The Government of the State of Osun understands the need for people to know their identity. This shows where you are coming from and your rich heritage. It gives citizens a sense of value, lift their social psyche and motivates them to be patriotic and conduct themselves in a manner expected of worthy citizens
The state was branded and given a new identity. This includes a coat of arms, state flag and anthem.

The Coat of Arms

The two elephants in the Coat of Arms symbolises strength, service and humility. The brown colour emphasises the unity of our skin and the soil. A clear testimony that we own the earth. The cocoa tree symbolises agriculture and the natural resources of the land. The Y on the shield represents River Niger and Benue which symbolise the link between the State of Osun and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The lion stands for Yoruba nobility, dignity and courage while its cushion of ferns represents the traditional lair of an African Lion and the richness of our land.The two symbols of the Chief’s sword (Ida) and The Mace embody the spirit and purpose of Osun. The Sword is the symbol of the Obas while the Mace is the symbol of the Legislative Arm of Government and the power of the common people as expressed by their elected representative.
The Ori Olokun stands for the common origin of the Yoruba and their dexterity in technology, while the garland surrounding it symbolises chivalry and triumph. The Timber represents the vegetation as a rain forest zone. The Indigo colour (Aro) of the upper part of the shield symbolises the common Adire wear in Yorubaland while the Ruby Red colour (Alaari) of the lower part of the shield signifies nobility.
The Motto; Liberty & Service shows this are guaranteed for the people by the government while Justice is moral rightness based on fairness and equity to all irrespective of their status, gender or religion.

The Flag

The seven cowries represent the seven grandsons of Olofin Oduduwa. Their military valour, diplomatic dexterity and trade mastery created wealth and resulted in their expansive kingdom. The Brown Colour represents the colour of the earth and tone of the skin.
The Ori Olokun stands for the common origin of the Yoruba and their dexterity in technology. The Colour Band which is the Pan-African flag consists of official colours of the African race: the colour red represents the blood bond among Africans.
The colour black depicts the existence of the black race; the colour green denotes the abundance of wealth on the continent of Africa; The gold depicts the abundant mineral resources of Africa.

The Anthem

To listen to how the anthem is sung and to read more about the State of Osun , visit www.osun.gov.ng

The Deputy Governor of the State of Osun, Mrs. Grace Titlayo Laoye-Tomori, continues to urge women to stand up for change and be front runners in implementing same.
She stated this in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, at the 2nd National Women Summit, with the theme, “Women as Pioneers of Change”, organised by the Oyo State Officials’ Wives Association led by wife of the Oyo State Governor, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi.
Tomori charged women to continue to push for change in the nation’s current political structure and be active participants in the political trend.
“For me, the role of women begins in the collective resolve to build together the social foundation upon which the modern political participation of the society will be based”, she said.
“Our foremost task as women is to identify the disabling factors in our present social condition of living, and move to remedy such situations. We need to launch and relaunch repeated assaults on socio-cultural inhibitions, norms and values that have held the female gender down from time immemorial”.

The Urban Renewal Project continues to be a front row implementation agenda for the government of the State of Osun.
The Commissioner for Lands, Physical Planning and Urban Development, Arc. Muyiwa Ige who is in Tokyo to meet with the partners under the auspices of the collaboration of the State of Osun with JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) on Comprehensive City Planning handed the Flag of the State of Osun to the Tokyo colleagues symbolizing the growth and exposure of the State to urban development and expansion.
JICA has for many years been making  full use of Japan’s experience and technologies in working with international society to address the various globalization-related issues developing countries face in a comprehensive manner. This initiative has informed the partnership with the State of Osun in the implementation of its O-Renewal project.
Find pictures from Tokyo below…
 

CAPTION: Arc. Olumuyiwa Ige presenting the flags of the State of Osun to Mr. Manabu MIKAMI, Chief Land Readjustment, Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and holding the flag to the right is Mr. Yuji TANAKA, Chief Urban Redevelopment – Tokyo Metropolitan Government as others looked on

CAPTION: Arc. Olumuyiwa Ige with Mr. Fumihiro ABE of Bureau of Construction, Tokyo Metropolitan Government

Built to improve learning among secondary school students in the State of Osun and also to further prepare them for external and internal examinations, OPON IMO (tablets) are already being distributed to the students ’free-of-charge. Photos Below

Do you have questions for the Executive Governor of the State of Osun?
Will you want to share your ideas on the development and growth of the State?
Have you sought ways to write to him directly and get a response?
Then here is your chance.
The newly improved website of the State of Osun has a feature that enables you do this without hassles. Simply visit the “Meet the Ogbeni’ Section on the Homepage, Click on the link, select what sector(s) your comments are focused on and get writing; he is happy to read from you and  you will get your response within the shortest possible time.
We continually strive for Open Governance and we ask you to be a part of this. Take your chance, Be Heard!
www.osun.gov.ng

