Governor of the state of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has inaugurated a community based management committee to see to the effective maintenance of public school facilities across the state.

The committee members drawn from all the 30 Local Governments in the state are grouped in three categories separately for all the local governments in the state for the Elementary, Middle and High Schools respectively.

Speaking at the inauguration held at the Government Technical College in Osogbo, Ogbeni Aregbesola pointed out that the move is aimed at returning the schools to the communities which he described as the original owners for easy management and maintenance.

He said, “the government is inaugurating the committee because it is believed that the community owns education and they are the ones who can manage better than anybody.

While explaining the importance of education to the society, Governor Aregbesola stressed that education is very critical because it is an area where no society can afford to fail, emphasizing that it is only through education that the society can amend the past, meet up the present and safeguard the future.

The Governor among other objectives charged members of the committee to source for funds to maintain and manage the schools without creating unnecessary burden on parents and pupils but to find a way of assisting them.

He also charged the committee to identify the school needs and lapses so as to find lasting solutions to them, while also explaining to them not to see their appointment into the various committees as a political reward but a call to be part of history.

He said,”It makes good sense to know that community based approach to school management is the best approach anywhere in the world as it is effective in the management of our schools”

“We are spending so much in the education sector because education is critical to every society, it is an area where no society can afford to fail, the education sector is important because it is through education that a society can meet up with the present and safeguard the future”

“Education is the primary foundation of every development, the technology of building, architecture science among others are acquired through education, so there is nothing you can do without education”

“With the trends in the world, the whole world is now going digital and one can not but conclude that the future belongs to only the educated”

“To the newly inaugurated committee, I want them to know that this assignment should not be seen as a political reward, you should rather see it as a call to be part of history because our government is bent in changing the face of education in the state of Osun and we will be surely remembered for it”

“I want to also assure you that there will be prices for the community management committee that performs exceptionally” the governor noted.

In her address, the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Grace Titilaoye Tomori charged the members of the committee to see the new school facilities as that of their individual community property, saying their jobs is to ensure that the schools are well managed.

Mrs. Tomori who doubled as Commissioner of Education, held that the current government has seriously invested huge resources on education, having considered it as a pivot to all kinds of development, saying to this generous initiative, there is a need for the committee to perform their responsibilities diligently.

The Deputy Governor who described the task of the committee as a great challenge that must be faced squarely with utmost sense of responsibility, honesty and commitment, reiterating that the time has come for the committee to prove its quality in the area being saddled with.

Mrs. Tomori however implored the committee to perform its responsibility as expected and not let the government down in the confidence reposed in them to oversee and maintain of such gigantic facilities in their respective posts.

“Our government has identified education as the pivot of development, that is why we didn’t look back at all in our drive to take education to the greater heights we all desired in the state”

“without any sense of doubt, the job of this committee is to ensure that our schools are well maintained.

“In as much as members of this  committee is being drawn from various communities and as well made of people at the grassroots, therefore nothing else is expected than excellent performance.

“As for your oversight functions, members of this committee are further charged to participate in every activity going on in their various schools most on the area of home grown feeding called O’meal

“Every facilities’ manager is expected as a matter of necessary and oversight function to monitor the O’meal vendors in order to quality service delivery and better performance.

“All the schools are to be managed by the communities because we believe you are all stakeholders and that’s why we have brought together all the lovers of education to be part of the committees in the all the local government”, Mrs. Tomori opined.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, State Universal Basic Education Board, Alhaji Fatai Kolawole enjoined members of the committee to see themselves as owners of the facilities and schools at large in their various communities.

He called on them to see the inauguration as an opportunity to support the administration of Ogbeni Aregbesola in his bid to change the face of education in the state of Osun.

“It is our belief that the committees can assist government in the proper management of the education facilities which government has spent so much money to put in place”, he stated.

A picture of the cross section of the newly inaugurated Community Based School Management Committee by Governor Rauf Aregbesola to oversee the School activities in Osun, during the inauguration at the Government Technical College, Osogbo on Thursday 14-01-2016.

A cross section of the newly inaugurated Community Based School
Management Committee by Governor Rauf Aregbesola to oversee the School
activities in Osun, during the inauguration at the Government
Technical College, Osogbo on Thursday 14-01-2016.

A cross section of the newly inaugurated Community Based School
Management Committee by Governor Rauf Aregbesola to oversee the School
activities in Osun, during the inauguration at the Government
Technical College, Osogbo on Thursday 14-01-2016.

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right);
congratulating one of the Chairmen of the newly inaugurated Community
Based School Management Committee, High Chief Christopher Ayodele.
With them is the deputy governor, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori, after the
inauguration at the Government Technical College, Osogbo on Thursday
14-01-2016

Governor State of Odun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right),
congratulating one of the newly inaugurated Chairmen of the Community
Based School Management Committee, Chief Samuel Oladepo Omoeumi, after
the inauguration at the Government Technical College, Osogbo on
Thursday 15-01-2016

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun and his deputy, Mrs Titi
Laoye-Tomori, dancing to a traditional display, during the
inauguration of Community Based School Management Committee, at the
Government Technical College, Osogbo on Thursday 15-01-2016

Everything is set for the Government of the State of Osun to build several markets across the state especially in Osogbo, the State Capital.

