Osun Defender Online Version of August 2nd, 2024

Osun LG Poll: Chairmanship Candidates’ To Pay N500,000 Nomination Fees NDLEA Busts Cannabis Farmland, Cannabis Arrest 17 Suspects Arrest 17 In Osun In “Osun-Osogbo: Nobody Can Stop Can Adherents From From Drinking River Water“ River Water“ Pg. 4 Pg. 4

•Nigerians Protest, Demand Economic Reforms

•Businesses Shut, Streets Deserted In Osun •Residents Blame Abandonment Of Ilesa Water Project Amidst Deplorable State Of Amenities

Teachers’ Recruitment: Successful Candidates Will Resume Next Session - Osun Govt

Kazeem Badmus

THE Osun State Government has assured residents that the 5,000 teachers it is set to employ will be on ground when schools resume for the next academic session in September.

The government also debunked rumour that it was silent on the recruitment exercise in a bid to manipulate the process in favour of PDP members.

The State Commissioner for Educa on, Dipo Eluwole, while speaking with OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday, noted that the delay in the recruitment was because of some issues which the ministry was sor ng out.

He highlighted some of the issues to include the elonga on of the years of service of some re red teachers, as well as the new minimum wage.

The Commissioner while promising that the recruitment will be based on merit, said the cut-off mark will soon be announced

just as successful candidates will be called for interview.

He said “I want to tell you that the recruitment exercise will

be on merit. There won’t be any favouritism towards our party members.

“We have some little arrangements we

are making. I got approval for the recruitment of 5,000 teachers but along the line, a lot of issues are cropping up.

•Dignitaries at a day public lecture and award presentation tagged ‘Personal Security and School Protection Amidst Various Threat To Security in Nigeria Today’ organised by the State Information Chapel of the Nigeria Union of

nalists (NUJ), Osun State, on Tuesday

SIM Blockage: Osun Residents Lament Effect On Businesses,

SCORES of residents of Osun State were over the last weekend thrown into frustraon by network service providers in the country, due to the blockage of their Subscriber Iden ty Module (SIM) cards.

OSUN DEFENDER learnt that the disconnec on of the phone lines of Nigerians hindered access to essen al communica on services like calls, internet service, SMS among others.

The SIM blockage, which began last Saturday had numerous customers especially those of MTN beseiging the company’s offices around the state to reg-

ister their displeasure over the sudden barring of their lines, due to the non-linkage of their Na onal Iden fica on Number (NIN) with their SIM Cards.

As a result of their frustra on, many of the customers barricaded the roads leading to the Data Estate office of MTN Connect in Osogbo on Monday, disrup ng traffic and business acvi es at the area.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the affected customers including business owners, online vendors, students, market men and women, ar sans among others took their various social media pla orms to la-

Survival

ment the situa on.

Mr. Kayode Badmus, an entrepreneur, told OSUN DEFENDER that, “I was in the middle of an important business call when my line suddenly went bad. I thought it was a network issue, but when I tried to make another call, I realised my line had been barred.

“Their office is quite a distance from where I reside. I cannot count how much I lost in 48 hours. It was just too bad. I hope the authories find a way to save all Nigerians from this embarrassment. It is too bad.”

Temitope Aremu, a university student, who shared similar sen ment,

“As a student, I rely heavily on my phone for research and assignments. Throughout the period, I was completely cut off. I had linked my NIN to my phone number last year, so I was baffled as to why my line was barred. It really affected me a lot.”

Mr. Daniel Oyedepo, a long-term MTN customer, also expressed his frustra on saying, “I’ve always paid my bills on me, but this is the final straw. Barring my line without warning is unacceptable. I’m considering switching to another network already. It really cost me a lot.”

An online vendor who is also a corp member, Temitope Aremu shared her ordeal: “I was trying to contact my business supplier when I discovered all my MTN lines had been barred. A er wai ng in line for hours at their office, I s ll couldn’t get it resolved.

“My customers are furious, and ques oned my integrity. MTN made their trust in me waiver and it’s so sad. I hope I don’t lose many customers with this. It is so sad and frustra ng to do this to us every me.”

The Nigerian Communica ons Commission (NCC) had since the start of the week directed MTN and other service providers to unbar the affected customers.

“The issue of elonga on for the re red teachers and minimum wages are parts of the things. So, we have to sit and readjust some things.

“Those that have re red and wanted to come back have applied and we’ve screened them. The result of the screening commi ee was submitted to me on Monday and we are working on it. They will be the first set to be redeployed to the schools.

The recruitment will be based on the number of teachers we need for the subjects and a er knowing this, we will come out with the cut-off mark and call the successful candidates for interview.

“I want to tell you that before the schools resume for the next session, everything will be in place,” Eluwole noted.

Cold Weather: Osun Residents Advised On Care For Children, Elderly

RESIDENTS of Osun State have been urged to take good care of their children and the elderly so as to protect them from the nega ve effect of the con nuous cold weather.

The Assistant State Health Promo on Officer, Mr. Adewale Akande stated this in an exclusive interview with OSUN DEFENDER Akande, who noted that the pervasive cold weather has the potency of subjec ng young children and the elderly to various forms of respiratory illness like pneumonia, dry cough, chest pain, fever, sneezing, difficulty in breathing among others, urged them to take preven ve measures to safeguard their health.

He advised parents

to engage in precauonary measures such as keeping their kids warm as well as maintaining a healthy diet for them.

“Parents are advised to take good care of their children in this period. The weather is a bit colder these days stressing how important it is for them to take care of the kids. Give them warm meals and keep them warm throughout the day.

“It is also important to care for the aged. Their age makes them more suscep ble to this air borne diseases. That is why they need to be taken care of adequately. We should keep our environment clean and properly cook our meals. Yes, the weather is adverse but we can all step up efforts to keep our children safe,” Akande stressed further.

Money Laundering And Weak Institutions

“The country has very weak institutions. This has not been surprising for the strong independent institutions required will be incompatible with the operating ethos of a rentier state. This is also a reflection of the development of underdevelopment. An economy based on consumption cannot be bothered about fiscal balance anchored on revenue collection on production.”

THE report that hundreds of thousands of dollars are being laundered out of Nigeria should not have come as a surprise. It is a pre y old hat you might say. Every discernible soul was aware of this, ages ago. The country has very weak ins tu ons. This has not been surprising for the strong independent ins tuons required will be incompa ble with the opera ng ethos of a ren er state. This is also a reflec on of the development of underdevelopment.

