Governor of the state of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has advocated for a full week to be set aside annually for the celebration of Nigeria’s fallen soldiers while also soliciting for the week to be called “Armed Forces Remembrance Week” instead of “Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebrations” as it is usually called.

The governor stated this while speaking at the annual Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebrations held at the newly constructed Military Cenotaph situated at the entrance of the State House of Assembly.

The Governor who explained that the fallen heroes deserve a whole week for their remembrance emphasized that the country ought to recognize the patriotism and commitment of the fallen soldiers who accepted to die for the survival of the country, the people and the resources therein.

Ogbeni Aregbesola declared that it takes certain exceptional qualities to take up a vocation that makes someone to be a target for elimination by the enemies.

According to him” We must not just limit our recognition of the armed forces to the remembrance of the fallen heroes alone, I suggest that a whole week should be devoted every year to the armed forces and this should be called the armed forces week. A day in that week should also be set aside to honour the significance of those who have laid down their lives for the unity and existence of our nation.

“We can never overlook the fact that for anybody to enlist into the army and be ready to cross the enemy line and face death is a high measure of patriotism, commitment and high level of sacrifice.

“Of course, soldiery is a calling, just like any divine calling. Certain individuals must be imbued with certain qualities like courage, selflessness, protective instinct and a disposition to taking high risk, to be able to naturally take to soldiery.

“Humans naturally follow the least line of resistance and would take great effort at self-preservation. It takes certain qualities therefore to take up a vocation that instantly makes one a legitimate target of elimination by the enemy.

“So rather than just limit it to just those who have fallen, let ua also recognize the patriotism, commitment and dedication of all who have volunteered to die in the defence of our nation”

Governor therefore called on the appropriate authorities on the need to change the week for remembrance of the fallen heroes to armed week, while a day in that week will be set aside for remembrance nationwide.

Governor Aregbesola who commended the gallantry of nation’s security agencies, said the roles being played by the men of Nigerian Army, Navy, Immigration, Customs, Department of State Services, Police among others could not be over emphasized.

Aregbesola who described the plethora of challenges facing Nigerian security agencies especially Nigerian Soldiers as uncalled for, said the nation has grown to the stage of giving the due recognition, dignity, respect and honour to the people who laid their precious lives to savage the entire nation.

He lamented over what he regarded as undeserved maltreatment of Nigerian security agents, saying the best way to combat insecurity challenges was to put utmost smile in the faces of those who have already volunteered themselves for the service of their fatherland

Aregbesola said the present fight against insurgency has been a onerous task on the military, stressing that the only way to totally eradicate any form of insurgency was for Nigerians to support the current template of “fight against insurgency” being orchestrated by the present government of President Muhammadu Buhari.

He called on the Federal Government and other appropriate military authorities to strengthen the nation’s security agencies especially in fighting Boko Haram which he regarded as monsters that must be totally uprooted and eliminated.

He said further, “Nigerians fought brilliantly to keep the world safe in the First and Second World Wars. They also fought a very bloody civil war to keep Nigeria one. They have been involved also in peace keep missions in the troubled parts of the world and have been instrumental to supporting democracies in Africa.

“These are missions in which precious lives have been lost and in which many returned home wounded and incapacitated.

“Nigerian soldiers have been involved in defending the homeland against foreign incursions by soldiers and rebels from our neighbours and are currently engaging insurgents in especially North Eastern part of the country.

“The evil insurgents which  our soldiers are facing are barbaric and nihilistic elements pretending to be fighting a religious war.

“They represents nothing but a deranged ideology of hate and a cult of death that projects nothing but the worst in humans.

“They materialize like shadows to attack communities. They will not even spare the aged, women, children, animals and crops in their barbaric assault, before they dematerialise and varnish into thin air.

“It is disconcerting therefore that our soldiers were deployed to fight these monsters without proper equipment.

The number one citizen in the state also used the occasion to bemoan the financial misappropriation of the fund set aside to procure arms for the Nigerian army in the fight against the insurgents in the North-east, saying it is an act of wickedness and gross indiscipline for anybody to engage in such gruesome act.

Aregbesola said, “My heart bleeds each time I read the report that the insurgents had ambushed our soldiers or that our military base had been attacked.

“These soldiers were deliberately put in harm’s way and practically sent on suicide missions.

“It is even a monumental scandal of unimaginable proportion that funds meant for procuring arms for soldiers are shared among members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) without the least compunction.

Governor Aregbesola who commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his brilliant moves to unravel the heinous crime being perpetrated by those who seem to be above the board in the sector.

Aregbesola held that it is ridiculous and lugubrious for anybody to desecrate blasphemously the ethics and tradition of the military, not to talk of deliberately ambushing the gallant officers.

“I commend the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari in unravelling this heinous crime and I sincerely hope that all those involved will receive full retribution.

“Some of the soldiers caught in the maelstrom and indicted have been pardoned but some have lost their commission while others face uncertain future.

“Considering the circumstances of this unusual event, it is pertinent that a fresh inquiry be set up so that justice will be given to all those involved and our gallant soldiers will not be punished unjustly.

