We Are Vindicated -Senator Omisore

We are amused by the attempt of Osun State office of the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) to muddle facts and play sophistry over incontrovertible indictment of two of its key staff for their involvement in the rigging of the August 9 governorship election. We are watching to see if the national headquarters of INEC will also consent to this plot to cover up the involvement of it staff using a nebulous administrative lapses.

We would not have bothered to join issue with the state office of INEC but the need to set records straight supersedes all other considerations. We therefore challenged INEC office in Osun state to provide answers to the following questions: What offence was committed to warrant suspension of the two electoral officers? In an electoral setting, what offence constitutes administrative lapses?

Nigerians cannot be deceived by attempt to play with language. INEC should call a spade a spade and not farm implement. The Electoral Officer of Obokun who tampered with election materials meant for August 9 election was cleared by INEC on the ground that it was a minor misdemeanor.INEC should explain to Nigerians why minor misdemeanor now warrant suspension again. Why are all these coming up again after the Peoples Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore filed his petition before the Tribunal?

We make bold to say that the vestige of the former Resident Electoral Commissioner, Rufus Akeju who had doctored the Data Capturing Machine and other electoral materials to give APC undue advantage will continue to haunt Osun INEC until the controversial REC is made to account for his misdeeds.

We had on August 27 alerted the good people of Osun state that we have uncovered earth shaking revelations about how electoral heist was perpetrated on August 9 gubernatorial election by the APC.

We have also stated in the press statement that we are aware of the deceit -driven propaganda machinery that is at the beck and call of APC will be unleashed by the time the tribunal begins it's sitting.

We have it on good authority that after it was discovered that APC legal team will not be able to pass the litmus test at the tribunal because of the gargantuan electoral harakiri it perpetrated on August 9, some hack writers and jejenu opinion writers have been contracted to commence media fireworks against the tribunal in order to discredit it.

Some of these paid agents are those who maintain regular column in Nigerian newspapers. Their modus operandi is to create the impression that the tribunal will be biased and will not be able to dispense justice.Already, some of these paid agents have written ' epistle' about how the election was militarized. They will also advance puerile argument that if Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola could muster enough courage to rig the gubernatorial election, he should be regarded as 'superman' based on the so called 'militarization' by the federal government.

We want to assure the good people of Osun state and well meaning Nigerians to ignore these cash and carry writers as we move to reveal more shocking revelations about our so- called progressives who have corrupted the electoral process because of their desperation to hang to power at all cost.

We want to assure our teeming supporters that we shall do all the needful within the ambit of law to retrieve the stolen mandate that was freely bestowed on the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Senator Iyiola Omisore on August 9, 2014 from the impostors. This is a Rescue Mission to retrieve our collective patrimony from election riggers and manipulators whose ball pen has robbed the Osun indigenes of their fair share of the national cake.

Signed
Victor Oriola
Press Officer
 

Emergency: OAU Student In Need Of Blood At OAUTH

To all Great Ife, we are having one of our students currently at the Emergency Unit in OAUTH who is in need of blood, blood Group B precisely.


Please we are making an appeal for donation of blood for this patient. Thanks

Ajewole Martins O.
Welfare Officer , OAU SU.
08062463612.

Aregbesola Is The Best Performing Governor –ICPC

The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) has described Governor Rauf Aregbesola as the best performing governor in the country.

The commission noted that his people oriented policies and transparency in governance have given him much edge far above others.

The commission’s team led by the Southwest representatives, Professor Olu Aina, gave the remarks during a visit to Governor Rauf Aregbesola in his office.

The commission said it expected the governor to be more proactive in alleviating the poverty of the people and be more efficient in the management of public resources during his second term.

While praising the Governor for the value which his administration has added to education, Professor Aina said the commission has decided to consider education and re-orientation as the most important tool to use in the war against corruption because the Governor has decided to banish poverty through education.

He also presented a letter of request from the commission to the governor for the allocation of land to build a new office in order to expand the operation of ICPC in Osun while congratulating the governor for his re-election.

Responding, Governor Aregbesola, who described corruption as the bane of the society, said the most important aspect of the war against corruption is education in order to restore human and societal values, adding that corruption has become a way of life in Nigeria.

