Governor stateof Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has expressed disgust at the alarming rate of the current economic recession, lamenting that if proactive measures are not applied by government and the citizenry, the effects would soon degenerate into a civil war scenario.
 

 
The governor who stated this in a media chat with Saturday Sun at the weekend, noted that it not only government but Nigerians had a lot of proactive roles to play in mitigating the dehumanising effects of the recession.
While suggesting strategies the citizenry at all levels could adopt in surviving the period, the governor expressed the need for people to cut down on luxuries and make do with whatever is available within the limit of their income.
Aregbesola also stressed the need to patronise local materials, especially agricultural produce, to boost the country’s export profile in order to strengthen the naira against the dollar.
According to him, there is no need for people to insist on eating rice, which has become too expensive even though some people cannot afford it.
He noted that even the people of China, who are the largest producer of rice, have stopped depending largely on rice.
Aregbesola said it was high time people resort to developing more appetite for other staple foods, such as plantains, cassava among others. “Plantain is even healthier and more nutritious than rice. It is edible in different versions. Why must we keep on pursuing rice?” Why can’t we develop plantain and promote it internationally? Aregbesola asked.
The Chinese have realised that the energy required to produce a kilogram of rice is more than the energy that goes into the production of a kilogram of other carbohydrates.
“So, why must we insist on rice as if there are no options?”
The governor also spoke glowingly on the various strategies his administration has adopted to help the people of the state, especially the school children, the youth among others survive the recession.
He enthused that the school children feeding programme was still ongoing.
“Our school children eat eggs twice in a day. They eat chicken, fish and beef. With each meal, they also eat fruits. We don’t import any of them. Women go to our local markets in Osun here and buy them. With this you can be sure that the food sellers no longer suffer as they used to suffer. Indirectly, they are benefitting from government,” he said.
He also explained how his people-oriented social service programmes boost the economy of the state.
“Whatever money we spend on these food items and other commodities goes directly into the local economy,” he added.
He added: “If you move round the state of Osun, you can no longer see the kind of miseries you see in some states due to hardship. Here you hardly see harried and bitter youths in the streets. Not less than 20,000 youths have been engaged for public work such as sanitation, traffic control, medical emergencies among others to keep them busy and useful to themselves and the society and we pay them stipends. This has done a lot of wonders here.
“Besides the youths, we also give N10, 000 lifeline monthly to elderly citizens in the state that are vulnerable and in deplorable conditions that can not help themselves. We engage a professor from Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU), Ile-Ife, who was able to discover them. These are people that are only waiting for death even though their time has not come.”

Grade 12 class of Ataoja Government High School of Science, Osogbo with their Principal, Mrs Taiwo Adeagbo displaying the ‘Opon-Imo’ – Tablet of Knowledge given to them by the government of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola at the school hall, Osogbo on Friday 09-12-2016
 

Grade Level 12 Students of Ataoja Government High School of Science, Osogbo comparing and contrasting their ‘Opon-Imo’ – Tablet of Knowledge given to them free of charge by the government of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola at the school hall, Osogbo, on Friday 09-12-2016
 

Grade Level 12 Students of Ataoja Government High School of Science, Osogbo (on queue) waiting to sign for their ‘Opon-Imo’ – Tablet of Knowledge given to them free by the government of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola at the school hall, Osogbo, on Friday 09-12-2016

Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Najeem Salaam, has lauded the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi (Ojaja II) for picking the gauntlet against divisive tendencies among the Yoruba traditional rulers in the last one year of his ascension to the throne.
 

 
Speaking to newsmen in his office at the House of Assembly complex in Osogbo, the state capital, Speaker Salaam asserted that Ooni Ogunwusi has shown the world that the Yoruba nation is endowed with rich culture, value and moral fibers coupled with wise rulers, with the way the King has conducted himself.
Speaker Salaam stressed that the state parliament under his watch was proud of the Arole Oodua and his relation with other traditional rulers in the state and across the country.
“We, at the State of Osun House of Assembly are proud of Ooni Ogunwusi and his royal candor in relating with other traditional rulers in the state and across the country.
“We cannot but agree more to his world view on unity and the leaders across board for the good of the nation”, Salaam reiterated.
“I congratulate the great monarch as he clocks a year on the revered stool and pray that Ooni Ogunwusi would live long in good health to attract prosperity.
“He has been of great encouragement to youths in Ile-Ife and beyond, particularly in his drive towards reducing unemployment ‎among the youths,
“He has shown that the youths can still go back to the farm and make their life worthwhile. In many ways he has rehabilitated many youths who have gone astray and has given them a new approach to life.
“What more can the people of Ile-Ife ask for? What more can Osun state ask for and what more can the Yoruba race ask for?
“Here is a king who understands what it means to unite the Yoruba race. We are so proud of his reign and we believe God will always be with our king.

