Information Communication Technology  (ICT) has the potential to open up huge possibilities that can enhance growth and development of human society.
The Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, as a lead speaker, observed this at the 2013 Nigerian Telecom Development Lecture (NITDEL) at the Agip Hall of Muson Centre in Lagos. Aregbesola said ICT is the future of today’s world, which all must recognise and begin to make the best use of. He listed the various ways in which his government has deployed ICT to government business.
The governor said what is needed more in the country is the exposure of young people to the infinite potentials of the world of ICT and how they can through it, rule their world.
He stated that his government has long recognised the huge potential of ICT for bringing qualitative improvement to bear on the lives people and society, saying this is what his government has been doing since he became governor in the State of Osun.
“I have therefore, always tried not to miss an opportunity to apply it wherever and whenever I can to improve my situation and that of the people around me.
“Since I became governor in 2010, I gave an important place to ICT in the way business of government is run.
“One of the first areas of ICT deployment in the State of Osun was revenue reform, in which our government quickly moved to discard the old methods of payment system and tax administration, which were fraught with leakages and loopholes that were exploited to divert revenues that should accrue to the state’s coffers.
“The result was instant and stunning; our monthly internally generated revenue (IGR) jumped by 100 per cent from N300million to N600million in less than one year.
“We have since moved to consolidate our public finance reforms by deploying an ICT-driven revenue and taxation management system – The Osun State Government Electronic Banking System of Revenue Cycle Management (OSSG-EBS-RCM). This system allows for online Direct Bank Lodgment System (DBLS) of the revenue collection process.
“The DBLS, with its Communication, Database Software, Accounting and Reconciliation and Monitoring components enables the capturing of all payments information and other banking transactions on-line. It also captures other information during the payment process which the master database may require.”
Aregbesola also said that the state’s deployment of ICT to public education is now world-famous, especially through the iPad-like computer tablet, Opon-Imo (Tablet of knowledge), adding that  it is not without reason that e-learning device became a novel innovation in public education in the country.
He averred that Opon-Imo is a reaffirmation of the fact that the world of ICT is a world of infinite imagination and application.
The Opon-Imo tablet, according to Aregbesola, was not an invention of Osun, but that the state had been able to do with that ICT device what no one had previously done with it.
“We have adapted it to our peculiar learning environment in a way that is very unique to us,” he said.
He added that in Nigeria the advent of GSM has given a clear indication of the transformational impact that ICT can bring to bear.
He continued: “For instance, there were only about 600,000 fixed NITEL telephone lines to over 120 million Nigerians in 2001.
“According to figures from Nigerian Telecommunications Commission (NCC), there were as at June this year, over 120 million mobile telephone subscribers, which raised the country’s teledensity from an all-time low base to a peak of 85.97 per cent in just about a dozen years. As at March, the sector’s contribution to the country’s GDP is 8.53 per cent.
“The GSM is now used for billions of Naira worth of transactions without the stress of having to leave one’s base. Yet there are still numerous areas of possible application in this sector that are yet to be exploited.”
In his own lecture, the Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, said in today’s world, ICT has transcended just being an industry and has become a way of life.
Ogunsanya said for Nigeria to attract foreign direct investment, infrastructure plays crucial role and ICT is at the head of the infrastructure.
According to him, in the spate of 12 years of revolution in ICT, the sector has become the largest contribution to the nation’s economy after oil with an 8.6 per cent contribution to the Gross Domestic Products (GDP).
Earlier in his remark, the Chairman of Nigerian Communications Commission, Chief Peter Igho, said a nation without ICT could hardly realise its goal of existence as a country.
Igho, who was represented by Mr. Tony Ojobo, said a nation that develops its ICT has greater potentialities to develop than a nation without ICT infrastructure.

