3rd Anniversary: Progress You Can See, Change You Can Feel
By Engr Shakbab,
In three remarkable years, Governor Ademola Adeleke has rewritten the story of Osun State. Where despair once lingered, hope now flourishes. Where promises once faded, performance now speaks. His governance has become a living testimony to the saying of Plato: “The measure of a man is what he does with power.” Governor Adeleke has used power not for pride, but for purpose to heal, to build, and to uplift his people.
Across the thirty local governments and the area office, from Ede North to Ede South, Osogbo to Olorunda, Ilesa East to Ilesa West, Ife Central to Ife North, Ife East to Ife South, Ila to Ifedayo, Irepodun to Orolu, Iwo to Ayedire, Ayedaade to Isokan, Irewole to Egbedore, Odo Otin to Boluwaduro, Obokun to Oriade, Atakumosa East to Atakumosa West, Boripe to Odo Otin, and all the way to the administrative area office in Modakeke, development now sings in unison. Roads once abandoned are reborn with fresh asphalt, while bridges rise as new monuments of progress.
The governor’s passion for infrastructure has connected not only towns but also hearts. He has shown that when leadership listens, development becomes inevitable. As the Yoruba say, “Ona ti eniyan ko ba rin ni ko ni je ki a mo bi o ti gun” the road you walk reveals your true height. Adeleke’s height in service has now become the standard for good governance in Osun.
In health, the transformation is visible and measurable. More than two hundred Primary Health Centres have been renewed and equipped, bringing medical care closer to the people. Thousands have benefited from free surgeries, eyeglasses, and medications. The Uniosun Teaching Hospital stands revitalized, a beacon of excellence in the southwest. Through the Osun Health Insurance Scheme, even the elderly and vulnerable now live with dignity and access to care. This is leadership with a human face, one that echoes the words of Florence Nightingale: “For the sick it is not how much you do, but how much love you put into the doing.”
Education, the foundation of any great society has received new breath. Schools across all local governments now shine with renovation and renewed energy for learning. Teachers are motivated, classrooms are restored, and students are achieving new heights. The administration’s investment in education is an investment in the minds of the future. As Nelson Mandela wisely said, “Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.” Adeleke wields this weapon with compassion and foresight.
The youth of Osun stand today as living witnesses of this new dawn. Through the Imole Youth Corps, thousands have found purpose and livelihood. Many young entrepreneurs and artisans have received grants and training to expand their craft, turning energy into enterprise and talent into triumph. For the first time, the youth are not bystanders, they are partners in progress, shaping the destiny of the state alongside their governor.
Civil servants, pensioners, and traders now breathe easier under a government that values their welfare. Salaries are paid promptly, arrears cleared, and entitlements restored. Markets are thriving again, artisans are working, and families are regaining their balance. Governor Adeleke has restored dignity to public service, reminding all that leadership is service, not privilege.
In the agricultural sector, the green shoots of prosperity are visible once more. Farm roads are repaired, inputs distributed, and farmers empowered to produce more. The state’s food basket is filling again, ensuring that Osun does not just eat from others’ harvests but reaps from its own.
Beyond physical projects, Adeleke’s greatest legacy lies in his spirit, humble, inclusive, and ever joyful. He has turned governance into a dance of togetherness, where the rhythm is progress and the lyrics are compassionate. The people see in him not just a governor but a symbol of hope proof that leadership can be kind, capable, and committed all at once.
As Osun marks this third anniversary of rebirth, one truth stands clear: history will remember Governor Ademola Adeleke not merely for the roads he built or the hospitals he equipped, but for the hearts he touched and the confidence he restored. Indeed, as the elders say, “The tree that bears good fruit will always attract hands of protection.” Osun’s hands are lifted in gratitude, protecting, praising, and preparing for more years of progress under the man who turned promises into performance and dreams into destiny.