Farmers in the state of Osun have been advised to change their perception towards rearing of Goat and Sheep as mere domestic animals but rather embrace it as a lucrative business that can create wealth,employment and reduce poverty in the society.
 

 
The Coordinating Director,Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security,Dr Oluwabukola Aluko gave the advice during an opening remark at a training workshop organised for Goat and Sheep Farmers in the State held at Osogbo City Hall,Olonkoro area of Osogbo town.
The Coordinating Director ,who was represented by the Deputy Director, livestock Services Department , Mrs Ajibike Fagbemi added that the training workshop was organised by the government of the State in collaboration with Gems 4 and Animal Care Consulting Centre with Signed Memrandum of Understanding to give them necessary knowledge about Goat and Sheep rearing in modern ways.
Dr Aluko stressed that the training workshop ,which focused on modern techniques of Fattening Small Ruminant Animals is part of the Government effort to achieve part of its six point integral Action plan of reducing poverty, creating employment and wealth through rearing of Goat and Sheep.
While assuring the farmers that the training workshop is an additional opportunity for them to know how best to rear their animals with ease and for profit ,he also implored all benefitting Goat and Sheep Farmers to put the knowledge gained from the training workshop in use to stimulate other unemployed youths in the State.
Also Speaking,Mr Semowo Munyiwa from Animal Care Consulting Centre disclosed that Goat and Sheep rearing is a lucrative agricultural venture if properly managed.
Mr Munyiwa maintained that feeding of animals with adequate concentrate of feeds and restricting from roaming about will give farmers a profitable result within 50 days.
He therefore encouraged the farmers and others that are interested in Goat and Sheep rearing to embrace caging system and feeding system to profit and move out of poverty.

THE GOOD MOTHER DEPARTS
“INA LI LA HI, WA HI NHA ILLAHI RA JIUN.”
It is with heavy hearts and deep sense of loss; yet with gratitude to the Allah SWT that the State Government of Osun announces the transition of Madam Saratu Aregbesola, the mother of the State Governor; Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
 
 

 
Madam Saratu Aregbesola transited in the early hours of Tuesday, August 1, 2017, after a glorious and eventful lifetime devoted to active service to Allah SWT, humanity and her illustrious family. Mama was 84 years old.
 
Mama left a remarkable legacy as a faithful wife, loving mother, community leader of no mean repute, leading kola nuts trader and a devout Muslim. She gave her very best to the service of Allah SWT in regular Asalatu as well as leadership of many Islamic charity organizations, kola nuts traders association and other women groups.
 
Mama was kind-hearted and generous of spirit and of her substance. She freely gave of her fountain of wisdom.  She was hard working and industrious, and famous throughout Ijesaland and beyond for her trade in kola nuts. This earned her the accolade of Iya Olobi.
In the care of the home and family, the children in particular, Mama was strong, astute and veritable in her support and cooperation for her late husband, Alhaji Rufai Aregbesola, whose expansive business concerns and commitment put to great service Mama’s virtues and versatility.
Mama will be sorely missed, especially when we cast to memory how well she played her motherly role behind one of her sons, AbdulRauf, in his quest to be governor and through his two successive terms up till date.
 
She left behind many children, grand children and great grand children.
 
By this departure, the state has missed yet another unmatched gift to motherhood, and this loss has obviously left a gulf too difficult to fill.
 
The government and good people of the State of Osun commiserate with the entire Aregbesola Family of Ogbon Arogbo Quarters, Ilesa and Urogbo-Ijesa, especially the First Family in the state. We condole with the Paramount Monarch of Ijesaland, the Owa-Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran, the Owa-in-Council; the Muslim Community; the entire business and commercial class, the political class, especially the countless associates and admirers of our governor, the people of Ijesaland; and the entire state.
 
She has been buried before sunset according to Muslim rites. The third and eighth day firdaus prayers come up on 3rd and 8th August 2017.
 
