Osun Defender Online Version of July 12, 2024

Iyaloja Writes Osun Govt, Demands Withdrawal Of Letter Terminating Appointment

2

OSUN TO LOSE ALLOCATIONS OVER ABSENCE OF ELECTED LG CHAIRMEN

•As Supreme Court Bars Payment of Allocation To Non-Elected Officials

•Caretaker Chairmen Six-Month Tenure Extension Ends August 16

•Motorcyclists queuing up at Bovas Filling Station, Iwo-Ibadan road, Osogbo, on Wednesday

Nigerians May Face More Hardship Over Fresh Hike In Petrol Price

Pg. 7 Why Tinubu Removed Oyetola’s Loyalists As Education Board Members

THE Supreme Court judgement barring the Federal Government from paying the monthly statutory alloca on to non-elected local government chairmen has sent shivers down the spines of some states, including Osun.

OSUN DEFENDER reports that Osun is among the states currently opera ng its local government system with caretaker management commi ees instead of elected officials.

The Supreme Court on Thursday while delivering judgement in a suit filed by the Attorney General of the Federa on, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), on behalf of the Federal Government, also declared that it is uncons tuonal for state governors to hold funds allocated for local government administraons.

The seven-man panel led by Jus ce Emmanuel Agim, further declared that a state government has no

Kazeem Badmus •Continued on page 5

Why Tinubu Removed Oyetola’s Loyalists As Education Board Members

FRESH facts have emerged on why some loyalists of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, were removed from the list of chairmen and members of the Governing Councils of federal ter ary ins tu ons, cons tuted by President Bola Tinubu.

President Tinubu had on May 18, 2024, approved the appointment of members to the boards of the Universi es, Polytechnics, and Colleges of Educa on, but later withdrew it, following heavy protests from states.

OSUN DEFENDER learnt that Tinubu decided to hand in the appointment decision for the Osun nominees to a former Naonal Chairman of the APC and a close ally, Chief Adebisi Akande when he intervened.

On the new list, a total of 11 indigenes of Osun, who were exclusively nom-

•Bishop and Mrs Seun Adeoye, flanked by NAWOJ Chairperson, Comrade Abisola Ariwodola and members of the NUJ Federated Chapel, during the wedding reception of Adeoye’s daughter and her husband, Tosin and Seyi last Saturday, at the Rehoboth Arena, Igbokiti-Oba road, Okinni

inated by Oyetola, were removed, while new nominees emerged, which are names recommended by Akande and the Na onal Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Ajibola Basiru.

OSUN DEFENDER had, in its June 21 edi on, reported how some loyalists of the Minister, including former Speaker, Hon. Timothy Owoeye, a governorship aspirant in the 2018 gubernatorial elec on,

Dr. Saka Layoonu (SAN), a former member of the House of Representa ves, Prof. Mojeed Alabi, and a former Chief Whip of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Tunde Olatunji, became missing on

Osun, Four Others Fail To Attract Capital Importation In Q1 2024

THE Na onal Bureau of Sta s cs (NBS) has revealed that Osun and three other states from the South-West part of the country failed to a ract capital importa on in the first quarter (Q1) of 2024. The three other states from the same geo-poli cal zone are Ondo, Oyo and Ogun; while their neighbouring Kwara State from the North Central geopoli cal zone also joined in the

shor all.

The ‘Nigeria Capital Importa on’ report by NBS reveals that in the South-West, only Eki and Lagos State reported capital importa on in the period under review.

The bureau disclosed that Eki State imported $0.01 million in Q1 2024 and Lagos State with about $2,782.41 million in Q1 2024, contributed 82.4 per cent of the total $3,376.01 million total capital importaon by States in Nigeria.

“Out of the three states

that recorded capital importa on during the quarter, Lagos state remained the top des na on with $2,782.41 million, accoun ng for 82.42 per cent of the total capital imported.

“Abuja (FCT) followed with $593.58 million (17.58 per cent), and Eki State with $0.01 million,” the report by NBS revealed.

Further checks by OSUN DEFENDER revealed that Osun, Oyo, and Kwara states did not record any capital importa on in the 2023 cal-

endar year.

The report disclosed that, Lagos, $2,503.44 million; Ogun, $27.09 million; Ondo, $0.20 million and Eki, $0.05 million out of the total $3,905.99 million capital importa on in 2023.

According to NBS, in Q1 2024, the total capital importa on into Nigeria stood at $3,376.01 million, higher than $1,132.65 million recorded in Q1 2023, indicating an increase of 198.06 per cent.

the new emerging list.

Others are the former commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Alhaja Lateefat Giwa, ex-Special Adviser to the Governor on Educa on, Mr. Jamiu Olawumi, former Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Federal Matters, Mr. Lukman Bello, Bade Falade and Mr. Nasir Olateju.

Also, a Professor of History, Siyan Oyeweso, Prof. Sola Ajala, Yusuf Alli, and a chie ain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Ayo Afolabi, who had been appointed as members of the Governing Council of the University of Jos, and all indigenes of Ede earlier appointed in the first list, did not make the reviewed list.

of former deputy governor of the state, Mrs. Ti -Laoye Ponnle (Chairman, Federal Polytechnic, Kano, Kano State); the appointment of Dr. Obawale Adebisi (Chairman, Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe, Bayelsa State); and that of Prof. Taiwo Akanbi Olaiya (Chairman, Federal Polytechnic, Ede).

Membership appointments traceable to his (Akande’s) influence are Dr Abdulrauf Adeniji (member, Alex Ekweme University, Udufu Alike, Ebonyi State), Pastor Timothy Ademola (member, Federal University of Technology, Minna), Hon Adegboyega Basheer (member Federal University, Lokoja), Chief Niyi Akande (member, University of Nigeria, Nsukka), Barr. Kayode Adebiyi (member, University of Calabar, Cross Rivers State), Prof. A.O Atoyebi (member, Federal University of Sciences, Ila Orangun, Engr. Rafiu Adekilekun Mumini (member, Federal Polytechnic, Kaltungo, Gombe State) and Prof. Gbadebo Anthony Olagunju, member Federal Poly Ede.

These developments, further findings revealed, are part of the efforts by some leaders of the APC in the state to technically strip the leadership of the party off Mr. Oyetola.

According to sources, the distribu on of gi s for the recent Eid-el-Kabir fesval was coordinated by the elder statesman from his Ila-Orangun country home, and not the APC State Secretariat or the IleriOluwa campaign office in Osogbo.