He said poverty cannot be divorced from corruption because it is a condition of existence where the society does not matter to the individual, stressing that the first step in eliminating corruption is by educating the individual on the danger it poses to the society.

The governor explained that it was the reason why his government was struggling to put in place a governing system that would guarantee for the people what Chief Obafemi Awololo sought seriously to achieve, which is making life comfortable for the people.

Aregbesola said the stance of his government towards the people earned him the victory in the last governorship election despite intimidation by Federal Government.


Source: Daily Independent

Fees Hike Referendum: Students Defy Lectures To Participate

The Referendum earlier announced by the Students' Union went on smoothly yesterday across the designated Polling Centres on campus. The Referendum was part of the resolutions of the Students' Union Parliament in its last Sitting. It is expected to play a pivotal role in the determination of the next line of action on the fee hike.

Some Polling Centres monitored by our Correspondents including that of Faculty of Administration, College of Health Sciences, Faculty of Sciences among others witnessed a low turnout during our period there. Many of the students do not really find it important to participate. The Ad-Hoc staffs at the Faculty of Sciences had to go into classes been held in BOOC which was filled to capacity to distribute the Referendum paper so that students there could participate. Since the lecture that was supposed to take them was not around, some of the students moved out to fill and submit their Referendum paper.

Many students have also criticized the publicity given to the Referendum. They complained they only got to know about the Referendum thesame morning it was held. Some also left their opinion doubting the objectivity of the Poll as they believed it will not reflect the opinion of over 20,000 Great Ife students as participation was no way near encouraging to them. A Part 4 student of the Department of Psychology who does not want his name mentioned said a Congress initiated the struggle and it should be thesame Congress of students that should decided the fate of it.

The Union leaders together with the Referendum Committee are expected to announce the result of that Poll which will decide the next line of action for the struggle but from our sampled opinion of students, they want the struggle to continue, but in a diplomatic manner.

Vacancies For OAU Preliminary Programme Tutors

'I Started Doing Business On OAU Campus'

Omosewa Okubanjo is a graduate of Management and Accounting from the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University and currently the Chief Executive Officer of Swan Beauty. Before now, Okubanjo was the Online Activity Manager and Makeup Artist for House of Tara International. She speaks with Busayo Adekoya, about her road to success as a young entrepreneur

Who is Omosewa Okubanjo?
Omosewa is a multi-talented, dynamic, intelligent CEO of Swan Beauty. Am a graduate of Management and Accounting, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile Ife.

Can you give light on what Swan beauty is all about?
Swan Beauty is an indigenous professional makeup company which has her root as far back as 2007 on OAU campus and was then called Swansea Makeovers. Swan Beauty has a unique style of simplicity with sophistication and known for superior customer service.

When did you discover your Passion for Makeup?
I discovered I had a passion for makeup as a young girl, because I remember back then when my mum was ready to leave for the office, I'd join her staff bus and they'll drop me off at school, so I was always there in the morning when mum applied her makeup which was just white powder, (sometimes pancake), black pencil over an unshaped brow, very red lipstick applied in layers of about six and then a beauty spot with black pencil beside her mouth...... Was it monotonous for me to watch? No! Was it fun to watch? Yes!

After secondary school, I was allowed to play with makeup a bit, but I never liked loud colours, it was always mild. Then when I got into the university, I had a big flat box of makeup from my uncle as a birthday gift, I was rehearsing with that and people came into my room to have me apply their makeup. I thought to myself, ‘let me obtain a certificate for this art’, so during one of our long breaks in school, I went to Creative Minds School of Event Management and Beauty Therapy and took a course in Advanced Makeup artistry and that's it!

When did you start your journey into the business and how did you get the resources to open a beauty outlet?
While in OAU, people knew me for Makeup, I had done a few of my friends' sisters' wedding makeup, dinner time was like the busiest for me, any job I did, I bought a makeup item, when I got my monthly allowance I also bought a needed makeup item and that was how I began. Then I saved enough, got a makeup box and arranged my things in there properly. I organised training in my final year. It was a great success.

