By Michael Adeyemo

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South West is now enmeshed in crisis over who replaces the late National Vice Chairman of the party, Honourable Soji Adagunodo.

Adagunodo had passed away on Monday 8th May 2023 and was buried on Saturday 22nd July 2023.

The late National Vice Chairman South West of the party occupied the seat as representative of Osun State but never enjoyed the support of Governor Ademola Adeleke’s faction of the PDP in the state.

Shortly after Adagunodo’s demise, the Adeleke group started moves to have him replaced by a member of their faction, a development that was consummated last week when Hon. Kamoru Ajisafe was presented to replace him by the Adeleke faction of party.


Miffed by the development, some Board of Trustees and foundation members of the party in the state who have been sidelined by the administration of Ademola Adeleke in the state for over a year since the gubernatorial election on July 16, 2022, made a counter move by nominating two names of party members to the party out of which one is expected to be picked to replace the deceased.

The two names put forward are Engr Yinka Jimoh Adigun, a one-time Chairman of Ejigbo Local Government and former Zonal PRO of the party while Prince Adelani Ajanaku, an erstwhile Special Adviser on Economic Matters in the state, is the second nominee.

Already, the decision of this group to forward the names of Adigun and Ajanaku as possible replacement to fill the vacant position has sent jitters in the camp of Adeleke who are said to be confused on what next to do.

South West Executive members of the party who were led by Adagunodo before his death, are said to be empowered by the PDP party constitution to elect who occupies the seat in this kind of scenario.

https://www.osun.life/2023/08/18/south-west-pdp-engulfed-in-crisis-over-adagunodos-vacant-seat/

The trio of Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Deji Adeleke and Rauf Aregbesola with seventeen other people have emerged as the twenty most influential from Osun State.

In a press statement released today by the Editor of osun.life, Mr. Joseph Akanbi, he said the list contained indigenes of the State whose ideas, example, talent and discoveries have transformed the state and nation at large. He further said there were different categories, limited slots as well as set criteria used in arriving at the list.

Mr. Akanbi who disclosed that the list would be an annual event to commemorate the State's creation anniversary said "It was a tedious task arriving at the final list but in computing list, our panel members who have proven antecedents, integrity and pedigree, went beyond sentiments, political, religious and ethnic affiliation

"Even though influence is hard to measure, the men on the list have attained influence either through public possession of power, have a real influence on events of our time or affect our lives through their moral example."

"Our greatest asset in Osun is our people and it is our hope that these listed men of honour would continue to do more, either individually or collectively unite to better the lives of the people of Osun State"

The list has Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Dr. Deji Adeleke and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola occupying the first three respectively.

Others on the list are:, Alhaji Tunde Badmus, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Chief Adebisi Akande, Ooni Enitan Ogunwusi, Alhaji Musa Animasaun, Pastor Hezekiah Oladeji, Alh.Gboyega Oyetola, Senator Francus Fadahunsi, Pastor Mathew Ashinmolowo, Rt. Hon. Lasun Yusuf, Mr. AbdulKabir Aliu, Senator Ademola Adeleke, Yusuf Alli (SAN), David Adeleke (Davido), Chief Yemi Elebuibon, Chief Festus Onigbinde and Alh.Muraina Oyelami.

culled from https://www.osun.life/2019/10/13/breaking-osun-life-releases-list-of-osun-20-most-influential/

By David Abiola

The current best female canoeist in Nigeria, Ayomide Bello will today, Sunday, 19th May, 2019 begin her quest in Budapest, Hungary in the International Canoeing Federation Championship.

The skilled canoeist, who was, on the 8th of May, 2019 honoured by the Governor, State of Osun, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola for being a good ambassador of the state will also join her colleagues from the rest of the world in Germany, and Hungary, for the International Canoeing World Cup.

The two international events are part of the last round of qualifiers for the 2020 Olympics holding in Tokyo, Japan.

Ayomide, who emerged overall best canoeist in last year’s National Sports Festival in Abuja has since participated in series of international rowing, canoeing and kayaking events and she clinched a gold medal at C2 200m as well as bronze medal at C2 500m at the 2019 Open International Canoe Championship in Bhopal, India on the 24th March, 2019.

Speaking on the development, the Director of Coaching and Training at the Osun State Sports Council, Mr. Ademola Daini lauded Governor Oyetola who is always there for the council in the provision of required support for Osun athletes to take part in international competitions.

“Ayomide came into limelight through the platform of the State Government as a result of regular participation in National Sports Festival and the National Youth Games. Since then, she has been waxing stronger at the global level which makes Osun to be a force to reckon with in rowing and canoeing.”

“It is the full backing of Governor Oyetola and the immediate past Commissioner for Sports, Social Protection and Special Needs, Comrade Biyi Odunlade that has kept her above her colleagues”.

The young talented-athlete, Ayomide while reacting to the development promised not to disappoint the state government and the entire Osun people in both Hungary and Germany and to come back from the events with the maximum points required to participate at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

She is expected back in Nigeria on the 3rd of June, 2019.

Source: https://www.osun.life/2019/05/19/osun-canoeist-ayomide-off-to-hungary-germany-for-olympics-qualifier/

By Jamiu Ganiyu

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Lasun Yusuf has explained why he was conspicuously absent at last year’s inauguration of Governor Gboyega Oyetola.

The Ilobu born politician disclosed this while speaking through his Senior Special Adviser on Constituency Relations, Professor Aderemi Ajala, exclusively with osun.life on issues relating to politics and governance in both Osun and Nigeria.

Lasun who debunked the insinuations that he did not to attend the swearing in because he was not disposed to the emergence of Governor Gboyega Oyetola, as the flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress in the primary election, said he jettisoned the official swearing in of the new governor because he was not officially invited as expected of a person of his status and asserted that it is protocol that has security implications which must be strictly adhered to.

In his words, “I was not invited and whoever wants to prove that, I challenge such person to come out. My position in Nigeria and our party has gone beyond the level of just attending a function without being invited because there are two reasons attached to it; my security details would want to know where I am going and who has invited me to such an event, so if I am not invited, I am going there at my own security risk and no security officials attached to me will follow because they would want to have documents and know who is to be held responsible if things went right or bad.”

“For instance, His Excellency, Governor Gboyega Oyetola can’t just go to anywhere without evidence of invitation as Governor because his security details would want to also know who is to be held responsible if things go haywire, so in as much as I was not invited to the inauguration, then I don’t need to go.” he concluded.

The runner up in the 2018 governorship primary of All Progressives Congress said he has since forgotten all issues surrounding the governorship ticket of the party because he knew right from the beginning that in politics whenever there is more than one interest in a particular position, someone would get it at the end.

He, however, lamented the declining fortunes of APC in State which he concluded has not been managed well by concerned stakeholders. He opined that some valuable members whose contributions cannot be underestimated but were dissatisfied with the ways the gubernatorial primary was handled and left the party needed to be worked upon in order to better position the party for better performance.

However, when osun.life reached out to a member of the Inauguration media committee, Mr. Jamiu Olawumi, he said there is no way such a personality like the Deputy Speaker could have been missed out on the list of invitees by the protocols committee.

“Rt. Hon. Lasun Yusuf is not a personality that could have been cross over. It is not contentious, he must have been invited, we cannot afford to have ignored such kind of status unless he has a personal thing that could show that he was not invited.” he concluded

Source: https://www.osun.life/2019/05/17/i-was-never-invited-to-oyetolas-inauguration-lasun/

Osun West Senator-elect, Engineer Adelere Adeyemi Oriolowo in this interview with RUTH CHOJI states that, the Nigerian Constitution is not functional as it should be even as he bares his mind on some other national issues.

Most people were surprised when you decided to contest Osun West senatorial seat and went on to win. Did you experience any challenge.

The first challenge was from the party when they had to conduct primaries to pick a candidate and the need to show that you are serious and deserving of that position. After the primaries, you are now faced with people wanting to make sure you meet them not just for meeting sake but everybody wants an inducement before voting for you. I made an analysis then that if you are looking for those who voted for me, about 1,000 people, if you say that on the average, you will spend N10,000 on each of them, that is one billion naira (N1bn). I want to tell you that nobody can be sustained on N10,000 for three weeks whereas, if you use that N1bn to establish a cottage industry, it will engage a lot of youths and capable hands. But people don’t see it in this light. The urge to give them money for one thing or the other is insatiable. Even after the elections, they will continue making demands on you ‘my mother died, I want to do the burial ceremony.’ ‘My child will resume school, I want to pay school fees’ and so on. It is a big challenge. These are some of the challenges I have faced and this is because our people are largely unproductive. But I discovered that these people blame it on unemployment, it is not employment alone. We need to engage people.

How can the government engage the teeming youths that are jobless?

Government must make a direct effort to engage our youths. There is no deliberate effort to get things done in Nigeria. What we have capacity and potential for in the country is what we still import. There is one idea in India that, ‘what you cannot produce, you don’t consume’. They consume only what they can produce. If we adopt that ideology, that what we can’t produce, we don’t consume, then things will get better. How can you explain that we have oil yet we don’t have any functional refinery? We have a lot of people that have studied petrochemical engineering and they are roaming the streets. They become militants when they are not engaged. Most of the people employed in the civil service today are not engaged until they rose to the position of assistant director. How did they manage to be there? We need to train our workforce. We don’t put people on jobs they don’t know anything about. In developed countries, if you go for leave of up to three months, you are trained for two weeks when you return. In Nigeria today, there is lack of capacity. That is why people end up stealing and spending the money before budget comes out.

