VOL. 9. NO.051 NNNNN5050505050TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

www.osundefender.org THE 6TH MOST-VISITED NEWSPAPER WEBSITE IN NIGERIA

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Front Page Comment

- See StoryOn Page 2

Who KilledChief Bola Ige,former Attorney-

General andMinister of

Justice? IGE

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle); Deputy Governor, Otunba (Mrs) Titilayo Laoye-Tomori (left) and Mrs Beatrice Jedy-Agba, Executive Secretaryof National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP), during a courtesy visit to the governor in Osogbo last Friday.

Omisore, PDP Plan Violence OptionFor Osun REC Redeployment

Osun Govt Releases N1bn To Pensioners

Osun PDP's plan orgyof violence

If the much talkedabout plan of the farfrom being People'sDemocratic Party in thestate of Osun to perpe-trate violence as theelection draws closerwas real, then theybetter have a re-think.

To have a re-think is anecessity

for Osun PDP beforethey embark on Rus-sian-roulette. Of courseany plan to, yet again,embark on what theyare best known for;

perpetration of violence, willbe tantamount to embarkingon a dangerous game withdire consequences for them.Like former PresidentOlusegun Obasanjo -employing a yoruba axiom

in his letter lastmonth to PresidentJonathan - rightlysaid; "the person onwhose head coconutwas broken may notlive to savour thetaste of its sweet-ness". This is mosttrue and the OsunPDP cannot pretendnot to understandthe meaning of thiswitty saying.

Continue on pg 4

2OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, April 29, 2014

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By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

By KEHINDE AYANTUNJI

•Wife of the governor, State of Osun, Mrs. Sherifat Aregbesola (2nd left); Prince Rotimi Obamuwagun, DeputyNational President, NUJ (2nd right); Mr Dele Atunbi, Vice-President, NUJ Zone-B (right) and Mr Abiodun Olalere,Chairman, NUJ Osun Council, when Mrs. Aregbesola was given a Golden Award on Environment from Osun Councilof the Nigeria Union of Journalists at Fun-Field Event Centre, Osogbo, last Friday.

Omisore, PDP Plan Violence Option For Osun REC RedeploymentTHE State of Osun chapter of the Peoples

Democratic Party (PDP) and the party’scandidate for the August 9 governorship

election, Senator Iyiola Omisore, have beengathered to have perfected plans to use violence topress for the redeployment of the state ResidentElectoral Commissioner (REC) of the IndependentNational Electoral Commission (INEC), Ambassador

Rufus Akeju.According to sources

within the PDP in the state,the party and its candidateare currently puttingfinishing touches to theplan to import miscreantsinto the state, who woulddisguise under a politicalplatform, with a view toprotesting against the stayof Akeju in the state ahead

of the governorshipelection.

The medium’s findingsfurther revealed that in thecourse of the protest, themiscreants have been paidto engage in violence andattack innocent citizens, soas to give the impressionthat the demand for theredeployment of the REC

is massive.The plot, according to

the source, is also beinghatched to unleashmayhem on the people ofthe state, with a view tocreating the impressionthat the state is no longersafe and propel thePresidency to quicklydeclare a state ofemergency.

Several other optionsare also being consideredto facilitate declaration ofemergency rule in thestate, with a view toensuring that the governor,Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola,vacates the seat ahead ofthe election.

It is believed that anadministrator would

subsequently be appointedby the Presidency, whowill eventually assist in therigging of the election infavour of the PDPcandidate.

It would be recalled thatthe PDP and its candidatehave, in recent times beendemanding theredeployment of Akejufrom the state on theground that they have noconfidence in him to

preside over the August 9governorship election inthe state.

The INEC Chairman,Professor Attahiru Jega,has however refused toredeploy the REC,challenging them toprovide evidence that thestate Chief ElectoralOfficer has relationshipwith either the stategovernment or any of the

political parties in the state,which the PDP has notbeen able to do till date.

Meanwhile, it was alsogathered that the PDP’sallegation again Akeju wasconcocted after all theefforts of the PDP so farto buy him over, with aview to rigging the electionin favour of its candidatefailed.

Osun Approves EstablishmentOf NATIP CentreGOVERNOR of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf

Aregbesola, has approved the establishment ofNational Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic In

Persons (NAPTIP) base in the state, so as to live up to itsresponsibilities effectively.

According to the governor,the approval of the base, whichhe would prefer to be in Ejigbo,because of the history ofconstant migration of thepeople of the ancient town, willbe paid for by the stategovernment, with a view tostemming the ugly tide of thenon-profitable migration ofpeople to neighbouringcountries in the name of lookingfor greener pastures.

The governor stated this inhis office while receiving theteam of the agency, who cameto make a formal presentationof the researched report onimpact of constant migration ofpersons in Ejigbo toneighbouring countries.

He said the main reasonwhy the current administrationis working assiduously hard toprovide basic needs for thepeople of the state is to ensurethey are comfortable, so as notto have any reason to migrateout of the state in search of abetter life elsewhere.

He said: “When there is nocommitment by the governmentto the provision of basic needs

of the people, they will wantlook elsewhere. It is a well-known fact that there is noplace like home for one tosucceed.”

While stressing that nocitizen of the state will be leftunattended to, the statehelmsman emphasised that allthe life-touching policies of hisadministration will continue toreceive government attention.

“Because we want ourpeople to be comfortable andsettle down in the state, wehave decided to always assistthe aged through the “AgbaOsun” programme. We areproviding employmentopportunities for our youthsto give them hope. We arefeeding our elementary pupilsto assist their parents in givenquality education to themajority,” the governorhighlighted.

He said in hisadministration’s determinationto make the people of Ejigbofeel more at ease, the state, incollaboration with the FrenchDevelopment Agency, isalready working on establishing

a French Village in the town.Presenting the report, the

Executive Secretary ofNAPTIP, Mrs Beatrice Jedy-Agba, stated that the EjigboTown was chosen for theresearch because it has all thefeatures of a border town,despite not being a bordertown, which had over the yearsmade the people of the townalways engaging in illegalmigration.

She added that the trendused to be an advantage for thepeople in the area, but recentresearch has shown that overthe past twenty years, it hasnow become a hugedisadvantage for the people ofthe town and the state as awhole.

While commending theefforts of Ogbeni RaufAregbesola in making lifecomfortable for the people ofthe state through the provisionof basic amenities, Mrs Jedi-Agba stressed that the agencyis willing to partner with thestate government in achievingthe recommendations of theresearch to stop the uglytradition.

Also speaking at the event,the Executive Secretary ofEjigbo Local GovernmentCouncil stressed that most ofthe recommendations of theresearch are what the present

administration has beenachieving through making lifemore comfortable for thepeople of the state.

He therefore advised thepeople of the state to lookinwards and take advantage ofthe various opportunities beingcreated by the administrationof Ogbeni Aregbesola, sayingwith the present administrationin place, everyone has anopportunity to make headway.

“Aregbesola has made lifereally comfortable for thepeople of this state. There istherefore no need to go out ofthe state in search of a betterlife again. If you are theresponsible type, you willsucceed in this state,” hestressed.

In her welcome address, theState Commissioner forWomen and Children Affairs,Mrs Mofolake AdetounAdegboyega, commended theefforts of the presentadministration for making lifemeaningful for the masses in thestate.

In attendance were the stateDeputy Governor, Otunba(Mrs) Grace Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, the Chief of Staff tothe Governor, Alhaji GboyegaOyetola, the Head of Service,Mr Sunday Owoeye and othermembers of the State ExecutiveCouncil.

Osun NUJ Honours Aregbesola’s Wife, Others

(NUJ) with a Golden Awardin Environmental Service.

She was honoured by theunion alongside PastorMathew Ashimolowo of theKingsway InternationalChristian Centre (KICC),London; Prince AdeniyiOladeinde; Sky Bank and DrBasheer Komolafe as thePatron of the union.

Shortly after receivingthe award, Mrs Aregbesola,who is the Community-ledTotal SanitationAmbassador said, shedecided to receive the awardbecause of her readiness towork with all interestedstakeholders in making thestate open-defecation-free.

She said: “When westarted, the little campaignabout getting our people toeffect a change in thebehaviours of defecating inopen places in our townsand communities, our goalhas remained enhancementof the standard of hygienein these areas.

“Little did we know thatefforts were beingrecognised byorganisations such asyours and that of UnitedNation Children’s Fund(UNICEF), whichnominated me as the CLTSAmbassador.

“I am happy to report thatmy team has achievedtremendous progress. Quitea large number ofcommunities in the statehave joined voluntarily,while there is a healthy peerreview attitude amongthem,” she added.

