VOL. 9. NO.058 NNNNN 505 05 05 05 0THURSDAY MAY 15, 2014

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•Winner of the debate, Ayodele Habeeblahi (right), receiving a certificate from the governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, during the final stage, State of Osun PublicSchools Debate. Topic: ‘Are Leaders Born Or Made?’ organised by Omoluabi Support Group (OSG)/Oranmiyan Worldwide in collaboration with State Ministry Of EducationAt Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, Abere, State of Osun, Last Tuesday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI.

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Update Yourself OnAregbesola’s Achievements

Complaints Commission Indicts Adesiyan Over Violence

•APC Tells Osun PDP, Omisore

Smart card for Osunworkers: Another first

For an administra-tion that has long beenacknowledged asclear leader in inno-vative ideas in gover-nance, it comes as nosurprise that the RaufAregbesola administration is againblazing the trail in theadoption of informa-tion technology toaddress two

critical challenges inthe delivery of the pub-lic good: the menace ofghost workers on thepayroll; and the im-perative of a credible

data base of itsworkforce.

For the purpose-driven, development-minded administration inthe state,

the recent in-troduction ofsmart identitycards and bio-metric automa-tion system

among the state’swork-force acrossthe board is certainlyno accident. The sim-plest way to justify it

Continue on pg5

2 OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, May 15, 2014News

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

•Some members of the Conference 185 during their endorsement of the governor of State of Osun, Ogbeni RaufAregbesola for second term in office at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, last Monday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI

Complaints Commission IndictsAdesiyan Over ViolenceTHE State of Osun office of the Public Complaints

Commission has indicted the Minister for PoliceAffairs, Mr Jelili Adesiyan over his violence trait in

the state.The indictment came as an

aftermath of a petitionforwarded to the commissionby the first executive governorof the state, Senator IsiakaAdeleke, over the attacked onhim by Adesiyan and thePeoples Democratic Party(PDP) governorship candidate,Iyiola Omisore days before theparty’s April 3, primaryelection in Osogbo.

Chairman of thecommission, Professor RasaqAbubakre, described in hisletter to the corporateheadquarters of the commissionin Abuja, the alleged action ofAdesiyain as a recipe foranarchy, cautioning him to beof better behaviour, whereverhe found himself.

According to him, the wayand manner the minister wasconducting himself by harassingpeople with policemen,

especially now that thegovernorship election isapproaching do not representwhat a Minister of Police Affairsshould be.

“I wish to recall the disturbingincidence of 3rd April, 2014 atthe Ideal Nest Guest House,Ilobu Road, Osogbo, in whichyou were alleged to have usedpolicemen to harass, intimidateand embarrass Senator IsiakaAdeleke, the first CivilianGovernor of Osun State and thecontestant to your favouredcandidate in your party for thegubernatorial ticket in yourcapacity as the Hon. Ministerof Police Affairs.

“Your reported conduct is arecipe for anarchy if all ministerswere to act in the same manner”.

Professor Abubakrereiterated that Adesiyan shouldimagine the Minister of Finance,asking bankers to follow her to

political functions, or theMinister of Health beingaccompanied by medicalpersonnel or even the Ministerfor Education asking thestudents to do the same.

He said: “The wildcacophony with which such actwould be visited is betterimagined than expressed”.

The Public ComplaintsCommission boss was of theview that the Minister of PoliceAffairs is not entitled to policeescort more than the numberallowed to the Minister ofAgriculture or any otherminister.

He then cautioned theminister to stop using lawenforcement agents, who arepaid to protect the citizenry, tointimidate law-abidingNigerians.

It would be recalled the duoof Adesiyan and Omisore werereported to have attacked andthreatened the former GovernorAdeleke over what theyconsidered his audacity to enterthe gubernatorial race to contestagainst Omisore in the partyprimaries.

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and itsgovernorship candidate for the August 9 election,Senator Iyiola Omisore, have been told to update

their knowledge and correct their ignorance about the truepicture of the spectacular transformation which has beenhappening in the State of Osun since Ogbeni RaufAregbesola became governor in Nov 2010.

This was contained in apress statement issued andsigned by the All ProgressivesCongress (APC) Director ofResearch, Publicty andStrategy in the State of Osun,Barrister Kunle Oyatomi.

According to him, at leastnow, the public has a powerfuland more credible witness inthe person of Mr. MacduffOkoro, the Assistant Directorof Central Bank of Nigeria,Osogbo branch, who hasauthenticated APC

Update Yourself On Aregbesola’s Achievements•APC Tells Osun PDP, Omisore

government’s achievements inthe state.

“What this dispassionatebusiness leader has said shouldeducate Omisore, the PDP andother cynics in our society,who have been dissipatingenergy and resources trying todisparage the good works ofOsun government byspreading lies about itsperformance.

Omisore, PDP and othercynics need to hear theassessment of CBN director on

the last 42 months in Osun“Reforms in various sectors

(by the Aregbesola government)have boosted the economy ofthe state significantly . . . Andhad impacted the lives of theresidents of the state positively. . .

‘Areas of improvement in

the state include quality andaffordable education, youthempowerment, roads and otherinfrastructure developments .. .

‘It is pleasing to note that inthe State of Osun today, thereis O’Reap which has engagedtens of thousands in food cropcultivation, fisheries, beefproduction and even cocoyamcultivation.’

Amongs other things, Mr

Okoro added that ‘with thevarious job schemes, there ishardly any home or family inthe state that has not felt theimpact of government and thestandard of education has alsoimproved’.

“This testimony shouldshame those who had beenlying to the public about whatis going in Osun.

“Macduff Okoro, the CBN

chief and business leader is abetter place and more educatedperson than Omisore and hisPDP horde of ignoramuses,who are sadistically desperateto rule Osun.

“They cannot make itbecause they lack the basicknowledge of what really isgoing on in the state, owing totheir ingrained mischief,’ theAPC spokesman concluded.

We Introduced Same Uniform To Grow Economy- Aregbesola •As Osun School Literary Champion Emerges

THE first Secondary School Literary Champion in theState of Osun on Tuesday has emerged after the grandfinale of a school debate on leadership organised by

Omoluabi Support Group and Oranmiyan Worldwide.

By KEHINDE AYANTUNJI

LG Special AdvisersEndorse AregbesolaFor Second Term

The colourful event washeld at the Centre for BlackCulture and InternationalUnderstanding, Osogbo,State of Osun capital.

The programme, whichappeared as a political debate,ended up as a reassessmenttest for the education reformpolicy of Ogbeni RaufAregbesola’s administration.

The performance of thepupils triggered emotions,commendation as a result ofthe competence andperformance of the pupils,which was a reflection of thepresent administration’s

investment on educationAfter the debate, Master

Ayodele Abeeblahi, fromOsogbo Grammar School,emerged the champion, whileJacob Mary from AparaMemorial College, Kajolaemerged the first runner-up.

The winner would be withthe governor of the state fora day on May 26.

Speaking after the debate,Governor Aregbesola, whowas so excited by theperformance of the pupils,said they had justified thestate governmentinvestment on education in

the last three and a half years.He said: “ I am so

impressed and excited thatout of wrecked education bythe previous administration,these pupils can still comeout with brilliant ideas. I amvery proud because it isobvious that they cancompete with any student inthe whole world.

“This was our vision forthe state; to build a betterfuture for the youngergenerations. If we refuse todo this, it means we havefailed and doomed. Somepeople, many years back,provided this opportunityfor us and we are also duty-bound to provide suchopportunity for the incominggenerations.

“We started the reform in2012 and we are so proud ofthe result we are getting. Thatis why I still wonder thatsome people still criticise ourschool uniform policy,thinking it is the only aspectof our reform. In the 60’s, inthe whole of South Westand Delta, they were usingthe same uniform before themissions introduceddifferent uniforms.

“In Benin Republic, veryclose to us here, they areusing the same uniform,Khaki across the countryand we did not deliberatelydo it, we introduced it togrow our economy, and makeus self-sustainable, a statethat cannot surviveindependently is doomed.”

Aregbesola thencommended OmoluabiGroup members, who arepublic office holders in Lagosfor their support since 2005up till date.

He urged the students,who participated in thedebate, to see it as theOlympic, which its joy is toparticipate and learntolerance, which is crucial tohuman survival.

Aregbesola promised thestudents, teachers and otherstakeholders in educationthat the state will continueto do its best in the educationsector.

Speaking on the occasion,the deputy governor,Otunba (Mrs) Grace TitilayoLaoye-Tomori, who doublesas the State Commissionerfor Education, said thecurrent education level in thestate is a complete departurefrom the old trend ofredundancy and mass failureand attributed the successto the vision of GovernorAregbesola.

Chairman of OranmiyanWorldwide, Prince FelixAwofisayo, who spoke onbehalf of the organisers,represented by Dr. YemiAdegoke, said the schoolreform of the state hasbecome a model in the wholeof African continent andEurope.