I was studying Management and Accounting and was hoping after graduation, I'll only work a while and then save enough money and start a Makeup studio. But as God would have it, the first major job I got after school was at House of Tara International, I was the Online Activity Manager and Makeup Artist and that further fuelled my love for Makeup. I later left House of Tara to go for my NYSC. Fast forward, I worked in other companies and the decided to take Daystar Leadership Academy (DLA) - which was an eye opener for leadership and management both personally and business-wise. After then, I resolved not to search for a job anymore, I started saving up again and then I got an office space at 15, Akinsemoyin Street, Off Bode Thomas, Surulere, Lagos.

Did it affect your study in school?
No. Out of station job was majorly a weekend thing. The only issue was that I travelled a lot while in school.

Were your parents supportive of your career?
Well, my dad was at first not happy at the path I took, because he just wanted me to be an accountant, work in an office and maybe one day become the Chief Accountant General of Nigeria, but I made him understand that I love and enjoy what I do and I made him see a better picture. My mum is late, but I'll say she was and is still my greatest fan and inspiration. She didn't have the opportunity to see me gain admission into the university, but in my mind, she'd always been in the picture.

How well has this business been profitable? 
Like any other business, it has been profitable, depending on the services we render we make good profit on a job. But it has it's down times as well, and those are times you need to bring your managerial skills to work, planning of your finances, income and expenditure.

Like many businesses, it comes with its challenges. What are yours and how have you been able to manage them?
One of the first challenges was being able to separate family and friends from business, but realising that when your business is not going well, even families and friends will not recognise you, they'll call you ‘foolish’. We also used to have a problem with under-pricing and this was tackled by raising the standard and quality of services we render, such that clients get the value for their money.

What is your vision for Swan Beauty in the coming years?
I see Swan Beauty as a household name in Nigeria and outside the shores as well. We are trying to strategise a plan of making our own makeup products. Though, we currently produce skin and facial care products, which are made up from natural sources, such as honey, avocado, cucumber and the likes due to its demand from our clients who have skin and facial problems and so far it has really become a success.

Who are your role models?
Bobbi-Brown, Tara Fela-Durotoye, AJ Crimson, Banke Meshida Lawal and Kevin James Bennett,

How do you advise young people in the country seeking employment and other entrepreneurs in the line of your business?
I just want to say don’t wait for anything in life, go for it. If you are a student, don’t wait till you get your certificate or go for NYSC before you start thinking or turning your ideas into reality. The best way to live is to be your own boss and everyone is endowed with such ability. There is nothing new about ideas, it is how you make it better than what had existed. Be inspired, be creative, bring your very best to work and with your hands, you would achieve the best. Also learn how to manage available funds to achieve great results. Keep believing and trusting God because with him, all things are possible.

Source: ThisDay Live

Asteroid To Pass Close To Earth On Sunday, September 7

A newly discovered asteroid will pass “very close” to Earth on Sunday, NASA says.
The space rock is estimated to be 60 feet (18 meters) long. It’s expected to fly over New Zealand about 2:18 p.m. EDT (18:18 GMT).

It won’t hit Earth or any of the thousands of satellites orbiting the planet, NASA says. It will give astronomers and scientists a chance to study it.

The asteroid won’t be visible the naked eye, but amateur astronomers should be able to see it with telescopes.

Called 2014 RC, the asteroid was discovered on August 31 by the Catalina Sky Survey near Tucson, Arizona.

NASA’s Near Earth Object Program estimates there arethousands of asteroids that could threaten Earth, but experts say none of the ones being tracked are expected to hit the planet anytime soon.

Sometimes, though, space rocks sneak by the scientists and amateur astronomers who track them. On February 15, 2013, a nearly 60-foot-wide meteor plunged into Earth’s atmosphere and exploded over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk with the force of about 30 nuclear bombs. The blast injured about 1,500 people.

The Chelyabinsk meteor was undetected before it was spotted by local residents as it streaked across the sky. It exploded on the same day that Asteroid 2012 DA14, one that was being carefully tracked by NASA, safely passed by Earth.

NASA is trying to speed up the way it tracks potentially hazardous asteroids and to learn how to deflect rocks that threaten Earth. ItsAsteroid Initiative includes a plan to capture an asteroid and tug it into orbit around the moon in the 2020s. If it works, astronauts will land on the asteroid, take samples and bring them back to Earth.



Source: Punch