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Tag: Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola

  • How my expulsion from UNILORIN changed my career -Osun Attorney-General Ajibola

    Dr Basiru Ajibola is the Osun State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice. In this interview with GBENGA ADERANTI, he speaks on his relationship with Osun State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, his family life and passion.

    People call you different names other than the official one. Some people call you Captain, others call you Ijoba. Why that?

    I think people just decide to use the name they choose based on their perception of what I do for the state. For those who call me Ijoba (Yoruba word for Government),  I think it started after the case that reinstated Ogbeni Aregbesola and the tribunal declared the governorship election in 2007 null and void. I came to join Ogbeni Aregbesola to set up the government. At that time, I was not an official of government but people started calling me Ijoba. The governor had entrusted us with a lot of responsibilities and ensured that the vision and dreams of the government was translated into reality. Some, after the cabinet for Aregbesola’s second term was formed, started referring to me as Captain, just to reflect the different roles we played to ensure that the vision of this administration became a reality.

     Many people believe that you and Ogbeni Aregbesola are well bonded. How did you meet him and what is the secret of your closeness?

    I would say that before I met Governor Aregbesola, his reputation preceded him. I was in the students’ movement at the University of Ilorin and the University of Lagos. He was an iconic figure in the students’ movement. He was one of the leading lights of Marxism, and to us, he was like Che Guevara.

    We actually met physically at Ebute Meta when I was in Lagos, through the Yoruba Liberation Movement. Later, I got to know him through Dr. Muiz Banire when the process for his contest began and he got to know that we are from Osun. We later became very close when we were briefed to file election petition to challenge election robbery in 2007.

    Of course, he is somebody that is infectious when it comes to passion for success and the development of the people. He is somebody who believes in talent, irrespective of age. I was only in my 30s when we played that active role. Irrespective of my age, he really believed that I could deliver. Even when we were having challenges about the litigation because of the instances of allegations of bribery at the first tribunal and that was being simulated as lack competence on the part of the legal team, he still believed in us in spite of our youthfulness.

    So, after the first set of tribunal, the Court of Appeal asked for a rerun on the basis of lack of fair trial. At the second rerun, we also participated and we reconstituted the legal team. Mr. Awodeyin still led us in the case with Chief Akin Olujinmi. So it was an interesting battle. So, up to that period, we were entrusted with that case, it was like a kind of secretariat for the case and I guess he must have had good impression that I have some talents he could make use of when he took over the government.

    Even when the judgment was announced, my intention was to go back to my law practice, but he said that the work had just begun, and having someone of our own, I mean someone from a socialist background becoming a governor, he would need people who have the same orientation.

    Basically, I would say that we are close because he has a lot of confidence in our ability to work for the transformation of the society.

    He is someone who believes that black people must show an example that we can govern ourselves. He always laments that in all the places we have poverty, squalor, unemployment, environmental degradation, you find black people. Are we saying we are not competent to govern ourselves? He has been able to effuse us with that passion.

    You also see a man who does not micro-manage. He gives you an assignment, he gives you general framework and he expects you to deliver on that assignment. That has also helped us in horning our leadership skills. But more important about him is that you have someone who is an intellectual titan, and that has been the difference between being educated, being intellectual and having paper qualifications. He is somebody with perspective and deep understanding of virtually all areas of human endeavour.

    There is no doubt that this government has been able to transform the state in so many areas but there are still complaints from a section of the society. How do you feel when people criticise this government?

    I will not agree with you that the people have problem with our government, and you can see that from the popular acceptability of our government as it has been evident in past elections. In 2011, our party did not only deliver all the seats—senatorial, reps and state assembly—the candidate of our party, then ACN (Action Congress of Nigeria) won only in our state. It shows acceptability.

    Also, in 2014, notwithstanding the deployment of 17,000 security operatives to come and hijack power from our administration, the people came out, particularly, the women. They came out to challenge the security operatives. They came out with their brooms and said they were ready to defend the mandate of Ogbeni Aregbesola, notwithstanding the millions of dollars deployed by the PDP administration. That was an example of support for this administration.

