The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has described Africa as a continent of contradictions, richly endowed yet wallowing in abject poverty.
Aregbesola made this observation at the 6th Toyin Falola Annual International Conference (TOFAC) 2016 organised by the Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State on Monday.
 

 
The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Africanity’ which, according to the organisers, is about the distinct African identity and Africa’s contribution to humanity in face of the increasing marginalisation of the continent in global affairs.
Aregbesola said Africa presents itself as a mystery to Africans than non-Africans. He averred that the continental Africans are hardly conscious of their Africaness thereby taking their identity as Africans for granted.
He said Africans only showcase their African identity only outside Africa or in a situation of contact with other races. According to the Governor, the continent would remain underdeveloped unless it’s agriculture forms the fulcrum of its economy.
He noted that the continent must as a necessity graduate from being only source of raw materials to the West for it to be an economic power house among developed nations of the world.
He disclosed that the need to return to agriculture informed his administration’s pioneering of food revolution in the state so as for it (state) to feed it’s people.
“There are two conceptual Africas. The first is the Africa endowed with huge and humongous human and material resources. The second is the largely underdeveloped Africa with a history of slavery and colonialism, ravaged by wars, hunger, poverty and the leading global aid recipient.
“It is beyond disputation that Africa has some of the largest deposits of mineral resources in the world. Her leading lights like Professor Wole Soyinka, late Chinua Achebe, Ali Mazrui, Dudley, Ade-Ajayi, Tomori, Oluponna, Falola and others rank among the best in their fields. This is outside of legendary sportspersons that have done the continent proud.
“By the account of the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Africa led the global begging troupe with a total aid outflow to Africa in 2013 at $46 billion, only followed by Asia in a distant second with $25 billion.
“This is the burden that all Africans, especially the Diaspora, carry as they interact with the world. These negative indices are at the back of the mind of Europeans and other developed people when they meet or have dealings with black people. Regrettably, this was not the Africa of the past.
“What then has happened to Africa? How have we regressed? How have we become underdeveloped? The great task of our generation then is how to return Africa into its leadership position by harnessing its human and material endowments.
“Africa’s economy should be re-oriented away from its present Eurocentrism to Afrocentrism. We are not going to be an economic powerhouse if our agriculture consists mainly of producing the raw materials for others industrial production.
“I pioneered food revolution in Osun by encouraging farmers to plant food crops, in order to feed our people. Africa should do the same. Our mineral resources should be developed to feed our industries, instead of feeding Euro-American and now Asian industries,” Aregbesola said.
The governor also reiterated the need to review the nation’s education system with a view to laying emphasis on skill acquisition so as to produce resourceful graduate that can stand on their own.
He also called on the organisers of the conference to rethink and reconsider teaching in the indigenous African languages as this had been proved to aid better understanding by the late educationist, Professor Babatunde Fafunwa.
The governor equally called the attention of all stakeholders and government to address Africa’s women’s empowerment, noting that the current economic disempowerment of women in this part of the world could lead to unpleasant social consequences.
He continued: “Considering the situation in Africa, it is very seductive to ask for a second independence, not from external forces this time, but from self-imposed restrictions.
“The identity, recognition and respect we seek from outside will only come when we change our situation internally. Then we will get the respect of the world.”
The keynote Speaker, Professor Nini Wariboko said Africa has a retarded progress owing to the break down in its knowledge system.
Wariboko, a professor of Social Ethics from the University of Boston, averred that Africa was absent on the ladder of its deserving great position because there is a missing philosophy of Africa’s original identity.
He lamented that this lack of true identity is responsible for the continent’s stagnated growth.
“Africa has not achieved it’s deserved greatness because of missing philosophy of original African identity.
“Greatness has been coming since independence yet development has not come.
“Africa’s true identity is a necessary catalyst for kick-starting stable and permanent socio-economic development of the continent.
“We must recreate, reactivate and revitalize the past in order to forge new future possibilities.
“Neither our past, nor present nor future is blocked. Hope is not lost but we must think in terms of possibilities and not impossibilities,” Wariboko said.
In his opening remark the Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Debo Adeyewa, said the theme of this year’s conference was apt and topical.
Adeyewa said the topic came out of the efforts to correct the negative history and attempt to deny the contributions of Africa to the human civilisation and development.
He stated that this topic must be used to ascertain and correct erroneous thinking and belief about the black continent.
“The concept which arose as a response to attempts by the West to deny the contributions of Africa to world civilization and to demean its great institutions should address the intrinsic as well as the extrinsic features of the subject.
“More so, 2016 is an election year in the United State of America where a black man for the first time, has been at the helm of affairs for almost eights years. Can we say that the emergence of a black man has changed the perception of the West about Africa and Africans.
“Has the emergence of Obama not made more blacks pessimistic about the black race? Has the treatment of Obama not exposed the inherent tendency to humiliate and expose the black man?,” he said

