Photos of the Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Chairman Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Comrade Ayodele Adewale Special Adviser to Governor lagos State on Inter-Governmental Relation, during the Official Commissioning of The Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Legislative Building (Freedom House) at Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Lagos State on Monday 27-10-2014.

Governor state of osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd right); Chairman Amuwo
Odofin Local Government, Comrade Ayodele Adewale and wife Zainb
Adewale (2nd left); Special Adviser to Governor lagos State on
Inter-Governmental Relation, Reverend Tunji Adebiyi, during the
Official Commissioning of The
Asuwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Legislative Building (freedom house).at Amuwo
Odofin Local Government, Lagos State on Monday 27-10-2014.

Governor state of osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd right); Chairman Amuwo
Odofin Local Government, Comrade Ayodele Adewale and wife Zainb
Adewale (2nd left); Special Adviser to Governor lagos State on
Inter-Governmental Relation, Reverend Tunji Adebiyi, during the
Official Commissioning of The
Asuwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Legislative Building (freedom house).at Amuwo
Odofin Local Government, Lagos State on Monday 27-10-2014.

Governor state of osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola ( right) Chairman Amuwo
Odofin Local Government, Comrade Ayodele Adewale (2nd right) Special
Adviser Governor lagos State on Inter-Governmental Relation, Reverend
Tunji Adebiyi (2nd left) Deputy Majority Leader lagos House of Assembly
Hon. Bola Akande (left), during the Official Commissioning of The Asuwaju
Bola Ahmed Tinubu Legislative Building (freedom house), atAmuwo Odofin
Local Government, Lagos State On Monday
27-10-2014.

Governor state of osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd right) Chairman Amuwo
Odofin Local Government, Comrad Ayodele Adewale and Others Inspection
of the building, during the Official Commissioning of The Asuwaju
Bola Ahmed Tinubu Legislative Building (freedom house). On Monday
27-10-2014.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has a new executive council.
Gboyega Famodun, a former secretary, was elected chairman through consensus by party members in Osogbo, the state capital.
Speaking at the inauguration, Governor Rauf Aregbesola urged the party leadership to ensure that the continuous lies and deception being spread by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) do not hold water.
He said the party should start working to see that the opposition do not have up to 10 per cent of the votes in the state.
 
Aregbesola advised the new leadership to be united, focused and committed to building a virile and strong party.
Famoodun said his administration resolved to ensure openess, fairness within the party.
“We are prepared to listen and consult party leaders and members from time to time.
“We will not be sectional, but we will be sensitive to the various backgrounds and orientations of party members.
“We will ensure that the welfarism and good governance of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola continue unabated, until development becomes irreversible in our dear state.”
Other members of the exco include Azeez Adesiji (Vice Chairman); Rasak Salinshile (Secretary); Segun Olanibi  (Treasurer); Mufutau Adesoji Abubakar (Financial Secretary); Morakinyo Akintola (Publicity Secretary) and Alhaja Bolanle Kudirat Fakokunde (Women Leader).

My attention is drawn to another wicked lie being circulated by the  PDP cyber rodents  which unfortunately is gaining ground particularly in the social media,claiming that a recounting exercise at the tribunal had given the PDP a win with over 100,000 votes contrary to the figures declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the August 9th, Gubernatorial Election in the State of Osun.

This latest falsehood by those who are nothing but a serial liars is calculated at hoodwinking unsuspecting member of the public into believing that they have any iota of hope in the worthless petition they filed at the Election Petition Tribunal.

It is fundamental to point out at this juncture that beyond filing of petition at the registry of the Election Petition Tribunal, no proceedings has started till this moment of writing this piece. What we have had so far was an application for examination of all polling documents used in the conduct of the August 9 Governorship Election in the state to enable the petitioner maintain its petition.  This application was granted to both APC and PDP and joint inspection is taking place at the INEC Office which involves only scanning of documents.