Iyaloja Writes Osun Govt, Demands Withdrawal Of Letter Terminating Appointment

THE Olufon of Ifon, Oba Peter Oluwole Akinyooye has sacked the Iyaloja of Ifon Osun, Princess Moriliat Ajibade. This is contained in a le er dated June 20, 2024, signed by the Director of Administra on at the Olufon’s Palace, a copy obtained by OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday. The le er reads, “Princess (Mrs.) Moriliat Ajibade, Olufon Royal Compound, Ifon-Osun, Orolu Local Government, IfonOsun. Please be informed that your appointment as the Iyaloja of Ifon-Osun, Orolu Local Government, Ifon-Osun is hereby terminated with immediate effect.

“While thanking you for your services rendered in the past, I wish you the best in all your future endeavours.”

However, Ajibade has

wri en the State Government, sta ng that the monarch was wrong to have terminated her appointment, demanding a rescind.

According to the market leader, Oba Akinyooye acted in deferrence to the state’s Chiefs Law and disregard to the rule of law, culture and tradi on.

The le er signed by Taofeek Oyesiji Esq on behalf of the Iyaloja of Ifon Osun reads, “We are solicitors to Chief (Mrs.) Moriliat Ajibade of Maternity, Odo Oje, Ifon-Osun, Orolu Local Government, Osun State hereina er called “our client” and it is in accordance with her briefing and informa on that we humbly write your Excellency this le er to demand that the le er of purported termina on of the appointment of our client by His Royal Majesty, OBA PETER OLUWOLE AKINYOOYE (Olufon of Ifon-Osun) on 20th

June, 2024 be withdrawn with immediate effect.

“The factual background upon which this le er is wri en is the informa on given to us by our Client that her appointment as lyaloja of IfonOsun, Orolu Local Government, Osun State was purportedly terminated via a le er dated the 20th day of June, 2024 contrary to what is envisaged by the Chiefs Law of Osun State under which the appointment was effected.

“Ac ng further on the informa on of our client, we most humbly state that the le er wri en to purportedly terminate her appointment does not have efficacy of all the applicable rules of law, Customs and Tradi on.

“As Solicitor representing Chief (Mrs.) Moriliat Ajibade, we have examined the le er and its contents and having done that, we have come to a conclusion which affirms the insinuaon of our Client that the

•Continued on page 7

The report stated, “In comparison to the preceding quarter, capital importaon rose by 210.16 per cent from $1,088.48 million in Q4 2023.

The council chairmen nominated and appointed through Akande’s influence are his personal appointment as the Chairman of the Governing Council, University of Ibadan; that

Feelers also indicated that some members of the party, who are disenchanted with Oyetola’s leadership style may exit the party any moment from now.

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The

Discourse

A Hero Abandoned In The Morgue Institutions Matter

WE must continuously stress that the development of strong technically efficient and demonstrably independent ins tu ons is a cri cal factor in the deepening of the processes of democracy. They also make the state compe ve, which is necessary for survival in a globalised interdependent world order.

From this perspecve, there are important lessons to learn from the recently concluded elec ons, as well as the orderly transi on of power in the United Kingdom. At every step, we observed in that process the need for strong ins tu ons

Instruc vely, from a Nigerian point of view, in a gruelling six weeks of at mes--ferocious campaigning, we never found out the name of the head of the supervising electoral body. We were spared garrulous spokespersons seizing control of the airwaves u ering mendaci es. The ins tuon spoke for itself and there was no need to immodestly proclaim itself as “independent”. The ger as Prof Wole Soyinka once observed , does not need to proclaim its gritude.

Not surprisingly no one is declaring an inten on to go to court; even though some of the contests were very close. In the case of Cambridgeshire South East for example the contest was decided by just thirty - nine votes! Nevertheless, the loser conceded victory and congratulated the twenty-two-year-old winner.

Cambridgeshire South East should be of interest to us. The

“We must continuously stress that the development of strong technically efficient and demonstrably independent institutions is a critical factor in the deepening of the processes of democracy. They also make the state competitive, which is necessary for survival in a globalised interdependent world order”

Cambridge University student who won that seat at the age of twenty - two had already spent three years as an elected local government councillor! He is far from being a rookie. This indicates a cadre ship mentoring system, which is vital for the substance of a democracy. In contradisnc on, the less said about our method of recrui ng and selec on the be er.

The transi on was, from our compara ve analysis remarkably swi : ministers were appointed immediately, given por olios, and resumed work instantly, no photos were taken and we were spared the charade of thanksgiving services and assorted ceremonies and distrac ons.

We just learn to separate the working from the ceremonial aspect of government. Not surprisingly, the first cabinet mee ng took place within twentyfour hours.

We had be er learn from the above to halt our slide into irrelevance.

ON Wednesday 30th August 2023, the news of the death of Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi, OFR, the designer of Nigeria’s flag took the media space a er it was announced via his son’s Facebook page. Pa Akinkunmi, a na onal hero designed the green-white-green flag in a compe on in 1958 and therea er unveiled the world’s largest na onal flag in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital in 2021. Mr. Flag as fondly called, gi ed the na on a symbol of unity in the form of the naonal flag. As an honour for his contribu on to na on-building, the Federal government conferred on him the na onal honour of ‘Officer of Order of the Federal Republic’ in 2014.

The London-trained Electrical Engineer attained this feat at age 22.

On the 4th of September, 2023, President Bola Tinubu sent a federal government delegaon led by the Minister of Informa on and Naonal Orienta on, Alhaji Mohammed Malagi on a condolence visit to the family of the late designer of the Na onal Flag at his country home in Elubu area of Ibadan, Oyo state capital.

There, the Minister while paying tribute to “Mr Flag”, on a live television broadcast, announced that this na onal hero would not be buried like a mean man.

This commitment was also reiterated during the delegate’s mee ng with the Oyo state governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, who was represented by the Deputy, Barrister Bayo Lawal, and received them at the exco chamber. Subsequently, the southwest governors, at a mee ng with Governor Seyi Makinde in Ibadan pledged that a committee would be commissioned to fashion out a programme of ac vi es for the burial.

Unfortunately, ll now, nothing has been done as the lifeless body of Pa Akinkunmi remains in the Morgue without any date to foreclose his final journey home.

