VOL. 9. NO.124 NNNNN 505 05 05 05 0THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

www.osundefender.org THE 5TH MOST-VISITED NEWSPAPER WEBSITE IN NIGERIA

PEOPLE FIRST

Front Page Comment

- Pg 10

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2rd right); Kano State governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso (2rd left); former State ofOsun governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola (right); member of the senate representing Kano-South, Sen. Kabiru Gaya (left) duringthe courtesy visit to the State of Osun governor at the Government House, Osogbo, last Sunday.

- See StoryOn Page 3

- See StoryOn Page 2

- Pg 3

Osun Election, AnEye Opener - BuhariChallengingP D P ’ sFalsehood

How Asari-Dokubo Took Part In $9.3m Arms Scandal – APC

Osun AssemblyAccuses PDP OfCreatingConfusion OverCourt Ruling

Osun ‘llContinueTo SustainO’ Meals– Commissioner

- Pg 4

Weeks before theAugust 9th gubernato-rial elections which waswon by the pragmaticOgbeni RaufAregbesola of the APC,it was obvious we wereup against forces otherthan the people of Osunstate which naturallyshould be the determi-nant of

how the elections willswing. The Allprogressives Congress(APC) still smartingfrom its shocking defeatin the previous Ekitielections had literarilysworn it will lose Osunover its dead body. Themurderous villain fieldedby the Peoples Demo-cratic

The War Called The OsunElections-By Segun Tomori

Party (PDP), outrightlyunpopular with barely afew dozens of peopletrailing him at campaignshowever woretheconfidence of a Gover-nor-In-waiting. He they

didn’t care a hoot aboutthe people’s wish, allthat matters was the fullcompliment of theparaphernalia of Stateactivated by an

imperial Presidentthough utterly clueless,but desperate to addOsun to his conquest infurtherance of his still-born second term bid. Solo and behold, the diewas cast!I have notbeen emotionally at-tached to any electionsin Nigeria as I was withthe Osun elections,

maybe June 12, 1993Presidential electionspresumed to have beingwon by my President,M.K.O Abiola could bean exception.It wasn’t because I hadaffinity with anyone inOgbeni’s government orbecause I enjoyed anyform of patronage butbecause

Continue on pg5

2 OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 16, 2014

If you have a story or advert for us, contact 08033927286, 08033880205, 08061197897, 08023191891.

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd right); the deputy governor, Otunba (Mrs) Grace Titi-Laoye Tomori (2rd left); 1st VicePresident of Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors & Valuers (NIESV), Mr Ajayi Patunola (1st right); Secretary to the State Government of Osun,Alhaji Moshood Adeoti (1st left); during a courtesy visit and investiture of Ogbeni Aregbesola as patron of Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors& Valuers, (NIESV) at the Government House, Osogbo, last Saturday.

News

Osun Election, An Eye Opener - BuhariBy KEHINDE AYANTUNJI

FORMER Head of State and presidentialaspirant of the All Progressives Congress(APC), Major-General Mohammad Buhari

(rtd), on Monday said the just-concludedgovernorship elections in Ekiti and Osun shouldbe an eye opener for Nigerians as 2015 generalelections approach.

The retired ArmyGeneral made thisdisclosure during acourtesy visit to thegovernor of the State ofOsun, Ogbeni RaufAregbesola, at theGovernment House inOsogbo, the state capital.

The national leader ofthe All ProgressivesCongress (APC) notedthat his visit to the statewas to specially invite thegovernor to his formaldeclaration to contest forpresidency during the2015 elections.

Buhari described there-election of GovernorAregbesola as thetriumph of people’s willand a victory fordemocracy,

“Your Excellency, partof why we are here is tocongratulate you for yourcredible re-election andpersonal leadershipqualities.

“Ekiti and Osun gave usthe latest interpretation ofwhat is ahead of us in2015 and all Nigeriansmust be totally aware thatit is not going to be veryeasy in the next fivemonths.

“For the next fivemonths, we are on theroad again and we arehere to ask for yourunderstanding andsupport, Nigerians wantchange and they have toprepare and be ready todo exactly what Osun

people have done, asthat’s the only way out,”Buhari stated.

Aregbesola in hisresponse, thanked theAPC leader for his visitand urged Nigerians to bevigilant in 2015.

“Nigerians should bevigilant in 2015, just likethey did in Osun during theAugust 9, 2014 election,when 73,000 security mendeployed to the state could

not scare them away fromexercising theirfranchise.

In the team of Major-General Buhari (rtd)were, former Speaker,House ofRepresentatives, AlhajiAminu Bello Masari,former Governor ofBayelsa State, Mr.

Timipre Silva and formerMinister of Information,Chief Tony Momohamong others.

Meanwhile, Buharialso paid a condolencevisit to Senator AyoFasanmi, an Afeniferechieftain, over the recentloss of his wife, Felicia,who passed away on

Thursday, October 9. He paid a glowing

tribute to Fasanmi’ssterling leadershipqualities and consistencyas a senator of theFederal Republic ofNigeria and Afenifereleader, while consoling theoctogenarian over thedemise of his wife.

Parents Advised On Physically-challenged ChildrenAS pupils resumed for the 2014/2015 academic

session, parents have been urged to take goodcare of their children without discrimination,

particularly the physically-challenged among them.The Permanent

Secretary, State of OsunMinistry of Education, Mr

Lawrence Oyeniran, madethe call during a meetingorganised to welcome the

pupils of the School for theHandicapped, Osogbo intothe new academic session,as well as enlighteningtheir parents on theirexpected responsibilitiesand roles.

The PermanentSecretary, who wasrepresented by theDirector, Osun MassE d u c a t i o nAgency(OSMEA), MrFestus Oyebayo, held thatthe target of the School forthe Handicapped is toguarantee a better futurefor the physically-challenged childrenthrough qualitativeeducation.

He then pointed out thatit has become the habit ofsome parents to abandontheir physically-challengedchildren in school withoutnecessary provisions,thereby leaving such achild to feel dejected.

Oyeniran maintainedthat though it is theresponsibility of theteachers in the school totake good care of allstudents while in school,it is not an excuse forparents to abandon theirchildren in school withoutvisiting them at least oncein a month to check aftertheir welfare andcomplement governmentefforts.

He stressed that thephysical ly-chal lengedpupils require love and carefor them to performoptimally and become

responsible persons in thesociety.

He therefore advised theparents to be determinedand go the extra mile intaking care of them, withthe hope that the end-resultwould be success.

In her contribution, thePrincipal of the school,Mrs Omolola Sangolana,sought for the cooperationof the parents in shapingthe future of the pupils forgood, noting that thestudents of the school aredoing well academically.

Mrs Sangolana cited theYear 2014 WAEC result,where all the 29 studentsregistered for theexamination passed withthe least having 5 creditpasses.

She therefore advisedthe parents to endeavourto visit the school at everylast Saturday of everymonth, while disclosingthat the use of mobilephones is no longerallowed among the pupils.

Highlight of the meetingwas a career talk tomotivate both the studentsand their parents handledby a physically-challengedofficer in the Special Unitof the State Ministry ofEducation, Mrs FaminuOpeyemi.

Akere Charges Veteran JournalistsOn Nation Building By SHINA ABUBAKAR

VETERAN journalists have been chargedto always be concerned about eventshappening in their environments, with a

view to enlightening the masses on accuracy ofsuch events.

This charge was givenby the State of OsunCommissioner forInformation and Strategy,Mr Sunday Akere, whileaddressing members ofthe association, who paidhim a courtesy visit at hisoffice last Friday.

According to thecommissioner, theveterans’ wealth ofexperience is neededeven after theirretirement from activeservice in contributing tothe growth of Osun andthe nation in general.

Akere disclosed thatsome politicians are not

concerned with the imageof Nigeria due to theirinordinate ambition, whileadvising the veterans torise to the occasion ofeducating the people, aswell as guiding the youngones in the profession.

He said the associationmust see the need tobegin to contributetowards educating thepeople about thepossibilities of the impactof the 2015 generalelections on the nationand its inhabitants.

Speaking earlier on thepurpose of their visit, theActing Chairman of the

group, Mr KayodeAdedire, commended thelaudable achievements ofthe ministry in promotingactivities of government,as well as keeping peopleaware of governmentactivities throughout thestate.

He said members of theassociation are still activedespite having retiredfrom service, adding thatthey are ready to furthercontribute to the capacitybuilding of the state and thecountry whenever calledupon.

Adedire, however,prevailed on thegovernment of the state torecognise the associationin its activities, saying theyare always ready despitehaving put the best part oftheir lives to serving the

state.Some of the veteran

journalists at the gatheringincluded Mr AdetoyeseShittu Alamu, Mr SanyaFadipe, Mr SundayOdedele, Prince AdeyeyeOyedokun among others.

•AKERE

3 News OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 16, 2014

• The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (left); 1st Vice President of Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors & Valuers (NIESV), MrAjayi Patunola (right) and State Chairman of Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors & Valuers,(NIESV) Dr Seyi Adegoke (middle), during thecourtesy visit and investiture of Ogbeni Aregbesola as Patron of Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors, Valuers, (NIESV) at the GovernmentHouse, Osogbo, on Saturday

How Asari-Dokubo Took Part In $9.3m Arms Scandal – APCTHE All Progressives Congress (APC) has

alleged that ex-militant, Alhaji MujaheedAsari-Dokubo, was involved in the $9.3m

arms deal, which led to the arrest of twoNigerians and an Israeli in South Africa.

The party, therefore,asked President GoodluckJonathan to explain toNigerians what Asari-Dokubo was doing on theplane, where the money

was found andconfiscated by the SouthAfrican authorities.

The party stated this ina statement issued andsigned by its National

Publicity Secretary, AlhajiLai Mohammed, onWednesday.

According to the APC,the Federal Governmenthad a lot of questions toanswer on the deal,including whetherDokubo-Asari was thecontractor or the enduser, who he was

procuring arms for and forwhat purpose.

The APC stressed thatthe questions becamepertinent as the NationalSecurity Adviser (NSA),Colonel Sambo Dasuki(rtd), who issued the end-user agreement for thepurchase, does not andcannot purchase arms for

any of the armedservices.