Would you say president Buhari government is doing enough in terms of creating employment?

They are doing a lot in term of creating employment but not engagement. You don’t employ somebody that is not engaged. If for instance you employ 10 people and engage them, they will in turn engage others and this will go round. But once you employ them and drop them in government offices, they become redundant.

Given an opportunity to formulate a template on how to create employment in Nigeria, what will it be?

One of my aim of going into politics and going to the National Assembly is to make sure that we make laws that will make our constitution to be functional.

Are you saying the constitution is not functional as it should be?

The constitution is not functional as it should. If you take for example, talk about our security situation, there is enough provision in the constitution to make each governor security officer of their states, yet the police commissioner takes directive from the IGP. That is why there is agitation for state and community policing. These has led to the ineffectiveness of the security agencies. We have to look into the functionality of our constitution before we think of solving the problems. We also need educational reform. In our days, from your secondary school days, when you make first division in your WEAC, you are going to be employed immediately to teach in that school or another. The same in the university and polytechnic, you are retained as graduate assistant to teach others coming behind you. Our problem now is the waging system. Now people that are not brilliant go to the best companies while the brilliant ones are left to do petty jobs. We should reverse our policy on education. Every course should include principles of education in our institution. Lawyers be made to train upcoming lawyers, the same with doctors and we keep going until everybody is properly engaged.

Regarding the 2018 governorship election in Osun state, APC and Governor have just won the appeal. How do you feel?

We are convinced in the state that this Adeleke did not win the gubernatorial election but the incumbent governor was the one that won. If you hear of somebody that is fraudulent, you won’t want him to rule over you, will you? I don’t know why school certificate should be an issue in an election in this age and time. If we allow that to happen, the spirit of our forefather, Awolowo will not forgive us. This man is somebody with controversial secondary school certificate. If he has conscience, he will let the issue go.

But some Nigerians are still questioning the secondary school certificate of Mr. President as well…

Well the president has come out to clear his name, but this person’s certificate is still questionable. He needs to be scrutinised. In Osun, we are talking of education reform, even if eventually his school certificate is found to be okay, the trouble this will bring is that, children will want to behave that way by refusing to go further their education believing they can become leaders tomorrow. We are also looking at the realities on ground. Yes school certificate is the minimum requirement for political office but, you also need somebody with integrity, knowledge and experience to lead a state like Osun.

What happens if Adeleke wins at the Supreme Court, will APC hand over to him?

The Supreme Court has the final say and anything they say at that stage, we will accept the ruling to give out.

Source: Leadership Newspapers

By Editor

As part of the plans of the Gboyega Oyetola led administration to make the state of Osun a commercial hub in the country, the state government is making moves to make the Ayegbaju International Modern market function the way it ought to with the aim of improving the state’s economy.

The Supervisor for Finance who is also in charge of Commerce, Industries and Cooperatives, Mr Bola Oyebamiji chaired a meeting with stakeholders of the market with an aim to reinvigorate it.

Speaking at the meeting held at the conference room of the Ministry of Finance, Mr Oyebamiji stated that the Adebgoyega Oyetola led administration is determined to make the market function optimally and serve the purpose for which it was established.

He explained that Governor Oyetola has directed that new strategies be adopted with a view to getting the market fully active and operational, noting that the governor sees the market as the future of the state in terms of boosting commercial activities in the entire state.

According to him, “Our masses friendly governor is not too happy about how the Ayegbaju International Market is lying fallow without major commercial activities taking place in the facility.

“The governor is determined to make it work and functional and that’s why he has constituted this committee to see to the reinvigoration of the market because he believes the facility is the future of the state.

“We must all work together to see how we can bring the vision of building the market to reality for the benefit of the state and especially the coming generation. The market has the capacity to make Osun a major commercial hub in the country if we are determined and resilient to make it so”. Oyebamiji stated.

Also speaking at the meeting, the Supervisor for Budget and Economic Planning, Professor Olalekan Yinusa stated that the present administration in the state intends to do everything possible to take full control of the market which will enable the state have full advantage of the facility now and in the future.

Professor Yinusa pointed out that if such a facility is well managed and made to be fully operational, the state will no doubt be ranked among it’s peers in terms of revenue generation and economic growth.

He said, “it’s a privilege to have such a facility in Osun and right at the center of the state capital Osogbo, as a state we should take full advantage of it to boost our economy.

In his own remarks, the Immediate past Commissioner For Commerce, Industry And Cooperatives, Mr Jayeoba Alagbada held that the Ayegbaju International market is no doubt a thing of pride to the state which the state should take full advantage of.

In attendance at the meeting were: the Permanent Secretary, Ministry Of Finance, Mrs Adebimpe Ogunlumade, Former Special Assistant to the Governor on Finance, Dr Wale Tijani, the Manager, Ayegbaju International market, Mr Akeem Oladehinde, the Coordinating Director, Ministry Of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Mr Fadugba Olajide among others.

Source: https://www.osun.life/2019/05/18/oyetola-unhappy-with-ayegbaju-market-begins-moves-to-reinvigorate-it/

By Jamiu Ganiyu

The case of late Senator Isiaka Adeleke’s is coming to an end as the prosecutor has called the final witness in the suit against the cause of death of the late Senator which continued today at an Osun State High Court, Ede Division, which was presided over by Justice Ayo Oyebiyi of Osun State High Court.

The prosecution of the team was led by Acting Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Justice for the state, Dapo Adeniji.

The senior legal officer in the State led a Divisional Police officer in charge of Dugbe Police Station Osogbo, Mr. Ogunkanmi Gbemileke in evidence at the continuation of the trial today.

While giving his testimony, Mr. Ogunkanmi, said he directed his Men (police officers) to file and sign the autopsy and coroner form before autopsy commenced on the late Senator.

He said further that after the coroner form was filled the pathologist commenced investigation on Late Senator at Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital Osogbo and immediately he finished examining the corpse, police team later moved all other necessary samples to the police headquarters Osogbo.

He stated further that one Oladipo Fabode brought a polythene bag to LAUTECH Teaching Hospital on that day which contained used drugs and later handed it over to him.

Mr. Ogunkanmi stated that he didn’t participate in the autopsy but his men did thorough investigations on the corpse and presented a report to the coroner inquest.

It would be recalled that Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara-led coroner inquest had recommended the Nurse Aderibigbe for prosecution, having established that he administered a drug overdose on the late Senator, thus causing his death.

Counsel to the suspect, Soji Oyetayo, was however given the opportunity to cross-examine the witnesses.

In his own testimony, the Consultant Pathologist, who carried out the autopsy on Adeleke’s corpse, Dr Taiwo Sholaja, also testified in the Court that Adeleke died of drug overdose.

Justice Ayo Oyebiyi thereafter adjourned the case to 6th of July 2019.

Source: https://www.osun.life/2019/05/19/late-adeleke-prosecution-closes-case-against-nurse/

Osun state known as the state of virtue is in the Western part of Nigeria and is characterized for its peaceful nature. It has its capital as Oshogbo which is regarded as one of the cheapest capitals to live in Nigeria. Coming to Osun was a big deal for me because I had never been to the state and had to come for my one year service program. I had been used to the lifestyle I enjoyed in Lagos.

Getting to Osun state was totally a new step that came with mixed feelings. I did not feel so good because I would miss the life I was used to but was also glad that I was changing my environment, was going to be meeting new people, learning new things, gaining new experiences and at most growing and gradually moving towards being an independent person.

Transportation has always been an integral aspect of a society and has been a new experience entirely that have been trying to adapt to. The transportation system in Osun state is nothing compared to that of Lagos state. Most roads are made of two lanes with a single carriage way in which all major roads are tarred. The roads are filled with various vehicles ranging from private cars, to taxis which are available to major places, to mini buses also known as “korope” which is the most popular public transport medium in the state, to motorcycles known as “okada”. “Koropes” and “okadas” form the most used medium of movement in the state.

Compared to Lagos and some other states, traffic in Osun is minimal. Although, due to the fact that there are some narrow major roads, traffic becomes an occurrence that is on a steady. The narrow nature of such roads have been tagged the cause of some accidents that have occurred. Also, not all roads have traffic lights and where there are, they are of little or no use.

Moreover, some roads have potholes which makes movement on such roads difficult and puts the commuters of the road at risk. Some roads also lack road signs to inform motorists of the road conditions which aids the smooth movement of motorists and disallows congestion and accidents. Street lights are also not present on all roads in the state and where present, are not utilized. Some of these roads also lack good drainage system which allows pollution of such areas.

Also, the transport fare is relatively affordable. Infact, distances that cost about one hundred and fifty naira in Lagos, costs about sixty to eighty naira in Osun. Although, the transport fare is subjected to haggling between a passenger and the driver thereby allowing both parties come to an agreement on the price to be paid and received.

Finally, within the short period of time I have spent in Osun state, I’ve gotten to embrace almost every aspect of the state and figured it is a good place to reside due to its affordable cost of living, less congestion and accommodating environment.

Awolusi Similola, a serving corp member in Osun State, wrote in from Osogbo, the state capital.

culled from https://www.osun.life/2018/02/03/my-osun-experience-by-awolusi-similola/

Barely seven weeks ago, the Fulani herdsmen killed over 70 innocent citizens in four communities in Benue state, I watched with the most annoying disgust the decision of seven northern governors visiting our dear president to endorse him for the second term. It was most irritating that one of the governors based his premise on the political stability of the country. He argued that a second term for Buhari would ensure that the north complete it’s eight years tenure. He further stressed that should another Northerner emerge from another party, the likelihood of zoning the presidency to the Southeast in 2023 becomes so slim if not totally impossible. He added that in order to circumvent tensions and imminent crisis, Nigerians should ensure the emergence of Buhari AGAIN come 2019.

