THE OSUN IDENTITY: What Motivates Us To Stand Out.
The Government of the State of Osun understands the need for people to know their identity. This shows where you are coming from and your rich heritage. It gives citizens a sense of value, lift their social psyche and motivates them to be patriotic and conduct themselves in a manner expected of worthy citizens
The state was branded and given a new identity. This includes a coat of arms, state flag and anthem.
The Coat of Arms
The two elephants in the Coat of Arms symbolises strength, service and humility. The brown colour emphasises the unity of our skin and the soil. A clear testimony that we own the earth. The cocoa tree symbolises agriculture and the natural resources of the land. The Y on the shield represents River Niger and Benue which symbolise the link between the State of Osun and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The lion stands for Yoruba nobility, dignity and courage while its cushion of ferns represents the traditional lair of an African Lion and the richness of our land.The two symbols of the Chief’s sword (Ida) and The Mace embody the spirit and purpose of Osun. The Sword is the symbol of the Obas while the Mace is the symbol of the Legislative Arm of Government and the power of the common people as expressed by their elected representative.
The Ori Olokun stands for the common origin of the Yoruba and their dexterity in technology, while the garland surrounding it symbolises chivalry and triumph. The Timber represents the vegetation as a rain forest zone. The Indigo colour (Aro) of the upper part of the shield symbolises the common Adire wear in Yorubaland while the Ruby Red colour (Alaari) of the lower part of the shield signifies nobility.
The Motto; Liberty & Service shows this are guaranteed for the people by the government while Justice is moral rightness based on fairness and equity to all irrespective of their status, gender or religion.
The Flag
The seven cowries represent the seven grandsons of Olofin Oduduwa. Their military valour, diplomatic dexterity and trade mastery created wealth and resulted in their expansive kingdom. The Brown Colour represents the colour of the earth and tone of the skin.
The Ori Olokun stands for the common origin of the Yoruba and their dexterity in technology. The Colour Band which is the Pan-African flag consists of official colours of the African race: the colour red represents the blood bond among Africans.
The colour black depicts the existence of the black race; the colour green denotes the abundance of wealth on the continent of Africa; The gold depicts the abundant mineral resources of Africa.
The Anthem
YorubaIse wa fun ile wa |
EnglishThere is work for us to do |
To listen to how the anthem is sung and to read more about the State of Osun , visit www.osun.gov.ng