Dear Governor Ademola Adeleke Nurudeen Jackson,
Aburo Baba Olowo, Uncle Omo Baba Olowo,
Let me begin by acknowledging your recent transition from dancing to governance. The media has been abuzz with news of your N150+ billion infrastructural bond projects, a move that, on the surface, appears to be a step in the right direction for Osun State. However, beneath the glossy headlines lies a troubling reality that demands urgent attention.
Your Excellency, your 2025 infrastructural budget of N159,156,392,674.20 has raised more than a few eyebrows. While infrastructure development is crucial for any state, the figures attached to some of these projects are nothing short of alarming. For instance, the renovation of four classroom buildings at Agboran School of Science, Ede South, is pegged at a staggering N200,019,700.00. Let that sink in. If renovating four classrooms costs N200 million, how much would building four new classrooms cost? A billion naira? This is not just questionable; it is an outright insult to the intelligence of Osun indigenes.
And then there’s the N5 billion earmarked for solar lighting and beautification of major roads and roundabouts in the state capital. While beautification is commendable, one cannot help but wonder if this is a priority for a state still grappling with debt and low internally generated revenue (IGR). Is this the best use of scarce resources? Or is it simply a smokescreen for inflating contracts and lining pockets?
Governor Adeleke, your administration’s penchant for awarding contracts at inflated rates is becoming too glaring to ignore. Take, for example, the proposed N8 billion for a single bridge. In a state like Osun, which generates minimal IGR and is still recovering from years of debt, such figures are not just excessive—they are reckless. This is not governance; it is broad-daylight looting.
Your Excellency, if you were a student of history, you would know that the path you are treading is eerily similar to the missteps of the past. During the PDP’s 16-year reign at the federal level, despite an economic boom, little was achieved with the abundant resources at their disposal. They squandered opportunities, failed to save for rainy days, and left the country in a state of disrepair. Today, your administration seems to be following in those same footsteps, doing what your party is known for: lavish spending with little to show for it.
Let us not forget the lessons of history. When your elder brother, Isiaka Adeleke, was governor of Osun State in 1992-1993, he misstepped and was later arrested by the Abacha government for embezzlement. Thirty-two years later, you seem to be toeing the same path. What if there is no second term to cover your tracks? What if the EFCC comes knocking? Your advisers, who are now singing your praises, will desert you faster than you can say “New Dundee.”
Though I know your supporters would react to this with claims of you and your brother being rich enough to feed all Osun indigenes and how your family developed Ede. But today is another day to warn them to tone it down. The Ede your family has been developing since the time of your father as a senator is worse than the Imota LCDA, Ikorodu North LCDA, Badagry LGA, and other towns in Lagos, which you can testify to—or should I say, which is the reason you choose Lagos over Osun anyway.
Take a lesson from your certificate forgery scandal. How many of them were quizzed with you? How many of them got detained with you?
Your Excellency, I urge you to retrace your steps. Osun State is not your personal ATM. The poorest of the poor, who have no other place to call home, are counting on you to deliver good governance, not shenanigans. For the sake of posterity, shelve these inflated contracts, prioritize transparency, and focus on projects that truly benefit the people.
It is also important to acknowledge that the presidency under Tinubu has done well by ensuring states get three times what their predecessors used to get. However, this should not be an excuse for reckless spending. Prudence should be the watchword.
The people of Osun deserve better. They deserve a government that works for them, not against them. They deserve a leader who prioritizes their welfare over personal gain. Governor Adeleke, the choice is yours: Will you be remembered as a leader who uplifted Osun or as another politician who milked it dry?
Oluwatosin Arike Daniels-Afolayan
Elekihan’s Compound, Isedo 1
Ila-Orangun, Osun State, Nigeria