The statement reads inpart: “Under ourConstitution, the NSA isan adviser and has noexecutive powers todeploy troops from any ofthe services or purchasearms for them. That thearms purported to be

purchased from SouthAfrica were ordered fromthe office of the NSA isnothing but a merefabrication and raisesserious questions aboutthe motive for thepurchase.

“Nigerians willtherefore like to know onwhose behalf Asari-Dokubo was purchasingarms. This is very crucialbecause Asari-Dokubohas been threatening thatNigeria will not knowpeace if his benefactor,President Jonathan, is notre-elected.

“Therefore, Nigerianswill like to know whetherhe has started stock-pilingarms to make his threat areality, since elections aredue in a few months’ time.

“If these arms aremeant to fight insurgency,as the government hasclaimed, what is Asari-Dokubo’s businesspurchasing arms for theNigerian military, if indeedthey were for the military?Does it not occur to theNigerian government thatthis man, who once tookarms against the statemay not have jettisonedhis sinister plan against thesame state?”

The party chieftainfurther stressed thatPresident Jonathan shouldalso come clean on the$5.7 million that was alsoseized by South Africa onMonday.

He said Jonathanwould do so well byrevealing the identities ofthe Nigerians that werearrested in South Africa.

Asari-Dokubo hashowever, distancedhimself from the $9.3million botched arms dealwhile speaking withjounalists in a telephoneinterview from SaudiArabia, where he ispresently performing the2014 Hajj, maintaining thatthe last time he visitedSouth Africa was in 2002.

Osun Assembly Accuses PDP Of Creating ConfusionOver Court Ruling By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

THE State of Osun House of Assembly has describedas false, mischievous and manipulative, the rumoursthat the state’s federal and state lawmakers have

been sacked by the Court of Appeal sitting in Akure, theOndo State capital.

The state parliament saidthe rumour, “beingsponsored by the PeoplesDemocratic Party” wasaimed at creating confusionand plunge the state intocrisis.

The Court of Appealsitting in Akure had onFriday struck out aninterlocutory appeal filed bythe Independent Nationalelectoral Commission(INEC) against the decisionof Federal High Court,Osogbo, which restrainedthe Osun Resident ElectoralCommissioner, Mr RufusAkeju, from supervising the2011 state and nationalassemblies’ elections in thestate.

Raising the issue undermatters of urgent publicimportance at the plenary onMonday, the Chief Whip ofthe parliament, HonourableIpoola Binuyo, said theruling of the court was aninterlocutory ruling and hasnothing to do with either thestate or national lawmakersfrom the state.

He argued that apart fromthe fact that the case did not

affect the lawmakers, thematter has not beenconcluded, as thesubstantive suit was stillpending before the court.

Cautioning media housesto always investigate beforewriting on sensitive issues,rather than relying on aninformation given by a party,he said, the intention of thesponsor was to cause chaosin the state.

In his own submission,the Deputy Speaker,Honourable AkintundeAdegboye, accused thePDP of misleading thepublic by spreading falseinformation “through aradio station owned bySenator Iyiola Omisore ofthe PDP.”

He suggested that themanagement of the radiostation should be invited bythe state legislature toexplain the rationale behindthe spreading of suchmisleading information,which, he said, couldtruncate the current peaceof the state.

Also, Honourable WasiuAdebayo, representing

Olorunda StateConstituency, said the suithad been pending beforethe conduct of the 2011elections, saying, whatevercould have been theoutcome of the case couldnot affect the election.

Describing the rumoursas the usual ways of the PDPto confuse the people, heurged the people of thestate not to fall for the deceitof the opposition.

Other lawmakers, in theirseparate submissions,described the rumours asdeliberate wickedness of theopposition, maintainingthat it was just a ploy tokeep members of the partytogether.

They therefore called onthe National BroadcastingCommission (NBC) to callthe radio station to order,with a view to stemmingsuch misleadinginformation.

While speaking, theSpeaker of the House ofAssembly, HonourableNajeem Salaam, said thescenario has suggested thatthe opposition PDP is doingeverything possible to forceitself on the people of thestate.

“If people say they don’twant you, must you force

yourself on them? Theyshould rather wait for theirtime, if it will ever come.

“Spreading suchfalsehood is not onlyungodly, it is againstcommon sense, becausesuch prayer was not beforethe court.

“The ruling is not

affecting us; the order wasjust restraining theResident ElectoralCommissioner (REC), MrRufus Akeju, fromsupervising the 2011elections”, he added.

Salaam then insisted thatthe Assembly would doeverything possible toensure that the state is notplunged into crisis.

Osun APC Congress: Speaker UrgesParty Members To Be Peaceful

THE Speaker of the State of Osun House ofAssembly, Honourable Najeem Salaam, hascharged members of All Progressives

Congress (APC) to demonstrate the traits ofprogressiveness in the course of the party’scongress in the state.

The ward congress ofthe party started onMonday, while the localgovernment and statecongresses were held onWednesday and Fridayrespectively.

At the plenary onMonday, the Speaker saidthe party is known forpeace, urging that this traitmust be allowed to cometo play.

He said: “Our party isknown as a party of

Omoluabis and we mustallow this trait to come toplay in the course of ourcongresses at the wards,local governments andstate levels.

“The way we handle ourmatters is different fromhow others handle theirsand due to this, we mustbehave like virtuouspeople.

“We should allowwhoever that emergefrom the congresses be in

the control, so that ourparty can continue to moveforward.

“I want to appeal to ourpeople that being in officeis not a do-or-die affair, aspeople from some otherparties will believe. Ours isa gentleman approach toeverything and we shoulddo it that way,” heemphasised.

He then urged partyleaders and congresscommittees to be fair in theconduct of the elections.

The Speaker also urgedanyone who is not satisfiedwith the outcome of thecongresses to approach theappropriate body in theparty for redress andamicable resolution.

By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 16, 20144 News

Osun To Host 2014 BJAN Conference On TourismBy KEHINDE AYANTUNJI

THE 2014 edition of the annual conferenceof the Brand Journalists Association ofNigeria (BJAN) will be held in the State of

Osun.The State

Commissioner forInformation and Strategy,Honourable SundayAkere, who received therepresentatives of the

association recently, saidthe state, under OgbeniRauf Aregbesola, isalways willing to identifywith individuals andorganisations that could

aid its developmentaldrive for the state.

BJAN leadership, ledby its National Chairman,Goddie Ofose, during acourtesy visit to thecommissioner to intimatehim on the decision by hisassociation to settle forthe State of Osun asvenue of this year ’sconference, as a result of

the giant strides the statehas recorded in the areaof tourism.

The theme of theconference, which willhold between November20 and 23 is: “Tourismmarketing as catalyst foreconomic development”.

The 2013 edition washeld in Ogun State.

Ofose said: “BJAN

members have taken painto follow up the activitiesof the State of Osun in thearea of tourism,particularly the way theannual Osun Osogbocultural festival hassuddenly turned into aninternational festival.”

“We do not onlyconsider it necessary toreel out the economic

benefits of tourism, wewant to add our voices tohow it can be bettermarketed. We want otherstates to learn from Osunand we want the FederalGovernment to investmore in the industry,”Ofose said.

Responding, Akeredescribed GovernorA r e g b e s o l a - l e dadministration as media-friendly and wouldcontinue to contribute itsquota to every step takento add values tojournalism practice in thecountry.

He said: “As agovernment thatappreciates the place ofeffective communicationin government, theadministration of OgbeniRauf Aregbesola hasalways regarded themedia as a major partnerin the journey to touchlives and bring rapiddevelopment into theState of Osun.”

While assuring theassociation that he wouldtable the proposal beforeGovernor Aregbesola, thecommissioner called onthe media practitioners notto derail in theirresponsibility aswatchdogs and agendasetters in the society.

He said Nigeria’sdemocracy needseffective media toblossom.

Speakers expected atthe conference include;President Nigeria Guild ofEditors, Femi Adesina;MD, Chain Reaction,Israel Jaiye Opayemi;141 Worldwide, BunmiOke.

Meanwhile, Akere hasbeen pencilled down toopen the conference,while it would be chairedby the Registrar,Advertising PractitionersCouncil of Nigeria, AlhajiGarba Bello-Kankarofi.

Osun Legislature Dispels Rumour On SealingOff Of Assembly Complex By KAZEEM MOHAMMED

THE State of Osun House of Assembly hastaken exception to the rumour that the StateAssembly Complex has been sealed off by

security operatives over the purported sack of thelawmakers by the Court of Appeal sitting in Akure.

There was a rumourmilling the round onMonday morning that theState House of Assemblywas sealed off over thecourt ruling, a situationthat created tension acrossthe state.

Reacting to the rumour,the state parliament askedthe people of the state toignore the rumour, as itwas false, mischievousand misleading.

A statement by the PressSecretary to the Speaker,Mr Goke Butika, said itwas a calculated attemptby some unscrupulouspeople, whose partisaninterest was to service thediabolical plot of theopposition, to truncate thedemocratic experiment inthe state.

The state parliamentstressed that credibleintelligence at its disposalhas shown that the PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP),after losing the lastgovernorship election, hasdrawn contingent plansthat could fetch themandate freely given toGovernor Rauf Aregbesola

to it through the backdoor.It further noted that it

has unveiled a plot bysome chieftains of thePDP to causeunprecedented mayhem inthe history of the state,with a view to truncatingthe swearing-in ofAregbesola next month.

The state legislaturefurther noted that therumours and lies beingspread by the PDP werepart of the plot.

“The credibleintelligence at our disposalshowed that the PDP, afterlosing the lastgovernorship election, hasdrawn contingent plansthat could fetch themandate freely given toAregbesola to it throughthe backdoor.

“Precedence has shownthat security agencies maybe compromised, just as itobtained in Edo, Ekiti andRivers states respectively.

“The purpose ofapproaching electiontribunal, sexing-up liesabout foiled ballots atINEC, twisting of the

ruling of the Court ofAppeal sitting in Akure,Ondo State and spreadingof falsehood that the stateand national assemblymembers had beenremoved by the radiostation owned by thedefeated PDPgovernorship candidate,Mr. Iyiola Omisore, wereparts of the plot.

