Meet Ademola Adeleke: The ‘Dancing Senator’ Battling For Another Shot At Osun Governorship

From his early career as a corporate executive in the United States and Nigeria to his emergence as one of the prominent political figures in the South-West, Governor Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke of Osun State has built a political career marked by grassroots appeal, family influence and a strong connection with supporters.

Born on May 13, 1960, into the prominent Adeleke family of Ede, Osun State, Adeleke is a former senator and the current Executive Governor of Osun State, a position he assumed in November 2022. He is also widely known by the nickname “Dancing Senator.”

Early Education and Corporate Career

Adeleke began his education at Methodist Primary School in Surulere, Lagos, before continuing at Nawarudeen Primary School in Ikire, Osun State.

He later attended Seventh Day Adventist Secondary School in Ede and completed his secondary education at Ede Muslim Grammar School, also in Ede.

Adeleke subsequently travelled to the United States for further studies, attending Jacksonville State University in Alabama before earning a degree from Atlanta Metropolitan State College in Georgia.

Before venturing fully into politics, he built considerable experience in the private sector, working in both the United States and Nigeria.

Between 1985 and 1989, Adeleke worked as a service contractor with Quicksilver Courier Company in Atlanta, Georgia. He later became Vice President of Origin International LLC, a flavours and fragrance manufacturing company based in Atlanta, where he served from 1990 to 1994.

After returning to Nigeria, he joined Guinness Nigeria Plc as an Executive Director, a position he held from 1992 to 1999. During his time at the company, he worked alongside prominent corporate figures, including General Theophilus Danjuma.

He subsequently served as Group Executive Director of his family-owned conglomerate, Pacific Holdings Limited, from 2001 to 2016.

Political Entry and Legislative Career

Adeleke’s involvement in active politics began in 2001 alongside his elder brother, the late Senator Isiaka Adeleke, who was the first civilian governor of Osun State.

Following Isiaka Adeleke’s death in April 2017, Ademola Adeleke became increasingly active in politics.

He was initially a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) but defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in April 2017 following a disagreement over the party’s primary process.

Running on the PDP platform, Adeleke won the July 2017 Osun West Senatorial District by-election, subsequently serving in the 8th National Assembly until 2019.

2018 Governorship Contest and 2022 Victory

Adeleke first contested the Osun governorship in 2018 after emerging as the PDP candidate following a closely fought primary in which he defeated Akin Ogunbiyi by seven votes.

In the September 22, 2018 governorship election, Adeleke faced APC candidate Gboyega Oyetola and Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate Iyiola Omisore.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the initial election inconclusive, leading to a rerun on September 27, 2018. Oyetola was subsequently declared the winner.

Adeleke rejected the result and described the rerun as a political coup.

Although the Election Petition Tribunal in Abuja declared Adeleke the winner in March 2019, the Supreme Court eventually upheld Oyetola’s victory in July 2019.

Adeleke, however, returned to the race in the July 16, 2022 governorship election.

Again contesting under the PDP, he defeated the incumbent Oyetola, securing 402,979 votes against Oyetola’s 375,077 votes.

Adeleke won in 17 of Osun State’s 30 Local Government Areas, including key areas such as Osogbo, Ede South, Olorunda and Ila.

Certificate Controversy and the ‘Dancing Senator’ Brand

Adeleke’s political journey has also been accompanied by controversy.

Ahead of the 2018 governorship election, opposition figures accused him of certificate forgery, alleging that he falsified his WAEC results and academic records.

A case was subsequently filed before the High Court in Osogbo seeking his disqualification from the election. However, the suit was eventually dismissed after the allegations could not be established in court.

Beyond the political controversies, Adeleke became widely recognised for his energetic dance moves at political rallies, campaign events and family celebrations.

His opponents initially used videos of his dancing on social media to question his seriousness as a politician. Adeleke, however, embraced the “Dancing Senator” label and turned it into a distinctive political brand that helped endear him to many young people and grassroots supporters.

Family Life and Re-election Bid

Governor Adeleke is married to Mrs Titilola Adeleke, and the couple have three children: Adebayo Adeleke, popularly known as musician B-Red; Shina Adeleke, known as Shina Rambo; and Nike Adeleke.

He is also the uncle of Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido.

Ahead of the August 2026 Osun State governorship election, Adeleke is seeking re-election under the platform of the Accord Party.

His campaign is focused on the achievements of his administration in areas including infrastructure, civil service welfare, healthcare and local economic development.