The Nation Newspaper

Tag: OSUN

  • Osun: Agriculture holds the ace

    SIR: The world is not smiling! Even the most pretentious of all beings will readily admit that times and things are no longer as easy as they used to be. Of course, these are not limited to Nigeria. South Africa recently got out of recession, the first in more than a decade while countries like Turkey, Spain, even, Venezuela, once the most oil rich nation on earth, are passing through chaotic socio-economic times. Yes, this is the world in which Nigerians dwells today; and by default, it is also the world in which Osun State has found itself!

    It is with these in mind that Nigerians must commend Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun for taking the lead in efforts to impact lives through massive food production as well as reposition the economy through wealth creation-induced activities.

    Suffice it to say that Osun has never been a “sleeping partner in progress” with other active stakeholders. In the last five years or so, government has implemented programmes like Osun Rural Enterprise and Agricultural Programme (OREAP) and Osun Broilers Out-growers Production Scheme (O’BOPS), all in a bid to shoot the state to greater heights agriculturally. It is on record that more than 7,000 farmers from 500 cooperative societies have benefited from the state’s low interest loans under the Quick Impact Intervention Programme (QIIP). While support to large scale farmers has shot Osun into the second position in the production of poultry, the Rural Access and Mobility Programme (RAMP) has within a short period of time constructed more than 400 kilometres of rural roads in the state.

    Now that handouts from the national government are no longer assuredly guaranteed, or reliable, Oyetola already has his thinking cap on, and has his job cut out for him. For instance, a litre of palm oil now sells for as much as 400 in the market; as against a litre of premium motor spirit, pms, which currently hovers around N145.00. A profitable venture in agriculture leads to improved revenues even as it helps checkmate the scourge of rural-urban drift.

    Cash crops like cocoa, coconut, rubber and oil palm play significant roles in the generation of income, gainful employment opportunities to the rural economy and opening-up of the state for commercial activities, among others. Since hope leans on an anchor, Lagos and Kebbi have also shown how collaborative efforts between, and, among states can be profitable.

    As fate would have it, 70% of Osun’s over four million people are farmers. So, it is time Osun stopped behaving like Peter whose shadow was healing the sick while the healer in him lacked financial dominion. But then, who says our dear state cannot rear cattle for local consumption? Who says wanton destruction of lives and property, occasioned by farmers/herders’ clashes, cannot be curbed through agriculture? If farms and farming could rescue South Africa from its recession, who says Osun cannot be in the forefront of Nigeria’s return to her enviable position as the ‘Giant of Africa’?

     

    • Abiodun Komolafe, Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State.

  • Education, infrastructure top Osun’s N152.7b budget

    The Osun State governor, Mr. Adegboyega Isiaka Oyetola, on Thursday presented N152, 756, 088, 830.00 budget for 2019  fiscal year.

    In the budget titled “Budget of Hope”  N15,870,175,600.00 10.39 was allocated to recurrent  while  capital expenditure received N91,957,496,420.00 65.43.

    At  the presentation before the 26-member Assembly, Governor Oyetola described the 2019 Budget as unique, saying it was drawn from a carefully-crafted Development Document.

    According to him, the Budget will be “objectively and faithfully” implemented.

    The governor, who appealed to the people of the state to cooperate with his government in transforming the state, he said: “ This Budget is a product of the collective inputs of broad-based stakeholders, strategic thinking and world-class ideas on economic renewal and re-engineering. By its content and strategy, it is home-based, people-owned and 21st-Century-thinking propelled. By this strategy, the people have spoken and given direction on the way forward. This Budget of Hope is, therefore, a product of people’s hope. We shall put all measures in place to give life to the hope they expect.

    “It is important to state that all the programmes and projects outlined and discussed in this presentation cannot be achieved by Government alone. I therefore seek the collaboration of the private sector, Development Partners, NGOs, Civil Society Organizations, among others, for better and effective implementation of this Budget.

    “Our activities will be guided by the highest regard for the people.  I, therefore, implore all the good people of the State of Osun to pray for the success of our administration in 2019.