Chairman of the occasion,Abasador Olu Otunla, saidleadership requirespreparation, vision andpolitical will to addressproblems confronting thepeople and such traits mustbe learnt from tender age.

The former Ambassadorsaid Governor Aregbesolahas built a knowledge-basedfederated unit through hisadministration’s hugeinvestment in education andurged the students to takeadvantage of currenteducation reforms.

Dignitaries on theoccasion included the Wifeof the Governor, AlhajaSherifat Aregbesola,Honourables IpoolaOmisore, Muyiwa Jimohfrom Lagos State House ofAssembly, Deputy Speaker,State of Osun House ofAssembly, HonourableAdegboye Akintundeamong others.

SPECIAL Advisers in the 30 local government councilsand Modakeke Area Office on Monday at the NelsonMandela Freedom Pack, Osogbo, State of Osun,

launched door-to-door campaign to ensure easy ride forGovernor Rauf Aregbesola for his second term in office.

The continuity of thegovernor, according to thegroup, will strengthen the Stateof Osun journey to greatnessand prosperity.

The solidarity rally was theconvergence of politicalgladiators, ExecutiveSecretaries and politicalgroups, who stormed the venuein their hundreds.

Speakers after speakers,including the DeputyGovernor, Otunba (Mrs)Grace Titilayo Laoye-Tomori,All Progressives Congress(APC) Interim State Chairman,Elder Adelowo Adebiyi,Senator Bayo Salami amongothers emphasised on the needfor public consciousness not toallow the “interlopers to cometo power again.”

State Coordinator of thegroup, Conference 185,Micheal Adebayo, said theydecided to rally support for thegovernor to ensure thesustainability of the currentdevelopment in the state tosecure a brighter future for thestate.

He said the governor hasbecome a role model in goodgovernance in the whole ofAfrican through innovations,empowerment andinfrastructural developmentsaying: “Aregbesola hasrestored the lost hope in theState of Osun.”

Adebayo listed schoolsreclassification, tablet ofknowledge, school feedingprogramme, OYES, andmassive road construction asmajor achievements of thegovernor, which have attractedglobal attention in the last threeyears.

Adebayo added that tosupport the governor, thespecial advisers in the councilareas will donate 40,000exercise books to primaryschools that will be distributedthrough the State Ministry ofEducation to the LocalGovernment EducationAuthorities.

Responding, GovernorAregbesola used the occasionto restate his call for fasting andprayer to secure the release ofthe school children abducted byterrorists, Boko Haram, andurged the people not to relent

in their prayers.He said his second term in

office will be anotheropportunity to work furtherin making life more abundantfor the people of the statethrough continuous massiveinfrastructural development,improved functional educationand peaceful co-coexistence.

Aregbesola, whocommended the specialadvisers, urged the people ofthe state not to allow thedeceit of the oppositionPeoples Democratic Party(PDP), saying the party isassociated with “violence,brigandage and killing.”

“I challenge their candidateto point out a singledevelopment he has initiatedin the state throughout his lifein public office. From one timeto another, if they don’t kill,they will be perpetratingviolence and disturbing thepeace of the state. That is theircharacter and antecedent,” thegovernor said.

3 News OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, May 15, 2014

By SHINA ABUBAKAR

Osun Police, Army, SSS Meet Over Ritual Suspects’ KillingsTHE State of Osun Security Council on Monday

condemned the jungle justice meted out by membersof the public to suspected kidnappers in the state,

describing such action as wicked, uncivilised andunacceptable to the government.

At a joint pressconference addressed aftera crucial meeting of all theheads of security agencies,it was reiterated that the actof jungle justice is totallycondemnable, warning thatthe state government willnot fold its arms and allowthe society to descend intoanarchy.

The security chiefs inattendance at the meetingincluded the Nigeria Army,Police, State SecurityService, NDLEA, NigeriaImmigration Service, Headof Prison Service, and theFederal Road SafetyCommission.

The meeting came on theheel of recent wave ofsummary arrest ofsuspected kidnappers andburning them in some townsacross the state.

The statement, read onbehalf of the security chiefsby the State Commissionerof Police, Ibrahim Maishanu,warned that any individualor group of people, foundtaking laws into their handsby killing any suspectillegally would be made toface murder charge.

Maisanu said thesecurity agencies have thecapacity and network totrack any individual orgroup that takes laws untoitself, warning the people ofthe state to hand over anysuspected person to thepolice or the nearestsecurity agencies, ratherthan turning themselvesinto executioners.

“The act of dishing junglejustice to suspects istherefore barbaric,uncivilised andunacceptable in a governedsociety. The security

agencies will not fold theirarms and watch our societydescend into anarchy.

“By this token, anyperson or group of personsthat constitutes a mob,takes laws into his or their

hands and lynch anysuspect is not morally orlegally better than thesuspects. Such person orgroup of persons will becaught and made to facemurder charges, which ispunishable by death,”Maisanu said.

The police boss averredthat in an organised society,every citizen is involved in

law enforcement throughvigilance, report ofsuspicious and criminalactivities to law enforcementagencies and in some cases,carrying out citizen’s arrest.

He stated that wheneverany suspect is arrested, thelawful thing to do is to handover the suspectimmediately to the police.

The police commissioner

noted that there is never atime a citizen is allowed totake laws into his or her ownhands and become thecomplainant, jury andexecutioner, meting outjungle justice based on hisor her own whims andcaprices.

According to the policechief, there is the rule of lawunder democratic setting

and it is the sacred duty oflaw enforcement agencies touphold the law, enforce thelaw, apprehend criminals andmake sure that criminalsuspects face the law.

He reaffirmed the securityagencies’ determination inprotecting lives, property thefundamental liberty of everycitizen.

“This is what we doeveryday, 24 hours. It is onrecord that, with theassistance and cooperationwe have received from thestate government, criminalshave been deterred in Osunand the state has one of thelowest crime rates in thecountry.

“It is also a fundamentalaxiom of justice that anaccused person is deemedinnocent until proven guilty.It is the sacred duty of thecourts to determine andestablish guilt or innocenceand impose appropriatepunishment. This is becausea mistake, especially ofidentity or mission, canoccur.

“Mistakes of this nature,therefore, once made, areirreversible and an innocentlife would have been taken.Where the suspects wereburnt to death, for instance,it is difficult or impossible toestablish their identity andconsequently establish theirguilt or innocence,”Meshanu said.

Plot To Assassinate Osun REC ThickensPLOT to eliminate the Resident Electoral

Commissioner (REC) in the State of Osun,Ambassador Olusegun Akeju, has

thickened as desperate politicians, whosedesperation to remove him seek alternatives, ifplan to get him out of office fails.

According to findings,the stern resistance by theChairman of the

Independent NationalElectoral Commission(INEC), Professor

Atahiru Jega, to removeor redeploy the state REChas constituted a lot ofproblem among thedesperate politicians in thestate.

It was gathered thateven, some nationalcommissioners of thebody lobbied by thepoliticians to ensure hisredeployment, have beenfinding it difficultconvincing orincriminating the REC toensure his redeployment.

Some politicians in thestate are also hell-bent on

ensuring that the REC isnot the one who wouldconduct the August 9gubernatorial election inthe state, either he isredeployed officially orby other means.

Investigation revealedthat the politicians arealways on the trail of theREC whenever he leaveshis house for anygathering, hence, keepingdata of his movement forthe appropriate time.

Checks showed thatthe REC might have hadan inkling of the plot to

PDP Chieftains Reject Omisore Deputy Gov Offer

IT seems some leaders of the Peoples DemocraticParty (PDP) have been sensing defeat ahead ofthe August 9, 2014 governorship election in the

State of Osun after fielding Senator Iyiola Omisoreas the party’s flag bearer.

By ISMAEEL UTHMAN

The search for whom todeputize Omisore for theelection now has becomemore serious than theselection of thegovernorship candidate ofthe party, as no one has,so far, shown interest inthe slot.

OSUN DEFENDERreliably gathered that someof the PDP leaders thathave been approached tobe Omisore’s runningmate have declined to runon the same ticket withhim for reasons bestknown to them.

According to sources,

Omisore and some PDPleaders had approachedformer Speaker of theState House of Assembly,Honourable Adejare Belloand Senator OlasunkanmiAkinlabi, Akogun LereOyewumi among otherswith the deputy’s slot.

However, none of thePDP stalwarts has so faraccepted the offer,according to the sources,who confided in themedium.

The sources disclosedthat Bello turned down theoffer on the ground that hecould not run on the same

ticket with Omisore, whoEde people have taken asa political enemy, after hisalleged attack on SenatorIsiaka Adeleke.

It would be recalled thatAdeleke was allegedlyattacked by Omisore andMinister of Police Affairs,Alhaji Jelili Adesiyan at theIdeal Nest Hotel, Osogbo,few days to thegovernorship primaries ofthe PDP.

