In a speech delivered at the Governor’s House on… (the specific location?), Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke called on the Muslim community to “renew commitments” to the social, economic and cultural development of the state in the run‑up to the annual celebration of the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday (Mawlid al‑Nabi, “Maulud Nabiyy”). Adeleke, who has been in office since 2019, took the floor at a ceremony attended by more than 3,000 people from across the state – including members of the Osun State Muslim Council (OSMIC), local imams, civil society leaders and representatives of the state ministries. “My people, we stand at a moment of renewal. Musang (I write “Musang” as a general term for the Muslim population of the state – this is not religious instruction), we have always been part of Osun’s fabric. Mawlid is not only a day of remembrance; it is an opportunity to recommit ourselves to the prosperity of our communities,” the governor said. He outlined a few concrete measures he expects the community to support: 1. Inclusive Development Projects.
“The state has undertaken a number of initiative: building clean water pipelines, improving rural schools, and expanding the transportation network. We welcome the Muslim community’s participation – through funding, volunteerism or partnership – in these projects,” he explained. 2. Social Welfare Programs.
Governor Adeleke reminded that the state’s national poverty reduction scheme includes a sectoral quota for religious groups. “We want to see representation from the Muslim community in distributing grants to rural women and youth, especially in the Ogudu, Ilesa, and Osogbo regions.” The mayor of Ilesa said they had already taken a number of contributions from local mosques toward the state’s social insurance scheme. 3. Inter‑Religious Dialogue.
The governor urged his office to foster inter‑faith forums. “As our mother tongue is Yoruba, as well as Ladun, Arabic and English, we must leverage our multilingualism in bridging gaps. I invite leaders from the Catholic, Evangelical, and Bahá’í communities to exchange views on building inclusive policies.” The governor’s remarks coincided with a nine‑martial-group “congratulatory” band from the Osun State Army’s cultural troupe, which performed ʻAwwal, a Hausa‑origin lullaby. State officials said construction of a new mosque on the Old Court Road will commence on the 30th of January 2026, funded partly by contributions during Mawlid via the state’s “Inter‑faith Fund.” In a surprise move, the Governor’s Muslim Office admitted that not all of the community’s volunteers are comfortable with some of the state’s socioeconomic measures. “Our community has rich experience in charity work – through al‑mizan (community fund).
Let’s put these funds to a structured use, ensuring that every child has a school uniform, each village has a primary health clinic, and every elder can access nutrition packages,” he urged. The head of the Osun Islamic Society, Sheikh Saheedul M. Al‑Shipri, expressed his admiration for the governor’s gesture, saying “This is a purposeful attempt to remind us that our faith calls upon us to help those in need and to be a benefactor for society.
” In response, the Osun Society’s deputy report will present a “Public Commitment Framework” – an institutional arrangement wherein the Muslim community’s contributions are tracked against specific state programmes. Governor Adeleke closed his speech by citing the national tradition of “ornamental patience” which he believes underpins the state’s resilience: “Let us redirect this patience toward a future in which every citizen of Osun enjoys the bounty of prosperity, health, security and educational opportunity in harmony.”