Teachers in the State of Osun have been advised to embrace Information Communication Technology [ICT] in order to key into the latest trends in the world.
Mr. Sunday Owoeye, Head of Service, State of Osun gave the advice at a seminar organised for newly recruited teachers into the state primary schools, in Osogbo. The ICT centre will be used for learning and research by student.  The head of service noted that the technology will greatly assist the teachers in their delivery in the classroom.
He charged the teachers to be good role models to their pupils, “The process that brought you in as teachers into the state primary education is an indication of credibility that remains our watchword in Osun,” he said. “This is the first time any state government in Nigeria will engage the service of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board for the purpose of conducting aptitude tests for applicants.”
“We are consciously doing this to guide against inefficiency in our public schools as primary education is the bedrock of all the strata of education.’’ he stated.
Owoeye explained that the state organised the training for the new entrants to enhance the teachers’ intellectual quality and performances in the classroom, while charging them to be industrious and fear God in the discharge of their duty.
“Certainly, special blessing await you from God if you commit yourself to this job without cutting corners,’’ he said.
He described the recruitment exercise that led to the employment of the 3,000 teachers as unique and unprecedented in the annals of the state.

A cross section of year 2013 Pilgrims from the State of Osun during one of
the Hajj rites in the holy mosque of the Prophet in Madeenah, Saudi Arabia
 

The Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Thursday appealed to governments at all levels to produce tangible framework for addressing youth unemployment in order to complement ongoing initiatives by the federal government.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Youth Employment and Social support Operation (YESSO) in Abuja, Aregbesola said the scheme was a forward leap in the nation’s drive to surmount the scourge of youth unemployment.
The governor said he was glad that the idea of job creation through the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme, which led to the creation of 20,000 jobs within the first 100 days had now transformed into a national programme.
He said: “I am of the strong view that any society where there is high incidence of youth unemployment offers a conducive environment for the development of vices, social tension and other manifestations of social dysfunction.
“Thus, a society with high rate of youth unemployment is a gun powder waiting to explode. It is common knowledge that idle youths are the most vulnerable group in human society for easy manipulation and mischief-making.”
Aregbesola said given that energy, vibrancy and creative talents abound in young people, they should be properly channelled into productive engagement.
He said: “Therefore, it is a matter of governance imperative that youths must be kept positively engaged by any government that is serious about the task of social and economic development. Keeping young people meaningfully engaged is not only a sound economic policy; it is a sensible approach to good governance. For no effective or successful governance can take place where there is rampant unemployment among the youths.”
Meanwhile, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, while inaugurating the scheme, said the initiative was part of efforts to create full enterprises and reduce poverty.
The minister, who said the transformation agenda was designed not only to grow the economy but to create jobs for the youth and unskilled, noted that the scheme would help to build human capital and empower communities in the country.
She said: “This programme is complementing the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P). This administration is determined to make a difference and we are glad that the states are here and we are going to have a very tight collaboration to ensure that this $300 million devoted to this operation would go to very specific things.”
Speaking also, the World Bank’s Country Director, Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly, had praise the initiative, which she said, would benefit all the states.
She said: “We aim to reduce extreme poverty with particular focus on youths, and also educating them as well as providing skills. There is a strong focus of providing a social safety net platform because we know that one major constraint of the poor to access educational services is poverty.”
Marie-Nelly said the programme would focus on strengthening national institutions, adding that about 40 per cent of the participants would be women and girls.
THIS DAY