Noting that there is stillmore to be done in gettingrid of the ‘undesirablebehaviour’ of defecting inopen places, MrsAregbesola urged the unionto also actively mobilisemembers to join in the CLTScrusade.

She added that the CLTSapproach has been found tobe the appropriate and themost effective method toachieving rapid expansionof sanitation in the state.

Mrs Aregbesolareiterated her readiness towork with every stakeholderto ensure that the state ismade open defecation-free.

She maintained that theaward would further spurher to intensify campaignand enlightenment ondanger embedded in opendefecation, hence the needfor stakeholders to supportthe state government in itsbid to improve standard ofliving of the citizenry.

WIFE of the Governor, State of Osun, Mrs SherifatAregbesola, has been honoured by the OsunCouncil of the Nigeria Union of Journalists

The state’s first lady alsolauded journalists in thestate for their ingenuity andadherence to promotion ofprofessionalism in thedischarge of their duties,submitting that media hasalways been the key to thesustainability of the nation’sdemocracy.

Speaking, the State’sDeputy Governor, Otunba(Mrs) Titi Laoye-Tomori,who described the awardbestowed on the wife of thegovernor as a well-deservedhonour, maintained thatjournalists in the state werevery active and objective intheir reportage ofgovernment’s activities andprogrammes.

Mrs Laoye-Tomoristressed that the stategovernment would continueto give priority to welfare ofjournalists, pointing out thatgovernment had concludedarrangement to digitalize thestate-owned broadcastingstation.

In his remark, theProgramme Manager ofOsun State Rural WaterEnvironmental SanitationAgency (RUWESA), AlhajiPosi Adiatu, noted that theaward bestowed on thegovernor’s wife was a strongindication that people werenoticing her remarkablecontributions towardse n v i r o n m e n t a lsustainability in the state.

Adiatu explained that theAmbassador of CommunityLed Total Sanitation hadchanged fortune of thestate in the area of hygienicliving and promotion ofstandard of living of ruraldwellers, noting that theaward was a well-deservedhonour, which he describedas a timely one.

The RUWESA bosshinted that, the first ladyremained a strong agent ofsocialization and role modelin environmental sanitation.

Adiatu further used theoccasion to call on residentsof the state to continue todemonstrate their love andcomplete support for Mrs.Aregbesola in her fighttowards open defecation.

In his address, the NUJstate Chairman, Mr AbiodunOlalere said the wife of thegovernor and otherawardees were foundworthy, havingdemonstrated patriotism,commitment and high senseof responsibility to theadvancement of fellowhuman beings and thesociety as a whole.

He said the union decidedto honour the awardees toappreciate them and erasethe erroneous belief thatjournalists are only good incriticising and condemning.

3 News OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, April 29, 2014

By FRANCIS EZEDIUNO

By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

•A health officer conducting free malaria test for a 6-month old baby in commemoration of World Malaria Day atErin-Osun, State of Osun, on Friday.

Osun Govt Releases N1bn To PensionersGovernment of the State of Osun has released N1 billion

for the payment of pension arrears to its pensioners.

The State Commissionerfor Finance, Dr. WaleBolorunduro, in a statementrecently-issued, said thestate government hascommenced payment of thepension arrears, which, hesaid emanated from theadministrative bottlenecksand improper cash-flow

planning, which wereattributable to the lastadministration in the state.

According to him, theN1billion is an addition tothe payment made on the142 per cent pension arrearsinherited from the lastadministration in 2010.

He further stressed that atthe inception of the current

administration, the state’sliability on the 142 per centpension arrears was aboutN4 billion, noting that up toN1.2billion of the inheritedliability was paid.

Explaining the rationalebehind the challenges on thepayment of pensions, hesaid: “The impact of themass retirement of thestate’s employees in late2012, given theirunwillingness to join thecontributory pension

scheme in the state,contributed in no smallmeasure to the currentchallenges and it is the originof 2011/2012 retiree forum.

“For avoidance of doubts,over 5,000 employees of thestate joined the existingover 9,000 retirees in thestate, while the localgovernment retireesschedule also increased byabout 3,500. Of course thefresh recruitment conductedin 2013 by the state was to

fill the numerous vacanciescreated by the massiveretirement.

“The impact of the afore-mentioned 2011/2012retirement was anunprecedented surge in thestate’s salary and pensionobligations from N250million in November 2011 toN600 million monthly now,hence, the creation ofrelatively young retirees,called 2011/2012 RetireesGroup.

“Aside from the fact thatthe previous administrationthat approved the forcefulretirement of the group ofthe referenced retirees didnot consider the cash flowimplication when grantingthe approval, it is also worthmentioning that theadministrative bottlenecksin processing retirees’entitlements contributed tothe problem.

“The last administrationfailed to automate themanual processing ofretirees’ benefits to take care

of the surge in their number,thereby leading to delay ofprocessing the Authority toCollect (ATC) papers of theretired personnel.

“This consequently ledto the situation, wherebysome people who retiredsince December 2012, wereunable to submit their ATCuntil later month such asNovember 2013. This is thegenesis of the pensionarrears,” he explained.

Bolorunduro then notedthat the state governmenthas kept pace to pension-roll the retirees as soon astheir authority papers aresubmitted.

Reiterating thecommitment of the currentadministration to continueto uphold the welfare of itssenior citizens as one of itstopmost priorities, he notedthat the issues leading to thepension arrears are actuallynot the makings of theA r e g b e s o l a - l e dadministration.

World Malaria Day: Osun Distributes FreeMosquito Nets, Conducts Free Tests

WORLD Malaria Day is a day set aside by the WorldHealth Organisation (WHO) to sensitise people onthe danger that the disease poses to especially

children between 5 months to 5 years and pregnant women.Also, it has been disclosed

that 1 million deaths are recordedannually from malaria in Nigeria.

This was disclosed by theState of Osun Commissioner forHealth, Dr. (Mrs.) TemitopeIlori, at a sensitisation rally heldto commemorate the day at Erin-Osun in Irepodun LocalGovernment Council Area of thestate.

The commissioner, who wasrepresented by Dr. KayodeOguniyi; the Director of PrimaryHealth Care and DiseasePrevention in the State Ministryof Health, revealed that of thefour parasites which causemalaria, plasmodium palciparumwas the most deadly, whichleads to more than 500 millioninfections annually world over.

Oguniyi maintained that oneof the ways that WHO hasprevented the spread ofmosquitoes was through thedistribution of free insecticidetreated nets.

According to him: “In 2013,1.6 million insecticide-treatednets were distributed freely, butsurprisingly, most people didnot use it.”

He observed that thedumping of these mosquito netswas not supposed to be, but forthe ignorance of the peopleconcerning their health.

The PHC Director stressedthat the most important thingwas how to prevent mosquitobites.

In the same vein, therepresentative of the FederalMinistry of Health for Oyo andOsun states, Mr. Tosin, chargedall those present to apply the

various preventive measures, ashealth was of paramountimportance.

He described malaria fever asa common ailment which ispreventable through the correctuse of treated mosquito nets

PDP, Omisore Plan To ImportMiscreants To OsunTHE All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State of

Osun said Information reaching it from reliablesources has it that the Peoples Democratic Party

(PDP) and its candidate for the August 9 governorshipelection, Iyiola Omisore, are planning to importmiscreants and thugs to the State of Osun to stageunwarranted protests across the state in order to createmayhem and disturb the peace.

“These senseless andunwarranted protests areintended to manipulate thepopulace, the electorate andthe electoral system in theirfavour.

“Plans are said to havebeen concluded by bothOmisore and the PDP tocreate a virtual state ofconfusion before August 9believing that if the planworks, it would facilitate aneasier manipulation of theelectoral process and theirrigging exercise.

“This is a sinisterconspiracy against law andorder in Osun, which has

been known and confirmedby responsible individualsand foreign diplomats in thecountry as a safe andpeaceful place to dobusiness and attractinvestments.

“It is this peace andsafety that the PDP wantsto destroy.”

The APC therefore, calledon the law enforcementagencies in the zone and inthe state to ensure that thisevil plan does not succeedin the interest of democracy,law and order and peace inthe State of Osun.

Osun Lawmaker Charges Women To Caution Children Against Violence

LEADER of the State of Osun House of Assembly,Honourable Timothy Owoeye has charged women towarn their children against being used for violence

before, during and after the April 9 governorship election inthe state. another, so as to sustain the

peaceful co-existence that wehave been enjoying under this

present government,” he said.While disabusing the minds

of the Christian women on thealleged plan of Governor RaufAregbesola to Islamise thestate, he said that theadministration has been fair toall religions in the state.

