BY GBENGA OLARINOYE, OSOGBO

Osun State, created on  27  August, 1991, along with eight other states by the regime of former military president, General  Ibrahim Babangida, recently rolled out  the drums for a week long activities to mark the 20th anniversary of the state.

The state with its administrative headquarters in Osogbois currently having 30 Local Government Areas and an Area office in Modakeke-Ife had been governed by four Military Administrators and four Civilian Governors.

The former military  administrators include  Col Leo Segun Ajiborisa, Navy Commander Anthony Udofia, Col Anthony Obi and Col Theophilus Bamigboye, while Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke was elected the first civilian governor of the state and  ruled  for  two years before the late Gen Sani Abacha dismantled the  then civilian regime.

At the inception of civilian administration in 1999, Chief Bisi Akande of the defunct Alliance for Democracy AD and now  national chairman of Action Congress of Nigeria held office  for four years losing his return ticket in 2003 to Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who governed between May 29, 2003 and November 27, 2010 when the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan nullified his 2007 re-election and declared the incumbent  governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, as the winner of the election.

The administration of  Akande stood out as the chief architect of the development of the state.

The construction of the state secretariat, Abere and the Office of the Governor, cloistered,  ‘Bola Ige House’,  among others, are the hallmarks of his administration. His successor, Oyinlola, also has to his credit the establishment of the state owned university with six campuses  across  the state.

On assumption of office on Saturday, November 27, 2010,  Aregbesola promised the Osun  people  what he code named, Government unusual, and so far  has not disappointed the people of the state. Not with the employment of 20,000 youths known as Osun Youths Empowerment Scheme OYES in his first 100 days in office a record that is yet to be equaled by any government in the continent.

He has also moved a step forward with O’Clean that takes care of the environmental sanitation of the state, the O’Tour that is saddled with the development of tourism and culture as one of the means of boosting the state internally generated revenue, and the O’REAP, Osun Rural Enterprenure and Agricultural Programme for the development of the rural areas and agriculture.

This programmes are targetted at reducing unemployment, enhancing the sanitary condition of the state and making the state less dependant on the revenue of the federal government.

The week long activities marking the 20th anniversary celebration kicked off on Sunday, 4 September, 2011 with a church service at All Saints Anglican Church Cathedral, Osogbo.

The Deputy Governor, Chief Mrs Laoye Tomori, led government delegates to the service while the activities were rounded off on Saturday, 10 September, 2011 where distinguished indigenes of the state were honoured for their contributions to the development of the state.

Among those who received awards of recognition were the late Duro Ladipo, Chief Oyin Adejobi, Professor Ulli Beire, Susan Wenger, Chief Twin Seven-Seven, Chief Muraina Oyelami, Chief Mrs. Nike Okundaiye (Nike Arts Gallery), Chief Yemi Elebuibon, Chief Rotimi Makinde, Chief Samson Eluyemi, Chief Deji Aderemi, Mrs. Omilani, Dr. Demola Onibonokuta.

Others  are the Chief of the Defence Staff, Air Marshal Oluseyi Petirin, former Chief of the Army Staff, General Alani Akinrinade (rtd) and retired Justices of Supreme Court, Justice Kayode Esho, Justice Bola Babalakin,