OSUN State governor, Rauf Aregbesola has solicited the support of the Federal Government  in the completion of abandoned water project in the state, to boost potable water supply to the people.
The Governor,who made the appeal yesterday in Abuja, when he paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Water Resources, specifically cited the Ife Dam project,currently yearning for completion.
He commended the Federal Government for releasing funds towards the completion of Ilesha dam,which has now relieved the people that had being without potable water in the past 50 years.
“I am quite impressed with what you people have done in Osun State and I find it necessary to come here to express my profound gratitude to the Federal Government especially in the construction of Ilesha water project”, he emphasised.
The Governor admitted that the state does not have adequate fund to complete some of the abandoned projects and therefore called for further support in constructing treatment plants, while the state government would reticulate and distribute the water to the people.
The Governor said that the state needs irrigation for all season farming and pleaded for more Federal Government’s support in this regard.
Responding, the Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe,said that the ongoing projects of the Ministry in Osun State and other states of the federation are as a result of President Jonathan’s commitment to complete all abandoned projects across the country that could be of benefit to the people.
Ochekpe further reiterated Federal Government’s desire for stronger partnership with state government for service to be delivered to the people of Nigeria.
According to her, the responsibility of the ministry is to provide fresh bulk water while the provision of treatment plants and water reticulation is vested on the state.
She added that President Jonathan is committed to the agricultural transformation of the country through irrigation and water supply projects for food security.
“ Since it is obvious that rain fed agriculture alone cannot guarantee food security to the nation, a lot is being done to support irrigation projects all over the country and Osun State will not be left out”, he added.
THE GUARDIAN

Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in furtherance of his support for Youth Empowerment Programs was in attendance at the launch of YESSO. The official launch of  the Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO) took place in Abuja yesterday
Pictures Below…

From-Right Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola;Hon.
Minister of Finance, Dr.Ngozi Okonjo-Eweala; National Coordinator,
National Poverty Eradication Programme ( NAPEP), Mukhtar
Balewa; World Bank Country Director to Nigeria, Madam Marie Francoise
Marie-Nelly and Deputy Governor Oyo State, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo

From-Left Governor State Of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola;Hon. Minister
Of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Eweala and Chairman Senate Committee on
Finance, Sen. Joshua Dariye. during the official launch of Youth Employment
and Social Support Operation (YESSO) , held at Nicom Luxury Hôtel,
Abuja on Thursday 19th September, 2013

From- Right, Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Eweala; Governor State
of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Deputy Governor Oyo State, Chief Moses
Alake Adeyemo and World Bank Country Director to Nigeria, Madam Marie
Francoise Marie-Nelly, during the official launch of Youth Employment and
Social Support Operation (YESSO), held at Nicom Luxury Hôtel, Abuja
on Thursday 19th September, 2013

 

Good governance is the transparent and accountable management of human, natural, economic and financial resources for the purposes of equitable and sustainable development. The importance of good governance and the management of public affairs are central to the aims and agenda of any government. As with any country or state, citizens entrust its governments, the public sector and state enterprises with their tax money and the resources of their country to manage the public good, present and future, and to provide essential services and infrastructure.
Good and effective Leadership makes a whole load of difference. And leadership is not just about obstructionism. Leadership is also not about caving every time you get pushed. Leadership is about understanding and communicating to the people.
Leading people can lead to the biggest success or failure of any leader. You can’t lead by being a mystery. You can’t lead by being an enigma. You can’t lead by being aloof. You can’t lead by being programmed. I think you have to lead by being yourself and who you are and then people will trust you. And when they trust you they’ll follow you
The most successful leaders have been those who not only have great ideas, but also carry the people along in the creation and implementation of such ideas. Many times the mouth of the leader is its people as they are way more than the one leader and the more people he has speaking on his behalf the more influence he continues to have. The people need to understand the leader so they can conveniently tell the story together. Same Story, Same Leader and with that, it’s a win-win situation.
Thus when policies are formulated and projects derived; it is all for the goal of providing basic amenities and much more for the governed to give them an opportunity to aim high and achieve their dreams and aspirations.
When a government is able to understand and prioritize the need of the people, and is able to create platforms to enable it meet the needs and more so, communicates the progress and wherewithal to the people, then there is the likelihood that the people are making history given that many governments have stopped understanding the PRICE of Leadership.
The dividends of governance, the price of winning elections and being in places of influence are not for personal gains; but for the people to be able to applaud the improvement of their lives and community; knowing that many generations after that governance, the dividends will still be seen and felt. The Story will go on.
That is the reality we see in the present administration of the State of Osun. A functioning government that respects principles such as transparency and participation and is accountable to its citizens; a dynamic government that can express and respond to the needs of the poorest members of society, and continually strive to create projects that cut across in positively affecting lives, contributing to human security, poverty reduction, protection of the environment and much more.
The success of any government’s programmes and projects greatly depend on the way they are designed and implemented and for the Government of the State of Osun, every one in every corner, has experienced and benefitted and yet have other upcoming opportunities to be part of history as being made.
There will always be distractions, those who seek to downplay the great works ongoing for their personal gains; these are natural elements even as common as rain and sunshine; but a great leader presses on! Keeping focus on the People and the Projects that make the government a great success
We commend the good work of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his team who seem to put in much more that has today made the State of Osun a trending name and cause, that they continue to focus on what is most important – The People and the Projects because at the end of the day, only the best get the PRIZE.
We are almost there, 2014 is a few days away and we see the prize and we are ready to take it because the people will ensure it.
Osun a dara
– Adebola Olomo
 

