The Osun State Police Command has confirmed that Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, was the intended target of a recent attack on a convoy in the state.
The revelation came as Governor Ademola Adeleke received his Certificate of Return following the just-concluded governorship election, announcing a ₦500 million Election Violence Victims Endowment Fund to support those affected by election-related violence.
Speaking at the certificate presentation on Wednesday, Adeleke described the mandate as a collective one rather than a personal victory.
“This certificate does not belong to Ademola Adeleke alone. It belongs to the people of Osun State: our workers, market men and women, youths, traditional and religious leaders, and every citizen who participated in this democratic process,” he said.
The governor acknowledged the toll of violence recorded during the electoral process, including injuries, property destruction and loss of life.
“Citizens were injured, properties and livelihoods were destroyed and, most painfully, precious lives were lost,” he said, adding that “no election, political office or ambition is worth the life of a single citizen.”
He singled out victims Ezekiel Olapade, Aderogba Ajayi, Remi Abass and Kolade Eluyera, insisting their political leanings should not diminish their worth.
“Regardless of political affiliation, they were first our brothers, sisters and fellow citizens. To their families, your pain is our pain, and your loved ones will never be reduced to mere statistics,” Adeleke said.
To cushion the impact on affected households, the Adeleke family’s Springtime Development Foundation will fund full scholarships through university level for children and dependants of victims who lost their lives. The state government’s ₦500 million endowment fund will be managed by a Verification and Relief Committee chaired by the Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adewale Olumide Egbedun, which will handle victim identification and relief disbursement.
Adeleke stressed that the intervention would be humanitarian, not political.
“This is not a political intervention. It is a humanitarian responsibility. No eligible victim will be excluded because of political affiliation, religion, ethnicity, gender or social status,” he said. “In grief, there is no political party. In our common humanity, we are one people.”
Calling for unity beyond the polls, the governor urged residents to rally behind the task of governance and rebuilding.
“The election is over. The campaign is over. The contest is over. Now is the time to govern, unite, heal and build,” he said, pledging to serve all residents regardless of who they voted for. “I remain Governor to all, and together we must place Osun State above politics.”
Adeleke committed to prioritising infrastructure, healthcare, education, workers’ welfare and youth empowerment in his new term, with an emphasis on accountability and transparency.
“You have given me another opportunity to serve, and I accept this responsibility with humility. I will work harder. I will listen more. I will do more,” he said. “Today, we are grateful for victory, but sober in remembrance. Tomorrow, we return to work.”
He closed with a prayer for the families of victims, asking for comfort, healing and continued blessings on the “State of the Living Spring.”
