President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday arrived Osogbo, the Osun State capital, on a one-day working visit as part of the 25th anniversary of the creation of Osun State. He inaugurated the newly built Government High School, Osogbo and other projects completed by the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
Buhari had been scheduled to participate in the activities marking the 25th anniversary of the creation of Osun state, which took place last week but was unable to make it then.
 

 

 
Accompanying the president on the visit to the Southwest state are the Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, as well as his Oyo and Borno States counterparts, Governors Abiola Ajimobi and Kashim Shettima.
Earlier, security had been beefed up at the Osogbo Government High School, site of one of the projects to be commissioned, as policemen from the Bomb Squadron Unit as well as men of the National Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, were seen with sniffer dogs combing the area.
 
 

 

 
Other dignitaries at the event include, the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shitu; former Governor of the state, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Mr. Najeem Salaam, and members of the Assembly. Also present were: the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, the Ataoja of Osogbo and the Timi of Ede.
 

 

Lawmakers in the Osun State House of Assembly, on Tuesday, advised the Governor of the state, Rauf Aregbesola, on a number of issues that would fast-track the development of the state.

At a special sitting held to review the State’s development 25 years after it was created, the lawmakers said the state had surpassed other states in the nation that were created at the same time.
One of the sectors that the lawmakers, however, urged the government to give more attention to, is the education sector.
The representative of Ife Constituency, Samson Eluwole, pointed out that although the state was having beautiful schools and education infrastructure, the current level of education in the state was pitiable.
He said the state, which is now down the ladder of the recent West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination, needed urgent attention.
Honourable Eluwole, however, praised the State civil servants for their doggedness in the face of the current economic hardship.
” As of now, if you go to Ife-Ede road and Akoda-Osogbo road, you will discover that these roads have become death traps.
“For a decade now no one can boast of getting water from the public tap. Many infrastructures are on the verge of decadence,” he observed.
The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Honourable Najeem Salam, also advised the people of the state to be patient, emphasising that the hard times being experienced in Nigeria would soon be over.

 

 
 
He said: “People should be careful how they criticise the government.
“We know this is democracy but it does not mean we should hide under that to criticise the government unjustly.
“Osun is not the only state that is borrowing. Well-to-do countries like America, Saudi Arabia and even Venezuela that has the largest crude oil deposit are also borrowing. We should be mindful of how we judge”.
The House Majority Leader, Timothy Owoeye, noted the state had witnessed some level of development that were yet to be matched by other states in Nigeria.
“We now have 18 higher institutions in the state. A number that has not been achieved by any other state created alongside Osun state in 1991.
“The fact that we are having universities and nine polytechnics in the state explains the enabling environment for doing business in our state,” he told the House.
“The Future Looks Brighter”
The House Member representing Osogbo Constituency, Akintunde Adegboye, said the state, which witnessed a lot of stunted growth before Governor Aregbesola came on board, insisted that the past administrators were not responsible for the woes but insufficient capital was.
“When the Governor came on board, the trend changed as he took a bold step towards ensuring the state was having enough resources,” he reminded the House.
However, the lawmaker representing Orolu-Irepodun Constituency, Honourable Kameel Oyedele, urged the Speaker to expedite action on the bill proposing a Public-Private Partnership in the area of tourism in the state, requesting that it should be passed into law soon.
“I will only urge the Speaker to expedite efforts on how the private sector can come into the tourism industry in Osun. There is a bill to that effect and it is still waiting to be passed into law,” he stated.
Honourable Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, representing Obokun Constituency told the House members that Osun State had grown in leaps and bounds in the last 25 years, pointing out that the administration of Governor Aregbesola has indeed shown itself to be a pacesetter with most of the policies it had adopted, which other states were beginning to copy.
While acknowledging that paucity of fund had thwarted the growth of the state in some aspects, the members agreed that with committed leaders like Governor Aregbesola, who had raised the bar of governance,” the future looks bright for the state”.

President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that change can not be attained on a bed of roses and demanded understanding of Nigerians while he deals with the ailing economy.
 

