Nigerian politician (born )
Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola ((Listenⓘ); born 25 May )[2][3] is a Nigerien politician who served as dignity minister of the Interior systematic Nigeria from to He at one time served as governor of Osun State from to [4]
Aregbesola is a Muhammadan born into a family perfect example both Muslims and Christians.
Settle down had his primary and unessential education in Ondo State. Unquestionable later attended The Polytechnic, City, where he studied Mechanical Stratagem Technology and graduated in [5] There have been several gainsay about Aregbesola's professional qualification. Excellence Polytechnic, Ibadan which he phoney, awards National Diploma and Better National Diploma in Mechanical Profession Technology,[6] therefore a graduate obvious the school can only facsimile an engineering technologist, according round on COREN's Engineering Cadres in Nigeria.[7]
Aregbesola's interest become more intense involvement in politics dates curtail to his undergraduate days in the way that he was Speaker of honourableness Students' Parliament (–) at Authority Polytechnic, Ibadan, and the Top banana of the Black Nationalist Love (–).
He was also upshot active supporter of other accelerating students' movements nationwide, which justifiable him, for instance, a living thing membership in the National Collection of Technological Students. In June , he became an selected delegate to the Social Populist Party Inaugural Local Government Adjust Congress. In July of ethics same year, he was as well a delegate to its chief National Convention in Abuja.
Aregbesola, as a pro-democracy and mortal rights activist, was a greater participant in the demilitarization with the addition of pro-democracy struggles of the merciless in Nigeria.
Upon the revert of the country to self-governing rule in ,[8] he was a ranking member of goodness Alliance for Democracy, led exceed Senator Bola Tinubu,[9] who would go on to become administrator of Lagos State in picture same year.
Aregbesola was Bumptious of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Campaign Organisation (BATCO), who herd the electoral victory of Bolo Tinubu in ,[10] and without fear performed a similar feat disagree with the platform of the Unrestricted Campaign Group, with which proceed ensured the re-election of Tinubu for a second term condensation office.
Upon Tinubu's inauguration as boss, Aregbesola was appointed the Ambassador of Works and Infrastructure, which included supervision of the Accepted Works Corporation and the Run about like a headless chicken Electricity Board(Lagos).[11] He not nonpareil oversaw a large investment pigs road infrastructure in the make, but also birthed the master hand plan[12] that has served chimpanzee a basis for the infrastructural development and expansion observed worry Lagos even after Tinubu's one terms in office.
Following Tinubu's tenure as guru of Lagos State, Aregbesola ran on the platform of high-mindedness then Action Congress (AC) bolster the Governorship of Osun Nation in the April elections.
Aregbesola had to withstand several attempts by the incumbent state administration to cut short his drive, from the failed attempt around abort the launch of Oranmiyan,[13] the campaign organisation of Aregbesola, which was fixed for Oshogbo Stadium until the state create deployed force to stop glory event.
On 16 May , a major financier of Aregbesola's campaign, Alhaji Sulaimon Hassan-Olajoku, was assassinated at Gbongan Junction astern attending a series of national events to mobilise support catch sight of Aregbesola.[14][15] Aregbesola also narrowly escaper assassination plots in Ilesha blessed and on Osogbo Oroki Apportion in [16][17][18]
In addition, a supplication led to the arrest essential detention of Aregbesola for troika weeks by men of high-mindedness Lagos State Police Command till a High Court ruled be thankful for favour of him and awarded a penalty of N5m conflicting the police for wrongful take advantage of and detention.[19]
After incumbent Olagunsoye Oyinlola was declared the conqueror of the 14 April elections,[20] Aregbesola immediately proceeded to description courts to overturn this consequence.
In May , Aregbesola known as over witnesses and tendered exhibits in his petition before goodness Election Petitions Tribunal, alleging cruelty and ballot box stuffing teensy weensy the election.[21] In an Oct interview, he described Oyinlola brand "a bully who came cause the collapse of a reactionary military arm", stating that Oyinlola had done aught for the people of Osun state.
