ISEYIN YOUTHS DEVELOPMENT GROUP

Empowerment OR Enslavement? A puzzle to be solved by our Political Office Holders. My Oxford Dictionary defined Empowerment as, The granting of political, social or economic power to an individual or group. It could also be defined as, The process of supporting another person or persons to discover and claim personal power, according to the same dictionary. Kudos to the Senator representing Oyo North Senatorial district, Fatai Buhari for his purported empowerment programme and others that have done the same in the past. I give it to them for at least, they did something. But the question is.....Is that much we deserve? No! Is that the much they can do? No!  What percentage of the constituency populace benefited from the gift? 0.0000001%, was the right beneficiary targeted? No! Rather, It was based on party and cabal selection. Have now began to doubt the correctness of my dictionary, since what our political office holders coined as empowerment is nothing close to it, but ...

An Open letter to PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI, President and Commander-in- Chief of the Armed forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria. Let me first commend your government for the proactive approach towards the Boko Haram insurgents and your serial fulfilment of bring back our girls campaign promise, its indeed an applaudable achievement. I need to also commend you for giving us Ahmed Ibraheem Alli to sanitise the Nigerian Custom Service, it's very thoughtful of you sir. It's also worthy to note that your government has in a way sanitize the public sector, through your anti-corruption programme thus relieving some corrupt public office holders of their portfolios and landed some in jail, Baba it is awesomely meritorious. That said your Excellency, it is very appalling and saddening that humans' blood has become an ordinary sachet water that can be spilled at will by the Fulani headsmen without anybody talking. Yesterday was a mourning day in Benue state where 78 bodies we...

An Open letter to the Chairman, Iseyin Weavers Association, Iseyin. Dear Sir, RE: IF WE DON'T PEG IT, WE MAY LOSE IT. May I start this by applauding your humble self and every member of your cabinet for organizing the 1st and 2nd Ofi day, which eventually caught the attention of the state government and thus gave birth to the establishment of Aso-Oke international market and Tourist centre, on our own soil. This is indeed applaudable! How great would this have been, if you actually consolidate so firmly on the recorded landmark? Not only that the proposed market would have been materialized but would have also changed the face of our dear city, added to her economy valour, ushered in more investors of different brand and alas! Would have also added more feathers to the crown of your own led Association, ' The Aso-Oke weavers. Apologies to Benjamin Franklin who said and I quote, that "Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn". It...

If we don't peg it, we may loose it....For the attention of Iseyin Aso Oke weavers Association. Let me first of all congratulate you and the entire Iseyinans on the establishment and laying of Aso-Oke International tourist Market's foundation on our dear land. It is indeed a plus to the town and the state at large, hence we need to peg it. It is no more news that an international market has been established by the state government and the foundation had been laid on our soil. It is then not wrong if we can start putting up some stores, even if made with wood planks to display our wares instead of continuance visitation of 'Ero Ibadan' for the sole purpose of selling our wares, this would be tantamount to retrogression, and same wouldn't augur well for our space. Ceasing of Iseyin Aso-Oke weavers to patronise 'Ero Ibadan to sell their wares will undoubtedly compel the state government to fast track the construction and commissioning of the market as ea...

Silence! An unsuspected slow killer.....(A phemomenon of Aso-Oke International Market and Tourism Centre, Iseyin). Let me quickly refer us to one of my articles, "If we don't peg it, we may loose it" a couple of weeks ago, pointing at the need for weavers Association to reduce or cancel their patronage of "Ero Ibadan" for display of their wares. Perhaps the message did not get to them or they believe it's no the right time to swing into action as advised. May you please recall that, this purported international market was not the first Capital intensive project penciled for Iseyin, but for being too addict of "What would be, would be", we lose them.  It's apparent that the trend is at the verge of repeating self again, if a drastic measure is not employed to get the project pinned down. I refuse to believe the thought that the State Government is playing on our integrity, if not, the Contractor is expected to have been mobilized t...