The Petitioner is challenging the result in the 17 Local Government in the state which are: Aiyedaade; Atakunmosa East; Boripe; Ede North; Ede South; Ejigbo; Ifelodun; Ilesha East; Ilesha West; Irepodun; Irewole; Iwo; Obokun; Ola Oluwa; Olorunda; Oriade and Osogbo Local Government. Out of the  Seventeen (17 )Local Governments where  Election result were  sought to be inspected, only  Five (5) Local Government have been inspected  as at the close of work today, 27th October, 2014 . The five (5) Local Governments inspected so far are: Obokun; Osogbo; Olorunda; Atakunmosa East; Irepodun and Irewole Local Government.

The Tribunal has not granted an order for recounting of ballot papers because at no time did the petitioner seek for any recounting.  The stage we are at the tribunal is a preliminary stage where responses are still being filed. No hearing of any sort has commenced.  The  inspection being done by the parties is entirely their business untill the report of such inspection is filed at the court registry ,heard under the fire of cross examination of those that did the report and the testimony of the witnesses is believed by the Tribunal.

It is therefore preposterous on the part of any party to a petition to seek to arrogate to itself figures that has not been credited to it  either at  the Election itself or at the election petition tribunal.

It is also pertinent to educate the gullible mind within Osun PDP that an order for recounting will be granted to a petitioner having satisfied the court on the preponderance of evidence brought forward by witnesses called upon by the Petitioner during the hearing of the petition. It is only granted when the Tribunal is convinced that on the totality of the testimony of the witnesses, there is need for recounting of ballot papers. The recounting will be done at the Court Premises Not at INEC Office as being bandied around by the ignoramus.

It is crystal clear that as at today, there has not been any sitting of the Election Petition Tribunal,  No application for recount of ballot papers at the tribunal registry and there is no order for recounting any ballot papers. Whatever lie being cooked up by these elements resides only in their imagination and  it is nothing but fantasy.

We hereby enjoin all lovers of peace and progress within and beyond  our state to disregard this latest falsehood as a ranting of a drowning man who had nothing to hold on to but straw.

I thank you.

Ibrahim Lawal Esq
SSA (Legal and Judicial Sector Reform) to the Governor, State of Osun.

Osun State governor has reaffirmed its resolve not to leave any stone unturned in  the quest of ridding the state of outbreak of any epidemic with a view to making the state a safe haven to all and sundry.
The state governor, Mr  Rauf  Aregbesola, stated this while addressing  participants at the celebration of the 2014 Global Hand Washing Day celebration organised by office of the Rural Water and Environmental Sanitation Agency (RUWESA) in collaboration with the office of his wife,  Ambassador of Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), Alhaja Serifat  Aregbesola, in Osogbo with the theme: “Choose hand-washing, choose health.”
Governor Aregbesola, who was represented by his deputy, Mrs Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, said the state government has distributed hand washing  materials and infrared thermometer to over 2,000  state and Federal Government’s owned elementary, middle and high schools across the state to militate against the spread of the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease ( EVD) among school pupils in the state.
According to the governor, over 2,000 boreholes and toilet facilities together with potable water supply had been made available to people of the state so as to curb outbreak of water related diseases,  adding that his government would not rest on its oars to ensure that no epidemic has a place in the state.
He, therefore, appealed to market and rural  women to make good use of all they had been taught during different sensitisation exercise carried out by the state government by keeping their environment healthy always.
Bearing his mind on the occasion, Governor Aregbesola said the purpose of the celebration was to create awareness among people of  the state and to call on the general public to take advantages that are abound in the programme.
He said the programme would provide enabling environment and give proper attention to school and to give materials to schools.
In her address, Alhaja Aregbesola, said the 2014 global hand washing day was a huge step taken to tackle problems of hygiene and sanitation in communities across the state.
She said frequent hand washing with soap and water as the cheapest way to prevent contracting Ebola and other communicable diseases, saying if everyone could involve themselves in mobilising others in making hand washing a routine, money spent on treating contracted persons would be channelled into other human rewarding ventures.
Urging the people to live in tandem with the theme of this year’s celebration by giving priority to had washing and observing all other hygienic means they had been taught, Alhaja Aregbesola emphasised that she would join hands with stakeholders to take campaign of sanitation and hygiene to a great height .
Earlier,  the Special Adviser to the state governor in the Ministry of Water Resources, Community Affairs and Rural Development, Mr Kunle Ige hinted that the programme was aimed at sensitising public on importance of hygiene and restoration of healthy living in the state.
Ige said that people should comply and adopt the policy of washing their hands, adding that prevention is better than cure.
He added: “Now that the world Health Organisation (WHO) has certified the nation as Ebola-free,  we should take things for granted because of the certification.
Delivering a lecture on the importance of frequent hand washing, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr (Mrs) Temitope Ilori, urged all and sundry to give priority to hand washing with soap and water at all times, adding that  it is a way they could prevent themselves from contracting any disease.
TRIBUNE