An economy based on consump on cannot be bothered about fiscal balance anchored on revenue collec on and produc on. It is drama c that at a me many Nigerians are on the streets demanding urgent solu ons to the issues of governance, economy and mul dimensional poverty, those in charge of the naon’s commonwealth are hell-bent on personal gains rather than dras c solu ons to put the economy back on track.

The report returns

a discerning mind to the systemic corrupon that has decided the fate of the people. It is not just about the hungry jobless youth on the streets of Lagos, the struggling rice farmer in Kebbi, the unrelen ng truck pusher in Asaba or the cobbler in Aba trying to get a N50,000 loan to improve his business, it is about the heavy taxes that has crippled small scale businesses while legislators change SUVs like clothes.

While agencies like INTERPOL con nue to unravel the mysteries behind the growing poverty in the country, the campaign against corrup on must not abate from all fronts, just as the an -gra agencies given further enablement to work. In addi on, the country needs an “Unexplained Sources of Wealth Act “ just as it needs to return to a proper Federal cons tu on. Neither is about to happen anyme soon. Un l the poli cal will to do so is put into play, it will be the same contrived wailing and mo on without movement.

The Discourse

Best Way To Defend The Presidency

“IT is totally false to suggest, as we are apt to do, that Nigerians are fundamentally different from any other people in the world. Nigerians are corrupt because the system under which they live today makes corrup on easy and profitable; they will cease to be corrupt when corrupon is made difficult and inconvenient….The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely is a failure of leadership. There is nothing basically wrong with the Nigerian character. There is nothing wrong with the Nigerian land or climate or water or air or anything else. The Nigerian problem is the unwillingness or inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility, to the challenge of personal example which are the hallmarks of true leadership… I am saying that Nigeria can change today if she discovers leaders who have the will, ability and the vision”, Chinua Achebe, in his book, “THE TROUBLE WITH NIGERIA”.

“Nigeria could, however, follow another path. Its potenal is huge. Its tremendous wealth, if properly channeled, holds out the hope that a stable government could unleash the unques oned energy and talent that pulsates through the rich ethnic mosaic. The human capital is there. Thousands of Nigerian professionals are well educated and skilled enough to drive the country forward. Anyone who visited Nigeria’s markets and witnessed its people endure the constraints of bad government and the sinking economy can tes fy to the country’s resilience”.

“Nigerians spend a good part of their lives trying to get the be er of the government for their own benefit or that of their family, their village, or their region. Rare is the head of state who acts on behalf of the en re na on. The people are not so much governed as ruled. It is as if they live in a criminally mismanaged corpora on where the bosses are armed and have barricaded themselves inside the company safe. Nigeria’s leaders, like the colonialists before them, have sucked out billion of dollars and stashed them in Western banks”, Karl Maier wrote in his book, “THIS HOUSE HAS FALLEN—NIGERIA IN CRISIS”.

In the last couple of years, Nigeria has been confronted with enormous na onal crisis that could only be compared with the crisis of the 1960s, which eventually led to civil war In fact, if one reflects on what the country went through from a er the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presiden al elec on up to the demise of General Sani Abacha, one must thank God that Nigeria s ll survives as one united na on.

Nigeria’s problem is not just economic. Indeed, it is largely poli cal. Nigeria is s ll undergoing the crisis of na on building.

It is important that Nigeria policy makers appreciate the enormity of the crisis of na on building s ll staring at us as a na on. I don’t like to sound alarmist or pessimis c but some of the unresolved conflicts in our country have the potenal of escala ng into unimaginable propor ons at any given me.

The events leading to the return to democracy in Nigeria could only be understood as a divine interven on. Before then the fate of Nigeria, as a country, was precariously hanging in the balance. The country was a pariah na on among the interna onal community. The economy was in doldrums.

The Obasanjo’s Presidency experienced chaos in many fronts. These included communal violence, notable case include, Ife-Modakeke, Umeleri-Agulri, Huasa-Zango-Kantaf, Kuteb-Jukun clashes,etc. There was also the Bakassi issue, the Niger Delta crisis and ethnic separa sm.

The second major crisis of the Obasanjo’s Presidency was the issue of oil subsidy which was triggered by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), then led by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. The strike ac on paralysed the country for days if not weeks. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo was forced to set up a special commi ee on the review of Petroleum Products supply and distribu on. The commi ee was inaugurated on August 14, 2000 by the then Secretary to the government of the Federa on, Chief Ufot Ekae e. The commi ee was headed by my friend, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi while the secretary of the commi ee was Chief

“It is important that Nigeria policy makers appreciate the enormity of the crisis of nation building still staring at us as a nation. I don’t like to sound alarmist or pessimistic but some of the unresolved conflicts in our country have the potential of escalating into unimaginable proportions at any given time”

Segun Ogunkua from Akure in Ondo state, who re red later as the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance. The other members of the commi ee were Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, Mr. Sylvester Ejiofor, Issa Aremu, Mr. Lucas Damulak, Mr. Joseph Akinlaja, Umaru Ndanusa, Chief Rufus Giwa, Dr. Imo Itsueli, Dr. Pat Utomi, Alhaji Abba Gana, Chief Nkem A. Ekwechi, Mr. S.O. Luwoye, Professor Emmanuel Edozien, Professor Dotun Phillips, Alhaji Ahmed Chanchangi, Chief D.K.O. George Taylor, Chief (Dr.) E.O. Ilodibe, Pastor E.O. Ogun, Mrs Emily AigImokhuede, Chief Richard Uche, Mr. Ray Ekpu, Chief M.O. Onoja (M.M. Jir), Mr. A.S. Okoye, Dr. Samaila M. Kewa, Mr. Funso Kupolokun, Mallam M.S. Bashar, Dr. Titus Adeboye, Mr. C.O. Iwuozor, Mallam Wada Maida, Alhaji A. Umaru, Mr. G.D. Loma, Dr. S. Usman, G.M. Anyanwu and Alhaji G.Hamman. The following recommenda ons were made—there is a concentra on on the importa on of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to the detriment of Kerosene and Diesel, which are equally cri cal. All sectors and people should be sa sfied; there is need for major maintenance of industry infrastructure to stem the de of low-capacity u liza on and output. Non-availability of needed fuel to power the machines was iden fied as one of the biggest problems; bureaucracy and poli cs could be a hindrance to running an efficient and profitable oil sector. Government overbearing influence on the sector should be reduced.

