OSUN State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, took yet another giant step in his effort to revolutionize the economy of the state, on Thursday, when he commissioned the multi-million naira technology complex, tagged RLGAdulawo Technology City, along Akure-Ilesha road, in Ilesha, Osun State. The project, a partnership with telecommunication company, RLG, is expected to offer employment and training to 20,000 graduates of the state government OYES programme. The centre is expected to be one of the most productive assets through technological innovations, production and assemblage of electronics communication devices. While commissioning the complex, Governor Aregbesola, said the project was part of his administration’s efforts to create wealth in the state and improve the living standard of citizens. “Time is running against Africa and all hands must be on deck to ensure that the continent attains its rightful position. As a government, political power is obtained for the service of the people and we shall continue to serve our people with all sense of responsibility. “At the inception of our administration, out of our voluminous programmes, we set two agenda as a priority: to create employment and make our state a hub of Information Communication Technology. ICT is no longer a future phenomenon but current tool for best communication. “Our World has changed. In the last 20 years, NITEL estimated all available phones as 150, 000 and the recent figure puts mobile lines in Nigeria at 117 Millions with 200 million mobile phones and the number will keep growing because we must add RLG product to it.” The governor was supported by his deputy, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori, the governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and the Chairman of RLG, Mr. Roland Agambire, to open the facility for business. The technology magnate said Aregbesola has the vision to carry Osun State to an enviable height with the citing of RLG assembly plant in the state. According to him, “we invested this huge facility here to demonstrate that we are here to stay to catch the opportunity of mobile technology. Let one in every 100 million Nigerians has only RLG devices and Osun State will make billionaires that will also be in the world map. “Our product is cheap, quality and durable. The facility will also employ direct 800 people and over 10,000 people across the country, some will be at coupling plants while others will also be at selling points,” he pointed out.
Tag: AREGBESOLA
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Osun governor wins Chronicle Man of The Year award
OSUN State governor, Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, has won the National Chronicle Newspaper Man of the Year award for 2013. According to a statement by the organizers of the awards, Aregbesola defeated the governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Ibrahim Sheu Shema and the Minister of Agriculture, Akinwunmi Adesina, to the second and third place respectively. To emerge as the National Chronicle man of the year award for 2013, the Osun State helmsman polled total of 71,000 votes out of the over 100, 000 readers of the newspaper who participated in the poll. Governor Shema came distant second with over 20,000 votes, while the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina came third with over 10, 000 votes. In the letter of announcing his victory and nomination as the National Chronicle Man of the year 2013 Award, the publisher and Editor- In- Chief of the newspaper, Mr. Timothy Okojie-Ave, described the Osun State governor as a leader who has reached unsurpassed level of excellence and achievement, a hero and quintessential nationalist who has become a driving power in shaping our society and who deserves a second term.
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Fayemi, Aregbesola tenures expire October, November
The tenure of the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi will expire on October 15, while that of his Osun State counterpart, Rauf Aregbesola will elapse on November 25.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, relying on the provision of section 178(2) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, has set May 18 as the earliest date for Ekiti and June 28 for Osun governorship elections.
However, the commission has now picked September 15 and early October as new dates for elections in Ekiti and Osun States respectively. -
Aregbesola: A gale of endorsments in Osun
Erasmus Ikhide writes on the endorsement of Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola for a second term by stakeholders across the 30 local governments.
Last year, without mixing words, was an eventful year for Governor Rauf Aregbosla of the State of Osun in the governance of his people. In spite of minimal flakes here and there arising from his new education policy, the governor incrementally raked in innumerable awards to the admiration of his detractors who vehemently loathed his ideological stand points or his style of governance.
In that year, Osun was awarded the Best ICT (Information Communication Technology) State of the year 2013; Africa’s Most Innovative Telecom Product of the Year (Opon Imo) by the Nigerian Telecom Development at the Incubator Event Centre and the Governor of the year on Social Responsibility Award 2013 by The SERAs at its Seventh Annual award in the Shell Hall, Muson Centre, Onikan, both in Lagos.
Interestingly, the governor had shared’ the ‘Social Responsibility Award alongside his Katsina State counterpart, Alhaji Shehu Shema. In that same year, Ogbeni was honoured by the Yoruba Education Trust Fund, (YETFUND) as the best governor of the year in the South West who has dedicated the largest chunks of his budgetary allocation to the promotion and development of education for actual growth of the Yoruba people, in so short a period.