As a result of rapid urbanization, the Osun State Government has announced the commencement of the construction of a modern residential estate to be known as the Oranmiyan New Town, whose groundbreaking was performed on Thursday.
Governor Rauf Aregbesola said the development would be devoid of the physical planning errors of the past in the state.
He said, “It will be recalled that as a result of lack of proper urban physical planning, which the state experienced in the past during which people carried out physical developments as they wished, with the attendant problem of perennial flooding, intra-city traffic and transportation problems, and unkempt environment leading to health hazards, it takes courage for one to break this jinx through the introduction of pragmatic and practical urban development control.”
The governor said the parcel of land measuring about 2,572 hectares was acquired by the former Premier of the old western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, between 1962 and 1966 for the purpose of banishing hunger, poverty and unemployment among the people.
He added that the land had continued to be used for farming purposes until after the creation of Osun from the old Oyo State, resulting in the mass movement of people into the state.
He said, “This eventually led to shortage of housing accommodation for our people, hence the inauguration of an inter-ministerial committee to work out a modality for the utilisation of the hitherto Osun Farm Settlement; for its highest and best use, the committee thereafter came out with a recommendation that the large parcel of land should be converted into a Government Reservation Area, which led to the change of use that came into effect since 1994 and tagged: the Osun GRA, Gbongan Road.
Aregbesola said, “On assumption of office, the ministry saddled with the responsibility of managing government land in the state deemed it fit to redevelop the remaining parcel of land within the GRA, measuring up to 1,200 hectares, into a new town that shall be a model that other neighbouring states shall learn from.
“In order to guard against any communal conflict, rancor and acrimony, a name that unites the Yoruba nation was coined during my campaign days and upon assumption of office; the New Town is now known as the Oranmiyan New Town.”
From the comprehensive development plan, the Oranmiyan New Town will comprise seven neighbourhoods of private estate development, commercial shops, strip malls, community centres, recreational facilities, police posts and health centres.
Also expected are tennis and squash courts, 18-hole golf course and polo ground, and over 3,000 residential plots of varying densities.
The governor further said, “Developing new towns is a common phenomenon all over the world. The purpose of developing a new town is basically to create an environment that is aesthetically pleasing for living, working and recreating.
“More often than not, a   new town can serve as a satellite town to an existing urban centre that has more or less reached its optimum level of growth so as to give room for its upgrading and partial re-development.”
According to him, the new town is expected to have basic infrastructural facilities, utilities and services, including good road networks, uninterrupted electricity, water, drainage and sewage system as well as other communal facilities.
The Commissioner for Lands, Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Olumuyiwa Ige, said Osun had experienced influx of people since its creation, hence the need for new developments and urban regeneration.
“The State of Osun is one of the most urbanised states in Nigeria. This trend of urbanisation became more than doubled, especially since when this present administration came into power on November 26, 2010 till date. The rate of influx of people to the urban centres based on the government’s six-integral action plan has necessitated the possibility of establishing new towns in each of the state senatorial districts,” Ige stated.
According to him, the name, Oranmiyan, used for the new town was borne out of the passion for the Yoruba nation.
PUNCH

