted nuisance to public peace by mounting illegal road closures, indiscriminate blow of sirens, violation of traffic regulations and attack on members and supporters of other political parties in the state. They had as well been loud and noisy in their gaffe that they were going to win the upcoming elections by all means and at all costs. They went further that an election result would be declared in Abuja; if the State Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should fail to declare them winner against majority demand indicated by

actual results of the election.OSuN DEFENDER Magazine had bared several

facts on the atrocities perpetrated by the leading opposition party to secure fraudulent victory at the polls. These include sharing of Greek gifts like cash, rice and kerosene, massive purchase of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) from unsuspecting electorate and reports on how the party had been conducting clandestine voting ahead of the actual voting.

Above all these, it was as clear as daytime that the Federal Government favoured the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in all things at the prejudice of other parties. For instance, when that party’s governorship candidate, Iyiola Omisore discovered that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for the State of Osun, Ambassador Rufus Akeju did not succumb to his dirty deal, he hammered for his deployment, which was granted. That caused the temporary redeployment that brought the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Kogi State, Mr. Olusegun Agbaje to the scene.

Another instance in hand unfolded on the eve of the election. Vigilant and eagle-eyed youth of a community in Obokun Local Government Council Area of the state caught a van loaded with already thumb-printed ballot papers. They acted lawfully well by handing the van and its ferry-men over to the police authorities at the State Police Headquarters at Osogbo. It was reported that the leadership of the state headquarters of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had owned up that one of its staff, an electoral officer of a local government was among the arrested ferry-men of the impounded van. The Federal Government, through the Nigeria Police authorities hurriedly effected a change in the police hierarchy in the state; obviously to cover their tracks in the electoral crime. Mr. Maishanu who had been the State Commissioner of Police was transferred to give way for Mr. Mbakaboko, who obviously was an odd-jobber on assignment to act a script. Mr. Mbakaboko’s first (and probably the only) assignment was to address a press conference where he told the whole world that no vehicle was ever arrested by his command. So, the culprits were let off the hook!

There was also this reported case of illegal purchasers of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) apprehended by eagle-eyed patriots at Ajegunle Area of Osogbo, the state capital. The apprehenders acted on tip-off by vigilant members of the public; and they acted promptly. The culprits were reported to be card

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his wife, Sherifat, acknowledging cheers from his admirers after taking his oath of office for second term at City Stadium, Osogbo, State of Osun, recently.

OSuN DEFENDER tuesday, january 6, 2015 MaGaziNe 12

Continued from page 11

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Fresh Tenure Well Deserved! (III)of impunity! As a matter of fact, aside the fact that

no members or supporters of any other political party could demonstrate such lawlessness; they dared not, as there were no immunity to give them defenses against the long arms of the law. So the story went: the culprits were handed over to the police authorities upon apprehension. Before long, their sponsors at the “almighty” federal seat got the news. The next line of action on their part was to get the State Commissioner of Police on phone and having confirmed the account, ordered him to effect their immediate release and get the case closed for good and all! Not only that, as the time of day was evening, they ordered the police boss to feed their sacred cows to aid their recuperation upon release as they must have been famished. The officer of the law found himself helpless; his arms being tied. So, he was left with no better option than to sacrifice his meal for that day’s break of fast as the time of occurrence coincided with the holy Moslems’ month of Ramadan.

It was this police boss who did the biddings of his masters above who was summarily redeployed on the eve of the governorship election. He then got replaced with another one who was given a hurriedly-prepared script to act. I never considered that the job of policing could be so rubbished! I guess that it was shame that prevented the new police boss from gracing the events at the election collation centre with his presence. His seat was vacant on that night and so it remained all through the night. Men and officers of our forces need greater touch of professionalism. The President should also ensure that those appointed to man political leadership of ministries are experts and professionals of relevance to respective ministries. Much of our problems stems from putting square pegs into round holes.

Another account which the afore-cited van arrest at Obokun Local Government substantiated is the widespread rumour making the rounds prior to the elections that the votes for so and so local government council areas had been cast. The first inkling of that that I got derived from the newspaper account I read of a man in Ekiti State; a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who gaffed about that his party’s victory in the yet-to-be-conducted election, was a long-settled case! There was much to that account than could be entertained in this edition. But the confirmation came when on the eve of the Osun Gubernatorial Polls a van filled with thumb-printed ballot papers was impounded within the precincts of Obokun Local Government. If we did not confirm

the earlier reports and rumours, that incident alone confirmed that those atrocities were truly committed and with the covering of the powers-that-be at the federal level.