He noted that the allegation

Mrs. Oduola, a representativeof the Association forReproductive and FamilyHealth (ARFH), disclosed thather organisation was partneringthe Government of the State ofOsun to provide support in thefight to eradicate malaria.

She praised the stategovernment for the job so far andassured that the testing andtreatment of malaria was free.

Earlier during a visit to thePalace of the Elerin of Erin-

Osun, Oba Yusuf OmoloyeOyegbodun II, the monarchexpressed his appreciationtowards the efforts of thegovernor, Ogbeni RaufAregbesola, in ensuring therestoration of healthy living toevery citizen of the state.

The monarch also called onthe people to make proper useof the mosquito nets.

The theme for this year’sWorld Malaria Day is: Invest InThe Future.

He gave the warning whilespeaking at the 4th anniversaryof Good Women Association ofthe Sacred Cherubim andSeraphim Church of Ijesaland,held at Ilase-Ijesa on Saturday.

According to him, there aresome politicians, who aredesperate to be in power by allmeans, stressing that youthsshould not allow themselves tobe used.

He also urge women to payserious attention on the care oftheir children, saying it is onlywhen this is done that they canbe said to have played theirroles as mothers.

“As good women, you mustmake sure that you warn yourchildren not to be used by anypolitician for violence,especially now that thegovernorship election isapproaching.

“Apart from this, we mustmake sure that we hold ourhome front firm and take goodcare of our children.

“Also, we must make surethat we live in peace with one

was part of the efforts of thepolitical enemies of Aregbesolato discredit him and set himagainst Christians in the state.

In her sermon, ProphetessDeborah Ariyo, of the BeulahParish, Sango, Ibadan, saidevery woman should be

submissive to her husband andbe a good representative ofwomen wherever she is.

Also, the Apostolic MotherGrace Akande, in her message,called on women to live inpeace among themselves andinculcate good habits into theirchildren.

Osun Speaker Knocks Mischief Makers OverImaginary Debt Profile

By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

SPEAKER, State of Osun House of Assembly,Honourable Najeem Salaam, has knocked thosealleging that the state is indebted to the tune of N400

billion, describing them as wicked mischief makers.He said the political

players, who threw the kiteup, were out to spread thelies, with a view to scoringcheap political goals.

In a statement issued byhis spokesman, Mr. GokeButikakuro, the Speakercalled on the concernedstakeholders to demand theproof from those touting theconjured imaginary debtprofile.

According to him, thosewho are seeking electiveoffices with such cheap lies

and mischief should not betrusted, therefore calling onelectorate to punish themwith massive rejectionthrough their votes.

He said: “We havenoticed that some politicalplayers are bandyingfictitious figures aroundabout the debt profile of theState of Osun, withoutproof.

“As the Speaker of thestate parliament, I challengeanyone with proof of the

alleged N400 billion debtprofile to send it to my officeor publish it, or bury his headin shame forever.

“This is because wecannot afford to be misledby any desperate politicalactor or his co-travellersunder the administrationthat is functional anddelivering the deliverablesfor the benefit of thepeople.”

Salaam disclosed that thefact sheet before himshowed that the bond, bankfacility in form of credit lineand promissory noteshovers around N40 billion,which is being defrayed inline with agreement withfinance institutions.

He noted that all these are

justified, as thedevelopmental projects,which gulped the facilities,have started manifesting inthe economic advancementof the state.

“The state parliamentunder my watch is in theknow of the debt profile ofthe state. We debated thefacilities involved and votedon the undertakings. That’swhy we chose to defend thedebt profile.

“We challenge whoeverhas a proof that is differentfrom what we have at theparliament to provide itwithin the frame of twoweeks or stop disseminatingmisleading informationforthwith,” Salaam added.

4 OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Osun PDP's plan orgy of violence Before it's too late forthem it's better theymake a U-turn from thejourney they areplanning to embark onbecause this timearound it won't bebusiness as usual forthem. Should they goahead to hatch theirdiabolical plan as they didin 2007 then they mustalso be ready to face thedire consequences oftheir actions. And forthem the consequenceswill be dire indeed. Thuslet them not live with theerroneous impressionthat they will get awaywith murder this time asthe case was in 2007.Never!

It continues to bug theminds of right thinkingpeople why the OsunPDP revels in perpe-

trating violence when-ever election is ap-proaching. This philoso-phy of spilling the bloodof innocent people in thename of election isanachronistic,uncivilised, ungodly andbasically undemocratic.And it basically contra-dicts the name the partyanswers. For any partythat lays claim to beingdemocratic as PDP'sname implies shouldsteer clear of violence.It should have nothing todo with violence. But forOsun PDP the reverse isthe case.

Whereas it's a knownfact that the PDP isn't inthe least popular in thestate (contrary to herclaim of popularity), thatit thinks of nothing butviolence wheneverelections approach in thestate sort of lends

credence to two facts;one, that it's not apopular party and two,it's far from being ademocratic party. Ofcourse it's basicallyfoolhardy for anypopular party and a selfproclaimed democraticparty for that matter, torevel in unleashingviolence on the verypeople amongst whom itclaims popularity. Wefind this to be purelyabsurd.

The popularity of theincumbent administrationand its party isn'tdisputable due to itssterling performance.Everyday the people ofOsun continue to queuebehind the governor ofthe state, Ogbeni RaufAregbesola for havingdemonstrated exemplaryleadership. And these

facts are known toOsun PDP. They knowthat the Osun elector-ate is for Ogbeni butnot for them. Thepeople are not ready towaste their votes asthey have tasted twogovernments and theyknow which one hasgenuinely worked forthem.

Thus having performedwoefully for eightyears, and as the timefor another gubernato-rial election drawsnearer the PDP knowsit has no hope in thecoming election. Andas a desperate partythis is why it's planningto start unleashingviolence as a way ofharassing and intimidat-ing the electorate.

Need For Erection Of Awolowo's StatueMY choice of your

medium for airingthese opinions of

mine is hinged on yourprogressive stance, evident inyour view on issues of societalsignificance. I trust thatwhatever view I communicateshall be accorded a space inyour highly reputable andwidely-read newspaper.

Permit me a little time andspace to comment briefly onyour auspicious role played inmaking frantic efforts atcorrecting the numerous andmultifarious ills, odds andmalaise plaguing our existenceand collectivity. I urge you toforge ahead in your role aimedat bettering the lots of thesociety and its residents; mostespecially, making a betterplace for the upcominggenerations. The patriots aresolidly behind you and by thegrace of God, your untiringefforts shall fruitionise intransforming the society intothe enviable status of a free,just and egalitarian society ofthe dreams of our forebears. Iwish greater grace to yourelbows.

The efforts of theincumbent administration inOsun at improving the status,quality and pedigree ofinfrastructure of the State ofOsun in its entirety since its

assumption of office havecaught my attention. Mostespecially in this regard, theinfrastructural rebirth ongoingwithin the metropolis ofOsogbo, the state capital underthe aegis of the State of OsunUrban Renewal Project isworthy of commendation. Theproject has come under seriousappraisal by well-meaningindigenes and residents as wellas visitors and passers-by whospared no means to drumsupport and accolades for the

development which have beenadjudged unprecedented in theannals of the state.

Prior to the creation of theState of Osun in 1991, mucheffort had been made to changethe outlook and rating ofOsogbo among its equals inNigeria and yonder.Unfortunately, much of theseefforts and attempts wereeither too spurious orsuperficial, hence, they lackedthe necessary will-power to getthem through. As a matter of

fact, none of the efforts madeso far had been as proactive andresolute as those made by theincumbent administration.

Following the demise in1987 of our political giant,father and legend, ChiefJeremiah Oyeniyi ObafemiAwolowo, the stretch of mainroad entering the city fromIkirun axis at Stadium / OmoWest end, through theOnisekere / Ayetoro Junctionto somewhere at Boorepo /Igbonna area was named as

Obafemi Awolowo Way as amark of honour to immortalizethe name and legacy of thesocial avatar. Thank God thatin spite of various bouts ofsocio-political storms andbillows, which the state haswitnessed within the space ofits almost twenty-three yearsof existence, nothing hasoccurred to alter thisarrangement. As far as our statecapital is concerned, the sagelives on. The naming of thatstretch of our major road was

so effected in those days of ourexistence as part of the old OyoState by the militaryadministration of the time. Thiswas against the backdrop thatmilitary regimes werenotorious for their anti-democratic postures! As apeople, we shall forever remaingrateful for that right step takenin the right direction.