“As a result, the NationalBroadcasting Commission(NBC) should live up toexpectation by checkingthe trend of lies in the saidradio station designed torun a parallel governmentagainst the constitutedauthorities in the state.

“Particularly, theparliament is takingexception to lies told onMonday morning that the

State Assembly Complexhad been sealed, when inactual fact, workers andlawmakers were at theirdesks working,” it said.

The state parliamentthen admonished thepeople not to let downtheir guard, for theenemies of progress arestill on the prowl, whilefurther urging the peopleto be vigilant.

Osun ‘ll Continue To Sustain O’ Meals– Commissioner •Calls On Other States To Join Scheme

THE Commissioner for Agriculture and FoodSecurity in the State of Osun, Mr. WaleAdedoyin, has stated that for the Strategic

Grains Research (SGR) to work perfectly, morestates of the federation need to be encouraged tojoin Osun in the school feeding programme.

He also stated that thelinkage of the SGR to theO’Meals programme ofthe State of Osun will onlybe beneficial if the handlersof the scheme are seriousabout it.

The commissionerstated this in Osogboduring an interactivesection he had with themembers of thePartnership for ChildDevelopment (PCD) andO’ Meals team, who werein his office.

Adedoyin, whohighlighted the variousefforts of the OgbeniAregbesola administrationto boost grain production

such as rice and maize inthe state ,as part of effortsto continue to assist theschool feedingprogramme, pointed outthat the efforts of the stategovernment would be re-doubled, as the state alsohas the potentials toproduce more grain crops.

He explained that theuse of cocoyam as part ofthe school feeding schemestarted in January 2013and efforts are in top gearto ensure that the statecontinues to produce morequantities of cocoyambecause research hasshown that cocoyam isvery nutritious.

While commending theefforts of the researchteam, the commissionernoted that the stategovernment is committedto all avenues that willimprove the school feedingprogramme of the state,stressing that the current

administration willcontinue to supportfarmers in the state in a bidto boost food production.

The Senior ResearchManager at the PCD, Mrs.Elisabetta Aurino, statedthat the aim of visiting thestate was to look for

means of how theStrategic Grain Researchat the federal level could belinked to the schoolfeeding programme ofOsun, in order to make itcost effective, while alsocommending the efforts ofthe government on theO’Meal scheme.

Also speaking, theProgramme Manager,PCD Nigeria, Mrs.Adesanmi Abimbola,expressed gratitude to thestate government on thesupport received on theestablishment of the YoungFarmers Club in schoolsacross the state.

Others at theprogramme included theSpecial Assistant to theGovernor on QIIP,Engineer Ladipo Dauda,the Coordinating DirectorAgric, Dr. Bukola Alukoand other directors in theministry.•ADEDOYIN

Reason For Quranic Competition - Falade

THE aim of the Dhikrulai Oyekanmi AremuFalade Quranic recitation competition is toencourage the students of Islamic religion

to have passion for the study of the Holy Quranand also for the exposure of the participants.

This was revealed bythe sponsor of the event,Alhaji Taofeek Falade, atthe 6th edition of thecompetition, which washeld at Ikoyi on Saturday.

The facilitator of thecompetition also disclosedthat a passion for the studyof the Holy Quran,exposure of theparticipants andshowcasing of in-depthknowledge of the Islamicreligion from students of

different formal andinformal Islamic schools inthe South-West zone tocome together andshowcase how well theyhave studied the Quranwas part of their target.

In his words: “He wasproud of the achievementof the programme for theexposure that it hadrecorded.”

Falade cited anexample of one of the lastyear’s participants, whose

name is Abdul-RosheedSolit, who participated inthe Ju’zu Tabaraka group.

He explained that theparticipants were dividedinto two groups. The firstone consists of the JUZUAMMA, where those inthe group were meant tomemorize 1/30 of the HolyQuran and while those inthe other group,TABARAKA, were tomemorise the last two Juzuin the Quran.

They were later testedon Tajweed (rules ofpronunciation) and theArabic sound of the words.

“Requirements for thecompetition was that all the

By ABOSEDE AKINPELU participants come in twomonths before the start ofactivities for furthertraining and practicesbefore they are screenedin each category, whileonly the very best fivewould participate in thefinals.

“The programme hasbeen able to bring to realitythe dreams of some of theparticipating children. Anexample was one of theparticipants whorepresented Ibadan,Abdul-Rosheed Solit, a14-year old boy, whocame 4th at the NationalQuranic Competion thattook place in Lagos.

5 OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 16, 2014

By ISMAEEL UTHMAN

The War Called The Osun Elections-By Segun Tomori Continued frompg1I just couldn’t imagine my home State go back to the disastrous“years of the locust”. I had participated actively n thecampaigns, interacted with the people, felt their pulse andthe story was the same – Osun has never had it so good, thepeople vowed to defend their votes by all means possible!From that moment I had made up my mind to give my alland put myself at harm’s way if need be to ensure we forma bulwark of resistance against the machinery of State to bedeployed to thwart the people’s wish.

When I was about to proceed on my journey to Osogbo, theOsun State Capital on Monday preceding the elections Iprepared for the worst. Few associates privy to my tripadvised strongly that I removed any APC sourvenir frommy luggage,any ID card that can associate me with theparty amongst other security tips. They were right to beapprehensive, soldiers, officials of the Department of StateSecurity(DSS) including the hooded ones,lorry loads ofmobile policemen had since being deployed across the nookand cranny of Osun State. Bearing in mind the desperationof their paymasters, we knew they could stop and searchvehicles and abduct anything synonymous with APC, so Itook all the precautions. I took off on the journey which initself was dramatic.

As we got close to Oshogbo, a discussion ensued in the busand I found out I was not alone in the Save-Osun initiative.Most of the passengers shared the same sentiments with meand were also natives of the State. They spoke emotionallyand fiercely about their determination to ensureAregbesola’s victory. Speaker after speaker reeled outprogrammes and interventions of the Governor that hasbrought smiles to the faces of the people. They concludedhe was the best thing to happen to the State since its creation.The menacing apparatus of State then suffocating theenviroment will not deter them, they thundered! “Ko si ohunti soja o se, a ma duro gboin gboin lati dibo Aregbe” theysaid in yoruba dialect meaning “there is nothing Soldiers cando, we will stand firmly to vote for Aregbe”. I thought tomyself, we are about to witness mass resistance unequallyin our national history if anything go against the people’swill. Hopefully, the soldiers we met on the various check-points didn’t stop and search, they just peeped through thebus windows and passed us on. I heaved a sigh of reliefwhen I arrived Osogbo safely late in the evening.

I have attended rallies, mega-rallies , name it, but what Isaw on Tuesday at the grand-finale of the campaign wasfrightening. A stadium whose capacity can’t be more than

60,000 almost caved in due to pressure from an unprecedentedmammoth crowd. Every space on the covered stands wereover-filled, the main bowl of the Stadium was virtuallyunpassable. My associates and I had to hold ourselves tonavigate our way through the crowd, it took us about an hourfrom the entrance of the stadium to find somewhere to perch!Yet thousands more extend to adjoining roads outside thestadium. It was the APC mega-rally and to say it wasawesomely mega is an understatement! We even heard that theLord of Aso-rock caught an instant migraine seeing themagnitude of the rally! The effect of that was seen in thesealing off of the freedom park that was supposed to hostworkers rally the next day by “hooded soldiers” They got thenow familiar, albeit emergency “orders from above” toforcefully if need be halt the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)and its affiliates endorsement rally for the Ogbeni.

Co-incidentally, Wednesday, 6th August was my birthday but Iwas in no mood for celebrations of any kind. I told my well-wishers, family and friends that you don’t clink glasses in abattle-front! Interestingly, one of my compatriots who was alsoa major ‘battle-axe” and good friend’s birthday was 8th Augustso I told him we’ll do a birthday plus victory party on the 10th,a day after the elections,when we triumph at the polls. Weknow we had the people behind us, we never gave defeat athought! By Thursday, preparations had reached feverish pitch,the towns, hamlets and villages was now massively flowingwith uniformed men of all hues and shades. Some DSSoperatives came to the restaurant we were having dinner,Thursday evening, apparently on surveillance mission. We gotthe message and we left in a jiffy! On our way to our location,we noticed a car trailing us, so we had to take a decoy to a bar.As we turned to the bar, the car also turned in another direction.Their mission still remains a mystery. Thank God for littlemercies!

When we arrived our abode, we swung into action to putfinishing touches to our master-plan which was to run a co-ordinated and effective live broadcast of the elections on socialand online media in collaboration with the APC situation roomwhich was to start from Friday evening till the announcementof the results on Sunday. This was necessary because leakingthe plans of our devious opponents was key to frustrate theirrigging machinery; announcing results online as we get itdirectly from our agents was also crucial to frustrate anymanipulation at the collation level. By Friday afternoon, I hadto tactically separate from my friends who then proceeded to ahigh security location. The curfew was going to start around 5-6pm. By 4pm, I arrived at my own secure location and quicklymoved to set up. I surveyed the enviroment to assess thepossible threat level. I saw that it was negligible so I settled

down for the task ahead.

By Friday evening we got intelligence report that notorius electionrigger, Chris Uba was in town with a unit of 50 soldiers attached tohim. We sent that out and made sure it went viral. Later that night,information about the arrest of our leaders ranging from APCPublicity Secretary, lai Mohammed, the Attorney-general OfOsun State, barr. Wale Afolabi, Tinubu’s Special Adviser onmedia, Mr Sunday are, Commissioner for Agric among otherswere swiftly publicised with dispatch. The far-reaching effect ofthe noise we made contributed in no small measure to the releaseof most of those picked up by Saturday morning. We discoveredby Saturday morning that fake soldiers and policemen hadsurfaced in many locations. Their logo was a red ankara tied totheir left hand. Quickly we activated our instant alert to ourpeople,through all means possible. That again thwarted efforts tomanipulate the elections from the beginning.

