By John Dike, Osogbo
Music megastar, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has said he almost shed tears while watching the massive political mobilisation against his uncle, Governor Ademola Adeleke, during the just-concluded Osun State governorship election.
Davido said he was particularly moved by the decision of about 17 governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC), alongside nearly 50 senators and members of the House of Representatives, to mobilise to Osun State in support of the APC governorship candidate, Bola Oyebamiji.
The internationally acclaimed musician stated this during an interactive session with journalists from the print and broadcast media in Osogbo, where he spoke extensively on the August 15th governorship election, the victory of Governor Adeleke and his expectations for the governor’s second term.
Davido said that although he was outside the country during the election, he closely monitored developments from London, where he had travelled for a musical engagement.
According to him, he was emotional seeing the level of political opposition mobilised against Governor Adeleke, describing it as an extraordinary political battle involving a large number of high-ranking political figures.
“I was in London for a show, monitoring what was happening during the voting exercise.
” I almost shed tears seeing the way about 17 APC governors and almost 50 senators and members of the House of Representatives came together against one man, my uncle, Governor Ademola Adeleke.
“I almost cried seeing how the governors and senators stormed Osun just because of one man,” he said.
Davido, however, said the massive mobilisation did not make him lose confidence on his uncle’s chances of victory.
He said he remained optimistic throughout the election because of the relationship Governor Adeleke had built with the people of Osun and what he described as the governor’s performance during his first term.
The singer said the election had provided a major lesson for political leaders across Nigeria, stressing that leaders who genuinely serve the interests of the people would eventually receive the support of the electorate.
“This election has proved to many governors in Nigeria that if you work for the people, the people in turn will work for you. This is a lesson learnt,” he said.
According to him, the outcome of the election demonstrated that political power ultimately belonged to the people and that citizens could reward leaders they believed had worked for them.
Davido said Governor Adeleke’s re-election therefore represented more than a personal victory, describing it as an endorsement by the people of Osun of the governor’s first-term performance.
He expressed confidence that the governor would use the renewed mandate to consolidate on his achievements and implement more programmes targeted at improving the lives of residents.
The musician said he expected Adeleke’s second term to focus more on programmes capable of directly affecting the lives of young people, particularly in the areas of sports, entertainment, employment and youth empowerment.
When asked whether there were areas where his uncle needed to improve in his second term, Davido said the governor had performed well during his first four years and expressed confidence that he would do more with another four years.
He said the governor’s performance should be judged within the context of the resources available to the state and the challenges inherited by the administration.
Davido also commended the people of Osun State for what he described as their resilience, courage and determination to protect their votes throughout the electoral process.
He said the people did not simply cast their ballots but remained vigilant from the polling units to the various collation centres where the results were eventually declared.
According to him, the determination of voters to monitor the process through to the conclusion of the collation demonstrated their commitment to democracy and their desire to ensure that their votes counted.
“The people of Osun stood and defended their votes from the polling units to the local government and to the collation centre where the result was announced,” he said.
Davido said the conduct of the electorate should serve as an example to Nigerians in other states, noting that democracy could only thrive when citizens actively participated in the process and defended their constitutional rights peacefully.
He also spoke on sports development and the ongoing reconstruction of the Osogbo Township Stadium, expressing optimism that the project would soon be completed.
According to him, the reconstructed stadium would provide opportunities for young people in Osun to develop their sporting talents and pursue careers in different sporting disciplines.
He said the facility was expected to accommodate a range of recreational and sporting activities, including football, tennis, taekwondo, swimming and track and field events.
Davido said the completion of the stadium would be particularly significant for the youths because it would provide them with a proper environment to train, compete and discover their talents.
He stressed that investment in sports should not be viewed merely as recreation but as a means of empowering young people, creating jobs and identifying talents capable of representing Osun and Nigeria at national and international competitions.
The musician, who was appointed by Governor Adeleke to coordinate youth affairs during the campaign, also hinted that the governor’s second term would witness greater attention to youth development.
Davido said the administration was expected to introduce targeted initiatives aimed at improving opportunities for young people and providing platforms through which they could develop their talents.
He said the state’s youths had enormous potential in entertainment, sports, technology, entrepreneurship and other creative sectors, adding that government had a responsibility to create an environment where such talents could flourish.
The singer also urged political leaders across Nigeria to learn from the outcome of the Osun election by placing the interests of citizens above political calculations.
He said political leaders should focus more on delivering tangible development rather than relying solely on political structures and alliances to secure electoral victories.
Davido maintained that the Osun election had shown that citizens could distinguish between political promises and actual performance.
He said Governor Adeleke’s ability to secure re-election despite the massive opposition mobilisation was evidence that the electorate had a strong voice in determining who governed them.
He urged the governor not to take the renewed mandate for granted but to use the opportunity to serve the people more effectively.
Davido also called on residents of Osun to continue supporting development initiatives in the state, irrespective of political affiliations.
He said the post-election period should be devoted to rebuilding relationships, promoting peace and ensuring that the state continued on the path of development.
The musician expressed appreciation to the people of Osun for supporting his uncle during the election and for maintaining their determination throughout the electoral process.
He said the victory should be seen as a victory for the people and an opportunity for the administration to do more for the state.
Davido concluded by expressing optimism about the next four years, saying he believed Governor Adeleke would consolidate on his first-term achievements and make youth development a major component of his second-term agenda.
He urged the governor to remain focused on the people who gave him the mandate and to ensure that the confidence reposed in his administration translated into improved opportunities and better living conditions for residents of Osun State.
