Osun State First Lady, Ngozi Adeleke, has turned one of the most talked-about labels attached to her husband, Governor Ademola Adeleke, into a badge of pride, insisting that his love for dancing long predates his political career.
Rather than seeing the “Dancing Governor” tag as an embarrassment, Ngozi said it simply captures a side of the governor that she has known for decades.
“My husband did not start dancing today,” she said in an interview with a national newspaper, recalling that she met Adeleke while he was studying in the United States.
According to her, Adeleke was already so accomplished on the dance floor that friends nicknamed him “Jackson” because of his dancing skills.
Ngozi said his passion for dance was particularly evident during their traditional wedding, which she described as an unforgettable celebration that stretched from morning into the following day.
She recalled that Adeleke brought veteran musician Shina Peters to perform at the ceremony, turning the event into what she described as a carnival.
“I don’t think my village people have ever seen that type of wedding up till today. They still talk about it,” she said.
The First Lady also offered an interesting twist to the story of Adeleke’s dancing, stressing that she did not marry a politician.
When they met, she said, it was Adeleke’s elder brother who was involved in politics. His dancing, therefore, was not something he picked up as a political performance strategy.
Ngozi portrayed her husband as naturally cheerful and energetic, saying he rarely stays in a bad mood.
“If he is not dancing, he is either singing or praising God,” she said, adding that Adeleke was once a choir member who could play the drum and sing.
Her comments provide a more personal explanation for a political image that has become one of Adeleke’s defining public trademarks.
The governor’s dancing has repeatedly featured at political rallies, celebrations and public events, earning him both admiration and ridicule from political opponents.
But for his wife, the dancing is neither a gimmick nor a carefully crafted political brand—it is simply Ademola Adeleke being himself.
And in a humorous admission, Ngozi revealed that she is the only member of their household who cannot dance.
“With him, no dull moment,” she said.