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For decades, the Osogbo–Ede boundary dispute has remained one of Osun State’s most contentious and politically sensitive issues, fuelling communal tensions, legal debates and recurring electoral controversies.
Successive governments have struggled to resolve the competing territorial claims, while politicians have frequently turned the age-long disagreement into a campaign issue rather than a catalyst for lasting solutions.
But Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and public policy advocate, Kunle Rasheed Adegoke, popularly known as KRAD, believes the conversation has been asking the wrong question all along.
Instead of dwelling on where one community ends and another begins, he argues that government should pursue transformational development that seamlessly integrates both cities, making the boundary itself largely insignificant.
Anchored on his proposed Osun Capital Territory Development Scheme, Adegoke envisions a modern metropolitan corridor where infrastructure, economic opportunities and coordinated urban planning replace rivalry with shared prosperity.
He insists the proposal is firmly rooted in constitutional principles and could serve as a blueprint for accelerating Osun State’s economic growth while fostering unity among its people.
In this interview, Adegoke explains the philosophy behind his ambitious initiative, addresses the constitutional issues surrounding the boundary dispute and outlines why he believes metropolitan governance not endless territorial contestation, offers the most sustainable path to peace, development and prosperity for Osun State.
What’s your position on the Osogbo–Ede boundary dispute? Instead of focusing on that, you introduced the Osun Capital Territory Development Scheme. Why?
Because the way the boundary question is traditionally framed is fundamentally flawed. It creates a zero-sum situation where one community is expected to win and another to lose. That may serve political interests, but it does not serve the interests of development.
My position then and now is straightforward: the best government policy is one that promotes development so comprehensively that boundaries cease to matter. Across the world, successful cities grow through integration, not isolation.
Rather than debating ownership of every parcel of land, why not create a metropolitan economy in which Osogbo, Ede and neighbouring communities prosper together? Development should unite people, not divide them.
You often cite Lagos and Ibadan as examples. Critics might argue that Lagos, in particular, is a megacity with enormous resources and internally generated revenue. Is that comparison realistic?
The comparison is not about matching Lagos pound for pound in terms of revenue. It is about understanding the principles that drive successful urban development.
Today, most people hardly notice the boundaries between Ikeja and Agege, or between Isolo and Ejigbo. Yet those boundaries still exist administratively. What has changed is that economic growth, transportation networks, commercial activity and residential expansion have effectively integrated those areas into a single urban ecosystem.
The same process occurred in Greater Ibadan as development expanded into surrounding districts. Roads, commerce and human movement gradually dissolved artificial divisions.
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The Osun Capital Territory is based on the same principle. With proper planning and execution, it has the potential to become the third-largest integrated urban centre in South-West Nigeria after Lagos and Ibadan by 2040. The population is there, the location is strategic, and the opportunities are substantial. What has been lacking is a coherent metropolitan vision.
You have proposed a Capital Territory comprising Osogbo, Olorunda, Ede North, Ede South, Egbedore, Boripe, Orolu, Irepodun and Ifelodun. How would such a structure operate without creating another layer of bureaucracy?
The model is designed around coordination, not bureaucracy. At present, local governments often pursue projects in isolation. One council may construct a road that ends abruptly at the boundary of another because there is no overarching development framework. The result is fragmentation, inefficiency and waste.
Under the Capital Territory model, large-scale infrastructure and regional planning would be coordinated centrally. This includes transportation corridors, industrial zones, water infrastructure, environmental management and other strategic projects that naturally cut across local government boundaries.
The individual local governments would continue to manage grassroots administration and community services. The objective is to reduce duplication, improve efficiency and provide investors with a single, integrated economic region rather than a patchwork of disconnected jurisdictions.
Given your legal background, some may question whether such a structure would conflict with the constitutional powers of local governments under Section 7 and the Fourth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution. How do you address those concerns?
There is no constitutional conflict if the framework is properly designed. The proposal does not seek to abolish or replace local governments. Rather, it creates a platform for collaboration among them. Similar arrangements already exist in different forms across the country, where development authorities operate alongside constitutionally recognised local councils.
The enabling law would be enacted by the Osun State House of Assembly and would establish a Joint Governance Council comprising representatives of all constituent local governments. The elected chairmen of the participating councils would serve as statutory members.
Strategic infrastructure projects, such as regional highways, transportation systems or waste-to-energy facilities would be coordinated through the commission. Meanwhile, responsibilities such as market administration, primary healthcare, sanitation and other local services would remain with the respective local governments. In essence, it is a partnership model designed to improve coordination, not diminish local autonomy.
Some critics may argue that the proposal is politically convenient because it appeals simultaneously to both Osogbo and Ede. How would you persuade residents that this is more than a political idea?
The strongest argument is the practical benefit it would deliver. If a resident of Ede can board a reliable municipal transport service and reach an industrial hub in Olorunda within minutes, the value of integration becomes obvious. If a trader in Osogbo can access a larger regional market without unnecessary administrative barriers or multiple layers of taxation, that is a tangible improvement in quality of life.
People ultimately judge policies by outcomes, not rhetoric. The politics of division thrives when communities compete over limited opportunities. Shared prosperity, on the other hand, creates incentives for cooperation.
The real question before Osun today is whether we want to remain trapped by inherited rivalries or embrace a development model capable of creating jobs, attracting investment and improving living standards across the region.
That is what the Osun Capital Territory thesis seeks to achieve. It is not simply a proposal for administrative reform; it is a vision for a modern metropolitan region where prosperity, rather than boundaries, defines the relationship between neighbouring communities.
