The Osun State Police Command has said it has the mercenaries and strategies to combat all forms of crime and criminal activities in the state, thereby bringing it to the barest minimum.
The new Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Marafa, gave this assurance when the command paraded some suspects believed to be responsible for most crimes committed around Osun and Kwara states.
Speaking on behalf of the CP, Force Public Relations Officer, Osun Command, Folasade Odoro, said that the arrests were made based on tip off from people in the environs who suspected the unusual movement of the suspects.
She said items recovered from ‎the suspects include vehicles, arms and ammunition, jewelries, laptops, phones and electrical appliances.
Odoro urged the people to always be vigilant and report to the Police promptly whenever they are suspicious.
She gave assurances that the command would not relent in combating crime and all criminal activities in the state.
CHANNELS TV

 
Poultry farmers in Osun State have made about N260 million profit in the last one year.
Speaking with reporters in Osogbo, the state capital, the Chairman, Tuns Farms Ltd, Alhaji Kahmis Olatunde Badmus, said farmers recorded the feat through the Osun Broiler Outgrower Production Scheme set up by the Governor RaufAregbesola administration.
Badmus said no agricultural project in the country has ever had such a record of success.
He said the scheme was a tripartite partnership project among Osun State government, Tuns Farms Nigeria Limited and the Poultry Association of Nigeria.
He said the state government invested N300 million in the project to provide feeds for day old chicks (DOC) which he declared that Tuns Farms supplied the participating poultry farmers in the scheme.
According to him, the participating poultry farmers raised the birds in their facilities before selling them to Tuns Farms. Badmus said the poultry farmers who participated in the scheme have repaid over N170 million out of the N300 million loans offered advanced to them by the state government.
He said: “No agaricultural project in the country can match the Osun Broiler Outgrower Production Scheme. The farmers that participated have made profit of over N260 million. Individual farmer in the scheme made profit in the range of N15 million. The state government has not lost anything. The government even gained because the farmers are paying N1 million every month which is going into the state coffers through Internally Generated Revenue.”
Badmus, who said the scheme has boosted the production of broiler meat in Osun State, noted that the state was the second largest producer of broiler meat in the country.
He said the chicken produced in Osun State goes to organisations such as Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), oil industries, Shoprites among others.
He also added that Tuns Farms invested N8 billion in its poultry plant in Osogbo for broiler meat production.
He said: “Our plant here and that of Zartech Limited in Ibadan are the only two poultry plants internationally certified fit to sell to KFC which is number one restaurant in the whole world. We also supply chicken to Shoprite outlets all over Nigeria and the oil industries.
“We are buying back from the farmers because we had guaranteed the state government that we would secure standby market for the farmers.
THE NATION

AS part of efforts to prevent the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the state, Osun State government has started the distribution of non-contact forehead infrared thermometer to public schools ahead of resumption of schools in the state tomorrow.
The distribution, which started in Ejigbo, Iwo and Ede local councils would give priority to flash points local councils including Ejigbo, Ede, Iwo, Odo-Otin and Ifelodun which may have students who might have travelled to neighbouring countries.
Supervising the exercise, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr. Lawrence Oyeniran explained that the thermometers would go round the 1,593 public schools in the state.
He noted that there is need for schools in the country to put necessary preventive measures in place to guide against the disease, which is why the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola committed millions of naira into the procurement of the infrared thermometers.
The permanent secretary disclosed that any pupil with high body temperature would be separated for further medical checks.

