Aregbesola’s great strides in Osun
Kola Odepeju 08023191891 ebisemiju2002@yahoo.com


As a critic, I am not given to praise-singing. At the same time, you can always remove my name from the list of critics and writers who have positioned themselves never to see anything good in our leaders and who, even when there is a glaring evidence of performance on the part of any leader, theirs is to pretend not to see it but to continue criticizing just for the sake of criticism. That attitude, to me, is not a good attribute of a genuine critic.

Criticism, according to late British Prime Minister and author, Sir Winston Churchill, is necessary because ‘‘like a pain in human body, it calls our attention to an unhealthy state’’. But just like criticism is necessary, encouragement is also necessary because it serves as a propellant for good-doers to ride on. Whether at private or public life, words of encouragement for people who choose to distinguish themselves, are necessary so as to make them do more. The American author and teacher, William Arthur Ward was the one who once said: ‘‘Encourage me, and I will not forget you’’.

The Yoruba appreciate good performance a lot and they do offer words of encouragement where necessary in order to ensure continuity of good work on the part of the doer. This attitude isn’t limited to Yoruba people alone, it cuts across every sane humanity. The adage amongst the Yoruba – ‘Yinni-yinni, keni semii’, meaning that the more a doer of good or a good performer is appreciated, the more he is encouraged to do more, testifies to the imperative of appreciating a good work or deed.

Ever since I took up this column, those who are familiar with it will bear witness to the fact that just like series of constructive criticisms have appeared herein, I have nevertheless used it to offer words of encouragement to some of our leaders who have been living up to expectation in terms of delivery of democracy dividends to their people under this democratic experiment. Top on the list of leaders whose performances have been appreciated on this page is Barrister BRF (SAN), the Governor of Lagos state. Others are Governor Mimiko of Ondo state, Comrade Oshiomole of Edo , Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers. These Governors and a few others who have not close their eyes against the plight of their people really deserve to be encouraged.

[b]Within this short spell that the new Governor of Osun state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola assumed office, certain feats have incredibly been achieved which deserve commendation. The people of Osun are fast witnessing fulfilled promises. As against what obtained before he took over the mantle of leadership, examples of how to govern are being shown every day. New initiatives are springing up and the state is being daily positioned for greatness by Ogbeni Gomina. The 20,000 jobs created within a hundred days in office remains a miracle, a feat that could only be achieved by a visionary leader who knows what he comes to do in government and who has the interest of his people at heart. How is he able to do it within a hundred days? This remains the curious question on the lips of many, and given the fact that his predecessor couldn’t do what is closer to even two thousand figure in terms of job creation for a period of seven and a half years save the unnecessary political appointments doled out to party thugs in compensation of the ignoble roles they played during the 2007 elections.

The convocation of education summit by Ogbeni Gomina which was chaired by erudite scholar and noble laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, also attests to the governor’s realisation of the crises facing education in the state and his determination to get the sector out of the woods. The recommendations that emerged from that summit will no doubt go a long way in addressing the myriads of problems confronting the education sector in the state. My advice for Mr. Governor here is for him to adopt (if not all) at least some of the recommendations from the summit that can be very helpful to him in addressing the rot in that sector. That the recommendations do not suffer the same fate with similar ones that emanated from summits of that nature in the past which were only made to rust away under the tables of some bureaucrats at the different levels of government in this country, is very germane to achieving the very objective behind that summit.

The payment of the sum of N21m accreditation fee debt owed the National Examinations Council (NECO) by governor Oyinlola which made the Council to withhold the results of candidates during Oyinlola’s era, is also a commendable thing and a testimony to Ogbeni Gomina’s commitment to educational development in Osun state. One would want to ask whether this amount is too much to pay by Oyinlola or any member of his cabinet then even from their personal purses, given the large amounts each and everyone of them cornered for himself while in power, not to talk of paying from state’s purse. But Oyinlola preferred to pursue irrelevant projects rather than invest in human capital development. Only an irresponsible and short-sighted leader who cares not about the future of his people and the development of his constituency will prefer to pursue other less important things at the detriment of education.

Mr. Governor also deserves to be given kudos for the reduction in school fees in all the state owned tertiary institutions in Osun state. If one may ask here, what is the point in setting up a higher institution if the fees will be made unaffordable for tudents? Also, only a callous leader will continuously jerk up school fees in such a way that it becomes extremely difficult for students to pay. If our governments can not make education free, they should please for God’s sake make the fees affordable because education remains the bedrock of societal development. It is therefore wicked and inhuman to introduce exorbitant fees in the schools.

What is more? The acquisition of 30, 000 hectares of land by Ogbeni Aregbesola’s administration for mechanised farming in the state and the setting up of Truth and Reconciliation Commission to look into the different cases of injustice between years 2003 to 2007 are all good steps in the right direction. These are progressive steps expected of any leader who knows what governance entails and who is determined to leave his imprints on the sands of time.[/b]

Conclusively, far from praise-singing Mr. Governor, this piece is meant to serve as words of encouragement for him. There is a lot to be done in Osun and having started well with his progressive style of governance, Ogbeni Gomina must not rest on his laurels. Like BRF (SAN) in Lagos , Rauf Aregbesola is proving it to the world that leaders who fail to provide good governance only lack the political will. May God help him to succeed.