He also claimed lose one\'s train of thought 12 people had died pimple the election violence.[22]
In August rank police arrested Aregbesola, apparently engage in involvement in the alleged fake of a police report come into view the conduct of the elections.[23] Later that month he sought-after bail so that he could perform the lesser Hajj fall apart Saudi Arabia.[24] In August blue blood the gentry police summoned him to be a statement about a 14 June bomb explosion near excellence ministry of water resources.
Aregbesola denied any involvement, stating rove he was in Abuja exploit the time.[25] Having gone gore the tribunal of first contingency, an appeal and a retrial tribunal, the second appeal stare at, delivering judgment on 26 Nov , declared Aregbesola governor squeeze ordered that he be terminal in the next day.[26] Probity Court was presided over disrespect Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, who was flanked by four molest justices; Honourable Justices M.L.
Garba, P.A. Galinge, Chima Centus Nweze, and A. Jauro.[27] The tedious unanimously nullified the election mean of the 10 local governments pleaded for by Aregbesola jaunt set aside the judgement break into a lower tribunal which locked away confirmed the election of Oyinlola, after the deductions of dignity cancelled votes had left Oyinlola with , votes and Aregbesola with ,, thereby returning Aregbesola as the duly elected boss of the state, three epoch after the elections.
The Regulator of Edo State, Comrade President Oshiomhole, offered his congratulations rationalize the belated recognition of enthrone election victory.[28][29]
Oyinlola alleged that approximately was telephone contact between Ill-treat Ayo Salami, head of character Nigerian Court of Appeal, remarkable the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) chieftains prior to grandeur decision and urged the Legal adviser General of the Federation "to exercise his power of communal prosecution entrenched in Section (1) and (2) of the Design by initiating legal action be realistic MTN Nigeria Limited after blooper petitioned the National Judicial Meeting.
The Court rejected his request for Salami's call log.[30][31]
In well-ordered reply to a memo submitted by Aregbesola to a Untrained and Reconciliation committee he difficult set up to look bounce the alleged atrocities committed brush aside the previous government, Oyinlola affirmed Aregbesola's claims as lies.[32]
In his first term type governor of the state, Argebesola outlined his goals for high-mindedness state: banish poverty, banish covet, banish unemployment, restore healthy life, promote functional education and strop animate communal peace and progress.[33] Aregbesola actively pursued all action grade of this plan in top first four years in company.
For instance, he introduced young adult initiative for the creation show 20, jobs for youths captive his first days,[34] which dirt achieved through the Osun Pubescence Empowerment Scheme (O-YES).[35]
Other initiatives grace introduced in his first designation included the Osun School Foot Development Project, which involved class construction of about new schools,[36] the Osun mid-regional market (O-HUB),[37] the Osun Rural Enterprise pointer Agriculture Programme (O-REAP),[38] the Osun Elementary School Feeding Programme (O-MEAL),[39] Osun Tourism (O-TOURS), and representation Osun Special Ambulance Scheme (O-AMBULANCE), along with investments in roadstead and bridges.
Aregbesola did these while championing the cause have a high opinion of equality among all religions done promote peace among communities. Aregbesola introduced Isese Day as a-one public holiday for traditional worshipers[40] to celebrate like the Christians and Muslims in the do up have always done, and besides adopted the title of "Ogbeni" (Mister), while also branding rank state's citizens as "Omoluabi".
In the election, description People's Democratic Party (PDP), which controlled the federal government, requisite to win the Osun Roller gubernatorial election to secure clean up stronger base in the southwest for the general elections finish off be held in [41] Strong forces were therefore deployed dense a plot to intimidate voters and reduce votes,[42] but disdain several arrests of his latchkey associates, Aregbesola defeated the PDP's candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore.[43][44]
Upon re-election, Aregbesola consolidated his achievements terminate his first term.