    Finally, I wish to appeal to our dear Honourable Members of the House of Assembly to give, as usual, speedy consideration to the Budget proposal so that its implementation can commence early enough in the new fiscal year.

    “We are determined to set the State of Osun on the path of real and time-tasted growth through unprecedented investment in the core sectors – agriculture, mining, tourism, commerce and industry, infrastructure, education, health and technology – to sustainably drive our economy.

    “To achieve this, we shall employ strategic thinking and planning, which experts aver are drivers of sustainable development. We shall hold The State of Osun Economic Summit in the First Quarter of next year to review our development blueprint with a view to coming out with a policy document that will drive our policies. “

    “In spite of the biting country-wide economic dire straits and uncertainties, the State of Osun is still standing and gradually matching toward the path of development. It is evident that with patience on the part of our people and the doggedness on our part, the people of the State of Osun shall smile again.

    The paradoxes of resource-challenged but prosperous nations like Israel and Malaysia, and resource-abundant but poor nations like ours, have proved beyond a doubt that prosperity and development answer more to focused and responsible leadership than abundant resources.

    “The former paradox – the Israel and Malaysia example – not only offers but confirms our staunch belief that, given the committed leadership this Administration is bringing to the table, and the unwavering following we have been getting from the citizenry, the State of Osun is poised to set the pace in economic independence.

    “We shall put strategies in place to further promote food security, employment and create wealth by investing heavily in agriculture, mining, infrastructure, commerce and industry, education and technology. We shall also introduce creative and prudent management of our resources, block leakages and eliminate wastages. We will assemble the brightest of the best minds to drives our policies. We will provide equitable opportunities and people-oriented governance.

    “We are committed to consolidating on the various ongoing projects and programmes by delivering on the following: Continuous investment in education, healthcare and social welfare; Unwavering attention to security of lives and property; People-oriented and good governance system that is founded on zero tolerance for corruption; Rebuilding, maintaining, and expanding infrastructure in water supply, electricity and road networks and to accelerate economic growth and job creation;

    Promoting agriculture and food security and reform of land administration as bases for wealth creation and capital formation, while preserving and enhancing environmental management. The 2019 Budget which I am presenting today is the 28th Annual Budget since the State was carved out of the old Oyo State on 27th August, 1991.”

    The Speaker of the House, Hon. Najeem Salaam, said that the presentation of the 2019 Budget was significant because it was the first to be presented by Governor Oyetola as the head of the executive arm of government.

    The Speaker promised Assembly’s speedy attention to the budget. END

    HIGHLIGHTS

    • Lagos—85 •Abuja——53 • Kano——36 • Port Harcourt——33
    • Gombe——28• Benin——27
    • Enugu——15•Maiduguri——11•Ibadan——10 • Uyo——8 • Kaduna——6.

     

     

  • Osun varsity lecturers refuse to resume

    Lecturers of the University of Osun State Osogbo on Monday refused to resume academic activities following a directive by the institution’s chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    The institution was billed to resume on Monday with many students already excitedly looking forward to being back on campus.

    But a memo by ASUU’s branch chairman and secretary warned lecturers who resume will be accused of strike breaking.

    It reads: “If lectures and other activities should start today it would be regarded as an act of strike breaking and the union doesn’t handle cases of strike breaking with levity.

    “The union reminded the varsity management that the ongoing strike is total and comprehensive.”

    ASUU embarked on a nationwide strike on November over unfulfilled agreements by the Federal Government.

    The National President Biodun Ogunyemi told lecturers nationwide to be prepared for a long-drawn struggle.

    Ogunyemi, who charged members of the union to remain steadfast and resolute in the face of intimidation or antics by government through Vice Chancellors and Governing Councils to undermine the ongoing struggle, said: “Government is yet to change its keep them talking style and stance as all the meetings held so far with the Minister of Education are yet to resolve any of the demands of the union.”

     

    Attempt to get the official reactions from the varsity proved abortive.

