Governor Rauf Aregbesola is an enigmatic individual whose trajectory epitomizes the building of a unique brand. And that brand is OGBENI.
I first came into contact with him sometime in the early days of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s tenure as Governor of Lagos State. A mutual friend had initiated an International Tennis Championship League called Governor’s Cup. The press briefing was slated for the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, with many prominent individuals  and potential corporate sponsors and stakeholders in attendance. So impressed was I by the zeal he showed and the uncommon loyalty to his boss, evident in the energy and passion at which he drummed up support for the project, that I unhesitatingly volunteered my own  support, which I would then sustain for the next six years of the Annual Championship.
His performance as the Honourable Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure in Lagos is legendary, and needs no further mention here, other than to say that his days of selfless, innovative service proved to be an incubation which prepared him for his sterling public service delivery which we are all experiencing in Osun today.
In retrospect,  I was happy, not only to answer the call to be part of the people he reached out to in the early days of his consultations preceding his decision to throw his hat in the ring for the Osun Gubernatorial race, but also to play a pivotal role in the evolution of his philosophy of People Friendly Government which we later put in print as his social contract; The SIX-POINT INTEGRAL ACTION PLAN.
Coming from a leftist background, he realized very early in his political life that the welfare of the people is the only reason to be in government.
The 6-point Integral Action Plan is a testament of welfarism borne out of a conviction that you can never go wrong if you put in place institutional framework and policies for satiating the yearnings of the masses.
His strategy of happiness in the immediate run for the masses whilst embarking on long run Programs and Projects is manifested in his unique Social Safety Net Programs such as Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYes), Elementary Schools Free Lunch Program, Senior Citizens Welfare Program, Program of Succor for people with special needs and the list is endless, which have engendered a bonding with the People he governs.
At the approach of the August 9,  Osun Gubernatorial election, a governor had just been declared the loser in the  election in a sister state  of Ekiti under questionable circumstances and the predominant rationale for the electoral failure was alleged lack of due attention to the masses, giving rise to notion that the progressive states, anxious to put in place modern infrastructure and amenities in their domain, often neglected the people and overlooked their hunger, and the obnoxious terminology “stomach infrastructure had just slipped in our consciousness like a thief in the night. He was confronted by the Press with the probability of losing his bid for the second term for the same reason, and this is what had to say:
“Those trying to embark on stomach infrastructure in this late hour wil have a lot of catching up to do because we have begun long ago and are four years ahead of them.  We are masters of the game”. June 2014, while granting an interview to Business day Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola proudly and confidently give assurance of his victory in the then forthcoming August 9, 2013 Gubernatorial Election. thus;
“Let me assure you, the overwhelming majority of the people of the State will Vote for us because we have represented them well in our first term, we have been accountable to them and we have served them with passion and integrity”
Indeed, he would not brood any doubt about his popularity with his people. He said this again at a public forum;
“I am a product of the popular forces, the people and I am part and parcel of them. I emanated from them and I am a product of their struggle.”
August 9, 2014 was therefore payback day, and, predictably, the people voted with their hearts, and Ogbeni rauf Aregbesola has now been given a renewed mandate to govern the State of Osun for a second term.
When Aregbesola story is going to be told, it would be that of a people-conscious leader, who has put in place some of the most audacious policies in rapid infrastructure upgrade, urbanization, and highest quantum of social service delivery ever experienced in this clime.
Interpersonally, Ogbeni is a good man. He has, over the years,  been surrounded and followed by a huge community of loyalists who believe in him, and the sincerely of purpose with which he has pursued it. He shows extra-ordinary compassion for his fellow man. And he is quite generous. When you came into contact with him, you will realize his personality. He has read far and wide and has held his own both honorably and with  eloquence in any setting, even abroad.
As a family man, he is the doting husband of his sweetheart, Sherifat, who , during their courtship provided the much needed encouragement to reconcile this restless young activist with his Creator, and has remained a strong pillar ensuring that he receives all the comfort and succor a General needs whenever he returns home from life’s many battles.
It is difficult to believe how a man of the People like Ogbeni could create quality time to attend to the nurture of his children who are all well behaved and now pursuing their various callings.
In matters of faith, Ogbeni remains unapologetic for his depth of piety, and why should he be? I have said on several occasions, I wish I could be as faithful to my religion as he is to Islam.
Yet he displays incredible understanding of the Bible which he quotes frequently and copiously whenever we get into discussions around ethics and morality. Not once has ever displayed discrimination against any religion, rather he is a foremost advocate of equality of the religions, and that is a disposition which is made poignantly clear by the fact that Osun is the only State where prayers are said in the Christian, Islamic and Traditional faiths at every public function.
Little wonder that he bedazzles even his most volatile traducers, and continues to wax strong as he pursues, with profound sense of urgency, his truly progressive and people-centered developmental agenda. His unique brand of People Friendly Government.
May our world be continually populated and enriched with multiple OGBENIS!
 

