The Osun Divisional Conference of Obas which comprise traditional rulers in Osun Central and Osun West Senatorial Districts have lauded the Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola for making the state proud at a joint British parliament sitting he addressed recently.
This is contained in a release signed by the Aragbiji of Iragbiji who also doubles as the Secretary of the Body HRM Oba Rasheed Olabomi.
The Body of Traditional Rulers said Ogbeni Aregbesola remains the first Nigerian and African Governor to achieve such feat, expressing their delight that, for the British Parliament to have been very keen on taking a cue from the exemplary performance of Governor Aregbesola, the extent of having him as their tutor on the State of Osun School Feeding Programme christened O’Meal is a good testimonial of the superlative performances of the Governor. The Royal Fathers urged the good people of Osun to continue to support him so as to serve the state longer.
OSUNNEWS

The Chairman, State of Osun House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon. Kamil Oyedele has charged the State Ministry of Justice to “put its house in order” and get prepared to ensure that justice is done in all ramifications in this election year.
Hon. Oyedele also charged them to work harder and remove all obstacles causing delay of justice in the state.
The Chairman gave the charge while his committee hosted the Ministry of Justice at the on-going year 2014 Budget Defence Exercise on the floor of the State House of Assembly.
He said the Ministry of Justice has a crucial role to play in ensuring that justice prevails everywhere in this election year in the state, saying the society looks up to them as their last hope over election cases and other issues.
Fielding questions from members of the Finance and Appropriation Committee, the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Wale Afolabi thanked Governor Rauf Aregbesola for giving them the opportunity to employ 17 lawyers describing the employment as first of its kind in the history of the Ministry of Justice in the State, adding that the feat has helped the Ministry in the quick dispensation of Justice.
Speaking further, the Attorney General disclosed that over 1000 alternative resolution cases had been filed since the creation of the Department in 2011, while more than 200 out of it had been settled.
He said Governor Aregbesola has also approved the construction of court buildings in all the constituencies of the state, adding that the Governor also given approval for the supply of laptops to lawyers to assist them in the discharge of their duties.
The Commissioner for Justice said the State now has the best electronic law library in the country.
Others that took turns to defend their 2014 budget include; High Court of Justice, Judicial Service Commission and the Customary Court of Appeal.
OSUNNEWS

Photos from the introductory visit of the Founder, Mr Carlos Torres and Manager of RESUL Company to the Governor in his office, Abere, Osogbo on Thursday 07-02-2014

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; his deputy, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori; Founder of RESUL Company, Mr Carlos Torres (left) and
Exort Manager of RESUL company, Mr Duarte Amaral, during the introduction of their company to the Governor in his office, Abere, Osogbo on Thursday 07-02-2014