 
He also described the newly completed Osogbo Government High school built by the Governor of Osun state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as an educational legacy that must be emulated by other states of the federation.
 
Speaking while commissioning the state-of-the-art school to commemorate the 25th creation anniversary of the state in Osogbo yesterday, President Buhari stated that his government has been doing all it could to assist state governments to realise their developmental plans irrespective of their political parties.
 
His words: “Our government has been helping states to realise their developmental plans irrespective of political parties. We are here to commission Osogbo Government High School, one of the legacy projects of Rauf Aregbesola.
 
“The facility here is worthy of emulation by other states. What we are witnessing here is a fulfilment of our government policy on education. “The economy of scales in this edifice is unquantifiable and so we must seize the opportunities the school has in stock. “During our campaigns, we promised our people positive and progressive change. But history has taught us that change does not come as easy as that. Change will come after much hard work, patience and perseverance.
 
We promise that we shall do everything for our country and our people and this won’t be long in coming,”. “As you are aware, the purpose of state creation is to bring leaders of government closer to the people, accelerate development, promote patriotic spirit and engender self-sufficiency”. “I am glad to note that efforts are in place for Osun to achieve these desire goals”.
 
“With our progressive governance system in place, I believe it will only be a matter of time before more will be done that will quicken the pace of development all over the country”.
 
“In a federal system, states and local governments are the centres of development, our administration has been helping the states, not just to survive the harsh economic and financial weathers, but to realise their developmental objectives as well, irrespective of the political party in place. We will continue to do this”.
 
“In our party’s manifesto, we promised to provide free and qualitative basic education by implementing the Basic Education Act. We also promised to make education more cost-effective, even as we devote not less than 10 percent of the budget on education”.
 
“There should be a substantial commitment of energy and resources to education by all the levels of government. This is how we can renew our society and shape the future of our children”. “We promised the Nigerian people positive and progressive change during our campaign. We are not and shall not be deterred from that noble undertaking”.
 
“But as we have learnt from history, change has never been attained by nation states on a bed of roses, but rather, through patience, perseverance and steadfastness”. “We are quite aware of the pains and incoveniences that have been the lot of the citizenry in the past one year as we strive to faithfully implement our programmes in fulfilment of our change agenda”.
 
“We are however comforted by the real change and progress we have made in fighting corruption and restoring integrity to government; providing security for lives and property; and positioning the government for effectiveness and especially deregulating the oil sector”.
 
“We must also not forget the fiscal discipline that has nor characterised government business at all levels. This indeed is how it should be and we are determined to introduce and implement actions and measures that will entrench the change mantra in our individual lives just as we are doing in curtailing excessive waste and rent seeking in governance”.
 
“We are determined to remain on track as we strive to deliver to rescue the country from past mistakes in fulfilment of our promise of improving the conditions of our people and making Nigeria a prosperous country”. Speaking earlier, the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola commended President Buhari for his leadership qualities, saying that Buhari since his assumption of office has not disappointed the many patriots.
 
He also lauded the President for facing his job with uncommon courage despite the obvious grim challenges, one of which is declining revenue. Aregbesola attributed the challenge being faced by the President to the progressive decline in oil receipts to less than 20 per cent of what it was shortly before he came to office.
 
He noted that the shortfall in oil has affected the Federal Government and put not less than 28 states under severe financial strain, adding that if not for the courage of the President and his team, the country could have gone totally bankrupt. ‎Governor Aregbesola noted that the commissioning of the school is the manifestation of both governments’ commitment to educational development, which is also derived from APC’s ideology and manifesto of providing mass education to the people. “We are producing the new man.
 
The overall aim is to develop the new man intellectually, socially and morally. This new man is placed in the centre of society who views his own development as part of and for the development of society.
 