     

  • Buhari appoints Nine new federal permanent secretaries

    President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of nine new Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service.

    The appointment was announced in a statement signed by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita.

    The list of the successful Federal Permanent Secretaries and their states of origin are as follows:

    Read Also: Buhari may present 2019 budget to NASS next week

    “Dr Bakari Wadinga, Adamawa, Dr M.K. Dikwa, Borno, Dr Ajani Magdalene N. Olor, Delta, Umakhihe Ernest Afolabi, Edo, Mbaeri Maurice Nnamdi, Imo, Babatunde Lawal, Lagos.

    “Engr. Festus Yusuf Narai Daudu, Nasarawa, Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, Osun and Dr Musa Hanafi Moriki, Zamfara

    He said that the swearing in and assignment of portfolios would be announced in due course.

  • Osun to hold economic summit

    The Osun State government is planning an economic summit in the first quarter of next year.

    The state’s Statistician-General, Prof. Wasiu Alagbe Gbolagade, announced this at a business programme organised by Kazeem International Group of Schools, Agbowo in Iwo.

    He said the summit would attract many investors from all over the world.

    Read also: Gunmen kidnap six Osun College of Tech workers

    The statistician-general noted that the summit is dear to the Gboyega Oyetola administration because it will bring together high-level leaders from businesses, governments, civil society groups and the academia to explore how to collectively shape policies for inclusive growth and harness the next Industrial Revolution.

    Gbolagade said: “The State of Osun Economic Summit will be an opportunity for participants to provide input and gain insights through the lens of these System Initiatives. At the summit, some of them will be highlighted in sessions dedicated to the issues at hand. The Summit will address key issues of the Local Government, Senatorial District and the importance of State of Osun.”

  • Police arrest four robbery suspects that set victim ablaze in Osun

    The Police in Osun have arrested 4 members of a robbery gang that robbed and later killed one Lagos businessman, Victor Akinbile, 48, by setting him ablaze while locked in his car.

    The Osun Commissioner of Police, Mr Fimihan Adeoye, disclosed this to journalists on Monday while parading the suspects and other criminals at the State Police Command in Osogbo.

    According to Adeoye, some friends of the late Akinbile reported to the police on Nov. 27, at about 10:30 p.m., the case of suspicious transfer of N3 million from the account of the deceased.

    He said that they also informed the police that they were unable to reach Akinbile after he had travelled to Ikirun from Lagos on Nov. 26.

    The CP also said that Akinbile’s friends informed the police that Akinbile had informed them that he would be passing a night in Ikirun, his home town. Akinbile was also said to have informed his friends that he would return the next day, Adeoye said.

    The police commissioner said that Akinbile’s friends were worried about the money transferred from his account and their inability to reach him. Adeoye said the police anti-kidnapping and SARS team where deployed to investigate the matter.

    He said that between Nov. 29 and Nov. 30, the team had arrested four suspects as well as recovered the charred remains of Akinbuile’s car and his burnt body.

     Read Also: Police arraign truck driver for manslaughter

    “The police team discovered that the gang consisted of four men, and that one of them happened to be a security guard who alerted his members that Akinbile was in town.

    “The gang came to the victim’s abode, where he was passing the night, broke into the house and took the N25,000 he was having on him and equally forced him to transfer N3 million to the account of one of them.

    “The police tracing the account where the money was transferred to, arrested one of the gang members identified as Hamed Rafiu.

    “Rafiu subsequently gave useful information that led to the arrest of other members of his gang.

    “One of the gang members, Sunday Kayode, was also traced to and arrested in Ondo state where he relocated after their operation while the other two members were arrested in Ikirun.

    “During investigation and interrogation of the suspects, the police discovered that the suspects robbed their victim of his cash and transferred N3 million from his account into one of theirs.

    “They then put him in his car and drove him to a secluded place where they set the car alight, while he was locked in the booth,” he said.

    Adeoye said the suspects were being prosecuted, adding that he had sent the condolence from the Inspector General of Police to the family of the deceased.