THE Gubernatorial Elections which held penultimate Saturday all over the State of Osun has ended with a note of victory on the part of the incumbent governor, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola and his political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). The victory has put final rest to fears and apprehension nursed in some quarters that the election and its aftermath could spell disasters of grave proportions for the state and its people.

Declaring the results of the elections in the wee hours of Sunday, the state returning officer, who doubles as the Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Professor Bamitale Omole premised the delay in the release of the results which dragged all through the night on the long distance which some collation officers and other election personnel had to travel to Osogbo, the state capital to turn in the results they had.

In his declaration, the governorship candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola polled a massive figure of three-hundred and ninety-four thousand, six-hundred and eighty-four (394,684) votes to defeat the leading opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, whose total number of votes was two-hundred and ninety-two thousand, seven-hundred and forty-seven (292,747). The winning margin in the polls presented a clear difference of one-hundred and one thousand, nine-hundred and thirty-seven (101,937).

In the breakdown of election results, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled a rousing majority; making him the winner in twenty-two local governments. These local governments include Osogbo (39,983 votes); Olorunda (26,551); Iwo (20,827); Ilesa East Local Government Council, the home of the governor (16,106); and Ilesa West (15,427).

Others include Irewole (18,328); Ifelodun (17,447); Boripe (12,723) and others like, Oriade, Ifedayo, Ede North and South, Atakunmosa East, Atakunmosa West and a host of others.

The winning areas of Senator Omisore of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) include his home local governments, Ife Central, Ife East and Ife South; Isokan, Ife North, Boluwaduro, Odo-Otin, and Ayedire.

The Chief Returning Officer appreciated God and the people of the state for a hitch-free election;

though some pockets of hitches were reported in Ward 11 of Boripe Local Government Council Area, Ward 5 of Ila local Government Council Area and one other unit each in Atakunmosa East and Ejigbo local governments, where petitions trailing the polls reported elections irregularities like over-voting which necessitated the results to be cancelled. On the whole, the Governorship election was adjudged to be overwhelmingly successful.

Displaying the score sheets for the results, the Chief Returning Officer, Professor Bamitale Omole showed the securely sealed forms EC 8D and EC8 E, which added credence to the credibility of the exercise.

In attendance at the results collation and declaration ceremony which held at the open arena of the State of Osun Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Gbongan / Ibadan Road, Osogbo were National Supervisor INEC, Ambassador M.A. Wali, National Commissioner INEC, Engineer Nuru Yakubu and the Resident Electoral Commissioner of Kogi State, who doubles as the Acting Resident Electoral Commissioner of State of Osun, Mr. Olusegun Agbaje.

Others present at the event are directors from INEC headquarters, Messers Oladimeji and Telma, H.O.D. Operations for the State of Osun INEC, Alhaji A.W.O. Azeez, resident electoral commissioners for Ondo and Ekiti states, academic icons who doubled a collating officers party agents, security operatives and members of the press.

On hand to comment on the exercise were the State of Osun Commissioner for Information and Strategy at the time, Mr. Sunday Akere, the Director of Information and Strategy for the State of Osun Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Barrister Kunle Oyatomi and the State Chairman for the National Conscience Party (NCP), Honourable Waheed Lawal. In their separate comments, the trio lauded the credibility of the entire exercise, though they noted that lots need be improved in the conduct of elections in the nation.

It was however noticed that the agent for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) absconded from signing the necessary results sheets, a development which was considered in many quarters to be a sign of discontent of the party against the results, even in spite of the prejudices it received from the Federal Government during the contest that brought about the results.

•Governor Rauf Aregbesola (right), taking the oath of office. With him are his wife, Sherifat (2nd right); Barrister Wale Afolabi (2nd left); the Chief Judge of the State of Osun, Justice (Mrs) Adepele Ojo (left) and one of the governor’s sons during the inauguration recently.