Eight months after his demise, feelers from the family have it that the government is yet to set a commi ee to plan the burial as the family finds it difficult

to arrive at a sole decision to take their father out of the Morgue for burial but only le with the op on of se ling the monthly mortuary expenses while wai ng on the government to take ac on.

From records, whenever, an elderstateman is billed for state burial, it’s usually done within the shortest me frame. A mes, it doesn’t take up to a month before the ceremony takes place.

One then begins to wonder why the a delay in giving the man whose enduring work has remained the symbol of unity even at the face of clamour for cessesion despite the public declara on by federal and state governments to give him a Befi ng burial ceremony.

What then has been responsible for the delay in giving Mr Flag a befi ng burial? How long will it take the government to organize a ceremony to put the holder of the na onal honour of Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) to eternal rest? If the federal government is foot-dragging, what of the southwest state governors; are they also incapacitated to carry their acclaimed pride to his place of final rest in pomp and ceremony?

These and many more are ques ons running in the minds of close watchers.

Going forward, the federal government, Southwest governors, Management of Oodua Investment Company Limited, Development Agenda for Western Nigeria, and Dawn Commission, are hereby advised to, within the shortest me, remember Mr. Flag’s contribuon to Nigeria and accord him the deserved final honour on his eternal journey home so as to rightly place him in posterity. Enough is Enough, Give Pa Michael Taiwo Akinkunmi a Befi ng Burial, Let him Rest!

The legisla ve arm of government should also enact a law s pula ng the me frame for se ng up a commi ee and mobilisa on of funds to execute burial ac vi es for ci zens placed on state burial so as to prevent incidents of their corpses being abandoned in the Morgue.

By so doing, this prompt act will rekindle the spirit of statesmanship, selfless service and commitment to na onhood by ci zens in their various works of life.

OSUN DEFENDER

Publisher – Moremi Publishing House Ltd.

Ac ng Deputy Editor – Sodiq Yusuf

Produc on Editor – Petkola Taiwo Ibitowa

Reporter – Yusuf Oketola

Reporter – Kazeem Badmus

Photo Journalist – Shola Aderinto

“Unfortunately, till now, nothing has been done as the lifeless body of Pa Akinkunmi remains in the Morgue without any date to foreclose his final journey home”

Computer Graphics – Zainab Olalere

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

Telephone : 0809-301-9152

Website : www.osundefender.com/index.php

e-mail : osundefenderhq@gmail.com osundefenderbank@gmail.com All correspondence to the above email addresses.

•Dayo Adu is an awardwinning multimedia journalist with one and a half decades of Broadcast and New Media experience. He’s passionate about Developmental Journalism. He can be reached on temidayoadu@gmail.com

•Culled from the Nigerian Tribune

Governing Council, Osun Community End Rift Over Alleged Plan To Move Departments

Kazeem Badmus

THE disagreement between the Governing Council of the Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, and the host community over an alleged plan to move some departments in the ins tu on to another town has been resolved.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the Chairman of the college’s governing council, Mr. Diran Odeyemi, had been accused of planning to move some departments away from the campus

of the ins tu on in EsaOke to Ibokun, his hometown.

However, the allegaons were dismissed by Odeyemi, who noted that the council planned to expand the academic programmes on offer at the ins tu on by adding Mass Communica on and other courses.

He said part of the condi ons that must be met before the Mass Communica on course would get the Na onal Board for Technical Educa on (NBTE) accredita-

on includes the availability of training facili es for students, no ng that the New Dawn Television Sta on in Ibokun, owned by the State Government, was then considered as a good op on for training facili es since the government could not afford the purchase of all equipment needed on the ins tu on’s campus immediately.

Rather than the ri to abate, OSUN DEFENDER gathered that Odeyemi was barred from entering Esa-Oke by aggrieved

youths, who brought out masqueraders during a protest staged over the ma er.

However, the ripples generated by the development were resolved in a mee ng presided over by the Owamiran of Esa Oke, Oba Adeyemi Adediran, which Odeyemi and representa ves of the town a ended.

Odeyemi, in a statement on Wednesday, wrote, “The Owamiran of Esa-Oke, Oba Adediran, praying for the Chairman, Governing Council, Osun

I Mistook Cannabis For Isapa - Osun Traditional Ruler Caught By NDLEA

THE Community Head of Akarabata town in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Ige Babatunde, who was recently arrested by the Na onal Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has disclosed that he mistook cannabis plants for Isapa (Hibiscus sabdariffa).

The 50-year-old Babatunde was arrested by the NDLEA on July 5, 2024, for alleged possession of fresh cannabis plants weighing 5kg.

This was contained in a statement by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi.

Babafemi said, “In Osun State, the head of Akarabata community in Ile-Ife, Ba’ale Ige Babatunde, 50, was on Friday, July 5 arrested with fresh cannabis plants that weighed 5kg.” But in a three-minute video sighted by OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday, Babatunde, a civil servant at Ife Central West LCDA, while speaking at the Osun NDLEA Command, Osogbo, said he thought the cannabis plants was Isapa (Hibiscus Sabdariffa), say-

ing someone had called his a en on to it.

He said: “I became the Baale of Akarabata town on June 3, 2023. I thought it was Isapa. I don’t know it was cannabis. It germinated naturally in the midst of the pepper I planted in front of my house.

“I would have uprooted it if I knew it was cannabis. I’m a civil servant at Ife Central West. It’s been a year since I smoked weed last. I dropped it the me I became sick. I have never seen a fresh cannabis before.

“It became clear to me when the NDLEA officers came to arrest me. Someone has called my a en on to it some mes that it was cannabis but I disagreed with him. I told him it was Isapa. I was shocked when the NDLEA told me it’s cannabis.”

State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, Prince Diran Odeyemi during a peaceful reconcilia on mee ng at the Owamiran’s palace on Tuesday.

“In a endance were other members of the Council, members of the Esa-Oke Development Associa on, Chiefs, Rector of the Ins tu on and

other stakeholders in the community.

“During the peace mee ng, encomiums were rained on the Ibokun-born prince on the development he had brought to the Ins tu on within the short term of his appointment as the Chairman of the Governing Council.”

Osun To Get 75

Truckloads

Of Fertiliser To Curb Food Crisis

THE Osun State Government is set to receive 60 truckloads of fer liser from the Federal Government as part of efforts to address the lingering food crisis in the country.

Also, the three senators represen ng the state at the red chamber will get two trucks of ferliser to be distributed to farmers while the nine House of Representa ves members will get one truck each.

