At the last screening of aspirants for the PDP governorship ticket in Osun State, a mild drama played out when one of the aspirants, Mr. Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, was asked to demonstrate the talent he has come to be known for since he mounted the rostrum to contest as a senator in 2017.
The atmosphere at venues for screening of aspirants is usually tense as those in charge of the screening know the significance of the business before them and try to give their undivided attention while the aspirants, aware that any slight mistake could lead to their disqualification avoid any unnecessary distraction.
But for Adeleke, no occasion is serious enough to raise his adrenaline to the level he cannot a glimpse into his light-heartedness.
Without even asking for the motive behind the request and as if he was expecting it, the ‘Jackson’ in him took over and he spun and wriggled his huge frame in response to the amazement of the panelists.
Welcome to what may presage the new leadership in Osun State where Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke has just been given the Certificate of Return confirming him as the winner of the last governorship election in the state.
Taking a look at Adeleke’s antecedents, one can conclude without fear of contradiction that he will be a leader without bile, with no animosity or ill feeling towards any.
He looks too happy and cheerful to recuse to anything grim or doleful. He is the type that my oga, Faruk Adejo, would describe as ‘full of life!’
With Adeleke, it seems the Machiavellian logic that a Prince should opt to be feared rather than loved would be heavily tested and if you ask me, I’ll say that Nigeria at this moment, needs a leader with the kind effulgence that Adeleke evinces, strong enough to beam his happiness on the populace.
Nigerians have been through a lot in the past years that the time beckons a leader who is capable of creating happy moments out of dour situations, one whose presence excites and one whose countenance evokes only positive thoughts.
While many see the ‘Dancing Senator’ as unserious and more of a comedian because of his dance and other histrionics, me believe, there’s a sublime sub-text underlining his foray into politics that many have ignored.
Very few unserious persons would for instance venture into politics in the first place not to talk of having the guts to face and surmount the kind of challenges Adeleke has been made to confront at every stage of his political journey.
Initial expectations were that given the popularity of his brother, Isiaka, before he died, that the younger Adeleke, having expressed interest in the Senate seat would have been given the APC ticket to complete the tenure of the latter.
When it was denied him, Jackson Nurudeen did not fret nor send thugs after anyone but happily moved to another party and eventually won the seat.
All he did was to wow the electorate with his dance skills which are a fusion of all past reigning dance steps like the hippie jumps of the 60s, karate kicks of the 70s, and traditional bata shakes.
By 2018, when Adeleke had his eye on the big picture and wanted to, like his late brother, become the governor of Osun State, his victory was truncated midway by the declaration that the election was inconclusive.
Again, the man partied on, kept malice with no one and did not stop taking greetings from his neighbours even when the supplementary elections was done and his opponent was declared winner.
If 2018 had been that challenging, the year 2022 appeared even more so with the emergence of Bola Tinubu as the APC presidential flag-bearer and his attachment cum special interest in Osun.
But the Dancing Senator must have realised that with his skills and expertise in dancing, that there are certain obstacles that could be waltzed through and that not even the Jagaban can stop his moment to deploy an Atilogwu flip.
He must have recalled that James Brown once twisted his macho frame to fame and that Michael Jackson glided out of obscurity to maintain his lead in pop culture through the dance step known as moonwalk!
So Adeleke once again evoked the ‘Jackson’ in his name and danced.
He was like Jacob Zuma of South Africa who was not ashamed of his Ndlamu dance step which endeared him to the ordinary South African and became president.
At the end of the polls in Osun, the one who was derided as unserious held the day with the seriousness of an uncommon gladiator coming up against a reigning champion and won.
But beyond the election, like I said earlier, the Adeleke disposition is what Nigeria probably needs now because there is no evidence that all the serious leaders we have had have added any value that a different disposition could not sustain or even improve upon.
Nigeria, for instance, once had a leader, who made the headline for only smiling in public.
Despite the frown to convey a no-no sense disposition, Nigerians applauded when that regime was sacked by a man that won their hearts with a toothy smile.
We have seen semblances of seriousness at the state level but one can hardly say they parallel good governance with many of them even worsening the tense situation with their erratic mein.
With Adeleke, there seem to be an assurance that his happiness and boisterousness would be contagious.
He has for instance given the signal even with his name that he is not capable of harbouring ill feeling towards any religion in his state.
When there is a religious issue for instance, all sides would look up to him for justice.
The ‘Jackson’ in him would not allow him to treat Christians unfairly while the Nurudeen in him would compel him to be just to the Muslims and the Ademola in him would endear him to the traditionalists.
Political opponents would not be afraid as he doesn’t appear like one who can hurt a fly; women would be happy as they have a permanent and ever willing dance partner while the youths in the state would for the first time have a governor that they could walk up to and discuss an issue of common interest-the latest dance steps- without being looked down upon.
Let’s give the dancing governor a chance, he may the model we need for the unity and growth of Nigeria.