In the outgone year, the Nigeria National Bureau of Statistics ranked the State of Osun as having the highest of primary school enrolment in the country at between 70 and 80 per cent. The awards and recognitions too numerous to mention in just a column, emboldened the governor – gingerly – to rededicate his government firmly on the needs of the people.
The latest of such awards come from the Nigeria Daily Independent Newspaper, as the “Man-of-the Year”, on the first of January, 2014 in recognition of the governor’s innovative, seamless and actual governance with outstanding contribution by turning his philosophical conviction – as an activist – into result-yielding good governance. The newspaper in its editorial wrote: “The difference is clear.
“The State of Osun today has a spring (pardon the pun) in its step. The emphasis is now on production and jobs led economic trajectory. This new thrust has implications for the nation far beyond the narrow confines of partisan politics. This is because if the unfulfilled promises that have resulted in widespread cynicism are to be rolled back, the nation must become a proper democracy.
“Nowhere has this shown more than in his policy on education. A sweeping repositioning of the education sector is clearly leading to a situation where generations will now be technically prepared and empowered to face the reality of a brutally competitive world. “What Rauf Aregbesola has done in the State of Osun is to redefine the terrain of thinking and practice. “He has sect a mark that must be a pointer to the future. “If this country is to prosper, it must move in the direction of the new thinking determined by people like Aregbesola.”
Aregbesola has demonstrated in governance that he is absolutely prepared for 21st century leadership where information technology holds the ace: “Without ICT, it would have been difficult for us to provide all the text books needed by over 150, 000 students in our high schools. “To provide just 3 text books, which are not enough for the students to perform well in the final examination in WAEC and NECO, would cost the state government N4.5 billion annually. “With the introduction of Opon Imo (Tablet of Knowledge), it costs N250 million only for the government to provide virtual text books for all the books needed by the students to write (WAEC, NECO and JAMB) for the 150,000 students in the high schools,” the governor said.
Ogbeni is of the view that ICT is the future of today’s world, which all stakeholders must recognise and begin to make the best use of so as to develop the country. He listed the various ways in which his government has deployed ICT to do government business. “What is needed more in the country is the exposure of young people to the infinite potentials of the world of ICT and how they can through it, rule their world. “Our government has long recognised the huge potentials of ICT for bringing qualitative improvement to bear on the lives of people and society, and this is what we have been doing since I became governor in the State of Osun”, he said.
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‘Why Aregbesola’ll win again’
Michael Odesanya is the Senior Special Assistant on Youth, Sports and Special Needs to Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State. In this interview with Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, he spoke on the forthcoming governorship election in the state and gave reasons why Aregbesola will be re-elected by the people of the state.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears to be in disarray in recent times. What do you think is responsible for this?
Once a party is rejected by the people, everything will start going wrong with it. Nigerians have rejected the PDP. And why shouldn’t we reject them? Since 1999 till date, what are the things you can call the achievements of PDP governments anywhere in the country?
Take a look at the federal governments they ran for fourteen years. Electricity is not stable. They budget billions for the power sector every year. The country’s economy cannot grow without electricity. In the area of job creation, the PDP administration is not doing anything meaningful to address rising unemployment in the country.
The crime rate is on the increase, leading to frequent loss of lives and properties, especially in the Northern part of the country. Our roads have become death-traps, in spite of trillions being voted for the transport sector yearly. The menace of corruption is also there. Even when they are caught stealing, they get clean bills of health at the end of the day.
Here in Osun State, is the PDP still on ground?
I don’t want to waste my time talking about a party that is no more in existence here. The PDP is no more a party of note in Osun. With his sterling performance, Aregbesola sent PDP packing in Osun.
But the party says it will return to Government House this year?
Wishful thinking by a few dreamers I would say. How will they achieve that? Who will vote for them? What are they offering the people? What was their achievement while in office? They failed the people of Osun State. They raped the state carelessly and now want a return ticket to the Government House. Isn’t that funny?
The people will compare their seven and a half years in government with Aregbesola’s four years when it is time to vote. In all facets and departments of government, you cannot compare Aregbesola’s few years with the seven and half years of his predecessor.
Today in Osun, visit any local government, you will see one project or the other going on. There are innovations he brought to governance when he came in. One of them is the monthly exercise tagged ‘Walk to Live’ whereby the governor walks about six kilometres with the people. This simply is a test of popularity and acceptance. If the generality of the people in a local government do not accept a leader, how can he walk in their midst? Aregbesola is doing this every month. The Agba Osun programme is another innovation. Monthly stipends to our elderly and others have their medical bills defrayed. Besides, when he came on board, within the first 100 days in office, he employed 20,000 youths under the OYES Scheme. Another 20,000 has been employed. Again, there is government’s intervention in agriculture such as in arable crops like cocoyam, cassava, plantain, fishery, honey and poultry.
