Osun Governors Since 1992: A Look at Those Who Have Led the State

As Osun State prepares to go to the polls this Saturday, August 15, for its governorship election, attention is once again focused on who will lead the state for the next four years. The election comes more than three decades after Osun was created from the old Oyo State in 1992, with the state having witnessed different administrations, policies and political transitions.

From Isiaka Adeleke, the state’s first civilian governor, to the incumbent Ademola Adeleke, six civilians have led Osun State at different times. As the state prepares for another change at the ballot box, let’s take a look at the civilian governors who have led Osun State over the years, their profiles, time in office and some of the notable achievements recorded under their administrations.

1. Isiaka Adeleke : ( 1992 – 1993 )

Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke was the first elected governor of Osun State after it was created from the old Oyo State. A businessman and politician from Ede, Adeleke entered office in January 1992 under the Social Democratic Party (SDP). His administration was, however, short-lived, lasting until November 1993, when the military government took over following the annulment of Nigeria’s democratic government. His emergence nevertheless gave him a place in Osun’s political history as the state’s first civilian governor.

Because Adeleke’s administration lasted less than two years, there was limited time for major long-term projects to take shape. His government was primarily concerned with establishing civilian governance and administering the newly created state. The military takeover in 1993 brought his tenure to an abrupt end. Adeleke later returned to politics and served as a senator representing Osun West before his death in 2017.

2. Bisi Akande : ( 1999 – 2003 )

Abdulkareem Adebisi Akande, popularly known as Bisi Akande, is a prominent Osun politician and one of the founding figures of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in the South-West. He became governor in May 1999 following Nigeria’s return to democratic rule and served one four-year term. His administration represented Osun’s first elected civilian government under the Fourth Republic.

Akande’s government was particularly associated with efforts to improve infrastructure and open up rural communities. The Osun State government’s historical account credits his administration with restructuring infrastructure and opening rural roads to improve access to farming communities and boost agricultural production. His government also pursued what it described as pro-poor policies and placed emphasis on education.

3. Olagunsoye Oyinlola : ( 2003 – 2010 )

Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, a retired military officer and politician, succeeded Akande in May 2003 as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He won a second term in 2007 and therefore spent more than seven years as governor. His tenure, however, ended before the completion of his second term after the Court of Appeal in Ibadan nullified his election in November 2010 and declared Rauf Aregbesola the validly elected governor from the 2007 election.

During his time in office, Oyinlola’s administration pursued projects in areas including roads, education, healthcare and agriculture. His government also promoted agricultural development as part of efforts to expand the state’s economic base. Oyinlola’s tenure remains one of the longest civilian administrations in Osun since the state’s creation, although his second term was cut short by the court judgment.

4. Rauf Aregbesola : ( 2010 – 2018 )

Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, an engineer and politician, became governor in November 2010 after the courts overturned Oyinlola’s 2007 election victory. Aregbesola had previously served as commissioner for works in Lagos State before moving into Osun politics. He won re-election in 2014 and completed two terms in office, leaving in November 2018.

Aregbesola’s eight-year tenure was strongly identified with large infrastructure and education projects. His administration constructed and rehabilitated roads, including the 17.5-kilometre Oba Adesoji Aderemi Ring Road in Osogbo, while several new public schools were also constructed. His government introduced the Opon Imo tablet initiative for secondary school students and established social-welfare programmes such as the Agba Osun scheme for vulnerable elderly people. In one constituency alone, his administration reported constructing more than 50 kilometres of intra-city roads, six new schools and several boreholes.

Education was one of the major priorities of the Aregbesola administration. The government said it committed a significant portion of its resources to transforming the state’s education sector, including the construction and upgrading of schools. Its administration also introduced welfare programmes and invested in healthcare facilities and security equipment.

5. Gboyega Oyetola : ( 2018 – 2022 )

Gboyega Oyetola, an accountant and former Chief of Staff to Governor Aregbesola, became governor in November 2018 after winning the Osun governorship election. He contested under the All Progressives Congress (APC) and succeeded Aregbesola, continuing the party’s administration in the state. His election was challenged in court, but the Supreme Court eventually upheld his victory in July 2019.

Oyetola’s four-year administration focused on consolidating some of the programmes inherited from the Aregbesola government while pursuing projects in infrastructure, education, healthcare and public administration. He left office in November 2022 after losing his re-election bid to Ademola Adeleke. His tenure ended the APC’s 12-year period in control of the state.

6. Ademola Adeleke : ( 2022 – Present )

Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, a businessman and politician from Ede, became governor of Osun State on November 27, 2022. He defeated incumbent Gboyega Oyetola in the July 2022 governorship election, winning 402,979 votes against Oyetola’s 375,027 votes, according to the Osun State government’s historical record. Adeleke’s victory returned the PDP to power in the state.

Since taking office, Adeleke’s administration has placed significant emphasis on infrastructure, workers’ welfare, healthcare, education and agriculture. In 2023, the government reported the rehabilitation and reconstruction of more than 90 kilometres of intercity roads across the state’s nine federal constituencies. It also launched a N100 billion infrastructure plan covering roads, healthcare facilities, water projects and school rehabilitation.

The administration has also highlighted its intervention in pensioners’ welfare and healthcare. In 2023, the state government reported enrolling 23,000 pensioners into its health insurance scheme and paying about N28 billion in pensions and gratuities. The government has also promoted agricultural and youth-employment programmes as part of its wider agenda for economic development.