The elections started peacefully however in most locations withaccreditation going on smoothly. The only snag was the continuedharassment of APC leaders across the State. The case of the 1stCivilian Governor of Osun State, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke was quiteinstructive. After failing to assasinate him over-night due toresistance by his security aides, he was trailed from the pollingunit to his mother’s residence where he went after accreditation.He escaped the siege by the whisker after he was discreetlynotified. He couldn’t come back to exercise his franchise. Theresults started trickling in by afternoon and the PDP demolitionsquad sensing their rejection quickly switched to a plan B to disruptthe collation process. We instantly alerted the public about theirnorturnal meeting and evil plot. What really helped the APC apartfrom the determination of the people was our access to classifiedinformation. We were always a step ahead of them and thatfrustrated the election riggers.

I got an anonymous call from a patroitic police officer around8pm who claimed he was at a location at modakeke and that resultsbeing collated was about to be altered. You could detect the fear inhis voice as he asked me to ensure his cover. He was an igboofficer deployed from other states, he wasn’t familiar with theterrain but what was gratifying that there could still be few men ofintegrity in the corruption-ridden Nigeria Police Force. In order toconfirm the authenticity of his Statement, I asked the Apapa LocalGovernment Chairman who was with me to speak to him. Hesounded credible, he concluded. So I made some calls to theauthorities and sent text message to our men to act immediately.

Before 11pm, we already had all the results and we had won,though unofficially. What sealed the deal for us and put paid toany manipulation the PDP had in stock was the unexpectedcongratulation of Aregbesola as the winner of the election around

9.40pm by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade. Omisoreaccording to our sources had already informed Aso-rock thatthere was fighting in his home-town of Ile-Ife becauseaccording to him, the results we were circulating were fake andhe was actually leading in the “original” results. The Ooniswiftly debunked that, not only congratulated the Governor-elect, but also stated that nobody was fighting in Ife! That tookthe sail out of the wind of Omisore and his treacherous gang.

If we thought the threats have been subdued, we were in for ashocker! The returning officer whose task it is to announce thefinal result was under pressure to collect a whooping N1b andannounce Omisore winner! They were ready to damn theconsequences and ask us to go to court. So we had to practicallygo on our knees! I salute the indefatigable people of Osun State,they were resolute, they stood like a rock, stayed on the streetsall through and formed a human shield around the collationcentre. Then the returning officer came in around 1.35pm. Theresults of all the local governments were announced before5am. Then we now witnessed dilly-dallying of the highestorder. It got to a point around 7am, anxious journalists andpeople started singing asking for the results. Lo and Behold, atabout 7.10am, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was finally pronouncedthe winner!

There was instant jubilation across the nook and cranny ofOshogbo. Never in the history of elections have I seen suchspontaneous excitement pervade the landscape because ofresults announcement. Within the twinkle of an eye, the wholetown went agog with people clutching their brooms- symbol ofthe Governor’s party, congratulating themselves, okada ridersdriving menacingly in such euphoric ecstasy and finally wecould say hurray! We won! We didn’t win an election, we wona WAR with a stone like the biblical david. Goliath came tobattle with the best arsenal at his disposal but we came with thewill of a determined people that vowed that never again shallthey go the road of perdition they once trodded. Who says thevoice of the people is not the voice of God? Because ultimatelythe hand of the Almighty saved the day and gave us victory.Osun ti dara ooooooo.

Segun Tomori

OSUN DEFENDERPublisher – Moremi Publishing

House Ltd.

Managing Editor – Kola Olabisi(0803-392-7286)

Editor – Kayode Agbaje (0803-388-0205)

Lagos Editor – Kola Odepeju(08023191891)

Production Editor – Pet-Kola Taiwo Ibitowa

Senior Reporter – Sola JacobsSenior Reporter – Kazeem Mohammed

Magazine Editor – Niyi Olasinde

Reporter – Kehinde AyantunjiReporter – Francis Ezediuno

Photographer – Oluwagbemiga AdeniyiPhotographer – Olushola Aderinto

Admin. Manager – Murtala Agboola

Computer Operator – Saheed AfolabiComputer Operator – Mary AkintolaAssistant Computer Operator – Lukman Oseni

OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing HouseLimited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guarantee Trust BankGTB, Gbongan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun.All correspondence to the above mail address.ISSN: 0794-8050Telephone: 0803-392-7286, 08033880205Website: www.osundefender.com/index.phpe-mail: osundefender@yahoo.com

Osun Massive Road Projects: Foundation For Economic Growth

I am glad to write thisletter with a strongbelief that it would be

given positive attentionby your crediblemedium, to air my viewson the ongoingi n f r a s t r u c t u r a ldevelopment in the Stateof Osun.

I have kept observingfor some time now, theongoing revolution inroad infrastructure beingcurrently witnessed in thestate, which has resultedinto positive effect on theeconomic developmentof the state.

I am so glad that allthese are happeningduring Ogbeni RaufAregbesola’s tenure,when we, the upcominggeneration, had lost hopethat nothing good cancome out of the currentleadership of the nation.

He has proven to usthat to be a progressiveleader and aspiring to

hold any leadershipposition in the country,you must be focused anddetermined.

Things had got to astage that pessimistswere asserting that goodgovernance wasimpossible in this country.

Despite the fact thatthe state is currently

receiving the least on thefederal allocation table,A r e g b e s o l a ’ sadministration hasdeemed it fit to continueon its developmentalstrides in the state.

Various programmesand policies have alsobeen put in place toattract foreign andindigenous investors to

establish their businessesin the state and boost itseconomy beyond theimaginations of theopposition.

Favourably today, wehave Ogbeni RaufAdesoji Aregbesola asgovernor, whose agendafor the state has rapidlyand radically unfolded to

showcase a new Osun ofthe dream of its foundingfathers.

I have nothing much tosay here but to appreciateand commend thegovernor and his team forthe good and purposefulgovernance they areproving. I also want tocommend the peace-loving people of the state

for their support in thepast years andunderstanding that haveenabled the governor gothis far in hisi n f r a s t r u c t u r a ldevelopment drive.

As his first term ismoving to a close, I wantto implore the goodpeople of the State ofOsun to support thegovernor the more.

In the August 9, 2014gubernatorial election,we did what wasexpected of us; touphold, maintain andsustain the prevailingtrend of progress thathave been taken place inthe state. It is alsoimportant for the peopleof the state to contributeto the development intheir own way bymaintaining the roads toensure their long lasting.

• K A Z E E MOLAWALE, Osogbo,State of Osun.

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 16, 20146 �

Nigeria: Prosperous Yet Leprous!IT is not novel and unheard-of in

human life stories andtestaments that at some point in

any nation’s sojourn, there aboundtimes and seasons of struggles andtroubles. There is nothing obnoxiousor abominable about struggles; theyare part of how men and nationslearn, grow and become great.Today’s great nations, the world over,had to go through their ownchallenges and struggles too beforethey became beneficiaries of peaceand prosperity.

When nations, however, continue tostruggle with no foreseeable end tothe nagging and badgering pain, ourhearts leap in perturb and disquiet.When nations are enmeshed in trying-times, their elders come together andidentify the puzzles that brought aboutthe struggles, and fix them. The eldersare able to firmly fix the puzzles bylearning from other nations around theworld that have gone through similartrenches of turbulence in history.

From 1960 till date in our nation,our elders have succeeded in findingthe puzzles that brought about ourstruggles. Whether it is the strugglewith electricity supply, eradication ofpoverty, debile educational system,unwholesome health sector, and manyother challenges, our elders are verygood and accurately articulate atfinding what the pestering puzzles are.We are blessed with elders who areversed in finding puzzles, becausemany of them are learned intellectualswith unquestionable cerebral acuity.When they write books about ourpuzzles, talk about them onTelevision, Radio and in town-hallmeetings, we applaud them and standin awe of their astuteness. In Nigeria,we frequently find the puzzles alright,but we have compounded and madethem worse with self-centeredness,selfishness, heartlessness against thepoor and the deprived, greed, graft,and a life full of gluttony and vain-glorious materialism. Finding puzzlesis just one hop in the race, fixing themis the complementing portion of theexercise that has become a rare swingin Nigeria. My own definition of goodgovernance is the ability of an electedofficial to find and fix pesteringpuzzles, and not compound them.Except for a few state governors intoday’s Nigeria, whose strides arethose of a giant, our elders have notbeen able to fix the puzzles that arethreatening to decapitate us.

With an estimated population ofabout 165 million human beings,Nigeria is Africa’s most populouscountry and the 9th most populous inthe world. Some statisticians concludethat one in every 5 persons on thecontinent of Africa is a Nigerian. Therate of the growth of our economy isin keen competition with the speed oflight; we are the 6th largest producerof petroleum in the world, and the 8th

largest exporter and the 10th largestin proven reserves. A recent WorldBank economic report on Nigeriashowed that Nigeria has one of thehighest economic growth rate ofabout 7.4%. Between 2009 and2011, a total of N22.165 trillion($143.5 billion) was earned asrevenue from the oil and gas sectoralone. In the first seven months of2013, Nigeria recorded earnings over20 billion dollars from sale of crudeoil. We live in a prosperous nation.

Nigeria is not just a rich nation;stupendously; monstrous wealth isswaddled up in the hands of a few ofus. For example, 11,162 people ownprivate jets registered in the UnitedStates of America. On the long list ofthis privileged number of jet-ownersare Nigerian politicians, pastors,businessmen and prominent peoplesome of whom we know by names. Itis projected that in 2015, at least 20first-time jet owners from Nigeria willmake the list. I will not lampoon jet-ownership secured through legitimate,

transparent means; affluent men andwomen engaged in unsullied business-endeavors are free to do whateverthey wish with proceeds from theiryears of labors. The jet stream is justone indication of Nigeria’s growingeconomy over the last 5 years.

Not too long ago, the governor ofLagos State, Babatunde Fasholacame up with some startling statisticsof how money was spent in Lagos onindividual festivities and parties. Thestudy, according to the reportrevealed that in 12 nights, 1555parties were held in some localgovernment council areas, and morethan N36 billion was spent within theperiod. This is a clear corroboratingindication that there are hidden richesin the land. Why then is a nation thisprosperous has a high record ofleprously-poor people?