Persistent sabotage of the pipelines, though a new phenomenon, has overwhelmed and tasked the ingenuity of the leadership of the na on’s petroleum agencies. Unless a quick solu on is found to this problem, it would be extremely difficult to truck fuel to all parts of the country; government’s involvement in the downstream sector of the oil industry requires a new and more pragma c approach that gives more opportuni es to the private sector. In order words, the sector should be deregulated just as we have seen in the Nigerian Airways and the upstream sector of the oil industry.

Disloca on in the produc on, supply and distribu on of petroleum will con nue for as long as government takes the commanding heights in the economy. Prices should find their level based on supply and demand; If and when a decision is taken on the issue of the inevitability of deregula ng the oil sector, ming and adequate public enlightenment would be the key to success; Repair of the Nigerian four refineries is very essen al as con nued massive importa on is merely a way of keeping the foreign refineries working. If they are brought back on stream, they will put many Nigerians back to work with the added advantage of be er-quality fuel; the government agencies concerned with the petroleum sector, the Department of Petroleum Resources in par cular and the Nigerian Na onal Petroleum Corpora on (NNPC) to a lesser degree requires greater autonomy to perform their jobs creditably.

OSUN DEFENDER

Publisher – Moremi Publishing House Ltd.

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OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Gbongan Road, Osogbo, Osun State.

ISSN : 0794-8050

Government should explore the possibility of using more foreign crude and sell more of Nigeria’s high quality crude to bring down the price; to curb the problem of vandaliza on, the principal actors in the oil sector would need to intensify their community rela ons programmes such that it creates employment, quality life and sustainable development in their opera onal areas; if and when the oil sector is deregulated, there would be need for a price monitoring agency that would be saddled with making public the movement in the prices of fuel just as obtains in the money market today.

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All correspondence to the above email addresses.

We’ve Recovered 6 Vehicles Retained By Oyetola’s Appointees - Govt

Kazeem Badmus

THE Osun State Asset Recovery Task Force has disclosed that it has recovered six vehicles from appointees of the immediate past administraon in the state.

This was as a former Field Commander of the Osun Amotekun Corps, Mr. Amitolu Shi u, accused the State Governor, Ademola Adeleke of using security agents to invade his private residence in Osogbo and forcefully took away a Hilux vehicle belonging to him.

The recovery of the vehicles was disclosed by a member of the task force who is also the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Poli cal Affairs, Mr. Babatunde Badmus.

He said, “Today is our first day of forceful possession. Although we are s ll in opera on, we have recovered six vehicles. We will con nue tomorrow. We will con nue throughout this week,” he said.

OSUN DEFENDER reports that the state government had on Wednesday, February 14, 2024 inaugurated the task force headed by the Secretary to the state government, Alhaji Teslim Igbalaye.

Speaking on the invasion of his house by the task force, Shi u, who was appointed pioneer Field Commander at the creaon of Amotekun Corps in 2020 by ex-Governor Gboyega Oyetola, said that about 15 armed security opera ves, including men of the Amotekun Corps,

used a towing vehicle to move the vehicle out from his compound.

He noted that the incident happened when he was away from the state, adding that the government is playing cheap polics with the lives of the people.

He said, “They came into my house and forcefully took away one Hilux vehicle. My wife asked for a warrant, and they said they didn’t have any warrant.

“The team that came to my house has Amotekun, JTF, and police operaves. They are about 15 in number fully armed. They towed the vehicle from my park.

“The vehicle was given to me by ex-Governor Oyetola when I complained to him that I didn’t have a vehicle to work with as the Amotekun Field Commander. I can’t imagine this happening to me in this state that I served diligently at the risk of my life. I have not seen this kind of government before in my life.”

But replying to Shi u in a statement by the Commissioner for Informaon and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the state government noted that the task force team were in the house to lawfully retrieve the vehicle he allegedly unlawfully retained from his tenure as the Osun Amotekun Field Commander.

Alimi in the statement, said the task force started field opera ons on Mon-

•Ex-Amotekun Field Commander Alleges Witchhunt

day and visited Shi u’s residence where one of three vehicles the former Amotekun field commanded allegedly acquired illegally was retrieved.

He alleged that Shi u, during his term, illegally possessed several vehicles that belonged to the government, which had not been returned despite repeated requests.

Alimi also said the involvement of the Osun Security Joint Task Force (JTF) and Amotekun Corps was part of a coordinated effort to ensure the recovery process was handled efficiently and securely.

He further said, “Amitolu’s claim of the exercise being a viola on of privacy and an act of poli cal persecu on is a smokescreen to divert atten on from his own legal and ethical breaches.

“His asser ons that the opera on was a premeditated a empt to silence him are baseless and reflect his a empt to poli cize a straigh orward asset recovery process.

“Moreover, the vehicles in ques on were clearly documented as state property, and there is substan al evidence to support their recovery. Amitolu’s challenge to provide documents and his threat to seek legal redress are a empts to obfuscate the clear facts and delay jus ce.

“The government’s acons were fully jus fied, and the call for scru ny by security agencies should be directed towards ensuring transparency in all opera ons, including those involving Amitolu’s ac vi es.

“This recovery effort is part of a broader commitment to accountability and good governance, which the state administra on remains dedicated to upholding.”

“Osun-Osogbo: Nobody Can Stop Adherents From Drinking River Water”

Yusuf Oketola

THE Osun State Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Abiodun Ojo, has disclosed that nobody can stop adherents of the Osun deity from drinking from the Osun River.

Ojo also maintained that in order not to cast any doubts on the purity level of the water, the government will ensure that the river is kept clean for human consump on. The commissioner made this known during a press briefing as part of ac vi es

lined up for the celebraon of the Osun-Osogbo Fes val, on Wednesday, in Osogbo.

Ojo, who stressed that the Osun-Osogbo sacred grove is a UNESCO Category II Heritage Site, added that the vegeta on in the site is one of the most natural in Nigeria.

He also disclosed that it affords both medical and

Osun Spends N67m To Distribute 43 Trucks Of Garri, Corn

Yusuf Oketola

THE Osun State Government has said it spent the sum of N67,422,000 to receive 43 trucks of food pallia ves containing Garri and Corn from the Federal Government, OSUN DEFENDER gathered.

A statement issued by the Commissioner for Informa on and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, made avail-

able to the medium revealed that the state has paid N45,000,000 leaving a balance of N22,422,000.

According to Alimi, out of the 43 trucks being expected, 4 are of 25kg bags of Garri, 1,260 bags of 25kg Garri, and another 39 trucks of 50kg bags of Corn, containing 600 bags each.

