Politics
COSFAN Raises Alarm over Poor Governance in Nigeria
From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
The Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows Alumni Association of Nigeria (COSFAN) has cried out over the nation’s pressing challenges, highlighting issues of governance, leadership integrity, and the education sector’s decline. adsbygoogle || []).push({}); com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js">
Dr Ekundayo Samuel, President of COSFAN, in an interview with our Reporter expressed deep concern over the nation’s future, citing widespread corruption, poor infrastructure, and a talent exodus that threatens its progress.
Dr Samuel lamented the political culture that rewards corruption and inefficiency, noting the irony of recognising oppressors and thieves as “Distinguished” or “Excellencies.”
He emphasised the disconnect between political leadership and ordinary citizens’ realities, underscoring the urgent need for transformative change.
As Nigeria nears the electoral period, Dr. Samuel called for unity among the populace, urging a collective effort to rejuvenate the nation.
Central to Dr. Samuel’s concerns is the state of Nigeria’s education system, which he describes as the cornerstone of societal progress.
He criticised the political elite’s tendency to undermine educational institutions by appointing individuals who align with their interests rather than prioritising academic integrity and advancement.
Dr. Samuel noted that motivation among educators has declined significantly, with many instructors resorting to personal funding for research and teaching initiatives.
Dr. Samuel also reflected on the nation’s infrastructure, emphasising the absurdity of celebrating intermittent electricity supply as a sign of progress.
He questioned the lack of productive industrial hubs, asking, “How can we expect to achieve development?”
Dr. Samuel urged for a comprehensive evaluation of the critical issues plaguing the nation.
As Nigeria continues to lose its brightest minds to countries with better opportunities, Dr. Samuel posed a dire warning: “Our window to address these issues is closing.”
He emphasised that while the current government may have introduced commendable policies, their successful implementation relies on collaborative action.
Dr Samuel left the audience with a clarion call to action, stating, “The time to act is now.”
His urgent plea for governance reform, coupled with a call for national pride and integrity, resonates deeply amid a nation at a crucial crossroads.
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Politics
ADC Picks Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam To Lead Osun’s Future Through People-Centred Governance
By Gbenga Shaba
Today at the Osun African Democratic Congress governorship primary, history was made as Rt. Hon. Dr. Najeem Folasayo Salaam emerged as the party’s candidate for the 2026 Osun State governorship election. adsbygoogle || []).push({}); js">
The conduct and outcome of the primary demonstrated the ADC’s commitment to internal democracy and participatory politics. Party members exercised their right to choose without imposition, affirming the ADC’s belief that leadership should emerge through consensus and the free will of the people. The process reinforced confidence in the party as a platform built on fairness, inclusion, and respect for democratic principles.
Rt. Hon. Salaam’s emergence signals a shift in Osun’s political mood. Across the state, citizens are increasingly disillusioned with politics driven by personal ambition rather than public interest. Many now identify with a movement that prioritises competence, accountability, and leadership guided by conscience. The enthusiasm surrounding the primary reflects a growing readiness among the people for purposeful change.
The ADC is positioning itself as a credible alternative by articulating clear policies focused on social welfare and inclusive development. Central to its agenda are the restoration and expansion of free school feeding, mass youth employment and empowerment, robust social investment programmes, and unprecedented rural and urban renewal initiatives. These policies are designed to improve living standards, stimulate local economies, and ensure that governance directly impacts households and communities.
As preparations toward the 2026 election continue, one message is becoming unmistakable. The people of Osun are reclaiming their voice and rallying around a party and a candidate committed to people centred governance. With the ADC and Dr. Najeem Salaam, the state appears poised for a future driven by service and opportunity.
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Politics
Ataoja’s Open Declaration Of Support For Aregbesola And ADC Rattles Opposition Camps In Osun
As the battle for the soul of Osun State gathers momentum, the Ataoja’s open declaration of support for Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has thrown other political parties in the state into massive confusion. adsbygoogle || []).push({}); js">
During the recent constituency tours across Osun State, His Royal Majesty, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun, Laroye II, openly endorsed Aregbesola and the African Democratic Congress as the state prepares for the 2026 gubernatorial election.
The 21st Ataoja and paramount ruler of Osogbo, Oba Oyetunji, made this declaration during a courtesy visit to his palace in Osogbo as the ADC rounded off its constituency tour.
Oba Oyetunji spared no words as he emotionally affirmed his loyalty, saying he would follow and support Aregbesola wherever he goes.
“Your coming to Osogbo today is symbolic. I had not heard that you adopted a new party until now. Your open declaration, along with the people who followed you, means the whole of Osogbo will stand behind you. No one will see me without seeing Aregbe, and whenever you see Aregbe, you will certainly see me.
“Aregbesola’s journey this time is different because he has come with a renewed commitment to work for the betterment of the people of Osun. He is one man I respect greatly because, when some naysayers mounted pressure on him to dethrone me, he refused to listen.
“We are not ingrates in Osogbo. Osogbo is always united when it comes to politics. I am for Aregbesola. I will never leave him. Wherever he goes, we shall follow.”
According to multiple sources, this declaration has thrown opposition parties into complete disarray, considering the weight and influence the revered monarch commands among the Council of Kings in Osun State.
A fearless and straightforward ruler, Oba Oyetunji explained that his decision to support the leader of the Omoluabi ethos in Nigeria stems from the need to return Osun to a system of governance where social welfare and human capital development take preeminence.
A source, who pleaded anonymity, said:“For a First Class Oba like the Ataoja of Osogbo to openly declare support for any party or individual outside the ruling party means a lot. He was unapologetic about it. That speaks volumes.
