ODO-OTIN WENT AGOG FOR AREGBESOLA Penultimate Thursday was a red-letter day in Okuku, the headquarters of Odo-Otin Local Government Council Area of the State of Osun, when members of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) turned out in large numbers to endorse Governor Rauf Aregbesola for a second term in office. As early as 7 0’clock in the morning of that fateful day, party members clad in different party apparels from the fifteen wards constituting the council area started trooping into the Okuku Town Hall, Okuku, venue of the meeting and mobilization session. The big banners welcoming invited guests and other dignitaries adorned the major routes to the town hall at Inisa, Ijabe and Oyan. It was a carnival-like atmosphere, with different drummers and singers ushering people into the venue, while there was also a standby band at the gate of the hall. The programme kicked-off with the arrival of the Deputy Governor of the State of Osun, Otunba Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori, who represented her boss, Governor Aregbesola and her entourage. She was ushered into the hall amidst drumming and dancing. Among the dignitaries that graced the occasion were Honourable Yinka Ajayi, representing Boripe/Ifelodun/Odo-Otin Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Abuja and Honourable Sunday Oludare Akere, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy in the State of Osun. Others were political appointees from the council area, such as Barrister Olasunkami Joel Anwo, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Legal matters, Honourable Adebowale Laoye, who is a member of the Governing Council of the State College of Education, Ilesa, as well as a former chairman of the council. The rest were Dr Adetunji Dare, Dr. Tesleem Onigbinde Dr Oyebode Oyelayo, Pharmacist Israel Oyagbile, Elder Segun Oyegbade, Mr George Durosinmi among others. Honourable Ajayi, who was among the early arrivals, reiterated the fact that as a law-abiding party, the ACN was not on a campaign spree, but held a meeting to express the feelings of members. The chairman of the House of Representative Committee on Debt Management was highly ecstatic with the impressive turn-out of members. Otunba Laoye-Tomori was equally elated with the attendance in the massive hall. Responding to the welcome address by the party chairman in the council area, she stated that the people of the State of Virtue were yet to see the best of Governor Aregbesola. The deputy governor stressed the fact that inspite of what the governor has done, he will still do more, if given the opportunity, because he has a blueprint for the development of the state. While welcoming defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into the party on behalf of the governor, Otunba Laoye-Tomori asked them to work hard to ensure victory for the ACN in the next elections and to be law-abiding. She commended the prevailing peaceful atmosphere in the state which, she said, has aided rapid transformation being experienced in the state. She therefore solicited the co-operation of the people in the council area for the government of Aregbesola. The deputy governor further asked party members to be vigilant, so as not to fall prey to charlatans going about, asking them to exchange their voters’ cards for non-existent jobs. Otunba Laoye-Tomori did not fail to acknowledge the contribution of indigenes of the area in public service. She praised the efforts of Professor Bashiru Okesina, the incumbent Vice-chancellor of the State University (UNIOSUN) Osogbo, Honourable (Ms) Mobolaji Akande, the State Commissioner for Human Resources and Capacity Building and Alhaji Abdulai Binuyo, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) among others. Comrade Poju Odusola, the leader of the party in the council area moved the motion for the endorsement of the governor for a second term and was supported by Dr Adetunji Dare, a medical doctor from Oyan, Elder Segun Oyegbade from Ijabe and Honourable Rasaq Adeyemi representing the council area in the state parliament. The motion by the leader was unanimously endorsed by all without any opposition. Earlier in his welcome address, the party chairman in the LGA, Alhaji Jimoh Asa, had praised the governor for his wonderful and superlative performance in the last thirty months. He listed the achievements to include the engagement of 40,000 youths in the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES); the dualisation of the Old Garage, Osogbo to Kwara State boundary, which passes through the council area among others. There were goodwill messages from other leaders such as the Executive Secretary, who was represented by his deputy, Alhaji Shittu Raheem and Honourable Adeyemi. They stated that they were encouraged by the excellent performance of the governor to ask him for more service to the State of Osun. Otunba Laoye-Tomori later paid a courtesy visit on the monarchs at the palace of Olokuku, Oba Samuel Oyebode Oluronke II. Speaking on behalf of the seventeen other monarchs, Oba Oluronke asked for the splitting of the local government council area, with a view to fast-tracking development in the area. The monarch pledged the total support of the people in the area for the administration of Ogbeni Aregbesola. The deputy governor pledged to convey their message to the governor and was optimistic that something positive in that direction would be done. It is instructive to note that it is only Odo-Otin and Ejigbo Local Government Council Areas that have not been split since their creation in the 70s. Odo-Otin is also one of the three local government council areas with the highest number of 15 wards in the state after Osogbo and Iwo. All these signify that Odo-Otin is unique in a way, coupled with the fact that the immediate-past governor of the state is from the area. Cultural groups spiced the occasion with their skilful displays. The Yoruba cultural troupe was led by Mr Sikiru Adesina alias Arakangudu, while the Tiv group from Benue and Fulani were not left out. On the whole, it was an impressive outing by members of the ACN in the local government council area. By the time the deputy governor and her entourage left the Okuku Town Hall, the leaders, members of the party and everybody present was satisfied with the impressive outing.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Jun 2013 21:52:24 +0000
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