…..charges Journalists to always cross check facts before rushing to press.
The Government of Osun has described the report in some newspapers that the Chief Judge of Osun, ‎Justice Oyebola Adepele Ojo has granted an Order compelling the state Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola to provide information about the debt profile of the State‎ as totally false.
 

 
Osun Government in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti charged journalists to always cross-check facts before going to the press.
Adeoti held that the fact that newspapers could go to press with such falsehood leaves much to be desired, saying it depicts the abysmal level into which journalism has sunk.
He pointed out that the order of Court granted the applicant at the last week Wednesday was the right to put the other party on notice which in this instance, the Governor of the State, and not an order granting the substantive reliefs of the Applicant.
The SSG stressed that a little due diligence by journalists would have revealed to them that the process leading to the report was made “ex-parte”, which means that the other party needs not be put on notice before such application for leave is heard by the court.
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He added that a simple inquiry on the proceeding from the Clerk of the Court would have made this fact known to the reporters instead of rushing to the press without adequate understanding.
Statement noted, “The captioned news item in several newspapers including The Vanguard, Nigerian Tribune, The Guardian and The Nation of Thursday, 16 June, 2016 wherein it was reported that the Chief Judge granted an Order of Mandamus compelling the State Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, to provide information about the debt profile of Osun State and its defrayment modality among other orders is patently false.
“It is both sad and disheartening a journalist would go to press with a story without cross-checking the facts. The report referred to above is total falsehood. The applicant in the case is a well-known member of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Ikeji Arakeji, who served in the last PDP administration in the state.
“The Order of Court granted him is the right to put the other party on notice, in this instance, the Governor of the State of Osun. It is not an order granting the substantive reliefs of the Applicant.
“While we are not surprised by this type of unprofessional Journalism because so many self-styled journalists have taken over the entire media space, what we are particularly miffed about is that some reputable media outfits could publish a story of this nature without getting their facts right”.
Osun Government averred that the journalists in question are obviously acting in cahoots with some unscrupulous individuals to malign the person of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and by extension the Government of the State of Osun.
It noted that like so many others who have tried to do so in the past, such persons will continue to fail in their dubious enterprise.
 
The statement added that the administration of Aregbesola is a respecter of the Judiciary and as such would not do anything to undermine the judicial process in any way or shy away from defending the acts of government at any point it is called upon to do so.
It called on the management of the relevant newspapers to call the journalists in question to order so that the news organisations would not be subjected to retracting stories at all times.

The Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, has denied claims that he is behind the hijab crisis rocking the education sector in the state.
 

 
“Let me say this there is no official pronouncement on hijab. I have not ordered the use of hijab in schools and I challenge them to bring evidence,” Aregbesola said during a roundtable on developing collaborative framework for education organised by the Development and Advancement in Western Nigeria.
“It might interest you that my wife does not use hijab, my daughter does not use hijab. So, I did not order the use of hijab.
“My view on Islam is why I am suffering unmerited persecution. My crime is that I struggle to be a good Muslim and not because I hurt anybody.”
The governor insisted that there was no crisis in the state’s education sector and accused the media of celebrating idiocy by focusing on the decision of some “misguided students” of Baptist High School to wear church garments to school.
He said it was wrong for any religious body to claim the ownership of any public school in the state as government took over the schools about 41 years ago.
The governor also said it was not true that schools founded by Muslim were merged with schools established by Christian missionaries.

He explained that the hijab crisis started in 2012 when four Muslim students were prevented from using hijab after they were transferred to Baptist High School from a school where they were allowed to use hijab.
Meanwhile, some Muslim clerics stormed some public schools in Osogbo on Monday, insisting that female Muslim students should be allowed to wear hijab to the schools in accordance with the judgment of the Osun State High Court.
It was gathered that the clerics went to St. Charles’ High School and Ife Oluwa Middle School early in the morning but the teachers told them it would take a directive from the Ministry of Education for that to happen.
“Some Muslims came this morning and said they wanted to enforce the use of hijab. We explained to them that we will allow our students to wear hijab whenever we get instruction from the state government to do so,” the Principal of St. Charles’ High School, Mr. Anthony Famoriyo, said.
“You know that everything we do in schools follows procedure; what you teach, the way you teach. We are not against any group. We are here to teach our children and that is our mission.”

The Bank of Industry (BoI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Iwo community in Osun toward boosting local production of fabrics using cotton sourced from local farmers. The Acting Managing Director of the Bank, Mr Waheed Olagunju, and the traditional ruler of Iwo land, Oba Adewale Akanbi, sealed the deal last Saturday

Osun State House of Assembly has said that the recently launched Standardised Weight and Measure by the state government would restore consumer confidence and boost commercial activities in the state.

