Osun Spent ₦1.5 Billion on Agriculture While Governor’s Office Got ₦43 Billion in 2025
• Over three years, agriculture received just ₦7.3 billion, compared to ₦86 billion spent on the Governor’s Office
By Adebayo Adedeji
The spending pattern of the Senator Ademola Adeleke administration raises serious questions about priorities in Osun State. While the people struggle with rising food prices, the state has been allocating far more resources to the comfort of the governor and his unproductive aides than to agriculture—the very sector that feeds millions.
It is absurd to note that whereas ₦7 billion was planned to be spent on agriculture and food security in 2025, the government ended up spending a ridiculous ₦1.5 billion. Meanwhile, in the same year, the Governor’s office spent ₦43 billion. This is even more disheartening considering that ₦30 billion was initially budgeted for the governor, meaning an extra ₦13 billion was spent unnecessarily to make the governor happy.
Sadly, this pattern has persisted over the last three years.
In 2023, Osun State spent only ₦2.2 billion on agriculture, even though ₦5 billion had been budgeted for the sector. In contrast, the Office of the Governor spent ₦18 billion, tripling its initial ₦6 billion allocation.
In 2024, agriculture received ₦3.6 billion, yet the Governor’s office blew ₦25 billion, nearly doubling the budgeted ₦13 billion.
What these figures mean is that since 2023, the Adeleke administration has only invested ₦7.3 billion in agriculture, while devoting ₦86 billion to sustain the luxury of the governor’s office. This is a clear lack of priority.
Given this lack of attention on Agriculture, the backbone of Osun’s food supply, Osun now suffers from the highest food prices in the South-West, making basic staples increasingly unaffordable for ordinary citizens.
When a government spends vastly more on comfort and stomach of the governor and few officials than on feeding its people, the people bear the cost. The rising food prices in Osun are a direct reflection of this neglect.
Food security should not take a back seat to luxury. In a state like Osun, the priority must be the welfare of the people, not the appetite of those in power. The current culture of spending on agriculture barely 8 per cent of what is spent to buy “food and wine” for the governor is unacceptable.