13 OSuN DEFENDER tuesday, january 6, 2015MaGaziNe

Fresh Tenure Well Deserved! (III)Continued from page 12

THOUGH come and gone, the results and aftermath of the Osun 2014 Gubernatorial Elections are filled with startling revelations, pieces

of bitter truth, lessons and assessment of progress made so far in our democratic adventure. The antecedents to and play-out of events during the polls also have much to lend to our future and the sustenance of our democratic culture. Lots have been said and discussed during the election campaign period. The discussions, conclusions and forecast made are not a closed case. Day-in, day-out, lessons are bound to be learnt. Whether one likes it or not, realities of lessons we fail to learn are bound to unfold in their due seasons. To shy away from drawing analysis and inferences and from taking proper cues from lessons from an event or from a process is to be guilty of bad fate.

For good and all, the period of attempting to entice voters with Greek gifts has gone. The pilferers of our collective fortunes have stolen so much that the owners have discovered. Having discovered, the owners have begun to consider any Greek gifts offered to them as a stylish way of returning to them those precious wealth earlier stolen from them. So, any politician who comes out at the approach of elections, doling out Greek gifts does so as effort made in the line of redistribution of income. It is better to use every opportunity that avails itself to provide amenities that add value to the lives of the citizenry than taking the people for granted that they could be bought over with one-shot inducements – financial, material or any other form.

The administration of the winner of the election, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has taught us that the most potent and vibrant tool for winning and sustaining the trust and confidence of the people is to provide amenities, infrastructure and facilities that touch lives and turn them around positively now; and that would remain as lasting legacies for generations unborn. Also through the Aregbesola school of thought, we have come to the realization that the greatest asset to politicians and statesmen alike is the people. Human resource is the greatest wealth of any society. It is therefore demeaning and dehumanizing to take for granted the intellectual faculty, mental reasoning, conscience, pride and dignity of a people. As a matter of fact, it is a crime against humanity. This is a lesson for all those who shall henceforth be aspiring to lead us as a people in these parts. We are not a people to be bamboozled with fake, unrealistic promises or dumb-driven or tempest-tossed as if we have no conscience.

People have often blamed much of our predicaments in the line of successfully nurturing our democratic culture on lengthy years of military rule. But our democracy is now almost sixteen years old, yet there has been no remarkable improvement. We need to examine what is being done wrong and make proper amends. Our political

leadership at the centre us currently handled by a civilian. By this, I mean that President Goodluck Jonathan was never a military man. In spite of this, it appeared as if the disposition of his administration on election matters has a bent towards winning empires by all means! As surprising as this is, it does cannot help our democratic culture. People should be allowed to have the final say on the choice of who leads them and manage their resources for them.

President Jonathan appears to be too desperate in the realization of his ambition – that of succeeding himself next year. He tends to be doing that without measuring up to being competent and able to provide solutions to our numerous problems. The enormous financial resources wasted on the fortunes of his party’s candidate in the just-concluded State of Osun Gubernatorial Election alone could have gone far in fixing all federal roads that criss-cross our territory. If he had done that, people would have become ingrafted to him without force or intimidation.

OSUN DEFENDER Magazine also reasons that the huge security apparatus deployed to the state during the last polls has better task to carry out in the core North area where the dreaded Boko Haram is dealing fatal blow on citizens of this country. Security matters during an election are what the police can handle without reinforcement. More so, the State of Osun has fared well in security matters under Governor Aregbesola. Since 2010 when the incumbent administration came on board, crime wave has so reduced that the state has been ranked as one of the most peaceful in the country. This feat was achieved internally without reinforcement from anywhere. How then has reinforcement become necessary during an election; save for the reason that someone somewhere is desperately bent toward favouring a particular candidate above others. Before the elections and now that the elections are concluded, the governor remains the chief security officer of the state. How then is it that during election, someone somewhere wanted to usurp that responsibility from him?

Before it is too late, President Goodluck Jonathan should get rid of bad eggs in his cabinet. The likes of Musiliu Obanikoro and Jelili Adesiyan are misfits who have no value to add to any administration. Their ignoble role in Ekiti and Osun is a clear attestation to this. If nothing about their antecedents is sufficient to convince anyone, their roles in these recent outings should do the convincing.

