VOL. 9. NO.032 NNNNN5050505050SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 2014

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Front Page Comment

- See StoryOn Page 3

Who KilledChief Bola Ige,former Attorney-

General andMinister of

Justice? IGE

- See StoryOn Page 4

No Religion Is Against SchoolsRe-classification In Osun•As Committee Reveals Causes Of Crisis

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (3rd right); state Commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, Barrister Kolapo Alimi (2nd left); theAlademore of Ibokun, Oba Festus Awogboro (2nd right); the Owamiran of Esa-Oke, Oba Adeyemi Adediran (4th left); the Olomu of Ijaregbe,Oba Edward Adetimo (3rd left); theOlotan of Otan-Ile, Oba Sunday Olatokun (right) and other eminent monarchs, during a courtesy visit by the Ijesa-North Traditional Council of obas to the governor at theGovernment House, Osogbo, State of Osun, last Thursday.

No Governor Has Empowered Osun Citizens Like Aregbesola - APC

Osun’s Road Network AsEconomic Development

There is a clear synergybetween the constructionof road networks and over-all economic development.This is a truism, in an un-derdeveloped or develop-ing economy, it is evenmore poignant. It has forlong been accepted thatany investment in infra-structure is a very vitaleconomic stimulus.

Invariably, it createsnew jobs, even if some-times it is of a temporary,

project tied nature. Bycreating employment an in-vestment in infrastructurethereby increases the taxbaseof the government sincethe newly employed willnow be contributing

to payroll taxes. This hasa wider significance. For theaim of any democracy mustbe for it to be based on acommunity of tax-payers.

Furthermore in a statesuch as the state of osun

which is still signifi-cantly based on a ruraleconomy road networksare vital. We all knowthat in order to re-in-vigorate the ruraleconomy policies mustbe put in play to increasefarm production. How-ever, without a concomi-tant increase in sales toconsumers there will bea collapse of morale.

Continue on pg5

2 OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, March 22, 2014News

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, receiving the report on Religious Disturbance at Baptist HighSchool, Iwo from Chairman of the committee, Chief Gbadegesin Adedeji (right), during the committee’s submission ofits report at the Office of the Governor, Abere, last Monday. With them is the Deputy Governor, Otunba (Mrs) TitiLaoye-Tomori.

No Religion Is Against Schools Re-classification In Osun•As Committee Reveals Causes Of Crisis

By ISMAEEL UTHMAN

THE fact-finding committee constituted by thegovernor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola,to investigate the remote causes of the crisis at the

Baptist High School, Iwo on Monday, stated that there isno religion in the state that is against schools’reclassification.

The committee observedthat what is playing out isthe long religious rivalry,which was extended to theschools’ reclassificationpolicy of the state

government.The committee headed

by a former Commissionerfor Justice and AttorneyGeneral in the state,Barrister Gbadegesin

Adedeji, while submitting itsreport, noted that thecommittee was able to findout that it was the old rivalrybetween the two prominentreligions that wasresponsible for the animositywitnessed in the school inIwo.

Adedeji commendedGovernor Rauf Aregbesolafor being proactive in

tackling the opportunisticdifferences that somepeople were trying to playon with the re-classificationof schools in the state.

Towards achieving acompletely restructurededucation system forimproved result, utilizing itsmeagre resources, the stategovernment had embarkedon a reclassification

exercise, which led to theemergence of biggerschools, where instructionalfacilities are concentratedfor effective learning.

According toGbadegesin: “The crisis inBaptist High School in Iwowas an issue that should notbe treated with kids’ gloves.I want to use thisopportunity to applaud thestate government forsetting up this committee.

“If the case of Iwo BaptistHigh School had beenallowed to fester, it couldhave spread all over thestate. During ourassignment, people cameout in their hundreds andwe had frank exchange ofwhat could be the problem.

“On the basis of whatthey told us, we were ableto get to a conclusion thatno single religion is againstthe re-classification policy.All we noticed was that itwas the ego among the threedominant religions in thestate that has been playedup,” Gbadegesin said.

He therefore, thanked thegovernor for theopportunity given to thecommittee members to serveIwo community and thestate at large.

The governor, whilereceiving the report, heldthat Yoruba race had livedfor several millennia withstrong distinction on how toapproach the divine withoutany problem.

Aregbesola stressed thatthe policy was designed to

bring out the best frompupils and pupils, hence thedecision of the stategovernment to nip in thebud, the sectarian unrest atthe Baptist High School,Iwo.

He then thanked God fornot allowing the state to beengulfed in crises with whathappened in the school,saying the basis foranimosity as noted by thecommittee was about ego.

The governor said withthe similarities that existbetween the two recentfaiths, the rancour beingwitnessed in Nigeria wasunnecessary.

In his words: “No matterwhat we profess, Yorubawill never fight on religion,because it is strange to them,because they have livedtogether on different beliefs.

“If love is critical andcrucial to all faiths, where dowe find the hatred andanimosity that nowcharacterise ourrelationships as men offaith? Salvation is anindividual thing with God.

“It is good to hear that thecommittee was able todiscover that it was not there-classification of schoolsin the state that fuelled theattitude of some misguidedpupils in the school in Iwo,but the rivalry between thetwo faiths was the cause ofwhat happened in theschool,” the governornoted.

Aregbesola however,assured that the stategovernment would look intothe report of the committeecarefully and come out witha White Paper that wouldshow how to manage suchoccurrence.

The state governmenthad set up the committeefour weeks ago at the wakeof the unrest to investigateand recommend solutionsto the disturbances at theBaptist High School, Iwo.

Osun Closes Four More Illegal SchoolsBy SHINA ABUBAKAR

IN its bid to ensure sanity in the education sector,Government of the State of Osun has sealed off anotherfour illegal private schools in the state.

This occurred duringanother round of schoolsmonitoring embarked uponby a team of the StateMinistry of Education ledby the Permanent Secretary,Mr. Lawrence Oyeniran tocheckmate the risingnumber of mushroom andillegal private schools in thestate.

The schools were:Arikose Anobi Nursery andPrimary School, PeaceNursery & Primary School,Bisam Gold Private Schooland Confidence Nurseryand Primary School all inOke Ijetu area in OsogboLocal Government CouncilArea of the state.

Meanwhile, the proprietorof Winners Model College,Tinumola Area, Osogbo wasordered to report at theMinistry of Education forillegal relocation of hisschool from the approvedsite in Ofatedo to anunapproved location inOsogbo, the state capital.

Addressing teachers ofthe illegal schools, theDirector Osun MassEducation Agency in theMinistry of Education, whorepresented the PermanentSecretary, Mr. EbenezerOlugbenga Dairo, notedthat it is not proper to

establish a school withpupils from kindergarten

classes up to primary fivewithout evidence to show forregistration or approval withthe Ministry of Education.

He then urged the pupilsto stay at home with theirparents, pending the

clearance of the schools bythe ministry, whilepromising that StateMinistry of Education willnot rest on its oars, until allschools are registered andstandardised by the state

government.It would be recalled that

two illegal schools weresealed-off by the ministryduring a similar monitoringexercise it conducted earlythis month.

NIS Recruitment Saga: Osun Assembly CallsFor Jonathan’s Resignation By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

THE State of Osun House of Assembly has saidthat the loss of lives that characterised theNigeria Immigration Service (NIS) nationwide

recruitment exercise on Saturday has again shownthe incompetence of President Goodluck Jonathan’sadministration.

The state parliamentmade the assertion onWednesday at its plenarysession in Osogbo under“Matters of urgent publicimportance”, demandingthe resignation of thePresident for a leader whois committed to thewelfare of the people.

This was just asmembers of the statelegislature observed aone-minute silence forthose who lost their livesduring the recruitmentexercise.

It would be recalled thatno fewer than 16applicants died in astampede thatcharacterised thenationwide recruitmentexercise organised by the

NIS, while scores of otherswere injured.

The Speaker, HonourableNajeem Salaam said thedeath of the job seekerswas sad, painful and call forserious concern.

He wondered why theNIS would conduct therecruitment test in such a‘dehumanising manner’.

Revealing that the statelegislature would also writethe National Assembly toexpress its view on the sadincident, the Speaker said;“it seems that the lives ofour people are not importantto the government at thecentre as presentlyconstituted.”

“What happened onSaturday was sad andpathetic and it is not good

for the image of thiscountry.

“Why would NIS askover 700,000 job seekersto part with N1,000 eachfor just less than 5,000vacancies, which theywere not even sure ofgetting?

“It is sad that we have aPresident that doesn’tlisten or care about thelives of our people. It is apity that we foundourselves in this type ofmess.

“The exercise hasagainst shown the rate ofunemployment in thiscountry, which is the rootcause of the violence weare witnessing in manyparts of the countrytoday,” he lamented.

Salaam then called onthe Federal Government todeclare a state-of-emergency in the area ofunemployment in thecountry.

In his remarks, theDeputy Speaker,Honourable AkintundeAdegboye said the deathwould have been averted,had it been that the NIS didthe right thing.

He noted that the testshould have beenconducted either online orin batches at a veryconducive environment.

The Deputy Speakernoted that the stampede atthe various recruitmentcentres across the countryshowed the sorry state ofthe nation’s economy,especially in the area ofunemployment.

“That Saturday willremain a black day in thecountry. What NIS didwas fraudulent and theissue must not be sweptunder the carpet”.

While raising the issue,the Chief Whip of theHouse, Honourable IpoolaBinuyo, said that the ‘ugly

incident’ calls for a seriousconcern.