Deserving of greatermeasures of gratitude is therecent development beingwitnessed on that entireexpanse of road which iscurrently undergoing totalreconstruction towards itsIkirun / Ila-Odo / Erin-Ile /Kwara State Boundary and theOld Garage / City Centre of themetropolis. The reconstructioninitiative, among other thingsinclude widening of the road,its dualization, the building ofelaborate street divide, definingof set-backs as statutorilyappropriate and provision ofstreet lights. Other measuresinclude provision of well-defined drainage channels,construction of junction linksand traffic-friendly U-turnpoints, clear markings for theroad and proper and adequateprovisions for pedestrians onthe road.

•LANRE SIYANBOLA,Oja Timi Area, Ede, State ofOsun.

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Continued from pg 1

But it's important to letthe PDP know that itsvicious plan is dead onarrival as the securityagents in the state willnot fold their arms andwatch anybody to disturbthe peace that has foundabode in the state ofOsun since the inceptionof Ogbeni's administra-tion.

We will not advise thegood and peace lovingpeople of Osun toengage in violence withPDP hooligans becausetwo people cannot bemad at the same time.Thus whenever the PDPrascals and their spon-sors start or want to starttheir madness, ourpeople should immedi-ately report to thesecurity agents in thestate whom we trust willperform their dutyaccordingly.

The law is there todeal with anyone whois out to perpetrateviolence. And weappeal to our securityoperatives not tocompromise the peacein the state. They mustdeal decisively withagents of violence, andwithout mercy too.

For the political thugswhom sponsors ofviolence want to use toperpetrate theirplanned heinous act,the advice by theHonourable Speaker ofthe House of Repre-sentatives, AminuTambuwal will suffice;"tell politicians whowant to use you forpolitical thuggery tobring their children tolead it". Half a word,they say, is enough forthe wise.

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InfrastructureOSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Counting The Costs; Celebrating The Benefits (II)In continuation of the recent feat recorded by the administration of Ogbeni Rauf

Adesoji Aregbesola which culminated in the massive official commissioning of itsfirst batch in the long list of multiple road infrastructure projects so far executedduring its stay in office, NIYI OLASINDE takes further plunge into that worth-while adventure of documenting the cost-benefit ratio. The discovery so far hasrevealed the benefits as outstripping the costs. The administration, now spanningalmost three-and-a-half years has recorded unprecedented achievements. The ep-och-making occasions continue as more and more in the series of completed roadprojects are billed for commissioning prior to the forthcoming Gubernatorial Pollsin the state.

Ona Baba Ona In The State Of Osun

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd right); his deputy, Otunba (Mrs) Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori (3rd right); Special Adviser to the Governor on Works,Engineer Sabitu Amudah (3rd left); Director, RATCON , Engineer Dany Mikhael (right) and other dignitaries during the official commissioning of fifteen roads in Ilesa townshipby the governor, recently.

6 OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, April 29, 2014MAGAZINE

Counting The Costs; Celebrating The Benefits (II)

Contiuned from page 5

Contiuned on page 10

· Continued from last week.

THE lights eclipsed on the last edition of OSUNDEFENDER Magazine at the point at whichwe were drawing reference to the Pact signed

by Ogbeni Aregbesola years back while unveiling hiselection promises to the people of the state; whichcontained the much-clamoured Six-Point IntegralAction Plan. Before the reference was drawn, wehad made a comprehensive compilation of some ofthe road projects embarked upon by the administration.Without any attempt at appearing exaggerative, wetake the baton from where it was dropped, as we tracethe remaining part of the pact and complete the fulllist of the recorded road projects, focusing primarilyon those found within the metropolis of Osogbo, thestate capital. Here we go:

ROADSVision: Roads to and in all towns and villages in

Osun. Road construction and maintenance shallbe used to generate employment for the indigenesof the State of Osun.

· Community based road maintenance units willbe established to ensure timely repairs and deduceoverall maintenance costs.

· Development and regular maintenance ofurban and rural roads to get top priority.

· Access roads to evacuate agriculturalproduce shall be constantly improved and expanded.

· Create partnerships with the private sectoron road development and provision of infrastructure.

TRANSPORTATIONWe shall produce a transport master plan to provide

direction for development of the sector.The safety of the lives of the indigenes of the State

of Osun is of great concern to us. We shall:· Reduce to the barest minimum, road traffic

accident within 6 months on all roads starting withFederal roads.

· Create a motorized division of the Osuntroopers to patrol roads to prevent accidents on thehighways and organize rescue and recoveryoperations.

INNOVATIONEurope, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and now China have

made life for their people permanently comfortablethrough innovation, research and development, thrift

•An asphalted road at Amuta, Ilesa under the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

and hardwork.We Africans especially the people of the State of

Osun are thrifty (a ki se oni nakuna) and hardworking(ati agbe at onise owo lo ka imele si aida nile Yoruba)but we have been backward in looking forward.

We have not been innovative enough, we have notinvested enough in research and we have not developedthe fruits of innovation and research. In other wordswe remain backward, poor, unscientific and losers (eniigbehin) among the family of nations.

It is a matter of concern that our leaders do not caror worry enough about these issues.

I care and I’m deeply concerned. As your GovernorI will do everything possible to:

· Create awareness and dissatisfaction amongall in the State of Osun about our position among theworld’s people and the need to move up the ladder ofhuman ascent and development away from permanentand persistent poverty.

· Ensure that ideas with original creativity aretapped for the enrichment of all.

· Give real importance to education with skillsdevelopment so that we can make what we need andbecome more competitive in the world as a people bycreating more skills development centres in the Stateof Osun.

· In these centres we shall teach Men andWomen to think with their hands, sharpen our alreadyproven entrepreneurial skills and stop Nigeria fromimporting:

TOOTH PICK (IGI OPARUN FUN ITAYIN)FROM CHINA, ORANGE JUICE (OROMBO)FROM KOREA, SHOES (BATA) FROM SPAIN/ITALY, FAN BELT/ CAR TYRES (RUBBER)FROM JAPAN AND FRANCE.

When I know that these can be easily manufacturedhere.

I shall turn the State of Osun into a creativeagro-industrial zone God willing.

INDUSTRIALISATIONKey to banishing unemployment permanently

anywhere is promoting conducive atmosphere formanufacturing and production. Our Government shall:

· Develop integrated industrial estates for mini,micro and large manufacturing enterprises in the threesenatorial zones of the State of Osun.

· Provide the estates with infrastructural

facilities that reduce the cost of setting up industries(roads, electricity, water and telecommunications).

· Provide incentives targeted at attractingmanufacturers/ investors.

· Develop skilled personnel through our LifeAcademies, Universities and colleges to servicespecialized industrial and manufacturing needs.

RESTORE HEALTHY LIVINGVision: To work to save our people from all

avoidable deaths due to accidents, emergencies,poverty and inadequate health facilities.

To achieve this for all and particularly ourchildren and senior citizens, we shall:

· Provide effective and available healthcare forall.

· Provide efficient accident and emergencyambulance service.

· Provide primary health clinics within 10kilometre radius of every Osun town, with specialattention to the needs of children, women and theelderly.

· Provide functional General hospitals within 20kilometre radius of human habitation.

· Provide referral hospitals within 30 kilometreradius of human settlement.

· Establish free blood pressure checks inconjunction with private organizations at every localgovernment office.

· Undertake special programmes for theupgrading, retraining and working comforts of all healthpersonnel.

· Encourage and nurture alternative medicaltherapy.

· Free treatment for malaria to children belowage 18 and senior citizens (60+).

ENVIRONMENTVision: To embrace current scientific methods

in controlling the generation of waste and theconversion of waste to wealth.

The state of the environment, especially wastegeneration, management and the embarrassing filth inour communities demand special attention. The CANgovernment shall:

· Encourage all houses in the State of Osun tohave a modern and affordable toilet facility through aspecial scheme.

7 OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, April 29, 2014 PHOTOTALK

3rd Edition Matriculation And Graduation For Empowerment Scheme, Organized ByHon. Lawrence Babatunde Ayeni, Held At The Civic Centre, Owa Obokun’s Palace,Ilesa, State Of Osun, Recently. Photo: SOLA ADERINTO.

•Otunba (Mrs) Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori, Deputy Governor of State of Osun, in a discussion with Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II, the Owa Obokun Adimula and theParamount Ruler Of Ijesaland during the programme.

•A cross section of hair dryers for the graduands during the programme.

