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Osun begins Interview for shortlisted Teachers across the State | OSUN GOVERNMENT RESOLVES ISSUES AROUND AMOTEKUN RECRUITMENT TRAINING | Over 42,000 pupils, students receives free corrective glasses in Osun – Governor Adeleke. | GOVERNOR ADELEKE CELEBRATES HON KASOPE ABOLARIN ON HIS BIRTHDAY. | I Won’t be Distracted from Good Governance-Governor Adeleke | Osun Government Acted in Line with Public Interest by Submitting Petition to EFCC | Your Best Governor Award for Health Sector is Well Deserved – Telegraph Management | LENTEN: GOVERNOR ADELEKE FELICITATES CHRISTIANS | GOVERNOR ADELEKE CONDOLES AIDE, KAMIL ARANSI, OVER MOTHER’S PASSING | Osun LGs Governor Adeleke Briefs Traditional Rulers, Reaffirms that No Court Order Reinstates Yes/No Chairmen | GOVERNOR ADELEKE PRAYS FOR AND FELICITATES WITH DR DEJI ADELEKE AT 68 | Illegal Occupation of Council Secretariats: Osun Local Government Chairmen, NULGE Drag Yes/ No L.G Chairmen to Courts | Gov. Adeleke Eulogises Obasanjo at 88, Describes Him as Father of All. | Governor Adeleke Launches Stakeholders’ Consultation, Visits Chief Bisi Akande on Recent Developments | Governor Adeleke Launches Stakeholders’ Consultation, Visits Chief Bisi Akande on Recent Developments | GOVERNOR ADELEKE CONGRATULATES NEW NYSC DIRECTOR–GENERAL, BRIGADIER-GENERAL NAFIU OLAKUNLE. | GOVERNOR ADELEKE GREETS ALHAJA LATEEFAT GBAJABIAMILA AT 95 | GOVERNOR ADELEKE CONGRATULATES AIDE, TUNDE BADMUS, ON HIS BIRTHDAY | OSUN GOVT FAULTS MASTERMINDS’ POSITION ON THE LG CRISIS | Governor Adeleke Orders Investigation over Clashes at Egbedi Town | Ramadan: Governor Adeleke preaches Peace & Godliness

Category: News

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Photos of the UNICEF Ambassador on Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), Mrs Sherifat Aregbesola, demonstrating hand washing. With them are former Special Adviser to Osun Governor on Rural Development and  Community Affairs, Mr kunle Ige and former Commissioner for Environment in Osun, Prof. (Mrs) Olubukola Oyawoye, during the recent 2014 Global hand washing Day celebration in Osogbo, the Sate of Osun.

UNICEF Ambassador on Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), Mrs Sherifat Aregbesola, demonstrating hand washing. With them are former Special Adviser to Osun Governor on Rural Development and  Community Affairs, Mr kunle Ige and former Commissioner for Environment in Osun, Prof. (Mrs) Olubukola Oyawoye, during the recent 2014 Global hand washing Day celebration in Osogbo, the Sate of Osun.

UNICEF Ambassador on Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), Mrs
Sherifat Aregbesola, demonstrating hand washing. With them are former
Special Adviser to Osun Governor on Rural Development and Community
Affairs, Mr kunle Ige and former Commissioner for Environment in Osun,
Prof. (Mrs) Olubukola Oyawoye, during the recent 2014 Global hand
washing Day celebration in Osogbo, the Sate of Osun.

UNICEF Ambassador on Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), Mrs Sherifat Aregbesola in a group photograph with students while demonstrating hand washing, during the recent 2014 Global hand washing Day celebration in Osogbo, the Sate of Osun.

UNICEF Ambassador on Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), Mrs
Sherifat Aregbesola in a group photograph with students while
demonstrating hand washing, during the recent 2014 Global hand washing
Day celebration in Osogbo, the Sate of Osun.

