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  • Offa Robbery: Aregbesola condoles with Olofa, Kwara Govt

    Following the armed robbery attack that claimed many lives of in Offa, Kwara State, the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has described the recent armed robbery attacks in Offa, Kwara state as the worst in the history of the ancient town.

    He called on security agencies at various levels to beam their searchlights into the incident and launch thorough investigation to unravel the incident.

    He made the call on Friday during a condolence visit to Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Oloyede, at his palace, in Offa, Kwara State.

    Aregbesola described the attack as barbaric in the modern society, saying no effort must be spared to unravel the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

    According to him, what happened last week was very unfortunate, barbaric, saddening and uncalled for. It was like what happened about 132 years ago in this town.

    “I deemed it fit to be here in my capacity not only as a Governor but as a brother, friend and in-law to the people of Offa and Kwara State in general.

    “It is on record that our people in Osun have had robust relationship and affection with the people of Offa, prompting us to be here in large number.

    “I came here with members of my cabinet to sympathize with the good people of Offa and Kwara State, particularly the family of those that lost their lives to the unfortunate incident.

    “The incident has once again challenged us on the need to tighten internal security and I am very sure that the perpetrators would not go unpunished.

    “As Muslims, we believe that the incident was God’s will and those that lost their lives have been destined to experience such as we pray God to grant the souls of the departed the best place in Paradise and give their family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss”, Aregbesola added.

    Governor Aregbesola who had earlier observed Jumat Service with Oba Okikiola at Offa Central Mosque, called on the people of the town to remain calm and go on their normal businesses as efforts are in top gear to forestall future occurrence.

    He said the matter has been taken up by the appropriate security agencies, affirming that the perpetrators will soon be exposed and brought to justice in due course.

    Aregbesola, however, visited the attacked Police Divisional Headquarters, where he consoled the officers and men of Nigeria Police Force on the duty on the loss of their colleagues to the incident.

    In his remarks, the Olofa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Oloyede Okikiola attributed the incident to God’s will.

    Olofa noted that the family of the victims and the entire people of the town have taken consolidation in God, noting the ancient town is vastly religious.

    ‎”What happened to us last week is considered as God’s will that is why my subjects have been going on their normal businesses.

    “We are consoled with the fact that this incident will mark the beginning of success and blessing to us as we have been hearing good news from government at various levels to support the town in strengthening the security.

    “Investigation is ongoing and we are rest assured that the bandits will be brought to justice in no distance time”, Olofa stressed.

  • Photos: Aregbesola, Ajimobi, Mimiko, others join Pa Adebanjo in commeroration of his 90th birthday

    Governor Rauf Aregbesola, his counterparts in Oyo, Ajimobi and former Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko among other influential Nigerians all converged on Ijebu-Igbo Ogun State to mark the 90th birthday of Chief Ayo Adebanjo.
    Other eminent Nigerians at the occasion include former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; former governor of Ogun state Aremo Olusegun Osoba; Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Latter Rain Assembly; the daughter of late Premier of Western Region, Dr Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo.
    See photos:

  • Aregbesola congratulates Pastor Adeboye at 76

    Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has described the Global General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, as ‘the voice of peace and comfort in a troubled and edgy world’ and a harbinger of hope to millions of souls across the world.

    The governor, in a statement on Saturday, described Adeboye as a beacon of hope for the numerous hopeless souls, reconciling them with God through his sermons and evangelical engagements all over the world. Aregbesola said few people are chosen by God for this kind of evangelical assignment in a generation, saying such chosen few are rare breed and special creation, who sparingly grace this earthly terrain.

    Aregbesola noted that Adeboye is an epitome and embodiment of knowledge, deep faith and a messenger who spread the word of God across the globe untiringly despite his graceful old age. According to the governor, the arrival of the man of God at the threshold of 76 years is an august occasion, which is very special to his congregation across the globe, Nigeria, Osun State, friends and well-wishers across other faiths.

    “Pastor Adeboye is a well educated man who gave up his brilliant academic career to do the work of God. He is a man of deep faith with apostolic fervour who has taken Christian evangelism to the nooks and crannies of this nation and the uttermost parts of the world. There is virtually no community in Nigeria where his church is not firmly established or any part of the world where there is no parish of the RCCG.

    “He is also a man of prodigious energy. Even at 76, he doesn’t appear to be slowing down, but his light continues to shine brighter and brighter. He is personally a very humble and meek man. He radiates love and deep affectation, always welcoming all and generous to a fault. He played fatherly role to all. His accommodation knows no bound, transcending, religious, ethnic and class lines. I have found his calming words very assuring even at my most challenging times, whenever I am privileged to meet him.

