OSUN POLITICS: Need For Balance Of Power Between Christians And Muslims

Osun state was formed on 27 August, 1991 when it was created from old
Oyo State. Like every other state in Nigeria, it has three senatorial
districts namely, Osun central, Osun East (Ife/Ijesha area) and Osun
West.

Osun Central has the following Local Government Councils;
Boripe, Bolowaduro, Ifelodun, Ila, Ifedayo, Irepodun, Orolu, Odo-otin,
Olorunda, Osogbo, Osun East, Atakunmosa East, Atakunmosa West, Ife
Central, Ife East, Ife North, Ife South, Ilesa East, Ilesa West,
Obokun, Oriade, Osun West, Ayadaade, Ayedire, Ede North, Ede South,
Egbedore, Ejigbo, Irewole, Isokan, Iwo, Ola-Oluwa.

Aside the military administrators who are non-indigenes, the state has
been ruled by Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke (Muslim) (January 1992 – November
1993) under the platform of SDP (now defunct) for  one year, 11 months; Chief
Bisi Akande (Muslim) 29 May, 1999 – 29 May, 2003 (AD). He ruled for
four years; Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Christian) 9 May, 2003 – 26
November, 2010 (PDP) governed for 5 years and six months and Alhaji
Raufu Aregbesola (Muslim) 26 November, 2010 to date (APC). He will
rule for 8 years.

By implication, a Christian has ruled for five and a half years while
three Muslims have ruled for 13 years and 11 months.

Of all the four elected governors, Osun West has only ruled for just one year and 11 months
when the late politician, Adeleke was in power during the military diarchy,
 Osun central ruled for 9 years and six months through Akande, Oyinlola while the incumbent, Aregbesola who hails from Osun East is about to complete two terms which no one had ever has and this means the zone would have
been in power for eight years.

This is why some prominent voices, which include but not limited to
two former governors, Bisi Akande and Oyinlola are insisting that it
is the turn of Osun West. There is no justifiable reasons why the next
governor should come from either Osun Central or Osun East. In the
interest of justice, equity and fair play, Osun West should produce
the next governor unless if the kingmakers are daring the people of
the zone to do their worst.

And again, it is for the same reason Aregbesola’ successor should be a
Christian. As stated earlier, before Oyinlola, a Christian, came two
Muslims (Adeleke and Akande). And after Oyinlola came Aregbesola a
Muslim whose victory at the court denied the state of eight years rule
of a Christian governor.
Although Christians have not been agitating for their right to preside
over the affairs of the state for some reasons, but the policies of
the outgoing governor whose era has brought the religious dichotomy to
the fore has rudely woken up Christians from their unholy slumber.

The state belongs to all the indigenes irrespective of their religious
and political persuasions. And for all of them to be involved in the
development of the state, there must be fairness, equity and justice.

I challenge the leaders of thoughts in the Osun West to demand for the
right of the zone to produce the next governor and if they are
ignored, let them mobilise their people to vote for any party that
picks its candidate from the zone after all no party is from outside
the country. In the same vein, the time has come for Christian leaders
in the whole state nay Southwest to demand for their right to have one
of them as the next governor and if the mainstream parties, APC and
PDP said NO, let them mobilise their members to vote for any party
that picks a Christian as its governorship candidate. After all
politicians themselves mobilise protest vote against their parties
when their interest is ignored.

Christians in Osun state should take a cue from their counterparts in
Lagos  who protested and got a Christian governor. Without that
effort, nobody would have heard of Ambode as the Governor. Nobody
lives in fool’s paradise again. A word is enough for the wise.


Adebayo Oladeji
08033346521, brightbayo54@gmail.com