Arise! Oh ye FILGS. Gone are those days of active student Unionism, when students were major  stakeholders in decision making. Those good days when student unionism commands respect and facilitate reversal of inhumane actions of constituted authorities. Blessed be the days when students worked wonders in ensuring development in all ramifications, no matter how difficult it is to enable same. Dear FILGS, Where is thy strength? The supposed student body expected to be so ebullient and active in waking up authorities and stakeholders from their slumbers, are also seemingly fast asleep. I can't recollect when  last a programme, a peaceful protest or a round table discuss is organised in respect to our space's development. Institutions of higher learning were penciled down for Iseyin and were eventually diverted to other axis, no one said nothing. Aso Oke international market and tourist centre was also initiated by a grand ceremony, which has so far being repeated twice wi...

JUNE 12, THE DAY THAT PRODUCED THE PRESUMED LIBERATOR WE NEVER HAD. Trending on the media are reactions trailing the conferment of posthumours GCFR on Bashorun Moshood Kashimawo, Olawale Abiola Popularly known as MKO, GCON honour on his running mate Baba Gana Kingibe and declaration of June 12 as democracy day replacing the May 29th when same is previously celebrated. I may not be completely good with President Mubammadu Buhari's perceived slow method of government but I think am 100% align with this development. What more can one say of an egalitarian, disciplinarian and revolutionist like Buhari? who has unimaginably done what our own son, "Ebora Owu" and others considered unnecessary for about 25 years ago, forgetting the fact that we are currently enjoying the fruit of the sacrifice made by that late president we never had. It is human to envy the success that follows an action carried out by the other, when the former ought to have done same, however, a develo...

If You Can't Make Them, Don't Mar Them. He that Values lives, would not contest the justification of #56,000 minimum wage, in this current dispensation. Still amazed at the prolonged process of adopting the proposed Minimum wage, by our law makers. It takes the legislators just a week to propound and conclude plans to buy cars for themselves with a whooping sum of #6.1 Billions and it is taking the same set of people ages to adopt just #56000 which is the NLC Proposed workers minimum wage. What a callous leaders we have! Wickedness might not be adequately defined as slapping a toddler, but as subjecting the poor workers to hunger after hard labour, either as a result of nonpayment of salaries or payment of non commensurable take-home that can't even    take them home. May the people at the corridors of power please find this piece as an appeal and a wake up call, to not make life worse for workers if they can't make it better. Please adjust their take homes t...

Why NOT a Living wage INSTEAD of Minimum wage?  It's so disheartening when an average Nigerian wallows in abject poverty, pains and agony not because they are not working, but for non commensurable #takeHome that can not take them home. Beautiful as the recent presidential assent to the #30,000 minimum wage could be, it's still not adequate for an economy like ours. Recall that the Nigeria Labour Congress over the years pushed for #56,000 minimum wage, but retired to fate when the tripartite committee eventually ratified the payment of #30,000 take home. Unfortunate it should be called, when Nigerians are still being colonised in our own country by our own selves. 2019 budget got padded by almost 90 Billion Naira from which will cater for about #24million each, for Reps and Senators retirement benefit, sadly, just a #56000 can't be paid. What a country! What are leaders! When the news broke out for the Bill's approval by the National Assembly, while som...

An Open Letter to the Senator Abiola Ajimobi, The Executive Governor of Oyo State. Dear Governor, What is Our Offence? Its so disheartening that Iseyin Local Government that is capable of producing 4 to 5 local governments in some states of the federation base on the land mass and population, exists for years without an Higher institution of learning. Mr. Governor sir, may I remind you that you promised us Federal University, Iseyin during your campaign? May be you have forgotten or has never settled down in office. It was rumored that you tried to unseat Iseyin of the Oyo state Orientation Camp sitting in Iseyin during  your 1st term as governor but that was eventually taken over by event, to the Glory of Almighty Allah. Your Excellency, you may recall that the Oyo state College of Agriculture now sitting in Igboora was initially slated for Iseyin? May be that was overruled by another constituted Authority. Its unarguably confirmed that Iseyin is the 3rd largest town ...