•Otunba Laoye-Tomori, presenting a hair dryer to one of the graduands during the programme while she is being assisted by Hon. Lawrence Babatunde Ayeni, Chairman, AyeniFoundation, sponsor of the programme.

•A cross section of sewing machines for the graduands during the graduation ceremony.

8 OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, April 29, 2014 PHOTOTALKOngoing Construction Of Ayegbaju Ultra-modern International Market In Osogbo,Under The Administration Of The State Of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola,As Captured By Our Cameraman,JESUDOYIN ABRAHAM, Last Friday.

•Complexes and offices in the market.

•

•Another section of stalls within the market.

•Buildings and stores under construction in the market.

9 OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, April 29, 2014PHOTOTALK

•Another section of stalls and complexes in the market.

Ongoing Construction Of Ayegbaju Ultra-modern International Market In Osogbo,Under The Administration Of The State Of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola,As Captured By Our Cameraman,JESUDOYIN ABRAHAM, Last Friday.

•A filling station under construction within the market.

•A church within the market.

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Counting The Costs; Celebrating The Benefits (II)Contiuned from page 6

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•AREGBESOLA: Governor, State of Osun •LAOYE-TOMORI: Deputy Governor and Commissioner for Education

· Provide private sector driven wastemanagement and beautification schemes to rid ourcommunities of filth which threaten public health.

· Beautification of town centres as a startingpoint of general urban renewal.

· Work with the private sector to establishappropriate waste-to-wealth projects under acomposite waste management policy.

WATERVision: Water for all in the state of the living

spring.It is a painful regret that most cities in Osun do not

have potable water running at any time and Osun isthe state of the living spring!!!

Our Government will do everything possible to bringpotable water to all parts of the State of Osun andcorrect this anomaly.

All abandoned water schemes shall be reactivatedand speedily completed.

AFFORDABLE HOUSINGOur ACN Government shall:· Help Osun indigenes realize their dreams of

house ownership or rehabilitation of failing structuresthrough deliberate programmes that improve theirincome earning capacity.

· Support mortgage schemes that make houseownership pocket friendly.

· Actively support research and developmenton the use of local materials to force down buildingcosts.

ELECTRICITYElectricity for all shall be the creed of ACN

Government in Osun. We shall:· Ensure that electric energy is available in the

state for domestic, commercial and industrial activities.· We shall endeavour to provide electricity to

all villages, hamlets and farm settlements in the state.· Private sector-led power agencies shall be

encouraged to set up energy stations in the state.

SECURITYSecurity of lives and properties are of paramount

importance to us. Our Government shall:· Have special programmes for the police and

neighbourhood security outfits.· Provide special allowance to all security

agents deployed to Osun State and enhance theiroperational facilities for efficiency.

· Respond to the operational needs of securityagents through provision of mobility, communicationgadgets, protective gears and conducive workingenvironment.

FIRE SERVICESWe shall improve capacity of fire services to respond

to emergencies.PHYSICAL WELL-BEINGOur Government will promote physical exercises

as a deliberate policy which will form a crucial aspectof our healthy-living programme. This is in keepingwith the adage that a sound mind only resides in asound body.

PROMOTE FUNCTIONAL EDUCATIONVision: Eradicate the frustration of youths caused

by education that does not lead to employment.To achieve this, the government of AC under Rauf

Aregbesola shall:· Provide free education at all levels in Osun

State. Focus on functional education. Education thatmakes one useful to himself and society.

· Improve incentives to teachers and work withthe NUT to restore the dignity of the teachingprofession.

· Restructure administration of schoolmanagement and create Tutors-General (PermanentSecretary Cadre) from among Head Teachers in threeEducational Districts which we will establish.\

· Fix all collapsed educational infrastructuresin all the schools.

· Support with modern teaching aids and well-stocked libraries.

· Ensure cooperation with parents and teachersto improve discipline and morality.

· Introduce non-partisan community-basedgoverning boards for all schools.

· Reduce number of students per classroomimmediately.

· Introduce home development plans forteachers who wish to build houses in their home towns,through access to special mortgage packages.

· Promote mass adult literacy and numeracyprogrammes.

· Promote and support Special programmes thatgive special attention to education of girls and women.

· Establish institutions that impart life-long skillsfor all, in and out of formal schooling.

ON HIGHER EDUCATION ANDUNIVERSITY

· I am committed to ensuring that an Osun StateUniversity takes off on a sound footing and becomesa first-class institution with linkages to renowneduniversities in the developed world.

· I will make every tertiary institution in OsunState an independent degree-awarding one.

· Encourage use of services of retired, but nottired dons and administrators, from reputableinstitutions.

ENHANCE COMMUNAL PEACE ANDPROGRESS

Vision: To restore the bond of trust between theGovernor and the governed.

Over time, people have disconnected fromgovernment because those in authority have not shownenough concern about their welfare or activelyengaged them in formulating policies that affect them.

Our Government shall restore partnership betweengovernment and people through:

SAGES COUNCILS (EGBE AGBA)Our state is blessed with a large pool of elderly folks

who are invariably well educated, have enjoyedsuccessful careers, travelled widely in the world, butare currently reduced to irrelevance in the society.

Our Government will support the formation of nonpartisan community based sages councils, capable ofproviding guidance in management, moral and ethicaldevelopment in our society.

Our Government will seek elderly guidance andadvice as inputs to our policy formation andimplementation.

Government will support the senior citizens and helpin their management of socio-economic problemspeculiar to the group (pension, health and education).

YOUTHS COUNCIL (EGBE ODO)People age 30 and below constitute the majority of

our population but unfortunately are often frustratedand unfulfilled as a consequence of intolerable socialand economic policies.

Our CAN Government shall support the creation ofnon partisan community based youth councils to providea platform for them to articulate and work out solutionsto various problems confronting them.

Our Government will encourage cross fertilizationof ideas between the Sages and Youth Councils throughwhich public policies would be influenced.\

Government will promote sporting activities andcreation iof physical facilities forb sporting and relatedactivities.

We shall reinstate the abandoned ‘boys’ andgirls’ clubs’ and name them Omoluabi Boys’ andGirls’ club to perform the roles similar to boys’and girls’ scouts, boys brigade and more.

JUSTICE SECTOR REFORMSAn attribute of good governance is to promote

justice, equity and fair play amongst citizens of thestate.

Government of CAN will e3nsure speedy access tijustice try all individuals in Osun State, by reformingthe courts system and procedural rules, introducingalternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms andfee legal services.

MAGAZINE

11 OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, April 29, 2014

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, April 29, 2014 MAGAZINE 12

Counting The Costs; Celebrating The Benefits (II)

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•Another completed road at Oke-Opo, Ilesa under the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

To complement these, ACN government shallimprove welfare packages of Judicial Officers andupgrade courts with modern IT and communicationsfacilities.

COMMUNICATIONOur Government will restructure OSBC to:Ensure its professional are motivated and

continuously trained for competencyProvide digital equipment and infrastructure upgrade

to conform to international best practices inbroadcasting.

Exploit its tourism promotional capacity andcapability.

CONSUMER PROTECTIONConsumers deserve to have the best goods and

services at the best price and not have to pay morefor goods and servi9ces than their counterparts in otherparts of the world.

Our government shall support the establishment ofa consumer watch agency and also cooperate withorganizations that have similar objective of protectingour people from unfair business practices.

In all the above and above all these I intend torun a people-friendly government – aGovernment of the people, by the people, FORTHE PEOPLE. A GOVERNMENT UNUSUALin this land.

Infrastructures and facilities for reaching, advising,guiding, warning me will be given constant nurture.

Outside these I have no rigging machinery and willstrongly appeal to you all Osun voters to fight anddefend your votes.

Do not sell your vote and our future to a moneybagor vote people who do not care enough about our futureas I passionately do.

I am entering into a pact with each and all of you asyou read this that I and my colleagues shall work in allhonesty, tirelessly to bring marked improvements toyour life.

Apart of this pact you will be able to see that yourchildren are better educated and have jobs; farmers,artisan, traders are more prosperous, general qualityof health has improved and you are no longer afraid togo to the hospital.

Osun will again be producing food enough for itspeople.

Through my Government Unusual, I shall work withand for you to create wealth through our toil as ourfathers and mothers did to make us prosperous until1962.

Only you and I can bring change but through newideas and work.

Oluwa Olorun a ti wa l’ehin. Oodua a fun wa se E je k’a le ise wo’gbo

K’a le osi sonuK’aye dara fun wa t’omo t’omo.This is my pledge; my PACT with you people of

Osun State.