Governor Aregbesola therefore advocated for prompt payment of the salary arrears of Nigerian security agents, saying it unforgivable sin for a country to owe the people who chose to protect the lives and property of their fatherland.

“Serving and retired officers’ salaries and other emoluments should be paid promptly. It is an unforgivable sin for a country to owe its veterans.

“The practice of retired soldiers blocking streets and engaging in demonstrations before getting paid is shameful.

“With computerisation, the process should be seamless and soldiers should not have any cause to sweat before collecting their entitlements. As we remember our deceased soldiers, let us remember their surviving families and the welfare of the veterans.

“Many of them need decent accommodation and medical attention. Do not let them regret choosing to defend the country to some other vocations where their welfare could have been better taken care of.

“I am also calling on the soldiers not to lose their discipline after service by engaging in self-defeating acts and criminal behaviours incompatible with fine soldiery.

“More importantly, the able-bodied among them should strive to find a gainful engagement. They should find civilian use for some of the skills they have acquired while in service. We are in a new era where every citizen must be productive and contribute to the commonwealth”, Aregbesola added.

SPEECH BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF OSUN, OGBENI RAUF AREGBESOLA, AT THE INAUGURATION OF COMMUNITY BASED MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES FOR OSUN ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS, HELD AT GOVERNMENT TECHNICAL COLLEGE, OSOGBO, ON THURSDAY JANUARY 14

Protocols,

COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP OF SCHOOLS

I welcome you most sincerely to another milestone in the course of educational development in our dear state. We are assembled here to give life to community based school management committees at the elementary, middle and high schools in the State of Osun.

After holding the education summit in 2011, we have since introduced many reforms into the education sector. In line with our policy of focussing on basic education, we have reclassified schools into elementary, middle and high cadres. We produced and gave one pair of school uniform to each pupil in our public schools in order to give them a distinct identity and renewed confidence.

Before the present cash crunch, we have increased the running cost on each pupil from N200 to N400. We appointed about 3,500 fresh teachers and provided teaching aids and materials to all public schools. Then we began the feeding of over 250,000 elementary pupils with nutritious meals on every school day. We also invented the e-learning computer tablet, Opon Imo, for high school pupils in the state.

Considering that the environment must be suitable for learning, we began the construction of state of the art 100 Elementary Schools, 50 Middle Schools and 20 High Schools. We have since completed 14 Elementary, 15 Middle and 1High Schools. Others are in various stages of completion. Just on Tuesday, you will all recall, we commissioned Anthony Udofia Government Elementary School, an architectural masterpiece that has set the tone for school building, public or private, for a very long time to come.

What remains, and what we are doing today, is welding all these together into an organic whole, by putting in place an effective management system. It makes good sense to us that the best management approach is a community based one. This is not just a global practice, it is self-evident that those imbued with the right sense of ownership are in the best position to drive an organisation or process for it to be successful.

Education is critical to every society because it is an area where any society cannot afford to fail. First, it is through education that every society renews itself by integrating its new members into its past and traditions; for them to be able to properly grasp the present; and improve and secure the future. It is through education that the intellect is cultivated, character is built and an individual becomes adjusted to society. This is why after successfully passing an examination, certificates are issued to the student only after having been found ‘worthy in learning and character’. Indeed, in my schooling days, a testimonial introducing the school leaver and affirming his or her character and suitability for engagement in any endeavour is first issued before the certificate, while certificates are declined even to those who passed examinations on the ground of character.

Education is also the primary instrument of development. The knowledge that drives development is introduced to every pupil through systematised learning. While there have been geniuses and outstanding individuals who affected our world positively through creativity and innovation without acquiring formal education, the making of our world as it is today is the product of knowledge acquired though education in the sciences, technology, engineering, arts, entertainment and so on. The technology of building, architecture, automobiles, environmental engineering, medical sciences and administrative sciences are overwhelmingly acquired though education.

Education is also the primary means for leadership training and recruitment. Other things being equal, the business, political and social leaders are usually those that have acquired some form of formal education. They are also the richer members of our society who hold a disproportionate quantum of knowledge, societal wealth and resources.

When you look at the trend in the world, seeing that it is increasingly becoming digitized, knowledge-based and competitive, one cannot but conclude that the future belongs to those who have very good education and knowledge.

This is the future we project for our children and that is why we are straining the resources of government to give them the best education available and possible.

We are bringing in the community because we want our communities to have ownership of our schools since the community is the primary stakeholder in education. It is also self-evident that for the success and any attainment of a person in life, his or her community first takes credit. The first thing that is asked after someone becomes successful or famous is: ‘where is she/he from?’ By the same token, moral and educational failures of an individual is also shared by his community. This is the ancient wisdom behind banishing an individual whose actions and disposition do not conform to the values of a community.

Therefore, the failure of any school in moral, educational, physical standards is collective failure of the community. Failure of any child is a failure of the community; every school and every child thus need the support of the community to achieve success. Even if you have no child in the school, demonstrate your sense of responsibility to your community by supporting your schools. Superintend all schools’ activities, monitor the pupils and report shortcomings to the appropriate authorities.

