As the train of another edition of “Walk-To-Live”, the state monthly physical exercise, hit Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan Federal Constituency last Saturday, governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has urged the people in the state to continue promoting peace and harmony in the state.
The 5.6 kilometre road work kicked-off from Ikoyi Junction, along Ife-Ibadan Expressway, Apomu District Council Grammar School, Apomu, headquarters of Isokan Local Government Council Area of the state.
The governor, who arrived the junction at exactly 9.15am was welcomed by a large crowd of chieftains and supporters of the All Progressive Congress (APC), traditional rulers, youths and market women.
In the entourage of the governor were wife of the governor, Alhaja Sherifat Aregbesola, the deputy governor, Otunba (Mrs) Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori, the state deputy speaker, Honourable Akintunde Adegboye, the State Chief Judge, Justice (Mrs) Adepele Ojo, member, House of Representatives from the constituency, Honourable Ayo Omidiran, Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti among others.
Aregbesola, who wore a white sport attire and fez cap, could not hide his joy, as he kept dancing in the midst of the crowd, while waving at those standing by the roadside to have a glance of the governor.
Addressing a large crowd of people at Apomu District Council Grammar School, Apomu, Aregbesola said one of the major objectives of the monthly exercise, apart from healthy living, is to create spirit of oneness among the people of the state.
He added that there is no alternative to peace, which is the sixth part of his administration’s Integral Action Plans during his electioneering campaign.
The governor noted that his administration, as a matter of priority, will do everything humanly possible to ensure communal peace, while urging the communities, who have differences to resolve them through dialogue. He said; “there is no basis for any community or group of people to be fighting each other. The world has moved away from that. Instead, we have to harmonise our strength and chart a better course for the state.
“Why do we have to wage war, when dialogue will be the end of the war. If there are differences or disagreement, the best is to dialogue and peacefully resolve whatever differences and save the lives and property of our people,” Aregbesola said.
The governor, while appreciating the people for the massive turn-out for the exercise, said it is now clear that the people now have better understanding of regular physical exercise to sustain a good health.
“Health is wealth. A sick human beings will not ask for cloth or what is even happening in the society, his mind and soul will only be eager to recover from the sickness, which is more reason why all of us have to choose our health as first priority.”
He therefore, urged the people to always clean their environment to avoid diseases associated with environmental pollution and also encouraged them to plant and grow trees in their surroundings.
In his welcome address, Special Adviser to the Governor on Youths, Sports and Special Needs, Comrade Biyi Odunlade, while commending the people for their support for the exercise, said the administration will continue to promote healthy living in the state.
Also speaking, member, State House of Assembly representing Irewole/Isokan, Honourable Manruf Ajibola, said the transformational programme of the governor in the area are unprecedented, assuring that the people of the area will continue to support the governor.
OSUN DEFENDER

Dr. Temitope Ilori, Commissioner for Health, State of Osun, has charged all Consultants and Contractors handling the on-going rehabilitation of nine State hospitals to combine speed with quality and still meet their delivery target before the year runs out.
Ilori gave the charge on Tuesday during a meeting held with the Consultants and Contractors in charge of the rehabilitation of the nine selected State Hospitals at the Hospital Management Board Conference Hall, Osogbo.
Ilori who emphasized on the need for the contractors to deliver qualitative work on or before the stipulated time,  said efforts are on the top gear to ensure  that  all necessary things which would help facilitate quick delivery of the work are provided.
According to her, funds would be reimbursed to all contractors for the completion of the on-going hospital renovation and other projects by next week.
She emphasised that the present administration in the state will not tolerate shoddy job from any contractors as it is committed to the delivery of qualitative jobs that can stand the test of time.
In his response, Mr. Jide Kolawole of Kinstrussi Association, promised that the contractors will not let the state down by delivering as per specified time.
BIOREPORTS

A community leader and Balogun Musulumi of Ikirun in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Osun State, Alhaji Gbadamosi Okunola Lawal has commended the state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for turning around the fortune of the state.
Alhaji Lawal who was a legislator at the then old Oyo State House of Assembly between 1997 and1983 described Aregbesola-led administration as the one that has come to liberate the entire people of the state, saying, “what is happening at present has never happened in the history of the state.
“Apart from urban renewal, the people at the rural areas are also feeling the impact of the incumbent administration in the state positively as they have good roads, drinkable water, electrification, good health care services, as well as good education just to mention a few.
“Let me tell you, the government is also respecting all our traditional rulers across the state, as well as residents of all communities in the state, the government involves all and sundry into the governance in order to have what we called a balanced administration.”
He, however, enjoined the upcoming generation to have the fear of Almighty God and not be over ambitious.
TRIBUNE

