FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10 - THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2023
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Osun S’Sch. Students May Undergo Psychological Tests Ismaeel Uthman
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ECONDARY school students in Osun State, especially those in Senior Secondary, might be subjected to psychological tests as part of measures to address moral decadence and standardize enrolment process that will bring about quality educa on. Worried by the level of indiscipline and bastardisa on of transi on of students in Junior Secondary to Senior Secondary, the Osun Educa on Summit commi ee has recommended state-wide psychological test for students in the state. According to the commi ee, there is high rate of moral decadence, such as lateness to school, improper dressing, cul sm, bea ng of teachers by some public school students in the state. The commi ee also iden fied irregulari es in the conduct of Osun State Examina on Board examina ons, recommending that placement of students from JSIII to SSI should not be exclusively on Basic Educa on Cer ficate Examina ons (BECE) results. In its report, the commi ee recommended that “All forms of examina ons that hinder smooth transi ons of students at basic levels should be abolished. “A er BECE examina ons, no entrance examina on should be conducted to SSI except in cases of special science schools. “Placement of students from JSIII (a er Basic Educa on Cer ficate Examina ons (BECE) examina ons) to SSI should not be exclusively on BECE results. “This should be complimented with results of psychological tests which can only be handled by trained Counselling Psychologists and Guidance Counsellors. “There is a need, therefore, to have a developed state-wide Psychological Tests for students’ placements to SSI in the state (Psychological Tests are not achievement Tests).” Speaking on the quality of teachers in the public schools, the commi ee bemoaned indiscipline on the part of the educa on instructors, just as it said it discovered that there exist an undue interference with the appointment, transfer and posting of the teachers. According to the commi ee, irregular attendance in class, absenteeism and disregard to cons tuted authori es
•OES Recommends Blacklisting of Students For Harassment Of Teachers amina on malprac ces. •Bemoans Indiscipline Among Education Instructors “The State House of
•A collapsing bridge seeking the urgent intervention of government at Akindeko Area, Alekuwodo, Osogbo Shola Aderinto. were prevalent among the teachers, saying such prac ce is needed to be addressed. “High level of indiscipline among teachers was found, e.g. absenteeism, irregular a endance in class, disregard for cons tuted authori es, etc. “All Nigeria Confedera on of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS) interferes with appointment, transfer and pos ng of teachers. Rural schools suffer from lack of infrastructure and inadequate number of teachers. Seniority list has been je soned in the promo on of teachers. “There is undue interference by poli cians with the running of schools, especially in recruitment, pos ng, transfer, and discipline of teachers. “Teachers should be promoted or given duty posts on the basis of seniority list. To this end, seniority list should be compiled and used by Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM). “Conduct of promoon examina ons should be returned to individual schools to restore the dignity of teachers. “Special allowance should be granted to teachers who teach in rural areas to mo vate them. Teachers in rural areas should be given motorcycle loans to enable them reach schools not accessible to cars and buses”, said the committee. To restore discipline among the students, the commi ee recommends that any student who harassed teacher should be
expelled and black listed in the state. According to the commi ee, “Any student who harasses teachers should be expelled from school and not be admi ed in any school in the state.”
The commi ee also encourages the government to give freedom to principal and teachers to discipline students, just as it recommends restora on of moral instrucon in school assembly.
It said: “Principals and teachers should be given freedom to ins ll discipline in students. Advocacy, training, workshops should be organised for teachers and students to discourage them from ex-
Why Traditional Rulers Suffer Public Humiliation - Elebuibon cians. The Ifa priest said: “Tradi onal rulers
Yusuf Oketola renowned Ifa priest, Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon, has iden fied tradi onal rulers’ rela onship with poli cians as a major factor contribu ng to the rising disrespect and embarrassment of tradi onal stools and their occupants. Elebuibon noted that the respect and pres ge that tradi onal ins tuon commands were waning because of the a tudes of some monarchs which are a clear departure from those of their ancestors.
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•Elebuibon
According to him, one of the unacceptable ac ons of most present kings in Nigeria which have been contribu ng in undermining their authority and power is their par san poli cs. Elebuibon, in an interview with newsmen recently stressed that any tradi onal ruler who engages in par san poli cs has brought his throne to disrepute and mockery, adding that many monarchs have been experiencing public ridicule and humilia on because of their rela onships with poli -
should not be involved in poli cs, it will embarrass them and make their stool a mockery. By their virtue as kings, they are ancestral poli cians and joining modern poli cians to play poli cs is beli ling their status.” Elebuibon warned those aspiring to be tradi onal rulers and would not toll tradional paths and rites in ascending the throne to have a re-think, saying the sanc ty and sacredness of thrones needed to be preserved. “Monarchs who know they won’t promote culture and tradion should denounce the throne and return to their religion. “In becoming king, there is nothing like ‘I am a Chris an or Muslim, and so rites are not needed.’ Those who nurse such mentality should forget about the throne and cling to their religion. An Oba must be ready to be a chore tradi onalist and he can now par cipate in other religions he wishes,” he stated.
Assembly should enact a law that would give legal backing to discipline in schools in Osun State. “Moral instruc ons should be restored into school assembly to mi gate moral decadence in schools. “Restora on of school counselling unit in all public/private schools. This will reduce bad behaviour among students. It would also help to improve academic performance. The use of media is very key, to talk to parents and the society at large.” Speaking on the available classrooms in public schools, the commi ee said it discovered that many of the facili es in Mega Schools built by the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s administra on were underu lised. According to the commi ee, there was also inadequate logis cs to facilitate effec ve inspecon of schools by local inspectors and zonal inspectors. The commi ee states in its report: “Facili es (classrooms) are grossly underu lized in mega schools (for example, Akinorun Grammar school, Ikirun has 72 classes, only 18 are been used. Ila Grammar school, IlaOrangun has 45 classes only 12 are used. Iwo Mega School not in use at all and it is s ll under lock and key). “Many schools are insecure because there are no perimeter fences. This gives way to hoodlums and miscreants to vandalise and steal school property. “There are no security personnel in most schools to ensure security of lives and property. “There was inadequate logis cs to facilitate effec ve inspec on of schools by LIEs/ZIEs.” The commi ee also recommends that both the local and zonal inspectors should be made to conduct their inspectorate func ons in schools without any hindrance from the principals. According to the commi ee, there is also the need to have an independent school monitoring group that would monitor teaching/learning ac vi es in schools. It encourages the government to enlist the service of academics from facul es of educa on in universi es for objec ve and effecve school monitoring.