In composing the board members, all stakeholders in the community – traditional rulers, leaders, iyalojas, artisans forum of parents, educationists, professional etc. – were consulted. Members were picked by the communities through their recognised organs. It is our view therefore that you are all capable of performing satisfactorily the assignment given to you.

However, the committee members should be made to realise that they were nominated based on the fact that they could contribute meaningfully to Community Based Management Committees, Boards and Councils, but if found ineffective, the management has the right to determine their continued membership;

Secondly, members are expected to source for fund for schools’ improvement, jointly plan for its utilisation and ensure its judicious use for schools’ improvement and development;

Thirdly, with Community Based Management Committees, Boards and Councils, everything will work as expected in our schools, the issue of supervision would be easy because feedback will be obtained from the community;

Fourthly, the committee members are to identify schools’ needs and challenges and take appropriate actions towards solving them.

While it is part of the responsibilities of the various committees, boards and councils to raise funds and complement government’s efforts in funding the schools, the objectives are not to impose levies or overburden the parents and pupils, but to manage the schools for excellence.

There are clear challenges in attitudes of teachers as seen in the high failure rate and absence of grooming in their pupils; there are challenges also among the pupils, manifest in the gangster-like and unruly behaviour of some of them. The school should be the centre of excellence for knowledge impartation and character building. Without proper management and supervision, we cannot achieve this. With the efforts and financial resources government is committing to education, our school leavers should be able to face the world, well-armed with knowledge and good character. This is where your job is well cut for you. You must instil discipline in all.

You should also note that this appointment is not a political reward. It is not a call to political patronage, primitive accumulation and self-aggrandisement. Rather, it is a solemn call to the building of our society. It is a call to be part of history; it is a call to be remembered in the future when credits are given to those who stood to be counted in the making of an informed society.

Therefore, from now on, the slogan would be: Support your community; own and oversee your schools. We shall evaluate and assess your performance through the physical condition of your schools, the character and performance of your students. These will be recognized annually with State medals and others laurels of distinctions.

I congratulate you for heeding the call and for being part of this historic mission.

I thank you all for your kind attention.

Osun a dara!

Governor of the state of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has inaugurated a community based management committee to see to the effective maintenance of public school facilities across the state.

The committee members drawn from all the 30 Local Governments in the state are grouped in three categories separately for all the local governments in the state for the Elementary, Middle and High Schools respectively.

Speaking at the inauguration held at the Government Technical College in Osogbo, Ogbeni Aregbesola pointed out that the move is aimed at returning the schools to the communities which he described as the original owners for easy management and maintenance.

He said, “the government is inaugurating the committee because it is believed that the community owns education and they are the ones who can manage better than anybody.

While explaining the importance of education to the society, Governor Aregbesola stressed that education is very critical because it is an area where no society can afford to fail, emphasizing that it is only through education that the society can amend the past, meet up the present and safeguard the future.

The Governor among other objectives charged members of the committee to source for funds to maintain and manage the schools without creating unnecessary burden on parents and pupils but to find a way of assisting them.

He also charged the committee to identify the school needs and lapses so as to find lasting solutions to them, while also explaining to them not to see their appointment into the various committees as a political reward but a call to be part of history.

He said,”It makes good sense to know that community based approach to school management is the best approach anywhere in the world as it is effective in the management of our schools”

“We are spending so much in the education sector because education is critical to every society, it is an area where no society can afford to fail, the education sector is important because it is through education that a society can meet up with the present and safeguard the future”

“Education is the primary foundation of every development, the technology of building, architecture science among others are acquired through education, so there is nothing you can do without education”

“With the trends in the world, the whole world is now going digital and one can not but conclude that the future belongs to only the educated”

“To the newly inaugurated committee, I want them to know that this assignment should not be seen as a political reward, you should rather see it as a call to be part of history because our government is bent in changing the face of education in the state of Osun and we will be surely remembered for it”

“I want to also assure you that there will be prices for the community management committee that performs exceptionally” the governor noted.

In her address, the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Grace Titilaoye Tomori charged the members of the committee to see the new school facilities as that of their individual community property, saying their jobs is to ensure that the schools are well managed.

Mrs. Tomori who doubled as Commissioner of Education, held that the current government has seriously invested huge resources on education, having considered it as a pivot to all kinds of development, saying to this generous initiative, there is a need for the committee to perform their responsibilities diligently.

The Deputy Governor who described the task of the committee as a great challenge that must be faced squarely with utmost sense of responsibility, honesty and commitment, reiterating that the time has come for the committee to prove its quality in the area being saddled with.

Mrs. Tomori however implored the committee to perform its responsibility as expected and not let the government down in the confidence reposed in them to oversee and maintain of such gigantic facilities in their respective posts.

“Our government has identified education as the pivot of development, that is why we didn’t look back at all in our drive to take education to the greater heights we all desired in the state”

“without any sense of doubt, the job of this committee is to ensure that our schools are well maintained.

“In as much as members of this  committee is being drawn from various communities and as well made of people at the grassroots, therefore nothing else is expected than excellent performance.

“As for your oversight functions, members of this committee are further charged to participate in every activity going on in their various schools most on the area of home grown feeding called O’meal

“Every facilities’ manager is expected as a matter of necessary and oversight function to monitor the O’meal vendors in order to quality service delivery and better performance.