The government of the State of Osun has congratulated the Owalare of Ilare-Ijesa and the entire people of the town on the celebration of this year’s Ilare Day.

 
 
In a statement signed by the Coordinating Director of the Ministry of Information, Home Affairs, Tourism and Culture, Mrs Femi Webster-Esho, the government enjoined the people to be peaceful during and after the celebrations.
Meanwhile, as part of the celebrations of Ilare Day, 2016, the OSUOJA  will hold tomorrow (Friday 9th, December 2016) at Ilare, Obokun East Local Council Development Area of the State.
According to release by the Secretary of the organizing Committee, Comrade Adeyemi Adetayo, the OSUOJA will usher in the Grand Finale of the Ilare Day celebrations which holds on Saturday (10th December, 2016).
In the statement, Comrade Adeyemi said that all sons and daughters of Ilare will join the Owalare of Ilare-Ijesa, Oba Adejoro Otebolako Ogidan III in a procession round the town during the OSUOJA outing.
Comrade Adeyemi stated that Ilare Day celebration is a yearly festival which is used to celebrate the great grand fathers of Ilare-Ijesa.

Aregbesola also condemned in strong terms the mutilation of female genital organ which he described as barbaric and demeaning saying it was high time we eradicated all practices that reduce the dignity of woman.
Governors of Osun, Lagos and Oyo States, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Akunwumi Ambode and Abiola Ajimobi respectively on Wednesday in Ibadan made a strong case for the empowerment of the womenfolk in Nigeria saying this is desirable to protect them to effectively face the future challenges.
 

 
Specifically, the three Governors emphasized the need to develop the capacity of Nigerian women while demanding from every tier of government in the country workable empowerment programmes that would lift their status.
Speaking one after the other at the 5th National Women’s Summit of the Oyo State Officials Wives Association (OYSOWA) held in Ibadan, the Governors acknowledged the roles of women as mothers and wives who have also been contributing their own quota in the development of the country.
Commenting on the theme of the Summit which is “The Ultimate Woman at a time like this”, Governor Aregbesola remarked that the future of any society is determined by the quality of the women in the society submitting than an ultimate woman should prepare their children for the future where manual labour will be greatly reduced with the advent of solar and other scientific innovations.
Governor Aregbesola also condemned in strong terms the mutilation of female genital organ which he described as barbaric and demeaning saying it was high time we eradicated all practices that reduce the dignity of woman.
Speaking in the same vein, Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State also lauded the contributions of women to the emergence of the Nigerian nation noting that they are still playing vital roles in the development of the country.
The host Governor Ajimobi, in his contribution, hailed the theme of the summit which he said was not only appropriate but timely in this present period when the country is passing through many challenges.
Ajimobi described women as the pillar of man’s success in all ramifications just as he remarked that the role of women in the family cannot be underestimated while giving his own personal account and attributing his achievements as those achieved through the support of his wife, Florence.
Wife of the President, Hajia Aisha Buhari who was represented at the event by the wife of the Zamfara State Governor, Hajia Asmau Yari, applauded the initiative of the Oyo State Officials Wives Association while also commending Nigerian women who have been working as mothers, wives and leaders of the communities.

As part of efforts to rescue the nation from the shackles of the current economic imbroglio, the south-west governors on Wednesday admonished women to form a formidable bulwark capable of liberating the nation from the present economic predicaments.
 