While demonstrating how to use the equipment, the Director, Schools and Special Education (SSE) in the Ministry, Mr. Oluyemi Oyewole advised that the accompanying user manual should be followed as a guide before use.
In his remark, the chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Iwo local council, Mr. Atanda Laidi, who spoke on behalf of others, appreciated the efforts of the present administration for considering safety measures in schools.
He also appealed to government to always ensure prompt release of running grants, especially now that schools are resuming for the 2014/2015 school year, saying this would enable them to procure other needful things like hand sanitisers, washing bowls, liquid soap and hand gloves.
GUARDIAN

Omoluabi Free Train Rides offered by Governor Rauf Aregbesola for this Year’s Eid-el-Kabir Celebration at Osogbo Terminus, State of Osun returns passengers via Free Train Rides to Lagos from Osogbo, on Tuesday 07-10-2014

Omoluabi Free Train Ride offered by Governor Rauf Aregbesola for this
Year’s Eid-el-Kabir Celebration at Osogbo Terminus, State of Osun.
Insert: Passengers boarding the Free Train Ride for a Return Journey
to Lagos in Osogbo, on Tuesday 07-10-2014

Passengers boarding the Omoluabi Free Train Ride offered by Governor
Rauf Aregbesola for this Year’s Eid-el-Kabir Celebration, for a Return
Journey to Lagos at Osogbo Terminus, State of Osun on Tuesday
07-10-2014

Passengers boarding the Omoluabi Free Train Ride offered by Governor
Rauf Aregbesola for this Year’s Eid-el-Kabir Celebration, for a Return
Journey to Lagos at Osogbo Terminus, State of Osun on Tuesday
07-10-2014