“And as you can see, no one has dared to challenge him. The opposition is afraid to speak out because they have seen the handwriting on the wall. It will not be business as usual in Osun. The state is ready for a progressive government, a government that prioritises social welfare and human capital development.”
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Politics
Awolowo’s Love And Abiola’s Organic Followership Reincarnate In Aregbesola’s Tour Of Osun
The Bible states in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” This verse aptly describes the recent tour of Osun State Federal Constituencies by the African Democratic Congress, ADC, ably led by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. adsbygoogle || []).push({}); googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js">
Since Ogbeni Aregbesola left office as Governor of Osun State in 2018, after serving two terms from 2010 to 2018, the people of the state have been yearning, hoping, and praying for another leader of his calibre.
The past three weeks allowed me to tour the length and breadth of Osun State with the former Governor and former Interior Minister. In every Federal Constituency we visited, the mood suggested that the people were waiting for a messiah. Osun indigenes desire a compassionate leader, one who understands their needs, speaks their language, believes in social welfare, and prioritises human capital development, a leader reminiscent of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the revered leader of Western Nigeria.
True progressives are defined by their actions. They are not swayed by rhetoric, nor do they assign blame. They simply act. Unlike what Osun currently experiences, leaders like Obafemi Awolowo focused on policies that promoted welfare and modernisation, including free primary education and free healthcare for children under eighteen. He championed federalism, fiscal discipline, and the strategic use of state resources for social and economic development. He believed that education was essential for national progress and that the government should invest resources in social services to uplift citizens.
For nearly eight years, the general voice in Osun has been clear: the state needs another leader like Ogbeni Aregbesola, someone who puts the people first and cushions them from the hardships that have devastated businesses and livelihoods.
During his eight years as Governor, Ogbeni Aregbesola left a legacy of progressive governance marked by significant investments in infrastructure, public education, and social programs. Key accomplishments include:
Infrastructure and Urban Development
Roads: Oversaw the construction and rehabilitation of over three hundred kilometres of township roads and completed five bridges.
Education: Built 170 new schools and renovated existing ones, creating 1,694 standard classrooms.
Urban Planning: Implemented urban renewal projects in the state capital.
Education and Youth Empowerment
Opon-Imo: Distributed free electronic tablets to final-year high school students to aid their studies.
School Feeding: Introduced the Osun Elementary School Feeding Programme, providing free meals to primary school students.
Teacher Recruitment: Hired more than twelve thousand teachers to strengthen the education system.
Youth Empowerment: Launched the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme, creating twenty thousand jobs for young people within its first one hundred days.
Training: Provided free tailoring training for three thousand youths and sent thirty unemployed youths to Germany for modern agricultural training.
Social Programs and Health
Health: Upgraded nine state hospitals, with the State Hospital at Asubiaro transformed into a specialist facility.
Elderly Care: Provided monthly stipends and healthcare for the elderly and indigent.
Free Health Insurance: Extended free health insurance to over thirty thousand pensioners and performed free surgeries for over sixty thousand residents.
Agriculture and Economic Development
Agriculture: Established farm settlements to train unemployed graduates and sold affordable fertilisers to farmers.
Market Development: Built modern markets to support traders.
Job Creation: Created over twenty thousand jobs through youth empowerment programs and other initiatives.
Since his departure in 2018, Osun has struggled with ineffective leadership. This explains why Ogbeni Aregbesola’s tour of Osun Federal Constituencies as General Secretary of the African Democratic Congress was warmly received. The love from his people was organic. They truly desire the return of his style of leadership.
The tour began at Ifedayo, Ila, Boluwaduro Federal Constituency, where thousands of supporters and party leaders gathered at the ancient palace of the Orangun of Ila Orangun, Oba Wahab Kayode Adedeji Oyedotun Bibiire I, to welcome the former Governor. Ogbeni Aregbesola noted that critical sectors of governance, including security, infrastructure, education, and the economy, have deteriorated.
“When your people are hungry and suffering, and you do not show compassion, you cannot claim to be an Omoluabi. Awolowo and our other founding fathers would not be pleased seeing Nigeria in this state,” he declared. From Ila Orangun, the tour continued to Ayedaade, Irewole, and Isokan Federal Constituency in the ancient town of Ikire.
From the Naira and Kobo junction to Obada Market, the Akire’s palace, and Sango, residents turned out in large numbers to show love, solidarity, and support for the party and its leader. From Ikire, the tour proceeded to Obokun and Oriade Federal Constituency in Ijebu-Jesa, where a similar outpouring of love and belief in the ADC was witnessed.
“Aregbesola’s journey this time is different. He has come to work assiduously for the betterment of the people of Osun. I am for Aregbesola and will never leave him. Wherever he goes, we shall follow,” declared His Royal Majesty Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun, Laroye II, Ataoja of Osogbo, as he endorsed Ogbeni Aregbesola and the ADC during the Osogbo, Olorunda, Irepodun, and Orolu Federal Constituency leg of the tour.
Oba Oyetunji emotionally expressed his support for Ogbeni Aregbesola, declaring that he would follow him wherever he goes. From the Ataoja’s Palace, the tour continued through Oke Fia, Osogbo Grammar School, the NUJ Secretariat along Dada Estate, to the Government Technical College open field, where thousands of indigenes and residents gathered under the scorching sun to hear words of hope, social welfare initiatives, and human capital development plans from Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
The reception across the state clearly demonstrates the organic love and unwavering commitment of Nigerians to restoring good governance. It also highlights the widespread dissatisfaction with the current administration, whose policies have worsened hunger, poverty, and insecurity. Osun is ready for meaningful change, the kind that the ADC and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola represent.
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