    And you will remember that in 2014, the economic meltdown had started. But notwithstanding the economic meltdown challenges the state was facing at that time, we still had massive support that brought Rauf Aregbesola to power. Then in 2015, there was an election. At that time the election was conducted, we had the challenge of paying salaries. That notwithstanding, out of the 26 state assembly seats that were up for grabs, our party won 24. We only lost in Ife East and Ife Central, and we had 9 of the Reps seats, having lost Ife Central Federal Constituency and Obokun Oriade Federal Constituency by very narrow margins. We had all the senatorial seats.

    The only way you can measure acceptability is through the electoral success people have given you.

    Of course, people will say Osun West Senatorial election. Yes, we lost the election. We lost the election not because we were not accepted; we lost because there was internal sabotage of our party, not at the state level but at the national level. It was a situation of trying to cut your nose to spite your face. But you know the reconciliation efforts being coordinated by the president under the leadership of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. This idea of working against the interest of fellow party members will have to stop.

    Conduct a fox pop; you will see that the average man on the street of Osun will actually identify with Aregbesola. Those who have problems with the government are those milking the state dry.

    Since Rauf Aregbesola assumed power, there has been a quantum move in all the sectors of peoples’ lives in terms of infrastructure development, human capital development and social    protection.It has been a quantum lip, and if we are able to sustain this for 16 years, Osun will be a beacon of hope for the black race, such that we can rule ourselves and rule ourselves very well.

    Why did you opt for Law?

    I studied Law by accident. I was a student of Arabic and Islamic Studies at the University of Ilorin where I was involved in students’ union activities. There were some students agitations which led to my being suspended and eventually expelled from the university when I was in Part 3. I decided that should not be the end.  I put in for JAMB exam and got admission to study Law at the University of Lagos. Here I am, a lawyer.

    I’ve always set out to be a successful man. I wasn’t fastidious about a particular course so far that with hard work and integrity, one can become successful in life.

     When your faith comes in conflict with your profession, how do you handle it?

    There is no separation between your faith and your life. In fact, Islam is a complete code of how to live your life. That is why in terms of classifications, Islam is an embodiment of what you call religion. The way you marry, the way you live your life is part of it. Law is not antithetical to Islam. The thing is that whether you are an upright man, a man of integrity, you define your life the way you want to live it, not your profession. I’ve had instances when I advised my client that they did not have litigable case and they should go and find a way to amicably resolve their issue. Even in my personal life, I don’t want to litigate.

    As a lawyer, you are a problem solver. My approach to law is to solve problems. Law is predicated on high standard of ethic. So there is no area of divergence in Islam and being a lawyer.

    The prophet said speak the truth even though you may lose clients because of that, but you will gain reputation of friends and somebody who has honesty and integrity.

     You are popular and well respected among your peers. Do you see yourself becoming the governor of this state one day?

    My answer to that is that I’m a Moslem. God is the owner of sovereignty. He gives it to whomever He wants. If I’m to be anything, forget about being a governor; it depends on the will of Allah. Even this one I’m doing, it was never in my contemplation that I would be a commissioner. The question of where I am today is not out of my own making, not to talk of where I will be in the future.  So as far as that is concerned, even the prophet said ‘if the whole world gathered that they want to put you in a position or give you benefit, if Alalh does not will it, you will not get it. And if the whole world said they would deny you of a position, they would not get it.’

    On the issue of whether I will be governor or anything, it is in the hand of the Almighty God, and I believe God in His own personal way will throw up a process to enable you get to where  you  have been destined to go to. Yes, it is good to make progress. I’ve never bothered about how I live my life because I’m not the one responsible for the little progress I have made. But I believe I’m eminently qualified to be the governor of Osun State.

    How does it feel to be married to a magistrate?

    I’m not married to a magistrate, I’m married to Abibat. The issue of being married to magistrate is by the side. I see her as my friend and a mother and very caring person.

  • I’ll miss my mother greatly – Tunde Bakare

     

    …as Tinubu, Aregbesola, Amosun, Dangote bid pastor’s mum final good bye

     

    Pastor Tunde Bakare on Saturday bid his mother, Abigail Eebudola Bakare, final good bye to meet her creator, lamenting that he would “definitely miss her greatly.”

    Madam Eebudola Bakare died in his son’s Lagos residence on last May 5 and was interred at the family house in Sodeke area of Abeokuta by Saturday noon. She was aged  108. 

