#OsunDecides: Politics From History

It is to be  noted that every  Yoruba community must be able to directly or indirectly traced its origin back to Ile-Ife.

Though, there was rave of power in history whereby the political influence of the Yoruba moved from Ife to Oyo, and this Oyo political influence overshadowed that of the historical influence of Ile-Ife. I am constrained by space to Illume further on that.

This Oyo political influences then made Oyo an  undefeatable empire  with the Alaafin as the Paramount ruler. This influence was still  intact during the advent of the European in Africa then. 

The Europeans capitalized on the Oyo influence to execute their task then.  Meanwhile, Oyo empire experienced some political  metamorphosis which later became the Western Region of which Ibadan was the administrative headquarters.

The agitation for Osun  independence from the then Western region can be traced to 1950 during the All Nigerian Constitutional Conference in Ibadan, a conference towards making the MacPherson constitution a generally acceptable one, some prominent people from the present day Osun West and Central senatorial district "jokingly proposed" Osun "region" in a letter and Osogbo was named to be the administrative headquarters then. But this, was instantly rejected, though, the unceasing clamouring for Osun independence from Western region did not go to extinction but keep waxing stronger.

After years of agitation, the then military head of Nigeria General Ibrahim Badamosi Babaginda declared Osun as a state on 27th of August, 1991 with twenty two (22) local governments then but now has 30 local governments.

The 27 Years Political Journey

From 1991 till date, the list below contains the names  of past administrators/ Governors and deputy Governors in Osun state:

° Segun Ajiborisa was the Adminstrator (Jan 1991-Jan 1992) a period before democracy sets in.

° Isiaka Adeleke was the first civilian governor of the state (Jan 1992- Nov 1993)  and he was deputized by Adesuyi Haastrup, but their administration came to an abrupt end due to military intervention in 1993.

° Antony Udofia was the Adminstrator between (Dec 1993-Aug 1996). 

° Antony Obi was the Administrator between ( Aug 1996- Aug 1998) .

 Theophilous Bamigboye became the Administrator  Aug 1998  and left in May 1999.

° The was the reincarnation of democracy in 1999 and  Bisi Akande was the governor between May 1999 - May 2003, he was  deputised by Iyiola Omisore though the deputy governor was impeached before the end of the tenure.

°Olagunsoye Oyinlola was sworn in as governor in  May 2003 and he left office in  Nov 2010 after a court verdict, he was  deputized by Erelu Olusola Obada 

° Rauf Aregbesola came on board in  Nov 2010 and he is still the governor till date, he is being deputized by Titi Laoye Tomori.

In sum, this is a succinct  political history of Osun state, subsequent updates will be about statistical facts about the state.

Written By: Akindele Piroll, he can be contacted through [email protected]