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2-1

2-1The wife of the Osun State governor, Alhaja Sherifat Abidemi Aregbesola has appealed to Nigerians not to relent in their prayers for the release of the Chibok girls who were kidnapped by the Boko Haram sect.
Mrs. Aregbesola, who made the plea in Osogbo at the 2014 children end of the year party organised by her office in conjunction with the State Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, lamented the continued incarceration of the
innocent girls.
According to her, “although we are celebrating here today, let us individually pray for the children who are at the moment denied the comfort of their families, these are our children who have been kidnapped and are yet to be
released for a long time now. We should pray for their safe release and peace in our nation.”
The wife of the governor also admonished parents to continue to improve on the care and attention being given to their children adding that “we should ensure that we see to their good health and happiness at all times.
“We should also train them to inculcate the virtues and the culture of our people. Most importantly, I urge you to make the education of our children a top priority, there is no excuse for any child not to go to school any longer in the State of Osun given the comprehensive free education policy of the state government, we should understand that education paves way for better living standard in the world.”
Speaking, Governor Rauf Aregebsola noted that 2014 edition of children party was unique as it was coming at the time the people of Osun were celebrating his second term in office, assuring the people that the state would witness more development and dividends of democracy.
While expressing appreciation to the people of the state, especially the youth for their support for his administration during the electioneering period, Governor Aregbesola maintained that their support for him was a manifestation of their appreciation for his administration.
Governor Aregbesola assured that his administration would give good and qualitative education to children, calling on children and youths in the state to desist from violence and act of thuggery which he said was on the
increase in schools in the state.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Mrs. Adebimpe Ogunlumade said that the occasion had afforded children from different socio-economic backgrounds to come together and interact with one another in order to enjoy the festive period.
LEADERSHIP

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Pc-1

Photos of the Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, at his arrival on his appearance at the sitting of Election Petition Tribunal, alongside a cross section of his lawyers and APC Party chairman at the State High Court on Friday 19-12-2014

Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, during arrival on his appearance at the sitting of Election Petition Tribunal, at the State High Court on Friday 19-12-2014

Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, during arrival on his
appearance at the sitting of Election Petition Tribunal, at the State
High Court on Friday 19-12-2014

From left, Running mate of Gen Muhammadu Buhari, Presidential candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC), Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osum and Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), at the end of the sitting of Election Petition Tribunal at State High Court in Osogbo on Friday 19-12-2014

From left, Running mate of Gen Muhammadu Buhari, Presidential
candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC), Prof. Yemi Osinbajo;
Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osum and Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), at the end
of the sitting of Election Petition Tribunal at State High Court in
Osogbo on Friday 19-12-2014

Cross Section of Governor Aregbesola's lawyers from left, Vice Pesidential Candidate of APC, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Mr Bashiru Ajibola, Mr. Ibrahim Lawal and others. With them are Govrrmor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun (right) and APC Party Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun, at the the sitting of Election Petition Tribunal at the State High Court, Osogbo on Friday 19-12-2014

Cross Section of Governor Aregbesola’s lawyers from left, Vice
Pesidential Candidate of APC, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Mr Bashiru Ajibola,
Mr. Ibrahim Lawal and others. With them are Govrrmor Rauf Aregbesola
of Osun (right) and APC Party Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun, at the
the sitting of Election Petition Tribunal at the State High Court,
Osogbo on Friday 19-12-2014

From left, Running mate of Gen Muhammadu Buhari, Presidential candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC), Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osum and Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), at the end of the sitting of Election Petition Tribunal at State High Court in Osogbo on Friday 19-12-2014

From left, Running mate of Gen Muhammadu Buhari, Presidential
candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC), Prof. Yemi Osinbajo;
Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osum and Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), at the end
of the sitting of Election Petition Tribunal at State High Court in
Osogbo on Friday 19-12-2014

Vice Pesidential Candidate of APC, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Mr Bashiru Ajibola, Govrrmor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun (right) and others, at the the sitting of Election Petition Tribunal at the State High Court, Osogbo on Friday 19-12-2014

Vice Pesidential Candidate of APC, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Mr Bashiru
Ajibola, Govrrmor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun (right) and others, at the
the sitting of Election Petition Tribunal at the State High Court,
Osogbo on Friday 19-12-2014

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Pictures of the Wife of the State of Osun Governor, Alhaja  Sherifat Aregbesola dancing with less privileged Children, during the 2014 Children End of the Year Party, organised by office of the wife of the Governor in collaboration with Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, at Government House, Osogbo on  Wednesday

