…Says only ex-Chinese, Cuban leaders have surpassed such record
 

 
Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, on Saturday brought to fore the closeness of his administration to and the magnitude of his popularity with the people of Osun by stating that he is the only head of government in Africa that has ventured to walk on the streets with the people for as long as 91.5 kilometer stretch in the whole of Africa.
Aregbesola, while speaking on the popular audience feedback programme tagged “Ogbeni till day break” at the WOCDIF center in Osogbo, said he achieved the feat through the healthy living program tagged Walk-to-Live.
He said the walk with the people has gone a long way in promoting healthy living among the people and as well created a high sense of unity and productivity among the people of Osun.
An analysis of the various editions of the program which cumulated at 91.5kilometres show that the governor started the program in Osogbo the state capital on18/2/12 walking with a huge crowd through a total of 5.8 km.
Two other editions of Walk-to-Live held in Osogbo with 4.8 km and 5.2 km respectively before the next edition held in Iwo on Saturday 14/4/2012 with the governor walking 5.6km.
The rest of the editions show Ile-Ife (6.8km), Ila-Orangun (6km), Ikire (5.8km), Ilesa (5.2km),  Ikirun/Iragbiji (5.8km), Ede (6.2km), Ejigbo (4.8km), Ijebu Jesa (6.2km), Apomu/Ikire  (5.4km), (14.), Ilobu/Irep (6km), Ipetumodu (6.8km), Osogbo (5km).
Aregbesola, who stated that the “walk-to-live” programme with the people will be revived soon,  explained that the feat has only been beaten by the former Chinese leader, Chairman Mao Tse Tong and and the late Cuban revolutionary leader,  Fidel Castro.
He said the walk with the people of Osun shows that there can be a government that has so much faith in the people, stressing that for a leader or governor in Africa to walk freely with the people in their community goes a long way to show that the people have ample reasons to be connected to such a leader.
“It is amazing to know that I have walked a total number of 95.1 kilometers with the people of this great state right in their corridors and immediate communities for the promotion of physical fitness and healthy living as preparation for high productivity.
“It goes a long way to show that this government is in firm connection with the people of Osun and it also portrays the fact that our people have so much faith and confidence in us.
“We are the first government in Osun to take the health of the people seriously to the extent of having a healthy walk with them.
“It is interesting to know that the feat of walking a total distance of 95.1 kilometers directly and closely with the people has only been beaten by just two leaders in the world.
“The only two individuals that did more than us in history are Chairman Mao and Fidel Castro.
” Chairman Mao of China, who during the coastal revolution, moved with his people across the entire China to mobilise the people for his revolution and the second was Fidel Castro of Cuba that marched from Siamedra in the Eastern part of Cuba to Havana.
“Outside those two individuals, count me as the only head of a government in Africa that had moved with the people to cover as much as 95.1kilometer of roads.
“I own the record and I will still continue.
“It speaks so much about our administration. It means we are in connection with the people. It means they have faith in us. It means they love us and appreciate all our social interventions in the state,”Aregbesola explained.
The governor, who promised that the walk with the people, will be revived again stressed that the aim of the walk is to create a complete man,  who is physically fit, healthy and sound mentally so as to increase the production drive of the state.
He reminded the gathering that the 95.1kilometer he did with the people in different towns across the state does not include the three times he walked from Okeijetu/St Charles to Nelson Madela Park with members of the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme, OYES.
The Governor explained that he embarked on the walk with the youths so as to build in them the fitness for productivity, noting that it is interesting that the people joined the walk with pump and pageantry because they love their governor.
“Let me also remind you that the 95.1kilometers walk I had with the people in different towns across the state does not include the three times I walked with our OYES cadets from Okeijetu/St Charles to Nelson Madela Park.
“Yes, I walked three times with the youths along the streets of Osogbo and they loved it and they were excited to see their governor walking with them along their streets.
“You could feel the excitement and joy on their faces. It was so because they are happy with us and we also had the confidence to walk with them on the streets just because we know that we are doing what they elected us to do.