Growing up as a kid! Reminiscing a period of about 3 decades ago, Nigeria was unarguably a garden of eden, even amidst all odds of that time, compare to what is applicable in the Nigeria of today. Though, men were lads then, but the memory of the goodies that enveloped the period can never be wiped off in a century. Just to every man of my age bracket, 50kobo and 1 Naira were very popular currencies and the value attached to them was indeed astonishingly weighty. Sometimes along the line, you dare not finish a #10 worth of bread, even if you are gluttonously voracious. I am talking of that period when #20,000 holder is a rich man. When a #10 worth of cassava flakes "garri" was enough to feed a multitude and you could only finish #5 worth of  "Kuli" if you are ready for pile or hemorrhoids. Those good time when you will take 5 naira to school and brought home 2 naira balance. Education in those days can never be compared with today's, even as they said ...

Vote against Oke-Ogun and incur a generational curse. How spiteful would it be, if wisdom is absent where it's much expected? Some claimed they are for us, but of truth, they are against us. Some are there, but claimed to be here. Some are truly Oke Ogun by origin but the blood running in them is not ours.  Some appear holy but deep down them, they are Lucifer. How do we then know the real comrades amongst these pretenders? We are all yelling for having a governor of Oke-Ogun extraction come 2019, yet the chants of some is nothing but a mere cacophony and complete deceit. Indeed, enemies are within. Apology to Marthin Luther King Jnr who said and i quote, "Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent".  Oke-Ogun Project is such an excellent one which a sane, right thinking and a true son of the land would a...

TENI N TENI 2019. Apology to Martin luther king jnr who said and I quote, "Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can't ride you unless your back is bent" . Obviously, our back is long bent in Oke Ogun and we got to get it straighten for posterity sake. Oh ye! Oke Ogun indigenes and residents! Here comes a clarion call to forsake all our political affiliations or addictions and support a single candidate for the Oke Ogun gubernatorial project, this is our time to produce a governor of OkeOgun extraction come 2019.  We shall this time refuse to settle for less, we deserve the best. It could be very unthoughtful, satanic, demonic and  pejorative of anyone who claims he has the love of this axis at heart, still supporting the candidacy of any other extraction. No doubt that we all have our individual preference of party and individual, but not...

Omo tó solenu, so àpò ìyà kó ~ An Open letter to All Oke-Ogun Youths. Dear fellow youths, I found it imperative this time to put up these lines, to awake the patriotic senses of our dear youths, especially the gullible ones who prefer the choice of none Oke-Ogun indigenes to Oke-Ogun indigene for material or any reason that is best known to them. To start with, I need to categorically say here that, no one is responsible for our underdevelopment in this region of the state but we, I mean Ourselves. Yes! we are the architect of our misfortunes and lingering marginalization. I have the opportunity to have lived amongst people from other regions of the state, the last they could do no matter how intimate you are with them, is to trade their person with you for any reason, the love of their people and their region is always considered first, hence the obvious reflection of same on their geographical development. It pains me to the marrow whenever I heard a promising young man s...

CATCH THEM YOUNG: An Open letter to the proprietor of SAF Polytechnic Iseyin. Dear Sir, Let me first congratulate you on the commencement of Academic activities, in the 1st ever private owned Polytechnic in Iseyin and the entire Oke-Ogun, this is indeed a record breaking occasion. You have not just engraved your name in gold, but you've also brought unending generational blessings upon your household and your entire relations. It is our prayer that the Almighty Allah continue to bless the management, protect the staff, endow the students with wisdom and understanding, and may He continue to put the entire Iseyin Populace together, for continual greatness. It is no more news that the school had once being under construction and it struggled with the rigours of getting accredited with NBTE sometime, but today to HIS glory, it has started impacting knowledge. The kèké ìmò àti Omolúàbí has taken off. However, permit me to quickly drop these hints, towards ensuring a conducive e...