From Right, Alhaja Sherifat Aregbesola; Representative of State of Osun Governor, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti and Permanent Secretary Ministry of Home Affairs, Alhaja Sikirat Bello, during the 2014 Children End of the year Party, organised by office of the wife of  Governor in collaboration with Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, at Government House, Osogbo on  Wednesday 17-12-2014

From Right, Alhaja Sherifat Aregbesola; Representative of State of Osun Governor, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti and Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Home Affairs, Alhaja Sikirat Bello, during the 2014 Children End of the year Party, organised by office of the wife of Governor in collaboration
with Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, at Government House,
Osogbo on Wednesday 17-12-2014

Wife of the State of Osun Governor, Alhaj Sherifat Aregbesola (middle) cutting the anniversary cake with Children, during the 2014 Children End of the Year Party, organised by office of the wife of the Governor in collaboration with Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, at Government House, Osogbo on  Wednesday 17-12-2014

Wife of the State of Osun Governor, Alhaj Sherifat Aregbesola (middle)
cutting the anniversary cake with Children, during the 2014 Children End of
the Year Party, organised by office of the wife of the Governor in
collaboration with Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, at
Government House, Osogbo on Wednesday 17-12-2014

Wife of the State of Osun Governor, Alhaja  Sherifat Aregbesola dancing with less privileged Children, during the 2014 Children End of the Year Party, organised by office of the wife of the Governor in collaboration with Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, at Government House, Osogbo on  Wednesday 17-12-2014

Wife of the State of Osun Governor, Alhaja Sherifat Aregbesola dancing
with less privileged Children, during the 2014 Children End of the Year Party,
organised by office of the wife of the Governor in collaboration with
Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, at
Government House, Osogbo on Wednesday 17-12-2014

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aregbesola

aregbesolaStudents of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Osun State University (UNIOSUN) in Ikire have commended the state Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who is also Visitor to the university for giving approval for the re-opening of the Ikire Campus of the institution.
The students in a statement in Osogbo expressed appreciation to Aregbesola for the reopening the campus after about four months of closure.
It would be recalled that the students of the Ikire campus of the university embarked on protests over the death of one of their colleagues in addition to an academic staff who died in a motor accident along Ila-Orangun road during excursion to Akinyungba Waterfall.
The statement was signed by Adepoju Siji Samson and Abubakar Abdul-Basit and titled,  ‘Appreciation and Appeal for Reduction of N30,000 Reparation Fee’.
The statement reads in part: “Though lately, Aregbesola has heeded to our outcries and restored our hope and passion for his leadership. Because of this, we appreciate his magnanimity, and thank Mr. Governor.
“But, we are seriously worried. As contained in the approval, we have to pay N30,000 reparation fee before we could resume, a condition that is undeniably worrisome considering the economic reality at this moment.
“Therefore, we implore Mr. Governor to rely more on his magnanimity and bail us out by reducing the fee.
“It is important to stress that we have agreed to pay reparation fee but affordability is key.
“Thus, our worries hinged on the fact that this time is hard and many of our parents eat from hand to mouth. More so, tens of innocent students are feeding themselves in pursuance of better tomorrow.
“This is our solemn demand. However, we pray the concerned authority to allow us write our examinations unconditionally and give us time to fulfil all righteousness.”
DAILY INDEPENDENT

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INTERNATIONAL TRADE MEMBERS VISIT AREGBESOLA 1

Photos of the Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Nigeria Ambassador to Ireland, Ambassador Bolere Elizabeth Ketebu, during a Trade Mission Visit to the Governor at Government House, Osogbo recently

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (left) and Nigeria Ambassador to Ireland, Ambassador Bolere Elizabeth Ketebu, during a Trade Mission Visit to the Governor at Government House, Osogbo recently

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (left) and Nigeria
Ambassador to Ireland, Ambassador Bolere Elizabeth Ketebu, during a Trade
Mission Visit to the Governor at Government House, Osogbo recently

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle); his deputy, Mrs. Titi-Laoye Tomori (left) and Nigeria Ambassador to Ireland, Ambassador Bolere Elizabeth Ketebu (right), during a Trade Mission Visit to the Governor at Government House, Osogbo recently

