The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Osun on Tuesday assured residents of the state of adequate security during and after the Yuletide season.
The spokesman of the NSCDC in Osun, Mr Wale Folarin, gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Osogbo.
Folarin said the corps had put in place adequate security measures to ensure peace before, during and after the Yuletide.
He described Osun as one of the most peaceful states in the country, saying this was a reflection of the security measures put in place to protect lives and property by security agencies.
“We have officers in all the local governments, throughout the wards, in every nook and cranny of the state.
“We have officers in mufti gathering intelligence and providing security.
“Presently, we have mapped out some black spots and have posted our officers to such places to conduct surveillance.
“We are focusing mostly on religious centres during the festive period and also providing security patrols with armed officers throughout the state.
“We have also been holding meetings with stake holders to give us information on where there are security threats or breaches in the state,’’ he said

– NAN

The government of Osun State has offered to provide free train services for citizens intending to return home to celebrate Christmas and New Year.
Government Spokesperson, Semiu Okanlawon, said this would lessen the financial burden of transportation during the yuletide.
He said the free train service was in continuation of the commitment of the administration to making life more meaningful for the people of the state.
The train would, by 11h00 on Thursday convey people from Lagos to Osogbo, the state capital.
The return journey to Lagos from Osogbo will be Sunday by 11h00.
The train will also resume the services of conveying people from Lagos to Osogbo for the New Year celebration by 11h00 next Thursday and similar time on Sunday to return to Lagos from Osogbo.
The state government has, since 2011, been making similar arrangements for people of the state, to travel home during festive seasons.
The Nigerian Railway Corporations has welcomed the gesture saying it had helped many Nigerians to restore their hope in the viability of railway as a reliable means of transportation in the country.

– CAJ News

REMARKS BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF OSUN, OGBENI RAUF AREGBESOLA, AT THE INAUGURATION OF THE GOVERNING BOARD OF LADOKE AKINTOLA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY TEACHING HOSPITAL AT THE EXCO LOUNGE OF THE OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR, BOLA IGE HOUSE, ABERE, ON DECEMBER 21, 2015
 
