VOL. 9. NO.059 N50 50 50 50 50 SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014 www.osundefender.org THE 6TH MOST-VISITED NEWSPAPER WEBSITE IN NIGERIA Front Page Comment - See Story On Page 2 Who Killed Chief Bola Ige, formerAttorney- General and Minister of Justice? IGE - See Story On Page 3 •SCARF President and the wife of the Governor, State of Osun, Mrs Sherifat Aregbesola (right), presenting a cheque of N250,000 to Miss Olawale Zainab (2nd right), the winner of Osun Spelling Bee competition; while with them is the winner’s brother, Mr Taofeek Yekini and her teacher, Mrs Ogundipe Olabimpe, during the the presentation of the cheque in Osogbo recently. Osun 2014: Opinion Poll Favours Aregbesola Osun, Ekiti: Non-use Of VCR ‘ll Aid Electoral Malpractices - IPAC PDP’s Desperation Over Ekiti, Osun Who will advise the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to take it easy in its desperation to coast home victory in the coming governorship elections in Ekiti and the state of Osun, even as it’s glaring that all the factors on ground are in favour of the incumbent governors of these two states? This is the fundamental question that arises in view of PDP’s unwarranted desperation to win the coming elections at all cost against the wishes of the electorate. Though the compass points to the house of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as the direction to which the pendulum of electoral victory is most likely to swing in the much Continue on pg5
Transcript
VOL. 9. NO.059 NNNNN5050505050SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014
www.osundefender.org THE 6TH MOST-VISITED NEWSPAPER WEBSITE IN NIGERIA
Front Page Comment
- See StoryOn Page 2
Who KilledChief Bola Ige,former Attorney-
General andMinister of
Justice? IGE
- See StoryOn Page 3
•SCARF President and the wife of the Governor, State of Osun, Mrs Sherifat Aregbesola (right), presenting a cheque of N250,000 to Miss Olawale Zainab (2nd right), the winnerof Osun Spelling Bee competition; while with them is the winner’s brother, Mr Taofeek Yekini and her teacher, Mrs Ogundipe Olabimpe, during the the presentation of the chequein Osogbo recently.
Osun 2014: Opinion Poll Favours Aregbesola
Osun, Ekiti: Non-use Of VCR ‘llAid Electoral Malpractices - IPAC
PDP’s Desperation OverEkiti, Osun
Who will advise thePeoples DemocraticParty (PDP) to take iteasy inits desperation to coasthome victory in thecoming governorshipelections in Ekiti and thestate of Osun, even asit’s glaring thatall the factors on groundare in favour of the
incumbent governors ofthese two states?This is the fundamentalquestion that arises inview of PDP’s
unwarranteddesperation to win thecoming elections at allcostagainst the wishes of theelectorate.
Though the compasspoints to the houseof the ruling AllProgressivesCongress (APC) asthe direction towhich the pendulumof electoralvictory is most likelyto swing in the much
Continue on pg5
2 OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, May 17, 2014News
•Mrs Sherifat Aregbesola, wife of the governor, State of Osun (2nd left) sympathising with a rape victim, Bilikisu Muraina. With them her are MrsKafayat Oyetola, wife of the Chief of Staff, State of Osun (left), Abibat Muraina, mother of the victim (right) during a visit to the victim at LadokeAkintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, recently.
By ISMAEEL UTHMAN
Osun, Ekiti: Non-use Of VCR ‘ll Aid Electoral Malpractices - IPAC
THE Inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC), State ofOsun, has stated that the decision of the IndependentNational Electoral Commission (INEC) not to use
the Voter’s Card Reader (VCR) for the Osun and Ekitistates governorship elections would aid electionmalpractices and undermines the will of the people.
IPAC in a position lettersubmitted to the ResidentElectoral Commissioner(REC) in the state,
Ambassador Rufus Akeju,on Wednesday in Osogbo,said that INEC would becommitting regrettable error
if it does not use the VCR forthe Osun and Ekiti elections.
According to IPAC in theletter signed by its Chairmanand Secretary, PrinceAdesoji Masilo and IdowuOmidiji respectively, and,INEC’s decision not to usethe voter’s card reader, afterit had earlier said it would useit for the Osun and Ekitistates governorshipelections, was pragmatically
undemocratic, hypocriticaland suspicious.
The political group said:“We do not know why theINEC said it would no longeruse the card reader for Osunand Ekiti, but we know thatany reason that stimulatedthat decision ispragmatically undemocraticand hypocritical. We see thedecision not to use the cardreader machine as a
grievous over-estimation ofits capacity.
“We cannot allow INECto fail in Osun and Ekitielections, and INEC shouldalso try to assist itself on theneed to prevent therecurrence of the hideousexperience in the Anambraelection. If we are to analyzethe INEC’s decision, it willsimply directly or indirectlyaid rigging and election
manipulations in the Osunand Ekiti governorshipelections.
“Since the card reader isto checkmate electoralmalpractices, we see noreason why INEC thatintroduced the systemwould make a U-Turn anddecided not to use it in thecritical elections precedingthe general elections.
“We believe in INEC andwe believe that the electoralbody means well for thegrowth and sustenance ofdemocracy in Nigeria. “Butits decision not to use cardreader in the comingelections in the two stateshas automatically negatedthat intension of INEC andwill also compromise itsintegrity beyondredemption.”
IPAC however, urgedINEC to rescind its decisionand use the VCR for theEkiti and Osun states governorship elections,adding that the commissionshould summon courage,even in the face of threatsand pressure, to use theVCR to affirm itscommitment to free, fair andcredible polls in the twostates.
The political group addedthat INEC shouldendeavour to test run theVCR in the two states aheadof the 2015 generalelections, as doing so wouldshow its level of sincerityand preparedness toconduct credible electionsfor the country.
“It is important for allhands to be on deck toensure that thegovernorship elections inOsun and Ekiti are free, fairand credible for the sake ofpeace, justice and progressof our land, as well asentrenching the tenets ofthe democratic processwhich emphasizes one man,one vote, one woman, onevote.
The INEC’s decision notto use the voter ’s cardreader machine for theelections in the two statesis a threat to thetransparency and credibilityof the election process,which must be reversed. Ifwe may ask: Whose interestdoes INEC intend to serveby the non-use of cardreader for the elections? Isit safe to assume that this isa diabolical ploy to sabotagethe electoral will of thepeople by creating room forrigging? INEC shouldplease answer thequestions.
“We implore INEC toconduct the Osun and Ekitigubernatorial elections withthe card reader in order toenhance the electionprocess, as doing otherwiseby INEC is tantamount toundermining a free, fair andcredible election which isunacceptable.
“The gubernatorialelections in the two statesare too crucial to the healthand well-being of ourdemocracy to be toyed withor some persons madescapegoats through acts ofcommission of omission forerror, which the non-use ofcard reader portends,” IPACsubmitted.
Osun Ekiti Elections: Civil Society DemandsDeployment Of VCR •Gives INEC Seven Days’ Ultimatum
By KEHINDE AYANTUNJI
THE Osun State Civil Society Coalition (OCSC),comprising 19 Non-Governmental Organisationsin the State of Osun on Wednesday called on the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) tourgently reverse its decision not to deploy Voter’s CardReaders (VCR) for Osun and Ekiti Gubernatorial Election.
The coalition rejectedINEC’s excuses not todeploy VCR and threatenedto embark on mass protest,if the commission failed toreverse its decision withinseven days and expose themto the internationalcommunity.
Addressing a pressconference in Osogbo, theState Capital, Chairman ofthe coalition, ComradeAbiodun Agboola, said thegroup will not fold its armsand allow INEC to messOsun and Ekitigovernorship electionsconsidering the previousexperiences in Anambra,Delta and Ondo states.
Agboola said if INECintends to conduct free, fairand credible elections inEkiti and Osun, the voter’scard reader must bedeployed.
VCR is one of the bestmodern technologies toverify and detect fake voter’scard procured by INEC.
According to him, heavyand appropriate
deployment of technologycannot be divorced fromconduct of credibleelections devoid of riggingor manipulation, whichcompels the coalition tolend its voice to theincreasing demand for INECto test-run the deploymentof voter’s card readers inthe country with theforthcoming governorshipelections.
He said: “Havingregurgitated on the recentelections conducted by theINEC and their flaws, andthe often-repeated butnever implementedpromises to remedy thesituation, we are forced tojoin all well-meaningNigerians in the task ofexercising more vigilance,as the governorshipelections in both Ekiti andOsun States draw nearer.”
“We have observed thatINEC appears to keeprevolving like barber’schair without positivevibrations pointing to itsreadiness and willingness
to conduct transparent, freeand fair elections in thecountry.”
“The effect of this is thatmembers of the electorate aregetting worse-off for eachmistake on the part of theumpire at any given election.It is, therefore, our duty togive this matter ofdeployment of Voters CardReaders in all elections to beconducted in the country
henceforth a life of its own,if elections in the countryare to be seen as aworthwhile exercise and nota hollow ritual conducted tosquander resources.”
The coalition wonderedwhy INEC is keeping thedevice after its procurementsince last year andexpressed fear on the abilityof the commission toconduct transparent
election in 2015 if they failedto provide the VCR to onlytwo states with less than6,000 poling units.
“We want peaceful,violence-free andtransparent elections in Ekitiand Osun States and INECmust not precipitateconditions that would makethe realization of theseobjectives impossible,”Agboola said
Students Look Forward To Resumption After Strike
WITH the latest information that the campuses ofall the state-owned tertiary institutions in Osun,comprising Osun State Colleges of Education in
Ilesa and Ila-Orangun, Osun State Polytechnic, Iree andOsun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke would beresuming on Monday 19, 2014, students of the institutionhave started to react to the news.