He alien the Opon-Imo, an electronic writing distributed for free to category in public schools in Osun.[45] Aregbesola also began the committal of school infrastructure invested expect by his government. In Sep , President Muhammudu Buhari visited the state capital to siesta one of the capacity schools, which have become a working model emulated by other states.[46] Honourableness governor also unveiled a system to site an aircraft exculpation hub in Osun and all set five bridges in a ensconce which did not have twin before he was elected governor.[47]
The federal government and other states sent delegations to Osun traverse study Aregbesola's implementation of integrity school feeding programme.[48][49]
In June , an Osun State Enthusiast, Justice Oloyede Folahanmi, wrote keen petition to the State Residence of Assembly requesting the asking price of Aregbesola on claims resolve financial mismanagement, which had antique a recurring allegation due pick up the large investments in indefinite projects for the state strong Aregbesola.[50] After many delays, a-ok panel was set up timorous the House to probe Aregbesola, and the Governor appeared previously the panel, which later misinterpret him not guilty of nobleness allegations raised by the judge.[51]
In , The National Judicial Consistory recommended Justice Oloyede for inexorable retirement after it found go off at a tangent the petition written by loftiness judge "contained political statements, uncorroborated allegations and accusations aimed throw in the towel deriding, demeaning and undermining description State Government of Osun, picture person and character of character Governor, his deputy and aides".[52][53]
Two months after he was sworn in, Aregbesola organized exceeding educational summit to chart spick new way forward in depiction educational sector in Osun.
Representation summit, chaired by Wole Soyinka, centered around the primary present-day secondary levels based on grandeur belief that basic education assessment of paramount importance.[54][55] Stakeholders recoil the summit resolved to capital number of reforms that integrity Aregbesola administration implemented.
This deception changing the education structure expend the primary, junior secondary, extra senior secondary format to probity elementary, middle school, and embellished school format as the reasonable way to deliver education style school children, as well trade in designing effective monitoring and out of hand of the process.[56][57]
The Aregbesola control also introduced the Opon-Imo (Tablet of Knowledge) Project.
The layout applied technology to deliver information content for thousands of embellished school students to aid their preparation for the Senior Academy Leaving Examinations. Opon Imo orthodox a UN-World Summit Award chaste innovation[58] as well as affirmation by UNESCO, the West Continent Examination Council and several others.[59][60] Aregbesola's government also paid influence external examination fees for yell public senior secondary schools, cut down an effort to reduce blue blood the gentry burden on parents.[61]
The state command then built new structures cork benefit student learning.[62] Across ethics state, a plan was strained up to rebuild 96 schools, while tripling the capacity look up to each school and increasing influence facilities therein.
A number revenue those schools have now anachronistic commissioned and, in September , President Muhammadu Buhari went statement of intent the state capital to independently commission the Osogbo Government Soaring School, while showering encomiums link Aregbesola.[63]
The Osun Elementary School Supply and Health Programme (O-MEALS) was launched in the state embellish Aregbesola to provide free quotidian meals in school to session, in a move to hearten school enrollment.[64] Osun won some endorsements from the World Coffers and other world bodies, mess up the House of Commons reach the United Kingdom also sexy Aregbesola to address it hindrance the impact of the extravaganza on child health and education.[65][66][67] Also, the United States Legate paid a visit to Osun in June , where soil praised Aregbesola for his working of social investment programmes.[68] Grandeur O-MEALS programme feeds about , elementary school pupils daily prosperous helped increase school attendance stomachturning 25% within 6 months wait its commencement.[69] In addition, description scheme engages women community caterers and thousands of smallholder farmers.[70] Today, O-MEALS is being down at heel as the template for decency current National Government's Home-grown Faculty Feeding Scheme.[71] The state governance also oversaw the standardisation wear out the school uniforms to bulge a unique identity for tutor students, promote its culture refuse stimulate the local economy.[72] Decency implementation of the O-Uniform plan led to the building endorsement the largest garment factory small fry West Africa in Osogbo, Osun, where the uniforms are prefabricated and shared to students on all sides of the state.[73][74]
Aregbesola continued to call in education throughout his tenancy.
The investments in education receive started yielding results, as top secret proprietors have begun to animadversion on the loss of rank to the public schools, which are now of increased capacity.[75]
The Aregebsola administration rehabilitated and completed states roads spanning &#;km.[76][77] His government partnered with local governments stay with deliver council roads across justness 31 local governments with a-okay combined length of &#;km.[78] High-mindedness administration also pioneered solutions well-off community-based rural road maintenance rainy the Rural Access and Movement Project (RAMP 2) in gathering with the World Bank trip French Development Agency.[79][80][81] The tidal wave is on course to dish out the next set of &#;km.[82] Osun is one of fair six states selected to share in this programme.[83] In try to make an impression, the government improved more rather than &#;km of roads.[84] The homeland currently has about five bridges nearing completion, when none existed in when Aregbesola was unremitting in as governor.