Rather than continuingto waste lives of innocentNigerians, he noted that thePresident should resign.

In their separatesubmissions, HonourablesAfolabi Atolagbe(Ifedayo), Olalekan Afolabi(Ifelodun), KamardeenAkanbi (Ede North), WasiuAdebayo (Olorunda) saidthat present administrationat the centre is not aserious one.

They noted that in a sanesociety, by now, those in-charge of the exercise,from minister to theComptroller Generalwould have been sacked,adding that the failure ofthe President to act hasshown his incompetence.

The lawmakers thencalled for properinvestigation into theincidence, with a view tobringing the culprits tobook.

3 News OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, March 22, 2014

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•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (left), decorating his Aide-De-Camp, Ajasa Hakeem (middle) aSuperintendent of Police (SP), assisted by the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Ibrahim Maishanu, at the GovernmentHouse, Osogbo, State of Osun, recently.

Missing NNPC $48.9bn Should Be Traced To PDP Accounts - APCBy ISMAEEL UTHMAN

THE All Progressives Congress in the State ofOsun has alerted the anti-graft and securityagencies in Nigeria that the missing $48.9

billion from the Nigerian National PetroleumCompany (NNPC) should be traced to the accountsof the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

According to the APC,the whopping sum wasdiverted to fundgovernorship andpresidential elections forthe Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP) candidates .

The APC added that partof the money has beenused to buy kerosene atdifferent deports in thecountry by the PDPchieftains, with the plan ofdistributing it freely to thepeople of Nigeria,particularly the South-West states.

It would be recalled thatfive 33,000-litre capacity

tankers of kerosene werebrought to Osogbo fewweeks ago by the PDPSouth-West MobilisationCommittee led by BurujiKasamu.

The kerosene was soldat subsidised rate to PDPmembers, who wereasked to submit twop a s s p o r t - s i z e dphotographs before theycould get the kerosene.

The State of Osunchapter of APC in a pressstatement issued by itsDirector of Publicity,Research and Strategy inthe state, Mr Kunle

Oyatomi, on Thursday,alleged that the PDPbought the kerosene withthe missing $48.9billionfrom the NNPC account.

According to Oyatomi,the PDP has alsoconcluded plans totransport unknownnumber of kerosenetankers to Ekiti State withthe view of selling it atsubsidised rate to thepeople.

Oyatomi said the real

aim of the PDP with thekerosene is to buy thepeople’s votes in thecoming governorshipelections in Ekiti and Osunstates.

He slammed theleadership of the PDP forwhat he described aswickedness andinsensitivity that havestalled the development ofthe country since the partycame to power in 1999,saying that the PDP was

responsible for the seriesof challenges facing thecountry.

The APC spokespersonargued that giving freekerosene to the people ofthe South-West statescould not blindfold themfrom the fact that the PDPis a curse to Yoruba nationand does not deserve theYoruba votes in any way.

Oyatiomi said: “From1999-2010, the PDPdestroyed everything our

great leader, ObafemiAwolowo, did for us in theSouth-West, and to top itall, they maginalised therace, made it looked like itdid not matter in Nigeria.

“Whatever they may doin the West between Ekitiand Osun, the PDP cannotwin, because they are notpopular, due to themonumental destructionthey brought to Yorubapeople and the Yorubanation.”

Osun Assembly Jacks Up 2014 BudgetEstimate To N234bn By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

THE State of Osun House of Assembly hasjacked up the 2014 budget estimate to N234.4billion from its original N216.7 billion.

The House Committeeon Finance andAppropriation made theadjustment to the estimate,sequel to the defence ofthe budget estimate byministries, departmentsand agencies ofgovernment before thestate parliament.

Presenting the report ofthe budget defence at theHouse’ plenary session onWednesday, the Chairmanof the committee,Honourable KamilOyedele, said that therecurrent expenditure nowstands atN99,755,598,430 (42.55

per cent) and capitalexpenditure stands atN134,664,820,830 (57.45per cent).

Also, the recurrentrevenue stands atN101,594,968,500 (43.34per cent), while the capitalreceipt stands atN132,825,450,760 (56.66per cent).

The new figure issubject to the approval ofthe state legislature at thecommittee of whole.

Oyedele revealed that inthe course of the budgetdefence, part of theobservations of thecommittee was that thegovernment has realisedthe need to reduce over-dependence on oil moneyfrom the federationaccount and improve onits Internally GeneratedRevenue.

He added that the stategovernment also intendsto fund the array of itsdevelopmental projectsincorporated in the 2014budget by leveraging onopportunities offered byInternal and ExternalFunds/Credits to bridgethe observed gap.

Part of the reasons forthe jacking up of thebudget estimate,according to him, wasthat there were noeffective monitoring andevaluation mechanism atthe three EducationalDistrict Offices in the

state.He further noted that the

outstanding performanceof some agencies ofgovernment in theimplementation of theirprogrammes during thelast fiscal year requires thatthey should be funded themore to meet the yearningsof the people.

In his recommendationsfrom the report, Oyedeleopined that the StateInternal Revenue Serviceshould be repositioned andstrengthened in line withthe enabling law, in orderto achieve the IGR target.

“The budget should berevenue-driven, hence, anyexpenditure that could leadto revenue generationshould be encouraged andapproved accordingly.

“That the Ministry ofInnovation, Science andTechnology should beadvised to effect thestandardisation oftechnology used in the ruralareas and also embark ontraining and retraining ofmiddle and top-levelgovernment functionarieson computer knowledgeand appreciation.

“That the high-poweredtask force should beconstituted by the Ministryof Health to monitor theactivities of personnel at thevarious hospitals and otherhealth institutions acrossthe state for effectiveservice delivery,” Oyedeleadded.

Osun Election: Celestial Church SpiritualHead Showers Blessings On Aregbesola

By KEHINDE AYANTUNJI

THE Spiritual Leader of the Celestial Churchof God Worldwide, Reverend Paul Matorikan,on Wednesday, showered spiritual blessings

on the governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni RaufAregbesola, ahead of August 9, 2014 governorshipelection.

Matorikan, during a visitto the governor atGovernment House,Osogbo, the state capital,commended the stategovernment’s giant strideson education,i n f r a s t r u c t u r a ldevelopment and steadypeace in the state.

He prayed forAregbesola easy ride to theGovernment House for thesecond term and declaredthat the church willorganise revivals acrossthe state to pray againstviolence and bloodshed in

the state and continue topray for the victory of thegovernor.

Matorikan also urgedthe governor not to relentin his efforts to transformthe state.

The church head andother spiritual leaders werelater presented stateemblem by the governor.

In his remark on theoccasion, the SpecialAdviser to the Governoron Environment andSanitation, HonourableBola Ilori, appreciated thechurch leader for the visit,

prayer and recognition ofbold steps taking so far bythe governor.

Ilori said: “For thespiritual head of CelestialChurch of Christ to visitand pray for the governor,surely it is an inspirationfrom God, which is astrong attestation that Godhas endorsed the secondterm ambition of GovernorAregbesola.”

He stated that religioustolerance is the culture ofthe current administrationin the state, adding thatonly a tiny population inthe state are trying tostigmatise the state withreligious controversy.

Ilori added: “Aregbesolahas never encouragedreligious disharmony. Inthe state executive arm,Christians dominated the

cabinet, while in the Houseof Assembly of 26members, 16 areChristians. We employed40,000 youths, whilereligion was not indicatedin the form. We employed12,000 teachers, whilereligion was not part of theprocesses.”

“Religion must not beallowed to derail ourprogress. We are buildingBaptist, Methodist andAUD model schools thatcan compete with anyschool in the world.Aregbesola will not take ithome after completing hiseight years as governor.”

He therefore urged thereligious leaders to extendthe gospel of love, peace,honesty and progress inthe state, with a view tosustaining the current paceof development.

Osun To Begin EnumerationOf Cocoa Trees Soon

By FRANCIS EZEDIUNO

THE State of Osun Commissioner for Agricultureand Food Security, Honourable Wale Adedoyin, hascommended Governor Rauf Aregbesola on his

various agricultural programmes, aimed at providing foodfor the people in the state.

He gave thecommendation in Osogboduring a stakeholdersmeeting with the committeeon enumeration of cocoatrees, which was expectedto commence on the 18thMarch, across the state.

The commissioner statedthat the enumerationexercise of cocoa treesbecame necessary, so as toreplace the oldunproductive trees withnew ones, with a view tomaintaining the massiveproduction of cocoa forwhich the state is known.

Adedoyin then called forabsolute commitment fromthe stakeholders in theproduction of cocoa andgive necessary support tothe enumeration exercise, so

as to achieve the goal.Responding on behalf of

the stakeholders, the Patronof All Farmers Associationof Nigeria (AFAN), OsunChapter, Chief Bola Otunla,thanked the stategovernment for supportingagriculture in allramifications, whilepromising that all handswould be on deck for asuccessful enumerationexercise.

Present at the meetingwere the PermanentSecretary, Ministry ofAgriculture and FoodSecurity, Mr.SundayOdediran, AFAN Secretary,Honourable IbrahimOyewale, Directors in theministry and other importantdignitaries.

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, March 22, 20144 News

By ISMAEEL UTHMAN

By KEHINDE AYANTUNJI

2013 Hajj Report: Saudi Authority Commends Aregbesola On E-learning

THE authority of Saudi Arabia has commendedgovernor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni RaufAregbesola, on his contribution to ‘e-learning’

through the introduction of ‘Opon-Imo’, the Tabletof Knowledge, which has become a world-acclaimedbreakthrough in educational development.

