The Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, over the weekend played host to the Nigerian Guild of Editors.
The team led by its president, Mrs Funke Egbemode, were given a tour of projects embarked upon by the current administration.
The Nigerian Guild of Editors described Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as a visionary governor who has not only opened Osun to the entire world but has also set the state on the right pedestal of development.
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The Government of the State of Osun has shown her appreciation at the enormous contributions of the State Fire Service in combating fire incidences in the state.
The appreciation was shown by the coordinating Director of the State Ministry of Information, Home Affairs, Tourism, and Culture, Mrs Femi Webster Esho while rounding off her inspection visits to all
the fire stations in the state.
Mrs Webster Esho through the State Government applauded the firemen on their prompt response to fire incidences in spite of some technical and logistics challenges they face as a result of the current economic crisis facing the country.
She encouraged the firemen to maintain the standard and be proactive in their duties because their services to the entire state cannot be over emphasised especially in their efforts to protect lives and property.
The Coordinating Director assured the firemen that, all their demands will be tabled before the appropriate authority for prompt resolution.
Mrs Esho, appealed to the various communities and influential individuals to assist the Government in maintaining fire stations in their domain so that the constitutional responsibilities of the firemen to the society can be fully tapped.
The fact-finding visits took the Coordinating Director and her Management team to all the fire stations in the three senatorial districts of the State.
Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, was on Saturday described as a visionary governor who has not only opened Osun to the entire world but has also set the state on the right pedestal of development.
President, Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mrs Funke Egbemode, stated this in Osogbo, when she led the NGE Standing Committee members to an inspection of state projects across some parts of the state.
This was as the Governor attributed the nation’s economic problem and the poverty ravaging millions of people to lack of productivity.
Some of the gigantic projects visited by the NGE team include the 18 kilometre Oba Adesoji Aderemi East By-Pass; 3,000 students capacity Ataoja Government High School, Osogbo Government High School, Nelson Mandela Freedom Park and Atewogbeja Fountain, rehabilitated Nigeria Railway Terminus and park.
Egbemode attributed the development and progress of the State to the atmosphere of peace and security being enjoyed in the state.
Egbemode, who is also the Managing Director of the New Telegraph Newspaper, said however ambitious any chief executive of a state is, he can only achieve little without peace and security.
She said it is obvious that something has changed in Osun and there has been a significant improvement in terms of infrastructures in the state since the present administration came on board.
She added that it is gratifying to know that the state of Osun especially the state capital is now looking more clean, developed and beautiful.
Mrs Egbemode, who observed that the state has moved forward tremendously under Aregbesola, stressed that she is always impressed by any government who is passionately working to leave the state better than it met it.
The President of the Guild of Editors also commended the Governor for attracting businesses and investors into the state through its various masses-friendly programmes such as the Osun school feeding programme, Osun Youth empowerment scheme among others.
She said, “Obviously so many things have changed in Osun. I am from this state and I come home occasionally and each time I come there is always a new thing to see.
“I am so happy that we now have a cleaner and more beautiful state, it is great to see that there is a lot of improvement in Osun.
“A governor that is able to attract businesses and investors to his state through direct masses-oriented programmes like the O’Meal, Oyes and others has done well.”
Mrs Egbemode also commended the efforts of the Aregbesola administration for making the state one of the safest in the country, noting that it is a pointer to the fact that youths in the state are well engaged.
According to her, “One thing is obvious, weather you are in Osun or you are outside the state reading about Osun, you definitely have a feeling that it is a secured state.
“And one good thing about a peaceful and secured state is that it attracts investors to the state because a peaceful and secured environment helps business to thrive.
“By and large, your government has done well for the people of Osun and we urge you to do more” she said.
In his response, Aregbesola said more than 70 percent of the nation’s oil resources goes to less than I percent of the total population thereby leaving large number of the populace living below poverty line.
He lamented that the huge resources in the hands of this few was not even channelled to the development of the nation.
He averred that if people still do not cultivate the habit of working and adding values to the economic activities, we will continue to remain poor.
Aregbesola said “If we have ever paused to ask why we are how we are in this nation, we will discover that lack of productivity is at the root of our economic problems.
“The large chunk of the nation’s wealth is in the hands of few while majority wallow in abject poverty. And this resources is not utilised for any development.