The plan was discussed during a debate on the bi ng food crisis plaguing the na on at the floor of the Senate, on Tuesday.

The Senate at the session called on the Federal Government to expedite ac on on ferliser distribu on.

The call followed a mo on moved by Senator Sunday Karimi, represen ng Kogi West, and co-sponsored by Senator Ali Ndume from Borno South at the plenary.

Karimi, in the mo on tled, “Urgent Need to Address Food Insecurity and Market Exploita on of Consumables In Nigeria,” noted that in the last few months, the prices of goods and household consumables had skyrocketed on an abysmal rise in the country, leading to a high rate of inflaon, weakened purchasing power, thus resul ng in general worsening of living condi ons of the vast majority of Nigerians.

He further noted that the latest data released by Nigeria’s Na onal Bureau of Sta s cs showed that “food infla on in the country skyrocketed to 40.66 per cent on a year-on-year basis, a significant increase from the 24.82 per cent recorded in May 2023.

“The current market price of food items such as beans, maize, rice paddy, yam, tomatoes, and onions, which ini ally rose by about 40

per cent a er the removal of petroleum subsidy, has now increased by over 100 – 300 per cent without any a ributable reasons for the increase in prices.”

He added, “Although insecurity in food-producing regions, bad roads, increase in the cost of transporta on attributable to the removal of fuel subsidy and deprecia on of the value of naira are possible factors that have contributed to the increase in price of food items, household commodi es, and consumables; the percentage of increase in cost of transporta on and some other factors listed above is significantly less than the percentage increase in the current prices of goods all ever the country.”

All efforts made by the Federal Government to arrest the consistent increase in food infla on had not yielded the desired results, according to Karimi.

Senator Ndume, in his contribu on, lamented that this is the first me Nigeria was listed as one of the countries ba ling food insecurity.

He said, “Currently there are four countries, including Sudan and some others, that are facing very serious insecurity. Nigeria is added to this list this year by the Interna onal Rescue Commi ee as one of the spots for food insecurity ac on against hunger. World Food Programme also indicated that over 32 million people are expected to face a cri cal hunger crisis at emerging levels between now and August.

“I don’t know about some other colleagues, but here in the North, we have started seeing it visibly. This is the first me we are experiencing this level of hunger. It’s the first me Nigeria is being listed as one of the countries with food insecurity.”

Osun To Lose Allocations Over Absence Of Elected LG Chairmen

•Continued from front page

power to appoint caretaker commi ees for its local governments, declaring that a local government council is only recognisable with a democra cally elected government.

It would be recalled that Governor Ademola Adeleke had on Wednesday, August 16, 2023, inaugurated caretaker management commi ees for Local Governments, Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), Administra ve Offices, and Area Councils in Osun State.

The caretaker commi ees were at first expected to last for six months before the state House of Assembly on February 16, 2024, extended their tenure by six months, following a request by Governor Adeleke.

The six-month extension for the caretaker commi ees is expected to lapse on August 16, 2024, with stakeholders, poli cal gladiators, and residents of the state waiting on what the state government will do, especially with yesterday’s ruling.

OSUN DEFEND ER gathered that the judgement has already caused panic among government officials, with the state planning

to hold its local government elec on next year.

A source close to one of the caretaker chairmen told OSUN DEFENDER that some of the chairmen convoked an emergency mee ng to review the judgement and decide the next step ahead.

The source who does not want his name in print because he was not authorised to speak, said the leadership of the caretaker commi ee will meet Governor Adeleke soon.

“I can confirm that my boss spoke with some of his colleagues about the judgement and there might be a mee ng with the state government very soon to know the next line of ac on,” the source said.

The medium also gathered that the state government may move the local government elec ons earlier scheduled for February 22, 2025, forward due to the latest development.

Speaking with OSUN DEFENDER on the development, the Chairman of the Commi ee in Defence Of Human Rights (CDHR), Comrade Emmanuel Olowu described the judgement as a welcome development that deserves to be

How I Was Abducted, Shot During Protest – Osun Transport C’ttee Chairman

THE Vice Chairman (Opera ons) of the Osun State Transport Management System (OSTMS), Mr. Wasiu Arogundade has narrated how he was allegedly abducted and shot during last Tuesday’s protest against the Chairman of the commi ee, Nurudeen Wakili popularly known as Alowonle.

Arogundade alleged that louts loyal to Alowonle a acked him with guns and cutlasses a er descending on protesters led by him at the Olaiya junc on in Osogbo.

OSUN DEFENDER had in its last edi on reported how the rival groups clashed during a protest against the OSTMS Chair with allega ons of corrup on, high-handedness, and lack of fairness in the

composi on of branch and unit chairmen in the state, in a bid to compel the state government to remove him.

In a video sighted by OSUN DEFENDER yesterday, the Vice Chairmen said he was taken to Alowonle’s house at Oke Osun, Osogbo, and ed. He said he was later taken to the main road a er he escaped from the house and shot in his leg.

His words: “We held a protest on July 2, 2024, to call the a en on of our Chairman to what we don’t want and areas where the government needs to intervene. We had protested at Olaiya before going to our office at the Sadiat area, Osogbo. While the protest was on, the TMC chairman came with guns and cutlasses; they

•Continued on Page 6

celebrated by Nigerians.

Olowu said most governors are ‘satanic’ and would not like the decision of the apex court, adding that the local governments which have been run aground can now funcon again.

Speaking on the case of Osun, Oluwo urged the state government to move forward with the local government elec on if possible.

He also urged other poli cal par es to parcipate in the upcoming local government elec on, saying that it should not be a PDP affair.

The CDHR chairman said, “This is a welcome development and a judgement that should be celebrated by Nigerians.

“Most of the governors are satanic. They feed on the local gov-

ernment’s alloca on and render them useless but that is gone now.

“I will advise the Osum state government to move forward with the local government elec on if possible. The only issue with the judgement is that

it does not state when the enforcement should start.”

Efforts to get the reac on of the state government proved abor ve as the Commissioner for Informa on and Public Enlightenment, Barr. Kolapo Alimi did not pick up his calls.

He did not respond to texts and WhatsApp messages sent to his phone either.

Also, the Chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, Barr. Hashim Abioye did not respond to text messages sent to his phone.