This was part of the disclosure made by the State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola during his inspection tours to the proposed market sites within Osogbo metropolis.

The train of Governor Aregbesola’s tours took place at the newly proposed Yam Market located at Awosuru area of Alekuwodo axis where Mr. Governor was given a tumultuous welcome by the enthusiastic market women and men who had already besieged the site.

Addressing the traders shortly after his inspection, Governor Aregbesola said in spite the current economic challenges facing the state, his government would not in anyway relent in its efforts to turn around the economy of the state through establishment of modern markets.

Aregbesola revealed that his administration has resolved to construct an ultra-modern yam market where varieties of yams and other food items would be bought and sold.

Speaking on the characteristics of the proposed market, Governor Aregbesola said the market when completed would ease the challenges being faced by the residents of the town in access daily commodities like yams, vegetables, peppers, meat among others.

Governor Aregbesola however noted that the market would be the only legalized yam market in Osogbo, saying all the yam sellers in the town would be concentrated in the market.

He therefore called on the market women to come up with their needs on the proposed market and forward it through their representatives to the government for quick implementation.

Meanwhile the train of Governor Aregbesola inspection moved to a popular placed called Igbo Kenya where the state government is proposing to build a neighborhood market.

Shortly after this, Governor Aregbesola moved to the ongoing construction site of Osogbo Government High School where he was equally received by enthusiastically by the artisans working at the site.

Governor Aregbesola inspection tours  didn’t stop at this but headed to a proposed new MDS market along Osogbo/Iwo road where he was warmly received by the traders  and market women.

On this site, one of the market women, Mrs. Funke Afolabi commended Governor Aregbesola for his high sense of passion and commitment towards the plight of the market women and the people of the state in general.

Mrs. Afolabi expressed gratitude to the state government for identifying with them and deeming it fit to construct a befitting market that if completed would accommodate the buyers and sellers conveniently.

She lauded the numerous achievements of Governor Aregbesola, saying his tremendous impacts have been positively felt by the people of the state.

Also in his reaction, one of the executives of MDS Traders Association, Chief Aloysius Umenweke implored the state government to do its best at ensuring that the dream of the market comes to reality.

Chief Umenweke said he would be happy if the government turn the proposed MDS market to the state central market where various commodities and wares would be bought and sold.

Those in company with Governor Aregbesola are; Former Special Adviser to the Governor on Rural and Community Development, Mr. Kunle Ige, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Lands, Physical Planning and Urban Development, Architect Wale Ojo and other government officials.

…as State House of Assembly calls for Proper Investigation into Sacking crisis

The Managements of the Osun State-owned Tertiary Institutions have said that the state government has no hand in the sack of some of their teaching and non-teaching staff.

Responding to questions at a meeting called by the State House of Assembly in Osogbo on Tuesday, they said it was the discretion of the institutions to retrench the staff who have run foul of the requirements of their jobs.

This is just as the Speaker, Honourable Najeem Salaam called for meticulous scrutiny, justification and thorough investigation of the files of the affected staffers so as for the House to confirm whether the sacked workers have indeed run foul of the said jobs’ requirements.

Hon. Salaam further directed the managements of the four affected institutions to suspend any action capable of making anyone loses his job until the investigation is concluded by the House.

Apparently, the Rector, Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Dr. Sola Agboola; his counterpart from Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, Dr. Augustus Oke; Provost, Osun State College of Education, Ilesa, Dr. Kadiri Adegoke and his counterpart from Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun, Professor Isaac Oyewole argued that none of the staff of the institutions was unjustifiably sacked.

One after the other, they all identified redundancy, inappropriate qualifications, poor academic development, declining productivity, questionable certificates, disciplinary matters among other as parts of the criteria for the disengagement of the affected teaching and non-teaching staff of the institutions.

In his submission, Rector, Osun State College of Education, Dr. Augustus Oke who attributed the lingering crisis to what he described as nepotism, chauvinism and favourism explained that the problem in the system, dated back to 2005 when due process was totally ignored and disregarded in the staff engagement, saying at that period, political office holders used to give out note for lecturers to report to the institution without the appropriate certificates and qualifications.

He stressed that many of the affected workers were neither recruited nor engaged in line with the recruitment’s standards, rules and regulations, saying some of them gained the jobs through back door.

In his subsequent reactions, Rector, Osun State Polytechnic, Dr. Sola Agboola elucidated that the institutions were not involved in the recruitment of staff from 2005 to 2007, saying, it was done at the instance of the  political class.

The duo however affirmed that consultants were engaged to carry out staff audit and at the end, the affected staff were found wanting.

Also reacting, Provost, Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun, Professor Isaac OyewoleProfessor Oyewole said the exercise was not meant to witch-hunt the staff, but was done in good faith to bring sanity into the education system in the state.

Professor Oyewole stressed that some of the affected staff had disciplinary issues including extortion of students and aiding exam malpractices among others, saying the offence committed by the affected officials were contained in their files.