May God keep us comforted, and may the soul of our mother find eternal rest with her creator in Aljannah Firdaus.
 
Signed
Sola Fasure,
Media Adviser to the Governor

As part of the efforts of Government of the State of Osun to create  wealth, employment and reduce poverty through rearing of small ruminant animals like Goat and Sheep,a day training workshop on “Fattening of Goat and Sheep” will come up tomorrow morning (Wednesday 2nd August,2017)..
This is contained in a press release by the Coordinating Director ,Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security,Dr Oluwabukola Aluko.
 

 
According to the release ,the training workshop ,which will come up at the Osogbo City Hall,Olonkoro in Olorunda Local Government area of the State by 10:00 am is in collaboration with Gems 4 and Animal Care Consulting Service Centre.
The release therefore enjoined all newly registered Goat and Sheep Farmers and all other interested youths to endeavour to attend the workshop and learn the rudiments of rearing Goat and Sheep for profit making within limited period of 6 weeks.

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has inaugurated a five-man board for SKYRUN Cocoa Product Industry, Ede, Osun in a bid to improve on cocoa production in the state and turn Osun to a hub of the Chinese  investment in Nigeria.
 

 
This was even as the Chairman of the Shanghai Golden Monkey Group, Mr Qizan Zhao disclosed his company’s readiness to invest N10billion into the economy of the state through cocoa processing and production and other investment activities in the state.
The chairman also said the company will have  the capacity to provide 1000 jobs for the unemployed youths in the state in the next two years.
The newly inaugurated board is chaired by Dr. Adewale Adeeyo with four other members drawn from Osun and the partnering companies which include, Shanghai Golden Monkey Group and High Hope Skyrun International of Nanjing in China.
Other members are: Mr Jianhu Liu, Mr Xie Shao, Mrs Feng Xu and Elder George Adedeji.
Aregbesola while inaugurating the board at the Government House Osogbo, said the decision was parts of his administration’s resolve to turn Osun to commercial hub of southwestern Nigeria.
It would be recalled that the company was revived by the Aregbesola led administration after 15-years of being moribund, a development which had in the last two years yielded positive results.
Aregbesola who described the inauguration as another milestone achievement to reposition the industry and make it one of the best cocoa production outfits in the world, said his government would spare no effort to ensure the success of the partnership.
He said the decision to invest N10billion into the company by the Chinese investors has marked the beginning of wealth creation and jobs generation in the state.
According to him, since china is a centralised economy with communist government, thus, our partnership with the Chinese company would not only turn Osun to a commercial and industrial hub but also avail us ample opportunities in wealth creation and jobs generation.
“With N10billion coming to the state through the production of cocoa and other related products, then Osun people can be rest assured of better life in commerce, trade and industry as our state would soon be the hub of China investment in Nigeria.
“I have been to the head quarters of Shanghai Golden Monkey Group in China and I have confidence that with the vast industrial and commercial investment of this company, we are on the right economic track in developing our state through a productive, efficient and profitable partnership”, he added.
He charged the newly inaugurated members on the need to take the industry to greater heights that would be the envy of its peers across the globe.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Shanghai Golden Monkey Group, Mr Qizan Zhao, expressed his company’s readiness to inject N10billion into the Skyrun Cocoa Product Industry Ede as part of efforts to take the company to an enviable position ever known in history.
Zhao said the decision to partner Osun government came on a heels to properly harness the state’s potentials in cocoa production and other agricultural produce.
He said the company has seen a realistic prospect in the economic fortunes of the state, a knowledge which according to him will be profitably maximised through the partnership.
He said his company was ready to purchase in large quantity cocoa beans in its bid to expand its production line, saying no efforts would be spared to make Nigeria and Osun in particular the hub of China investment in Nigeria.
Zhao said the decision to expand on the production line of the industry was to create mass employment opportunities for the unemployed citizens in the state, saying the company has seen the possibility in accomplishing its dreams for the state.
“This is the first time I visit Nigeria. With what I have seen, it is not a doubt that my presence has made me to know that Nigeria has plenty of talents that could aid her to greatness commercially, economically and industrially. Nigeria is a good place to be.
“I represent 5000 staffers of Golden Monkey Group and in 2015 the company had an agreement to partner Osun having decided to invest in Nigeria on cocoa production and as at today the ties has translated to positive results so far.
“With this move in business world, we have seen that Nigeria is like China where everywhere is a chance for business and businessmen to thrive.
“Our partnership with Osun has made us to see that cocoa beans of Nigeria is the best raw materials in the world, and we are ready to cue into this consciously to ensure possible development of the state and Nigeria as a whole.
“I have confidence to invest more in Osun. We are going to invest to ensure that Osun and Nigeria become the best producers of chocolate with great positive effects on the economy of Osun.
“We want to invest in Osun not only to boost her commercial trade and investment but to provide massive employment opportunity for the citizens.
“For these reasons, we have resolved to invest N10billion into the Skyrun Cocoa Product Industry, Ede so as to boost the state’s capacity on commerce, industry and business”, he added.
 
