The Government of Osun State, South-west Nigeria in partnership with a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), Charles Bebeye Ndiomu Foundation, have setup an initiative to train school teachers for effective education in the state
The trainees, who were 40 in number, were selected from different public junior secondary schools of the three Senatorial Districts across the state.
According to the Osun State Deputy Governor, Titilayo Laoye-Tomori ‎and other speakers at the workshop tagged ‘Train the Trainer Initiative’ in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, the training was setup to revamp the education sector by equipping teachers, particularly from public schools, with adequate and efficient knowledge and skill for better performance in classroom management.
A Technical Consultant, Ani Bassey -Eyo , and another Consultant, Ifeoma Udong, were speakers at the workshop.
They stressed that the education sector required a total overhaul for better performance of the students, stressing that private firms and NGOs could partner with the government to help rehabilitate teachers for productivity that would be beneficial to the society.
The State Deputy Governor, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Osun State Ministry of Education, Lawrence Oyeniran, ‎said investing in education had always been on the top of the government’s list, hence the partnership with the Foundation to assist in retraining the teachers, to increase student’s performance and decrease teacher anxiety.
Some participants at the workshop, Abidemi Adeoye and Tunde Abolarinwa, said they now have more classroom management tips to facilitate better teaching and learning for all parties.
However, with the necessary skills for managing classroom activities and accommodating individual needs of the students, there would be a major improvement in the performance of the students in all ramifications

The Canadian Government has given out a grant to a team led by Osun State University VC, to boost vegetable production.
An international research team led by Prof. Clement Adebooye of the Osun State University has won $4.45m (about N900m) grant from the Canadian Government to boost indigenous vegetable production in Nigeria and Benin Republic.
Prof. Jelil Oguntola, the Acting Vice Chancellor of the university, made this known at a press conference in Osogbo on Thursday.
The vice chancellor stated that the grant, which was the second one to be won by the team, would boost indigenous vegetable production and also assist in sustaining the provision of free meals to pupils in the state.
The research, which is expected to introduce new techniques of growing indigenous vegetable to about 50,000 farmers, will be carried out in South-Western states of Nigeria and Benin Republic.
The project, he said, would contribute towards ensuring food security and economic development of farmers who would be involved in the project.
He said, “It is my pleasure to announce to the Government and people of the State of Osun and Nigeria that an international research consortium led and coordinated by Prof. Clement Adebooye (Agronomy/Crop Physiology) of the Osun State University, Osogbo has been awarded a total of $4.45m by the Canada’s Government International Development Research Centre to advance indigenous vegetables production and utilisation technology in South-West Nigeria and Benin Republic.
“This project will be implemented in Osun, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara and Lagos States in South-West Nigeria and Benin Republic.
“It is heart-warming to report that this project will support the School Feeding Programme of the State of Osun (O-MEALS) through the formation of Young Vegetable Scientists Clubs in selected secondary schools.”

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right); Former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu (2nd right); The new couple, Mr and Mrs Olatunbosun Alake, Former National Chairman All Progressive Congress (APC),Chief Bisi Akande (5th right); Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (4th left); Former Governor Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel (3rd left); Former Lagos State Commission for Information, Mr and Mrs, Dele Alake .during the Wedding Ceremony between Abisola and Olatunbosun, son of Former Lagos State Commission for Information, Dele Alake at Banana Island, Ikoyi on Saturday 16-05-2015.
 

Former National Chairman All Progressive Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande (left); Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd left); Former Governor of lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu (2nd right); Oyo StateGovernor, Senator Isiaka Ajimobi (right). during the Wedding Ceremony between Abisola and Olatunbosun, son of Former Lagos State Commission for Information, Dele Alake at Banana Island, Ikoyi on Saturday 16-05-2015.
 

Wife of the Governor, State of Osun, Mrs Sherifat Aregbesola; Wife of the Vice President-Elect, Mrs Osinbajo and Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefilure, during the Wedding Ceremony between Abisola and Olatunbosun, son of Former Lagos State Commission for Information, Dele Alake at Banana Island, Ikoyi on Saturday 16-05-2015.

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (meddle); Former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu (right); Former National Chairman All Progressive Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akand (left). during the Wedding Ceremony between Abisola and Olatunbosun, son of Former Lagos State Commission for Information, Dele Alake at Banana Island, Ikoyi on Saturday 16-05-2015.
 