Muslims world over have celebrated Eidul-Adha (or Ileya) with various activities wrapped in it. Top on the activities is the slaughtering and sharing of the sacrificial ram according to the injunctions of God. And of course this aspect of the celebration must not be done until after the Eid prayer has been performed; and the grand Imam- who leads such prayer have said the Khutbah or special sermon- which is also a vital aspect of the special prayer.
Something significant here is the fact that the Ileya festival as the biggest festive period for Muslims is usually set aside for various activities involving relations from various places around the world. That is why the Oke-Baale, Osogbo Eid prayer ground was filled with lots of people; including a large number of them who traveled home from outside the state for the annual celebration- thus making it the most crowded annually by Muslim faithfuls.
As the Governor of the state, Governor Rauf Aregbesola – an Ilesa indigine was among the very large mammoth congregation of Muslim faithfuls who lined up behind the acting Chief Imam of Osogbo to observe the Eid prayer. Governor Aregbesola’s wife and children also made it at the Oke Baale Eid ground. After the two rounds of prayers and the sermon of the Imam, Governor Aregbesola addressed the people – urging them to imbibe the lessons of the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim who exhibited commitment to the worship of his Lord and obedience to His commandments. He explained that the reward of such virtues is manifested today world over in the fact that Prophet Ibrahim is celebrated across all faith.
After addressing them, one would ordinarily, expect the people to be eager to return home to commence the next aspects of the festival- particularly the slaughtering and sharing of rams. Rather, the people started to push and shove along the exit of the Eid ground as the Osun governor stepped down from the rostrum where he had addressed them. Everybody wanted to get close glimpse of Aregbesola. It is the best public appearance of the governor where he got this close to the people eight weeks after they gave him their mandate the second time.
So, every appeal and cordon of security operatives around the governor would not deter the people from greeting the Ogbeni who also expressed high enthusiasm towards them. Right up the length of about five kilometer stretch from Oke Baale to Ita-olokan, Osogbo- the people swam upon the convoy of the governor. The vehicles moved within human step or stride. So from house-to-house, street-to-streets (along the way) people trooped out as Mr governor who stood out from the open roof of his vehicle acknowledged cheers from them.
Most noticeable among these happy people were the old ones, women and children. The natural enthusiasms on their faces were token of popular acceptance and love. It is a reaffirmation of the fact that they gave Aregbesola their mandate the second time. The scenery captured in Osogbo clearly belies PDP’s recent hoopla that they have discovered from the inspection being carried out at the INEC office that Osogbo did not vote for Ogbeni Aregbesola.
A critical look at the Photospeaks attached with this piece shows sceneries of happy people who are vividly fulfilled and proud of the efforts they pushed up shortly before the election as they sang across the streets of Osun, “t’aregbe l’awa o se. Ee ba ko soja, ki e k’aja wole”; interpreted as ‘Aregbesola is our choice despite your intimidating soldiers and dogs’. These people are not rented crowd as Omisore and his villians would lie. Neither are they politicians. They are just ordinary but valiant Osun people in Osogbo.
They are cladded in their newly sewn dresses- a mark of celebration of the Ileya festival. Governor Aregbesola was stopped at intervals as the people performed various actions to express their happiness with their governor. It was spontaneous and memorable. Each street tried to out do the other in expressions of love for and acceptance of the Ogbeni. They lined up drums and played them by the roadsides as Aregbesola asked his motorcade to stop while he joined these joyous people and danced to the rhythm together with them. It is the same story with other groups- Alhaja groups, Ulama groups, market women groups, automobile workers, Okada riders small bus (korope) bus drivers all… They all arranged themselves along the roads; each members of the group expressing himself in his own way.
Some of them I chatted with enthusiastically told me “it is the best way to let this man know that he is our God-sent. He is our own prophet”. He gave his name as Taiwo Oloyan of Ori-eru in Oke-baale, Osogbo. Another one- a woman in her late fifties whom I have been watching jumping and hailing- awaiting Aregbesola who was just meters away told me that she is “…happy and fulfilled. “We voted for Raufu… take a look at this finger (pointng forth her right-hand thumb). He is my governor again. We shamed the thieves with this thumb. We thank God”, she said. I was going to ask her to tell me her family house name as I did others but she only gave her name- Adetoun Aremu. Then, “look; please don’t disturb this moment. Ogbeni is here…” she said- shoving herself along my posture to catch glimpse of Aregbesola who had come close then. It was striking when a middle aged woman by the name Sharafatu of Ogidi compound, Osogbo told me that she organised a feast the Sunday evening after Aregbesola was declared winner. She told me why: “Haa ! I cooked for my friends and customers in Ede. We were very happy. “Adejare and his boss in Ife are jesters… let them come out like this and pull such crowd. This is our own (man). A people cannot be fooled twice. Who would have come out like this if we didn’t vote for Him? We will continue to hail this man because of what he is doing for Osun peole. He does what he promises”, she said gleefully. She explained to me that she is based in Ede where she trades in stationeries at the Federal polytechnic.
An indigene of Osogbo, Sharafat was bred in Ede town; hence she is acquainted with a lot of happenings around the town. “I played in my pants in Ede as a small girl. I know Adejare very well. Let somebody show us pictures of people hailing him like this after the election with such huge crowd. He is a Muslim who must also attend Ileya prayer. Show us his picture coming from Eid ground… “What you see today is just an example of how Osun voted for this good man. So let anybody say what he likes”, the woman said. It was more striking when some kids numbering about ten were captured planning their own way of expression of ‘street credibility’ and acceptance for Ogbeni. For me; my primary interest was to capture thrills and frills of the moment. So while others were ‘doing the regulars’, I was all out to record such striking sceneries.
The leader of the kids- Lekan, suggested to his peers; a popular children genre of the campaign jingle of Aregbesola during the last governorship election in the state. The boy moved the song and his folks chorused “…e di’bo fun Aregbesola gomina Ooosun”- interpreted as ‘vote for Aregbesola as Osun governor’. I was amused. Clearly, the election has been concluded about eight weeks ago with Aregbesola victorious. The kids’ expressions were mere insignia of fulfilment. It is memorable that the Ileya outing was the first largest crowd that Aregbesola attended after the one that followed his election victory of August 9. It is also note worthy that the way the people thronged on Aregbesola’s motorcade reiterates the position of Osun electorates- their unrelenting choice for Aregbesola and his party. This is further manifested as another group rushed into the slow-moving motorcade of the governor and handed over a pile of brooms to Ogbeni. No sooner than the brooms were shared among the crowd on the streets than the symbolism spread from Oke-baale through Oja-oba, then to station road. People went into their houses to fetch brooms and waved them at their governor as he moved along their streets. These sceneries were captured in Osogbo- the Osun capital. But the governor’s hometown is Ilesa. So one could imagine how the ‘show’ would have been played by the Ijesa people to express their love for their own.”
 Adebayo Rasheed Mabayoje
OSUN DEFENDER

No fewer than 60 rural projects have been completed by the Osun State government and are awaiting commissioning.