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle); his deputy, Mrs.
Titi-Laoye Tomori (left) and Nigeria Ambassador to Ireland, Ambassador
Bolere Elizabeth Ketebu (right), during a Trade Mission Visit to the
Governor at Government House, Osogbo recently

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle); his deputy, Mrs. Titi-Laoye Tomori (2nd left); Nigeria Ambassador to Ireland, Ambassador Bolere Elizabeth Ketebu (2nd right); Mr. Sean Lyons (right) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) City Engineer Limited, Mr. Kola Bello (left), during a Trade Mission Visit to the Governor at Government House, Osogbo recently

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle); his deputy, Mrs.
Titi-Laoye Tomori (2nd left); Nigeria Ambassador to Ireland, Ambassador
Bolere Elizabeth Ketebu (2nd right); Mr. Sean Lyons (right) and Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) City Engineer Limited, Mr. Kola Bello (left), during
a Trade Mission Visit to the Governor at Government House, Osogbo recently

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (4th left); his Deputy, Mrs. Titi-Laoye Tomori (3rd left); Nigeria Ambassador to Ireland, Ambassador Bolere Elizabeth Ketebu (5th left); Mr. Sean Lyons (6th left) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) City Engineer Limited, Mr. Kola Bello (2nd left); Barrister Doran O’Toole (7th right) and others during a Trade Mission Visit to the Governor at Government House, Osogbo recently

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (4th left); his Deputy, Mrs.
Titi-Laoye Tomori (3rd left); Nigeria Ambassador to Ireland, Ambassador
Bolere Elizabeth Ketebu (5th left); Mr. Sean Lyons (6th left) Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) City Engineer Limited, Mr. Kola Bello (2nd left);
Barrister Doran O’Toole (7th right) and others during a Trade Mission Visit
to the Governor at Government House, Osogbo recently

