“They Called Him Jackson Because Of His Dancing Skills”- Osun First Lady Reveals Intimate Secrets About Husband
- By Metropolix ~
- August 16, 2026 --
- 0 Comment
— Gov. Adeleke and wife
The Osun First lady lived in the South West for the first time as a youth corp member serving with the now defunct Societe Generale Bank, having schooled up to Masters level in the East.
As fate would have it, she was retained at the bank’s Dugbe, Ibadan branch and went on to work almost 23 years in the banking industry leaving only in 2018 to support her husband’s political career.
The transition for her, was not too difficult.
“I miss banking, but what would you have me do? I like being up and doing, facing challenges. A lot was demanded of one, which is the situation I find myself in now. As wife of governor, every time it’s people’s requests, meetings here and there, traveling which I also like. I like meeting people and new things everyday so this situation ushers in a new opportunity. I love helping the downtrodden and being wife of governor has thrown me in the middle of it. Women, widows, people living with disability, so many people to take care of, think of. It gives me joy and happiness”.
Her Foundation, Esther Adeleke Foundation, was born out of her challenge in having a child when she got married, drawing her into looking for motherless babies to seek the face of God. According to her, in fact it worked.
“Before I touched my salary, I would first credit SOS’s account. From time to time I would gather my friends, go and visit them with materials, foodstuffs and so forth. When my baby clocked one year I told His Excellency that my spirit tells me to go and celebrate her birthday with the children there. A lot of friends refused to come. I had to call all the friends I met in the course of looking for a baby, going from one hospital to another. These children’s faces bring luck. Majority of them that came got their blessing. I recommended them to so many people. When you take up motherless babies, pray along with them they will pray for you”.
She revealed to Vanguard that she coped the same way in the political terrain as she coped when working as a banker, adding that banking was even more demanding.
“In banking, because then you would sometimes wake up at 4 to dress up and face the road at 6 and sometimes you come back late; but now, yes there are all kinds of back and forth, traveling, but not too much of what I cannot handle”.
Like many Nigerians before now, her experience with intertribal marriage has been quite interesting as someone who loves challenges.
“I don’t know for others but for me, it has been happy moments everyday. I open my mind to learning their own way of doing things. The only thing I have not learned is how to swallow amala. I cannot stand that one they call ewedu, even the one in my place not to talk of the one made with broom. As for pounded yam, I love it”.
She has equally fallen in love with the owambe culture with parties on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
“The beautiful thing is that when you have a party to plan, even your enemy will buy souvenir. We will do the party, enjoy ourselves, then when we go back home we can continue. Everyone will forget their problems. When I used to work in Lagos Island, they would block the road”.
“I so much love the culture generally and they embraced me even before my husband dreamed of becoming a governor. All the women would rush to the car before I come down and surround the car, sing for me, hug me. After becoming the governor’s wife you can imagine how it escalated. Even when I can’t understand, they would sing for me and I would dance. I would ask them what they are saying and they would tell me. I know they cannot say anything bad”.
“I have a welcoming attitude. My father told my husband, “I’m allowing this my daughter to marry you because I know she has a good character”. I am enjoying every bit of it”.
The question most people want to ask is, what is it about the Adelekes and women from the South East? The First Lady has a bird’s eye view.
“Their mother, Esther Nnenna Adeleke is from Abia State. My husband and siblings were all born and bred in Enugu, their father used to work at the military hospital in Enugu. All the extended family were all in Enugu at one time. They all speak Igbo like Igbo people. You will definitely identify with the root of your mother. Their daughters are allowed to marry from anywhere. In Adeleke family, anywhere you find your happiness, go there. They don’t restrict their children wether boys or girls. For them, it’s a free world”.
Her husband’s reputation as “the dancing governor”, far from being embarrassing, is something she embraces with pride.
Source Vanguard Newspaper
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