Reacting to theinformation, AbiodunAdeniyi, an ND 1 student ofScience LaboratoryTechnology, OSPOLY, Ireestated that the news wasindeed one to rejoice atbecause staying at homewas beginning to take its tollon him.
He noted that theindustrial action had madehim totally redundantbecause he felt like adiscarded item in the market.
On his own KehindeFijabi, an HND 2 Business
Administration (Part Time)student of the same school,also lamented that the strikehad further shifted hergraduation date and shewas at a loss at when shewould be rounding upacademic activities at theinstitution.
Another Land Surveystudent of OSCOTECH, Esa-Oke, Fanimokun Opeyemi,was of the opinion that thestrike afforded him theopportunity of fully havingtime to manage his business.
He said that the strike
was not the best but thatduring the period the schoolwas under lock and key, hehad time to make moneythat would be spent onpursuing his academic work,since he was the one payinghis way through school.
Other studentsinterviewed expressed joy atthe calling off of theindustrial action, but werequick to add that there wasstill need for those in chargeof education administrationin the country to grant thewishes of ASUP as wasdone to ASUU.
By doing this, theymaintained, educationwould be harmonised andfurther developments wouldbe achieved educationallyin the country.
By FRANCIS EZEDIUNO
3 News OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, May 17, 2014
If you have a story or advert for us, contact 08033927286, 08033880205, 08061197897, 08023191891.
•(L-R) Coordinator, Independent Masses Forum (IMF), Comrade Wole Folaranmi; Organizing Secretary, JusticeNew Foundation (JNF), Comrade Mutiu Ibraheem; Co-ordinator, Poverty Eradication Forum (PEF), Comrade PejuAdigun; Coordinator, Peoples Welfare League (PWL), Comrade Biodun Agboola; Financial Secretary, Osun CivilSocieties Coalition (OCSC), Comrade Adewole Adewale and the Co-ordinator, Centre for Constitutional Governance(CCG), Comrade Ibrahim Olayinka at a press conference on the position of INEC to jettison the use of voter’s cardsreader for Osun and Ekiti governorship elections organized by OCSC in Osogbo last Wednesday.Photo: GBENGA ADENIYI
Police, PCRC Kick Against Jungle JusticeBy MURTALA AGBOOLA
THE Ataoja Police Community RelationsCommittee (PCRC), Ataoja Estate,Osogbo, has warned members of the public
in the State of Osun to refrain from killing fellowhuman beings on suspicion of being kidnappers.
The association gavethe warning onWednesday at themonthly meeting of thePCRC held at AtaojaDivisional Police Stationin Osogbo, the statecapital.
The meeting, whichwas well-attended bymembers, included thePolice District CrimeOfficer (DCO), whorepresented the DivisionalPolice Officer (DPO),ASP Usman Ibrahim.
The PCRC Chairman,Chief Gbadebo Adeyemo,reiterated that membersshould warn their peoplenever to take the laws intotheir hands, while warningthat engaging in junglejustice might lead them
into trouble.He cited instances,
where some peoplesuspected to bekidnappers were lynchedin Osogbo recently.
In his own, the DPOemphasized the fact thatthe State Commissionerof Police, Mr IbrahimMainshanu, frowned andcondemned such acts andvowed to deal with anyculprits seriously.
He also referred toinstances, where suspectswere killed on meresuspicion, saying thatnobody is empowered totake laws into his hands.
Members were thenadvised to warn theirpeople to use recognizedmotor-parks when
travelling, rather thanboarding vehicles by theroadside.
While advising thepeople of the state to besecurity-conscious both athome and in their workingplace, especially onSundays during churchservice periods, hestressed that it has beendiscovered that robbersand thieves make use ofchurch service periods tocommit their nefariousactivities.
He also warned carowners to stop pickingunknown people, whopretend to be familiar,because by so doing, theyfall prey of eithersnatching of their cars orbeing duped.
The police chief alsotasked landlords andlandladies to have detailedinformation about theirprospective tenants.
IF public opinion metamorphosis into electionoutcome, recent poll showed that if thegubernatorial poll is conducted this month, the
incumbent governor of the state, Ogbeni RaufAregbesola would ride to victory comfortably.
According to a publicopinion poll conducted bythe Centre for NigeriaElection Studies (CNES)office located in Ibadan,Oyo State cpital, thegeneral view of the publicis to allow the incumbentgovernor complete thevarious projects embarkedupon by hisadministration.
Some of the criteriaused as element ofmeasurement includeappeal to the public,
Other factors includedin the research conductedin the three senatorialdistricts were personalityof contestants, and publicconfidence.
On party preference, 70per cent of the populationopined that the AllProgressives Congress
(APC) is a betteralternative to the PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP)in the state, consideringthe antecedents of the PDPin the state, especially inthe promotion of peaceamong the citizenry, while20 per cent of thepopulation preferred thePDP, because it is theruling party at the federallevel of government.
Eight per cent of the pollfavours the Labour Party(LP) because of theperson of the contestant inthe party, while two percent of the populationwere undecided.
Similarly, onadministration’s appeal tothe members of the public,
the incumbentadministration has themost appeal to the publicbecause of its simplicity ingovernance, scoring 85percent of the poll, whilethe former PDPadministration had 15 per
cent with five per centundecided.
Sixty-five per cent ofthe population haveconfidence in the presentadministration, especiallywith regards to its abilityto complete the projects it
embarked upon, 35 percent of the populationcould not decide on whereto place their confidence,whether on the previousadministration on the PDP,ahead of the governorshipelection.
Education Is Back To Life InOsun - Oranmiyan President
THE Chairman, Oranmiyan Group Worldwide,Prince Felix Awofisayo has affirmed that theefforts of Governor Rauf Aregbesola on
education have brought the system fully back tolife.
He said that with theway and manner which theadministration is
implementing its policies,it is hoped that theadministration wouldsurpass the feat of the lateChief Obafemi Awolowo.
Awofisayo spoke inOsogbo on Tuesday at theState of Osun Schools’Literary Debate Final, withthe topic, “Are LeadersBorn or Made”, organisedby the Omoluabi SupportGroup (OSG) andOranmiyan Worldwide incollaboration with theState Ministry ofEducation.
In his address deliveredby Prince Yemi Adegoke,he said, the achievementsof the administration oneducation sector have seta pace for others to followin the country and Africancontinent in general.
“To recognise that theachievements of thisgovernment are settingpace for others, theNational Commission onBasic Education hasadopted our SchoolFeeding Programme andthe United Kingdom too isconsidering its adoption.
“Our schoolrestructuring programmeis being considered bymany states of thefederation, our schoolenrolment has increased,performance of our schoolchildren is improving andenemies of progress havebeen put to shame,” he
stressed.Awofisayo then noted
that for Aregbesola’spurposeful and people-centred leadership, thehope of children has beenrekindled and impart it onteachers that hardworkdoes not go in vain.
Speaking for the OSG,Honourable IpoolaOmisore, member of LagosState House of Assembly,said the debate wasdesigned to make youngpeople find inspirationtowards believing thatnothing is impossible forthem to achieve.
He said that the debatewould not only educate thepublic on the Aregbesola’smonumental philoshophyon education, it would alsoenlighten the students andother stakeholders on thevarious political andreligious intriguesintroduced by somemischevious people to theadministration’s policies oneducation, which hasproven to be more result-oriented.
The lawmaker thenappealed to the people ofthe state to continue tosupport Aregbesola’s“uncommon zeal todevelop the state throughfunctional transformationagenda”.
Meanwhile, AyodeleHabibulahi from OsogboHigh School, Osogbo,emerged the winner of thedebate, while Jacob Maryfrom Apara Memorial HighSchool, Kajola emerged thefirst runner up, just asAdewumi Adewale fromSt. David High School, Ile-Ife emerged the secondrunner up.
By KAZEEM MOHAMMED
enjoined to purchase theconstitution, which makesthem bonafide membersof the committee.
Motorcyclist Bags 3-monthOver Reckless Driving
A commercial motorcyclist, Abdulahi Sheriff, 22, hasbeen sentenced to three months’ jail term forreckless driving by an Osogbo Magistrate’s Court.
According to the chargesheet, the suspect wasalleged of hitting oneKayode Kolawole, causinginjuries on the victim againstSection 18 of Road TrafficAct.
He was also alleged ofriding on the publichighway without a driver’slicence, an offence that ispunishable under section7(1) of the Road Traffic Act.
It alleged further that thesuspect rode a Bajajmotorcycle with registrationnumber SGB 370 QB on apublic highway, in a manner
that was dangerous to thepublic and without regardfor traffic flow on the road.
The charge sheet statedfurther that the suspectcommitted the offences onFebruary 23, 2014 at about12 noon at Biket Area alongIkirun road of Osogbo, theState of Osun capital.
He however pleadedguilty to the three-countcharges against him andwas therefore declaredguilty by MagistrateOlusola Aluko.
The defence counsel,Mrs Nnenna Ngwu urged
the court to temper justicewith mercy, saying theconvict had shown remorseand that he was likely to turnfrom such act if givenanother chance.
However, policeprosecutor, Inspector IsiakaAjadi told the court todiscountenance with theplea of the counsel, sayingthe convict should be dealtwith as appropriate, to serveas deterrent to othermotorcyclists, who are fondof driving recklessly on thehighway.
Aluko, in his judgement,said that though the convictappeared remorseful, but hewould be punished to ensuresanity on the highways.
