The advice was given by Oyetola’s media aide, Ismail Omipidan, in a statement issued on Monday morning, to debunk the claim by the Osun State Governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, that Oyetola and not Senator Ademola Adeleke, issued the Staff of Office to Taiwo Abdulrasaq Adegboye.

Omipidan noted that he was not surprised by the claim of Olawale Rasheed, insisting that his penchant for lying was legendary. He challenged the governor’s spokesperson to produce any material evidence to support his false claim.

The minister’s media aide further asserted that he has it on a good authority that Governor Adeleke and not Oyetola signed the certificate being paraded by the Alawo against a legal opinion from government officials.

“While it is true that Taiwo Adegboye was appointed during the Oyetola’s administration, the moment the court nullified his appointment, the government stayed action. That was why his official coronation was never carried out until we left the office. Therefore, my principal never signed any document nor issued him a staff of office. If there is, I challenge the government to produce same.

“If indeed, Governor Adeleke has respect for due process and rule of law, how come the government is unable to carry out the judgement of the court with regards to the Alawo stool. In the eyes of the law, the current occupant is a usurper and the government should treat him as such rather than trying to pass the buck, which unfortunately has become the pastime of the present administration.

“Oyetola is no longer the governor. How come you still want to hold him responsible for an action that was carried out in the last one year of the current administration? I advise Olawale Rasheed and his ilks to stop lying against the person of Oyetola, as he did not issue any staff of office to the Alawo,” Omipidan said.

The current situation in Osun has become a focal point of attention, while juxtaposing the impact of the present administration to its counterparts especially in the southwestern Nigeria.

It is crystal clear that the snail-pace of socioeconomic and infrastructural developments has become a serious topic for discussion among residents of the state who had hitherto vested their much-cherished trust and confidence in the present administration.

The concerns bother more on the journey that culminated into the emergence of Governor Ademola Adeleke, and of course, the effect of the much-desired change, which was part of the electioneering promises made by Governor Adeleke while seeking votes from the electorate.

By November 27th, 2023, the incumbent government will be marking a year in office and this has brought about the need to evaluate the performance of the government in the last ten to eleven months of being at the helm of affairs.

Recall that the Adeleke-led People’s Democratic Party PDP’s government started on the template of socio-political vendetta, campaigns of calumny and political sophistries, viciously pursued out of desperation to wipe the opposition out of the circle. The strategies adopted were to discredit the ground breaking successes recorded by the ousted administration with intention to send members of the opposition on expedition of political oblivion.

To actualize this, immediately the PDP government assumed office, the Governor started maligning members of the main opposition, APC, impugning on the integrity and dignity of the party’s notable personalities and as well, discrediting the monumental achievements of his predecessors particularly the giant strides of former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.

The government continued in its usual way to package lies as the PDP’s stalwarts did while seeking voters’ support in the 2022 Osun governorship election.

As part of the efforts, they accused the erstwhile government of indebtedness, maladministration, financial recklessness and impropriety. They went as far as fabricating lies to hoodwink the innocent citizens, but today, all their lies and innuendos had fallen flat on their faces.

They alleged that Osun was indebted to the tune of #400billion but failed to provide data-driven, fact-based statistics and empirical evidence engraved in the state’s financial records to support their spurious allegations.

When they were challenged and confronted with facts and figures by the opposition, to prove that the allegation was a scam, they became dumb and buried their heinous heads in dungeon.

In their usual style, Governor Adeleke and his loyalists further alleged some members of the opposition particularly those that served under the Oyetola’s administration of fleeing with governments’ properties and carting away government’s vehicles worth billions of naira, an allegation that was busted, proven to be fantasy and fallacy, and not based on any reasonable statistics.

They even stooped so low to the extent that they employed media propaganda to push their diabolical and mischievous narratives in order to portray the erstwhile administration in bad light. But when the opposition equally challenged them to unveil the names of those involved in their self-estimated and imaginary malfeasance, they became muffled.