•Prince Jide Zubar with other members of the Omoluabi Progressives, at the caucus’s membership registration exercise, in Oyan

Masqueraders’ Clash: Apomu, Ikire Sign Peace Accord After Police

THE Osun State Police Command has intervened in the recent masqueraders’ clash that erupted Apomu and Ikoyi communi es in Isokan Local Government area of the state.

This was disclosed by the Command’s spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola in a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday in Osogbo.

Intervention

The statement revealed that during the peace and security mee ng which brought together leaders and representa ves from both communi es on Monday, the Osun Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Abba, urged both par es to se le their differences and work towards harmonious coexistence.

CP Umar Abba also admonished both communi es to shun violence in

resolving their grievances, no ng that communica on and dialogue were keys to resolving conflict and building harmonious relaonships.

“I want you to address your differences and work towards a harmonious coexistence.

“The two communies should shun any act of violence in resolving their grievance. Communica on and dialogue are keys to resolving conflict and building harmonious rela onships.”

Killers Of Slain Corps Member Sentenced To Death In Osun

Awatchmaker, Oludayo Oladele, Awodeji Muyiwa and a herbseller, Jelili Kareem, were on Tuesday sentenced to death for robbing and killing a corps member, Adebayo Mukaila in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

The trio had on January 28, 2020, at the OmoWest area robbed and killed Adebayo, a corps member a recharge card vendor at his shop in the presence of his daughter.

They pleaded not guilty when they were first arraigned along with a vulcaniser, Anifowose Biliaminu, who they sold the recharge cards wares traded by the deceased to, before Jus ce Adedapo Adeniji of an Osun State State High Court on October 8, 2020.

They were arraigned

on six counts bordering on conspiracy, armed robbery, illegal possession and murder.

During the trial, a prosecutor from the Ministry of Jus ce, Muyiwa Ogunleye called four witnesses; the 10-year-old daughter of the deceased, his elder brother, a pathologist and the Inves ga ve Police Officer, IPO.

He told the court that the convicts conspired to rob and kill one Mukaila of his phone, recharge cards and other valuables.

According to him, Biliaminu also received a recharge card stolen from Mukaila, saying their offences contravened secons 316, 319 and 324 of the Criminal Code Law. Cap.34, Vol. 2. Laws of State, 2002 and Sec on 27 of the Robbery and Fire Arms Act Cap R11, LFN 2004.

In support of his case, the prosecutor tendered as exhibits, the deceased’s autopsy report and the murder weapon before the court.

However, the defence counsels, Shina Olaniyan, Folashade Ipede and Suleiman Akano urged the court to dismiss the case against the convicts, noting that the prosecu on did not prove the case of murder, conspiracy to armed robbery and unlawful possession of firearms against the defendants.

In his judgement, Jusce Adeniji stated that the prosecu on proved all the grounds of the case beyond reasonable doubt.

He, therefore, sentenced the three convicts to death for the offences and discharged and acqui ed Buliaminu for receiving stolen recharge cards.

OSUN DEFENDER had in its June 28 edi on reported that one person died and houses were razed a er the Egungun masquerade fes val led to a clash between Ikoyi and Apomu.

It was learnt that on Sunday, June 23, 2024, the masquerade fes val which began the previous Thursday, June 20, in the two neighbouring communi es on a very good note went awry and led to a brawl.

Also, it was learnt that some masqueraders who are also members of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, from Ikoyi, invaded the Oja Oba area of Apomu during the Egungun fesval.

Meanwhile, in their separate responses, representa ves from both communi es appreciated CP Abba and the police officers serving in their communi es for their prompt response in resolving the crisis.

They also promised to allow peace to reign and to con nue to live in harmony.

The statement revealed that representa ves of both communi es were made to sign a peace accord a er the mee ng. Those present at the peace mee ng include Special Adviser to Governor Ademola Adeleke on Rural Water and Environmental Sanita on Agency, Lanre Odelade, chairmen of the two local government councils in the area, High Chiefs and leaders of the OPC from both communi es.

NBA Writes CP, Demands Osun Speaker’s Arrest Over Alleged Attack On Lawyer

THE Nigeria Bar Associa on (NBA), Osogbo branch, has asked the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Abba, to inves gate the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Adewale Egbedun, for an alleged criminal act and obstruc on of the execuon of court judgement.

OSUN DEFENDER reports that Egbedun was allegedly said to have impeded the execu on of a court judgement and supervised an assault on a lawyer, Muideen Adesina, and a court bailiff by his aides, an allega on the Speaker has refuted.

The NBA, in a peon dated July 5, 2024, referenced NBA/OS/ CP/2024/002, signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Yemi Abiona, and Ibrahim Hassan respecvely, disclosed that the ac on of the Speaker by obstruc ng the execu on of a court judgement, amounted to the perversion of jus ce.

While expressing displeasure on the ac on of the speaker, the associa on urged the Police Commissioner to invesgate and refer the ma er to a competent court of law for prosecu on.

The pe on reads in part, “Our said colleague, Muideen Adesina Yusuf Esq. Is one of the counsels for the Gbaemu Royal family of Osogbo and the Plain ff/Judgment Creditor in Suit NO: HOS/92/2021 PRINCE OLALEKAN SALAMI V.s THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR, OSUN STATE &ORS. in which judgement was delivered in 2022.

“Consequent upon the said judgement and the refusal of the judgement debtors including the Governor of Osun State and others to deliver peaceful possession of the piece of land which was the subject of li ga on, our colleagues rightly commenced the process of execu ng the said judgement. Approval was therea er given by the appropriate Court officials a er which police protec on was sought and granted by your humble self.

“Hon. Egbedun’s acon of deliberate obstruc on of execu on of the valid judgement of the Court of competent jurisdic on can be likened to the situa on of waging war against the judicial arm of the state and waging war against the state, which is criminalised under Sec on 37 (2) of the Criminal Code, Cap 2, Laws of Osun State. It is an act of abuse of office, contrary to the provision of Sec on 104 of the Criminal Code.

“The speaker is mandated by the provision of Sec on 287(3) of the Cons tu on of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (As Amended) which he swore to upon elected as the Speaker of the State House of Assembly to ensure that the decisions of a High Court and all other courts established by the cons tu on are enforced in any part of the federa on, contrary to Hon. Egbedun’s ac on of deliberate obstruc on of enforcement of the judgement of an High Court of Osun State.

“The assault meted on

How I Was Abducted, Shot During...

•Continued from Page 2

started a acking the people.