MOMENT OF THOROUGH REFLECTION ~ An Account of POST-SAF POLYTECHNIC'S Matriculation Exercise. It was a mixed feeling for me, after glancing through the pictorial account of the SAF POLYTECHNIC'S MAIDEN MATRICULATION CEREMONY. I was so delighted seeing the dream of having our own very institution of higher learning coming true, with the courses fully accredited. At the same time, I became very sad when I saw what I least expected. I had expected to see a conglomeration of pioneer matriculating students in their hundreds, with their Academic gowns and caps. But, It was a flabbergasting moment when I spotted less than a hundred pioneer students. This is indeed shocking and very sad. When we, as an individual ask for a particular thing from God, he most times traces how grateful we are on the previously granted demands, before he grants another. We are waiting on God for a lot of goodies, and this has come. How much do we appreciate it? We spent fortune to study away from home...

Where Did we get it Wrong? Being An Article Presented by Aare Babajide Oniyo, The President of Iseyin Youth Development Group, On the 1st Ever Youth Uniting Programme tagged: Our Iseyin Our Pride On the 2nd Day of Ileya, the 2nd Day of September, 2017 at the Aseyin of Iseyin’s Palace. All honor, adorarions, sanctification are all due to the the nourisher of our lives, the giver and the taker of life, the Almighty Allah. We praise Him, May he accepts our thanks. Iseyin Youth Development Group is a non-political, and non-religious group with paramount goals of righting our ancestral wrongs, embrace unity, despise greediness at all levels, help the helpless and to work together for the development of Iseyin, Our root. This group was founded on the 5th day of January, 2017 with her members throughout the nook and crannies of the nation and even beyond. The little aged group as it could be deduced from the date it was founded has tremendously pulled its weight by getting job for some ...

Unveiling the bounties of Youths Convergence Season 3. √ Developmental Excursion to Ado-Awaye hanging lake. √ Health trek with people of creme de La creme. √ Meet your Representatives √ Talent Display √ Award presentation to those that deserve it. √ Lectures from Erudite scholars and lots more.

I T' S   N O T   Y E T   A   T I M E   T O   R E L A X  ~ An applause and a gentle reminder to the Senator Representing Oyo North Senatorial District, Distinguished Senator Fatai Buhari. Distinguished Senator, Further to my open letter addressed to you shortly after your re-election, which the hardcopy has subsequently been delivered to you. I want to honestly applaud you on the Bill sponsored for the establishment of University of Agriculture, Oke-Ogun and to further encourage you never to say dies, until the bones had rotten. Dear Senator, it is very commendable that such bill was sponsored and it has scaled through the second reading at the Red Chamber of the National Assembly. However, the struggle has just began, much as the mission has not been completely accomplished. Recall that University of Agriculture, Zuru, Kebbi State has just been recently approved by the senate. It is our believe that this would inspire and encourage you m...

Lest I forget ~ A Congratulatory/ Advisory message to the State House of Assembly Member Elect, Representing Iseyin/ Itesiwaju state constituency. (Hon. Surv. Adeola Dele) Dear Honourable, May I stand on the existing congratulatory messages and good wishes earlier established by your loyalists, fans and good people of our dear constituency, since you were returned elected as the Honourable member representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju State constituency in the state Assembly. It was indeed a very clean contest which portrayed the masses' noble position, and a display of undiluted trust in your prospective representation. May you be guided aright to leverage on this trust, deliver on the mandate bequeathed on you, without leaving any iota of regrets in people's heart. If you wouldn't mind honourable, I would like to quickly drop some few lines of admonitions like I did for those that have occupied this office before you, perhaps you may need to fall back on them at some poin...

