#OsunDecides2026: What Osun residents say about Governor Adeleke’s stewardship

During the campaigns for the 2022 Osun State governorship election, Governor Ademola Adeleke repeatedly assured residents that his administration would chart a different course if elected.

Running as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he promised improved welfare, economic growth, infrastructure development and people-centred policies, arguing that Osun deserved better governance.

Addressing thousands of supporters at a rally in Osogbo on 14 May 2022, Mr Adeleke unveiled a five-point agenda as the blueprint for his administration from 2022 to 2026.

Mr Adeleke’s agenda promised improved welfare for workers and pensioners, economic expansion through business partnerships and support for enterprises, and a homegrown infrastructure policy aimed at ensuring “Osun money serves Osun people.”

The agenda also prioritised people-focused social policies centred on skill-based education, affordable healthcare, security, and social protection, alongside agro-based industrialisation to create jobs and wealth for the youth and women.

Barely two months later, he defeated the incumbent governor, Gboyega Oyetola, the All Progressive Congress (APC)’s flagbearer, in the 16 July 2022 governorship election by more than 28,000 votes.

Four years after

Nearly four years into his administration, Mr Adeleke, who was inaugurated on 27 November 2022, maintained that his government has delivered on its campaign promises.

Last month, he said his administration had recorded achievements across key sectors, including the construction of more than 300 kilometres of roads, the rehabilitation of over 200 primary healthcare centres and more than 150 public schools, as well as the continued payment of salary arrears and pension debts.

He also cited the disbursement of nearly N2 billion in cooperative financing, the provision of tractors and other farm inputs to support agricultural production, and the ongoing development of a standard stadium.

The administration had earlier, in November 2024, announced that it had cleared more than N47 billion in inherited pension liabilities within two years in office.

The government also stated that it approved the implementation of the N75,000 minimum wage for state workers as part of its commitment to improving workers’ welfare.

Mr Adeleke, who is seeking a second term under the Accord Party umbrella in Saturday’s election, said his administration fulfilled its pledge to make the University of Ilesa fully operational through the commissioning of several landmark projects.

He also pointed to investments in infrastructure at Osun State University (UNIOSUN), the advancement of the state’s ICT and digital economy agenda, and initiatives aimed at improving education and student welfare.

What Osun people say

Some residents of the South-west state, in separate interviews with PREMIUM TIMES, evaluated the government’s performance in the last three years and nine months.

While some praised the Adeleke administration for its performance, particularly in workers’ welfare, infrastructure and education, others said it fell short of their expectations in areas such as healthcare, security, tourism, investment and equitable distribution of infrastructure.

Maryam Adaranijo, a private-sector worker residing in Osogbo, the state capital, acknowledged the administration’s efforts on workers’ welfare but said she had seen little difference between the Adeleke-led government and its predecessors in overall performance.

“However, three and a half years down the line, I cannot see much of a difference. He did a lot for workers’ welfare and payments of pensioners; I’ll give him that. It’s just that there’s too much bias and nepotism in his style of governance.

“He focused too much on his hometown (Ede) in terms of infrastructure. Obviously, that should be expected, but it shouldn’t be at the detriment of the state capital (Osogbo). The only two projects he commissioned in Osogbo, Lameco Flyover and Oke-Fia Flyover, were unnecessary in my opinion when there are roads that need urgent intervention,” she said.

Ms Adaranijo specifically criticised the condition of the road linking Orisumbare Market, Station Road, Oja-Oba, Ayepe and Ilesha Garage, saying the route was narrow and in poor condition despite connecting Osogbo to Ilesha, one of the state’s major towns.

She also said the government should have paid greater attention to tourism and maintained projects inherited from previous administrations, arguing that such projects were funded by taxpayers.

“The annual Osun Osogbo festival is in a couple of days, yet the road leading to the groove is nothing to write home about. Mind you, this is a globally recognised festival by UNESCO. We should not still be clamouring for more investments in tourism in 2026.

“A lot of schools also built by APC have also been abandoned. It is taxpayers’ money, and they should be maintained,” Ms Adaranijo added.

However, Abdulmujeeb Tadese, a resident of Iwo in Osun West Senatorial District, gave the administration a more positive assessment. He commended its record on workers’ welfare and infrastructure, although he said his expectations were initially low because of what he described as “the maladministration of the previous Aregbesola-led government.”

“However, Adeleke came on board and not only cleared the half salaries for virtually all the workers but also increased the salaries being earned by the workers significantly. Promotion in Osun used to be merely on paper, without commensurate funding.

“On infrastructure, he did remarkably well, touching all 30 local governments in no small measure. Iwo, Ila, Ilesha and Ede now have their first-ever dual carriage roads, amongst several others,” Mr Tadese explained.

On concerns over the concentration of infrastructure projects in Ede, the governor’s hometown, Mr Tadese said other parts of the state had also benefited from the administration.

“The rest of us in other parts of the state are not left out at all. We are all beneficiaries, but we demand more. I will score him 85 per cent.”