Osun gives succour to 20,000 jobless youths
Emmanuel Oladesu


-Aregbesola’s campaign promise fulfilled -Governor urges youths on exemplary life

IT has been scientifically established that where people, especially the youth, are not positively engaged, they engage themselves in self-destructive acts. After all, the idle mind is the devil’s workshop”.

Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola made this statement when he addressed 20,000 volunteers of Osun State Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) and people of the state at their passing-out parade.

In 2006, when he began his electioneering campaign for the governorship ticket of the then Action Congress (AC), he promised that he would engage 20,000 youths within 100 days of his administration as governor, if he was elected. To his critics, that was a political joke.

However, with the victory of Aregbesola at the Court of Appeal on November 26, 2010, the euphoria among the teeming youths populace was not only about the success of the struggle of the mandate, but also the joy that, at least, 20, 000 people would be gainfully engaged.

After the inauguration of the new administration on November 27, machineries were set in motion towards the actualisation of the governor’s pledge. Forms were printed and distributed freely to youths.

The distribution of forms gathered momentum across the state, forcing the agency in charge of the scheme to print and distribute more forms. Later, people were asked to download the forms from its website for convenience in order to reduce the stress the intending youths went through at the various local governments across the state.

The publicity secretary of the scheme Oyintiloye Olatunbosun had stunning information.

He said: “Due to long hardships, and penury in the state, over 150,000 unemployed youths have shown interest and obtained the Osun State Youth Empowerment Programme (OYES) Forms as against the 20,000 spaces available for this scheme. This is a reflection of the extent of deprivation of the people who desire and deserve gainful employment for their children and themselves.”

That was not the highest figure the scheme would record. In the closing weeks of the programme, over 200,000 youths applied.

The governor’s astonishment was evident. “When we made the call,” he said, “our people responded enthusiastically and beyond our expectation for 20,000 jobs; more than 200,000 vigorous youth responded”.

[b]The programme eventually took off with the training of the shortlisted candidates across the 30 local government council areas of the state, ushering in a new dimension in governance in the history of the state. Not even the rival Peoples Democratic party (PDP) in the state could fault the objectivity of the compilation of the shortlisted cadets.

Although, there are still a lot more unemployed people in the state, the scheme’s consultant engineer Bimbo Daniyan believes much progress is being made.

“The past six or seven years have been turbulent ones for the populace of the state,” he said.

“We must begin to take action now if we hope to experience a stable and enjoyable tomorrow; we must stop the idea of apathy and show concern about what happens to our dear state and nation in general. It’s time to empower our youths through active and proactive participation instead of being engaged as political thugs and constituting a menace to the society.

Governor Aregbesola also believes that it is only by engaging the youths positively that the nation can reduce crime rate and increase productivity. He said: “The greatest resources any nation can have its people, not gold and silver, not even petroleum. The world we create around us is the product of the spirit, intellect and might of the people therein. Where the people are in the right spiritual condition, their intellect cultivated and their physical strength deployed to good use, development occurs rapidly.

“This is the secret of the Western civilisation we all admire and benefit from. It is not magic or some inscrutable metaphysics; it is about treating people well and creatively engaging their abilities”.

He advised the successful volunteers to shame critics who alleged that they were being given military training for use during the coming elections.

“I want you, through acts of Omoluabi, to shame and disappoint them, although some of them are beyond shame,” he said.

“You must therefore shun any act that is capable of portraying you as criminals and derail the objectives of the scheme. The training you were given was meant to prepare you spiritually, make you to be physically fit and mentally alert and position you as agents of change in Osun State. You must therefore prove your mettle.

“Many of you are handling your first job, and your first responsibility in life. Do it faithfully and with all your might. By so doing, you will position yourselves for higher responsibility at the next available opportunity”, he concluded.

The multiplier effect of the programme on the economy and lives of the residence of the state is also overbearing, as the uniform meant for the 20,000 cadets employed for the scheme was contracted to local tailors, numbering about 6,000 through their union and various associations. Also, throughout the training period of the cadets, food vendors were sought from among the residents of the communities where the training were held.


The OYES programme engaged 20,000 in 30 local governments areas and the area office at Modakeke, making an average of 600 plus per council area. This has to a large extent improved the lot of traders in the various communities and in no distant time the communities in Osun State would begin to experience positive changes from the service the cadet would be dishing out to their various communities, in terms of adding value to the various facets of lives.

Aregbesola, in 2005, pledged to engage 20,000 youths, three thousand above the state workforce. In his first 100 days in office, it is no longer a promise, but an achievement. The governor has also said the names of those in the database of the scheme would always be considered in other employment schemes his administration would be rolling out as the government takes root.[/b]

During a tour of the training centres, it was discovered that the cadets were not only given physical and mental alertness training, but were also reoriented in line with the new concept of Omoluabi, which forms the basis of character and value orientation among the residents of the states. The new administration is inculcating this in the members of the cadets to ensure that they do not just add value to themselves but also to the society.

The commandant of the cadets, Colonel Enibukun Oyewole (Rtd) said the training will help bring out their best in the service od the fatherland.

The cadets, according to Governor Aregbesola would be posted to six major areas where the state has urgent needs. These areas include public works, environmental beautification and sanitation, law enforcement, medical emergency and road traffic management.

These are the areas where the governor believes would help translate the commercial activities of the state and also increase its revenue generation within the shortest period of time.

According to him, “there is no doubt that the deployment of youthful energies will translate to socio-economic boom for the state”.