The story of Dideolu Falobi, an engineer and traditional chief, begins in Ilesa, Osun State and, in many ways, it remains a place that continues to shape his outlook and sense of purpose. Raised in a household of educators, in a community where neighbors played active roles in raising children and childhood still had room to breathe, Falobi absorbed early what would become the defining thread of his life: that the people who shape you deserve the best of everything you eventually become.
It is a conviction he has carried from his high school days through his university career and into every boardroom, community meeting, and development initiative that followed.
As the Managing Director of Kresta Laurel Limited, Dideolu Falobi steered one of Nigeria’s foremost engineering firms to national prominence. He earned fellowships from three prestigious professional bodies, was conferred the title of Bobajiro of Ilesa, and founded the Ijesaland Development Foundation to tackle youth unemployment and community division.
In addition, he convened the Think Tank on Nigeria (TTON), a platform dedicated to developing practical solutions to the country’s most pressing socio-economic challenges, and he served in several other institutional bodies committed to giving back to the communities that shaped him. He was, in every sense of the word, a builder.
In 2021, Dideolu Falobi made a deliberate shift from a non-partisan observer to a card-carrying party member to contribute more directly and engage more closely in decision-making. “I realized that if I wanted to make a real impact, I had to step into politics to drive change,” he says.
In this exclusive conversation with The Nollywood Reporter, Dideolu Falobi speaks about his upbringing in Ilesa, the formative years of student leadership at the University of Lagos, the decades of service that preceded his political ambitions, and his diagnosis of the structural challenges shaping Nigerian governance.
TNR: You’ve often described yourself as a “proud son of Osun.” Can you take us back to what your family and early life in Osun were like, and how it shaped the person you’ve become?
Dideolu Falobi: Thank you. I was born at Wesley Guild Hospital in Ilesa. Although my father is from Iwoye Ijesa, we lived in Ilesa, and that’s where I grew up. I had my early education there before proceeding to Methodist High School, Ilesa, for my secondary education.
I come from a family of teachers. Both my parents were educators, and we grew up in a very wholesome environment. Neighbors supported one another and played active roles in raising their children. It was a safer time, and we had a proper childhood: time to play, time for homework, time for meals.
My father believed strongly in a balanced life. There was a time for everything, and while we enjoyed freedom, there were also clear boundaries and no-go areas. I had a structured but fulfilling upbringing, and I truly enjoyed my childhood.
When I later left Ilesa to attend the University of Lagos, as much as I had always wanted to study there, I deeply missed home. In fact, except when I’m out of the country, I’m not sure a month has passed without me visiting Osun State.
Osun means a lot to me: the land, the people, the values I grew up with. They shaped me in profound ways. So yes, I am proudly a son of Osun State.
You studied engineering at the University of Lagos and went on to build a successful career. Looking back, how has your education prepared you for this new chapter in politics you are embarking on?
Okay, yes, I was at the University of Lagos, where I studied engineering. That was where I first became conscious that I might have a penchant for leadership. As a student, I was very involved in student unionism. I was a member of the House of Representatives, and I even wanted to contest for Clerk of the Student Assembly, but my colleagues persuaded me not to because we already had many engineering students in the executive.
Apart from student unionism, I was also active in organizing students. As early as my first year, I set up my set’s student association and helped establish a University of Lagos chapter of an association, where I served in leadership roles. I was involved in student care and student welfare activities. At different points, I served in key student union roles, including positions similar to General Secretary and President.
The University of Lagos played a major role in shaping me. I wasn’t just a member of student movements; I led many of the protests that happened during my time there. Since my third year, I was actively and responsibly involved in those actions. Many of my colleagues are not surprised that I’m going into politics; if anything, they wonder why it took me this long.
Through those roles, I learned politics, leadership, and responsibility to the community and its citizens. The academic structure also helped; we took courses like African Studies, Law, and other subjects that broadened our understanding of society, governance, and leadership. So yes, the University of Lagos prepared me in many ways.
I must also mention Methodist High School, Ilesa, because it did a lot for me. In 1981, when the school marked its anniversary, alumni returned for about seven days and engaged us in various activities, such as career talks, mentorship, and other programs.
Very importantly, Obafemi Awolowo attended as the Special Guest of Honour. At the time, he was someone we only saw on television, so seeing him in person at our school left a strong impression on us. I believe that moment ignited something in me. I remember telling myself that, by God’s grace, when the school celebrates another major milestone, I would return like those leaders and be part of the team giving back. So that’s my background. There were conscious and unconscious moments that shaped my leadership journey.