Here we are! The collective will of the majority of our people has prevailed. In spite of harassment, intimidation, provocation and threats, we have all won at last! It remains indelibly true that the people’s will is mightier than the force of arms. The resolve of the people is irrepressible. In vain was the guard and spies. We have fought and won in spite of all antics and machinations of our collective foes. Congratulations, Osun.

THE more reason why we should congratulate on another consists in the laudable achievements of the incumbent administration in virtually all spheres of life in the State of Osun. As has already been pointed out, we started in two earlier editions to emphasize these achievements as basis for baring predictions and expectations concerning provisions of amenities and infrastructure and quality service delivery for the next four years. The previous editions referred to above conducted a sector-to-sector appraisal of the administration of Ogbeni Aregbesola, starting with achievement in the Agriculture and Rural Development; Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Food Security Sub-Sector. The curtains fell on the editions at the juncture where justice was meted out to those covered vital sub-sectors of our state’s economy. This segment of this edition keeps date with our commitment to pick the serial edition right from that juncture through those in the Health Services Sub-Sector to those in the Industrialization, Finance, Commerce and Cooperatives Sub-Sector; and attempt to bring it to completion. We shall now set out for filling the missing gaps.

IN the area of Home Affairs, Culture and Tourism, i t i s p l aced on r eco rd tha t t he incumben t administration has accomplished a lot. In fairness to the ousted administration of Prince Oyinlola, the popular and internationally revered Osun Grove got listed as an international tourist centre by the UNESCO. In addition, the same UNESCO approved the siting of the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding at Osogbo. But the level of development being witnessed in this sub-sector under the incumbent administration outstrips these. The pilgrimages of Christians and Muslims to the Holy Lands of Jerusalem and Mecca in Israel and Saudi Arabia respectively for about four consecutive years running now have recorded huge successes. All hiccups and bottlenecks usually encountered in the course of these pilgrimages in the past have been remedied. Also, to ease pilgrimage operations, aid smooth lifting and return and reduce the chances of corruption to the barest minimum, membership of Christian Pilgrims’ Welfare Board and Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board is no longer on permanent basis. The pilgrims now have smooth sail to and fro the Holy Lands annually. To the pride of all, no pilgrim has brought tarnishment to the image of the state during this period.

Continued on page 14

•(L-R) The deputy governor, State of Osun, Otunba (Mrs) Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori, taking the oath of office as Deputy Governor of the state. With her are Barrister Wale Afolabi and Chief Judge of the State, Justice (Mrs) Adepele Ojo during the swearing-in ceremony of Governor Rauf Aregbesola and his deputy for second term in office at Osogbo City Stadium, Osogbo, State of Osun, recently.

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Fresh Tenure Well Deserved! (III)MaGaziNe

Continued from page 13Concerning the Centre for Black Culture and International

Understanding, the incumbent administration is providing a far better brand of administration for the centre; in accordance to the specifications spelt out in the Act of Parliament establishing the centre. As the stipulations of the law spelt it out clearly that the chairman of the centre’s board shall be the sitting governor or any other such person he so appoints to do the job; that provision has been adhered to strictly by the incumbent administration. Today, the chairman of the Board of the centre is no less a personality than the highly-reputed academic icon and world renowned Nobel Laurel in Literature, Professor Wole Soyinka.

The State of Osun is rich in cultural and traditional festivals. Some major ones annually celebrated are the international Osun Festival in Osogbo; the Olojo Festival in Ile Ife; the Iwude Ijesa Cultura Festival in Ilesa; the Odun Sango and Ipedi in Ede; and so on and so forth. Also the state is so replete with cultural sites and tourist centres that the state has come to be referred to as “Haven of Culture and Tourism”. Our numerous cultural cum tourist centres in the state have been receiving radical face-lift in the hand of the present administration. Going by what happened so far with the Osun Grove in Osogbo, the Grove has been widened to accommodate more and more of the teeming crowd that converge on it on a yearly pilgrimage; with provisions made for pavilions and car parks. The same hand of assistance has been stretched out to the site of Erin Ijesa Waterfalls ; likewise all other locations in the state. With this development, the State of Osun is fast finding its foothold as rallying-point in the area of culture in Nigeria and yonder.

