ABUJA — Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Tuesday reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening the state’s O-Meal School Feeding Programme while appealing for support from development partners and stakeholders.
Speaking at a stakeholders’ conference in Abuja, Adeleke emphasised the importance of improving the nutritional status of pupils, stressing that proper feeding is essential to building a smarter and healthier generation. The event, themed “Sustainability of O-Meal for Improved Children Nutrition in Osun State Homegrown School Funding Programme,” was organised in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD).
Originally launched in 2006, the O-Meal programme has been one of Osun State’s key education interventions. Adeleke noted that the state government remains committed to its sustainability, despite mounting financial demands.
“We are calling on donor agencies, development partners, and philanthropists to partner with us,” he said. “Investing in our children’s nutrition is investing in Osun’s future.”
Meanwhile, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) staged a protest in Abuja, demanding that the Federal Government halt all financial allocations to individuals allegedly occupying local government positions in Osun State illegally under the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The protest began at Unity Fountain and moved to the offices of the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Minister of Finance, where HURIWA presented letters calling for adherence to court rulings and restoration of democratic norms.
Addressing reporters during the demonstration, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, accused the APC of ignoring valid court judgments by continuing to control local councils despite being ousted from power in the state.
He said the protest was aimed at confronting “institutional lawlessness and political impunity,” describing the continued control of the councils by APC loyalists as “a blatant violation of the constitution, the rule of law, and the democratic will of the people.”
The rights group urged the Minister of Finance to collaborate with the Minister of Justice to implement financial consequences for defying the courts and to help restore legitimacy to local governance in Osun.