So you are saying Aregbesola will be re-elected for another term?
The chance of Governor Aregbesola in winning the polls is very bright. The beautiful work he’s doing in the state is already campaigning for him. For example, since the creation of the state over 22 years ago, apart from Baba Chief Bisi Akande, there is no other governor that has ever done what Aregbesola did so far. We have seen the woeful performance of his immediate predecessor. In fact, Aregbesola’s achievement is 10 times of the performance of the immediate past government which was in power for nearly eight years in the state.
In the area of road construction, there is no area in the state that Aregbesola has not touched. Talking of agriculture, he has turned the state to the food basket of the nation through his various agricultural policies, giving out loans and farm implements to farmers, sending thousands of youths to China and Germany to go and learn how to farm in a large scale and so on. In the area of employment generation, within his first 100 days in office, he recruited 20,000 youths under the scheme called OYES. He has also recruited the second batch of youths, making 40,000.
So, with all these achievements and many more, I believe Aregbesola will defeat all his opponents hands down in the 2014 governorship polls in the state.
But are you sure other people, especially non-politicians and members of the opposition, share your view on the governor’s performance?
I will answer your question by recounting what two prominent persons said recently about the government in Osun. The first is the Orangun of Ila Orangun, a frontline traditional ruler here in Osun State. The respected monarch said when he was coming from Ila to Osogbo recently, it took him less than forty minutes to reach Osogbo due to the good road networks that are being built by Aregbesola’s government.
He went ahead to say the government of Aregbesola has performed creditably well in all sectors of the economy. According to him, there has been peace in the state, economy is booming, infrastructural works are going on everywhere, schools are being built, hospitals are being rehabilitated, fantastic and qualitative road networks everywhere, youths are being employed.
He added that these sterling performances are the reasons all the traditional rulers today in the state are supporting the governor and saying the works must continue. He said Aregbesola must be re-elected.
Also, the British Deputy High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr. Peter Carter, recently visited the state and described Osun State as peaceful and viable for investors and investments. The envoy, who was on a business visit to the state during a courtesy call on the governor, lauded the commitment of Aregbesola on education, economy and infrastructure development. He specifically said Aregbesola has done creditably well in terms of infrastructure development, which according to him, has attracted both local and international investors to the state.
So, what these two people said will tell you what the public feel about Aregbesola.
But why are the governor’s critics reluctant to agree that he has performed?
They will not because they are political critics. They are not objective critics.
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Aregbesola: Redefining governance in Osun
HISTORY tells us that in every age, there comes a time when leaders must come forth to meet the needs of the hour. Therefore, there is no potential leader who does not have an opportunity to better mankind. Henry Ford asserted: “The whole secret of a successful life is to find out what it is one’s destiny to do, and then do it.“ Ford, like Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, was an engineer. Ford’s dream grew out of his interest in anything mechanical. He taught himself about steam engines, clocks and combustion engines. Ford aimed to create an inexpensive mass-produced automobile. Until then, the new horseless carriage had been an expensive luxury item, available to only the rich. But Ford was determined to put the automobile within the reach of the common person. Ford had a lot of challenges that made him to part ways with some individuals in order to establish his own company, the Ford Motor Company, through which he produced the Model T that made motor a product for the rich and the poor. Ford became a man of history in 1903 when his dream became a reality and was called a genius. Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, as a commissioner for Works in Lagos, left his foot prints indelible till date. His political associates cut across many boundaries. That explains why his political influence continues to magnetize politicians who share his political philosophy that sees governance as service for the betterment of humanity. Democratic leadership sees governance as a social contract where greater goods are delivered to greater numbers of people. That is why world leaders share Henry Ford’s ideal that poverty should not be a barrier to anyone who aspires to acquire education in the 21st Century. The choice of Aregbesola as the Man of the Year 2013 by the Daily Independent Newspapers may not be a surprise to many Nigerians who have been bothered by the scarcity of leaders since the demise of great Nigerian leaders such as Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Sir Ahmadu Bello. These leaders that effected positive changes in the lives of their people. It was the great Azikiwe that stated “there is plenty of room at the top because very few people care to travel beyond the average route. And so, most of us seem satisfied to remain within the confines of mediocrity.” Aregbesola did not seek for an elective office for the fun of it; he saw the lacuna that was prevailing in his home state. He left the comfort of Lagos and the opportunities that he had and took on the bull, the PDP strongholds and militaristic establishment which almost cost him his life. The battle