I received with deep shock but submission to the will of Allah (SWT) the news of the death of Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke early this morning. He was 62 years. Senator Adeleke was the first civilian governor of the State of Osun elected on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), in the aborted Third Republic. He was in office between January 1992 and November 1993.

 
At the return of civil democratic rule, he was elected as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to represent Osun West in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 2007 to 2011. Senator Adeleke came from the illustrious Adeleke family of Ede. His father, Senator Ayoola Adeleke, was a progressive politician, an ally of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and a staunch member of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), under which banner he was elected to the Nigerian Senate in the Second Republic.
It is not surprising therefore that Senator Adeleke returned to the progressives fold in 2014 when he joined the All Progressives Congress (APC). He returned to the Senate in 2015, having contested the Osun West Senatorial seat in the general election and won as the candidate of the APC.
Senator Adeleke became the first civilian governor of Osun at the age of 37, barely a year after the creation of the state, at a period he was most energetic. He therefore laboured hard, giving his best, to lay a good foundation for the then young state, the impact of which we still feel today, even though he was in office for less than two years.
He was a charismatic politician and political leader with panache, passion and fervour that traversed the political spectrum, appealing to all social strata. He was at home with the grassroots as he was with the elite.
Senator Adeleke was a very generous man who gave his all to the needy, friends and constituents, without favour to ethnicity, religion and background. Thousands benefitted from his scholarship scheme and social empowerment programmes.
He was a loyal party member and a team player who was determined to help realise the progressive agenda of the party, through legislation, not just in the whole country but in the State of Osun and Osun West Senatorial District as well.
Senator Adeleke was a personal friend who was committed to my re-election with his entire being. He was unflinching in his support and commitment, even when the security agencies laid a siege to his residence on the eve of the August 9, 2014 governorship election.
His death is very painful and a blow to us all. He is leaving a void in us, the Senate of the Federal Republic, Osun politics and his community in Ede that will be hard to fill. We give thanks to the Almighty God for the fruitful and exemplary life that Senator Adeleke lived. All mortal come from him and to him shall they return.
On behalf of the government, the good people of Osun and my family, I offer sincere condolences to his wife and children, the Adeleke Family of Ede, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the APC national and in the State of Osun, the good people of Ede and the progressives family at large.
May God grant him eternal repose and Aljanna Fidaus.

The Government of Osun on Sunday said it is still in shock over the sudden death of the first Civilian Governor of the state, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke.
 

 
The Government described as a nightmare, the news of the death of one of the illustrious sons of the state.
In a short statement signed by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, the government said the death of Senator Adeleke is hard to accept.
“The sad news of the death of the first civilian governor of our state, Alhaji Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, has struck us like a thunderbolt. Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who is far away in China on state assignment is still speechless and in mourning.
“While the government awaits the reports of the autopsy which is being conducted, we can only calm our people to take this huge and incalculable loss with equanimity.
“Alhaji Adeleke, no doubt, has served our dear state well. First as its Civilian Governor and currently as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria where he has provided adequate representation for the people of his senatorial district and the state. He was a politician with towering dossier.
“We find this loss inexplicable but we are restrained by the fact that we cannot query the verdicts of our Creator, the Almighty.
“We commiserate with the good people of Osun over this sad loss. We are still in shock,” the statement added.

President Muhammadu Buhari has commiserated with Osun State Government and members of the National Assembly on the passing away of Sen. Isiaka Adeleke on Sunday.
 

 
President Buhari sent his condolences to the family and friends of the “gentle and kind-hearted former Governor of Osun State who had passionately and relentlessly championed the cause of the less privileged and most vulnerable in Nigeria.
“The President believes the sudden loss of the legislator will create a gap in the hallowed red chamber as Adeleke had always epitomised unbridled patriotism, maturity and experience, especially with his recent interest in the protection of whistleblowers.
“President Buhari affirms that Adeleke’s contribution to his state, as first elected governor, and the country will always be remembered by posterity.

“He prays that the Almighty God will grant the soul of the departed eternal rest, and comfort the family,” a statement by Femi Adesina said on Sunday.

The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has expressed shock over the death of Sen. Isiaka Adeleke, likening it to “rainstorm at the height of dry season.’’

Ekweremadu, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Uche Anichukwu on Sunday, said the lawmaker’s death was really a sad development, adding that the deceased was a brother and friend.

“He was cosmopolitan in nature and started his education in Enugu, my State.

“This nature showed in his broadminded approach to debates and national issues, which stood him out as a statesman and pan-Nigerian.

“With him as Chairman of Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), I found a willing partner, as Chairman of Senate Committee on Review of 1999 Constitution in the 6 Senate.

