Osun Assembly repeals state anthem, crest, flag introduced by Aregbesola

The Osun State House of Assembly has repealed the Osun State Anthem, Crest, and Flag Law 2012.

The repeal of the law was carried out during a plenary of the House on Tuesday.

Theeditorial.ng gathered that the renaming of Osun State as the ‘State of Osun’, and the introduction of new anthem, crest, and flag were announced during the administration of former Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

However, on December 14, 2017, an Osun State High Court sitting in Ilesa declared that the renaming was illegal and therefore, null and void, while also declaring that the law and its makers were unknown to the 1999 Constitution.

During his inaugural speech in November 2022, the current Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke ordered an immediate reversal to ‘Osun State’ instead of ‘State of Osun.’

A day after the Seventh State House of Assembly led by the then Speaker, Timothy Owoeye, through a statement issued by the House Chair on Information, Akande rejected Adeleke’s order and said the state will continue to be referred to as ‘State of Osun’ as the adoption was “a matter of law.”

However, the current Speaker of the Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, said the action was taken in compliance with the court judgment.

Before the abolishment, the matter was taken to court by Kanmi Ajibola, who is now a Peoples Democratic Party member of the House representing Oriade State Constituency.

According to the Speaker, “Understanding, however, that there may be some aspects of the law that are appropriate, the House agreed that all corrections made on Osun State Anthem, Crest and Flag Law 2012 form part of the Bill for Osun State Anthem, Crest and Flag Bill 2023, sponsored by the Majority Leader.

“In essence, what the House has done, is vacate a law that had already been invalidated by a Court of competent jurisdiction, to pave way for a new law that will respect the letters and spirit of the Nigerian constitution that swore to abide by.”

The Speaker, on Friday, had notified the House during the plenary of the decision to repeal the law.