According to thesources, Adejare said itwould be a political suicidefor him to accept thedeputy governorshipoffer, considering thehatred the Ede people haveagainst Omisore, who issaid to be on the blackrecord of both elite andnon-educated people inthe town.

Senator Akinlabi, whohails from Odeomu inAyedaade LocalGovernment Council Areaof the state, rejected theoffer on the pretence thathe could not deputize theperson he contested thegovernorship ticket of theparty with.

Akinlabi, a formerMinister for Youths andSports, polled over 30votes in the PDPgovernorship primarieselection.

The sources added thatOyewumi opposed thedeputy governorship sloton the ground that he couldnot leave certainty foruncertainty; that he couldnot resign his currentappointment to contest theAugust 9, governorshipelection.

Osun Sets Up Commission OnPublic Disturbance

GOVERNOR of the State of Osun, OgbenRauf Aregbesola, has set up a commissionof inquiry in the state to look into issues of

public disturbance in any part of the state.

According to astatement issued by theState Attorney-Generaland Commissioner forJustice, Honourable WaleAfolabi, the commission isto receive petitions orcomplaints from anyperson or victim ofviolence.

The commissioncomprises HonourableJustice Kunle Adeigbe, asits Chairman, Mrs BoseDawodu, Barrister IsmailAjibade, as members,while Mr Bisi Babalolawould serve as thecommission’s Secretary.

According to thestatement, the work of thecommission shall include,but not limited to, the actof violence perpetrated atIdeal Nest Hotel, Osogbo

on April 2, 2014, as wellas other places in the state.

Governor Aregbesoladisclosed that thecommission has the powerto investigate anddetermine the remote andimmediate causes inrespect of complaints orreports received by thecommission.

The commission alsohas the mandate toinvestigate and determinethe identity of perpetratorsof the incidents in respectof the report or complaintsreceived by thecommission, as well asdetermine extent of anydamage or injury sufferedby any individual inrespect of the complaint.

Part of the duties of thepanel includes

recommending theappropriate administrative,civil or criminal action tobe taken against such aperson involved in suchviolent act.

assassinate him, which isthe reason he has checkedhis style of movement andthe people he relates withof recent whether in thestate or outside.

It was also gatheredthat some politicians areinsisting on polarising thestate INEC with a view tocompromising theoutcome of theforthcoming governorshippoll in the state byacquiring the loyalty ofsome staff of thecommission.

•Faces of the contestants and eventual winners at the State of Osun Schools’ Literary Debate Final organized byOmoluabi Support Group (OSG)/Oranmiyan Worldwide in collaboration with the state Ministry of Education heldat Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, Osogbo, State of Osun, last Tuesday.

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, May 15, 20144 News

•A newly-completed road project in Ikire, under the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola of the State of Osun,as captured by our cameraman, JESUDOYIN ABRAHAM, recently.

By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

Abducted Girls: Aregbesola Recommends Prayers

GOVERNOR of the State of Osun, OgbeniRauf Aregbesola, has tasked all religiousgroups to engage in continuous prayers for

the safe retrieval of the abducted girl students ofthe Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok,Borno State.

By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

He spoke through his Senior Special Assistant on

Community Forum,Olatunbosun Oyintiloye,while worshipping at theEverlasting Rock MinistryChurch, Ibokun onSunday, saying the girlsneeded the prayers of all.

Noting that thebombings, killings and

kidnappings of innocentcitizens by Boko Haraninsurgents are beyondreligion, he said it shouldbe fought withoutreligious sentiment.

“Even Muslims are nothappy with what this BokoHaram insurgents are

doing, meaning that it isbeyond religion, rather,their target is to use allmeans to destabilise thiscountry.

“We are happy that thereis peace in Osun, but noone knows who the nextvictim will be. That is whywe must pray ferventlyfor the release of thesegirls in our homes andplaces of worship.

“In our supplications,we should pray that Godshould send helpers torescue our girls, so thatthey can be reunited withtheir families, who havebeen in sorrow since theunfortunate incidence.

“We must continue topray until these girls arereleased and we must also

pray for the end of BokoHaram insurgency in thiscountry,” the governoradded.

Aregbesola then alertedthe people to be vigilant andreport any suspiciousmovement or objects tosecurity agencies.

This was just as heurged parents to warn theirchildren against being usedby any politician in thename of ambition, with aview not to truncate thepeace the state is currentlysenjoying.

He also warned thepeople against selling theirvoters’ cards to those hedescribed as desperatepoliticians, saying thatdoing so would amount toselling the future of theirchildren for a pot ofporridge.

Osun Plans Enumeration To Increase AgbaOsun Beneficiaries By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

GOVERNMENT of the State of Osun hasstated that it would soon begin a mop-upsurvey of the elderly citizens to increase the

number of Agba Osun Scheme’s beneficiaries.Special Adviser to the

Governor on Youths,Sports and Special Needs,Comrade Biyi Odunlade,stated this during a chatwith the medium, sayingthat the survey would beused to update the list ofbeneficiaries of thescheme.

According to him, thisis because some eldersmight not have beencaptured in the initialenumeration, either due toabsence during theexercise or they have justreached the 65 years take-off age for thebeneficiaries.

“We are working on amop-up survey for thebeneficiaries, becausesome people might nothave been captured, eitherdue to absence duringenumeration or they havejust reached the 65 yearstake-off age.

“The survey will beconducted any momentfrom now and by that timewe will be able to upgradethose who are eligible forthe scheme.

“Through the exercise,we will bring in morepeople and increase thenumber of thebeneficiaries.

“Though, it will cost usmore money, but the

governor has directed thatwe should continue tosustain it because it is akind of social securityprogramme and it hasturned to another form ofconditional moneytransfer,” he added.

Odunlade added thatwhen the scheme started,it was meant to be anordinary money transfer

for the elders to livemeaningfully, but “wehave found out that apartfrom using it to improvethe lives of the elderly, thebeneficiaries are still usingit to train grand childrenthat have been abandonedby their children, whohave one challenge or theother.”

Noting that the schemeis achieving the desiredresult, the Special Advisernoted that the scheme isone of the priorities of thestate government and itwould continue to sustain

it.He stated that if in one

way or the other thepayment is delayed, itshould be understood thatit is due to logisticschallenges, which the statewould soon overcome.

From time to time, hesaid, the government ishaving interactions withthe beneficiaries.

The state governmenthas since about three yearsbeen giving 1,602vulnerable elders aN10,000 monthly stipendunder Agba Osun Scheme.

Osun Govt Vows To Be Strict On Street Beggars

GOVERNMENT of the State of Osun has stated thatit would henceforth be strict on street beggars,who have turned themselves into nuisance across

the state.The Special Adviser to

the Governor on Youths,Sports and Special Needs,Comrade Biyi Odunladegave the hint on Friday,saying that it has beenestablished that many of thebeggars are just lazy andnot ready to engage in anymeaningful venture for aliving.

He noted that many ofthem have been raided andtaken to the stategovernment rehabilitationcentre, where they weregiven necessary mentoringon how to live a purpose life,wondering why some of

them are still “sneaking intothe streets to beg for alms.”

He said: “Ideally, we arenot expected to see anybeggar on the streets ofOsun as at today, becausewe have had series ofmeetings with heads ofHausas and other ethnicgroups and we agreed thatOsun would not tolerate lazypeople, including beggars,loitering about our streets.

“Infact, we jointlyconducted a raiding activitywith the leaders of thesegroups and we were able toget some people into ourrehabilitation centre, wherethey were given necessary

OAU May IncreaseFee To N80,000

IF feelers from the Senate of the ObafemiAwolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife is anythingto go by, prospective students of the institution

would have to pay between N78,000 and N80,000 asschool fees from next session.

Students of theinstitution, which isdescribed to be thecheapest in the country,presently pay betweenN14,000 and N17,000 fornew student and N7,000to N9,000 for returningstudents.

However, if the plans ofthe institution eventuallyworks out, new studentswould have to paybetween N100,000 andN110,000 includingacceptance fee, whilereturning students wouldhave to pay betweenN30,000 and N35,000.

Students movements onthe campus have howevervowed to resist suchoutrageous increase in

tuition fees, saying it isover 300 percentincrement over threeyears.

According to findings,school fees are subjectedto review in the schoolafter every five years, butthe recent move is aboutthree or four years fromthe last review.

It would be recalled thatthe students union of theinstitution demonstratedagainst the introduction ofacceptance fee in 2011,leading to the forcefulclosure of the school foralmost four months anddisbandment of the unionbefore the ban was liftedrecently.

mentoring on how to live apurpose life, at least for fivedays.

“Those of them who wantto work, we are providingopportunities for them inour road construction sitesacross the state and thoseof them that arehandicapped, we are givingthem opportunity to joincommunity movement forthe handicapped persons.

“Therefore, those of themthat are sneaking in, we willnow be harsh on them, sothat they would know thatwe are serious,” Odunladestressed.

