Why Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola won Uhuru Times ‘Man of the year’ 2016 Award

According to Uhuru Times, the foundation of Uhuru Times vision rests on late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s political philosophy about the place of man in the society, and how those in positions of leadership ought to behave while in office. Of the five Governors picked as possible winner of the ‘Man of the year 2016’ only Osun State’s Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Lagos State’s Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode met our standards.

"We do not intend to curse the darkness Nigeria has found itself in. To borrow the words of Moral Rearmament, a group that was active in Nigeria in the 1980s, ours is to light a candle in the prevailing darkness, and hope that by doing so, others will follow suit in their respective areas of competence. It is the Governors we beamed our searchlight on, being possible agents of change in a system, where almost everything depend on Government. In their respective states, these Governors literally hold the power of life and death over residents of their respective states." Uhuru Times team explained.

"For Uhuru Times, four issues are important in a society like Nigeria, where life expectancy still remain very low due to a nonchalant attitude by political leaders to the real needs of the people. These are;
Education, Healthcare Services (preventive and curative), Gainful Employment and Infrastructural development.

Uhuru Times through its analysis had proven the critics of Governor Rauf Aregbesola wrong. Most especially those who think running an expensive government determines the success of an administration.

Congratulations to the Peoples Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as Uhuru Times 'Man of the Year' 2016.

Ogbeni Aregbesola "The governor of the year 2016"

Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is Uhuru Times ‘Man of the year’ 2016

Nigeria’s is a young democracy by any standard. The institutions that serve to nurture and protect due process in a participatory system of government, which ours was designed to be, are very weak, not non-existent. The presidential system of government we run has the Judiciary, Legislature and Executive as its branches. The Mass Media, aptly described as the Fourth Estate of the Realm, is expected to perform oversight functions on our three arms of government.
Recent developments since the advent of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Administration have provided irrefutable evidence that the Judiciary is not what it was meant to be. Corruption at its highest echelon has rendered it prostrate to a very large extent. The Legislature at the national level has been established since 1999 to be a haven of persons, who ordinarily should not hold political offices. At the state levels, legislators are more or less glorified errand boys of their respective Governors. They hardly query anything done by the Executive in the manner expected of them by the 1999 Constitution, which they took an oath to uphold. Local Government Councillors are worse.
The Presidency is not better. Official instruments of governance are regularly deployed for personal reasons. Excerpts from a book by the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, detailed as much about former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s serial abuse of power. Buhari’s is not different despite claims about an anti-corruption war. Petitions and claims against persons serving in close proximity of Mr. President have either being ignored or treated shabbily. Almost all the 36 state Governors control their legislators in a manner suggestive of dictatorship.
We do not intend to curse the darkness Nigeria has found itself in. To borrow the words of Moral Rearmament, a group that was active in Nigeria in the 1980s, ours is to light a candle in the prevailing darkness, and hope that by doing so, others will follow suit in their respective areas of competence. It is the Governors we beamed our searchlight on, being possible agents of change in a system, where almost everything depend on Government. In their respective states, these Governors literally hold the power of life and death over residents of their respective states.
For us, four issues are important in a society like Nigeria, where life expectancy still remain very low due to a nonchalant attitude by political leaders to the real needs of the people. These are,



  Education – accessible and affordable, especially for the downtrodden aged between 5 – 18 years.
 Healthcare services (preventive and curative) – As above.

 Gainful employment – For persons aged 25 – 35 years.

 Infrastructural development – Especially rural roads and potable water.



The foundation of Uhuru Times vision rests on late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s political philosophy about the place of man in the society, and how those in positions of leadership ought to behave while in office. Of the five Governors picked as possible winner of the ‘Man of the year 2016’ only Osun State’s Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Lagos State’s Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode met our standards.


In Lagos State, urban renewal has continued since Ambode got into office, especially in the area of roads, street lighting and the like. But potable water remains a problem, not just in the rural areas, where we are most concerned about, but in the urban centres as well. There have been no significant new ideas about education and schools for the ages we considered. It is the same for Healthcare services in the rural areas. But roads in the rural parts of Lagos East (Epe and Ikorodu) along with the same sections in Lagos West (Badagry) have been receiving a well-deserved attention from Ambode, unlike when Babatunde Raji Fashola was Governor.


Ambode scored an A+ in his initiatives agains

OSUN 2018 AND THE INCREASING ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA By Oladimeji Lasore

Three recent episodes prompt me to write this piece; one, Aregbesola hosting the members of the Progressive e-group to a get-together end of the year 2016 dinner party at Leisure Spring Hotel, Osogbo. Two,  the cyber bullying that followed the event on the part of some members of the progressive e-group and their antagonists resulting in e-harassing one another, and posting slanderous and atimes abusive things the unfriending and blocking threats and three, the lukeworm attitude of some politicians or leaders in employing the use of social media to show and propagate their intention even at this time because for sure the social media is set to turn things around as Osunites prepare for Osun 2018 Guber election. Take it or leave the race has already started here on the Cyber.