    Also, the CP said that the command had arrested two men with a human head and two human palms.

    He said that the men were suspected to have exhumed the human parts from a grave with the intention to use them for money rituals.

    Adeoye said that all the arrested suspects would be charged to court after the police would have concluded their investigations.

     

    (NAN)

  • The next level after Ogbeni’s eight years in Osun

    The “unusual government” of Ogbeni Rauf  Adesola Aregbesola in the State of Osun has come to an end while the administration of Alhaji Isiaka Gboyega Oyetola has commenced.

    It is pertinent to mention that this is the first time in the history of the State that a Governor will complete two terms. It is also the first time that the baton of governance will be handed over to another member of the same party. This is also the first time in the history of Nigeria that a governor will run his two terms with the same deputy, and the holder of this record being the quintessential and graceful Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori. This shows the leadership quality of Ogbeni and a strength that stands him out in the pack as far as this country is concerned, and to a large extent, Africa. Ogbeni has created many firsts in the history of the State and history can only be kind to him.

    The achievements of Ogbeni in the State of Osun have been breathtaking in their importance and strategic focus, and they have been accomplished at apparently huge cost to his personality. A highly misrepresented and misunderstood man primarily because of the uncommon great passion and commitment with which he does whatever he sets out to do. Ogbeni’s 8 years in Osun have been 8 years of swimming against overwhelming odds that would have consumed lesser mortals. Ogbeni is a master of doing the unusual and thinking outside the box.

    In 8 years as Governor, Ogbeni created a great change story in Osun and laid a solid foundation for the growth, transformation and competitive repositioning of the state through his legacy projects and programs. Some of these include tens of thousands of youths employed under the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (O’YES), thousands of youths trained and empowered in information communication technology under the Osun Youth Empowerment Technology (OYESTECH). Through these intervention programs, billions of naira was injected into the economy of the State as allowances for the O’YES Volunteers which, to a large extent, stemmed the rate of crime in the State, making Osun one of the safest States to live in Nigeria and without doubt, the most peaceful. As part of positioning, Ogbeni dredged hundreds of kilometers of waterways (streams, arteries, canals) to keep the state flood-free and one of the few states that never recorded victims of flooding in the period under review, saving lives and properties in the process.

    There is the introduction of the feeding of over 400,000 elementary school pupils daily with nutritious meals under the Osun Elementary School Feeding and Health Program which came with the empowerment of over 4,000 caterers not to mention the many vendors and farmers who prosper through this program. To date, over half a billion of hot plates of meals have been served to these pupils for their wellbeing mentally and physically. For the benefit of the critics of this program, it is important to point out that it has significantly reduced the number of children of school going age who are out of school in Osun. The challenge for this program in the State is the registration of high number of underaged children by parents in order to benefit from the feeding. This is apart from many other socio-economic benefits of the program which can only begin to manifest in the future, which is the next level.

    It is no mean feat to raise the profile of Osun as the most peaceful state in Nigeria considering the religious intolerance that enemies of the administration tried to introduce. The State was further made secure through the acquisition of Armored Personnel Carriers and hundreds of security patrol vehicles and one helicopter for area surveillance making a strong case for the need for state police as the only recipe to reduce crime in the country. In Agriculture, Osun built the largest commercial apiary in Sub-Saharan Africa for refined honey production during Ogbeni’s reign and gave a huge motivation and support to farmers through the clearing of thousands of hectares of land and the establishment of the innovative Land Bank. The Land Bank makes it possible for anyone who is interested in farming to approach the state for farm land and would be allocated from the thousands of hectares of land that has been deposited by land owners expecting returns from it. The administration also rehabilitated farm settlements in the state. Being a largely agrarian state with over 65% of the population as farmers, the ground has been prepared for the emergence of wealthy farmers in the State while making Osun the food basket of Africa in the future.

    Of course, we cannot lose sight of billions of naira committed to building of roads and super highways in the State. Township roads have either been rehabilitated or upgraded. Osogbo, the state capital has had its profile raised to that of a worthy state capital from the sleepy and rusty capital that it was before the administration of Ogbeni.