The governor’s aidehowever insisted that Osunwould not tolerate beggingfor alms, as it has beenfound out that it is lazinessthat is affecting many of thebeggars.

Two In Court Over AssaultBy SHINA ABUBAKAR

TWO suspects, Surajudeen Akanni, 45 and AzeezAsifu, last Tuesday appeared before MagistrateOlusola Aluko of an Osun State Magistrate’s Court

sitting in Osogbo for allegedly committing assault.The charge sheet read in

the court alleged that thesuspects conductedthemselves in a mannerlikely to disturb publicpeace, an offence contraryto section 249(d) of the statecriminal law 2003.

It alleged that thesuspects assaulted oneHussain Hammed bybeating him and breaking hisleft arm, contrary to section301 of the state criminal law.

The second accusedperson was also alleged ofassaulting one OseniSaheed by beating him withfists and stones, therebycommitting an offencecontrary to section 355 ofthe state penal code.

According to the chargesheet, the suspectscommitted the alleged

offences on March 15, 2014at Ilobu, headquarters ofIrepodun Local GovernmentCouncil Area of the state.

However, the suspects,who were not representedby a defence counsel,pleaded not guilty to thefour-count chargespreferred against them bythe police.

Barrister Kazeem Badmuswas in court to watch brieffor the complainants, whilepolice prosecutor, InspectorTaiwo Adegoke, informedthe court that the suspects’residential addresses couldnot be ascertained.

Aluko, however orderedthat the suspects beremanded in police custody,while he adjourned thematter till May 27, 2014 formention.

5 OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, May 15, 2017

Smart card for Osun workers: Another first

is that it is borneof the need toeliminate sourcesof financial wasteand leakage used bysome dishonestworkers to deprivegovernment ofneeded funds.Indeed, it comes asa bold measure tooverhaul thepersonnel paymentsystem, to ensurethat the state derivemaximum valuefrom personnelcosts.

More than thesehowever is that itrepresents a multi-pronged responseto the growing de-

mand for the appli-cation of Informa-tion Communica-tions Technology(ICT) in the pro-cesses of gover-nance. And here, itdoes not matterwhether the chal-lenge is one of taxadministration orpersonnel issues,the reality is that theworld has come tosee ICT not only asa tool to get the jobsdone, but the mostefficient one. It istherefore heart-warming that theforward-looking ad-ministration is notonly leading thepack in embracingchange, but in show-ing the rest of thefederation the limit-

less possibilities in-herent in it.

If anyone was everin doubt about theplace of ICT in theAregbesola admin-istration, that oughtto have been settledwith the governor’semphatic resolve togo the whole hog:“We have since in-tensified our effortto make ICT an in-herent part of ourpublic administra-tive system. The in-troduction of thisnew smart elec-tronic identity cardis another compo-nent of that overalleffort”.

And as for the re-sults – which under-lies the wisdom inthe endeavour –

Of Osun REC And PDP Hullabaloo

ANYTIME I read,listen or view anynews story about

the position of thePeoples DemocraticParty, Osun Chapter andtheir avowed hatred ofthe Independent NationalElectoral Commission(INEC) ResidentElectoral Commissioner(REC) for Osun,Ambassador Akeju, Ijust shrug it off and laughbecause we all know thatthe diplomat-turnedelectoral umpire has nostake in whoever wins orloses in the State of Osun.

To me, the man is justdoing his job of being animpartial arbiter andleaving the masses of thepeople to decide whothey want to governthem.

The PDP, especially the

OSUN DEFENDERPublisher – Moremi Publishing

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Editor – Kayode Agbaje (0803-388-0205)

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

Ganiyu Olaoluwa-ledexecutive, has decidedthey don’t want to seeanything good inwhatever Akeju does.

And I ask, what has thepoor man done?

Is it a crime that heaccepted the job ofrepresenting INEC in

Osun?My question needs

urgent response please?False allegations have

been levelled against himfrom different quarterswithin the PDP, but funnyenough, all seem to lacksubstance and coming onthe heels is the recent one

in which ProfessorAttahiru Jega had towade in and declaredthat the commission wassatisfied with what Akejuwas doing in the state.

Do we need anyfurther stories to leak thatthe PDP fully intends torig the August 9, 2014

gubernatorial election inOsun and they want to dothis by removing theOsun REC by force ofcheap blackmail.

It’s terrible tocomprehend that IyiolaOmisore (Baba OniKerosine) with all hischeap campaign, cannot

fight fairly in an electionring.

The endorsementcoming from the likes ofChairman Jega to RECAkeju only serves todemonstrate the level ofconfidence that theINEC boss and indeedthe commission and byextension, the FederalGovernment, has in RECAkeju.

What a shame to thePDP. It’s as if they hadseen the handwriting onthe wall and they knewvery well that they stoodno chance of winning inthe gubernatorial electioncome August 9.

• O D U N E W UA K I N O L AC A L E B , S m a l lLondon, Iree, State ofOsun.

where a standardisedmeans of identificationremains underdevel-oped, the coming of theintegrated card will ob-viously fill that importantgap, not to talk of themultiple benefits in valueaddition to the user andthe issuer, alike.

Of course, for the in-dividual civil servant, itmeans that he now hasa personalised electroniccard with biometric fea-tures for identification.While the holder’s pro-file embedded in thecard offers a guaranteeof security, the card,linked to internationalpayment platforms alsoenjoys the dual advan-tage of beingused as ei-ther a credit or a debitcard for purposes of fi-nancial transactions.

And for the gov-ernment, it promisesthe elimination ofthe fraud that haslong been associatedwith personnel man-agement; with thecoming of the card,the state governmentcan look forward tomaximising its rev-enue and with it, ad-ditional prospects ofenhanced value-de-livery, improved ca-pacity by theworkforce, and bet-ter optimisation ofthe cost of runningthe government.

That is why thisnewspaper couldn’tagree more with oneof the partners in theproject that it is aproduct of goodthinking.

the governor,Ogbeni RaufAregbesola waseven more upbeatwhen he noted that“To be sure, it wasthrough the applica-tion of ICT to ourtax administrationand revenue collec-tion that enabled usto increase our in-ternally generatedrevenue by 100 percent within the firstfew months of ouradministration”.

We are thereforeparticularly en-thused at the prom-ises of the smartcard - a tripartite ar-rangement betweenthe state govern-ment, Charms Plcand First Bank Plc.In a nation

Continued from pg1

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, May 15, 20146 FEATURE

To Make Nigeria Safe For Democracy

•JONATHAN

RECENT developments in thepolity, particularly the seeminglyendless and escalating levels of

insecurity culminating in the declarationof a state of emergency in some statesleave much to be desired. Pundits havebeen inclined to aver that history isrepeating itself by alluding to the 1965state of emergency in the formerWestern Region and the resultantconsequences for the politics of FirstRepublic. This writer believes that wecan and should make efforts to avert arepeat of the frightening and unedifyingscenario. In our present circumstances,all hands must be on deck to make thisnation safe for democracy.

The report of Dialogue 14 onDemocratic Process in a Multi-Nationality under the auspices of theAfrican Leadership Forum (ALF) Ota,defines democracy as “government byorganized and sustained popularconsent” and perceived its essentialelements as including free choice,empowerment and capability, respectfor the rule of law and equality in lawand practice, promotion and defenceof human rights, creation of appropriatepolitical machinery, sustained politicalcommunication to create trust andconfidence amongst leaders and thepopulace, decentralization of power andauthority and periodic and orderlysuccession through secret ballot.

Democracy is not just the presenceof political or governmental institutionsalone. Democracy is a state of mind.Much deviance in political behavior canbe correctly attributed to lack ofdemocratic attitude of mind. Theultimate manifestations of the absenceof a democratic attitude of mind includeviolence and election rigging. Inculcationof democratic attitudes in the people is,therefore, essential to the democraticoperation of governmental institutions.

For democracy to prosper andflourish, necessary structures andfacilities much be provided for all tiersof government, facilities akin tomodernity, not to primitivity. A tripartiteprovision of structures and facilitiesconducive to democracy is essential tosustain our present experiment.

There should be balance of powersbetween the executive, the legislatureand the judiciary, by strict applicationof the provisions of one constitution ofthe country, whereby the end shall bethe good governance of Nigeria ratherthan confusion or discord of any twoor more arms of government.

It is imperative that we nip in the budactivities of those cantankerouselements in our midst. The challenge isto bring to an end sub-ethnic sentiments,occasioning sub-ethnic violence. Ethnicphobia, manifesting itself by ethic mania,must be fully exorcised because theyare destructive of the national spirit and

possibilities of both national stability andinter-national prominence.

Democracy cannot operatesuccessfully within a tribalistic society.Tribalism often stems from a perceivedor real frustrations assumed or causedby natural contempt, the refusal torecongnize the other in its specificity, theact of basing oneself in one’s culture inorder to practice discriminations of allsorts. Our leaders must eschew leadingand sponsoring for personal, ethnic,geographical, sectional, religious andpurely economic interest. Until this isdone, our problems will remain with usno matter the sophistication of ourconstitution or the frequency of change.

