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Tag: Mr Semiu Okanlawon

‘Those who violated our peace won’t escape justice’
The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has said those responsible for the robbery in Iwo, Osun on Tuesday will not escape justice.

Aregbesola stated this in reaction to the dastardly robbery attack on some banks that took place in Iwo on Tuesday, which left four casualties in its wake.

The four people killed were men of the Nigeria Police Force, who braved up to stop the activities of the men of the underworld.

The Governor, in a statement by the Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, described the incident as unfortunate. The governor said he has been assured that security men are on the trail of those who invaded the banks.

He said government and the security forces will not abandon its responsibilities as the protector of the people just because of some criminal few, saying “This is unfortunate. However, we remain unbowed by the audacity of these criminals.”

RELATED: Robbers kill four policemen in Osun

While assuring the general public of their safety and security, Aregbesola noted that it was not for nothing that the state is rated one of the most crime-free in the country, vowing to maintain this record no matter the odds.

He promised that the long arm of the law will soon catch up with all those who committed the heinous act as no criminal violates the peace of the state and walk away freely.

The Governor also commiserate with the Commissioner of Police, Osun State Command for the loss of his gallant officers in the service to the fatherland.

He sent messages also to those who were caught wounded in the crossfire while the pandemonium lasted.

The statement read, “On Tuesday, June 6, 2017, some misguided elements violated the peace in Iwo, one of our major cities in the State of Osun; attacking banks located near the Bowen University.

These armed robbers ended the lives of four promising men of the Nigerian Police Force who attempted to stand up to them. They left sorrow and tears in their trail.

We commiserate with the Commissioner of Police, the entire Osun Command of the Nigerian Police Force and the families of the fallen heroes, who fought gallantly but sacrificed their lives in the course of performing their duties.

“We equally commiserate with those who were caught and wounded in the crossfires.

“We assure the generality of our people that these criminals will not escape justice. The Recent history of our state confirms that no criminal violates our peace and goes away with it.

“We are confident that security men are on the trail of these misguided elements and in due course, will be brought to justice.

“We use this opportunity to assure the people of Osun of their safety. We invested in the security of lives and property as part of our overall objectives of maintaining a peaceful state to be a source of attraction for investments.

“This is why our state has been rated many times as one of the states with the lowest cases of crime throughout Nigeria.

“We are determined to do everything to sustain this rating. Our citizens are therefore urged to be vigilant; report any suspicious movement and activities to the law enforcement agencies.”
June 7, 2017
Environment Day: Aregbesola renews campaigns on respect for nature

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, on Monday said his government’s concern for a better environmental sanity stemmed from the realisation that it is only in a stable environment that the potential of the citizenry can be realised.

Aregbesola, in a statement by the Bureau of Communication and Strategy, stated this on the occasion of the World Environment Day, which comes up every June 5.

The Bureau’s statement signed by its Director, Mr Semiu Okanlawon, quoted Governor Aregbesola as restating his calls on the people of the state to be much more conscious of their environment and take those proactive steps to mitigate the degree of environmental disasters that the world is now exposed to.

The governor, who recently ordered all government agencies in the state to commence a massive tree planting exercise, was quoted as saying that especially as the threats of climate change gets more real, efforts must be geared towards preventive measures to save the environment.

The statement noted: “Today is the World Environment Day. It is the day set aside by the United Nations to call our attention to the critical issues of environment. This year’s theme: Connecting People to Nature is apt in the sense that we cannot fully appreciate the beauty of the environment if we fail to get closer to it.

“This theme is reminding us of that urgent need to plant trees, maintain the existing ones, discourage deforestation, and eliminate those human activities that contribute to environmental degradations.

“So far, about 123 kilometers of waterways and canals in the state capital and outside the state capital have been dredged to avert flood disasters.

“Of critical note is the massive channelization going on at the Old Garage area of Osogbo where the government is constructing a completely new bridge to put an end to the perennial flood that is peculiar to the area.

“About 2.5 million seedlings have also been planted in the ongoing tree-planting campaigns in the state.”

The statement added that it is worthy of note that the Osun government has perfected its strategy for waste management in such a way that the people are conscious of the need to be more responsible in the handling of wastes generated by them.

Urging the people of Osun to monitor trends across the world for environmental issues, the Bureau said unless this is done, the magnitude of the global worries over the environment would not be fully appreciated.

“It is only when this is done that we can measure our performance and mitigate all possible complications that could compromise our environment,” the statement concluded.