The consecutive visits of contingents from the State of Osun to Cuba in the West Indies are a worthwhile effort that deserves our commendation. During the course of last two years 2013 and 2014, contingents of the state embarked on rounds of tour to the Caribbean country to fully appreciate and get acclimatized to the culture and traditions of our parts of the African traditions as it is being practised there. With these rounds of visits, it is expected that our delegates will come to the realization that people from other parts of the globe appreciate our culture more than we do, as indigenous owners. Also, the visits are expected to be avenues for cultural integration and development in our culture and tourism industry.

The Aregbesola administration has also scored another first in the recognition it has so far accorded African traditional religion practitioners in the state. Before this time, the situation on ground was that of according recognition only to the Christian and Muslim bodies; while the believers of traditional doctrines were placed at a place of obscurity. Today, however, due to the large-heartedness of Ogbeni Aregbesola, the traditional worshippers have been allowed free practice of their religious doctrines, observance of their festivals and formation of their own body; just like the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Islamic counterpart.

WE now move forward to give consideration to the numerous achievements of the administration and its many

strengths over the previous administration in the state in the remaining sectors; starting with the Information and Strategy Sub-Sector. In the years preceding the advent of the incumbent administration to the reins of power, little or nothing significant took place in this vital public relations sub-sector. The overhaul of the Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC) Radio and Television, Ile Awiye, Oke Baale, Osogbo; that of New Dawn Television (NDTV), Ibokun; and that of the OSBC, Orisun FM, Ile Ife; claimed to have been brought up to obtainable standards globally by the ousted administration ended up in a farce, as nothing on ground – not even their programme broadcast, commercials, news and other activities justified the huge monetary and capital outlay claimed to have been invested into them. The Reality Television Service (RTS), Iwo was worst-hit by the sharp practices of that administration. Let it be emphasized in passing that most of the equipment procured into practically all the state-owned media houses in that dark era was either obsolete or substandard; while some were never delivered before ouster came the way of that administration. In all, most contracts awarded for procurement of equipment and materials in those days were awarded to incompetent hands on the bases of their patronage of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP); being bootlickers and cronies to the powers-that-be; and desire to make some segment of the society inordinately rich.

As mentioned in the last paragraph, the case of the Reality Television Service (RTS) in those days made it worst hit. The media station located in Iwo is a legacy of the helmsmanship of late Chief Bola Ige as governor of the old Oyo State. Bola Ige started the project as a satellite station to the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS); but he could not complete it due to sudden change in government which put paid to his administration in October 1983. Consequent to this, the project was abandoned for more than twenty years before its revamping came during the Oyinlola administration. In fairness to that administration, it was it that revisited the project. Unfortunately, it did not carry it to a logical conclusion or completion; even though it had all the resources required so to do at its disposal. The same ugly fate which befell all other phantom projects and programmes in that era befell the RTS project. In what looks as a deliberate attempt at covering tracks, fire gutted the structure sometime toward the tail end of that administration. Instead of facing rehabilitation efforts head-on, the administration started a vehement propaganda campaign; trading blames for the fire incident and pointing accusing fingers at the opposition for it!

WE are not out to bore readers with details of those ugly spectacles of those days. But instances must always be cited, if only for the purpose of reference-making. If those contracts at the Reality Television Service had been faithfully executed; probably the fire incident could have been averted; and probably too, whatever legacies the Oyinlola administration had there would have been preserved for the incoming administration to build on. Candidly speaking, the Aregbesola administration met the Information and Strategy Sub-Sector of the State of Osun bare and void.

The monthly audience-participation programme of the Oyinlola administration, tagged Gbagede Oro (People’s Forum) was simply a propaganda project, aimed not only to

overbloat, embellish and exaggerate the scarce achievements of the administration; but also to crack jokes in clown-like manner and to derogate the opposition. Aside this, the entire communication and publicity package of the Oyinlola years was propaganda-channelled. The rumour mongering apparatus of those days appears to subsist till date. The countless number of damaging rumours peddled round town regarding the incumbent governor, his administration and their programme package speak volumes that testifies to this indication. Little wonder why that administration could not accomplish much for the state. A government that busied its time with rumours and propaganda could hardly be in the right frame and shape to generate ideas and policies that could propel development,