Our leaders must eschew bitternessand violence, learn to realize that noparticular individual or section has amonopoly or violence and that oneaction of violence evokes greater andmore destructive violent reaction themagnitude of which can never beimagined in advance. In the end, the lawof retributive justice catches up with theperpetrators of bitterness, violence anddestruction.

As late General Shehu MusaYar’Adua said, it is high time we built aNigeria with a common purpose and acommon destiny; a Nigeria that isneither “North or South, West of East”but dedicated to a common good forall- a nation with assured, humanisticand bright future for us all and our

children. We need to create a societywhere it will not matter again whetheryou are an Igbo man, Ijaw man, Ebiraman, a Jukun man or a Fulani man andwhere it will not matter again whetheryou are a traditionalist a Christian, aMuslim or whatever.

Let every Nigerian tell his neighborthat killings and counter-killings are notthe solutions to ethnic and religiousdispute, strife and conflict in our country.Let us cultivate a new culture ofunderstanding, tolerance, forbearance,forgiveness and accommodation.

We must put a decisive end to ourplurality constituting our greatestweakness and strongest undoing. Afterall, we are not the only multi-ethnic ormulti-religious country in the world. Weare many but we are not the mostpopulous in the world. We must havefaith in our new political system, faith inthe future and faith in the foundation wehave tried to lay and faith in thecollective will of all Nigerians to livehappily together in solidarity, peace andconcord. We must abjure revenge as arevenge mission adversely affects one’shealth.

We must restore Nigeria as an havenof peace. Peace does not mean merelythe absence of war or conflict betweenorganized state or communities but alsoas friendly cooperation andcollaboration of people towardscommon goals. Security as the absenceof threat and fears of domination,destruction and want must exist side by

By PROF. A.S ASAJU

side with peace. It is on the foundationof peace and fairly-assured security thatdevelopment and prosperity canconcurrently be established. Peace andsecurity are not only pre-requisites fordevelopment and prosperity, they arealso co-requisites and at the same time,their end results. The apparent rapidand real violent changes in mostcountries are the results of the neglectof the mutually supportive relationshipbetween peace with security anddevelopment and sustainable growth.

We have no option in this country tocontinue to live as a multi-religioussociety in which the rights of all religiousgroups are respected andconstitutionally guaranteed. Fortunatelyfor us, the two principal religions in thiscountry- Christianity and Islam, are bothAbrahamic, originating from the MiddleEast. These two religions, as would beexpected, have many things in common.Each has normative aspects, governingbehavior on earth, and transcendentalones, or beliefs, in life after death.

In these aspects, the two religionsare, infact, remarkably similar in thatthey have the same ideas about what isright and what is wrong, what is goodand what is bad, accountability, rewardand punishment. They enjoin the samevirtues of faith, patience andsteadfastness, even under suffering orprovocation, tolerance of others’beliefs, accountability to God by man,kindness, charity and forgiveness toothers, respect for constituted authorityand so on.

The differences which may, however,exist in the two religions should notpreclude co-existence between the two,as has been going on for centuries now.

It is unfortunate that as variousactions of some so-called religiousleaders in this country have becomediametrically opposed to their pious andopen declaration of support for theprogress and stability of our nation.Religious bigotry and zealotism have nothelped to provide answers to thefailures of the past. Instead, they haveweakened our national will.

The challenge is to remove thispretence to holiness, religious bigotryand taking undue advantage of theignorance of the masses of the peopleto perpetrate violence in the name ofreligious advocacy. Religiousdisturbances do not augur well for anycommunity.

As Ahmadu Bello said, let usunderstand our differences. Byunderstanding our differences we canbuild unity in our country. Let us makeNigeria safe for democracy.

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

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, May 15, 2014 7PHOTOTALKFinal Stage Of The State Of Osun Public Schools Debate. Topic: ‘Are Leaders BornOr Made?’ Organised By Omoluabi Support Group (OSG)/Oranmiyan WorldwideIn Collaboration With The State Ministry Of Education At the Centre For BlackCulture And International Understanding, Osogbo, Last Tuesday. Photo: GBENGA

ADENIYI

•(L-R) Chairman, Oranmiyan Worldwide, Prince Felix Awofisayo; Chairman of the occasion, Ambassador Olu Otunla; Deputy Governor, State of Osun, Otunba (Mrs) GraceTiti Laoye-Tomori; Governor Rauf Aregbesola and his wife, Sherifat, at the event.

•(L-R) Deputy Speaker, State of Osun House of Assembly, Honourable Akintunde Adegboye and representative of the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, HonourableIpoola Omisore on the occasion.

8 OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, May 15, 2014PHOTOTALKFinal Stage Of The State Of Osun Public Schools Debate. Topic: ‘Are Leaders BornOr Made?’ Organised By Omoluabi Support Group (OSG)/Oranmiyan WorldwideIn Collaboration With The State Ministry Of Education At the Centre For BlackCulture And International Understanding, Osogbo, Last Tuesday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI

•A cross section of traditional rulers at the event.

•(L-R) Some of the State of Osun House of Assembly members; Honourables Biodun Awolola; Bello Osuolale; Femi Fafiyebi and Leke Ogunsola on the occasion.

9OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, May 15, 2014 PHOTOTALKFinal Stage Of The State Of Osun Public Schools Debate. Topic: ‘Are Leaders BornOr Made?’ Organised By Omoluabi Support Group (OSG)/Oranmiyan WorldwideIn Collaboration With The State Ministry Of Education At the Centre For BlackCulture And International Understanding, Osogbo, Last Tuesday. Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI

•Another cross section of members of State of Osun House of Assembly; Honourables Tilewa Sijuwade; Bamisayemi Folorunso and Adeyemo Adedibu.

•Governor Rauf Aregbesola (4th right); his wife, Sherifat (2nd right); the State Deputy Governor, Otunba (Mrs) Titi Laoye-Tomori (6th right) in a group photograph with OSGmembers and the contestants.

10 OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, May 15, 2014FEATUREFinal Stage Of The State Of Osun Public Schools Debate. Topic: ‘Are Leaders BornOr Made?’ Organised By Omoluabi Support Group (OSG)/Oranmiyan WorldwideIn Collaboration With The State Ministry Of Education At the Centre For BlackCulture And International Understanding, Osogbo, Last Tuesday. Photo: GBENGA

ADENIYI

•Winner of the debate, Ayodele Habeeblahi, being decorated by Wife of the Governor, Mrs Sherifat Aregbesola while the first runner-up, Miss Mary Jacob, watches withecstasy.

•A cross section of dignitaries at the event.

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, May 15, 201412 FEATURE

•An ongoing Freedom Bridge along Ring Road East Bye-Pass, Osogbo.

•Another Freedom Bridge along Ring Road, East Bye Pass, Osogbo.

Osogbo East Bypass: One Road, Too ManyEXCELLENT infrastructure is the

backbone and chief driver ofsocio-economic development,

which every country strives to achieve.Economists and business moguls dohold the view, or rather, assertion thatinvestment in surface transportationhelps to connect people, drivecommerce and maintain globalcompetitiveness. An economist, MrOlanrewaju Afolayanka, who is now agovernorship aspirant under theNational Conscience Party (NCP) in theState of Osun said “efficient transportsystems reduce costs in manyeconomic sectors by providing betteraccessibility to markets, increasingemployment, bringing in foreigninvestment and improving globalpresence of a state or country inparticular.” Transport carries animportant social, economic andenvironmental load, which can never beover-stated or emphasized. The socio-economic significance of infrastructuredevelopment is not only extensive, butalso spectacular.

Politicians, who are interested incontesting for executive electiveoffices; the President, Governor andLocal Government Chairman do striveto win the votes of the electorate withmanifesto centering but not limited toroad construction in the context ofinfrastructural development. Inadvanced countries, you cannot win avote with ‘I will build roads; bridgesand culverts’ manifestoes. Those arebasic things that had been in existencefor centuries. One could straightforwardly doubt if Nigerian politicianscould stop the ‘I will build roads’manifestoes in some centuries to come,because it is what citizens are stilllacking. But with the passionatedisposition of Governor RaufAregbesola to infrastructuraldevelopment, particularly roadconstructions, Nigeria could deserts the‘I will build roads’ manifestoes in thenext political dispensation. Aregbesolahas soundly given hope to Nigerians oninfrastructural development: thatNigeria can still have good roads,bridges, culverts, hospitals, schools,e.t.c. Ogbeni Aregbesola is buildingmulti-schannel roads, which it believes,will stimulate economic prosperity.