Admittedly, the proponents of the second term bid for the presidency are right on the unlikelihood of the southeast having the presidency zoned to them if another northerner emerges as the president from the main opposition party. But the questions I find particularly fascinating are these: are these northern governors threatening the generality of Nigerians, if we do not vote for the continuation of the administration? Will APC base their next campaign on the promise of ensuring the southeast presidency instead of showing Nigerians their scorecards and telling Nigerians what they have achieved since this administration started?

The deceits of this administration started four years ago when they hoodwinked gullible Nigerians with mouth-watering promises such as the provision of 2million jobs for unemployed graduates yearly, making $1=N1, making the price of a litre of premium motor spirit (PMS) popularly known as Petrol N45 and eliminating queues at fuel stations. They further promised to make power stable, eradicate corruption and make Nigeria paradise on earth. They sounded so convincing and persuasive as if they have a magic wand to wave in order to make Nigeria great again. To cap it all up, they promised to pay unemployed youths stipends monthly and feed all pupils in primary schools across the federation. Personally, I am a neutral observer when it comes to politics but I must admit that it was tempting to give into this new era.
Alas, it is almost 3years since this current administration has been ushered in and all we can honestly conclude about their performance is that it has been from the sublime era of the previous administration to the ridiculous of the current one. This administration has been tagged the worst of all governance in Nigeria due to increasing level of corruption, lack of direction, ineptitude in policy making, gerontocracy, excessiveness, terrorism, nepotism, economic depression, inflation, just to mention few. What is particularly disturbing is the fact that this administration is blatantly exhibiting shortcomings of what they accused the previous administration of doing.

It thus baffles me how APC wishes to sell themselves to Nigerians this time around. Will they promise to restore the job losses to the over 5million Nigerians who have lost their jobs since they came into power? Or will they promise to make $1=N1? Remember the dollar to a naira was N200 on the day they assumed power but today it is $1=N360? Or will they promise to make a liter of fuel N45 yet again? How will they face the families of those murdered in cold blood on new year day in Benue and canvass for their votes? Or how will they face the southern Kaduna to canvass for their votes? Or Taraba, the other state which herdsmen have been terrorizing and killing innocent citizens at will.
When President Muhammadu Buhari came to power, he pledged to tackle corruption, insecurity and make the economy better. In his first 360 days in office, we had economic recession or depression, some would say. Boko Haram has been terrorizing as usual. Herdsmen have also been ravaging like never before. Corruption has relatively increased especially when we consider that Mainagate and the controversial awards of contract by the NNPC GMD, Maikanti Baru without due process. These are just the few the minds can recall aside from the high profile stalled court cases still pending.

All these keep begging the questions; which corruption is the President fighting? Which insecurity is he tackling? What has the president particularly done to cut off the malignant tumor bedeviling our economy? What has he done to merit another term? The answers are visibly clear though but I will leave it for you to decide. Another election is very much around the corner. How Nigerians react to these failed promises is yet to be seen. My admonition is that we choose wisely this time.

culled from https://www.osun.life/2018/02/23/the-deceit-and-propaganda-of-the-buhari-administration-by-abimbola-ogunmuyiwa/

In the next seven months, September 22nd to be precise, the good people of Osun state will decide successor of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the fourth democratically elected Governor of the state. The race is on for Governor of the state who will be saddled the affairs of the state for the next four years or beyond. Names of potential candidates have been bandied around, posters, billboards, local mobilizations are at top gear and political permutations at it’s peak. By general calculation or rotation, Osun West Senatorial District is expected to produce the next Governor. However, there are aspirants from the Eastern and Central Senatorial Districts, signifying interest on both sides of the divide, i mean the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Over the last few years a lot has happened within the ruling party (APC) and the major opposition party (PDP), both suffering from internal democracy, massive impunity and inability to conduct free fair and credible Congresses. There is massive division, the dichotomy between the home based and the so-called foreign based politician in the APC. Although the problem might be half solved as far as APC is concerned because the Governor who’s also the leader of the party in the state already had his way in the last ward Congress by voting out party official that are not loyal to him and other perceived enemies that might be the clog in wheel of selecting who will succeed him as the Governor. As far as PDP is concerned internal democracy is still the bane they are unable to conduct ward congress, they are sharply divided along Soji Adagunodo faction and Bayo Faforiji/Omisore faction. There are possibilities of emergence of third force for safe abode from the outcast or disgruntled element from the two major parties who are outnumbered by the majority, politics is the game of number so they say.

There might be possibilities of another force where in the last few weeks we saw the emergence of the movement called coalition for Nigeria, engineered by former president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and spearheaded by the immediate former Governor of the state Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola. One still wonders whether it’s a political party in the making or a sociopolitical movement or a civil society organization. Osun elections might be their litmus test to showcase their popularity and strength. We don’t need a political party of saint and Angels. We need a political party with ideology and candidates with realistic programmes and we should be wary of politics of Bandwagon and look out for special leadership qualities from the candidates.

The corridors of our public life are littered with opportunists and greedy self-centered dying politician, who are ready to grab power by all means and it is settled that we need those who have genuine stake in the state, those who will make effort to create a society that everybody will have a taste of good and balanced governance. it is also settled that we need a political party with clear and ideological commitment and candidate with realistic programme, which is the trick that will expose lack of direction of some of our politicians, cluelessness of most of those who make loud claim top scholastic attainments or those who speak fluent and big grammar that will not necessarily translate to good governance.

The good people of Osun must watch out and we must not confuse champions for leaders, nor prominence for pre-eminence. We must not confuse eloquence with honesty, neither must we confuse silence for wisdom. We must not confuse good looks for efficiency nor bravado for courage. We should look out for a leader who sees himself and act as the servant of the people, not their master, a leader that will ensure fairness and equity to the various groups, a leader who will be the trusted friend of the people and protector of less privileged. We require leaders who will make the right judgment of the people and of situations. We want a leader who must be accountable to the people. We want a leader who must be fanatical for the peoples’ welfare and must all time stand for justice and symbolize good governance.

Above all Osun State needs a smart and intelligent person with an experience in financial engineering and fiscal responsibility, someone that will improve the internally generated revenue, debt negotiations and debt servicing, an experts that’s in touch with the reality on ground. A Governor who listen to people’s yearnings and aspirations, shapes them in to policy that will affect lives of the people. We should look out for a servant leader that will take human welfare serious, balanced with infrastructural development. A leader that will leverage on our massive tourism potential, agricultural potential and solid mineral base. A Governor that will identify areas of revenue generation and investment opportunities in the state and provide useful business information on them to attract potential investor and private sectors to reduce unemployment to the nearest minimum to breakaway from civil servants state to one of the largest economy in Nigeria.

All opinions and errors are mine.

Femi Adesola

culled from https://www.osun.life/2018/02/21/osun-2018-the-perfect-candidate-by-femi-adesola/

The elders say that only a child who washes his hands clean shall dine with them. This in no way means that the other children would not eat from the elders, rather it means that they would eat after the elders have eaten, the crumbs, leftovers. However, the positive side of it is that a child who had always been eating crumbs could get elevated at some point. Osun State is at that exact point! A crossroad, where her fate for the next four years would be decided. Would the people of Osun, Awon Omoluabi, decide to wash their hands clean so as to dine with the elders. So as to compete among the top tier states in the country, so as to become a global brand?

Elections come and go, politicians come and go, the same applies with favourites. Until the state begins to look beyond elections, politicians, and even favourites. The state must begin to look in the direction of the future. The future shall be achieved by plans. The plans shall be seen through manifestos and debates. It is not impossible for a gubernatorial election debate to be held where candidates would be drilled and accessed on the art of leadership. A state that boasts of hosting more than five universities, with the likes of Obafemi Awolowo University, Osun State University, Redeemers University, Adeleke University, Bowen University, Kings University and some others. Such a state has every instrument at her disposal.

On the scale of preference, the future must begin to outweigh the favourite, lest the state continues to rigmarole around stagnant. The dirty hands must be washed clean, and untapped resources must be harnessed and properly put to use, so as to enable us dine with the pillars of the country. For a state that has the blessings of Gold, Limestone, Agriculture, and even a World standard tourism site like the Osun Osogbo groove, it is unarguably sane to say that she has not lived up to her potential.

The first time a gubernatorial election debate was done in the state, several candidates turned down the idea, in 2014, only Ogbeni Stuff Aregbesola was in attendance and he consequently won the election. However, this still poses the question of choosing between the favorites or the future. This time if only a debate is well-publicised and organized, the fear of falling on the wrong side of the public by chickening out of a debate would outweigh the fear of bad performance at debate. A cue could be taken from recent elections at Edo and Anambra states. However, this time rather than confining the eminent candidates to a studio, a university could be used where the public would gather and watch, of course under heavy security. This way everyone sees beneath the beautiful faces on campaign posters, and peep into the intellectual capability of these eminent candidates.