OSUN DEFENDER learnt that The distribu on of the food pallia ves according to the government took off

on Tuesday, July 30.

The statement reads partly: “Osun State Government has started the receipt of the expected 43 trucks of food pallia ves of Garri and Corn from the Federal Government of Nigeria as part of efforts to cushion the effects of hardships being currently experienced by Nigerians across the country.

“Out of the total of 43 trucks being expected, 4 are Garri of 25kg with each of the trucks containing 1260 bags and another 39 trucks of 50Kg bag of Corn, containing 600 bags each.

“It is to be noted that, the Osun State Government is being charged the sum of #67,422,000,00( Sixty Seven Million, Four Hundred and Twenty Two Thousand Naira) by the F.G as haulage fee out of which, the State Government, has paid the sum 45,000,000,00( Forty Five Million Naira) leaving it with a balance of 22,422,000 (Twenty two Million, Four

Hundred and Twenty Two Thousand) to be offset before the delivery of the remaining consignments would be effected.

“This current food pallia ves which consists of Garri and Corn was originated from the office of the Na onal Security Adviser (NSA) and being distributed by Na onal Emergency Management Agency Office (NEMA), Abuja, and it’s being received by Osun State Government through the office the of Osun State Emergency Management Agency (OSEMA),

“However, for transparency, record, and accountability, the Officials of Nigeria Police, I. C.P.C. D.S.S and EFCC, and NEMA are readily on ground to monitor the offloading and documenta on of the consignments of the food pallia ves.

“Accordingly, the distribu on of the food pallia ves to the would-be beneficiaries throughout the State will commence,

tomorrow, Tuesday, 30th July 2024 and it is going to be carried out in line with an already spelt out template given by the FG which is in concomitant with the one also already mapped out by the Osun State Government.

“So far, as at Sunday, the 28th of July, 2024, 4 trucks of Garri of 25kg and 21 trucks of Corns of 50kg bag, have been received. While all the 4 trucks of Garri and the 16 trucks of corns have been offloaded, the remaining 5 trucks of corn will be offloaded today as Osun State Government is s ll expec ng 1 truck of corn today, Monday, the 29th July, 2024.

“In line with the agreement earlier reached with the FG, Osun State is also to offset the cost of both offloading and distribu on of the food pallia ves to the would-be beneficiaries in the various Local Governments in the State.”

economic values to the people.

“Nobody can stop Osun adherents from drinking from the river, but what government can do is to ensure that the river is kept clean and safe for human consump on.

“Osogbo has the most natural groove and vegetaon in Nigeria with medical and economic value.

“The Osun-Osogbo grove is 70% natural. The habitat is natural and devoid of pollu on,” he said.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Ataoja of Osogbo land, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun, said drinking from the Osun River brings about miracles to the adherents and others.

Oba Oyetunji disclosed that the fes val is like a pilgrimage due to the many miracles that occur when people use the water from the Osun River with faith.

The monarch also revealed that a chemical test has been carried out on the water from the river and it was cer fied that the Osun River is pure without any impuri es, acid and base.

“A chemical test has been conducted in the river and it was discovered that the water from the Osun river is pure without acid and base.

“Osun River is very significant because it is for drinking, building and other useful things and the OsunOsogbo is a fantas c fesval and no person loses out during the period of fes vies.”

“We Are Hungry!”

THE much an cipated 10-day #EndBadGovernance protest took off yesterday across the country, with many Nigerians lamen ng the pervading hunger and food insecurity ravaging the land.

OSUN DEFENDER reports that the protest hinged on the challenges of insecurity, poverty, the rising cost of living, unemployment, and unstable fuel prices, among the re nue of issues facing the development of the na on.

In Osogbo and other parts of Osun State, youths, commercial motorcyclists, market men and women, ar sans, and other categories of people trooped out to register their displeasure over the economic situa on, which they say has crippled almost every facet of life. Amidst showers, the protesters led by a combined security team of the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) among others, moved from their convergence point at the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park at Old Garage and marched through MDS to Olaiya, Aregbe, Olaiya, Aregbe, Ogo-Oluwa, Onward, Africa to the State Secretariat, Abeere.

The protesters also had a stopover at the entrance to the State House of Assembly on Gbongan/ Ibadan road chan ng solidarity songs in protest to the state of the na on.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that in Ile-Ife, protesters were seen at the entrance of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) barricading the road with tyres causing obstruc on to traffic. They were, however, monitored by security opera ves who were around to avert the breakdown of law and order.

Part of the demands of the #EndBadGovernance protesters is that the Federal and State Governments restore the naon’s economy to shape, tackle the unending insecurity, ensure that fuel prices are stable, provide meaningful employment for the youths, empower businesses to thrive, tackle food infla on and the myriads of challenges plaguing the country.

Some of the inscripons on the placards include, “We Are Hungry”, “We Are Suffering”, “Say No to Bad Governance”, “Return The Economy To How You Met It,” “EndBadGovernance”, “Put Food On Our Table”, among others.

The protesters who defied the rainy weather lamented the con nuous rise in the cost of living, no ng that the situa on is adversely affec ng the daily lives of the people.

Speaking with journalists in Osogbo, the Osun State Coordinator, Coalion of Concern Nigeria Ci zen, Adetunji Ajala, demanded a return of the pump price to N180 per litre.

His words, “Hunger, poverty, and bad policy of this administra on are affec ng all of us. We are here not because of any poli cal affilia on, not because anybody has given us money. What we have here is a reflec on that people are displeased.

“The youth popula on is the largest and they are the ones suffering most. The office of the ci zen is the highest in the land. We are not afraid of anybody. What we have come to do is to exercise our rights.

“Pump price is N800 per litre today. It is not a ques on of either APC or PDP. What we are going through in this country is affec ng everybody and it was caused by bad governance.

“Tinubu should review the policies. We are hungry. The protest is going to last for ten days. We want the pump price to return to N180 per litre,”

Ajala said.

Addressing the crowd of protesters, one of the organisers of the protest, Alfred Adegoke said the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government has not done enough to improve the lives of the people.

Adegoke carpeted the na on’s poli cal leaders, accusing them of pu ng the country in its present state with policies targeted at empowering a few at the detriment of the majority.

His words, “We demand that fuel subsidy be scrapped completely. We are aware that there is nothing like subsidy. They are only enriching themselves under the guise of the subsidy. Therefore, we don’t want to hear anything like subsidy anymore. We can’t afford to buy Garri anymore. We are red.”

