By Chris Onuoha 

Erelu Ngozi Abeni Adeleke, wife of Osun State governor has added another feather to her ever increasing honours, being conferred recently with a traditional chieftaincy title, as “Erelu Soluderu of Erinmo-Ijesa, by the paramount ruler of Erinmo Kingdom,  HRM, Oba Odunayo M. Ajayi JP. Arowotawaya II, Elerinmo of Erinmo land. 

The honour which was held last Saturday, August 10, 2024, at Erinmo town during the tenth coronation  anniversary of the Erinmo monarch was the second after she was also given Yeye Erelu Soludero title by another king in Oke-Ila, Ifedayo Local Government in Osun State. 

The conferment stands as a recognition of her humanitarian achievements in Osun State and beyond. She has been unflinchingly playing pivotal roles in promoting developmental projects, youth and women empowerment initiatives, poverty alleviation and healthcare projects since her husband, Governor Ademola Adeleke came to power in Osun State.

Erelu Adeleke was also previously conferred with ‘Award of Excellence in Governance ‘by the United Nation’s Global Women Foundation (UNGWF) and was honoured with “UN Peace Ambassador” for her rural development interventions and humanitarian activities. Checks on her profile has it that she has never given up in making sure that her husband’s administration in Osun State fulfills its promises made during the 2022 election campaign. 

She has made efforts to show that wives of sitting governors in  Nigeria should stand as supporting pillars to their husbands, and also ensuring that Governor Adeleke’s administration meet up people’s needs and expectations through her initiatives and to sustain development of Osun State.

Erelu Adeleke noted in a chat with Vanguard that her aim to embark on the initiatives was to help her husband beyond actualization of campaign mandates, but to establish a long lasting developmental projects to better the lives of Osun people. 

According to her, “Office of Wife of Governor should go beyond ceremonial recognition, but should effortlessly show visible works that supports husband’s impact on the masses.

“I embarked on these initiatives to allay insinuations that wives of governors sit as ceremonial “First Ladies” of States. Even without portfolios, we should always be partners in progress, realising that State governance also involves homes of the governors,  and that every hand should be on deck to move the State forward,” she said.

Erelu Adeleke noted that her projects, under the Esther Adeleke Humanitarian Foundation will continue to foster unity and progress in the State through meaningful interventions. 

Fondly called “Mama Triplet” for her health mortality initiatives and support for the families with triplet and twins delivery in the healthcare sector of the State, Amb Erelu Adeleke promised to push ahead with a legacy of resilience, prosperity and hope for Osun citizens and generations to come.

In her response to the titled honour to her, she appreciated Kabiyesi Elerinmo for recognising her deeds to better the lives of Osun people and promised to be more committed in her humanitarian works. 

The crown of honour was placed by the special royal father of the day, His Imperial Majesty,  Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife in the presence of other traditional rulers, while the evergreen Juju maestro, King Sunny Ade delivered the queenly tunes, “Nzogbu, nzogbu, Enyimba Enyi,” eliciting more glitz from the crowd.