He, therefore, sentencedhim to three monthimprisonment with an optionof N3,000 fine.
By OLAYINKA ADEDIJI AND MUTIYAT GANIYU
OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, May 17, 20144 News
•The Executive Secretary of Odo-Otin Local Government Council Area, Honourable Tope Adejumo (middle) dancing with the decampees fromPDP into APC last Wednesday in Oyan, State of Osun. Photo: JESUDOYIN ABRAHAM.
By KEHINDE AYANTUNJI
Osun Assembly Tasks Education Handlers On Improved EffortsBy KAZEEM MOHAMMED
THE State of Osun House of Assembly hascharged the handlers of education system tointensify efforts in ensuring the continous
smooth running of education in the state.Chairman, House
Committee on Education,Science and Technology,Honourable FolorunshoBamisayemi gave thecharge in Osogbo onTuesday during thecommittee’s meeting withthe offices of the
Permanent Secretary andTutors-General in thethree Education Districts(Central, East and West) ofthe state.
Explaining that themeeting was to doassessment of the first andsecond term performance
of students, hecommended the Tutors-General for the improvedperformance of thestudents.
He advised the ministryand the Tutors-General totake cognisance of staffand students’ welfare, justas he enjoined them not tohesitate to ask fornecessary interventions ofthe state parliamentwhenever the need arises.
“So far, we are satisfied
with the performance ofthe teachers, principals, thetutor-generals and theState Ministry ofEducation.
“While we arecommending them, thereis need for them toimprove on some of thelapses that have beenidentified, so that we haveoptimum performancefrom the students.
“They should hesitate topartner with this
Assembly to ensure that allis well in our schools.Wherever we need to, wewill give back up andassist to ensure the properrunning of the schools.
“The essence is to seethat the interest of theteachers, students areproperly taken care of andto ensure that schools arerunning properly the waythey should,” he said.
The lawmaker thencharged students to also
demonstrate seriousnessin their studies, so that theinvestment on educationby the government wouldnot be in vain.
In his response, thePermanent Secretary,Ministry of Education, Mr.Lawrence Oyeniran,assured that the ministrywould continue to sustainthe standard of educationin the state.
Beware Of Electoral Fraudsters in Osun – Adekilekun
AN All Progressives Congress (APC)chieftain in Ede North Local GovernmentCouncil Area of the State of Osun,
Pharmacist Muslihu Adekilekun, has urged thepeople of the state to be vigilant and watch outfor electoral fraudsters, who are making effortsto frustrate the coming governorship election inthe state.
He accused theopposition PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP)of making efforts to rigthe August 9,governorship electionwith machinery of thegovernment at the centre.
Adekilekun stated thisin Ede recently whileaddressing some partyfaithful in Ede FederalConstituency on the needto guard their voters’cards jealously and reportany suspected voter’scard dealer to the securityagents.
He said the characterof the opposition PDP isto compromise anyelection saying; “they willnever wish for a free andfear election.
Adekilekun cited therecent incident in Ikirun,headquarters of IfelodunLocal GovernmentCouncil Area, where aPDP member was said tohave been arrested withhundreds of voters’ cardsin his custody.
He said: “By God’sgrace, Aregbesola haswon the August 9governorship election and
PDP with theirantecedents and
character, will not wantfree and fear election andthey have already startedthe process of rigging bypurchasing voters’ cardsfrom unsuspectingmembers of the public.”
“Up till date, theirgubernatorial candidatehas not rolled out anyserious progrmme thatcan attract the people of
the state, exceptimporting thugs wheneverthey have their politicalrallies to provokeviolence.”
“Their fraudulenttendencies must not bestrange to you. That waswhat they did in 2003,2007 and but they failedin 2011. Our ownresponsibility is to be
vigilant and sensitize ourpeople not to allow them,”Adekilekun said.
He also called on thepolice to investigate thealleged purchase ofvoters’ cards by a PDPmember in Ikinrun andurged the people of thefederal constituency toresist provocation fromthe opposition.
EVER since the news of the plan by someelements within the State of Osun chapter ofthe Peoples Democratic Party to impersonate
security agencies and cause mayhem in the statebroke out, the intention has begun to attract widecondemnation from residents of Osogbo and itsenvirons.
In an interview with thismedium, a cross section ofpeople were of the opinionthat thinking to that levelalready betrays a defeatistattitude and that the PDPcouldn’t even wait tillelection day beforeconceding defeat.
To them, the oppositionhad exhausted all in itsarsenal and when left withno other option, theydecided to threaten thepeace and calm that Osunis currently enjoying.
According to Mr. WaleAmusan, a businessman atthe Ajegunle Auto SpareParts Market, “anybodywho wants to disturb the
peace and tranquility beingenjoyed by the people ofOsun are in for somethingdifferent because we aremore enlightened now thanever before.
“We have been deceivedfor too long and now thatwe have decided to wakeup from our slumber, theyare attempting to forcethemselves down ourthroats.”
For Iyabo Olatunbosun,she wondered what peoplethat concocted and wantedto execute that plan had inmind.
“Is it that they want touse it to cause havoc andlater place the blame on
government?Osun people would
resist their every movevehemently because thecurrent peace cannot benegotiated and we are notready to trade the peace weare enjoying now withconfusion and anarchy,because that’s what theydid in 2007 immediatelyafter the elections, whenthey brought soldiers fromEde to terrorise innocentNigerians.”
In a related
development, informationhas it that the duo ofMusiliu Obanikoro;Minister of State, Defenceand Jelili Adesiyan;Minister of Police Affairs,were appointed to makesure that the June 21 andAugust 9, 2014gubernatorial elections inEkiti and Osun are won bythe PDP under anycircumstances and thismedium reliably gatheredthat all resources have beenreleased towards that plan.
PoliceArraign FakeLecturer
POLICE authorityin the State ofOsun last
Wednesday arraignedone Kehinde Olusegunfor posing as a lecturerat the National OpenUniversity of Nigeria,Osogbo Study centre.
The charge sheet read inthe court alleged that thesuspect attempted todefraud by falselypresenting himself alecturer of the institutioncontrary to Section 48 ofthe state criminal law2003.
He was also alleged ofpublishing defamatorymatters against the studycentre, saying it waschurning out low qualitygraduates, an offence thatis contrary to Section 375of the state penal code.
The suspect was alsosaid to have conductedhimself in a manner likelyto cause breach of publicpeace by distributingflyers, handbills andpasting posters todisorganise NOUN,Osogbo Study Centre,against Section 249 (d) ofthe state law.
According to the chargesheet, the suspectcommitted the saidoffences on January 21,2014 in the state capital.
However, the accusedperson pleaded not guiltyto the three-count chargepreferred against him.
Defence counsel, MrPeter Ibiyemi, pleadedwith the court to grant thesuspect bail in the mostliberal terms, saying hewould not jump bail ifadmitted.
He disclosed that thesuspect would producecredible surety toguarantee his readiness toface trial and prove hisinnocence.
Police prosecutor,Inspector John Idoko, didnot oppose the bailapplication, saying thecourt has discretion toexercise bail as it pleases.
The presidingmagistrate, Mr LasisiMuhammed, admitted thesuspect to bail in the sumof N100,000 and onesurety in same sum, beforeadjourning the matter tillJuly 3, 2014 for mention.
We, Moremi PublishingHouse Limited, Publishersof Osun DefenderNewspaper, do not demandor accept gifts orgratification to publisharticles or photographs,neither do our journalists.Therefore, we implore you
not to offer any to ourreporters. In the event thatany journalist from ourestablishment demandssuch, kindly incident thereport [email protected] 08033927286 and08033880205.
ETHICAL ISSUES?
By SHINA ABUBAKAR
5OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, May 17, 2014 News
PDP’s Desperation Over Ekiti, Osun Continued from pg1
awaited elections - due tothe impressive performancesof the incumbent governorsof these two states, the PDPin its desperate nature is hellbent on winning the comingelections at all cost; anambition that has beendescribed by politicalanalysts as a pipe dream.
But if the party is lucky toget good adviser/s, is itready to take to wisecounsel? Another importantquestion again. The answerto this second question is notfarfetched really. Going bythe party’santecedent it cannot listen togood advice as it has alwaysbeen behaving like theproverbial hunter’s dogdestined to go astray andfor that never can he listento his master’s whistle.
Based on reality on ground itwill be easier for the camelto pass through the eye ofthe needle than for the PDPto win the cominggovernorship elections inthese two states.
This is a statement of factwhich the party itself is
aware of. And it’s for thisvery factthat the party is unnecessarilydesperate. But clearly noamount ofdesperation can help thePDP’s cause and it’s hightime it gets this sunk into itshead.
For one, like we stated abovethe chief helmsmen in thesetwo states have endearedthemselves to the electoratethrough provision ofresponsible and credibleleadership. The people aresatisfied with the level ofunprecedentedtransformations going on inthe states and theyare not in the least ready togive their votes to any otherparty -even apart from the PDP -except the party in power asthey know that to do that willbe tantamount to wasting theirvotes.
Secondly having ruled inthese two states with little ornothing to show for it thePDP as a party has lost itscredibility completely and inYoruba land fake andfraudulent politicians canonly succeed in deceiving the
people for just once. To believethat you can fool ordeceive our people twice is tolive in fool’s paradise. This iswhy the journey of desperationthe PDP currently embarks oncannot yield any positive result.
