Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola has described, as a huge loss to the journalism profession and Nigeria as a country, the death of former presidential aide, Mrs. Remi Oyo.

In a statement by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, Aregbesola joined prominent Nigerians in commiserating with the family of former Director General of the News Agency of Nigeria.

The governor described the late Oyo who served an aide to Former President Olu segun Obasanjo as a thorough professional, who served her country diligently in her own capacity.

He said Oyo, while alive, demonstrated commitment to journalism as well as to the nation while in active service.

The governor noted that Mrs Oyo’s death signified an end to a life of professionalism, dedication, selfless service and outstanding performance.

“A season journalist, a thorough professional, a media doyen and a mother par excellence.

“We, government and people of the State of Osun convey our health-felt condolences to the families of late Mrs Oyo.”May the good Lord repose her soul in paradise,” Aregbesola said.

The Iddo Terminus of the Nigerian railway in Lagos was parked full on Thursday as thousands of holiday makers thronged the place to enjoy the free train service provided by the State government of Osun.

It was another day those travelling home for the Eid Kabir festival praised Governor Rauf Aregbesola for his people oriented moves since assumption of office.

Thousands of passengers, who besieged the terminus, did not wait for Nigeria Railway Commission (NRC) officials as the officials had a hectic time controlling the traffic. Some passengers were said to have slept at the terminal.   

The 11-coach long train finally departed Lagos exactly 11. Am still leaving some passengers at the terminal. Contrary to the  usual tradition of the train, it was practically impossible to pick passengers in Ijoko, Ajegunle, Ikeja and Osodi having been fullly occupied almost beyond capacity from the take off point.

Each coach in the train is designed for 100 passengers.

Most of the passengers, who could not hide their joy while speaking to news men in Lagos, lauded the initiative of the governor and its sustainability since 2011.

A civil servant, Mr Adelakun Ibraheem, who is  an indigene of Ede, said that at the beginning many people doubted the ability of the government to sustain the free train service, but are today commending Aregbesola for the gestures.

Ibraheem said: “Governor Rauf Aregbesola is really an unusual governor with his pro-masses policies. He really understands the plight of the masses.

“This service alone is reuniting many families during festivals. If not for the free train, I may not be able to travel with my family because I will need at least  N50,000 which I don’t have.”

Also, Olaniran Abdulahi from Offa  urged other neighbouring state governors from South West and Kwara to emulate the gesture, saying the free train is alleviating  the suffering of a common man, particularly during festive period like this.

According to Abdullahi, there is poverty in the land and these are the areas where ordinary citizens could feel direct impact of government.

He noted that for the past three years he has been benefiting from the free train, saying he would for ever continue to remember Aregbesola.

“I am appealing to other South West Governors and Kwara State to collaborate with the governor to expand the scheme.

“Lagos is the commercial hub of Nigeria and every household in Nigeria has family in Lagos, this is the clear understanding of the governor,” Abdullahi said.

Also a business woman, Alhaja Adekanola Sherifat, who used the train to carry his luggages said Aregbesola has set standard in governance, which will be difficult for anyone to surpass in Nigerian history with his pro-people policies.

Alhaja Adekanola described Aregbesola as a generational blessing following the footstep of Awolowo and Bola Ige.

He stated that the governor is offering the masses a government of the people, which has really demonstrated that power is responsibility.

She added that Aregbesola is a reference point across the country in terms of good governance.

She said the free train has saved for her thousands of naira from her business which will lead to more profit.

The train, which will also move to Osogbo on Friday, will return on Monday and Tuesday, October 7th and 8th after the Eid el- Kabir.

Indigenes and non-indigenes of Osun boarding the Omoluabi Free Train Ride offered by Governor Rauf Aregbesola for this Year’s Eid-el-Kabir celebration at Iddo Terminus, Lagos State on Thursday 03-10-2014

The Osun State Command of the Nigerian Immigration Service has started issuing the new 64- page passport.

According to a statement made available in Osogbo on Thursday, the Comptroller of NIS in Osun State, Mrs. Stella Onwaduegbo, said this while Governor Rauf Aregbesola was being given the new passport.

Onwaduegbo urged those who have business to do at the command not to go through any tout, saying everybody who wanted to get the Nigerian passport must appear in person.

She said the e-passport was okay for frequent travelers and it would prevent identity theft.

According to her, the new passport will ensure the integrity of the Nigerian travel document adding that it has taken care of low income earners and the aged.

