Yayi changed name after converting to Christianity – Aide

A senator representing Ogun West and the APC governorship candidate for Ogun State, Sen Solomon Adeola fondly called Yayi. Photo: APC

The Media Adviser to the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Ogun State, Senator Solomon Adeola, has explained that the candidate changed his name from Sulaimon Ogunleye to Solomon Adeola after converting from Islam to Christianity.

Adeola’s media aide, Kayode Odunaro, explained while defending his principal against questions surrounding his identity and name ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with our correspondent on Saturday, Odunaro said there was nothing unusual about Adeola changing his name, insisting that the senator had done so years before venturing into politics.

He said Adeola was born into a Muslim family and adopted the name Solomon after becoming a Christian.

“Many people at some point in life have had cause to change their names. Even the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, once changed his name. His original name wasn’t Atiku Abubakar.

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“So, that is not an issue, and the senator has changed his name since he was at The Guardian. He was Sulaimon Ogunleye, but changing his religion from Islam to Christianity made him change his name.

“Solomon is the biblical name for Sulaimon. His father’s name is Ogunleye and Adeola. He only chose Adeola as his surname,” Odunaro said.

A former Ijebu East Local Government chairman, Wale Adedayo, recently alleged that Adeola was originally known as Sulaimon Ogunleye and was from Ekiti State. Adeola subsequently demanded that Adedayo and others who made similar claims provide evidence or face legal action.

Odunaro, however, maintained that the name change was not evidence of any wrongdoing, arguing that people could change their names for personal, religious or other reasons.

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