Ife is an ancient town in Yoruba history and is regarded as the cradle of civilization. According to Yoruba tradition, Ife is the ancestral and spiritual home for all Yoruba. It is believed that the creation of the world started from Ife. Hence, it is popularly referred to as ‘’Land of the Source’’.
The Ooni of Ife is the traditional head and is highly revered amongst the Yoruba particularly and the nation in general.
Administratively, Ile-Ife has two local governments namely Ife Central and Ife East. The headquarters of Ife Central Local Government is on Ibadan Road while that of Ife East is at Oke Ogbo. The population of the two according to the 2006 National Census is put at 167,254 and 188,027 respectively.
Geographically, Ile- Ife lies on longitude 4° 69′E and latitude 70° 50′ N.The climate is tropical. Like every other Southwest area, the rainy season starts April to October while the dry season lasts October to March.
Ile-Ife is home to the Prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University and other important places like University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ife Museum of Antiquities, Opa Oranmiyan, Okemogun Shrine, Oduduwa Palace, Zoological Gardens and Odua Shrine. The Olojo Festival, an important event in the ancient town holds annually.
For more on PLACES in Osun, visit the website –  www.osun.gov.ng

The Governor State of Osun, Mr Rauf Aregbesola on Monday met with the management of the state-owned team Prime Football Club of Osogbo, led by Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi and assured them of his total support for the team’s promotion quest next season.
Prime Football Club is a Nigerian football club, in the town of Oshogbo, in Osun State. They play in the second level of professional football in Nigeria
The club management had addressed the state cabinet on how the team performed in the just concluded Nigeria National League season.
Aregbesola said though it was painful as the team failed to secure one of the Globacom Premier League tickets yet stated that he believes in the managerial prowess of the Ogunjobi-led management.
He charged the management to ensure they recruit exceptional and disciplined players ahead of next season who will be good ambassador of the state.
Ogunjobi assured Aregbesola that with early preparation and adequate finance, he will use his managerial experience  together with his board members to transform and make sure the team secure promotion to the Premier League and hopefully get continental ticket via the Federation Cup.

In furtherance of her drive for innovation and transparency, the state government of Osun is unveiling a new online platform under its ‘New Media’ plans. The government, through this effort, seeks to raise the bar of public engagement and deepen the Osun brand in the increasingly vibrant Nigerian online space.
The Osun New Media Project seeks to provide the global online audience with a one-stop shop for uniquely robust coverage of Osun. This online platform will break from convention by showcasing information beyond the state government. The platform will avail the public of such information that is more relevant to the needs of citizens (local and diaspora), investors and interested parties.
Speaking on this innovation of the State, the Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon said “We find ourselves repeatedly faced with the challenge to be ahead in passing information to the people of the State. The daily evolution of communication platforms, distance and availability plus the need to evolve with time in providing platforms that make the information relevant and appealing provided the motivation for this initiative. Now you don’t only see the pictures, you know the story; you know the contacts and can really be a citizen of choice.  With the new website, transparency, openness and an opportunity for everyone to see, experience and be a part of the growth and development of the state just became a reality…what more can the people ask for? I am happy and proud to be a part of this innovation and I invite everyone to explore our world.”
This innovation in content will include information on; Osun Social and Emergency Services, Profiles and Contact Details of Key Officials across all levels and arms of Government, The Osun Development Agenda, Programmes and Projects, A Socio – Cultural – Historical documentation of Osun, A showcase of the Osun brand. Effectively, the project seeks to establish the new online platform as a portal to all information concerning the state.
The platform boasts of a few interesting citizens engagement features that are arguably firsts among government websites in the country. These features are such that allow for deeper interactivity with citizens, investors and interested parties.  It is believed that the provision of such features will bring governance closer to the people and consequently engender development.

