Davido’s uncle turned politician on how he built multimillion-dollar business in U.S. without family support

Nigerian Senator Ademola Adeleke has been described as a multimillion-dollar entrepreneur who has business empires in both the United States and Nigeria. Adeleke said he started his business empire without any support from his family members. Nonetheless, he pushed hard to achieve the success that has come as a surprise to brothers and friends, including Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote.

Adeleke co-founded Origin International Limited with a friend, producing fragrance and flavor for the food and beauty industry.

“It was a thriving enterprise. I made a lot of money from the business. The business expanded so rapidly,” Adeleke said. According to him, the business penetrated several markets in the U.S.

“The business was a major break for me. It was also a pioneering effort. We penetrated several American markets. That manufacturing venture yielded a lot of returns. You know only competent and smart people can successfully create and run a business in the United States.

Prior to venturing into manufacturing, Adeleke started a courier service firm and went on to win a major courier contract in the United States, he said. Although it was a one-man business, his business acumen and skills ensured that the contract was awarded to his firm.

“I competed with a Whiteman to win,” he said.

When Adeleke returned to Nigeria after his business exploits in the U.S., he was appointed as an Executive Director of Pacific Holdings, in recognition of his own antecedent as a man who had distinguished himself by building and successfully running his own businesses.

Adeleke also served as an Executive Director of Guinness Nigeria Limited where he contributed immensely to the expansion of the company. At the age of 32, he was on the board with the likes of General TY Danjuma, a distinguished and highly successful businessman.

“I played many critical board room roles including being selected to lead a company team to negotiate for expansion loans from the Dublin headquarters. I not only negotiated and secured the loan but deployed my experience in the negotiation. I was a major asset to the board where I served for two terms,” Adeleke said.

Adeleke is currently one of the major contenders for the governorship ticket of Nigeria’s opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the Osun state. He is also an uncle to the musician, David Adeleke, aka Davido. Adeleke and his nephew, Dele Adeleke, were recently cleared by the PDP to contest its governorship primaries. They were cleared alongside four other aspirants.

The Adeleke family produced the first civilian governor of Osun State, Isiaka Adeleke, who later became a senator.