PDP must also be warnedagainst engaging in its usualtrades ofunleashing violence and riggingas the party cannot find it easythis time as it used to. Peopleknow that when the party isboasting of taking over powerin a particular state of thefederation it’s not saying sowith the aim of winningelection through the democraticpraxis of one man-one vote butthrough violence and riggingjust as we witnessed in 2007especially in the South-Westhere where the party’s‘do or die’ election philosophywas highly practised.
This time around the PDPshould know that it isn’t goingto bebusiness as usual as theconsequence of rigging in thesetwo states will be dire indeed.So the party better warns itselfagainst rigging and its membersagainst perpetrating violence. It(PDP) should not forget thatthe era of Professor Maurice
Iwu whom it found a willingtool in carrying out its riggingplan in 2007 is gone.
So also the party should bearit in mind that OlusegunObasanjo, theproponent of ‘do or die’election is no more in power.And moreimportantly, much as theincumbent President maywish that his party winsthese elections, he will not bewilling to associate with anyact capable of adding salt toinjury for him as riggedelection will further tarnishthe already battered image ofhis administration.
In the light of the above, itwill be better for the PDP tofollow the path of honour bybeing a gallant loser in thecoming elections rather thanengaging in acts that willbring more opprobrium to theparty’s doorstep and destroythe future of the party themore.
The coming elections mustbe free of fraud and violence.That’s the only condition forpeace in these two states.Half a word, they say, isenough for the wise.
OSUN DEFENDERPublisher – Moremi Publishing
House Ltd.
Managing Editor – Kola Olabisi(0803-392-7286)
Editor – Kayode Agbaje (0803-388-0205)
Lagos Editor – Kola Odepeju(08023191891)
Production Editor – Pet-Kola Taiwo Ibitowa
Senior Reporter – Sola JacobsSenior Reporter – Kazeem Mohammed
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OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing HouseLimited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guarantee Trust BankGTB, Gbongan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun.All correspondence to the above mail address.ISSN: 0794-8050Telephone: 0803-392-7286, 08033880205Website: www.osundefender.com/index.phpe-mail: [email protected]
This is certainly not the best oftimes for President GoodluckJonathan. The President hasindeed come under pressure bothlocally and internationally. Allsteps he has taken seem to befaulty. Even with the best ofintention, his actions have beenviewed with suspicion.
The issue of the abduction ofthe school girls writing theirWest African ExaminationsCouncils (WAEC) in Chibok,Borno State over four weeks agohas helped to compound issuesfor the Nigeria’s helmsman.
The delay in responding to theabduction has been condemnedall over the world. His initialrefusal to solicit internationalassistance to rescue theseinnocent but unfortunateschoolgirls has also not beenwelcomed locally andinternationally.
While his aides may attributehis delay to act or solicit forinternational assistance asstrategic planning, people nowsee it as his albatross.
Before the issue of theabduction, the PeoplesDemocratic Party-led (PDP)government he is heading hascome under the heavyweight ofhis inability to steer the economyin the right direction. This is nothelped by allegation of his bodylanguage not ready to fight graft.
The Speaker of the House ofRepresentatives, Alhaji AminuTambuwal, had alleged recentlythat the body language ofPresident does not show he isprepared to fight corruption.
Before then, there had beenallegation against the formerMinister of Aviation; Ms StellaOduah, who was alleged to havebought 2 BMW cars above herconstitutional limit as a minister.There were demands for eitherher resignation or dismissal.Until after much pressure, shewas relieved of her job. Currentlyanother powerful lady in thecabinet of President Jonathan,Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke,has come under public scrutiny.She was alleged to have used herposition as the Minister ofPetroleum Resources to causethe public behemoth, NigeriaNational Petroleum Corporation(NNPC) to hire aircrafts costingover N10 billion at publicexpense. While the minister wasalleged to have gone to court torestrain the House ofRepresentatives Committee onPublic Finance from investigatingher, the judge concerned hasstated clearly that he never gavesuch an order.
The President was to commitanother Far Paux in hisPresidential media chat recentlywhen he subtly absolved theMinister of PetroleumResources, while chastising thelower House. According to thePresident, while he is getting thenecessary and the desired co-
operation from the Senate, theHouse of Representatives hasalways been confrontational. TheHouse, according to thePresident is not helping hisadministration.
Those who are at the receivingend of the President are peoplelike the suspended Central BankGovernor, Lamido SanusiLamido, who alleged that NNPChad not remitted all the moneydue to the government. Therecently-retired President ofAppeal Court, Justice Isa Salamiwas also “dealt” with because hedid not do what the ruling partyexpected of him.
The First Lady, Mrs PatienceJonathan made matters worse inan attempt to help her husband.She introduced the comic aspectand worsened it by saying that noschoolgirl was really abducted.As a champion of the womengender in public appointment,one would have thought that shewould be touched by such as asensitive and pathetic nature likethe the schoolgirls. The wholeworld is in solidarity with Nigeriaon rescuing these girls. Doesthat mean that Nigeria is fooling
the world including the worldpowers? It is certainly not so. ThePatience Jonathan theory wasfaulted with the appearance ofsome girls on internet recently;some of whom have beenidentified as students of Chibokby their parents.
The President in his media chatstressed the fact that he hadenormous powers which he candeploy. He even stated that noPresident has relieved the Chiefof Army Staff, Chief of NavalStaff and Chief of Air Force inone fell swoop. If one may ask,how has that power helped tosolve the problem at hand?
The President is human afterall. Nobody expects him to geteverything right, but in hisinnermost recess, can he say thathis best is good enough for thecountry. Has the country everdegenerated to the level we arenow?
It is a clear fact that never hasthe country lost innocent soulslike we are experiencing now.The civil war was the only timeNigeria lost so many people.Virtually on daily basis, we losepeople. Whether in the North-
Eastern states of Borno, Yobe andAdamawa or the North-CentralStates of Plateau, Nassarawa,Benue, people are beingmassacred on daily basis.
The President seemsoverwhelmed by the situation.Conflict is part of any society,but the paramount thing is thatgovernment must be capable oftackling the situation. Theessence of any government is toprotect life and provide security.Can the Jonathan governmentclaim to have performed thisbasic function? Is the fear ofBoko Haram not the beginning ofwisdom in Nigeria?
If I were President Jonathan, Iwould simply refuse to contestnext year’s election. I know andunderstand that it is not a simpletask. First and foremost, the firstLady and the immediate familymembers would kick against it.Secondly, his Ijaw tribe wouldalso not find it funny. To them, heis holding the position in trust fornot only the Ijaws but theminority ethnic group inSouthern Nigeria. Above all, thepraise singers and the sycophantsare always there to tell thePresident what he would like tohear.
Power is the ultimateaphrodisiac, but if one’s tenure iscreating more problems than it issolving, then the best option isfor one to opt out. I appreciatethe fact that we are too sectionaland emotional in this country, butone should be objective andanalytical on any issue. AsJonathan, I would prefer tohonourably step aside in 2015, ifthat would bring insurgency to anend. I know that Nigerians are notused to resigning, but if I werehim, I would consider it as asacrifice on my part for thecountry. Drastic problemrequires drastic solution. Hence,we need a new approach. It takessomebody to bell the cat, willJonathan bell the cat?
We have been used to doingthings a particular way and we getthe same result. The situation wefind ourselves now is different.The focus of the world is now onNigeria. The world expects us toensure these girls are rescued andbeyond that, we should be seen tobe serious with governance.
How can we go about it? Wecan only expect things to be donedifferently. It is in view of thisthat we expect leaders, who areequal to the task should be putforward.
Jonathan has tried his best butwhat is on ground is sufficientenough to tell us that it is notgood enough. Stepping aside doesnot mean that he has not tried orit is done out of cowardice, butrather to show his strength. If hesteps aside, he would have donewhat no Nigerian has donebefore, hence his name would bewritten in gold.
•JONATHAN
OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, May 17, 2014 7PHOTOTALK
Hoteliers Association Of Nigeria, State Of Osun Chapter, Paid A Courtesy Visit ToThe State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, In His Office At Abere, Last Wednes-day.
•(L-R) The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; President, Hoteliers Association of Nigeria, Osun Chapter, Chief Ayoola Fadipe and State Secretary of theAssociation, Dr Olaleye Oladapo, during the visit.
•
•Governor Aregbesola (3rd left); Chief Fadipe (3rd right); Public Relations Officer of the association, Chief Olajide Olatunji (right); Managing Director, Bisafol AirportHotel, Mr Bisi Afolabi (2nd left); Managing Director, Hotel Bafoo Limited, Mr Oyewole David (left) and other prominent hotel owners in the state in a group photographduring the visit.
8 OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, May 17, 2014PHOTOTALK
•
•A just-completed road at Mercyland area of Osogbo.
Newly-completed Road Project Along Iwo Road, Dada Estate Area, Osogbo, UnderThe Administration Of The State Of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, AsCaptured By Our Cameraman, JESUDOYIN ABRAHAM, Last Tuesday.
•A newly-asphalted stretch of road at Rosebud area of Osogbo.
•Another asphalted road at Adams Street in Osogbo.
9OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, May 17, 2014 PHOTOTALK
•The ongoing construction of NUD Middle School, Ikire, under the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola of the State of Osun.
•The old structure of a block of classrooms of the school under the previous administration.
Comparison Between The Ongoing NUD Middle School, Sango Area in Ikire AndThe Old Structure Of The School As Captured By JESUDOYIN ABRAHAM, Recently.
10 OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, May 17, 2014 PHOTOTALK
•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right) receiving the Report of the Special Committee on Discipline in Osun Public Schools from Chairperson of theCommittee, Alhaja Mulikat Bello (left), during the submission of the committee’s report to the governor in his office, Abere, State of Osun, last Tuesday.