Ohun tó n be léyìn òfà, Ó jòje lo ~ A Congratulatory /Advisory Message to the Oyo state Governor Elect. His Excellency Oluseyi Makinde. May I join the teeming good people of Oyo state to register my heartfelt congratulations to you sir, for the well contested race and for your emergence as the elected governor of the pace setter state. Without mincing words, it can only be God that has brought you this far amidst all odds. May He endow you with wisdom and understanding required of this portfolio and may He guide you aright throughout your days in office. It is crystal clear that Oyo people have audibly spoken with their votes, and yes! It was widely heard even by the deaf. You must have been having some feel of relaxation. Nay! the time of relaxation is far ahead. Your Excellency, your victory in the just concluded election is simply the manifestation of Oyo people's reaction towards your predecessor's junta mode of governance, his lackadaisical attitudes towards educatio...

Youths Participation in Politics: The pros and cons. Being a speech delivered by Aare Babajide Oniyo. The National President of Iseyin Youth Development Group, in a Political Orientation Programme held at Aseyin Palace Hall, on the 29th December, 2018. The Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Dr. Salaudeen Adekunle Oloogunebi, Ajinese 1, The Chairman of Iseyin Decendant Union(IDU), The President of Iseyin Council of Societies (ICS). Our Amiable Lecturers of the day, The National Coordinator of Alliance of Oke-Ogun Development (AOD) The Federation of Iseyin Local Government Students (FILGS) The Invited Schools present and their teachers, The Social groups in attendance, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, All Protocols are duly observed. I found this topic appropriate enough to be my address in tandem with the current happenings in our political space, which has greatly affected our youths’ interpersonal relationship and if not adequately addressed, it is capable of disorganizing...

PROTOCOL Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to be invited here as a guest speaker. It is quite interesting to discuss a crucial matter like this. It is my hope, that the lecture will have positive impact on this august audience. It is highly crucial to give adequate attention to a key word in the topic, i.e. “infrastructure”. Dictionary meaning of the word infrastructure is “the stock of basic facilities and capital equipment needed for the functioning of a country or area. The secondary meaning of the word infrastructure as coined by Nigerian politicians is a project of food availability on the table of all (i.e. their people). This secondary meaning is given purely in Nigeria context. The meaning coined by Nigerian politicians has generated ambiguities because this kind of infrastructure is characterized with unlawful acts. People are chosen to lead in view of managing the trust that belongs to all as against the practice of many leaders of today who consid...

In one of my posts titled, "Omo tó solenu, so àpò ìyà kó", I analysed how Afonja lost his throne and territory to the Fulanis, just for devaluing his subjects in favour of Fulani warriors. To set the record straight, Afonja was a one time Yoruba Generalissimo in the Ancient town of Ilorin, who sold off his soldiers cheaply for he considered them to be tardy and impertinent. He sold them out and bought part of Alimi's (a Fulani warrior) soldiers, he relied so much on them until Fulanis declared a war against his people, his own bought Fulani soldiers fought against his kingdom and delivered the land to Alimi (Their former master, who they understand and speaks their language). Thenceforth, his (Afonja) generation never had a share to the throne in Ilorin. Dear people of Iseyin and entire Oke-Ogun at large, there may come a time when things will fall apart and the centre will no longer hold. That's when the repercussion of commonising our own capable sons and da...

Dear Honourable, May I first of all congratulate you for the well contested race and for your emergence as the Hon. Representative Elect, for our dear Federal Constituency, in the Lower Chamber of National Assembly Abuja. It is indeed a thing of joy to you, your family members and your army of supporters especially those that entrusted their votes in you. I also join this multitude to felicitate with you, pray your emergence be a highly progressively symbolic in the history of this constituency and may you be divinely guided aright to fulfil the purpose of your election. Having said that, I would like to quickly drop some few lines of admonitions, perhaps same may be useful at one point or the other, during your days in office. First and foremost, I hope for the few period of  your electioneering and campaigns, you must have studied the political structure in our dear constituency particularly in Iseyin, and you must have been convinced that your emergence has nothing to d...