to recover his mandate was a herculean task that lasted for three years. Aregbesola’s inventive genius of Opon Imo (Tablet of knowledge) has made his name to be written in gold as an African leader who, through electronic devices, has revolutionized education not only in Osun State, but in the world as a whole. By this singular invention, it has provided equal access to every child, irrespective of his or her background. This device will henceforth provide a robust learning system and offer a feedback mechanism for monitoring individual performance through the use of the device. It is a walking, sitting or lying companion for learners; it is indeed a revolution that will individualize learning and brings school to the child. His educational policy centred on the total man – complete child, complete youth, complete citizen. The governor’s aim is to prepare the youths for generational change that will be technically competent and economically motivated to be ready made entrepreneurs that will not need to roam the streets for jobs that are not available. Those that misunderstood the educational policy now will sooner or later realize that Aregbesola meant well for the people. More than ever before, people are looking for leaders. Unfortunately, what we commonly come across in our nation are office seekers which will stop at nothing to secure political office only to turn against the very people that voted them into office, maiming, killing and ostracizing those who dare to demand for the dividends of democracy and by such ugly development, made good men to avoid politics and creating wrong signals which made many people to believe that politics should only be left in the hands of the charlatans. Our politicians have no sense of history. If they do, they would have remembered what that young statesman, President John F. Kennedy, said on May 25, 1961 that: “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal before the decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth”. That dream became a reality on July 16, 1969, when Apolo11 made a journey of 244,930 miles to the moon. Four days later, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin Jr. landed the Luna module Eagle on the surface of the moon and offered his famous line: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”. We had done it. We had achieved the impossible. The same dream, the same principle that made the Americans to land on the moon has made the first African leader to invent Opon Imo that will revolutionize education globally in this century. The world is watching the government of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. Nigerians are enormously wondering how he made the feat despite the poisonous tongues that daily criticize this legend, liberator, sage and democrathumanist. According to Olatunji Dare who asserted: “In a world of brute empiricism and economism, it is easy to lose sight of the question that really matters when performance of any government is being assessed. That question is this: To what extent has public policy improved the human condition?” I leave the question to all, including office seekers, to answer and to realize that the Bola Ige House may not be easily accessible for any one whose performance and antecedents fall below that of Rauf Aregbesola. A man people know to have conquered poverty since he came on board that even the federal government agency accredited for reducing poverty level in the state. Unemployment rate has virtually and drastically reduced in the state than any other state in the federation. His Youth Employment Scheme (OYES) has received the applause of the World Bank and the recommendation of the same international financial body is now being emulated by the Federal Government. Inequality is no more in the state, and this is evident in the free education programme of the state. Ogbeni Aregbesola has soundly answered the British economist, Dudley Seer’s question about how to evaluate country’s development. Osun has witnessed all-round development and even our critics are now wary of our secret and capability of completion, despite the limited resources and they have forgotten that creativity is the secret of mass development. As we match towards the 2014 gubernatorial election in Osun State, the numerous achievements of the Aregbesola administration in the six integral plans: aiming at eradication of poverty, abundance of food, job creation, good health, infrastructural development, free and qualitative education and peace and security of lives and properties will speak for the governor. The electorate will surely prefer the government that makes a difference in their lives within three years. They will once again do what they did at the 2011 general election when they voted out political Macavalians.
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Ex-soldiers should be rehabilitated, says Aregbesola
Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has urged Nigerians to rededicate themselves to rebuilding the nation so that peace will reign.
He spoke yesterday during the Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration in Osogbo, the state capital.
Aregbesola said every citizen must work for a united Nigeria free of poverty, unemployment, self-centredness and ethnic chauvinism; a country where genuine democracy will be assured.
He said: “We must all participate in realising this dream. We must not succumb to the debilitating power of hopelessness. Let us take a cue from those who have died for the country. They were hopeful that better days would come for Nigeria, otherwise, they would not have fought till death.
“We must draw inspiration from this kind of mind set. The rising resignation on the part of many compatriots, with respect to the present multi-layered woes of the country, is not in the least helpful.”
Aregbesola said people must avoid turning Nigeria into a country that does not appreciate the positive contributions of its citizens.