“All the schools are to be managed by the communities because we believe you are all stakeholders and that’s why we have brought together all the lovers of education to be part of the committees in the all the local government”, Mrs. Tomori opined.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, State Universal Basic Education Board, Alhaji Fatai Kolawole enjoined members of the committee to see themselves as owners of the facilities and schools at large in their various communities.

He called on them to see the inauguration as an opportunity to support the administration of Ogbeni Aregbesola in his bid to change the face of education in the state of Osun.

“It is our belief that the committees can assist government in the proper management of the education facilities which government has spent so much money to put in place”, he stated.

A picture of the cross section of the newly inaugurated Community Based School Management Committee by Governor Rauf Aregbesola to oversee the School activities in Osun, during the inauguration at the Government Technical College, Osogbo on Thursday 14-01-2016.

A cross section of the newly inaugurated Community Based School
Management Committee by Governor Rauf Aregbesola to oversee the School
activities in Osun, during the inauguration at the Government
Technical College, Osogbo on Thursday 14-01-2016.

A cross section of the newly inaugurated Community Based School
Management Committee by Governor Rauf Aregbesola to oversee the School
activities in Osun, during the inauguration at the Government
Technical College, Osogbo on Thursday 14-01-2016.

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right);
congratulating one of the Chairmen of the newly inaugurated Community
Based School Management Committee, High Chief Christopher Ayodele.
With them is the deputy governor, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori, after the
inauguration at the Government Technical College, Osogbo on Thursday
14-01-2016

Governor State of Odun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right),
congratulating one of the newly inaugurated Chairmen of the Community
Based School Management Committee, Chief Samuel Oladepo Omoeumi, after
the inauguration at the Government Technical College, Osogbo on
Thursday 15-01-2016

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun and his deputy, Mrs Titi
Laoye-Tomori, dancing to a traditional display, during the
inauguration of Community Based School Management Committee, at the
Government Technical College, Osogbo on Thursday 15-01-2016

Everything is set for the Government of the State of Osun to build several markets across the state especially in Osogbo, the State Capital.

This was part of the disclosure made by the State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola during his inspection tours to the proposed market sites within Osogbo metropolis.

The train of Governor Aregbesola’s tours took place at the newly proposed Yam Market located at Awosuru area of Alekuwodo axis where Mr. Governor was given a tumultuous welcome by the enthusiastic market women and men who had already besieged the site.

Addressing the traders shortly after his inspection, Governor Aregbesola said in spite the current economic challenges facing the state, his government would not in anyway relent in its efforts to turn around the economy of the state through establishment of modern markets.

Aregbesola revealed that his administration has resolved to construct an ultra-modern yam market where varieties of yams and other food items would be bought and sold.

Speaking on the characteristics of the proposed market, Governor Aregbesola said the market when completed would ease the challenges being faced by the residents of the town in access daily commodities like yams, vegetables, peppers, meat among others.

Governor Aregbesola however noted that the market would be the only legalized yam market in Osogbo, saying all the yam sellers in the town would be concentrated in the market.

He therefore called on the market women to come up with their needs on the proposed market and forward it through their representatives to the government for quick implementation.

Meanwhile the train of Governor Aregbesola inspection moved to a popular placed called Igbo Kenya where the state government is proposing to build a neighborhood market.

Shortly after this, Governor Aregbesola moved to the ongoing construction site of Osogbo Government High School where he was equally received by enthusiastically by the artisans working at the site.

Governor Aregbesola inspection tours  didn’t stop at this but headed to a proposed new MDS market along Osogbo/Iwo road where he was warmly received by the traders  and market women.

On this site, one of the market women, Mrs. Funke Afolabi commended Governor Aregbesola for his high sense of passion and commitment towards the plight of the market women and the people of the state in general.

Mrs. Afolabi expressed gratitude to the state government for identifying with them and deeming it fit to construct a befitting market that if completed would accommodate the buyers and sellers conveniently.

She lauded the numerous achievements of Governor Aregbesola, saying his tremendous impacts have been positively felt by the people of the state.

Also in his reaction, one of the executives of MDS Traders Association, Chief Aloysius Umenweke implored the state government to do its best at ensuring that the dream of the market comes to reality.

Chief Umenweke said he would be happy if the government turn the proposed MDS market to the state central market where various commodities and wares would be bought and sold.

Those in company with Governor Aregbesola are; Former Special Adviser to the Governor on Rural and Community Development, Mr. Kunle Ige, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Lands, Physical Planning and Urban Development, Architect Wale Ojo and other government officials.

…as State House of Assembly calls for Proper Investigation into Sacking crisis

The Managements of the Osun State-owned Tertiary Institutions have said that the state government has no hand in the sack of some of their teaching and non-teaching staff.

Responding to questions at a meeting called by the State House of Assembly in Osogbo on Tuesday, they said it was the discretion of the institutions to retrench the staff who have run foul of the requirements of their jobs.

This is just as the Speaker, Honourable Najeem Salaam called for meticulous scrutiny, justification and thorough investigation of the files of the affected staffers so as for the House to confirm whether the sacked workers have indeed run foul of the said jobs’ requirements.