“The Chairman’s boys beat me blue-black. A er that, they put me in the car on the pretence that they wanted to take me to the hospital. Instead of taking me to hospital, I was taken to the Chairman’s house at Oke Osun. My hands and legs were ed. I was then put inside a room, a er which they le

“When I observed that nobody was around, I struggled to un e myself and I snuck out. I hid myself inside the bush with the aim of going out at night. Unfortunately, they caught me in the bush and I was carried to the main road. They shot my leg and I was returned to the Chairman’s house.

“They said they were not joking with me. I had concluded that I would be killed. But around 9 pm, those guys came back to me; they rubbed my eyes with leaves and I couldn’t see anything again. I began to plead with them. Later, they brought a nurse, they told her to inject me; so that I would die in three hours.

“They said they don’t want me to die in their custody. They carried me into the car and dumped me at Sasa. A er they le , I took a bike to my hospital, I informed the doctor that I had been injected with a deadly substance.”

Reac ng, Wakili, who sustained several cutlass wounds, disclosed that the allega ons against him were all lies.

our colleague is also criminalised under the Criminal Code Law for which your office is mandated to inves gate and any culprit brought before a compe-

tent court for prosecu on.

Hon. Egbedun cannot in any way be above the law and his ac ons on 5th July 2024 should be subjected to thorough inves ga ons

and subsequently referred to appropriate court for prosecu on”, it said.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker, Olamide Tiamiyu, had

however, denied the allega ons, saying it was Egbedun and his aides who tried to rescue Yusuf from a mob a ack.

AAC Carpets Adeleke For Appointing Omoyele As Amotekun Commander

•Says Appointment Inimical To Lives, Property Of Osun People

HE African Ac on

TCongress in Osun State has demanded the immediate removal of Adekunle Omoyele, the newly appointed Commander of Amotekun Corps in the state over alleged murder.

The AAC referred to a video of a woman who alleged that Omoyele ordered a police personnel to kill her brother, Olalekan Abeedeen, over a ri that occurred during a Peoples Democra c Party (PDP) mee ng in 2022.

In the video interview with Oriyomi Hamzat on Agidigbo 88.7FM Ibadan, which was seen by OSUN DEFENDER, a sister of the deceased who iden fied herself as Rukayat alleged that some policemen working with Omoyele shot her brother dead and refused to release his body.

She said, “We had issues with Akogun about the party’s money a er the governorship elec on. But the elders helped us to resolve it.

“A er Alhaja Tawakaltu talked about what bothered her, my Mum also did the same. But Akogun’s driver started insul ng my mum. The police from Division A came to resolve the ma er and they se led it with Akogun that it was a party affair. They told him that he should have forfeited the money. We le the

mee ng a er that.

“But 30 minutes later, Akogun came back with some policemen and they told me they wanted to see me at their sta on. This was why my brother intervened in the ma er. And he asked what happened between me and the police. That was why the police shot him dead.

“He said he could not tolerate anyone disrespecting him as a member of the royal family in the state.”

“A er they killed my brother, people ran away. But he ordered the Police to pick up the corpse. Those who killed my brother were Police officers from Osogbo. They picked up his corpse and took it away,” the woman added.

OSUN DEFENDER learnt that two years a er the incident, the deceased’s family had not go en jusce on the ma er.

Omoyele was recently appointed as the Commander of the Amotekun Corps in the state.

Reac ng, the AAC said the State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, could not claim ignorance of the situa on because it was all in the news.

The party cri cised the government for turning a blind eye to such cri cisms; while nomina ng Omoyele to manage Amotekun.

The party said, “For instance, in a news released by the Vanguard online

and quoted thus: ‘Mr. Bola Abimbola-Ige, counsel to Olalekan’s family, whose son, Abideen was allegedly murdered by Police operaves, yesterday, disclosed that the Chief Security Officer designate to Senator Ademola Adeleke, CSP Omoyele Adekunle, has reportedly confessed to killing Abideen.

“Abideen Olalekan and Kafayat, his younger brother’s wife were allegedly killed by opera ves of the Commissioner of Police’s Tac cal Unit headed by Omoyele a er a row ensued over elec on largesse released by the Governorelect, Adeleke.

“Based on the foregoing, it becomes a ma er of duty to tell Mr. Governor that the appointment of Mr. Adekunle as the Commander of the Amotekun Corps is inimical to the lives and property of the people of Osun State.

“We suspect that this appointment was not done either based on merit or in line with the need to improve the security of lives and proper es of Osun people, but in a bid to compensate Mr. Adekunle Omoyele for reasons s ll unclear to the public.

“We strongly condemn this appointment or any of such that has ever been or would be entrusted to Mr. Adekunle Omoyele.

“Therefore, Mr. Governor is not expected to

have entrusted such posion to (sic) individual of ques onable character and this has always been our posi on as an ideological (sic) based poli cal party, that all serial killer police officers should be relieved of their work and be prosecuted according to the human right law and interna onal charter,” the party said.

AAC called on Governor Adeleke to immediately terminate the appointment of Mr. Adekunle.

It also called on Adeleke to “conduct a thorough inves ga on on this ma er and other all other unprofessional conduct which Mr. Adekunle has been indicted, including the indictment by the Osun State EndSARS panel and if found guilty should be prosecuted instead of being poli cally compensated.

“That all characters involved in the Ede unrest should be invesgated without bias and prosecuted accordingly to serve as a deterrent to other poli cal gladiators who might want to use their poli cal crest to undermine the peace of the state in the future.

“That Governor Ademola Adeleke should be mindful of individuals he would be entrus ng with posi ons of service to the people of Osun State”.

Nigerians May Face More Hardship Over Fresh Hike In Petrol Price

TSodiq Yusuf

HE recent resurgence of fuel scarcity in Osun State and other parts of the country may lead to a further hike in the prices of commodies, transporta on fares, among others, OSUN DEFENDER has gathered.

Findings by OSUN DEFENDER revealed that the rise in the price of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as Petrol from between N600 to above N1,000 per litre, will affect the costs of essen al goods and services.

OSUN DEFENDER’s inves ga ons in Osogbo, Ile-Ife, Ede, Iree, Ila Orangun, Ilesa, Ikirun, Iwo, and Ejigbo, among other parts of the state showed that fuel queues have returned to the state.

It was gathered that while some filling sta ons have remained shut, others dispensing the product have added to the rate the product was sold for three weeks ago.