Truly Osun State is at a crossroad, a junction, with the favourite in a corner and the future in another. To dine with the elders she must go for the future. She must harness her resources, expand her market consequently curbing unemployment, illiteracy, and crime. And then, without hesitation, she shall be given a seat at the table of the elders.

culled from https://www.osun.life/2018/02/28/osun-2018-between-favourite-and-future-by-shalom-ibironke/

The coast is getting clearer, as Osun governorship election is getting closer day by day, aspirants are surfacing from different parties on a daily basis, political permutations, alignments, and consultation are at the top gear. Above all these, what is sacrosanct is many will be called but only one will be chosen. Less than one week that the APC will be lifting the embargo placed on its members from political campaigns, the ruling party APC will fling its door open for campaigns. Political posters, stickers and banners with different slogans have been visible in every public space, including billboards, private and commercial buses.



The latest revelation in the political ambience is the emergence of another political slogan “IleriOluwa 2018”, there has been massive and growing awareness of this slogan on social media spaces and mini commercial buses ”korope”. It has been gathered by undisclosed source, that the slogan will be the nomenclature attached to the Governorship ambition of the current chief of staff, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola, his purported emergence will be a bitter pill to swallow for so many many politicians in the APC fold and the champion of zoning within the APC folds. This will further show the political strength of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Ogbeni Rauf in Osun state.



The Iragbiji born Insurance Broker, who is also traced to the Tinubu dynasty as his stepbrother, has been rumored to be the anointed candidate from the Bourdillion. Foundation has already been laid on his behalf, which will make his victory at the party primaries a smooth sails. However victory at the primaries alone cannot necessarily hand him the keys to the Bola Ige house, he needs to erect pillars, colon and beams to make the bridge a strong one for him to walk on without fear of collapsing. This bridge needs to be a connection of the home and foreign-based politician for a smooth ride to the Bola Ige House.



Some of the home-based politicians have been agitating for a local politician that will be accessible to them, understand local politics, patronage and stomach infrastructure. Some of them whom I spoke with, maintained that they will never support any foreign based politician, they maintained they can’t stand seeing someone from another state to be appointed as aides to the Governor, where there are many qualified party member within the state to assume the position. They believe public and stomach infrastructure will be trickled down better with an home based politician in charge. Hence the home based politician must be carried along both in campaign process and governance.



Zoning is another factor that might stop the insurance guru from occupying the Bola Ige House after Aregbesola. Oyetola is from Iragbiji, Boripe local Government of the Osun Central Senatorial District, a region that has produced two consecutive Governors, Chief Bisi Akande from 1999 to 2003 and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola who took over from 2003 to 2010. To me, leadership is too serious a matter to be decided by accident of birth or of geography. What we really need is a leader that have the interest of his people at heart with concrete and genuine programmes for the people. Senator Isiaka Adeleke of blessed memory, was the only politician from Osun West Senatorial District fortunate to have been Governor for a very short period of time, a regime truncated by the military junta in 1993.



Some political analysts smack down the idea of zoning that it’s alien to democracy, some say people that are champion of zoning are weaker competitor looking for a shortcut to power, to prevent better candidates. Some believe zoning is a political management tool to balance interests.





Consequently, while listening to the views of some politicians, they maintained zoning won’t affect his chances so far he’s sellable and unblemished. Several moves have been made recently by Ogbeni Aregbesola using the state apparatus, social media, mainstream media and the party structure to solidify Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola’s governorship’s ambition.

culled from https://www.osun.life/2018/03/01/ilerioluwa-2018-oyetola-launches-guber-campaign-by-femi-adesola/

By Funmi Akinsanya

The seeming crisis between Asiwaju Tunde Badmus and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola became evident yesterday as the Eid-Kabir prayer at the popular Oke Baale Muslim Praying Ground in Osogbo was almost disrupted following a crisis that erupted between the Asiwaju Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Khamis Tunde Badmus and the current Attorney General of Osun State, Dr. Ajibola Basiru.

The flourishing relationship between Asiwaju Badmus and Ogbeni Aregbesola had greatly degenerated in the last few months, the degeneration manifested when Amo Byng Nig Ltd was announced as the anchor of the second phase for the Osun Broilers Production Scheme.

Read also OBOPS II: Tuns Farm abandons Osun State Government, calls scheme a scam

The relationship when flourishing gave the incumbent governor a resounding victory in his second term election, the ability of Asiwaju Badmus’s led coalition to deliver the much coveted Osogbo votes swinged the result in the favour of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

In a reaction exclusively given to the Punch Newspapers Correspondent and monitored by our medium.

The commissioner said, “I was at the praying ground when Chief Tunde Badmus came with his children and his followers. I made an attempt to greet him but he rebuffed me and I took no offence in that.

“I created space where I sat and there was a space for him to sit on but he asked my friend to get up and he called me a bastard and thief. I don’t know what I did to him to deserve those kinds of word in the public, but God gave me the calmness and I did not reply him. I refused to be provoked.”

But in a swift reaction, a highly placed source within the Badmus family, denied all these saying nobody harassed the Attorney General of the State, Dr Ajibola Basiru.

He alleged that Dr Basiru’s attempt to rewrite history, norm and tradition led to the fracas. This source took us down memory lane to explain the seating tradition at this particular Eid ground. It is customary for the Governor to seat on the left, the Ataoja of Osogbo in the middle and the Asiwaju Musulumi of Yorubaland at the right.

He said “When we got to the Eid ground, Dr. Basiru was already seated on the front row with his friends who all happens to be unknown to either the Muslim hierarchy or monarchical hierarchy. It was a blatant disregard for the muslim norm and tradition. Chief Badmus had over 30 people in his entourage which included the Deputy Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Akintunde Adegboye, Senator Bayo Salami who also happens to be the Baba Adinni of Osogbo land, Chief Bayo Jimoh who is the Giwa Adinni of Osogbo land and former GMD of Odua Investments Group, Justice Adegoke, Alhaji Tajudeen Oladipo who is the Oluomo of Osogbo land, Rtd AIG Odofin, Alhaji Fatai Diekola, Kunle Adegoke Rasheed(K-RAD) among others.

We informed the people seated in the front row with the AG to move and create space for the leaders but they insisted they would not move, this eventually led to a fracas between our supporters”.

Our correspondent gathered that the inability of the Attorney General to caution his supporters, particularly one Taofeek Olatunde Badmus and ask them to move angered the leaders and all present at the Eid ground. It was learnt that the Dr. Basiru might also have been surprised by the presence of an Osogbo born popular lawyer, Kunle Adegoke Rasheed (K-RAD), a 2018 governorship aspirant who was also on the entourage of the business mogul. The fracas which was later resolved by Muslim leaders enabled all parties to observe their Eid-el-Kabir prayers peacefully.

Dr. Basiru whose popularity has increased greatly is believed to be nursing a 2018 governorship ambition. The Attorney General is believed to enjoy the support of the state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. Since the parting of Asiwaju Badmus and Governor Aregbesola, the Aregbesola led regime in preparation for 2018 has been trying to create a new structure in Osogbo to be headed by the Attorney General.

While we also reached out to the Attorney General to get his own side of the story, calls to his phone were unanswered and a text message sent to him on the subject matter is yet to be replied as at press time.

culled from: http://www.osun.life/2017/09/02/tuns-denies-harassing-osun-ag-says-basiru-attempted-to-change-tradition/

By Editor

The flourishing rapport between Tuns Farm and Osun State Government may have ended, this has led to the appointment of Amo Byng Limited as the anchor of the second phase of the Osun Broiler Outgrowers Production Scheme.

Recall that at the launch of the second phase of the programme. Mr. Kolawole Ogini, who is the facilitator of the second phase of the scheme, stated that OBOPS has placed Osun among states with relatively high production in the poultry business in Nigeria.

The agricultural scheme, which was initially established by the Governor Rauf Aregbesola-led administration in December 2011, was designed to create jobs and boost food security.

OBOPS I was operated on a tripartite basis and spurred a joint venture between the State Government, represented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, Tuns Farms Nigeria Ltd and Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN).

TUNS Farm, established and owned by the Osogbo born business mogul, Asiwaju Tunde Badmus is a major agriculture venture deeply rooted in the economy of the State.

Alhaji Badmus, a community leader with strong influence in Osogbo and the muslim community is a major sympathizer of the Aregbesola administration and APC and this rejection may be seen as a crack in the alliance between the duo.

A well informed source within TUNS Farm who spoke under anonymity, said the programme is a total scam. He said we stopped at the end of first cycle after discovering some shady deals. He said the second phase of the scheme would collapse before the end of the year as TUNS Farms still has over 350 farmers with them.

However, in a telephone conversation with our correspondent, Mr Kolawole Oginni, the project facilitator explained the choice of Amo Byng as the anchor of the second phase. He said Amo Byng is “big, organized, professional, has the integrity and capacity”. He stressed that there were basic conditions needed to amend in relations to how OBOPS I worked and that Amo Byng complied with the conditions.

Furthermore, he said the non-involvement of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) in the second phase is not a problem as the All Farmers Association is fully onboard. He also stressed that PAN is working with the management of TUNS Farm, so they needed a new and willing partner, which they found in AFAN.

culled from http://www.osun.life/2017/08/03/obops-ii-tuns-farm-abandons-osun-state-government-calls-scheme-a-scam/

The Director General of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria, DAWN, Commission, Dipo Famakinwa, is dead.

Multiple sources close to Mr. Famakinwa confirmed his death on Friday morning.

Mr. Famakinwa’s organisation was responsible for designing and implementing the blueprint for better integration and governance of the six south-western states.

More details later…

Source: http://www.osun.life/2017/04/21/breaking-dawn-dg-dipo-famakinwa-is-dead/

By Joshua Adeleke

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) is currently embroiled in a fresh crisis following an alleged plot by the Sam Saba-led board to use age 70 as a benchmark for retirement.