There was an eccentric but nowpopular slang in the State of Osun, the‘Ona Baba Ona’ (uncommon standardroad or road that supersedes road in itsliterary interpretations). The vernacularwas brought to the state by OgbeniAregbesola, who was trying to; withexcitement, present kind of standardroads his administration wouldconstruct in every nook and cranny ofthe state. But not every road in Osun isnow ‘Ona Baba Ona’, though all theroads are standard and durable towithstand the different manner of roadusage. There is rapid and massive roadconstruction across the state. Of theroads, the Oba Adesoji Aderemi East-Bypass road stands out. It is a road thatcompels commendation, even from theopposition. It is a road that attracts:‘Wow! This is wonderful; excellent,superb, expensive, sturdy, think ofother adjective. To say the road isstandard is the least.

The 18-kilometre road was awardedto a Nigerian-Turkish constructionCompany, Messrs Slava Yeditepe at acost of N14.57 billion with a 12-monthperiod of completion. The OsogboEast-bypass was named after theformer Governor of the defunctWestern Region and Ooni of Ife, lateOba Adesoji Aderemi. The constructionof the road began in October 2013. The

East Bypass is a dual carriageway beingconstructed to meet very highstandards in modern road construction.A visit to the Ofatedo-Africa Schoolend of nthe road on Monday revealedthat the road was being constructedwith two asphaltic surface layers and40mm binder with 30mm wearing.During the visits, workers were seenengaged in the road work. Betweenchannels 0-4, new bridges werespringing up over railways and dualcarriage ways took the place of deepforests. A Senior Special Assistant toAregbesola on Electronics and Media,Engineer Remi Omowaiye, said apartfrom being a standard two-lane dualcarriageway of 7.30m width, the roadalso has such features walkway, lay-bys and bus stops, streetlights, roadverges landscapes and traffic signs. AtAbere junction, a flyover would passover it to link the road with Oke-Ijetu/Ilesa garage. The flyover will have fourloops and ramps to divert traffic. Whencompleted, it will be the first flyover inOsogbo. According to the engineer onthe construction site, the road is beingconstructed is of the highest standardsusing 30cm stone base to last 40 years.

Presently, the road is featuring theconstructions of new culverts, three

river bridges, concrete side drainageand retaining walls, pavement surfaceand marking, a railway underpass, aninterchange and provision of streetlight. The road can be referred to ascircumferential highway, as describedby Aregbesola. It starts from theRoundabout along Iwo road and passesthrough Ofatedo to Ataoja GrammarSchool, through Ilesa Road andterminates at Osogbo Stadiumroundabout area. It is a road thatsurrounds Osogbo, the capital of theState of Osun.

The first section of the main bridgehas already launched at the railwayunderpass. The company is awaitingpermission of the Nigerian RailwayCorporation (NRC) before launchingthe beams of the second part of thebridge, which would lead thecompletion of the railway underpass.The bridges will enable vehicular andpedestrian movement on the top, whilethe train passes through the underpass.In short, vehicles, train and pedestriansdo not needs to wait for one anotherlike what commuters do witness at thepopular Olaiya junction when the trainis passing bye. It would be a greatdevelopmental achievement ifAregbesola could construct an overhigh bridge like that of the East bypassat Olaiya junction, to allow free

vehicular, train and pedestrianmovements.

An official of the Slava Yeditepe, whoprayed not to be named, told ourreporter that additional 15cm stone baseis being added to the initial specificationto improve quality. He explained that theroad would be paved with asphalt usinga paver with 9m width to avoid anyfault line along the road thus achievinga zero error tolerance level for potholes.He confided in our reporter that theproject, which had an initial completiondate of May 2014 will however becompleted in August due to the delaycaused by slight amendment in theinitial design and additional worksintroduced to the original work scope.A total number of 480 indigenousworkers are employed on the projectthus boosting the economy of the state.

Before the initiation of the OsogboEast bypass road, majority of the areathat now host the road were remote,and deserted (if that will not beoutrageous). Sources told OSUNDEFENDER that a parcel of land wasbeing sold at the Islamic College area ofAfrica for N60,000. That was becausedevelopment was thought to be far to

By ISMAEEL UTHMAN

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, May 15, 201412 FEATURE

•An ongoing Freedom Bridge along Ring Road East Bye-Pass, Osogbo.

•Another Freedom Bridge along Ring Road, East Bye Pass, Osogbo.

Osogbo East Bypass: One Road, Too ManyEXCELLENT infrastructure is the

backbone and chief driver ofsocio-economic development,

which every country strives to achieve.Economists and business moguls do holdthe view, or rather, assertion thatinvestment in surface transportation helpsto connect people, drive commerce andmaintain global competitiveness. Aneconomist, Mr Olanrewaju Afolayanka,who is now a governorship aspirant underthe National Conscience Party (NCP) inthe State of Osun said “efficient transportsystems reduce costs in many economicsectors by providing better accessibilityto markets, increasing employment,bringing in foreign investment andimproving global presence of a state orcountry in particular.” Transport carriesan important social, economic andenvironmental load, which can never beover-stated or emphasized. The socio-economic significance of infrastructuredevelopment is not only extensive, butalso spectacular.

Politicians, who are interested incontesting for executive elective offices;the President, Governor and LocalGovernment Chairman do strive to win thevotes of the electorate with manifestocentering but not limited to roadconstruction in the context ofinfrastructural development. In advancedcountries, you cannot win a vote with ‘Iwill build roads; bridges and culverts’manifestoes. Those are basic things thathad been in existence for centuries. Onecould straight forwardly doubt if Nigerianpoliticians could stop the ‘I will buildroads’ manifestoes in some centuries tocome, because it is what citizens are stilllacking. But with the passionatedisposition of Governor Rauf Aregbesolato infrastructural development,particularly road constructions, Nigeriacould deserts the ‘I will build roads’manifestoes in the next politicaldispensation. Aregbesola has soundlygiven hope to Nigerians on infrastructuraldevelopment: that Nigeria can still havegood roads, bridges, culverts, hospitals,schools, e.t.c. Ogbeni Aregbesola isbuilding multi-schannel roads, which itbelieves, will stimulate economicprosperity.

There was an eccentric but now popularslang in the State of Osun, the ‘Ona BabaOna’ (uncommon standard road or roadthat supersedes road in its literaryinterpretations). The vernacular wasbrought to the state by OgbeniAregbesola, who was trying to; withexcitement, present kind of standard roadshis administration would construct inevery nook and cranny of the state. Butnot every road in Osun is now ‘Ona BabaOna’, though all the roads are standardand durable to withstand the differentmanner of road usage. There is rapid andmassive road construction across thestate. Of the roads, the Oba AdesojiAderemi East-Bypass road stands out. Itis a road that compels commendation,even from the opposition. It is a road thatattracts: ‘Wow! This is wonderful;excellent, superb, expensive, sturdy, thinkof other adjective. To say the road isstandard is the least.

The 18-kilometre road was awarded to aNigerian-Turkish construction Company,Messrs Slava Yeditepe at a cost of N14.57billion with a 12-month period ofcompletion. The Osogbo East-bypass wasnamed after the former Governor of thedefunct Western Region and Ooni of Ife,late Oba Adesoji Aderemi. Theconstruction of the road began in October2013. The East Bypass is a dual

carriageway being constructed to meetvery high standards in modern roadconstruction. A visit to the Ofatedo-AfricaSchool end of nthe road on Mondayrevealed that the road was beingconstructed with two asphaltic surfacelayers and 40mm binder with 30mmwearing. During the visits, workers wereseen engaged in the road work. Betweenchannels 0-4, new bridges were springingup over railways and dual carriage waystook the place of deep forests. A SeniorSpecial Assistant to Aregbesola onElectronics and Media, Engineer RemiOmowaiye, said apart from being astandard two-lane dual carriageway of7.30m width, the road also has suchfeatures walkway, lay-bys and bus stops,streetlights, road verges landscapes andtraffic signs. At Abere junction, a flyoverwould pass over it to link the road withOke-Ijetu/Ilesa garage. The flyover willhave four loops and ramps to diverttraffic. When completed, it will be the firstflyover in Osogbo. According to theengineer on the construction site, theroad is being constructed is of the higheststandards using 30cm stone base to last40 years.

Presently, the road is featuring theconstructions of new culverts, three river

bridges, concrete side drainage andretaining walls, pavement surface andmarking, a railway underpass, aninterchange and provision of street light.The road can be referred to ascircumferential highway, as described byAregbesola. It starts from theRoundabout along Iwo road and passesthrough Ofatedo to Ataoja GrammarSchool, through Ilesa Road andterminates at Osogbo Stadium roundaboutarea. It is a road that surrounds Osogbo,the capital of the State of Osun.

