An Insult Sparked the Creation of Osun State

The establishment of Osun State, now 35 years old, has an unlikely origin story: an insult. The creation of Oshun Division in 1951, coinciding with the birth of the Action Group, was part of a significant political reorganization in Nigeria's Western Region. This division provided a platform for the people of the Osun country to organize and voice their interests more directly.

The pivotal moment reportedly occurred in 1945. Chief Salami Agbaje, a highly successful and influential Nigerian businessman known for his early adoption of modern economic practices, sought a promotion within Ibadan's chieftaincy hierarchy. Agbaje, who had amassed a considerable fortune and was the first Ibadan man to own a car and build a cement-brick house, was a figure of both admiration and envy.

When Agbaje sought the support of traditional rulers from the Osun area to intercede with the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Abass Aleshinloye, the visiting royal emissaries were met with disrespect. They were not immediately offered seats, nor were traditional courtesies like kolanut or water provided. An Ibadan council member's dismissive remark, "An Ibadan chief is the equal of a king elsewhere," conveyed a clear contempt for their status.

Although Agbaje secured his promotion, the insult deeply offended the Osun traditional rulers. This incident galvanized them to cooperate and resolve to remove the Osun area from the jurisdiction of the Ibadan Native Authority. By 1949, the Ibadan chiefs were sufficiently concerned about Agbaje's influence and the growing assertiveness of the Osun leaders that they sought to counter it, setting the stage for the eventual creation of Osun State.

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Ijoye Ibadan, bi oba ile e ’bomii ni.