“We worked in our collective effort to better the nation’s electoral system.

“He will be remembered for the gains of those reforms as witnessed in the 2011 and 2015 general elections,’’ he said.

Ekweremadu, who described the deceased as a perfect gentleman and patriot, noted that the incident was a grave loss, not only to the Senate and people of Osun State, but the entire nation.

He condoled with the family of the late senator as well as the government and people of Osun.

He also prayed for the peaceful repose of the soul of the departed.

Adeleke died on Sunday at 62, after a brief illness, while observing in his constituency, the National Assembly’s Easter break.

The State of Osun House of Assembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam has described as a rude shock and great loss, the death of the first Executive Governor of the State, Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, who currently represents Osun West Senatorial District at the National Assembly.

 
In a statement by the Chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, the Assembly said the death was a great loss to the people of Ede town, Osun West Senatorial District, Osun State, Upper Chamber and the Nigeria in general.
 
The parliament said the death of the federal lawmaker had robbed of the state of one of its grassroots experienced politician and a philanthropist who has entrenched himself in the quest for good governance.
 
Describing the late Senator Adeleke as a politician of repute whose existence was significant to the democratic tenet in the state, the statement notes that the role he played as the first executive governor of the state could never be over-emphasized.
 
“Senator Adeleke was a leader of leaders, a philanthropist par excellence has made significant impacts in the lives of many young ones in Osun and Nigeria as a whole”.
 
“There is no gainsaying the fact that the state has lost one of its most experienced politicians, whose death will no doubt leave a huge vacuum in the pool of experienced politician and democrats in our state.
 
“The state parliament valued the invaluable contributions of Senator Adeleke to the development of our state, and entrenchment of democratic tenets. No doubt, he will be greatly missed”
 
“In the State of Osun parliament, we offer our heartfelt condolences to the immediately family of Senator Adeleke, the people of Ede town, Osun State with particular reference to Osun West Senatorial District, the Senate and Nigeria as a whole.
 
The parliament then prayed that Almighty God to grant everyone affected by the death of the former governor, the fortitude to bear the loss.
 
The State of Osun House of Assembly under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam has described as a rude shock and great loss, the death of the first Executive Governor of the State, Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, who currently represents Osun West Senatorial District at the National Assembly.

Governor of Osun Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on Friday expressed shock over the death of the Director General of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria, Mr. Dipo Famakinwa.
 

 
Aregbesola said Famakinwa’s sudden exit has left a sour taste in the mouths of all stakeholders in the development agenda for the South-West.
In a statement by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy in the Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, Aregbesola has played a pivotal role in the efforts to integrate the South-west and use the platform to engender a new growth for the people of the region.
“We are left speechless with this sudden loss,” Aregbesola was quoted as stating.
The statement went further, “Famakinwa has been very dogged in the pursuit of that assignment given to him. He was committed wholeheartedly to the progress of the Yoruba. Through the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria, we have moved to accelerate regional revolutionary growth to rediscover our strength as a people of common heritage through agriculture, culture, education, and even sports development.
“Since the birth of that organization, Famakinwa has left no one in doubt on his comprehensive understanding of what we set out to do and the zeal with which he pursued the assignment has been commendable.”
The Governor said it is painful that the late Director General of DAWN did not live long enough to see the objectives of the organization come into full fruition before his untimely exit.
“We are however consoled by the fact that Famakinwa did his best to raise the consciousness of this region. We are also consoled by the fact that death is a necessary end and must come when it is its time. On behalf of the good people of the State of Osun, I commiserate with his immediate and extended families, members of the DAWN Commission family, my colleague governors and other stakeholders in the development agenda of our region. May the soul of Famakinwa rest with his Lord perfectly.”

The Government of Osun has paid a total of #1,471,996,379.00 as counterpart funds for RAMP projects covering the year 2013 to 2017 of
the World Bank Assisted Rural Roads Projects. (RAMP)
 