Following the crisis that trailed the wearing of Hijab by female Muslim students in Osun State, the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria, MUSWEN, has advised on the Osun State Chapter, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), to respect the court ruling or seek legal redress if not satisfied with the judgement.
 
Addressing newsmen, executive secretary of MUSWEN, Professor Dawud O. S. Noibi maintained that the court ruling does not compel all Muslim students to wear hijab adding that “resort to self help will ultimately help nobody.”
 

 
Noibi said: “Our Advice to CAN in Osun State in view of the foregoing, is to deeply consider the advice which one of the most respected Christian leaders in Nigeria, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, offered at a recent round-table on Law and Religion.
 
‘’His Grace said the nation should adopt the policy that no law should prohibit what religion prescribes or require citizens to do what religion prohibits.
 
‘’The Osun State chapter of CAN should learn a lesson from this advice. Besides, on purely moral grounds, one may ask: how does a Muslim girl’s wearing of hijab offend a Christian? Moreover, the court ruling does not compel all Muslim students to wear hijab. It is left entirely to the choice of the individual student who wishes to obey the order coming from her Creator.”
 
The MUSWEN  scribe further urged the leadership of CAN in Osun State to seek legal redress if not satisfied with judgment. He said; “The CAN leadership must be told that what they are doing in this case is challenging the directive of Allah.
 
Do they really feel comfortable preventing people from doing the Will of God on earth as it is done in heaven? If, however, CAN still feels strongly about the judgement, let them follow the commendable example of the Muslims of Lagos State by following the path of law.”

The Osun State Government has announced the schedule of the year 2016 Eid-el-Fitri free train ride between Lagos and Osogbo, the state capital.
The government said Saturday the train rides will commence on Tuesday, July 5.

The government is extending the welfarist gesture to residents despite facing severe financial hardship that has made it difficult to pay workers’ salaries.
According to the government, the free train ride is in line with the Rauf Aregbesola administration’s tradition of facilitating convenient movement of its citizen in and out of the state during festive seasons.
A statement from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Cooperatives and Empowerment disclosed that the free train would start on Tuesday and end on Saturday.
The statement said the free train would convey people from Lagos to Osogbo on Tuesday July 5 by11am.
Similarly, the return journey from Osogbo to Lagos was fixed for Saturday, July 9 at 11am prompt.
According to the statement, the provision of the free train ride is with a view to facilitating a hitch-free homecoming during the Muslim festival period.
Similar arrangements apply during every eid el-Kabir, Christmas and Easter celebrations.
“This gesture is from the government of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola to the people, to provide the opportunity for indigenes and non-indigenes, who would like to visit the state during the festive period.
“The free train ride commences with the ascension to power of Aregbesola in 2010 and has been a regular gesture from his government to the people during Christian and Muslim festival periods since 2011.
“This government wants transportation comfort for its citizens, who hitherto normally encounter hardship and fare hikes during the festive periods”, the statement noted.
The Government therefore enjoined people from Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States to utilize the free train opportunity offered by the Aregbesola government to come home and celebrate the sallah with their relatives.

Pope Francis has called for peaceful coexistence among Nigerians, particularly residents of Osun State, irrespective of the socio-cultural and religious beliefs.

The Pope made the appeal during a visit of the Roman Catholic Church to Governor Rauf Aregbesola at the Government House in Osogbo, the state capital.
 

Source: Channels TV

The Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has reiterated the extreme importance of the environment to the existence and general well being of mankind.
 