    Bakare who likened his mother’s exit to a bodily part of him separating, said until her death, “she carried a heavy load of intercession,”  for him, adding that she was also a great “cook.”

    The Senior Pastor of Latter Rain Assembly and running mate of President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2011 Presidential election, made this known in his remarks during the funeral service for the centenarian at the Victory Life Bible Church, Ajebo road, Abeokuta,  where she worshiped regularly in her life time.

    Joining Bakare at the funeral service to bid her mother a final farewell, are eminent Nigerians including the All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Osun State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Chairman, Dangote Group, Alh. Aliko Dangote, Aremo Segun Osoba, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Femi Otedola, Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosun who represented President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu among others.

    The Convener of Save Nigeria recalled that her mum had predicted that people from all walks of life would converge to bury her and expressed the joy that the prediction actually came to pass.

    “She predicted that people from every corner of the world would come to bury her. I’m so grateful because we are gave her a befitting burial. She is irreplaceable for ever. I will continue to cherish her memory for ever. My mother’s exit was glorious,” Bakare said.

    Read Also: Tunde Bakare urges FG to restructure Nigeria

     To keep the memory of her mum alive, he said he had written a book in her honour entitled :”The woman who saw the valuable future,” which he added, would be launched on October 28, 2018 and given out to people free.

    According to him, the book contains valuable lessons the mother taught him which made him the person he is today. 

    In his sermon, the officiating minister Apostle Lawrence Achudume, drew inspiration the book Nehemiah 13: 10- 14, 29 – 30, he said no matter how long one lived, one would definitely leave the world one day.

    The cleric who happened to be the founder of the Victory Life Bible Church, said what counts most would be what such a person would be remembered for.

    Reliving his interactions with late Eebudola, who was an elder in the church, Achudume noted that after her passing, it is all stories of her worthy deeds to humanity.

    He said: “In life no matter how long you lived, you will  definitely leave this world one be you President, be you governor or where you find yourself, one day your own trumpet will sound and you will go to give account of yourself. 

    “So, no matter what position one finds oneself, one must learn to do good. Mama was a mother indeed. Today, we are celebrating her. Mama conquered death, she was so loving and wish every woman and man will be as caring as Mama. 

    “You don’t visit Mama without eating and when she gives you food, you must finish it. She paid her tithe and offering regularly. To show that Mama conquered death, she bought all her burial accessories like gown, hand gloves beforehand and even chose a particular spot in the family compound where she wanted her remains interred.”

  • Aregbesola applauds Buhari on recognising June 12

    Osun state Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for recognising June 12 as democracy day in place of May 29.

    In a statement made available to the media in Osogbo by his media adviser, Sola Fasure, Governor Aregbesola commended the president for mustering the courage to take this historic step 25 years after the freest and fairest presidential election ever held in the history of Nigeria

    According to Governor Aregbesola, “President Buhari has secured for himself an incomparable position in history for surmounting the courage to take this historic step of recognising June 13 as ‘Democracy Day’ and honouring Chief Moshood Abiola posthumously.

    Read Also:Ambode hails Buhari’s declaration of June 12 as new Democracy day

    “June 12, 1993 was the day democracy was born in Nigeria. It was the day Nigerians negated all the social and political constructs that had been thought would make national unity impossible and democratic governance impossible, but Nigerians in their heterogeneity overwhelmingly voted for a candidate whose very essence was in defiance of religious, ethnic and regional categorisation.

    “It is most regrettable that the election was annulled and Chief Abiola clamped in illegal detention where he later died.

    “Successive administrations had suppressed the significance of June 12 and resisted every admonition to recognise the date and honour Chief Abiola.

    We have since the advent of our administration shunned May 29 and celebrated June 12 as Democracy Day. We are glad therefore that President Buhari has taken this bold step and set the record straight. History will be kind to him for this. I commend him for this uncommon courage and demonstration of leadership”, the statement said.

  • Aregbesola At 61: The maker of modern Osun

    Beyond the adjectives of all languages of the world, I choose to describe the governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in the words of Robert Green Ingersoll that; “A great man is a torch in the darkness, beacon in superstition’s night, an inspiration and a prophecy.”

