ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, SENATOR ADEMOLA JACKSON NURUDEEN ADELEKE, EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF OSUN STATE ON THE OCCASION OF
NIGERIA’S 66TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY AND AWARD OF PRIZES TO WINNERS OF THE OSUN STATE 2026 ESSAY COMPETITION HELD ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1ST, 2026 AT FAKUNLE COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL, OSOGBO
Protocols
My dear people of Osun State,
Today, I join you with a heart full of gratitude and hope as we celebrate the 66th Independence Anniversary of our dear country, Nigeria.
I warmly greet our Traditional Rulers, Religious Leaders, our Mothers and Fathers, Workers, Farmers, Traders, Artisans, Business Owners, Students, our young people and every citizen of our dear State. To Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, I say: Happy Independence Day.
October 1 is always a reminder of our journey, the sacrifices of those who came before us and the responsibility we have to build a country that our children will be proud to inherit. For 66 years, Nigeria has experienced moments of great promises as well as difficult times. We have faced economic challenges, insecurity and other difficulties that have tested our patience and resilience. However, the Nigerian spirit has remained strong through it all. We are a people who know how to rise again. We work hard, endure, dream and, even when the road is difficult, we continue to hope. That hope must continue to drive us forward.
Our Government understands that development is not simply about statistics, projects or buildings. At the heart of every Government programme is a human being: a child who needs quality education, a mother who needs access to healthcare, a farmer who needs support, a young person searching for an opportunity and a family that simply wants a better life. This is why our Administration remains committed to a people-centred development agenda built around inclusion, growth and sustainability. Over the past four years, we have worked to make meaningful improvements across Osun State.
In Education, we have continued to improve our schools, strengthen learning facilities and employ new teachers because we understand that the future of Osun begins in the classroom. Just last week, Osun State was ranked 5th nationally in the 2026 NECO Senior School Certificate Examination. This represents an improvement from our 7th position in the 2025 ranking and further demonstrates the progress being made in our education sector.
This commitment is also reflected in the 2026 Osun State Essay Competition, which has given our young people an opportunity to think deeply, express themselves and share their ideas about the future of our State and our Nation. I congratulate all the participants, the winners, their teachers and their parents. Your dedication reminds us that when we invest in the minds of our young people, we are investing in the future of Osun and Nigeria.
In the Health sector, our Administration has continued to strengthen Primary Healthcare delivery and improve access to essential health services across our communities. Healthcare facilities have received attention, while health insurance coverage and medical interventions have been expanded to reach more citizens.
Infrastructure remains another critical component of our development efforts. Osun's economic potential cannot be fully realised without good roads, functional public facilities, reliable water systems and efficient transportation networks. For this reason, our Administration has continued to undertake road construction and rehabilitation, bridge projects and other infrastructure interventions across the State.
In Agriculture, we continue to support our farmers with improved inputs, better access to mechanisation and opportunities to connect with markets. Agriculture must not only feed our people but must also provide a dignified means of livelihood for our families and create wealth for our communities. These achievements do not mean that every challenge has disappeared. We know there is still much work to do but they demonstrate that we are moving forward and are determined to keep moving.
My dear people, one of the greatest assets we have in Osun is our people. Our young people are talented, our farmers hardworking and our entrepreneurs resilient. Our teachers are dedicated and our workers continue to serve. That is why I believe that the Osun of our dream, a peaceful, prosperous, inclusive and self-reliant State, is within our reach.
I must use this occasion to sincerely thank the good people of Osun State for the massive turnout during the just concluded elections. I am grateful to you for coming out in large numbers to exercise your civic responsibility and for defying all odds to ensure that the elections were successful.
I deeply appreciate your confidence, resilience and support. I assure you that the next four years will be even more rewarding for the people of Osun State. Our Administration will continue to work with renewed determination to consolidate our achievements, address areas where more needs to be done and improve the lives of our people.
As we celebrate Independence today, let us remember that the progress of Nigeria is inseparable from the progress and wellbeing of our young people. We must give them quality education, create opportunities for them, listen to their ideas, support their talents and give them reasons to believe that there is a future for them here at home.
We must also protect something that no Government can build for us if we destroy it ourselves: peace and unity. We may have different political opinions, religious beliefs, backgrounds and perspectives, but we are one people and we share one future. Let us disagree without becoming enemies. Let us listen to one another. Let us resolve our differences peacefully as there can be no meaningful development without peace.
As we celebrate our Independence, let us therefore renew our hope, strengthen our unity and recommit ourselves to building a better Nigeria.
As your Governor, I assure you that our Administration will continue to listen to our people and continue to pursue programmes that improve lives. We may not achieve everything overnight, but we will not stop trying.
On this 66th Independence Anniversary, I thank you, the good people of Osun State, for your patience, resilience and continued belief in our collective future. Together, we can build an Osun and a Nigeria where every child has a fair chance, where hard work is rewarded, where our young people can dream without fear and where every citizen can live with dignity.
Long live Osun State!
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!
Thank you and God bless you all
