Osun monarch sues for peace ahead of August 15 governorship election
Adeola Olayemi
The Asa-Ooni of Ora-Igbomina in Ifedayo Local Government Area of Osun State, Oba Johnson Adekanmi Abikoye, has appealed to politicians, supporters and residents of the state to embrace peace before, during and after the August 15 governorship election.
The monarch, who spoke as a father and custodian of the cultural heritage of the people, urged the people of Osun State not to allow political differences to destroy the existing bonds of brotherhood, neighbourliness and communal coexistence.
Oba Abikoye said an election should be regarded as a temporary political contest and not a war, stressing that whoever emerged victorious at the end of the exercise would inherit a state that belonged to all its citizens.
“An election is a season, not a war,” adding that the contest would eventually end, while the people would remain neighbours and kinsmen bound by the same land and heritage.
The traditional ruler noted that Osun State, which was created from the old Oyo State in 1991, was founded through an administrative process and not as a result of conflict between communities.
He said the state inherited a peaceful coexistence that had been nurtured by previous generations through shared markets, farmlands and communal relationships across its various local government areas.
The monarch, however, expressed concern over the tension that had characterised the political contest in recent weeks, warning that political passion, if not properly guided, could degenerate into violence.
He appealed to all political actors and their supporters to exercise restraint and ensure that the election did not create unnecessary divisions among the people.
Oba Abikoye said no political victory was worth the loss of a human life, urging contestants and their supporters to place the interest and survival of Osun State above their individual political ambitions.
“Whoever emerges from this contest will inherit an Osun State that existed before their candidacy and will outlast their tenure.
“Good governance is built on a peaceful citizenry, not a fractured one. No victory is worth inheriting a state divided against itself, and no office is so valuable that it justifies the loss of a single life in pursuit of it,” he added.
The Asa-Ooni also appealed to institutions responsible for conducting and overseeing the election to discharge their responsibilities with transparency, fairness and professionalism.
He stressed that public confidence in the electoral process remained critical, warning that the trust of the people could easily be damaged but would take a long time to rebuild.
“The trust of the people is not a puny item, and it is easily broken and slowly rebuilt. Please, conduct yourselves in a manner that leaves no room for doubt,” the monarch said.
He further urged the people of Osun to ensure that the state’s reputation as a peaceful society was preserved regardless of the outcome of the election.
The traditional ruler said history should record that Osun State, having been founded in peace, chose to remain peaceful throughout the electoral process.