    Though, there are countless political philosophies and ideologies, the particular one embraced and deployed by The Symbol of good governance, my mentor, the creator of the modern State of Osun, Ogbeni Aregbesola is still unknown to many politicians, especially his contemporaries as they watch his political prowess materialize and evolve over the last two decades.

    While examining the personality of our amiable governor, especially as concerns his roles in Lagos, Osun and the national stage at large, one would be left with no other option than to agree with the wise words of our elders, put literally, that: ‘the head of an elephant can never be found in the luggage of a child.’

    Through good governance and exemplary leadership, Ogbeni Aregbesola has been able to lay a veritable foundation for the making of a modern state of Osun. And this feat is achieved in a state that was hitherto at the nadir of infrastructural development.

    In both his first term and the current second term as governor, this achiever has retooled the state and given it an enviable economic strength so strong that the state now ranks among prosperous states in the country; particularly as one of the states with lowest unemployment rate.

    In whatever manner you analyse the life of this giant, whether as a husband, or a father, an engineer, a politician, a democrat, a master strategist, a great investor, a philanthropist, an optimist, a dogged fighter, you are confronted with a rainbow in its full splendour.

    Like the national leader of our great party, All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, countless leaders and future leaders have emerged and are still emerging from the camp of Ogbeni Aregbesola, one of which is yours truly.

    He is a determined friend of the masses and benefactor to many. Ogbeni radiates a life of captivating literature, and his intellectuality appeals to the lofty and the inspirational.

    Beyond his political sagacity, his administrative acumen in unrivalled going by series of innovations he has introduced to governance which the people of Osun will continue to appreciate.

    It will forever be remembered that Aregbesola was one governor who was aggressive in the quest to develop his territory in a hurry, irrespective of financial hindrances.

    His agenda for development is not for Osun alone, it is for the entire Yoruba land and even Yoruba race and Africa in general. This is the highest form of demonstration of commitment to humanity that can be exhibited by any individual, either private or public.

    There are testimonies here and there that our Ogbeni, the symbol of good governance has brought unprecedented development to the territory called Osun within the last seven years in all sectors of governance, talk of education, infrastructure development, security, economic re-engineering, rural and urban development, agriculture, youths and women empowerment, environment, healthcare delivery system among others.

    There are also several social intervention programmes for youths like Osun Youths Empowerment Scheme (OYES) that has engaged over 40,000 youths and made majority of them self-dependent; there is the Ambulance Scheme which has saved about 12,171lives; school feeding programme (OMEAL) through which school children are being fed and have in turn increased enrolment into public schools; the rehabilitation of the mentally challenged people; Agriculture Youth Academy through which several youths have been empowered in farming; the massive construction of schools from elementary, middle and high school which can withstand any school at that level anywhere in the world, and many more.

    Under Aregbesola, Osun has remained a reference point for several states of the federation and even the federal government on series of his developmental interventions. Most pronounced of such are the OYES and O’MEAL. It is rare, particularly in Nigeria for a Federal Government to adopt programmes initiated by a state government; but these two have been adopted and institutionalzed at the federal level for all other states of the federation.

    No doubt, the man that has changed the face of governance in Osun and Nigeria is worthy of celebration and in a grand style too, more so that his two-term administration is winding down. What has roused the anxiety of  many however, is how to ‘reproduce’ another Ogbeni, who would pick the gauntlet and continue where The Symbol stopped without faltering or looking back.

    As one of those leaders that have emerged and have since been growing in Aregbesola’s political lineage, it is an honour to join millions of friends, associates, politicians, family and other acolytes globally to say a very warm ‘Happy Birthday’ to The Symbol at 61 while I wish him a long life and prosperity.

     

    • Hon. Oyintiloye is Chairman, Osun House Committee on Information and Strategy and represents Obokun State Constituency.

  • Insecurity: Aregbesola urges couples to embrace family planning 

    The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has called on Nigerians, especially married couples to embrace family planning so as to curtail population explosion in the country.

    The Governor said that with the spate of insecurity in the land, all hands must be on deck to ensure that the population of the country must not get to the level that the Nigerian state cannot handle.