    “He is a voice of peace and comfort in a troubled and edgy world; bringing hope to the hopeless and reconciliation with God to the faithless, through his sermons and evangelical engagements all over the world. He is the essential Omoluabi, a gift from our state, Osun, to the world. He has brought honour and glory to our state, indeed the Yoruba race, in particular his Ijesa homestead.”

     

  • Aregbesola rejects cattle colonies, advocates ranching

    Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has advocated ranching as the panacea to farmers-herdsmen clashes in the country.

    Aregbesola who spoke at the Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti on Thursday while interacting with the management and students of the institution.

    “I am not trying to justify the killings or trying to say that the Fulani should dominate Nigeria, but what I am saying is that Nigeria has failed to be technologically and innovatively advanced due to bad leadership,” he said.

    “As we speak now, there are no green grasses in any part of Europe and they produce cattle Africa cannot even boast of. They prepare their pasture, foliage and fodders during the six months of rainy season and keep them to feed their cattle during the dry season.

    “The cattle are restricted within the ranches and I believe that if some nations could be thinking like this, Nigeria has no reason not to toe the same line. We must turn this situation into huge economic opportunities for our people.

    “For Nigeria to get out of the herdsmen killings, we must adopt a modern system of cattle rearing and we must stop reading ethnic sentiment into it.”

  • Osun 2018: Tinubu pressures Aregbesola to anoint own cousin, Oyetola as APC flag bearer

    …as party chieftains disagree with choice of national leader

    There is commotion under the tent of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, as interests of the party leaders continue to clash over who represents it in the forthcoming governorship election scheduled to hold in the state on September 22.

    Most visible among the several candidates put forward by chieftains in Osun State is that of the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who reportedly pressures the state governor, Rauf Aregbesola to anoint Gboyega Oyetola, [Tinubu’s cousin] as APC’s flag bearer for the Osun governorship election.

    To win the APC guber ticket, Oyetola, who is the current Chief of Staff to Governor Aregbesola will be slugging it out with other contenders like; Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, the state Commissioner for Finance;Mr. Bola Oyebamiji, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly; Hon. Najeem Salam, the lawmaker, representing Ejigbo/Iwo/Ola-Oluwa federal constituency in the House of Representatives; Hon. Mojeed Alabi, the deputy speaker in the House of Representatives; Hon. Lasun Yusuf, representing the Orolu/Irepodun/Osogbo/Oroluunda Federal Constituency.

    Others are the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice; Dr. Ajibola Basiru, a Lagos-based legal practitioner; Rasheed Adegoke,Founder of Tiwa n Tiwa L’Osun, a socio-political group

    According to a close source who spoke anonymously to TheNewsGurung.com, the alleged plot by Tinubu to influence the outcome of Osun APC’s primaries in favour of Oyetola has put the party excos at loggerheads.

    According to the source: “Aregbesola and some of his trusted aides including the likes of Biyi Odunlade for Ife Zone, Gbenga Ogunkanmi for Ayedire and Rasak Salinsile for Iwo Zone, Kolapo Alimi and Bashiru Ajibola for Osogbo/Irepodun, and Victor Fatoki have been alleged to be the brains working relentlessly to realise the Tinubu’s task .”

    Fatoki, it would be recalled, is the Personal Assistant to the State Chairman of the party, Prince Gboyega Famoodun, was given three council areas to work on, while Idowu Korede, the State Commissioner for Sanitation, has been given the task of dealing with list of members from Ijesa axis of the state.

    The source further hinted that to achieve this objective prominent members of the party have been invited in recent times on several occasions to Osogbo, the state capital, with juicy offers including appointments as Senior Special Advisers to the Governor among others.

    According to the source, at one of the meetings, attendees were handed lists of exco members in their respective areas to work on.

    Specific orders were said to have been dished out to remove names of deceased members, as well as those that had crossed to other political parties.

    Those invited to meetings were specifically instructed to ensure that names of members that are favourably disposed to a particular governorship aspirant be instantly removed.

    “The next stage, it was further scooped, is to place all the approved exco members on special salaries and other allowances to ensure the emergence of the governor’s anointed candidate during the forthcoming party governorship primaries,” the source added.

    Party leaders in the state have also expressed concern that the likely anointed candidate, Oyetola if victorious at the polls will serve as a compliant governor who will easily help in covering Aregbesola’s track during his eight year reign as governor.