Commissioner, Ministry of Home Affairs, Culture and Tourism, State of Osun, Hon, Adetona Ayedun, has said that the state through Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was targeting N15 billion revenue from tourism in 2015. This projection is technically and consciously proved by the robust gains interrelationship with tourism and cultural endowed nations like Cuba.
The commissioner who was represented by the Permanent Secretary from the ministry, Mrs. Olajumoke Bello, stated this in his address at the opening ceremony of the 2014 annual brand and marketing conference of brand journalists association of Nigeria, held at Osogbo over the weekend.
He explained that the Government of the State of Osun has aggressively improved the infrastructures such as roads, power and security in other to achieve this. “Our business visitation to Cuba has exposed us to ideas on how tourism and culture could be promoted as revenue earners for State of Osun in particular and Nigeria in general. This is what we are doing and we are reaping benefits from the actions”.
“There is no other better place to find and enjoy tourism other than where we are, State of Osun. Ours is a state enriched with diverse cultural attributes and elements such Olumirin Waterfalls, Erin Ijesa Spring, Ayunkunugba, Opa Oranmiyan,” he added. Also speaking the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Sunday Akere, disclosed that the state can boost of over sixty tourist attraction centres which the government is now concentrating development on to help cushion the shortfall from oil revenue.
He said, “There seems to be no better time than now when all of us in Nigeria will have to look beyond oil especially with the unpredictability staring the World economy at the face”. Akere explained that to get alternative income through tourism might be a solution as some countries today rely solely on the sector as the bedrock of their economic survival.
The Commissioner noted that the government, in its belief to improve the lives of the people has placed man as the centerpiece of all its developmental programmes because all the programmes being executed but the present administration in the State resolve round improving the lot of the people. In his paper presentation tittles Nigeria and Repositioning of Tourism Destination , President, Nigerian Guild of Editors and Editor-in-Chief, The Sun Newspapers , Mr. Femi Adesina, said that a lot have spoken volumes upon volumes of words on the need to diversify the economy of the country, and break the mono- product dependence on oil.
There have been conferences, symposia, workshops, both locally and internationally on the issue. But all the findings significantly end up in one place: the shelves, where they gather dust. Like in the macabre dance, Nigeria only takes one step forward and two steps backwards. He explained that tourism has been identified as one of the veritable alternatives to oil as a major revenue earner for the country.
Many countries of the world do not have natural resources, and depend largely on earnings from tourism. Israel, despite being beleaguered politically and surrounded by hostile neighbours, thrives on the marketing of its historical sites. All year round, tourists and pilgrims troop into Israel to visit sites venerated and considered holy by the major religions of the world.
NEWSWATCH

Delta State Government has dispatched a high-powered committee on food and nutrition to Osun State to understudy the latter’s school feeding programme in order to replicate it in the state.
The committee comprises 17 members and is led by the UNICEF Desk Officer in the state’s Ministry of Finance, Mr. Akozor Nduka. The members were in Osun State as an intervention by the Delta State Government to introduce the feeding programme to encourage pupils in crisis prone communities of the state.
Part of the tour of the Delta State committee members was the physical inspection of ‘O-Meals’ food vendors and their food at L.A Elementary Model School, Imo, Ilesa, as well as how centrally distributed food items like beef, fish and egg are being processed, packaged and distributed at abattoir in Ilesa and Feg Agro Farm, Ijeda-ijesa respectively.
Speaking to Daily Independent, leader of the team, Mr. Nduka, described the school feeding programme in Osun State as the best and most organised in the country, which other states need to emulate.
He disclosed that the aim of the Delta State Government was to introduce school feeding as an intervention to encourage pupils in crisis prone communities of the state.
Akozor, who noted that a hungry pupil as a result of the poverty level of the parent cannot concentrate in class, said the best way to encourage attendance, enrolment and concentration is by introducing school feeding at least once daily.