PEOPLE FIRST
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10 - THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2023
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FTER a botched priva sa on, the nightmare of the electricity distribu on sector is not about to go away in a hurry. Far from it! It has put the government in a poli cally difficult posi on. Ci zens are s ll reeling from the loss of purchasing power caused by the ‘elimina on of fuel subsidies” and the devalua on of the Naira in an a empt to merge the different foreign exchange rates. An increase in electricity tariffs now will be poten ally socially disrup ve and it will threaten the survival of the already comatose manufacturing sector. Very sensibly, President Tinubu and the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, are very much against any increase in the electricity tariff. The poli cal fallout will be awful. The choices are stark and the poli cal will to take the perhaps draconian decisions are not evident. In other countries, brutal decisions were taken in the same sector to ensure the compe veness of the country. Often cited is Australia where a er a disastrous priva zaon, the electricity sector
The Issue Of Cost-Reflective Tariffs was brought back into the public sector for eighteen years. Such a process is not going to happen here. A large part of the problem is with the tardiness of the regulator. The inep tude of the regulator is a reflec on of “State Capture” described as the subordinaon of the ins tu ons of the state to private interests and oligarchs. This is a “paddypaddy” arrangement detrimental to the interest of the consumer; it also s fles innova on and efficiency. It is telling that a er a decade, the issue of metering is s ll problema c. Local meter manufacturing companies should have had a field day supplying meters to underserved consumers, the opposite is the case. Amidst
“The ineptitude of the regulator is a reflection of “State Capture” described as the subordination of the institutions of the state to private interests and oligarchs. This is a “paddy-paddy” arrangement detrimental to the interest of the consumer; it also stifles innovation and efficiency” the contradic on, there is a hue and cry about revenue shor alls. What else were they expec ng? The government should now cons tute regulators who know what to do in
terms of protec ng the interest of the consumer as well as ensuring efficiency in the business process. The two are interwoven. The telecoms have shown that innova on, savvy business acumen can be rhymed harmoniously with the interests of the consumer. This is the way to go. In the long-term, the stated inten on to diversify the energy mix must be carried out expedi ously. And not just with the integra on of gas as a key ingredient in the energy mix. Alterna ve sources must be explored. For example, since the raw materials are available locally, Nigeria must become a Solar Panel manufacturing center for the whole of Africa and the middle - east, we have the compe ve advantage. There is a vast internal market and foreign exchange to be earned from export as well as the crea on of highquality sustainable jobs. With our shoreline stretching thousands of kilometers, we must also exploit wind energy. The possibili es are immense and en cing. Nigeria must turn adversity into opportunity. There is no be er way to start than the electricity sector.
The Discourse Reconnecting To The Global Radar \Eric Teniola
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OR a na on to achieve concrete foreign policy objec ves, two key actors are required, an ac ve President and an ac ve foreign Minister. Of course a buoyant economy will also be required. We had all these in the past. Suddenly, we got lost on the global radar. All these, could be traced to our internal problems or maybe our poor economy. We have to think now whether to become part of the world and make our presence felt or we withdraw from the world and let the world move on without us. Sadly in the past few years, we have not been lucky in terms of leadership. We have had outstanding foreign Ministers in the past that helped us achieve concrete foreign objec ves and they made us proud. As stated earlier, an ac ve President and an ac ve Foreign Minister will be required to design and implement outstanding foreign policy objec ves. I don’t know what President Bola Tinubu hope to achieve in foreign affairs. Most people believe he will be pro-west because of his background, notwithstanding that his Vice President, Kashim She ma(57) and his foreign Minister, Alhaji Tugger are both Muslims.
“He never embraced socialist policies or be allowed to be called Comrade or aluta continua which were popular clichés during that period. In Ibadan then he was just a GOOD FELLOW struggling to survive like everyone” In the early 70s while we were in Ibadan with the likes of Oladunnin Ayandepo, Joe Abiola alias atuma, Tayo Kehinde, Soji Alakuro, Folu Olami , Toye Akiyode alias agusko, Sanya Ogunlana alias SOSOELE and others, he never embraced socialist policies or be allowed to be called Comrade or aluta con nua which were popular clichés during that period. In Ibadan then he was just a GOOD FELLOW struggling to survive like everyone. Tinubu le Ibadan for Chicago, United States of America to study. Among his classmates at that me in Chicago was Chief Kunle Adedayo (75) alias BABA YUNGBAYUNGBA, from Ila Orangun in Osun state, now the Chairman of Tastee Fried Chicken in Lagos. When President Tinubu returned to Nigeria, he was employed at Mobil Oil Nigeria Plc, Bookshop House, 50/52, Broad Street, Lagos. During his NADECO years in exile,
he was in London, seeing almost on daily basis, that polished urban gentleman, Dapo Durosinmi E OMO EKO PATAKI. He is not radical. He is not fana cal. He is not revolu onary. Even if he wants to be now, age is not on his side. He is not likely to be an -WEST like Hugo Chavez of Venezuela (28 July 1954- 5 March 2013) or Colonel Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi (7 June 1942 – 20 October 2011) of Libya or Salvador Allende (26 June 1908- 11
September 1973) of Chile. Since he became President on May 29 this year, we have seen his hand in Niger Republic, following the coup in Publisher – Moremi Publishing that country on 26 July as House Ltd. the Chairman of ECOWAS, Deputy Editor – Ismaeel Uthman which is a rota onal posiProduc on Editor – Petkola Taiwo Ibitowa on. We are yet to see more Reporter – Yusuf Oketola of him in foreign affairs. As Reporter – Kazeem Badmus for his foreign Minister, YuPhoto Journalist – Shola Aderinto suf Maitama Tuggar (56), we Computer Graphics – Zainab Olalere read his mely statement at OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing the beginning of the IsraeliHamas war, calling for the House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), Gbogan Road Osogbo, de-escala on of the war. State of Osun In August 2017, he was apISSN : 0794-8050 pointed Nigerian AmbasTelephone : 0809-301-9152 sador to Germany by PresiWebsite : www.osundefender.com/index.php dent Muhammadu Buhari. e-mail : osundefender@yahoo.com •Eric Teniola, a former osundefenderbank@gmail.com director at the Presidency, All correspondence to the above email addresses. wrote from Lagos.