With 200 million people involved in celebrating global hand-washing day in over 100 countries around the world annually… -By Richard Akintade

With 200 million people involved in celebrating global hand-washing day in over 100 countries around the world annually, Osun State was not left out as the government informed that its zero tolerance for unhealthy practice is aimed at promoting sustainable environment and healthy living among its citizenry across the state.
The state governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola stated this at the 2014 global hand washing day organized by office of the Rural Water and Environmental Sanitation Agency (RUWESA) in collaboration with the office of the first lady and Ambassador of Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), Alhaja Seriat Abidemi Aregbesola in Osogbo the state capital.
The governor who noted the need for healthy practices not only among the school children but also the citizenry said that proper hand washing was germane to good living and while attributing some of transmitted diseases that pervaded the nation to lack proper hand washing, the governor further urged the citizenry of the state to inculcate the habit of washing their hands after the toilet and whenever it is necessary for them.
Aregbesola further called on Nigerians to desist from unwholesome practice that could expose them to diseases and untimely death.
The governor however reiterated his total commitment to the good healthy living among the people he govern in the state saying his administration would not relent in providing enabling environment as well. Speaking at the occasion,  wife of the governor, Ambassador Serifat Aregbesola maintained that hand washing was not a day job hence the need for all stakeholders in the health sectors to intensify campaign on the importance of hand washing to save the state from preventable illness.
Alhaja Aregbesola who pointed out that the enlightenment campaign of the present administration in the area of sustainable environment has yielded positive result called on the citizenry to support the task of making the state a healthy place to live for all and sundry. The CLTS Ambassador said proper hand washing remained the major vehicle to promote healthy living and improve socio-economic status of the people. Alhaja Aregbesola who maintained that the incumbent administration in the state is working assiduously in ensuring people are living under healthy atmosphere in the admonished people on the practice of cleaning of their environments and also cultivates the habit of hand washing as at when due, adding that, there are benefits attached to it.
Earlier in his welcome remark, the Special Adviser to the state governor in the Ministry of Water Resources, Community Affairs and Rural Development, Mr. Kunle Ige hinted that the programme was aimed at sensitizing public on importance of hygiene and restoration of healthy living in the state.
Ige who said the Ministry would not rest on its oars in the task of attaining the six point integral action plan of the present administration in the area of healthy, environment and sanitation, urged the people of the state to support government in its bid to transform the entire state.
The Special Adviser said further that people should comply and adopt the policy of washing their hands as it is good for all and sundry as prevention is better than cure.  Ige added that, “now that the world Health Organization WHO, has certified the nation, Ebola free, we should not say because of the certification, we should take things for granted. Hand washing is one of the importance ways of preventing diseases in our society and that is why the government in the state did not take issue that has to do with making people to live in a conducive environment with levity”. Ige however, urged Nigerians to see hand washing as natural obligation which is totally for their benefit.
Meanwhile, series of activities have been embarked upon as part of activities to mark the annual event which includes sensitization among the workers in the state Ministry, Schools, all the local governments in the state, market as well as dissemination of news by both the electronic and print media on the importance of hand washing. The ceremony witnessed hand washing demonstration by both the governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, his wife, Alhaja Sherifat Abidemi Aregbesola, and other members of the state executive council, among others present.
NIGERIAN NEWS

Osun State Government has allayed fear of residents as it released water from its dams across the state to avoid imminent collapse of the dam structures as a result of the heavy rainfall witnessed in the state in the past few days.
A statement by state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Sunday Akere, called on the residents of the state not to panic, as little flood may occur in communities hosting the dams when the water is released.
But the statement asked residents of communities such as Ede, Iwo, Ejigbo, Okinni and many communities around dams in the state to be aware that little floods may occur between now and next week as the water is being released, assuring them that it is nothing to worry about.
According to the statement, weather experts have predicted heavy rainfall as the 2014 rainy season is gradually winding up and if government refuses to allow the excess water to be eased off gradually, the water, because of the heavy volume, may force flow from the dams leading to dangerous flood.