With Nigeria’s poverty rate peggedat 33.1%, the World Bank nowclassifies Nigeria as one of the 5extremely poor nations of the world.Those who comb through the turbineof statistical research say that about61%; almost 100 million people live

on less than $1 a day, and 92% onless than two dollars a day. Almost62% of households in Nigeriaconsider themselves to be poor, whilelife expectancy remains low and isestimated to have decreased from 47years in 1990 to 40 years in 2010. Infant and under-5 mortality rate issky-high, and health, health care andgeneral living conditions in Nigeria arepoor, especially for children andwomen, and the basic daily needs ofthe people are still not met.

Juxtaposing Nigeria’s wealth withthe prevalent poverty stratosphere welive, I can submit that on our handswe do have a noisome paradox and afetid contradiction. We should not bethis prosperous and be leprouslypoor. In the hands of our elders,Nigeria has ostensibly become both awaif and a gamin in search ofdeliverer foster-parents.

I opined at the outset of this piecethat it is not novel and unheard-of thatnations go through struggles. Strugglesgrow nations, but in our case, theymow us. Have we not been endowedwith much both in human and naturalresources? Yes, we have. It is one ofthe reasons I write to challenge thosewho are scampering to leadsomething, somewhere in 2015. Theyare the ones I refer to as elders. Theyshould think of the poor and thehungry, and strive to meet the needsof the needy with governmentresources in their control. This is whythey are called elders of a nation.

Who said Nigerians cannot solveNigeria’s problems? Anyone who saidthis is only cooking up somecockamamie hypothesis lavishly andliberally immersed in the superfluity ofignorance and cluelessness. If wekilled Ebola that wanted to kill uswithout much of an outside help, thenwe can solve our problems. If we arepinning Boko Haram against the wallsto some extent today without much ofoutside foot-soldiers, then we cansolve our problems. If our economycan grow up to this rate today from adismal figure of the last ten years, thenpoverty can also be eradicated overtime.

As we approach 2015, thismonograph is a straight-shot challengeto those men and women, who will bejostling for elective positions andpolitical offices in Nigeria. It is moreespecially to those who are kittingthemselves up to grab the plum job ofthe President of the Republic. I hopethat in the politicians’ bones andmarrows, something will shake andshift and will thus make all of us cometo an agreement that Nigeria, asprosperous as she is, should not haveamong its citizenry so many leprously-poor people.

•Ojo, a pastor lives in the UnitedStates of America.

By FOLA OJO

•JONATHAN

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 16, 2014 7PHOTOTALKMajor General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) Paid A Courtesy Visit To The State OfOsun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola At Government House, Osogbo, LastMonday.

•The governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right) and former Head of State, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), during a courtesy visit to the governor atGovernment House, Osogbo, last Monday.

•

•Ogbeni Aregbesola (3rd left); Major General Buhari (rtd) (right); deputy governor State of Osun, Otunba (Mrs) Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori (1st right); former Governor ofBayelsa State, Mr Timipre Sliva (2nd left) and former Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr Aminu Masari, during the courtesy visit to Governor Aregbesola at GovernmentHouse, Osogbo, on Monday.

8 OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 16, 2014PHOTOTALKAll Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Aspirant, General Muhammadu Buhari(Rtd) Paid A Condolence Visit To Pa Ayo Fasanmi's Residence In Osogbo, State OfOsun, Last Monday Over The Death Of His Wife.

•All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential aspirant, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), signing a condolence register, during the visit to Commiserate with an AfenifereChieftain, Senator Ayo Fasanmi, on the demise of his wife, Felicia, in Osogbo, last Monday.

•General Buhari (left) and State of Osun governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right), commiserating with an Afenifere chieftain, Senator Ayo Fasanmi (middle) on the demise ofhis wife, Felicia in Osogbo, State of Osun, last Monday.

9OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 16, 2014 PHOTOTALK

•St. Andrews Middle School, Ikirun.

•Anglican Middle School, Ikirun.

Some Of The Completed Schools In The State Of Osun Under The AdministrationOf Governor Rauf Aregbesola As Captured By Our Cameraman, GBENGA ADENIYI,Last Thursday.

10 OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 16, 2014FOR THE RECORDS

•Alhaji Taofeek Falade (middle); Sukurat Abdul-Raqzaq (1st right); Ibraheem Abdul- Akeem (2nd right); Taofeek Ibraheem (3rd right); the winners from Juzu A’man Group.(From left) Mutiulah Abdul-Reheuf (1st left); Aisat Imran (2nd left) and Ruoyat Balogun (3rd left), winners from Juz’u Tabaraka group after the competition on Saturday.

At 6th Edition Of Dhikrulahi Oyekanmi Aremu Falade Quranic RecitationCompetition Held At Ikoyi, State Of Osun, On Saturday. Photo SEGUN ADEJUMO

Challenging PDP’s FalsehoodWE have observed with great

sense of concern theconsistent hallucination

which has been plaguing the leadersand members of the PeoplesDemocratic Party in the State of Osunby which they have becomepermanently married to spreadingfalsehood about developments in thestate. The most appalling aspect of itis the overt support being given by asection of the press in spreadingmisinformation daily dished out by thePDP without any form of journalisticverification, clarification orexamination of the contents.

It would be recalled that about ayear ago, Mr. Iyiola Omisore claimedthat the court had nullified the 2011elections conducted by INEC to fillthe seats belonging to the State ofOsun into the National Assembly andthe State House of Assembly. Thebanal falsehood was gleefullypublished by a section of the mediawithout sighting a copy of thepurported order relied upon byOmisore. We challenged Omisore toproduce a certified copy of the courtorder by which INEC was restrainedfrom conducting the election andnullified the said election. We also toldhim to publish same in any newspaperof his choice and that we would payfor the publication. Since then, hewent mute on that issue and nobodyasked him questions on the need toprove his falsehood.

Just yesterday the 11th day ofOctober, 2014, the People’sDemocratic Party in the State of Osunwent to the press with another pieceof falsehood wherein it claimed thatthe Court of Appeal had nullified the2011 elections of the APC membersof the National Assembly and theState House of Assembly. The reportfurther claimed that pursuant to the2011 election, the Court of Appealsitting in Akure ordered theinauguration of Ogbeni RaufAregbesola due to be held on the 27thof November, 2014 to be put on hold.

Yet, the press published thisdisoriented piece of manipulationwithout any form of verification. It isunfortunate that the more the PDPlied, the greater the ardency of thepress to publish its falsehoods.

We challenge the PDP, Omisoreand their handlers to produce acertified true copy of the ruling of theCourt of Appeal sitting in Akurewhere the 2011 elections werenullified. We challenge the PDP,Omisore and their handlers to showthe whole world any part of the ruling

of the Court of Appeal delivered onFriday, 10 October, 2014 in which thecourt ordered that Aregbesola’sinauguration should be put on hold. ForGod’s sake, the ruling of the Court ofAppeal only struck out INEC’s Noticeof Appeal which challenged theinterlocutory ruling of the FederalHigh Court, Osogbo, which restrainedambassador Akeju from supervisingthe 2011 elections in the State ofOsun. It has nothing to do withwhether the election was properly orlegally conducted by INEC. In fact,the interlocutory appeal itself has notbeen heard by the Court and same is

still pending.Furthermore, the ruling striking out

the Notice of Appeal of INEC has notdetermined anything as the appealitself is only to be heard on the 31stday of October, 2014.

How can the PDP now go to thepress, announcing that the 2011elections had been nullified and, morestupidly, that the 2014 inauguration ofAregbesola to be held on 27November, 2014 has been put onhold? Aregbesola was not elected forthe second term in 2011, for heaven’ssake! The August 9, 2014governorship election in whichAregbesola was elected for thesecond term has nothing to do with thecase at the Court of Appeal, Akure.The scheduled inauguration ofAregbesola has nothing to do with the2011 National Assembly and House ofAssembly elections. How on earthcan any reasonable and responsibleperson vilified truth by publishing suchblatant falsehood peddled by the PDPwhich penchant for irresponsiblepublication is unparalleled?

While we have no more advice forthe PDP as its case is irredeemable,we are compelled to counselgentlemen of the press to kindly desistfrom assisting PDP in causingdisaffection among the populace byspreading sheer falsehood. Themodern practice of journalismdemands that news items must beverified before being published. It isbecoming clearer that the rot that hasbeleaguered several aspects of oursociety has started infecting a crosssection of the Press, which issupposed to be the watchdog of thesociety and the conscience of thenation. The only solution is a thoroughsanitation of journalistic practice bywhich cacophonous and malicioussongs of falsehood composed byenemies of the people can berestrained from polluting publicconsciousness.

•Adegoke is a lawyer.

•GANI OLAOLUWA: Osun PDP Chair

By KUNLE ADEGOKE

11 OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 16, 2014FOR THE RECORDS

1

2

3

OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 16, 201412

Job Vacancies In Nigeria

You can subscribe to Job Vacancies in Nigeria, Jobs in Nigeria via your e-mail: www.recentnigerianjobs.com

Bank Teller Jobs in LagosThe JobMag is recruiting to fill the below position:

Job Title: Bank TellerLocation: LagosResponsibilities:Receive and count working cash at beginning of shiftPerform services for customers such as preparing cashier’s checks , personal money orders, issuing traveler’schecks and exchanging foreign currencyOther responsibilities will be assigned by management from time to time.Identify customers, validate and cash checksAccept cash and checks for deposit and check accuracy of deposit slipProcess cash withdrawalsRequirements:HND is requiredMust be 25 years and belowMust have a good command of English.

How to ApplyInterested candidates should come with their CV and passport photograph to the JobMag Centre.

254, Herbert Macaulay Way,Alagomeji Bus/Stop,Yaba.

Time: 10:00am to 03:00pm

Note: Please note that this vacancy is for HND holders’ that are 25 Years and below, kindly forward thisopportunity to a friend who will be interested

Application Deadline 14th October, 2014

————————————————————————————————————-Linda Ikeji is recruiting Reporters and Photographers!Linda Ikeji is currently recruiting for the job positions of reporters and photographers.