According to him, Osun is the leading example among the states of the federation carrying out the school-feeding programme in the right way.
He stressed that arrangement would be made to ensure those in authority and policy makers in Delta State come to the State of Osun to see things for themselves in a bid to facilitate quick implementation of the programme in the South Southn state.
Earlier, State Operation Officer for Osun School Feeding and Health Programmes, Mrs. Olubunmi Ayoola, while briefing the delegates before the field inspection, hinted that Osun school feeding gulps N12.7 million daily.
Ayoola argued that the Governor of the State of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola, was passionate in bridging the gap between children of the poor and the rich through ‘O-meals’ and other school facilities he provided, thereby making him to regard it as an investment in the lives of the future leaders rather than expenditure.
DAILY INDEPENDENT

When the mendacious Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) apologists began to challenge their metacarpus to furnish manufactured facts on political situation of the state on the internet, one would not only concur but also be of the same opinion that the initiators of that news are really brilliant.
Though, people of book, the learned would never be moved by the Akpors-like comedy that these apologists have turned to their main business, raising fabricated alarms on the on-going tribunal hearing, but only few are regaled by it.
Was it a PDP mischance or not? Despite being severely misrepresented, Aregbesola and APC won against all oddity and ambush, well-prepared by the PDP men and their boys, who left the required process of reading out their manifesto, but were fast to orchestrate inescapable propaganda that needed only magic to be freed from.
The PDP, instead of counting it has bad luck, has seen a joy in perpetrating a big lie, making mountain out of molehill to maintain their dodgy stand from falling.
Everyone thinking in the right manner would understand the strategy being used by the PDP as a tie-my- people- down formula.
The August 9, 2014 governorship election remains undisputable that neither Aregbesola nor his deputy will visit any of the tribunal proceedings since it began for there is nothing to be afraid of, as the much talked about evidence put together to challenge his emergence is quite meretricious; no wonder the gullible ones among them would be deceived even into the pit of hell.
These brilliant liars are well-equipped both materially and academically that they have once captured the attention of a whole Africa independent Television (AIT) after Nigerian Tribune had once become a victim of their deadly deceit.
No thanks to one Lere Olayinka, whose appointment in Ekiti State as a Special Assistant to the Governor has prompted our brothers in Osun to keep the fire of hypocrisy burning just like the former did in Ekiti before he romped home to victory.
To the cynics, let your twit fire keep burning but my question is still here haunting and hounding your conscience; was August 9 election rigged?
Keep sending your rain of curses as well, you are not as talented as the biblical Balaam, whose curse suddenly became a blessing.
•OYEDEJI OLUDAYO, Osogbo, State of Osun
OSUN DEFENDER

The Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has vowed to not relent in his effort to transform the state to greater height.
He also assured the residents of the state that his fresh term in office will witness greater and monumental achievements in spite of the current national economic challenges facing the country.
Aregbesola made the promise at the official disbursement of a sum of N2 Billion under the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) N220 Billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund and distribution of 22 mini buses to transport unions in the state.
At the event which was held at the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Governor Aregbesola said that his administration is more resolute and deeply determined to keep the economic ship of the state afloat against all odds.
While noting that the task to move the state forward in all fronts is the duty of all the residents, Governor Aregbesola maintained that his government has played its role in prudent management of the meager resources accruing to the state adding that the residents must equally display their patriotism by willingly discharge their civic responsibilities without hindrance.
He charged the people of the state to be fully dedicated to the course his administration has charted to make the state the pride of all.
“let me seize this opportunity to reaffirm the avowed commitment of our administration to the total emancipation of our people. In this outgoing term of the administration, we have been able to record landmark achievements in all facets of life of our state and incoming second term will witness ever greater and monumental achievements inspite of the current national economic challenged we are grappling with” the governor promised.
Ogbeni noted further that the establishment of Micro Credit Agency was a deliberate decision taken to have a virile, all embracing empowerment platform that would guarantee easy access to credit facility by operators.
He explained that the 22 mini buses distributed to the transport unions in the state was the promise he made to the unions when the government gave out the first batch of 40 mini buses in July 2014.
The governor noted that the additional 22 buses were the remaining of the 62 buses requested by the unions including NURTW and RTEAN.
He however lauded the Central Bank of Nigeria for coming to the aid of the state in the area of empowerment.
The Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Industry and Empowerment, Mr. Ismaila Alagbada expressed appreciation for the interest developed by the artisans, market men and women.
The Special Adviser to the Governor of Central Bank, Mr. Paul Nduka who represented the CBN Governor, commended Aregbesola’s administartion for mobilizing people to the flag off ceremony saying it is an indication that he is the strongman of the state.
He said that the scheme was put in place in order to engender growth and development adding that micro, small and medium credit facility is the only means to drive the economy of any nation.
Nduka maintained that the intervention torches lives especially at the grassroots and charged the beneficiaries to use the resources for the purpose it was meant so that it can go round to those yet to benefit.
In his goodwill message, the Chairman transporters in the state, Alhaji Jire commended governor Aregbesola for always embarking on the programmes that would have direct impact on the people.
Jire who described Aregbesola as a lover of development noted that his achievements within a space of three and half years proved him to be a visionary leader.
He therefore promised to continue to give support to Aregbesola in his quest to move the state to a greater height.
BIOREPORT

The latest from the tribunal is that the sitting earlier slated for Thursday 27th November,2014 has been further adjourned till Friday 28th November, 2014.
This adjournment is sequel to the representation made to the tribunal by the security agencies in the State of Osun on the need for adequate security at the swearing in ceremony of Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola on his second term as the Governor, State of Osun.
We hereby wish all Osun indigenes, home and abroad happy inauguration of the man of the moment.
Be rest assured of adequate coverage of the proceedings as the legal fireworks resume on friday.

The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Mr. Godwin Emefiele on Monday said the people-focused programmes and policies of the Rauf Aregbesola administration since inception have established him as “the strongman of Osun politics’.

The CBN Governor, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Development and Finance, Mr. Paul Nduka Eluowe, while affirming the belief that the polices had raised the state to a higher pedestal, spoke at the official ceremony for the disbursement of N2 billion Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Micro, Small and Medium Scale Enterprises Development Fund and the distribution of second batch of 22 mini-buses, held at the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park in Osogbo.
The scheme is a partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Under the Bank’s N220 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund, the N2billion secured by Osun is already being disbursed.‎
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Elumelu said that Small and Medium Scale Enterprises are essential ingredients of growth for any serious developing country.
He commended Osun governor for formulating policies and programmes that have economically and financially empowered the people of the state.
The CBN boss charged the governor to ensure that 60 percent of the 2billion Naira given to the state should go to women and 2 percent to physically challenged people in the state.
He said: “I am overwhelmed by the numbers of people present at today’s event. It shows that you are the strong man of Osun politics.
“Your programmes have shown that you are loved by your people with this massive attendance. I hope you will continue to be the strongman of Osun.
“I am not surprised that the majority of the people in attendance are women which the CBN beliefs that women are supposed to be empowered to unleash their potentials,” the CBN boss noted.‎
The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, in his address titled “Marching onto Greater Development Heights”, said his determination to drive the state to a prosperous height was borne‎ out of genuine commitment to take Osun to the height of socio-economic and industrial development.

Aregbesola held that his administration is conscious of the fact that the success of any development enterprise was dependent upon the active involvement and participation of the people.
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He pointed out that Osun, with carefully thought-out policies, programmes, conscious mobilisation and proper organisation of the people, nothing can stand in the way of its development.
The governor added that the most effective ways of making people the driving agents of development is to economically and financially empower them, and then allow them to handle the rest.
According to Aregbesola “We thus decided to come up with various economic empowerment schemes in order to give our people the economic wherewithal and the financial enablement to make them job-creators and wealth generators in a manner that will be beneficial to all and sundry.
“In order for the programmes to have the widest coverage for maximum outcomes, we have decided to spread the net to include the people in the lower rung of the socio-economic ladder – the small traders, the market women, the artisans, the transporters, the small-holder farmer, and the craftsmen and women among others.
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“It is for this reason that we have established the Osun Micro-Credit Agency which was officially inaugurated on July 9, 2014.