This is in sharp contrast with the appointment approved by former President GoodLuck Jonathan on 30th April, 2014 for Saba and other members of the board which clearly spelt five years tenure for them in a letter with reference number 331.19/S.24/215 and dated 3rd June, 2014 as signed by the then Secretary to the Government of the Federation,Alhaji Ahmed Yayale.



However,the board Chairman,Mr Sam Saba while reacting through the CCB Press Unit, stoutly defended their position, insisting that the 70 year age benchmark was constitutional.



Investigations by The Controversy revealed that if the plot sails through, some members of the board would have succeeded in spending 18 years on the board as against the mandatory five years.



This equally implies that the present crop of directors and some senior staff of the bureau who are civil servants would have retired while the board members who are on political appointment, would still be in place at the CCB, earning salaries and other emoluments.



Due to the furore generated by this development, the acting CCB Secretary,Mrs Folashade Kolawole is said to have angrily resigned her appointment despite the pleas by her civil servant colleagues not to make good her threat of quitting. She allegedly put in her papers last Wednesday ,12th April, 2017,after being handed a suspension letter by the board.



More importantly, it was discovered that the CCB was one of the fourteen Federal Executive Bodies tied to a four to five year tenure.



Others include Federal Character Commission, Federal Judicial Service Commission, Council of State, Independent National Electoral Commission, Federal Civil Service Commission,National Population Commission, National Defence Council, National Judicial Council, National Security Council,National Economic Council,Nigeria Police Council, Police Service Commission, and Revenue Mobilisation and Allocation Commission



The current board came into a place in April, 2010,during the era of Dr. Good luck Jonathan and was expected to have left in June, 2015.



Strangely however, two years after the expiration of their tenure , the five members which consists of Sam Saba, Ademola Adebo, Bekefula Stephen Festus , Ibrahim Manjo, Nwadinobi Okechukwu and Christy. O. Ekoja, they have not only refused to leave, they will be retiring there when the clock 70 years of age, one after the other.



However , the raging crisis currently bogging the CCB, is believed to have been engendered by the alleged double standards of the former Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Muhammad Bello Adoke.



For instance, when a former member of the board, Barrister Yakubu. M. Tukur appointed in 2007, sought to extend his tenure in 2012, his request was turned down through a letter with ref no HAGF/CCB/2012/VOL1/ 2 and dated 5th March, 2012.



On the strength of this , The controversy further gathered that the tenure of Tukur ended in 2012 through a letter with ref no; SGF/19/S.24/C.180, dated 14th June, 2012 even when he was 66 years old at that time.



But curiously,the same Attorney General, was believed to have made a volte-face sometimes in May,2014,precisely 4 years into the 5year tenure of the current board members , having been allegedly approached by them.



To this effect , the then Justice Minister in his submission to former President Jonathan in a letter with reference number GAGF/SH/2014/VOL.1/44 and dated 13th May, 2014, recommended that the board members could stay in office till they attain the age of 70,



Owing to this position and the approval of the former President, the board members tenure was rewritten by the erstwhile Secretary of the Government of the Federation, Mr.Anyim



Pius Anyim in a signed letter dated 10th July, 2014,with reference number SGF.19/S.24/C.3/154,said the chairman and his board members “shall vacate office on attaining the age of 70”.



The Controversy’s investigation further revealed that the implication of this is that, going by the provisions, the length of service of the chairman and members of the board , based on their date of birth , appointment and their expected date of attainment of 70 years, they will be spending between 8years at the minimum and 18years at the maximum on CCB board.



However, the staff of the bureau would take none of these as they are said to be bellyaching and spoiling for show down with the board over the matter.



The Controversy learnt that the aggrieved staff are anchoring their agitation on the fact that the board members were on political appointment.



“It is not employment, nor a pensionable appointment. This provision is completely in violation of tenure principle and rules of engagement of political office holders” said some of them who preferred anonymity.



They further argued that the board members were appointed after being screened and confirmed by the Senate in 2010 for a five year tenure .



” Was and is the renewal of chairman and board members of Code of Conduct Bureau not subject to Senate screening and reconfirmation should the tenure be renewed? If confirmation is required, why was the chairman and members’ appointment, extended administratively? they queried.



Already, the issue which is currently unsettling the bureau due to the stance of the staff, is said to be receiving the attention of the Senate and might come up for mention on the floor of the Upper Chambers anytime from now.



Specifically, representatives of the aggrieved staff were said to have met with the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki recently on the matter and was said to have promised to look into it after being briefed.



Meanwhile, the board while justifying its position in an electronic response sent by the Information Officer, Mr Idris Mohammed, maintained that their actions were backed by law.



“This is a constitutional issue as clearly stated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended. The Federal Executive Bodies established by Section 153,states that a ‘Code of Conduct Bureau shall comprise the following members (a) 1 Chairman and (2) Nine other members.

Each of who at the time of appointment,shall not be less than fifty years of age and subject to the provisions of Section 157 of this constitution, shall vacate his office on attaining the age of seventy years…….”



As result,the board pointed out that the members had not flouted the law on the tenure issue,stressing,”This, therefore, clears the long misconception about the tenure of members of the Board of Code of Conduct Bureau which has in the recent times, attracted legal action from some civil society groups”

The board equally vaunted that if brought up at the Senate, it was sure of getting the support of the lawmakers assuring, if brought before the floor of the Senate, it would receive the overwhelming support of the Senate since they are people that are knowledgeable on constitutional provisions that set up the CCB and other agencies of the government “

Source: http://www.thecontroversy.com.ng/tenure-saga-tears-code-of-conduct-bureau-apart/

By Mustapha Aleem

The Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola took to his social media handle, Twitter, on Saturday to express his excitement over the 2-0 victory of the London side over Hull City in a Premier League Clash.

Sanchez scored his 16th goal of the EPL season and gave the Gunners the lead in the 34th minute of the game after the ball ricocheted off his hand.

He sealed the win for his side from the spot after Sam Clucas conceded a penalty for handling on the line.

Aregbesola, said he would gladly take the two goals and three points to celebrate the win.

He tweeted, “Feels like forever since we last won a football match. I’ll take the goal and three points. Thank you very much.”

The win saw Arsenal maintain their unbeaten run against Hull in their last 14 games in all competitions, their eighth win in their last nine games.

Hull began the game brightly, dominating possession. Oumar Niasse and Lazor Markovic had half chances to score but fluffed their lines.

But in the 33rd minute Super Eagles star Alex Iwobi, making his 22nd appearance for the Gunners this season, started the move which led to the goal from the left flank.

The Nigerian picked out Mesut Ozil whose cutback pass was deflected to the path of Kieran Gibbs and with Eldin Jakupovic trying to make a save the ball bounced up and hit Sanchez hand before going in.

In the second half Hull started brightly again with Markovic finding Niasse in the box from the right flank but Petr Cech was on hand to make a brilliant save.

In the 62nd minute, Iwobi failed to hit target after playing a cheeky one, two with Mesut Ozil in the box before curling his shot wide.

Theo Walcott also fired a tame shot at Japukovic in goal for Hull City after he was played on by Sanchez

Source: http://www.osun.life/2017/02/11/arsenal-victory-excites-aregbesola/

By Temitope Oguntayo

The Executive Governor of the State of Osun, Mr. Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, is the Osun State politician with the most number of followers on Twitter.

osun.life was able to confirm this after a thorough review of Osun politician's activities on the popular social media platofrm.

Governor Aregbesola, as at the time of gathering this piece has a whooping 228,000 followers on official verified account @raufaregbesola while Senator Jide Omoworare representing Osun East Senatorial District has 9,728 followers on his official account @jideomoworare. Closely followed in third is Senator Isiaka Adeleke, the first Executive Governor of Osun state and present Senator representing Osun West Senatorial District with 7,274 followers on @isiakaadeleke1.

The only woman who made the list is Honourable Ayo Omidiran, representing Ayedaade, Irewole and Isokan Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, takes her place in fourth with 2,245 followers on @ayomidiran while Senator Iyiola Omisore, former Deputy Governor and Senator and the gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2014, came in fifth with 1,502 followers on @iyiosun.

Source: http://www.osun.life/2017/02/02/twitter-aregbesola-tops-osun-politicians/

Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has asserted that prisons in the country put together, would not have been enough to accommodate all the bigwigs of the Peoples Democratic Party had the Nigerian government pursued all cases of financial malfeasance perpetrated under the party in its 16 years of misrule.



Dr Bayo Faforiji, a factional leader of the PDP in the state, had in an interview with The Controversy ,an online medium, described Aregbesola as an awaiting prisoner for allegedly awarding contracts worth billions of naira above the approving limit of a governor without a cabinet two years into his second year in office.



According to Faforiji, the approving limit of a governor is N50m, wondering where Aregbesola got the power to award contacts running into billions of naira without appointing commissioners for over two years into his second year in office.



But reacting on Tuesday, the governor described the PDP factional Chairman’s position as balderdash.

.

Specifically speaking through the Bureau of Communication and Strategy, in a statement by its Director, Semiu Okanlawon,contended that rather than calling Aregbesola an “awaiting prisoner,” Faforiji should bury his head in shame for belonging to and still identifying with a political party that brought Nigeria to her kneels before Nigerians made a better choice.



“It’s a shame Faforiji talks of “approving limit”. Did his party, PDP, give a damn to anything decency and financial regulations while in power? If so, Nigerians would not by now be treated to these revelations of humongous cases of stealing that are beyond human comprehension after its exit from power.”