Furthermore, the statement disclosed that the state water corporation would be releasing water from the dams to give relief to the dams and avoid forced flooding.
It also urged residents to cooperate with government in its effort to curb flood incidents in the state by ensuring that they do not dump waste in waterways as well as inside drainage across the state while paying their water rates promptly to assist government in getting fund to sustain and maintain water infrastructures at the dams.
DAILY INDEPENDENT

A high-stakes experiment is currently underway in Osun State. In the battle against youth unemployment and its associated ills – lost potential, idleness, poverty, and unrest – Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s  2 year old Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme is on the front line. 

Youth have been a top concern and focus area for Aregbesola’s administration. Upon his election in 2010, the Governor established the OsunYouth Empowerment Scheme (OYES), a sweeping youth “workfare” (work + welfare) program designed to address the “frustration and paralyzing effect of unacceptably high and seemingly intractable youth unemployment” in a state with an almost 60% youth population.

OYES participants were organized into squadrons to take part in publicworks projects for 2-3 hours per day, for which they would receive a N10,000 monthly allowance. For thefirst 20,000 available spots in the OYES corps, the government received over250,000 applications.

The need was – and continues to be – staggering. Governor Aregbesola urged the Federal Government to declare youth unemployment a national emergency.

The sheer number of youth in Osun States and indeed across all Nigeria could result in either a “ticking time bomb” or a “demographic dividend.” Unemployed and underemployed young people are at risk of exploitation in the informal sector and recruitment into criminal organizations (whether a local gang or terrorist cell).On the other hand, an ILO report has suggested that halving youth unemployment in sub-Saharan Africa could boost GDP in this region by some 12%.

In 2011, Kabir Aregbesola, the Governor’s son, read a Business Day article about the launch of the Generation Enterprise program in nearby Lagos State and connected them to the OYES program in Osun State.

“Osun State was looking to build an army of entrepreneurs,” said the younger Arebesola. “We thought partnering with Generation Enterprise would help us realize this quicker, as they already had a model to push this forward.”

Run by a global team of young professionals and business students from Harvard, Wharton, and Stanford, Generation Enterprise was a US- and Nigeria-based NGO with a mission to build community businesses in partnership with homeless, unemployed, and at-risk young people in low-incomeurban areas like Agege and Ajegunle.

To reach its goal of creating local businesses that could generate sustainable skills, jobs, and community wealth for at-risk youth, Generation Enterprise had developed an innovative incubator model. In a pilot with the Lagos State Ministry of Special Duties, teams of youth learned business skills on the job and generated valuable market data by rapidly prototyping and testing business solutions to community problems, likepoor nutrition or unsanitary conditions for local trash dump workers.

Through the efforts of Generation Enterprise Managing Directors Newton Omebere-Iyari and Bunmi Otegbade, the NGO ran a 77-youth pilot in the city of Ilesa in Osun State last year. The program resulted in the launch of 17 microenterprises and the generation of N1,600,146 in revenue from N299,000 invested – a return on investment of 71%.

One of those businesses paid particular attention to the OYES mission of youth empowerment and human capacity building, and chose to build her business around these values, paying forward what she herself received through the OYES/GEN program.

GraceOpesanmistarted Excel Computers to address the problem of computer access and computer literacy in her community in Ilesa. Today, she runs a pop-up registration service that visits schools and helps students sign up for their JAMB and other exams online. She also has a computer center, located on Ayesoroad, where students can use the internet, complete and print assignments, and take classes to improve their computer skills.

“Thanks to Excel Computers, now I and my school mates can get access to a computer and internet facility for downloading pictures of animals and equipment for our science practicals.” – 16 year old, Owoeye Ridwan, student at Feso International School, Ilesa.

Education has always been an important part of Grace’s life. Inspite of having to take care of her family of three kids, she still strived not only to complete her  higher education degree program at the Osun state College of education but also enrolled for both the OYES Tech ( an ICT empowerment initiative of the Osun state government) and Generation Enterprise’s Business Incubator Training where she got sufficient computer training and business startup expertise respectively.