Their media handlers, whose activities portray mediocrity in media strategies and refined public engagement, further went on air to promote emptiness with ignorance, claiming that some members of the opposition who allegedly carted away government’s properties had started returning them. And this was swiftly and squarely tackled by the opposition, asking their half-baked media handlers to make public the list of those that had returned same. But till today, no name was made public.

The incumbent Governor even went as far as showcasing falsehood to the revered monarchs alleging that the erstwhile Governor borrowed money from financial institutions and left nothing in the state’s coffers while exiting office.

To the embarrassment of all, the accusers couldn’t provide a single evidence to backup the claims when the opposition brought out torrent of documents containing facts and figures to dispel their grave allegations.

Part of the questions raised then premised on moral standard as to the need for Governor Adeleke and his media handlers to mention the names of the financial institutions that borrowed the state the alleged loan since it is practically impossible for a state to borrow money without proper records and documentation knowing full well that government is a continuum.

Corroborating the defence, the then Assembly equally challenged the governor to unveil the names of the banks that loaned out funds to Osun government without the consent of the House, alas, Governor Adeleke and his stooges couldn’t provide any name till today.

The first step of setback the state witnessed under the current administration was when the then Governor -elect now the incumbent Governor, at the transitional period, said that he had setup several committees to oversee the state of things in major sectors as to the need to reel out some of the plans of his administration. This statement was considered to have suggested the palpable ineptness in the incoming administration then, as this alone, subjected the state to the shackle of ridicule and high level of unpreparedness on the part of incoming administration.

Some discerning minds and political analysts then, predicted what may be the outcome of the administration, since it had, from the word go, displayed maladroitness showing that the man at the helms of affairs had nothing reasonable in stock for the people in view of the fact that ‘he who fails to plan, plans to fail.’

However, the first project to be unveiled on the assumption of office was the execution of the phoney 332 boreholes across the existing wards in the state, an ‘audio project’ that was overblown out of proportion.

The government’s media handlers and their syndicate were preoccupied in conspiracy and took over the media space on the project that an ordinary Ward Councillor would consider too insignificant to publicize let alone a council chairman. Till now, less than 50 per cent of the boreholes is functioning, while many were not even completed let alone being put into use for the benefits of the public.

The outer laying and asphaltic works done by the Adeleke’s government on Osogbo-Ikirun-Okuku-Ila-Odo Kwara boundary road, which represents less than 25 per cent of the Osogbo-Ikirun portion of the stretch, but was celebrated out of moderation remains partly the only thing the government had done in the last eleven months of being in office.

Recall that the road project was initiated by the former Governor Rauf Aregbesola and consolidated by his successor, Adegboyega Oyetola who continued and took the portion to about 77 per cent completion before leaving office.

It is quite unfortunate that since the road was fixed, no other tangible infrastructure initiated by the administration can be identified, rather, the ‘seat of power’ has been navigating up and down doing nothing reasonable but jamboree.

It is almost a year in office, the Governor seems to have forgotten his promises to the people of Osun particularly the indigenes and residents of Osogbo that were politically and electorally manipulated, and hoodwinked into believing in nonexistent miracles and magics.

It is on record that the Governor promised to turn Osogbo to small London within six months of assuming power but regrettably, the same government has been in office for almost a year now, nothing has been passionately done capable of heralding change let alone a total facelift of development as dubiously claimed.

The workforce that was used to ride to power has been stylishly dumped as no measure was put in place to support them at this time of temporary hardship occasioned by the removal of the fuel subsidy inspite of the huge resources that accrued to the state from the Federal Government for same purpose.

While some states that are not as rich and as financially buoyant as Osun are putting workable measures in place to ameliorate the plights of the people and their workers, Osun is revolving on emptiness ever since it got its share of the money.

Aside the wages and salaries payment, a legacy bequeathed by the immediate past government, no other life-changing mechanism in place to up the standard of living and welfare of the state proletariats let alone the general wellbeing of the masses by the current administration.

