The Osun State House of Assembly on Monday rejected Governor Ademola Adeleke decision to revert to the state’s old name.
Adeleke, who was inaugurated as Osun State’s sixth executive governor on Sunday, had during his inaugural address ordered the state to return to its old identity.
Former governor Rauf Aregbesola changed the state’s name from Osun State to “State of Osun” in 2011.
However, in a statement issued by the Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Publicity, Moshood Akande, the Assembly said the anthem, crest, and flag of the state was an enactment of a law signed on December 18, 2012, and cannot be changed by anybody.
The parliament declared that the state would continue to be known as the “State of Osun” and “Ipinle Omulabi” respectively.
The statement read: “The State of Osun House of Assembly having reviewed the inaugural speech of the Governor and the activities of the inauguration hereby resolves as follows:
“The 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 ‘State of Osun Anthem, Crest and Flag Law, 2012’ 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.
“Schedule 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.
“Lastly, while we are aware of a court judgment in effect recognising ‘Osun State,’ the Assembly, pending the determination and exhaustion of all legal means would not be drawn into this matter.”