Ogbeni Aregbesola, whoreceived the report of2013 Hajj operation at theExecutive CouncilChamber in his office,commended StateCommissioner of HomeAffairs, Tourism and

Culture, Alhaji SikiruAdetona Ayedun, SSA toGovernor on Religion,Alhaji Dihkrullahi Hassanand other members of theboard for the hitch-freehajj operation.

The governor, who was

happy with the report, saidHajj exercise is tough andrequires strength of thepilgrims, where over twomillion people will beperforming spiritualassignment at the sametime.

He maintained that Hajjexercise is not the same asUmurah, as Hajj is morerigorous, while Umurah iswith ease.

Ogbeni Aregbesolatherefore warned theboard to take intoconsideration the age limit

set aside by National HajjCommission of Nigeria,while insisting on thephysical fitness of theintending pilgrims to beable to perform allimportant aspects of hajj.

Earlier in his reportpresentation, Ayedunthanked the governor forgiving the board all thesupports needed to havesuccessful hajj operation.

The commissionerplaced it on record that thestate was the first to beairlifted to Saudi Arabia in

Nigeria and first to returnto Nigeria.

He said all these were asa result of brilliant andwelfare of pilgrims’package the state has putin place since the inceptionof Ogbeni Aregbesola’sadministration in the state.

Alhaji Ayedun said therecognition accorded thestate officials by thecustodian of the Prophet’sMosque in Madinah at adinner in honour of Stateof Osun contribution to ‘e-learning through theintroduction of ‘OponImo’ attested to the factthat Osun has recordedlandmark achievementssince the inception ofOgbeni Aregbesola’sadministration.

Also speaking, SeniorSpecial Assistant toGovernor Aregbesola onReligion, Alhaji DikhrullahiHassan, said the board has

put in place medicalscreening for all intendingpilgrims, so as to ensuretheir physical fitness.

He then thanked thegovernor for given allnecessary supports toachieve a successful hajjOperation.

Highlight of thepresentation was visualpresentation of activitiesof 2013 hajj operation.

Present at thepresentation wereSecretary to the StateGovernment, AlhajiMoshood Adeoti, Chief ofStaff to the Governor,Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola,Head of Service, MrSunday Owoeye,members of StateExecu t ive ,Pe rmanen tSecretary, Ministry ofHome Affairs, Tourism andCulture, Mrs OlajumokeBello and staff of MuslimPilgrims Welfare Board.

No Governor Has Empowered Osun CitizensLike Aregbesola - APC

THE All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State ofOsun has told citizens and residents of the state toshun and disregard PDP agents and co-looters that

are allegedly going about in cities and towns across thestate accusing Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola of not empoweringpeople since he became governor.

“What they actuallymean”, the APC said,” is thatAregbesola did not allow thefraudulent access to publicfunds for their private use,as the PDP did for overseven years between 2003and 2010.”

In a statement from theparty’s Director of Publicity,Research and Strategy,Barrister Kunle Oyatomi, theAPC claimed that since thestate was created, nogovernor has done as muchas Aregbesola to empowercitizens legitimately.

According to the APC,people in their thousandsare now engaging inbusiness profitably like theynever did since 2003.

This, the party said, hasresulted in increasedbanking activities, whichwas acknowledged recentlyby the Manager of theCentral Bank of Nigeria inthe state.

The party noted thatwhenever the question ofempowerment is raised inNigeria today, Aregbesola

occupies prime position asa pace setter in Nigeria,whose programmes andpolicies are designed toempower citizens, which arenow being replicatedthroughout the country.

“Aregbesola took theinitiative within 100 days ofcoming to power toempower 20,000 youths with

employment. Today, thatnumber has risen to 40,000,and over N400 million isbeing injected into Osun’seconomy monthly. Thatcomes to N4.8 billion yearly.

“Feeding Primaries 1-4children in Osun schoolsgulps N3.6 billion nairayearly. This involvesvarious buying ofagricultural products, whichhas made hundreds, if notthousands of businessmenand women so much thericher in the State of Osuntoday. In fact, some Osunfarmers have had to sourceproducts from neighbouringstates to meet demands.

“Again the sum of N1.6billion is paid directly to

vulnerable senior citizensevery month. One thousandsix hundred elderly citizensare involved in this scheme.

“Those who are affectedby all these empowermentprogrammes are Osuncitizens,” the partyreiterated.

The state APC thereforewondered how anyonewould accuse Aregbesolaof not empowering citizensof the state, which the partystressed, is a wickedstatement which onlyfraudulent people can make.

“We do not have thespace in this short releaseto mention all theempowerment programmeswhich Aregbesola hasbrought to Osun. Suffice itto state that there is nosingle project, which thegovernor has undertaken,since he came to power thatdid not directly or indirectlyempowers Osun citizensand residents.

“Let it be said clearly toall residents of the state thatAregbesola will not be ingovernment, if the ultimatepurpose is not to changelives and grow the economyof Osun. There is noempowerment greater thanan enabling environment forself-actualization.

“That is what Aregbesolais providing for Osun andthe great effort continues.”

The APC therefore urgedall citizens to preparethemselves for the decisivestatement, which they willbe called upon to make inAugust, so that Aregbesolamay finish the wonderfulwork he started in November2010.

“Aregbesola is working;there is no family in Osuntoday that has not beenaffected, and if anybodysays this is not empoweringOsun citizens, it is a pity anda shame.

Only wicked people willsay such things,” the APCsaid.

NDA Holds Selection Exams May 17By SHINA ABUBAKAR

THE Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA)selection examination into the 66th RegularCourse of the institution will hold on Saturday

May 17, 2014 at designated centres nationwide at7.30am.

A statement from theoffice of the Secretary tothe State Government ofOsun explained that onlycandidates who made thenational JAMB cut-offmark will be eligible to sitfor the examination, whichis similar to post-UTMEexamination inconventional universities.

According to thestatement, the designated

centres for theexamination within theSouth Western States are:

Command DaySecondary School, IkejaCantonment, Lagos, aswell as Navy SecondarySchool, Ojo Town, Lagos.

Also, the examination isscheduled to hold at ArmyDay Secondary School,Akure and Command DaySecondary School,

Odogbo in Ibadan, OyoState.

It further instructedcandidates to come alongwith their writingmaterials, including HBpencils and eraser,warning that anycandidate caught with amobile phone will beautomatically disqualified.

The statement alsoadvised the candidates toreturn to the NDA portalsand log-in with the e-mailaddress and password todownload theirexamination admissioncards.

OPC Members Docked ForUnlawful Possession Of Guns

By ISMAEEL UTHMAN

TWO members of the Oodua Peoples Congress(OPC) have been dragged before an OsogboMagistrate’s Court over unlawful possession

of guns and other dangerous weapons.A charge sheet made

available to OSUNDEFENDER on Thursdaystated that the OPCmembers, Ibrahim Ajibade(30) and Ishiaka Adedeji(40) were caught with onepump action and double-barrel guns and axes onMarch 13, 2014.

Ajibade and Adedejiwere arrested during aroutine security check atAkinrere area, along Ikire/Ibadan Expressway, Ikire,the headquarters ofIrewole Local GovernmentCouncil Area of the Stateof Osun.

The offence, accordingto the charge sheet, wascontrary to and punishableunder Sections 516 of theCriminal Code, Cap 38,and Section 22 of theFirearms Act F 28, Law ofthe Federal Republic ofNigeria.

The accused personshowever entered a notguilty plea to the six-countcharges centred on

conspiracy and unlawfulpossession of guns.

Defence counsel, MrAdedayo Adekunle,applied for the bail of theaccused persons, arguingthat the charges againstthem were not capitaloffences and thus bailable.

Adekunle pleaded withthe court to be liberal onthe bail terms, promisingthat the accused personswould not jump, as reliablesureties would stand forthem.

Police prosecutor,Inspector Abbas Aruna didnot oppose the bailapplication.

Ruling on the matter,Chief Magistrate OlusolaAluko granted bail to thesuspects in the sum ofN100,000 and two suretieseach, who must beresidents within thecourt’s jurisdiction.

He thereafter adjournedthe case till May 5, 2014for mention.

•(L-R) Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon; Lord Watson of Richmond and Director-General, Office ofEconomic Development and Partnerships, State of Osun, Dr. Charles Akinola, during the presentation of 2014 ADKing Prize for Achievement in Public Service to the Governor of State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, duringCommonwealth Observance Day in London recently.

5OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, March 22, 2014 News

Osun’s Road Network As Economic Development

If this happensit will be back to squareone. And that will bedisastrous undoing allthe previous efforts andexpenses. This is whyroads are vital as amechanism to revitalizethe rural economy andincrease overall well –being as well as theelevation of livingstandards.

Road linkages will re-sult in far less post-har-vest losses. Producewill be evacuatedquicker and freightedto urban markets. Thiswill lead to an increasesales leading to in-creased farm earnings.It will also open up therural economy for newgoods and services aswell as the practicalimplanting of modernfarming methods aswell as an increase inthe provision of exten-sion services.

For the ruraleconomy increases inthe road network willalso lead to the induce-ment of food process-ing industries- cottage,small, medium scaleand large. A good roadnetwork will also inevi-tably lead to an increasein the amount of rawmaterials available forthe processing indus-tries.

Frankly no sane inves-tor will build a food pro-cessing plant without thenecessary guarantee ofraw materials. Food pro-cessing industries are vi-tal in order to revive theailing rural economy.This is why the multi-plier effect of the stateof osun government’sinvestment in road build-ing and infrastructure isso important.