Instead, both the active and passive workers were needlessly subjected to avoidable hardship by the government, all in the name of Staff Audit exercise, which was unprofessionally and abysmally handled by the consultant employed by the state government.

As widely reported in the media, ‘the life-threatening exercise’ had been earlier condemned by members of the Civil Society Organizations due to the way and manner it was handled.

The height of it was the untimely death of a civil servant who traveled from his base purposely because of the exercise, as well as the ridicule with which the senior citizens were subjected to in the hand of the handlers as some of the retirees reportedly collapsed in the process, a situation that further exposed the incompetence in the system to the entire world.

It is disheartening to know that inspite #9billion in the coffers of the state as special funds from the Federal Government purposely released to cushion the adverse effects of the subsidy removal, the state government had not executed any meaningful project to rekindle the collective hope of the masses.

There is no doubt in the fact that the state government had resolved to paint the federal government in bad light in view of the current transient hardship for cheap political gains.

The recent public enlightenment programme held in Osogbo, which was tagged ‘Ipade Imole’ was indeed a good riddance to bad rubbish, as it exposed the rots in the system and the level at which the public finances entrusted in some hands had been channelled on needless projects such as boreholes.

Aside the fact that the composition of the attendees of the programme was politically motivated, the whole thing was evaluated to be a political jamboree designed to celebrate failure in disguise by the sycophants and party loyalists as the governor could not even read the responses already prepared for him to some of the questions asked. What a shame!

It is quite unfortunate that throughout the period the programme lasted, no reasonable poser, other than a few ones asked by the State Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists.

A keen observation of all that transpired that day would give one an insight into the emptiness of the administration, as no reasonable project was mentioned to have been successfully completed.

As part of the highlights of the event, the most shocking part was the disclosure of #7billion that Osun received from the Federal Government as her share from the pool of savings of the fuel subsidy removal which is entirely different from the initial #2billion out of #5billion that the state received for palliative from Federal Government to lessen the excruciating effect of fuel subsidy removal on the masses.

But the questions agitating minds of the citizens were, why the state waited till the day of the programme before disclosing that such a huge amount accrued to the State? Some were asking why the state government had failed woefully to expend the #2billion palliative funds on pro-masses policies?

Some were asking why Osun was the only state that has not come up with reasonable plans of what to use the funds for? While some were keenly interested to know where the state’s #9billion relief funds are, and in which accounts, knowing full well that any account that such humongous funds domiciled would have earned tangible interest?

No doubt, the words of a political philosopher that says ‘no government feasts on vendetta thrives and lasts long’, has come to pass in the case of our dear state. This aphoristic postulation is not only appropriate to describe what Osun is going through at the moment but the bleakness in the future of the state is calling for noble concerns.

May God heal our land!

Osogbo is the state capital of Osun, no doubt. It hosts two powerful Local Government Areas, Osogbo and Olorunda, with the prime Council (Osogbo) situated at the indigenous locality of the capital city.

The city is the Headquarters of Osogbo Federal Constituency comprising Osogbo/Olorunda/Irepodun/Orolu Local Government Areas. It is also the Senatorial Headquarters of Osun Central Senatorial District comprising Osogbo, Olorunda, Irepodun, Orolu, Ifelodun, Odo-Otin, Boripe, Boluwaduro, Ila and Ifedayo Local Government Areas respectively.

The Senatorial District is made up of 3 Federal Constituencies namely Osogbo, Ifelodun and Ila Federal Constituencies and since the creation of the state, Osogbo Federal Constituency and Osun Central Senatorial District have been observed to be the most populous zone in the state.

Electorally and administratively, the zone is considered first in the scheme of things due to the inclusion of the state capital in the zone.

Successive governments’ functionaries had been calling the shots in the zone since the creation of the state. There are former Federal Lawmakers both members of the House of Representatives and the Senate that have served in different capacities for the upliftment of the zone.

