Osun May Boil Over Oyetola’s Maltreatment Of Aregbesola

There are palpable fears that Osun State may soon boil, over alleged disrespect of the immediate past governor of the state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola by his successor, Gboyega Oyetola.

The Eagle understands that the anchor of the simmering faceoff, is the reversal of the education policies of Aregbesola, while he held sway as the state’s chief helmsman.

These and more are contained in this analysis by OLUWOLE IGE as excerpted from the Tribune because of its topicality and relevance:

While some stakeholders, especially the poor people of Osun State applauded the decision of Oyetola’s administration to reverse most of Aregbesola’s education policies, supporters and loyalists of the former governor, feel it was part of the grand plot to obliterate Aregbesola’s image in the state.

Before the reversal, both camps had been neck deep in the struggle for the control of All Progressives Congress’s (APC) structure in the state, thereby creating mild intra-party squabble ahead of the party›s congress and 2022 governorship election.

The public outcry against some of the policies which erased the histories and traditions of many schools in the state notwithstanding, some in the camp of the former governor wholeheartedly believe the policies had served the state well.

Before making the decision public on the stoppage of schools’ reclassification, merger of schools, as well as single uniform for all public schools among others, it was obvious that some of the policies may give way, after Professor Olu Aina-led review committee submitted its report to Oyetola.

Briefing journalists shortly after the end of the State Executive Council meeting of Monday, March 2, the Osun State Commissioner for Information and Civic Engagement, Mrs Funke Egbemode, explained that the council unanimously agreed that nine of the policies should be reversed immediately, saying “Opon Imo, the only policy that survived the review, would be repackaged and reintroduced to schools.”

According to her, “the decision was reached after an exhaustive deliberation on the report of the education panel set up by the governor to review some of the extant education practices and policies. The council unanimously agreed on the 10  issues raised in the report and accepted the recommendations.

“The council approved the recommendations to revert to the 6-3-3-4 structure in keeping with the provision of National Policy on Education as this will entail adequate physical and instructional facilities at all levels, adequate provision in quantity and quality of well-motivated teachers at all levels.”

Egbemode further stated that the council, following the recommendation of the Aina panel, which was made up of  seasoned educationists, chose to accede to the yearnings of the people on the schools by allowing  «every school return to its old established and recognised public uniform,” adding that even the company set up by the previous government to service the state education sector was adjudged to have performed below expectation.

“The council observed that the Omoluabi Education Services Limited is not performing the duties, roles and obligations expected and it was approved that the operation of Omoluabi Education Services Limited be wound up since it has not been fulfilling the mandates for which it was established.

“It was also agreed that Early Childhood Care Development Education (ECCDE) in line with the practice in the 35 other states in Nigeria be restored,” Egbemode had explained.

Another contentious policy on education was the reversal of schools to their former status, whereby only single sex identified with those school names should be admitted while students already affected by the name change should be issued letter of attestation by the Ministry of Education and male students who are currently in SS1 and SS2 in schools established for female learners only should be relocated immediately and vice-versa.

Similarly, the council also approved the need for government to strengthen the technical and vocational education/training by upgrading structure and facilities of government Technical Colleges for effective service delivery, while “Opon Imo” otherwise known as tablet of knowledge will be retained and restructured to serve the purpose it was meant for.

To allay the fear of the Aregbesola support group, the government had made it clear that it was not targeting anyone and that the interest of the people of Osun was paramount to it.

Addressing the press on the reversed policies, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Oyetola, Mr Ismail Omipidan, had earlier pleaded with newsmen to desist from presenting the development as an action aimed at the former governor.

He explained that it was a decision taken in consideration of people’s demands, supported and backed by recommendations of the experts who at one time or the other had superintended over the nation’s as well as international education development.

But, one of Aregbesola›s close aides in a radio programme had defended his erstwhile boss›s decisions, especially those formulated for and implemented in the education sector. Mr Kolapo Alimi, a lawyer, and Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the Aregbesola government, during a live radio programme monitored in Osogbo, said Aregbesola›s education policies were well-thought-out by experts such as Professor Wole Soyinka and other critical stakeholders before they were introduced in 2012.

He contended that “we introduced those uniforms in 2012 and had an election in 2014, the parents of the poor students were the ones who voted for Aregbesola and we led by over 100, 000 votes.

But most of the people castigating this single uniform policy are the ones that will not send their children to those schools.”

Apparently corroborating the position of Alimi, Aregbesola›s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr Semiu Okanlawon, emphasised that the recent emergence of an SS3 student of Osogbo Government High School, Akintade Abdullahi Akanbi, as the best science student in Nigeria was a vindication of the effectiveness of Aregbesola›s education policies.

He, however, did not speak on the poor performance ratings of the state in the WAEC examinations almost throughout the eight-year life of the administration he served in.

The former special adviser said no one should miss the manifestations of the quality of education programmes put in place in the last one decade with the latest recognition of Master Akintade.