The investments al-ready undertaken and theprojected future invest-ments are not just simu-lative, they are also costeffective. The beneficialresults are already mani-festing itself. And it isnot only in the ruraleconomy. Urban osunstate is also seeing a facelift as well as a new leaseof life. This is making ur-ban transportation muchsafer. It is also upgrad-ing investment pros-pects. For a potential in-vestor puts a good, du-rable road network at thetop of his priorities. Itmakes economiccommonsense to do so.Otherwise the cost ofproduction without theavailability of good roadswill be too high. Thismeans that the end of theprocess the product willbe uncompetitive in themarket place. So what’sthe point of the invest-ment?

Aregbesola’s invest-ments in the road net-work infrastructure are

very sensible. And it willstand the test of time. Apolitician we are awarelooks at the next election.A statesman looks at gen-erations yet unborn. In hisinfrastructure thrustAregbesola is very patrioti-cally looking at the long-term and its already pro-ducing some immediatebeneficial results.

The Ogbeni governorhas shown himself to be asuperb financial engineer.He has merged his prow-ess as an engineer with thepractical disposition of anapplied economist. Andwith this merger of skills,he is laying the foundationfor a renaissance and a re-birth in the state of Osun.

There is a clear synergybetween the constructionof road networks andoverall economic develop-ment. This is a truism, inan underdeveloped or de-veloping economy, it iseven more poignant.

It has for long been ac-cepted that any investmentin infrastructure is a veryvital economic stimulus.

Invariably, it createsnew jobs, even if some-times it is of a temporary,project tied nature. By cre-ating employment an in-vestment in infrastructurethereby increases the taxbase of the governmentsince the newly employedwill now be contributing topayroll taxes. This has awider significance. For the

aim of any democracymust be for it to be basedon a community of tax-payers.

Furthermore in a statesuch as the state of osunwhich is still significantlybased on a rural economyroad networks are vital.We all know that in orderto re-invigorate the ruraleconomy policies mustbe put in play to increasefarm production. How-ever, without a concomi-tant increase in sales toconsumers there will bea collapse of morale.

If this happens it willbe back to square one.And that will be disastrousundoing all the previousefforts and expenses.This is why roads are vi-tal as a mechanism to re-vitalize the rural economyand increase overall well–being as well as the el-evation of living stan-dards.

Road linkages will re-sult in far less post-har-vest losses. Produce willbe evacuated quicker andfreighted to urban mar-kets. This will lead to anincrease sales leading toincreased farm earnings.It will also open up therural economy for newgoods and services aswell as the practical im-planting of modern farm-ing methods as well as anincrease in the provisionof extension services.

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Otherwise the cost ofproduction without theavailability of goodroads will be too high.This means that the endof the process the prod-uct will be uncompetitivein the market place. Sowhat’s the point of theinvestment?

Aregbesola’s invest-ments in the road net-work infrastructure arevery sensible. And it willstand the test of time.

The Ogbeni governorhas shown himself to bea A politician we areaware looks at the nextelection. A statesmanlooks at generations yetunborn. In his infra-structure thrustAregbesola is very pa-triotically looking at thelong-term and its al-ready producing someimmediate beneficialresults.superb financialengineer. He hasmerged his prowess asan engineer with thepractical disposition ofan applied economist.And with this merger ofskills, he is laying thefoundation for a renais-sance and a rebirth inthe state of Osun.

For the rural economyincreases in the road net-work will also lead to theinducement of food pro-cessing industries- cot-tage, small, medium scaleand large. A good road net-work will also inevitablylead to an increase in theamount of raw materialsavailable for the process-ing industries.

Frankly no sane inves-tor will build a food pro-cessing plant without thenecessary guarantee ofraw materials. Food pro-cessing industries are vitalin order to revive the ailingrural economy. This iswhy the multiplier effect ofthe state of osungovernment’s investmentin road building and infra-structure is so important.

The investments alreadyundertaken and the pro-jected future investmentsare not just simulative, theyare also cost effective. Thebeneficial results are al-ready manifesting itself.And it is not only in the ruraleconomy. Urban osun stateis also seeing a face lift aswell as a new lease of life.This is making urbantransportation much safer.It is also upgrading invest-ment prospects. For a po-tential investor puts a good,durable road network atthe top of his priorities. Itmakes economiccommonsense to do so.

Continued rom pg1

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, March 22 , 20146 INTERVIEW

We’ll Not Rest Until Every OsunSchool Is Transformed – OyeduntanOtunba Lai Oyeduntan is the Chairman of the two years old Osun Schools’

Infrastructure Development Committee.In this interview with DAILY INDEPENDENT he spoke at length on the levels of

school upgrades and how the needs assessment and implementation had transformedthe school landscape in all corners of the state.

What is the mandate of your commit-tee?

Osun State Infrastructure DevelopmentCommittee is a committee responsible forthe development and upgrade of schoolinfrastructure in the state of Osun. The com-mittee came after the need has been identi-fied of certain policy options to reformschool and education sector in the state. Itis so because by the time Governor RaufAregbesola assumed office, the situationon ground was unacceptable and long be-fore the governor assumed office, he hasbeen associated with the sector. He has hadpersonal experiences that were not particu-larly encouraging.

Can you give details of the scenariobefore the intervention?

The percentage of qualified studentsgraduating from Osun secondary schoolsis so low that in public schools it averagesbetween six and five per cent. That is cer-tainly unacceptable. Performances in bothexternal and internal exams are the only yard-stick for measuring efficiency in the schoolsystem. For a state like Osun as one of thestates where education is very expensive isunacceptable. It will be the irresponsible ofthe government to ignore it especially hav-ing reviewed the sector through the educa-tion summit the steps taken in previousyears by successive governments to ame-liorate the situation.

It was obvious to us after the summit thatthe intervention in the sector will have tobe drastic and comprehensive. There arethree factors that are germane to an effec-tive education sector. The pupils must bethe main reason for schooling. The pupilstherefore must be motivated to want to learn,the teacher that will teach must also be suf-ficiently encouraged to teach and delivereffectively. All of these must come togetherin an environment that is conducive for thegood mix of teaching and learning.

By 2010, none of those ingredients werein place any more. The pupils are not par-ticularly keen on learning as truancy wasthe order of the day. The teachers were notwell motivated to carry out their assign-ments. The environment in which all of thesewere supposed to be taking place was cer-tainly poor and all these are not acceptableat all. Having identified all these impera-tives the government set out to tackle them.

Firstly, attempts were made to motivatethe students’ through the O’Meal and thephenomena of that alone can be seen in thejump in enrolment in elementary school.

The situation analysis at the beginningof the exercise informed the approach be-ing taken in the re-classification of schools.While looking at what will be the ideal, wediscovered several schools with less than100 pupils with three or four teachers andheadmaster or mistress who does not teach.There was no consistency in the whole ar-rangement between either rural or urbancentres. In the urban centres where youhave the population, you have schools I, IIIII which is not in conformity with bothteaching and administrative functions. Allwe have done therefore was to research intobest practice all over the world and comewith the need to have schools that are ofoptimum sizes and have maximum facilitiesthat will make teaching and learning moreinteresting.

In the old primary school, primary I to IIIare fed. When the food vendors bring thefood to the schools the pupils in primary IV,V and VI will not be able to concentrateanymore because their brothers in lowerclasses are eating and they are going hun-gry. We discovered that the trend all over

the world is to apply science and psychol-ogy to the management of the needs of thepupils. The psychological requirements ofdealing with a six year old are different withdealing with a 10 year old pupil.

Through this we come to the conclusionthat it is better to group the children ac-cording to their age group. So six years oldto nine year old in grades 1 to 4 are now putin elementary school. Primary 5 and 6 aregrouped together with junior secondaryschool age and high school pupils who arein their late teens are now separated fromthose in the junior secondary schools.There is nothing extra ordinary about this.Many children in private schools are en-rolled in secondary by the time they arenine or ten from primary five. It is just likemoving the students who will be in a par-ticular address to the other address wherethey ordinarily would go in another year.This led to the re-classification of schoolsand focusing of what the needs are at thatlevel in terms of amenities and facilities ap-propriate for a given age group.

Having identified the needs driven re-classification exercise, what was the esti-mation of the infrastructural needs of thesystem and to what extent has your com-mittee delivered on this?

We recognized the need for a total de-parture from the routine that is in practicewithin the system because it was obviousit had failed. The previous government per-haps recognized the need for this same in-tervention but the enormous amount ofmoney required usually frightens succes-sive governments in the state. We havehowever come to the conclusion that wecannot run away in tackling the challenges.The governor has demonstrated sufficientpolitical will to address the issues. Even ifwe have all the monies in this world to ad-dress and build all those schools at thesame time, the journey of 1000 miles hasthus begun with one step by bringing theschools up to what is the trend in modernworld.

Education as important as it is shouldnot be treated with levity. We went througha comprehensive data collection and appli-cation and came to a conclusion that thereis a difference between school in urban cen-tre and in rural areas. Some schools in ruralareas may have to remain there even thoughthe population is low but in urban centres,it calls for the optimum size. Elementaryschool must remain neighourhood schools.That is, the average elementary school pu-pils should not do more than two kilome-

ters from home in order to get to school.But again it is not difficult for us to achieve.We have not created new schools; we havenot moved a school from its location to an-other. We have only moved the pupilsaround within the same number of schools,same number of classrooms and for the samepurpose.