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yemi-osibajo1

yemi-osibajo1I was greatly saddened to read the material written by Mr. Egheomhanre Emmanuel Eyieyien urging “The Remnants” to vote out the current Governor of Osun State Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and vote in Chief Iyiola Omisore. I am also still somewhat puzzled as to how what appeared to be an opposition to a bond issue and other sundry allegations degenerated to the running down of the APC as an Islamic party, a propaganda tool notoriously deployed by the PDP through its various organs.
Are we as Christians now being urged to support the PDP or what exactly is the message? Reason, is one of the most important contributions of the Gospel to development. From it emerge the practical concepts of fairness and justice for all, especially our enemies. Which is why lynching, even of an intellectual kind is unacceptable.
I am not an unbiased intervenor, I had the good fortune of serving in an AD/ACN government in Lagos State. The ACN is a major partner in the APC. I will come back to the PDP APC issue presently.
Also, I have known Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Governor of the State of Osun, since 1999. We served on the policy committees of the then newly elected AD governor of Lagos State. He served in the infrastructure sub-committee and I, in the Justice sub-committee. I also served with him for 8 years in the government of Lagos State. He as Commissioner for Works and I as Attorney General. I developed a close personal relationship with him. His early ideological belief was shaped byMarxist-Socialist thinking, which probably influences his left- of- centre world view in governance. His first son Kabir went to university in Cuba on a scholarship. In 2005 when he graduated, only Rauf and I attended his graduation . He is a devout Muslim but liberal in his approach to other faiths. This is not unusual amongst the Yorubas largely because most families have both Muslim and Christian members and have always interacted without rancour. Of his six siblings only one other is a Muslim. All the others are Christians. His sister who is of the RCCG, is widowed ( her husband died a Christian) her two sons have lived with Rauf for years, he insists that they must practice their father’s faith faithfully. They both attend the RCCG.
He and I shared and still share a burden to provide honest, transparent, people-centered governance. He is a scrupulously honest person, as Commissioner for Works in Lagos State he left office without a home and no financial comforts. I know, because aside from my personal and official interaction with him, I coordinated his legal team for the reclamation of his mandate for over three years. I know first hand, his difficulties with sustaining his family, and a small staff for that period. Not surprisingly no one can accuse him in Osun State of corruption. He is just not wired that way.
Indeed, in keeping with that commitment to serve the people with complete fidelity, his major projects have been solely directed at alleviating the suffering and deprivation of his people. The hiring of, now 40,000 unemployed graduates , the provision of free balanced meals for all primary school children, provision of free uniforms, the provision of tablet computers for senior secondary school students containing all their textbooks, past jamb questions etc., monthly stipends to the elderly – all of these in a State that is the third poorest in Federalallocations and currently gets N2.6 billion monthly, a 40 percent reduction from 2013, courtesy of the Federal government. Mr. Eyieyien perhaps was not aware that even the 10 billion sukuk bond was purely for the building of 24 model state-of the art schools, most of which are now completed. The Wole Soyinka led Osun education summit recommended the replacement of the completely broken school infrastructure in Osun State with schools capable of accommodating 1000 students with modern labs, classrooms, power and sports facilities. The idea was to use economies of scale to benefit the largest number of students.
When Mr. Eyieyien describes him as “Sheikh” it is clearly to give the impression that he is an Islamic fundamentalist. The facts on the man completely belie this. First, as Commissioner for Works in Lagos State,he built the chapel at the State House Marina.
Pastor Adeboye at the opening commended him and remarked that he would be a pastor soon! Within a year of coming into government, he commissioned in Ilesa the Open Heavens Christian Evangelical Arena , a purpose-built facility for evangelism which according to him was to celebrate the icons of the Christian faith who are from Osun namely- the Late Apostle Babalola , the Late Apostle Obadare, Pastor E.A. Adeboye, Pastor W.F Kumuyi and Pastor Mathew Ashimolowo .
Today, his government supports the establishment of five Christian universities in Osun, including The Redeemers University at Ede, the Joseph Babalola University, Dominion University , and Bowen University.
How about the composition of government in Osun State? You will notice that his critics are never able to say that Christians are marginalised in government, why ? Because only Muslims can make that allegation! In the Cabinet of Osun State there are 10 more Christians than Muslims. In addition, the largest Ministries are headed by Christians- Ministries of Finance, Justice, Education, Health, Environment , Agriculture, Physical Planning and Youth and Sports . The Legislature (House of Assembly), which came into office after he won back his mandate in court in November 2010, has a majority of Christian members – 18 Christians and 8 Muslims. Everyone knows that at that level if the Governor does not support your nomination by the party your ambitions are dead in the water.
The State Judiciary is headed by a Christian who he appointed although he had preferred and proposed a judge from Lagos Justice Olubunmi Oyewole also a non-Muslim. Of over 30 new Permanent Secretaries appointed by him 22 are Christians. If the majority of your cabinet, ( including your Attorney-General), your Legislature, Judiciary and top echelon of your civil service are Christians how can we in truth say that such a person has an Islamisation agenda? Surely the least a “Sheikh” with an Islamisation agenda should do to achieve his objective is to populate the structure that can achieve that objective with Muslims!
