Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has defended his administration against critics, urging them to assess his leadership based on tangible results rather than style, as he marked the Iwude Ijesha carnival in Ilesa on Sunday. He said his government had delivered good governance across all sectors of the state over the past three years.
Responding to criticism of his leadership approach, Adeleke rejected the notion that governance is about rigid authority, insisting that "Leadership is not and should not be a master-servant relationship." He said performance, not posture, should be the yardstick for judging any administration.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, the governor said: "Governance is about making a direct positive impact on the lives of the people. Your delivery as a governor is the best judge of your performance and capacity to lead. Judge me on my records, outputs, and agenda as a governor," He added that his administration had "positively touched all sectors and federal constituencies' in the state.
Focusing on Ijesaland, Adeleke said his government undertook a review of the area’s development challenges upon assuming office in late 2022, uncovering widespread environmental degradation and revenue losses linked to illegal mining. He said underground water in the area had been polluted and mining revenues diverted to private interests under the previous administration.
According to the governor, reforms introduced by his government have secured Osun State’s shareholding in the Segilola Gold Project, intensified the fight against illegal mining, and institutionalised environmental and river clean-up programmes. He also said the Ilesa Water Project, previously marred by corruption, had been restructured and was now set to continue with support from the Islamic Development Bank.
Adeleke highlighted infrastructure achievements in Ijesaland, including the completed dualisation of the Ereja Palace Junction to Brewery Junction road with solar street lights, and the establishment of the University of Ilesa. He said the institution now offers nearly 100 accredited courses and has benefited from expanded internal infrastructure, with key leadership positions reflecting local representation.
The governor also said Ijesa indigenes held key positions in his administration and announced a renewed public-private partnership with the palace of the Owa of Ijesaland to drive industrialisation, describing Ilesa as “a land of entrepreneurs” whose economic potential his government is determined to unlock.