The medium learnt that while the product went for between N580 to N650 per litre about a month ago, the price has surged to over N1,000 per litre as of yesterday.

While the Nigerian Naonal Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) retail outlets s ll sell at the official pump price of N617 per litre, some major marketers, including BOVAS, Matrix, Mobil, and Conoil are selling way higher between N670 to N700 per litre, with others raising it from N800 to N900 per litre in the state.

Petrol marketers have a ributed the recent petrol scarcity in Nigeria to supply challenges faced by the Nigerian Na onal Petroleum Company Limited, the sole importer of the commodity, turning to depot owners to obtain petrol for their retail outlets, the na onal oil company a ributed the situaon to the rainy season, which made it difficult for trucks to li at its depots.

OSUN DEFENDER had, in its May 03, 2024 edion, reported how the scarcity of PMS affected residents of Osun State, causing them undue hardship.

Further findings by the medium revealed that the slight increase in the price of petrol has led to a hike in the prices of commodies, transporta on, and others in the state.

OSUN DEFENDER’s reporters who monitored the situa on across the state yesterday observed that commercial transporters have slightly increased transport fares, while traders have also jerked up the prices of

their commodi es.

The situa on it was learnt could lead to further modifica on in prices in the coming weeks.

A food seller, Mrs. Bolanle Zakariyau, told OSUN DEFENDER that the rising cost of petrol has led to changes in the prices of foodstuffs and other essen als.

Zakariyau said the development has adversely affected sales, calling on the government to find a las ng solu on to the fuel crisis.

She said, “The situa on has affected food prices. The quan ty I sell has reduced and costlier than before. A boiled egg that I sold at N200 is now N300, a sizeable piece of meat is now N600 from N500, and so on. That is how we have adjusted prices. It is because the transport fares have increased and that is what affects almost every commodity.

“This period is turbulent for business owners and private people. But, we are helpless about the situa on. The government should find a lasting solu on to this petrol ma er because our survival is badly affected.”

A commercial minibus owner, Mr. Bayo Adeleye, corroborated the food seller. He appealed to the authori es to come to the aid of ar sans and

small-scale business owners who have been hit by the fuel scarcity.

Comrade Akin Akanji, a public affairs analyst while exchanging views with OSUN DEFENDER yesterday advocated for the resuscita on of the

na on’s refineries, to stem the de of the recurrent fuel scarcity.

Akanji noted that, “It is sad that this is the situa on. What stops the Federal Government from finding a las ng solu on to the perennial fuel scarcity conundrum? The people are suffering and the government is not ac ng.

“The government should let our refineries work. That is the only solu on. If the refineries work and private individuals are allowed to start their refineries, we would not con nue to suffer at every opportunity. The situa on has led to a rise in the prices of food items and other essen als. We cannot con nue this way,” he concluded.

CertMart Launches Learning, Marketplace Platform In Africa

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Cholera: Osun Govt Warns Against Indiscriminate Dumping Of Refuse, Harps On Hygiene

Kazeem Badmus

AMIDST the outbreak of Cholera in some states in the country, the Osun State Commissioner for Environment and Sanitaon, Mayowa Adejoorin has warned residents against indiscriminate dumping of refuse and other prac ces that are inimical to healthy living.

The Commissioner also said the ministry is working round the clock to ensure that residents have a cleaner environ-

ment to guard against the epidemic.

Adejoorin who spoke with OSUN DEFENDER on Wednesday through the Special Assistant to Governor Adeleke on Media, Oluwaseyi Adeniyi, urged residents to abide by the regula ons to forestall the outbreak of cholera in the state.

While urging residents to keep to personal hygiene, the Commissioner said anyone caught dumping refuse indiscriminately will be punished according to

the law.

He said, “The Ministry is working almost every day to make sure we educate our people on the need for them to keep their environment clean.

“A public enlightenment is going on and we are also going to call major stakeholders soon to dialogue on how to improve on keeping our environment clean.

“We have been to some areas in Osogbo, including Afonta and Sabo to educate residents on

Iyaloja Writes Osun Govt, Demands Withdrawal Of...

•Continued from Page 2

purported Termina on of her appointment is poli cally mo vated and as such, done in a very bad faith.

“Sir, considering the facts of this case, our conclusion is that the termina on of the appointment of our Client does not have any legal basis, it is repugnant to natural jus ce, equity

and good conscience.

“Finally sir, we have the instruc on of our client to demand that the le er with which her appointment was purportedly terminated be withdrawn with immediate effect and a rumoured plan to install a new lyaloja of Ifon-Osun in Orolu Local Government Area, Osun State be cancelled.

“Take No ce that fail-

ure to withdraw the letter purportedly termina ng the appointment of our Client within seven days’ me frame effec ve from the date of the receipt of this le er, we may be forced to take the next line of instrucon of our client to wit; approach the court of law for appropriate redress,” Ajibade’s lawyers noted.

why they should keep the environment clean and live a hygienic life. We’ve also been to IleIfe and other parts of the state.

“The state has not recorded any case of Cholera and the government under the leadership of Senator Ademola Adeleke is working round the clock to make sure the situa on remains the same.

“For those dumping their refuse indiscriminately, anyone caught will be punished according to the dictates of the law. We’ve been advoca ng against dumping of refuse anyhow, but some people refuse to yield to instruc ons.

“I will urge those who s ll engage in indiscriminate dumping of refuse to desist. We now have environment marshals, who clean our environment and anyone caught will not go unpunished. What we need is the people’s coopera on to guide against sicknesses and diseases,” Adejoorin stated further.

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FRIDAY, JULY 12, 2024 - THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2024 VOL. 19 NO 27 www.osundefender.com, email: osundefenderbank@gmail.com

ENVY and jealousy, according to psychologists, are complex emo ons that have fascinated writers, poets, and thinkers for centuries. While they are o en portrayed nega vely, they also offer insights into human nature and rela onships.

Experts say envy arises when we desire something that someone else possesses. It is a feeling of discontent or resentment triggered by another person’s success, possessions, or advantages. Unlike jealousy, which involves a fear of losing what we already have, envy focuses on what we lack. Envy can be both mo va ng (spurring us to improve) and destruc ve (leading to bi erness and hos lity).

Jealousy on the other hand emerges from a fear of losing something we value—whether it’s a rela onship, status, or possession. It o en occurs in in mate rela onships when we perceive a threat to our connec on with a partner. Jealousy can be some mes protec ve (aler ng us to poten al dangers) or possessive (leading to controlling behaviour).