Job Title: Reporters and PhotographersRequirements:Applicants must be passionate about news reporting or can source for news for Linda Ikeji’s blog.

How to ApplySend an email to lindaikejiads@gmail.com__________________________________________________MTN Nigeria Jobs for Customer Relationship Officers in LagosMTN Nigeria - The leader in telecommunications in Nigeria, and a part of a diverse community in Africa andthe Middle East, our brand is instantly recognisable. It is through our compelling brand that we are able toattract the right talents who we carefully nurture by continuously improving our employment offerings evenbeyond reward and recognition.

MTN Nigeria is recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Customer Relationship Officer (TQM) - 2 Positions

Location: Lagos

Job DescriptionEducate customers on MTN products and services, functionalities, features and competitive advantage.Up and Cross sell MTN products and Services (Telemarketing) to grow spend.Capture and monitor customer complaints and points of improvement and ensure complaints and queries arepromptly attended to and escalated appropriately.Handle all enquiries and requests of customers and ensure resolution as well as inform customers of status oftheir complaint, query or request and record details of contact.Facilitate target setting and performance contract development for all employees.Assist in monitoring and benchmarking performance across and within teams, effectively isolating good andunder performers.Participate actively in the administration of customer satisfaction surveys and employee satisfaction survey.Calibrate calls within the Online Assistance Centre to ensure compliance to CR quality management metrics.Conduct Call evaluation within the Online Assistance Centre adhering to agreed standards.Conduct periodic audit for the division ensuring service standards are adhered to.Conduct quality gap analysis.Conduct mystery shopping for the customer touch points.Deliver quality assurance (QCG) training for customer care representatives.Identify and communicate audit gaps to all stakeholders, follow-up to ensure audit recommendations areimplemented.Analyze customers’ information needs, business problems and business opportunities to determine efficientand effective systems/programming solutionsEnsure Key Customer Data is adequately captured and prompt documentation of transactions and collect dataand information on customer care needs/issues.Monitor Accounts as assigned by partners.Prepare standard and ad hoc reports on sales for management review and carry out statistical / datacompilation/reconciliation, as directed, to ameliorate service.Establish and maintain professional business relationship with customers to enhance MTNN’s business,image and services.Assist line managers in the development of team and individual quality and performance standards.Create detailed functional design documents for conversions, interfaces, and reportsWork with user departments to define roles and access rights to be created for all users in line with businessrequirementsEnsure proper documentation of all user systems and provide user guides for new and/or modified systemsServe as a resource to super-users for education on technical system functionality.Engage with vendor service support groups to bring resolution to system performance or other processingissuesProvide customer service in terms of problem tracking, troubleshooting and systems fault resolutionCollaborate with business users to define processes that meet business needsEnsure processes are scalable and flexible to meet future business needWork with business unit and IS team to define and design user systems architecture. Ensure the availability ofall required systemsDevelop and define IT requirements to support process and system changesPlan and manage the development and maintenance of required user systemsParticipate in events relating to system upgrades and testing. Prepare and execute testing plans to ensure highquality results.Job ConditionNormal MTNN working conditionsMay be required to work extended hoursExperience:4 years relevant work experience in the service industry1-2 years’ work experience in a call center (Prepaid/Postpaid) environmentTraining:Basic GSMMTN Products & ServicesCall center policies, processes and proceduresCall Center applications, technology and systems trainingTelephone/ physical interaction etiquettesRelationship ManagementRelevant systems trainingCCBSMinimum Qualification: BSc

How to ApplyInterested candidate should:https://careers.mtnonline.com/VacancyDetails.aspx?VacancyID=97

Application Deadline 22nd October, 2014—————————————————————————————————————-

Latest Jobs in Abuja in an International British Curriculum SchoolAn International British Curriculum School in Abuja has the following positions below:

Head TeacherDeputy Head TeacherSchool Administrator/RegistrarQualified TeachersTeaching AssistantsSchool NurseSanitation OfficersNanniesCleanersLocation: Abuja

RequirementInterested candidates should possess relevant qualification.

How to ApplyInterested and qualified candidates should send their CV’s and a cover letter to: recruitsrc@gmail.com withthe subject title: DVS Job.

Application Deadline 17th October, 2014.————————————————————————————————-Medical Jobs in Abuja at Alliance Hospital and ServiceAlliance Hospital and Service, Abuja, due to the recent expansion in the facilities and scope of services, weare recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Paediatric NurseLocation: AbujaQualificationRN/RM plus a certificate in Paediatric Nursing.Special Care Baby Unit experience will be an added advantageExperienceOne (1) years experience.

Job Title: Medical Laboratory ScientistLocation: AbujaQualificationB.Sc or Certificate in Medical Laboratory Science (Chemical Pathology)ExperienceMinimum of two (2) years post qualification experience.Job Title: Medical OfficerLocation: AbujaQualificationsMBBS or its equivalent.ExperienceMinimum of two (2) years post NYSC congnate experience.Job Title: Consultant PaediatricianLocation: AbujaQualificationsMBBS or its equivalentFellowship of WACP or NPMCNExperienceMinimum of five (5) years work experience Job Title: Consultant PhysicianLocation: AbujaQualificationsMBBS or its equivalentFellowship of WACP or NPMCNExperienceMinimum of five (5) years work experience

How to ApplyInterested and qualified candidates should forward their CV’s to: alliancehospitalandservices@gmail.com

Or submitted in person to the hospital secretary at:

Alliance Hospital,5, Malumfashi close,Off Emeka Anyaoku street, Area 11,Garki, Abuja.

Application Deadline 22nd October, 2014———————————————————————————————————————Account Officer Job Vacancy in LagosA reputable and vibrant Leasing company is looking to recruit an Accounting Officer to join its team.

Job Title: Account OfficerLocation: LagosJob Description:FinanceRaising and posting of Journal EntriesRaising and posting of cheque vouchers & rental receiptsDocumentation and filing of posted vouchersEnsure all payment vouchers are properly postedEnsure all transactions are accurately posted on auto-bookEnsure costs are properly classified and coded on auto-bookLiaise with Credit/Marketing Department to ensure harmonization of postings in Lease ManagerReconciliation of monthly bank statementMonthly payroll processingFloat managementPreparation of monthly accountProvision of administrative support servicesCredit ControlCirculation of Cheques lodgmentsCirculation of return cheques.Credit recovery of Bad loans and advancesRegular posting and reversal of cheques and teller using the Lease Manager and IBSInvestigation of cheques, using the software and physical cheques.Achieve recovery of Bad and Doubtful facilities as stipulated for the quarter in the annual budgetMonthly Bank reconciliationsProper updates of customers’ statement on the Lease Manager and IBSEnsure accurate customer statement balances on all transactions and timely investigation and reconciliation ofcheques with the information on the SoftwareRegular updates of cheques to be represented by accounting officers.Regular updates of Appendix 1.Preparation of Management reports.Ensure prompt payments of outstanding in defaulting Risk Assets percentage repayment as relating torecovery of current outstandingPerformance reports analysis on transactionsRequirementsRequired Qualification is a B.Sc./HND in a Accounting/Economic/Banking & Operation or any other financerelated course with relevant experience in accounting and credit control. Professional qualification will be anadded advantage.

Method of ApplicationAll applications should please be sent to: recruitment@stiplc.com using “ACCOUNT OFFICER” as thesubject matter for the mail.

Application Deadline: Thursday, October 16, 2014

13 OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 16, 2014 FOREIGN NEWS

Protesters Demand Philippine Custody Of US MarineDOZENS of activists burned a mock U.S. flag as they

protested at the U.S. Embassy in Manila on Tuesday,demanding that Washington hand over to the

Philippines a U.S. Marine suspected in the killing of atransgender Filipino that the demonstrators labeled a hatecrime.

Jeffrey Laude, 26, wasfound dead, apparentlystrangled and drowned, besidea toilet bowl in a motel roomin Olongapo city, northwest ofManila, shortly after he

checked in late Saturday,allegedly with a Marine.

Police said they haveidentified the Marine suspectwith the help of a key witness.Authorities will file a murder

complaint against him withprosecutors on Wednesday,national police spokesmanWilben Mayor said.

U.S. Marine spokesman Col.Brad Bartelt said a Marine wasbeing held on board the USSPeleliu in the Subic Bay freeport, about 80 kilometers (50miles) northwest of Manila, inconnection with a joint U.S.Navy and Philippine police

investigation into Laude’sdeath.

About 3,000 U.S. Marinesand Navy sailors concludedtwo weeks of military exerciseswith Filipino counterparts lastFriday and were to leave thePhilippines this week.

U.S. Pacific commanderAdm. Samuel Locklear, whowas in Manila for annualsecurity talks with Philippinedefense officials, initiallyordered the Peleliu and otherNavy ships to stay in thePhilippines pending aninvestigation into the killing. Allthe ships except the Peleliuwere later cleared to leave thecountry as the investigationprogressed, according toPhilippine officials.

The thorny issue emergedamid a blossoming of securityties between the United Statesand the Philippines, whichhave both been vocal critics ofChina’s expansive territorialclaims in the South China Sea.The longtime military alliessigned a new accord in April

that allows greater U.S. militaryaccess to Philippine militarycamps across the country.

Military chief of staff Gen.Gregorio Pio Catapang said theincident destroyed the positiveimage of the just-concludedmilitary exercise, in which thesuspect in the killing took part,but added that “this will notaffect our relationship with theUnited States.”

“We’re alarmed and hurtbecause the victim was a fellowFilipino,” Catapang told a newsconference. “We have to givejustice for his untimely death.”

Police said Laude’s attackermay have been angered whenhe discovered in the motelroom that Laude was atransgender individual orbecause of an argument sparkedby other reasons.

On Tuesday, about 40 youngactivists waved red flags andyelled “U.S. troops out now”in a protest that ended with theburning of a mock American flagat the heavily secured U.S.Embassy. Riot police stopped

WHO: Ebola Death Rate Increases To 70 Per Cent

A World Health Organization official says the deathrate in the current Ebola outbreak has increased to70 per cent.

WHO assistant director-general Dr. Bruce Aylwardgave the figure during anews conference Tuesday.