OSUN DEFENDER Magazine does not intendto bore its readers with the full details of the Six-PointIntegral Action Plan all over again. We have alwaysdrawn reference to relevant portions of the Six-PointIntegral Action Plan of the administration in ournumerous editions. We shall swing into action by doingjustice to the remaining task of checklisting of specificsolid projects executed in keeping faith with thepromises given to the people. This exercise is beingembarked upon in consonance with the wish of theSymbol that he should be bound by his words at allstages of his administration. In this edition therefore,we are proceeding with that selfsame task ofhighlighting details of the specific road projects initiatedand executed by the Government Unusual in the Stateof Osun. As the case was with the last edition, weshall pursue that assignment with all sincerity ofpurpose.

In the earlier segment of this edition, we highlightedsuch road projects as: Igbonna / Ago Wande / OkeOnitea Road; Olu Alabi / Anaye Market Link; WestBypass modification; Bisi Bankole / Owoeye /Apostolic Faith / Pepsi Cola ; Oke Fia / Alekuwodo;and Orita Sabo / Orita Elelede / Oluode Road. Othersinclude Orita Gbaemu / Isale Aro / Our Lady of St.Francis; Odi Olowo / Baptist High School /Gbodofon/ Aregbe; Ola Iya Junction Opening; Oke Fia / Rasco/ Old Garage Opening; Freedom Park; and Rasco /Railway / Old Sawmill / Olaiya Link from which weshall now open further discussions.

We make bold to assert that in all these roadprojects, the Government Unusual of OgbeniAregbesola has ensured durability and solidity; so thatthe roads shall be able to stand the test of time andlast for several decades to come. Also, the StateGovernment of Osun has, for the very first time everput n place the State of Osun Road MaintenanceAgency (OSROMA); which shall see to the care andmaintenance of its road infrastructure in order to ensuretheir lasting quality and guide against unlawful damagesto road facilities in the state. As pointed out in theprevious editions, these numerous road projects havenot, in any way disturbed the execution of projects inother sectors of life in the state. In a nutshell, theadministration has touched lives of the citizens inpractically all sectors of life; both in tangible andintangible ways. Today, it has become so visible to allthat the Government Unusual of Ogbeni Aregbesolahas to its credit numerous ground-breakingachievements which are unprecedented and whichshall take several decades hence to beat. The State

of Osun has thus become the envy of other states inthe contemporary Nigeria. Thanks to the enigmaticleadership of our indefatigable Ogbeni and his visionaryteam. We now shift focus to the remaining roadinfrastructure projects within the state capital.

· MDS / Railway Station / Ola Iya AccessWay

THE earlier-discussed stretch of land in-betweenthe old Rasco Cinema and the famous Ola IyaRoundabout is a different ballgame from the presentarea of discourse. We now dwell on the area betweenthe Railway Terminus per se and the Ola Iya Junction;with the inclusion of the roadsides (left and right) ofthe popular MDS area.

We have earlier bared our discussion on theFreedom Park, initiated and put in place by theincumbent administration at the Railway Terminussituated at the area hitherto referred to as Old Garage.Right from the Railway Terminus Building to the OlaIya Junction, work in progress has currently reachedadvanced stages. The provisions made at that placeinclude an overhead pedestrian bridge across the rail;obviously to avert occurrence of hitherto persistentrail accidents.

The remaining strand of land to the side of Ola IyaJunction is meant for the provision of various amenitieslike conveniences, police post, eateries, recreationalspots, and camp / retreat avenues and other socialamenities for the benefit of all.

At the sides of the main road linking the Old Garagewith the Ola Iya Junction, work is in progress to clearboth sides of the road of obstructions to free humanand vehicular movement and free flow of water duringthe rains.

The other side of the MDS area occupies the NewOrisunmbare Market, a brainchild of the Bisi Akandeadministration in the state. The prevailing lethargy overmaking effective use of the ultra-modern marketcomplex since its erection and completion in the early2000s speaks volumes of the disservice dispensed tothe state and its people by the People’s DemocraticParty (PDP)-led administration of Brigadier-GeneralOlagunsoye Oyinlola (rtd.). To God be the glory, themarket complex today is being put to utilitarian use.OSUN DEFENDER Magazine in one of its recenteditions presented an account of a vox pop conductedwith a cross section of traders displaced from variousillegal locations within the metropolis of the statecapital. One of the respondents was Mr. SundayJonathan, who confessed that he was all prayers forthe administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. This,according to him, was due to the unquantifiablebenefits accruing from his relocation from his formerlocation at Ayetoro to the new shop he occupies at theNew Orisunmbare Market Complex.

13 OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, April 29, 2014MAGAZINE

Counting The Costs; Celebrating The Benefits (II)

Continued on page 14

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The case of Mr. Jonathan is just one out of many wehave around us in recent times. As a matter of honesty andsincerity, many of the relocated traders never realized theirrelocation as blessing in disguise until they got to theirnew locations. Earlier parts of this particular edition hasreported how traders relocated from the Ola Iya / Alekuwodosawmill were full of prayers for the Government Unusualon arrival at their new location. These are indications to itthat the government of the day in the State of Osun meanswell for the entire citizenry.

WHEN the incumbent administration is through with itsurbanization efforts, not only would the State of Osun beentirely turned around; but the state capital, Osogbo, inparticular, would have transformed into a state capital inthe true context of it. Before now, the appearance andfeatures of the city had been that of a glorified ruralsettlement. Thanks and gratitude to the administration ofOgbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola for deeming it fit to givefacelift to the state capital in order to make it more befittingand able to stand contest with other state capitals in thecountry and yonder.

Also before now, Osogbo, the state capital was notedfor narrow roads, illegal structures, unplanned terrains andindiscriminate bus stops and motor parks. The rowdinessand clumsiness which surrounded the city was not justifiedby the population; especially when it is considered thatpeople are just beginning to troop in into the city on theimpetus of the new vibrant and viable industrial cumcommercial drive of the incumbent administration.

•Rasco / Railway / Old Sawmill / Olaiya Link

THIS was the point at which we drew the curtainson the last edition. We traced the activities thathad taken place along the expanse of area between

the Rasco Cinema end of Oke Fia / Old Garage axis to theOlaiya area, bordering the railway line. We placed on recordhow the area had become a slum or ghetto; and how it hadbeen that persistent occurrence of water erosion andflooding had made the adjoining environment not only unfit,but also unsafe for human habitation. In spite of that fact,people kept defying all safety rules and danger signals asillegal structures kept springing up day-in day-out in thearea. Also, it was placed on record how the area had becometrouble spot in view of the dilapidating structures andhideout spots for criminals. For the areas directly borderingthe railway, people had found a convenient spot fordumping of refuse and indiscriminate defecation. Upon thefresh creation of the State of Osun in 1991, a portion of theaffected area was initially used as Motor Park / Terminusfor the defunct Osun State Transport Corporation (OSTC).That stretch had become desolate. In consequence, illegal

structures had begun to spring up in the area. In a nutshell,the entire area had become an eyesore to all; and it had allalong awaited the arrival of a focused and well-intentionedgovernment to put it back in good shape.

The canal end of the area also had long required properchannelization. The natural river course had grown bushyand obstructed by refuse dumped indiscriminately byresidents and traders in the area.

Today, the entire expanse has been cleared. The rubbishoccupying the area has been ridded. The buildings andstructures obstructing the river courses have beendemolished. The river courses have been properlychannelized. All the ghetto areas which had hitherto servedas hideouts for hoodlums and criminals have been openedup and exposed. The area now looks befitting and free forhuman and vehicular movement. Work is still ongoing inthe area. It is however certain that by the time thegovernment is through with its effort on the area, thereshall be provided a link; a sort of shortcut between the OldGarage area and the Old Olaiya Junction / Alekuwodo.

One significant event worthy of mentioning which havetaken place in the area since the time of compiling the lastedition has been the broadening and dredging of the rivercourse at Rasco end. It is a highly commendable landmarkachievement on the part of the Government of the State ofOsun that the perennial problems of water erosion andpersistent flooding in the area have been arrested. Thickand heavy as the rains have been this year (2013); residentshave been full of praises and prayers for the administrationof Ogbeni Aregbesola for coming to their aid by rescuingthem from the ravaging and horrendous calamity of waterflooding and its ugly after-effects; which had hithertobecome a recurring decimal in the area. Today, the entirearea has been opened up. Even mere physical inspectionshall reveal that the area and its residents have received anew lease of life and a clean bill of health; courtesy of theAregbesola administration.