Hon. Salaam further directed the managements of the four affected institutions to suspend any action capable of making anyone loses his job until the investigation is concluded by the House.

Apparently, the Rector, Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Dr. Sola Agboola; his counterpart from Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, Dr. Augustus Oke; Provost, Osun State College of Education, Ilesa, Dr. Kadiri Adegoke and his counterpart from Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun, Professor Isaac Oyewole argued that none of the staff of the institutions was unjustifiably sacked.

One after the other, they all identified redundancy, inappropriate qualifications, poor academic development, declining productivity, questionable certificates, disciplinary matters among other as parts of the criteria for the disengagement of the affected teaching and non-teaching staff of the institutions.

In his submission, Rector, Osun State College of Education, Dr. Augustus Oke who attributed the lingering crisis to what he described as nepotism, chauvinism and favourism explained that the problem in the system, dated back to 2005 when due process was totally ignored and disregarded in the staff engagement, saying at that period, political office holders used to give out note for lecturers to report to the institution without the appropriate certificates and qualifications.

He stressed that many of the affected workers were neither recruited nor engaged in line with the recruitment’s standards, rules and regulations, saying some of them gained the jobs through back door.

In his subsequent reactions, Rector, Osun State Polytechnic, Dr. Sola Agboola elucidated that the institutions were not involved in the recruitment of staff from 2005 to 2007, saying, it was done at the instance of the  political class.

The duo however affirmed that consultants were engaged to carry out staff audit and at the end, the affected staff were found wanting.

Also reacting, Provost, Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun, Professor Isaac OyewoleProfessor Oyewole said the exercise was not meant to witch-hunt the staff, but was done in good faith to bring sanity into the education system in the state.

Professor Oyewole stressed that some of the affected staff had disciplinary issues including extortion of students and aiding exam malpractices among others, saying the offence committed by the affected officials were contained in their files.

Reacting, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Najeem Salaam wondered why the management had to wait till now if indeed the affected staff have been found wanting in one way or the other.

“If somebody has a questionable certificate, you must have known before now; and if a person is engaging in disciplinary activities, your must have had the hint. Why do you have to wait till now to generate noises”, he said.

Hon. Salaam held that the House under his leadership would not condone the disengagement of the staff of the institutions unjustifiably, therefore directed the institution to suspend the action for now.

Salaam who hinted that a letter for the commencement of strike action had been received from the Academic Staff Union of the institutions, urged the Union not to embark on any strike for now, as effort is being taken by the House to resolve the matter.

Osun State Police Command has nabbed eight robbery suspects who murdered a university teacher, Dr. Adedeji Adejobi.
Adejobi a lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State and senior brother to Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ademuyiwa Adejobi.
Osun State Police Commissioner,  Kola Sodipo made the disclosure at a press briefing held  in Osogbo yesterday. Dr. Adedeji was murdered on July 14th, 2015 in Ile-Ife.
Those arrested are: Abiodun Damilola Jawefa, Adegoke Adeolu, who pulled the trigger, Sunday Okoro , Abiodun Ayeni, Faisal Musa, Bilkiaminu Alasan, Sule Victor and Bobby Eric.
Sodipo said when the suspects were interrogated, they all confessed that the Berretta pistol which was used to kill Dr. Adedeji Adejobi belong to Abiodun Damilola Jawefa and Anthony Okoro who is now at large.
He added that during the operation, Okoro now at large used his locally made cut to size barrel gun to kill the night guard security man at the house of the lecturer.
The Polic Commissioner said further that before the gang killed the university lecturer that day, they had earlier robbed a man of his Toyota Corolla car at Ilesa, which they latter used to trail Dr. Adejobi to his residence at Ile-Ife and robbed him of the following: Toyota Venza, NhP Laptop Computer, Blackberry handsets and cash, before  eventually shot him to death.
He said that the police had recovered the following from one of the suspects: Laptop Computer, Plasma Television , two locally made cut size single barrel guns, one live and 3 expended cartridges, and one empty shell of 9mm Pistol ammunition.
Commissioner  Sodipo said that the suspects have been arraigned in court and effort is ongoing to arrest the run away Anthony Okoro.
The State Commissioner of Police also stated that the command has arrested four robbery suspects and large cache of arms from them.
The suspects are Ifedayo Adeniyi, Semiu Taofeeq, Ogunwale Afolabi and Mukaila Oyeleke.
He posited that the suspects were arrested when they attacked and robbed one Fabiyi Adebayo of his Lexus Jep RX 300 at gun point.
He added that during the arrest, one locally made double barrel pistol with one live cartridge and cutlasses was recovered from them.
Commissioner of Police also disclosed that one Bamitale Fisayo who broke into a house and carted away sum of N30,130, one Acer laptop, two Infinix handset,one Blackberry touch handset, one Itel phone, one Nokia phone, one power bank with charger and other items was arrested, and has been charged to court .
The Commissioner said that eighteen vehicles and eight motorcycles were recovered by the command from various suspects from September to December 2015.
DAILY INDEPENDENT

…as State House of Assembly calls for Proper Investigation into Sacking crisis

The Managements of the Osun State-owned Tertiary Institutions have said that the state government has no hand in the sack of some of their teaching and non-teaching staff.