    Aregbesola while addressing people at the 2018 Ramadan Lecture‎ organized by the Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC), at Oke-Baale in Osogbo, stated that the increase in population had contributed to the security challenge the country is facing.

    He said for Nigeria and other parts of the world to enjoy relative peace, parents must begin to inculcate values and virtues into their wards and children.

    Read Also:Ramadan: Let’s pray for people in difficulties – Aregbesola

    Aregbesola, speaking on the theme of the Lecture: “Insecurity in Nigeria, Islamic Perspectives to Finding Solution”‎, said it has become incumbent on parents to complement government efforts at ensuring security of lives and property by reducing the number of children to the number they can adequately take care of.

    He described the lack of parental care, poor upbringing and unchecked procreation as causes of security challenges confronting the nation.

    Aregbesola charged government at various levels to come up with pro-masses programmes capable of empowering citizens and support their needs for national integration, growth and development.

    He emphasised that one of the practical ways to fight insecurity and rescue the country from the menace is for parents to begin to inculcate in their children the virtues of “Omoluabi”.

    “As parents, we must do all we could to give our children the best in term of training, education, character and virtues if we are truly serious about addressing security challenges.

    “We must be conscious of our population and see the need to embrace family planning as population explosion has been the major factor to security challenge in our country.

    “Today, a sizable number of our youths are unemployed, thus contributing to security threats and societal unrest.

    “While government at various levels are charged to be alive to their constitutional responsibilities, Nigerians must support and complement government in ‎the actualization of these goals,” Aregbesola stressed.

    Earlier in his lecture, the guest lecturer and Chief Imam of Offa, Sheik Muideen Saman Hussain‎, advocated good governance as panacea to security challenges in the country.

    The cleric called on well-meaning Nigerians and religious leaders to support government’s efforts at ensuring the security of lives and property of the citizenry.

  • Breaking the facts down all night

    The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was out again penultimate Friday  with his audience participation, meet-the-people, all-night programme, Ogbeni Till Day Break. The night afforded Aregbesola the opportunity to explain again his policies, the impacts they have made and how he is dealing with succession, issue among other germane ones.

    Less than six months to the end of his two terms of eight years, the governor certainly has stories to tell. And in the same vein, his people and other stakeholders watching from far and near have questions to ask. And so, when the government put up its fourth edition of Ogbeni Till Day Break last week, it was expected that Ogbeni, as he is fondly called, would face a barrage of daunting posers bordering on accountability, policies and the controversies that had trailed them.

    Apart from those, it was obvious that with less than four months to face an election that would either see his party, the All Progressives Congress, consolidating its firm hold or swept off the state, questions on succession were lurking in the minds of the multitude that gathered to witness the seven-hour long programme.

    In the midst of intermittent songs and dancing that coloured the event, held at the WOCDIF Centre, Ring Road, Osogbo, the state capital, Aregbeosla took one question after the other as they bordered on his performance in office in the almost eight years that he has been at the saddle. With a commendable representation of Nigeria’s most prominent media houses at the event, it was also obvious that it was a night of serious probing into the affairs of the state under the watch of the governor.

    Have his programmes failed? The question had come up as a result of what some had perceived as the inability of the governor to fulfill many of his promises in some aspects of his government’s programmes. For instance, a journalist wanted to know why his government failed to absorb cadets of the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES). But the governor was quick to explain that the inquirer must have got it all wrong at the beginning because at no time did his government say it would absorb participants in the ‘O‘YES’ scheme into the mainstream civil service.

    What was promised, Aregbesola explained, was that within the two years duration that each batch of the youth empowerment beneficiaries served, they would be made to go through such trainings that would enable them to stand on their own with some small-scale enterprises initiatives.

    And any regrets? The governor was quick to respond that he could not have had any regrets, convinced that he had achieved even beyond what he even expected would be possible given the limited resources of the state under his watch.

    His references were many. Aregbesola pointed out the mega-schools that his administration has built to replace many of the dilapidated ones, which littered the state before his arrival as governor of Osun.  “Our schools can compare and compete favorably with any school in any part of the world,” Aregbesola said pointedly.

    Obviously buoyed by a sense of achievements, the governor would get up his seat, answer the questions and lace his response with one song or the other already cued by a stand by DJ, simply called Bassman, who our correspondent observed supplied the music with some dexterity.

