As August 9 governorship election in Osun State draws nearer, the Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Ijesa zone of the state has stressed the need to pray fervently for the state and nation to witness peaceful and hitch-free poll.

The association, therefore, organised a three-day intense prayers so that the state could witness peace before, during and after the August 9 governorship election in the state.

The prayers, which were said simultaneously in all the ten local government areas in Ijesa zone, were rounded off at the weekend. The prayers were centred on peaceful co-existence in the state and the nation at large.

Speaking after the prayer session, the CAN chairman for Ilesa East, Evangelist Jegede I. O said it is pertinent for all Christians to pray for the state, as this is their Jerusalem, quoting the scripture that says “pray for Jerusalem and those that love it will do exploit”.

DAILY INDEPENDENT

Photos from the Presentation of Award on Meritorious Services to governor Aregbesola by LAUTECH Teaching  Hospital, Osogbo Chapter at  GMT Event Centre Osogbo, during the weekend

Chief Medical Director, Prof. Olufemi Fadiora Presenting Award of
Meritorious Services to the Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola
and Chairman Hopelink Solidarity forum (HSF), Pharmacy Remi Popoola during
the Presentation of Award on Meritorious Services to governor Aregbesola
by Lautech Teaching Hospital, Osogbo Chapter at GMT Event Centre
Osogbo, during the weekend

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola(middle), Chairman Hopelink
Solidarity forum (HSF), Pharmacy Remi Popoola(3rd left) and others during
the Presentation of Award on Meritorious Services to governor Aregbesola
by Lautech Teaching Hospital, Osogbo Chapter at GMT Event Centre
Osogbo, during the weekend

Chief Medical Director, Prof. Olufemi Fadiora Presenting Award of
Meritorious Services to the Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola
and Chairman Hopelink Solidarity forum (HSF), Pharmacy Remi Popoola during
the Presentation of Award on Meritorious Services to governor Aregbesola
by Lautech Teaching Hospital, Osogbo Chapter at GMT Event Centre
Osogbo, during the weekend

LEGAL icon and founder of the Afe Babalola Babalola University,  Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Chief Afe Babalola, has noted that the vision of Chief Obafemi Awolowo has remained the torchlight illuminating the paths of political gladiators in Nigeria, even till today.
Chief Babalola, who stated this while receiving staff members of Awolowo Centre for Philosophy, Ideology and Good Governance, Osogbo, Osun State, led by it Director-General, Professor Moses A. Makinde, that paid him a visit in his office, said Awolowo’s ideals and philosophy were the light to the political and educational emancipation of the country.

According to the legal icon, Awolowo was a man of “uncommon vision and had uncommon ways of achieving the vision,” noting that that was why “he first trained teachers before introducing the free education that is second to none on the continent.”

Professor Makinde, in his speech on the occasion, described Chief Babalola as “a colossus, who made education a priority and as his major agenda and followed it up with the establishment of one of the best private universities in Africa and noted by UNESCO.”
Professor Makinde, who unveiled the centre’s programme to the ABUAD president, said the curriculum included training in basic philosophy and character traits for ethics that would promote ideology and good governance based on the philosophy of Chief Awolowo and other statesmen of like minds.
He lauded Chief Babalola for the vision of ABUAD and recalled his “remarkable work” as the pro-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, saying his wealth of experience would help “the young, but vibrant ABUAD,” noting that “that is why it is not a surprise to anyone that the institution is going places.”
TRIBUNE

Najeem Salaam, the Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, on Friday said there was no plan by the state government to retrench any of its workers.

Salaam spoke while addressing traditional rulers in Egbedore Local Government Area at Awo in Osun.

The speaker said that rather than sack workers, the state government planned to employ more workers to reduce the rate of unemployment in the state.

“Governor Rauf Aregbesola is not ready to sack any worker. He will rather employ more workers than to sack any at all.

“If he is ready to sack workers, he could have done that a long time ago, but rather than sacking anybody, he has been employing workers,” the speaker said.

Salaam used the opportunity to urge civil servants in the state not to panic, promising that the government would continue to give their welfare adequate priority.

The speaker said the aim of the visit to the local government area was to sensitise people on the coming 9 August gubernatorial election.

Salaam urged the people to come out during the election to cast

PM NEWS

The Osun State Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Mrs. Mofolake Adegboyega, says the state government will continue to put in place measures to eradicate child labour.
Adegboyega made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Osogbo.
He said the International Labour Organisation was opposed to engaging children in labour instead of providing them social protection.
Adegboyega said, “A large number of Nigerian children are being engaged in forced, paid and unpaid domestic work which has made them vulnerable to abuse.
“The administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola has kicked against child abuse and hard labour while numerous policies are being put in place in favour of children to better their tomorrow.
“Children should be safeguarded from abuse while we should improve the social protection and national social security system that are sensitive to their success and upbringing.”
The commissioner expressed support for the well being of children in the state and called on parents not to expose their children to vices.
She called for the continued support of government, organisations, civil society, schools, youths, women groups and media in the campaign against child labour.

Activities marking this year’s June 12 anniversary were held in some states of the federation yesterday with some governors making various requests for free and fair election for the sustenance of democracy in the country.