The government of the State of Osun is aware of the claims by the Nigerian Medical Association today over issues of welfare where its leadership has accused the Rauf Aregbesola-led administration of insensitivity to their welfare.
 

 
This is far from the truth. This government has engaged the doctors, perhaps, more than any other category of workers in the state, on the need to equally be sensitive to the hardship foisted on the finances of the state especially since Nigeria as a whole entered into its trying period of economic recession.
The Osun government has developed perhaps the most ingenious formula for satisfying the needs of its workforce within the limit of the available resources.
This was what necessitated the setting up of a revenue apportionment committee led by no less personality than a former number labour leader in Nigeria and veteran labour activists on the continent of Africa, Comrade Hassan Sunmonu.
On the state of the health facilities, the doctors must be fair enough to admit that the health sector of Osun has witnessed a huge improvement since the coming of this administration.
Apart from the huge investment of about N1.8bn for the upgrading of the state General Hospitals, this administration has ensured that health care safety and emergency measures are improved as with the provision of the state-of-the-art ambulances across the length and breath of this state.
As a professional body whose duty it is to safe lives, we expect and continue to implore the doctors to see themselves as partners with the government in the overall task of ensuring the sanctity of lives which the doctors also swore an oath to protect.
We hereby wish to reiterate for the umpteenth time, that the Rauf Aregbesola administration remains s a labour-friendly one and we have always called on all groups, including the NMA to be sensitive to the prevailing economic situation across the land while the government continues its relentless efforts to make the best of the situation we have found ourselves as a country.
 

Semiu Okanlawon
Director Bureau of Communication and Strategy
Office of the Governor

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has on Thursday inaugurated 67 Executive Secretaries to oversee the administration of Local Governments and Local development Areas in the state.

The Governor at ‎the Multi-purpose Hall, Local Government Service Commission, State Secretariat, Osogbo stated that his administration inherited 30 local governments and an area office.

Aregbesola noted that as it stands today, the state has added 31 new Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), three Area Councils and two Administrative Offices to make 67 Local Governments and development areas.

He held that Federalism is a constitutional arrangement in which power is shared between the units of government and the central government in which the sphere of authority of each is clearly delineated.

The Governor also added that federating units therefore are the states of the federation and the federal government, making only states and central government the federating partners.

He emphasised that the federal government is not superior to the states and not a supervising authority to the states, just primus inter pares, the first among equals.

According to him, “Local Governments on the other hand, are not federating partners and therefore do not have direct relationship with the Federal Government. 

 

“It is a subversion of the federal principle for the Federal Government or any federal institution or agency to begin to undercut states and forge direct relationship with the Local Government. Understanding this point is important in defining the autonomy of the local government.

 

The Local Government is an integral part of a state and its autonomy therefore is definable within the state. I agree and support therefore the notion of its autonomy in this light. 

 

“The Local Government should be not be shackled; it should be empowered to operate freely within its domain. It should have a wide latitude of responsibilities, control and operation within its jurisdiction.

 

“We have had challenges and abuse. Some states have turned their councils into cash cows. While the constitution requires states to guarantee a democratic system in the local government, this has also been subverted into state’s fiefdom. But we cannot throw out the baby with the bath water.

“The principle of federalism is important and we cannot sacrifice this on the altar of convenience. If there are abuses, let us address it, but don’t let us undermine federalism.” The Governor told the gathering.

‎Aregbesola speaking on Local Government autonomy queried “why do some people demand autonomy at the local government? ” noted that the answer is not far-fetched. 

 

The Governor held that the councils too want to go Abuja and collect monthly allocation from the Federation Account to spend the way they want, which he noted amounts to power without responsibility.

 

“The greater responsibility and true autonomy consists in being able to mobilise the people in your domain for development through revenue generation and economic participation by all.

 

“The officials we are inaugurating today have their autonomy within this umbra of responsibility. It is a new day in local government administration.

 

“Many people have strange ideas on how access to local government administration could be a get rich quick scheme. I have bad news for them. 

 

“All of you being inaugurated today should have it at the back of your mind that this is a call to service, with little or no reward”. The governor stressed.