    With the schools such as Wole Soyinka Government High School Ejigbo, Ilesa Government High School, Ataoja Government High School, Osogbo Government High School, Adventist Government High School, Ede, Fakunle/Unity Government High School, and those nearing completion in Iwo, Ikirun, Ile-Ife, Ikire with legions of other middle and elementary schools that his administration has built, Aregbesola flaunted his credential before the huge crowd that attended the all-night programme with pride.

    “We are not like them,” he said, apparently making reference to members of the opposition. His critics have been more vociferous about  the issue of debts. Indeed, many had claimed that the debt profile of the state is far more humongous than the government has been disclosing. But Aregbesola, rather than discuss the figures of his state’s debt personally, chose to invite the Accountant General of the state, Mr. Akintayo Kolawole, to do it.  According to Kolawole, Osun, with all its repayments, currently stands at N143.6billion as against  the N500 billion being touted by many.

    But to Aregbesola, it is not just about the figures. It is about what brought about the debt.  “For those who have been in Osun before 2010, would they ever believe that there could be an inter-change bridge in any part of Osun? But today, our administration has constructed and still‎ constructing bridges,” he told the crowd.

    He went further, “The only bridge constructed by the government that we took power from was just one bridge across River Osun at Gbodofon along Osogbo/Gbongan/Ibadan way. That government was there for seven and half years.

    “We have delivered five bridges, each of which doubles the one that the immediate past administration delivered. To be practical and put cynicism aside, if one is told that Gbongan junction will no longer be a death trap, I think one would not believe it. But today, we have eliminated the cause of unnecessary death at that place with the construction of the Trumpet Interchange Bridge named after the former governor of our state, Chief Abdul-Kareem Adebisi Akande.‎ One does not need to be told when he or she gets to this bridge as it remains one of the best in Nigeria.”

    In summary, Aregbesola wanted his listeners to get it clearly that had his administration not resorted to the Sukuk (interest-free bond), of N11.4billion it took, the magnificent schools that are now changing the face of education in Osun could not have been possible.

    In the same vein, he said, if his government had failed to utilize the opportunities in other loans that it got, the dream of turning Osun into what it is today would have remained a mirage. “Why is it that those who are quick to condemn us over the debt profile fail to think about that Lagos, which is today the wealthiest in Nigeria is also the most indebted state in Nigeria?” the governor queried.

  • Aregbesola, Masari to Muslims: pray for people in difficulties

    Osun State Governor Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his Katsina State counterpart Aminu Masari yesterday urged Muslims to approach the Ramadan season with best practices and share love with their fellow Muslims and neighbours.

    The duo also admonished Muslim faithful to remember the poor, sick and those in difficulties in their prayers.

    Aregbesola said: “Ramadan is that period when Muslims worldwide engage in physical and spiritual act of self-denial, cleansing, prayers, fellowship and charity. Ramadan is also a time of deep consecration to spiritual matters. It is therefore time of spiritual awakening and commitment to the tenets of Islam.

    “As we celebrate this great festival of the religion of peace, may the peace and comfort of Allah rest upon us, our family, community, state and the nation.

    “ This is wishing all Muslims Ramadan Kareem, with love and grace on behalf of the government and good people of Osun.”

    Masari called on Muslims to pray for the nation and its leadership.

    He said: “As a period of devotion, there is no better time to dedicate to Nigeria than now, in view of the insecurity challenges threatening its corporate existence. As a period of intense devotion and introspection, it is incumbent on us to use religion for the advancement, not the dismemberment of our nation.

    “This, we can do by imbibing the lessons which the month of Ramadan seeks to teach us, especially showing love to one another regardless of religious inclination, assisting the less privileged and placing our collective interest over and above individual considerations.

    “We must remember that a nation is only as good as its leadership, which means we cannot wish evil for our leaders and expect prosperity for the nation.”

    Masari called on Nigerians to continue to support government’s effort at improving the living conditions of people and moving the country forward.

    Member of Osun House of Assembly Olatunbosun Oyintiloye congratulated Muslims on the commencement of Ramadan.

    Oyintiloye, who is House Committee Chairman on Information and Strategy, urged Muslims to use the period to renew their commitments, virtues of love and peace as taught by Prophet Muhammad.