Responding to questions at a meeting called by the State House of Assembly in Osogbo on Tuesday, they said it was the discretion of the institutions to retrench the staff who have run foul of the requirements of their jobs.

This is just as the Speaker, Honourable Najeem Salaam called for meticulous scrutiny, justification and thorough investigation of the files of the affected staffers so as for the House to confirm whether the sacked workers have indeed run foul of the said jobs’ requirements.

Hon. Salaam further directed the managements of the four affected institutions to suspend any action capable of making anyone loses his job until the investigation is concluded by the House.

Apparently, the Rector, Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Dr. Sola Agboola; his counterpart from Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, Dr. Augustus Oke; Provost, Osun State College of Education, Ilesa, Dr. Kadiri Adegoke and his counterpart from Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun, Professor Isaac Oyewole argued that none of the staff of the institutions was unjustifiably sacked.

One after the other, they all identified redundancy, inappropriate qualifications, poor academic development, declining productivity, questionable certificates, disciplinary matters among other as parts of the criteria for the disengagement of the affected teaching and non-teaching staff of the institutions.

In his submission, Rector, Osun State College of Education, Dr. Augustus Oke who attributed the lingering crisis to what he described as nepotism, chauvinism and favourism explained that the problem in the system, dated back to 2005 when due process was totally ignored and disregarded in the staff engagement, saying at that period, political office holders used to give out note for lecturers to report to the institution without the appropriate certificates and qualifications.

He stressed that many of the affected workers were neither recruited nor engaged in line with the recruitment’s standards, rules and regulations, saying some of them gained the jobs through back door.

In his subsequent reactions, Rector, Osun State Polytechnic, Dr. Sola Agboola elucidated that the institutions were not involved in the recruitment of staff from 2005 to 2007, saying, it was done at the instance of the  political class.

The duo however affirmed that consultants were engaged to carry out staff audit and at the end, the affected staff were found wanting.

Also reacting, Provost, Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun, Professor Isaac OyewoleProfessor Oyewole said the exercise was not meant to witch-hunt the staff, but was done in good faith to bring sanity into the education system in the state.

Professor Oyewole stressed that some of the affected staff had disciplinary issues including extortion of students and aiding exam malpractices among others, saying the offence committed by the affected officials were contained in their files.

Reacting, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Najeem Salaam wondered why the management had to wait till now if indeed the affected staff have been found wanting in one way or the other.

“If somebody has a questionable certificate, you must have known before now; and if a person is engaging in disciplinary activities, your must have had the hint. Why do you have to wait till now to generate noises”, he said.

Hon. Salaam held that the House under his leadership would not condone the disengagement of the staff of the institutions unjustifiably, therefore directed the institution to suspend the action for now.

Salaam who hinted that a letter for the commencement of strike action had been received from the Academic Staff Union of the institutions, urged the Union not to embark on any strike for now, as effort is being taken by the House to resolve the matter.

As he Commissions N140m State-of-the-art Elementary School in the State

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has reassured the good people of the state of his administration’s commitment towards the provision of functional, quality, qualitative and effective education in the state.

In view of the worrisome economic situation in Nigeria and the state in particular, Governor Aregbesola said one of the ways to liberate the nation out of her present situation was to invest its little resources on her citizens through the provision of an interrupted-standard western education as it remains the sustainable legacy for every child.

Governor Aregbesola stated this while commissioning Anthony Udofia Government Elementary School, Osogbo.

The school which was named after the former military administrator, Retired Navy/Captain Anthony Udofia was metarmophosed from Anthony Udofia Model School to Anthony Udofia Government Elementary School.

Governor Aregbesola who described the provision of functional basic education as an unavoidable duty and responsibility  owed by every serious government, said his administration has prioritized education based on the premises of its understanding that any child with a good elementary school foundation will have no problem making progress educationally.

Aregbesola expressed satisfaction in the fact that his administration has been able to record tremendous achievements and accolade locally and internationally in educational sector, adding that he had elevated the state to the extent that the state can presently boast of having public schools that can compete with the best in the world.

He said his administration since inception has been putting together necessary efforts towards the actualization and fulfillment of its electoral campaign promises not only on education but in all other sectors of the economy as these notions had been successfully initiated, enunciated and implemented.

Aregbesola said his government having identified basic education as a fundamental and inalienable right of every child, decided to invest huge parts of its resources with the sole foresight that it remains the bedrock for sustainable development.

He stressed further that a good basic education fulfills the definition of literacy as the ability to read and write, saying it remains a solid foundation on which other superstructure of vocational training or higher education can be built upon.

Enumerating his landmark achievements, Governor Aregbesola recounts that his administration has commenced the  building of 100 Elementary schools across the state in a bid to domesticate and harmonize elementary public school in every neighbourhood.

He said, “Elementary school is the basic of the basic education. Any child with a good elementary school foundation will have no problem making progress educationally, other things being equal.

“We are building 100 Elementary schools like this across the state; though this is ambitious, the idea behind it is that there should be an elementary public school in every neighbourhood.

