Until three years ago, Koleosho Saidat Biola, an English graduate from Lagos State University, was not different from an average lady on the streets of Osogbo , Osun State. She was one of the millions of unemployed youths scattered across the country. According to her, she was just roaming the streets in search of a job before she was absorbed into the Osun State Empowerment Youths Scheme, O’YES. O’YES is an empowerment programme of the State of Osun focused mainly on empowering the youths.
“I am from Ede North Local Government. I graduated from Lagos State University. I studied English. I graduated in 2009 but there was no job. I was just roaming the streets looking for job all around. It was the O’YES programme that made one to be earning something today. The O’YES programme is usually in the morning such that once you are done, you had time to do some other private things of your own. So, once I leave the O’YES programme, I still go to some houses to teach.
Meanwhile, the N10,000 that I was being given every month, I was saving it. I didn’t touch it. I was contented with the little I was collecting from the private home teaching I was also doing. After a year of saving, I built a container worth of N60,000. To put everything in order with the container, I spent N100,000. And by the time I was ready for business proper, I committed another N100,000 to it . That was how I started my own business. I can boast of buying anything for my children now. The worth of this business now is about N200,000. As we speak, I have 250 litres of kerosene in my tank”, she said.
Ibrahim Jamiu is a photographer and now into ICT. As a matter of fact, he felt photography had nothing to do with ICT. “It never occurred to me that ICT could actually improve the level of quality of my job”. Now he knows better. “I am grateful to the Governor for this empowerment. The programme has even made me to be more virtuous. It is O’YES that taught me ICT. I didn’t know anything about computers. Now I have two laptops with which I am doing my work now. I was a photographer before I got into the O’YES programme and with the ICT knowledge, I can manipulate the system to improve on my photographic knowledge”.
Miss Alayande Yetunde is another of the lucky graduates. According to her,” The programme has really empowered a lot of people. The lazy ones have changed their perspective about life. I was an NCE holder but there was no job. So when I learnt about the O’YES programme, I collected the form and here I am. My savings from the programme enabled me to start a little business on my own. Where could I have got the money if not for O’YES?”
For Olagunju Olatunji Obafemi, O’YES made him what he is now. He presently runs a small shoe business. “I was doing nothing even though I love writing. I enrolled in the scheme and learnt the art of shoe making. At the end of the training, I was given money but initially when I was given the monthly N10,000, I was thinking it was not enough, but I decided to start buying shoe materials with the money as it came little by little to set up my own.
“Ordinarily some would say the money was nothing, but if you are focused, the money can sufficiently help you out of poverty. I was saving N5,000 from the N10,000 we were being given and that was how I was able to save to be able to start the shoe business. Each of the palm slippers costs N1,500, N2,000 but since I just started, what I do now is give customers discount on each one purchased”.
Enibukun Oyewole , the commandant of the youths scheme, said the mission is to give the youths hope, show them how to fish rather than giving them fish; and then set them ready for the future. “In many areas of our lives in the country now, there is money to make for example in agriculture but, above all, is the attribute of Omoluabi, the virtuous one, somebody who believes in hard work, who knows that the only medicine to poverty is hard work, that we preach. These are the things this scheme sets out to do under the guidance of our able governor, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola”.
According to Oyewole, the activities of the graduates are already being felt in and around the cities. “So far so good, it has been a rewarding scheme, especially for the contributions of these youths in helping the communities in all areas they can. They help in the area of sanitation, they are responsible for the cleanliness you find in the state etc.
“The lawns you see on the roads, the cadets trim and keep them clean all the time. You may not be aware of what they are doing in the area of public works. They are into tertiary roads and rural roads maintenance. If you drive through Osun State, you will see O’ Ambulance vehicles which are strategically parked for evacuation of distressed persons like accident victims, women in labour, anybody in distress generally”.
What the programme is doing, according to him, is in fulfillment of the promise made by Aregbesola while campaigning to be Governor. “During his campaign in 2005, our governor promised and entered into a pact that, in his 100 days in office, he was going to empower 20,000 youths. The definition of the youths did not just end with indigenes, it includes responsible residents (Yoruba and non-Yoruba alike) of Osun State who are paying their taxes. It is a scheme for attitudinal change.
In November, 2010, His Excellency gathered us and said the covenant he entered with the people of Osun must be realized. I can say the programme is the flagship of the programmes of the government. I can say from the day it was inaugurated in 2011 till February 2013, we took 20,000 intakes. We are now taking another batch. You may ask, how did we come about the 20,000? In 2011, over 250,000 applied. The second one which is 2013, over 150,000 youths applied and we took 20,000. We have been at it now for over two years.
We have had many success stories. We are done with the initial intake, that is the batch 2011-2013, we have rotated them and they have passed out and there are exit programmes in which many of them are employed in various government service, some of them are empowered as entrepreneurs”
(adapted from VANGUARD)