Those legislators had, in one way or the other contributed their respective quota significantly to the growth and development of the zone as seen in what some of them did while representing the good people of their constituencies and district.

The Federal Constituencies and the Senatorial District have been ruled interchangeably by lawmakers from either the progressive party- All Progressives Congress (APC) or People’s Democratic Party (PDP) over the years.

It is on record that the immediate past Senator, Dr. Surajudeen Ajibola Bashiru of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) who served the people of the District between 2019 and 2023 recorded unprecedented/monumental achievements in the history of the District.

As a sitting Senator and first termer who rose to the leadership position at the Senate as the Senate Spokesperson, the position was judiciously and meticulously used to orchestrate development for the District, the state and the nation.

His tenure, no doubt, brought unparalleled socioeconomic and political gains as well as quality representation and advanced legislations to the District within four years.

Ajibola equally brought to bear his vast knowledge of governance, particularly as it relates to legislation and pool of experiences in public and private sectors while serving the good people of Osun Central Senatorial District. His achievements are too numerous to be stated here but the records are there for whoever is interested to fact-check.

However, the same Senatorial District where Osogbo, its headquarters has been the cynosure of all eyes due to the presence of development is now begging for serious attention.

In the build up to the election, the incumbent government promised to turn the state capital to a mega city in no distant time of assuming office. Lies were sold to the public and unsuspecting electorate to discredit the immediate past administration’s efforts at turning around the socioeconomic fortunes of the state in general and Osogbo, the capital city in particular.

As part of his electoral promises, the incumbent Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke boasted to have come with local and foreign currencies not only to matchup the oppositions financially at the polls, but to invest in the economy of the state if elected governor.

Quite unfortunate, some indigenes of Osogbo who were PDP card carrying members and sympathizers openly embarked on campaign of calumny against the then incumbent government of the erstwhile Governor Adegboyega Oyetola tagging it all short of unprintable names to oust it. While some notable personalities went on underground anti-government campaigns at different fora prior to the 2022 gubernatorial election.

Clandestinely, the then government was worked against for no just cause as reasons behind their decisions were neither justifiable nor logical. Though, it became a good riddance to bad rubbish. The erstwhile Governor is now a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Unconscientiously, they voted against the Oyetola’s administration forgetting that the same government on assumption of office began its infrastructural development strides in the state capital and other notable towns and cities in the state as many roads that were hitterto begging for attention were fixed in record time.

Alekunwodo network of roads were fixed despite the obvious global coronavirus pandemic that ravaged the entire world as at the time the roads were under reconstruction vis-a-vis other selected roads within the state capital. The then administration didn’t only give the state capital due attention but a deserved facelift of development in all strata of the economy and human endeavour.

Regrettably, the electorate were seemingly manipulated to vote massively for the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with a target that the city will earn the largest chunk of government attention in the scheme of things. But where is the attention now?

The incumbent government while canvassing for votes also promised to effect change on assumption of office whereby Osogbo would become Nigeria’s London of England. But the reality is dawn on the people today.

They overrated themselves. They overblown their capacity. They blew their competence out of proportion forgetting that they lacked political prowess and administrative wherewithal.

They promised heaven and earth while canvassing for people’s support and seeking for votes. They vowed to deliver good governance and meet the people at their point of needs.

They pledged to uphold the fundamental objectives and statutory obligations in the discharge of their duties. They swore to an oath to champion the collective cause of the masses regardless their socioeconomic, political or religious differences.

Meanwhile, a painstaking assessment of the government in the last 11 months of administering the affairs of the state has shown the stagnation bitting the state capital with little or no significant infrastructural development to up the game.

The Osogbo-Ikirun-Inisa-Okuku-Ila-Odo Kwara State boundary dual carriage road that was initiated by the past administration of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola which was continued by the immediate past Governor Adegboyega Oyetola in which a section of the road was completed to Ikirun by the present administration remained the only thing one can make reference to as worth beneficial to the state capital not minding the fact that the immediate past government had completed the segment of the road by 70 percent before exiting office.