“Sadly, work does not pay in Nigeria today as those who work very well are the most poor. Our inability to develop values out of nature brought us to this abysmal level of poverty.
“Therefore, for as long as we don’t work for this wealth, it will lead to lack of productivity. Work must be the major attraction for all of us rather than our heavy reliance of rent seeking oil economy of the present.”
He cautioned media practitioners on the need to be conscious of the impact of what they write on the society.
The Governor said a serious minded governor would not be averse to criticisms because it serves as signpost for him to watch and be careful of what he is doing.
He however noted that criticism must be constructive and done in good faith.
“Criticism is an elixir of life. If you want to get far in life you must be willing to accept criticism.
“But then journalists also must be conscious of what they want to public and be mindful of its repercussion.
“We should not put out something that will cause crisis in the society because when there is crisis there is no discrimination about who is to be victim. We all will stand the risk of being victims of any crisis situation.
“Thus journalists must always exercise caution in the way and manner they report events.”
The Traditional Medical Practitioners of Osun on Thursday commended the healthcare delivery system of the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
The tradomedical practitioners in a statement made available to journalists in Osogbo, the state capital through the National President of the organisation, United Herbal Practitioner, Prince Sakariyau Oyedeji, made the commendation.
Prince Oyedeji applauded Aregbesola for the constitution of Board of Traditional Medical Practitioners in the state.
He said the noble step taken by the state would go a long way in enhancing and promoting indigenous medical healing care system in the state .
The President also described the constitution of the Board by the state as a round peg in the round hole.
He said the initiative would foster healthy living and as well enhance government health policies, which he said were patterned towards the safety of lives of the citizens.
Assuring the state of robust collaboration and partnership, Prince Oyedeji expressed the association’s readiness to support the state in its effort to boost her Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
The statement reads in part: “Our eyes are not in anyway close to the realities going on in the health sector in Osun most importantly the bold steps taken by Mr Governor in revamping the health sector.
“We recognise the huge investment made by the state to revitalise health sector with the sole aim of ensuring healthy living through the provision and promotion of quality healthcare facilities given freely to all and sundry in the state.
“We are equally aware that the moribund state of the health sector in the state prior to Governor Aregbesola’s inception had be resuscitated through his timely and prompt intervention.
“But the central point of this is the constitution of Board of Traditional Medical Practitioners in the state which we viewed as right step to uplift indigenous healing of our people across the nooks and crannies of the state.
“This step, to us, would in no measure contribute significantly to quality healthcare delivery and as well help the Board to support the state in her efforts to improve on her revenue.
“It is for these reasons that we deemed it fit to commend Governor Aregbesola on his noble intentions in turning Osun to the most healthy state in Nigeria”.
Oyedeji, however appealed to Governor Aregbesola to support the association in its effort to design its permanent website, saying the initiative would enable them to have an online consultation page, profiles of its members, their expertise as well as Botanical Garden page.
He said the association requires a functional and efficient website in creating awareness on its various activities, programmes and products to the people of the state.
“Another advantage of having a website is to have a programme that covers medical consultation, training, exhibition, publications, seminars, conferences and symposium on indigenous healing and examination.
“Similarly, it is an avenue for us to have a Traditional Herbal Education and Orientation while we are seeking for government authorisation in promoting indigenous healing.
“Also, the website would create human capital development of the Association members on quality and quantity control standardization in line with regulatory provisions of SON, NAFDAC, EXPORT PROCESSING CONTROL among others,” Oyedeji added.
He therefore enjoined all members of the association to continue to work in unity.
n a bid to emulate the legacies of late former Attorney-General, Chief Bola Ige (SAN), the Lagos State government has gone into partnership with the government of Osun State to replicate the Young Pioneers’ Club (Egbe Kekere Akin) established under the administration of late Ige in the old Oyo State in the early 80s.
But this became a thing of the past in the south-western part of Nigeria as a result of military incursion into government and remained so until recently when the governor of Osun state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregesola resuscitated calisthenics as part of the overall redesign and re-organisation of the education system in the state.
Spurred by the calisthenics display of students at the 25th anniversary of the creation of the State of Osun last year August, the Lagos state government led by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode went into partnership with Osun state to train students in calisthenics in preparation of the ‘Lagos @ 50’ celebrations coming up in May.