 
Protocols,
HIT THE GROUND RUNNING
It gives me great pleasure to welcome you all to the inauguration of the governing board of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital. Last month, the government announced a nine-man board headed by Prof Wole Atoyebi. Other members are: Dr. Kayode Akinlade, Dr. Ademola Akintolu Onifade, Oba (Dr) Folorunso Agboade Makanju Olaniyan, Prof Akeem Lasisi (Acting Chief Medical Director [CMD], LAUTECH); Dr. Temitope Olalekan Oladele (P.S Health), Dr. Surajudeen Ogunyemi, Chairman, NMA), Prof. Samuel Sunday Taiwo, Provost, College of Medicine and Dr. Daniel Adebode Adekanle (Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee). We are gathered here to inaugurate the board.
This is a well packed board headed by a renown and award winning medical scientist who had been provost of Lagos University College of Medicine; which also includes LAUTECH CMD; a traditional ruler who is also a medical practitioner; a medical labour unionist; the provost of LAUTECH College of Medicine and others who know and have practiced medicine at the public and private levels. This is our tradition, we don’t do half measure.
This board is being inaugurated at an interesting time, when public finance is at its nadir, on account of falling oil price and uncertainties at the global economy. In addition to your statutory responsibilities, therefore, you will be required to think for the hospital and make it a centre of medical excellence, by national and global standards.
There is a medical ethics at the tertiary level: since a teaching hospital is a hospital of last resort, patients brought there are ordinarily not expected to survive. I want you to change this mind-set; let LAUTECH be a miracle centre where those expected to die would live.
The second miracle you are expected to perform is to secure funding for the hospital without passing the burden on patients beyond what it is at the moment. On this, you are well familiar with what obtains elsewhere, a substantial part of the funding for hospitals comes from endowments, gifts and philanthropy.
The third pressing need is to have harmonious relations with workers and trade unions and ensure a seamless running at the hospital. I am glad the chairman is himself a labour titan and the chairman of the medical association is on board. While not discounting the right of people to association and advance their cause through the unions, industrial actions should have no place in a hospital where the difference between life and death is a matter of seconds. It is a sign that we are fast losing our humanity when caregivers look on indifferently and on purpose while people die.
Lastly, the board must also be on board our administration’s renewed efforts at work ethics. It is universally established that every human endeavour is for a higher purpose. This is why work must yield a higher value of result than the input. The surplus value between input and result is called profit. This is not a problem at the private sector; it is indeed the raison d’etre of enterprise where every worker hired is expected to add value. This principle must guide the public sector as well. Workers must see government work as an enterprise where the output must surpass the input. For the health sector, this must be manifest in punctuality, efficiency, honesty, a commitment to caring for people and ultimately an improved healthcare delivery to the people of the state. You should ensure that those who do not share this vision no longer have any place in the hospital.
In spite of the recent financial challenges we have had, we will continue to fulfil our obligations of state, especially to critical institutions like LAUTECH and other hospitals.
We have employed a multifaceted approach towards achieving our goal of providing healthcare for our people. The measures we have taken cover such health-related areas as provision of potable water supply to our people, especially in the rural areas, in order to promote personal hygiene. This has been known to go a long way in keeping away many disease-causing micro-organisms.
On the environment front, we have also ensured that waste management gets the deserved priority attention through regular bi-monthly environmental sanitation exercise, including the cleaning of work and market places on a weekly basis. Our administration has also taken care of the recurring incidents of flooding across the state along with its potential for spreading water-borne diseases. This we have done by embarking, immediately we assumed office, on widening, channelization and de-silting of our numerous canals, streams and rivulets. We are still doing it on a regular basis.
These and other measures have been adopted to raise the health status of our people. We have therefore been maintaining our free healthcare policy through constant procurement to ensure the availability of free drugs at our hospitals, while there are also free anti-malaria drugs for expectant mothers as part of their ante-natal treatment in government-owned hospitals. Indeed, in a recent World Bank publication, Osun came second after Lagos in the result of a national assessment for 2014 on infant and maternal healthcare delivery.
In addition, we have renovated nine state hospitals, as well as constructed nine trauma centres at the State Hospital, Asubiaro, Osogbo. There is also the upgrading of our existing primary healthcare centres while new ones are being built. To further enhance these efforts, medical equipment, furniture and electrical appliances have been procured for some of our health facilities where these are needed. Furthermore, ambulances were purchased and are now in full operation under the Osun Ambulance Services (O-Ambulance), which is aimed at improving the quick-response capacity of the health system, in cases of accidents and emergencies.
I congratulate members of the board and trust you will hit the ground running.
I thank you all for your kind attention.
Osun a dara!