The day is usually set aside by mostly governors and civil society organisations to remember  the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election presumed to have been won by the late Chief MKO Abiola.
In Osun State, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, called Nigerians not to allow people chosen to govern them be subverted by anti-democratic forces.
Aregbesola who spoke at the Nelson Mandela Park in Osogbo, the state capital, said what the country desperately needed is true democracy, which must be nurtured for it to develop, progress and be stable.
The governor said the people had come a long way remembering the callousness of the military to annul the freest and fairest election in the history of the country.
According to him, the annulment of the presidential election dragged the nation into anarchy, which it is yet to extricate itself till date. He cautioned Nigerians to make sure that such ominous event does not repeat itself again.
The governor averred that only those who do not have agenda for the masses revel in backwardness of its people and country.
“What is important for us is that democracy must be nurtured in our society if we are really interested in the progress, security and peace of the nation.
“With the annulment of June 12, presidential election, the nation teetered into a state of anarchy. That annulment set us back politically, economically and spiritually.
“There is an eternal struggle between forces of light and that of darkness. So, there will always be a conflict in the society between those committed to serving the people and those who intend to serve themselves and their pocket.
“Therefore, those who have no agenda for the people are the ones who revel in backwardness,” Aregbesola said.
He added that the essence of the June 12 celebration was to domesticate the consequences of that obnoxious act of the military and guard against its re-occurrence.
The governor disclosed that the good governance which the winner of the June 12 annulled election, Abiola, promised Nigerian is what his (Aregbesola’s) government is offering the people of the state.
Aregbesola called on the federal government to therefore, recognise Abiola as the winner of that presidential election and give him a posthumous rights and privileges attached to him as elected president of the nation.
EXCERPTS FROM THISDAY

Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, on Thursday, urged the electorate in the state to vote and stay back to defend their votes by recording the proceeding with their camera phones.
The governor, who spoke in Osogbo at the rally organised by civil society groups to commemorate the June 12 anniversary, said the electorate should not allow the August 9 governorship election in the state to be manipulated.
The governor, who said that voting in the polls was not enough, stressed that voters should stay back at the polling booths in defence of their votes by recording on their phones the voting, counting and announcement processes.
Aregbesola urged the people of the state to go and collect permanent voter’s cards to enable them participate in the election.
He said, “We must vote. Vote is our constitutional right. We must also defend our votes. Nothing must stop us from doing that. We must not be intimidated to defend our votes. Yoruba people defended the sanctity of June 12; and that is why we are gathered here today.
“If not for the electorate, especially the Yorubas that fought in defence of their votes on June 12, 1993, we will not have the civil rule we are enjoying now. It is very important to vote and defend that vote with all legal means.
“The Yorubas had no guns, no weapons, yet they fought for June 12. We must also ensure that our votes are secured in this coming election.
“Your vote is your right. You must vote wisely. We must before the election register as voters and certify that our names are on the voters list of the Independent National Electoral Commission. Do not allow anybody to take your voter cards from you. That is your license to choose who governs you.
“We voted in 2011 and it was peaceful and we won. We should expect the same thing in 2014. The voice of the people must be heard. Our votes must count and democracy must continue to grow in Nigeria. That is the doctrine of June 12.”
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Civil and Popular Affairs, Waheed Lawal, in an interview with journalists, urged President Goodluck Jonathan to name UNIABUJA after the winner of the June 12 presidential election, the late Chief MKO Abiola.
He said, “Over 140m Nigerians trooped out on June 12, 1993 to cast their votes for Abiola. So, what the Federal Government is trying to do is to sectionalise June 12 when President Jonathan made an attempt to name UNILAG after Abiola. But we are saying that Abiola won election in Nigeria and not South-West alone, he won in the North and the East, he won everywhere.”
PUNCH

Photos showing the Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Senior Special Assistant to State of Osun Governor on Civil& Public, Comrade Waheed Lawal, Chairman 2014 June 12 Organizing Committee, Comrade Shenge Rahman and others at the 2014 June 12 Programme at Freedom park, Osogbo State of Osun on Thursday 12-06-2014.

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Senior Special Assistant to
State of Osun Governor on Civil& Public, Comrade Waheed Lawal, Chairman
2014 June 12 Organizing Committee, Comrade Shenge Rahman and Coordinator
for People Welfare League (PWL),Comrade Abiodun Agboola during the 2014
June 12 Programme at Freedom park, Osogbo State of Osun on Thursday
12-06-2014.

Senior Special Assistant to State of Osun Governor on Civil&
Public, Comrade Waheed Lawal, Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf
Aregbesola, Special Adviser to the Governor on Commerce, Co-operative and
Empowerment, Dr. Dauda Olalekan yinusa, Commissioner for Commerce,
Co-operative and Empowerment, Mr. Ismaila Alagbada and Commissioner for
Information and Strategy, Hon. Sunday Akere during the 2014 June 12
Programme at Freedom park, Osogbo State of Osun on Thursday 12-06-2014.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Commerce, Co-operative
and Empowerment, Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Senior
Special Assistant to State of Osun Governor on Civil& Public, Comrade
Waheed Lawal and Chairman 2014 June 12 Organizing Committee, Comrade Shenge
Rahman during the 2014 June 12 Programme at Freedom park, Osogbo State of Osun on Thursday 12-06-2014.