It was a day of heartfelt appreciation and celebration at Yakubu Gowon University (formerly the University of Abuja) as the institution honoured two outstanding personalities whose dedication and generosity have quietly strengthened its academic foundation.

At a ceremony held at the Sultan Maccido Institute for Peace, Leadership and Development Studies (SMIPLDS), Major General Mobolaji Koleoso (Rtd) and Dr Akeem Adedeji were presented with Special Recognition Awards for their selfless and pro bono contributions to teaching and mentorship at the Institute.

For Major General Koleoso, service has never been a passing phase; it is a lifelong calling, guided by a compass that has always pointed towards duty, discipline, and nation-building. Anchored in a life defined by consistent sacrifice, Koleoso, alongside Dr Akeem, has spent the past five years lecturing at the Institute without remuneration, mentoring young scholars and promoting the values of leadership, peace, and civic responsibility. Together, they have helped to strengthen the Institute’s academic base and advance its mission to raise leaders driven by integrity and service.

Presenting the awards, the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Mathew Adamu, praised the honourees for their passion and generosity, describing them as shining examples of selfless contribution to education and humanity.

“We must recognise people who give back to society,” he said. “It is one of the biggest challenges we face as a country — people often think giving back must be about money. But there are intangible contributions that carry far greater value. What Major General Koleoso and Dr Akeem are doing through teaching and mentorship is priceless. They are building a better society.”

In his remarks, the Director of the Institute, Professor Mohammed Yelwa, lauded the honourees’ consistency and commitment, noting that their voluntary service had significantly enriched the Institute’s programmes and enhanced its credibility.

“Your unwavering commitment and the pro bono services you have rendered over the years stand as a testament to your belief in academic excellence, community service, and nation-building,” Yelwa said. “You have strengthened the Institute’s capacity to deliver on its mandate, and your influence continues to inspire others.”

Speaking on behalf of both awardees, Major General Koleoso, who also holds a PhD, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the University and the Institute for the recognition, describing it as both personal and collective — an affirmation of shared values.

“We are deeply grateful for this honour,” he said. “This recognition is not just about us; it reflects the values we hold dear — service, integrity, and nation-building. Teaching here has never been about reward but about impact. Seeing our students grow into responsible leaders is our greatest fulfilment. This gesture reminds us that service truly matters and encourages us to keep giving more of ourselves.”

Koleoso, a seasoned military officer, peace advocate, and leadership mentor has distinguished himself during a stellar career in the Nigerian Army, where he served in key command and administrative positions before retiring with honours. Beyond his military service, he has continued to demonstrate exceptional commitment to education and civic development. As a PhD holder in Strategic Studies, he has contributed to advancing scholarship in peacebuilding and leadership training, helping to shape the next generation of Nigerians with a focus on ethical leadership and national unity.

As the audience rose in applause, it was clear that the moment went beyond ceremony. It was a salute to a man whose journey — from the battlefield to the classroom — continues to prove that true greatness lies not in titles or rank, but in the selfless act of shaping lives and building a better nation.

The stage is set, the lights are on, and Osun State once again finds itself at the edge of political drama. The question before us is not new, yet it carries fresh weight: with the incumbent governor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seeking another term, who dares to wrestle power away from him?

Ordinarily, such a debate belongs to professional politicians, party strategists, and the endless chatter of political analysts. Yet in Osun, politics is not the pastime of politicians alone — it is the heartbeat of the people. Whether one shrugs it off or follows it passionately, the reality remains: the decision of who governs Osun is not merely the headache of the gladiators in politIcal Agbada, but the collective burden — and aspirations of its citizens.

For the All Progressives Congress (APC), the leading opposition party in Osun State, the next two to three months are critical. The Party must answer the defining question: Who shall bear the party’s flag against the PDP incumbent?
Big names and known political power brokers have already thrown their hats into the ring, plotting and lobbying, whispering in corridors of influence. Some of them have tasted power before; won elections, lost elections and have failed re-contested elections. Some of them were asked to step aside, and now stepping up their game, aiming for the highest political office available. Some have, hanging on their neck, public perception of under-performance, low performance, and twisted self-centred performance.
The inter-play of politics in Nigeria is often a mixed bag, and every political gladiator seeking for the office of the Osun State Governor is constitutional guaranteed to do so; it’s a race open for the good, the not so good, and the bad; irrespective of what the perception is.
However, in the midst of the political gladiators, one name that is beginning to rise like a quiet storm within the Osun APC fold is that of Engr. Dideolu Falobi, FNSE, FIoD.

The Power of a name, the Weight of a Legacy
In Osun, names are not mere syllables. They are signatures. They carry history, trust, and sometimes scars. Each political era in the State has been defined by names etched in either service or controversy, cross-cutting the tenures of Isiaka Adeleke, Bisi Akande, Rauf Aregbesola, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Gboyega Oyetola, and now Ademola Adeleke. These names are more than individuals; they are associated with political seasons, and the public perception of either performance, under performance or bad performance is a reality that the people of Osun live with.