Urging Nigerians to appreciate the noble undertakings of soldiers, he said the families of the slain heroes must not be abandoned.
The governor said: “The Federal Government needs to come up with an effective system of reintegrating discharged members of the armed forces into the civil society.
“Retirement from this area of service should not serve as the beginning of the erosion of the human dignity of these officers. In the same vein, since there are two sides to a coin, the discharged officers must ensure that their conducts do not undermine military honour and integrity.”
Aregbesola urged Nigerians to make up their minds that as the country enters its election years, polling booths will not become war zones.
At the ceremony were Deputy Governor Titi Laoye-Tomori; Commissioner of Police Mrs. Dorothy Gimba, and the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, among others.
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Aregbesola urges Nigerians to embrace peace, unity
Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has urged Nigerians to remain committed to national peace and unity.
Speaking yesterday at the launch of the 2014 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Emblem at the Government House in Osogbo, the state capital, he said the armed forces are critical to preserving national integrity and preventing internal collapse.
Aregbesola said the people can rely on Nigerian soldiers to defend them against external aggression.
Launching the emblem with N15 million, he said: “We will not easily forget the important role played by the armed forces in the nationalist efforts that eventually led to the country’s independence.
“Soldering as a profession is a difficult calling. Even if only for the fact that it involves the voluntary sacrifice of one’s life for one’s nation. In this regard, our soldiers have acquitted themselves well.
“They are described as patriots, who have done the nation proud. They have continually been called upon to make sacrifices on behalf of their country and for the greater cause of humanity.”
The governor said the celebration was important in view of the security challenges experienced in several parts of the country, “for which soldiers have been making serious sacrifices”.
He said citizens must ensure that the numerous sacrifices made by the armed forces for the country are not in vain by respecting the nation’s corporate integrity and diversity, adding that Nigeria is a nation with great potentials, blessed by God with both human and material resources.
Deputy Commandant-General and Chairman, Nigerian Legion, Osun State chapter, Col. Alimi Samotu said people, as matter of responsibility, must remember the dependents and children of fallen heroes.
He urged the Federal Government to pay military pension arrears, saying: “This should be taken serious, as the legion’s state chairmen are faced with much pressure from members. To put us in a safe situation, the balance of 20 per cent arrears is much awaited to avoid possible demonstration in the future.”
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‘Aregbesola is an embodiment of good – governance’
Comrade Amitolu Shittu is the director general of DeRaufs, a group of volunteers promoting the ideals of Governor Rauf Aregbesola. He speaks on the governor and governance in Osun State, among other things. Assistant Editor ADEKUNLE YUSUF met him in Osogbo
Essentially, what is DeRaufs all out for?
DeRaufs is a volunteer group formed by like minds who share the principles of the late Obafemi Awolowo. We are a people who have passion for the transformation of our education system, which has suffered from misrule in terms of neglect. We are a people who have also felt that Nigeria must change for better, that the abject poverty people are living in can be abolished. The formation of DeRaufs was also based on the principles of the late Gani Fawehinmi, Nelson Mandela, and Wole Soyinka. It is a movement that believes in egalitarianism, a society nurtured in the principle of equity and justice. We are a group that believes that Nigerians should not continue to suffer in the midst of plenty. As a nation, many Nigerians have died on account of bad roads; our hospitals serve as death centers, while the education system has been bastardised. It is only during the pre-independence government of the defunct Western region that we had good and qualitative education introduced by the late Obafemi Awolowo. After the demise of Awolowo, Ahmadu Bello, and Zik of Africa, we have lost a lot of things.
As a movement, DeRaufs believes that before we can revive or rebrand Nigeria, we must tackle the problem of poverty of mind. And the rebranding we want cannot take place until we reintroduce the system that we have known with this great nation, which is the system of changing the misfortune of Nigeria to fortune. What we mean is that the system of Omoluabi concept that is now being offered us by this great Nigerian, Governor Rauf Aregbesola. He has reduced the attractive paraphernalia of the office of governor. The belief of the people is that when you are in governance, you have to detach yourself from people, be a tin god, and become inaccessible before the people can have respect for that office; that being a governor, you can create an empire and a community for yourself where you can attend to only the people that are well-to-do, while you are less concerned about the generality of the poor. But Aregbesola came; we have studied him for a number of years, and we thought if he is given the opportunity to rule this state, how will he carry out his daily activities? We have seen it from a long distance that he wants to rule with the fear of God, that he is somebody who does not believe in vengeance, that he is somebody who believes in justice and who wants to rule the state with passion, fear of the people and fear of God, that wants to rule with respect, believing that power belongs to God. But he also believes that God puts power in the hands of people so therefore those that God has given this opportunity are just caretakers, because without people there cannot be government.