Aylward said that the 70percent death rate was “ahigh mortality disease” inany circumstance and thatthe U.N. health agency wasstill focused on trying to getsick people isolated and

provide treatment as early aspossible.

A World HealthOrganization official saysthere could be up to 10,000new cases of Ebola perweek within two months.

WHO assistant director-general Dr. Bruce Aylwardsays if the response to theEbola crisis isn’t stepped up

within 60 days, “a lot morepeople will die” and therewill be a huge need on theground to deal with thespiraling numbers of cases.He said WHO estimatedthere could up to 10,000cases per week in twomonths.

Aylward said for the lastfour weeks, there have beenabout 1,000 new cases perweek, though that figureincludes suspected,confirmed and probable

cases. He said WHO isaiming to have 70 percent ofcases isolated within twomonths to reverse theoutbreak.

WHO increased its Eboladeath toll tally to 4,447,nearly all of them in WestAfrica, and the group saidthe number of probable andsuspected cases was 8,914.

Sierra Leone, Guinea andLiberia have been hardesthit. Aylward said WHO wasvery concerned about thecontinued spread of Ebolain the three countries’capital cities —Freetown,Conakry and Monrovia. Henoted that while certainareas were seeing casesdecline, “that doesn’t meanthey will get to zero.”

He said the agency wasstill focused on trying totreat Ebola patients, despitethe huge demands on thebroken health systems inWest Africa.

“It would be horrificallyunethical to say that we’rejust going to isolate people,”he said, noting that newstrategies like handing outprotective equipment tofamilies and setting up verybasic clinics — withoutmuch treatment — was apriority.

Iran Expects Progress, If No Breakthrough, In Nuclear Talks With EU,USIRAN does not expect a breakthrough in nuclear talks

with the United States and the European Union thisweek but hopes they will help pave the way for a final

deal, its foreign minister said on Tuesday.Mohammad Javad Zarif,

quoted by Iran’s Fars newsagency, was speaking uponarrival in Vienna, where hewas due to meet EuropeanUnion foreign policy chiefCatherine Ashton. U.S.Secretary of State JohnKerry will join them onWednesday.

Zarif’s cautious optimismcame a day after PresidentHassan Rouhani toldIranian television that anuclear deal was “certain”and that only “fine details”remained to be negotiated.

Talks between Iran and

six powers - the UnitedStates, France, Germany,China, Russia and Britain -are due to conclude by aself-imposed Nov. 24deadline with, diplomatshope, a deal to end a nuclearstandoff that has lastedmore than a decade.

With only some six weeksto go, Western officials saythere are still significantdifferences, especially overthe future scope of Iran’suranium enrichmentprogram.

One of Iran’s chiefnegotiators, deputy Foreign

Minister Abbas Araqchi,last week raised thepossibility that the talkscould be extended. But aU.S. State Departmentofficial said Washingtonbelieved there was still timeto reach a comprehensivesolution by the target date.

“Although we do notexpect a breakthrough in thetrilateral negotiations(between Zarif, Ashton andKerry) ... still this roundcould pave the way for a finalagreement,” Fars quotedZarif as saying on Tuesday.

“On the agenda is thevolume of uraniumenrichment and thetimetable for lifting thesanctions,” he said.

Iran rejects allegationsfrom Western powers that itis seeking a nuclearweapons capability. It hasrefused to halt uraniumenrichment, and has been hitwith U.S., EU and U.N.Security Council sanctionsas a result.

Israel has threatened touse military force againstIranian atomic sites ifdiplomacy fails to ensureIran is deprived of themeans of developingnuclear weapons. Tehransays Israel’s presumedatomic arsenal is the mainthreat to peace.

Iran and the six powerslast November reached aninterim deal under which

Tehran suspended its mostsensitive nuclear activity inexchange for some easing ofthe sanctions.

A former Obamaadministration official said itwould make sense to extendthe temporary accord ifthere was no long-term dealby late next month.

“The continuation of aninterim agreement wouldprovide the breathing spaceneeded for all sides to takean extended break fromnegotiations over apermanent deal,” JofiJoseph, a former director fornon-proliferation on theWhite House NationalSecurity Council staff,wrote this week.

A Dallas nurse who caught Ebola while treating a Liberianpatient who died of the disease has received a plasmatransfusion donated by a doctor who beat the virus.

them from getting close to theseaside compound.

Two protest leaderstearfully demanded that theU.S. military hand over theMarine to the Philippinegovernment, saying he shouldbe detained in a local jail.

“This is just so abominable.It’s one of the worst hate crimesI’ve seen,” said Corky HopeMaranan, a leader of a groupof transgender and lesbianFilipinos.

“If he remains in U.S.custody, certainly he canescape from our justice systemagain. We don’t want anotherDaniel Smith,” Maranan said.

Smith was a Marine whowas found guilty andsentenced to life in prison oncharges of raping a Filipinowoman after a night of drinkingin 2005, also at the Subic freeport. A Philippine appealscourt overturned Smith’sconviction in 2009, allowinghim to leave the country.

Doctor Gives Blood For Ebola-Infected Dallas Nurse

Ebola has killed more than4,000 people in an outbreak theWorld Health Organization hascalled “the most severe, acutehealth emergency seen inmodern times.” Federal healthofficials say they are rampingup training for medical workerswho deal with the infected.

Nurse Nina Pham was amongabout 70 staff members at TexasHealth Presbyterian Hospitalwho cared for Thomas EricDuncan, according to medicalrecords. They drew his blood,put tubes down his throat andwiped up his diarrhea. Theyanalyzed his urine and wipedsaliva from his lips, even afterhe had lost consciousness.

The 26-year-old nurse wasin his room often, from the dayhe was placed in intensive careuntil the day before he died.

Pham and other health careworkers wore protective gear,including gowns, gloves, masksand face shields — andsometimes full-body suits —when caring for Duncan, butPham became the first personto contract the disease withinthe United States. Duncan diedon Wednesday.

On Monday night, membersof the church that Pham’s familyattends held a special Mass forher in Fort Worth. Rev. JimKhoi, of the Our Lady of FatimaChurch, said Pham’s mothertold him the nurse had receiveda transfusion that could save herlife.

“Her mom says that she gotthe blood from the gentleman, avery good guy. I don’t know hisname but he’s very devoted anda very good guy fromsomewhere,” Khoi said.

Jeremy Blume, a spokesmanfor the nonprofit medicalmission group Samaritan’sPurse, confirmed that theplasma donation came fromKent Brantly, the first Americanto return to the U.S. fromLiberia to be treated for Ebola.Brantly received anexperimental treatment andfought off the virus, and hasdonated blood for transfusionsfor three others, includingPham.

“He’s a doctor. That’s whathe’s there to do. That’s hisheart,” Blume said.

Brantly said in a recentspeech that he also offered hisblood for Duncan, but that theirblood types didn’t match.

Khoi said Pham’s motherassured him the nurse wascomfortable and “doing well,”and that the two women hadbeen able to talk via Skype.

Pham had been monitoringher own temperature and wentto the hospital Friday night witha low fever. She was in isolationand in stable condition, healthofficials said.

Since she tested positive forthe disease, public-healthauthorities have intensified theirmonitoring of other hospitalworkers who cared for Duncan.

Centers for Disease Controland Prevention Director TomFrieden said he would not besurprised if more fall ill becauseEbola patients become morecontagious as the diseaseprogresses.

Pham’s name appearsfrequently throughout thehundreds of pages of medicalrecords provided to TheAssociated Press by Duncan’sfamily. They show she was inhis room Oct. 7, the day beforehe died.

Her notes describe nursesgoing in and out of Duncan’sroom wearing protective gear totreat him and to mop the floorwith bleach.

She also notes how she andother nurses ensured Duncan’s“privacy and comfort,” andprovided “emotional support.”

Frieden has said a breach ofprotocol led to the nurse’sinfection, but officials are notsure what went wrong. Phamhas not been able to point toany specific breach.

The CDC is monitoring allhospital workers who treatedDuncan and planned to “doubledown” on training and outreachon how to safely treat Ebolapatients, Frieden said. He couldnot provide a number of healthcare workers under surveillance.

Health officials have relied ona “self-monitoring” system

when it comes to U.S. healthcare workers who care forisolated Ebola patients. Theyexpect workers to report anypotential exposures to the virusand watch themselves forsymptoms.

Besides the workers, healthofficials continue to track 48people who were in contact withDuncan before he was admittedto the hospital and placed inisolation. They are monitoringone person the nurse was incontact with while she was inan infectious state.

•World Health Organisation providing treatment to the affected Ebola victims in Liberia.

14 OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 16, 2014NEWS

The People’s Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, wouldbe inaugurated on Thursday November 27, 2014 for his second term.

There is no denying the fact that Ogbeni Aregbesola has warmed himself into thehearts of the people of the State of Osun with his massive developmental projects.

His impact has been felt in all the nooks and crannies in the state while he hastouched every aspect of our lives in the State of the Virtuous.

What else could we do as individuals or corporate bodies on this auspiciousoccasion if not to identify with him by congratulating him.

Your popular soar away grassroots tabloid, OSUN DEFENDER Newspaper,is doing a supplement to congratulate the workaholic governor of our time incommemoration of the inauguration. Individuals, corporate bodies, institutions,and well-wishers can avail themselves with our low advert rate below:

ADVERT RATEFull Page Colour - N150,000Full Page Black & White - N120,000Half Page Colour - N80,000Half Page Black & White - N70,000Quarter Page Colour - N50,000Quarter Page Black & White - N40,000

Any of these phone lines can be contacted: 08033927286, 08033880205,08061197897 and 08023191891.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s Inauguration

If you were harassed, arrested, detained,assaulted by any suspected agents of thePeoples Democratic Party (PDP) whetherin uniform or mufti, during the August 9,2014 governorship election in the State ofOsun, visit our office, opposite GuaranteeTrust Bank, Ogo-Oluwa, Osogbo, or calleither of these phone numbers –08033927286 and 08033880205.We are interested in your plight by

recording it for history.- Management

August 9, 2014 GovernorshipElection Victims

Voting Jonathan, PDP In 2015 ‘ll BeSuicidal - House Of Reps Aspirant

VOTING for President Goodluck Jonathanand the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)for another four-year term has been

described as a suicide mission for Nigerians whowant development for the country.