Also addressing the crowd, the Na onal Associa on of Nigerian Students (NANS) Southwest Public Rela ons Officer, Peter Bamigboye said the student body is massively in support of the protest.

Bamigboye explained that, “Students are red. Before the coming of the APC-led government, we know what we pay as

•Nigerians

Protest, Demand Economic Reforms

•Businesses

Shut, Streets Deserted In Osun

of the protesters barricading the road in front of the

school fees and our parents also know what they pay as school fees on their children.

“But when this government came on board, the fees have been mulplied. For this reason, we are not in support of the government of the day. We are against tui on increase. They also introduced student loan, they want students to borrow loan, that is very wrong.

“All Osun state students are against the government of the day. We also demand the free educa on which they enjoyed during their days.

All Osun students are in support of the pretest and we say no to student loan”.

Corrobora ng the speakers, a leader of the

associa on of commercial motorcyclists in the state noted that life has been challenging for Nigerians, urging people to come out and demand a be er deal from the authori es.

“Things are ght. We cannot even afford to buy motorcycles again. There is no security for us. Okada riders are being killed gruesomely daily without recourse to ge ng the perpetrators to book. We want the government to do the right thing.”

The protesters pledged to con nue to demand good governance, transparency, and accountability as well as policies that will make life more abundant for the ci zenry.

Businesses Shut, Streets Deserted In Osun

Major streets in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, were deserted for the most of yesterday due to the 10-day #EndBadGovernance Protest.

OSUN DEFENDER reporter who moved round the state capital throughout the day reports that major business areas like Sta on Road, Ajegunle, Ayetoro, Oja-Oba, OgoOluwa, Jaleyemi, Aregbe, experienced low traffic, which is unusual for a work day.

The situa on, according to findings by the medium, was a result of the palpable fear of the protests degenera ng into violence.

There was a heavy deployment of security personnel in strategic loca ons like the Nelson

yesterday

Mandela Freedom Park where most protesters converged in the morning.

As of 3pm when OSUN DEFENDER moved round the city, most shops and retail outlets remained shut due to fear of a breakout of violence.

There was also a lull in business ac vi es around the few outlets that opened for business as many residents of the state remained indoors for most parts of the day.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that commercial banks which opened earlier in the day closed early, as bank officials were advised to go home for their safety.

The 10-day protest is expected to resume today and run ll August 10.

Fury Over Award Of Osun Osogbo Festival’s Contract To NonYoruba Firm

STAKEHOLDERS in Osun State have expressed displeasure over an allega on that major contracts pertaining to the 2024 Osun Osogbo Fes val were awarded to a firm that belongs to a non-Yoruba person.

OSUN DEFENDER reports that according to the aggrieved stakeholders, some state governments in the South West have been fond of giving out vital contracts to consul ng firms and agencies owned by people who are not from the region.

Ci ng the par cular case of the award of marke ng rights of the Osun Osogbo fes val to a non-indigenous agency, the stakeholders held

that the development contradicts the historical dignity of the Yoruba race and sounds sacrilegious.

They, therefore called for the immediate revoca on of the contract, saying that the involvement of an Igbo company undermines the fes val’s authen city and values to Yoruba heritage.

But reac ng to the development, the Spokesperson to Governor Ademola Adeleke, Olawale Rasheed, described the news linking Governor Adeleke to the award of the contract to a non-indigene as fake.

“We seek to clarify clearly that neither the governor nor the state government is the organiser of Osun Osogbo fes val. Those who need informa on on Osun Osogbo fes val are directed to reach out to the Ataoja

in-Council,” he said.

Also, the Osun State Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr. Adebisi Olawale, said he did not know the aspect of the fes val that was contracted out because there are many aspects to the fesval.

He said: “There are never a me other members of ethnic groups partake in any contractual aspect of the fes val.”

However, a source within the Ataoja’s palace who craved anonymity in a telephone interview with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, said the allega on may be the handiwork of mischief makers.

The source said the consultancy applica on for the Osun Osogbo fesval was thrown open for different for firms to apply, saying the qualified one was selected at the end of a thorough process.

“We made the applica on open for everyone to apply and the one who can offer us the best was selected based on their experience without discrimina ng. We cannot chose someone who cannot give us the best because he or she is from Osun or Yoruba.

“Those who are aggrieved are the ones who were not selected for the consultancy of the fesval,” the source said.

Also, a staff of the Osun/Osogbo grove who do not want his name in print told OSUN DEFENDER that the person handling the project is not an Igbo as being spread in the media.

The staff noted that the consultant handling the project is an halfcaste, saying others are furious because they’re are not favoured for the contract.

Osun LG Poll: Chairmanship Candidates’ To Pay N500,000 Nomination Fees

THE Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) has released the electoral guidelines for the February 2025 Local Government Elecons in the state.

OSUN DEFENDER reports that the press secretary to the OSIEC chairman, Omoyemi Badru, noted that chairmanship and councillorship candidates will pay N500,000.00 and N250,000.00 respecvely which is nonrefundable as nomina on fees to the commission.

According to the commission, the guidelines contain key informa on and guiding procedures for poli cal par es, candidates and all stakeholders in the electoral process.

OSIEC also added that 18 poli cal pares have shown interest in par cipa ng in the elec ons and had submi ed their dates for primary elec ons.

Some of the highlights of the guidelines OSUN DEFENDER gathered are as

follows, “Nominaon fee payable to the Commission by chairmanship candidate is N500,000.00 while that of a councillorship candidate is N250,000.00 nonrefundable.

“Documents to accompany a candidate’s nomina on form shall include; a tax clearance cerficate issued in the last 2-3 years in the personal name of the candidate.

“Choice of chairmanship and vice

chairmanship candidate by a poli cal party in any Local

Government shall reflect the peculiari es, history, custom and geographical spread of the Local Government.

“Withdrawal and replacement of candidate shall be subscribed by both the state chairman and secretary of the poli cal party affected and shall be before final publica on of names by the Commission except in the case of death (if any) of a candidate which may be at any me before or during the elec on.

“An aspirant who is a poli cal appointee at any level must resign the appointment before the date of primary elec on.

“Procedure for vo ng requires a voter to possess a valid Permanent Voters Card (PVC) issued by the Independent Naonal Electoral Commission (INEC).”