The statement said Faforiji’s allegation over executive council should not have come from him as it reminded him that the totality of the number of executive council meetings held under the PDP government to which he served did not amount to one quarter of the required number.



“Faforiji did not have the opportunity of intelligent and exhaustive debates while he served as a commissioner. So, he is not well placed to make this allegation”



The Bureau said Dr Faforiji as a Commissioner for Works, superintended the Ministry of Works in Osun when a road contract to his homestead was awarded to an insider of the PDP administration and the project was paid for but abandoned.



“What more to say about this brood of vipers?”

It noted further that the Aregbesola administration has instituted one of the most shining examples of transparent governance in Nigeria.



“Our model has become a template for others in public finance,” the statement added.

Saying the PDP and its troubled stalwarts must have reached the end of their wits, the Bureau added that the Aregbesola administration had in its six years, confronted the most virulent cases of manipulations of figures and facts.



“What is it that we have not been subjected to? The PDP had sought to find faults in all our laudable programs. But these have been efforts in futility.



“From our contract awards to revenues accruing to us and bailout loan, we have seen bare faced lies, innuendo and mischief. We are however consoled by the fact that these lies have blown on the faces of those who orchestrated them. Unknown to the PDP, manipulations such as these are the reasons the people of Osun would continue to reject it at the polls”

Source: http://www.thecontroversy.com.ng/nigerian-prisons-not-enough-for-pdp-thieves-aregbesola/

By Temitope Oguntayo

Permit me to air my view on the recent and ever-present travails in the Nigeria Police Force.

It has become a general consensus to virtually all the people of the country that the Nigeria Police Force has become an institution that takes delight in extorting money from internet fraudsters (“yahoo boys”) rather than facing their task to enforce and safeguard the lives and property of its citizenry.

How are we to come to term with the fact that civilians tend to take to their heels when “the men in black” come to sight? Do we call them menace to the society just because of the weapon they wield or for the simple fact that an encounter with them only strikes one warning to heart: extortion?

Here steps in Mr. Fatai Owoseni, the Commissioner of Police of Lagos state and Mr. Fimihan Adeoye, the commissioner of Police of the State of Osun.

The former, being the “overseer” of the affairs of the Nigeria Police Force in Lagos state had to bring some of his men to book because of their dealings with a particular set of the so called “yahoo boys”. Is it not a thing of ridicule and shame that his men after nabbing the boys, had to follow them to the bank to retrieve some certain amount of money from them, unknowing to them that one of them is closely related to a top official who had to call the Commissioner to conceal the truth from him, what happens if such boys are not from “well-to-do” family?

Bravo on the part of Mr. Owoseni, who had to lock up his men on the charge of robbery as is it not comprehendible how policemen will have to follow civilians to a bank just to extort money from them.

His Osun counterpart, Mr. Fimihan Adeoye had to wait till two students of the Osun State University (UNIOSUN) were shot by some policemen while they were playing football on a field outside the campus on a Saturday morning thereby prompting protest from the other students before he could take action despite the fact that some delegation of the students have on numerous occasions gone to him to lodge complaints about his men’s harassment. It is noteworthy to say the policemen were trying to nab some of the students playing football, believed to be internet fraudsters, who in the process of denial, prompt the men in black to rain bullets on them. It was aftermath the incident, some students testified to the policemen always coming into their hostels to arrest them on the ground of being “yahoo” bandits and will have to make away with their phones, laptops and gadgets. The students also confirmed that such act is affecting innocent students on campus too as policemen can easily tag anyone a fraudster once they see them with expensive phones. There is no other way to say this is simply robbery on the part of this particular security agency when we compare these two scenarios.

This act by our policemen has raised eyebrows on their conduct by members of the public whether it is their civic responsibility to forcefully obtain cash from civilians or truly focus on what the ethics of the Nigeria Police Force entails.

Albeit of any conclusion, members of the Force should bear in mind the main aim of the Force, to protect the lives and properties of people of this great nation rather than focusing on what the nabbing of culprits will be to their “selfish” advantage.

It is without gainsaying that this act by our policemen has given more than enough rooms for more youths to engage in internet fraud and other social vices, reason being that they believe they have the support of the men in black once they make contact with them on the platform of buying themselves out of an arrest with money in the first place.

Source: http://www.osun.life/2017/01/28/police-misconduct-fatai-owosenis-legacy-or-fimihan-adeoyes-debacle/

By Mustapha Aleem

The Osun State indigenous newspaper has shut the production of its newspapers but continues the online version due to the inability to pay its Workers’ salaries since September, 2015.

According to a source, who is close to the organisation, the hard copy production stopped in October, 2016.

Osun Defender, which is registered under Moremi Publishers, was said to be having a staff strength of about 20 reporters, senior reporters and editors, together with some publishers.

Another insider, who pleaded anonymity, stated that the media house, which used to have representatives, who from time to time negotiate on behalf of he staffers with the authorities in charge of the organisation over their welfare, no longer had any group that could help it pressure the concerned quarters to paying their backlog of salaries.

When asked if he was aware of the shut in operation, the source said he only visited the organisation a long time ago, since the government could not fulfil his responsibility, emphasizing it was a right step by the organisation to have shut operation.

Another one said, “I expect this to have happened a long time because we are being owed about 15 months salaries. The governor was able to play us about because we no longer have representatives, who can negotiate on our behalf. A number of staffs here have been subjected to untold hardship since the token we were collecting seized.

” I am also aware that the newspaper production stopped some four months ago but the online version was frozen before the newspaper production stopped. There was no money to run the organisation and the machines were developing faults so we had to take a step.”

Source: http://www.osun.life/2017/01/21/osun-defender-shuts-down/

By Oluwabukunmi Akande

For falling to appoint commissioners two years into his second term in office as the Governor of Osun State while reportedly awarding contracts worth billions of Naira singlehandedly,Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, risks being jailed at the end of his tenure.


The Controversy findings revealed that governors' approving limit is not more than N50 million (fifty million naira) on any contract.


To this effect, former Commissioner for Works in the administration of Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and now a factional leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, Dr Bayo Faforiji, in an exclusive interview with The Controversy spelt the implications of Aregbesola acting the role of state administrator which could be laced with the breach of financial regulation guiding the award of contracts by state governors.


Specifically Faforiji who described the governor as an "awaiting prisoner ",asserted that Aregbesola would run into troubled waters after leaving office for executing billions of naira projects without having a cabinet in place.

"Where did he get the power to award contracts of billions of Naira whereas his approving limit is N50 million" he asked.

The former Atakumosa East Local Government Chairman insisted that there was no way Aregbesola would not be made to answer questions for running the state like a sole administrator.

"Aregbesola will be called to question at the end for running the state alone. Unless there is a law that protects him hereafter, I can assure you that he is an awaiting prisoner already"

Faforiji who predicted that the APC would lose at the coming polls in the state in 2018, said his belief was predicated on the manner the governor had ran the state aground.

"Osun and its people are now pauperized. The mode of Aregbesola is wrong and faulty. He is not managing the state well. He has mismanaged his tenure in Osun State. I can assure you that nobody will thank Aregbesola when he leaves"

He then implored the people while enduring the current travails, to be law abiding and not to lose hope.

Source: http://www.thecontroversy.com.ng/aregbesola-awaiting-prisoner-pdp-chairman/

By Joseph Akanbi

An Australian Open final between two ageless champions turned out to be a tennis match for the ages, with Roger Federer beating Rafael Nadal in five outstanding sets before a rapturous Rod Laver Arena crowd.

The Swiss star prevailed 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 against Rafael Nadal, coming from a break down in the fifth set to claim his 18th major title.

A revitalised Federer mixed up his tactics against an opponent who has had the better of him historically, hitting 73 winners to Nadal’s 35.

The win capped a phoenix-like resurrection for the much-loved Swiss, who spent six months of last season out through injury and has gone without a grand slam title since Wimbledon in 2012.

Federer may trail in the head-to-head against Nadal, 6-3 in grand slams and 23-12 overall, but he has pipped him to yet another major title in Melbourne to draw four clear (18-14).

The Governor of the State, Rauf Aregbesola had during the match tweeted from his official account’

“Imperial shot from Federer. Hallmark of a true champion. #AusOpen2017”. He later tweeted “Congratulations Roger Federer. A legend through and through #AusOpen2017” after the match in a show of love and solidarity with the Swiss champion.

However, The Former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Adejare Bello, in his own remark said “My support was for Nadal but Federer actually played real tennis and it was a victory well deserved”.

Source: http://www.osun.life/2017/01/30/australian-open-aregbesola-bello-hails-federer-after-win/

The yam market, situated within the lone community of Awosuru. Although, an extension of an urban enclave, it is one of the most sparsely populated areas in the state’s capital due to the presence of few houses and a few privately and government owned schools. It is biologically divergent, summing up a considerably, demi residential area. The community’s roads are broadly tarred and perfectly marked – an indication of government’s extended hand of good steward.

Pitiably, Awosuru, which is one those two locations where new markets would be built by the government, should not have been picked in the first place for anyone with the mindset of setting up a ‘market’. For instance, the place is below average, judging from an economic view point and going further to the factors determining the location of ‘market’ but that is not the focus of this article.

That, notwithstanding however, after 29 weeks since flagging off the place on Monday, June 20, 2016, the place still remains without any foundation laid. It came to notice, during a visit to the place that there exists on the expanse of land, somewhat a public toilet, standing like a gangling wind vane in the middle of a dessert with two storex water reservoir on it with no one putting it to use – wastage of resources.