When you move primary five and six intoanother school, vacancy is created intowhich to move primary 1 to four from otherschools and vii-a-vis move primaries 1 tofour again and that has been the matter ofre-allocation of the pupils within the samenumber of schools there are already in ex-istence. It is not as if the schools wereclosed down or construction of new schoolssomewhere else. All the schools we arebuilding are on existing schools.

On estimation until the last school is builtand transformed into a functional estheti-cally purpose built school our job is notdone.

When we started we recognized the enor-mity of task in terms of funding. Havingdemonstrated the political will we have re-ceived substantial supports from outsideof the normal government purse. The na-tional assembly caucuses have put their

•OYEDUNTAN

Continued on page 7

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, March 22, 2014 7INTERIVEW

We’ll Not Rest Until Every Osun School Is Transformed – Oyeduntan

entire constituency projects together andthe fund is being diverted to fund educa-tion. Through that 12 schools will be af-fected this year and another 12 next year.All our MDG projects are now focused oneducation. This is simply because the gov-ernor has demonstrated that passion for therestructuring and intervention in forms ofreforms that is taking place. They havebought into the project and any donoragency that is coming into the state is en-couraged to support us along this thinkingmore than anywhere else.

In terms of physical appropriation, howmuch has your committee expended on thismission to rebuild. I am aware of the Bap-tist school commissioned recently.

That is the first and would not be thelast. What I meant by first is that all othersare coming about the same time. We startedless than two years ago having the deskwork of designing approval and securingfunding for the project. The first of the el-ementary school was delivered at SalvationArmy School, Alekuwodo, Osogbo. It usedto be middle school and you have that typeof upgrade when you talk of middle schools.When you talk of numbers we started asfunding is available for our contractors tomove to site. Therefore the completion datewill be staggered. In the next few weeks weshould be able to accommodate at least10,000 elementary school pupils in brandnew schools. In the next few weeks weshould be able to accommodate middleschool pupil about 14,000 in new schools.

For this year our attention is now shift-ing to comprehensive renovations insteadof building new schools. Comprehensiverenovations suggest that roof ceilings, floor,windows and doors will be replaced to thestandard of a brand new school. Some struc-tures will have to be removed to bring backsanity that used to pervade such schoolswhere the standard distribution of struc-tures conforms to layout plans unlike whatwe have in the past, where blocks of threeclassrooms are constructed on playgroundswithout regard to the esthetics of theschools. This is in recognition of the factthat education for us is not about learningto read and write alone but the need to havea complete man come out of the system.

And that complete man must see himselfas a major stakeholder in our society. Hemust appreciate the esthetic decency of theenvironment that is well beyond the basicfunctionalities. That is why all our facilitiesare designed with decency and functional-ity in mind. The high school is a much big-ger school with capacity for 3.000 in thesame premises with governance imperativethat goes with that number of population.It is meant to encourage the finishing schoolfor the basic education. By the time an av-erage Osun student leaves our high schoolhe or she should not be intimated by anycampus or college anywhere because wewould have introduced such population andgovernance that goes with such size ofschool and functionality esthetics of theenvironment.

One, when we talk about numbers, youwill observed that I didn’t talk about 10 orthat number, I went straight to identify thebeneficiaries of what we are doing becauseyou track every kobo being spent by theState of Osun to the eventual beneficiaries.

All the sites we have executed we in-sisted that local vendors and artisans mustbe patronized first unless such expertisecannot be sourced locally then we look else-where. We have deployed about three tech-nologies in the construction models of theschools. We have used light steel modelfabrication system where three elementaryhave been and three high schools will alsobe built using the system. We have de-ployed the conventional sand Crete sys-tem that is common and we have also usedthe composite bricks as used by the MDG.All of these were brought in to enhance theaccessibility of the state to different meth-ods in construction.

Talking about crowding in school, whatare the arrangements put in place to ad-dress this problem that is common placein public schools?

We are aware of the so called ratio of 25to a teacher standard. But if you are comingfrom a background of having about 80 in aclassroom then getting 50 in a classroomwould be a record. The target is to achieve25 and rebuild every classroom in Osun but

the reality is that yes we have a school yearwith 25 full classrooms with each classroommeasuring 50 square metres that is the ca-pacity for 50. Before now the same size ofclassroom is where pupils are crowded.Crowding is not uniform. In rural communi-ties you can have less than 20 in a class.But In urban centres the pressure is on ac-commodation and that is where our inter-vention comes in. It is the analysis of thenumber of pupils to a classroom ratio thatinformed the need to have a well spacedout purposely designed schools. Whatused to happen is that because of the pres-sure of enrolment population, a block ofthree classrooms are built at any availablespace thus leading to destruction of play-ground and even construction of class-rooms close to highways.

We have a purpose designed the aver-age capacity of a school is 1,000 from whatwe have before and we still have some ofthem with 300, 500 and 60 pupils in primaryone to six. That is the kind of range anddisparity that we have seen that informedthe need to have a controlled approach tothe distribution and location of the schools.

What is the distribution of the schools?We do have an even spread and politi-

cally it is even smart to concentrate. Youmust have political spread because thereare constituencies. Every constituency willdemand for its share any way. But let us bepragmatic because those schools are thereto address a problem and to serve the people.Rural areas may not be able to accommo-date the standard size of schools we arebuilding. If am building five schools and Iwant to accommodate 5,000 pupils, I will goto where the population is thick. Like youhave rightly observed that overcrowdingusually occurs in urban centres so if thisothers states if you go back to how theydid their own planning they must be tryingto reach a large number of pupils within thelimited resources available to them.

We have here our own statistical back-ground to the planning for the distributionof the schools, the distribution of enrol-ment, the clusters of population density andwhere the needs are more pressing. I have arural school with only 60 pupils from pri-mary one to six all I need to do is to clean it

up for them because it does not attract thekind of resources and allocation a school intown with about 1,000 students of 50 in eachclass. This is pragmatism. But politicallyspeaking even by law you must havespread. When you talk of distribution weare reaching all sections of the state. Pres-ently we are building 14 for elementary and15 for middle schools.

Talking about meeting theinfrastructural deficit in Osun schools,what is the benchmark for construction toensure that quality work is done?

We spoke of classification for elemen-tary school pupils from age 6 to 9, middleschool pupils from ages 9 to 15 and highschool pupils from 15 to 18. We got archi-tects and our brief was quite clear. We havestructures that are designed to suit theneeds of the respective age groups. Ourschools are designed with functionality andesthetics in mind. Functionality is the sizeof the classrooms, and the spatial arrange-ment of the buildings that comes with se-curity. Talking about access, control nobodygets into the new schools without beingscreened and once you are inside you can-not regress from the premises without be-ing attended to and screened. So the aver-age child that comes into school is boundto stay unless authorized to go out. Theschools are fenced with controlled entryand exit points. The designs were purposedriven and directed.

The middle school is a story building inU shape and fenced. You cannot drive intothe learning arena because there is a park-ing lot. All visitors and staff of the schoolaccess and exists the school through thesame points. The elementary schools areneighborhood schools; the middle is a bitfurther not more than what they used to doin going to grammar schools. The highschool on the other hand is for adults at theage 15 or 16 who able to do a few things bythemselves. The high school addressesheavy population centres. In the whole ofIlesa there will be two and in Osogbo therewill be three at Olorunda and Ejigbo to ab-sorb the identified high population of highschool students. But the issue is by thetime am done with this sets of high schools;we will be able to accommodate close to

40,000 students translating to about onethird of the high school population. If thecost of the facilities, the concentration,amenities that will be provided and the gov-ernance in place we can them to performbetter, we would have increased the for-tune of this number of young adults. Ratherthan trying to please 100 people and get-ting nowhere why don’t I concentrate on30 and deliver and end up with 25 per centperformance. Whereas using the mega re-sources o face 100 was getting 5 per cent.We realize that we must concentrate ourefforts on building these building blocksfor the future of our society and education.

In totality what are the gains ofinfrastructural rebirth in Osun schools?

The governor came prepared to focus oneducation because of the importance of thesector that underpins every aspiration ofman and society. A situation where ourpeople start off life with a disadvantage iscertainly unacceptable and no responsiblegovernment should ignore whatever it takesto effect a change.

The totality of the reform in the educa-tion is that the infrastructural enhancementis just but one of the intervention mecha-nisms. Teachers have been motivated, moreteachers have been recruited; arrears ofleave bonuses and entitlements have beenpaid. Teaching in the state has beenprofessionalized. Teachers in the state cannow rise to the rank of permanent secre-tary. The issue is not all about tangibles.

The intangibles are even more importantthan the tangibles. The tangible is the mindand what determines the man himself. Hisself esteem, his own estimation of self worth,if he sees himself as a significant member ofthe community of the society he lives in hewill strive to make the community better. Hewould strive to be a good citizen. We havehad a lot of rots out that must not continue.So if we have been able to arrest the rot, wecan now think and clam for the growth pe-riod. Right now, we are at the point of ar-resting the rot while waiting for the growthto come naturally because the ground hasalready been prepared. The objective is tobring Osun back to that competitive edge ithas as a supplier of critical manpower, qual-ity of human capital within the committeeof states and nations. A people that havegrown to realize that they potentials andattain that within an enabled environmentthough we ranked so low in terms of rev-enue but rank high in the distribution ofwealth.

Are the schools with hostel accommo-dation and safety?