OSUN DEFENDER
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10 - THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2023
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Brain Drain: Osun Monarch Goes Back To Class, Teaches Mathematics Kazeem Badmus HE Akire of Ikire Ile, Oba AbdulAzeez Adebamiji, has begun to teach at The Wings School, Iwo, Osun State. Adebamiji, started teaching the SS2 and SS3 students of the school mathema cs on Sunday, November 5, 2023. The class would be holding during the weekend, it was gathered. According to the monarch, he resolved to go back to the classroom to mi gate the brain drain in the teaching profession. Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER, the monarch noted that Nigeria has a good educa on policy but lacks implementaon. “The country has good policies in its educa on sector but the issue is implementa on. I’m taking these students for the next few weeks to serve as mo va on and also fill the gap. “I will appeal that the
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yearly budget both at the Federal and State level should allocate more money to the educa on sector”, he stated. In his remarks, a former Na onal Commissioner of the Inde-
pendent Na onal Electoral Commission, Prof. Lai Olurode, called on tradi onal rulers to use their area of exper se to assist in filling the brain drain gap in Nigeria. Olurode, who is the
proprietor of the school, stated this just as he urged the governments to mo vate workers in the teaching profession for the na on to develop. The professor of po-
li cal science noted that the brain drain in the teaching profession was because people were no longer interested in going to the classroom, adding that teachers were not being treated fairly. Olurode said tradional rulers should also look at how they can use their professional skills to assist the country. According to Olurode, “I want to appeal to our royal fathers that apart from being the custodian of culture and promoter of peace, they should also help in whatever way they can to fill the brain drain gap in our society. “What our monarch has done today by teaching the students is commendable and a source of mo va on to the students. If other monarchs can help in their field
also, things will be much be er. “A monarch who is a medical doctor by profession can help in the hospitals and such a gesture will go a long way. “There is a massive shortage of teachers across board because teaching is the only job that nobody wants to do and the reason is straigh orward. When you see a typical teacher, what comes to your mind is poverty and someone who doesn’t have anything good to do. “It is not about recruitment but mo vaon. If the government says today that for every teacher that decides to stay in the rural area, such teacher will get a car, housing loan, allowances and the likes, you will see people willing to stay.”
Osun Govt Nullifies Appointment Of Newly 2024: Adeleke Presents N273.9bn Budget, Recruited Health Workers Focuses On Rebuilding “Battered State”
Yusuf Oketola OVERNOR Ademola Adeleke yesterday presented a budget of N273.9bn to Osun State House of Assembly for the 2024 fiscal year. Christened “Budget of Reconstruc on and Recovery”, the es ma on is N136bn higher than the 2023 budget which was N138bn in size. The 2023 budget is made of N165,654,976,700:00 for recurrent expenditure and N108,254,020,710:00 for capital expenditure. Adeleke explained that the 2024 budget was tagged “Budget of Reconstruc on and Recovery”, saying it reflected his administraon’s focus in rebuilding the ba ered state he inherited from former governor Adegboyega Oyetola. Adeleke said the budget is a sign that his administraon is targe ng recovery a er a successful revamping of all sectors of Osun society. He noted: “I am highly delighted to present to you and honourable members of the Assembly, the 2024 dra Budget tagged “Budget Of Reconstruc on And Recovery” in the sum of N273,908,997,410.00. “This figure is made up of recurrent expenditure of N165,654,976,700.00 and capital expenditure of N108,254,020,710.00. “The tag for this budget reflects our current focus of rebuilding the ba ered state
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•Oba Adebamiji with the students
we inherited. It is a sign we are targe ng recovery a er successful revamping of all sectors of Osun society. I assure honourable members that the execu ve arm has the will and the determina on to ensure achievements of budgetary goals once this proposal is passed into Appropria on Act. “Today, I am reassured of our collec ve partnership for a new Osun of our dream. You have in me a Governor with firm belief in execu ve-legisla ve collabora on for development.”
More Fund A compara ve analysis of the last budget presented by former governor Adegboyega Oyetola and the one delivered yesterday by Governor Ademola Adeleke confirmed that the devalua on of the naira had led to increased funding for the state government. In comparison with the capital budget of N39bn presented by Oyetola for the 2023 fiscal year, Adeleke announced N108bn as capital expenditure. Even with increase in costs, this
should be a massive s mulus for the development of the state if judiciously u lize. The N108bn capital budget is expected to be a bedrock of Governor Adeleke’s N100bn infrastructure project. What we are perceiving here is a classic economic s mulus from Gov Adeleke which should have a sanitary effect on employment genera on, increased Internally Generated Revenue as well as s mula on the social sectors.