#EndBadGovernance: Youths Should Propagate Peace - Osun NNPP Youth Leader

THE Youth Leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), in Osun State, Hon. Taiwo Olanrewaju, has urged Nigerian Youths to support efforts at reposi oning the country instead of going on mass protests

NDLEA Busts Cannabis Farmland, Arrest 17 Suspects In Osun

NYusuf Oketola Femi Babafemi. According to Babafemi, 31,250 kilograms of cannabis were found on 12.5 hectares of farmland, while 48kg of processed cannabis sa va were recovered along with a single-barrel dane gun.

O fewer than 17 suspects were arrested at cannabis farmland during a raid by the operaves of the Na onal Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Osun Command at Owena Forest, Oriade Local Government Area of the state.

This was contained in a statement by the NDLEA spokesperson,

Those arrested include; Peter Osuya (51), Zebron Ode (46), Dogo Reuben Ma hew (35), Isaac

Terna, Joseph David Lawrence (27), Ugochukwu Victory (24), Olamilekan Abolarin (26) and Dele Ayibo (44).

Others are Ojo Moses (21), Nini Ayila (27), Msughve Clement (23), Chuks Ogeneku (40), Dada Aribo (20), Uche Endurance (30), Patrick Agba (21), Osakwe Kennedy (45) and Ojo Babatunde (29).

that may be hijacked by violent elements.

This is as he declared that he is not involved in the planning or execu on of the ongoing #EndBadGovernance na onwide protests.

In a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Osogbo on Wednesday, Hon. Olanrewaju noted that he did not convene or lead any organisa on, movement or group aiming to protest against the economic hardship facing the country.

The NNPP State Youth Leader also added that neither him nor his poli cal party is interested in the planned demonstra ons, as he believes in construc ve and meaningful engagement of those in posions of authority than disrup ng the peace of the society.

He also warned the Youths against using protests to demand for the forceful removal of any government as democracy guarantees the exercise of franchise to elect or remove any poli cal office holder from office.

Hon. Olanrewaju said, “I am not involved in or leading any protests. I learnt from reliable quarters that some people have penned my name with security agents as one of those leading the #EndBadG-

overnance protests in Osun.

“I wish to state that I am not involved in any protests. It is true that I a ended the meeting convened by the state government and Youth stakeholders in the state on Monday in my capacity as a Youth leader of a leading poli cal party in the country. However, I am not going to be leading anyone to protest.

“I have always believed in the democratic rules of engagement with poli cal leaders.

As young Nigerians, the right to protest is a given, but must be done with cau on. We must not allow ourselves to be used as a tool for crea ng enmity and violence among ourselves and our people. I urge everyone who will go ahead to protest to do so with cau on and be very peaceful.

“Protest is not the solu on to the current

economic problem. I am quite aware that the government has heard the cries of Nigerians on the hardship. Let us begin to ask them quesons. It is be er than going on the streets to call them names. Whether we like it or not, the offices they are holding is cons tu onal and their term has to expire before they leave. So, we should be pa ent.

“We must remind ourselves that Osun is one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria. We must look in this direc on and not cause any violence. The PDP government under Governor Ademola Adeleke has tried its best to maintain the peace in the state and we should avoid anything that will truncate it.

“President Bola Tinubu is working hard and has shown that he is listening. Look at the steps the government is taking to convince us to be calm and not be used as agents of public destrucon. Let us give him 3 years to determine if he is doing well all or not. If we do not want him again, we should wait ll 2027 to decide his fate at the ballot. We should exercise restraint and some quiet. I also call on the government to also do well to address the plight of Nigerians. Together, let us join hands to take this country to greater heights ,” the Osun NNPP Youth Leader stressed.

Inside Osun Community Where Children Face Difficulty To Access Education

•Residents Blame Abandonment Of Ilesa Water Project Amidst Deplorable State Of Amenities

EARLY childhood educa on plays a crucial role in the forma ve years of a child. The quality of educa on received by a child in his/her early years lays the founda on for all that is to come. It is a stage where children acquire and develop their cogni ve and mental skills, which in turn shapes their cerebral development for the rest of their years on earth.

The right to educa on is an essen al ingredient for every child. However, the situa on in Aralapon Community in Ilesa, Osun State is different as children in the community do not have access to school, which may deprive them the opportunity of shaping their forma ve years.

Residents of the community, according to findings by OSUN DEFENDER, are in dire need of a school for their wards as there is none close by the environment, amid the deplorable state of other ameni es.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the people of Aralapon community also require the establishment of a primary health centre urgently as they have to go miles to get adequate medical a enon.

This is just as the community, which hosts one of the reservoirs for the

Ilesa Water Project expressed displeasure over the current state of the project.

Leaders of the community said the present state of the project has subjected them to more problems.

These revela ons were part of the discoveries made during a visit by the members of the Community of Prac ce (COP) Project Trust to the community, recently.

Project Trust is a citizen-centered ini a ve that seeks to bridge the communica on gap between the government and the governed for transparency and public accountability.

Some of the other demands of the community leaders include a road network as well as streetlights.

One of the leaders of Aralopon community, Mr. Ademola Oluki bi explained that having a project of such magnitude in their community ordinarily should have brought succour and relief to them, but the reverse has been the case.

Oluki bi said: “Aside from needing access to pipe-borne water, which the project would have addressed, the major road into the community now gets slippery when it rains due to the unending construc on of the dam.”

He also men oned

how the government took over one of the community member’s house and asked him to relocate, because of the project, stressing that the contractors have also ig-

nored them.

Addressing the community leaders a er an inspec on of Aralopon community, a member of the COP, John Afolarin, explained that it is impor-

tant for the people, to take an interest in the details of projects executed in their locality so as to enable them to take up the government when its comple on is delayed.

Afolarin also educated them on how to nominate the school and other projects needed in the community and how to track its execu on.

Govt Interventions Without Adequate Data Fruitless - Medical Expert

GOVERNMENTS at all levels have been urged to make use of data in planning and decision-making in order to affect the lives of the ci zens posi vely.

The Head, Monitoring and Evalua on Unit, Department of Planning, Research and Sta s cs, Osun

State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olasunboye Oyetunde, gave the charge on Tuesday, during a media roundtable to commemorate the 2024 World Popula on Day in Osogbo.

According to Dr. Oyetunde, governments may not get it right un l adequate data is used in planning their interven on ac-

Osun Law Students Commend Adeleke Over Release Of Bursary

ABOUT 300 Law students who are indigenes of Osun State have commended Governor Ademola Adeleke for the release of the long-awaited bursary to them. The students under Yusuf Oketola

the Coali on of Osun Law Students, Nigeria Law School Bar II 2022/2023 session, appreciated the governor for the kind gesture.