 
Aregbesola observed this at the presentation of kits to the state’s highway managers by one of the leading commercial institutions in the country, Sterling Bank.
The Governor lamented the carefree attitude of Nigerians to the environment, saying the manner in which people just overlook the environment without any adequate attention to general cleanliness of where they live is worrisome.
According to the governor, apart from the biological make-up of human beings as they are created by God, it is only the environment that makes them what they are.
He noted that for people to live healthy and productive life, the environment must be clean, bright and well catered for regularly.
Emphasising the importance and the need to take care of the surrounding, Aregbesola averred that after food, the next thing on the priority of human beings is the environment as it could make or mar human existence depending on the way it is attended to.
He said: “Our environment defines us as human beings.
“But we all overlook our environment as if we can exist independently of the environment we live in.
“We act as if the only thing we owe ourselves is the cleanliness of our body alone.
“We neglect the environment in which our body lives.
“No amount of cleanliness we do to our body will endure if our environment is un-hygenic.
“To tell you how important our environment is to us, generally paying attention to our environment is the next most important thing after food.”
Aregbesola called on all stakeholders, who operate within the environment, to wake up and make the environment the best it could be made of to aid better living, adding that the most avowed critics of the state could not fault the progress the government has made in the state in making the environment the best for conducive living.
He commended the bank for contributing its quota to making the environment a better place for the people of the state.
He called on other corporate organisations to emulate the corporate responsibility demonstrated by Sterling Bank in donating the kits.
In his remark the Executive Director of the bank, Lanre Adesanya, said the presentation of the kits is in line with the bank’s strategic focus on the environment as one of its corporate responsibilities.
Adesanya stated that environmental cleanliness is one of the cardinal points of Sterling Bank’s corporate responsibilities.
He commended the Governor for the administration’s effort at changing the landscape of the entire state despite the challenge being faced in both public and private sectors.
He continued: “I must say here that our partnership with the state governments on environmental cleanliness is very solid and enduring.
“If you are going to talk about a cleaner in Nigeria, you cannot but mention Sterling Bank as one of the prominent organisations that has been at the forefront of environmental cleanliness nationwide.
“Mr. Governor, let me assure you that Sterling Bank will continually engage in initiatives that will protect the environment, especially those that are connected to the protection of lives through our renowned partnership with the state governments in order to maintain a healthy environment to guarantee good health for our people.”

 Governor, state of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has commended the management of PZ Cussons for donating a block of three classrooms to boost learning in Iwoye-Ijesha area of the state.

Aregbesola gave the commendation during the inauguration and handling over of the 90-student capacity building at Saint Thomas’ Elementary and Middle School,Iwoye-Ijesha.

The block has three classrooms with seats for 30 students in each class.

The governor said the gesture reflected the philanthropic nature of the company and a confirmation of its social responsibility drive to the people at the grassroots.

The governor noted that the project was tailored towards his aggressive infrastructural development in the education sector.

Aregbesola, however, enjoined parents to be passionate about the welfare of their wards and prepare them for the future.

In her remarks, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori, the deputy governor, commended PZ for the donation.

Laoye-Tomori said the classrooms would provide conducive environment for learning and teaching, and urged other corporate organisations to emulate the good gesture.

Also, Mr Tunde Oyelola, the Vice- Chairman, PZ Cussons, said the philosophy behind the gesture was a conscious plan and strategic way of giving back to the society.

Oyelola, said the intervention has covered 26 states of the federation within the six geopolitical zones as part of the company’s Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR).

Also speaking, a member of the board of trustee of the foundation, Mrs Yomi Ifaturoti, said the rationale behind the project was predicated on the “philosophy of doing good business”.

Ifaturoti, who doubled as the Corporate Affairs Manager of PZ, said “what we mean by doing good business is that we are corporately responsible by giving back to our host communities.

“Our focus is to initiate projects with humane impact in the areas of education, healthcare delivery, potable water and road rehabilitation.

“However, it is noteworthy to mention that education got the lion share of funding due to expected high clamour for access to education”.

Ifaturoti added that the foundation has executed 58 projects across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

The Headmistress of the school, Mrs Omolara Adeyolanu, said the project would provide conducive learning environment for the pupils.

The head of Iwoye-Ijesha community, Mr Abiodun Gabriel, said the project was very significant and timely to his people.

The Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has said his administration will not be deterred in its resolve to take the state to an enviable height despite the myriad of sponsored media attacks on his person and government.
 

 
Aregbesola stated this while hosting journalists across the state to a get-together fast-breaking dinner, tagged: “Iftar with Ogbeni.”
It was held on Tuesday at the Banquet Hall of the Government House in Osogbo.
 