    How can one ever forget Osun Ambulance Service Authority (O’Ambulance) established with hundreds of youths trained as paramedics. O’Ambulance has saved thousands of lives especially accident victims in the State. Ogbeni is indeed a transformational leader and there are few like him in this part of the world. His leadership skills, passion and groundbreaking projects and policies remind one of the achievements of Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo in the South West. One can only imagine what Awolowo’s critics were saying when he was building the Liberty Stadium at a time when football was not so much of a popular sport in Nigeria. Undoubtedly, Awolowo saw many years ahead of his peers through research and facts which is exactly the position Ogbeni finds himself today. Unusual leaders are not easily embraced by the elites because they focus on programs and policies that are in the overall interest of the majority.

    Gathering facts before a policy decision is one of the strongest points of Ogbeni. Unknown to his traducers, every single one of Ogbeni’s policy and action is firmly grounded in facts arising from thorough analysis and research towards problem solving and preparing for the future which many are not trained to see. This approach underpins his credibility and became too unusual for many to understand and appreciate. Transformation leaders implicitly follow a dictum that when we are making decisions or considering courses of action, we should ask ourselves: Who benefits? Is it just ourselves, or a group? Just one group, or everyone? And just for the present, or also for the future? This dictum was practiced by Ogbeni to the fullest in Osun.

    This explains the sour point in the administration of Ogbeni in Osun and one which his traducers took maximum advantage of. This has to do with the partial salary payment to Grade Levels 8 officers and above in the State’s civil service later in his second term. It was a necessary but painful and regrettable sacrifice in the interest of everyone and in the interest of the State. For a leader like Ogbeni who had his eyes set on transformation of the State and whose focus is the majority of the people who fall within a particular social bracket, it would have been difficult to use the entire revenue of the State to pay the salaries of less than 45,000 civil servants when there are yearning needs in the State which would be in the interest of everyone. The seeming contradiction here is that it is also not the philosophy of Ogbeni to cut the state’s civil service population to the size that the State needs for efficient running of government and one which the total revenue of the State can accommodate while leaving enough for development that will benefit all.

    Undoubtedly, the credit for the creation of the new Osun will be shared between Ogbeni and the civil servants that made huge sacrifice of either receiving part of their salary for years or forgoing promotion and other benefits of service.

    Notwithstanding this sour point, Ogbeni is driven by his deep love for Osun and the desire to improve the state and leave a legacy. He is the first Governor to consciously focus on the burning issue of socioeconomic inequality. Successive governments both at the federal and subnational have always focused on what is in the interest of the few elites. Ogbeni’s programs and projects are economic catalysts that have a huge potential to continue to stimulate the economy of the State to the benefit of all stakeholders. It is therefore not surprising that the most recent report from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) with data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has ranked Osun as the state with the lowest poverty index in the country, one of the five states with lowest unemployment rate by NBS and the second richest state in Nigeria by the United Nations’ Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index in 2017. The GDP of Osun has grown by almost 110% within 8 years despite all the challenges faced. The tax base has been raised by more than 500%, possibly the highest in Nigeria. The result of this can only begin to manifest in the next level. These are no mean achievements especially when one considers the fact that Osun is not an oil producing state.

    Ogbeni has indeed done the heavy lifting. He has laid the foundation for the revolution of the education sector in State of Osun through the rehabilitation of schools. Personally, Ogbeni’s biggest legacy is in the area of massive investment in education. With the construction of over 180 new schools, comprising 21 elementary schools with 531 classrooms; 30 middle schools with 570 classroom blocks; and High School blocks of 792 classrooms the foundation has been laid for Osun to be the international market for quality human capital. Over 200,000 students of indigent parents are learning under inspiring environments which many of the high fee-paying private schools don’t have the benefit of.  In the new world, the learning environment must be conducive for good learning as a first step. All other necessities can be built on the world class education infrastructure in place and this include high quality education curriculum. The new schools are provided air conditioners in the classrooms, the teachers’ offices look like corporate offices. The State also provided 50,000 learning tablets “Opon-imo” for final year students.