June 5, 2017
You shall not labour in vain – Aregbesola tells workers

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on Monday promised workers in the state their sacrifice and commitment to stability of the state even in the face of economic challenges would not be in vain.

Aregbesola stated this in Osogbo in a statement where he also saluted the umbrella body of the workers for being sensitive enough to put off the May Day celebration as a mark of honour for the late first civilian governor of the state Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke.

In the statement admonishing workers, which was signed by the Director Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Mr Semiu Okanlawon, the governor said the government is well-acquainted with the sacrifices they have made under the gruelling economic condition the country is going through.

According to him, the government had at the inception taken care of workers’ welfare because of its belief that it is through this and the cooperation of the workers that a virile state can be jointly built.

The Governor commended the workers for the resilience and understanding they have displayed with the government in this crucial times, saying his administration is “sentistive enough to recognise their contributions especially in the face of the economic crisis foisted on us certain modalities for the payment of salaries, pensions and other welfare packages.”

He averred that the economic impasse the country and the world is going through affected the majority of the states’ capacity to fulfill some of their statutory responsibilities.

We must express appreciation for the rare sensitivity of the umbrella body of the workers, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), in putting off this year’s celebration in our state as a mark of honour for the memory of the first civilan governor of the state, our own brother, Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, who unfortunately and suddenly exited this world on Sunday April, 23, 2017.

“The Labour Day has coincided with the state burial. The pains and pangs of his sudden death are still with us. May the peace of Allah be with him in his final abode of rest.

“We remember with nostalgia, how this administration, at inception, showed ample commitment to the welfare of its workforce.

“We could not have done less for we hold tenaciously to the belief that it is only through the commitment and cooperation of our workers that we can realise the very noble objectives for which we are here as government.

“More than six years, we have no reason to doubt that our workers have been dependable partners in our development journey so far,” he said.

He stated that with the glory of God and the unflinching support of the workers in the state, he has been able to pilot the affairs of the state effectively.

Aregbesola therefore, sought for the continued understanding and support of workers and the people in government’s determination to take the state to enviable height

May 1, 2017
Aregbesola building purposeful future for Osun youths – Okanlawon

The Government of Osun under Governor Rauf Aregbesola has laid a solid foundation for youths in the state to face the challenges of the new world.

This was the summary of the speech by the spokesman to the Governor Mr Semiu Okanlawon while delivering a keynote address at the 1st Conference organised by the Iwoland Youth Conference, at See Bee Hotel and Event Centre, Iwo at the weekend.

He said Aregbesola, having realised the critical place of youths in any society, could not but address the glaring problems unemployment and others which face millions of them through carefully formulated policies.

Okanlawon said the policies and programmes of the state are targeted mostly at the younger generation, saying the feats had earned the state many commendations.

He said most of the government’s interventions were designed to reawaken the dormant energy in the youths by building the necessary capacity to harness their potential.

He said with the pioneering efforts of the Aregbesola in Osun on youths advancements, the Aregbesola government has inadvertently motivated youths in Osun and elsewhere to critically examine the youths advancement contents of political parties and candidates seeking elective positions before they support them.

R-L: Director Bureau of Communication and Strategy Office of the Osun state Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon (2nd right); his wife, Alhaja Ronke Okanlawon (right), Member House of Representatives representing Iwo Federal Constituency, Hon. AbdulGafar Akintayo Amere (2nd left), Chairman Iwoland Christian Association, Evangelist C. O. Ayoda (3rd right), Mallam Baquo Alabede (3rd left) and Former Member Osun House of Assembly, Hon. Ayofe Adisa.

He said youths, for their own good, must realise they have attained a state where they can jointly decide to vote against candidates and parties with no clear-cut policies for the advancement of the youths.

He said it is gratifying to note that the Federal Government today is implementing youths programmes that were inspired by initiatives in the state.

Okanlawon said, “Today, the Federal Government of President Muhammadu Buhari is implementing some specific programs targeted at youths and ensuring that as bad as the global economy gets, strategic initiatives are put in place to cushion what could have been a totally hopeless situation.

“The former government tried with programmes such as SURE-P and YuWIN schemes. We are not happy that youths have complained that those schemes, rather than alleviate the problems of the youths and bring them hope, brought them more pains and disillusionment.

“I am certain that this was why it took the Federal Government a much longer time to ensure proper birth and implementation of the on-going N-Power Scheme which is a pure youth advancement program in Nigeria of today.”

