Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, opened up about his aspirations beyond politics, revealing a childhood dream to pursue a career in music instead.
Affectionately known as the ‘Dancing Governor’ owing to his lively dance moves often shared widely on social media, Adeleke disclosed that his initial desire to become a musician was discouraged by his father, steering him towards a political path.
Renowned as the uncle of Nigerian music sensation, David Adeleke (popularly known as Davido), the governor’s spirited dance routines became a focal point during his gubernatorial campaign. Critics questioned his suitability for governance based on this aspect, while supporters viewed it as a sign of his approachability.
In a recent interview on ARISE TV, the 63-year-old politician reminisced about his passion for music from an early age, emphasizing that if not for familial guidance, he would have pursued a career in the music industry instead.
He said, “Actually, I was supposed to be a musician right away. But my father, when we were growing up in the sixties, didn’t allow it. They didn’t believe that somebody should go and do music. They just wanted you to go to school. So he discouraged me. But I know that I have that talent. It’s the talent I passed on to my nephew and my son.
“If you play music now, I don’t know how, I would just start dancing. My body would just start moving without knowing it.
“I got to America in 1981. The name of my school that time in Alabama was Jacksonville State University. It was in the countryside. At that time, the school was having their anniversary, a lot of activities were happening there. So I picked the dancing part. So, after the stages, we got to the finals.
“So to cut the long story short, I won. I remember vividly, the president of our school was trying to pronounce my name – Ademola Adeleke – he called me Jackson. And at that time Michael Jackson was reigning. So that’s how I got the name Jackson.”