    That all these was achieved in a State with largely agrarian economy and rural dwellers with little or no tax liability is worthy of commendation. The people of Osun are mainly farmers, traders, and artisans with a large number in the civil service.

    The journey has not been easy. Indeed, the new administration has a big shoe to step into, but the new governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola is also a man of high intellectual quality and a leader with the greater good in mind. The foundation laid by Ogbeni requires creative ingenuity to take to the next level which the new Governor has in abundance. The next level in the State of Osun is one of economic prosperity, enhancement of human capital, inflow of investment to the State and industrialization. At the next level Osun should be well rated in terms of the quality of students and human resources in general which will include highly articulate, intelligent and aggressive youthful population.

    Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola is well positioned to take Osun to the next level being an integral part of Ogbeni’s administration. He has the ability to see more than many others will see, he sees farther than many others see and sees before others see. He would need the support of all stakeholders in the State to take Osun to the next level.

    A big appreciation to Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola for what he has done in the State of Osun. You came, you saw, and you conquered. The difference between a good and bad leader lie in the number of obstacles removed from the path to development. You have removed big obstacles towards the transformation of Osun and prepared Osun well. The State of Osun is ready to move to the next level. May your next level be more glorious too, Ogbeni. You remain unforgettable.

     

    .Adaba writes from Osogbo.

  • Osun: Aregbe to Oyetola

    After eight short years, the Osun governmental baton yesterday changed: from Rauf Aregbesola, the self-named Ogbeni, the simple gubernatorial man next door, with little or no frills.

    He hands over to Adegboyega Oyetola, his former chief of staff and another gentle soul, though with less boisterous public persona, than the Ogbeni governor, who patented his idea of “government unusual”.

    To the introspective, what would both gentlemen be thinking in their bed tonight — or would they be too excited to sleep?

    Aregbesola, after eight years in the saddle, has lost no opportunity to tell everyone he wanted to seize the time to rest.

    Though the jury is still out on the final place of his gubernatorial tenure in history, the fact is that he is leaving Osun with many legacies that the state never witnessed before his advent — and his aggressive infrastructural upscale and his unprecedented policy of social infrastructure and social safety net are prime proof .

    Yeah, many of his traducers talk of a “debt burden”, and many even indulge in the hyperbole that the debts would cripple future generations — no political crime, for hysterics and callous de-marketing come with the territory of democratic contestation.

    Still, Aregbesola would not be totally wrong if he permits himself the luxury, nay satisfaction, of a deep, sound sleep, thinking that despite all the odds, in a tough economic clime, he had managed to make a brilliant difference, and made some clear landmarks.

    Of course, he made his own mistakes, some of them unforgettable and unpardonable to the Osun opposition.  Still, he can nestle in the comfort that, give or take, he put in his very best, under very difficult circumstances.

    But as Aregbesola exits, Oyetola enters.  From now, all of the pressure, all of the insults, all of the heart-shattering rumours, all of the demonization, where Political Osun is in a class of its own, now stop on Oyetola’s table.

    Yes, the flip side is the gubernatorial lollies — for Nigeria is still one of those states in the world, where governors are still close to mini-gods, in terms of power, influence and patronage.

    But as everyone knows, these sweet nothings are nothing but the vanity of office.  They are extremely sweet while they last.  But the second you leave office, they vanish — fast, like dew, before the morning sun.

    At that moment, what you are left with are the legacies of your gubernatorial tour of duty.  God save you, if your report card is bare.  Straight, you get despatched into the dustbin of history.  But if you have a lot to point to, you cement your place in history.

    So, would new Governor Oyetola sleep at all tonight?  If he doesn’t, don’t blame him.

    He has at most, eight short years (if wins re-election) or even worse: four short years (if he doesn’t), to make a mark — and time, bloody time, is always flying, nay, zooming!