Reacting, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Najeem Salaam wondered why the management had to wait till now if indeed the affected staff have been found wanting in one way or the other.

“If somebody has a questionable certificate, you must have known before now; and if a person is engaging in disciplinary activities, your must have had the hint. Why do you have to wait till now to generate noises”, he said.

Hon. Salaam held that the House under his leadership would not condone the disengagement of the staff of the institutions unjustifiably, therefore directed the institution to suspend the action for now.

Salaam who hinted that a letter for the commencement of strike action had been received from the Academic Staff Union of the institutions, urged the Union not to embark on any strike for now, as effort is being taken by the House to resolve the matter.

Osun State Police Command has nabbed eight robbery suspects who murdered a university teacher, Dr. Adedeji Adejobi.
Adejobi a lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State and senior brother to Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ademuyiwa Adejobi.
Osun State Police Commissioner,  Kola Sodipo made the disclosure at a press briefing held  in Osogbo yesterday. Dr. Adedeji was murdered on July 14th, 2015 in Ile-Ife.
Those arrested are: Abiodun Damilola Jawefa, Adegoke Adeolu, who pulled the trigger, Sunday Okoro , Abiodun Ayeni, Faisal Musa, Bilkiaminu Alasan, Sule Victor and Bobby Eric.
Sodipo said when the suspects were interrogated, they all confessed that the Berretta pistol which was used to kill Dr. Adedeji Adejobi belong to Abiodun Damilola Jawefa and Anthony Okoro who is now at large.
He added that during the operation, Okoro now at large used his locally made cut to size barrel gun to kill the night guard security man at the house of the lecturer.
The Polic Commissioner said further that before the gang killed the university lecturer that day, they had earlier robbed a man of his Toyota Corolla car at Ilesa, which they latter used to trail Dr. Adejobi to his residence at Ile-Ife and robbed him of the following: Toyota Venza, NhP Laptop Computer, Blackberry handsets and cash, before  eventually shot him to death.
He said that the police had recovered the following from one of the suspects: Laptop Computer, Plasma Television , two locally made cut size single barrel guns, one live and 3 expended cartridges, and one empty shell of 9mm Pistol ammunition.
Commissioner  Sodipo said that the suspects have been arraigned in court and effort is ongoing to arrest the run away Anthony Okoro.
The State Commissioner of Police also stated that the command has arrested four robbery suspects and large cache of arms from them.
The suspects are Ifedayo Adeniyi, Semiu Taofeeq, Ogunwale Afolabi and Mukaila Oyeleke.
He posited that the suspects were arrested when they attacked and robbed one Fabiyi Adebayo of his Lexus Jep RX 300 at gun point.
He added that during the arrest, one locally made double barrel pistol with one live cartridge and cutlasses was recovered from them.
Commissioner of Police also disclosed that one Bamitale Fisayo who broke into a house and carted away sum of N30,130, one Acer laptop, two Infinix handset,one Blackberry touch handset, one Itel phone, one Nokia phone, one power bank with charger and other items was arrested, and has been charged to court .
The Commissioner said that eighteen vehicles and eight motorcycles were recovered by the command from various suspects from September to December 2015.
DAILY INDEPENDENT

…as State House of Assembly calls for Proper Investigation into Sacking crisis

The Managements of the Osun State-owned Tertiary Institutions have said that the state government has no hand in the sack of some of their teaching and non-teaching staff.

Responding to questions at a meeting called by the State House of Assembly in Osogbo on Tuesday, they said it was the discretion of the institutions to retrench the staff who have run foul of the requirements of their jobs.

This is just as the Speaker, Honourable Najeem Salaam called for meticulous scrutiny, justification and thorough investigation of the files of the affected staffers so as for the House to confirm whether the sacked workers have indeed run foul of the said jobs’ requirements.

Hon. Salaam further directed the managements of the four affected institutions to suspend any action capable of making anyone loses his job until the investigation is concluded by the House.

Apparently, the Rector, Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Dr. Sola Agboola; his counterpart from Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, Dr. Augustus Oke; Provost, Osun State College of Education, Ilesa, Dr. Kadiri Adegoke and his counterpart from Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun, Professor Isaac Oyewole argued that none of the staff of the institutions was unjustifiably sacked.

One after the other, they all identified redundancy, inappropriate qualifications, poor academic development, declining productivity, questionable certificates, disciplinary matters among other as parts of the criteria for the disengagement of the affected teaching and non-teaching staff of the institutions.

In his submission, Rector, Osun State College of Education, Dr. Augustus Oke who attributed the lingering crisis to what he described as nepotism, chauvinism and favourism explained that the problem in the system, dated back to 2005 when due process was totally ignored and disregarded in the staff engagement, saying at that period, political office holders used to give out note for lecturers to report to the institution without the appropriate certificates and qualifications.

He stressed that many of the affected workers were neither recruited nor engaged in line with the recruitment’s standards, rules and regulations, saying some of them gained the jobs through back door.