•MDS / Railway / Olaiya Access Way

THIS stretch is the expanse that is parallel to thearea examined above. It is the area due to the otherstretch of the railway, closer to the main road linking

the Old Garage of the Olaiya Junction. The stretch hadhitherto been befallen by much the same predicament asthe other stretch considered above. In addition, it wasdotted with illegal structures; mainly shops, kiosks, stallsand al manners of movable structures for trading activities,which constituted obstruction to free human and vehicularmovement. In consequence, the area became rowdy,clumsy, ugly and unplanned. Instead of having in place alayout befitting of the heart of a state capital, all manners ofoccupants just erected structures after their patterns in

gross violation of all rules of building and town planning.What an ugly and horrible spectacle it was!

The patch of bushes in-between the road and the railway;which had not been developed was carelessly used forrefuse dumping and human defecation, making the entirearea stuffy, smelly and uncomfortable for passers-by. Agreater portion of the bushy area was used as hideouts forhoodlums, hooligans, criminals and hemp-smokers. It wasobvious that no meaningful attempts had been made bythe previous administrations in the state to convert thearea into some meaningful use. It is this area that theincumbent administration is now utilizing for profitable andmore beneficial purposes.

In the grand plan for the area, various amenities are to beprovided in a matter of next few months for the maximumbenefit of the generality of the citizenry of the state. Suchamenities include park (already constructed), pedestrianbridges and rail crossing aid for cyclists (currently underconstruction), police station, conveniences for ladies andgents, warehouses, eateries and other facilities that couldenhance enjoyment of all.

•Ajegunle / LAUTECH / First Bank / Station Road Link

IT had been long that this major link between themain township road (Old Garage / Igbonna Road)and the popular Station Road, which form major exit to

Ilesa and Ijesaland had craved for reconstruction. The wayit was, the link served as access to the main entrance of theLadoke Akintola University Teaching Hospitals(LAUTECH-TH) Complex (formerly State Hospital). Thishospital facility and its College of Medicine is a fond legacyand joint asset between the State of Osun and its sister-state – Oyo State; and had been sited in Osogbo since thetime of old Oyo State which comprised the two states. Inview of the lucrative nature of a tertiary health institutionof that magnitude, the hospital facility had attracted to itselfan impressive number of shopping outlets. What is notimpressive about it all was the fact that the shopping outletswere located in a fashion that violated every rule of amodernized market layout. This situation had particularlybeen horrible and ugly more so a tertiary health institutionis located in that area. It is important to note that the site ofa hospital should have an aura of sacredness and sanctityaround it. A good, clean and serene environment for ahospital is in itself an effective healing therapy. More so,the access provided by that road draws heavy human andvehicular traffic such that the area is almost alwayscongested. This was a frightful barrier to easy access toservice delivery in times of emergency. Even in normal times,the congestion constituted strong barriers to easymovement.

•Governor Rauf Aregbesola leading the State Executive members to inspect the 15 Ilesa Township Roads before the commissioning in the State of Osun, recently.

OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, April 29, 2014 14MAGAZINE

It is this ugly situation that the incumbentadministration in the State of Osun seeks to rectify byventuring into the rehabilitation of that road. The roadwhich links the popular Station Road; which importancein the state capital has been underscored above; andwhich shall be the subject of our discussion at a latersegment of this discourse. Today, all illegal structuresdotting the roadsides and all such ones dotting allunallocated parcels of land in the stretch have beendemolished. This development has paved way for easyhuman and vehicular movement in the area. Great kudosto the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in theState of Osun!

•Station Road

THE stretch of road linking the Old Garage Areato the centre o the city, the Palace Area,popularly called Oja Oba; which also plays host

to the Central Mosque; is the road under review in thissegment. It is the same road that has been referred to inthe just-concluded segment above. As has been pointedout earlier, it is this same road that projects further toOke Ayepe / Oke Ijetu / D.O. Area of the city; and whichexits into the Ijesaland axis of the state. From the PalaceArea, there is a diversion of the road to the left hand-side towards Ibokun, the seat of Obokun LocalGovernment Council Area of the state. Apart from this,this road connecting Oke Baale Area plays host to somesignificant places in the state capital. It is the mainjunction to the Main Campus of the multi-campus OsunState University (UNIOSUN). It is also the road leadingto the headquarters of the state-owned mediaorganization, the State of Osun Broadcasting Corporation(OSBC) – Radio and Television. In addition to these,the road is the access to the headquarters of one of thefirst-generation local government council areas in thestate – the Osogbo Local Government. This is not totalk of the presence of the Federal Secretariat, which isunder construction along that route. We can go on andon, but all we know is that there is huge presence ofmany places of note along that route which providesattraction to great crowd. The ancient residence of thelate icon of culture, the Austria-born Susan Wenger isalso located there. A great number of hotels, guesthouses and hospitality places is located in the axis.Constructing a good motorable road to access such anarea could not be a misplaced priority.

To the right hand-side of the junction from the AtaojaPalace Junction is the road linking Isale Osun, whichplays host to the main Groove of the Osun goddess.The internationally recognized deity of Osun, fromwhich the state derives its name and identity, drawslots of adherents, worshippers, admirers, tourists andvisitors from all parts of the world annually. On thebasis of this feat, the Osun Groove got listed in October2005 on the world tourism map; and the United NationsEducational, Social and Cultural Organization has listedthe Groove as a world tourism centre. In effect, yearafter year, the Groove attracts increasing volumes ofcrowd; placing the irresistible demand on any responsibleand responsive government to pave wide roads all around

the place.

All along, before the Palace Square end of the StationRoad, the stretch of the road from Gbaemu Junction isstrewn with places of note – schools, arts and culturecentres, churches and other worship centres; all ofwhich contribute to make the place a beehive ofactivities. On the whole, fixing the Station Road inOsogbo is a major breakthrough achievement of theRauf Aregbesola administration in the State of Osun.Right from the Old Garage Area of the state capital, theStation Road is an extension of the commercial nerve-centre of the city. With the proposed relocation of theOja Oba and the location of the two major city centresalong this stretch of road; that is, the Old Garage andthe Palace Square areas, the ground is set for thedramatic transformation of the state capital, which hadhitherto remained a semi-urban centre into a highlyurbanized city.

•Old Garage / Orisunmbare / MDS

THE other side of this stretch of road has alreadybeen captured in an earlier segment of this report.That portion is that which centred on the MDS /

Olaiya axis. The stretch of road from the Old Garagethrough the Post Office Junction to the NewOrisunmbare Market Complex is covered under this sub-heading. The former feature of this entire expanse ofroad, as is the case with the Station Road just consideredis narrowness; which has caused vehicles to be parkedat roadsides; thus further narrowing down the road.

With the ongoing broadening of these roads and therelocation of street hawkers to new organized marketlocations within the metropolis, the stage is set for thetransformation of Osogbo into a real state capital –spacious, beautiful and well laid out.

•Olaiya / Odi Olowo / St. Francis / Asubiaro / ItaOlookan

WHILE it is true that this stretch of road hadbeen constructed by an earlier administration,it is truer that the state of the road upon the

assumption of the reins of power by the incumbentadministration was not good enough. The road hadbecome damages and the rate of congestion was higherdue to wrong u-turn points. The importance of this roadcannot be over-emphasized. It constitutes a faster linkfrom the Iwo /Gbongan roads end of the city with theIlesa Road. It also aids faster access to the Palace Squarecity centre. Aside this, the road links such other vitalplaces of note as the famous Osun Groove and the StateHospital Asubiaro. It also provides access to the famousOur Lady of Fatima / St. Francis Hospital; some notableschools and worship centres. It is therefore a great workof ingenuity that this road has been properly fixed. Withthe street median properly fixed and the street lights

fully functional, the city life of the state capital has notonly received a boost, but also the economic importanceof the road has been maximized. The trouble spot at thejunction of Fagbewesa Road has been blocked so as toenhance smooth vehicular movement.

•Fagbewesa Road / Station Road

IN spite of spurious efforts by the immediate pastadministration in the state to fix this road, nothingsignificant happened to it at the end of the day.

Immediately upon the assumption of office of theincumbent administration, however, frantic steps weretaken to restore the road to proper shape. These effortspaid off well at the end of the day. The FagbewesaRoad today offers a smooth safe ride to motorists andcyclists while pedestrians too enjoy a nice walk. Theroad, with the additional access it has from the OldGarage / MDS axis is a good shortcut. It also providesample link with Egbatedo and Isale Ijebu areas of thecity.

