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It is no longer news that Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, loves to dance.
Long before he became governor, the former senator had built a public image around his energetic dance steps, a passion he says dates back to his student days in the United States, where friends nicknamed him “Jackson” because of his resemblance, in dance style, to the legendary Michael Jackson.
Years later, despite occupying one of the highest political offices in the state, Adeleke has shown no sign of abandoning the hobby that has earned him the enduring sobriquet, “the Dancing Governor.”
“I won awards to that effect. Dancing has always been my hobby. I dance a lot,” he once said while recalling his days as a student in America.
Perhaps some people assumed that becoming a governor would automatically suppress that passion. It did not.
As a senator, colleagues, associates and supporters called him “the Dancing Senator.” As governor, he is widely known as “the Dancing Governor.”
He dances at project sites, during inauguration and project commissioning ceremonies, in churches, and at public events where he often joins in singing and leading choruses.
It is also well known that award-winning Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, is his nephew, while hip-hop artiste B-Red is his son. Entertainment clearly runs in the Adeleke family.
History is full of leaders who danced, sang, celebrated and mingled with their people.
The Biblical King David was known for exuberant dancing. Ancient rulers were patrons and practitioners of music and performance.
In Nigeria, former President Olusegun Obasanjo danced publicly, former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel danced, and former President Goodluck Jonathan danced frequently during political events.
Politicians are often seen dancing during campaigns and other events.
Federal Capital Territory minister Nyesom Wike, for instance, dances occasionally
but, Adeleke dances both in and out of season.
He has long explained that it is a personal passion, one that has survived the transition from private citizen to governor.
Many still recall how former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo once mocked him shortly after Adeleke lost the Osun governorship case at the Supreme Court in 2019.
“There is this particular guy in Osun who thought he could just dance his way to Government House,” Osinbajo reportedly said.
The target of the remark was obvious. Yet the then vice president saw nothing wrong with the TraderMoni cash-disbursement programme introduced shortly before the election, despite public concerns about its electoral implications.
Adeleke accepted the Supreme Court verdict calmly, continued dancing, and prepared for another electoral contest. When Osun voters returned to the polls, he defeated the incumbent.
Now another election is around the corner, and criticism and trolling have intensified. Critics argue that dancing is beneath the dignity of a governor. But an important question remains: are Osun people themselves complaining?
Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo has become the latest prominent critic. He recently mocked Adeleke for dancing too often and urged Osun voters to remove him just as, according to him, Edo voters removed former Governor Godwin Obaseki after eight years in office.
“He is always dancing. Before he signs paper, he will dance. Before he eats breakfast, he will dance. Before he enters a plane to a governors’ meeting, he will dance. By the time he arrives, the meeting has ended. He is not aware of anything. He is Obaseki’s friend. I want you to throw him out the way Edo people threw out Obaseki,” Okpebholo told a crowd of supporters in Osogbo.
Obaseki served two terms totaling eight years before his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, lost to the All Progressives Congress. That was the context in which Okpebholo described Obaseki’s exit from power.
Okpebholo also advised voters to collect any money offered to them during the election while voting against the incumbent.
The comments generated reactions.
Journalist Rufai Oseni remarked that perhaps Okpebholo was jealous of Adeleke’s dancing skills.
Another commentator, Ayo Mario-Ese, argued that the issue should not be whether a governor dances but whether he performs.
“If Osun people have issues with that, they will speak through the ballot. Has he performed? Are the people happy with him? Is dancing against the laws of Osun State or Nigeria? Why major on trivialities?
” It is also wrong to encourage vote trading,” she said.
Popular social critic Odalo Links also questioned why the Edo governor left his state for Osun to make such remarks.
“He went to Osun with his hailers and publicly mocked Governor Adeleke for dancing. He even stepped up with insults and very crude words. If another governor from the opposition lands in Benin City and made similar comments, how would he react? Political leaders should allow emotional intelligence to guide their actions. As for all other public office holders and their supporters who alway insult political opponents, there is life after politics and everyone will ultimately be judged by their conduct,” he said.
A few hours after Okpebholo’s remarks, Adeleke appeared with Davido and others at a campaign rally dancing vigorously to Davido’s song “Them Go Feel It.”
To supporters, it reinforced his familiar “I don’t care” attitude toward critics.
The real questions therefore remain unchanged: Has he broken any law? Has he performed creditably as governor? Has he governed well enough to deserve another term? If the answer to the last question is yes, should voters reject him merely because he dances publicly?
Only the electorate can answer that.
Meanwhile, Davido has not allowed Okpebholo’s criticism to pass unanswered. He uploaded his West African School Certificate result online, triggering fresh debate about academic records and leadership qualifications.
Publisher and politician Dele Momodu has also entered the conversation, warning Adeleke to “shine his eyes.” Momodu urged him not to assume that the Independent National Electoral Commission would necessarily be fair and advised him to mobilise supporters not only to vote but also to protect their votes.
Davido, on his part, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to remain neutral and has publicly threatened to report any electoral manipulation to former United States President Donald Trump.
Whether such an appeal carries any practical weight is another matter entirely, since foreign leaders cannot police Nigerian elections beyond diplomatic pressure such as visa restrictions or public statements.
All eyes are now on Osun State. Will voters reject Ademola Adeleke because he dances too much, or will they judge him primarily by his performance in office? Time will tell.
For now, crowds still appear energised whenever he dances before them.
Many Nigerians also believe political leaders should lower the temperature of the contest. Supporters note that Adeleke has not publicly objected to political visitors entering Osun for campaign activities and has not responded in kind to every criticism directed at him.
In a season already charged with tension, perhaps all sides would do better to focus less on dance steps and more on governance, policy and the will of the people.
That, ultimately, is the question before Osun voters: not whether their governor dances, but whether he has earned another mandate through his performance in office.