The Government of the State of Osun’s Beautification Project continues at top speed as part of the Urban Renewal Programme . These pictures from Alekuwodo, Osogbo tell the story of ongoing work as at today Sunday 08/09/13

 

 

Authorities of the Osun State Polytechnics, Iree, recently stepped up efforts at curbing incidence of cultism and violence in the institution. STEPHEN GBADAMOSI, who witnessed a rally organised to sensitise the students to the menace, reports.
CULTISM is one of the vices militating against qualitative education in Nigeria, particularly at the tertiary level. Thus, when the management of any institution takes the fight against the menace directly to the students, then, it would appear that stakeholders are taking the problem seriously.
This is what happened to be the case at a recent anti-cultism and go against violence campaign organized by the management of the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, recently. Students of the polytechnic, their teachers, parents and experts on security had gathered at the multipurpose hall of the institution as early as 10.00 a.m. for an epoch-making event.
Members of the school’s cultural troupe had been sending the students present on a frenzied ecstasy and applause as they doled out tunes on anti-violence themes. Not less than 90 per cent of the youths spotted specially designed vests that had inscriptions campaigning against cultism and violence on campus, while many carried banners and placards that announced their resolve not to allow the menace to rear its ugly head on the campus again.
Though the atmosphere appeared charged, with whispers here and there that some of the members of the secret cults might be marking students taking active part in the campaign against them, the students were undaunted, as they jubilantly danced around the hall and other parts of the campus, clad in their vests or banners with which they wrapped themselves.
Not quite long after, the rector of the polytechnic, Dr Jacob Agboola, arrived the venue, in company with dignitaries that had been invited to talk to the students on subjects ranging from the social, economic and legal implications of engaging in cultism to repercussions of engaging in violence on campus. With him were the institution’s Deputy Rector, Dr Femi Ademiluyi; the Acting Bursar, Mr Femi Okediya; Dean of Student Affairs, Alhaji Adebisi; as well as the guest lecturer at the occasion, pastor (Mrs) Opedun, an Ondo State-based expert on cultism renunciation campaign.
Alhaji Adebisi, who opened the session with a speech, while explaining the rationale behind the programme, noted that the fact that cultists operated in secrecy was enough to put off any student whose purpose on campus was to make something out of his or her life.
“In the past few weeks, crime has grown on campus. That is why the present management took some steps. In the last four or five weeks, we have arrested eight cult members and handed them over to the police authorities. We are also collaborating with community leaders and vigilance groups. This is apart from the fact that the institution has hired private security operatives.
“Among the steps we have taken to curb crimes and violence on the campus is the ban that we placed on sale of alcohol on campus. We are also doing sensitisation programmes so that our students will recognise the evil in cultism. This is one of such programme. What we are saying is that the current management of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree has zero tolerance for cultism,” he said.
The rector, Dr Agboola, while addressing the students, said members of the management team of the institution, being parents themselves, saw it as their responsibility to ensure the safety of the students while on campus.
“The management of this institution knows that it is its responsibility and duty to ensure students’ safety.
“About a time in 1994, there used to be upsurge in the activities of cultists. Since then, we have stepped up effort to stem the tide; we have been arresting them. But suddenly, about two years ago, we discovered that they have been regrouping and planning to make their presence known again. We have decided that whatever it takes, we will stamp out cultism in this institution. We will not allow anybody to terminate your life abruptly; we will not allow darkness to take over here. The law of Nigeria does not permit cultism on any institution’s campus; it is a crime,” the rector warned.
Pastor (Mrs) Opedun, while delivering her lecture in from of the mammoth crowd, noted that recently, 11,000 cultists renounced it in Bayelsa State, adding that it was not impossible to leave the illegal gangs. She quoted copiously from the Bible, verses that are against the menace of cultism, while explaining to the students how cultism could destroy their lives and make the real dream of their parents sending them to school to come to futility.
A security expert, Mr Akin Adeyi, who also addressed the crowd of students explained that it was only students who lacked security and confidence themselves that usually joined cult groups, adding that this was why it was always difficult for them to come out and renounce it in public, even when they were no longer having it good in the fold.
He said the though the occasion was not one to apportion blames, it was evident that government, institutions, parents and all other stakeholders had one portion or the other to share in the blame over how cultism had eaten into the fabric of the nation’s educational sector.
The security expert went to enumerate steps to be taken by stakeholders to rescue the sector from the evil of cultism.
Thereafter, hundreds of the students took part in a procession round the campus, campaigning against cultism and displaying various placards with inscriptions that bore their messages
 