 

 
The Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has commended leading telecommunications services provider, Airtel Nigeria, for its support to local content development, saying the telco is helping to power the State’s job creation drive.
The Governor who was speaking at the RLG Product Discovery Day held at RLG Adulawo Technology City, an expansive technology city located along Ilesa-Akure Expressway, State of Osun,said Airtel had thrown its full weight in support of local content development, establishing retail footprints across the country and boosting job creation.
“Airtel has supported a significant breakthrough for the Adulawo Technology City, supporting the provision of jobs from end-to-end – from the technicians in the Adulawo Technology City to those working in the Airtel retail pipeline,” he said.
Describing the multi-million dollar Technology City initiative as a historic monument to the power of vision, the Governor also revealed that the tech city had, in the last one year, provided direct employment to 150 Osun indigenes and was poised, within the next phase of its operations, to provide employment to 1,500 sales persons, who would man kiosks and other sales outposts for RLG products.
According to him, the RLG plant  are manned by graduates of the Osun Youth Empowerment Technology (OYESTECH) trained by RLG, and were the ones who assembled the beautiful products displayed by the tech company.
Thanking all in attendance, the Governor stated that the State of Osun flagship e-learning device, Opon Imo will be manufactured from the plant to fulfill the needs of the public schools in Osun after which, orders from other states will be entertained.
Also speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, said Airtel believes strongly in supporting local development and in providing more opportunities for job creation.
According to him, Airtel has invested enormously in building a large eco-system for local content initiatives through its broad-based programmes and initiatives.
“Interestingly, the youths are the biggest beneficiaries of our local content initiatives. Only recently, we floated an initiative, Catapult-a-Startup, with the overriding idea of providing youths with a strong platform, robust funding and right partnerships to build local applications that will help transform lives, shape public service and build a better society for all of us. The good news is that we have seen a lot of success stories come out from this programme,” he said.
In his submission, Mr. Alex Lu, CEO RLG Global while acknowledging Nigeria’s population advantage and geographical size, lamented the country’s shortfall in infrastructure and industrialization, pointing out that Nigeria’s path to economic growth lies not with what he called its “demographic bonus” but with its “talent bonus” achievable through the education of its massive population.