In his subsequent reactions, Rector, Osun State Polytechnic, Dr. Sola Agboola elucidated that the institutions were not involved in the recruitment of staff from 2005 to 2007, saying, it was done at the instance of the  political class.

The duo however affirmed that consultants were engaged to carry out staff audit and at the end, the affected staff were found wanting.

Also reacting, Provost, Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun, Professor Isaac OyewoleProfessor Oyewole said the exercise was not meant to witch-hunt the staff, but was done in good faith to bring sanity into the education system in the state.

Professor Oyewole stressed that some of the affected staff had disciplinary issues including extortion of students and aiding exam malpractices among others, saying the offence committed by the affected officials were contained in their files.

Reacting, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Najeem Salaam wondered why the management had to wait till now if indeed the affected staff have been found wanting in one way or the other.

“If somebody has a questionable certificate, you must have known before now; and if a person is engaging in disciplinary activities, your must have had the hint. Why do you have to wait till now to generate noises”, he said.

Hon. Salaam held that the House under his leadership would not condone the disengagement of the staff of the institutions unjustifiably, therefore directed the institution to suspend the action for now.

Salaam who hinted that a letter for the commencement of strike action had been received from the Academic Staff Union of the institutions, urged the Union not to embark on any strike for now, as effort is being taken by the House to resolve the matter.

As he Commissions N140m State-of-the-art Elementary School in the State

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has reassured the good people of the state of his administration’s commitment towards the provision of functional, quality, qualitative and effective education in the state.

In view of the worrisome economic situation in Nigeria and the state in particular, Governor Aregbesola said one of the ways to liberate the nation out of her present situation was to invest its little resources on her citizens through the provision of an interrupted-standard western education as it remains the sustainable legacy for every child.

Governor Aregbesola stated this while commissioning Anthony Udofia Government Elementary School, Osogbo.

The school which was named after the former military administrator, Retired Navy/Captain Anthony Udofia was metarmophosed from Anthony Udofia Model School to Anthony Udofia Government Elementary School.

Governor Aregbesola who described the provision of functional basic education as an unavoidable duty and responsibility  owed by every serious government, said his administration has prioritized education based on the premises of its understanding that any child with a good elementary school foundation will have no problem making progress educationally.

Aregbesola expressed satisfaction in the fact that his administration has been able to record tremendous achievements and accolade locally and internationally in educational sector, adding that he had elevated the state to the extent that the state can presently boast of having public schools that can compete with the best in the world.

He said his administration since inception has been putting together necessary efforts towards the actualization and fulfillment of its electoral campaign promises not only on education but in all other sectors of the economy as these notions had been successfully initiated, enunciated and implemented.

Aregbesola said his government having identified basic education as a fundamental and inalienable right of every child, decided to invest huge parts of its resources with the sole foresight that it remains the bedrock for sustainable development.

He stressed further that a good basic education fulfills the definition of literacy as the ability to read and write, saying it remains a solid foundation on which other superstructure of vocational training or higher education can be built upon.

Enumerating his landmark achievements, Governor Aregbesola recounts that his administration has commenced the  building of 100 Elementary schools across the state in a bid to domesticate and harmonize elementary public school in every neighbourhood.

He said, “Elementary school is the basic of the basic education. Any child with a good elementary school foundation will have no problem making progress educationally, other things being equal.

“We are building 100 Elementary schools like this across the state; though this is ambitious, the idea behind it is that there should be an elementary public school in every neighbourhood.

Speaking on the amount being expended by his administration on the new edifice, Governor Aregbesola disclosed that his government spent N140 million for the structure, furnishing and landscape, saying his government was satisfied in the fact that “being in this school gives the satisfaction of being in the proper environment of learning.

“We have made education development the priority of our administration. As you are mostly aware, these schools and other innovations are the products of the educational summit we held immediately after my inauguration.

“The complex we are in is a 960-pupil capacity school with 24 classrooms of 40 pupils each, with further capacity for upgrade to 1,000. It has an ICT room, a library, multipurpose hall, 29 toilets, offices for headmaster, facility manager, staff room, food court, sick bay, security/reception office and a water fountain for aesthetics.

“I am happy and fulfilled that we have public schools that can compete with the best in the world and indeed, our new schools are the ones to beat around here.

“All these are in fulfillment of our promise to provide functional basic education for the pupils in the state.

“This stems from our conviction that every child is owed basic education. It is a fundamental and inalienable right of every child.

“A good basic education fulfills the definition of literacy as the ability to read and write and is a solid foundation on which other superstructure of vocational training or higher education can be built upon”, Aregbesola stated.

He revealed further, “Indeed, we are constructing 100 brand new state-of-the-art Elementary Schools, 50 Middle Schools and 20 High Schools. Out of these, 14 Elementary Schools, 15 Middle Schools and 11 High Schools, including the one we are commissioning today, have been completed, receiving finishing touches and awaiting commissioning, to the glory of God.

“Fulfilling our commitment to complete these school projects and our other obligations is financially challenging, if not herculean.

Governor Aregbesola who lamented over the current economic challenges occasioned with the effects of continued dwindling revenues from the Federation Accounts, said his administration would not be carried away in its focus to meet its numerous obligations and commitments.