Dignitaries at the event were: the Governor’s of Borno Oyo and Lagos States Kazeem Shettima, Isiaka Ajimobi and Akinwunmi Ambode respectively; former Governor of the state, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, and former Deputy Governor of Ogun, Segun Adesegun. Wife of the Osun Governor, Alhaja Sherifat Aregbesola, Deputy Governor of Osun, Mrs Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori were also present at the ceremony. Others included former Chief of Army Staff, General Alani Akinrinade (rtd) and Air Vice Marshal Oluseyi Petirin (rtd); Speaker of Lagos State, Rt. Hon Mudasir Obasa; Senator Babajide Omoworare (Osun West); Senator Prof. Sola Adeyeye (Osun Central). Royal fathers at the occasion were Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi; Ataoja of Osogbo, Jimoh Olanipekun; Akinrun of Ikirun, Oba Abdurauf Adedeji; Oluwo of Iwo, Oba AbdulRasheed Adewale Akanbi among others.
 

The Governor of the state of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has approved the elevation of ten Obas in the state of Osun to part two (2) status.
 

 
This was contained in a letter signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy, Water Resources, Rural and Community Affairs, Mr. Muftau Oluwadare.

The newly elevated Obas are Olukotun of Ikotun, Onijaye of Ijaye, Olukitibi of Ikitibi, Alaasan of Ilasan, Adoo of Idoo, Elegbedi of Egbedi, Alapupu of Apupu and Olu of Ayenugba, all in Egbedore Local Government.
Others are Oba Aworo of Odogbo-Ijesa and Olusogo of Olorunsogo-Ijesa both in Atakunmonsa East Local Government Area.
According to the letter, the approval for elevation to Part two (recognized) status is in line with the provision of the Chief’s Law Cap 25, Law of the State of Osun 2002.
The elevation takes effect from 21st of August, 2016 as approved by the Governor-in-Council. The elevation will be published in the next official Government Gazette.

Past military administrators and former civilian governors in Osun State have lauded Governor Rauf Aregbesola on the trend of development in the state.

They said that the Governor had kept the dream of the forefathers of the state alive.
Colonel Theophilus Bamigboye (rtd), who governed Osun State from August 1998 to May 1999 and Captain Anthony Udofia (rtd), who also ruled the state from December 1993 to August 22,1996, said that they were proud of the Governor on his achievements so far.
The two former military governors spoke at the 25th Anniversary of the state which was celebrated with calisthenics display at the Osogbo township stadium, on Saturday, August 27, 2016.
On behalf of past governors of Osun state, Colonel Bamigboye said: “I left Osun in peace and I am happy to be here in peace too.
“Clearly, Osun is moving and developing. Everybody can see that.
“I want to congratulate Governor Rauf Aregbesola on the 25th Anniversary of the state.
“I have never witnessed a colourful celebration like this. Even the military parade is not as beautiful as this. This is marvellous, fantastic and awesome.
Osun is lucky to have a Governor like Aregbesola. The Governor is working. Osun is moving forward. I want to say that you [Aregbesola] are working, keep it up. I am proud of you”.
In his address, Captain Udofia said: “We give glory to God for making us witnessing the 25th Anniversary of the state.
“No doubt, Osun is developing and I give kudos to past governors.
“Specifically, I want to commend Governor Rauf Aregbesola on his achievements. Osun is gradually becoming what the founders of the state wanted it to be.
“In the past, there was little or nothing to show that Osogbo is a state capital. I am so much impressed by the Aregbesola’s achievements and projects.
“Specifically, I commend Aregbesola on the education sector. The modern schools he is building are superb. I am happy to see the modern Anthonia Udofia School built by Aregbesola. When I got to the school, I thought it was a polytechnic.
“The calisthenics display is wonderful. This is a very laudable programme. I congratulate the children and youths of the state”.
The Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga, who represented Governor Ibikunle Amosun, pointed out that Governor Aregbesola had taken the development of the state far, with developmental projects spreading across the sphere of governance.
“There is government presence in all the nooks and crannies of the state.
“I commend Aregbesola for the good work he is doing. The infrastructural development of the state is commendable. Aregbesola has positively transformed the state,” Mrs Onanuga added.
 

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Osun State Chapter, has assured the State government that workers in the state would continue to partner with it, to ensure that the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is improved.