Aregbesola has made us to understand politics and how we can use it to fix things in Nigeria. He understands that unemployment in Nigeria is rampant, and when you talk about development, there is no way you can develop a community without developing the people. Because education is one of the best tools you can use to transform your community, he has started with education by changing its face; the classes that were built in the 50s were demolished and replaced. Now, Aregbesola is reviving our ailing agricultural sector. He now felt that there is no way you can provide good qualitative education, build schools, good roads, rehabilitate the hospitals, put drugs there and expect any meaningful result without having a convincing security system. It is only when you have a good security system that you can think of any other thing. To overhaul security and combat crime effectively, he bought 10 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) and stationed them in all our strategic roads. By giving workable and sophisticated materials to security agents to work with, it has reduced the crime rate in Osun. If other states also show courage and leadership by pumping money into security, there is no way crime will not be combated or reduced.
So in a way, your group is working to ensure re-election of Governor Aregbesola?
It is not just about Aregbesola’s re-election. People don’t know about the potentiality in this great man called Aregbesola. He is a revolutionary, a phenomenon, a re-incarnation of Awolowo and Gandhi. Apart from being a Muslim, he believes in the way Prophet Mohammed (SAW), ran his government and he also believes that the best you can give to people is when you have the opportunity to treat the people very well. And today Aregbesola has shown us that the best you can do in life is not to struggle to make money or build house in London or Abuja; all you need to do is to plant yourself in the heart of the people, when people now believe in you, you have had everything. And that is why there is no place in Yoruba land that Awolowo’s name will not be mentioned today. In Nigeria, we don’t think about anything except what we will eat. Now in Osun, people think about God and about Aregbesola, and that is the basis because he has the fear of God. And there is no way you will have the fear of God and God will not support you.
As I said earlier, he made that office less attractive. He condemned the use of siren, and he obeys the traffic light. Before, most of our leaders, even the councilors, were blaring siren in Osun. It has become a way of life in Osun that when people hear the siren, they complain and try to stop the noise. Siren has become an embarrassment to the people of Osun as against other states where siren commands respect. When people hear the siren in Osun, most of them believe it is the ambulance. For instance, an accident happened along Jaiyesimi in Osogbo and I told the person that was close by to check the time and call the ambulance and see what happens in five minutes. He called, and in about four minutes, the ambulance had arrived. He asked me how we managed to do it and I said kudos to Aregbesola. If any accident should happen along the boundaries of Osun, I can assure that within few minutes, four or five ambulances will meet at that scene. When I saw that initiative in other countries, I believed it is not possible in Nigeria. But Aregbesola has brought it to reality in Osun. In all the schools that Aregbesola is building, there is no school that has less than 4,000 students’ capacity. We need to celebrate what is good. All over Africa, Awolowo brought television. Aregbesola has brought Opon-imo (tablet of knowledge) to Africa. So we need to celebrate this. God is just using Aregbesola as an experiment in Osun because this man knows how we can run a better system.
In 2014, we all believe that Aregbesola will win the election because it has been signed by God and the people of Osun. So, instead of wasting our energy on other things, we want to focus on how we can rescue Nigeria from total collapse because Nigeria is heading towards a collapse and the best mechanism we can use is to use Aregbesola after 2018. May God spare our life, the wonders that this man will perform between the next 3-4 years will be difficult for anybody who has been away from Osun to believe that it is the same Osun he left 4 years ago because the transformation agenda of Aregbesola is unequalled in the areas of health and fixing the roads. Aregbesola has constructed roads in all our local government areas, over 610km in all. Where in Nigeria has such a thing ever happened? At the same time, there is also free train service made available of which many of youths and children have never seen train before. He introduced free train so that the children of the poor can also go on excursion. That is the way to build a nation. I think Aregbesola is a phenomenon that believes in the egalitarian society, and we think the best thing we can give to this man is not to wait till he dies, but to continue to celebrate him and let our heroes feel important that people are celebrating them. This man has the principle of God flowing in his veins; if he has an appointment with you for 10a.m, by that time he is there already. When you do good to him, he is always desperate to pay back. But the irony is that when you do bad to him, he also compensates you with good.