R-L: Director Bureau of Communication and Strategy Office of the Osun state Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon; Chairman Iwoland Christian Association, Evangelist C. O. Ayoda, Mallam Baquo Alabede, Member House of Representatives representing Iwo Federal Constituency, Hon. AbdulGafar Akintayo Amere and former Member Osun House of Assembly, Hon. Ayofe Adisa, during the 1st 2017 Iwoland Youth Conference, at See Bee Hotel, Iwo, State of Osun

Aregbesola’s aide said his boss realised early enough that acute unemployment was a major cause of the scourge of kidnapping, insurgency and armed robbery rampant in various parts of Nigeria.

“Who are the major foot soldiers of the Boko Haram scourge in the northern part of Nigeria? Youths!

“Who are the brains behind the series of kidnapping in the South-East? The youths! Who are the bombers and vandals of the nation’s oil-rich South-South where the bulk of our national resources come from? The youths! Who are the people behind growing cases of armed robbery in the South-West part of Nigeria? The youths.

Now, back home in our state and particularly in my hometown, Iwo, who are the faces we associate with the growing cases of cult groups that clash incessantly and create fears in our once peaceful, harmonious city? The youths of course!” He noted

He said through programmes such as the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES), Osun Rural Agricultural Enterprises Programme (OREAP) OYESTECH and others, the state has been able to provide opportunities.

He added, “I am glad to say here today that what was condemned as unbefitting jobs by some people who, however, never proffered any alternative, ended up providing the Osun youths with the opportunities to exhibit their courage, doggedness and creativity. The over 40,000 beneficiaries of that scheme that we have had never remained the same again as from that point, found some other positive, more rewarding engagements, that have provided them with the much-needed chance to find their paths.”

Okanlawon said, however, that youths must recognise the opportunities that are open to them especially in this information technology driven world adding that their parents never had the opportunities that are open to them in this ICT-driven world of today.

April 10, 2017
Aregbesola felicitates with Pastor Adeboye at 75

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has congratulated The General Overseer of The ‎Redeemed Christian Church of God, (RCCG)‎ Pastor Enoch Adeboye on the occasion of his 75th birthday.
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Aregbesola in a statement by the Director of Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon described Papa Adeboye as a truly inspiring leader who has dedicated his life to service in the vineyard of the Lord.

The Governor also commended the General Overseer of RCCG for his spiritual and prayerful support to the nation’s leadership at all levels.

“You have lived a truly inspiring life of dedicated service in the vineyard of the Lord. Rising above the limitations of a background of deprivation to thrive in academics before going into full time ministry, the phenomenal growth of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, all clearly testify to God’s hands upon your life and your productive leadership qualities.

“In these critical times in Nigeria’s developmental history, we need, more than ever before, to seek the face of the Lord. Your readiness at all times to offer spiritual and prayerful support to the nation’s leadership at all levels deserves special commendation.”
Aregbesola, who prayed for longer life for Adeboye, added,

“On behalf of my family and the good people of Osun, I wish you a happy birthday and many more fruitful years ahead.”

March 3, 2017
Aregbesola’s intervention in education second to none – WAEC
- Admits Opon Imo is breakthrough to SSCE, WAEC
The West African Examinations Council, WAEC on Friday commended the government of Osun for boosting education system through the introduction of an innovative technological device.

The examination body rated Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s interventions in education as “second to none” in Nigeria especially in the provision of massive infrastructure.

A statement by the Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor signed by Director, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, quoted the Head of the Nigeria National Office of the council, Mr Olutise Isaac Adenipekun, as stating these when he led the delegation of the national management of WAEC to the Governor in Osogbo.

He applauded him for ameliorating education with innovative technologies.

Adenipekun said, “The ongoing revolution in the infrastructural re-engineering of the school complexes in the state of Osun has also caught the attention of all stakeholders in the education sector in Nigeria and beyond.

“The immense contribution of the state government in the development of infrastructural facilities in schools, in particular, the “Mega Schools Project” is remarkable. It is in fact, second to none in Nigeria,” he stressed.

WAEC said Osun has helped to mitigate common difficulties usually encountered by the students while writing Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations, SSSCE.

Adenipekun said Osun has contributed significantly towards enhancing Information and Communication Technology, ICT required in education sector which according to him remains the prerequisite to development of quality education in the country.

Adenipekun, who recommended the Tablet of Knowledge to other states of the federation said the initiative had contributed towards educational development.

He described the innovation as a tool of educational revolution, breakthrough aimed at enhancing and encouraging the process of teaching and learning through the use of innovative technology.