A Federal House of Representatives aspirantfor Ifelodun/Boripe/Odo-Otin FederalConstituency, in the State of Osun, Mr AdelaniBaderinwa, stated this in an interview with ourreporter in Osogbo, on Tuesday.

Baderinwa, a media aide to the first InterimNational Chairman of the All ProgressivesCongress (APC), said: “It is not possible forNigerians to take the suicide option of votingPDP again, because returning the PDP will furtherspell doom for the country.”

According to Baderinwa, the 16 years ofPDP’s rule at the federal level would forever remaina black spot, like the military regime, in the historyof the country.

The former Sketch reporter stated further:“There won’t be any justification for hatred, or ifyou like, resentment if PDP-led democraticgovernment of 16 years has done what is right. Infact, nobody will have the gut to talk negativelyabout them.

“But because they have failed Nigerians in sucha glaringly painful manner and that they do notfeel any qualms about, it is enough to tell Nigeriansthe truth, the way things are. Nigerians live inpoverty, want and lack. They do not have accessto basic infrastructures with which to livecomfortably.”

Baderinwa lashed out at TransformationAmbassadors of Nigeria (TAN) and otherorganisations campaigning for the re-election ofPresident Jonathan, describing them as projectorsof falsehood and bad governance.

He lamented what he described as lackadaisicalattitude of the President to national issues,particularly on security and economy.

“The legislature, which is supposed to regulatethings dispassionately and provides the checksand balances, seems to be more interested in theprotection of fast sinking PD, using the PDPfraudulently-acquired majority.

“The impunity in the country, courtesy ofPDP’s antics, has taken greater dimension withthe current ethnically biased president.

“The political sphere is now dominated byclass of those who have sufficient brawn to beat

up high court judges and cause disruption of courtproceedings in the supposedly hallowed andsacred court chambers. Do you think anybody istaking Nigeria seriously again?

“The culture of impunity and brigandage ofthe PDP have brought what an average Nigerianwill describe as executive lawlessness. The PDPhas institutionalised corruption, favouritism andnepotism in the country. These and many otherthings make the people to demand for change ofgovernment at the centre.

“They want people that are disciplined; theywant a party that will stabilise the economy ofthe country and redeem her lost glory. I want tobe part of the change and that is why I am aspiringfor the membership of the Federal House ofRepresentatives, to enhance good governance.”

“Aside this treachery, the President had ratherconcentrated on getting a second term mandatethan working out good governance. He hassucceeded in achieving far below expectations andit is certain Nigerians are not going to forgive himfor that.

President Jonathan’s inability to address thecurrent insecurity in Nigeria will deny him not afew votes. For about six months now, thepresident and his men are yet to retrieve over 200girls taken away from Chibok.

“Rather, the President’s people like DoyinOkupe are mocking the struggle for the return ofthe Chibok girl by erecting #BringBackJonathanbillboard in Abuja, a mockery symbol for#BringBackOurGirls.”

Baderinwa, a Senior Special Assistant toGovernor Rauf Aregbesola, expressed hisoptimism that the All Progressives Congress(APC) would win the 2015 presidential election,and set up a purposeful and people-centredFederal Government.

“It is clear that PDP will fall like a pack ofcards in the 2015 elections and be shown the wayout like its predecessors, who took Nigerians forgranted. It is clear that Jonathan will lose thepresidential election and PDP will be thrown outof Aso Rock, in God’s name and with thedetermination of Nigerians.

“It is certain the main opposition party, myparty, APC, will win the 2015 electionsWhosoever that APC picked as the presidentialcandidate on December 2 is the next President ofNigeria. Be rest assured that thereafter, Nigeriawill find its rhythm and move on the path ofgrowth and development. Nigerians are tired ofPDP,” he said.

By ISMAEEL UTHMAN

- Management

15 OSUN DEFENDER Thursday, October 16, 2014 PHOTOTALK

•An ongoing road construction at Osogbo/Ila-Odo road in Dagbolu.

•An ongoing road at Dagbolu in Olorunda Local Government Council Area of the State of Osun.

An Ongoing Road Construction Project In Osogbo Under The Administration OfThe State Of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, As Captured By OurCameraman, GBENGA ADENIYI, Recently.

•A completed road project along Osogbo/Ila-Odo road at Ota-Efun area of Osogbo.

•An ongoing bypass along Testing-Ground area of Osogbo.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014

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

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.

By ADE OLUGBOTEMIWE must appreciate

God for ouruniqueness that

distinguishes us from thewhole lot. The white mancame and found us so; thatis why they marginalized usand gave undue preferenceto the Northern and Easternparts of the country, so thatall political alliances thathave ever been, got consummatedbetween the duo. The West wasalways made to go it alone, so that theconspiracy-engendered marginalizationwould be easily hatched to makeinefficiency-laced administrationsubsist. Incidentally, the West hasalways constituted the stabilizingfactor because there are certaininternal mechanisms that restorenormalcy. Nobody is thus left in thedark that whatever would become ofan entity called Nigeria is predicatedon what the Western part of Nigeria isable to fashion.

Leaders from other parts of thecountry have always instigated internalwranglings by trying to put our politicalleaders on collision course. Peoplegenerally get confused at times, butwhen it appears as if we areapproaching the breaking point,solutions that are beyond humanknowledge will suddenly unfold, andwe quickly put the ugly situationbehind us. We can imagine the numberof times we have been pestered to getfrustrated, but without successbecause of our resilience. This hasalways been the saving grace; and thisis what others draw from to alsomuster strength for their survival. Thatis why people always draw theconclusion that the West holds the keyto the continued survival of thecountry.

Another miracle took place thepenultimate Saturday, when anelection, that was earlier speculated tobring with it serious upheaval,suddenly went peacefully: anotherhand of God at work! Theconsternation was understandable, asno other election in the history ofNigeria’s nationhood had attracted somany security Personnel to a Stateprior to any elections. That is why wefeel the historians need to toil on theirarea of specialization and find outwhether it has ever happened in anynation of the world, so that ours willform part of the contents in theGuinness Book of Records. The siegewas surely unprecedented; so muchthat people felt heaven was going tofall on the State of Osun, as it isknown today.

Residents were inundated with callsprior to, during, and after the electionthat sent jitters down the spines ofmost people in the state. The onlypeople that were spared the trouble ofthe unusual heavy presence ofsecurity personnel were the partyfaithful of the Peoples Democratic

Party’s (PDP) extraction, whoperadventure had the premonition ofwhat has generally been consideredalien in our political evolution. Whilethe majority were treading withcaution, PDP members were visiblyunperturbed because the mastermindsof that ugly scenario were JeliliAdesiyan, the Minister of PoliceAffairs and Musiliu Obanikoro, theMinister of State for Defence, whoearlier threatened to reclaim Osun byall means.

One thing I have noticed over theyears is that our kinsmen have alwaysbeen instruments in the hands of ouradversaries. They used some of uswhen they wanted to demystify thelate Obafemi Awolowo, even to theend that he only became the bestpresident Nigeria never had. Theyused some of us against the lateM.K.O. Abiola, and Nigeria has neverremained the same again after he wasdenied the privilege of using themandate that was overwhelmingly

given at the polls. They are now alsomaking use of some of us to disruptthe peace that has become entrenchedin the State of Osun, so that thevisionary leadership at work, and allplans and programmes aimed atchanging the face of our environmentfor the better will be circumvented.What is sacrosanct however is thatbetrayal and rebellion are doorways tothe peril of their hatchers.

For a long time now, successiverulers have always paid lip-service todevelopment. This is the first time inthe last thirty years that concrete stepswould be taken to massively attend toinfrastructural problem that hashampered developmental prospect ofthe whole nation. This is currentlyhappening in all the South-West statesof Nigeria, and I think what everyright-thinking Nigerian must beinterested in is to rally support for allthose who are adding value togovernance across the South-Westgeo-political zone. That is the reason

behind the overwhelming supportthat people are according the AllProgressives Congress (APC)governors, irrespective of whathappened in the recently-concluded Ekiti gubernatorialelection.

Osun gubernatorial electionhas come and gone; and it has

been generally adjudged to be free,fair, and credible. Whatever is left ofits imperfection should be excused onthe altar of human infallibility. I am notsure some people can be satisfiedshould it be God that came down fromHis heavenly abode to conduct ourelection for us. Peoples DemocraticParty’s (PDP) candidate, IyiolaOmisore, preferred to take toAhithophel’s counsel to go to ElectionTribunal to challenge the Election; thehighest level of exhibiting desperation,one would say. I know the will andwishes of the majority will prevail.Omisore should however learn toaccept what betides, so as not to fightthe Creator that has given him thegrace of recognition to have emergeda candidate.

Osun people have now known thatOmisore is after something other thanthe mandate the people could give.The fact that it was jubilation galore allover the place would have prompted areflex action by which he wouldmanage to muster a congratulatorymessage to the victor. Probably, theman forgot that it will take some timefor the Federal Government to recoverfrom the excess spending spree thatgave him so many quanta of Osun’svotes. Omisore ought to haveconvinced his principal in Abuja torelease half the amount spent to bribevoters, so that voters would getconvinced through executed projectsof the need for more of federalpresence through Jonathan’s PDP.

The entire State of Osun wasreduced to fearsome military zone; justbecause PDP wanted to reclaim Osunby force. Our people must be praisedfor the uncommon courage theyexhibited while the occupation lasted.They showed the courage of truepatriots, who are resolute to see a newsociety evolving. The intimidations ofsecurity agents notwithstanding, theydefended their votes and ensured thatthe umpires released the resultsemanating from the various pollingunits. This is a great lesson for us allnot to get deterred by any intimidationsthat may come as ploy todisenfranchise people. Without anyintention to rig, people can now restassured that when God is behind us,no power, no principality can thrive.When God is for us, who can beagainst us?

•This piece, first published onTuesday August 26, 2014 edition, isrepeated due to popular demand.

-Editor

When God Is For Us …

•AREGBESOLA