Aregbesola held that his government remains firm and steady to its commitment to make life more meaningful to the people even in the face of condemnations and attacks on the pages of a section of the media.
 
The Governor, while describing journalism as a noble profession, charged journalists and media practitioners to make professionalism their watchword, adding that they should always be ready to verify veracities or otherwise of information at their disposal before going to the press.
 
Aregbesola added that ‎with the remarkable decline rate of newspapers’ circulation and distribution strength in Nigeria, the only way newspaper organisations could stay afloat is their credibility.
 
He attributed the decline in the numbers of newspapers’ readers to lack of accuracy, facts and authenticity in the reportage of items in recent journalism, saying if proper gatekeeping, quality research and investigations were meticulously done, newspapers would not have lost its credibility in the society.
Aregbesola said: “Sunday Times in those days sold 500,000 copies per edition in this country up until 1975 and Sunday Times was so popular that whoever was literate in Nigeria will want to read it either by borrowing it, buying it or going to the library.
“The circulation of all Nigeria newspaper today is less than 300,000.
“So it should therefore interest us how a nation with increased population generally, have almost 10 times number of graduates that we had in 1975 now has the circulation figures we now have.
“It is therefore important for us to interrogate the decline in readership.
“If you ask me, closely watching the economy, the decline is as a result of credibility gap in our media publications.
 
“I want to appeal to our media people to support the course of disseminating reliable, accurate, informative and entertaining news.”
 
Aregbesola, who recounted several sponsored attacks and abuses in the media calculated to pull down his government and discredit his person, said if truth had been meticulously given its rightful place over the years, some newspapers would not for any reason consistently maligned his government unjustly.
 
He also admonished media practitioners to always champion truth, facts, balance and accuracy in whatever they do as the watchdog of the society, adding that there is the need for them to as a matter of necessity be conscious of whatever they present to the public.
 
According to him: “My joy tonight is that our state continues to survive inspite of the mischievous, desperate and malicious contents in some sections of the media against our government.
 
“Unfortunately, media in recent times have portrayed our government as one of the worst in the country whereas the reverse is the case.
 
“It has erroneously portrayed us as a famished state. About this time last year, it was as if heaven will fall. It was as if the entire world was collapsing in our state. What churches do normally became an opportunity to portray us as famine-stricken state. One person even went to the extent of donating his wardrobe allowance.
 
“Everything was made to look as if people are dying on the streets here. Recently, I still read in our papers that we are owing mountains of salaries, while the reverse is actually the case. I have decided to ignore such tantrums.
 
“Available records have shown that there is no iota of doubt in the fact that some media practitioners have demonstrated their hatred to us through their adamant disposition to falsehood, baseless and unfounded claims against our noble political voyage.
 
“I wonder why they found it difficult to display high sense of commitment to journalistic ethics and media professional code of conduct despite the conspicuous realities.
 
“The pertinent question is that whether or not the media assess itself, facts must always be disseminated and reported, and it is on the basis of this we have always advised the media experts to support the dissemination of reliable, accurate, objective, authentic, impersonal, dis-sensational and factual news.”
 
Aregbesola reaffirmed his commitment towards the successful completion of all the initiated projects across the state, saying no stone would be left unturned to bring the needed succour and dividends of democracy to the citizenry.
 
He promised to continue on the template of good governance and pro-masses policies, saying: “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.”
 
He called on the people in the state to support the government by faithfully carrying out their civic responsibilities through regular and prompt payment of their taxes, saying unless government at all levels seek for other means to crude oil revenue, the future is bleak.
 
He added: “No amount of propaganda and condemnation would dissuade us from attaining economic prosperity just as we are determined to complete all the ongoing projects before the end of our tenure here.”

The Catholic Church yesterday described Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State as a major pillar of support of the church, just as the church said it does not promote or support violence of any form.
 
 

 
This was just as the Governor Aregbesola said his government has no ill-feeling against any sect or religion, noting that religion is an instrument of developing capacity for love, instrument for refinement and testing the human will to resist provocations. Both spoke when the representatives of the Pope and Ambassador of the Vatican, Most Reverend Augustine Kashuja led other Bishops of the church to pay a courtesy call on him at the Government House yesterday.
 
