Yoruba tradition has it that Ile-Ife in the State of Osun is where Olodumare started the creation of the world. It represents the beginning of life, the birthplace of civilization, the embodiment of all that we see or feel. Osun is the ancestral home of the Yoruba Race whether home or abroad. It is the central and most important location of this morally rich, culturally sound and highly sophisticated race in the world. It represents the spiritual, the physical and the technological.
Vision is the pathway and the guiding light into the future. This was what the founding fathers and agitators for the creation of a state to be named ‘’ Osun ‘’ had in mind and did everything possible to realise the vision. They weathered opposition and confronted obstacles for the generation past, present and unborn.
 Oduduwa Statue |
 Ori Olokun Statue |
The struggle for the creation of Osun started as early as 1950. At that time, the present senatorial districts namely Osun West, Central and part of Osun East were subordinate towns under the administration of Ibadan District Native Authority but in there determination to get independence, traditional rulers and citizens of Osun Area submitted a petition to the British Colonial Administration in Nigeria demanding autonomy for Osun Division, with Osogbo proposed as the headquarters
To realise their aim, they pursued this agenda further in 1951, when a Commission Of Inquiry was set up the Colonialists, headed by H.L Butcher primarily saddled with investigating the crisis in Ibadan District Native Authority between Chief Salami Agbaje and Olubadan-in-Council. At this commission, named H.L Butcher Commission of Inquiry, a representation was made by people of Osun Area reiterating their resolve for autonomy. This demand was granted on March 17th 1951, thus recommending autonomy for Osun District Towns on April 1st 1951.
The resilience and doggedness of the founding fathers and crusaders for the creation of Osun was rewarded on August 27th 1991, when the administration of Gen Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida created nine states with Osun created out of Oyo State with Osogbo as the capital. It was a dream fulfilled and hope achieved.
Osun emboldens the history of a people whose quest for freedom, self-actualisation, determination and hope for a better tomorrow fought and won the battle for its creation. It was a dream fulfilled and hope achieved.
The Opa Oranmiyan (Oranmiyan Staff)
Past Administrations in Osun
Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke
Col Leo Segun Ajiborisha was the first Military Administrator of the State and he governed from August 1991-January 1992 when he handed over to an elected governor, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke who ruled from 1992 to November 1993. The civilian rule in the state was terminated when Col Anthony Udofia,( Dec,1993-Aug 1996), Col Anthony Obi (Aug 1996-Aug 1998) and Col Theophilus Bamgboye (Aug 1998- May 1999) served as Military Administrators respectively.
Chief Bisi Akande
Chief Bisi Akande was elected as the Governor and he served the state from 29th May 1999- 29th May 2003. Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola took over from Chief Akande and governed from 29th May 2003- 29th May 2007 for the first term. Prince Oyinlola had spent three and a half years out of his second term
Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola
until he was removed in a landmark judgement on 26th November 2010, by the Court of Appeal, sitting in Ibadan which nullified his election and Engr. Rauf Aregbesola was declared the validly elected Governor in the 14th April, 2007 Gubernatorial Election.
In July 2018, Gboyega Oyetola contested with Osun state House of Representatives deputy speaker Yusuf Lasun and Speaker of the Osun House of Assembly Nojeem Salaam, Dr Samuel Ibiyemi; Publisher Nigerian NewsDirect Newspapers, Adelere Oriolowo, Moshood Adeoti amongst others for the All Progressives Congress gubernatorial candidacy of the September 22, 2018 gubernatorial election in Osun state and won. He was sworn in to office on November 27, 2018.
On 22nd of March, 2019, the Election tribunal sitting in Abuja declared that the All progressive Congress and its candidate, Gboyega Oyetola, were not validly returned. The Osun tribunal ruled in Mr Adeleke’s favour and declared him the winner of the election. In a split judgment of two to one, the tribunal ruled that INEC was wrong to have ordered a rerun election. It nullified the rerun.
In July 5, 2019 the Supreme Court validated the election of Gboyega Oyetola as the governor of Osun State.
On November 27, 2022, Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke was sworn in as the state’s sixth governor. Adeleke ran against former governor Gboyega Oyetola in the gubernatorial election on July 16, 2022. Adeleke defeated Gboyega Oyetola by a vote of 402,979 to 375,077. Adeleke won in 17 LGAs, including Olorunda, Ede South, Orolu, Osogbo, Odo Otin, Ifelodun, Boluwaduro, Atakumosa, and Ila. Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke is the state’s current governor.
The people of Osun are politically sophisticated and their dynamism is seen in the ability to elect people who can serve their interest. Different political parties have ruled the state but the progressive nature is always reflected in their choice of leaders.