State Of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Received Report On DisciplineIn State Public Schools In His Office At Abere Last Tuesday.
•Governor Aregbesola (centre); his deputy, Otunba (Mrs) Grace Titilayo Laoye-Tomori (3rd left); Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola (2nd left); Chairper-son, Special Committee on Discipline in Osun Public Schools, Alhaja Bello (3rd right); Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Education, Mr Lawrence Oyeniran (left);members of the committee, Chief Idowu Awopetu (2nd right); Chairman, Osun Christian Association of Nigeria (OSCAN), Evangelist Elisha Ogundiya (right) and otherdignitaries in a group photograph, during the submission of the committee’s report to the governor in his office at Abere, State of Osun, last Tuesday.
11 OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, May 17, 2014FEATURE
Mathematics Of Politics In The State Of OsunIN politics, opinion polls play important
roles in determining where thependulum will swing after the
election. This was why in the UnitedKingdom, in 2010, the election resultsbetween Gordon Brown of LabourParty, David Cameron ofConservative Party and Nick Clegg ofLiberal Democratic Party came out tobe what had been predicted by themedia and opinion pollsters. In fact,the prediction of The Guardiannewspaper was so close that one maywant to believe that the predictors hadprior knowledge of the results.Twitter and YouGov opinions werealso to the point, but Twitter electionpredictors were more accurate.
But forecasting election results, in ajust society where everybody isworking and none is grandstanding,should not be a puzzle as prediction isscientific. Election results have beenpredicted accurately, using numeroustools, in so many democracies,especially in the United States ofAmerica, Australia, Germany, Ghanaand France that one should not doubtits efficacy.
Mathematics is a veritable tool ofelectioneering and predicting electionresults. Opinion polls are based onsocial research, which is a subset ofMathematics. Posters are sharedbased on calculation and number ofvoters in an area or the number offollowers.
After opinions have been collected,the data are subjected to series oftests and analysis to validate them.This is to produce faultless results thatcan stand test of time.
Since politics is a game of number,an exercise which depends on thenumber of people at the different sidesof the divide and in which the sidewith the greatest number of peoplewins, like a “tug of war”, irrespectiveof their qualities (size, weight, height,educational qualification, social status,marital status etc), it cannot bedifficult to say that the most popularcandidate will win an election, in a fairand free contest.
Putting Mathematics to test in thecoming August 9, 2014 election in theState of Osun, one will deduce thatthe contest is between two major“giants”. Yes, two giants. Only a giantcan win an election from prison and itwas unprecedented, and only a giantcan confront a “General” in a war anddefeat the General. Senator IyiolaOmisore, ‘won’ his senatorial electionin 2003 from the prison. He has beenin government, state and federal, since1999.
Though he has nothing to show forhis unmerited long stay in governmentin the State of Osun, even when hewas Chairman of AppropriationCommittee in the Senate, it must besaid, that he is a giant. The othercontestants are midgets that no one inthe state is giving any chance ofspringing surprises! Ogbeni RaufAregbesola fought “tooth and nail” forthree and a half years to rescue hisstolen mandate from Brigadier-General Olagunsoye Oyinlola and withhis feat as a commissioner in LagosState, he is fit to be called a giant.
Politics does not only depend onMathematics as highlighted above, it isa “bad game” like “Weakest Link”, aUK television programme, wherecontestants try to “eliminate” theweakest link in the contest, so thatonly stronger contestants can remainin the competition and win. In somecases, the “strongest link” iseliminated because he or she is athreat to the weaker links. Politics can
also be compared to the game ofchess, where the ‘King’ is the targetand the followers of the principal mustform, as formidable as possible, shieldaround their principal and go straightfor the jugular of the opponents.
About the Mathematics of the nextelection in Osun, the opinions of greatpoliticians from within and afar pointto the direction that OgbeniAregbesola has done enough job tosecure his second term in office. Theageless Comrade Hassan AdebayoSunmonu, who is an authority inleadership and organization and whowas the Secretary-General,Organization of African Trade UnionUnity (OATUU) based in Accra,Ghana, commended OgbeniAregbesola and gave him a pass-markfor his efforts in developing Osun. Inthe same way, the erudite and highlycerebral Professor Pat Utomi hascommended Ogbeni for his efforts.
Times without number, theimmediate past Executive Governor ofthe State of Osun, Prince Oyinlola,who ruled the sate for seven-and-a-half years under the Peoples’Democratic Party (PDP), has saidthat opponents of Ogbeni in theAugust 9, 2014 election should tell him(Olagunsoye Oyinlola) what they thinkthey will be able to do better thanOgbeni, when they assume office.Prince Oyinlola said only a“spendthrift” will go against Ogbeni inthe coming gubernatorial election.
The Vice President of Nigeria,Architect Namadi Sambo, advised hisAugust visitors, one of them was thePDP gubernatorial aspirant in theState of Osun, and spoke in parable,that it will be “a war” to rescue powerfrom Ogbeni Aregbesola. This isbecause of the numerousachievements that Ogbeni hasrecorded in his first term in office. Allvisitors to the State of Osun givepraises to this innovative governor thathas proved that with innovation anddetermination, good governance ispossible.
When comparing Aregbesola’sadministration with the immediate-pastadministration of which the PDPcandidate was a prominent party, wemust not forget the reign of terror andtheir high-handedness. A servingMinister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige,was assassinated in his house afterbeing threatened some weeks before.Chief Joseph Abiodun Komolafe diedas a result of the blows he receivedfrom the then Ilesa-East LocalGovernment Council Chairman,Ibukun Fadipe. In April 2011, fivemembers of a church in Ile-Ife,including the relatives of an aspirant,were killed during night vigil, a day tothe election.
Aregbesola came in and startedworking to turn the fortune of thestate around. He has engaged 40,000OYES (Osun Youth EmpowermentScheme) cadets. These cadets are notless than 18 years old, the minimumvoting age, and will all vote for theirbenefactor. All the parents of public
school children, who are being fedwith nourished foods have vowed tovote for Ogbeni, so that O’MEALscheme can continue.
This group will contribute about300,000 votes when you calculate thenumber of pupils in the school, dividedby three (assuming average of threechildren will come from a parent) andmultiplied by two (mother and fatherwho are of voting age). The marketwomen and men, who have vowed towork for Aregbesola, are not less than100,000. The farmers who havereceived assistance and financialsupport from this government are over10,000. All the organized and non-organised sectors are all for Ogbeni.
The State Boys have not had it sogood as they are having in thisgovernment. They are always insupport of Ogbeni and will all vote forhim. The artisans like tailors, shoe-makers, bricklayers, plumbers,welders and auto-mechanics came outat one time or the other to pledge theirsupport for the incumbent. Theprimary and secondary schoolteachers also said they will supportAregbesola because of histransformation of the education sector.
Apart from the masses mentionedabove, the royal fathers and partychieftains also play important roles inthe determination of election results inNigeria. Who can say of a single royalfather in the whole of Osun that willnot support Aregbesola? None can beseen. The Ooni of Ife is a greatmonarch, who history will never forgetfor supporting Awolowo and theprogressives. A detribalized Oba, whoknows all Yorubas originated from Ile-Ife and who loves hardwork and saysit must be appreciated. And talkingabout the chieftains that can influencetheir followers, we have General AlaniAkinrinade in Ife Zone.
In Ikire Zone, we have Chief PeterBabalola (aka Peter Action) andothers who will deliver that zone. InOsogbo, Ilesa, Ede and Iwo, thesupport that Ogbeni is enjoying has notdwindled. The Secretary to theGovernment of the State of Osun,Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, is a belovedson of Iwo. The Asiwaju of Iwo,Barrister Gbadegesin Adedeji, a one-time Attorney-General andCommissioner for Justice under thePDP and who represented the state atthe National Conference, is also fromIwo.
The deputy governor, OtunbaTitilayo Laoye-Tomori, is fromOsogbo. With what happened to theAsiwaju of Ede and former governorin the state, Senator Tunji Adeleke,Ede people will not votes for the PDPin the coming election. Ilesa is anothercity with strong vote and we all knowthat Ogbeni is an “Osomalo”. ObaAdekunle Aromolaran was full ofpraises at the last Iwude Ijesa andenjoined all Ijesa people to vote forOgbeni Rauf Aregbesola because ofhis developmental strides. PrinceOyinlola will deliver Okuku zone.
Looking around in the state, one willsee nowhere where votes can comefor the opposition. In the final analysisof how and where the main oppositioncan get its negligible votes, one shouldnot forget that politics is a game foreverybody; both morally upright,sociopaths and psychotic patients.One should then remember that shouldall the aspirants’ wives and all thewomen that have, at least, a child forthe aspirants vote for their man, oneof them would not get less than tenvotes.
By OLUFEMI OYEDELE
•AREGBESOLA
OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, May 17, 201412 FOR THE RECORDSBeing text of a World Press Conference addressed by the Chairman of the All Progressives
Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, in Lagos on May 11th 2014 on Boko Haram andNigeria’s security situation.
Nigeria On Auto Pilot, Let’s Rally To Save Her!Offer Of Assistance By Foreign
Countries
WE welcome and commend the offerof assistance by Britain, Canada,China, France, US, ECOWAS
and the UN, among others to help find ourgirls. We welcome the British andAmerican experts who have alreadyarrived on our shores to assist us to findour girls and return them safely to theirparents.
This confirms our stated belief that thewar against terrorism is a global battle thatneeds all hands to be on deck. It confirmsour earlier call on the government to takeits case to ECOWAS and the AfricanUnion so that the entire Sahel Region,which has become the playground forterrorists, can become a focus of sub-regional and regional attention.
We thank all the friendly nations andglobal organizations that have expressedsolidarity with our dear country in herhour of need, and urge those that haveoffered assistance to ensure it extendsbeyond finding our girls to dealing acrushing blow to the terrorists anddefeating them once and for all.
But we submit that ultimately, thesecurity and safety of our citizens are theprimary responsibility of the NigerianGovernment, led by President Jonathan,and the government must not abdicatethis responsibility simply because somenations and organizations have offered toassist
Our Stand and RecommendationsFellow Nigerians, these are times that
try the souls of men. Our nation faces amost severe and unfair test. The decisionsand actions taken in the next few weeksand months may well determine whetherwe emerge from the pit into which violentterrorism has pushed us or shall we sinkdeeper still into lawlessness and disorder.The challenge we face is much biggerthan the pursuit of office or individualambition.
Even without the Boko Haram crisis,the nation ran itself as if on auto-pilot.The Jonathan Administration did little anddepended on the ingenuity of theNigerian people to fend for themselvesand cover up governmental shortcoming.
However, a crisis has come which noamount of private ingenuity can resolve.Only government can answer this call.The time has come for strategy andaction. The time has come butgovernment has been found sorelywanting. Just as they have left the girls inthe forest and at the mercy of armedterrorists without mercy, this governmenthas left the nation in the cold.
We must acknowledge that the nationhas been brought low. We now suffermore violence and destruction than manyplaces that are formally at war. For toomany, Nigeria has become not a place tolive but a place to die. We must changethis evil equation.
At moments like these, Nigeria needs aleadership that is bold, coherent, sincereand focused. Unfortunately, that is notthe case right now for our dear nation.
Given what is at stake, people ofgoodwill must speak up to offersuggestions on how Nigeria can pull itselffrom her present security quagmire.
As a party, the APC has watched withgreat trepidation the deteriorating state ofour country and its security institutions.We have consistently offeredsuggestions on how to resolve this crisis.We have said only a non-partisanapproach can help resolve the huge crisiswe face, even though the JonathanAdministration has pointedly ignoredthis. But we remain undaunted.
Today, we call on President Jonathan toearn his epaulet as the Commander-in-Chief and stop passing the buck. Weremind him that as the Chief SecurityOfficer of the nation, he cannot and mustnot pass the buck. We remind him thathaving imposed a state of emergency onAdamawa, Borno and Yobe, he hasassumed full responsibility for thesecurity of those states, and that it isdisingenuous of him to point accusingfingers at the Governors of those states,who cannot even move around theirstates freely without clearance.
Because we in the APC remain resolutethat Nigeria can overcome this evil group,if only we all come together to fight thecommon enemy, we hereby advocate amultifaceted strategy, the outlines ofwhich we now place before the Nigerianpeople for discussion and comment:
The government’s response againstBoko Haram has reached a strategicstalemate – a situation of parity inimpacts. This strategic stalemate is toBoko Haram’s advantage for it wins aslong as it exists and continues to disruptand terrorize. Government policy needs toreform in a few important ways viz:
1. Develop and/or Publish a Counter-Terrorism Strategy:Presently there is poorcoordination between and integration ofmilitary means and political and economicobjectives. There is currently no publiclyknown counter-terrorism strategy guidingthe response to BH, and the impact of thiscan be seen in at least three ways: first isthe chaos and confusion surrounding thegovernment’s intention to explore a
negotiated settlement by dialoguing withBH. One minute the government favoursand
seeks to dialogue and grant amnesty toBH, the next minute government rules itout. There are mixed signals from thegovernment. Second is the lack of use andcoordination of military, political andeconomic means, yet successful counter-insurgency requires close coordination ofmilitary, political and economic means andobjectives.
2. Build a new Intelligence GatheringInfrastructure – In 2012, Nigeriaannounced plans for a new intelligencefusion centre to coordinate, improve andintegrate intelligence gathering andsharing across agencies. We need toobtain more timely and actionableintelligence from local sources in the areasaffected by Boko Haram. We would alsoestablish an office of the Special Anti-Terrorism Coordinator.
3. Improved Intelligence: The solutionto preventing, limiting and respondingbetter to BH attacks does not lie indeploying more troops but in improvingintelligence and increasing force enablers.The fight against BH will be enhanced ifgovernment focuses on these twoelements.
4. Improve Contingency Planning:Most major militaries around the worldhave plans for the major challenges theyare likely to face. We need to begin tocreate plans and conduct trainingexercises that reflect the challenges wewill face. In this manner. Our securityapparatus will be better prepared if and
when a situation arises.5. Pursue and Align military with
political (negotiated) solutions: BokoHaram is unlikely to be defeated militarily.Most insurgencies are ended throughsome form of negotiation. Governmentmust develop a strategy along the lines ofthe policy followed by PresidentYar’Adua (over the MEND insurgency inthe Niger Delta) at least to the extent thatwe use employment and otherrehabilitative incentives to separate therank and file from Boko Haram’sleadership.
6. De-radicalization Strategy: TheNorthern region is in urgent need of acounter-radicalization program to preventmany more young people (illiterate andunemployed) from being radicalized. Suchstrategies would require initiatives tocounter violent extremist ideology andcreate positive incentives againstradicalization (beyond the current focuson punitive measures – arrest, detentionand killing), give voice and representationto young people in the region, etc.
7. Regionalize (ECOWAS and AU)Response: The government to solicit theoperational involvement and assistance ofECOWAS and AU, including deployingmultinational security operations acrossthe Sahel to track and hunt down BokoHaram operational chain. It is clear thatBoko Haram is no longer a ‘Nigeria-only’problem, but now a regional securitymenace that requires regional responses.
8. Effective information managementand strategic communication: Thegovernment needs to reform the wayinformation is released and managed onBoko Haram. This goes beyond officialinformation management and governmentagencies to include working with print,electronic and online media organizations,and local (grassroots) informationchannels.
9. Economic Development Plan forNorthern Nigeria: The proposed recoveryfund for the North East is grosslyinadequate window dressing. A real andmassive effort is needed. Clearly morefinancial resources are needed. Economicrevival goes beyond providingsubstantial funds – it has to be guided byclear objectives, roles of public andprivate sectors and civil society groups,and must include social (education,health, religion, culture and traditionalinstitutions), environmental, and politicalaspects, in addition to economic issues.
10. Involve civilian peace buildingorganizations (military and police cannotbuild peace): Uniformed personnel arenever peace builders. The governmentneeds to urgently involve local andinternational peace buildingorganizations, including NGOs, CSOs, etc.to design peace building initiatives for theNE.
ConclusionOur nation stands on the rim of crisis. A
stupendous national disaster beckons.But this current leadership can help avertdisaster if they wake up to what truegovernance is. The time for excuses andhalf-measures is long past. The well beingof the nation hangs in the balance. If wedo not act decisively, the demands of themoment will find us wanting and historywill issue a terrible verdict against us. Weseek to protect this nation and herchildren. We seek to establish a legacythat shows the feats to which this nationcan aspire when it stands united andstrong against the threat of evil. We seekto make Nigeria a land where no one willever have to demand that our girls bereturned because in a better, more secureNigeria they never will be taken!
Thank you and God bless this nation!
•AKANDE
Concluded
Continued from last edition
13 OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, May 17, 2014
The ‘Ogbeni’ I KnowTestimony Of A 34-year-old Encounter
THE man ‘Ogbeni’ issomeone to watch. Forwhatever reason, he chose to
be addressed and called ‘Ogbeni’Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola. A choicehe made right at the inception ofhis administration in 2010. Thougha personal decision, it was a rareone to find in this part of the world.From all intents and purposes, Iconsidered it the height of humilityand selflessness in public office; aclear departure from theunwholesome penchant mostNigerians have for power and theparaphenalia that goes withpolitical offices.
Ogbeni’ is a man of history. Frommany indications, history has madean impregnable impact on him,while the governor is presentlywriting more unparallel historyabout himself in the State of Osun.
By sheer providence, I came incontact with Ogbeni Aregbesolasome thirty-four years ago (orthere about) at The Polytechnic,Ibadan as co-students, precisely in1980.
I still can recall some of myexperiences with this man calledOgbeni. He struck me as anunwavering human right activist, ademocrat, very passionate andvisionary leader.
One particular incident offersitself for mention. In 1980, therewas the issue of students’ bursaryand the Oyo State government, ofthe late Uncle Bola Ige.
It was the policy of the old OyoState government to give N500(which was then a huge sum ofmoney) to every state student intertiary schools as bursary.However, The Polytechnic studentslater received a rude shock fromthe governor when he offered topay each of us an amount less thanthe one earlier announced.
As if that was not enough, thegovernor was also quoted by themass media, in a reaction to intenseagitation from the polytechnicstudents, as saying that thepolytechnic students were askingfor equal payment of N500bursary, per student, ‘as if they areundergraduates.’ This infuriated thestudents. Thus, both the stategovernment and The Polytechnicstudents were set on war path.
At this time, our Ogbeni of todaywas the Honourable Speaker,Students’ Union Parliament, withBimbola Daniyan (now, anEngineer and Chairman, TourismBoard, State of Osun), as
President.Neither the state government nor
the students were ready to yieldgrounds. To an average Polyte, theissue was more than a merebursary, but a big dent on ouracademic pursuit and musttherefore be fought to the very endand with every resources available.