In retrospect, Aregbesola flagged off the place alongside three other markets for the sake of shoring up the economic activities in the state, certainly to proliferate the revenue base of the government. The June, 2016 project was said to be part of his government’s determination to turn Osun to a commercial hub of the southwestern region, saying his government had mustered necessary efforts to enhance massive construction and establishment of the state-of-the-art modern markets and commercial centres in the state in a publication on the Osun.gov.ng website of June 24th, 2016.

Aregbesola said the new markets located at different parts of the state capital were established to turn the state into economic hub of the country, saying with the inauguration of modern markets, consumers of goods will be attracted to the markets because of their modern facilities.

He was delighted about the springing up of the new markets, hoping that the new ideas would set the tone for quick economic recovery of the state, while he remained oblivious that the traders would not go anywhere near the new markets talk less of doing business in it. The government is only bedeviled by the urge to boost the Internally Generated Revenue of the state and so he could not see anything glowing from anger of the stakeholders.

Aregbesola said, “these markets will now be the point of commercial activities in the state as it will equally be the center of attraction for business activities from within and outside the country.

“we are very delighted to achieve this in the process of renewing our major cities. With this, we can boldly say we are killing two birds with a stone~beautifying our cities and trying to boost the economy through construction of modern markets.

“Good and decent markets is mutually beneficial for both the sellers and buyers of goods. With this giant stride, our market men and women now have decent and cleanshops to display their goods while meeting the choice of the consumers towards clean environment.”

But there have been speculations that the state government, as a result of his displeasure over how sellers of different commodities have dotted every nooks and crannies of Akindeko in Alekuwodo -a part of the state capital that is fast becoming the ‘Oshodi’ of Osun state, traders in the Akindeko market might become the first occupant of the place when completed so as to fully urbanise the Alekuwodo axis, especially with the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park nearing 90 per cent completion.

As a result of this, eyebrows are now being raised by the stakeholders of the Akindeko market as a chunk of them hold that, it would be inimical to their businesses while others believe it would force a lot of them to quitting their respective trades due to the factors surrounding the location of the yam market location. Both buyers and sellers and even residents of Alekuwodo, hold apparently the same view over the rumors that they would become the major occupant of the yam market in any time soon.

One of the religious buyers, who resides just a few trek away from Alekuwodo, Mrs Mary, also made it clear that it would be to the detriment of the people in that area if the government moved ahead with the propositions. She said it would not only affect the sales of the sellers but also handicap the motive for the establishment of such market.

” I am not saying the government should not move them from where they are but it has to be a place better than where they currently are in terms of population and susceptibility to cheap means of transportation, because I learnt that if I am going to get to Awosuru from Alekuwodo here I will have to spend nothing less than 200 naira and this would affect the quantity and units of goods I will be buying. It doesn’t favour us as buyers of products in this market. Even the sellers would be selling at quantities lesser than what they used to sell,” Mrs Mary stated.

As if the thoughts lurking in Mrs Mary’s mind posses limbs that could allow it walk up to and influence other minds when another buyer, simply called, Dosu, who said he always buy meats and some other food items from the market, emphasised that it would do buyers and sellers more harm than good if the rumour turned out to be real the real thing. He said a number of factors pointed in that direction, starting from proximity to good and cheap transportation means to other underlying factors hovering on the new establishment.

” I just want to say that it won’t be wise if the government should move this people away from this place. For us in this market, we don’t want that to ever happen because a place that you cannot get to by cab, except a bike and the risk of going about with a motorcycle is there to be considered too. I want him to think it twice,” he predicated.

For the market men and women at the Akindeko Market, the unraveling of the New Yam Market has become a nightmare as a sizeable number of them claimed that, upon hearing the rumours linking them to the market, their hearts died in them.

They vowed that instead of going over to the New Yam Market, they would rather go centuries without job.

“I don’t want to hear about any market, although, I am privy to that insinuations I don’t think I will ever leave this place for a place similar to an estate. Had it been he was proposing places with relatively large population, who wander about anytime any day, then we would wholeheartedly rush to the place. Look at it yourself, the place is not healthy enough for our market,” a fish seller in Akindeko market expostulated.

While some of them declined divulging the views they hold on the ballgame, a few of them stated that there would be an adverse effect on their turnovers in the short run or at the start of operation but argued that before they could bounce back to bounty sales they will have ate the dust of bad businesses.

However, it is only a matter of time that the actual tale of the yam market surfaced – but I am positive that it would be a literally bloodbath between the government and the Iyalojas as the governor of the state gave a February deadline for the the kick start of an onslaught on all roadside businesses doers, while the traders remains resonate on their stance that they would not leave the market till kingdom come!

Source: http://www.osun.life/2017/01/18/opinion-by-mustapha-aleem-the-tale-of-the-much-coveted-yam-market-after-over-29-weeks/

The visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Osun State could have served as a platform for Ogbeni to lay bare all that is militating the state and to give the people’s general an opportunity to have an insight into the pebble in the shoes of the racing Osun people, but rather, self adulation, transforming the ugly Osun face into that of an old bride – an old bride looks very beautiful and irresistible on the wedding day but picks up the waned beauty in the days after- and celebration of mediocrity took toll in the build up to PMB’s visit.

Aregbesola, who rode in the back of the people of Osun to power on different occasions. Dealing with competitions from political big wigs like Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Senator Iyiola Omisore, but for the purpose of this article, I refuse to delve into that political history. Aregbesola took a cue from one of late Obafemi Awolowo’s policies- it is pitiable that nothing done by this governor has an Awolowo undertone nor can be likened to. No, all are anti-Awolowo.

Many intellects, who are politically sensitive would say if Awolowo ever became this country’s president, Nigeria will not wallow in the cesspool of undeveloped countries. This assertion is not far from being realistic for during his reign as the premier of the western Region, he earmarked milestone and historical projects. The first television station, WNTV was established, Liberty Stadium, the first football pitch in Africa was established, Cocoa House among others were made under his tutelage. With an entreaty of peoples first, no politician in this part of the world boasts of Awolowo’s feat. Not even the unscrupulous Aregbesola, who nullified what Awolowo prioritises most in his lifetime. Certainly, Baba will be in regrets having a good mentee like Aregbesola- he made popular, the trend of half salary in Nigeria, which is against the Awo’s philosophy.

Major roads in Osun were largely visited with cries and uproars from the people as even the ones constructed and given the ‘Ona baba Ona’ appellation by Ogbeni, after few weeks of construction, posed many threats to the lives of its users. In fact, they have become death traps.

As if the people of the state mattered not to him, Ogbeni has been indifferent to all of these, including ‘AFUSA’ debacle despite promises and hopes that were raised before his election that hunger be gone in Osun if elected as the people’s first in Osun, but famine becomes of the state after toppled Oyinlola. However, the recent drama which played out a few weeks ago has afforded the critics of this administration some ammunition as Ogbeni embarked on a massive window dressing of Osun roads that were already reflecting ruin and decadence.

The frowns, grouse, actions and inactions of the people over this show of bigotry was enough as a proof that the people are no longer dogmatic and can no longer be veiled by Ogbeni theatrics and deceit. In fact, if the people’s expostulations over this mistreatment were spears, the entire country would have been killed by now. That is to explain the level of displeasure over what they called betrayal and deceit and hypocrisy.

Interestingly, a lot of questions are now being asked by the people of Osun that, if Ogbeni could afford the money to bring in truck loads of asphalt to clear path for his party man, then he doesn’t really care about those who actually made him- this is of course sheer diminution. And despite the efforts of the people to get the roads repaired before PMB’s visit.

Another question is, did Aregbe also get those monies from sukuk, which always serve as his fortress whenever he’s criticised financially or he also prepared for a rainy day this time? Even when he did not perceive the idea of inviting PMB until August, which some months before, Osun had zero allocation or is it from the O’ revenue that takes from the pockets of those who don’t get appropriate rewards for the job done- a non-existing economic system or do I say ‘Ogbenirism’.

The broken veil could still be repaired if the needful is done but I doubt if our rulers in Osun, superintended by Aregbesola, will fancy the pills I wish to recommend. For a smooth sailing in 2018 and for any intending APC governorship candidate in the state, please take charge of the state of Osun -even if it will be operated on a latent scale- some months before the election to start your spending ahead of time with prayers so that you emerge victorious.

Nonetheless, there are two sides to coin: the side facing up and the side facing below. As I have elected to take a whip at the most celebrated personality in the state, it is believed in some quarters that the tone needed to be set right in Osun over misinterpretation of Osun unwise spending on window dressing of its dilapidated facilities. They went to the extent of highlighting, evaluating and appraising the achievements of Ogbeni from the time he ascended the unscrupulous administration in the state.

In an article published in the Punch Newspaper on the 20th of September, 2016, Prof. Niyi Akinnaso, who intended to educate the mind and the body of the people of the state but pitiably ended up showering praises and accolades on Aregbesola. He vibrated with his mastery of the English Lingua excellently no doubt.

I wouldn’t meant to say that the personality and the versatility of the respectable professor cannot pass for the position of an All Progressives Congress’ spokesperson only that the most revered has, in most of his recent articles done the job of Semiu Okanlawon as well as Akere – the duo can just sleep even at work for they have been covered with the services of the professor. The person appointed and confirmed as the media aide to the governor of Osun state has not gone into extinction, which really keeps me wondering why somebody can just relieve him within a flash.