He said, “As at Friday January 8, the new OPEC Reference of 13 Crude Basket which includes Nigeria’s Bonny Light sold for $28.46.

“This is a new low for the cascading price of crude oil, the life line of the nation’s economy, which hit a dazzling height of $140 in 2013.

“It is a crude awakening to the grim fact that any hope of allocation from the Federation Accounts is gone.

“We must therefore face the twin realities of first living within our means and making our own money.

“We must be engaged in productive activities that will lead to job creation, wealth creation and generous taxation to the government.

“Our people must work hard and double their productivity. We must all be engaged in one productive activity or the other.

Governor Aregbesola however implored the people of the state especially the youths to develop interest in agriculture, saying exploring its potentials would bring greater improvement on the state economy.

“The era of free, unearned money is gone. This is not a situation peculiar to Osun alone. Only states that can generate its own revenue will be able to withstand the financial disaster that befell the nation on account of the precipitous slump in oil price.

“The youths, especially fresh graduates and school leavers, must find something to do, especially in agriculture, an area where we have tremendous advantage.

“In addressing this challenge, it is also imperative that we live within our means.

“It is impractical anyway to do otherwise, since states do not print money and you cannot spend what you don’t have.

“The government sits atop society and presides over contending and competing interests therein. It is our duty that no particular interest predominates and asphyxiates other interests and put the survival of the state in danger.

“We must therefore reasonably spread what we have, especially on human development.

“This is why we have been unwavering in our commitment to human development projects like education”, he stressed.

Governor Aregbesola who debunked the allegation that his administration was only concentrating the state’s resources on the execution of capital development at the expense of state workers, said it was erroneous for any government to spend all its accruable resources on workforce which according to him remains subset of a set and constitutes less than 5 per cent of the entire populace.

“There is this ignorant and unreasonable idea being vigorously promoted by a few disgruntled media organizations and their political sponsors that reduced government to paying salaries alone.

“We are fully conscious of our legal and moral obligations to workers, yet, the truth is that workers are less than five per cent of the population of the state over whom we have responsibilities as a government.

“The idea therefore that all state’s resources must be spent on workers alone is insane, unsustainable and impossible.

“These media organizations have been inciting workers and pensioners to rebellion, subversion and sabotage, with the intent of destabilizing the state and disrupting the peace of our communities.

“In the past, they have made futile attempts to precipitate religious crisis by inciting Christians against Muslims in the state. It did not fly.

“They have also made repeated but failed efforts at inciting Civil Servants against the government. They have failed also. They hunt for crises and where they could not find any, they invent stories and write fiction, thereby putting the noble profession of journalism into disrepute, just because they want to stoke crises in the state.

He therefore commended the state workforce for its understanding, patience and perseverance to the current economic hardship, saying its constant resolute and total resistance of political demagogues and detractors had justified its apolitical stands in the affairs of the state.

Aregbesola said, “I must commend the mainstream Civil Servants for not taking the bait and falling prey to the infernal political schemes of failed politicians whom the people of this state have consistently rejected at the polls and who want to take over the government thorough subterfuge and conspiracy.

“This is why other categories of workers in the state’s employment must see reason and cooperate with government on the need to live within our means.

“This is a very special time that requires faith, understanding, creativity and new thinking. Albert Einstein, the great physicist, once defined insanity as doing the same thing, the same way, all the time and expecting a different result.

“I have the faith that with the various efforts we are making and fresh opportunities we are exploring in agriculture, solid mineral development, tourism and manufacturing, we will surmount the present challenges, create wealth and usher in new round of prosperity and wealth creation.

He therefore congratulate the people of Osogbo, the teachers and staff of this brand new school, its pupils and their parents and those working for the development of education in this state.

Earlier in her remarks, the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye Tomori said the current administration has remained unstoppable in the provision of functional and quality education.

Mrs. Tomori who is also the State Commissioner for Education averred that the giant strides of the present administration in education and other sectors of the economy has elevated the state to the vantage position of being the model for its peers across the world.

She held that countless of the present administrative policies and programmes  initiated had been borrowed and domesticated by the local, state, national and international governments across the world.

Mrs. Tomori therefore applauded Governor Aregbesola for his rare commitment to turn around the state and bring the desired light into the educational sector, saying his compassion for education has positively impacted the lives of the pupils and students in the state.

She admonished the pupils who are the beneficiaries of the projects and their teachers to see the edifice as a jewel that must be properly kept and maintained.

“This project is one of the testimonies of a fulfilled vision. It is a testimony of our untiring efforts to turn the education around for good and for the massive benefit of every Osun born citizen.

“The construction of such state-of-the-art school like this indicates our commitment towards functional education and provision conducive environment for teaching and learning processes.

“The building of the state-of-the-art school like this is equipped with modern facilities couples with the architectural masterpiece that eases teaching and learning and this is also the dream of many pupils all over the world”, Mrs. Tomori stressed.

in his address, the former Military Administrator in the state whose school was named after, Captain Anthony Udofia, commended the state government for building a solid future for the people of the state through provision of functional education and construction of school buildings with longer lifespan.