The high school will come with hostelfacilities to be run by private developersand individual but superintendent and con-trolled in terms of quality and standard bythe state. People will be encouraged to buildhostels for the schools based on set stan-dards so that students coming to highschool can stay within the hostel. We haveseen the need for hostel because many par-ents did not know what their children doafter 2 in the afternoon when schools haveclosed until the parents return in theevening. Hostel environment helps to man-age and mould these young adults.

The kind of social re-engineering we aredoing will reduce extremism to a minimumbecause hopelessness breeds the kind ofextremism that is threatening the unity ofthe country and our lives. All of these havebeen taken into account. The size of thecourtyard has something to do with safety.In case of emergency there must be suffi-cient space as muster point.

The size of the school will obviouslymake it impossible for the school head tomanage in terms of emergencies, what wehave done is to engage a school managerfor each of the school. His responsibilityis to ensure the safety of the students’and facilities. Ensure the school is neatlykept ensure the functionality of facilitiesavailable in the school. Thisresponsibility leaves the teachers toconcentrate with academics. By the timethe schools are in place it ourresponsibility to let people have the drillsin order to be able to recognize dangerand at least knock off the alarm in times ofemergency. There will be fire drills be-cause what is important under suchsituation is the reaction time for people torecognize the need to escape to safety inan emergency.

•Culled from DAILY INDEPENDENT

•OYEDUNTAN

Continued from page 6

8 OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, March 22, 2014PHOTOTALK

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (left), receiving the report on the 2013 Hajj Operation from the State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Culture andTourism, Honourable Sikiru Ayedun, at the Office of the Governor, Abere, State of Osun, last Wednesday.

State Of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Received 2013 Hajj OperationReport In His Office In Osogbo, Last Wednesday.

•Aregbesola (centre); Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola (2nd left); Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti (right); Ayedun (2nd right);Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Religious Matters, Alhaji Dhikirullah Hassan (left) and other dignitaries, during the submission of report on 2013 Hajj Operationto the Governor in his Office, Abere, State of Osun, last Wednesday.

9OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, March 22, 2014 PHOTOTALK

•(L-R) The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Spiritual Head, Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) Worldwide, Prophet Paul Maforikan and Matron, Osun CCC,Mother Celestial Sola Maforikan, during the visit last Wednesday.

• Aregbesola (centre); Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti (3rd right); Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment and Sanitation, Mr Bola Ilori(2nd right); Prophet Paul Maforikan (3rd left); Head, Osun Arch-Diocese CCC, Evangelist Samson Adelani (left); Mother Celestial Sola Maforikan (2ndleft); Chairman, Osun2014 Revival Planning Committee, Evangelist Abiodun Awodeji (right) and other dignitaries, in a group photograph during the courtesy the visit last Wednesday.

Courtesy Visit Of Head Of Celestial Church Worldwide To The State Governor OfOsun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, At The Government House, Osogbo, Last Wednesday.

10 OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, March 22, 2014 PHOTOTALKCompleted Fast-linked Road Around Heritage Hotel, Dupe-Aina Area, Osogbo, Under The Government Of GovernorRauf Aregbesola In State Of Osun. Photo: JESUDOYIN ABRAHAM

•A newly-completed road around Okonfo area, Osogbo.

•Another just-concluded road along Afolabi Abikoye close, Osogbo.

•An ongoing road construction around Heritage Hotel, also in Osogbo.

11 OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, March 22, 2014

By FEMI FANI-KAYODE

•FANI-KAYODE

FEATURE

The Referendum In The Crimea And The Great Betrayal (I)

ON Sunday 16th March, 2014, areferendum will be held in theCrimea to determine whether the

people of that country will stay in theUkraine or opt to be part of the RussianFederation. This is a positive developmentand I have little doubt that they will voteto be part of Russia and thereby attemptto right the wrongs of 1954.

This was the year that they werehanded over, rather like cattle, to theUkraine by an over-generous and ratherexciteable Russian Soviet President, NikitaKruschev who could not possibly haveconceived what the future would hold 60years later and who could not possiblyhave envisaged what a threat this singleact of kindness and generosity wouldeventually constitute to the fortunes,welfare and security of the Russian state.

One of the things that needs to beclearly understood right from the outsetabout the unfolding crisis in the Ukraineis that as far as the majority of the peoplein the Crimea are concerned and as faras President Vladimer Putin and thegovernment of the Russian Federation isconcerned, the new regime in the Ukrainecame to power by unconstitutional meansand is therefore illegitimate and illegal.Rightly or wrongly, these are their viewsand their concerns.

They also have grave fears for thesafety, security and welfare of theRussian-speaking population, whoactually live in the Crimea and whoconstitute the majority of people that areresident there. Given the history of thearea and the nature of those that nowhold the reigns of power in Kiev, theseconcerns cannot be easily dismissed orwished away, even by the most cynicalof commentators.

I believe that those concerns are veryreal and that they are perfectly legitimate.In any case, the Russians are not the onlyones that harbour these fears. Just a fewdays ago, American Presidential candidateDennis Kucinich, a man whose views arehighly respected and who is noted forhis ability to speak nothing but the bittertruth, told Fox News host Bill O’Reillysome interesting things.

Permit me to share the contents of theirdiscussion here as it was reported inIntellihub.com, an American websitemagazine. They wrote:

‘’Tuesday evening while speaking toFox News host Bill O’Reilly, Presidentialcandidate Dennis Kucinich, droppedinformation on the situation in the Ukrainethat is rarely heard in the mainstreammedia. In the interview, Kucinich revealedthat the United States government wasguilty of funding some of the violent rebelgroups who have overrun the Ukraine.When asked how he would handle thecrisis if he were President, Kucinichreplied by saying that:

“What I’d do is not have USAID andthe National Endowment for Democracyworking with U.S. taxpayers’ money toknock off an elected government inUkraine, which is what they did. Iwouldn’t try to force the people ofUkraine into a deal with NATO againsttheir interest or into a deal with theEuropean Union, which is against theireconomic interest.”

O’Reilly replied by saying, ‘’so, it’s theUSA’s fault that Putin rolled in? We madethem do it?” to which Kucinichresponded by saying, ‘’Bill O’Reilly, ifyou don’t believe in cause and effect, Idon’t know what I can do for you.” -INTELLIHUB.COM

In my view Kucinich is absolutelyright. He has spoken nothing but the truthand such subterranean manouverings andcovert operations by the United Statesgovernment and their agents right on thedoorstep of a nervous Russia was boundto result in drastic and extreemeretaliatory measures from Vladimer Putin.This is all the more so given the fact thathistory, the law and logic is clearly onPutin’s side.

I say this because claiming that theCrimea is not Russian is simply absurdand it betrays nothing but ignorance. Itis rather like saying that the people of thecity of Ilorin and it’s environs in KwaraState and the people of Kabba, Yagba-West, Yagba-East, Mopa-Amuro, Ijumuand Kabba-Bunu Local GovernmentCouncil Areas in Kogi State respectivelyare not Yoruba and that those areas arenot part and parcel of Yorubaland simplybecause they are in the Northern part ofNigeria.

Historically, the Crimea has alwaysbeen part of Russia and no less than 65per cent of it’s population are not onlyethnic Russians, but they also speaknothing but the Russian language. Thereare also massive and substantial pocketsof Russian populations in EasternUkraine.

It is absolutely absurd for anyone toassume that the Russian Federation wouldsit by silently and allow the lives, thefuture, the fortunes and the destiny oftheir kinsmen from those parts to be inany way threatened.

Some have compared the situation inthe Ukraine and the Crimea to the situationthat exists between China and Taiwan.This is an inappropiate and erroneouscomparison and those that equate the twoare not sufficiently aware of the relevantfacts.

The difference is that the people ofTaiwan, though they are ethnic Chinese,do not want to be part of China, but thepeople of the Crimea, who are ethnicRussians, want to be part of Russiadesperately. That is the differencebetween the two.

It is simply a matter of the right to self-determination. They have that right andit is guaranteed by international law.Remember the Falklands matter betweenGreat Britain and Argentina, which led towar? That is a better comparison to thiscase than that of Taiwan and China. GreatBritain did exactly what Russia is doingtoday in the Falklands in 1982.

They secured the rights of the peoplein the geographical space that was indispute and they effected their wishes andwill as was reflected in a free and fairreferendum. In order to achieve this, theywent to war. I would have expected no

less from Margaret Thatcher and theBritish.

Quite apart from the principle of self-determination, there is also the principleof the right to safety, the right to freedomfrom persecution and, most important ofall, the right to life. The truth is that thepeople of the Crimea have as much of aright to life as anyone else and as long asthey remain in a Ukraine that is in thepower and under the control of the pro-western, ultra-nationalist and essentiallyfascist forces, that right to life cannot beguaranteed.

The fact of the matter is that those thatare presently in power in the Ukrainesimply hate the Russians of the Crimeaand we can be be rest assured that theywill utterly destroy them, strip away theirrights, humiliate them and subject themto the most vicious and insidious formof persecution if given half a chance.President Krushchev of the old SovietUnion made a grave error when hehanded the Crimea and it’s almost totalRussian population over to the Ukrainein 1954.

He did so only because he neverenvisioned a situation whereby the oldSoviet Union would break up and that thepeople of the Ukraine would fall underthe sphere of influence of America andWestern Europe and end up being sohostile to ethnic Russians and to theRussian Federation. That situation iswhat Putin is faced with today and hehas to rise up to the occasion and cleanup the mess that was created in 1954.

He has to rectify that mistake by takingthe Crimea back and protecting the livesand property of the ethnic Russians thatlive there. He must allay their fears andprotect their interests because they arehis kinsmen and they have no other nationto protect them apart from Russia. Thatis his right and duty and I am glad to seethat he appears to be doing it.