Muslim Pilgrims from the State of Osun going for the year 2013 Hajj Operation to the Holy Land of Mecca in Saudi Arabia are to be among the first batch to be air- lifted today, Saturday.
Speaking to the Osun contingent in Oshogbo at the farewell ceremony, Governor Rauf Aregbesola urged them to pray for the peace, progress and economic development of the state while on pilgrimage.
Expressing hope that this year’s Hajj operation will be better in terms of coordination, conduct and performance of the spiritual duties, Governor Aregbesola enjoined them to consider Hajj as a call to duty in the ways of Allah.
According to him prayers should be offered in Particular for the forthcoming 2014 elections in the state of Osun for Divine Guidance before, during and after the gubernatorial Elections.
CHANNELS TV

The Government of the State of Osun  has raised the state’s Internal Generated Revenue from N300 million to N1.6 billion monthly.
Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who stated this on Tuesday at an investment forum put together to drum up support for the state’s N10billion ‘sukuk’, said that the state was raking in N300 million when he took over government in 2010, adding that the new IGR would assist the state to empower more indigenes of the state.
He explained that the state is an emerging investor destination, which all investors in and out of the country should court with opportunities in commerce, tourism agriculture and other sectors of the economy.
Aregbesola, who identified human capacity building and empowerment as effective ways to combat poverty in the country, stated that a nation intends to fail the moment its government’s policies and programmes are not targeted at empowering its citizens.
According to him, “my administration is people-centred, which is why the State of Osun has the least ratio on the poverty index and unemployment rate in Nigeria.
“This is why our government is poised on investing on the people of the state so as to expand the economy and create more wealth.
“Our various investments in education, health, transportation, agriculture and social infrastructures are therefore directed towards achieving optimum level of human production,” he said.
Already, there is massive construction of modern schools facilities going on across the state under the O-School scheme.
The state has also embarked on road construction, which is aimed at creating a new network of roads and reconstructing new ones as part of strategies to accelerate economic growth through smooth public transportation system.
Aregbesola informed investors that focusing on the people is central and cardinal to his administration; telling them to see the state as veritable atmosphere for investment.

The wife of the Governor of the State of Osun, Alhaja Sherifat Aregbesola, on Thursday, bemoaned the excruciating effects of poverty in Nigeria, lamenting that 70 per cent of the Nigerian women were living below poverty level.
She tasked the three tiers of government, corporate organisations and wealthy individuals in the country to step up measures aimed at ameliorating  poverty in the society, most especially as it affects women and girl child.
Alhaja Aregbesola made this disclosure in Osogbo at the graduation ceremony of 1,500 women who participated in an eight weeks skills acquisition programme, organised by her office, in conjunction with the state Ministry of Women and Children Affairs.
The women were trained in hair braiding/weaving, tie and dye, event management, cakes and snacks production, soap and pomade making, hat and turban making, bead/wire works, production of stove thread, rat poison, insecticides, disinfectant, among others.
She explained that the programme, sponsored by the state government, was a demonstration of government’s passion to make women relevant, functional, productive and formidable partners in progress.
According to Aregbesola, “Poverty pre-disposes women to economic hardship, social marginalisation, untimely death, violence, diseases and other menace, while it also heighten the girl-child abuses through practices such as child labour, child marriage and trafficking of girls.”
She stated that: “Women are relegated to the background by societal norms and culture. They do not have equal opportunities like their male counterparts. It is high time issues on gender equalities are brought to the fore and tackled decisively so that the potentials abounding in women would be fully tapped and utilised.”
In her welcome address, the state Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Mrs Mofolake Adetoun Adegboyega, said that the training was deliberately packaged  to empower women and make them socially, economically and politically relevant in the society.
 
(NIGERIAN TRIBUNE)

The Government of the State of Osun has postponed the resumption of public schools by two weeks.

Mr. Lawrence Oyeniran, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, made this known via a statement on Thursday in Osogbo.
“Consequent upon certain considerations, the governor has approved the postponement of the resumption date of schools,” he said.
Schools in Osun were earlier scheduled to resume on Monday, 16 September. Mr. Oyeniran said the new resumption date of the schools was now Wednesday, 2 October.
He enjoined principals, head teachers, parents, guardians, students and pupils to note the change in the date of the schools’ resumption.
Oyeniran, however, advised the pupils and students to make judicious use of the two-week extension of their holidays.
“Necessary efforts are being made to ensure immediate commencement of teaching and learning when the schools resume,” he added