Twenty five of them have been commissioned while the remaining ones would soon be commissioned by the state government after the Eid-id-Kabir celebration.

While performing the commissioning of the projects, Governor Rauf Aregbesola said that rural transformation is the only key to overall development of the state and stride towards attainment of a six-point integral action plan of the present administration in the state.

The projects, which were executed under the Second Phase of Replication of UNICEF Community Development Initiative Programme and Osun State government in conjunction with local governments across the state was aimed at enhancing standard of living of rural dwellers.?

Inaugurating electrification project in Anarun and a modern palace in Agberire communities in Iwo local government area of the state, Aregbesola who was represented by his Special Adviser on Water Resources Rural Development and Community Affairs, Mr. Kunle Ige, noted that government was key to rural development for overall transformation of the state.

“Governor Aregbesola who noted that the facilities had the potential of improving standard of living of rural dwellers, urged people of the area to guide the project jealously.”

While maintaining that his administration would continue to make welfare of his people as centre piece, the state helmsman hinted that the state had witnessed unprecedented transformation in all facet of human life.

In a remark, the Executive Secretary, Iwo local government, Alhaji kamorudeen Alao said the present administration in the state had resolved to position rural communities for economic development through provision of basic facilities in the area.”

Alao  maintained that government would rehabilitate the roads that links the communities to Iwo to give them opportunity to transport their farm produce to market, calling on the rural dwellers to support government in its bid to advance the course of rural communities in the state.”

“He assured people of the communities that government would not rest on its laurel in the task of making life more abundant for rural dwellers.”

On his part, the lawmaker representing Iwo state constituency in the state House of Assembly, Ezeikel Adedibu said the people of the communities would continue to enjoy dividends of democracy and infrastructural facilities that would position the area for economic vibrancy.

DAILY INDEPENDENT

Traditional rulers in Osun State have warned unauthorised persons to desist from wearing beaded crown, walking stick and other insignia of traditional institution.
In a communiqué signed by its Chairman and the Orangun of Ila, Oba Wahab Kayode Oyedotun and Secretary, the Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Abdulrasheed Olabomi, the monarchs under the aegis of the Osun Divisional Conference of Obas, called on relevant agencies of government to sanction violators of the directive.
The traditional rulers further called on the state government, the House of Assembly, Commissioner of Police, Department of State Security Service (DSS), and the Ministry of Justice to implement relevant portion of Cap 25 Laws of Osun State Nigeria and prosecute all the violators of the law.
The traditional rulers argued, “In as much as nobody is above the law, we desire that nobody should be treated as a sacred cow. Whoever that is not authorised by extant law to adorn himself with the paraphernalia of an Oba should be arrested and prosecuted.”
They also congratulated the state governor, Rauf Aregbesola, on his “landslide victory” at the August 9 state governorship election? in spite of all the challenges before, during and after the poll.
THE NATION

Sen. Mudashir Hussein, representing Osun West Senatorial District, has urged Nigerians to pray for peace and unity of the country during and after the Eid-el-Kabir.

He spoke at a programme to mark the celebration in Ejigbo, Osun, insisting that people should eschew differences in ethnicity, opinions, political views and religions, among others to promote the unity of the country.

He said Nigerians must learn how to tolerate one another, pray for the stability of the nation and support the leaders.

He said with tolerance, patriotism, prayer and commitment to nation’s building, the country would develop and ensure better life for the citizens.

In his comments, Mr Najeem Salaam, the Speaker, Osun House of Assembly, stressed the need for religious leaders to pray for total elimination of insurgency in the country.

The speaker said religious tolerance remained a vital tool for sustainable peace and political development of any country.

“I want to urge Nigerians to embrace peace for the stability and progress of the nation.

“Peace and stability will enable the country to attain sustained socio-economic development and peace,’’ he said.

Earlier in his remarks, Sheikh Sulaiman Omotokese, the Chief Imam of Ejigbo, Osun, also urged Nigerians to live in peace and harmony to overcome the country’s security challenges.