The NIS boss also appealed to Nigerians traveling outside the country to always see themselves as ambassadors of the country and therefore shun any act which could tarnish the image of Nigeria.

Aregebsola advised Nigerians who do not travel often to stick with the 32-page passports. He said getting the new ones would amount to waste of resources.

The governor also advised Nigerians travelling outside the country to shun any act which could tarnish the image of the nation.

Aregbesola tasked immigration officials to work hard to burnish the image of the country. He said that immigration officials must be dedicated and show enthusiasm about their job especially while attending to travelers coming and going out of the nation.

OSUN DEFENDER

In an apparent response to public outcry, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday said it might review the creation of additional 30,000 polling units in the country.

Dropping this hint in Osogbo, the Osun State capital yesterday, the INEC National Commissioner in-charge of the South-West, Prof. Lai Olurode, said if the generality of opinion the commission had been collating on the issue was against the creation of the polling units, the commission might have no alternative than review it.

Olurode, who spoke at a media parley organised by the Osun State chapter of Association of Veteran Journalists, entitled: “The Frontliners”, held at the press centre, said the creation of the new polling units had been attracting severe criticisms because the electoral body did not do extensive consultations before announcing it.

He said the creation of the new polling units was done with good intention, adding that it was done to make it easier for voters to cast their votes and decongest existing polling units in the country.

Reacting to the large presence of security operatives during elections, Olurode stated that it elections would be better if more security could be provided, adding that the commission would not allow the use of masked securitymen during future elections in the country.

To ensure that the motive behind deployment of huge security for poll was not defeated, the INEC boss said the commission would ensure that securitymen are friendly with the electorate.

He said INEC was set for the 2015 election, saying, “We have been preparing the 2015 election since 2011.

“The voters’ register is 99 per cent clean as at now, and more technologies are being introduced to ensure that every vote counted.

“We will also use card readers to detect fake permanent voters’ card if there is any.”

NATIONAL MIRROR

Osun State Government has disclosed its determination to make the state one of the highest producers of honey in the world.
Governor Rauf Aregbesola made the remarks while declaring open a national bee keeping workshop with the theme, “Knowledge Transfer Initiative Phase II”, orgniased by the National Board of Technology Incubation (NBTI) in collaboration with the State Modern Bee Keeping Association.
Aregbesola said that industrial grade honey extractors which would enable the state to extract honey from honeycomb bee farmers within and outside the state had been installed at the project site, Ashi in Odo-Otin Local Government Area of the state.
He noted that the state has the potential to compete with top honey producers in the world like U.S.A, China, Russia and Australia, saying that Osun has laid a foundation of providing bee keeping facilities to help beekeepers fulfil their potentials.
In his address, the Minister for Science and Technology, Dr Abdu Bulama, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, praised the administration of Ogbeni Aregbesola for taking the business of bee keeping very seriously.
Also, President of the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTF), Hon. Bayo Ajibade expressed appreciation to the state government for establishing an Apiary in the state and making it to function optimally, saying the apiculture at Oyan has blossomed into an enviable citadel of apicultural studies.
Also, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Quick Impact Intervention Programme (QIIP), Mr Dele Ogundipe, re affirmed the state government’s resolve to make Osun the leading producer of honey in the country and one of the leaders in the world.
The Director General for NBTI, Dr Mohammed Jibrin, while welcoming participants to the workshop said part of the objectives of the phase II training is to devise strategies of sustainably funding the initiative in order to address the challenges of honey production.
DAILY INDEPENDENT

To alleviate the burden of high costs of rams for the celebration of Eid-el-Kabir, Osun State government has flagged off the sale of rams at affordable prices to the people.

Flagging off the sales at Oloba Farm Settlement located in Iwo, Governor Rauf Aregbesola said the gesture was part of his administration’s efforts to make life abundant for the people of the state.

Speaking through the secretary to the state government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, Governor Rauf Aregbesola explained that the sale of rams and cows at the Oloba Farm Settlement was not only for Muslims but for all the citizens, adding that his administration embarked on the rearing of rams and cows since 2012 at the location to capture at least 10% of the meat consumption of Lagos State after meeting the local needs of the Osun people.

According to the governor, the project, under the Osun Rural Enterprise and Agriculture Programme tagged ‘O REAP’, has not only provided meat and boosted the state’s economy but has also provided employment for youths and enhanced food security which is one of the six action plans of his administration.

He said, “The rams that are being offered here are of the highest quality possible. This is the product of our effort at best practices in partnership with Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Oluponna Fish Farming Educational Resource (OFFER) Centre, Oluponna and International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)”.