OSUN DEFENDER had in its past edi ons reported the cries of the students,’ lamen ng the

delay of the state government to expedite ac on on the payment of the bursary.

The coali on in a statement signed by its President, Toyeeb Abodunde said the payment of the grant has further reinforced their commitment to being great ambassadors of Osun State.

The statement reads:

“Today is going to be another memorable day in the hearts of all sons and daughters of our dear Osun State as the peoples’ Governor and father, Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke, yet again broke a remarkable record by disbursing the long-awaited Bursary for 296 Nigerian Law School students of 2022/2023 set.

“On behalf of every member of our dear associa on, I appreciate the Governor’s thoughtfulness in acknowledging the efforts and sacrifices we made during our study at the Nigerian Law

School.

“Mr. Governor’s gesture is uncommon since the state was created in 1991. The bursary has further reinforced our commitment to being great ambassadors of our dear state in every part of the world.

“I also appreciate every single member of our associa on for their paence, coopera on, and prayers towards achieving this feat. It should not go without saying that some notable personali es contributed immensely towards facilita ng the bonding between us and our dear Governor. I appreciate you all.

“It is our joy that this bursary plan does not start and end with us. We look forward to the Government’s steadfastness in ensuring that Nigerian Law School students connue to be beneficiaries of the goodwill of the State annually,” Abodunde stated.

vi es.

His words, “It is very important that we use data for all our planning. For us to alleviate poverty, it is about bridging the gap between the rich and the poor and we have to idenfy where those poor people are.

“To iden fy this set of people, there is a need for accurate data. Every decision that we take as policymakers at every level must be data-driven.

“Data will help to idenfy where the gaps are and interven ons can be targeted towards meeting those par cular gaps which will actually lead to a reduc on in marginalisaon.

“I think the distribu on of pallia ve by the state governors should be datadriven so that it will reach the vulnerable ones and move up the ladder. Without data, the pallia ve may be going to those who can actually afford it. We know the situa on is bi ng on everybody, but it is bi ng harder on some people.

“We should guide every distribu on of the various interven ons of government through data in order to achieve the aims intended.”

In her goodwill message, the Family Planning Coordinator from the state Ministry of Health, Mrs Ololade Abatan, emphasised the role of the media in the dissemina on

and acceptability of family planning.

Abatan charged media prac oners to put more effort into the sensi sa on of residents on the importance of family planning. She revealed that family planning has reduced maternal mortality rate in the state, adding that Family Planning leads to healthy and a be er life.

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 02, 2024 - THURSDAY, AUGUST 08, 2024 VOL. 19 NO 30 www.osundefender.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com

NO young person from 30 years downwards could imagine what Nigerian people experienced in the 80s and 90s, especially patriots in the leadership of the struggle against military dictatorship – for the enthronement of democracy. Some were gruesomely murdered while many were incarcerated under decree 2. I had a 6 month taste of the military’s dreadful decree rule with Anthony Fasayo in Benin Maximum Prison in 1995 cum 1996.

Very few people, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who were privileged to be alive today could narrate the story of military dictatorship in Nigeria and the fierce struggle the workers, students, ar sans, unemployed, Prolabour Non Governmental Organisa ons and Spirited individuals waged to terminate military rule for enthronement of Civil Rule.

And what were the grievances against military dictatorship? Its socio-economic programmes were – Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) – World Bank and IMF programme and devalua on of Naira among others an -people’s programmes. The military denied us fundamental human rights such as freedom of protest, freedom of speech and assembly; they denied us jus ce, rights to challenge the ruling elite in any form including dragging them to the courts of the land, to men on but very few; as the military dictators were not accountable to the people since they seized power through the barrel of gun. Under the military rule, there was no State/Na onal Assembly and its Decrees ousted most powers of the Judiciary. There were no checks and balances which allowed unlimited corrup on as “power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

Since governance is all about the welfare of the people, Civil Rule, also seen as Democracy, became the beacon of all fighters for good governance with readiness to make sacrifices in various deten on camps including paying the supreme price – death! Eventually, a fresh breath of civil rule ensued in 1999 with the expecta on of be er life for the Nigerians, especially the poor. The Obasanjo/A ku led People Democra c Party (PDP) Federal Government sha ered this hope and aspira ons throughout its 8 years, selling our na onal and collec ve patrimony to themselves and cronies under the pla orm of Na onal Council on Priva sa on and the Bureau of Public Enterprise headed by Vice President A ku Abubakar. The regime made rich people to be richer and poor poorer.

In 2007, the regime handed over to President Umaru Yar’Adua of same PDP via an elecon that was fraught with many electoral malprac ces a ested to by President Yar’Adua who was the major beneficiary of the electoral fraud. Although he died midway into his first tenure, he was poised to offer be er leadership. In fact, reports and recommenda ons of Jus ce Uwais Panel that he did set up to look into our electoral process with the view to make recommenda ons that would stop the madness eventually translated to various innova ons like PVC, BVAS, etc that have been adopted and improved our

“Hence, hunger and starvation never experienced in Nigeria and clamour for protests by the young people, especially. Assuming the protest is suppressed by any form, it’s a matter of time as the poor are finding it almost impossible to breath. Except the regime changes it neo-liberal policies dictated by the Bretton Wood Institutions –IMF and World Bank – there will always be turmoil that nobody can predict its outcome”

Nasty Civil Rule Experience

electoral system, making peoples votes count and the electoral system more credible.

The Vice President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, con nued where his boss stopped. Under his regime, “stealing is not corrup on.” This PDP led FG directly or unwi 1ngly supervised the of incredible volume of crude oil that culminated into flight of fund from Federal Alloca on with associated gross cut by 60% in alloca on to States in Nigeria, making it prac cally impossible to pay workers salaries and at a stage, FG had to be obtaining loans to pay Federal Civil Servants as a result of con nuous oil the , missing oil money and consequent crash in the crude oil price interna onally at its peak between 2013, 2014 and 2015 with the economy in deep recession. It should be noted that crude oil sales accounts for about 70% of Government revenue and 95% of foreign exchange. At that me, $2.1 billion allocated for ammuni on to fight insurgent and insecurity were expended on poli cs for the desperate second term of Jonathan, supervised by Na onal Security Adviser, Dasuki Sambo. It was in that regime that mass kidnap of school pupils stared - Chibok girls - and campaigns for their release.