I have never seen a human being like him before. What I learnt from Gani Fawehinmi is that Aregbesola’s principle is different. Gani asked me long ago that this man that has been serving as an engine for Tinubu in Lagos State, where is he from? And I said he is from Osun State, and he said if he wants to contest for any elective office in the future, support him. I went to him (Gani) and I said this man is ready to contest in Osun, and he asked me to support him because he will deliver. Apart from Femi Aborishade, myself and Gani’s wives and children, I don’t know any other person that was closer to Chief Gani Fawehinmi.
Aregbesola does not discuss any other thing apart from the progress and welfare of people, how to develop people, how to use what we have to get what we want, how we can better the lives of people, how we can renovate our dilapidated schools and we can change people’s misfortune to fortune without depending on the Federal Government. The Lagos-Ibadan Expressway that has long been a deathtrap is a federal road until when Aregbesola asked the federal to leave the road because many of his people have lost their lives on that road because of the neglect. Aregbesola has embarked on construction of more than seven federal roads: Gbongan to Akoda, Oshogbo to Offa, Osogbo to Ogbomosho, Kelegbe to Iragbiji- Obokun, Ibokun to Osogbo, Ilesa-Osogbo. All these are federal roads but the federal government is not doing anything about it. If you enter Osun from Oyo, by the time you get to the bend and the bridge from Oyo to Osun, you will receive a very decent and warm breeze to welcome you to the soil of Omoluabi.
It is only Aregbesola that is giving the widows allowance of N10, 000 on a monthly basis, which is not happening in any other state. Even the students in Osun have access to good meal; they eat meat fish, chicken and egg every week and all these things are produced in Osun through ORIP – all these were created by Aregbesola. What is the allocation of Osun from Federal Government? If Osun can encourage qualitative education with good classrooms and also employ qualified teachers, we think it is a commendable effort. When we view all these achievements, because more are still coming, we feel they are celebratable.
But people have always known you to be an activist and critic of past governments in the state. Don’t you think people can misinterpret your mission, saying you have probably changed camp by praising Aregbesola?
I am not praising Aregbesola; I am only celebrating him. And I am only trying to be realistic that it is not until you criticise or say a government should be hacked down that you can be popular. That it is not until you create artificial crisis that you can be popular. Awolowo never practiced that all his life. So, when you look at the life of great men all over the world, there is no one that preached violence. So we are not celebrating mediocrities, we are celebrating people who understand God. You may be a pastor or imam and not understand God very well. You may be a politician and not understand politics, but interpretation of governance is interwoven and broad. When you see someone that can interpret it, Aregbesola is one of them, and part of it is that he uses people’s mentality to change his environment. He works like a clock, he does not sleep. When other politicians are busy planning how to hack down their opponents, Awolowo will be busy thinking of how to change the misfortune of the people to fortune, how to change their mentality, how he can use the education tools to change our system for better and it is the same system that Aregbesola has adopted. Apart from all the aforementioned achievements of Aregbesola, he deserves commendation because he is an embodiment of transformation and good governance; he is also a good example to other politicians. Aregbesola is not like conventional politicians. What brought us together is that we belong to the same community. He is a pro-democracy activist. One thing about Aregbesola is that his name encompasses a lot of things. So, if Aregbesola is given the opportunity to rule Nigeria, he will completely change everything and Nigeria will be well respected all over the world. Why will I be praising him? I am not contesting for any political office and I am not seeking any appointment. So, I am not looking for favour from anybody, I have never gone to him for money; I only go to him for ideas. If he knows you have a good idea, he allows you. He is not someone that kills initiative.
How does the group generate its fund?
As an emancipation movement, DeRaufs is a volunteer group that does not rely on anybody for its funding and running. That is the truth. Some frivolous politicians can never like that because we don’t go to them. We don’t go to politicians; we don’t even know many commissioners. Out of the 30 local government chairmen, I know only seven. I don’t have any dealings with them. We are content with the little things God has given us. I also have my own farm and I earn good money from it, I thank God for that. That is why DeRaufs initiative now gives some politicians a lot of sleepless nights because politicians cannot organise a program without collecting money, but we organise programs that attract thousands of people without collecting money from politicians.
So basically members contribute to it?
Yes. In all our local government areas, our coordinators are very wonderful people; they don’t visit politicians. Any local government where we find them romancing the chairman, we sanction them. One thing about politicians is that if they give you N50, they will tell their followers that they have released N500,000 because politicians live all their lives in lies.
In conclusion, what is the population strength of DeRaufs as at now?
