Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
The Diocesan Bishop of Ijesa North Anglican Diocese in Osun State, Rt. Revd Isaac Oluyamo, has issued a powerful and timely plea to politicians and residents across the state, urging them not to allow the bitter divisions of the recent governorship election to harden into permanent hatred. In a statement obtained in Osogbo on Friday, September 18, 2026, the cleric warned that the wounds inflicted by political contests must be healed before they fester into something far more dangerous. His intervention comes at a critical moment for Osun State, which is still grappling with the aftermath of a fiercely contested election, outbreaks of violence and the lingering grievances of those who lost.
The bishop’s message was both spiritual and practical. He appealed to individuals and families to put the disagreements caused by the last governorship elections behind them, to bury every bitterness and to embrace reconciliation, forgiveness and peace. “Elections will come and go, but relationships, families, communities and the bonds of brotherhood must endure,” Oluyamo said. He called on everyone who may have been divided by political differences not to allow temporary political contests to become permanent sources of hatred or separation. The bishop prayed for the healing of wounded relationships, reconciliation within families and the restoration of broken friendships, charging the people of Osun to prioritise the ties that bind them over the transient loyalties of party politics. He also prayed against accidents, sudden death, calamities and every form of tragedy within the state.
The timing of the bishop’s intervention is significant. Osun State went to the polls on August 15, 2026, in a governorship election that was marked by intense partisan mobilisation and incidents of violence. Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission, polling 511,067 votes to defeat his closest rival, Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, who scored 444,815 votes. President Bola Tinubu described the outcome as a fitting assurance that democracy would continue to flourish under the APC administration, while Governor Adeleke appealed for peace and unity among the people of the state to heal the wounds inflicted by pre-election violence. The election season had been marred by killings, including the murder of Olalekan Oyeyemi, popularly known as Emir Ajagungbade, an appointee of Governor Adeleke, during a violent power struggle between rival factions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in Ile-Ife. The killing prompted the governor to ban the NURTW and establish a state-run Park Management System, a move the APC has described as illegal and unconstitutional. The atmosphere remains tense, and the bishop’s call for reconciliation is an attempt to prevent the state from sliding back into the kind of violence that characterised the pre-election period.
Oluyamo’s appeal was not limited to the election’s immediate aftermath. He also congratulated Governor Adeleke on his victory and charged him to put God first in managing the affairs of the state. He urged the governor to lead with justice, humility and a genuine commitment to the welfare of the people as he begins his second term. The bishop offered special prayers for Senator Francis Fadahunsi of the Ife/Ijesa Senatorial District, whose controversial remarks during the campaign had generated significant tension. Fadahunsi, a member of the APC, had allegedly directed his supporters to “kill” Accord Party members during a campaign visit to the palace of the Paramount Ruler of Ijesaland. The remarks drew widespread condemnation, including from Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, who demanded an apology. Fadahunsi subsequently apologised, saying he never called for chaos or violence and describing the criticism against him as unfair. Some constituents have since threatened to recall him from the Senate. In his intervention, Bishop Oluyamo appealed to Fadahunsi’s constituents to accept the senator’s apology and, in the spirit of peace and reconciliation, look beyond the disagreements associated with the election. He urged them to recognise ongoing efforts in youth empowerment and development, charging individuals and families to bury bitterness and prioritise unity.
The bishop’s call reflects a broader push for reconciliation in Osun State. Governor Adeleke has reached out to former governors and opposition leaders as part of efforts to reconcile political groups following the election. The state government has warned against any disruption of public peace, declaring that it is time for post-election reconciliation and peace-building. The Osun State Election Violence Relief Committee, chaired by the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, has called on victims of election-related violence to submit their cases for consideration. The newly deployed Commissioner of Police in the state has been tasked with impartial policing and building trust. These efforts, alongside the bishop’s spiritual intervention, represent a multi-layered approach to healing a state that has been deeply divided by political conflict.
But reconciliation is not easy when the stakes are high and the wounds are fresh. The election season in Osun was characterised by violence, with supporters of rival parties clashing and innocent lives lost. The killing of Emir Ajagungbade, an aide to the governor, was a particularly shocking incident that underscored the dangerous intersection of politics and transport union rivalries. The decision to ban the NURTW and establish a Park Management System has only deepened the political divide, with the APC accusing Adeleke of acting illegally and unconstitutionally. Against this backdrop, the bishop’s message is a reminder that politics is not a zero-sum game and that the pursuit of power should not come at the cost of community, family and faith. His plea for forgiveness and reconciliation is rooted in the Christian tradition, but it carries a universal message that applies to people of all faiths and political persuasions. Elections will come and go. Politicians will rise and fall. But the bonds that hold Osun’s communities together must endure.
For now, the bishop has said his piece. He has prayed for healing, called for peace and urged politicians to put the past behind them. Whether his message is heeded will depend on the willingness of political actors to prioritise the state’s stability over their own ambitions. The coming weeks will test that willingness. Osun State has a long history of peaceful coexistence, but that peace is fragile. The bishop’s intervention is a timely reminder that it must be protected. If politicians allow temporary contests to become permanent sources of hatred, the consequences will be felt not just by them but by every family, every community and every child in Osun State. The call to bury bitterness is not a call to forget injustice. It is a call to place the common good above personal grievance. It is a call that deserves to be heard.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments