President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to set machinery in motion to fight social disorder, indiscipline and all forms of anarchy in the country, as well as renewal of pursuit of a civil discipline that would respect the rights of Nigerians, as well as demand action from them.
The call was made by the lawmaker representing Obokun State Constituency in the Osun State Hon. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, while speaking on the spate of moral decadence among the younger generation at a programme organised by New Era Youth Forum in Osogbo.
He argued that the most potent way to curb corruption among the new generation was to revive and instill discipline among youths in the country.‎
According to him, if the War Against Indiscipline (WAI) of the Buhari/Idiagbon regime of the early ’80s had been sustained by successive administration, the spate of indiscipline among the teeming population would have been successfully curtailed.
He said corruption that had pervade all spheres of life in the country was a form of indiscipline that had become part of the social order in almost three decades, saying a subtle campaign against indiscipline would go a long way to curb the menace, especially among teenagers
To actualise this agenda, Oyintiloye said the federal government should strengthen all enforcement institutions as well as set up a Discipline Corps, especially among youths in order to restore sanity in the society.
He said, “It is important for all of us to realise that our society is suffering from lack of discipline and this has eaten deep into all sectors. This is one of the primary problem facing Nigeria as a nation as most people do not see corruption as a social vice that must be corrected.
“The issue is that we must all agree that we have an issue with discipline among the population and I’m of the opinion that a civil discipline corps should be put in place to revive the culture of discipline among our teeming youth population”.
 

Photo of the Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Lowa of Ile-Ife, High Chief Joseph during the Ife Traditional Council’s visit to the Governor on the Rumoured Death of the Ooni of Ife at Government House,Osogbo on Thursday 30/07/2015.

The Yoruba people have been one of the most dominant groups in the country with a very rich culture. 
The religion of the people comprise of traditional religious and spiritual concepts and practices of the Yoruba people.
The Yoruba’s are realistic and pragmatic about their attitude to death.  In Yoruba belief, death is not the end of life; rather, it is a transition from one form of existence to another.
There is a belief in an afterlife that is a continuation of this life, only in a different setting, and the abode of the dead is usually placed at a place just outside of this abode, and is sometimes thought of as separated by a stream.
Traditionally, the passage of the Ooni, who is referred to as the second-in-command to the deities, should not be announced until the various levels of rites of passage have  been completed. The Ooni is an institution and a royal stool, and not a person.
Therefore, it is absolutely a taboo for any prince, royal family and palace chiefs to break the news without clearance or approval from the appropriate traditional quarters.
One of the rites of passage includes an announcement by the Lowa, who would announce the passage upon the sounding of a bell at the Enu-Owa square located in front of the palace.
The process of breaking the news to the public would start from the eldest prince, who would tell the traditional council and the Ife traditional council would, in turn, inform the Osun State Council of Traditional Rulers.
The Osun state Council of Traditional Rulers, would subsequently inform the governor of the state officially after which the rites of passage would commence.
After the rites of passage have been completed, the Lowa of Ife would come to the main entrance where he would beat the gong and announce the demise of the Ooni to the public.
The media is not supposed to break the news of the death of the monarch to the public, however such news can’t be hidden because of the advancement in technology.
As the Ooni of Ife, the Oba presides over what is believed to be the cradle of Yoruba land. Accordingly, the Oòni of Ife claims direct descent from Oduduwa, the mythical son of Olodumare the supreme God and is counted first among the Yoruba kings.
He is traditionally considered the 401st spirit (Orisha), the only one that speaks. In fact, the royal dynasty of Ife traces its origin back to the founding of the city more than 2,000 years ago.
Also, only the Ooni’s voice was trusted by the colonial masters  in ascertaining the authenticity of claims and counter-claims to royal crowns by the children of Oduduwa.
Alayeluwa Oba Okunade Sijuwade, became the 50th Ooni of Ife on 6 December, 1980, taking the name Olubuse II.
He was born to the Ogboru ruling house, Sijuwade was the grandson of the Ooni Sijuwade Adelekan Olubuse I. He studied at Abeokuta Grammar School and Oduduwa College in Ile-Ife. He worked for three years in his father’s business, then for two years with the Nigerian Tribune, before attending Northampton College in the United Kingdom to study business management.
Sijuwade fulfilled his destiny in December 1980, as he had prepared for the throne in advance. It was a great privilege for him to succeed Aderemi, a former member of the House of Representatives and minister.
He contributed immensely to the rehabilitation of the palace during Aderemi’s reign. Prince Sijuwade was a king-in-waiting. Yet, there was no rivalry and mistrust between him and Sir Aderemi, who had ‘adopted’ him as a son.
NAIJ

WITH  the May 26 judgement of the Supreme Court that affirmed Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as the winner of the August 9, 2014 governorship election in Osun, the state’s PDP knew it had come to the end of the road in its long sustained but futile bid to come to power in the state. It, therefore, had to devise some unconventional means to unseat the governor.
On Sunday June 14, 2015 one of the leaders of the party in the state called a meeting of party bigwigs, stakeholders and loyalists for the purpose of repositioning the party for the next elections. But to their chagrin, they were told by the frustrated politician to brace up to his plan of action of making the state ungovernable, if they ever hope to win any election in the state.
However, Osun State Security Council got wind of the plans and read the riot act to them on June 19 after its emergency meeting.  The first stage of the plan was to import thugs and hoodlums into the state in the week starting from June 22. These thugs were to unleash mayhem in the name of protesting delay in payment of workers’ salaries and pensions. The ‘protest’ was to be accompanied with killing, looting and arson, both of public and private property. An NGO was formed a week before the rioting to be the arrowhead of the felony in order to give the thugs a façade of legitimacy.
Justice Olamide Folahanmi Oloyede’s petition asking for the impeachment of the governor was to be the second stage of this plot. Coming after the mayhem, destruction and state of insecurity, the petition would have provided a comfortable ground for some of the legislators who had been promised money and positions if they  carry the impeachment through.
When the state security council aborted the subversive protest with its sabre rattling, we though Oloyede’s petition would be shelved too. However, Oloyede went ahead with her petition. If stage two was to ride on the wave of stage one and stage one was aborted, why go ahead with stage two that landed on dry ground without the expected support?
This is because there was stage three designed to give fillip to stage two. Stage three was eventually carried out on Tuesday July 7 but it was stillborn. The ‘protesters’ made up of known PDP members and local leaders, a very tiny section of the retirees on the payroll of a prominent politician in the state and sundry thugs (local and imported) had gathered around Ola-Iya junction in Osogbo (The area is a hotbed of progressive activism).
However, Aregbesola, the master tactician and a good student of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, took the wind out of their sail. While going to his office that morning, he turned the trip into a carnival as he slowed his convoy to acknowledge cheers from the people on the route, who trouped out to greet him. Women, men, children, traders, artisans, commercial motorcyclists, just everybody within the vicinity came out to meet his convoy. Some were weeping. Other were praying loudly and openly for him while others were cursing his enemies.
When the convoy reached Ola-Iya, which is a market place, the crowd surrounding him had become tumultuous, swallowing and overwhelming the miserable protesters who had gathered in the place before. Possibly out of fear and or shame, many of them took to their heels on being overwhelmed. And so, Aregbesola rode to the office triumphantly that day, overwhelming and shaming those who thought they could ambush and embarrass him.
To add salt to injury, the story that went to town that day was how Aregbesola rode triumphantly to office and how his enemies ran away in terror.
Interestingly, while signing a memorandum of understanding with the state government before calling off its industrial action, the state’s NLC denied that its members participated in the farcical protest of July 7, claiming that the charade was politically motivated.  The body of pensioners in the state also claimed that the union did not participate in any protest, that Governor Aregbesola’s administration had treated retirees very well before the financial crisis that engulfed the whole nation, and not Osun alone.
Also, the chairman of the state’s vendors association also signed a statement, denying that his members were attacked by Aregbesola’s supporters.
Lastly, on July 28, Justice Oloyede refused to appear before the house committee set up to investigate her claim. Apparently, she has developed cold feet. There are unconfirmed reports that the state’s Judicial Commission is unhappy about her petition, which has put the judiciary into disrepute. They were shocked to find that a judge displayed open political partisanship, something unheard of in the history of the judiciary. She may, therefore, be recommended for retirement, at best; or outright dismissal, at worst.
Her not appearing meant her petition is dead and she herself is in trouble. For all practical purposes, therefore, the coup of the PDP to remove Governor Aregbesola from office through subterfuge and conspiracy has failed.  The first lesson we must learn from this is that if God is with someone, no matter how formidable his enemies are, he would overcome them and put them to shame.
Secondly, politicians must accept that a democratically elected governor, that is popular with his people and has not committed an impeachable offence, can only be changed through tenure expiration, losing election or by a competent court of law.
Thirdly, a new dawn has come to Nigeria where only values like credibility, integrity and a track record of unblemished public service will commend a candidate to voters.
It is my hope that the defeated candidates of PDP will accept their destiny and try to amend their ways, instead of working to destabilise Osun State. If, with all the support they got from former President Goodluck Jonathan with cash, dogs, masked gunmen and other security operatives, they could not unseat Aregbesola in Osun, what makes them think that they could overthrow him now?
Ogundele writes from Osogbo, Osun State
SUN NEWSPAPER

An Elite society representing Ijesa sons and daughters worldwide, the Ijesa Society has described the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, as a pride to the Yoruba nation going by numerous developmental initiatives under his leadership in the state.

The society stated this during a courtesy call to the Governor at the Government House in Osogbo on Tuesday.
The President of The Ijesa Society, Chief Tunde Aluko, said Aregbesola is a torch bearer who has represented Ijeshaland well, saying it is the duty of all well-meaning Ijesa and Osun indigenes to support the administration for the greatness of the state.

He noted that, contrary to wrong impressions created by cynics, Aregbesola’s passion for rapid development of the state informed the level of financial commitment of government  to various developments across the state, without being jettisoning the welfare of workers.‎
According to him,”You mean so well for Osun. If you were to develop Osun overnight, you would do it. The only thing that is slowing you down is money,” Chief Aluko stressed.
‎
He expressed optimism that the financial challenges confronting the state would soon be over, adding that the governor is creating a legacy that would outlive him in office.

Addressing the guests, Governor Rauf Aregbesola noted that the settings of towns in Osun  which dates back to more than 100 years, it is the most qualitative across Africa.

He added that every construction and other contracts entered into by government were conducted in the most transparent manner.

Appreciating the visit of the Ijesa elite, the governor described the visit as “huge and significant at a time some people are being sponsored to rubbish our achievements.

  “This an elite association which is acknowledging our government as having performed significantly”, Aregbesola said.

He reiterated  his displeasure about the salary situation, adding that the challenge would soon be put behind. The governor noted that every government initiatives in the state represents the fulfillment of campaign promises made to the people ought to have been put in place by previous administrations.

The Triangular Group of Pensioners in Osun has called on Labour leader’s, government and other stakeholders in the state to end the industrial strike embarked upon by Labour in other to fast track the resumption of school teachers in the state.

The pensioners made this call on Wednesday in a Communiqué signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Prince Rotimi Adelugba and Deacon Femi Babalola respectively, and issued at the end of their state Executive meeting in Osogbo.

The group stressed that calling off the strike will be in the general interest of the state so that it will cover lost grounds, and prevent the opposition from dragging the state backward.

The Communiqué added that the group will not relent in its efforts to ward off the negative intention of the opposition of the present government.

The pensioners lauded the Aregbesola’s stride to put the state on the highest pedestal in terms of infrastructural development despite the meager resources available to the state.

“Our group acknowledged the efforts of governor on the payment of pensioners and salaries within the limited resources available.

“We salute the gallant efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari on the bailout to be released to states to offset the backlog of arrears of pensions, gratuities and salary of workers throughout the federation”.

 The Osun State pensioners under the aegis of the Trigular Pensioners group, had distanced themselves from the anti-Aregbesola’s protest rally in Osogbo over the unpaid workers’ and pensioners’ salaries‎.

The pensioners said it is highly necessary to dissociate themselves from politically motivated protest said to be embarked on by some people alleged to be pensioners‎.