With the forms that have been returned, we have over 6,000 members in Osun State. In fact, the numbers have moved beyond 6,000 now in Osun. DeRaufs movement is over 10,000 in Lagos State, while we have over 2,000 members in Oyo State. We also have DeRaufs movement in 17 states in the United States of America. DeRaufs movement in Malaysia and Germany is doing well, while DeRaufs in the UK is fantastic. DeRaufs movement in London alone is about 700, including Britons. It is the same in Dublin, France, South Africa, and Ghana. The way DeRaufs is moving in Japan and China is highly encouraging. I have never seen a situation where the whites will support the black man’s cause. It is not only in Nigeria or Africa, we are thinking of leaders, teachers of men, teachers of ideas, teachers of development and that is what DeRaufs is trying to project. We have heard of the Zik of Africa, The Awo, Mandela, Wilson Churchill, Abraham Lincoln; we have heard about Gandhi, Mao and several great men all over the world, even Fidel Castro of Cuba. We have also had many Nigerians who have done wonders but in the world today, Aregbesola’s name is coming out and dominating African politics because Aregbesola is a household name in Ghana, Zambia, and Brazil. In some of the regions in Brazil, especially Rio, we have a lot of Nigerians that celebrate Aregbesola and they are mobilising for this movement. Our target is that, in the next four years, we will be going to the aforementioned countries to organise their convention. By April next year, we will be having DeRaufs convention in Canada. In May 2014, we will also have the American convention. From one country to another, it is a wind that will blow out those in the politics of killings, corruption, looting, and prostitution.
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When women groups endorsed Aregbesola for second term
No fewer than 100 women groups in Osun State have endorsed the state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for second term in office, saying he remained the best governor in the history of the state.
The women groups, including the market women association, artisans, women professional bodies, the 31 local governments and 332 wards women leaders of All Progressive Congress (APC) among others endorsed the governor at a public lecture and sensitisation rally on Women Participation in Politics held at the Freedom Park now named after late former South African President, Nelson Mandela in Osogbo.
The APC women leaders assured the governor of the continuous support of the women groups before and after the 2014 governorship election. They said the Aregbesola administration had brought women to prominence in political participation.
On behalf of the women groups, the APC state interim women leader, Alhaja Kudirat Fakokunde, said the women across the state gathered to throw their weight behind the second term ambition of the governor in recognition of his brilliant performance.
She noted that women have benefited immensely on many platforms from the Aregbesola administration, including the Osun School Feeding and Health Programme, O Meals, OYES and welfare package for the elderly in the state tagged “Agba Osun” which she noted was unprecedented.
According to her, the women through a qualitative health programme can now successfully give birth, noting that Osun State has the lowest maternal death rate in Nigeria.
The first lady, Mrs. Sherifat Aregbesola expressed gratitude to women for throwing their weight behind the second term bid of her husband, saying their prayers have been very helpful. She also thanked God for allowing the governor to carry out various life touching programmes.
Mrs. Aregbesola advised women to take the issue of cleanliness of their body and environment seriously so as stay healthy and be free from diseases. She also appealed to women to always create time to go for medical checkup for them to be able detect and guide against ailments, especially breast cancer that may not be noticed on time.
Also, at the programme which drew a large crowd of APC supporters, the deputy governor, Otunba Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori, said Ogbeni Aregbesola was the best governor, whom she said had taken the political rights and privileges of women seriously.
According to her, Aregbesola is the only governor in the history of the state that has appointed the largest number of women into the state Executive Council and other parastatals and agencies. A member of the House of Representatives, representing Irewole/Ayedaade/Isokan Federal Constituency, Hon. (Mrs.) Ayo Omidiran, said the women decided to endorse the governor for a second term because of his performance, especially his administration’s programmes on women and children.
Responding, an elated Governor Aregbesola, expressed appreciation for the recognition, assuring them of his commitment to issues of women and children. He said women play very critical roles in the society, particularly their role in the socialisation of the children and sustainability of the family. He said: ”In politics two categories of people are very important, women and young children, if they are with you, you can continue and if they are not with you, it is better to reconsider your position. Women’s support for us during and after electioneering process was responsible for our victory.”
Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Mrs Mofolake Adetoun Adegboyega, who was the coordinator of the event, explained that the programme was to sensitise the women on the need to participate actively in politics. She said most programmes of the administration have touched the lives of women and children.
Apart from local drummers and praise singers, Shola Allyson of Eji Owuro’s fame was on hand to render different inspirational and beautiful tunes about women’s virtues from her albums.