The visit was ahead of the ordination of a new Bishop for the Osogbo Dioceses of the Catholic Church. The Papal envoy said there is no face-off between the Christians since the governor assumed office five years ago because of the role dialogue plays in the relationship between the church and the state.
 
Aregbesola pledged his administration’s support to the Catholic and entire Church, promising that government will continue to work with leadership of the church, members as well other Christian bodies so as to bring about peaceful state where people will go about their religious, social and cultural activities without molestation.
 
In his remark, Professor Olu Aina, of the Osun Development Association ODA, who had been involved in the dialogue between the Muslims and Christian groups in the state over the hijab issue, said the furore on hijab had been resolved amicably.
 
I’ve not drawn salary since I became governor – Aregbesola Meantime, Governor  Aregbesola has given reasons why he had not constituted a new cabinet with about two years into his re -election into the office. He attributed the problem to the dwindling economy situation that is currently rocking not only the state but the entire country for some time now.
 
Speaking at an interactive session while hosting newsmen on Tuesday night during Iftau at the government house, Osogbo,Aregbesola stated that, if the cabinet were to be in place, the state government would require over N100million on them every month for the payment of their salaries and maintenance of their quarters and offices.

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has charged state workers to employ necessary measures capable of increasing the state Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, in the face of the current economic reality.
The Governor also called for prudency, transparency and accountability in the process of managing the limited resources of the state for greater economic productivity.
 

 
Governor Aregbesola gave the charge during an interactive session with Permanent Secretaries and Directors in the State Public Service, at Multipurpose Hall, Local Government Service Commission, State Secretariat.
The Governor who lamented over the adverse effects of the current economic situation, however directed the state workforce to complement government efforts towards the generation of improved revenues.
The state helmsman who described Osun as an agrarian agricultural state, said the time has come for it to diversify its economy in its bid to augment and strengthen the capacity of its economy for the betterment of all.
 
Governor Aregbesola identified workers as a formidable organ in governance, saying their contributions towards the attainment of economic prosperity can never be overemphasized.
 
The Governor who lauded the significant contributions of the state workers over the years, however attributed some of the achievements recorded by his government to better understanding and cooperation enjoyed from the workforce since assumption of office.
He recounted the abysmal state of the economy when he assumed office in 2010, saying with the meaningful contributory efforts and mutually beneficial relationship between workers and government, his government had made memorable feats in all aspects of the economy.
Aregbesola stressed the need to jack up the revenues accruable to the state from all sources, noting that the only realizable alternative to cushion the dismal tendencies of the current economic downturn was for the state to double efforts in blocking all the leakages hampering sustainable IGR of the state.
He warned against lackadaisical attitude in the civil service, saying all workers must henceforth work in tandem not only with civil service rules or code of conduct, but as well as the state’s policies on new revenue generation regime.
Aregbesola who set a target of N10billion to be generated as monthly revenue for the state, said in recognition of the current economic situation, coupled with the available statistics, the state has the capacity to generate N5billion every month.
The Governor implored workers to adopt the new government policies on revenue increment, saying the decision was taken to seek for complementary efforts of all in the government bid to continuously thrive at meeting up its constitutional responsibilities.
Aregbesola who attributed some of the economic challenges bedeviling the country to what he regarded as “political insensitivity and lack of proper administrative direction” in the past administrations, said his government would leave no stone unturned in its resolve to turn around the socioeconomic fortunes of the state.
The Governor who called for an urgent economic intervention, said going by the current economic trends overtimes, no government should rest on its oars to bring about relief capable of transforming the state of the nation’s economy.
He said the time has come for every reasonable government to go back to the economic drawing board and map-out policies capable of bringing general succour not only to the states but the entire nation.
According to him, “It is regrettable that we found ourselves in this economic mess but by and large, all hands must be on deck to revamp our economy and rise again.
“We must deploy all the available mechanism to raise our IGR and as well improve the standard of living.
“Going by the available statistical records, our state is capable of generating at least ten billion (N10billion) every month, and for us to achieve this, all hands must be on deck for a common goal.
“This revenue proposal calls for a reciprocal commitment of all citizens especially the workforce in our bid to continuously meet up with our obligations.
“The time has come for us to diversify our economy especially in a bid to meet up with our set goal of generating at least N5billion every month.
“Irrespective of the present economic challenges, our state if properly organized in term of revenue generation, can conveniently generate N5billion monthly just as its sustainability would in no doubt increase the tempo to more than N10billion monthly.
 