Yusuf Oketola HE appointments of newly recruited health workers at Osun State University Teaching Hospital (UNIOSUNTH), Osogbo, have been nullified by the state government. OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the affected health workers who were given appointment le ers two weeks ago were asked to go home on Monday. The management of the hospital, in a memo signed by the Director of Administra on, Dr.
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Osun Community Seeks Adeleke’s Intervention Over Imposition Of Monarch Kazeem Badmus ESIDENTS of Alajue, a community in Ede, Osun State, have appealed to
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the state government to come to their aid over the alleged plans by some people to impose someone on them as
their king. The residents made the call while protes ng against the ac on at the front of the state secretariat, Abere, on Tuesday. They noted that imp o s i n g someone on the town might lead to chaos, calling on the state g o v e r n o r, Ademola Adeleke, to wade in and avert crisis in the community. The protesters said they did not want a nonindigene as their king.
In a video obtained by OSUN DEFENDER, the protesters who spoke in Yoruba language, maintained that they do not want someone who does not have a stake in the community as their monarch. The protesters said: “We are appealing to the state government and our royal father not to impose someone on us. This is about Alajue’s community and not Alajue’s compound. “For peace to con nue in the town, we don’t want someone who is not a stakeholder in our community as our king. We are appealing to our royal father to do the needful. “We are also begging the state government and our governor to cancel any process that might have taken place on the kingship issue before.”
O.A Owolade, no fied the newly recruited workers that their employment has been nullified by the state government. The memo which was sighted by this medium on Wednesday reads: “This is to inform the newly recruited staff to the outreach centers that the recruitment exercise earlier conducted had been nullified in accordance with the Osun State Government direc ves. This no ficaon supersedes the earlier memorandum released. Thank you.” The reasons behind the sudden turnaround by the state government remained unknown. Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER, one of the affected workers who do not want his name in print said they were asked to go home on October 19, 2023 with the excuse that the appointment exceeded the number of employees required. “He said: “The workers recruited are over 100. We resumed early October 2023 but before we received our salary for the month, we were asked to go home on October 19, 2023. “We are s ll hoping they would call us back. The informa on we heard was that they recruited more than they needed.”
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10 - THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2023
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Inside Osun Community Where Students Crawl Through Debris To Access School Buildings Kazeem Badmus NE of the responsibili es of governments is the provision of quality educa on for its citizens which will equip them with needed skills to become produc ve members of the society. Educa on is important in the development of children and a complete human being; more reason parents and government must strive to make adequate provision for affordable quality and func onal educa on. One of the areas of ensuring quality educa on is the provision of facili es, most especially buildings and access roads to school. However, some students in Osun are finding it risky and difficult to access their schools, a challenge that needs to be addressed by the state government. Some students of Ilobu Secondary Commercial Grammar School, Ansar-UdDeen Grammar School and AUD Primary School in Ilobu, headquarters of Irepodun local government daily risk their lives to go to school and return to their various home every school day. The students had been moving freely from their houses to their schools to access educa on un l recently when the bridges linking their schools with the community caved in. The two connec ng bridges to the schools have collapsed and needed urgent a enon in order to avert an imminent disaster
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•Students of Ilobu Secondary Commercial Grammar School crawling on the collapsed bridge
in the town. OSUN DEFENDER visited the two collapsed bridges on Wednesday and the sight was an eyesore.
Students Crawl To Access School
During the visit, some students of Ilobu Secondary Commercial Grammar School were seen crawling through debris on their way home a er school hours. The medium also learnt that students who had to pass through the collapsed bridges were always trapped in their school premises whenever it rains, as they have to allow the water level to go down before passing the place. According to some teachers, parents have been withdrawing their children from the schools on the ground that the situa on
posed threats to their safety. One of the teachers said: “Some parents have already withdrawn their children from the school because of the collapsed bridge. You know we are dealing with children and it is risky for them. “We teachers are not finding it easy too but we don’t have a choice. We have to perform our responsibility. I hope the government will do something about the situa on in no distant me.” Speaking on the two connec ng bridges, the President of Ilobu-Asake Department Union, Pastor Olufemi Salako, urged Governor Ademola Adeleke, as well as the office of the Ecological Fund to come to the aid of the community.
Salako said thousands of residents have been cut off as a result of the collapsed bridges. He said: “With the bridge linking adjoining communi es to Ilobu Grammar School and others in the town caved-in, it is difficult for students and teachers to access the school unless they walk through the river and debris. “We cried over a then collapsing, and now collapsed Laaro Bridge during our celebra on last year. Unfortunately, no acon has been taken despite our efforts. As we speak, tens of thousands of our people have been cut off, following the collapse of the bridge. “Another challenge is that students of Ilobu Secondary Commercial Grammar School, Ansar-UdDeen Grammar School and AUD Primary School now crawl over debris and wade through flowing rivers daily to assess their school buildings as both the connec ng bridges have now also collapsed. “This makes learning not only difficult but ordinary commu ng to school treacherous for these young students and their teachers.” Speaking with OSUN DE-
FENDER, the Senior Prefect of the Ilobu Secondary Commercial Grammar School, Habeebulah Olaniyan, said the situa on was worrisome and created fear amongst the students especially when it rains. According to him, some parents have withdrawn their children from the school due to the situa on, appealing to the state government to assist them urgently. “Since the bridge collapsed, we have been having difficulty in accessing our school building. We always crawl through debris when going and coming from school.
