Governor Adeleke and Davido in a Lighter Mood
15 August 2026 By Abiodun Giwa
Davido and Governor Adeleke, and Governor Okpebholo
Politics and music are not synonymous. The first is about public policy and governance, while the other is purely entertainment, dance, and happiness. Politicians occasionally dance to enliven the crowd during electioneering campaigns, then settle into serious governance after winning an election. Rarely do they make dancing a daily relish, unlike musicians, who dance every time they appear on stage to charge and please their fans. Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State in Nigeria has made a big difference as a politician with a penchant for dance.
The governor, an uncle of music star David Adeleke (Davido), is seeking re-election, prompting Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State to criticize him during a campaign stop for the time Adeleke devoted to dancing. Davido charged, ready for a fight, in defense of his uncle. Is there anything wrong with a nephew defending an uncle? Certainly not. What matters is the manner of defense.
Just as people ask whether Governor Adeleke wasn't born to be a musician because of his love for dancing and may have entered into politics wrongly, Davido's protective nature toward his uncle has also shown that he is truly a musician and not cut out for politics and should have stayed out of the political dirtiness. He knows how to sing and dance and has made a success of it. He makes people happy and are happy for him. He doesn't know or understand politics as different from singing and dancing. Politicians will be at dagger drawn in public and still dine and wine behind the scenes when the opportunity arises to win an election.
Politics is dirty, unlike music, which entertains and makes people happy. Many people who have watched Governor Adeleke dance believe he would have been a good musician, though they have never seen him sing. He believes his supporters are joyful to see him dancing at every forum. A public officer dancing doesn't preclude criticism, as with other elected officers. The most relevant response from Davido to Okpebholo's criticism of his uncle would have been, "My uncle would make a better musician than me," in a lighter mood. However, he pushed aside the lightheartedness musicians are known for and launched a serious fight by publishing an examination result of Governor Okpebholo showing the governor's failing marks.
Davido went for the jugular. Well, it is an electioneering season, when politicians' tactics can be rough, but mindful of negative media response and repercussions. Governor Adeleke is not immune from criticism, just as Okpebholo isn't. Even media practitioners are careful of the nature of criticism they use to avoid libel and defamation. Criticism is different from a fight or an attack. Criticism is an art and not an act of rubbishing for vengeance. It is not the place of this reporter to litigate between David Adeleke and Governor Okpebholo. That is the responsibility of a court of law. The concern here is the wrongheadedness of Davido - a musician stepping into political turf to defend an uncle who has every apparatus in office to address such a criticism from another governor of equal footing. Has not the singer a media advisor or representative? Secondly, he is not an employee or a staff member in Governor Adeleke's office. Some people are employed and get paid to do the work he has taken upon himself. One cannot say he has usurped the role of a public officer. As a member of the public, he has every right to say his mind, but not with a fight or with an intent to malign and defame another.
Has the singer defamed the Edo State governor whom he referred to as an OLODO, still in a response to the public reaction to the posting of a failing result of the governor as a student? No remorse but a readiness to fight dirty. Unlike David in the scripture who fought Goliath with a small stone shot from a sling, the experience here is a David turning into a Goliath. People are saying Governor Adeleke should have been better off as a musician, and now Davido has clearly worn the wrong shirt by getting involved in a political dirty brawl and in a wrong way altogether. Unlike the singer, Governor Adeleke rightly said dancing does not affect his performance as a governor. The correct response to Okpebholo's criticism.
Governor Adeleke may have won an election to be governor and may still win a reelection, but not because he was born to be a politician; many factors go into winning an election. All in the family: A governor who should have been better as an entertainer but a successful politician, and a music star, wrongly entering political turf and putting a wrong foot in defense of his uncle, defying Adam Smith's Division of Labor and specialization teachings because both are successful despite the wrongheadedness. Only Governor Okpebholo can seek redress to correct Davido's position if he so wishes. Of course, the music star reserves the right to self-defense. i rest my case with Ebenezer Obey's "Fimi Lokan Bale."
The governor, an uncle of music star David Adeleke (Davido), is seeking re-election, prompting Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State to criticize him during a campaign stop for the time Adeleke devoted to dancing. Davido charged, ready for a fight, in defense of his uncle. Is there anything wrong with a nephew defending an uncle? Certainly not. What matters is the manner of defense.
Just as people ask whether Governor Adeleke wasn't born to be a musician because of his love for dancing and may have entered into politics wrongly, Davido's protective nature toward his uncle has also shown that he is truly a musician and not cut out for politics and should have stayed out of the political dirtiness. He knows how to sing and dance and has made a success of it. He makes people happy and are happy for him. He doesn't know or understand politics as different from singing and dancing. Politicians will be at dagger drawn in public and still dine and wine behind the scenes when the opportunity arises to win an election.
Politics is dirty, unlike music, which entertains and makes people happy. Many people who have watched Governor Adeleke dance believe he would have been a good musician, though they have never seen him sing. He believes his supporters are joyful to see him dancing at every forum. A public officer dancing doesn't preclude criticism, as with other elected officers. The most relevant response from Davido to Okpebholo's criticism of his uncle would have been, "My uncle would make a better musician than me," in a lighter mood. However, he pushed aside the lightheartedness musicians are known for and launched a serious fight by publishing an examination result of Governor Okpebholo showing the governor's failing marks.
Davido went for the jugular. Well, it is an electioneering season, when politicians' tactics can be rough, but mindful of negative media response and repercussions. Governor Adeleke is not immune from criticism, just as Okpebholo isn't. Even media practitioners are careful of the nature of criticism they use to avoid libel and defamation. Criticism is different from a fight or an attack. Criticism is an art and not an act of rubbishing for vengeance. It is not the place of this reporter to litigate between David Adeleke and Governor Okpebholo. That is the responsibility of a court of law. The concern here is the wrongheadedness of Davido - a musician stepping into political turf to defend an uncle who has every apparatus in office to address such a criticism from another governor of equal footing. Has not the singer a media advisor or representative? Secondly, he is not an employee or a staff member in Governor Adeleke's office. Some people are employed and get paid to do the work he has taken upon himself. One cannot say he has usurped the role of a public officer. As a member of the public, he has every right to say his mind, but not with a fight or with an intent to malign and defame another.
Has the singer defamed the Edo State governor whom he referred to as an OLODO, still in a response to the public reaction to the posting of a failing result of the governor as a student? No remorse but a readiness to fight dirty. Unlike David in the scripture who fought Goliath with a small stone shot from a sling, the experience here is a David turning into a Goliath. People are saying Governor Adeleke should have been better off as a musician, and now Davido has clearly worn the wrong shirt by getting involved in a political dirty brawl and in a wrong way altogether. Unlike the singer, Governor Adeleke rightly said dancing does not affect his performance as a governor. The correct response to Okpebholo's criticism.
Governor Adeleke may have won an election to be governor and may still win a reelection, but not because he was born to be a politician; many factors go into winning an election. All in the family: A governor who should have been better as an entertainer but a successful politician, and a music star, wrongly entering political turf and putting a wrong foot in defense of his uncle, defying Adam Smith's Division of Labor and specialization teachings because both are successful despite the wrongheadedness. Only Governor Okpebholo can seek redress to correct Davido's position if he so wishes. Of course, the music star reserves the right to self-defense. i rest my case with Ebenezer Obey's "Fimi Lokan Bale."
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