By Toyin Falola
On July 21, 2024, I will have the honour of delivering a commencement speech at Adeleke University in Ede, Osun State. It is a privilege to write about the university’s founder, Dr Adedeji Adeleke, a man of many accomplishments. “Adeleke” is a revered name in Nigeria and beyond, exerting notable influence across diverse facets of Nigerian daily life, including politics, education, business, religion, and entertainment. If you are unfamiliar with Adeleke as a household name, you are probably missing out on insights into these vital aspects of Nigerian society.
Dr Adeleke was born in 1957 in Enugu, Nigeria, to a Muslim father, Senator Ayoola Adeleke and a Christian mother, Esther Adeleke, as the fourth among the six children of the couple. His father was a Nigerian senator, while his mother was a nurse. Dr Adeleke attended Ansar-ud-Deen Primary School in Lagos from 1965-1970, after which he gained admission into Seventh-Day Adventist Grammar School, Ede, Western Region, now Osun State, where he obtained his West African School Certificate in 1975. After briefly working at the Lagos State Ministry of Education, Dr Adeleke enrolled at Western Kentucky University (WKU) in 1976 where he earned a BSc in Business Administration/Finance in May 1979. He earned his MBA from WKU in 1981 and went on to complete a doctoral degree at Pacific Columbia University in 1983, and Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Electricity Management and Regulation from the University of Phoenix in 2010.
The visionary billionaire from Osun State, by virtue of his family’s legacy of unwavering brightness and prestige, brings smiles to the faces of people who know him well. Despite his immense wealth and fame, Dr Adeleke is not known for arrogance, earning instant respect from everyone who meets him. He is an extraordinary man whose influence transcends material wealth, impacting lives through philanthropy and a commitment to upright living. With minimal media presence, his affluence exceeds imagination. Known for his quiet demeanour and profound humility, Dr Adeleke’s character is truly admirable and worthy of study.
A man with a vision of service to humanity, Dr Adeleke has made tremendous impacts through his non-profit and non-governmental organisation, the Springtime Development Foundation (SDF). Starting years ago, SDF was born out of his desire to improve the lives of many Nigerians through education. He is a lover of education.
In March 2011, he obtained the national license to operate Adeleke University in Osun State. Dr Adeleke’s philanthropy stands on par with his business acumen and his contribution toward establishing the best corporate models in Nigeria. Adeleke University serves as a beacon of his uninhibited interest in innovative principles, reflecting his desire to use his resources to make a significant impact and give others reasons to be happy.
Since it began operations in December 2011, Adeleke University has recorded numerous academic strides and achievements. The campus, which sits on 520 acres of land in Adeleke’s hometown of Ede, is one of the most beautiful privately owned university campuses in Nigeria. As a faith-based institution of higher learning, the university closely identifies with the Seventh-day Adventist Church and its philosophy of Christian education, which includes features such as scholarship opportunities, flexible payment plans, entrepreneurial skill acquisition, high-quality teaching, research, and creative learning.
The vision of Adeleke University is grounded in excellence and high-quality teaching and research innovations in learning that compete on a global scale. The institution aims to empower disadvantaged communities and individuals by pursuing truth, preservation, advancement, and transmission of knowledge at a high level through general, professional, and vocational education designed to prepare people for dedicated service to humanity. At the heart of learning at the university is the acquisition of entrepreneurial skills for students. The university equips them with the knowledge and tools for self-reliance, empowering them to contribute positively towards the economic development of their communities.
Through the SDF scholarship scheme, Adeleke University has awarded scholarships to many needy students within and outside Nigeria. In 2022, the university, through the SDF, provided free Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) registration for 40 disadvantaged students aspiring to study at a Nigerian tertiary institution. The fee payment scheme and flexible payment plans ensure affordability despite being a privately owned institution, which is a further testament to Dr Adeleke’s genuine philanthropy.
Embedded within the university is Adeleke University High School, where students are trained from scratch to achieve high educational standards, moral values, and discipline in alignment with the university’s set standards. The focus on training youths in various areas of life is clearly visible in the university’s setup.
Dr Adeleke is recognised as a successful businessman. He serves as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council at Adeleke University, CEO of Pacific Holdings Limited, and Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the SDF. His roles underscore his tremendous impact on youth development nationwide through education and vocational skills.
PS: Part 1 of 4 on Adeleke University
This is putting a round peg in a round hole. Yes, this is a man with tremendous amount of talent, education, and business acumen and yet endowed with unusual float of humility. I await the other great things you have to say in the remaining three segments of the four-part series. Keep it up!
I find your lucid, bio of this apparently honest, insightful and benevolent educational entrepreneur very inspiring, so I would like to know details of some of the priority needs of the university, including the high school.
It was a rare privilege to have met this man and served as the pioneer President/Vice Chancellor of the institution. Dr Deji Adeleke or Chairman as he is fondly called is a study in humility. It is difficult to imagine that such a man with stupendous wealth will combine some of the rare qualities that very few Nigerians, dead or alive could possibly possess. Each time I had consultation with him as Chair of Council during my tenure as VC, he would receive intermittent calls from people and dispense thousands of dollars on phone by way of contributing to the educational progress of people across the globe. He must have ranked among the few number of philanthropists from his part of the world who have sponsored uncountable number of people on medical recovery mission to India and a few other countries. Guess what? Most of such beneficiaries are people he has never met, and would mostly like not meet in life. Close to 40% of the initial 500 or so students that we started the university with were on his full or partial scholarship! What is astounding about this man is that he does not want this in the media! For Prof Toyin Falola to write this part 1 of the many parts essay on this enigma speaks volume. Prof Falola himself is another Nigerian who can literally donate one of his eyes for a vulnerable person to see. I am grateful to have met both of you and be impacted one way or the other in the journey of life.
Ayandiji Daniel Aina, PhD.
Professor of Political Science &
Provost, College of Postgraduate Studies.
Babcock U.
You hit the nail on the head with this wonderful piece about Dr. Adeleke. His calm demeanour despite his affluence is a case to be studied. His philanthropic heart has been a blessing to many. I and my wife are direct beneficiaries of the scholarship he offers through SDF. May the Lord bless him always in Jesus name. Amen
His type (Dr Adedeji Adeleke) are few in the circle of 7 billion human beings of the globe. His unique personality (finest attributes) would make even the best writer to think hard on what to write. This is because his impact is holistic: where will one begin, or which of the aspect of his life will one write on? I have had encounters with him and what I can say is that Dr Adedeji Adeleke is an embodiment of “God sent” to humanity. His contribution to human society cut across all human endeavor as a multi billionaire, yet he displays an uncommon humility and compassion for philanthropy…
I am looking forward to seeing and hearing Prof. Toyin Falola, my lecturer at the University of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, in the first half of the 1980s, one of the best historians of our generation and a poet, use the tools of his profession; facts and objectivity to diagnose Dr. Deji Adeleke, my Chairman and employer, whose character, charisma, philanthropy and business acumen letters cannot adequately express to expose.
May my masquerade dance well in the market space.
Your exemplary work demonstrates remarkable potential. With strategic enhancements, this foundation can be transformed into a pioneering contribution that advances the field and solidifies your position as an industry authority.
Indeed you have captured the essence of the man. My two children were on 50% off scholarship since I already had the first in a private university and it was no doubt instrumental to both of them coming out with second class upper as you had to maintain a certain grade to enjoy the scholarship. May God continue to guide and protect him. I pray more rich people realise that the money they are given is to serve humanity as they are not taking a Naira away when they die. Thank you Dr. Adeleke.