    However, when TheNewsGuru.com contacted one of the top aides of Aregbesola, who demanded to speak on grounds of anonymity, he said he was unaware of such undercover plans to anoint Oyetola, saying the governor is rather focusing on completing some of the key projects he promised the people of Osun State.

     

    Contentions

     

    As the governorship election approaches, there are several contentious issues that may play out on who finally picks the governorship ticket of the party. While some have wished these away as trivial, others are lobbying and pushing hard to establish some of these issues and it appears they are beginning to gain grounds.

     

    Some of these are;

    ‘Home based’ or ‘Lagos/Foreign based politician’

    Before now, the APC have been enmeshed in the struggle between members advocating for choice of an “home-based” candidate instead of the “Lagos/foreign” candidate.

    Recall that the incumbent governor was an established politician in Lagos State who served under the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration as Commissioner for Works and Special Duties.

    Having spent two terms as governor and given all the support he enjoys, some factions within the ruling party in the state believe that Governor Aregbesola should naturally transmit power to a popular and dependable ‘home based ’politician.

    The clamour has already been established with many believing in the advocacy. However, the party has been very silent on the issue and some members also consider the matter to be a non issue.

    For example, the Director of Publicity and Strategy for the party in the state, Barr. Kunle Oyatomi, in an interview with a national daily [Not TheNewsGur.com] defines someone as ‘Lagos/Foreign politician’ and another a home-based.

    In his words: “As long as you are a citizen of the state and you meet other constitutional requirements you are qualified to run for the election. What should be important is how capable and prepared for the job are the aspirants so that the state would not suffer a retrogression as a result of bad governance. The incumbent governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, no doubt has laid a foundation for continued and future development which need a consolidation by the right choice of candidate to succeed him and further increase the fortunes of the state.”

    Zoning

    The clamour among the members is for the governorship seat to be zoned to the Osun West senatorial districts which comprises; Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore, Ejigbo, Ayedade, Irewole, Isokan, Iwo, Ayedire and Ola-Oluwa council areas, because the zone only ruled for barely two years when late Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke was first civilian governor from 1992 to 1993 since creation of the state since 1991.

    However, the Osun Central and Osun East senatorial districts has ruled for 11 and 8 years respectively out of 26 years since the state was created. Both from Central, Chief Adebisi Akande was in the saddle from 1999 to 2003 and Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola from 2003 to 2010 until he was sacked by the Court of Appeal in Ibadan and installed the incumbent governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, who has been on the seat from 2010; and will remain there, all things being equal, till his second term tenure expires later in the year.

    Many other APC members who believe in continuity are insisting that the search for a credible candidate that can do the job must not be limited to a particular zone if the future of the state will not be jeopardized.

     

     

     

  • Nigeria must exist to lead black race – Aregbesola

    Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun has said that Nigeria must not just exist as a nation but lead the black race in the cause of advancing African renaissance.
    The governor said this in Ibadan on Monday at the opening ceremony of a three-day conference held in honour of Prof. Toyin Falola, who clocked 65.

    The conference, themed “African Knowledge and Alternative Futures’’, attracted prominent Nigerians, traditional rulers, academia and students from Nigeria and diaspora.

    Falola is a professor of history whose several works have been published in international journals across the world.

    “Nigeria stands as a cardinal element in rallying other Africans together in advancing the cause of African renaissance,” he said.

    Aregbesola in his paper, entitled “Development, Good Governance and Productivity’’, said that the people and government must sustain a support cycle to achieve growth and development.

    “The nation is poor and remained poor. This is because the people do not realise that civilisation requires people to support government from their productivity, while government provide infrastructure.

    “The challenge of government is not getting able-bodied to engage in productive ventures and earn their living.
    “If 50 million able-bodied out of the Nigerian could be engaged productively, the nation would have up to N1.5 trillion circulating in the economy. I bet it Nigeria will become super power in 20 years,” he said.
    The governor said Ibadan does not reflect hosting a university with the status and calibre of University of Ibadan if not in anything but effective waste management system.
    Aregbesola condemned the spate of killings in the country, calling on security agencies to stem the trend.

    “Progress and development can only be achieved in a society where there is peace,’’ he said.

    Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State said that his administration believed in knowledge-driven government and governance as upheld by Falola.
    Ajimobi, who was represented by Alhaji Olalekan Alli, the Secretary to the State Government, said that the present administration would continue to place priority on knowledge-driven governance.

     

    The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, urged Africans to lead a revolution aimed at strengthening knowledge acquisition, its dissemination and utilisation.

    The monarch, who took the audience through pre and post-colonial history, said the Old Oyo Empire reigned for 600 years and longer than any other empire in Africa.