 As I attended some social gatherings to herald in the new year 2017 my attention was drawn to the behaviour of friends and some co-guests as they were most of the time glued to their phones browsing whenever there were nothing to discuss openly thus I came to realise that the social media and the Facebook in particular has become a valuable promotional tool. Polititians are reaching impossibly large and diverse amount of people using social media sites. This allows them to promote their intentions and win over sympathisers and new supporters in a way that has never been seen before as information spreads here incredibly Fast. Those polticians that are incubents can't afford to neglect a show off of their achievements at this time.

Important facts about facebook registration showed that 60% of active adults in Osun State are on Facebook thanks to the free education policy of that late Chief Obafemi Awolowo started in the old Western region in the late 50s. Don't be surprised that, that propritress of the beer parlour where you sit and enjoy in the evening is connected on Facebook just like the fish monger, the vegetable and pepper sellers. They have all come to the realisation that mobile phones are not just to receive and make calls so far you make more than the primary school educational standard and a high percentage of of Osun indegenes of age bracket 18 to 80 are qualified and connected.

One advantage of Social Networking is worldwide connectivity as Osun indegenes in the diaspora also follow and contribute to political developments and discussions at home via the social media and this afford them the opportunity to make valuable political decisions.

It so interesting that information spreads incredibly fast from some of us that are connected to so many people on the social media for example the Osun A Dara and Ipadabo Buhari facebook political group that I administer can boast of above 20000 registered followers, Osun A Dara alone has 11800 readers.

My reason for creating this awareness is that important information and atimes false ones can spread like wildfire on social media sites. Politicking involves the use of propaganda some of the time where false and unreliable information are perpetuated and anything can spread to millions of people within hours or days on social media. This also, unfortunately, includes things that are false or made up. Therefore a politician or a political leader just need to stay abreast on the social media particularly on the Facebook at least to follow up and difuse false information.

I agree that social media or poltical campaigns on the social media is still in its infancy compared with traditional broadcast and print media but it’s growing up quickly–poised to become the most significant channel in Osun for politicians that want to engage in a meaningful, measurable way. Social Media is the future of communication,

It is therefore going to be difficult for any government right now to ignore social media.

Yes. As Osun 2018 Guber Race beckons, any politician or leader that thinks he can ignore the impact of the social media and Facebook in particular will be in big trouble.

Photos depict guests at a social gathering that I attended recently glued to their mobile sets browsing. None knew when the photos were taken.

Lasun Yusuf aides prearrange malicious stories with PDP writer to blackmail Aregbesola - Wale Alabi

The coordinator of the Progressives e-Group has expressed his displeasure over a report being circulated on social media by one PDP propagandist who was recently recruited into the media team of the honourable member representing Orolu/Irepodun/Osogbo/Olorunda federal constituency and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representative, Hon Lasun Yusuf.

According to Wale Alabi, the fabricated report was purely sponsored to attack the governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

Reacting to the falsehood, Wale Alabi said,

"it's barbaric and totally nonsensical for anybody to have engaged in character assassination to promote his/her principal even if that's part of the job descriptions assigned to him. I can't just imagine what the media space has been reduced to."

Explaining his side, Wale Alabi insists no one mentioned the deputy speaker's name at the event.

He said, the dinner which had Governor Aregbesola and other dignitaries in attendance was organized by the most viable and formidable progressive social media team in Nigeria 'the Progressives e-Group' to celebrate the end of 2016 calendar year.

"There was no way anybody could have talked about Lasun in such an event which was a gathering of loyalty and progressive decencies." Alabi insisted.

"Mr Governor's remark at the dinner revolves around; Osun finance, how to make Osun prosper in the coming year and LAUTECH issue. I don't know how that translate to Hon Yusuf's ambition." Said the coordinator.

Alabi said it's laughable that aides of Hon Lasun Yusuf could prearrange a verbal bomb against their boss and tend to blackmail Aregbesola into their foolery.

"I don't understand that kind of politicking. Hon Lasun Yusuf is a leader, he should stop patronizing nonentities whose actions may further justify the insinuation that he has been calumniating the party and all the progressive proprieties." Alabi continued.

"As a party member, I owe the deputy speaker a duty by calling his attention to the excesses of his followers, also advise him to teach his loyalists/subordinates to be truthful in their reportages and dealings," Alabi concluded.