“It was aimed at ensuring easy access to credit facilities by operators of micro, small and medium scale enterprises, particularly those in the informal sector of Osun economy”.

‎The Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Wale Bolorunduro, disclosed that Osun was the first state in Nigeria to benefit a sum of N2billion for the CBN to improve micro, small and medium enterprises, affirming the money was a product of financial engineering.

He maintained that 50 per cent of the money is expected to be used for agriculture and commerce.

Bolorunduro said the loan would be judiciously used by the beneficiaries in such a way that the loans would multiply in numerous folds.

“Osun is the first state to have assessed and secured the N2bn loan for Central Bank of Nigeria for the purpose of development.

“The state arrived at this financial opportunity through a careful and prudent financial engineering of the state governor in the last four years.

“This judicious use has helped the state a great deal in the developmental projects and programmes of the administration.

“We hope to focus more on agriculture and commerce in the state for further growth and development,” Bolorunduro said.

In his remark, the Commissioner for Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives and Empowerment, Hon. Ismail Adekunle Jayeoba-Alagbada, said Aregbesola has kept his electoral  promises made to the people through this second tier of his administration’s  empowerment programmes.

Alagbada said the second promise of distribution of 22 mini buses to transporters is a promise fulfilled.

He said “This event is indeed a ceremony of promise fulfilment by the people’s governor in whom the people have implicit confidence.

“The entire landscape of Osun is dotted with innumerable landmarks which bear clear testimony to the sagacity, dedication, commitment and progressive mindedness of our virtuous and passionate governor.”

Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, has tasked members of the National Youth Service Corps posted to the state to ensure that they leave behind lasting legacies in their host communities.
The governor, who was represented by his deputy at the closing of orientation programme of  2014 Batch ‘B’ held at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Ede on Monday said this.
He said, ” It is imperative to let you know that you have been posted to various communities in the state as ambassadors of the NYSC and as agents of change and development.
“You must therefore strive at all times to acquit yourselves creditably well. I want to Moore you to allow the training you have received to make a difference for good in your lives during and after the service year.
” I urge you to pay attention to the development of your host communities by identifying viable projects that  will positively impact on the lives of our people and thereby leave in those communities lasting legacies for posterity.”
The governor also said the welfare and the safety of the corps members would be guaranteed while stating that his administration would also reward excellent service.
Aregbesola, who lauded the initiative of those who established the scheme described it as an hone grown solution to the challenges of the nation.
He stated that the posting of youths from different ethnics and religious background to areas outside their domains would help to foster unity and integration.
PUNCH

Pictures of the Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola during the Disbursement of N2 Billion accessed by the State to Loanees under the CBN N220 Billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, State of Osun on Monday 24-11-2014

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right) receiving Two
Billion Naira Cheque from Special Adviser to Governor, Central Bank
Nigeria (CBN) on Development Finance, Mr Paul Nduka (2nd left) and
Commissioner for Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives and Empowerment, Mr
Ismaila Alagbada (left), during the Disbursement of N2 Billion
Accessed by the State to Loanees under the CBN N220 Billion Micro,
Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund at Nelson Mandela
Freedom Park, Osogbo, State of Osun on Monday 24-11-2014

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right) presenting a
cheque to Chairperson, Modakeke-Ife Area Office Olorunsogo Textile
Dealers’ Association, Mrs Elizabeth Odelola (right), during the
Disbursement of N2 Billion Accessed by the State to Loanees under the
CBN N220 Billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund
at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo. With them are, Special Adviser
to Governor, Central Bank Nigeria (CBN) on Development Finance, Mr
Paul Nduka (2nd left) and Commissioner for Commerce, Industry,
Cooperatives and Empowerment, Mr Ismaila Alagbada (left) on Monday
24-11-2014