    He stated that the present situation in Nigeria called for reflections and concerted efforts towards overcoming the challenges.

    On his part, the Orangun of Oke-Ila, Oba Adedokun Abolarin, said the essence of education was to serve others in achieving intellectual development.

    He stressed the importance of traditional institutions, adding the institution must develop the Yoruba race.

    “The trajectory of Falola’s life showed that people have lot to do in achieving greatness,” he said.

    Aregbesola, Ajimobi, Adeyemi and Abolarin in their separate speeches described Falola as a prolific and profound author cum Africanist.
     

  • Nigerians ignorantly pushing for another civil war – Aregbesola

    Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has accused Nigerians of indirectly pushing for another civil war through hate speeches, indiscriminate killings, terrorism, kidnapping and other evil vices that are now becoming a norm in the country.

    The governor said the nation was lucky to come out of the first civil war but stressed that Nigeria might not be lucky if it was plunged into another round of civil war now.

    According to a statement in Osogbo by the governor’s media aide, Mr. Sola Fasure, Aregbesola said this at the 2018 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration on Monday.

    Making an allusion to the widespread killings by the Fulani herdsmen, the governor sued for caution, saying it had become imperative for every Nigerian to work assiduously for the peace of the nation by avoiding anything that could lead to war.

    He said, “Through carelessness, thoughtlessness, selfishness, wickedness and hate mongering, the country may unwittingly be pushing itself towards another war.

    “War is a very bad business. It is costly, deadly and ruinous, even for a supposedly winner.

    “It is worse for the loser. Indeed, all are losers in a war. The resources, human and material, used to prosecute wars could have been used for the development of the people. The lesson of history is that nations and people emerged from wars weakened, devastated, poor and vulnerable.

    “The worst part is that though a nation’s decision to go to war or not may be easy before the outbreak of hostilities, it is more difficult and sometimes impossible to decide to stop a war; thus we have prolonged and sometimes an indeterminate war. This is the hard part.

    “We see the devastations of war in Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon (and closer home) in Liberia and Sierra Leone. While some like Liberia and Sierra Leone are fortunate to put the war behind them, Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen and Iraq have found it difficult to stop their own wars.

    “Lebanon lost its Paradise and Pearl of the Middle East status to the United Arab Emirates. The mutual antagonism and distrust that the Nigerian Civil War bred are still with us.”

    Aregbesola described peace as the foundation for economic and political development while stressing that no development could take place in a crisis situation.

    He said Nigeria was placed in a strategic position to lead the African continent out of backwardness and crisis, saying the nation could not afford to fail in discharging its responsibilities.

    The governor called on Nigerians, especially the youths, to break away from the culture of dependence on the free money from crude oil. He urged them to apply their education to solving problems facing humanity, saying that would be the way to make sustainable wealth because oil would soon lose its importance.

    He said, “In the interest of the black race, Nigeria must not just exist, it must be strong to be able to lead the continent to achieve its manifest destiny.

    “The greatest riches of the continent are domiciled in the Great Lakes Region comprising Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

    “Nigeria should be strong and provide leadership with South Africa and the leaders of the region to be able to develop these riches for the development of the people of the continent and for Africa to be able to take her place in the world.”

  • Power bike accident: Pray for Yusuf Buhari’s speedy recovery, Aregbesola urges Nigerians

    Governor Rauf Aregbesola has called on Nigerians to pray for the speedy recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari’s son, Yusuf.

    Mr. Aregbesola made the call while speaking at the closing of 19th edition of the Annual National Conference of the Jama’atu Ta’awunil Muslimeen (Society of Nigeria) on Wednesday in Iwo

    According to the governor, the comfort of the president is the comfort of all.

    Mr. Aregbesola described prayer as the only instrument that could rescue Nigeria from some of its predicaments.

    He called on religious leaders to intensify prayers for president Buhari, his sick son as well as for the socioeconomic prosperity of the country.

    According to him, apart from prayer being a powerful part of our existence as human beings, it is pertinent for every believer to pray for his or her leaders.

    “I am happy that every religion emphasises this, and it is something important we can do to support the present administration by praying and fasting for our leaders.

    “As we all know the condition of the President’s son, I urge Nigerians regardless of our socio-economic, political and ethnic differences to pray for the speedy recovery of Yusuf Buhari who is presently receiving medical attention’’.

    Yusuf had a bike accident at the Gwarimpa Area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in December 2017.

    The accident left him with a broken limb and an injury on his head.