“It gets more difficult during the rainy period as we have to stay in school and allow the flowing water to subside before we go home. “I want to appeal to the state government on behalf of the en re students of the school to come to our aid. We need urgent a en on on our collapsed bridges.” A resident of the community, Ademola Agboola, while speaking with the medium said the collapsed bridges have cut them off from the town. Agboola noted that the first bridge collapsed last year while the other one caved in this year, leaving the residents disconnected. He stated: “If you come here when it’s raining, you will pity us. We are suffering in this area due to the collapse bridges and our appeal to the government has fallen on deaf ears. “We have been disconnected from the other communies and those of us using car can no longer bring it home. We have to park our cars on the main road and trek to our houses. “I want to use this medium to appeal to the state government again. Our listening governor should come to our aid. The students and residents of this area need help.”
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10 - THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2023
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Owoeye: How Avaricious Led Herbalist, Community Leaders To Prison In Osun Yusuf Oketola
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E S P E R A TION for wealth and material gains has led five persons, including an herbalist, two community leaders and a prince, to the Nigeria Correc onal Centre, Ile-Ife, Osun State, where they would spent five years respec vely. Jus ce Emmanuel Ayoola of a Federal High Court, Osogbo, had on Tuesday convicted and sentenced an herbalist, Kazeem Agbabiaka, and Femi Oyebode, Abdul-Rasheed Ojonla, Babatunde Oluajo, Adebiyi Kehinde, and Ismaila Azeez, for defrauding and blackmailing former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Timothy Owoeye. Members of their families broke down in tears as the judge sentenced the convicts to five years imprisonment each. The convicts be-
tween July and September 2018 defrauded Owoeye of
the sum of N38m and maliciously released a nude vid-
•Owoeye
eo of the poli cian while allegedly having a ‘ritual bath’ in public. In the video, Owoye, who represented Ilesa East Cons tuency at the State Assembly, was seen being accosted by a group of individuals. The individuals alleged Owoeye of involving in a ritual bath in a market square, which they claimed was meant to ensure his success in the 2019 House of Assembly elecon and to emerge as the Speaker of the house, having returned for the fourth me.
Agbabiaka, the herbalist, Oyebode (community leader), Ojonla (community leader) and Babatunde (Prince) were convicted of conspiracy and advance-free fraud while Adebiyi was convicted of cybercrime. Jus ce Ayoola established that the convicts swindled the ex-speaker of N38m and also posted his nude video on the internet which caused him (Owoeye) to ridicule. In their different confessional statements before the court, the con-
victs stated that Owoeye, before the 2019 elec on, promised to give them cars if he emerged but didn’t fulfil his promise a er resuming office. They said they carried out the acon so as to extort money from him. In his submission before the court, the Deputy Director, Public Prosecuon, Moses Faremi, said a sum of N8m was recovered from the convicts. Faremi prayed the court that the remaining N30m be paid back to the defendant.
EFCC Arraigns 11 OAU Undergraduates For Alleged Internet Fraud Yusuf Oketola
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HE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned 11 students of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) before a Federal High Court, si ng in Osogbo, Osun State, for alleg-
PUBLIC NOTICE
edly involving in internet fraud. The suspects are Perekebena Olombeni Micah, Nnekwelugo Nnaemeka, Moyosore Favour Oluwasakin, Aghwaritoma Wisdom Obaro, Daniel Olashile Maiye, Gbolahan
Khalid Adesina, Yinka Temitope Jayeola, Olumuyiwa Emmanuel Adeleye, Abiola Emmanuel Oluwadare, Busari Abdulazeez Ayodeji and Okesipe Tobiloba Paul. The defendants were arraigned on different count charges as proferred against them by the EFCC. Nine of the defendants were arraigned on one -count charge each, while the remaining two: Micah and Obaro had six charges filed against each of them. According to the charge sheet, Micah did allegedly fraudulently impersonate the name – Pies through a WhatsApp account by claiming that he is an American female in love with his vic ms in the United States of America. Also, the fourth defendant, Obaro allegedly commi ed impersona on by presen ng himself as a white man by name Alex
Stephens from United States of America to one Megan Johnson, through his Google Chat and email address with intent to gain advantage for himself The offence, according to the EFCC, is contrary to Sec on 22 (2) (b) (i) and punishable under Sec on 22 (2) (b) of the Cyber Crimes (Prohibi on, Preven on etc.) Act, 2015. But the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges pressed against them. Consequently, prosecu on counsel, Oluwatoyin Owodunni, prayed the court for trial dates and the remand of the defendants at a Correc onal Centre. In response, defence counsels to Ayodeji, Adesina, Oluwasakin, Micah, Adeleye and Okesipe, informed the court of pending bail applica ons which had been filed for the accused persons and served on the prosecu on coun-
sel.
Adesina urged the court to admit the six defendants to bail in the most liberal terms. The presiding Judge, Jus ce Emmanuel Ayoola, admi ed Ayodeji, Adesina, Oluwasakin, Micah, Adeleye and Okesipe to bail. Ayodeji, Adesina, Oluwasakin, Adeleye and Okesipe were admi ed to bail in the sum of N2m each, while Micah was granted bail in the sum of N3m. Jus ce Ayoola adjourned the case to November 29 and December 12, 2023 for commencement of trial, just as he remanded the defendants at the Ilesa Correc onal Centre, pending the perfec on of their bail condi ons. The defendants were among the 69 suspected internet fraudsters arrested on Wednesday, November 01, 2023 at Oduduwa Estate area of Ile-Ife in Osun State by the EFCC.