The stage was set. For the firsttime, (to my own knowledge, atleast), the raw patriotism and shrewdynamism in Ogbeni came to thefore in alliance with the SUGPresident, of course!
In a very democratic manner, amotion for students’ congress waspassed by the House, led byOgbeni. In a jiffy also, the congressdecided to embark on a non-violent demonstration against thediscriminatory policy of the stategovernment. The target of theprotest was the Governor’s Officeat the Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
Obviously, the security agencieswere fully aware of all our plans.Hence, they came out fully againstus, spreading out their dragnets toensure the demonstration plan wasfrustrated at all cost, right from theonset.
Our leadership was up to the task,very much undaunting! Ogbeni, theable Speaker and other leaderswere at their best, working outstrategies and counter-strategiesthat finally saw a sea of thePolytecnic students right at thedoor of Uncle Ige. How wemanaged to get to the statesecretariat became a mystery to all!
The whole arrangement wassimply fantastic. All securityapparatus were beaten hands down!Phew! No encounter with anysecurity official for that matter!There was neither a single incidentof throwing stones, tear-gascanister or shooting of guns at anystudent!
It was a pleasant surprise for the
governor too. The ingenuity andmaturity of our leaders and theentire students populace won hisheart.
There and then, the governorreceived our protest letter with asoothing promise to accede to ourrequest. Thus, the running battle ofcertificate / bursary discriminationbetween polytechnic and universitystudents ended on a happy note,once and for all. It was a battle ofwits by our leaders, all throughwith no casualty suffered by theentire students’ body – neithermaiming, death nor rustication ofa single student!
The leopard in OgbeniAregbesola hardly changes its skin.His records in other places he hadserved, many years after we hadparted from school are livingtestimonies.
Over three years ago, I had thegrace of giving some divinemessage to three top civil servantsin the state, who had earlierexpressed outright disillusionmentabout Ogbeni administration,which was few months old then.
The message was that their timeof prosperity had come and ‘thatnone of their fears was real. Onemajor fear common to many civilservants then was that Ogbeni wasa down-to-earth, cultist and areligious extremist, who had cometo power purposely to make lifedifficult for the civil servants, inparticular. I told them in a plainlanguage then to await themanifestation of the prophecies,sooner than later. That Ogbeni’swas the best leader they could everhad.
As I write, all the three civilservants are at the peak of theircareer at their different ministries,while many objective minds allover the state can count thenumerous benefits the visionaryleadership of Ogbeni has providedso far. To God be the glory!
Today, I still hear the gentle echoof the same prophetic message.
More than ever before, God isinvolved with our Ogbeni and Hehas not finished with him. Onlybelieve. Take me for my word.
Time will tell!
•Ajibade is a servant of Godand a public affairscommentator.
By AKIN AJIBADE
•AREGBESOLA
FEATURE
14 OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, May 17, 2014
A recent piece was titled: Attention:INEC, Card Reader, and Osun/Ekiti Elections. The piece draws
public notice to some hot developmentthat are just unfolding within the last twoweeks. It is of vital importance thatNigerians take conscious account of itsseriousness, especially as it relates tothe coming elections in Ekiti and Osun.This is an excerpt from the article:
On Friday 30 April 2014, INEC;through its Acting Chairman, Dr.Ishmael Igbani, disclosed itsdetermination to use Card Reader forthe coming elections in Osun and Ekitistates. Barely 24 hours later, theIndependent National ElectoralCommission (INEC ‘changed the song’through Kayode Idowu; the Chief PressSecretary to the Chairman of INEC thatthe body did not say it would deploy cardreaders for the Ekiti and Osungovernorship elections.
Since news on this drama broke, a lotof questions have been raised byNigerians. Questions such as:
WHAT IS THE ESENCE OF THERECENTLY DISTRIBUTEDPERMANENT VOTER’S CARD(PVC) IN OSUN AND EKITI, IFCARD READER WOULD NOT BEUSED, CONSIDERING THEELECTRONIC SECURITYFEATURES OF THE CARD?
HOW DOES INEC INTEND TOA U T H E N T I C A T EPERSONAL FEATURE OF AVOTER AS CONTAINED IN THEPVC, ESPECIALLY THE FINGERPRINTS EMBEDDED IN THE CHIPOF THE PVC?
The questions above are important,and most important are the convincinganswers INEC must provide; such thatwould vindicate the election umpire.However, this piece takes a look at somepostulates leading to public suspicion of‘smelling pranks’ around the decision ofINEC to have rescinded its earlier planto deploy Card Reader in the comingEkiti/Osun elections.
Postulate 1Should INEC actually refuse to
deploy Card Reader for the Ekiti/Osunelections, the only way it would attemptto accredit a voter on election day is tocross-check typed details on such cardwith records contained in the soft andhard copies of documents in its databank. This has been the wayaccreditation of voters were carried outin previous elections by INEC. Thismanner of accreditation has not wonconsiderable credibility for the body; notas much as it would, should card readerbe deployed.
Basically, details on a voter’s cardinclude photograph, name, age, homeaddress/ward, including finger print etc.Every detail on a voter’s card can beverified, when an INEC official barelylooks at details on the card and comparesthem with INEC’s record at his disposal.The only detail that cannot be verifiedby mere eye-cross-checking is thefinger print on the voter’s card. And thatis where the Card Reader comes asgreat essence for the credibility of thecoming elections in Ekiti and Osun.INEC should tell Nigerians how it wouldverify the authenticity and genuinenessof ownership of the finger prints on allrecently-distributed PVC in the twostates.
Postulate 2It is only the election umpire, INEC
that is supposed to have access to votersregistration document nationwide.Through computer documentation,INEC keeps detailed record of allregistered voters in the country in itsdata bank. Such bank would be kept ina physical storage facility designated atpredetermined spots across the country.Another possible means of storing suchhuge data of Nigerian electorate is theuse of the cyberspace, i.e a notationalenvironment in which communicationover computer networks occur. Thesetwo means of documentation face somechallenges; the major of which ishacking. It is a way by whichunauthorised interest thrives within anelectronic property.
A hacker is an individual, who exploitsweaknesses in a computer system orcomputer network. Hackers may bemotivated by a multitude of reasons,such as profit, protest, or a challenge.
Postulate 3In the context of the foregoing, INEC
runs the risk of having its votersregistration data bank exploited throughsome of its insiders, who might havebeen compromised, who are paid to dosome ‘dirty jobs’. Such person, orpersons, for some pecuniary reasons,could help alter details of registeredvoters’ lists. Though, this might be a littletedious, but it is quite possible.
However, the most very possibly easymeans of altering INEC’s data bank ofregistered voters within a very shortperiod of time is through hacking. A
hacker can gain access into INEC’sbank from anywhere in the world. Ahacker can change details of INEC’sdocument, even while riding in a car, onan ‘Okada’, ‘Korope’ or while sitting ina toilet. Yes, it is that easy. All he needsis just some figures within zero and nine(0-9), or other alphabet key to gainaccess. And that is the point we aretrying to make here.
Once such hacker gains access, hecan manipulate every detail; name, age,sex, addresses, and pictures, includingthe finger prints. It becomes very easyfor him, in as much as he is able to getthe registration number on such voter’scard. For example, once he gets a voterregistration number, e.g. 0000 belongingto Mr. XYZ, then hacks into INEC’sdata bank, he can easily change everydetail of that card with that registrationnumber. He can thence produce a new;same PVC. This is known as cybercloning. By this postulate, a possibledevelopment of event may howeverarise on election day.
Once a voter’s card is cloned, twopeople will appear on election day foraccreditation in the same ward, beforethe same set of INEC officials. Thequestions at this point are: how wouldINEC identify a genuine card andcarrier? Would the body verify thespecial electronic security features in thePVC through mere visual checks andverification?
For the purpose of the forgoing, it isin the best interest of good developmentof democracy in Nigeria that Nigerianelectorate keep the registration numberson their PVC with the sameconsciousness and alertness they do oftheir ATM cards. The electorate shouldknow that the only reason why banks
would always sound the warnings thatcustomers should protect the PINnumbers of their ATM card is to forestallcyber cloning of their cards. A financialcyber hacker only needs such PIN toreplicate any ATM and withdraw everykobo before the original account ownerwould spell ‘mo gbe’, I am finished!
Consequently, voters in Osun andEkiti, and the entire Nigerian electorateneed to know that, of all details on theirvoters’ cards, two features are mostimportant; the registration number oftheir voters’ cards and their finger printsas contained in the chip of the card.
A current scenario is unfolding inOsun, where attempts are being madeto get registration numbers onelectorate’s voters’ cards underfictitious guise. Some forms wererecently stumbled upon, emanating fromthe Osun PDP. Under the guise ofempowerment, unsuspecting electoratein the state are being asked to givedetails of their PVC, especially the cardregistration number. (See scanned copyof the form)
The registration number of anelectorate’s voter’s card is the keythrough which other details on the card.could be accessed. Once anybody getsthe registration number, it becomes easyto clone the card. It should be noted thattwo individuals could have quite similarfacial appearances, hence photographon a card might not really authenticateownership. Two people can also bearthe same names, i.e. first, middle andlast name. However the only featurethat cannot be cloned is the finger print.It has very high accuracy and one ofthe most developed biometrics. It cannotbe cloned because no two individualhave the same finger lines. And of allbiometric features, finger prints and eyeretina are the major features that cannotbe verified through visual assessment.
As INEC has rescinded the plan todeploy card reader for the Ekiti/Osunelections, it is most imperative at thispoint in time that Professor Atahiru Jegatells Nigerians how INEC plans to verifythe authenticity or otherwise of fingerprints- the most accurate and highlydeveloped biometric feature on thePermanent Voters’ Cards it recentlydistributed in Osun and Ekiti.