 
The move by the Aregbesola administration has qualified the State for the next stage of the project, just as the State is ranked top among the five benefiting States under the RAMP projects done in collaboration with the World Bank and French Development Agency (AFD).
Project Coordinator, Osun Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP II), Engr. Adelere Oriolowo disclosed this while speaking at a
programme to usher in a 3-day Bi-Annual World Bank Supervision Mission, held in Osogbo.
He stated further that, Osun Rural Access and Mobility Project (O’RAMP-II) is a credit finance projects of the World Bank and French Development Agency (AFD) assisted project brought up for the provision of access to the rural areas of the State on transport facilities, adding that, apart from the construction of rural roads, Osun RAMP also take it as her onerous duties to campaign against AIDS and advise the people to have best practices.
Engr. Oriolowo also said that the mission was among other things, to look at the project implementation holistically with the
emerging issues serving as an impediment to snub implementation and proffer solutions.
He said the meeting is a referral on the project implementation comprising the RAMP Family of the five participating States on the Rural Access and Mobility Project-II (RAMP-II) which includes; the State of Osun, Enugu, Niger, Adamawa and Imo State with the motive of presenting the achievements and challenges to the World Bank and AFD Representatives for assessment, so as to pave way forward to the next levels.
He noted that the World Bank Mission has been tremendously helpful in having impacts on all the rural communities where the rural
roads construction are being done, saying that two Petrol Stations and commercial centres were already being put in place at Osi-Ara and
Gbengbeleku in Ife region to boost the economy/commercial activities of the area.
The Project Coordinator also maintained that the completion of Iwo to Patara 4km roads brought up the erected structures like,
residential, commercial and religions buildings saying that the indigents in the State of Osun are mostly farmers and the hindrances
in taking input to the farm and carrying of farm products to the markets or having access to schools and hospitals have been drastically reduced.
Earlier, the State of Osun Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) led the World Bank and AFD Team on a pre-mission technical visit to
cover parts of the work being undertaken by RAMP on a field visit to the project site, to assess the levels of implementation and the way
forward.
While appreciating the Governor of the State of Osun, OgbeniRauf Aregbesola for the regular payment of the State counterpart fund,
he enjoined all the rural road users, especially the Okada riders to be courteous and make good use of the road signals and protect the
public utilities.
Engr. Oriolowo added that, the Timber lorry drivers at Osi-Sooko, Ara-Joshua in Ife region en route Womonle – Orile-Owu in Ayedaade Local Government Area of the State should do away with the idea of putting heavy loads on carriageway and blocking of the roads which is meant for the general public, saying that, the dumping of refuse or waste products on drainages must henceforth be stopped.

In terms of quality and network, the roads and schools constructed in Osun have proved to be the best in Nigeria.
This was the assessment of the National President of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel who described the quality of the roads being executed by the Osun state government as unprecedented in Nigeria.
 

 
He commended Governor Rauf Aregbesola-led administration in the state for securing a better future for the state through the provision of developmental infrastructures.
Comrade Khaleel made the statement after his assessment tour of some of the roads and mega-schools in the state during his visit to the state for the 2017 NULGE Week 2017.
The NULGE National President said the visit of the national leadership of the Union to the state was a clear testimony to the giant strides made by the Aregbesola administration in the last six years.
Khaleel stated that no road in the country shares common quality in terms of materials being used by the state on its roads construction.
He said the presence of the national leadership of NULGE in Osun avails him and other members of the union the opportunity to tour some of the strategic places where government interventions had clearly manifested.
He stated that the kind of model schools built across the state under Aregbesola’s watch are not only beneficial but incomparable with others in the country.
The NULGE President explained that the visit of the Union to some of the ongoing government projects across the nooks and crannies of the state depicted the high sense of Governor Aregbesola’s determination to quality in public service delivery.
He attributed the presence of infrastructural facilities being put in place by the state government as a manifestation of the Aregbesola’s passion to good governance.
Khaleel said with what he personally testified to, there is no doubt that the Osun government has distinguished itself in maintaining and sustaining international best standard in road construction and rehabilitation.
He said the state had laid a good foundation for quality in public services as this was reflected in the implementation of its socio-economic polices and programmes.
He said it was obvious that the people of the state have started enjoying the advantages of the projects which are scattered across the state.
“I am very happy to be in Osun to testify to the good things going on across the state. In fact, what I saw is clearly different from the pictures painted about the state.
“We have moved round the state and the quality of the infrastructural developments that we personally saw can never be compared with others anywhere in Nigeria.
“The quality of the road construction in the state is in no doubt strictly in consonance with the international standards as this can never be compared with any road in Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“I am highly impressed that one of our governors could do these laudable projects in spite the challenges facing the nation’s economy.
” As I call on other states including Federal Government to key into the Osun quality moves in infrastructural development, I also urge them to, as a matter of necessity, prioritise quality in all the public services rendered to the people, as this remains the only way to sustain the people’s confidences and promote good governance.
“We in NULGE identify with the achievements of Governor Aregbesola and the quality of his work which can never be found anywhere in Nigeria,” he added.
Earlier, the Deputy Governor of the state, Mrs Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori who hosted the NULGE delegation on behalf of the Governor, commended the national leadership of the union for supporting sustenance of democratic ideals.
Describing NULGE as a vibrant trade union for socio-economic emancipation in the country, she said the role of the union in nation building can never be over-emphasised.
Laoye-Tomori lauded the National President of the union for being relentless in pursuing comfort for his members across the nation.