Today, in the State of Osun, the story has changed. The audience participation programme of the incumbent administration is devoid of the teleguided and stage-managed form its similar counterpart assumed in the days of the immediate past administration. Ogbeni Till Daybreak, the brainchild of the incumbent administration is better packaged and has tolerances for a pool of diverse opinions. Lucidly put, the incumbent administration in the state is far more receptive to criticisms and insults in the true spirit of Omoluabi. The likes of questions being featured at the quarterly Ogbeni Till Daybreak testify to this. With unruffled calm, the governor responds to all manners of questions. The manner of disposition with which the administration managed the situations involving some libelous reports carried by some national daily newspapers in the land is a proof of this. During the time of some administration, the reporters of that kind of anti-government reports could have been blacklisted, witch-hunted or even sent to their early graves. The amicable resolution of these differences shows the government of the day as one with human face, listening ear and large heart. To cap it all, the audience-participation programme of the incumbent administration, branded Ogbeni Till Daybreak is held far between, depicting an administration that is serious-minded and busier with more serious tasks than holding town/city gossips. In the past, Gbagede Oro was held as often as once in a month. At its inception, the incumbent administration held its own live audience participation programme only on occasions; with the first-ever of its series held on the occasion of its 100th day in office. It was much later when the towns and cities had become replete with daunting achievements that it became more frequently held. Even then, the programme was held on quarterly basis. The wastefulness of holding such programmes at frequent intervals, especially by a government led by a conservative party of the stock of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is killing enough to snuff life out of a state.

· To be continued.

•Another calisthenics display of ‘PEOPLE’S GOVERNOR’ at the Aregbesola inauguration.

15OSuN DEFENDER tuesday, january 6, 2015 PhOtOtaLk

The Changed Face Of Osun

•An aerial view of the newly-constructed second bypass road of the Oba Adesoji Aderemi Road, Osogbo.

•Another aerial view of the newly-constructed second bypass road of the Oba Adesoji Aderemi Road, Osogbo.

tuesday, jaNuary 6, 2015

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By ade OLuGBOteMiTHE e lde r s a r e k i t t ed with manifold wisdom, and they are equipped with under s t and ing ; hav ing aphorisms they apply to shed light on the realities of life as, and when due. It is often said that the crafty that uses time as cover-up for reason of its harmlessness will soon realize that time that is taken for granted as harmless is more dangerous upon the total accomplishment of its mission, and later turns out to be wiser than the crafty and his folly. Time will never be friendly to a man, who intends to be faster than it because tide, its twin brother, will never allow it to wait for any man, let alone lagging behind mere mortals to be humiliated. Whether an event is slated for twenty years, and another is slated for thirty months, time and tide will soon ripe on them both.

The die is almost cast; and one probability that is sure to change toga and become a content of reality is the election that has been slated for 2015, a year that many thought might never come. All seem set for the biggest of them all, with all stakeholders expressing optimism that popular will that will determine who propels the fates of millions of Nigerians from May 29, 2015, when the tenure of the current Nigerian Head of State comes to an end. Nigerians will have the choice of allowing the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan for another term of four years in office, or allow for a change of guard to see if they can have a better bargain in governance.

We have discovered over the years that whatever good or bad prospect is bequeathed from governance, it is always the general mass of people, who may well correctly be called the downtrodden, that have greatest feeling. Our experiential reality is engrossed in gloom of maladministration, such that most of our leaders that start well, don’t always end well. Certain events are factored into the process of governance that the intention of wellness is circumvented in cabals’ inordinacy. Leaders soon get embroiled in controversies with their intents and purposes, and the hopes of the masses get hoodwinked and strangulated in debilitating conventional imperialism, where plans and purposes become frustrated.

Anytime people troop to polls to exercise their franchise, it is always with the hope that their portions will receive appropriate consideration from would-be leaders. Keeping hope alive has thus become so intrinsic that they often forget those disappointed expectations that have left them more impoverished. The dictum: ‘When there is life, there is hope’ has so much assumed dominance in shaping our psychic, bearing that rather than give up on evolutionary trend, we make up for inflicted pains of disappointment with internalized iconic doggedness and immunity. This is characteristic of average Nigerian voters, who have as their trademark ‘never-say-die’ nature.