(culled from NIGERIAN TRIBUNE)

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Osun State says it has recorded a positive turn out on the directive by the commission for motorists to change their vehicle number plates to new ones on or before September 30.
Speaking in Osogbo on Friday, Osun State Sector Commander, Imoh Etuk said the commission recorded an increased turnout of applicants for the new number plates as the deadline draws nearer.
He said motorists that had changed from the old number plates and those that are applying afresh for the new number plates have increased tremendously between the months of July and August.
He said the state record showed that 232 motorists applied for the new number plates in August alone against 24 in the month of July and that 134 also changed to the new number plates in August against 67 in July.
He also added that 527 motorcyclists applied for new number plates in August against 83 applicants in July.
He said these figures were indicators that the public enlightenment and rallies carried out by the command on the need for motorists to change to the new number plates were yielding positive results.
He warned motorists that are yet to comply with the directive of the commission to do so or risk arrest from October 1.

The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Osogbo and members of his team paid a courtesy visit to the Governor at his office in Osogbo recently ….

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (4th right); Speaker Osun State House of Assembly, Honourable Najeem Salaam (right); Most Rev. Gabriel Abegunrin, Bishop Catholic Diocese of Osogbo (3rd right) and members of Catholic Diocese members, during a courtesy visit to the
Governor in his office in Osogbo, State of Osun

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (4th right); Speaker Osun State House of Assembly, Honourable Najeem Salaam (right); Osun State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Culture and Tourism, Mr Sikiru Ayedun (2nd left); Deputy Chief of Staff to Osun State Governor, Mr Gbenga Adebusuyi
(3rd right); Osun State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Barrister Kolapo Alimi (2nd right) Most Rev. Gabriel Abegunrin, Bishop Catholic Diocese of Osogbo (6th right); Vica General, Reverend Father Michael Okodua (7th left) and others, during a courtesy visit by Catholic Diocese of Osogbo to the Governor 

State House of Assembly of Osun has taken those who are blackmailing the government on debt profile of the state to task on the report of Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) released on Thursday, noting that the report was detailed enough on indebted states excluding Osun.
Speaker Najeem Salaam in a statement issued by his media office in Osogbo commended Governor Rauf Aregbesola for driving his six point integral action plan with financial surgery which gives the state clean bill of health, saying that the new fact has divorced wishful thinking of the opposition from reality check.
“We, the lawmakers at the state House of Assembly, have always been saying that Osun is not heavily indebted as being painted by some cynics, and none of the Federal agencies has mentioned Osun on debt issue, but the opposition that has phobia for research insisted that Osun is in huge debt. I hope that the new report of Fiscal Responsibility Commission will put the cynicism to rest.”
Besides, Speaker Salaam has drawn attention of the people of the state to the new status of Osun among the other component units of the federation, asserting that it was a good news that the state under the watch of Aregbesola has become a reference point at just concluded National Economic Summit in the areas of good governance, lowest unemployment rate, and infrastructural development index.
Speaker Salaam then urged the people to continue to support an administration that is bringing glad tiding to the people and the state, saying that Osun is experiencing resultant effects of new order brought about by Aregbesola’s administration.
Signed:
Goke Butika
Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker
State House of Assembly of Osun

Osun State is planning to attract public servants to work in rural areas by introducing 25 per cent of monthly salary bonus as special incentive to the workers.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who disclosed this in Ila Orangun during a town hall meeting, said the special package to public servants in rural areas is to encourage them to help in the development of the grassroots.