Your career spans engineering, business leadership, and community service. Which of these roles has had the most defining impact on your vision for leadership in Osun State?
I think all of them. I will weigh them equally, and I will explain why. As an engineer, you are trained to provide solutions. That is what engineers do. You look at systems, identify challenges, and design solutions to fix them.
As a businessman, you understand the importance of finance and sustainability. You need resources to achieve the dreams engineers design and to support whatever goals people are pursuing. Businesses can only thrive in an environment shaped by good policies, strong leadership, and effective governance structures. So you begin to understand how much governance affects economic growth.
As someone deeply involved in community development, you see challenges up close. You experience firsthand how governance, or the lack of it, impacts everyday life in communities. So when you look at it closely, the three areas carry equal weight in shaping my vision. As a businessman, I realized that no matter how strong private sector efforts are, without the right government policies and structures, businesses can struggle or even collapse.
As an engineer, I see that as a challenge that requires practical solutions. So those three experiences – engineering, business, and community service – all came together in defining my vision.
You hold the title of Bobajiro of Ilesa. What does this traditional role mean to you personally, and how does it influence the way you see leadership?
Well, the role of Bobajiro of Ilesa is essentially that of someone who addresses and counsels the king. Primarily, it is a recognition that, based on your antecedents, you have a role to play in the community.
For me, I’m deeply grateful to the late Owa Obokun of Ijeshaland, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran, who conferred the title on me about nine years ago. I truly appreciate that honor.
Beyond the recognition, it is also a call to leadership. When you become one of those who counsel the king, you can no longer take a casual interest in what happens in your community. You have to be deliberate and informed to offer the right advice.
So, in that sense, it reinforces leadership and places additional responsibility on me to do the right things and to help guide the community in the right direction. There are expectations that come with such a title, and I must be ready to live up to them.
Beyond titles, you’ve also founded the Ijesaland Development Foundation and other initiatives. What lessons from these community efforts do you plan to carry into politics?
The Ijesaland Development Foundation emerged from three main factors.
First was what I saw as a kind of division within the Ijesa community, something that has existed for a while. I felt someone had to take responsibility for bringing people together and getting everyone to the table so we could work collectively.
The second was youth development. I saw a generation of young people, not just in Ijesaland but across the country, basically wasting away. They didn’t have employable skills, and some were drifting into crime. This was very clear to me about 15 or 16 years ago, and I began to think about solutions.
I realized that beyond reorientation and counselling, there had to be real opportunities. If you redirect young people, where do you channel them? So I started thinking about industrialization and also the need for vocational skills. That’s why part of the Foundation’s focus was on building community capacity, creating employment opportunities, and equipping young people with practical skills that make them productive.
The third aspect was around what I would call the intangibles, things like orientation, education, advocacy, and general value reorientation. These are just as important in building a functional society.
So the key lesson for me is simple: identify the problem clearly, bring people together, and create practical, sustainable solutions. That’s what I intend to carry into politics.
At what point did you realize you wanted to step from boardrooms and community halls into politics, specifically to contest for a public office in the future?
First, I should have been in politics since the 1990s. But I must admit, I didn’t get my mum’s support. She was very strong about my not going into politics. Her own father had been involved in politics, so she had her reservations. I decided to honor her by staying away.
Over time, I became convinced that I could still contribute to society through other means. That was why I stayed active in community development, my secondary school association, and other initiatives. So I was always involved in one thing or another, even though, like I said earlier, the seed had been planted in 1981.
About four years ago, I decided to move from being non-partisan to partisan, without any intention to contest: I just wanted to be able to advise from within. I felt I needed to be closer to political leaders to contribute. So around 2021, I registered with a political party for the first time in my life. Before then, even though I was close to many politicians, I had never been a card-carrying member of any party.
I remained at that level, doing my part at the ward level, without getting deeply involved, until about a year ago, when I started thinking more seriously.
What really moved me was what happened when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu came in. There were major challenges at the time, especially the fuel subsidy and the forex situation. I had written about these issues and reached out to leaders, saying things were not going well.
When the President came in, he made very tough decisions. They were painful, even for me and my business, but they were necessary. I give him credit for having the courage to take those steps.
That experience reinforced something I already knew. If the public sector is not working well, no matter how strong the private sector is, everything can still collapse. Many genuine businesses suffered overnight losses due to policy changes.
That was when I realized I needed to be more than just an observer, even as a party member. That was when I began to seriously consider contesting.
The second moment was when I visited schools and saw the conditions. Classrooms were inadequate, and there were not enough teachers. I asked myself what kind of future we are building for these children.