This is all the more so given the factthat, by treaty and by international law,the Crimea is host to no less than 45,000Russian soldiers and a massive Russiannaval base. This naval base provides theonly access that the Russian fleet has toa warm sea port anywhere in the world.Perhaps this is what informed thecomments of Mr. Sergei Lavrov, theRussian Foreign Minister, when he told aBritish audience in London on 14th March

2014 that ’” the Crimeais more important to Russiathan the Falklands is to Great Britain”.

Given this, anyone that seriouslybelieves that the Russians would sit backand allow all that to be taken away fromthem by a hostile government in Kiev,which is under the beautiful spell of theAmericans has not understood thesituation very well.

Whether anyone likes it or not, theCrimea, and indeed much of Southern andEastern Ukraine, is an area that touchesand concerns the vital and strategicnational and security interests of theRussian Federation. What goes on in thatarea and who controls it is of greatinterest to the Russians and this must beso for very obvious reasons. Excuse mycrude language, but you cannot piss on agiant’s doorstep and expect him to bepleased with you.

This brings me to the issue of thequestion of the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsularin Nigeria and the way in which theCamerounians pissed on our doorstepand eventually managed to take it fromus. This was after a ruling at theInternational Court of Justice in 2002when President Olusegun Obasanjo wasin power. We lost that ruling and afterthat Bakasi was physically and formallyhanded over to the Camerounians by theYar’adua administration in August 2008.

Our humiliating surrender andcapitulation to Camerounian aggressiontook place after many decades ofprovocation and military incursions intothe area by the Camerounian military andafter many of our people were humiliatedand slaughtered in the most brutal mannerby them.

Yet, this was not always so. Under themilitary government of General SaniAbacha, things were very different andone of the few good things that he everdid as Head of State was to call the bluffof the French and the Camerounians overthe Bakassi Peninsular.

He not only dared them, but he alsosent our troops, under the command ofBrigadier-General Tajudeen Olanrewaju,to secure our Eastern boarders and toprotect our territory from their recklessand open aggression. Force was poisedto meet force and the Nigerian nation wasmobilised for a full-scale territorial war.

Lt. Colonel Isa Mohammed, as he thenwas, and the courageous officers underhis command, did most of the fightingby actually throwing the Camerouniansoldiers out of Bakassi and, in so doing,he did Nigeria proud. If ever a mandeserved to be on the honours list of ournation, it was Lt. Col. Isa Mohammedbecause his exploits during the Bakassiconflict, when General Abacha was inpower, were extraordinary and simplylegendary.

I am one of those that vehementlyopposed General Abacha throughout hisfive years in power, but I was happy tocommend him for his noble andcourageous stand on the Bakassi matterand the vigorous and aggressive actionthat he took at the time to protect ourpeople and secure our boarders.

I did so in a celebrated essay that Iwrote for the Guardian Newspaper all theway from Ghana in 1997, which was titled‘’Masters Of Our Fate, Captains Of OurSouls’’.

Many of my colleagues and friends inthe opposition and NADECO, like theirrepressable Bashorun of Okemesi, ChiefAkin Osuntokun, who is not only myfriend and brother but also something ofan intellectual soulmate, were shockedthat I could have commended Abacha foranything given the fact that virtually everyother single essay that I wrote for myweekly column and my numerousinterventions in those turbulent yearswere vehemently opposed to him and hismilitary government.

To be continued

OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, March 22, 201412 INTERVIEW

•ADEGBOYEGA

Women And Children Are Aregbesola’s Priorities - Adegboyega Mrs. Mofolake Adetoun Adegboyega is the Commissioner for Women and Children

Affairs, State of Osun. In this interview with Moses Boba, she bares her mind on theOgbeni Rauf Aregbesola administration for catering for women, children and the vul-nerable in the society. Excerpts:

OSDF: Can we meet you Madam?ADEGBOYEGA: My name is Mrs.

Mofolake Adetoun Adegboyega, theHonourable Commissioner for Women andChildren Affairs, State of Osun.

OSDF: As a woman commissioner, howwould you describe women in the State ofOsun?

ADEGBOYEGA: We women in the Stateof Osun are hospitable, beautiful, women ofvirtue, hardworking and of course, we arequite vocal. We know that God has put ushere for a purpose, and we are also ready todo what is expected of us. We are pillars ofsupport for our men, particularly for anyleader, whether religious, secular or anyadministration for the people. We are womenthat cannot be ignored. The woman in theState of Osun is very enterprising and docontribute to the success of her family and ofcourse, the society at large. That is what weare.

OSDF: The government of Ogbeni RaufAregbesola gets maximum support fromwomen in the state, can you highlight onthis?

ADEGBOYEGA: You will find out thatwhenever you do things that pleases one orwhen someone is sure about a person,especially if the person is considerate, then,you will give the person your maximumsupport. That is the case of Mr. Governor,Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. His administration,through the six-point integral action plan; tobanish poverty, banish hunger, banishunemployment (create work and wealth),restore healthy living, promote functionaleducation, enhance communal peace andprogress has change people’s perception ofgovernance. All these centered on women, andare issues that concerns women very much.Our children for instance, as a woman in theState of Osun, if I have a child and feel that heor she needs to go to school, the Ogbeni ‘sadministration has provided good schools;about two weeks ago, we launched anotherelementary school. The schools are child-friendly environment; they provided goodteachers that are undergoing training and re-training. That child will be fed in school, givenuniform, and at that crucial age, the child needsto develop well. You will agree with me thatOgbeni Aregbesola’s administration requiresmaximum support from women, and as awoman, I will give my support to thisgovernment. The same government pays thetuition of students that will sit for West AfricaSchool Certificate Examinations (WASCE).The pupils from SS1 to SS3 were given free-of-charge computer tablets known as Opon-Imo (tablets of knowledge) instead of buyingand carrying cumbersome textbooks. Thesefacts are not far-fetched from the reality of theunprecedented insightful projects andprogrammes of the Aregbesola’sadministration. Apart from that, do you knowthat in the State of Osun, children and womenhealthcare services are free? As a mother, nomatter how protective you are of your child,because we live in a malaria endemic area, thechild could still have malaria once in a while.Although, mosquito nets were distributed forour homes, but not in schools, and you cannotcurtail children from playing in a particularenvironment, they sometimes play on the fieldand are bitten by mosquitoes, because we livein a mosquito-prone environment. Once in ayear or two, the child may have malaria, he orshe can access free healthcare servicesprovided by Mr Governor. We have goodmarkets, clean environments, and portablewater. Even the wife of the governor of theState of Osun, Mrs. Sherifat Aregbesola, is anambassador for the Community Total-ledSanitation. That is because we have agovernment that is concerned about women.There is a law on domestic violence. As awoman, I know there is an agency that willlisten to my story if violated. So I will not bewronged by someone and still suffer in silence.

No more! Even if we do not want to go court,there is a place we can go; Citizen MediationCentre because in Yoruba land, it is often saidthat when we go to court, we are not expectedto be friends afterwards. At this Centre, wecan settle our differences, family disputes, andstill be friends. Do we talk about roadbuilding? For instance 60-70% of womenreside in rural areas. It is easier, comfortable totravel to the village, because the roads arebetter and you pay less on transportation.Before this administration, the few motoristswould charge you an arm and leg for a roughroad trip to the village, but now the roads arebetter. The present government under theleadership of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola isopening up rural areas. There is constantelectricity power supply in the State of Osun.Let me tell you, I went to Lagos, and I did notenjoy electricity power supply there, I had torun my plant to generate electricity in myhouse. Electricity power is provided by theFederal government, but they will not comedown to maintain it for us. We have cordialrelationship with every arm of thegovernment. Yes, back to where we were. Thephysically-challenged females are not left out;they are considered. Now you do not hidechildren in the closet. You see, women wereforgotten in the past. It was thisadministration that discovered us. Womenwere organised into cooperatives by thisadministration, giving them start-up grants forskill acquisition. So, tell me why these womenwill not support Aregbesola?

OSDF: How would you reach out tovulnerable children?

ADEGBOYEGA: You know, we have beendiscussing Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s unusualadministration. Everyone matters. Thisministry, we care for the vulnerable. In fact,one of the reasons that we gave students

uniform was because we knew that there willbe vulnerable ones among them. There is thisstate conditional cash transfer going on in thestate that will soon be launched. The MDGsconditional cash flow for health of households.It is for women, some are widows and somehave husbands, but the husbands are like livingdead because they do nothing. It is the womanthat does everything. We also have categoriesof vulnerable children. I want to believe thatall children are vulnerable because really, theycannot stand up for themselves. We are in aculture where children are to be seeing and notheard, but I want to inform you that thisadministration has broken the ice. Childrenhave a right. That is why we have childrenparliament, which started early February,when they had their parliamentary session.they have a voice, they stand for the rights ofchildren and amongst them are the physically-challenged, that speaks for the vulnerable butapart from that, one of the assignments of thisministry is to care for the vulnerable children.We also have special vulnerable children.These are orphans with parents that have HIVor AIDS. There are vulnerable children withdisability that are abandoned and living withus. We care for them because we have nochoice. Some of them are in orphanages. Forthese reasons, we ensure that the orphanagesare checked, we visit them on a routine basis,and we give out subvention. Recently, thewife of the governor, Mrs. Sherifat Aregbesolagave out milk to every child in our metroschools and also gave us a thousand and fivehundred cartons that were distributed toorphanages. For instance, we have religiousbodies that run orphanages. JaleyemiHospital also played roles in helping us withchildren with disabilities. Some of thesechildren are adopted by people, and we makesure that we thoroughly check the adoptee’s

background properly, so that they do not takeour children for diabolical purposes. We donot want our children to be abused. Yearly, wedo intervention programme like providingschool uniforms, clothing, foods, and exercisebooks. We also encourage our people to adopta vulnerable child today. They may notnecessarily have to take them away from theorphanages. Some of the adoptees paymonthly as upkeep for these children at theorphanages.