People’s equanimity has remained at the precipice of frustration with successive regimes. Our leaders’ exhibition of

insensitivity has given the outside world no modicum of assurance that any interventions to assuage the suffering masses will achieve the desired result. Their desire for intervention has been frustrated by our perceived indifference; and they have taken our tolerance as a product of inherent natural timidity. It is therefore considered mere wastage to apply their hard-earned resources on any rescue mission. That is why it has become imperative for us to seek for internal solution, instead of waiting endlessly for a lifeline that may never come, or bring total respite, even if ever availed.

The burden of 2015 is weighing heavily on the ruling class; much more on the presidency and the Federal Executive Council members. This is so because they have just woken up from their long standing slumbering state and it now dawns on them that the time of reckoning is very much around the corner. Nigerians are surprised that President Jonathan and the ruling-Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have become so passionate about ameliorating the pains and sufferings of Nigerians, who are already overburdened by the misrule of and recklessness of six years, when Jonathan has been in-charge, first as acting President for months, when the late former President kept the

whole country in suspense about his true state of health in far away Saudi Arabia, and in full capacity as President and Commander-in-Chief for five years running, with claims by impoverished Nigerians that they have never had it so bad. President Goodluck Jonathan will be the first President in Nigeria to be sworn-in three times, if he emerges victorious in February 14, 2015 general elections.

The Year 2015 is also overburdened in the hands of the ruling class because so many projects and proposals are on PDP’s accomplishment radar for this year only, more than they packaged for the past five years put together. The inclement global economic climate has also failed to provide a traditional hiding place that has shrouded the shortcomings of mismanagement of past years. The year will be able to absorb the pressure, if only the President’s New Year speech is matched with sincere desire to have elections conducted honestly and uninterrupted. The next two months are going to be devoted to electioneering process, with little or nothing to be expected in the area of budget implementation. This period can only be spared unnecessary burden of crises if electoral process turns out to be free, fair, and credible.

Nigerians are hopeful that afflictions that have hampered the joy of the past are about to abate because people are eagerly looking forward to express their preference of candidates in another round of general elections. With destiny firmly in people’s grip, Nigeria is about to cross a rubicon of travail to a realm of comfort and rest.

This is not considered the best time to surrender to sentiment or give in to surreptitious compromise. Next month’s general elections are as important as the 1993 general elections that have become reference point to date. The same enthusiasm that preceded the elections that produced winner in the late M.K.O. Abiola is saturating the atmosphere once again. The mood then is also almost the same as now. The only difference is that whereas the former was considered as transition from a military to civilian governance, this one is from civilian to civilian.

People believe that the PDP government at the centre has showcased exhaustively her administrative acumen since 1999, when the country returned to civilian rule. So, no verbal expressions or promises of a new thing seem expedient to change the voting pattern of the people any more. Incidentally, All Progressives Congress (APC) also has some states under her control with proofs at their level of how lives can be impacted if and when given opportunity to mount the central podium to administer the whole country. Time has availed people an ample opportunity to objectively compare and contrast through exhibited indices of development before arriving at which of the two major political parties to trust with their future.

Nigerians are doing nothing wrong to willingly surrender their mandate to a leader and, or a political party. Many things will be wrong however with choices of wrong candidates at whatever level, knowing full well that it is the destiny of the whole country that is at stake, at least for another four years. We must consider objectivity as the propelling force behind any decision we intend to make. With no intervention in election procedures from the ruling party as pledged, and the determination of the electoral umpire to be impartial, the innocent voting populace should be able to save the whole country through their voting rights, so that the next four years will change the trend of dissatisfactions that have plagued our democratic values.

I welcome Osunians, and indeed Nigerians to a blissful election year, when rational decision to have it right at the polls will propel us out of the woods that corruption, greed and avarice, maladministration and carelessness have pitched us. A year, when our destiny, if appropriately treasured like valuable jewels will be redeemed from her pollution of incontinence. Happy New Year!

OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guaranty Trust Bank GTB, Gbongan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun. All correspondence to the Managing Editor, KOla OlabiSi, Telephone: 08033927286 (kolaolabisi@yahoo.com); Editor, KaYODE aGbaJE, Telephone: 0803-388-0205, E-mail: osundefender@yahoo.com, kayodeagbaje@yahoo.com. ISSN: 0794-8050.Website: www.osundefender.org.

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