    He also urged Muslims in Osun state to pray for smooth conduct of the forthcoming governorship election.

  • Aregbesola praises lawmaker at award

    Aregbesola praises lawmaker at award

    The member representing Obokun State Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye has been honoured with the Most Outstanding Lawmaker in Nigeria Award.

    The award was conferred on him by the Patriots in Leadership and Service (PILAS) on Saturday at Royal Thropicana Hotel Abuja.

    Speaking at the award presentation, the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola said he was impressed by the honour conferred on Oyintiloye who has distinguished himself in leadership and service to the people.

    Represented by the Commissioner for Federal Matters, Idiat Babalola, the Governor said the honour speaks volume of Oyintiloye’s commitment to service and poverty reduction in the society.

    He said the commitment of the lawmaker to quality leadership, service to the people and fight against poverty was in line with the recent rating of Osun State as the best in Poverty Index Level by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

    He noted that the series of social investment programme of the government were people-oriented.

    “We have a path with the people and we have been following that despite the economic situation. Most of our social investment programmes are now the ones being replicated by the Federal Government.

    “I’m impressed that Oyintiloye has done us proud and proved a point that Osun State is always a state to beat in every aspect of governance,” the governor said.

    He urged Oyintiloye not to rest on his oars but to continue to offer services to the people of Obokun and Osun in general.

    The Statistician-General of the Federation, Dr Yemi Kale reiterated that Osun State remains the lowest in Poverty Index Level in Nigeria.

    Represented by a Director in the NBS, Mr Isiaka Olanrewaju, a Programme Analyst, Kale said: “When people were thinking that Osun was not doing well in poverty reduction, the report on the analysis and the indicators therein proved otherwise.

    “We have compiled some indicators to rank states based on their performance and when some people are thinking that Osun State is not doing well, those indicators proved otherwise.

    “There is one indicator that measures incidence of poverty in Nigeria and on the ranking; Osun State came last, meaning that Osun is the first state where poverty would not have way.

    “When you talk of Osun State as the state that is not doing well these indicators proved otherwise. That is, again, what has reflected in this award, meaning that such honours should be given to those who actually merit it.”

    Receiving the award, Oyintiloye advised governments at all levels to always adopt scientific tools in areas of development to measure societal growth and planning.

    Calling for funding of agencies whose activities relate with baseline studies and growth measurement, Oyintiloye stressed that societal development must be anchored on sound logic, gap study analysis and planning.

    Speaking on the award, Oyintiloye stated that the honour has, again, imposed on him a greater challenge of justifying the confidence reposed in him by the people.

    Dedicating the award to Governor Aregbesola and the people of Obokun Constituency, he said the supports he received have been encouraging him to do more.

     

  • Encomium for new N94m Osun school

    Encomium for new N94m Osun school

    Just days after inaugurating the state-of-the-art Ilesa Government High School, Ilesa, the Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, unveiled the St. Augustine’s Government Elementary School, Ipetumodu, in Ife North Local Government Area of the state.

    It cost the state N94 million to build the school which has 10 classrooms, a computer centre and a library.

    The school also has an office for the head teacher, a store, a power office and a conference room.

    It comes with a borehole, power transformer and a recreation and sporting centre.

    So far, out of 100 elementary schools, 50 middle schools and 20 high schools promised by the present administration, 20 elementary schools, 22 middle schools and 11 high schools have been completed.

    ?At the inauguration Aregbesola said the school and others that had been launched earlier were designed to be able to attract the best brains from their catchment areas that would be prepared for the public middle schools, where excellence was the watchword.

    ?He said: “Today marks another epoch in the new dawn of education infrastructure in the State of Osun. The last time we gathered for this purpose was on Tuesday, October 24, 2017, when we commissioned Ilesa Government High School, Ilesa.

    “In the order of our new elementary schools, the most recent was the commissioning of the AUD Government Elementary School, Sabo Osogbo, on November 29, 2016. ?

    “On March 21 this year, our trains moved around simultaneously, to celebrate the official opening and commencement of learning activities at four newly-built government high schools; namely: Ataoja Government High School, Osogbo; Osogbo Government High School, Osogbo; Wole Soyinka Government High School, Ejigbo; and Adventist Government High School, Ede.