Finally, by the conclusion of thecoming elections in June and August2014, it would have gone down in historythat the first deployment of PermanentVoters’ Cards for the conduct of anyelection in Nigeria started in Ekiti andOsun. Paraphrased, the IndependentNational Electoral Commission, INECwould be test-running the PVC in Ekitiand Osun during the coming elections.Hence, it is most logical; just as it is amatter of statutory duty that the bodyensures the deployment of every othernecessary logistics for the verificationof the permanent cards, which hasspecial electronic security features; andthe accreditation of voters at pollingunits. The deployment of Card Readerfor the Ekiti/Osun elections- going bythe assertion of INEC’s Director ofPublic Affairs, Nick Dezang- “willauthenticate, by up to 100 percent, thegenuineness and ownership of thesepermanent voter cards,”
The use of Card Reader in theelections and subsequent ones in thecountry remains the only means to makethe coming exercises in Ekiti and Osunmost credible. Otherwise the electionsbecome what late Fela Anikulapo Kuticalls a ‘pady-pady arrangement’.
•Mabayoje wrote in from Osogbo.
Lest Osun/Ekiti Elections Become Pady-Pady Arrangement
FEATURE
By RASHEED MABAYOJE
•Professor JEGA
15 OSUN DEFENDER Saturday, May 17, 2014
State Of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Inaugurated Commission Of InquiryOn Disturbance Of Public Peace at Government House, Osogbo, State Of Osun, LastThursday.
•(L-R) The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Adewale Afolabi and newly-sworn-in Chairman,Commission of Inquiry on Disturbance of Public Peace, Honourable Justice Adekunle Adeigbe, during the inauguration of the commission.
•Governor Aregbesola (2nd right); his deputy, Otunba (Mrs) Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori (2nd left); representative, State of Osun Chief Judge, Honourable Justice Adebisi Ogunlade(left); Justice Adeigbe (right) and other dignitaries in a group photograph, during the inauguration.
•Governor Aregbesola (3rd right); Laoye-Tomori (3rd left); Justice Adeigbe (2nd right); Secretary of the Commission, Mr Bisi Babalola (right); members of the commission,retired deputy Commissioner of Police, Bose Dawodu (2nd right) and Barrister Ismail Ajibade (left), during the inauguration of the commission at Government House, Osogbo,State of Osun, last Thursday.
PHOTOTALK
SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014
LAST Tuesday will everremain evergreen in mymemory, taking into
cognizance the totality of whatprovidence had made me towitness in the State of Osun.It was the day I shed tears ofjoy for being part of history-making in the education sectorin the State of the Virtuous.It could be pretty difficult togive a vivid account of whatactually happened. All I cansay is that whoever hadmissed the occasion might have aherculean difficulty in filling the gap. Itwas simply amazing, thrilling andscintillating. It was the day the seedbeing sewn by the indefatigablegovernor of the state, Ogbeni RaufAregbesola, in the field of education atboth primary and secondary levels,showed a sign of effective germination.
The occasion was the final ofinterschool debate competition amongthe secondary school pupils in the statewhile the venue was Centre for BlackCulture and InternationalUnderstanding, beside stateGovernment Secretariat, Abere, Osun.The competition put together by OsunSupport Group (OSG), OranmiyanWorldwide, Office of Wife of OsunGovernor in collaboration with the stateMinistry of Education, was reminiscentof usual happenings in both primary andsecondary schools in the 70’s and 80’s.Before I am crucified by critics, I amnot saying the same was not the situationbefore the period mentioned above butI am not eminently qualified to becategorical on what I have notwitnessed.
Six contestants drawn from the threesenatorial districts of the state made thefinal list of the competition. With whatI witnessed at the venue of the event, itwould be an understatement to observethat the umpires did an unbiasedassignment. If not that it was necessarythat one of the contestants must emergea number one winner, one would havesuggested that all the six contestantswould have been made number onewinners. The pupils were simplymarvelous. The dexterity and depth oftheir preparedness for the competitionwas beyond the imagination of parentsand well-wishers who all left theirmouths ajar with the brilliant showingof the pupils.
Members of the audience comprisingtop political functionaries from bothOsun and Lagos states, teachers, civilservants, pupils were stunned with thesuperlative performance of the privatesecondary school pupils in the debatecompetition. They were applauding thebrilliant outing of the pupils by intuitivelyclapping, gesticulating, hailing aloud,shifting their sitting positions andunwittingly getting up to recognize theOsun talent. Words may not be enoughto capture what transpired at the event.The long and short of it is that, by myown assessment, it will not be out oftune to conclude that the debatecompetition was one of the best eventsI had ever witnessed at the venue inrecent time.
The brilliant outing of theaccomplished pupil-debaters could not
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be divorced from the fall-out of thepopulist policy of Aregbesola’sadministration in the education sectorthrough schools reclassificationprogramme which the main oppositionparty in the state has condemned overtime. With the prevailing situation, Ihave learnt to conclude that any policythat does not face stiff opposition maynot be said to be people-oriented.Afterall, the late sage, Chief ObafemiAwolowo, was said to have had it roughwith the opposition when he wasintroducing free education in the thenWestern Region. There was nothingthe reactionary opposition group did notdo to set the people against him but allto no avail. The same thing is nowbeing witnessed which the oppositionis doing against Aregbesola which canneither stand nor fly. The question is,if so much success can be noted,observed and recorded in the field ofeducation through the introduction ofschools reclassification programmewithin four years of Aregbesola’sadministration, what then will the resultbe in the next one or two decades? Itwill be simply marvelous. Some of
OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guaranty Trust Bank GTB, Gbongan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun. Allcorrespondence to the Managing Editor, KOLA OLABISI, Telephone: 08033927286 ([email protected]); Editor, KAYODE AGBAJE, Telephone: 0803-388-0205, E-mail:[email protected], [email protected]. ISSN: 0794-8050.Website: www.osundefender.org.
those hankering to govern the state bycrook or hook means today are not evencapable of flooring these products ofAregbesola’s Schools of Re-classification programme.
If one engages in a venture and herakes in profit in quantum, his joy willbe limitless. That was the situation withOgbeni Aregbesola that day. He wasvisibly happy; he was in his best form,acknowledging the feat exhibited bythese pupil-debaters. In his responseat the event, he said he could hardlybelieve what he witnessed, adding thatirrespective of what anybody could say,all the six contestants were winners.He said those who know him are awarethat he’s hardly impressed but he wasnot only impressed, but was dazzled bythe performance of the pupil-debaters.The impressed governor said what hewas thinking while the debaters werein action was if he was capable of doingwhat the pupils were doing when he wasof their age. There was also agovernorship declaration that thedebaters who were good ambassadorsof the state could compete favourablywith any of their counterparts in any
part of the world. Ogbeniwho was full ofappreciation for theorganizers of the eventsaid it would go a longway in stimulating healthycompetition among thepupils in the state with anappeal to the contestantswho had dropped at thezonal level to take heartand imbue themselveswith the spirit of Olympicsportsmanship.
The governor disclosed that the solefinancier of the event, the Osun SupportGroup, has been in support of hisgovernorship aspiration andsustainability of his administrationwithout asking for anything in return forsome time past. He acknowledged thefinancial contributions of the group tohis successful inauguration as Osungovernor on November 26, 2010. In hisown response, the state legislaturerepresented by the Deputy Speaker,Honourable Akintunde Adegboye, saidas a sign of honour and appreciation ofthe wonderful outing of the sixcontestants, a date would be fixed forthem to come and replicate their gooddelivery in the state House of Assembly.The governor’s wife, Mrs SherifatAregbesola and the state deputygovernor, Otunba (Mrs) Grace TitiLaoye-Tomori, were also not less fullwith joy and happiness through theirdisposition throughout the event.
Now that the event is over and thewinners have emerged, one thing that isgermane in aid of the programme willbe its continuity. It will not be too muchfor the government to aid its functionevery year with its extension to primaryschools. Why the whole thing wasunique was that the exemplary brilliantpupil debaters are products of publicschools drawn from remote parts of thestate. This is enough healthy threat tooperators of private public schools in thestate. No one can be blamed for sendinghis children or wards to any school; nogovernment has legal enforcementauthority to dictate the type of school aparent can send his child to. All I knowis that every sane man wants the bestfor his children within the limit of hisresources.
One task I want to give to the Stateof Osun Government is to help theorganizers publicise the final debatesession because no one hides a lit candleunder the table in order not to tamperwith the desired illumination. The gloryof the event, to a large extent, goes tothe state. In view of this, there shouldbe a replay of the debate on some ofthe publicly and privately-ownedtelevision stations like Osun StateBroadcasting Corporation (OSBC);Nigerian Television Authority (NTA);Channels; AIT etc. It is through theproliferation of these means ofpublicizing the achievements of thesepupils that the outside world will have afull knowledge of the feat beingperformed in the State of Osun. It willalso go a long way in permanentlysealing the lips of non-constructivecritics of the Osun government in thearea of education policy.
Osun Six Pupil-debaters: WorthyDividends Of Schools' Reclassification
•Winner of the debate, Ayodele Habeeblahi (right), receiving a certificate from thegovernor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, during the final stage, State of OsunPublic Schools Debate. Topic: ‘Are Leaders Born Or Made?’ organised by OmoluabiSupport Group (OSG)/Oranmiyan Worldwide in collaboration with State Ministry OfEducation At Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, Abere, Stateof Osun, last Tuesday.