‘The Appeal is incompetent because proper parties are not before the Court.- Aregbesola’.
Judgment adjourned to 27th May 2015.
By Ibrahim Lawal Esq
The Supreme Court today heard an appeal filed by Iyiola Omisore against the Judgment of the Court of Appeal sitting in Akure  which affirmed the victory of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola in the August 9th gubernatorial election held in the State of Osun.
At the hearing of the appeal which was presided over by Hon.Justice Fabiyi JSC who led 6 other justices of the Supreme Court thereby making it a full court called on the Appellants Counsel led by Dr. Alex Iziyon SAN to identify all the processes he filed. Having identified all the process and in an attempt to go ahead with the adoption of all the processes, Chief  Charles Akinlolu Olujinmi, the lead Counsel for the 1st Respondent (Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola) informed the court of a fundamental observation regarding the processes filed by the Appellants.
According to him, the normal procedure in this court is for an Appellant who filed more than one Notice of Appeal to rely on one Notice of Appeal on which a brief of argument will be written. In this case, the Appellants prepared two Notices of Appeal as well as two briefs of arguments and wishes to rely on the two. Chief Olujinmi submit that such approach is alien to the established rules of court regarding the number of pages of brief that must be filed by the Appellant, moreso when the Appeal emanates from a single judgment. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN while supporting the observation raised by Chief Olujinmi argued that the fact that the lower court gave a judgment on a substantive appeal and cross-appeal is not a licence for the Appellants to file two Notices of appeal and two briefs in support. For Chief Awomola SAN, the lead Counsel for the 3rd Respondent, he countered that the Notices of appeal filed are mere repetition of what was contained in the first Notice of appeal. He was of the view that the first notice of appeal could adequately cater for the other notice ditto the brief. All the 3 counsel unanimously urge the court to strike out one of the notice  of appeal and  the corresponding briefs of arguments.
Dr. Iziyon while responding argued that the Notices of Appeal are in respect of two judgments. One is the main appeal and the other is the judgment in the cross-appeal. It was at this stage that one of the justices asked him whether the date of delivery of both judgment was not the same or not delivered by the same justices. The 7man panel thereafter rose for 5minutes and directed that he should adopt all the briefs and their position will be reflected on the judgment.
Having done with the observation, Chief Akin Olujinmi SAN rose again while Dr.Alex Iziyon was trying to adopt his briefs of arguments and inform the court that on page 6 of his own reply brief, he indicated his intention to raise preliminary objection to the competence of the appeal. According to him, the appeal as constituted is incompetent because  a stranger has been introduced as the 2nd Respondent. He stated that on the two Notices of Appeal, the Appellants included as the 2nd Respondent All People’s  Progressive Congress instead of All Progressive Congress. Chief Olujinmi argued that the law is settled that an appellant must maintain the same party at lower court on appeal and can only change the parties with the leave of court. He argued that what the Appellants did runs counter to the decision of the Supreme Court in APP v INEC 2012 where the supreme court unequivocally dismissed an appeal for failure of the appellant to bring proper party before the court.
While responding to the objection, Dr. ALEX Iziyon SAN submitted that the fact that there was a typographical error in the process does not render it incompetent. According to him, what happened was an error which can still be accommodated by the court so that substantial justice is not defeated.
In adopting the Brief of Arguments, the Learned Counsel for the 1st Respondent concedes that though this court seldom disturb concurrent findings of the lower court, he however submitted that where such concurrent findings had no bearings on the record, the Supreme Court is bound to do away with such findings. He also argued that the Lower Court clearly admit there was irregularities but that such irregularities are not substantial enough to warrant the cancellation of the results of such election. He also pointed out that the lower court failed to clearly reason with the Appellants that the tribunal lumped the issue of irregularities and substantial compliance and failed to make specific findings on both. He finally submit that failure of the 3rd respondent(INEC) to call witnesses is clearly fatal to their case and such dhould have been counted as substantial proof of allegations contained in their petition. He therefore urged the Panel to allow the appeal.
In adopting the Respondent briefs of argument, Chief Olujinmi SAN on behalf of the 1st Respondent submit that this appeal is unmeritorious and should be dismissed without much ado. According to him, the Appellants challenged 930 polling  units spanning 17 Local Governments and called 43 witnesses. Out of the 43 witnesses, only 7 were polling agents, the other witnesses are supervisors who admitted on record that the evidence they came to give are given to them by the agents on the field. He stated that their evidence were clearly hearsay. The 7 witnesses who testified to what they saw were badly discredited. As for the supposed “expert witnesses” PW15 and PW 38 their evidence was badly discredited to the extent that on record they admitted that their reports were false. At this stage, the Justices of the Supreme Court directed Chief Olujinmi to read the portion of the record where it was so admitted and it was read clearly to their hearing. He therefore submit that with all these facts, there is no reasonable tribunal that can give judgment to the Appellants in the circumstance. He therefore urged the Court to dismiss the petition.
Akeredolu SAN while adopting his briefs on behalf of the 2nd respondent submit that the findings of the lower court is supported by the record and cannot be faulted by any stretch of imagination. He also maintained that there is nowhere in the record where the tribunal admitted there were irregularities and challenge the Appellants to show the court the portion of that judgment.
Chief Awomolo on his own for the 3rd respondent argued that the contention of the Appellants that failure of the 3rd respondent to call witnesses is fatal to their case has no basis in law especially when the appellant has failed to lead cogent and reliable evidence.
The Supreme Court having listened to the arguments of Counsel adjourned for judgment which is slated for 27th May, 2015.

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right) discussing with the United States Consulate General of American Embassy, Lagos State,Mr. Jeffery Hawkins, during a courtesy visit to the Governor in Lagos State, on 07/05/2015.

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right) presenting his state Emblem to Consulate General of American Embassy, Lagos State,Mr. Jeffery Hawkins, during a courtesy visit to the Governor in Lagos State, on 07/05/2015.

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (second right); Consulate General of American Embassy, Lagos State, Mr. Jeffery Hawkins (second left); Political Officer of American Embassy in Lagos, Mrs. Erica Chiusano (right) and Former Senior Assistant to the Osun Governor on Federal Matter, Mrs. Idiat Babalola (left), during  a courtesy visit to the Governor, in Lagos State, on 07/05/2015.
 

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle); Consulate General of American Embassy, Lagos State, Mr. Jeffery Hawkins (left) and Political Officer of American Embassy in Lagos, Mrs. Erica Chiusano (right), during  a courtesy visit to the Governor, in Lagos State, on 07/05/2015

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right) with Former Nigerian Minister of Finance and Agriculture, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, during Aregbesa’s visit to his Abuja residence, on Wednesday 06-05-2015

 

From left, Former Nigerian Minister of Finance and Agriculture, Mallam Adamu Ciroma; Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Former Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Gbenga Adebusuyi; Former Special Adviser to the Governor on Federal Matters, Mrs Idiat Babalola and others, during Aregbesola’s visit to Ciroma’s Abuja residence on Wednesday.
 
 

The Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress have stated that they met with President-elect Muhammadu Buhari to discuss the precarious state of the Nigerian economy.
The Chairman of the APC Governors forum and governor of Imo state, Rochas Okorocha, who briefed reporters at the end of the meeting that held at the Defence House Abuja, said the country’s economy is in such bad shape that no state has been able to pay salaries of its workers.