Ilobu Day: IDU Conducts Free Medical Outreach, Empowers PWDs Kazeem Badmus
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S part of the acvi es to mark this year’s Ilobu Day, the Ilobu-Asake Development Union (IDU), on Tuesday, conducted a free medical outreach for over 500 residents of the community. The medical outreach held at the Ojutu Primary Health Centre, according to IDU Na onal President, Pastor Olufemi Salako, was part of the union’s way of giving back to society. “It may interest you to note that no fewer than 550 people, including over
50 surgical cases, benefitted from the maiden edion held last year. “This spurred us to bring it alive again this year for the benefit of all residents of Ilobu and its environ” he disclosed. Speaking on other ac vi es, the IDU President noted that the union also empowered 10 Persons With Disabili es in the community with cash to start-up businesses and also provided mobile equipment for two of them. He added: “What we are doing is a pilot scheme to draw a en on to their needs. Their needs cannot be met in a day but a lot of
people tend to forget that these people exist. “IDU is sponsoring the provision of mobile equipment for two of them and also, about 10 will be given capital to start their business. “This is to emphasise the present IDU leadership for inclusion and human capital development. It is an ac vity intended to be built upon and sustained all year long to bring to focus ci zens with special needs and PWDs.” The grand finale of Ilobu Day will be held tomorrow (Saturday) at St Paul’s Grammar School, Ilobu, according to Salako.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10 - THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2023
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Bills To Establish University Of Agric, College Of Fishery In Osun Pass 1st Reading Yusuf Oketola
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bill for an Act to establish a Federal University of Agriculture, Bode-Osi, Ola-
Oluwa local government area of Osun State, has passed the first reading at the House of Representa ves, on Tuesday.
The bill was sponsored by the member represen ng Ayedire/ Iwo/Ola-Oluwa Federal Cons tuency of Osun
State, Hon. Mudasiru Lukman. Speaking a er the reading of the bill at the plenary, Lukman ex-
•Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, Osun Branch, Adekunle Adedoye (center), and executives of the association in a group photograph with HOD, Dean’s, Lecturers and students of Estate Management of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, during the presentation of Textbooks on Wednesday
We Are Living In Debt, Family Breaking Apart Yusuf Oketola OME medical staff at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, Osun State, have chided the management of the hospital for allegedly subjec ng them to penury over 10 months unpaid salary. The employees who spoke with newsmen at different interviews on Wednesday, stressed that they have resorted to begging to feed their families due to the hardship the nonpayment of salaries has subjected them to. One of the heath workers who simply iden fied himself as Ben said he has become incapable of feeding his family because of the non-payment of his salary since he joined the service of OAUTHC on December 13, 2022. Ben said: “I was given an appointment le er on December 13, 2022, a er comple on of my medicals. I was posted to the place of my primary assignment. Since then, we have been in this sorry-case situaon, no salary was paid to me. I have rented an apartment, and do a lot of things with my savings with the hope of recovering it when they start paying me, but nothing came out of it.” Another employee, who do not want his name in print said: “Some of the reasons
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-OAUTH Workers Lament 10 Months Unpaid Salaries why our medical prac oners such as doctors, pharmacists, nurses, medical laboratory scien sts, physiotherapists, radiographers, etc are leaving the country is because the ones that are working in Nigeria are suffering. “Imagine a medical staff working in a Federal Government Teaching Hospital for over 10 months without being paid one kobo because we have not been captured by IPPIS due to one-or-two reasons best known to the ministry and the hospital management. “Many lives are already miserable, staff are living in debt, families are breaking, staff are not able to pay children’s school fees, some are depressed and how do you want that same staff to a end to a paent?” He added that all efforts to ensure that their pleas were a ended to proved abor ve, appealing to relevant authori es to come to their aid. “In the past, various health unions such as JOHESU have embarked on strike ac ons in solidarity with the newly employed staff to persuade the management to pay salaries but these steps have yielded no posi ve result because they are always forced or threatened back to
work by the Ministrzy of Health. “In September 2023, some officials of the Ministry of Health came to the hospital to carry out a verifica on exercise for the new staff. It is two months ago and ll this moment we have not heard from them. The staff are s ll working, suffering and smiling. “To well-meaning Nigerians and the cons tuted authories, please save the soul of the newly employed staff of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital,” he concluded. Reac ng to the development, the Chief Medical Director of OAUTHC, John Okeniyi, directed that all enquiries be sent to the Minister of Health, Muhammed Pate, while sta ng that he could not make an official comment on the ma er. “I am not able to grant you any interviews formally or otherwise at this me because the Minister of Health has waded into this ma er and I can only direct you to see his response to the issue on his Twi er (X) handle. I am awaiting direc ves from the FMoHSW,” he said. Meanwhile, Pate in a tweet on his verified X handle on October 13, noted that inves ga on into the ma er
has been completed and the issue would be resolved soonest. “We are addressing the OAUTH situa on. The inves ga on has just been completed on this unfortunate situa on. We understand the difficul es being faced by numerous innocent health workers and will do our best to resolve it equitably,” he tweeted.
PUBLICATION ODEKEMI VICTORIA OLUWADAMILOLA That I was formerly known and addressed as OLAWUNI VICTORIA OLUWADAMILOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as ODEKEMI VICTORIA OLUWADAMILOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note. OBASA MOROMOKE DASOLA That I was formerly known and addressed as AKANMU M O R O M O K E DASOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as OBASA MOROMOKE DASOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note. ADELEKE OYINDAMOLA ABIDEMI That I was formerly known and addressed as OLATUNJI OYINDAMOLA ABIDEMI BLESSING, now wish to be known and addressed as ADELEKE O Y I N D A M O L A ABIDEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.
plained that Ola-Oluwa local government is known as the “Food Basket” of Osun State. The lawmaker said as an agrarian community, a College of Agriculture was desirable in the area too to promote sound and prac cal agricultural training as a founda on for food security and naonal development. Consequently, the lawmaker has also pushed forward a bill seeking the establishment of the Federal College of Fishery and Aquaculture Studies in Oluponna, Ayedire local government. He stressed the need for knowledge acquision in the agricultural sector, no ng that Osun
is known for its agricultural exploits, hence the need for establishing the College of Fishery and Aquaculture. Lukman said his cons tuency has the largest land mass in Osun state, sta ng that establishing such ins tu ons will bring about good development in the country. The lawmaker stated that the two bills were very personal to him as they directly affect his people and Nigerians at large. The bills were voted on, passed for first reading, and referred to the Commi ee on Federal Colleges and Ins tu ons by the Speaker for further legisla ve ac on.
