Due to his love for sensuous dance styles/steps, and being a man for that matter, not many Nigerians take his political ambition seriously. Yet, many enjoy, to date, his dance skills with which he electrifies social events, religious houses engagements and more importantly political campaign grounds. From the moment he stepped into the shoes of his late brother, Senator Isiaka Adeleke in 2017, his nickname, dancing senator, for good or bad, has been on the lips of everyone across the country.
So far a successful politician and social media celebrity, Adeleke’s life trajectory will remain a dazzling one for a long time to come.
Senator Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke, the governor-elect of Osun State is definitely a moment. He was declared winner of the July 16 governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Adeleke polled a total of 403,371 votes in Saturday’s election culminating into his being declared winner at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) collation office in Osogbo in the early hours of Sunday.
The governor-elect had lost the 2018 election to Governor Adegboyega Oyetola but returned four years later to unseat the incumbent who garnered 375, 027 votes in the election.
Adeleke won 17 Local Government Areas while Oyetola secured victory in 13. Despite the fact that 15 political parties partook in the exercise, it was a two-horse race between the PDP and APC.
PDP is now in control of another South West State, having won Oyo in the 2019 elections.
Ademola Adeleke was born on May 13, 1960, in Enugu. He commenced his primary education at Methodist Primary School, Surulere, Lagos State. His parents brought him to Old Oyo State where he attended Nawarudeen Primary School, Ikire.
He progressed to The Seventh Day Adventist Secondary School, Ede, also in the then Old Oyo State and later moved to Ede Muslim Grammar School, Ede, where he finished his secondary school education before relocating to the United States.
Adeleke started higher studies at Jacksonville State University, Alabama in the United States where he majored in criminal justice and with minor in political science.
After many controversies surrounding his educational qualification, he reportedly went back to school and got enrolled at Atlanta Metropolitan State College in the United States, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice in 2021.
He was speculated to have won the 2018 governorship election that was declared inconclusive by INEC which paved the way for the ruling APC to restrategize and woo the National Secretary of the party, Chief Iyiola Omisore who was then in the SDP to his side.
Millions are watching and waiting to see if Adeleke will be able to inject the desired seriousness into the governance of Osun state. Time shall tell!