He then promised to invite other chinese investors to Nigeria and Osun in particular, saying this will make Osun a state to be reckoned with in business world.
While speaking on behalf of other members of the board, the newly inaugurated Chairman, Dr. Adeeyo commended the tenacity of Governor Aregbesola for successfully resuscitated the decadence in the perceived moribund cocoa processing company at Ede.
He said the state under the leadership of Governor Aregbesola has done everything possible to  turn the cocoa industry to one of the biggest cocoa processing company in Nigeria.
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Adeeyo said through the massive procurement of cocoa beans and the processing of the product at the Ede plant, Osun will no doubt be a force to reckon with in terms of  wealth and job creation among its peers.
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The chairman while commending the foresight of the state governor‎ thanked him for the persistent support that has sustained the company through the trying period till now that the industry has now risen into a flourishing and profitable status.
According to him, rebuilding a moribund industry is never an easy and enjoyable experience but through the support of the state government they have been able to record a seamless marvelous success story.
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“Ede cocoa industry is  ‎up and running, and with the unmistakably intelligent 55-year experience of Golden Monkey, we would certainly rise to the height top in world cocoa and chocolate production business in West Africa.
“The success story of this industry would never have been possible without the resilient spirit of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, I praise the foresight of our great Governor and I will never be able to thank him enough ‎for the persistent support that has sustained this major. industry into its now flourishing and profitable status.
“Rebuilding a moribund industry has never been an enjoyable experience, but our Governor has made it look like a child’s play through his support and we have been able to record a seamlessly marvelous story.

The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Barrister Kolapo Alimi disclosed this yesterday while interacting with the staff of Ife East Local Government, Ile – Ife and Ife North East Local Council Development Area , Modakeke.
 

 
Barrister Alimi stated that it was the government of Aregbesola that approved international conference in 2012 for local government staffers when the economy of the state was good to accommodate it saying that the current modulated salary structure was not borne out of wickedness.
The Commissioner explained that it is the right of the workers to demand for their salaries and demand for increment but the economic realities on ground prevent the government from implementing other
welfare packages already planned for the workers.
Barrister Alimi however assured the workers that their welfare will be given utmost  attention when there is improvement in the economy. He charged them to discharge their duties well as God is a God of recompense.
While Speaking, the Executive Secretary of Ife North East Local Council Development Area, Honourable Dickson Amola eulogised the government of Aregbesola for his various  developmental projects in
Modakeke.
The Executive Secretary of Ife East Local Government, Honourable Adeyeni Olusegun used the opportunity to enunciate different projects he had executed saying he could not do less because the giant strides
of Ogbeni Aregbesola should be replicated at the Local Government level.
The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees Chairman of Ife East Local Government, Comrade Abiodun Olajolo and his Ife North East Local Council Development Area, Comrade Adisa David pledged the support of the workers for the government of Aregbesola.