OSDF: The children welfare services; canit be accessed by all?

ADEGBOYEGA: For instance, a situationwhen a child is abused and the ministry isalerted, the police take the child from such ahome and hands him or her over to us forproper attention and caring, until the situationis sorted out. When children are picked up,they are brought to our homes. We have ahome at Testing Ground Area of the statecapital, where we care for children with onechallenge or the other. The definition forchildren is 18 years and below. In the ministry,we have the Department of Social Welfare,Department for Children, Department forchild Development, department for Women,and we have a F & A (Finance and Admin).Anyone that wants to reach us can come toAbeere. We are here to render services to thepublic and we are accessible. Part of ourwelfare is Agba-Osun and it is done inter-ministerial. The programme is for the elderlyin conjunction with the ministry of Youths,Sports and Special Needs. This administrationcreated a ministry for those in special needs.It is a well-organised system. A survey wascarried out by consultants for indigenouswidows last year. It was not meant foranyhow widows, because it was not agovernment largesse or national cake. We arevery careful. So, any intervention we do, weare very careful not to allow it fall into thewrong hands, so that they do not take it astheir right. It is for those in need and we arenot partisan or selfish, neither was it meantfor the commissioner’s family members. No!We do not want to be accused of these. So,whatever we do, we make sure that it goes tothe right people.

OSDF: The governorship election isaround the corner come 9th August, 2014.What is your advice for the women in theState of Osun?

ADEGBOYEGA: Women have a voice. Weare the ones that feel the impact of badgovernance most. We are also the ones thatenjoy the good governance most. As you cansee, we are at the receiving ends. Therefore,we are very sensitive and important in ourhomes and communities. We can no longer beneglected. The Ogbeni administrationrecognizes these qualities us, and we shallreciprocate that positive gesture. The womenin the State of Osun are empowered by thisgovernment in different endeavours. Even ouryouths are not left out; they are now gainfullyemployed by the present administration, andsome of them are engaged in one vocationalskill or the other. The records are there foreveryone to see. Therefore, I want ourwomen, the good women in the State of Osunto go out en mass, at least, they can compareand observe the difference, now. I want themto exercise their civic right, jealously guardtheir votes, and they should not sell theirvotes. It is their right to secure a brighterfuture. Every woman of age should stand forwhat is right. That is what women are knownfor. I want our women to vie for electivepositions and not just casting votes only, butto come out for councillorship, House ofRepresentatives and so on. At the State Houseof Assembly, there are no women there. Thatis why I want our women to come out withfull force to compete with their malecounterparts. Globally, women are celebrated,especially in the month of March every year,as International Women’s Day, and we aresaying: “Equity for woman is a progress forall”. We need women that are good examplesfor the society. Women arise!!!

13 OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, March 22, 2014IN RETROSPECT

A Memorable Quote From A PDPAspirant In The State Of Osun

“Recently, Chief Bola Ige cameon radio here (Osogbo the state

capital), to insult me and myfamily. THAT IS THE LAST

TIME HE WOULDINSULT ME. He was

beaten yesterday. The people ofIle-Ife beat him up and he wascrying like a baby, as they re-

moved his cap and glasses. If ithad been at a

political gathering, he will bedead by now..... In fact, what thepeople wanted to do was morethan removing his glasses and

cap....” -IYIOLA OMISORE.

•Culled from Vanguard Newspaper.

14 OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, March 22, 2014

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15 OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, March 22, 2014PHOTOTALK

SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 2014

GUBERNATORIAL electionswill take place in Ekiti (June)and State of Osun (August) in

the South-West geo-political zone thisyear.

Political parties in the two states aregearing up for their primaries to choosetheir flag bearers.

Recently, the Independent NationalElectoral Commission (INEC)helmsman accused political parties ofcommencing political campaigns, whenthe go-ahead has not been given incompliance with the amended ElectoralAct.

While the insinuation may be targetedat the gladiators of next year’s election,it is important to state that given thepresidential system we operate, thereis no way candidates would not floodthe public space with their posters.

As a professor of political science,the INEC boss knows very well thatthe presidential system in operationallows any aspirant to throw himself up.The aspirant can only be known bymembers of the public, who may bedelegates to know who the aspirantsare and what they hold in stock for thepeople. The system may so to speak,be classified as an all-comer affairs,because the system does not require anypast experience or any pedigree.Whereas the parliamentary systemensures that for any candidate toemerge, he must not only be a partymember of long standing, hiscontributions must be worth what theparty would put up.

Our current practice can be hijackedby any moneyed man to his ownadvantage, to which the party ormajority of the people may be helpless.

There are certain developments in thecountry, especially in the South-Westthat can only be ignored at our ownperil. It is important to restate the factthat it has been clearly asserted thatpeople refuse to learn from history.

The genesis of the end of the firstrepublic started in the then WesternRegion. The crisis in the then rulingparty, the Action Group (AG) led bythe late avatar, Chief ObafemiAwolowo, which started in Jos, North-Central Zone in 1962, became theprecursor for the military take-over in1966.

According to the facts that emergedfrom the crisis, rather than the FederalGovernment taking steps to nip theproblem in the bud, the AbubakarTarfawa Balewa-led FederalGovernment took side with a leader thatwas unpopular in the region. Sourceshave said that even when the leader ofthe Northern Peoples Congress (NPC),who was also the Northern Premier,Alhaji Ahmadu Bello was asked to

Jonathan Should Learn From History

AUDACIOUSEXPLOIT

withMURTALA AGBOOLA

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

www.osundefender.org THE 6TH MOST-VISITED NEWSPAPER WEBSITE IN NIGERIA

intervene, he refused claiming that it wasa “brotherly affair.”

The last straw was the WesternRegion election of 1965 conducted bythe then Premier, Aare Samuel LadokeAkintola. The election was everythingbut free and fair. The cataclysm thaterupted led to the christening of thearea as Wild Wild West, which led tothe first coup d’e tat of the five majors,led by Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu.As a result of the coup, some politicaland military leaders were killed.

Amongst the political leaders that losttheir lives were the Prime Minister ofthe federation, Alhaji Sir AbubakarTafawa Balewa, the Northern Premier,Sir Ahmadu Bello the Western Premier,Chief Akintola, Finance Minister,Festus Okotie-Eboh among others.

In the military circle, Col Shodeinde,Brigadier Maimalari among others,became the victims of the coup. Thefirst coup, according to historical fact,

•JONATHAN

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.

also culminated in the second coup,which was considered retaliatory orcounter coup.

Critical observers have argued thatif the powers that be at the federal levelthen had hearken to the wisdom of theelders and acted fast in the west,maybe, all that we are going throughnow would have been avoided.

In the current dispensation, somepolitical analysts have observed thattwo ministers of Yoruba extraction arestrategically positioned to do someunsavoury jobs for the federal powers.Alhaji Adebisi Jelili Adesiyan and AlhajiMusliu Obanikoro of the State of Osunand Lagos State respectively forministries of Police Affairs and Ministerof the state for Defence respectively.

If history is not to be forgotten soon,the high-handedness and thedesperation of the federal might wasvisited in the Western Region and in asimilar vein, some people have alleged

that the newly-inaugurated ministers arebeing schemed to do a dirty job.Though this allegation has been deniedby Adesiyan, some critical observersare still not comfortable.

This is so considering the desperationwith which the Federal Government isplanning to railroad the South-Westback into the so-called “mainstream”,whatever that mean.

There are certain peculiarities of theYoruba that cannot be discountenanced.They are highly-educated andsophisticated. Yoruba are highly-urbanised and very analytical and criticalof issues, hence it is difficult to pushthem about. It is in view of this that oneis admonishing that the upshot of theforthcoming election should be made toreflect the wishes of the electorate inthe region.

If any manipulation occurs, it is notthe region alone that may go on fire butthe entire country. The PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) has been inpower at the federal level since 1999,while the party has also tasted powerin the region at one time or the other,except Lagos and Ondo. Theirperformance should be the yardstick,with which the electorate can assesseach political party.

The President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration must do everythinghumanly possible to ensure that peacefuland credible election is conducted inEkiti and Osun States. There is stillenough time for INEC to right anywrong, which could negatively affect afree and fair election.

Political thugs should be put in checkand voters should be free to go forelection on the Election Day devoid ofany fear. The Federal Governmentshould allow the will of the peopleprevail, otherwise the problem that maycrop-up may not be contained. As acountry, we have had enough problems,so we need not create more forourselves. A word to the wise, peoplesay, is enough.

In a democracy we profess topractice, the choice of the people isparamount. With the Anambra Stategubernatorial election at the back of ourmind, we should be tempted to do theright thing.

We should not create an impressionthat we cannot do the right thing. Thiscountry can boast of human resourcesthat can perform any feat. Theforthcoming election would be a litmustest, which the country cannot afford tofail. The electoral body, the securityagencies and above-all, the FederalGovernments should play their rolesvery well. We should be moreconcerned about history, rather than ourpersonal gains.