IBADAN, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – The Osun State House of Assembly, has kicked against decisions made by the new Governor, Ademola Adeleke, to rename the State.
The Assembly argued that the anthem, crest and flag of the state are an enactment of a law assented to on 18 December, 2012, and no person can exact force to change it.
This was contained in a statement released by the lawmaker, through the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Publicity, Moshood Kunle Akande, on Monday, 28 November, 2022.
Recall that Adeleke during his inauguration on Sunday, reversed the name of the state from āState of Osunā to āOsun Stateā and also reversed its appellation from āThe State of the Virtuesā to āThe State of the Living Springā.
Adeleke also reversed all appointments made by the immediate past Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, effective from 7 July, 2022.
He also ordered that all government bank accounts be frozen, adding that all actions of the Oyetola-led administration from 17 July, will be revisited.
In the statement, the lawmakers dispel the governor’s action.
It partly read: āThe State of Osun House of Assembly having reviewed the inaugural speech of the Governor and the activities of the inauguration hereby resolves as follows;
āThe usage of the State Anthem, Crest and Flag is an enactment of the law and as such, its usage is a matter of law and not choice.
“The enactment āState of Osun Anthem, Crest and Flag Law, 2012ā assented to on December 18, 2012, contained in Schedule 1, II, III, IV and V, which carefully details every component of this law is not in ambiguity.
āSchedule I is the State Anthem, Schedule II has to do with the State Crest, and Schedule III is the symbolic significance of the elements in the Flag.
āLastly, while we are aware of a court judgment in effect recognising āOsun Stateā, the Assembly, pending the determination and exhaustion of all legal means would not be drawn into this matter.ā
The lawmakers further said that the state will continue to be described as the āState of Osunā and āIpinle Omulabiā (State of the Virtuous).