Speaking on the amount being expended by his administration on the new edifice, Governor Aregbesola disclosed that his government spent N140 million for the structure, furnishing and landscape, saying his government was satisfied in the fact that “being in this school gives the satisfaction of being in the proper environment of learning.

“We have made education development the priority of our administration. As you are mostly aware, these schools and other innovations are the products of the educational summit we held immediately after my inauguration.

“The complex we are in is a 960-pupil capacity school with 24 classrooms of 40 pupils each, with further capacity for upgrade to 1,000. It has an ICT room, a library, multipurpose hall, 29 toilets, offices for headmaster, facility manager, staff room, food court, sick bay, security/reception office and a water fountain for aesthetics.

“I am happy and fulfilled that we have public schools that can compete with the best in the world and indeed, our new schools are the ones to beat around here.

“All these are in fulfillment of our promise to provide functional basic education for the pupils in the state.

“This stems from our conviction that every child is owed basic education. It is a fundamental and inalienable right of every child.

“A good basic education fulfills the definition of literacy as the ability to read and write and is a solid foundation on which other superstructure of vocational training or higher education can be built upon”, Aregbesola stated.

He revealed further, “Indeed, we are constructing 100 brand new state-of-the-art Elementary Schools, 50 Middle Schools and 20 High Schools. Out of these, 14 Elementary Schools, 15 Middle Schools and 11 High Schools, including the one we are commissioning today, have been completed, receiving finishing touches and awaiting commissioning, to the glory of God.

“Fulfilling our commitment to complete these school projects and our other obligations is financially challenging, if not herculean.

Governor Aregbesola who lamented over the current economic challenges occasioned with the effects of continued dwindling revenues from the Federation Accounts, said his administration would not be carried away in its focus to meet its numerous obligations and commitments.

He said, “As at Friday January 8, the new OPEC Reference of 13 Crude Basket which includes Nigeria’s Bonny Light sold for $28.46.

“This is a new low for the cascading price of crude oil, the life line of the nation’s economy, which hit a dazzling height of $140 in 2013.

“It is a crude awakening to the grim fact that any hope of allocation from the Federation Accounts is gone.

“We must therefore face the twin realities of first living within our means and making our own money.

“We must be engaged in productive activities that will lead to job creation, wealth creation and generous taxation to the government.

“Our people must work hard and double their productivity. We must all be engaged in one productive activity or the other.

Governor Aregbesola however implored the people of the state especially the youths to develop interest in agriculture, saying exploring its potentials would bring greater improvement on the state economy.

“The era of free, unearned money is gone. This is not a situation peculiar to Osun alone. Only states that can generate its own revenue will be able to withstand the financial disaster that befell the nation on account of the precipitous slump in oil price.

“The youths, especially fresh graduates and school leavers, must find something to do, especially in agriculture, an area where we have tremendous advantage.

“In addressing this challenge, it is also imperative that we live within our means.

“It is impractical anyway to do otherwise, since states do not print money and you cannot spend what you don’t have.

“The government sits atop society and presides over contending and competing interests therein. It is our duty that no particular interest predominates and asphyxiates other interests and put the survival of the state in danger.

“We must therefore reasonably spread what we have, especially on human development.

“This is why we have been unwavering in our commitment to human development projects like education”, he stressed.

Governor Aregbesola who debunked the allegation that his administration was only concentrating the state’s resources on the execution of capital development at the expense of state workers, said it was erroneous for any government to spend all its accruable resources on workforce which according to him remains subset of a set and constitutes less than 5 per cent of the entire populace.

“There is this ignorant and unreasonable idea being vigorously promoted by a few disgruntled media organizations and their political sponsors that reduced government to paying salaries alone.

“We are fully conscious of our legal and moral obligations to workers, yet, the truth is that workers are less than five per cent of the population of the state over whom we have responsibilities as a government.

“The idea therefore that all state’s resources must be spent on workers alone is insane, unsustainable and impossible.

“These media organizations have been inciting workers and pensioners to rebellion, subversion and sabotage, with the intent of destabilizing the state and disrupting the peace of our communities.

“In the past, they have made futile attempts to precipitate religious crisis by inciting Christians against Muslims in the state. It did not fly.

“They have also made repeated but failed efforts at inciting Civil Servants against the government. They have failed also. They hunt for crises and where they could not find any, they invent stories and write fiction, thereby putting the noble profession of journalism into disrepute, just because they want to stoke crises in the state.

He therefore commended the state workforce for its understanding, patience and perseverance to the current economic hardship, saying its constant resolute and total resistance of political demagogues and detractors had justified its apolitical stands in the affairs of the state.

Aregbesola said, “I must commend the mainstream Civil Servants for not taking the bait and falling prey to the infernal political schemes of failed politicians whom the people of this state have consistently rejected at the polls and who want to take over the government thorough subterfuge and conspiracy.

“This is why other categories of workers in the state’s employment must see reason and cooperate with government on the need to live within our means.

“This is a very special time that requires faith, understanding, creativity and new thinking. Albert Einstein, the great physicist, once defined insanity as doing the same thing, the same way, all the time and expecting a different result.

“I have the faith that with the various efforts we are making and fresh opportunities we are exploring in agriculture, solid mineral development, tourism and manufacturing, we will surmount the present challenges, create wealth and usher in new round of prosperity and wealth creation.