One would have expected a rapid development, astronomical progression and monumental development as promised by the current administration but quite unfortunate, the reverse seems to be the case.

It is on record that most of the past administrations began their developmental projects in the state capital and the initiative usually worked for them. We were all alive when Osun was carved out of the Old Oyo State with Osogbo the state capital. From the military administrators to the civilian governors, Osogbo had been the topmost priority not until recently.

Though, the development of the capital city has always been a collective responsibility as legislators from the Federal Constituency and Senatorial District do complement the state government’s efforts to meet the yearnings of the people across sectors. Quality representation always play a pivotal role in the development of the city and this has been the experience in the past. Alas, nothing as such at the moment.

It is pertinent to ask the impact of the state government and the lawmakers representing the good people of the District since their emergence. Are we saying there is no unity of purpose and direction that can bring about the desired development to the city and the people? Are they truly representing us?

Very bizarre, the pictures taken from the ongoing construction site of the Community Hall (Isale-Osun Multipurpose Hall) were very ridiculous justifying same with what expected to be expended for same purpose.

The indigenous people of Isale-Osun had been promised by their lawmaker to construct an ultramodern Community Hall for their benefit but what is ongoing at the site is far from expectation.

The picture of the #70million ongoing construction of Community Hall (Isale-Osun Multipurpose Hall) is attached to this piece.

Can we say this is a proposed cinema hall or viewing centre in view of its size and architectural design? Can we say it is a supporting building for the main building that is yet to be constructed? Is this what #70million will bring?

These and many more are the questions agitating minds of the discerning citizens and concerned residents of the state capital.

Indeed, publics are watching painstakingly while the socioeconomic and political analysts are taking notes of events. Another election season is knocking the door.

May Almighty Allah continue to protect our dear city, Osogbo in particular, Osun State and Nigeria in general.

May God heal our land!

Oyetola noted that it had become imperative for the two communities to put an end to the avoidable crisis that had escalated to destruction of property, killings and maiming of one another since the crisis erupted, saying that “it is better to jaw-jaw,” than resort to violence.

In a statement by his spokesperson, Ismail Omipidan, the minister commiserated with the families and relatives of those who lost their lives to the violence and also sympathised with those who lost their valued property.

The former governor who said whenever the crisis erupted in the past, it was usually deescalated through the traditional rulers, wondered why this latest violence was allowed to degenerate to this level.

Describing peace as sine qua non to human existence, Oyetola said it is always good to come to the round table for dialogue and negotiation than to resort to violence in whatever circumstance, saying God knows why He destined the two towns of Ifon and Ilobu to border each other.

He said the two communities must stop the fight permanently, jettison their differences and continue to live together as brothers and sisters by continually taking maximum advantage of their unity and togetherness as well as the prospects in their diversity regardless of borders and boundaries.

“With my sojourn in life, I have come to realise that nothing good can come from communal clash and as such, every being must do everything humanly possible to forestall fight of any nature. It is quite unfortunate and shocking to receive the news of clashes between two of our notable towns (Ilobu and Ifon-Osun) in the state.

“While I acknowledge whatever the reason that might have led to the avoidable crisis leaving many dead, I want to vehemently note that no matter the issue at stake, it is not worth the life of any Osun citizen. I, therefore, appeal to our people to sheath their sword and allow peace to reign forthwith.

“Taking a look at number of casualties recorded in the last few days while the crisis lasted, it is apparent that dialogue and negotiation would have been more profitable and rewarding if that path had been genuinely taken by the two communities.

“I appeal to the traditional leaders of the two communities and beyond to opt for dialogue in resolving contentious issues in order to restore peace and tranquility to the land.

“I want to use this opportunity to commiserate with the families of the victims who have lost their loved ones to the needless crisis. I also sympathise with those who lost their property. May Almighty God repose the souls of the dead and restore peace to the affected communities”, Oyetola said.