Confirming the numerous achievements of the current administration in educational sector, Captain Udofia stressed that no amount of money spends on education goes wasted and that the current government has with five years performed a 50-year development in education.

He said, “it is glaring that this government has been working rigorously to bring us the best in all sectors especially in the area of education which it prioritizes since it assumes office.

“This school and other ongoing ones across the state is a clear manifestation of the rare love, passion and commitment of the current government towards a developed and improved education system.

He therefore expressed gratitude to the Governor, people and government of the state of Osun for deeming it fit to maintain the status and name of the school.

Pictures of the newly commissioned Anthony Udofia Elementary School in Osogbo. In attendance, Deputy Governor, State of Osun, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori, former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; his wife, Sherifat and former Osun State Military Administrator, Navy Captain Anthony Udofia, at he commissioning of the School in Osogbo on Tuesday 12-01-3016

Newly Commissioned Anthony Udofia Elementary School in Osogbo. Insert
From left, Permanent Secretary SUBEB, Mr Fatai Kolawole; Osun State
Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo; Deputy Governor, Mrs Titi
Laoye-Tomori; former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola; former Military
Administrator in the State, Navy Captain Anthony Udofia; Governor Rauf
Aregbesola; deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon.
Adegboye Akintunde; wife of Governor Aregbesola, Alhaja Sherifat and
others, during the commissioning of the School on Tuesday 12-01-2016

The newly commissioned Anthony Udofia Elementary Schooling Osogbo. Insert
From left, Former Governor of Osun, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola;
Governor Rauf Aregbesola; his wife, Sherifat and former Osun State
Military Administrator, Naval Captain Anthony Udofia, during the
commissioning of Anthony Udofia Elementary School in Osogbo on Tuesday
12-01-2016

The newly commissioned Anthony Udofia Elementary School in Osogbo. Insert
From left, Deputy Governor, State of Osun, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori;
former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; his
wife, Sherifat and former Osun State Military Administrator, Navy
Captain Anthony Udofia, during the commissioning of the School in
Osogbo on Tuesday 12-01-3016

The newly commissioned Anthony Udofia Elementary School in Osogbo. Insert
Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Tauf Aregbesola acknowledging cheers
from students during the commissioning on Tuesday 12-01-2016

The newly commissioned Anthony Udofia Elementary School in Osogbo. Insert
Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Tauf Aregbesola acknowledging cheers
from students during the commissioning on Tuesday 12-01-2016

The newly commissioned Anthony Udofia Elementary in Osogbo. Insert
from left, Deputy Governor State of Osun, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori; Mrs
Sherifat Aregbesola; Former Military Administrator in the State, Navy
Captain Anthony Udofia; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Secretary to the
State Government, Moshood Adept I and others, during the commissioning
on Tuesday 12-01-2016

The newly commissioned Anthony Udofia Elentaty School in Osogbo.
Insert is Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola,
acknowledging cheers, during the commission of the School in Osogbo on
Tuesday 12-01-2016

Newly Commissioned Anthony Udofia Elementary School in Osogbo. Insert
From left, Permanent Secretary SUBEB, Mr Fatai Kolawole; Osun State
Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo; Deputy Governor, Mrs Titi
Laoye-Tomori; former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola; former Military
Administrator in the State, Navy Captain Anthony Udofia; Governor Rauf
Aregbesola; deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon.
Adegboye Akintunde; wife of Governor Aregbesola, Alhaja Sherifat and
others, during the commissioning of the School on Tuesday 12-01-2016

…as he Receives State Under 15 Football Team

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has warned youths especially the students of both secondary and tertiary institutions to abstain from all forms of social vices and any act capable of tarnishing their brighter future.

Governor Aregbesola said the only constant factor that can hinder swift achievement of one’s ordained fulfillments, successes and progresses in life is to indulge or inculcate evil acts especially at tender age.

Aregbesola gave the admonition why receiving the State’s Under-15 Football Team who just bagged Bronze accolade at the just concluded Southwest Under-15 Football Team, in his Office, Government Secretariat, Abere, Osogbo.

Aregbesola who described youths as the only hope for sustained socio-political and economic realities of Nigeria, implored the younger generations to rededicate themselves and imbibe the virtues of Omoluabi ethos which according to him could add the needed values into their collective lives.

He frowned at the incessant involvement of youths across the world in all forms of social vices and immoral acts, saying the time has come for government at all levels to rise to the occasion and find a lasting solution to the menace.

Governor Aregbesola expressed disaffection over what he called ‘pitiable and worrisome situation’ of youths lives in Nigeria, saying youths needed to be reoriented into the platform of new life which he said, “will help to combat the present situation of the already proliferated immorality and anti-social behaviours prevailing among the youths.

Aregbesola said the statistics have shown the greater involvement of youths in various drug abuses, kidnappings, maiming, insurgency, armed robbery, internet fraudulence among others, stressing that unless youths develop a mind set of being productive, resourceful and useful to their nation, the futuristic hopes embedded and reserved in them would not be allowed to manifest.