The first section of the main bridge hasalready launched at the railwayunderpass. The company is awaitingpermission of the Nigerian RailwayCorporation (NRC) before launching thebeams of the second part of the bridge,which would lead the completion of therailway underpass. The bridges willenable vehicular and pedestrianmovement on the top, while the trainpasses through the underpass. In short,vehicles, train and pedestrians do notneeds to wait for one another like whatcommuters do witness at the popularOlaiya junction when the train is passingbye. It would be a great developmentalachievement if Aregbesola couldconstruct an over high bridge like that ofthe East bypass at Olaiya junction, toallow free vehicular, train and pedestrian

movements.An official of the Slava Yeditepe, who

prayed not to be named, told our reporterthat additional 15cm stone base is beingadded to the initial specification toimprove quality. He explained that theroad would be paved with asphalt using apaver with 9m width to avoid any faultline along the road thus achieving a zeroerror tolerance level for potholes. Heconfided in our reporter that the project,which had an initial completion date ofMay 2014 will however be completed inAugust due to the delay caused by slightamendment in the initial design andadditional works introduced to theoriginal work scope. A total number of 480indigenous workers are employed on theproject thus boosting the economy of thestate.

Before the initiation of the Osogbo Eastbypass road, majority of the area that nowhost the road were remote, and deserted(if that will not be outrageous). Sourcestold OSUN DEFENDER that a parcel ofland was being sold at the Islamic Collegearea of Africa for N60,000. That wasbecause development was thought to befar to

By ISMAEEL UTHMAN

13 OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, May 15, 2014FEATURE

•Recently-asphalted portion of Oba Adesoji Aderemi Road, East Bye-Pass, Osogbo.

Osogbo East Bypass: One Road, Too Many

the area. Now, with the east bypass, aparcel of land now costs N700,000.Reports also have it that there is anupsurge in the price of land at the IlesaGarage, Sasa Oke-Baale andUNIOSUN areas, where the roadpasses through. The residents of theeast bypass road are now in the open:they are now living in the city unlike thedays when they were in the remote.

Many houses were demolished in theareas for the construction of the road.But, apart from the compensation fromthe government that relieved theaffected land and house owners, thepeople continue to look ahead to theeconomic prosperity that the road willbring. An estate manager, Mr SamsonAdewale who lives around TestingGround area said: “This east bypassroad is another landmark achievementof Aregbesola. The road is not evenspectacular, when compared to theeconomic benefit of it. Very soon, youwill see that Aregbesola has broughtfortunes to Osogbo with the road. Youwill see big companies, shopping malls,

complexes and other commercialstructures. The population of Osogbowill dramatically increase, and whathappens after that? The economy of thestate will dramatically improve too. Theroad is a good initiative and I commendAregbesola on it. Everywhere on thisroad, people are buying up land. Iknow the land is appreciating now;people are buying up to build shoppingmalls and other things. If you have themoney, it is a good business deal to buyland here even for resale later on.”

A lecturer at the Osun StateUniversity, Mrs Peju Adigun, who livesat Oke-Ijetu, described the road asreprieve to the people living at the Oke-Ijetu area. She said: “If you do not wantto get into the Osogbo town beforegoing to your destination, the eastbypass has made that possible. Withthe road, you can go to the neighbouringtowns without getting into the suburbsof Osogbo like before. The road hasbrought unforeseen development not tothe Oke-Ijetu area but other areas thatthe road passes through. Personally, itwas impossible for me to drive my carhome and park it at the front of my

house, because there was no goodroad. Myself and other residents of thearea do park our vehicles very far toour houses. Our worst agony on theroad is during the raining season. Ourvehicles could spend three days beforethey were tolled out of the mud. Now,with the construction of the east bypass,our vehicles are parked at our variousentrance door. We now have free andeasy drive on the road. Initially, I dodrive into the town before linking theUNIOSUN road, but now, I drivestraight to the campus from my house.When there was heavy traffic during theUNIOSUN convocation, the eastbypass was temporarily opened. Thosegoing to Lagos, Ibadan, Ife, Ilesa andothers took the road to link enroute theirvarious destinations. Before you knowit, the traffic just vanished. That is oneof the benefits of the road. Icommended Aregbesola for being avisionary leader. The road will actuallygo a long way to develop the socio-economy of the state.

A General Manager of one of a newgeneration banks in Osogbo, who

simply gave his name as Mr Tope,described the road as a project havingthree-in-one benefits: infrastructural/transportation, economic anddevelopment. On infrastructure, Topesaid: “A city and state capital requiresa particular level of development. Theavailability of networking and highwayroads is a major development that acapital needs. The Osogbo east bypassis a step in the right direction. The roadwill ease transportation; there wouldnot be traffic jam in the state again.Commuters, who do have business todo in the town would take the eastbypass to their various destinations,thereby reducing the amount ofvehicular movement on the networkingroads in Osogbo. The east bypass alsoserves as a beautification project forthe state capital. It adds beauty to thestate and it is a major infrastructuraldevelopment. Speaking on theeconomic aspect of the road, Tope said:“Economies that possess greatermobility are often those with betteropportunities to develop, than thosewith scarce mobility. A goodtransportation system also weaves acomplex web of relationships betweenconsumer, manufacturer and distributor.The productivity of space, capital andlabour is enhanced with the efficiencyof distribution and personal mobility.The east bypass has opened access tomany business districts with lesser timeon the road. If I was spending 20minutes to get to my customer before,and I am now spending 10 minutes withthe east bypass, that will automaticallytransform into economic benefit for me,because I will reach two or threeconsumers with the 20 minutes I doused for one consumer. On thedevelopment benefit of the road, Topeheld that a new Osogbo is springing up.He said: “The east bypass is openingup a new corridor in Osogbo. It isbringing development to areas that mighthave never dreamt of in 20 years tocome. Areas like Oke-Ijetu, Africa/Ataoja, Sasa-Oke-baale, Osun river-Oke pupa, Testing Ground will nowdevelop rapidly with the road. Peoplein those areas now have access to roadwhich now eases their transportation.Do not be surprised if the price of landin those areas increases by 300 or 400per cent because they are new faces ofdevelopment.”

Engineer Moses Oludele Idowu ofthe Divine Artillery Publications, Lagos,simply commented on the mode ofconstruction of the east bypass roadas “excellent.” Idowu said the road isby every standard an excellent project.He passed the comment during a tourvisit to the projects sites in Osogboafter the second day of the All ComersColloquium tagged “FundamentalImperatives of Cohabitation: Faithand Secularism”, held at the Centrefor Black Culture and InternationalUnderstanding.”

Infrastructure determines thelongevity and success of a nation. Agood, upgraded and efficient transportinfrastructure is essential for a strongand thriving economy. With the ObaAdesoji Aderemi East Bypass inOsogbo, something great is alreadyhappening to the economy of the state.Politically, Aregbesola has shut dooragainst the ‘I will build road’ manifesto.Road is now everywhere in Osun. It isa staid challenge to other politicians.

•Oba Adesoji Aderemi, along Ring Road, East Bypass.

Continued from page 12

14 OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, May 15, 2014 FEATURE

Senator Isiaka Adeleke: Still The Issue In Osun Politics

THIS is definitely a cheeringtime for Senator IsiakaAdeleke, the first executive

governor of the State of Osun , whoon April 3rd, 2014 was allegedlyunjustly molested and humiliatedby the trio of Senator IyiolaOmisore, Minister of PoliceAffairs, Alhaji Abdul JeliliAdesiyan and Sogo Agboola at theIdeal Nest Hotel Osogbo, in theprelude to the Osun governorshipPDP primary.

To those who are aware of thealleged ugly incident, it was onlySenator Adeleke’s politicalmaturity and patriotic zeal, thatsaved hell from being let loose onthe day under reference. SenatorAdeleke proved, that he is truly astatesman, who will not hurt a flyto achieve any political goal orwhatever ambition.

Senator Isiaka Adeleke, as a manof absolute peace took the incidentwith philosophical calmness andthereafter sent a petition toPresident Jonathan, which waspublished in the newspaper of April4, 2014 and copied majorstakeholders in the PDP, to alertthem principally, about what hewent through in the hands of hisfellow party men, all over hisrightful intention to partake of theApril 5th, 2014 PDP governorshipprimary, which he eventuallyboycotted, out of his desire not toput lives of his supporters on theline, going by what he went throughas an exalted personality at IdealNest Hotel, Osogbo, Osun State.

As aftermath of his petition, thePublic Complaints CommissionOsun State Office, under the ableleadership of Professor Razaq‘Deremi Abubakre has reactedswiftly to the incident underreference, in a letter he personallysigned and addressed to Abdul JeliliAdesiyan, the Minister of PoliceAffairs with reference number:PCC/OS/2014/4/411 and dated11th April, 2014 and copiedSenator Isiaka Adeleke, viewedwith serious concern, the allegedincident of 3rd April, 2014. TheOmbudsman was of the opinion,and I quote him “I wish to recallthe disturbing incident of 3rdApril, 2014 at the Ideal NestGuest House, Ilobu Road,Osogbo, in which you werealleged to have used policemento harass, intimidate andembarrass Senator IsiakaAdeleke, the first CivilianGovernor of Osun State and thecontestant to your favouredcandidate in your party for thegubernatorial ticket in yourcapacity as the Hon. Minster ofPolice Affair”.

