Osun Online Publishers Commiserate with Ilobu, Osun, Nigeria Over Death of COAS Taoreed Lagbaja

..Says, We lost a shining star in Osun, Nigeria.

The Osun Online Publishers Association (OOPA) has expressed its deepest condolences to the people of Ilobu, Osun State, and the Nigerian Army over the tragic passing of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja.

This heartfelt message of sympathy was conveyed by the Chairman of the association, Mukhtar Ajelogbon, in a statement made available by the association's Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Idowu to newsmen in Osogbo on Wednesday. OOPA described the untimely death of General Lagbaja as not only shocking but also a great loss to both the Nigerian Army and the entire nation.

"It is with profound sadness that the Osun Online Publishers Association, learned of the sudden passing of Lt. General Taoreed Lagbaja. His death is a painful blow to his family, the people of Ilobu, the Nigerian Army, and the entire country. We stand in solidarity with the grieving families, the Ilobu Development Union (IDU) and the people of Osun State.

The Chairman further stated that General Lagbaja’s exemplary leadership, dedication, and service to the country as Chief of Army Staff had left an indelible mark on the operation of the Nigerian Army, noting that Osun state felt his impact in different capacities during his reign as Army boss.

“We recognize the enormous contributions of General Lagbaja towards strengthening the military’s role in ensuring national security.

"His leadership was instrumental in facilitating some developmental projects to Osun, Southwest and other parts of the countries. His vision and strategic thinking will be sorely missed by all who served alongside him.

"General Lagbaja's legacy would live on not only in his military achievements but also in his positive impact on his hometown and the state at large," Ajelogbon added.

The statement also conveyed the association's deepest sympathies to the people of Ilobu where OOPA immediate past Chairman, Jare Tiamiyu hails from, who are grieving the loss of one of their most distinguished sons.

Ajelogbon, however, expressed the association’s unwavering support for the Nigerian Army, and pledged solidarity with the family of the late General, calling for prayers for his soul and for comfort and strength to be granted to his loved ones during this difficult time.

Donald Trump has won the 2024 presidential election and will become the 47th President of the United States 🇺🇸

Trump of the Republican Party has said he’s going to make America great again as he has been projected to win the presidential election.

He made this known in his speech on Wednesday while addressing voters at Florida after securing 266 electoral college votes, ahead of Kamara Harris, Presidential candidate of Democratic Party (219).

“This is the greatest political movement of all time.


“We are going to help our country heal. We are going to fix our border.

“Our country was devastated before. I want to thank the American people for electing me as the 45th President and now the 47th President of the US.

“This will be the golden age of America.

“This victory will make America great again,” he stated.

Trump will be officially declared the winner of the historic US election with 270 electoral college votes count.

The Republican Party is also expected to take control of the Senate.

BTC rallied Tuesday evening, hitting an all-time high as investors bet former President Donald Trump was gaining an edge in the U.S. election as results rolled in.

The price of the flagship cryptocurrency touched a record $75,000 on the nose, according to Coin Metrics. It was last higher by 7% at $74,392.00. It first hit its previous record of $73,797.68 on March 14 and has traded in a narrow range below $70,000 for most of the year since then.

Bitcoin’s Tuesday night gains increased as Trump took an early lead in the Electoral College, even though none of the major swing states were called yet by NBC News.

Exchange operator Coinbase
 rose 3% in after hours trading, while MicroStrategy
, advanced 4%.

Investors expect bitcoin trading to be choppy until a clear winner is declared. A victory for Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to bring risk of downside moves to the price of bitcoin, while traders anticipate a bump in price in the event of a win by former President Donald Trump.

The election is having a massive influence on crypto,” said Ryan Rasmussen, head of research at Bitwise Asset Management. “Expect bitcoin – and crypto more broadly – to be choppy in the days ahead … until we have definitive election results.”

“If Trump wins, I believe we’ll see new all-time highs,” Rasmussen added. “If Harris wins, I expect a decent short-term sell-off, with prices taking a month or two to recover. But eventually, either way, I think we go higher.”