“For us to achieve these feats, every citizen must work together and demonstrate high sense of commitment to government policies for better and greater economic condition.
“To us as government, the time of free money has gone just as everyone is expected to work for whatever he/she would earn.
“Every worker must justify what he/she earns by demonstrating high sense of commitment, loyalty, competence and transparency in all he does.
“We have entered into the era of self-sustenance. Era of self economic dependence and reliance, thus giving room for every government to strive tirelessly on the need to restrategize on better revenue generation.
“Any government who fails to accede this economic reality, would in no doubt become a parasite to others.
“Despite the current economic challenges, our government would do all within the framework of the constitution to jack up the state’s revenue”, he added.
Governor Aregbesola said in fulfillment of its government’s constitutional responsibilities, the current N600million monthly IGR regular was too low to cater for its obligations.
Speaking on the state of the nation’s economy, Governor Aregbesola decried over what he regarded as “unprecedented corruption” characterized with the immediate past administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He stressed that if the nation’s God-given abundant resources had been properly channeled, Nigeria would have been in a relatively economic condition.
The Governor contented that more than average of Nigerian is living in abject poverty due to the poor leadership ,incompetence, lack of focus and mismanagement, hence he called for noble and proper intervention of the wise before it gets out of hands.
Governor Aregbesola said all hands must be on deck to revive the state economy especially at the point majority of the nations in the world are battling with the untold economic hardship and as well struggling to avert and reposition the economy.

The representative of the Catholic Church Pope, Papa Nuncio, Most Reverend Augustine Kasujja, has commended Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola for his extreme spirit of solidarity, cordiality and hospitality.
The international religious cleric also applauded the state government for adopting policies that facilitated equity among the members of the existing religions.
 

 
Rev. Kasujja who led the delegation of the Catholic Church, made the state during a courtesy call to the state governor, at government house, Osogbo.
The cleric stated that the antecedents of the present administration in the state was a clear manifestation to the fact that, Osun remains one of the states in the country with high level religious tolerance.
Rev. Kasujja who described  Governor Aregbesola as a religious peacemaker, said the Governor’s reception is very exceptional even in spite the fact that he is a muslim.
The cleric applauded the state for resorting to dialogue whenever there is misunderstanding, saying greater impacts of the state on religious propagation would be forever commended.
He averred that the process of dialogue in solving disputes and related issues had over the years contributed significantly towards the mutually beneficial relationship between and among the various faiths in the state.
Rev. Kasujja who described dialogue as the only mechanism to avert violence, pledged catholic’s commitment to continuous spirit of dialogue in resolving issues.
He called on the adherents of all religions to champion dialogue as the only tool capable of restoring peace, love unity and togetherness, saying any attempt to wave this off, the society is doomed and crumbled.
Rev. Kasujja said very individual must as a matter of necessity seeks peace, adding that once it missing, one is demanding for vendetta which according to him can cause unavoidable societal catastrophe.
He said, “the essence of life is love and every human being must brace up this indispensable valuable to ensure peaceful cohabitation.
“By extension, every human being is created to propagate the continuity of the existing peace and as well ascertain and maintain peaceful co-existence among themselves.
“Based on these reasonable reasons, all religious adherents must imbibe the noble spirit of dialogue for better mediation and reconciliation whenever there is natural misunderstanding.
“We must accept and tolerate one another’s beliefs as we are created to relate without any form of violence.

Rev. Kasujja lamented over the state of education in Africa, saying there is a need for government at all levels to come up with a modality that would transform the state of education across the continent.
He therefore sought for more cooperation and support from government at various levels, saying once government does the needful, the socioeconomic, religious, political and cultural matters are solved.
According to him, ” it is unfortunate that most of the schools now are not in the right positions, but we believe strongly that with sincere change in our attitude, things would get better.
Earlier, the Catholic Bishop of Ibadan Diocese, Reverend Gabriel Leke Abegunrin, described the current government as the great supporter of the Catholic Church.
He attributed the support and collaboration being received from the state government to what he regarded as strong commitment of Governor Aregbesola to religious’ propagation.
Rev. Abegunrin who commended the efforts of the present government in maintaining peace and unity amidst diverse religious faithful, said it is on record that Osun remains one of the states in Nigeria that have done justice to the existing religions.
According to him, “I am happy that Osun government under the leadership of Governor Aregbesola has proven the required sincerity and justice to religions as expected from any leader whatsoever.
“Obviously Osun government is a great supporter of our church. The government has already established a very unique, robust and healthy relationship not only to Catholic members or muslims, but by extension, the christian community and other religious faithful.
Rev. Abegunrin who charged residents of the state on the need to promote love, unity and co-existence irrespective of religious differences, advocated religious tolerance as the major instrument to put an end to the current religious challenges.
Rev. Abegunrin who condemned in its entirety the alleged religious crisis that trailed the judgment of the State High Court over the right to wear hijab by the female muslim pupils in the public schools, said if dialogue had been given its best place by the protesting set of the christian community, the matter wouldn’t have escalated.
The religious leader who described the court order as valid, said not until a court injunction is being proved otherwise by an higher court, such verdict remains valid.

