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By Oladele Bamiji
In April 2017, when the sudden demise of the first civilian Governor of Osun State, Late Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, beclouded the popular Adeleke family of Ede like a thick, dark smoke, it seemed like the end of the political channel through which the wealthy and philanthropic family served the people. The sting of death was brutal, and it was heavy.
The charismatic late leader was halfway through his term as a Senator of the Federal Republic before he was taken away by the supernatural force of death. That fate-beyond the family or any human charter- passed the baton of service to the now Governor of Osun State and younger sibling of the late civilian Governor, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke.
A man with the heart of a warrior and the power of conquest running in his veins, a true heir of the military wing of the Agbale traditional institution, the baton did not come easy. He was denied the ticket for the bye-election to serve out his brother’s tenure under the APC. That decision has since turned into a recurrent albatross for the APC.
The then opposition Peoples Democratic Party smartly latched onto the wild card, and the rest became history. Senator Ademola Adeleke defeated the then incumbent party candidate, Mudashiru Hussein, in nine of the ten Local Governments making up the Osun West Senatorial District. It was a feat that shook not only the electoral landscape of Osun State but also that of the entire country.
The assumption of office by Senator Ademola Adeleke as Senator of the Federal Republic heralded a new chapter in the unbreakable chain of service in the Adeleke dynasty. A look-alike of the former Senator, he quickly shrugged off the dark smoke of mourning and got down to the business of filling the big shoes ahead. He wasn’t oblivious of the high expectations- and Senator Ademola Adeleke did not disappoint.
The new sheriff did not only ascend the seat of his late brother in the political front, but he was also rightly pronounced the new president of the Adeleke Dynasty. A big shoe again, but a fitting one.
In no time, the younger Adeleke began to shine like the star he is. He facilitated numerous school rehabilitation projects as well as community electrification projects in Iwo, Ofatedo, Ikire, Ede, and more. He provided a giant-size Mikano power generator for the butchers’ association in Iwo, bringing succor and boosting their age-long trade in the ancient town. He offered scholarships to hundreds of indigent students of Osun West and beyond- many of whom are now proud graduates in various disciplines, set on solid footing to live their dreams. The younger Adeleke had indeed learned the ropes of service.
During his tenure at the National Assembly, another clarion call beckoned. Though initially reluctant, the fate of service led him to rise to the challenge-the off-season 2018 governorship election in Osun. A rough challenge on many fronts!
The new giant ran against all odds. He was lured into the ring but suddenly starved of technical support. He ran against a whirlwind of betrayals. Ademola Adeleke challenged the unwritten political laws of gravity and won the PDP primaries by dint of resilience, impeccable integrity, and the personal convictions of an army of party delegates, who rose beyond the commanding altitude of the vicious generals.
As the party’s media supremo at the time, my account is incontrovertible. I knew how things panned out. I was handed specific instructions on the sudden shift by maneuvering forces within the party-but I chose to stand by my immediate boss, then-state PRO of the party, Hon Sunday Bisi, who stood out as the only ‘stubborn General’. He refused to defect from his conscience, having pledged his support to the now Governor Ademola Adeleke. The intrigues are an interesting story for another day.
The 2018 drama, which saw Governor Ademola Adeleke ‘divinely’ rigged out, is already written into the consciousness of Nigerians-and that singular act did one thing: it raised the political consciousness of Nigerians, especially the good people of Osun State.
Undeterred and more combat-ready, after reloading himself with more academic credentials during the timeout imposed by the 2018 experience, the same people of Osun came out again in 2022. This time, they reestablished their authority-louder and more emphatic. The voting pattern was so massive, it swallowed up all mapped rigging machinations. It was a sweet victory for Governor Nurudeen, the Light Bearer, the big man of faith, led on by divine fate.
Next came the challenge: navigating a state already left in ruins.
The ruins of hundreds of billions of unproductive debts left unpaid.
The ruins of a battered public service, where workers had lost their appetite for service, through no fault of theirs.
Living with unpaid wages of over 30 months could have depressed even an angel. Many were downgraded without being able to raise a finger. Their tears meant nothing to the authoritarians.
The economy was down. The balance sheets were red.
The state had become notorious for daylight shootings. Dissenting voices were silenced, with only a few making it to the podium of history. Barrister Alimi, the current Commissioner for Information, barely escaped one of those gruesome encounters at the popular Aregbe House. He is a living testimony of light at the end of that dark tunnel. We were lucky too.
Governor Nurudeen, the Light Bearer, assumed office on November 27, 2022.
He came in with the heart of a lion, poised to reclaim the state for its people from the grip of daredevil devourers.
Confronted with stiff resistance, he surged forward like a man of faith, sent to brighten the dark spots of the state.
And the man brought light!
He brought water with his immediate intervention in the water sector—in a state named after water but lacking water to drink. That initial intervention of sinking over 300 motorized boreholes now serves a wide range of our people. Need to mention that other water projects in Ila, iwo and ora had also received definit attention of government, some of which are now up and running. That is Nurudeen, illuminating the water sector!
He reformed the public service without an iota of discrimination.
Long-serving, qualified workers now occupy their rightful positions without lobbying. That intervention restored confidence in the system and boosted productivity. That is Governor Nurudeen, reforming the civil service!
He committed -legally and morally, to paying the backlog of salaries left behind by the uncaring APC administration. These humongous unpaid wages, running into billions, were on the verge of being written off as free sweat of by the innocent workers. His intervention revived financial stability and increased the purchasing power of the state workforce, the backbone of the state economy.
That’s the definition of real light!
Governor Nurudeen, the Light Bearer, has also significantly expanded the state’s infrastructure. There are now flyovers in Osogbo and Ile-Ife.
There are dual carriageways in Osogbo, Ede, Ilesa, with Iwo next in line.
Strategic roads are being reconstructed across all 30 local governments, over 90% of which are already completed.
Over 200 primary healthcare facilities have been rehabilitated to WHO standards. With Dr Akindele Adekunle, Honorable Special Adviser on Public Health, delivering His Excellency’s directive-healthcare is now within the reach of all, as expected by global development standards for 2025 and beyond.
He faced the pensioners’ plight head-on, committing over 50 billion naira to settle long-overdue pensions. He also enrolled them in a free healthcare scheme through the state health insurance agency, where they can access free medicare anywhere in the country.
How else could Governor Nurudeen bring light to lighten the hearts of our aged fathers and mothers?
Education is rising again. From a criminal 33rd in national rankings, Osun now stands at 7th. Tutors and education managers now work in more conducive environments, with improved facilities. The university of Ilesa was given life, away from the votes raking tricks of the sacked Apc government. Uniosun is faring better too, with many physical facilities approved and implemented for the institution. It can only get better with Governor Nurudeen’s touch.
The agricultural revolution is also taking shape. Tractors are on the farms, and a bumper harvest is expected. More incentives are coming, especially for the youth, whose energy will be key in driving this transformation.
So many achievements remain unmentioned—but the evidence is as clear as a ray of light, all within slightly over 2years of Governor Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke
How else can I celebrate a man of courage,
A man of vision,
A leader of men,
A Light of Faith,
A Fate of Service!
Happy Birthday, Your Excellency, Governor Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke!
Hezekiah Oladele Bamiji (HOB), Senior Special Assistant on Media to Governor Ademola Adeleke
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