From left, Commissioner for Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives and
Empowerment, Mr Ismaila Alagbada; Special Adviser to Governor, Central
Bank Nigeria (CBN) on Development Finance, Mr Paul Nduka; Governor
State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Chairman, Motorcycle
Transport Union of Nigeria (MTUN), Comrade Gbenga Ajenifuja, during
the Disbursement of N2 Billion Accessed by the State to Loanees under
the CBN N220 Billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development
Fund at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo on Monday 24-11-2014

From left, Special Adviser to Governor, Central Bank Nigeria (CBN) on
Development Finance, Mr Paul Nduka; Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni
Rauf Aregbesola; Chairman, Ijofi Ilesa (Ilesa East) Ise Oluwa
Cooperatives Limited, Mr Adedeji Adifagberu and Commissioner for
Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives and Empowerment, Mr Ismaila Alagbada,
during the Disbursement of N2 Billion Accessed by the State to Loanees
under the CBN N220 Billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
Development Fund at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo on Monday
24-11-2014

From right, Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola;
Commissioner for Commerce, Industry, Cooperatives and Empowerment, Mr
Ismaila Alagbada; General Manager, Osun Micro Credit Agency, Dr Dayo
Babaranti and Coordinating Director, Ministry of Commerce, Industry,
Cooperatives and Empowerment, Mr Abimbola Osho, during the
Disbursement of N2 Billion Accessed by the State to Loanees under the
CBN N220 Billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund
at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo on Monday 24-11-2014

From left, Special Adviser to Governor, Central Bank Nigeria (CBN) on
Development Finance, Mr Paul Nduka; Deputy Governor State of Osun, Mrs
Titi Laoye-Tomori; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; his Wife, Sherifat;
Deputy Speaker, Osun House of Assembly, Honourable Akintunde Adegboye
and others, during the Disbursement of N2 Billion Accessed by the
State to Loanees under the CBN N220 Billion Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprises Development Fund at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo on
Monday 24-11-2014