The Government of the State of Osun said yesterday that it had spent over N209 million on the purchase of drugs and other health equipments to enhance the provision of robust free healthcare delivery to the people.
The Commissioner for Health, Mrs. Temitope Ilori, who stated this yesterday while addressing journalists in Osogbo, the state capital, said that Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration invested the amount in the equipment to promote effective healthcare to the people. Ilori said the state government had embarked on the aggressive renovation and rehabilitation of hospitals and other healthcare facilities across the states.
The commissioner listed some of the healthcare facilities renovated to include School of Health Technology in Ilesa and school of Nursing in Osogbo. Ilori added that many primary healthcare centres were built and commissioned while another nine hospitals were renovated.
NATIONAL MIRROR

The Deputy Governor of the State of Osun, who doubles as the State Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Grace Titi-laoye Tomori, would tomorrow morning, Tuesday 12th November 2013 flag off  a 3 day training workshop, with the theme  “Leadership Empowerment for School Leaders and Administrators” organized by the State of Osun Ministry of Education in collaboration with International Centre for Leadership and Entrepreneurial Development (ICLED) for Directors, selected School Managers which include Principals of Schools, Vice-Principals and Heads of Departments of Government  Institutions.

According to the release, the workshop will hold at Yetty Event Centre, along Gbongan-Ibadan road, Owode Ede in the morning.

Invited participants are enjoined to attend the workshop punctually as it will expose the trainees to knowledge in leadership ethics, effective delegation, communication skills, mentoring coaching, emotional intelligence, decision making, and problem solving skills.

Photos from the one year remembrance of the former Governor of Oyo State, Late Alhaji Lamidi Adesina at Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba Ibadan, Oyo state on Monday 11/11/2013.

From Right* – Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Oyo State
Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, All Progressive congress National
Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande and Former Governor Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu during the one year remembrance of the former Governor of Oyo State, Late Alhaji Lamidi Adesina at Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba
Ibadan, Oyo state on Monday 11/11/2013.

From Left* – Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; Governor State of
Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Aare Muslim of Yoruba land, Alhaji Arisekola Alao during the one year remembrance of the former Governor of
Oyo State, Late Alhaji Lamidi Adesina at Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba
Ibadan,Oyo state on Monday 11/11/2013.

From Right *- Former Governor Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Aare
Muslim of Yoruba land, Alhaji Arisekola Alao, Governor State of Osun,
Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi
during the one year remembrance of the former Governor of Oyo State,
Late Alhaji Lamidi Adesina at Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba Ibadan, Oyo
state on Monday 11/11/2013.

From Right* – Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Oyo State
Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and All Progressive congress National
Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande during the one year remembrance of the
former Governor of Oyo State, Late Alhaji Lamidi Adesina at Lekan
Salami Stadium, Adamasingba Ibadan,Oyo state on Monday 11/11/2013.

Governor,  State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is photographed during an Inspection visit to the on-going construction of one of the major bridges on the East by-pass road, at Ofatedo via Osogbo the State of Osun at the weekend