Chief Lai Oyeduntan is the Chairman, Osun Schools Infrastructure Development Committee (O’ SCHOOL). He spoke with Vanguard’s GBENGA OLARINOYE on the Osun School infrastructure development embarked upon by the Rauf Aregbesola administration among other issues. Excerpts:
What informed the decision to embark on infrastructure development in the education sector?
The education sector was in a very deplorable, unacceptable and embarrassing condition and we still have left overs of the dilapidated, embarrassingly, dysfunctional, infrastructural elements in our schools. It would be irresponsible of any government not to have done something about the situation, but what to do became the issue.
When we came in, less than three per cent of Osun students sitting external examinations were considered matricable. By any yardstick or standard, this sector was dead. Look at the consequence of that particular sector- the pupils, the system, the environment. The teachers refused to teach and to impact knowledge. And for them to be effective, many things must come to play. Teachers must be interested and be encouraged to teach. Also, the pupil that finds himself in an unacceptable learning environment is unable to learn.
What was the state of the infrastructure before Aregbesola’s government intervention?
The environment in which pupils and students found themselves was horrible. The school blocks were dilapidated- no windows, leaking roofs, ceilings blown off, floors marked by potholes, schools that were not secure. When schools closed at 2pm, goats and undesirable elements took over and schools became den of hemp smokers and vagabonds.
This was the situation we met. The education conference was called within 100 days of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s coming to the saddle because he had a plan for education sector and the recommendations from the summit were policy options that the government could adopt to revamp the sector.
We must recognise the importance of education, for without it, the society is doomed. And we are not talking about learning to read and write alone but the totality of the development of man – the mind and body.
So, what were the options that the government selected?
Government adopted to re-motivate and enhance the capacity of the teachers to teach and to encourage the pupils and students to learn because once the teaching and learning processes are enhanced, the sector will become more vibrant.
Government has recruited more teachers and is focused on the development and redevelopment of teachers in terms of capacity, training and retraining; government is boosting the morale of the teachers by ensuring that every teacher that is due for promotion is promoted and almost 7,000 primary school teachers were promoted in the last one year.
In fact, teaching job is being professionalized in Osun as the administration of the teachers, schools and basic education has been decentralized from one office to six, headed by the Permanent Secretary or Tutors-General who up until a few months ago, were school principals.
For pupils, government has been encouraged to rejuvenate learning as enrolment in elementary schools was dwindling because of poverty.
What is the cost implication to the government of these strides in the education sector?
Apart from the physical structure, it takes over N4bn every year to feed pupils ; N4bn that goes to the streets of Osun. We now have farmers doing poultry and beef and 3,300 Osun women are now engaged as official food vendors, it’s a booster to the economy.
Also, because of the large number of uniforms required, a garment industry came into being in Osun which is a booster to the economy, the students in the higher classes are being encouraged to take their destiny in their hands with the distribution of Opon Imo, a monumental innovation that has won accolades all over the world.
What are the major constraints your committee encountered?
Money. If we have money, it would have been a lot easier. Capacity to build is another. Our state is very poor and it would be irresponsible of any government to think that it can’t do much or there wasn’t much to do and people of Osun must be grateful to God for giving us a governor like this at this point in time. If the IGR alone can be boosted from N300m in a month to N1.6bn, it’s like miracle that has opened up the fund we have been able to use.
As we speak, virtually every incoming support into government is diverted to education. MDG is building four elementary schools and a middle school and we are looking at the possibility of another six immediately. I must commend our National Assembly members. They have pulled up their so called constituency projects together and they have put together N1.6bn and they are putting all that in education, building and renovating schools.
VANGUARD

As the gubernatorial election approaches in the State of Osun, the State Commissioner of Police, Mrs Dorothy Gimba has called on members of the Federation of Informal Workers Organization of Nigeria (FIWON) and the entire citizens of the state on the need for them to conduct themselves peacefully before, during and after election.
The police boss made the call during an advocacy visit paid to her by the members of FIWON in her office at State Police Command, Osogbo.
Mrs Gimba who identify peaceful co-existence among the citizens of the state as the panacea to growth and development in the state, noted that it has become imperative to imbibe the spirit of oneness so as to assist the state government in its efforts to maintain peace across the nooks and crannies of the state.
She advised, that as elections would come up August as slated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), FIWON should as a priority organize and educate their members on how to conduct themselves and their families peacefully before and during the elections, so that a free and fair election would be achieved.
Gimba added that necessary machinery had been put in motion to ensure there is free, fair and credible election in the state.
While stating her position on the present policy of the force as it relates to  community policing, the Commissioner advised FIWON members to join local vigilante groups recognized by the command to help minimize crimes in the society.
Mrs Gimba who thanked the Federation for paying her a visit reiterated that her command would find it easy with FIWON as partner to record more success stories owing to the large numbers of informal workers’ organizations the federation control.
She praised FIWON leadership for been well organized and coordinated in their activities, saying  with the federation strength, opening any door is easy, while government organizations and agency would appreciate forming a formidable partnership with the organization to promote security and peace of the state and Nigeria at large.
She assured the federation of her willingness to be supportive in any way it would be require, while she should be seen as part of the federation.
Earlier, the State Coordinator of FIWON Comrade Ibrahim Olayinka expressed gratitude to the command for responding to the federation invitation in the past and articulated what the Federation of informal workers’ organizations of Nigeria stands for, it mission, vision and the journey so far.
He solicited for the command cooperation in helping the federation in it activities and other ways of developmental collaborations.
BIOREPORTS