It is also entirely false that he patronizes or uses “TAAWUN” guards for his security. It is common knowledge that he hardly even uses any security at all, except for a couple of SSS men, his monthly LIFE WALKS , where he walks alongside his people for kilometres without any significant security cordon was commended recently by a former Governor in the South East.
It is incredible what prejudice can do to us. Everyone in Osun knows that the State was nicknamed “State of the Living Spring” in reference to the Osun River after which the State is named. Renaming the State “the OmoluabiState ” – meaning “the State of children born of God” or “the State of men and women of virtue” certainly gives greater glory to God.
To suggest that benefiting from a Sukuk bond to better the lives of his people of all faiths, is enough to justify the grave allegation of an Islamisation agenda, is with all due respect , calling a dog a bad name simply to hang it. I agree that it may have served the politics of religion better not to take the bond, but it is a fairer judgment of his motives, knowing him, that this was borne out of his desire to serve his people well.
The 24 mega schools with state-of -the art facilities is a quantum leap in education for the majority of children of the poor who before now schooled in what the Soyinka committee saw as scandalous. The alternative was not to build the schools. When a man who is doing right by the poor and deprived people he governs, is being condemned by those of us who are called to serve the poor, the sick, , the naked, and the hungry then it is fair to ask what the values in governance we really intend to promote are? In any event the alternative is Chief Iyiola Omisore whose antecedents we ought, to put it delicately, be cautious to associate with.
A problem with uncritically accepting as useful advice this viciously anti-APC propaganda, is that it throws the baby out with the bath water. So we are now expected to reject the landmark achievements in Lagos, in Ogun ( the huge infrastructural developments), Oyo ( which for the first time most admit is making real progress) , Edo, and Ekiti ( where almost everyone agrees the governor did a good job but Fayose understood stomach infrastructure better!) Or now Kano or Rivers ( where a REAL rail service is about to begin;Lagos is also about to complete a rail service amongst other exemplary achievements )!
It is also false that the APC’s new executive reserved its top positions for Muslims! The Chairman of the party Chief John Odigie-Oyegun is a Christian, the Deputy National Chairman (South) Engr. Segun Oni is a Christian, so are the National Organizing Secretary Senator Osita Izunaso, Deputy National Secretary Hon. Orji Ugofa and Chief Pius Akinyelure , theVice Chairman of the South West. For what it is worth, there are 22 Muslims and 21 Christians in the APC National Executive Committee.
Regarding the rather thinly veiled ‘support the PDP/ JONATHAN’ message, it is incredible that we are invited to ignore the cynical manner that our President Goodluck Jonathan uses Christianity and the church to further his political ambitions. Why are we being urged to support a PDP/Jonathan bid again? The platform has largely on account of its tragic failure to perform, decided to exploit Nigeria’s religious fault lines in the most cynical manner to win support, in the process he continues to divide Nigeria in by the far most extreme manner in our history.
I have worked with many brethren since 2002 on issues around Islamization in Nigeria, in particular with Revd. Ladi Thompson of the Macedonian Initiative and the Omoluabi network. It is clear that Al Qaeda, ISIS , and more recently Boko Haram and their splinters are committed to an Islamization agenda. Their symphathisers certainly cut across all boundaries.
The Late General Azazi, then NSA, pointedly accused the PDP of being behind the escalation of Boko Haram, I have that statement on DVD. The President, also openlylamented the infiltration of his cabinet by the Boko Haram. Recently a Nigerian pastor in a widely circulated CD, speaking on the Jihadist agenda accused General Babangida of funding the Islamization agenda from his days as President. Today President Jonathan’s most influential Northern supporter is General Babangida. His narrative unfortunately gives no credit to Gen Buhari, and his deputy Gen Idiagbon (also a muslim) who refused to join the OIC despite pressures. Or that Gen Buhari remains the one head of State who was able to defeat an extremist insurgency, the Maitatsine.
How can we fail to see that the incredible corruption, incompetence, poverty of 2/3 of our people after almost seven years of the presentgovernment is unsupportable? How is it that Diezani’s use of 10billion Naira to run her private jet ( the same amount of money for the building of 24 mega schools in Osun!) and the complete silence of the President on this travesty does not lead to calling for him to be voted out in 2015? So the allegation of the missing or unaccounted for 20.8 billion USD with 110 million desperately poor, should be dismissed as pure propaganda? So it doesn’t make a difference to us that under the PDP Nigeria has fallen behind in every human development indicator? 55,000 women dying yearly of maternal related ailments, only recently Stanford’s Professor Larry Diamond compared the yearly deaths of over 300,000 children yearly in Nigeria to the killing of 800, 000 mainly Tutsis in Rwanda. The latter was described as genocide, what is the description to give to mass deaths of infants caused by grand corruption?
We discredit our treasured platforms such as this when we mask our political preferences with a religious veil. The vast majority of our people need to be delivered from terrible want and deprivation, what is required now are capable, honest men and women of all faiths, who know that this country may not long survive the daily punishment of its own people.
Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, a  Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and pastor of the Redeemed Church of God, was former Attorney-General in Lagos State. He sent this article from Lagos.

