Osun Governorship Election: 15 Things To Know About Its History, Leaders and Politics

As Osun State prepares for its 35th anniversary and another off cycle governorship election, the state’s history offers a fascinating journey from its creation under military rule in 1991 to a succession of military administrators and elected civilian governments.

Created from the old Oyo State, Osun has become one of Nigeria’s most culturally significant states, with Ile-Ife at the centre of Yoruba history and Osogbo serving as its political and administrative capital.

Here are 15 things to know about Osun State, its creation, history and political leadership.

1. Osun State was created on August 27, 1991

Osun State was created on August 27, 1991, by the military government of then Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida.

It was carved out of the eastern part of the old Oyo State.

The creation followed years of agitation for a separate administrative entity for the Osun Division, with traditional rulers and other stakeholders having made demands for greater administrative autonomy as far back as the 1950s.

2. The state was named after the River Osun

The state takes its name from the Osun River, one of the most important rivers in Yoruba traditional culture.

The river is also closely associated with the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove, a major cultural and spiritual site in Osogbo.

3. Osun is home to Ile-Ife, regarded as the cradle of Yoruba civilisation

Ile-Ife occupies a special place in Yoruba history, tradition and mythology.

It is widely regarded as the ancestral home of the Yoruba people and is associated with ancient kingdoms, traditional institutions, art and archaeological discoveries.

The city remains one of the most important cultural centres in Yorubaland.

4. Osogbo is the state capital

Osogbo, located in the central part of the state, was designated as the capital when Osun was created.

The city has grown into the state’s major administrative centre and is also an important commercial and cultural hub.

5. Leo Segun Ajiborisha was the first military administrator

Following the creation of the state, Colonel Leo Segun Ajiborisha became its first military administrator.

He governed from August 1991 until January 1992, overseeing the establishment of the new state’s basic administrative structures before handing over to an elected civilian government.

6. Isiaka Adeleke became the first elected governor

Alhaji Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke became Osun’s first elected civilian governor in January 1992.

He was elected on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and remained in office until the military takeover in November 1993.

His tenure lasted about one year and 10 months.

7. The military returned to power in 1993

The return of military rule in November 1993 ended Adeleke’s administration.

Osun was subsequently governed by three military administrators before the restoration of democracy in 1999.

They were:

Captain Anthony Udofia — December 1993 to August 1996, about two years and nine months.

Colonel Anthony Obi — August 1996 to August 1998, about two years.

Colonel Theophilus Bamgboye — August 1998 to May 1999, about nine months.

The official Osun State history records these administrators as the successive military leaders of the state during the period.

8. Bisi Akande ushered in the Fourth Republic

Democratic rule returned on May 29, 1999, with Chief Adebisi Akande becoming governor.

Akande was elected on the platform of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and served from May 29, 1999, to May 29, 2003 — exactly four years.

He was the first executive governor of Osun State under the Fourth Republic.

9. Olagunsoye Oyinlola governed under the PDP

Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola succeeded Akande in May 2003 after winning the governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He served from May 29, 2003, and won re-election in 2007.

However, his second tenure was cut short after the Court of Appeal in Ibadan nullified his election on November 26, 2010, and declared Rauf Aregbesola the winner of the 2007 election.

Oyinlola therefore spent about seven years and six months in office.

10. Rauf Aregbesola took over after a prolonged legal battle

Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola assumed office on November 27, 2010, following the court ruling that overturned the result of the 2007 governorship election.

He contested on the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and later became a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) after the merger that created the party.

Aregbesola served for eight years, leaving office on November 27, 2018.

11. Gboyega Oyetola succeeded Aregbesola

Gboyega Oyetola became governor on November 27, 2018, after winning the governorship election on the platform of the APC.

He served a single four-year term, leaving office on November 27, 2022.

Oyetola was the fourth executive governor of Osun State under the Fourth Republic.

12. Ademola Adeleke returned the PDP to power

Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke became governor on November 27, 2022, after defeating incumbent Gboyega Oyetola in the July 16, 2022 governorship election.

Adeleke contested on the platform of the PDP and won 402,979 votes against Oyetola’s 375,077, as declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

He remains the incumbent governor of the state.

13. Osun has had a succession of different political parties in power

The state’s political history has featured several major parties.

The sequence of elected civilian administrations includes:

Isiaka Adeleke — SDP — 1992–1993
Bisi Akande — AD — 1999–2003
Olagunsoye Oyinlola — PDP — 2003–2010
Rauf Aregbesola — ACN/APC — 2010–2018
Gboyega Oyetola — APC — 2018–2022
Ademola Adeleke — PDP — 2022–present

This political history reflects the changing party landscape of the state since its creation.

14. A quick look at Osun’s leaders since 1991

Leader Position Period in office Party

Leo Segun Ajiborisha Military Administrator Aug. 1991–Jan. 1992 Military

Isiaka Adeleke Governor Jan. 1992–Nov. 1993 SDP

Anthony Udofia Military Administrator Dec. 1993–Aug. 1996 Military

Anthony Obi Military Administrator Aug. 1996–Aug. 1998 Military

Theophilus Bamgboye Military Administrator Aug. 1998–May 1999 Military

Bisi Akande Governor May 1999–May 2003 AD

Olagunsoye Oyinlola Governor May 2003–Nov. 2010 PDP

Rauf Aregbesola Governor Nov. 2010–Nov. 2018 ACN/APC

Gboyega Oyetola Governor Nov. 2018–Nov. 2022 APC

Ademola Adeleke Governor Nov. 2022–Present PDP

The dates above follow the official Osun State Government’s historical record, with the additional distinction between military administrators and elected civilian governors.

15. Osun’s history goes beyond politics

Beyond its political leadership, Osun’s identity is deeply rooted in Yoruba culture and history.

The state is home to major cultural landmarks and traditions, including the Osun-Osogbo Festival, the Olojo Festival in Ile-Ife, and the historic Ife cultural heritage.

Its cities and communities also reflect the histories of the Ife, Ijesha, Oyo, Igbomina and Ibolo peoples.

Thirty-five years after its creation, Osun therefore represents a combination of ancient Yoruba heritage and modern political history — from the sacred River Osun and the ancient city of Ile-Ife to a modern democratic state that has experienced military administration, political transitions and changes in party control.

From its creation on August 27, 1991, to the present administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke, Osun’s political journey has been marked by 35 years of changing leadership, competing political parties and a continuing effort to define the state’s place in Nigeria’s political and cultural landscape.