Adeleke Reveals Why He Went Back To School After Losing 2018 Governorship Election

The Governor of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke has advised Nigerians not to let age deter them from pursuing their educational aspirations.

He disclosed that completing his education was a prerequisite for him to receive support for his 2022 run for governor.

The governor shared his views during the combined 9th undergraduate and 5th postgraduate convocation ceremonies of Adeleke University in Ede, Osun State.

The university honoured 75 postgraduate and 537 undergraduate students with various degrees during the Sunday event.

Adeleke revealed that he endured intense personal attacks and assaults after losing the 2018 governorship election.

To escape these attacks and fulfil the education requirement for his political ambition, set by his elder brother Dr Deji Adeleke, he left the country to complete his degree program.

He said, “Dr Tajudeen Adeleke encouraged me to move ahead. Before I went into exile, he called me to a meeting where we discussed. He told me that I should look at what I have been subjected to, by those saying I was not educated. He advised me that I should go to America for studies.

“He said the only thing I can do for Osun people if I am ready to be governor is that I must get educated, I must complete my education, and without completing it, I should forget my governorship ambition.

“At my age then, I successfully re-enrolled and completed my degree programme. I am proud of that achievement and I thank my family and friends for their total support. I came back to re-contest in 2022 as a brand-new graduate. The rest is now history. What is the lesson? Our age must never be a barrier to educational pursuit. What we need is commitment and passion to succeed.”

The founder of Adeleke University,
Dr Deji Adeleke urged Nigerians to take an active role in improving their country.

He believes that a brighter future for Nigeria is attainable if its citizens are willing to work for it.

Dr Adeleke highlighted certain challenges that hinder the country’s progress. He recounted an incident during the 2022 Osun governorship election, where approximately 120 temporary staff from the National Youth Service Corps, assigned as electoral officers, failed to show up at their posts, causing disruption to the process.

In another example, he mentioned how components for a 1250MW power plant he was constructing in Ajebandele, Ondo State, were stolen.

Adeleke called on Nigerians to contribute positively towards nation-building rather than solely blaming those in authority.

His appeal emphasizes the need for collective effort and personal responsibility in steering the country towards development.