As part of the effort of the Osun State government to reduce the cost of rams during the forthcoming Eid-ed-Kabir festival for the people of the state, it has flagged off the sale of rams at affordable prices to the people.
Governor Rauf Aregbesola flagged off the sales of rams for Eid-id-Kabir festival at Oloba Farm Settlement located in Iwo. Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, Governor Aregbesola said that the gesture was part of his administration’s efforts to make life more meaningful for the people of the state.
He explained that the sales of rams and cows at the Oloba Farm Settlement was not only for Muslims but for all citizens, adding that his administration embarked on the rearing of rams and cows since 2012 at the location to capture at least 10 percent of the meat consumption of Lagos State after meeting the local needs of meat and boost the state economy.
Governor Aregbesola noted that his government would not leave any stone unturned at ensuring adequate food security for the people, explaining that the gesture was part of his government’s Six Point Integral Action Plan aimed at transforming the state. According to him, “In Lagos alone, at least 6,000 cattle are slaughtered every day and at every Ileya, thousands of rams are killed in celebration of Eid Malud.
If we can plug effectively into this, we will provide at least 5,000 direct jobs and five times more indirectly through animal husbandry and allied industries. “This Oloba Cattle Ranch and the others that are being developed in the state will be managed by private sector operators in a public private partnership with the state government.
These operators will be responsible for administering the ranch, ensuring security of property and cattle, and will collect and remit fees on behalf of government. “The role of government is to develop the road, power and water infrastructure required on the ranches, while the general public in Osun will be able to lease space to feed and keep their cattle until they are ready for the market.” 
NIGERIAN PILOT

Senior Special Assistant to Osun State Governor on O’REAP, Mr Komolafe Femi; Director General Office of Economic Development and Partnership, Dr Charles Akinola; Secretary to State Government of Osun, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti; All Progressive Congress (APC) Party Chairman in Iwo local Government, Alhaji Semiu Ayanfe and others during the opening of sales of ram for the 2014 Ileya festival at the Oloba cattle ranch, Oloba, Iwo in Osun State on Tuesday.

Secretary to State Government of Osun, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti (2nd
right); Director General Office of Economic Development and
Partnership, Dr Charles Akinola (2nd left); Senior Special Assistant
to Osun State Governor on O’REAP, Mr Komolafe Femi (right); Project
Consultant, Mr Ladi Olanrewaju (left); All Progressive Congress (APC)
Party Chairman in Iwo local Government, Alhaji Semiu Ayanfe (3rd left)
during the openning of sales of ram for the 2014 Ileya festival at the
Oloba cattle ranch, Oloba, Iwo in Osun State on Tuesday 30-09-2014

(L-R) Senior Special Assistant to Osun State Governor on O’REAP, Mr
Komolafe Femi; Director General Office of Economic Development and
Partnership, Dr Charles Akinola; Secretary to State Government of
Osun, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti; All Progressive Congress (APC) Party
Chairman in Iwo local Government, Alhaji Semiu Ayanfe and others
during the openning of sales of ram for the 2014 Ileya festival at the
Oloba cattle ranch, Oloba, Iwo in Osun State on Tuesday.

In a bid to further boost fish production in the state under the Osun Fisheries Outgrower Production Scheme (OFOPS), the state government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has entered into a collaborative agreement with Dutch Company (Dieselexport) on ways of improving the fish farming and value addition.

The areas of the collaborative agreement include: the production of quality fish feed, organisation of capacity building for farmers, processing of the fish to standard for export and drafting of experts to remain in Osun.

Receiving members of the company in his office, the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Wale Adedoyin, who was represented by the Coordinating Director in the ministry, Dr Bukola Aluko, said the state is willing to collaborate with the company because it always wants to be a big player in the fish business.

While explaining that the present administration of Ogbeni Raurf Aregbesola is ready to give them enabling environment to operate, the commissioner then implored them to expedite action so that the collaboration will begin as soon as possible, explaining that the state government decided to collaborate with the Feg Agro farms because of the passion of the owner in fishery production.

In their separate remarks, the representatives of Dieselexport International, Netherlands, Mr. Sadiq Usman, and Mr. Peter Roberts both expressed optimism that the collaboration with the state government of Osun will benefit the state in so many ways including employment generation while expressing delight in what they saw at Feg Agro farms, Ijeda where they visited.

DAILY INDEPENDENT