Governor Aregbesola urged Nigerian youths to always see themselves as good ambassadors of country and as well demonstrate high sense of patriotism, nationalism and commitment towards the concept of nation’s building and national development.

“Emphatically, youths should be seen as epitomes and paradigm of national hope, peace, unity and cohesion and this must be manifested in their characters, attitudes and behaviours in the society.

“It is unfortunate that youths in Nigeria and across the globe who are supposed to project the favourable images of their various countries by being good ambassadors, have turned themselves to ready-made instruments in the hands devils.

“Many of them are now into drug abuse, armed robbery, kidnapping, maiming and other social vices. These acts must be stopped and youths must see virtues of Omoluabi as priority in whatever they do.

“Our youths must abstain from drug abuse, gangsterism, hooliganism as well as any act of immorality that can ruin their brighter future and hamper them from getting to their ordained destines.

“Having prioritized education, our administration has been working round the clock since inception to bring about quality, effective and qualitative modern education calculated to change the face of teaching and learning in all public schools in the state.

“In our efforts to achieve this mission, the current administration would not on no account condone any act of indiscipline, cultism, gangsterism and hooliganism in all its terms and forms”, Aregbesola stressed.

While praising the State’s Under-15 Football Team for coming home with Bronze and other prizes from the just concluded Southwest tournament, Governor Aregbesola expressed delight in the fact that the children of the state had the opportunity of participating in such a regional football competition.

Aregbesola who commended the players drawn across the Public High Schools in the state, said with the medals brought by the team, the state has added to its accolades in football competitions.

He said, “Our children have made us proud once again. We all know that this competition organized among our children are to foster regional integration in the western region, therefore, it is our joy that Osun was part of the progress.

“We were not only participated but we brought home Bronze and other prizes as our child (one of the players) bagged the highest goals’ scorer, this is a plus for our state.

Governor Aregbesola however warned the children against bad company, saying there is the need for them to avoid being lured by evil doers.

“Now that you are doing well in physical fitness and football competitions, there is the need for you all to take your education seriously as well as your priority because it is best legacy you could bequeath from your parents.

“Shun anything that could mortgage your future because you are the hope and future of this nation”, Aregbesola warned.

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman, State of Osun Nigeria Football Federation, Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi commended the team for coming out with fying colours and for making the state proud in education and football competitions.

Chief Ogunjobi who attributed the successes recorded by the team to the prompt intervention and contributions of the current government, saying the incumbent Governor has done a lots in boosting the welfare of younger generations.

Chief Ogunjobi who led the team to Shagamu, where the competition took place applauded the timely performances of the players, disclosing that seven of the players from the state have been selected for inter-regional and national competitions.

He said the competition had given the children of the state an ample opportunity to meet and synergize with their colleagues from other parts of the western region.

He said, “our Governor has proven to us as a lover of children whose passion for the welfare of younger generation could not be surpassed. This has been continuously demonstrated in all areas of economy especially in education and youth empowerment.

“The beauty of this competition is the fact that it has helped in synergizing and entrenching the existing relationship, peaceful co-existence and mutually benefited interactions among yoruba people in the region.

“This competition has also boosted our children morale in the areas of football competitions and social relations”, Chief Ogunjobi affirmed.

SPEECH BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF OSUN, OGBENI RAUF AREGBESOLA, AT THE COMMISSIONING OF ANTHONY UDOFIA GOVERNMENT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, AT THE SCHOOL PREMISES AT OKE-FIA, OSOGBO ON TUESDAY JANUARY, 11, 2016
 