 
The trio called on governments at various levels to place women’s interests at centre of development as they contribute significantly to national economic growth and development.
The governors gave the charge while addressing women during the 5th National Women’s Summit of Oyo State Officials’ Wives Association (OYSOWA), held at Professor Theophilus Ogunlesi Multi-purpose hall, Ibadan, Oyo state.
In his remarks, the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who commended women for being resolute and resilient in the face of the current economic situation, said much needed to be done to opt the country out of the current socioeconomic, political and religious challenges.
Aregbesola said for Nigeria to survive, women must be empowered to work and participate actively in the economic activities of the country so as to enhance all round transformation, growth and development being aspired by all.
According to him, it has been well established by studies upon studies that the level of development in a society is directly proportional to the level of empowerment of women and the role they play in the economy.
He said the future of every society is determined by the quality of the women in such society, hence calls for total reawakening of women’s virtues to enhance economic advancement of the nation.
Aregbesola said every serious government must take women empowerment as an integral aspect of governance, adding that no tangible policy could be successfully implemented if women are schemed out.
He said women empowerment must begin with compulsory education of the girl child, saying “educating a female child is more or less an act of building a nation”.
Governor Aregbesola called on the three tiers of government to always raise the status of women and help them to realise their greatest potentials.
The Governor submitted that, if women are properly empowered, their potentials can make meaningful contributions to nation’s building.
“Women must be empowered because there is no society that shackles more than half of its population that can develop or progress. We must resist anything that reduces the chances of women in our society.
“We must empower women to be able to face any challenge particularly women at lower economic ebb. We must organise women to be economically viable, independent and resourceful.
“This must begin with compulsory education of the girl child. I have searched the religions traditional, Islam and Christianity, I did not see anything that stands in the way of women education and empowerment”, he added.
Analysing some of the women’s oriented programmes being implemented by his administration, Aregbesola said Osun has succeeded in taking women empowerment to be an integral aspect of governance.
“Our O’meals programme in which we feed school children in Primary 1-4 every school day is basically a women empowerment programme. As a government, we share the belief that, if properly empowered, our women, particularly from the rural areas, can make meaningful contributions to the development of our dear state.
“We are determined as a government to elevate the status of our women, both in the rural and in the urban areas. Beyond the economy, we are also mindful of their potential to contribute meaningfully in politics as we are making serious effort to encourage women to take up more prominent roles in political affairs.
“It is our belief that women position in government will serve to encourage more women to develop a higher level of confidence in their political capacities and efficacy.
Aregbesola implored women to rededicate themselves and champion their feminine roles especially in building a virile, productive and sustainable society.
“While commending our women for mobilising other women for self-actualization, we must equally remind them on the need to remain focused and determined in supporting men to provide society that we all aspired.
“The ultimate women must be a champion for eradication of Female Genital Mutilation as the acts is cruel, wicked and inhuman”, he stressed.
The Governor of Oyo state, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, said the roles of women must not be ignored by every serious government as they determine the democratic success of the society.
He called on government at all levels to place women interest at centre of socio-economic and political decisions.
According to him, the interests of women must come at the economic forefront. They must be well represented and considered in every aspect of governance if truly we want to build a nation that will a model.
He added, “The ultimate women are essential at this period of significant economic shift that shapes our collective lives.
“The significance of women in life is as important as pivotal role plays by tripod that holds objects because women are the pillars behind every success recorded by men. They are the masterpiece of nature, sustainable pillars and architects of good things in the society.
On his part, the Governor of Lagos, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, lamented on the recession that has hit the nation’s economy, saying in spite the economic realities, the southern governor would not rest on their oars to rescue the country.
He said all hands must be deck to revive the country from being consumed by the menace.
Ambode said the country has gotten to a stage where everybody’s ideas especially the women must be taken serious to redeem the nation for the betterment of all.
Lagos state Governor said, “the current economic situation has posed a serious challenge on us as individuals and governments, thus calls for collective supports to move the country forward.
“Both men and women must be resilient, forthright and undaunting at finding solution to the current situation.
“We must not shy away from our responsibilities but rather form a formidable force to make our nation great again.
Earlier, the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, Hajia Aishatu Buhari, canvassed support for women, saying women are ready to make the country great again.
Hajia Aishatu who was represented by the wife of Zamfara state governor, Hajia Hasman Yari, charged governments on the need to invest greatly in women as they (women) are potentially endowed to accomplish government’s dreams.
The convener and wife of Oyo state Governor, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, said the 5th edition of the Oyo State Officials’ Wives Association’s National Summit was aimed towards creating the ultimate women in the face of the harsh economic realities.
She said the forum had over the years been a viable mechanism in finding remedies to socioeconomic, political and religious challenges confronting women in the country.