The late Nnenna Esther Adeleke, born Esther Nnena Akparah, was the mother of two Osun State governors, Isiaka Adeleke and Ademola Adeleke, and the paternal grandmother of Afrobeats superstar Davido. Her life connected Igbo and Yoruba cultures, and her sons' political achievements have brought renewed attention to her story.
From Akwete to the Adeleke Family of Ede
Nnenna was born into an Igbo family in Akwete, Ukwa East Local Government Area of Abia State. She married Chief Raji Ayoola Adeleke, an Ede-born politician and labour activist who served as a Second Republic senator. The union blended her Igbo heritage with the Yoruba Adeleke family of Osun State.
Her son Adedeji's official biography identifies her as Esther Nnena Adeleke (née Akparah) and confirms that Adedeji was born to her and Raji in Enugu in 1957. Chief Raji was elected to the Senate in 1979 on the Unity Party of Nigeria platform, representing the old Oyo State Senatorial District 11, which included parts of present-day Osun State. He also held the traditional title of Balogun of Ede from 1976.
A Senior Mother-in-Israel in the Cherubim and Seraphim Church
Nnenna held the title of Senior Mother-in-Israel in the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, a respected position. In August 2024, Governor Ademola Adeleke and his family held a thanksgiving service in her memory in Lagos, where her son Adedeji donated ₦1 billion to the church's Centenary Endowment Fund. Her daughter, Yeyeluwa Modupe Adeleke-Sanni, also held the same title at the time.
This religious connection remained strong even after Nnenna's death in 2009, as her children returned to the church to honour her memory.
Political and Cultural Legacy Through Her Sons
Nnenna's first major political connection came through her son Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, who became Osun State's first democratically elected governor in 1992. He served from January 1992 until the military takeover in November 1993, and later as senator for Osun West from 2007 to 2011. He died in April 2017 at age 62, and the state government described him as a political titan.
Her son Ademola Adeleke won the governorship in 2022 and retained his mandate through the courts. In August 2026, he was declared the winner of the governorship election under the Accord Party, polling 511,067 votes against APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji's 444,815 votes, securing a second term.
Nnenna's Igbo heritage is also reflected in Ademola's identity. She gave him the Igbo name “Ifeanyichukwu,” meaning “nothing is beyond God,” and Davido later named his son Ifeanyi in honour of his uncle.
Business, Education, and Music: The Next Generations
Nnenna's son Dr. Adedeji Adeleke established Adeleke University in Ede in 2011. His biography notes he was born in Enugu in 1957, spent part of his childhood with his maternal grandmother in eastern Nigeria, and studied in Lagos, Ede, and the United States.
Through Adedeji, Nnenna's legacy reached Davido, the Afrobeats star, who has publicly spoken about his Igbo heritage. One son became Osun's first civilian governor, another secured a second term, and another built a business and educational empire, producing one of Africa's biggest music stars.
Nnenna died in 2009, but her influence continues through her children and grandchildren. With Ademola's 2026 re-election, the Adeleke family's story in Nigerian politics, business, education, and culture remains ongoing.