Professor Abubakre went furtherto analyse, that the reportedconduct of the Minister of PoliceAffairs, “is a recipe for anarchy,if all Ministers were to act in thesame manner” . Professor

Abubakre reiterated, that AlhajAbdul Jelili Adesiyan shouldimagine the Minister of Finance,asking bankers to follow her topolitical functions or the Ministerof Health being accompanied bymedical personnel or even theMinister of Education askingstudents to do the same. ProfessorAbubakre pointed out, that “thewild cacophony with which suchact would be visited is betterimagined than expressed”.

Professor Razaq Abubakre, wasof the view, that the Minister ofPolice Affairs is not entitled topolice escort more than the numberallowed to the Minister ofAgriculture or any other Ministerfor that matter. The Osun StatePublic Complaints Commissioner,therefore affirmed, that noMinister should use the lawenforcement agents paid to protectthe citizenry to intimidate lawabiding Nigerians.

Professor Abubakre, was also ofthe opinion, that Hon. MinisterAbdul Jelili Adesiyan, as a citizenof the State of the Virtuous, if hisreported action is correct, wouldhave sent a wrong signal to all thebelievers in justice and fairplayaround the globe, stressing that,there is the need for the ministerto tread with caution to “avert

insinuations making the roundthat you are acting out a script incollaboration with the Hon.Minister of State for Defence,Senator Musiliu Obanikoro tocause problems in the South-West”, end of quote.

It is indeed a welcomedevelopment, that not all hopes arelost after all, as far as getting alistening ear to the complaints ofoppressed members of the publicof which Senator Adeleke was avictim, from those in authority,which the Public ComplaintsCommission has acted withprecision and in good faith.

This shinning exemplary officialconduct by Osun State PublicComplaints Commission should beemulated by those saddled withserving and protecting publicinterests. At last, Senator IsiakaAdeleke is vindicated and hispeaceful conduct on the day of thealleged incident under referencehas paid off. The chicken has comehome to roost.

Senator Isiaka Adeleke hascounseled politicians and theirsupporters not to see theirendeavours to seek political officesas a matter of life and death. Headvised politicians to abhorviolence and other ungodlyconducts, as we march towardsAugust 9th governorship electionin Osun State, as God alone gives

positions to whomsoever Hewilleth without hazzles.

Senator Isiaka Adeleke as aprogressive politician, willcontinue to join efforts with otherprogressive forces in Osun State,which he built from the scratch in1992 as its first executivegovernor, to make it an egalitariansociety where peace, progress andprosperity reign supreme.

No wonder, majority of Osundown-trooden citizens were full ofsympathy and concern for him,over what he went through in thehands of his traducers, during thefracas at Ideal Nest Hotel on April3rd, 2014. To these genuineadmirers of Adeleke, drawn fromall over Osun and across politicaldivides, the time has come for himto advance his political careerelsewhere he will be accorded duerelevance and untainted honour, thathe richly deserves as a politicianwith milk of human kindness in hisface. To them, Isiaka Adeleke isstill the central issue in Osunpolitics.

From the elite to the proverbialcommon people in Osun State, thequestion is: why should SenatorIsiaka Adeleke be subjected tounwarranted and unprovokedhumiliation? To Baba Khalifa, acommercial driver in Ipetumodu,Adeleke should leave the PDP andgo and enjoy his peace, amongthose who meant well for the poorpeople in the state. For Iya Rashida,a food vendor in Iwo, her advicewas: “let him leave that party forthem. Adeleke has touched so manylives positively, particularly here atIwo, where he gave us our late Obain 1992 after so many years offoot-dragging by governmentbefore him. Adeleke is Iwo, Iwo isAdeleke”, concluded Iya Rashida.Such were the positive commentsabout the good nature and God-fearing attitudes of Isiaka Adeleke,such that so many people vowed,that they will sink or swim to safeshore with him.

And now, some people arecoming in droves, to seekreconciliation with Adeleke toremain in PDP. With whom wouldthey be seeing reconciliation with,had anything unfortunate happenedto him on April 3rd, 2014 at IdealNest Hotel? Up till now, AdamuMuazu, PDP National Chairmanhas not called Adeleke up toenquire as to what happened onApril 3rd, 2014.

To thy tents oh Isreal! Everybodyto himself, God for us all. Whenthe Lord turned again the captivityof Zion, we were like them thatdream. The stone, that the builderrejected is now the cornerstone ofthe house. A food for thought.

•LAWAL is Special Adviser,Media and Publicity to SenatorIsiaka Adeleke.

By OLUMIDE LAWAL

•ADELEKE

15 OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, May 15, 2014 PHOTOTALKFaces At The Inaguration Of ‘I Believe Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (IBORA) AndEndorsement Of The State Of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola For A SecondTerm In Office, By The Body Last Saturday, In Osogbo.

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola(2nd left); All Progressives Congress (APC) State of Osun Interim Chairman, Elder Adelowo Adebiyi(left); Speaker, StateHouse of Assembly, Hon. Najim Salam and Director-General, De Raufs, Comrade Amitolu Shittu,on the occasion held at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, last Saturday.

•Governor Aregbesola (3rd left); President of “I Believe Ogbeni Rauf Aregbsola (IBORA), Mr. Olusola Okiki (3rd right); National Vice-Chairman, IBORA, Hon. AfolajuwonloFoluso (2nd left); Hon. Abdul-Hakeem Wisdom-Oni (left); Prince Anselem Udoka (2nd right) and Alhaji Elegunde Taiwo (right), at the programme.

•(R-L) President of IBORA, Governor Aregbesola, Hon. Afolajuwonlo and Hon. Salam, at the event.

THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2014

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O m i s o r e ’ sRanting OnOsun REC

SIR: It was JosephGoebbels, AdolfHitler’s propagan-dist-in-chief whomade the infamousstatement that “Ifyou tell a lie bigenough and keep re-peating it, people will eventuallycome to believe it”.

It is this same infamous path thatIyiola Omisore, the governorshipcandidate of the Peoples DemocraticParty PDP) in the August 9, elec-tion, has been threading, with his re-peated call for the removal of Am-bassador Rufus Akeju, Osun StateResident Electoral Commissioner.

He has been making this inane callsince 2012 and has heightened itsince he emerged the flag bearer ofhis party. The allegation is actuallya two-in-one. The first is that Akejuis biased because, according toOmisore, he had a relationship withAPC leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.The second is that a court had or-dered the removal of Akeju, whichINEC refused to carry out, thus re-taining him in flagrant disregard forthe court.

The unsaid implication of this al-legation is that Akeju is an APCmole in Osun ready to do the bid-ding of the party with INEC’s tacitapproval.

Omisore in his characteristic reck-lessness threatened solemnly at hisparty secretariat in Osogbo that hewould never allow Akeju to conductthe coming governorship election.How he would stop the election isstill not known. He might as wellhave it in mind to violently disruptthe election and I hope the securityagencies have taken note of thisthreat to the election and should callhim for questioning. To be fore-warned is to be forearmed. He couldalso have meant that he would crashAbuja’s power on INEC to haveAkeju thrown away from Osogbo.

Whatever is in the dark recessesof his mind, he did not mean well.

However, the truth of the mat-ter is that there is no subsistingcourt order on Akeju. PDP hadgone to court and obtained an in-junction against INEC for theconduct of the 2011 elections.Strangely, the same PDP wentback to court ask for ‘stay of ex-ecution’. The judge, BabsKuewumi, was alarmed, and toldthem pointedly that normally, it isthe defendant whom judgementwas awarded against, that seeks‘stay of execution’ and not theplaintiff who .

won the relief hesought from thecourt. He thengranted PDP the‘stay ofexecution’It istherefore theheight of mendacity

for Omisore to turn around toallege that INEC is disobeyingcourt order. I ask again, whichorder?

When the PDP at the meetingof political parties with INECchairman in Osogbo asked for theremoval of Akeju, Prof AttahiruJega told them that they shouldbring credible evidence ofAkeju’s bias or any allegationthey might have against him.They have not done this; instead,they have continued on thisGoebbelian path of repeating alie so often with the false hopethat people will believe it.

Interestingly, the defeated OsunPDP candidates in the 2011 elec-tions did not challenge their de-feats. Even Omisore who wasroundly thrashed and humiliatedby his opponent, SenatorBabajide Omoworare, even in hisward, did not challenge the re-sult at the tribunal or the regularcourts. Only Honourable WoleOke went to the tribunal and theappeal court and came backempty-handed.

Osun PDP did not boycott theelections conducted by Akeju andno election conducted by him hasbeen upturned by any election pe-tition tribunal, appeal court orthe Supreme Court. What then isthe basis of the vilification ofthis man by Omisore and hisgang? Is he looking for the fallguy for his inexorable defeat inthe coming election, as always?

Omisore