That was the turning point. I realized that if I wanted to make systemic change and real impact, I had to step into politics, and not just participate, but contest for a position like governor, where there is executive power to drive change. That is what informed my decision.
In your view, what makes Nigerian politics challenging, and what needs to change for it to better serve the people?
I think the most challenging thing in Nigerian politics today is that the citizens have completely lost trust in politicians and political leaders. So whether you are good or bad, people already believe everyone is the same. There is a general assumption that anyone in politics is there to steal money.
So there is a deep trust deficit. People don’t even believe in elections anymore. They think results will be rigged, and they don’t believe the system is fair. That is the biggest challenge.
There are other issues, of course, such as the misallocation of funds, rigging, and corruption, but the biggest problem is still the lack of trust in leadership. As a result, people have become apathetic. They don’t care during elections. Many would rather stay at home and watch it on TV.
You end up with sometimes less than 20 per cent of registered voters actually voting, and even those registered voters are still a small fraction of the total population that should be voting based on demographics. So how do you fix that? The only way is by example, through quality leadership.
You cannot just keep talking to people. I have engaged communities for months, and what you often hear is, “go and sit down, when you get there you will also steal,” or “you will rig.” Some even say that if you don’t want to rig, then you are not ready for politics. Their minds are already made up.
So the only thing that can change this is when leaders begin to show by example that governance can actually deliver on its promises. That is the only way.
Nigerians are not difficult people. I always say this. If they see, even at the local government level, that things are being done properly, their mindset will begin to change. So it is really in the hands of those in leadership today. They have the responsibility to change perceptions by simply delivering on their promises.
From your perspective, what are the ideal attributes of a governor of a state? And do you believe you embody those qualities?
Whether I embody them or not, I would not like to assess myself. I prefer to leave that for others to judge.
But for me, the ideal qualities of a governor start with sincerity of purpose. The person must genuinely mean well, both in intent and in action.
The second is courage in decision-making. Governance is a very lonely job. Most people around you are smiling at you for a reason, so you must be ready to take difficult decisions in the interest of the majority. Sometimes, people may not even know what is best for them; so, you must have the courage to pursue what you believe is right, guided by the sincerity of purpose.
The third is a clear understanding of governance itself. Many people do not really understand what governance is about. At its core, it is about the welfare of the people and what best serves the majority. You must understand what that responsibility truly means. You can rely on experts for advice, but you must personally grasp the fundamentals.
The fourth quality, in my view, is political sagacity. We are not in a military system; we are in a political environment. So, you must understand how politics works and how to manage it. If you don’t manage the political side of governance, you will not be able to implement the good ideas you have for the people.
That is partly why I admire President Tinubu. I believe he has the courage to make decisions he feels are right. I believe he has sincerity of purpose. I also believe he understands politics and how to manage it effectively, including knowing when to move, when to pause, and how to balance interests.
You also need a fair understanding of economics, business, education, and other sectors. When your advisers speak, you should be able to read between the lines and understand what they are saying.
When a governor lacks a grasp of these things, if anything goes right, it is often just by luck.
People might see you as all work and no play. How do you unwind outside the demands of business and politics?
I’m work-play, I play. Number one, I’m involved in so many activities outside formal work. My secondary school activities, you might think, are on another level but, for me, it’s play because it makes me happy. I served as president of my secondary school union for about 18 years. I also served in my faculty alumni association at the University of Lagos, Faculty of Engineering, for about five years.
I set up a platform called the Think Tank on Nigeria, where we brainstorm and develop solutions to different challenges within the Nigerian system. I also belong to a few social clubs, and I enjoy myself there.
So I do relax. I try to balance things. I spend time with friends from time to time. Even though many of those moments involve what I would call robust intellectual gymnastics, we still enjoy ourselves while doing so.
We hear a song was recently made in your honor. Can you tell us about that celebration?
Actually, there have been many songs made in my honor. Different ones, yes. I’m also a bit of a supporter of the entertainment industry. As part of what I would call non-core activities, I support the entertainment space. I have supported younger artistes who are rising. But that is a part of me I don’t usually talk about much publicly.
Who are some of your favorite artistes, both past and present, and why do they resonate with you?
My favorite artiste still remains King Sunny Ade. I’m a bit of an old school fan. Of course, I also like Simi. I enjoy her music.
There are many good artistes out there. There’s also a group called FTK, whose work I really like, although they are not yet very popular.
But generally, I’m still quite old school. I think King Sunny Ade is the best thing that has happened to juju music, as far as I’m concerned.