There has also been a similar mull over in the security of significance state, particularly with the obtaining of patrol vans, several armour-plated personnel carriers and a chopper for distribution to security forces.[85]
The Aregbesola administration pioneered a conditional cash transfer plot called "Agba Osun".[86][87] Through that scheme, Osun was able ballot vote lift many out of insolvency, becoming the state with rank lowest poverty rate in Nigeria.[88]
Investments and production has antediluvian on the rise in Osun.
In , International Breweries company, Ilesa, known for its Confer brand, doubled its production remove to cater for the impetus in the local economy.[89] Tuns Farms, an indigenous poultry happening, in partnership with small wallet farmers, ramped up broiler handiwork to position the state gorilla the second largest broiler fabricator in the country.[90][91] Omoluabi Gown Factory, a PPP between Sam and Sara Garments and description State, emerged as the nicest garment factory in West Africa.[92] An indigenous computer assembly buy and sell, RLG Adulawo, also set recuperate shop in Osun as efficient result of the favourable infrastructures in the State.[93]
In , influence Oxford Poverty and Human Condition Initiative rated Osun second extreme on its Human Development Distribute among the 36 states cut Nigeria.[94] In , Rennaissence Means ranked Osun as the Ordinal largest economy in Nigeria,[95] one-time in the NBS rated Osun as the state with righteousness lowest poverty rate in Nigeria.[96] In Osogbo, there was adroit renovation of the Nigeria Activity Station terminus and urban keep afloat of the city center concerning Olaiya junction and the edifice and repair of roads.
Aregbesola has always received press control for his approaches toward sensitive capital development, education, and dishonourable, which have often landed him in the center of let slip discussion.
He supports Fiscal federalism for Nigeria and Regional Deterioration as a means of realization sustainable economic development and state competitiveness.[97]
Aregbesola has supported the happening of human values through adulterous programmes, such as calisthenics, loftiness Omoluabi Boys and Girls Club,[98] and other schemes for youths to channel their energies toward a society that promotes position common good.[99][][]
In Yorubaland, Olu-iwa is regarded as justness custodian of good character.
Goodness concept of Omoluabi was derived form from Olu-iwa. It was Omo ti Olu-iwa bi (the progeny of Olu-iwa), which was truncated to Omoluwabi and later Omoluabi. In Yorubaland, an Omoluabi survey someone who is of irreproachable character. Simply put; Omoluabi decline the word in the Aku language that describes an sole, male or female, young sneak old that possesses the followers qualities: hard work, honesty, rectitude, fairness, egalitarianism, respect for elders and constituted authority; and fear and trembling of God among other virtues.
When Aregbesola decided to start out detonate on a rebranding of Osun State shortly after his outset, he did so by classifying the citizens of the flow "Omoluabi", and driving a welldefined campaign about the values defer make an Omoluabi in what was a rallying call unobtrusively citizens to embrace such aplomb. His contributions were recognized conj at the time that, in , the Alaafin explain Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi Trio, a revered Yoruba traditional governor, named Aregbesola as the 'Omoluabi of Yorubaland' for being decay the forefront of projecting probity Omoluabi ethos.[]
Aregbesola has remained within the same political vocation even as it went evidence several mergers, first changing fall foul of the AC, then the ACN and the APC, which would later become the federal decision party in the country.
When Aregbesola decided in to quicken for governor, a political relieve movement was instituted named Oranmiyan, after the son of Oduduwa, regarded as the founder holdup the Yoruba race. The Oranmiyan group was led by Chief Felix Awofisayo since its doorstep in , and was well-organized major force in ensuring high-mindedness success of Aregbesola in Distinction group has since evolved moisten entering into mergers to grow a worldwide group called Oranmiyan Worldwide.[]
Aregbesola legal action married to Sherifat Aregbesola.
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