Both envy and jealousy are in most parts, destruc ve. Envy can poison rela onships, erode self-esteem, and breed resentment while jealousy on the other hand can lead to suspicion, insecurity, and even violence. The two emo ons o en damage trust and create ri s between individuals.

Certainly, envy is the worse of the two emo ons and it is generally long-las ng. It shows in the behaviour, demeanor, and even the speech peculiari es of the afflicted person. Envy is a disease, an afflic on, and almost incurable, simply because an enviable person is inherently not contented with his state in life.

An envious person is not happy with his or her own face, not happy with his or her body structure; height, physique, and features like legs, lips, nose, mouth, forehead, breasts, and bu ocks, and may not even be happy with his home background. And because those who happen to be more blessed are always around, their mere sight is a tormen ng reminder of the envious person’s deficiencies.

“Envious people are madly desirous of what others have, and because they don’t have what it takes to have that which they crazily crave, they turn their failure to anger, resentment or even cruelty and arrant unreasonableness”

By TOLA ADENIYI PERSPECTIVE Miserable Life Of Envious People

Nigerian philosopher, songwriter and musician Chief Ebenezer Obey Fabiyi put it succinctly in his celebrated song ‘The man, his son and his donkey’ where he opines with an air of finality that success in one breeds envy and resentment in the other. A brilliant person who tops his class in examina ons is automa cally the subject of envy to, especially the dullards in his class or the lazy ones who never apply themselves to serious studies. The same goes to all professions; lazy lawyers who are incurably envious of their more successful colleagues and contemporaries and indolent civil servants who are forever miserable because others with proven produc vity have climbed the ladder faster.

A professor-friend’s wife, a medical doctor, affirmed several years ago that ‘it takes the special grace of God for someone to embrace the success of another person’! It may sound alarming but life experience has taught all successful individuals that their roaring successes have always been a source of sadness to most of their friends, colleagues, associates, and even rela ons who have not been as lucky or successful.

Someone [a university graduate, but out of job] was taking me to Mississauga in Canada to inspect a franchise in 1996, halfway to our des na on, he stopped his car and parked by the roadside. “Egbon”, an endearing word for an elder, “I have a confession to make and I need your prayers,” he said. “Go ahead, what’s it?” I was curious. “I don’t know how to say it. Do you know I always feel sad whenever a friend’s achievement is brought to my no ce? I have never a ended any house-warming ceremony. It is that bad. If I visit a friend and his furniture is be er than mine, I will not go to that friend’s house again!” he said, looking morose with wickedness wri en all over his face. “But you are a religious leader in this country”, I didn’t know what exactly to tell him. He started the engine again and his car hit the road.

The malady of envious people is due to their inability to appreci-

ate the fact that human beings are wired differently and the Creator of the universe endows his/her/its crea ons and creatures differently and appor ons luck, favour, and grace to individuals in varying degrees. Unques onably so!

Aside that, a tude and character, major ingredients in the determinant agency of success or failure are a ributes that follow individuals in their path to success or ruin in life.

Envious people are madly desirous of what others have, and because they don’t have what it takes to have that which they crazily crave, they turn their failure to anger, resentment or even cruelty and arrant unreasonableness. And this leads them to bad-mouthing and character-assassina ng the object of their paranoia.“You can’t really blame envious people. People who are envied are the beneficiaries because being envied spurs people to be er themselves. Nobody envies failure. The more outstandingly successful you are, the more the envy and jealousy you incur”, a younger colleague and financial expert Tunji Asiwaju explained while discussing the subject of envy.

Envious people are pe y, mean, very mean, always brooding and senselessly cri cal of others, permanently sad, and generally unpleasant to be with. They contrast their ugliness with the beauty of others, contrast their verbosity and incoherence with the oratory of others, contrast their awkwardness and gracelessness with the sunny nature of others, contrast their meanness of spirit with the largeness of others and generally contrast their lack of taste and heartwarming aesthe cs with others who are blessed.

With the closed and clogged mindset inherent in the envious person it is always difficult for such wretched characters in society to ever wean themselves of this terrible an -social cancer. All of us must develop a brighter and more posive a tude to life and recognize the fact that although we might all have been created equal because of the commonality [un l coning

technology and ar ficial insemina on came in] in the process of procrea on, all other extraneous factors make us unequal and that throughout life all of our efforts are geared towards crea ng equality. Compe veness rather than envy and pulling others down is the better way of bridging gaps.

Jealousy as bad as it is, pales into insignificance when compared with envy. Jealousy, as earlier men oned may propel one to ensure not losing something/someone dear, envy on the other hand poisons both the envious and the envied, simply because the envious has no other desire than to frustrate, destroy or pull down the envied with poisonous tongue. Or rat poison.

Shakespeare has a descrip on for both the envious and the jealous, and details of his characterisaon of both overflow in his plays and poetry. Brilliant man. Clever man. Even though he says there is no art to tell a man’s character by reading his face, he s ll tells us in ‘Julius Caesar’ Act 1, Scene 2, the rela onship between Cassius’s ‘lean and hungry look’ with his jealousy and hatred for Julius Caesar and the invoca on of the ambi on and in-built envy of Brutus and his gang.

It may therefore be appropriate to take a clinical look at the spiteful envious people and their perennially jealous kinsmen whenever and wherever you meet them.

Hear them speaking of the brilliant career woman who has just been appointed the CEO of a major Commercial Bank “Don’t mind her. That Stella, she’s my childhood friend. She slept her way to the top” exclaimed the envious smelly Theresa, her friend.“No. I’m going to stop you from night-shi . That your doctor in your Ward. Or I stop you from working altogether” the lousy possessive jealous husband, screaming at his hospital matron shapely wife!

You can’t mistake them.

Death, wretched death is always the ul mate of all envious people simply because they can never be happy or contented with their lot in life and there would always be people around them who are more resourceful, more successful, more prosperous, and more famous, more admired, more popular, more ar culate than they are or can ever be.

As long as the objects/subjects to be envied are in abundant supply the more the pain and anguish of the envious people. Hence, all li le-minded and pathologically mean-spirited envious people die of frustra on a er living a wretched life.

Envy, man’s worst afflic on!

•High Chief Tola Adeniyi is a Syndicated Columnist, Essayist, Author, Playwright, Poet, Dramatist, Philosopher, and Mystic.

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