    The clock starts ticking from now!

     

  • New dawn in Osun

    The tenure of Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola will end tomorrow. It will be eight years that Aregbesola came into power after the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, sacked his predecessor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola. Undaunted by two previous court judgements that were not in his favor, Aregbesola pursued petitions before the election tribunal, challenging the declaration of Oyinlola as the winner of the 2007 poll.

    When he assumed the reins, Aregbesola behaved as if no time could be enough for him to fix the state. The Aregbesola administration met a deficit in infrastructure in many sectors of the economy, including education, health, tourism and roads, on assumption of office. He renegotiated the N18.3 billion loan of his predecessor, and secured  liberal terms in repayment. Though he was criticised for hypocrisy in seeking new and bigger loans, bonds and an Islamic Sukuk loan, Aregbesola said how the funds were expended was what that mattered and the development it will bring into the state.

    As many hailed his achievements in infrastructural development and road construction, some described some of the projects as misplaced priorities and without direct economic impact on the people. According to critics, the construction of mega schools, bridges and flyovers was unnecessary. But what cannot be ignored about his achievements is how he had opened up the state in terms of huge construction, particularly in Osogbo, the state capital. Real estate benefited so much from polices of government as value of properties went up by more than 200 percent.

    His greatest achievement is the re-establishing the Omoluabi ethos and rebranding Osun as a state of the virtuous. He once spoke to a huge crowd at a public function on the importance of character in the progressive journey of man, saying he felt fulfilled for reconnecting the people to the values of yore, which had promoted hard work, honesty, peace and good neighborliness.

    Like in the time of Chief Obafemi Awolowo whose vision and sense of mission made the Western Region to be ahead of other regions in education, agriculture, health, civil service administration among others, Aregbesola has been able to lay a foundation for a sustainable development. In education, he significantly improved school infrastructure by building world class mega schools with modern facilities that can support learning. The new schools replaced many dilapidated school buildings. He merged many unviable schools and reclassified the school system to make it functional. Also, he devised a tablet of knowledge, otherwise known as”Opon Imo” in which all subjects, including history and Odu Ifa, were installed. The Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) of his administration provided jobs for teeming unemployed youths. He inculcated the values of hard work, dignity of labour service. His administration also provided support for small and medium enterprises through various economic and financial programmes. This, to a large extent, engaged the people, particularly the youths and by implication, reduced crime rate in the state.  In health, many policies and programmes of government like the provision for emergency service for accident victims known as O’Ambulance were innovative and  life-saving. In agriculture, Aregbesola has many intervention programmes that will inspire development. During his tenure, the reforms in the civil service was silent, but had far reaching effects.

    The incoming governor, Mr. Gboyega Oyetola, is expected to hit the ground running because he was a major participants in the Aregbesola administration for eight years as Chief of Staff. In the last edition of Ogbeni Till Day Break, an interactive programme to query the activities of government and to know the mind of governor on issues as they affect politics and governance, Aregbesola revealed that no single file got to his table without first passing through his Chief of Staff. He therefore, expressed confidence in Oyetola’s ability to perform. “There was no file I treated that must not first pass through him (Oyetola) before getting to me. He is a major contributor to the success of this administration. He is not going to be told what to do. He knows where the work stops and where to start. I have no doubt that the future of OSUN is secured. He will continue our good work and even open up new frontiers,” Aregbesola said.

    However, people are saying the incoming governor will face some challenges. He is believed to be up to the tasks because he had demonstrated his ability while serving the outgoing administration. People say Oyetola’s strength is in calmness, his integrity, peaceful disposition and character. He was never linked to any fraud. He has a rich experience in the private sector for over 30 years and public service in the last eight years. A major challenge expected to be faced by his administration is finance. Osun is not among the states receiving huge federal allocation and its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) profile could not be compared with that of Lagos, Ogun, Rivers, Kano among others. Though the Aregbesola administration raised the state IGR from about

    N250/400million to a little over N1 billion monthly, this is not enough to support the federal allocation to meet some of the obligations. Also, the state is paying some loans,  part of which some will be liquidated in 2019 and 2020.  Clearing arrears of workers’ salaries and pensioners’ allowances after an agreement of modulated salary scale between the government and the labour unions, may initially reduce the capacity of the Oyetola administration since the workers want the matter to be urgently attended to. However, people are looking up to the incoming governor to use his expertise in public finance and leverage on the goodwill and contacts locally and internationally, particularly in the private sector, to drive his polices and programmes.