In the 2012, 2016 and 2020 elections, bitcoin saw returns of roughly 87%, 44% and 145% in the 90 days following election day, respectively. That’s in part because election years happen to fall on Bitcoin halving years, when the supply of the cryptocurrency ratchets downward. Post election returns have also tended to align with major Federal Reserve policy shifts. This year, the market is looking forward to further interest rate reductions.

At just below $70,000, bitcoin has been trading at its fair value price heading into election day, according to CryptoQuant. That means that if the election proves to be a positive catalyst in the coming days, bitcoin can rally and is poised to establish a new record, CryptoQuant analyst Julio Moreno said.

For now, everyone we’ve spoken to is keeping their powder dry,” said James Davies, CEO at crypto futures and options trading platform Crypto Valley Exchange. “I’ve heard from numerous leading market makers and traders and can say with conviction that almost everyone is set up to react. They don’t even know which way markets will go based on [the] result. There’s likely to be massive short-term volatility whichever outcome.”

This year’s presidential election has been called the most important one in the crypto industry’s lifetime. Many view a Harris win as a threat to crypto, the extent to which has been debated throughout this election cycle. Trump, on the other hand, is seen by many as a force for good in the industry after he presented himself earlier this year as the pro-crypto candidate and has been courting the industry more directly than Harris has.

Many voters are concerned about the state of the government deficit, which rose 8% in the 2024 fiscal year to $1.8 trillion, and increased tax cuts promised by both candidates. Bitcoin, like gold, is seen by many investors as a hedge against the potential for fiscal and monetary policy that combine to reduce the value of the dollar and lift inflation.

CNBC

How deep is the Osun APC membership plunge? - Adebisi Ifamakinde.

I was surfing the internet recently when I came across a finding that touched on the significant slump in the membership of the main opposition in Osun state, the All Progressives Congress (APC). The finding, which was the culmination a survey conducted by the Democracy Polling Agency (DPA), a non-governmental organization affiliated to a top university in Nigeria, indicating that the Osun APC has lost at least 45 percent of members in recent time.

That is staggering, and out of curiosity, I look deeper to understand the finding more. The interesting thing in the finding was that the 45 percent membership slump attributed to the Osun APC was actually from the Ileri-Oluwa tendency of the party. For any observer of things in the Osun APC in recent time will understand that the party is sectionalized along the Omuluabi and Ileri-Oluwa tendency.

While Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, a former Governor in Osun state, leads the Omoluabi tendency of the Osun APC, the Ileri-Oluwa faction goes to the current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola. In the finding by the DPA, the Omoluabi tendency has about 45 percent of the old APC members in Osun, while the Ileri-Oluwa faction controls less than the remaining 60 percent.

It was from this 60 percent membership hold by the Ileri-Oluwa tendency, the DPA noted in its finding, that no fewer than 45 percent members had left. From the surface, this will seem impossible, but following events in recent times, provide more clarity on the finding by the DPA. Lately, APC members in Osun are leaving in droves to the ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the defection has become so rampant that one may easily lost count.

Starting from August to this moment, APC members across the state have moved to the PDP. From Ikire to Iwo, Gbongan to Ila, Ife to Osogbo, Ede to Modakeke, APC members in Osun seemingly no longer find the platform appealing to further their political participation as they pitch tent elsewhere, most especially the PDP.

According to the DPA survey, the APC has seen defection of members in 27 local governments in the state within the spate of three months. But a deeper look, scouring the pages of social media for news and pictures of defection, will show that the defection from the APC may have crossed all the 30 local governments, including the area office. That is huge and as inquisitive mind, I try to interrogate the development further.

Of a truth, politicians moving to the ruling party in our political environment is not usual, but the rate at which those of the APC extraction no longer find their platform attractive is intriguing. This much was highlighted by the DPA in its finding, attributing the development to the "impressive performance of the Osun Governor (Adeleke), the rigidity of the state APC leadership to reconciliation moves, the slow response of Mr Oyetola to discontinue his guber bid, the worsening economic climate and series disasters that had befell the party leadership in some local governments."