He specifically called on politicians to assist the government in ensuring a peaceful atmosphere that could guarantee credible elections in 2015.

(NAN)

The fear of God Almighty and the readiness to sacrifice all in order to keep promises which are the hallmarks of the annual symbolic celebration of the Eid il Kabir are the very basis of good governance.

This was the admonition by Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the State of Osun in a statement on his behalf by the Director Bureau of Communication and Strategy in his office Mr. Semiu Okanlawon.

Continuing the celebration on Saturday, Okanlawon said two things stand very clearly in the decision of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son. He said he did so to fulfill a promise to God should he be blessed by God. The second is that there was nothing too much or too dear to Ibrahim for him to loose in order to fulfill a pledge.

“If we look at it very critically, these two are the virtues lacking in modern day life that create the present topsy-turvy atmosphere that pervades everywhere.

“If those in government demonstrate enough fear of God; resolve to fulfill promises kept and ready to give up anything no matter how dear and costly in order to fulfill a promise, most of the problems of bad governance, injustice and insensitivity to the plight of the common man would vanish,” the Governor stated.

Most politicians, the statement added, would go to any length to make promises to hoodwink the electorate in order to seek their votes. The promise heaven on earth knowing well their promises are empty.

“This is why for us in Osun as a government, we are conscious of the fact that our electoral promises are not only before men from who seek electoral support, but before God who created and watches over all that we do here on earth.

“Each time we talk about Aregbesola’s Pact with the people of Osun, we are not only talking about those promises made to voters for them to vote for us; we are talking about our promises before God that we owe the duty to fulfill.

“Programmes of this government such as the highly impactful employment schemes such as OYES, OMEAL, OYESTECH, Agric Academy, functional educational programmes such as digitalization (Tablet of Knowledge), OMEAL, O’SCHOOL, poverty alleviating programmes such as the micro-credit schemes, farmers cooperatives schemes, Agba Osun monthly welfare package; OREAP, infrastructure programmes such as urban and rural roads construction, urban renewal projects and many others are the products of promises fulfilled.

“The constant reminder of these promises and the need to fulfill them form the basis of the several live-changing policies and programmes of our government.” It added

Saying that nothing should be too much to give up by politicians in order to bring about good governance, the statement said despite the very meager resources that accrue to the state, the government has sacrificed everything to ensure that life gets better.

“There would have been a reason for failure to bring about people-oriented policies because of the poor state of finance. But having made those promises to better the lots of our people, we have stretched ourselves very thin by sacrificing everything to keep those promises. This should be the way out to all politicians regardless of their political affiliation to transform our country,” the statement added.

It added that it was no surprise that Governor Aregbesola was returned in the August 9 election noting that the electorate saw in his less than four years a politician who would give up everything to fulfill promises made and move steps further on things he never promised.

Urging Muslims to demonstrate these virtues in all their dealing with fellow human beings, the statement quoted the Governor as saying that with their behaviours in government and political engagements, Muslims possess the capacity to change the world to a better place to live in.

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola  acknowledging cheers from a large crowd, during the 2014 Eid-el-Kabir Prayer at the Central Eid, Osogbo, State of Osun on Saturday 04-10-2014

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (arrowed) acknowledging
cheers from crowd, during the 2014 Eid-el-Kabir Prayer at the Central
Eid, Osogbo, State of Osun. Insert: From right, Ataoja of Osogboland,
Oba Jimoh Olanipekun; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Asiwaju Adeen of
Yorubaland, Chief Tunde Badmus and Chieftain, All Progressives
Congress (APC), Senator Bayo Salami, on Saturday 04-10-2014

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola acknowledging cheers
from crowd on his arrival at Osogbo Central Eid ground on Saturday
04-10-2014

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola acknowledging cheers
from crowd on his arrival at Osogbo Central Eid ground on Saturday
04-10-2014

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola acknowledging cheers
from crowd on his arrival at Osogbo Central Eid ground on Saturday
04-10-2014