For the first me since the uninterrupted civil rule began in 1999, democracy was tested

AT the me that the #EndSars Protest 0f 2020 took an ugly turn due to poor management, Striker reiterated to the state actors of those days and the protesters that “more democracy is the soluon to any and all democra c challenges.” As we are into Day 2 of the much talked about na onwide #EndHunger #EndBadGovernance Protest, it is worth emphasising again to all that the solu on to any and all governance and development problems occasioned by democracy remains deepening and adop on of democra c culture and solu ons. The alternave is anarchy.

Democracy has limitless capacity in terms of processes for civic engagement even in war situa on as to guarantee the fulfilment by government of its basic func ons: security of lives and property of the ci zens. A protracted protest for good governance is among the least challenges for a commi ed democra c government and people to handle.

Understandably, the present sad reali es are products of history. In pre-independent mes, the mode of government common across Nigeria and most of Africa is Monarchy. The monarchs are next in rank only to the Almighty God and had powers of life and death and engaged ci zens according to their whims and caprices, with mechanism for checks and balances almost non-existent. This went on for hundreds of years before the colonial masters came.

The colonial masters, of course, came with forceful domina on of the ci zens (na ves) for the achievement of their colonial interests, po-

in 2013 to 2015 as there were protracted protests in various states as governors couldn’t pay salaries of the workers for about 6 months. To construct a formidable party that could wrest power from the PDP, between 2014 and 2015 general elec ons, opposi on par es like Acon Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), a fac on of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and a New Peoples Democra c Party (nPDP) came together to form a brand new party – All Progressive Congress (APC)with an “incorrup ble” personality packaged as its Presiden al candidate for 2015 general elec ons - General Muhammadu Buhari. There were overwhelming campaigns to turning valley into mountain and make life be er for the people. Nigerians were moved by the campaign and for the first me in Nigeria history, an opposi on party defeated the ruling party at the na onal level as APC won overwhelmingly.

President Muhammadu Buhari APC led FG immediately swung into ac on, bailing out the economic logjam through N713 billion, being $2.1 billion (N413 billion) from Liquefied Natural Gas proceeds shared by the Federal and States and CBN interven on funds between N250 and N300 billions as so loans to enable states pay

outstanding salaries with Debt Management Office (DMO) helping States to restructure their commercial loans with banks, which was put at N660 billion. At the me President Buhari took over, Nigeria had no func onal rail system; it was his regime that literarily reconstructed and revived it and promised to bring 100 million Nigerians out of poverty by 2030. But by the close of this regime in 8 years, corrup on and insecurity had rendered all the administra on efforts virtually invalid. And again, hope of a be er life remained elusive. As a ma er of fact, in November 2022, Nigeria Bureau of Sta s cs (NBS) revealed that 133 million Nigerians were living in poverty with the breakdown of 86 million and 47 million living in the North and South respec vely. By 2023 general elec ons, there was a dilemma between going back to corrupt PDP, woeful APC and circumstan al and untested Labour Party (a Labour Party that is merely a labour party only in name but with same ins tu onal corrupt candidate which informed close up result).

Anyway, APC won, with the expecta on that its candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu would most likely deliver. He, however, began on a rough note by launching, from the inauguraon ground, neo-liberal policy of fuel subsidy removal when he should have known that Nigeria is a monolithic economy where fossil oil and its price affects virtually all areas of our lives. And he didn’t stop there. He devalued our currency, increased tariff on electricity via re-banding amongst other IMF and World Bank prescribed dosages, which have never brought any goodies to Africa and underdeveloped na ons. Hence, hunger and starva on never experienced in Nigeria and clamour for protests by the young people, especially. Assuming the protest is suppressed by any form, it’s a ma er of me as the poor are finding it almost impossible to breath. Except the regime changes it neo-liberal policies dictated by the Bre on Wood Ins tu ons –IMF and World Bank – there will always be turmoil that nobody can predict its outcome.

Easy Does It Across Board

li cal, economic and social; and that lasted for another hundred years before Independence. The narra ve, therefore, for hundreds of years is that whosoever is in power is Almighty and has his way, against the will of the people. Independence then came through hard struggles and Democracy was adopted as the mode of government along with a federa on and republic structure to deliver its dividends. The failure by our elites from the onset to understand this transi on and new concept, and their con nua on in carrying on with the attudinal hangovers of monarchy and colonialism in governance, quickly led to the collapse of the republic and democra c governance. Long years of military rules, replica of monarchy, only more brutal through the force of gun, followed, with a empts to return to democra c rule twice aborted; un l finally a stable return to democracy was achieved in 1999.

For the last 25 years, civil society, rights and democracy organisa ons; the ruling elite in poli cs and the professionals; society leaders in cultural and community organisa ons had the golden opportunity to first of all retrain their minds and become compliant with democracy and rule of law, republicanism and federalism, and then spread the compliance down the ci zenry through enlightenment and great examples, in and out of government. Rather than achieve that, majority of persons men oned in the classes above only reinforced their authoritarian disposi ons within

all organisa ons and within occupied offices. Not only did the country consequently stagnate in development, the gap between the rich and the poor widened, deep-seated anger and animosi es across all Nigeria’s fault lines (religious, ethnic, class) developed un l an unacceptable level of poverty, ignorance and insecurity came in place.

The occasion of Nigeria’s Independence Anniversary (amidst Covid-19 management at that me) presented opportunity to re-evaluate the past and recommits ourselves, from leadership down to ci zenry, to democra c values and a genuine federal republic, and at least begin a restructuring process accordingly. We missed it yet again, then came #EndSars. Now, the bad taste le in everyone’s mouth by the tragic ending to that protest is instrumental to misgivings on protests in general and it is the hope that rather than reinforce strong-arm and authoritarian handlings, the management and a ermath of this protest will deepen leadership orienta on, strategy and tac cs in democra c mode of handling popular agita ons. Clearly, both leadership and the led have a lot to learn and imbibe as per democra c culture, rights and responsibili es, and good governance. While hoping for a peaceful resolu on and happy ending to the current protest, let us all go about it easy and the democra c way - devoid of violence on the part of all pares, realising that every contesta on must inevitably end with dialogue.

OSUN DEFENDER is published by Moremi Publishing House Limited, Promise Point Building, Opposite Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB), Gbongan Road, Osogbo, Osun State. All correspondence to the Acting Deputy Editor, SODIQ YUSUF, Telephone: 0809-301-9152. ISSN: 0794-8050. Website: www.osundefender.com Email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com, osundefenderhq@gmail.com