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has said that his administration has through various efforts re-established education as core responsibility of government.
He said the massive infrastructure provision and development of the personnel in the sector are part of the efforts at ensuring that education is used to catalyse a new wave of development that will make the state to be the envy of all.
The governor made this disclosure while hosting members of the Nigerian Library Association during a courtesy visit to him at the Government House in Osogbo.
Aregbesola explained the rationale behind making libraries major components of the designs of the new mega schools some of which have been completed while others are ongoing.
The visit according to the association is part of the routine to commemorate its 53rd National Conference and Annual General Meeting taking place in Osogbo.
The governor stressed that his administration places high priority on the education of her children and the future of the state, hence the provision of massive educational infrastructure development that has no equal in the country.
Aregbesola added that his government is conscious of the role of the library as the source of knowledge, therefore the infrastructure development in education is well integrated with the provision of standard libraries.
He said, “We will want to see more of you in this state. By the time you come back may be individually or as a group, most of the projects that are on-going in the state will have been completed by the grace of God.
“We are making huge efforts in re-establishing education in our state as a core responsibility of government. We are embarking on a massive education infrastructure development that seems not to have any equal in Nigeria today.
“That educational infrastructural development is well integrated with provision of standard libraries for the ones that have been completed, we have both real and virtual Library provided.
“Whoever appreciates knowledge and education, who is also interested in the future as he is concerned about today will understand why library must be promoted and funded.
“As a product of democracy, and particularly the judicial intervention in democratic process, I know the role that library plays in retrieval of information and the use of such information as evidence in the courts.
“No newspaper or document of government is valid until a librarian stamps it as a document”.
He commended the association for making Osun the venue of the Annual general meeting, saying the choice of Osun is apt because of? its known significance as one of most peaceful states in Nigeria.
The governor also told members of the association that Osun will offer them a serene environment and an abundance of nature’s best expression in its various formation.
“I doubt if there can be any state that is as peaceful, hospitable and conducive as Osun in Nigeria.
“The weather is the best you can think of. There is not much pollution in the space. The people are iconic in their readiness to warmly welcome visitors. We are trying to make the state beautiful, we will do our best within our resources.
“Our state capital, Osogbo particularly is emerging as a jewel in the tropics,” The governor told the association.
In his remark, the National President of Nigerian Library Association (NLA) Alhaji Ridwan AbdulSalam described Osun as a learned state in Nigeria with the presence of  recognised higher institutions, adding that the state is blessed with resourceful governor who takes education as priority.
He lauded Governor Aregbesola for his contribution towards education, saying all his efforts to re-brand and resuscitate the lost glory of education is highly respected.
Abdulsalam maintained that the presence of his members in the state was an attestation to the fact that Osun is unarguably one of the most peaceful state in Nigeria.
“Our visit to this state has made us realize the real facts on what we have hearing about Osun state as being the most secured, hospitable and learned state in Nigeria with highly placed social infrastructures”. He said.
He implored the governor to look inward on the issues of Public Library Service Development and as well continue his good works by ensuring that the state maintain its good and favourable status.
The Governor later on Tuesday morning joined the library association to declare open the Annual General Meeting at the WOCDIF Centre, Osogbo.
WORLDSTAGE

The government of Osun State has assured indigenes of the state that projects that add value to the state and people’s lives will not be abandoned.
The Director of Media and Strategy of the state, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, who gave the pledge assured that despite the current financial crisis facing the state, the government would see pending crucial projects through. “It is not in the plan of the government to abandon capital projects especially those that have been started before the financial problems of the state started” he declared.
According to him, the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola would explore all legitimate means to complete the projects for the benefit of the people of the state.
The Aregbesola regime has been under serious pressure as a result of the cash crunch with the latest being an impeachment attempt hanging on the governor as well as renewed strike by workers over unpaid salaries.
Although the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress recently suspended a six-week strike based on agreement with the state government on modalities for payment of the salary arrears, it again ordered the state workers back to the trenches last week- a move from which teachers in the state reportedly backed off from.
There have been fears in some quarters that the state government may abandon some projects in the state to prevent a reoccurrence of financial problems currently experienced in the state. Notable among these are the distribution of the computer tablet, “Opon imo”, free education including free meals and uniform programmes as well as some road projects. Some economic analysts had called for their scrapping owing to what they termed “pressure on the financial strength of the state.”
There has also been conflicting opinions as to the prudence of the state government, with regard to fiscal policies.
But Okanlawon reiterated the administration’s commitment to delivering the benefits of democracy to indigenes and investors in the state, despite the current economic challenges allegedly worsened by dwindling federal allocation.
The Osun State government had accused the Federal Government under former President Goodluck Jonathan of refusing to pay monies spent by the state government to rehabilitate federal roads in the state. But the Jonathan regime denied this claim.
However, the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari recently announced a bailout funds pay outstanding salaries to workers owed by states.