NDLEA Recovers 489.8kgs Processed Cannabis In Osun Yusuf Oketola
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HE Na onal Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Osun State Command, has discovered a 6.01 hectares of cannabis farm in Owena-Ijesa, Oriade local government area of the state. Briefing OSUN DEFENDER on the opera on, the Public Rela ons Officer of the command, Mr. Charles Odigie, said the planted cannabis weighed 489.8kg. Odigie said the farm which located at Obada Sawmill forest has been destroyed immediately it was discovered during a raid by the officers of the command. He added that 489.8kg of processed plant was recovered during the raid while a 37-year-old man,
Monday Sylvester, was arrested on the farm. Odigie stated: “On Saturday, November 4, 2023, the Osun NDLEA stormed the Obada sawmill forest in Owena-Ijesa, Oriade LGA where they arrested a suspect, Monday Sylvester, 37, on a 6.01 hectares of cannabis farm which was destroyed and 489.8kgs already processed plant recovered.” Reac ng to the development, the Osun Commander of the agency, Nnadi Chidi, said his officers would not leave any stone unturned in making the state free of drug. Chidi warned drug dealers in the state to either relocate or face the consequence of their ac ons whenever they are caught.
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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10 - THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2023 VOL. 18 NO 44 www.osundefender.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com
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HERE military strategy rules an environment, it is o en a fulcrum upon which a re an ambush is masterminded for a acks and it’s always the common language spoken by the military who are usually on offensive mission. Unlike a Hollywood or Nollywood movie where actors die in one episode and resurrect in another one drama cally, ambush is not such a parody cra ed as same bedfellow with riddles and jokes. But the last me I no ced the word: “ambush” stealing publicly into our sociopoli cal vocabulary was in 1998 when the media reported that top notchers of the Peoples Democra c Party, PDP, ambushed General Olusegun Obasanjo at his O a farm to present him presiden al cket to contest on a pla er of gold. Sensing that it would be an uphill task wooing the war general to pick interest in the 1999 presiden al race, and par cularly as the PDP was not disposed to exposing its joker and winning strategy for the race to poli cal opponents, the PDP chie ains paid unscheduled visit to Obasanjo’s farm and persuaded him to join the party and carry the party’s banner. Emerging from the mee ng with the party stalwarts, Chief Obasanjo described their unscheduled visit and mission to his farm as an ambush, even though it was devoid of a ack which is peculiar to such field operaon. This was exactly the nature of what similarly and pleasantly played out last week at Origbo Community High School, Ipetumodu, playground where Femi Adesina was ambushed. It all happened at the venue of this year’s annual Ipetumodu Day Celebra on which witnessed His Royal Majesty, the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, Oba (Professor) Joseph Olugbenga conferring on Femi Adesina, the coveted chie aincy tle of Oluomo of Ipetumodu (The Prima inter Pares) amid pomp and pageantry. It turned out to be double honour for him as the League of Veteran journalists, Osun State also decorated the former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity with the league’s Merit Award for his commitment to the pursuit of Excellence in Professional Journalism. That he was conferred with the Oluomo of Ipetumodu chie aincy tle on Ipetumodu Day was strategically driven to lure Adesina to a end the func on, as it is obligatory for illustrious sons and daughters of Ipetumodu to a end it, par cularly as this year’s annual anniversary was intended to raise N500m appeal fund for building of Apetumodu Ultra-modern palace. According to the master of ceremony for the Ipetumodu Day, Oba (Professor) Joseph Olugbenga Oloyede heard it on good authority that Femi Adesina was not given to accep ng honourary or chie aincy tles and may not a end the Ipetumodu day, if he had fore knowledge or any inkling of an Oluomo tle wai ng in the wing for him.
“To those who would call me a dreamer, I quote the words of Marti: “A true man does not seek the path where advantage lies, but rather the path where duty lies, and this is the only practical man whose dream of today will be the law of tomorrow, because he who has looked back on the upheaval of history and has seen civilisation going up in flames, crying out in bloody struggle, throughout the centuries, knows the future well-being of man, without exception, lies on the side of duty”
Inside Osun Community Where Students Crawl Through Debris To Access School Buildings Pg. 5
PERSPECTIVE BY OLALERE FAGBOLA
When Royal Father (Professor) Ambushed Buhari’s Ex-Special Adviser With the royal ins tu on adjudging him fit for the tle of the Oluomo of the ancient town, Oba (Professor) Oloyede and key members of the community kept their plan secret, even as it was strategically not listed on the programme of the Ipetumodu Day. Trust Veteran journalists who are experts in sniffing news and having penchant for scoops, they appeared to have caught wind of the plan to bestow honour on Adesina but could not confirm the nature of award by which Adesina was going to be decorated. Just at the beginning of the programme, the League was invited to present its award to Adesina and leading the team was the Chairman of the veterans, Prince Adesupo Atobatele who officially admi ed the former Spokesman of the Ex-President Muhammadu Buhari into the league as a honourary life member and presented him with a cerficate of Merit in recogni on of his laudable
STRIKER
achievements. With the stage set for the surprise package, Oba Olugbenga Oloyede recalled, with joy, how Femi Adesina had used his good offices to facilitate the choice of Ipetumodu as the loca on for ci ng and building of the mul million naira and Ultra-modern 80-bed mul -purpose hospital. He added pointedly that he was conferring the tle of Oluomo of Ipetumodu on Femi Adesina in recogni on of his many contribu ons to the development of the ancient town. It was thunderous ova on that rent the air amid booming of dane guns by tradi onal hunters who fired intermi ently to the sky, even as drummers and acroba c dancers celebrated Adesina, punctua ng the royal speech with applause. According to Apetumodu, the hospital which he described as “second to none” has been fully equipped and furnished with
Striker is not the opinion of the Columnist featured above
ABC Of Democracy