According to him, there is no doubt that the state government had recorded huge transformation in the eradication of the rots in the education sector through the introduction of the device.

“We are here in recognition of the state’s contributions to technological innovation and development to the education sector in the state of Osun since the inception of the present government.

“We are particularly proud of the landmark achievement and the major breakthrough of the current administration in Osun most significantly in education sector by the introduction of the ground breaking ‘Tablet of Knowledge’ also known as “Opon Imo” to students of the state at secondary level.

“As we commend the efforts of Mr. Governor on the landmark achievement and major breakthrough of his administration in education most importantly on the widely applauded ‘Tablet of Knowledge’ which had improved and encouraged teaching and learning, we equally recommend other states to key into this initiative so as to improve the education sector,” he added.

He said the policies of the state had been structured not only to revamp education but to make the state the pacesetter in good governance.

Adenipekun expressed gratitude to the state for its cooperation and support to the West African Examinations Council in Nigeria, which according to him had assisted the organisation on the smooth running of the Council’s office in the state.

“We must express our deep appreciation to the government and good people of the state of Osun for their continuous cooperation and support to the West African Examinations Council in Nigeria, that has enhanced the smooth running of the Council’s office in the state.

“We also appreciate the cordial relationship that has existed between the state of Osun and our flagship organisation as we express our gratitude to the government and good people of the state for the enormous contributions they have made to the progress of WAEC and the development of sound education by positively inspiring in diverse ways the teeming youths of the country.

“The enormous support of the State Government has enabled us to provide quality service to the people in diverse ways,” Adenipekun stated.

He said the Council is willing to partner with other state governments to ensure that it eradicates examinations malpractices which he described as a menace to the education sector.

“We are committed to improving our service delivery to stakeholders and we will continually ensure smooth conduct of our examination (WAEC) in the state of Osun.

“As part of our determined effort to impact positively on the quality of youth development and education in general, the Council is ready to collaborate with states Ministries of Education to create further avenues for experience sharing with teachers in the secondary schools in areas of standardised testing and candidates/students assessments,” he added.

Adenipekun, however, noted that the Council was ready to partner with the government in the area of e-testing and e-assessment as part of efforts to further recognise the state’s giant steps in introducing ICT to teaching and learning at the pre-tertiary levels.

“We must re-emphasise our commitment to the development of education in Nigeria and we appreciate your support to the Council in fulfilling its mandate as an examining body”, he added.

Governor Aregbesola who described “the Tablet of Knowledge” as a panacea to education revolution, said the state had recorded national and international awards on the initiative.

He said the state would continue to do the needful in supporting education sector which he described as “bedrock of development”.

Commending WAEC for maintaining education standards in the country, Governor Aregbesola said the examination body had contributed tremendously in raising the standards of education in the West African sub-region.

He reassured the people of the state of his administration’s resolve to turn around the fortune of the sector even in the face of the current economic hardship.

Aregbesola said the state was ready to collaborate with WAEC and other relevant examination bodies to improve on the standard and quality of education sector in the state.

“We are quite happy with the steady and certain growth that our intervention in education had recorded just as your visit would also encourage us on how to double our efforts and collaborate with your organisation to boost education sector in the state.

“We are ready to partner with your organisation in raising the quality of our teachers towards the preparation for pre-tertiary examinations”, he added
February 6, 2017
Osun mourns passage of Rasheed Gbadamosi

The Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, on Thursday, extended his condolences to the family of Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi who died on Wednesday.

Aregbesola described the late Gbadamosi as a leading industrialist, humanist, art and culture promoter and writer.‎

In a condolence message signed by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr Semiu Okanlawon, Aregbesola described the death of the industrialist as the “passage of a good man.”

The Governor, who prayed for the repose of Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi’s soul and extended his condolences to the immediate family, members of the business community, the people of Lagos state where he hailed from and Nigeria at large.

Aregbesola urged Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State, people of the Business and Art communities, to take, with equanimity, the death of Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi, describing it as an inevitable end for all.‎

Aregbesola said: “The late Gbadamosi lived his life for the good of humanity. He was a good man. He built a reputation as a credible businessman and industrialist. His love for philanthropy was remarkable. He loved culture and spent his resources to promote arts. It is painful to loose this good man but one clear lesson is the transient nature of life itself.”

“On behalf of the good people of Osun, it is our fervent prayer that Allah will grant him Aljanah Firdaus and give the people of Lagos State the fortitude to bear the loss.”

November 17, 2016