•Aregbe / Akindeko /Capital Hotel

IN spite of the location of a proposed housing estatesomewhere along this route by the immediate pastadministration, the access roads at that entire area

were not fixed. The major problem that bad plaguedOsogbo city life all this while had not been that therehad been too many motor vehicles; it had been that apartfrom the major roads, there had not been alternativeroutes. In effect, the major roads were overused andoverstretched. The incumbent administration howevergave a timely diagnosis to this problem and respondedto it promptly. Today, the stretch of access fromOpposite Aregbesola Campaign Office / First BankGbongan Road through Akindeko to Capital Hotel hasbeen fixed right. This has saved a lot of trafficcongestion within the state capital.

•Capital Hotel / Tinumola / Boorepo /Ring Road

DIRECTLY opposite Capital Hotel lies a stretchof road network covering the entire expanseof area to the opposite side of Technical College

along Iwo / Ibadan Road of the city. In times past,these roads had been in an absolute state of disrepair.The importance of roads in this area is quite inestimable.With this road, taking exit from Capital Hotel area towardIkirun / Offa, Iwo, Ilobu and other relevant places wouldnot necessarily require passage through the ever-busyOke Fia. The road network at this end has actually solvedmuch of the traffic problems in this part of the statecapital.

· To be continued.

Counting The Costs; Celebrating The Benefits (II)

•Another recently commisssioned road in Ilesa.

15OSUN DEFENDER Tuesday, April 29, 2014

State Of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola Received Report On Impact OfMigration On Ejigbo Town Of The State, Last Friday.

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle); Mrs Beatrice Jedy-Agba, Executive Secretary of National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons(NAPTIP) (right); Deputy Governor, Otunba (Mrs) Grace Titi-laoye Tomori (2nd left); Chief Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola and others, during the handing overof copies of research on Impact of Constant Migration on Ejigbo Town to the Governor in his office, Abere last Friday.

•Beatification of Alekunwodo road at night under the administration State of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

PHOTOTALK

Beautification Of Alekunwodo Road At Night

TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

www.osundefender.org THE 6TH MOST-VISITED NEWSPAPER WEBSITE IN NIGERIA

By ADE OLUGBOTEMIP R O V I D E N C Eplaces great burdenof rational thinking

and action on all humanbeings for the simple reasonthat it is they that the Makerput in place as coordinatorsof all activities that all othercreatures get involved in.Other animals may do thingsany how due to peculiarities of lowintelligent quotients attributable to eachof their species, it is not so with humanbeings because God in His wisdomfashioned it in such a manner that humanbeings are blessed with brains andgumptions that are better developedthan those of other lower animals. It istherefore, an anathema for humanbeings to do things that portend moralimbalance, and are at variance withnatural ethos that prompted theSupreme Designer to refer to us ascreatures created after His own image.

All human societies have codes ofconduct that regulate institutionalbehavioural patterns which areconsidered acceptable in their day today quests for survival. These areotherwise referred to as societal norms,and their contravention attracts gravepenalties which often serve asdeterrents to the recalcitrant ones, asproportionate punishments are invoked.Law of equity is also applied so thatnobody will be seen as being above thecommon laws that are jointlypropounded, and coded for constantreference for application. There is alsothe other aspect of operationalprinciples that are not expressly codedand documented, but are understoodto be pivotal to institutional survival. Thisis termed commonsensical because it ispretty understood by, and acceptableto everybody and those who defy theirobservance are branded accordingly forpossible alienation.

There are those under certain forcesthat make them operate in delusions,with obstinate propensity to always actcontrary to universal norms. They areoften ostracized by the majority, but theminority that flow with them often createan impression that all is well with themso as not to feel alienated. Those whomake them feel alright make use ofconjectures to influence the environmentand cause confusions amongst thosewith better understanding of the truesituation of events. Ironically, becausethey cohabit with those who strictlyadhere to normative order, the bruntthey bear also have negative influenceon the innocent. That is why it is oftensaid that when a relation is preying onforbidden insect, one is duty-bound toavert it, so that the resultant unpleasantnoise does not constitute a menace ofsleeplessness.OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guaranty Trust Bank GTB, Gbongan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun. Allcorrespondence to the Managing Editor, KOLA OLABISI, Telephone: 08033927286 (kolaolabisi@yahoo.com); Editor, KAYODE AGBAJE, Telephone: 0803-388-0205, E-mail:osundefender@yahoo.com, kayodeagbaje@yahoo.com. ISSN: 0794-8050.Website: www.osundefender.org.

Osun Election: PDP FeigningSanity In Apparent Irrationality

In sane climes are usages that makepossible for approval to be given tothose normal practices for societalsocial dynamics, different from thoseaberrations considered dysfunctional tosystemic survival, which are summarilyrepudiated to avert danger. Mistakescan occur due to the nature of man thatis laced in fallibility; that is why opinionleaders are always vigilant so that timelysteps are taken for accompanyingdangers to get mitigated before seriousarm is done. Any system that fails to beproactive against inevitable dangers endup losing touch with developmentalattributes that others exploit to makeheadway in life. That is why we arespeaking of some countries toweringover and above their contemporariesthat got independence at the same time.

We often speak of antecedencebecause reference must be made topast acts that call for emulation, andthose that are disdainful andcondemnable. Whicheverpredominates in individuals determineswhether it is right to repose confidencein, and trust individuals or not. Peopleare entrusted with responsibilities basedon what they have done or what theyhave failed to do in the past. The rationalinstincts in people thus compel them toeither entrust position seekers with theirmandates or not. When mandate orposition seekers have no past that

portray them as people of integrity, theyresort to violence, thuggery, and otherunconventional ways to force their waythrough.

The polity is getting heated up becausejust as the incumbent is gearing foranother shot at gubernatorial contestthat will afford him another term in office,candidates from other political partiesare also strategizing to ensure that theycome out victorious in August 9, 2014election. Electorate are beginning toweigh options as they deem it fit basedon personal convictions, and as madeavailable to them. It would have beenbetter if it is limited to deeming it fitbased on personal convictions only,because individuals’ rational suasivinesswill enjoy paramountcy. People wouldhave come to terms with score cardsand performance credentials whichrespective candidates can honestly andunambiguously wield; bearing in mindthat all of them have enjoyedrepresentation status at one time or theother.

Apart from the incumbent governorwhose performance in office needs nooverbearing orchestration for beingvisible on ground, others must sweat itout to convince the electorate why theyshould be preferred over and above themagical Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. Theclosest Rival in Senator Iyiola Omisoreneeds frantic moral burden unbundling

because of his purported roles invarious malfeasances, includingthe hacking to death of Bola Igein 2001. Omisore was upbraidedfor individual loyalists’empowerment, and hischarlatanic imperviousness tocommunal facelift during the

period he held sway as two-termSenator representing Ife\Ijesa senatorialdistrict. Other contenders like FataiAkinbade and Segun Akinwusi, amongothers have Lilliputian political pedigreesin terms of party formations that cannotbe seen to pose any threat to OgbeniAregbesola’s re-election bid.

People now have their destinies intheir own hands as they have absolutefreedom to juxtapose all options thatare laid bare before them. Absence oftangible achievements as campaignissues has made those who desperatelyneed to convince people about theirperceived voting pattern to resort tofoul means to discredit the sittinggovernor. Seeing that the antics are notpaying off, they are now going abouttelling people about the precedent inOsun where office holders are not votedin twice. They are trying to put people’srationality to test, trying to blindfoldthem about the reality that kept aPeoples Democratic Party’ governor inpower for almost eight years in office.They seem to have forgotten that ifOsun electorate are wary of votingpolitical office holders in twice, it is tothe extent that such two-term seekershave put up performance dismality whentested at one time with people’smandates.

People in the State of Osun cannot,and must not subscribe to sheepishpersuasion that will change world’sperception of a people that voted wiselyin 2007 when Aregbesola turned out tobe the preferred choice above the thenincumbent Olagunsoye Oyinlola. Britainwas our colonial master, and they arenot so daft that for the first time theyswallowed their pride to invite agovernor from Nigeria to educate themabout the magic wand that propelledone Governor Aregbesola of the Stateof Osun in the Federal Republic ofNigeria to continue sustaining the O-Meal programme that has long beendropped by the Federal Governmentthat initiated and started it. Omisore’sloyalists cannot succeed in theirclownish ploy to force people downwith their dwarfish sentiment of cajolingvoters of this state to a voyage of slaveryand excruciating retrogression.

“Omisore’s loyalists cannotsucceed in their clownishploy to force people downwith their dwarfish sentimentof cajoling voters of this stateto a voyage of slavery andexcruciating retrogression.”