He noted that the only way out for whoever feels being dissatisfied with the court injunction was to approach a superior court and file an appeal towards the lower court judgment, saying the case of hijab would have put to rest if the aggrieved had taken a legal direction.
Rev. Abegunrin pointed out that the court injunction which had created a lot of disaffection among the members of the populace due to over anticipation, would have been intellectually averted if proper steps had been taken.
He called on the people to always address issues with passion especially issues that bother on religions, saying proper understanding of the constitutional procedure in seeking a redress, would in greater measure helps to avoid unnecessary societal fracas.
The cleric described catholic community as a peace-loving religious body, saying as far as christianity is concerned, there is no room for violence.
Rev. Abegunrin who declared as uncalled for, the wearing of ceremonial garments to schools by the christian pupils, adding that such act amounts to a complete religious aberration.
In his remarks, the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who commended the leadership of the Catholic Church, said no efforts would be spared to ensure peace and tranquility in the state.
Governor Aregbesola said peaceful co-existence among the citizenry remains un-negotiable, emphasizing that his government would do all it could to continuously foster desired cordiality, love and peace among the religious faithful.
The Governor reiterated his determination to continuously prioritizing justice and equity among the existing religion, noting that his government had never accorded preference to any religion.
According to him, “We have no ill-feelings to any set of religion as we strongly believe that religion is an instrument of refinement and instrument of developing capacity for human beings.
“Our government also believe that religion is an instrument of testing human beings to restrict provocation towards the development of every human being for higher spiritual attainment.
“Therefore, when religions failed to do these, there is a need to challenge the adherents of such religion.
Governor Aregbesola canvassed love as the only mechanism to entrench peaceful relationship between and among the people of diverse religious philosophy.
He said, “As a matter of fact, all founders of religions today need love to centralize faith into their religions, thus, there is no other means at all as to love and compassion.

“The cardinal focus of all religions is love. Though differences occur in the methodology of attaining goals.
“I am always disturbed when we human beings discriminate, develop hatred and so on against their faiths because to me, I believe strongly that there is no iota of doubt in the sense that religion means love, compassion, unity and accommodation.
Governor Aregbesola who supported his claims with three fundamental religious facts, said faith, hope and love must not be undermined in any of the existing religions.
According to him, “There are three fundamental factors that enshrines religion, such as faith, hope and love and as big as they are, love is most superior because it brings comfortability, peace, unity, togetherness and tranquility.
“Obviously, love is the end of all loss and as a matter of fact, no religion should skip this vital instrument in its orthodoxical doctrines, principles and standards.
Governor Aregbesola therefore promised to continuously build healthy relationship among the religious adherents.
“Catholic church has been particularly supportive to our administration and I want to encourage the church to continue with that.
“We will work extremely with the leadership of your church, and other denominations to bring about a peaceful state where our people can go about their lawful economic activities, social and cultural engagements without molestation.
“Our focus is to ensure that every citizen lives a good life with joy, happiness and prosperity”, he added.
Meanwhile, one of the members of Osun Development Association, Professor Olu Aina said the association had reached a common ground with the protesting members of the christian community to put an end to the lingering hijab tussle in the state.
Prof. Aina who assured the people of the state on peaceful relationship vowed that the association would deplore necessary measures to ensure stable peace in all parts of the state.
“We have met with the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN on the need to over look any form of religious differences among the adherents of the existing religions.
“To this end, we hope that henceforth, nothing as such would replicate in the state”, he stated.