Osun State Commissioner for Tourism, Sunday Akere, in this interview with Olajide Fabamise opines that the state government is ready to improve its economy by developing maximally resources in 23 identified tourism centres in the state and generating revenue from them. He spoke about the wonder of creating job for 20,000 youths in a day through Osun Youths Empowerment Scheme (OYES) and how the achievement has received the attention of the Federal Government and international bodies such as the World Bank and UNESCO. Excerpts:
When the electoral campaigns were on, there were insinuations in some quarters that developments in the state were concentrated in Osogbo, Osun State capital. Have you changed this policy?
This is not even our policy on development of the state.The developmental activities we carried out were not only in Osogbo. What we are doing is to develop Osogbo, being the state capital. Whoever is coming to Osun for the first time comes through the state capital and when you look at Osogbo in the past years,Osogbo looked more like a local government headquarters, a glorified local administration council or capital of a grassroots government than a state capital. It didn’t start to look like a state capital until we started urban renewal
programme, which is taking place in Osogbo, Ila-Orangun, Ikirun, Ikire, Ede, Ile-Ife, Ilesa, Ijebu-jesha and many others towns and cities. In Osogbo City, we have completed 21 inner roads, we have completed15 roads in Ilesa, we have completed 14 roads in Ede.In Ife, Ikirun, Gbongan, Ode-Omu and many other towns and cities in this state, we have commissioned several roads projects; so development is scattered and not concentrated in Osogbo; we spread it to other areas of Osun State.
How was of the Aregbesola government able to develop various areas at the same time and what gave you the confidence to put all this together?
What gave us the strength and confidence is that as a government, we have been able to deliver on our electoral promises. The government of Aregbesola has a developmental programme and blueprint which he had prepared before he came to the government. He now uses this to develop the State of Osun. The civilian governor we had in the past in Osun State
lacked the vision to prepare this kind of lofty plan of action because they were hand-picked by their godfathers, hence instead of serving the people that gave them the mandate through election, what they were serving were their godfathers, but since 2005 as the Lagos State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructures, Aregbesola brought together eminent Osun
personalties in the industries for a three-day retreat, the outcome of which is what Aregbesola is using as manifesto which we call six-point agenda which is to banish hunger, banish poverty, banish unemployment, banish underdevelopment, banish rural-urban migration, to provide free education, free health care services and improve transportation and free movement of citizens of this state through modern mass transit system. We made sure these were tested and experienced in the 47 months of our administration in the state.
Even we said such before the last governorship election. If not for the influence of money, intimidation, harassment, arrest and federal presence in the state during the last election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not have figured close to what they had; in fact the figure was very outrageous because nobody expected that PDP would score as much as over a
hundred thousand votes in State of Osun. Opinion poll before the election did not show that PDP was strong enough or have strength to pull such a weight. Even if you ask common people of this state before the election, they would tell you that Aregbesola would win landslide or at least have 70 per cent of total votes in the election. The election was very free and
well supervised and monitored by electoral officials, the press and security personnel from many military and para-military forces and voluntary organisations. Apart from about 30,000 policemen in Osun State, about 75,000 others were brought in to the state; there was no nook or cranny of the state that lacked the ‘honourable’ and ‘official’ presence of securitymen in uniform — police, soldier, Nigerian Civil Defence and Security Corps and State Security Service (SSS) — to protect us during the election, but we later found out that the
reason for bringing in these uniformed men was to intimidate the people or create fear in the minds of the voters. The second day, they came, there were gun shots everywhere, but thank God we learnt from what they did in Ekiti and we were able to match them. The election was just a fight between ‘David’ and ‘Goliath,’ the PDP and federal might were ‘Goliath’ while Aregbesola was ‘David’.
As a place people visit from every part of the world, could you let us into how far Osun State has availed itself of the revenue-generation potential of tourism?
The intention of this government is to make tourism one of the highest revenue-generating sectors of the administration. We have identified about 23 tourism centres in the state. The ones that are controversial, government has been able to take over and we are developing them. For example, if we have 10,000 tourists coming to Osun every year and each is spending close to $2,000, that is a lot of money. The people in the hospitality business would benefit, the food vendors would benefit, the traders would benefit and likewise, the
transporters. The commercial activities would be boosted generally. Tourism is an area which this government respects and the Aregbesola government is committing so much into it and putting everything in place to make the state conducive for tourists. Ogbeni has said his second term is to continue building a new Osun. Hopefully by next year, the state would have completed the international airport that would make visitors have direct access to the state wherever they come from. The construction is going on.
What is the expectation of the governor concerning the planned maiden visit of Brand Journalists of Nigeria (BJN) and tourism stakeholders to the state?
The expectation of the governor from your coming here is that we believe that your presence here will showcase many of the things we have and bring them into public awareness. Majority would get to know through your report and writing about your experiences here in Osun. I will give you an example, last year a lady came to the state and was taken round. She was enormously amazed about what she saw. After confessing that she had never seen a place like Osun State in her life, she promised to pay us another visit before the end of the year in the company of her husband and children, because she would like them to experience State of Osun at first hand or see what she saw themselves.
Why does the state draw attention to itself by doing things differently?
We think it is good to be ourselves, to do things according to our beliefs because it is our nature to lead and allow others to appreciate our unique individuality and character.
Why the ‘State of Osun’ and not ‘Osun State’?