Lagos state government’s decision to enter the partnership was due to the passion to train students and youths in the state on fundamentals of calisthenics to ensure they also have the necessary skills like their counterparts in Osun.
The Deputy Governor of the state, Idiat Adebule, had while receiving a six-man delegation from Osun in her office at Alausa recently, stated that the state went into the partnership with Osun in order to aid the development of students in the state mentally, physically and socially, adding that governor Ambode was impressed by the breathtaking calisthenics performances at the Osogbo City Stadium and has decided to replicate same in Lagos State.
“We are partnering with Osun State to share ideas and learn from them to ensure a historic performance at the Lagos @50 celebration and beyond.One of the components of calisthenics is to give meaning to the total package of educational training for young minds. We are starting this training with our students and we will extend it to the youth in the state,” Adebule said.
For governor Aregbesola, reviving calisthenics was in part a way of sustaining the “worthy legacies” of previous leaders and to him, the Osun School Calisthenics is not a frivolous brainwave that will be swept away by the tide of time because he views physical education with all seriousness, regarding formal education as incomplete without its physical development component.
He believes that calisthenics is not only an out-of-school sports activity but a lifestyle-change project for building a new generation of students who are physically fit, mentally sound and socially well-adjusted, stressing that the programme is supported by practices in other lands and climes.
The governor stated that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) regards physical education programmes as part of its crucial brief, adding that physical education is necessary for the development of a healthy and wholesome human personality.
The Osun School Calisthenics began in 2012 with the assistance of Cuban duo, Francis Rodriguez and Raiza Guerra, who trained the first set that performed during the 21st anniversary of the creation of Osun as well as some trainers with 8,000 athletes drawn from 24 schools and 60 coaches trained in the nine federal constituencies in the state to become the first in the country to revive the calisthenics initiative.
Aregbesola believes that calisthenics will improve the psychomotor skills of students and create the right atmosphere to achieve group cohesion and discipline while inculcating the values of hard work and creativity into the school children.
In Osun state, calisthenics is now a huge part of the school curriculum as the coaches trained by the Cubans have gone on to train the next generation of pupils, reiterating the governor’s belief that calisthenics is a lifestyle-change project for building a new generation of students.
And with the Osun state prototype as guide, Lagos state is also set to revive the laudable initiative of Late Bola Ige and bring glory to the south-west
Aregbeshola links road crashes to indiscipline The Governor of Osun state, Rauf Aregbesola, has warned drivers to show restraint while on the road to enable the country clampdown on road traffic figure.
Attributing the spate of road crashes, particularly in the state to indiscipline among motorists, Aregbesola, while receiving Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Boboye Oyeyemi, in Osogbo, assured that the state would provide support to enable the Corps succeed in its campaigns.
“I am very much appreciative of the model of operations of your agency. I commend all your personnel for their unrelenting commitment to saving lives and property of the people, and we would continue to work together to achieve the goal,” he stated.
The Governor commended the Federal Government for rehabilitating Ilesa and Akure roads, stressing that this demonstrated government’s concern for safety of lives.
He said the state is working with relevant security agencies to combat the incidence of armed robbery and kidnapping on certain parts of the roads in the state, while urging FRSC to assist in providing intelligence
According to the Corps Marshal, the visit was in continuation of his nationwide tour of commands, and was at the government house to thank the Governor for his unrelenting support for road safety campaigns, especially for providing land for the construction of the FRSC pennant office complex in the state capital.
He added that there was the need for joint effort between the FRSC and the state to tackle recurrence of accidents some the roads in the state.
Oyeyemi identified corridors posing challenges to the Corps as Ife, Ilesa and Akure, describing the frequency of accidents on the roads as disturbing.
“We must work together to tackle the menace and restore sanity and people’s confidence to the safety of the areas,” he stated.
Oyeyemi further thanked the Governor for his interest in road safety matters, recalling his support for the approval of the National Road Safety Strategy document and inauguration of the National Road Safety Advisory Council which demonstrates Federal Government’s political will to tackle issues relating to road safety in the country.
The coach of Osun United Football Club, Duke Udi, has promised that the team will gain promotion to play in the Premier League with the crop of players at his disposal.
