Governor Ademola Adeleke's victory in the 2026 Osun State gubernatorial election has been described as historic, demonstrating that free and fair elections are possible in Nigeria and that the masses are not an unthinking throng. The election, which was expected to be marred by violence given the campaign rhetoric, instead became a celebration of the relationship between the politician and his people.
Dancing to Victory
Adeleke had a solid support base at the grassroots, having strategically executed landmark projects in the three senatorial districts, irrespective of party leanings. He was seen as a "people's man." His dancing habit, which was criticised by the opposition, turned out to be one of his major strengths, bonding him to the electorate. His rallies took on the atmosphere of massive street parties.
His victory was an eclipse that dimmed the sun of mythical 'federal might' and will be studied by media professionals for many years to come. Among the hundreds of analyses that followed the announcement of the results, the disquisition of Lolu Akinwunmi, a marketing guru and Group CEO of Prima Garnet Africa, stood out. Akinwunmi asked: "How did a man derisively labelled the 'Dancing Governor' turn that very characterisation into one of the most distinctive assets of his political brand?"
Branding Lessons from the Dancing Governor
For years, Adeleke's dancing has been mocked. Some find it irritating, while others consider it unbecoming of the serious business of governing a state. However, from a branding point of view, the dancing has become an enormously powerful distinctive asset. Adeleke has never really been positioned as the cerebral, policy-wonk politician. Instead, he has built his public personality around qualities that come naturally to him: warmth, accessibility, informality, entertainment, humour, and an ability to connect with ordinary people.
What started almost as a caricature has gradually become a recognisable part of the brand. The marketplace sometimes gives a brand a positioning it did not deliberately create, and the smart brand asks whether that perception can be owned, shaped, and converted into an advantage. Adeleke's distinctiveness also made a difference. One of the great challenges in branding is simply being remembered. Put 20 Nigerian governors in a room and ask the average Nigerian to describe something distinctive about each one. Mention Adeleke and somebody will probably start dancing. That is mental availability at work.
Great brands build distinctive assets: colours, sounds, symbols, characters, slogans, shapes, and behaviours that make them immediately recognisable. For Adeleke, dancing has become one of those assets. He has remained consistent, dancing not occasionally but consistently. In branding, consistency builds memory. Do something once and people may notice it. Do it repeatedly and distinctively over time, and people begin to associate it with you.
Social Marketing and Authenticity
Political campaigns employ many of the behavioural principles familiar to social marketing, which is essentially the application of marketing principles to influence behaviour for individual or societal benefit. Politics also seeks behaviour: will people listen, identify, believe, come to rallies, advocate, and ultimately vote? Adeleke's political communication appears to understand that human beings respond not only to rational arguments but also to emotion, familiarity, identity, symbolism, belonging, and personal connection.
His dancing communicates something without requiring a speech. It says, 'I am one of you.' Whether deliberately designed by political strategists or simply arising naturally from his personality, it has become communication. Being authentic is a strong brand asset. Adeleke does not appear to be trying desperately to become somebody else. Imagine packaging him overnight in a severe dark suit, putting him behind a lectern and asking him to deliver a 45-minute lecture on macroeconomic modelling. Perhaps it would look more "gubernatorial" to some people, but would it look like Adeleke?
There is an important caveat: dancing alone did not win the election. Branding can help people notice you, remember you, understand you, and perhaps like you. But eventually, the product must deliver. In politics, that product is governance. Roads must be built. Salaries must be paid. Schools and hospitals must function. Infrastructure must improve. Citizens must believe that their lives are progressing and their standard of living improving.
Beyond Dancing: Lessons for Politicians
The Adeleke phenomenon offers some simple but powerful lessons: know yourself, accept who you are, know your audience, find your distinctiveness, own it, be consistent, create emotional connection, remain authentic, and make sure the product delivers. These are Lolu Akinwunmi's powerful insights which commend themselves to every politician and all watchers of political development in Nigeria.
It is hoped that going forward, campaigns will be packaged professionally. The analogue days of relying solely on traditional head-cutters, professional assassins, machete-wielding street butchers, and ghostly ballot-box snatchers are on their way out. It is better to dance your way to victory than wade through a pool of your people's blood to attain power.