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modern health gadgets to serve not only the locality but its environs as well as passersby Ibadan-Ife Express Way and the state en rely. Oba Oloyede then appealed to the Osun State government to ensure commencement of opera on in the hospital. Among very important dignitaries who witnessed the occasion was the Yeyeluwa of Ede, Dr. (Mrs) Modupe Adeleke-Sanni who was the Mother of the Day. Barely few weeks to the me, Adesina bowed out of office honourably as the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari, he had begun to be vindicated. Judging from comments now referring to the patrio c way in which he handled his immediate cons tuency (the Press) with fairness, not s fling press freedom in any way, even in spite of all vitriolic a acks on his Principal, it is certain that history has begun to absolve him. In an open le er wri en to Bayo Onanuga by Richard Akinnola, he stated that it was remarkable that, Femi Adesina, as Special Adviser, Media and publicity to the President, did not pe on against any media throughout his tenure. Let the golden words of Fidel Castro, in his historic speech,”HISTORY WILL ABSOLVE ME” con nue to serve Chief Femi Adesina, the Olu-Omo of Ipetumodu. “To those who would call me a dreamer, I quote the words of Mar : “A true man does not seek the path where advantage lies, but rather the path where duty lies, and this is the only prac cal man whose dream of today will be the law of tomorrow, because he who has looked back on the upheaval of history and has seen civilisa on going up in flames, crying out in bloody struggle, throughout the centuries, knows the future well-being of man, without excep on, lies on the side of duty.”
NLIKE Marriage, which is believed to have a divine mandate, Democracy is not ordained by God, it is a human inven on. To purify democracy as a prac se, it is important to understand its basics and history. At its best form, the people (the majority), the rule of law, separa on of governmental powers and fundamental human rights reign supreme. At worst form, Democracy is what Fela of blessed memory described as “demonstra on of craze,” a masked dictatorship dispensing “sorrow, tears and blood,” amidst “suffering and smiling.” Humans invented and adopted democracy as a form of government, believing it noble, lo y and a salva on from other form of authoritarian government characterised by class privileges, social injus ces, exploita ons and oppressions. By pu ng powers to make poli cal, economic and social decisions in the hands of representa ves elected by the majority of the people, it is believed that all is fair and square and will therefore be well with the society. Fair and square, maybe; wellbeing is another thing en rely. Democracy began in Athens and was pracsed for at least 186 years between 508 and 322 BCE, while the act of vo ng itself was popularised by the Academy of Sciences a er the French Revolu on of 1770. Democracy, best defined by Abraham Lincoln as “government of the people, by the people, and for the people,” is clarified in contemporary poli cal literature as “majority rule.” However, the devil is in the details of who “the people” are. Even in Athens, at the beginning, not all
members of society are allowed to be part of decision making, slaves and non-Athenians par cularly, who stood to be affected by the decisions of the Assembly and the Council. Today, if democracy is to achieve its lo y objec ves and deliver its golden dividends, “the people” must define who they are and take ownership of the democra c process from start to finish, otherwise, it will con nue to be as of old – the decision of an elite band who consider themselves the true ci zens, in their own interests, as against those they consider “slaves” and non-ci zens, who are simply to be bamboozled with a packaged process that gives the majority the illusion of par cipa on. Right from Athens, down the ages, all the way to this 21st century, democracy only comes as close to democracy as much as “the majority” struggle to make it. Once the majority of ci zens are nonchalant, non-vigilant, and unwilling to struggle for their rights and the guarantee of their freedom, democracy will begin to move as far away from democracy as possible, while moving closer and closer to “demonstra on of craze,” as gangs of passionate autocrats and dictators take over under the guise of democracy to further their clique interests and privileges decepvely packaged as na onal interest. Recent example in America, which has a rich history of democra c struggles and corresponding ins tu ons, proves this! “Eternal vigilance (and struggles) is the price of liberty!” Therefore, knowing that democracy can be so corrupted and manipulated with mon-
ey, power, and by the exploita on of poverty, ignorance and religious/ethnic fault lines, it is not too late, despite the year of a decisive elec on that is upon us in Nigeria, for patrio c and well-meaning ci zens across all divisive lines to start asking the ques ons: who are “the people” in Nigeria? Are they the ones that wrote the Nigerian cons tu ons? Are the rulers of Nigeria aware that the cons tu on says we should be a Federal Republic? If it is far from being a Federal Republic today, why are they unconcerned? Since the electorate will be stranded with candidates churned out by poli cal par es, “the people” should then interrogate how poli cal par es are formed, how they operate and for what ideal and objec ve. Are they democra c in their internal dealings and opera ons? How credible and fool-proof is the electoral process so far and how could it be further purified? How jus fiable is the en re jus ce system and how is the third estate of the realm fairing? How in good standing are “the people” themselves, how clean are their hands to make a call for equity, fairness and jus ce? What are the corrup ng factors and influences and how can an organisa on of “the people” be arrived at whose hands and dealings are clean enough to call for equity by any means necessary? A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and the sooner begun the sooner done. While making the most of the present unpalatable situa on and the current elecon agenda, it is clear nothing different can be experienced in Nigeria’s current journey to nowhere unless we return to the root of the ma er by answering these kinds of ques ons and by rising to the responsibility that the facts and the truth impose on us.
OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Gbongan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun. All correspondence to the Deputy Editor, ISMAEEL UTHMAN, Telephone: 0809-301-9152. ISSN: 0794-8050. Website: www.osundefender.com Email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com, osundefender@yahoo.com