Following the untimely, shocking and sad demise of the first civilian governor of the state of Osun, Senator Isiaka Adeleke almost two weeks ago, the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola signed an executive order for the institution of coroners inquest into the death.
See photos below

 
 

 

It is belaboring the obvious to say that all mortals would taste the pang of death, but the sudden departure of the first civilian governor of the State of Osun, Senator Isiaka Adeleke brings about an instructive reminder, that we are all terminal projects with expiry date, and that reminds me of the words of Caesar in the book of Shakespeare that: “Death will come when it will come”.
 

 
My heart is heavy, and my nerves are weakened just like you all,  upon hearing the demise of the political titan, but he teaches a lesson to all political class just as the deceased taught us a political lesson while he was alive. However, what must be considered a take home is that all of us in the position of advantage must be closer to our constituents, share their pain, and celebrate their feat, for that is the only way to remain indelible in their mind, long after we might have departed the position and the given assignment.
Distinguished Senator Isiaka Adeleke was like a revolving door, which understands the nuances of the executive and legislative assignments. He ruled as a governor for 22 months, before his mandate was truncated by the military interregnum, and his sojourn to the Senate of the Federal Republic was an experience well stocked, but his death was a devastating blow to the political class in Nigeria, and in the State of Osun in particular.
As painful as it could be, we should not lose sight of some issues his departure had raised: that all political leaders should be reminded that their survival depend on the people who voted them to power, and we should endeavor to interact and interface with them on issues bothering on their welfare, duties and responsibilities. Of course, no man is perfect, but the strive of an individual for perfection is what will define him or her from those who want to be stagnant with the tradition which has been overtaken by events.
My heart aches because the Asiwaju of Ede would no longer be with us, it saddens me, because legions of his dependants have lost a great leader; it runs my emotion, because the shoe he left behind is very large, but who are we to query why the creator of life takes it back, when it is so glaring that we are in the journey designed and perfected by the uncreated creator, at the risk of sounding spiritual.
We condemn the violence caused by some roughnecks during the burial of the Great Senator, and we strongly decry the way some miscreants unleashed unpleasant scenario at the burial site in the presences of dignitaries from far and near, including our respected governors from some states around us. Also, we strongly deplore the violence visited on Hon. (Ms) Idiat Babalola, an accomplished daughter of Ede, and a respected former member of this Assembly. We are confident to say that the ugly scenario does not define us in this state because we are very accommodating people who cherish peaceful coexistence as “omoluabis”.
Our sympathy goes to Adeleke family in Ede who has lost a father, our condolences to Timi of Ede, Oba Munirudeen Adesola lawal who lost one of the pillars of his kingdom; to Governor Rauf Aregbeosla and leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC) who lost one of their political gladiators and a leader of his people. We pray that God will give us the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss

Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola will this afternoon perform the swearing ceremony of the newly appointed Local Government Executive Secretaries in the State.

 
A release signed by the Secretary to the State Government of Osun, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti disclosed that the venue of the programme is Local Government Service Commission Hall, Government Secretariat, Abere.
It would be recalled that the list of Caretaker Management Committee nominees for the thirty (30) Local Government Areas, Thirty-one (31) Local Council Development Areas, three (3) Area Councils and two (2) Administrative Offices in the State had earlier been sent to the State House of Assembly by the Governor for screening.

The Osun State House of Assembly has confirmed all executive secretaries and members nominated by Governor Rauf Aregbesola for the 30 Local Government Councils, 31 Local Council Development Authorities, three Area Councils and two administrative offices except three nominees who failed to appear for the screening.
 

 
This is contained in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salaam, Mr Goke Butika.

The State Government of Osun, through the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Affairs, will inaugurate new set of Osun Children Parliamentarians on Tuesday, May 2nd 2017.

According to the release by the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Women, Children and Social Affairs, Pharmacist (Mrs.) Omolara Ajayi, the selection arose through low-key abridged election, by the directives of the Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, conducted by the ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science
and Technology.
The inauguration which is kicked off with a training of the children parliamentarians will hold at the conference hall of the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Affairs, Government Secretariat, Osogbo.
Time is 2:00pm prompt.
The statement added that only invited participants are expected.