Udi said this in a statement by the Media Manager of the club, Tunde Shamsudeen ahead of the commencement of the 2017 National League scheduled for this weekend.
The former Super Eagles midfielder said the Osogbo side were ready to win the majority of their matches to gain promotion and play in the top flight next season.
He stated that he and his assistants did not have any excuse to fail in getting their desired result with the quality of players they have.
Udi added that he was determined to succeed, saying he would not disappoint the management, supporters and the people of the state.
The former Spain-based player said, “We have the support of the chairman, the board members, the supporters and the good people of the state and I think this will be a season of happiness for Osun United.”
Meanwhile, the Omoluabi Giants have signed Soga Sambo, Edebiri Amaefe from Kwara United, Obasi Chigozie from Samvic Academy, Mojeed Yusuf from Gateway United, Emmanuel Osigwe from Jigawa Golden Stars, Sunday Afolabi from Crown and Dangbin Gosselle from Giwa.
Others are Jide Fatokun from Gray, Kunle Ashiru, Dare Olatunji from Police FC, Tosin Omoyele from COD United and Mustapha Ramoni from Ebedei.
The club retained Olalere Akeem, Ayo Ojo, Bisi Olagunju, Lekan Oseolohun, Olusola Akilapa, Tosin Olabode and Damola Fakayode.
The Chairman of Osun State Tourism Board and Tourism Authority Mr Abimbola Daniyan has commended the National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies for renewing its commitment to positioning tourism through practical promotion and marketing of tourism sites domestically.
Daniyan who received a delegation Western Zone of NANTA in the state recently said the state is delighted to meet with reputable stakeholder with sincerity of purpose to take tourism to an enviable level.
“Osun State is blessed with lot of tourist sites which are also in the forefront delight of tourist. He said the state today is the safest for tourist from all over the world and has had tremendous inflow of visitors within and outside the country, with credit to the keen interest and investment of Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State.
“We have in Osun tourists attraction that are breathtaking like the Olumirin waterfall in Erin Ijesa, Osun Sacred groove in Osogbo, Oranmiyan Staff, Ife Museum in Ile Ife among others.
“Our culture of keeping statistics and data annually has help us to frequently assess out sites and visitors comment which has helped in improving the sites regularly.
He pleaded with the association as a major player in tourism sector to ensure that they promote and market the different sites in the state to domestic and foreign tourists. He said he believes the visit with enhance a mutual and progressive result from both parties.
In his response, the Vice President of National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies, Western Zone, Mr Olatokunbo Dagunduro who led other executive members of the association to the state appreciated the effort of the Tourism Board in the state for doing a good job. He urged the board to do more for the sector by waking up to the reality that oil is exhausted, while tourism is sustainable and reliable.
The travel and tourism sector today is one of the largest employer of labour and low hanging fruit in terms of revenue generation globally.
He pleaded that the state governments need to create the enabling environment for stakeholders to thrive. He decried the deplorable state of road network across the country which is a serious challenge to timely access sites in the country.
Dagunduro also said it is high time that the Federal Government should looked into marrying the ministry of Aviation together with Tourism and Culture instead of marrying information, culture and Tourism together.
He further explained that Aviation cannot survive without tourism and vice-versa, calling the Federal Government to emulate the tourism policies of other Africa countries which have positively tourism potential to boost their economy through IGR from Travel and Tourism sector.
Rabiu Kwankwaso, senator representing Kano central district, says so far, there has been no reprisal attacks against the Yoruba living in the north, following the crisis which erupted in Ile-Ife last week.
Kwankwaso said this in the Sabo area of the ancient city after meeting with members of the Hausa community inside a mosque.
Accompanied by Rauf Aregbesola, governor of Osun and Babajide Omoworare, also a senator, Kwankwaso assured the non-Hausa in the north of their safety, saying he visited Osun to promote peace and the rule of law.
Earlier, he had visited Aregbesola at the government house in Osogbo, the state capital.
He cautioned reporters to be careful with reports so as not to spark another crisis in other parts of the country.
“I want to appeal to our media men and women to be mindful of how they report the crisis so that it won’t lead to a reprisal attack in other parts of the country,” Kwankwaso said.