 

 
In a statement by the Chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, the Assembly described the initiative as a right step in the right direction.
According to him, the measure would guarantee fairness and honesty in business transactions in the state and would in turn encourage people from other neighbouring states to want to come to Osun for commercial venture.
It stressed that there is no transaction that can be conducted to the mutual satisfaction of the parties involved unless each is assured that the other is fair and honest.
The Assembly added that the traditional modes of measurements that market operators were used to had encourage cheating, hence, dragging the improvement of the economy, not only in Osun, but also in other parts of the country.
It added that the compliance with the Standardised Weight and Measure would, by extension, boost the Internally Generated Revenue of the state government.
The Assembly said, it would assist the government in its efforts towards making the state a regional hub for trade and commerce.
It also stressed that, apart from its benefit to the economy of the state, the new measure is hygienic-friendly, as it would not allow for exposure of goods to flies and dust.

Security agencies in Osun State held an emergency meeting Thursday to find ways of curtailing possible fallouts of an ongoing controversy over the use of hijab in public schools.
 

 
The meeting was held at the office of the state Director of Security Services, Ike Madagwana, with the state police commissioner, Femi Olanipekun, representatives of the state government, Sunday Akere and Wale Afolabi, both former commissioners, in attendance.
Also present at the meeting were representatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), representative of Baptist Church in the state, other paramilitary organizations in the state.
The state’s Christian Association of Nigeria is opposed to the use of hijab by female Muslim students in public secondary schools, especially those established by churches.
A recent court ruling authorised the uniform. In response, CAN directed Christian students to attend schools in church garments.
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that Thursday’s meeting, which lasted for several hours, generated hot exchanges between the security officials and representatives from the Baptist Church.
The arguments started when Baptist officials made it clear that it was inappropriate for the security agencies to invite them for the meeting, asserting that only CAN could summon them to such meetings to discuss the hijab issue.
Members of the Baptist team said they were not informed about such meeting, but were only invited by the Director of SSS, who had informed them that he wanted to see the church’s officials.

“We wondered how ‘We just want to see you in our office’ could now turn to be an unexpected meeting,” one of the clergymen, who would want to be named, said.
“We were even surprised that all the security outfits in the state had already gathered at the place waiting for our arrival.
“We declined to sit with them as we told them that only CAN officials could meet us. How can they say that they want to see us in their office and organize a meeting that we were not aware of with us.
“After a lot of persuasion by all security agencies that gathered there, we sat with them and when the issue of hijab was raised, we only told them that we were not for war but for peace anytime, any day, but our own right also should not be taken away from us.
“To our own knowledge, it is not a meeting but invitation to see the SSS in their office before we met all those assembled in preparation to have a meeting with us. If there will be a meeting let them communicate with CAN officials.”
After the session, state police commissioner, Mr. Olanipekun, told journalists that there was a peaceful meeting between the Christian body and the security agencies in the state to restore peace between Christians and Muslims.
He stated the Christian body was charged to live in harmony with Muslims in the state and was assured that same talks would be held with the Muslim body.
Source : Premium Times

After months of serene emptiness and bewilderment occasioned by economic adversity, the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo came alive, with people attending the epoch-making launch of “Osuwon Omoluabi”-the re-introduction of the culture of Standard Weights and Measures as the basis of commodity sales transactions after many years of guesswork purchasing.
 

 
 
This culture-changing event consistent with the vision enunciated by Governor Rauf Aregbesola in his famous “Six-Point Integral Action Plan” for the State’s accelerated and orderly development drew a large crowd of residents determined to put behind them the hard times and embark on the march toward expected economic recovery.
 
The official launch on June 15, 2016 of “Osuwon Omoluabi” and its compulsory use will ensure that buyers get value-for-money in these lean times. With this important step toward equity, weights and measures of quantities of goods sold and bought in markets of Osun, whether solid or liquid, bulk and retail commodities can now be verified and uniformity of standard ensured throughout the State.
 
The Introduction and use of 40,000 units of “Osuwon Omoluabi”in all markets in Osun will eliminate sharp practices, haggling and quarreling, introduce uniformity and make equivalent quantities of goods sold predictable, thus ending the short-changing of buyers while ensuring that sellers get a fair return on their sales. This will reinforce state government’s drive for honesty and integrity in matters of trade and attract more buyers to the State, thus reinforcing the Osun Brand reputation.
 
Thus, the State Government’s insistence on compulsory usage of this Scale in all markets marks a turning point in the life of the people of Osun, and indeed the South West of Nigeria. Yorubaland had an ancient practice of ensuring through counting that a fixed number of pieces of goods equivalent to One Penny was used as the basis of sales transactions of food items but it fell into disuse long ago and no decent replacement was found for this reliable age-old system.
 
This system was so effective that it ensured that even when a seller was absent, goods could be bought by simply placing a Penny coin next to the sample of goods displayed for sale and the goods collected.
 
As it is well known, what cannot be measured cannot be managed: These transactions favoured the clever and more psychological prepared seller but created a massive problem of standards and integrity which we now live with and has become the bane of our development.  It has created a vicious circle of exploitation, resistance and unpredictability where people cannot plan their expenditure with reasonable assurance, and this gradually led to pervasive corruption and integrity gradually vacated the markets and this erosion eventually crept into all transactions.
 