    Earlier, Imran Molasan, the Founder and President of Jama’atu Ta’awunil Muslimeen Society of Nigeria, ‎commended Mr. Aregbesola for laying a strong foundation for the economic development of the state.

    Mr. Molasan applauded Mr. Aregbesola’s high sense of commitment to human and capital development, particularly the impact his government had made toward re-engineering the economy of the state.

    In his remarks, the Oluwo of Iwoland, Abdulrasheed Akanbi, described Mr. Aregbesola as a rare political gem for repositioning Osun.

  • Osun workers shun Aregbesola’s plea for perseverance, declare strike over unpaid salaries

    Workers in Osun State have declared their intention to begin an indefinite strike following the refusal of the state government to revert to paying them full salary and arrears despite the receipt of the third tranche of N6.3 billion Paris Club loan refund.

    The workers under the umbrella of the Osun State Joint Public Service Negotiating Council gave the strike notice in a statement issued on Friday following an emergency meeting of labour leaders on Thursday.

    The notice of strike was signed by the Chairman JPSNC, Bayo Adejumo; Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, Tunde Adekomi and the Trade Union Congress Chairman, Bowale Adekola and leaders of various affiliate unions.

    The notice read in part, “Consequent upon the refusal of the government of Osun State to accede to the demands of the workers and pensioners as contained in our letter of Tuesday, December 5, 2017, the workers of Osun State will be proceeding on an indefinite strike by 27th December, 2017.”

    The labour leaders enjoined the workers to stay at home until they received another directive from them concerning the strike.

    The labour leaders had on Tuesday disagreed with Governor Rauf Aregbesola over his insistence on paying November salary with the modulated scheme which makes workers from grade level 08 and above collect between 75 and 50 percent of their salaries.

    The workers had insisted that the state had the financial ability to pay them full salaries, saying most of them had been collecting half salaries since September 2015. But the governor in a statement issued by his Commissioner for Information, Mr. Adelani Baderinwa, pleaded that they should exercise more patience till the state was able to revert to paying full salary.

  • Unpaid salaries: Aregbesola begs Osun workers to persevere more

    Unpaid salaries: Aregbesola begs Osun workers to persevere more

    Osun state Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola has appealed to the workers in the state to persevere more on salary and welfare issues and assured that the the state government will put smiles on their faces very soon.

    Speaking at the 2017 Osun Public Service Lecture in Osogbo, the state capital, the governor commended the workers for their perseverance, selfless services and sacrifice despite the financial challenges battling the state.

    Aregbesola explained that the issue of modulated salary in the state was necessitated by the economy situation and that the state government remained commuted to the welfare of the worker. He noted that only 28 percent of workers in the state receive half salary as against the impression that all Osun workers are paid half salary.

    Aregbesola said “The reality is that its impossible to do more than ourselves. We stopped paying full salary in July 2015. You (workers) have done so well that what is left to say is to thank you. There is a contract between you and us. The equivalence of what we have today is that we are in a state of war. When we remove the physical condition, what we have is an economic war situation and I have said this before.”

    “No matter how much you hate me, ask yourself how have been paying salaries. Some people are trying to use workers against us. Our state requires extraordinary push to overcome its challenges. To our workers, I want to tell you that we need your further understanding, Patience and perseverance.”

    “Our season of famine will be over by March next year. You have demonstrated understanding. You have sacrificed sufficiently. Bear with us a little more in order to weather the storm together. Keep faith, very soon, the storm will be over”.

    The guest speaker, Dr Goke Adegoroye in his lecture emphasized on productivity and efficiency of workers as basic ingredient in realization of good governance.

    Adegoroye said “public service values can only be achieved in a working environment that would engenders confidence, job deployment that would also enable the system to get the best civil servants.”

    He identified insufficient budgets, absence of improvement in the operations and processes of government and lack of effective coordinations at the center of government as factors hindering productivity and efficiency in governance.

    He said political will and prudent management of resources demand that government functionaries in elected or appointive position are able to reconcile such cost with ability and readiness to provide fund and ensure adequate service delivery.

    Earlier, the retired Secretary to the State Government Chief Moses Inaolaji Aboaba called on the governor to ensure improvement of Staff Development Center(SDC) adding that it would go a long way in the training of rank and file of the civil servants.

    Aboaba noted that human capital development had been a veritable tool in achieving government goals which must be giving adequate attention.

    “Civil service must occupies the rightful place just as the case in the old western region when it was acclaimed as the best civil service in the Federation, ” Aboaba said.

    He ,therefore, praised the governor for the vast achievement recorded in the state since the inception of his administration seven years ago.