“We should be mindful of what we write and use on our conventional media and the social media as well, we need some sense of responsibility from our media houses.
“We are not saying you should not do your job, but you should know that you also have a responsibility of maintaining peace in our society.”
Kwankwaso commended Aregbesola, “his brother”, for curtailing the situation on time, thus avoiding what could have been a disaster.
He said as soon as he got wind of the crisis, he put a call through to Aregbesola, who assured him that the situation was under control.
“As soon as I got to know about the crisis, I put a call through to my brother, Ogbeni Aregbesola, who promised me on phone that he was already on top of the situation,” he said.
“I am happy that when I got here, members of the Arewa community corroborated what he told me on efforts at ensuring the safety of my people.”
He urged members of the Hausa community in Ife and other parts of Osun to embrace peace and unity, advising them tp regard wherever they live as their home.
Aregbesola, who accompanied Kwankwaso to the scene of the crisis, for an on-the spot assessment of the situation, said more than twenty people who were reported to have participated in the crisis have been arrested and will be made to face the law.
He described the people of Osun as peace loving and accommodating, adding that what happened was just accidental.
He noted that Yoruba people may fight one another but they are always protective of and friendly with visitors.
“What caused the crisis was a minor disagreement. We are afraid that those who want to cause chaos in the country might be behind this crisis,” Aregbesola said.
“Yoruba may fight one another but they will not fight with their visitors. We are very peaceful and if you look around you will find out that enemies of peace are at work and they are few.
“And we don’t know what their aim or interest was in causing this crisis. Perhaps they were sponsored because I have never heard that Yoruba and Hausa fought each other in Ife before but there might be misunderstanding and it would not be more than that.
“God has created and put us together in Nigeria. We must therefore live together in harmony. We should not allow agent of division to cause disaffection among us.”
The House of Representatives has urged the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, to urgently send relief materials to the displaced victims of the communal disturbances at Ile-Ife, Osun State, who are at various facilities across the state.
It also urged the Osun State government to compensate victims of the crisis to accelerate the return of normalcy in the area.
The lower chamber also resolved to send a five-member delegation to convey its sympathy to the government and people of Osun State, as well as the leaders of the Hausa community and other stakeholders.
It urged the Federal Government to liaise with the state government to demilitarise and disarm members of the community.
These decisions followed a call by a member of the House of Representatives, Mallam Muhammed Zorro (Jigawa-APC), who urged the media to exercise discretion and utmost restraint in reporting crises.
He made the call yesterday, while moving a motion on the communal disturbances at Ile-Ife.
Zorro appealed to newsmen to avoid raising undue anxiety capable of aggravating crisis situations.
He recalled that the unfortunate disturbances between the Yoruba and Hausa communities in Ile Ife began last Wednesday, but that efforts were ongoing to restore normalcy.
According to him, the Osun Government, the Nigeria Police Force, traditional rulers and other stakeholders are making efforts at de-escalating tension and restoring normalcy.
“I appeal to the media, particularly the social media, socio-cultural organisations and all other commentators to exercise discretion and utmost restraint in reporting and commenting on the incident. “This is to avoid raising undue anxiety capable of aggravating the situation,” he said.
In his ruling, Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr Yussuff Lasun, mandated the Committees on Police Affairs, Human Rights and Emergency and Disaster Preparedness to monitor the unfolding events.
Kwankwaso visits
Meantime, the former governor of Kano state, Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, yesterday assured the Yoruba living in the northern parts of the country that his people would not lunch reprisal attack against them following last Wednesday’s bloody clash in Ife. The Senator representing Kano
The Senator representing Kano Central who visited the Sabo area of Ile-ife, where the crisis ensued between Yoruba and Hausa in the ancient town allayed the fear of Yoruba of possible attack on their lives and property.
Speaking with newsmen after the meeting held inside the mosque with some of the victims of the crisis, Kwankwaso assured that his people would not launch reprisal, saying “the purpose of my coming here is to appeal to my people to continue to be law abiding.”
According to him, “I told them that when I get home, the Kwankwasiya Foundation will plan how to send our own support.
The former presidential aspirant of the ruling APC urged the Hausas in Ile-Ife to remain calm, saying they should desist from any action capable of disrupting the peaceful move by all stakeholders to settle and forestall recurrence.