    “These schools were the first set of completed high school infrastructure embarked upon by our administration and have since been put to use by end-users, the students and their teachers”.

    Aregbesola added that beyond new buildings, he had renovated 40 other schools that have a total of 1,694 classrooms that can accommodate nearly 90,000 pupils; and provided more than 100,000 desks and chairs, toilets and boreholes.

    Earlier in his remarks, the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, Oba ?James Adedokun Adegoke described Aregbesola as a true democrat who had heralded unprecedented development in the state.

    The Monarch thanked the government for its developmental strides in the state, particularly Ipetumodu.

    “We have seen true “Omoluabi”? ethos in all Aregbesola has done particularly in his commitment to promises made to the people of the state.?

    “This government has done so much for us and we really appreciate it because no government has ever been conscious of development as this government has demonstrated”, Oba Adegoke emphasised.?

    In his address, the Education Commissioner, Mr Wasiu Kolawole Omotunde-Young praised Aregbesola for being committed to fight against educational decadence.

    He reiterated the government’s commitment to the education sector.

    “This state-of-the-art government elementary school is designed and constructed to be a first class school aimed to eradicate decadence in the education sector.

    “Our government has commissioned many of these schools and we will still commission more as we are committed to the quality and functional education in the state,” he said.?

    In his remarks, the Chairman House Committee on Education in the State House of Assembly, Folorunso bamisayemi backed the governor’s spending of funds the state borrowed for development.

    “Aregbesola has shown high sense of prudency and transparency in the management of the state’s resources particularly on the money which the state borrowed.

    “To us as legislators, we strongly believed that if the state did not borrow at the time it borrowed, many of these projects would have been impossible now, considering the exchange rate.

    “As at the time we approved the loan, the exchange rate of naira to dollar was about, 150 dollar to 170 dollar but today exchange rate is about 350 dollar to 400 dollar, telling us that the state might not be able to either borrow at all or do as much as it did. With the benefit of hindsight, the loan has paid for itself,” he said.

    Ilesa Government High School as well as the four inaugurated before it penultimate week boast of 72 classrooms, six offices for study groups, six laboratories, 18 toilets for girls, 18 toilets for boy, science library, art Library, facility manager’s office, bookshop, sick bay, bursar’s office, three principal’s offices, three general staff offices, one senior principal’s office, store and a security shed/reception.

    Also the school has a 1,000 seater capacity hall with additional storage space for equipment, utility, a stage, office, and toilets; sporting facilities, including an Olympic-sized football field, 7-lane tartan tracks, a pavilion and basketball/tennis court.

    The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, who was the Ilesa Government School inauguration, charged Aregbesola to maintain the tempo for peace and development of all parts of the state.

    A parent, Mr. Kola Ibirogba, said with the Aregbesola administration’s policies and programmes there is a new dawn in the education sector.  He called on parents to play their own parts in the education of their children by promptly paying taxes and token required for the maintenance of facilities.

     

  • Aregbesola promises support for PANAFEST

    Aregbesola promises support for PANAFEST

    State of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has reiterated his commitment to support the course of Pan-Africanism. The governor said by virtue of ‘our skin pigmentation,’ Africans and blacks in the Diaspora have to work together towards uplifting the black race.

    Aregbesola said this when the Nigerian coordinators of PANAFEST paid him a courtesy visit.

    Aregbesola said it was his belief in pan-Africanism that has mad him to continue to support PANAFEST. Co-ordinators of the festival in Nigeria, Misters Taiye and Kehinde Olufunso said the purpose of the visit was to inform of the success of the 25th anniversary celebration of PANAFEST and the desire to stage the next edition in Nigeria.

    Ogbeni Aregbesola, while responding, promised to continue to support the PANAFEST within the limit of resources.

    The Governor was later presented with some memorabilia from the 25th anniversary celebration. The past editions of the festival had been held in Ghana. The Pan African Historical Theatre Festival commonly known as PANAFEST was mooted by the late Efua Sutherland in the mid 1980s as a cultural vehicle for bringing Africans on the continent and in the Diaspora together around the issues raised by slavery which remain suppressed.