The government of the State of Osun wishes to state that it is aware of reports of the situation at the Baptist High School Iwo, in Iwo Local Government Area of the State, by a section of the press.
Preliminary investigations reveal that 92 out of the 2,500 student population in that school were involved in a protest over the wearing of hijab.
In view of the development, government has therefore invited parents of the 92 students involved in the protest for a meeting at 4pm on Friday in Osogbo with a view to finding a lasting solution to the issues.
The government also wishes to state that a panel of inquiry is to be constituted in the immediate to investigate remote and immediate causes of the perennial disturbance at the Baptist High School, Iwo.
The panel is to comprise representatives of the relevant organisations such as the All Nigerian Conference of Principals of Schools (ANCOPS), Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Parents Teachers Association and community leaders with the officials of the Ministry of Education.
It must be stated that the government recognises protest as a legitimate avenue for registering grievances in a democracy which must be peaceful and decent. However, it will not condone acts of indiscipline in any form from any quarters.
We restate our commitment to the total reform of the education sector just as we are determined to bring reforms to other aspects of our people’s lives in Osun.
Osun a Dara.
Signed:
Mr. Semiu Okanlawon
Director,
Bureau of Communications and Strategy
Office of the Governor,
Osogbo.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday met with the Osun State council Of Traditional Rulers to solicit support towards the forthcoming elections.

The Osun State Government has urged the Standards Organisation of Nigeria to increase the tempo of its crusade against fake and substandard products in the market.
The Deputy Governor of the state, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori, said this in Osogbo on Tuesday at the presentation of the Nigerian Industrial Standard certificate to the management of the Osun State Investment Company Limited, producers of Essence table water, by the SON.
Laoye-Tomori said the incidence of fake and substandard products should be tackled with a renewed zeal in order to safeguard the lives of the people.
She reaffirmed the commitment of the Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration to making the state the economic hub of Nigeria.
The deputy governor explained that the government would transform Osun from its present civil service status to a viable industrial state through the establishment of companies to produce products that conformed to the standards set by the SON.
Laoye-Tomori said, “The best way to make Nigerian goods compete favourably with goods from other parts of the world is by ridding the nation of fake and sub-standard products.
“We are urging the management and staff of the SON to double their efforts in promoting quality.  Producers and importers of fake and sub-standard products should be arrested, prosecuted and punished according to the provisions of the law.”
The Director-General, SON, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, who was represented by the head of the organisation in Osun State, Mr. Dele Ayeni, said the presentation of the NIS certificate to OSICOL signified that Essence table water had been tested and certified by the SON and found suitable for consumption by Nigerians.
The Managing Director, OSICOL, Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, commended the efforts of the state government towards the resuscitation of the company.
He said that the company was in a bad shape when the current administration assumed office in 2010, adding that its turnaround had made it to emerge as a viable contributor to the state’s internally generated revenue.
INFOMISTER