No doubt that Governor Adeleke has done well in the two years he has been in the saddle, effectively delivering for the people across sectors. The disposition of the Osun APC leadership to reconciliation appears to weigh heavily on the reason why the platform is being deserted by members across board. It would be recalled that crisis, which created the Omoluabi tendency in the build up to the 2022 governorship election, played some role in its eventual ouster from power in the state.

Between then and now, the crisis had grown bigger and makes APC platform a lot weaker, significantly impacting its chance of challenging a formidable platform as the Osun PDP. To make matter worse, the Osun APC under the guidance of Oyetola, suspended Aregbesola from the party and recommended further disciplinary action to its national headquarters, finally blocking the path to any possible reconciliation.

Many observers believe the attitude of the APC doesn't inspire hope of any chance in future elections, basically because the platform is not strong enough to stand a chance in any competitive election. While it is true that some PDP members, notably Dotun Babayemi, joined the APC, they have not been able to produce the numbers that could make up for the defection from the main opposition party. In fact, some of the members who followed Babayemi to the APC, like a former Iwo LGEA Secretary, Mr. Augustine, had since returned to the PDP with followers.

The balance is definitely scaled against the Osun APC and only a large scale manipulation of the electoral process could tilt the balance to it favour. Already, APC members have continued to boast in this line, touting interference of the election in the 2026 governorship by the Bola Tinubu-led federal government as its path to return to power. This will be a dangerous scheme as it may bring back the ugly memory of the 2018 election heist, which makes a larger number of Osun populace not to recognise Oyetola as their leader until his eventual ouster.

Away from this, is the observed challenge that the DPA's finding reveal lies ahead for the PDP in Osun state. According to the organisation, the Osun PDP will be seriously tested by its ability to manage the influx of membership coming its way. "While PDP membership has increased by more than 50 percent in 2024 alone, there is a noticeable rift between old and new members," the DPA noted.

Knowing politics and the recurring feature for struggle for space, it is very clear that as much as the defections to the Osun PDP should be an advantage, but it may turnaround to be a disadvantage. What happens rest on the party's leadership handling of membership, ensuring that both old and new members can cohabit together and pursue the collective goals of the party.

In all, the DPA's appraisal of political parties in Osun is a step in the right direction, as it not only provides a detailed understanding of the political environment in the state, but also help political parties to realise their standings and guide actions.This is a welcome development and more of such fact-base engagement from organisations with no political affiliations are needed to further deepen democracy, most especially in Osun state.

● Adebisi Ifamakinde writes from Gidigbo quarters in Iwo, Osun state

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki has stated that he does not want to be remembered for the fights he engaged in while he was in office.

He stated this while fielding questions from newsmen after he commissioned the Airport Road Parks and Garden, where he disclosed that plans had been made to ensure the sustainability of the garden.

This came as the state government said the arrest of four officials of the state by the Economic and Financial Crimes and Commission, EFCC, was a plan to ground the state barely 10 days to hand over to a new government.

Recall that the out going governor had several battles with the political class in the All Progressives Congress, APC, where he first contested and won in 2016, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, where he defected to and won his re-election in 2020, his deputy, Philip Shaibu, who was impeached and later reinstated by the court, 14 elected lawmakers who were not sworn in till their tenure ended in 2023 and others.

When asked how he would like to be remembered after his tenure, Obaseki said: “Certainly not for the fights.”

On plans for sustaining the project beyond his administration, said: “When we thought about all these public spaces and how to manage them, we also created a revenue model to support them.

“For instance, all the revenue from  billboards around here will come into managing them and Prestige Hotel will also sustain it. For community support, the military has promised to support security.

“I believe first in doing the work before celebrating. We will try and commission as much projects as possible, but I don’t think we will be commissioning as much as 10 percent of what we have done and that is why the people came out and voted for us.

“I feel appreciated, the response from our people is quite commendable and no wonder people came out and voted for us the way we did. I can’t be tired of saying thank you for the opportunity to serve.”