Workers’ welfare, infrastructure

Abiola Oyetade, a sales representative residing in Modakeke, also praised the administration for its handling of workers’ welfare.

Having two civil servants as parents, he said he had personally witnessed the difficulties faced by workers under the previous administrations.

“Both my parents were civil servants, and I remember vividly what happened to civil servants during the regime of Governor Aregbesola. To cut a long story short, I think this present government is doing well. They have started paying all those outstanding debts,” Mr Oyetade said.

He also credited the administration with improving education in the state, particularly its position in education rankings and students’ performance.

“And talking about education, I think education in Osun State has really improved. Some years back, Osun would be rated between 28th, 30th or 31st, but I think now we are in the first five in the country. The students from Osun State also came, if not first or second, in the just-concluded UTME,” Mr Oyetade stated.

For AbdulJelili Oyebola, from Irepodun Local Government Area, the administration’s infrastructure efforts were noticeable, but he rated its overall performance as average. He said more attention should have been given to public education and healthcare, particularly at the grassroots level.

“What mostly concerns us at the grassroots, especially in Irepodun Local Government Area, is the provision of adequate healthcare facilities in our hospital, and ensuring enough teachers are available to our children in public schools,” he said.

Mr Oyebola also urged the state government to strengthen its agricultural support programmes by providing farmers across the state with inputs and equipment.

“Looking at the current Nigerian economy, it’s obvious we need to all go back to farming, so he should help us with farming inputs like tractors in our various local government areas; this will make living easy for us here,” he said.

He further called for closer monitoring of contractors handling government projects to ensure that infrastructure delivered across the state meets the required standards.

“I remember during the regime of Aregbosola, we heard he used to visit infrastructural projects after contractors left sites, even at night. If those contractors know their superiors will inspect their work closely, they will deliver quality projects,” Mr Oyebola added.

Ifeoluwa Olagbaju, a resident of Ife East Local Government Area, similarly acknowledged the administration’s efforts on infrastructure, workers’ and pensioners’ welfare, as well as agricultural support. However, he criticised its performance in healthcare.

“I don’t think he has done well in the health sector. If you go to Asubiaro, the patients there surpassed the number of doctors that should attend to them, which delayed the required time to attend to the patients, which really needs to be worked on; the available healthcare for patients is not so encouraging,” Mr Olagbaju said.

Bosede Omolara, a civil servant from Ikirun, offered a different assessment of the administration’s record on workers’ welfare, saying timely salary and gratuity payments had improved workers’ morale and productivity.

“He fulfilled all his promises to us, civil servants, regarding our salaries and gratuity. We receive all these payments as and when due. And these have improved our rate and quality of work to the state as a whole; we work appropriately,” Ms Omolara said.

Taiwo Onayemi, a resident of Ipetu-Modu in Ife North Local Government Area, also praised the administration’s record on workers’ welfare but said it needed to do more on security.

“He has tried his best. On his five-point agenda, I will score him high in workers’ welfare, but practically, he does not seem to have figured it out, as the chief security officer of the state. Maybe it’s out of his jurisdiction.

“With the implementation of state police in the country, we hope governors will have their say on security in the state and protect their state further. We look forward to a better Osun in the near future,” Mr Onayemi stated.

Adeyemi Waheed, from Ede Local Government Area, said that the administration’s prioritisation of workers’ welfare had produced wider effects on other sectors of the state.

He said timely payment of salaries had improved workers’ morale, particularly among teachers, while putting more money in the hands of workers to support economic activity. He also linked the improved road network to easier movement of agricultural produce.

“We used to hear half salary, but he cleared all previous administration debts. Now, Osun State salary scale is far better, and it adopted the minimum wage ahead of any state in Nigeria. This has helped other sectors like education and the economy,” Mr Waheed said.

Business investment, job creation

For David Ojo, a cement retailer in the Power Line area of Osogbo, the government needs to do more to create an environment where businesses and young people can thrive.

The entrepreneur said the administration had made progress in workers’ welfare but should place greater emphasis on agriculture, industrialisation and support for small businesses.

“As an entrepreneur, I look at things from the angle of how much the government is helping businesses and creating opportunities for people to make money for themselves. In that area, I think there is still a lot more to be done.

“I expected to see more support for small businesses, more investment in agriculture and more industries that can create jobs for young people. So, I would say the government has made progress, but I don’t think it has fully met my expectations yet. I would give him 65 per cent on performance,” Mr Ojo said.

Zainab Fatiu, a university student in Kwara State but resident in Osogbo, also acknowledged improvements in road construction, workers’ salaries and infrastructure, but said the administration had yet to meet all expectations.

“Overall, I will say he has done well, but not all expectations have been fully met. I think the governor has made some progress in delivering on the promises he made before the 2022 election, especially in road construction and workers’ welfare. On a scale of one to 10, I would rate his performance seven,” Ms Fatiu said.

The Osogbo-based undergraduate said the government should now focus more on employment opportunities for young people, healthcare, education and security.