A prominent Ibadan-based businessman, Alhaji Dawud Akinola, was on Saturday installed as the new Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, to succeed the former title holder, the late Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Arisekola-Alao, who died on June 17, 2014.
The certificate was presented by Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, while the turbaning was carried out by the representative of the President-General, of NSCIA in conjunction with the President-General, League of Imams and Alfas.
Sheikh Habeebullah Adam Al-Ilory, the Rector of Agege, Lagos-based MORCAZ, in a sermon, said that the assignment of the Aare Musulumi was a great one that required devotion and absolute commitment.
The Islamic scholar urged the new Aare Musulmi to be committed to the task ahead of him and lead by example at all times, by emulating the great leadership style of his predecessors.
Former Lagos State Governor, Senator Bola Tinubu, who was the Chairman of the occasion, praised the late Mr. Arisekola-Alao, saying he was wealthy, humble and very generous in his life time.
Represented by Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, also urged the new Aare to emulate the leadership style of Arisekola-Alao, whom he said devoted all he had to the upliftment of Islam and humanity.
The Governor, in his own personal remarks, urged Muslims to establish schools where children could learn morals, and vocations to cope with the challenges of life, and implored Akinola to prepare for greater challenges as the new Aare.
“Arisekola-Alao was a rare breed whose leadership acumen and generosity transcended Yorubaland.
“Anytime I look at the man to be turbaned today, I pity him because he would have to devote all he has to justify his new leadership status,’’ he said.
Also speaking, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Nigeria Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), represented by Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, NSCIA Secretary-General, said the new position was to rally the Imams for the development of Islam, and urged Akinola to see his new position as an opportunity to lift Islam to greater heights.
The Sultan stressed the need for the teaching of religious studies from the primary school level to secondary school, saying lack of this had bred indiscipline.
The new Aare Musulmi, in his acceptance speech, pledged to serve in the new capacity with all he was endowed with by God and would never let the people down, and promised to work in harmony with all Islamic title holders to improve on the legacy left behind by the late Arisekola-Alao during his life time.
Akinola also solicited the cooperation of all Islamic organisations as well as the Muslim Ummah of South-West Nigeria in fostering unity among the faithful.
Among the prominent dignitaries who graced the occasion were Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, his Osun counterpart, Rauf Aregbesola, the Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu, and Michael Adeyemo, the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly.
Others were Alhaja Aminat Abiodun, the Iyalode of Ibadanland, Yekini Adeojo, Sheikh Jamiu Bello, President-General, League of Imams and Alfas of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta States and Adebayo Adelabu, Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Seyi Makinde, Sheikh Muyideen Bello, as well as politicians and Islamic clerics from all over Nigeria.

In the MOU, Osun State is willing to partner with JIL farms and Equipment Limited to develop a 1,500 hectare ranch under the O-BEEF and O-REAP programme for the breeding and development of 2,500 foundation breeding cattle herd, which will include the Tuli and Boran species
 
The Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has described the notion that Osun State is a civil servants state as a misnomer that must be resisted by all well-meaning indigenes.
The Governor, while signing a Memorandum of Understanding on behalf of the state government and an America-based equipment leasing and beef rearing company, stated that Osun State is an agrarian state.
In the MOU, Osun State is willing to partner with JIL farms and Equipment Limited to develop a 1,500 hectare ranch under the O-BEEF and O-REAP programme for the breeding and development of 2,500 foundation breeding cattle herd, which will include the Tuli and Boran species.
JIL Farms possesses the ability to finance, operate and maintain the agricultural land into ranches and farmland in such a manner as to maintain the infrastructure and develop additional farmlands for production of livestock and crops.
The partnership will develop a 10,000-head capacity feedlot centre; construct a feed mill for processed grains, a meat processing plant, and a packing plant for vegetables; develop a youth training centre, a livestock and farming out-grower scheme; and a retreat centre for seminars and trainings.
Aregbesola noted that it will be foolhardy for‎ anybody to believe that Osun State will survive with what it receives monthly from the Federal Allocation, which at its best ever was N5 billion, saying what has been sustaining the state is agriculture.
According to Aregbesola: “Although I am no longer excited by signing of MOU because most of it are impressive, most of it are just ceremonies without action thereafter, but with the commitment and drive with which you have shown, I look forward to a better days ahead.
“I am very hopeful of a fantastic result from this collaboration, I have confidence in what the supervisory legal department and our own have done. I hope that activities will commence by January, we will put the resources of the state behind this. I look forward to a celebration of a successful venture.”
Aregbesola enjoined the state Ministry of Agriculture to support the present administration in its effort to make the state realize its potentials as an agrarian state.
The Governor held that the time has come for everybody in the state to turn to agriculture, adding that with the development of agriculture and farming, there will be plenty in the land.
Earlier, the Director JIL equipment leasing and beef rearing Company, Dr. Jenny Caringham, pointed out that his company will bring change into livestock farming in Osun State.
Caringham added that the team will also be going into total agriculture with the latest available technologies that will in no distant time improve employment opportunity for youths in the state.
Caringham commended Aregbesola for taking to agriculture for the development of the state, stressing that his team will give everything it takes to improve abattoirs and beef production in Osun State.
He assured of visibility of the project within 30 days of its commencement of operation in Osun State and that by the end of the first quarter of 2016, there will be a resort centre that will enhance tourism.
He said: “I want to use this occasion to thank the state for this opportunity.
“We will not let you down.
“By January, we will be here to start fully.
“We are not importing anything because we have everything in Nigeria.”
THE EAGLE

Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has asked the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) to increase its interventions in tertiary institutions in the state in order to complement the efforts of his administration.
According to him, the commitment of his administration to basic education in the state  to prepare a solid foundation ‎for the tertiary institutions has robbed the latter of government attention, hence the need for TetFUND to fill in the gap in order to balance the equation.
He said, “Our commitment to foundation education has robbed us off the commitment to higher institutions.”
‎Aregbesola stated these in Abuja at the weekend when he paid a courtesy call on the Executive Secretary of the Fund, Professor Suleiman Bogoro.
He said he came to seek a mutual relation with the Fund and also explore areas where his government and TETFund can work together.
‎
The governor said Osun State is the second state in the country with the highest number of tertiary institutions ‎noting that he came to the TETFund headquarters to be able to do more for the tertiary institutions.
He said “I came to seek a mutual relationship and exploit areas where his government and TETFund can work together. Knowledge is power, education is the greatest legacy, any society could leave to those who are going to take up the mantle of leadership. The best investment therefore is education. There can’t be any investment of greater value than education.
I want to thank  those who created TETFund, we thank the leadership of this country that thought it wise to create an education trust fund. I’m not here to complain, there’s no reason for it. I’m here therefore to do more for higher institutions in my state.
You would see me more often and I will not put any pressure on you. I will fraternize with you with the mind that my state will get the best from you and you will get the best from the investment.
“My state is probably second in terms of number of highest number of higher institutions in Nigeria. I proudly invite any appropriate head of department to come and survey what we are doing in education particularly the foundation education.
“We are remodeling and restructuring primary education the way no one has done in this country. The higher education is useless when the foundation is defective.
Our universities, colleges and polytechnics must impact on the society because we have peculiar needs. We are not collapsing institutions. We are simply rejigging institutions for them to be more useful‎.”
‎While responding, Executive Secretary of TETFund, Professor Suleiman Bogoro remarked that ‎the country has a lot to thank Osun state government for over the introduction of school feeding noting that the federal and state government must emulate the model.
“Foundation is where the future is. We can not achieve anything if the foundation is poor,” he said
He disclosed that the governor gave him at a closed door session they had,  specific requirements for his state saying ” we shall make sure we make contributions to add value to what the governor has been doing.
“Federal government and other states should learn from Osun state,” he added.
LEADERSHIP