A lot of things begin in Osun because Osun is number one in Nigeria. Osun is the only state that its governor bear Mister (Mr), that is Ogbeni in Yoruba; Osun is the only state in Nigeria that the governor is not referred to as His Excellency, because we believe that only God is excellent; we believe that if you are going for an exam, you don’t judge yourself, but you are
judged after you have written and passed it. Also, you can know if you are excellent or not if you are able to assess your scores and grade in the exam whether it is poor, fair, very fair, good, very good or excellent. The tendency in Nigeria is that every politician wants to be called ‘Excellency’ the moment they occupy a position, even if they have not even done
anything. Osun is the only state where everbody is equal because democracy is no longer a philosophy, but a culture internalised by the people and a tradition that will be transferred from one generation to another. Osun is the only place where the governor’s motor and motorcycle escorts will not blow siren even though he is caught in a labyrinth of traffic gridlock, he queues up like anybody in the traffic. Part of our uniqueness is in calling ourselves the ‘State of Osun.’ In the constitution of Nigeria, there are 36 states listed from A to Z, but the
constitution never says Abia State, Osun State, Oyo State, but it says Abia, Osun, Oyo, up to Zamfara and in Nigeria we said we are practising federalism. Everywhere in the world where federalism is being practised, it is in only Nigeria you have people calling Osun State or Oyo State. In United States, what you have is State of Maryland, State of Oklahoma, state of this and state of that. Go to Brazil, Go to Malaysia, India, Germany and everywhere in the world that is the practice .
In 2012, there was a conference attended by Cross River State and some other states from different countries in the world, it was only the table of Cross River State that you have Cross River State, others are State of this or State of that. They are saying we are changing the uniform of our students, we are doing this, we are doing that, that we are wearing single school
uniform, it is not here alone; in the era of the first Premier of Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, all local schools were local authority schools, all their pupils wore the same school uniform because they were owned by the government, and since government took over the school over 40 years ago, evey body started doing whatever they liked. The military came later to bastardise the whole system and somebody must rise to change it for better. When we start anything here in Osun, they will shout they want to do this. When we started the State
of Osun, we launched our flag, we launched our anthem and we launched our logo, but everybody was shouting that we wanted to segregate. Can such be possible this time? Osun is an enclave; we have six states surrounding us, are we going to lift ourselves from that position and put ourselves somewhere else? When Bayelsa did their own, nobody said anything. When Aregbesola promised that if he was given the opportunity, he would employ 20,000 youths, we achieved it through our Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES). The World Bank
came here to understudy us and they said that was the first time such a thing would happen the world over. When the Federal Government came to study how we were able to engage 20,000 youths in a day, they (Federal Government) quickly thought about fashioning an idea based on our super idea. They used our standard to start their Sure P. When we were doing our free feeding in schools, everybody was coming. UNESCO came to understudy us here and they affirmed we were indeed starting a revolution here in Osun.
Osun State is a unique centre of history of the Yoruba, their culture and trade, Nigerian drama, mineral deposit, industry etc. Has history any relevance to tourism?
History, no doubt, plays a huge role in tourism. Looking at other countries of the world such as South Africa, we see its history well entrenched in various aspects of the country. But unfortunately in most urban societies in Nigeria, there is a near apathy towards our history and tend to tilt more towards things that are foreign.
How do you address this?
I think that we have lost a lot of mileage and a lot of consciousness arising from non-active engagement in propagating value orientation and reorientation.
History is a critical element of promoting the culture and tourism. But, you find out that in institutions of higher learning, less and less attention is being paid to history and the arts. People are now more inclined towards the social sciences and assuming that part of the arts can be integrated in there. So where are the institutions propagating our history?
They are not there. I see an opportunity in the anticipated commemoration of The Centenary in 2014. I’m putting in place a plan to engage the different states of the federation with critical stakeholders, especially the media, to dust up the history books and bring forth those elements that we must re-establish.
I see The Centenary as an opportunity, as a milestone where perhaps we can readdress some of these critical elements like our history, our landmark. And maybe if we are able to find the resources, both in the public and the private sector, then we would be able to open a new page in the direction of re-establishing the value of our history through our culture.
It is reported that the Tourism Ministry has the thinnest budget amongst other ministries, meaning it has the least allocation of funds. But the challenge before you is a big one because of the enormous opportunities that you have. What plans have you towards boosting the weight of the budget allocated to tourism?
I am saying to my colleagues in cabinet: know what you know, say what you like, tourism holds the future for Nigeria.In terms of budget appropriation, there is a need for a new budget value reorientation. Maybe that didn’t sit quite pretty with a number of people, but I think we’d get to the combustion point, because this is a transformation government and transformation cannot restrict itself to the old agenda of the past.
What we need perhaps is develop passion. It is happening because now, on a weekly basis, I have new information that I share with my colleagues in the cabinet. I am challenging the status quo and seeking for a paradigm shift and people are listening. It is just a matter of time. But I need to strengthen my voice by advocacy.
Have you made any progress so far by changing the orientation of the state towards revamping the tourism sector in Osun?
There is a change of attitude. It is just that the change of attitude has not yet translated into additional resources or visible transformation in the sector and it is gradual. As you know in our country, change is a major thing to deal with. There is a deliberate effort now to provide additional resources for National Orientation in the new budget year. There has been an infinitesimal improvement in the budget of the ministry, but there is a major clamour now for a Special Intervention Fund for the sector and I see that happening very very soon.
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