The launch of “Osuwon Omoluabi” at the beginning of the Ramadan fasting when all Muslims are enjoined to embrace the spirit of repentance, sacrifice and piety, the government’s message that business transactions should be done with honesty and integrity should sink deep into hearts and minds, just as the Holy Quran enjoins
 
“And give full measure when you measure, and weigh with even balance, that is good and the best interpretation”- Quran 17 vs 35. Christians are in like manner reminded that “a false balance is an abomination to the Lord: but a just weight is his delight-Proverbs 11 vs 1. Now is the right time to end the perverse tradition of deceitful bargaining in our daily life, a throw-back to the age of the Barter Trade with all its disadvantages and embrace a new era of progress when we can be confident that transactions come with integrity because the standards of measurement and weights are the same everywhere.
 
To change this nationally damaging habit, there is a need to institute and enforce the strict use of Standards, Weights and Measures, and enforce price control for all goods traded in Nigeria, imported and locally made. All things are learnt and remain only by habit.  We can reprogramme the behavior of Nigerians only when we cultivate and enforce new habits of honesty, integrity, love and care for our neighbours.
 
Introducing standards, weights and measures into daily transactions will help to educate our people and practically translate the theoretical mensuration taught in schools to daily life realities. Settling the issue of quantitative integrity will free us to concentrate on the more substantial issue of Quality, the final basis of integrity on our way to getting rid of substandard products that are soon spoilt and end up as pollutants and litters everywhere in Nigeria.
 
Keeping to the strict use of Standards, Weights and Measures will enable citizens get value for money and help the Naira to appreciate in value over time as Nigeria and Nigerians get used to this new way of life and acquire a new image and reputation of being trustworthy partners.
 
By instigating and initiating this effort, the Ministry of Industries, Commerce, Cooperatives and Empowerment of the Stat of Osun has pioneered a major grassroots effort to change the thinking of Nigeria by first changing our deeply ingrained habits.

Rt Hon. Najeem Salaam, the Speaker, Osun House of Assembly, has appealed to Christian and Muslim leaders in the state not to allow court judgment on wearing of hijab in public schools to lead to crisis in the state. Salaam, in an interview on Friday in Osogbo, said the religious leader should not allow the issue to create enmity between the two religions.
 

 
The Muslim community in the state in 2013 instituted a case against the state government on the right of female Muslim students in public schools to use hijab on their school uniforms. A high court in its judgment on the case on June 3, granted female Muslim students the right to be wearing hijabs. But the state Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) faulted the judgment and vowed to appeal it. CAN further said that it would direct Christian students in public schools to be wearing church garments to schools to propagate their faith if the state government implemented the judgment.
 
Since the court Judgment on the issue, female Muslim students have been wearing hijab on their school uniform, while Christians students were also wearing church garments on their uniform as directed by CAN. Salaam, however, appealed to Christian leaders to seek redress in the court if they are not satisfied with the judgment.
 
“We have been enjoying peace in the state and the issue of hijab should not be allowed to cause crisis in the state. “We have been living together as brothers and sisters peacefully in the state and we should not allow anything to cause disunity among us. “l want to seek the indulgence of Christian community to kindly seek redress in the court if they are not satisfy with the judgment.
 
“The issue is not a political matter, but rather a legal issue which I want to appeal to our Christian brothers to address legally. “There is law in the society and judiciary is very key and important to the development of democracy in the country.’’ Salaam said the judgment was not in any way influenced by government, adding that the judiciary is an independent body.

The Osun State Government has described the activities of some Fulani herdsmen as the biggest security challenge facing the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Home Affairs, Tourism and Culture, Mrs. Olajumoke Bello, spoke on Friday  at a forum organised by the Justice Development and Peace Makers’ Centre with the theme, “Peaceful coexistence in a democratic  society: The challenge of herdsmen in focus.”
 

 
The permanent secretary, whose address was read by Mrs. O.A. Oni, said the destruction of farms and attacks on innocent persons by some herdsmen could be stopped if all stakeholders decided to find a peaceful means of addressing the issue.

Bello said, “The greatest security challenge facing Nigeria now is the attack by some herdsmen.
“But I want to applaud the Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, for the foresight he had to have set up a committee on the peaceful coexistence between Hausa/Fulani/Bororo (herdsmen) and the Yoruba in the state since 2014.
“There is no doubt that the setting up of the committee has greatly helped the state in having very minimal/no record of herdsmen attacks  on our crops let alone farmers or individuals in Osun State.”
The Secretary of Osun State chapter of All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Oladapo Kolawole, said many farmers had become bankrupt as a result of destruction of their farms by herdsmen.

The governor, state of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola took centre stage as the federal government launch the National school feeding programme in Abuja on Thursday June 9, 2016.
See photos below