The insult that led to the creation of Osun State, By Temitope Lakisokun

Osun State was created 35 years ago, but its origins can be traced back to 1945. According to This Day, Chief Salami Agbaje, a wealthy and influential figure in Ibadan, sought a double promotion in the city's chieftaincy hierarchy. He enlisted the help of traditional rulers from the Osun area to plead his case with Oba Abass Aleshinloye, the Olubadan of Ibadan.

The attempt to secure a promotion for Agbaje led to the creation of a new division, Oshun Division, in 1951. Premium Times reports that this development was closely connected to the political reorganisation in the Western Region at the time. The new division provided a political space for the people of the Osun country to organise.

The creation of Oshun Division is also linked to the formation of the Action Group by the Egbe Omo Oduduwa in 1951. This Day does not mention the Action Group, but Premium Times reports that the two developments were connected to the political changes in the Western Region. The Oshun Division eventually led to the creation of Osun State, although the exact circumstances of the state's creation are not detailed in the reports.

Brief written by urgent.news from Premium Times, This Day — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.