Mr Ayo Olumoko, the organiser of Osun Osogbo Festival on Tuesday said plans were underway to list it on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).
Olumoko said this while addressing newsmen during the unveiling of the 2015 edition of the festival in Lagos.
According to him, the decision to list the festival on the NSE is to give it an additional recognition and boost its potential.
“Osun Osogbo Festival is globally recognised; therefore, there is need for its inclusion and recognition by the NSE.
“The festival has been recognised by UNESCO due to its long years of celebration, cultural relevance and also for attracting influx of tourists.
“It is the most consistent festival in the country having been celebrated every year for more than 600 years,” Olumoko said.
He said that the festival had helped to boost the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of Osun State, adding that it had also contributed to the nation’s economy through tourism.
Earlier, the Ataoja of Osogboland, Oba Oyetunji Olanipekun: Larooye II, promised all visitors and tourists a thrilling experience.
According to him, lots of traditional games have been prepared for visitors to make their trip to Osun Osogbo, a worthwhile one.
Olanipekun, represented by the Otun-Ese of Osogboland, Chief Adeyemo Aremu, also assured indegenes, intending tourists and guests of adequate security during the festival.
(NAN)
 

The lesson to be learnt from the present predicament is unambiguous. This is that Nigeria has no choice but to return to the basis of the fiscal arrangements upon which a federal system rests. The arrangement was the basis upon which independence for a multi-ethnic society was negotiated and obtained.
The unfortunate events of January, 1966 and the aftermath which culminated in the proclamation of the absurd Unification Decree 34 of the same year truncated the federalist state of the country. And ever since then the basis of Nigeria’s federalism had become eroded – as we have been operating federalism only in name – but not so in practice. In the light of events it must be restored and urgently too!
For a start, the empirical evidence is incontrovertible. This is that during the competitive fiscal federalism of the first Republic, the country enjoyed profoundly balanced, sustainable development. The trend has been the other way since the truncation of the federalist tenor. For example, the so called ‘federating units’ can hardly be compared to the much acclaimed Regions of the first republic.
This is the genesis of the current dysfunction. For this reason the status of the state governments as proper federating units must be restored. The right to take care of putting their own resources into production is key here. The state of Osun for instance, ought to be able to mine its deposits of gold and other mineral resources and pay taxes to the centre. Ditto for the mouth-watering bitumen deposits in Ondo state and other states of the federation. There is of course no state in Nigeria that does not have a resource to exploit profitably. It is a win/win situation. Not least for the central government which will stop to be seen as a big brother/nanny state.
The country cannot continue with this kind of arrangement whereby the states are completely dependent appendages of the central government. It is unsustainable, unproductive and has to stop. A return to real federalism will unleash tremendous, hitherto suppressed creative energies. Jobs will be created, the tax base widened, and a sustainable development model induced. Not until this is done it will continue to be absolutely difficult for our federating units to survive.
The awkward nature of Nigeria’s federalism continues to bug the mind. In all the countries of the world where federalism is being practised, the scenario we painted above is the ideal practice. The federating units have the statutory rights to tap the resources in their soils and contribute a certain percentage to the centre. This makes it easy for the states to survive on their own without the need – at all – to be going caps in hands to the centre every month to collect dole for survival as we experience in Nigeria.
If we are to turn the present economic downturn into an opportunity for national rebirth, the restoration of fiscal federalism must be an integral part of the Change we clamoured and voted for.‬ We just cannot continue like this. As a country that professes federalism we cannot afford to do it different from what obtains in the rest of federal worlds. Presently our federalism is a far cry from what obtains in other federal countries of the world. This, no doubt, is an aberration which must be corrected.
OSUN DEFENDER