Aregbesola’s Victory at  Election Petition Tribunal
The Osun State Governorship Election Tribunal headed by Justice Elizabeth Ipejime on 6th of February, 2015 declared, Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the winner of the August 2014 governorship election in the state.
Aregbesola  defeated Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Iyiola Omisore in a keenly contested election. Aregbesola defeated Omisore with a  margin of about 100,000 votes. Aregbesola scored 392, 284 votes to the 292, 742 ballots that Omisore got. Omisore  however decided to contest the results at the tribunal.
When Justice Elizabeth Ipejime read out her verdict both candidates were absent in court. The matter went through Appeal Court and Supreme Court where Aregbesola’s election was upheld.
Judge petition against Aregbesola
The Osun State House of Assembly on 5th August, 2015 dismissed the petition by Justice Folahanmi Oloyede seeking for the impeachment of the State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, following the recommendation of the 7-man ad-hoc committee set up to investigate the petition.
The lawmakers said that the petition should be dismissed because the petitioner abandoned her claims by refusing to appear before the ad-hoc committee to substantiate the various allegations levelled against the Governor and the Deputy Governor of Osun State in her petition.
On June 23, 2015, the Osun State House of Assembly received a petition from Justice Folahanmi Oloyede, urging the House to investigate Governor Rauf Aregbesola and his deputy, Titi Laoye Tomori for misappropriation of state funds. Thereafter, the House constituted a 7-man ad-hoc committee with a mandate of two weeks to investigate the allegations levelled against the Governor.
Death of 50th Ooni Okunade Sijuwade
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade Olubose II, is dead. He was 85 years old. The foremost Oba died in London at about 7:30pm on Sunday July 28th. The Ooni was rushed to London on Friday July 24, and was taken from Heathrow Airport in an Ambulance to the clinic where he passed on four days later.
New Ooni of Ife
During the year, the Osun State Government unveiled a new Ooni of Ife. He is Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, a 41-year old real estate magnate and prince from the Giesi Ruling House in the town. He became the 51st Ooni of Ife. The Secretary to the Osun State Government said the selection of the new Ooni followed the completion of all processes for the filling of the exalted stool.
Then Prince Ogunwusi was selected from 21 candidates presented by the Giesi ruling house for the exalted stool. The statement, made available to newsmen on October 26, 2015 said, “The Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola has approved the appointment of a new Ooni of Ife.
“He is Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi of Giesi Ruling House of Ile-Ife, State of Osun. This choice follows the completion of the due process by the kingmakers and the communication of their decision to Government.” The announcement of a new traditional ruler for the ancient town came 89 days after the death of Oba Okunade Sijuwade at a London clinic.
Ogunwusi receives crown
Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II on November, 24, 2015 was crowned with the traditional Ade-Are as the 51st Ooni to preside over the affairs of Ife Kingdom. The crowning confirmed him as substantive Ooni as against an Ooni-elect which he had been until his seclusion in Ilofi.
Oba Ogunwusi was presented with the crown by the custodians at a place called Oke-Ora located between Ile-Ife and Osu on Ilesa Road, Osun State. The monarch, who appeared in public for the first time after spending about 21 days in seclusion, was accompanied by indigenes of the town and members of Isoro cult.
New Oluwo appointed
The joy of indigenes and residents of Iwo land knew no bounds on Monday, 9th of November following the approval of the appointment of Prince Abdul-Rasheed Adewale Akanbi of the Gbaase ruling house of Iwo as the new Oluwo of Iwoland by Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
The letter of appointment of the new monarch for Iwoland dated 9th of November, 2015 was signed by the Secretary to the state government, Alhaji Moshood Olalekan Adeoti.
Osun Names School After Soyinka
Osun State governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola on 23rd November, 2015 inaugurated the N750 million Wole Soyinka Government High School in Ejigbo, Osun State. The school is a 3,000-capacity complex with 72 classrooms of 49 square-metres, each capable of sitting 49 pupils. It has six offices for study groups.
It is equipped with six laboratories, 18 toilets for girls and 18 for boys, one science library, one arts library, facility manager’s office, a bookshop and a sick bay. Soyinka praised Aregbesola, saying he was elated that such honour was bestowed on him. He pledged to visit the school often to see how it was faring.
VANGUARD
 

The governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola yesterday disclosed that he had spent over #1.3billion on compensation to victims of structures separated to pave way for the dualization and expansion of roads in Osogbo, the state capital.
He made the disclosure at the presentation of another cheque of #302, 966 million to 127 victims of the yet to be separated structures along the ongoing dualization of Orita-Olaiya, Asubiaro, Isale Osun road in Osogbo.
Governor Aregbesola who was represented by his deputy, Mrs Grace Laoye-Tomori advised the claimants to use the disbursed money judiciously.
He allayed the fear of some people that the money was drawn from the money meant to pay workers salaries saying that the payment of compensation will not in anyway affect the payment of salaries.
Governor Aregbesola urged the claimants to erect structures that will add value to the ongoing urban renewal programme of his administration adding that he would want to see people make their environment beautiful.
One of the claimant, Mrs Afusat Aderibigbe expressed her appreciation to government for the prompt payment of compensation even before the separation exercise were carried out.
However, while beneficiaries of the compensation were receiving their cheques, a group of irate landlords affected by the construction of dualized Ayetoro road in Osogbo protested the delay in payment of compensation to them.
But Governor Aregbesola appealed to them with the assurance that they would soon be paid their compensation.
LEADERSHIP

Pictures of the Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, represented by his Deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori during the Payment of Compensation to the people affected by the reconstruction of Orita Olaiya, Asubiaro, Isale-Osun and Ita Olookan Road, Osogbo, at Laro-Timehin Middle School Isale Osun on Wednesday 16-12-2015.

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, represented by his Deputy,
Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori (2nd right); Former Commissioner for Lands, Physical Planning and Urban Development, Architect Muyiwa Ige (left); the Ataoja of
Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun (2nd left) and wife of the Baale of
Isale-Osun, Chief
Saliu Moniade, during the Payment of Compensation to the people affected by the reconstruction of Orita Olaiya, Asubiaro, Isale-Osun and Ita Olookan Road, Osogbo, at Laro-Timehin Middle School Isale Osun on Wednesday 16-12-2015

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Represented by his Deputy,
Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori (left) Presenting the Compensation Check to the Olori Baale Isale-Osun, Chief Saliu Moniade (2nd right). With them is the
Ataoja of Osogbo Land, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, during the Payment of Compensation to the
people affected by the Reconstruction of Orita Olaiya, Asubiaro,
Isale-Osun and Ita Olookan Road, Osogbo, at Laro-Timehin Middle School
Isale Osun on Wednesday
16-12-2015.

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, represented by his Deputy,
Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori, presenting the Compensation Check to Alhaja Fausat Salam, during the Payment of
Compensation to the people affected by the reconstruction of Orita Olaiya, Asubiaro, Isale-Osun and Ita Olookan Road, Osogbo, at Laro-Timehin Middle School Isale Osun on
Wednesday 16-12-2015.

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Represented by his Deputy,
Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori, presenting the Compensation Check to Mr Busari Saheed, during the Payment of Compensation to the people affected by the Reconstruction of Orita Olaiya, Asubiaro, Isale-Osun and Ita Olookan Road, Osogbo By Ogbeni, at Laro-Timehin Middle School Isale Osun on
Wednesday 16-12-2015.

Speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salaam, has again echoed the need for the people of Osun State to tighten their belts and get themselves prepared for a tough time as we enter year 2016.
The speaker in a statement signed by his chief press secretary, Mr. Goke Butika, asserted that if all protocols and running of government were removed, each person of the three million population of Osun State would be entitled to N50,000 for food, shelter, upkeep and other demands of life for a period of 12 months.
He said, “We have received the financial estimate for the 2016 fiscal year from Governor Rauf Aregbesola, but the picture does not suggest we are out of the woods yet, and the trickle-down effect of mindless looting of the immediate past administration at the national stage is hitting hard on all federating units called states, but with all hands on deck, hope is not lost”.
He then expressed optimism in the capacity of the Aregbesola-led administration to manoeuvre the financial situation in favour of the masses with modicum of justice for the elites, noting that the informal sector, agriculture and taxation would be turned to for rebooting the economy of the state.
He assured that the mid-term economic framework of the federal government would reflate the economy across the board.
The speaker, however, lauded the resolve of the governor in paying attention to the completion of the ongoing infrastructural drive, saying it was good news amidst looting, stealing and vandalism of the nation’s institutions, which had subjected the country to rot.
He then appealed to the people of the state to support the government for even distribution of resources.