The best part is that Grace is just getting started. She is working with Generation Enterprise to test new service offerings that will differentiate her business and allow her to expand to multiple locations and dozens of employees. Lately, they have been discussing the power of technology to disrupt traditional modes of education delivery.

Technology is making education of a consistent quality more affordable in Kenya, where Bridge International Academies runs a chain of over 130 schools serving 50,000 pupils for less than N1000 tuition per month, using “academy-in-a-box” scripted lessons and smartphone applications for administration and quality monitoring.

Meanwhile, in South Africa, technology is enhancing academic results through a “blended learning” model used in SPARK Schools, where students rotate between computer lab time, playing games to enhance specific math and language skills at their own pace, and traditional in-person instruction.

In India, education scientist (and TED Prize winner) Sugata Mitra’s “Hole in the Wall” experiments suggested that even without supervision or formal teaching, children in slums can teach themselves how to use an internet-connected computer and use the internet to learn everything else.

If Grace and her Generation Enterprise partners have their way, Nigerian students will be the next case study in the global education revolution. In the coming months, Grace’s Excel Academy, a Generation Enterprise portfolio company, will experiment with a model that combines online lectures and video tutorials from the best American teachers with in-person discussion, exercises, and tests from local Nigerian tutors trained by Excel Academy to ensure the lessons are absorbed and applied. 

In this way, Nigerian students will access quality instruction from American education startups and world class universities like Harvard, Stanford, and MIT – right from their communities in Ilesa, Osogbo, and Lagos.

Afolabi Omotayo, Generation Enterprise’s Business Development Officer (BDO) attached to Grace’s business believes that Grace can do a whole lot more with her business for the community. “We have plans to acquire a few more computers which will allow us offer extensive online courses for unemployed youth.

Managing Director of Generation Enterprise, Bunmi Otegbade lauded the outcomes of the first collaboration with Osun State. He believes that the successful pilot could lead to a rollout of GEN incubators across Osun State for the entire OYES program, unlocking the potential of thousands more entrepreneurs.

BUSINESS DAY

The State of Osun Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon. Sunday Akere has said that the State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is willing to identify with individuals and organisations that could aid the state’s developmental drive.
The Commissioner made this assertion when representatives of the Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria, BJAN paid courtesy visit to the Commission to intimate him of the decision by the   association to hold its   2014 conference in the state.
BJAN led by its National Chairman, Goddie Ofose, said the state was picked as a result of the giant stride the state has recorded in the area of tourism. The topic for the conference, which will hold between November 20 and 23 is ‘Tourism marketing as catalyst for economic development’.
According to Mr Ofose,  “BJAN members have taken pain to follow up the activities of the State of Osun in the area of Tourism, particularly the way the annual Osun Osogbo cultural fiesta has suddenly turned to international festival.
VANGUARD

A Non-Governmental Organisation, Ijesaland Development Foundation (IDF), with the support of Osun State government, is set to explore a summit which aims at the industrialisation of Ijesaland located in Osun State.
The foundation, in a statement jointly signed by Engr Dideolu Falobi (President) and Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji (Public Relations Officer), said the maiden summit is scheduled to hold at Ibis Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos State on November 11, 2014.
“The summit is meant to bring together Ijesa sons and daughters to explore investment initiatives with Ijesa and non-Ijesa investors, financial institutions and development partners,” the statement explained.

Notable participants expected at the summit include Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, His Royal Majesty, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, Prof. Ibidapo-Obe (former Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos), Chief Olu Falomo, Chief Tunde Aluko, Professor Duro Oni, Professor Dimeji Alo, Demola Aladekomo, Kayode Olagunju and the Fadahunsi family among others.
The summit will be chaired by Mr Tunde Awobiyi, while Dr Ayo Fatubarin will deliver the guest lecture, and the Bank of Industry and State of Osun will make presentations at the event.
Other presentations will be made by Rainbow Paints, Ilesa and International Breweries, Ilesa, on their experience as thriving industries in Ijesaland.
TRIBUNE