He therefore congratulate the people of Osogbo, the teachers and staff of this brand new school, its pupils and their parents and those working for the development of education in this state.

Earlier in her remarks, the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye Tomori said the current administration has remained unstoppable in the provision of functional and quality education.

Mrs. Tomori who is also the State Commissioner for Education averred that the giant strides of the present administration in education and other sectors of the economy has elevated the state to the vantage position of being the model for its peers across the world.

She held that countless of the present administrative policies and programmes  initiated had been borrowed and domesticated by the local, state, national and international governments across the world.

Mrs. Tomori therefore applauded Governor Aregbesola for his rare commitment to turn around the state and bring the desired light into the educational sector, saying his compassion for education has positively impacted the lives of the pupils and students in the state.

She admonished the pupils who are the beneficiaries of the projects and their teachers to see the edifice as a jewel that must be properly kept and maintained.

“This project is one of the testimonies of a fulfilled vision. It is a testimony of our untiring efforts to turn the education around for good and for the massive benefit of every Osun born citizen.

“The construction of such state-of-the-art school like this indicates our commitment towards functional education and provision conducive environment for teaching and learning processes.

“The building of the state-of-the-art school like this is equipped with modern facilities couples with the architectural masterpiece that eases teaching and learning and this is also the dream of many pupils all over the world”, Mrs. Tomori stressed.

in his address, the former Military Administrator in the state whose school was named after, Captain Anthony Udofia, commended the state government for building a solid future for the people of the state through provision of functional education and construction of school buildings with longer lifespan.

Confirming the numerous achievements of the current administration in educational sector, Captain Udofia stressed that no amount of money spends on education goes wasted and that the current government has with five years performed a 50-year development in education.

He said, “it is glaring that this government has been working rigorously to bring us the best in all sectors especially in the area of education which it prioritizes since it assumes office.

“This school and other ongoing ones across the state is a clear manifestation of the rare love, passion and commitment of the current government towards a developed and improved education system.

He therefore expressed gratitude to the Governor, people and government of the state of Osun for deeming it fit to maintain the status and name of the school.

Pictures of the newly commissioned Anthony Udofia Elementary School in Osogbo. In attendance, Deputy Governor, State of Osun, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori, former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; his wife, Sherifat and former Osun State Military Administrator, Navy Captain Anthony Udofia, at he commissioning of the School in Osogbo on Tuesday 12-01-3016

Newly Commissioned Anthony Udofia Elementary School in Osogbo. Insert
From left, Permanent Secretary SUBEB, Mr Fatai Kolawole; Osun State
Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo; Deputy Governor, Mrs Titi
Laoye-Tomori; former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola; former Military
Administrator in the State, Navy Captain Anthony Udofia; Governor Rauf
Aregbesola; deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon.
Adegboye Akintunde; wife of Governor Aregbesola, Alhaja Sherifat and
others, during the commissioning of the School on Tuesday 12-01-2016

The newly commissioned Anthony Udofia Elementary Schooling Osogbo. Insert
From left, Former Governor of Osun, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola;
Governor Rauf Aregbesola; his wife, Sherifat and former Osun State
Military Administrator, Naval Captain Anthony Udofia, during the
commissioning of Anthony Udofia Elementary School in Osogbo on Tuesday
12-01-2016

The newly commissioned Anthony Udofia Elementary School in Osogbo. Insert
From left, Deputy Governor, State of Osun, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori;
former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; his
wife, Sherifat and former Osun State Military Administrator, Navy
Captain Anthony Udofia, during the commissioning of the School in
Osogbo on Tuesday 12-01-3016

The newly commissioned Anthony Udofia Elementary School in Osogbo. Insert
Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Tauf Aregbesola acknowledging cheers
from students during the commissioning on Tuesday 12-01-2016

The newly commissioned Anthony Udofia Elementary School in Osogbo. Insert
Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Tauf Aregbesola acknowledging cheers
from students during the commissioning on Tuesday 12-01-2016

The newly commissioned Anthony Udofia Elementary in Osogbo. Insert
from left, Deputy Governor State of Osun, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori; Mrs
Sherifat Aregbesola; Former Military Administrator in the State, Navy
Captain Anthony Udofia; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Secretary to the
State Government, Moshood Adept I and others, during the commissioning
on Tuesday 12-01-2016

The newly commissioned Anthony Udofia Elentaty School in Osogbo.
Insert is Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola,
acknowledging cheers, during the commission of the School in Osogbo on
Tuesday 12-01-2016

Newly Commissioned Anthony Udofia Elementary School in Osogbo. Insert
From left, Permanent Secretary SUBEB, Mr Fatai Kolawole; Osun State
Chief Judge, Justice Adepele Ojo; Deputy Governor, Mrs Titi
Laoye-Tomori; former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola; former Military
Administrator in the State, Navy Captain Anthony Udofia; Governor Rauf
Aregbesola; deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon.
Adegboye Akintunde; wife of Governor Aregbesola, Alhaja Sherifat and
others, during the commissioning of the School on Tuesday 12-01-2016