For Ademola Adeleke, Dancing Time is Over

It is the start of something new at Osun State with the era of Governor Gboyega Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) nearing its end. Come November 2022, the governor-elect, Ademola Adeleke, will ascend the seat of authority and power to serve the good people of Osun. Despite the apparent ease with which Adeleke trumped his rivals, the time has come for him to get serious.

There is no doubt that Adeleke is the heartthrob of the people. During the just-concluded governorship elections, Adeleke rode on the coattails of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and polled 403,371 votes, while the incumbent governor, Oyetola, came in second place with 375,027 votes. With a whopping difference of 28,344 votes, Adeleke proved his mettle as the preferred candidate of the people.

But as November is a few months away, there is some pressure on Adeleke to deeply consider the position he will be occupying. If there is anything that Adeleke will be bringing to that office, it would be a gentleness characteristic of his person. After all, he is most notable for his smiling and dancing, which earned him the Dancing Senator moniker. But these are not going to cut it if he wants his people to utter his name with respect and delight.

The ball of governance is over to Adeleke and it is time for him to consider how to play it for the next four or eight years. That means developing a cabinet of progressive individuals, constructing a long-term plan for citizenry welfare and economic development, managing state resources and politics, and so on. Considering his background in politics and administration, these should not be overly daunting tasks.

So, for Adeleke, it is time to shelve the dancing shoes and put on the thinking cap.