HE, who comes to governance in Nigeria and wishes to be on the good side of history, must do so with a good dose of creative ingenuity mixed with the power of vision. He must come with candour laced with uncommon courage to dare where angels feared to tread.
And to leave impressionable imprints on the sands of time one must be propelled by policies and programmes that are people-oriented, pragmatic and purposeful as Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has done since November, 2010.
The factors that fuel such feats come from an inner nudge to do one’s best and let history be the ultimate judge.
Driven by the will to win against seemingly insurmountable odds, staked high against his frail figure, Ogbeni Rauf Argebesola came into office as Osun State governor eminently qualified with a wealth of experience and determination to make the desired change.
For instance, as commissioner for Works in Lagos State, the roads and bridges constructed during his tenure remain enduring legacies till this day. These as well as the solid infrastructure the admirable administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu laid formed the foundation built upon by the current Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola-led administration.
Mounting the saddle as a critical thinker, Aregbesola saw the need to reposition Osun within the constitutional framework of fiscal federalism. So came: ‘The State of Osun,’ complete with its anthem and logo and the Omoluabi as the driving mantra for morality and responsibility in governance as well as a means for the citizens to have a sense of self-identity. Though back then lesser minds tried, vainly to rouse a rabble, they were soon reminded that before him Alhaji Lateef Jakande did the same in Lagos State.
If Shehu Shagari as the then president did not bath an eyelid why should anyone now? And come to think of it-if we truly want to imbibe the doctrines of presidential democracy as the United States which we claim to emulate then every state needs such a distinct identity. Not just for its name sake but also to imbue in the citizens self pride in what rightly belongs to them, rather than being seen as a mere appendage to an overlord of a federal government.
That singular re-branding of Osun State was a right signal for the ground-breaking and epoch-making achievements soon to be unfolded from the fecund mind of the man fondly called Ogbeni Aregbesola. He knew from the outset that he needed to assemble a team of top technocrats to drive his vision which took some thorough thinking. It was that team that came up with the now hailed Six-Point Integral Action Plan.
And aware that no meaningful progress could be made in the absence of peace, communal tranquility and progress have reigned supreme in the state since he came on board in line with the sixth item on the Six-Point Integral Action Plan. At the inception of the administration, one major step taken in the line of enhancing justice and facilitating the judicial process was the institution of the Peace and Reconciliation Panel.
That formed the platform for victims of “various acts of oppressive threats, intimidation and tyranny” to table their plights. The intent of this, as defined and demonstrated by the administration, was not to punish, witch-hunt or black-list anyone, but to reconcile all opposing parties in every dispute and entrench peace in the true spirit of Omoluabi.”
Before then there were series of communal conflicts arising from chieftaincy disputes and/or land boundary disagreements. It would be recalled that the erstwhile PDP-led administration in the state put in place forceful enthronement of royal/traditional fathers in many communities where such stools should ordinarily be declared vacant. But these have since been amicably resolved. The Aregbesola-led administration pacified the aggrieved parties; letting them see the need for peaceful resolution rather than taking the laws into their hands.
One other area that deserves commendation is that of reducing to the barest minimum the culture of wanton waste that characterized local government administration in the state. It was the practice during the years of immediate past regime for party chieftains at the community level to grace the premises of local government council secretariats all over the state. That was especially on pay-days to collect unmerited salaries. The consequences were grave as the councils were unable to achieve or execute impact-making solid infrastructure or put in place capital projects for the benefit of their people.
VANGUARD

The Osun Government has disbursed over N753 million as loans to farmers in the state in the last one year.
The Commissioner for Commerce, Industries, Co-operatives and Empowerment, Mr Ismail Alagbada, made the disclosure while defending his ministry’s 2014 budget today in Osogbo.
Alagbada had appeared before the state House of Assembly’s Committee on Finance and Appropriation.
The commissioner further said that the Bank of Industry was also collaborating with the state government in giving loans to the farmers.
He said 77 farmers’ co-operative societies had benefited from the loans under the Quick Impact Intervention Programme of the state government.
“The loans were disbursed to farmers in the bid to boost food production in the state,’’ the commissioner said.
He said also that the ministry had so far been able to recover N88 million out of the amount disbursed.
The commissioner however said the ministry was working assiduously to recover the outstanding N665 million before granting further loans to farmers from the 2014 budget.
The Speaker of the assembly, Mr Najeem Salaam, in his remarks urged the ministry to look inwards so as to improve its internally-generated revenue.
NIGERIAPOLITICS