Know Your Reps, is one of such new features that the platform offers. As the name suggests, the feature allows the average Osun citizen to access the profile details of key elected and/or appointed officials that serve the citizen’s respective constituency. Effectively, the feature provides the average citizen with a personalized list of representatives that serve him/her.
The feature works, by showcasing the profile details (Name, Office and Contact) of the Local Government Chairman/Executive Secretary, State House of Assembly Member, Federal House of Representative and Senator once the citizen (based anywhere in the world) indicates his/her local government.
Mr. Aderemi Ojikutu, Director, Department For Online  And Mobile Technologies spoke proudly of this the new media direction of the State in achieving its overall goals, “ Electronic communication has evolved over the years and is becoming the mainstay of communications across the Globe. The State of Osun sees this as a call to action given its need to constantly engage the people of the state and beyond in the governance of the State. The strategy behind giving the state a new look online is driven by the urge to continuously relate and engage with the public via the platforms they use daily. The portable mobility of the Internet makes it the most powerful information dissemination tool till date and we want to be at the forefront of that space. Strategy and Technology are the main drivers for the success of this new face for the State of Osun Online. osun.gov.ng is a true technological success”
With such information at their disposal, Osun citizens will be able to enquire or follow-up on development issues, directly with their elected representatives in various levels of government. It is believed that such multilevel personalized contacts list is unprecedented in our country.
The online platform also provides a dynamic, citizens feedback feature, aptly named Meet the Ogbeni.  Through this tool, users will be able to channel messages or enquiries to government from the comfort of their homes or offices. Meet the Ogbeni will work by providing the user with a facility to post messages covering diverse aspects of governance (Agriculture, Infrastructure, Education et al) to government. The system seeks to provide swift feedback to enquiries and messages made.

OGBENI RAUF AREGBESOLA –EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF OSUN  endeared everyone to use the tool asking that they take the chance and connect with him. He stated  “In furtherance of our Open Government policy, we present the website as an innovative tool to deepen citizen – government engagement. It helps the citizen to easily identify and engage with state representatives at various constituency levels and provides the necessary Information about the state and its programmes. I especially love the daily Newsletter and the mails I get daily via the Meet the Ogbeni section; so I implore you to visit, use and share this great innovation as we continue to bring you closer to us”
Towards a richer user experience, the platform boasts in addition, such features as

• Profiles directory where resumes and official contact details of key officials across all levels and arms of government are accessible.
• Contacts directory for key social and emergency services provided by Government.
• An electronic newsletter service, that provides daily updates on government activities.
• An engaging display of Achievements in numbers of the current administration.
• An automated integration of news content across multiple social media channels.
• A sleek, ‘easy on the eye’ and multi-device user interface design.
• A robust search facility.

The new Osun Online Platform is billed to be beneficial in multiple levels. The platform will help in advancing the state’s Transparency and Innovation goals, consequently setting a new high for government online channels.
For the People, the platform will avail them the opportunity to Know and engage more with government. They will be better placed to call the attention of leaders to the issues that concern them. For investors, the platform will provide a simple interface to assess the state’s development plans, synergize and easily communicate with government for further enquiries. For the Government, the platform will serve as a medium to reach out quicker and more efficiently to the global audience.
Osun Online Platform is accessible from www.osun.gov.ng