They believe that revenue growth would enable the government meet its statutory duty.
The State Chairman of the union, Jacob Adekomi, gave the assurance on Thursday ‎while speaking to Channels Television in Osogbo the State’s Capital.
The NLC chairman said Governor Rauf Aregbesola, in response to a letter written to him by the labour unions, promised to look into the general welfare of the workforce in the state.
The Governor, according to him, has directed that the 2014 and 2015 leave bonus of the workers be approved for payment.
He stated that the Governor at a meeting with all the Labour leaders in the state assured them that the arrears of salaries owed workers on Grade Level Eight and above would be paid as soon as funds were available.
“The Labour leaders wrote a letter to the Governor, demanding for full payment of salaries, from July last year for Level Eight and above, also demanding for the withdrawal of the circular prohibiting promotion confirmation and arrears of pension to be paid and also welfare packages for the workers generally.
“The Governor invited us for a meeting ‎last week and there the Governor said he knows he is owing us, those arrears of salaries and he is going to pay.
“He even encouraged us to look inward to do a lot of things to improve the IGR so that the IGR can be used to augment the allocation coming from the Federal Account.
“He has said that if he has more than enough to pay full salaries, he will pay,” the union leader stated.
“The Governor also said that if he had more than enough money in Osun, ‎he can even increase our salaries and give the committee involved to pay more than what the workers are earning now. He only tasked us to go to all agencies to encourage them to pay their taxes and do their civic duties so salaries can be paid as at when due,” he also told reporters.
On the issue of the tertiary institutions’ lecturers that were disengaged earlier this year, Mr Adekomi said that the Governor had told them that the Speaker of the House of Assembly in the state had forwarded the report of the committee to him.
He said that the Governor had also promised that he would look into the report and take action on it.
“We a have a good relationship with the State government and as far as we are concerned we have no problem with him.
It is only the money that is not there that is the issue,” he added

Today, Osun State marks its 25th year of existence. The state was created alongside 11 other states, (Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Taraba and Yobe), on August 27, 1991 by former Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida.
 
 

 
For Osun, a state which has faced lots of drama in recent time, the ruling party in the state, All Progressives Congress, (APC), positions the state for a contemplative 25th anniversary .
 
According to the party, the mood of the moment calls for every individual’s deep reflection rather than festivities to identify and assess the progress made thus far, economically, educationally, , agriculturally and infrastructurally in order to correctly determine how these have impacted the present and would potentially influence the future.
 
‘Of the 25 years that Osun has been created, the last six years have been the most dramatic and monumental, even if partially controversial, the APC declared.
 
Fortunately, the decision made by the state to reflect on the strides recorded so far, mirrored the legacy side of Osun’s, which clearly painted the future gains would expect from from the many sacrifices invested in the state by its people and government.
 
Following many debates, comments and posts that trailed #Osunat25, a top trending hashtag on Twitter yesterday, which was centered on the 25th anniversary, many of the state’s critics were astonished at the state’s legacies.

Obviously elated by the wonderful performance of pupils at the calisthenic displayed to mark 25th anniversary of the creation of Osun State, Governor Rauf Aregbesola expressed his commitment to all round development of every individual in the state.
 

 
Aregbesola who spoke at the State Stadium venue of the programme in Osogbo noted that silver jubilee is worthy of celebration especially for a state that is moving like Osun.
He gave assurance that his administration is committed to the  development of every individual physically, mentally and socially to make them productive in the society.

He likened education to power which must be acquired by every individual saying that  was why his government has not only developed the individual intellect alone but also provide them with befitting physical learning environment to motivate and enhance their learning and teaching.
Aregbesola pledged to do all he could to make the state educational programme an outstanding and pace-setting one to distinguish it from other states.
The governor stressed that, the anniversary was centered on the state youths to encourage them to be self reliant and productive in any given society.
Speaking on the introduction of Calisthenics exercise into the anniversary programme, Aregbesola explained that, participants in the show learn and develop a high sense of aesthetics, derived from the rhythmic motion, colouful costumes and patterns that are the outcome of their joint motion.

Four thousand Osun State pupils drawn from 17 schools on Saturday dazzled a capacity-filled Osogbo Township Stadium with captivating calisthenics displays to mark the creation of the state.
 