He noted that one of the ways of ensuring that public officers serve in rural communities is to give them incentives hence 25 per cent of the salaries of workers posted to rural communities would be paid as bonus.

The special package to workers posted to rural communities by the government is an attempt to discourage worker-mobility from the rural to urban communities.

FROM being a yearly Art show in Lagos, ‘Experience Nigeria’ has added more flavour to the just-ended Osun Osogbo Festival in Osun State.
Organised by Oladele Olaopa-led African Arts Resource Centre (AARC), the show made its outside Lagos debut at the festival, as ‘Experience Osogbo’ Art Fair.
Over 75 works from 15 artists were showed at the exhibition hall of the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding (CBCIU).
Shortly after returning from Osogbo, Olaopa, who spoke to The Guardian, said Experience Osogbo Art Fair was conceived to bring art shows back into the festival, saying it was in collaboration with Osun State Government with the hope that it would continue the arts and culture identity, which Osogbo has been known for these past decades. He recalled that Ulli Beier and Susanne Wenger’s efforts in promoting the art of the people has greatly contributed to the creative development of the country. But with Experience Osogbo Art Fair, “we are taking it up by organising a yearly show.”
Specifically, the exhibition, he stressed was designed “to promote the native artists in Osun State”. Artists whose works were shown included Sunday Osevwe, Kayode Adewumi, Lanre Ayuba, Sangorinu Adewale, Akangbe Ogun, Iyiola Kazeem, Adeyinka Fabayo, Olaitan Bolarinwa, Rotimi Togbe, Adewale Oloruntogbe, Femi Johnson, Ademola Onibonokuta.
The Experience Nigeria art competition and exhibition, which moves to Abuja in November 2013 has been supporting young artists since 1991. Though the Experience Osogbo Art Fair is not exactly in the art competition format, the event, however, produced a prize for ‘the best exhibiting artist courtesy of the State Government’. Tagged the Susanne Wenger Award for Excellence in Art, the N50, 000 prize was given to Adewale Oloruntogbe by the Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
Impressed by what he described as the new look of the festival, Olaopa noted that there was a trade mission perspective to the event, which created opportunity for participants to meet their foreign counterparts. Meeting visitors from abroad during the event, he disclosed, has led to a proposed collaboration. “We met some visitors from the US, who have shown interest to collaborate with us for next year’s event”. The partnership, which is expected to have “10 American artists showing with Nigerians here”, Olaopa hoped, “will help build entrepreneurship into the career of the new generation of Osogbo artists”.
While recalling that the first generation of Osogbo artists who had ‘experimental art workshops’ under Beier and Wenger over 40 years ago, he said the workshop has left a legacy reverberating across the art scene at home and in the Diaspora. Rufus Ogundele, Muraina Oyelami,Yinka Adeyemi, Ademola Onibonokuta,Adebisi Fabunmi, Tijani Mayakiri and Alake Buraimoh were the first set of participants at the historic workshop with Beier and Wenger.
Perhaps what distinguished this workshop from others was the fact that the participants had freedom to express their creativity with little or no confinement in formal setting. “The workshop basically encouraged them to awaken their hidden creative instincts,” he said.
Also, artists such as Twins Seven-Seven, Taiwo Olaniyi, Muraina Oyelami, Adebisi Fabunmiand Jimoh Buraimoh joined the workshops. However, Olopa noted, “the wonderful legacy survives in the works of a new generation of Osogbo artists some of who participated in the first Experience Osogbo Arts Fair.
culled from The Guaradian