Protocols,
Giant Strides At A Special Time
It gives me great pleasure to be gathered with you well-meaning people in the joy of today, the commissioning of Anthony Udofia Government Elementary School. I congratulate the people of Osogbo, the teachers and staff of this brand new school, its pupils and their parents and those working for the development of education in this state.
Assembling here to commission Anthony Udofia Government Elementary School is the third time this joyous train will arrive in Osogbo. Actually, we began the commissioning of our legacy schools with Salvation Army Government Middle School at Alekuwodo on October 2, 2013. We were again in Isale Osun on March 13, 2014 for the commissioning of AUD Government Elementary School. You are going to see us again in Osogbo very soon to commission other legacy schools, by the grace of God.
We are building 100 Elementary schools like this across the state; though this is ambitious, the idea behind it is that there should be an elementary public school in every neighbourhood. Elementary school is the basic of the basic education. Any child with a good elementary school foundation will have no problem making progress educationally, other things being equal.
Being in this school gives the satisfaction of being in the proper environment of learning. The complex we are in is a 960-pupil capacity school with 24 classrooms of 40 pupils each, with further capacity for upgrade to 1,000. It has an ICT room, a library, multipurpose hall, 29 toilets, offices for headmaster, facility manager, staff room, food court, sick bay, security/reception office and a water fountain for aesthetics. It cost N140 million for the structure, furnishing and landscape.
I am happy and fulfilled that we have public schools that can compete with the best in the world and indeed, our new schools are the ones to beat around here.
All these are in fulfilment of our promise to provide functional basic education for the pupils in the state. This stems from our conviction that every child is owed basic education. It is a fundamental and inalienable right of every child.
Basic education is basic, pardon my tautology. A good basic education fulfils the definition of literacy as the ability to read and write and is a solid foundation on which other superstructure of vocational training or higher education can be built upon. Having the ability to read means that one can receive information and systematised knowledge stored in various retrieval forms like books, digital electronic devices and by direct observation of events and phenomena. This includes the capacity to observe, understand and make sense out of nature, creation and one’s environment in the most basic form. To write means also that one can graphically reproduce one’s thought, observations, ideas and received knowledge in clear, free flowing prose, in at least one language.
Though we usually take this for granted and confuse it with passing through an educational institution, but we are increasingly faced with the stark reality of school leavers who cannot express themselves or reproduce knowledge in spoken or written form because they neither have the knowledge nor possess the ability to reproduce it. This failure is manifest in no better form than the less than five percent success of pupils in external examinations before our coming in 2010.
This is why we have made education development the priority of our administration. As you are mostly aware, these schools and other innovations are the products of the educational summit we held immediately after my inauguration. Indeed, we are constructing 100 brand new state-of-the-art Elementary Schools, 50 Middle Schools and 20 High Schools. Out of these, 14 Elementary Schools, 15 Middle Schools and 11 High Schools, including the one we are commissioning today, have been completed, receiving finishing touches and awaiting commissioning, to the glory of God.
Fulfilling our commitment to complete these school projects and our other obligations is financially challenging, if not herculean. As at Friday January 8, the new OPEC Reference of 13 Crude Basket which includes Nigeria’s Bonny Light sold for $28.46. This is a new low for the cascading price of crude oil, the life line of the nation’s economy, which hit a dazzling height of $140 in 2013. It is a crude awakening to the grim fact that any hope of allocation from the Federation Accounts is gone. We must therefore face the twin realities of first living within our means and making our own money. We must be engaged in productive activities that will lead to job creation, wealth creation and generous taxation to the government.
Our people must work hard and double their productivity. We must all be engaged in one productive activity or the other. The youths, especially fresh graduates and school leavers, must find something to do, especially in agriculture, an area where we have tremendous advantage. As I told the people of the state recently, the era of free, unearned money is gone. This is not a situation peculiar to Osun alone. Only states that can generate its own revenue will be able to withstand the financial disaster that befell the nation on account of the precipitous slump in oil price. We are now faced with two choices: to sink or to swim to the shores of safety and prosperity. The rule of self-preservation dictates that we must take the later course.
In addressing this challenge, it is also imperative that we live within our means. It is impractical anyway to do otherwise, since states do not print money and you cannot spend what you don’t have. The government sits atop society and presides over contending and competing interests therein. It is our duty that no particular interest predominates and asphyxiates other interests and put the survival of the state in danger. We must therefore reasonably spread what we have, especially on human development. People must be the focus of development, from where it will spread to every other interest in society. This is why we have been unwavering in our commitment to human development projects like education. For this reason, this school projects must be commended by all.
There is this ignorant and unreasonable idea being vigorously promoted by a few disgruntled media organisations and their political sponsors that reduced government to paying salaries alone. We are fully conscious of our legal and moral obligations to workers, yet, the truth is that workers are less than five per cent of the population of the state over whom we have responsibilities as a government. The idea therefore that all state’s resources must be spent on workers alone is insane, unsustainable and impossible.
These media organisations have been inciting workers and pensioners to rebellion, subversion and sabotage, with the intent of destabilising the state and disrupting the peace of our communities. In the past, they have made futile attempts to precipitate religious crisis by inciting Christians against Muslims in the state. It did not fly. They have also made repeated but failed efforts at inciting Civil Servants against the government. They have failed also. They hunt for crises and where they could not find any, they invent stories and write fiction, thereby putting the noble profession of journalism into disrepute, just because they want to stoke crises in the state.
I must commend the mainstream Civil Servants for not taking the bait and falling prey to the infernal political schemes of failed politicians whom the people of this state have consistently rejected at the polls and who want to take over the government thorough subterfuge and conspiracy.
This is why other categories of workers in the state’s employment must see reason and cooperate with government on the need to live within our means. We have the lesson of history that the greatest leap in human development comes from the greatest challenges. The greatest monuments and the greatest scientific innovations were recorded at uneasy periods. This is a very special time that requires faith, understanding, creativity and new thinking. Albert Einstein, the great physicist, once defined insanity as doing the same thing, the same way, all the time and expecting a different result.
I have the faith that with the various efforts we are making and fresh opportunities we are exploring in agriculture, solid mineral development, tourism and manufacturing, we will surmount the present challenges, create wealth and usher in new round of prosperity and wealth creation.
I will like to thank all the people that have made today’s occasion a huge success, beginning with the Federal Universal Basic Education Commission and its state counterpart, all the agencies and officials of government on education, especially my able deputy, Iyaafin Grace Titi Laoye Tomori, the construction firm that handled the project, the teachers, staff and pupils of this school and all men (and women) of goodwill.
I thank you all for your kind attention.
Osun a dara!