That is just by the way, when I saw the title, I anticipated a copious article that would be intended to correct public misconception of PMB’s visit to the state but as we always have it from the writer’s stable, Ogbeni was praised. It is considered to be inimical to the growth of any society when a section of it fans the ember of discord and cleavage. One must not forget the stance of Professor Wole on the attitude of keeping mum in the face of corruption.

In all, Osun is wrapped in albatross and there is no masking such fact that the state is faced with multifaceted shortcomings given how it has struggled to meet up with its financial obligations and it would be to the detriment of the people if an outsider, who mostly lived in another geo entity, comes out to start painting the people of the state in some enigmatic manner.

Now, Osun is in problem and the captain of the ship is to be held for sudden shipwreck of a well standing ship. No excuse as to why or how it happened should be condoned.

Mustapha Aleem wrote in from Osogbo via aleem_mustapha@yahoo.com.

For more, visit www.osun.life

By Mustapha Aleem

A 24 years old Taofeek Waliu, has been discharged by the Osogbo magistrate court on Tuesday following signs of his mental imbalance, occasioned by the 10 months he spent in the Ilesha prison.

Taofeek, who was arraigned on 6th of November, 2015, pleaded not guilty on his two count charges of allegedly conspiring with one Sunday Isiaka to steal electrical cables, copper wire and aluminium conductor valued at 38,325 naira on the 3rd November, which belong to Ibadan Electricity Distribution company.

It was gathered that Taofeek had been in Ilesha prison for almost ten month because of his inability to meet the bail condition he was given.

It was observed by our correspondent that after the magistrate, Mr Elijah Aluko, ordered the court clerk to read Taofeek’s charge sheet to ascertain if he would understand and for him make his plea again, Taofeek subsequently gesticulated that the charge sheet read was inaudible for a while before pleading guilty of the offences levelled against him in Yoruba language.

After the his plea, the magistrate discharged him on grounds that he he is mentally impaired and had spent 10 months in confinement.

For more, visit www.osun.life

By Mustapha Aleem

The Osun State Commandant of Peace Corps Nigeria, Ayinde Paul, has urged individuals to do more in the areas of creating peaceful environments in the country as a way of achieving sustainable development in the country.

The Commandant represented by Patriot Olaoye Kemi, stated that, with peace ib our environment, development will by itself trek into the society, emphasizing that selfless mindset should also be encouraged in the government.

This was stated at a Quarterly Social Development Forum themed: ‘Building Blocs For Peace’ on Wednesday in Osogbo.

He said the bane of our development as a nation was the selfishness paraded by a good number of individuals in the society, which he said was inimical to our economy.

According to him, ” Peace is far more than putting weapons aside, peace involves hard work on mediation, conflict resolution through diplomacy, reconciliation, peace building and sustaining peace.

” If all of us can be sustainable development advocates and peace evangelists, we shall save our world from international tension, habitual exploitation, economic chaos, frequent terrorism and peace will abound in our land.”

The Director of Olaoni center, Com. Wale Adebisi, who delivered a keynote address, blamed the retrogression faced by African countries on the activities of the colonial imperialist in the black continent.

He said African countries only served as tools for the whites to achieve their own development, noting that latent colonialism still continued in the continent and perpetrated by some African countries.

Adebisi said, ” Syria and Libya crisis was being fuelled by America and when they discovered it was no longer profitable to their economy, they ordered for a ceasefire in those countries.

“Nigeria as of today, still serves the International Monetary Fund and the United States of America. The IMF will tell our leaders that if you want to get out this recession, you have to increase your petroleum pump price, give your people a lot reasons for the increase and our leaders will come to us dogmatically with such slavery. They still rule us till today and our leaders are the reasons for all this.”

He also decried the level at which the country has been engaging in capital flight with the deceit of crude oil. He said the likes of Chevron, Mobil and other oil marketers in the would explore the country’s oil without government interference for rebates alone.

” These oil operators are the ones doing the exploration for us. Our government are not doing anything at all. These people after exploring, they will give our leaders just a rebate, which is just 20 percent of the profits for 36 States to feed on and the remaining 80 percent will be taken to their countries. This typifies capital flight in economics and any country that engages in such will not witness development even at the slightest.

He emphasized that, except those who are at the helm of the country’s affairs reversed the trend, Nigeria would not get out of recession, saying America had gotten back at the country as a payback for its role in the 1976 economic boom in the country.

For more, visit www.osun.life

By Mustapha Aleem

Oluwo of Iwo land, Oba Abdul Rasheed Akanbi, has promised to secure the release of 5 Ilesha prison inmates who had the option of fine.

Oluwo, who paid a visit to the Ilesha prison on Thursday, also tasked the Chief Judge of Osun, Adepele Ojo, on the quick release of the inmates who were awaiting trial, emphasizing that if inmates were to be released, it should be in 100’s and not in units.

The monarch also called on the Nigeria Prisons Service to put in place structures that would add value to the lives of the inmates while serving their jail term.

He added that prisons in other parts of the world trained their inmates academically and vocationally ahead of their release, saying it would relieve the society of more dependent people.

” Nothing stops us from having institutions where inmates will earn degrees even before they complete their jail term. To have a place where they can work to amass some money before they are released and to also send to their families while in prison, ” he said.

According to him, ” If inmates were released without a dime on them there is every tendency they go back to what led them to prison.”

He also urged the inmates to see the warders as their guardians in a different society and not detractors who facilitated their being in prison.

The Deputy Comptroller of Prisons, Ope Fatinikun, decried that Ilesha Prison, which had the capacity of 586 was currently occupied by 582 inmates, saying 454 of the inmates were still awaiting trial.

He also said, the prison was the only prison in the country that visited 72 courts in the state with just four vehicles.

He added that the Federal Government on a monthly basis expended the sum of 7.5 million naira to 8.5 million naira on feeding alone in Ilesha.

He also called on the people of Osun to come to the aid of the inmates. He said in spite of the fact that 98 percent of the inmates were from Osun state, the government and private individual had not been supportive.

He however lauded the feat of the monarch, urging him to educate other monarchs in the state on the need to cater for the inmates.

For more, visit www.osun.life

By Mustapha Aleem

Ijabe community of old Odo Otin local government area of Osun state have accused the former local government boss, Mr. Tope Adejumo, of reneging on all the agreements entered into by communities in the newly created Local Council Development Area, LCDCA.

This was contained in a statement signed by Hon. Segun Oyegbade, Alhaji Mustafa Olagunju and 8 other leaders and chiefs of the LCDA, the Ijabe town said it had written several petitions to Governor Rauf Aregbesola on the matter, none of which was responded to.

They alleged that Mr. Adejumo singlehandedly altered the location of the new Local Council Development Area headquarters to Oyan, as against the unanimous decision to situate it in the center of the communities under the LCDA.

They also accused him of changing the site of the headquarters from a central location to Oyan town without recourse to other towns in the new LCDA.

It was also said that, Adejumo planed to force on them, an indigene of Oyan whenever election was held in the LCDA.This they claim had been perfected through the delineation of new wards, the exercise that gave Oyan five wards while the rest of the LCDA got the same figure.

“On our collective request for the delineation of wards into 10 wards, the same Tope Adejumo (allegedly) altered the request in transit and allocated 5 wards to his town (Oyan) without considering the population, landmass, communities, various establishment within the council area to give them edge over all other communities.

“The 6 kilometer road approved by Governor Aregbesola for our area was also hijacked and diverted to Oyan alone. This is the same problem we had when we were in the same Odo Otin local government, Okuku. Out of 9 consecutive slots for political offices given to our area, Oyan alone got 8”, the community further alleged.

They however appealed to Governor Aregbesola to correct the injustice that they had been subjected to, adding that they had also resolved that, if the issues raised are not promptly addressed, “we will resort to self help”.

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By Mustapha Aleem

The National President of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Alumni Association, Mr. Jide Bewaji, has directed all concerned stakeholders of the institution to appeal to the two owner states, Oyo and Osun states over the lingering strike action embarked upon by members of staffs of the institution since five months ago, while faulting the motion moved by a lawmaker representing Ogbomoso North state constituency, Hon. Wumi Oladeji, to transfer the management of the school into the hands of Oyo state alone.

This position was made known in a statement made available to our correspondence on Sunday in Osogbo.

Bewaji also urged the two leaders not to mortgage the futures of the students of the institution for the blame game they had resorted to since the beginning of the strike.

He added that the 2013 supreme court ruling which remained sacrosanct, was enough to guide the decision of the lawmakers calling the sole ownership of the institution.

The statement read in part, “Of what immediate benefit will this motion from Hon. Wumi Oladeji, a member representing Ogbomoso North state constituency, who is a staff of LAUTECH bring to the purse of the members/staffs of striking unions, will the move from the 32man assembly end a semester that have spanned over eight months, I assume both state houses of assembly should prevail on the executive governors to do the needful by restoring the lost glory of our alma mater, a university once adjudged the best in the country now ranked 21st.

“In the wake of the unfolding drama over sole ownership, we direct all parents, guardian and concerned citizen of Nigeria to appeal to the conscience and reasoning of our leaders for an immediate end to the 5months old strike that have paralyzed and crippled academic activities in Ogbomoso. We equally advise the Speaker of Oyo state house of assembly to lead his members on an appeal mission to the Governors, providing reasons of justification to fund LAUTECH adequately. As the owners of the university, we have held meetings with government, school management, traditional institutions, students and concern people in the LAUTECH project.

“The association under my watch will not hesitate to declare people with bleak motives and unrealizable ambitions as enemies of LAUTECH. “

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