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scales-of-justice

scales-of-justiceGovernor Rauf Aregbesola of the State of Osun has closed defence against the petition of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore challenging his August 9 re-election before Justice Elizabeth Ikpejime-led Election Petition Tribunal.
Announcing the closure of the defence on Wednesday, Aregbesola counsel, Kunle Adegoke said his client is satisfied with the defence put up before the panel.
The counsel, as at the time of closing the defence spent only eight out of the statutory 10 days allow him to defend the allegations of the petitioners.
He called 19 witnesses in defence of the allegations of the petitioners and their witnesses before the tribunal.
The second respondent, All Progressive Congress (APC) has been billed to open its defence tomorrow,  Friday, December 19.
The APC Counsel, Mr Ajibola Basiru said the witnesses called by the first respondents were to further convince the court that the election was indeed free and fair, saying, the petitioners have not proved any case.
He said, “We are not under any obligation to even call a particular number of witnesses, because the petitioners have not called witnesses to cover areas pleaded in the petition and secondly their witnesses have been thoroughly discredited under cross-examination.
“The petitioners have also not established the case of non-compliance. From experience, this is one of useless election petitions I have ever seen in the history of this country”, he said.
The petitioners’ counsel, Nathaniel Oke (SAN), said it is for the tribunal to determine the veraxity of the allegations of the petitioners and the defence of the respondents.
Earlier, Aregbesola’s counsel had called two witnesses, Aminulahi Rafiu, a voter from Ward 4, Unit 9 of Ede North local government and Atanda Isaac, an APC party agent at Ward 1, Unit 1 of Irepodun local government, who told the tribunal that the election was free and fair.
They both told the tribunal that the INEC officials brought all the required election materials for the units and political party agents signed the result forms.
The witnesses also told the panel that neither voters or party agents complained on the conduct of the election on the said day.
OSUN DEFENDER

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scales-of-justice

scales-of-justiceMembers of the Osun State Election Petition Tribunal on Monday expressed worry over the way the petition of the Accord Party governorship candidate, Mr. Niyi Owolade, was being handled by his legal team.
Owolade’s counsel, Bisi Adedayo, at the resumed hearing of his petition against the August 9 re-election of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, requested that the tribunal should stand down for some times to enable INEC officials produce the election materials listed in the subpoena issued on the commission.
But the tribunal Chairman, Justice Elizabeth Ikpejime, said the application for Subpoena was made on Friday by the petitioner counsel, and she signed it about 4pm on the said day.
Noting that the commission was just served on Monday morning when the tribunal  started sitting, she queried the possibility of the production of the election material by INEC for the day’s proceeding.
INEC Counsel, Ayotunde Ogunleye, said he was not aware of any subpoena on the commission to produce the election materials, saying he could not comment on the matter.
Subsequently, members of the tribunal, Justices V.I Ofesi and A.I Kutigi, wondered why the petitioner counsel had to wait till the “zero hour” to apply for a subpoena.
 
DAILY INDEPENDENT

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photo2_Naijapals[dot]com

photo2_Naijapals[dot]comOsun State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori, watched  in admiration how a drone built  by a corps member posted to Osun State took off and carried out surveillance of the parade ground at the Permanent Orientation Camp of the National Youth Service Corps on Monday.
The corps member, Olaolu Ayoola, a graduate of Computer Science/Engineering of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, stole the show with his invention  during the closing ceremony of the orientation course for the 2014 batch ‘C’ of corps members deployed in the state.
The drone, which soldiers and other security agents present at the event, described as a good invention, flew for about 10 minutes before it landed.
The device is fixed with surveillance camera, and can stay in the air for 20 minutes and is capable of flying up for 500 meters.
The device with remote control has 2.4G radio transmitter and carried  out live recording of the event which was monitored on a black berry phone.
Ayoola told our correspondent in an interview that his love  for aeronautics drove him into engaging in the device.
Apart for military use, Ayoola said that the drone could also be used by politicians to hoist their flags and could also be used to monitor activities on large farms.
He said, “This type of drone, if fully developed, could be used by farmers. You can deploy it to fly round a farm of about 20 hectares and you will monitor what is going on on the farm right from where the remote control is.
“It can be used to monitor traffic situation and in case of flooding,  the drone can monitor the area.
“I spent over N20,000.00 to build this but I can do something with a bigger capacity and which will stay for more hours in the air if fund is available.”
The deputy governor who said she was impressed with the drone said the corps member should assembly youths anywhere he was posted to serve and teach them how to do this kind of invention.
The State Coordinator, Mr. Abada Okpiroro, also commended the corps member for the drone.
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