The State of Osun has indeed seen a turn around and has you go round the state, you see the level of work and  how people express happiness in all the nooks and crannies of the state on the performance of the current All Progressives Congress administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. The results speak for itself.
Chief Obafemi Awolowo once ruled and made education a priority and looking round the defunct Western States, the crop of academics; intelligentsia and the people who gave the civil service credit were from the State of Osun.  This gave confidence to other parts of the country which made them believe that the Western Region have nothing to worry about because it had everything it needed to grow.
Within the committee of other regions, namely Northern, Eastern, Mid-Western and Western Regions, it was education that gave the Western Region the lead, it gave her an edge over other regions. But when the corrupt politicians came in, they turned the clock backward, making it a place where anything goes. We had to say enough is enough. This is part of the things that led to educational restructuring by Aregbesola’s administration who went about putting the right structures in place. It had to start from the foundation, the primary school level where we can nurture them into dynamic brains. Where you grow up and how you grow up matters.
A child is a product of his environment. We agree that there are exceptionally in-born brilliant ones, but when a brilliant child that has been in school is made to hawk in the morning and go to school when the brain is tired, such a child will not measure up. The current structure in most of the schools are not in any way conducive for nurturing good brains and minds. Thus the need for a consultation by the government of Aregbesola. An educational summit headed by Prof. Wole Soyinka was put in place. The programme was formulated on how education can make a total man, the ‘Omoluabi’, and the resolutions were was made the core focus of this administration.
The current structures in schools were dilapidated which necessitated the rebuilding for the pupils and students. The schools were then categorised into elementary, middle and high schools also providing the students with uniforms. This action by the government has gotten it a lot of commendation, exposure and accolades from local and international bodies like UNESCO, World Bank and others especially for having the courage to restructure education. The garment factory for uniforms has provided jobs for over 3,000 people. This shows how the change in the education sector has empowered not only the students but even the people of the State. Opon Imo (tablets of knowledge) which is also a novel innovation by the present administration is being applauded all over the world and has attracted several local and international awards
Aregbesola has been at the helms of affairs for just 30 months and yet, with so much achievements to show for this.  The blind can see and the deaf can hear about the level of changes Aregbesola has brought to Osun. You don’t need to tell them that the market has ended, so says an adage. What Aregbesola has done has done in Osun has endeared him to the populace and would earn him a second term in office. By way of comparison, what Aregbesola has done in 30 months has outweighed the achievement of his predecessor who ruled for 90 months.
When the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo started free education, they criticised him. But the system has produced the best Professors, Engineers and what have you in this country. They are all old men now, but they got education through Awolowo’s policy. The long effect of returning education back to its lost glory in Western Nigeria is what Aregbesola has started.
When Aregbesola came in, N18.38 billion was borrowed by the PDP led administration of Oyinlola and shared as booties. But Aregbesola came and stopped all financial recklessness. He recovered the money, re-arranged with financial institutions and rescued the situation from an angle of financial re-engineering. Instead of phony projects of stadia development, roads are daily being constructed in every nook and cranny of the state. It is thus surprising that they wonder where Aregbesola is getting money to do all the projects from. They should have asked themselves what they were doing with the money accruing to the state during the seven and a half years that they ruled the state without development.
On the uproar on the reclassification of schools, this has been given it a direction. Those who did not know have realized that they were in error. Conversations and negotiations have gone on with stakeholders at every level and the people are more informed. For 38years now, the government has taken over the schools and has since been responsible for the administration, employment of teachers, payment of salaries, emoluments of teachers and support staff, but only too tolerant to have allowed the names of the schools to continue. Check it, be it Fakunle, Catholic, Anglican, Baptist, you see that no private school has been affected by the reclassification exercise.
On youth empowerment, Aregbesola saw the need and importance to give the Youth something to do and be proud of and this army of unemployed youths can either serve as a threat or pride to the State. He developed a program that as also been adapted by the Federal Government in their YESSO initiative. It takes a visionary leader like Aregbesola to be able to take youths away from the streets and get them engaged. The Nigerian Defence Academy undergraduates in Osun recently, The Coordinating Minister for Economy, who is also the Minister for Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, World Bank operatives were all in Osun to appraise our youth employment programme and from their findings, they disclosed that it has drastically reduced crime in the state and definitely empowered the people.
Aregbesola is not a man who will tell you that the government would do what it doesn’t have the capacity to do. At the town hall meeting in Iwo (Gbagbadekun), where the governor and other political office holders interact with the monarchs and the people at the grassroots, the people of Iwo requested for a university from the governor. He told them that his administration has no capacity to build a university for them as what he could do was to restructure and put the primary and secondary school education on solid footings. He further enjoined them to work in tandem with Bowen University in the town to make it grow and develop.
The same happened in Ile-Ife where the monarch endorsed Aregbesola’s educational policy and reminded him that people scolded and criticised Awolowo; but when the success reached its peak, they all identified with him. Aregbesola is progressive and all that interests him is anything that would bring progress and development to Osun.
All the above point to the fact that Aregbesola would be re-elected for a second term in office by the good people of the State of Osun. The APC led Government of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has done so much, it has fulfilled its promises to the people the people will give their mandate again. Governor Aregbesola is not perturbed. He is as solid as the rock of Gibraltar. Osun 2014? There is no shaking.
The State of Osun is for everyone, the opposition should also come closer, they should come on board and participate in the positive development of our dear state so that present and future generations would continue to remember them for good.
Adapted from Barrister Kunle Oyatomi’s interview with DAILY NEWSWATCH

The Government of the State of Osun has said it will do everything possible to support farmers to ensure abundant food production in the state.
Dele Ogundipe, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Quick Impact Intervention Programme (QIIP), said this on Saturday in Osogbo.
He said the government would continue to support the Piggery Farmers’ Association to ensure abundant meat production. He also urged pig farmers to support the state government’s vision toward improved food production to reap more gains.
According to him, the support would enable the farmers to enjoy QIIP loans through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.

Ogundipe revealed that the state government had started Artificial Insemination (AI) of female pigs in the three senatorial districts of the state, saying the government spent huge amount of money on the exercise.
He advised pig farmers not to see the business as a way of boosting food production only, but as a job and wealth creation venture.
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