By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
History often remembers presidents, governors, business moguls and celebrities. Less frequently does it celebrate the women whose lives and values quietly shape generations of leaders.
For the Adeleke family, that woman was Mrs. Nnenna Esther Adeleke (née Akparah) an Igbo daughter of Akwete in Ukwa East Local Government Area of Abia State who became the matriarch of one of Nigeria’s most influential families.
Her story is remarkable not because she occupied public office, but because of the enduring legacy she left behind.Mrs. Adeleke remains the only known Nigerian woman to have produced two elected governors of the same state.
Her first son, the late Senator Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, made history in 1992 as the first democratically elected civilian Governor of Osun State. Three decades later, another son, Governor Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, won the Osun governorship election, returning the Adeleke name to the state’s highest political office.That singular achievement places Mrs. Adeleke in a unique position in Nigeria’s political history.
Her influence, however, extended beyond politics. She was also the mother of Dr. Adedeji Adeleke, founder of Adeleke University, chairman of Pacific Holdings and one of Nigeria’s leading businessmen and philanthropists.
Through him, she became the grandmother of Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, whose music has earned global acclaim.
Born Nnenna Esther Akparah in Abia State, she married the late Senator Ayoola Raji Adeleke of Ede, Osun State, creating a family that reflected Nigeria’s cultural diversity. Their union brought together Igbo and Yoruba heritage and produced children who would make significant contributions in politics, business, education and entertainment.
Those close to the family describe Mrs. Adeleke as a deeply religious woman whose influence was felt more through character than public visibility. She served as Senior Mother-in-Israel of the Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church Worldwide and was credited with helping to establish a Cherubim and Seraphim congregation in Ede, where she devoted much of her life to Christian service and community development.
Within the Adeleke family, she was regarded as the stabilising force, providing guidance through periods of political contest, personal loss and public scrutiny.Although she died in 2009, her memory continues to occupy a central place in the family’s affairs.
In August 2024, her son, Dr. Adedeji Adeleke, donated ₦1 billion to the Centenary Endowment Fund of the Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church Worldwide in her honour. The thanksgiving service, held at the church’s headquarters in Lagos, attracted prominent personalities, including Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, Davido and other members of the Adeleke family.
Describing the donation as a tribute to his late mother, Dr. Adeleke said it was a way of honouring the woman whose life of faith and sacrifice laid the foundation for the family’s achievements.
Fifteen years after her passing, Mrs. Adeleke’s legacy continues to find expression in different spheres.In politics, she is remembered as the mother of two elected governors of Osun State.In business and education, her son has built enterprises that employ thousands while investing in higher education through Adeleke University.In entertainment, her grandson Davido has become one of Africa’s most recognisable music stars.
Yet, beyond the public acclaim associated with her children and grandchildren, Mrs. Nnenna Esther Adeleke’s greatest legacy may well be the values she passed on—faith, discipline, family cohesion and service.
Her life demonstrates that history is not shaped only by those who hold public office. Sometimes, it is written by the quiet strength of a mother whose influence outlives her generation.
For the Adeleke family, Mrs. Nnenna Esther Adeleke remains that enduring figure the woman whose legacy continues to resonate across politics, business, faith and entertainment in contemporary Nigeria.