As the decision ahead the Osun 2026 governorship election gather momentum, there appears a light in the horizon via a fresh, relatively unfamiliar name — Dideolu Falobi.
On the surface, he is not a product of entrenched political blocs, nor a veteran of the Osun political power wars.
That should make him a push-over in the conventional political script. Yet politics in today’s Nigeria is no longer conventional.
Beneath the surface, something intriguing is happening: a ‘newcomer’ is gathering momentum, powered not by patronage of “stomach infrastructure,” but by goodwill, service, and the quiet force of community trust.

This is where legacy meets possibility. For Dideolu Falobi, his bloodline does not entitle him to power. Instead, his strength comes from a different foundation: years of building, serving, and inspiring. His heritage is not a political burden but a mantle of service waiting to be extended into leadership.

Dideolu Falobi: The New Breed Leader
So, who is this man daring to interrupt the political chessboard of Osun?
Dideolu Falobi is not your typical politician. He is a technocrat, a community builder, and a leader by achievement rather than ambition. Born in Iwoye-Ijesa in Oriade LGA of Osun East, Dideolu Falobi grew up in Ilesa where he attended Methodist High School before proceeding to the University of Lagos, graduating with a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering in 1987.
His professional path is both impressive and instructive. From rising to Junior Partner at Edison Group & Partners, to leading electrification projects across Nigeria and The Gambia, to becoming Managing Director of Kresta Laurel Limited in 2005, Dideolu Falobi has consistently turned challenges into landmarks.

Under his leadership, Kresta Laurel executed projects for institutions like the Central Bank, Shell, UBA, Silverbird Group, and the Bank of Industry. He also chairs Hieno Technologies Limited, extending his influence into Nigeria’s industrial growth.

Yet beyond boardrooms and skyscrapers, Dideolu Falobi has written his story in the heart of communities. For nearly two decades, he transformed his alma mater as President of the Methodist High School Old Students’ Association, delivering modern classrooms, labs, a library, a multipurpose hall, water projects, and even an astronomy observatory — the first in Osun State.
He didn’t stop there. He founded the Ijesaland Development Foundation, advancing rural and regional development. He chairs the Iwoye-Ijesa Development Committee, proving that rural voices matter. On the national stage, he convenes the Think Tank on Nigeria, a platform of over 250 professionals brainstorming policy reforms. He served as National Chairman of the UNILAG Faculty of Engineering Alumni Association, mobilising resources to uplift education.

While his leadership résumé is decorated with fellowships, recognitions, and thought leadership, more importantly, his name tells of someone who has been working where politicians often fail: in real problem-solving.

Beyond an aspiration, what stuff is Dideolu Falobi made up of?
Running for governor of Osun is not a tea party. It demands grit, vision, and capacity. And in these, Dideolu Falobi does not come empty-handed. The roles he has played over the years has been the manual of competence:
• Bobajiro of Ilesa; custodian of tradition.
• Convener, Think Tank on Nigeria; A reform driver.
• Founder, Ijesaland Development Foundation; a regional development advocate.
• MD, Kresta Laurel Limited; a business leader.
• Chairman, Board of Fellows, Nigerian Institution of Safety Engineers; Professional depth.
• Vice President, Board of Trustees, Osun Country Club; Socially relevant.
• APC member, rooted in Ward 4, Iwoye-Ijesa, Oriade LGA; politically committed.

But beyond the résumé, his candidacy signals something refreshing:
• He is free from old political baggage.
• He has demonstrated results, not just promises.
• He embodies a generational bridge — carrying heritage, yet aligned with the yearnings of the youth.
• He channels energy, competence, and integrity in equal measure.

Who shall bell the cat?
As political permutations dance across Osun’s West, East, and Central divides, the APC faces a choice. Will they recycle the usual faces, weighed down by yesterday’s battles, or will they dare to offer a fresh, credible alternative?

In all of these, Engr. Dideolu Falobi is emerging as a symbol of rebirth — the bridge between the legacy of yesterday and the innovation of tomorrow. And perhaps, just perhaps, the story of governance of Osun is about to turn a new, fresh and flourishing page.

However, power, in all ramifications, ultimately belongs not to the moneybags or the career political gladiators, but to God, who rules in the affairs of men — and who sometimes chooses the least expected vessels to reset history, and who resets history, in the most unexpected ways, in the space of times and seasons.
…. It’s all a matter of time. As day and night happens, so does the Creator shape the affairs and paths of humanity, and Dideolu Falobi, at the central, definitely has a part to play in turning the tide of things for the good of Osun, the State of the Living Spring. There’s work to be done; in parts, in pieces and in holistic service.

This article is written by Oluwasanmi Owokusile, a social advocate, cum strategic media-communications consultant.