    Another is the issue of combining governance with politics, which Aregbesola was able to master effectively. The incoming governor must be prepared to apply political skills to overcome many of the antics of the opposition and at the same time not allow himself to be distracted from governance. The incoming administration may also face a dilemma of either submitting the state resources to the political class or utilise it for public good. The expectations of many politicians as the slogan goes is “Kajo se, Kajo je” meaning “Let’s work together to build and benefit.” So, this could be a challenge for Oyetola to master balancing sectional personal interests with over all interests.

    Also, he may face challenges in appointing some of the cabinet members to work with him as political class is in the habit of sponsoring candidates on political patronage,  not on merit and capability to fill key offices. Oyetola must be prepared to search for best professionals hands to work with him to deliver on his promises to the people of the state.

    As Oyetola and his deputy, Benedict Alabi, step into office, the people of Osun are hoping his tenure will be a blessing to them.

  • 30 contestants selected for Queen Moremi Beauty Pageant

    Thirty contestants have been selected out of 400 ladies, who applied to contest in the 2018 edition of the Queen Moremi Ajasoro Beauty Pageant, the organisers announced on Tuesday.

    Cultural Ambassador to the project, Princess Ronke Ademiluyi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the contestants were selected after a two-day screening, held at Ile Ife in Osun.

    She said that the contestants, who must be Yoruba undergraduates, within the ages of 18 to 25 years, were selected by a team of panelists, including culture icons, Woli Arole and Odunlade Adekola.

    Ademiluyi said that the contest, initiated by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi Adeyeye, was aimed at promoting Yoruba culture among young women.

    “The contest showcases our culture, which is really important to His Imperial Majesty, the Ooni of Ife, it encourages young ladies to discover and learn about their culture.

    “The initiative about the queen is to project leadership roles in the future of our young girls as Queen Moremi Ajasoro did during her life time.

    Read Also: Ooni to celebrate Moremi in Lagos

    “The contest showcases the strength of a woman, dating back to thousands of years, in encouraging young ladies to be selfless and committed to nation building.”

    The culture entrepreneur said that the contest, which started in 2016, commenced its third edition this year with a 10-day camping at Ile Ife.

    “The contest this year commenced in Ile Ife and the grand finale will be held in Abeokuta in Ogun State.

    “The rationale for Abeokuta is to rotate hosting of the cultural event in different Yoruba states every year. In 2016, it was held in Ife. In 2017, it was held in Lagos and the 2018 edition will be held in Abeokuta.”

    According to Ademiluyi, the choice of Ogun is because of the interest of the wife of the Governor of Ogun, Mrs c, who supports the Ooni of Ife, in promoting Yoruba culture.

    Ademiluyi said that the winner of the contest would go home with a brand new car to be provided by the Ife monarch.

    “There is also a cash prize from the QMA Impact Investment Fund. In addition, the winner automatically becomes a young culture ambassador to the Ooni and the House of Oduduwa.

    “She will also enjoy the privilege of becoming a part of the royal entourage for foreign trips,” the project ambassador stated.

    Ademiluyi recalled that the winner of the maiden edition, Miss Blessing Animashaun, was in the royal entourage to UK last year, while the winner in 2017, joined the royal team to Brazil and the U.S. earlier this year.

    Out-going Queen, Miss Shola Shittu, who graduated with a first class degree in automobile engineering, won various awards during her reign.

    Shittu championed the fight against trafficking of young ladies and made tours to various schools, offering scholarships to indigent students in Lagos communities.

    NAN