Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has launched a free health insurance scheme for traditional rulers and their spouses, describing the initiative as part of his administration’s drive to expand access to affordable and quality healthcare across the state.
The governor formally flagged off the programme on Tuesday in Osogbo during the inauguration of the newly completed Osun Health Insurance Multipurpose Hall, where he also presented symbolic health insurance cards to traditional rulers.
Adeleke said the initiative reflected his administration’s commitment to ensuring that residents, including traditional institutions, have access to quality healthcare without financial hardship.
“The free enrolment initiative is another bold step by our administration to ensure that traditional rulers and their queens enjoy access. We are determined to provide qualitative healthcare services without financial hardship, in line with the government’s people-centred health policy.
“Our administration has delivered across the sectors: over 300 kilometres of roads, over 200 rehabilitated primary care centres, over 150 rehabilitated schools, ongoing payments of salary debt and pensions, almost N2bn for cooperative financing, new tractors and farm inputs for farmers, ongoing five star stadium, and so many other deliveries of good governance. Our administration has done well; we deserve to be re-elected,” the governor said.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of the Osun Health Insurance Agency (OHIA), Dr Rasaq Akindele, said enrolling traditional rulers and their wives in the scheme was designed to strengthen public confidence in health insurance and promote wider participation at the grassroots.
He described the programme as a strategic intervention aimed at increasing community ownership of the scheme through the influence of traditional institutions.
“It is a deliberate strategy to deepen community ownership and acceptance of the Scheme. Across our State, Royal Fathers are the custodians of our culture, the gatekeepers of our communities and trusted voices whose influence transcends social, political and religious divides.
“By enrolling them into the Scheme, we are not only recognizing their invaluable contributions to community development but also empowering them to serve as ambassadors and advocates for social health insurance at the grassroots.
“Their personal experience with the Scheme will undoubtedly inspire confidence among their subjects, encourage voluntary enrolment and reinforce the message that health insurance is a reliable and sustainable means of accessing quality healthcare.”
The initiative follows the state government’s approval for the enrolment of traditional rulers and their spouses into the Osun State Health Insurance Scheme.
According to the agency, arrangements have been concluded for officials to begin visits to the palaces of traditional rulers for registration and enrolment from Wednesday, May 20, 2026, with the exercise scheduled to last two weeks.
The agency said the programme reflects the Adeleke administration’s commitment to making healthcare accessible, affordable and available to all residents of the state, irrespective of their social status or background.