 
The State was created on August 27, 1991 by the regime of retired General Ibrahim Babangida.
At the colourful event, former administrators of the state were full of praises for the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as they gathered with other dignitaries to mark the epochal event.
Colonel Theophilus Bamigboye and Navy Captain Anthony Udofia, who spoke on behalf of previous administrators of the state, commended Aregbesola for what they described as unprecedented developments witnessed under his administration.
This was just as Aregbesola said “worthy legacies” of previous leaders should be sustained, while saluting the late Governor of the old Oyo State, Chief Bola Ige, for introducing the idea of calisthenics during his time as Governor.
The two former administrators said they were pleased with the level of transformations and developments that have taken place in the state since they left as military governors.
They stated that there was little or nothing to show for the state when it was first created, adding that today, the state has grown in leaps and bounds and can rank favourably with other states of the federation.
Bamigboye said: “In 1991 when the state was created, there was little or nothing to show that a state actually existed.
“Today, we are very proud to see this state the way it is.
“When we first came, there was a ramshackle school in the heart of Osogbo.
“We tried our best to change the situation in our own way.
“Then the action man (Aregbesola) came and change the terrain significantly.
“He said he was interested in education, he changed everything.
“Osun is working.
“We are proud of the Governor, Ogbeni Aregbesola, for the wonderful work he is doing.
“This state will continue to progress.
“We want you to keep the flag flying.
“We were very impressed with the colourful calisthenics event the children displayed.
“This is wonderful, marvellous and fantastic.
“We say well done on behalf of all past executive governors of the state.”
 
Earlier in his address, Governor Aregbesola, while congratulating all on the 25th anniversary of the creation of the state, noted that the Osun State School Calisthenics is not a frivolous brainwave that will be swept away by the tide of time.
 
The Governor emphasised that the programme is well-conceived as part of the overall redesign and reorganisation of the education system in Osun State.
 
He held that his administration views physical education with all seriousness, regarding formal education as incomplete without its physical development component.
 
Aregbesola emphasised that the calisthenics programme 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.
The Governor also stressed that the programme is supported by practices in other lands and climes, adding that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation regards physical education programmes as part of its crucial brief.
 
According to him: “The importance of physical education in the development of healthy and wholesome human personality has been realised as far back as ancient Greece where, for instance, the human body was regarded as a temple that provided a sacred abode for the human mind and soul.
 
“The Greeks of old therefore believed that gymnastics and Calisthenics were necessary to keep this temple-abode healthy and functional. This tradition eventually gave birth to organised sporting activities.”
 
Aregbesola reminded all that Ige, as governor of the old Oyo State, introduced calisthenics in the Second Republic to the delight of all, stating that it was regrettable that it was discontinued as a result of military incursion into government.
Aregbesola held that reintroducing the programme in Osun State is just continuing with the worthy legacy of a great colossus.
 
The Calisthenics display to celebrate the silver jubilee of the creation of the state, involved 4,000 pupils between the ages nine and 14, drawn from 17 Middle Schools in Osogbo and Olorunda Local Government Areas.
Aregbesola stated: “We began this programme 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, four years ago. They also trained the trainers as well.
 
“We are happy that our people trained by the Cubans are the ones coaching the next generation and are responsible for today’s feat.
“In 2012, a total of 8,000 athletes drawn from 24 schools and 60 coaches were trained in the nine federal constituencies in the state. The calisthenics programme has been well received in our schools and communities by the students, teachers and parents.”
 
Other dignitaries at the anniversary included former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Vice Marshal Oluseyi Petirin (rtd); former Deputy Governor, Sooko Adeleke Adewoyin; wife of Ogun State Governor, Olufunso Amosun; and the Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Yetunde Onanuga.
Other are former Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Prof. Wale Omole; Lagos All Progressives Congress leader, Cardinal James Odunmbaku; Senators Jide Omoworare (Osun West senatorial district) and Prof. Sola Adeyeye (Osun Central); and Senators Olu Alabi and Mudathir Hussain.