The daughter of Osun businesswoman and All Progressives Congress (APC) mobiliser Alhaja Falilat Yusuf, popularly known as Ero-Arike, has publicly apologised on her mother’s behalf for the controversial distribution of rice during the state’s governorship election campaign.
In a statement circulating online and attributed to her, the daughter said: “I apologise to the people of Osun on behalf of my mother. I don’t like what my mum did with the akara and rice, but nobody knows what happened between her and Governor Adeleke. If my mother stops selling Ero, nothing will happen to her because she has other businesses. But what about the staff working under her?”
The apology follows intense online backlash after a viral video from around 10 August 2026 showed Ero-Arike, dressed in APC-branded clothing, distributing bags of rice packaged with party stickers to residents. She claimed the rice was provided by Alhaja Kafayat Gboyega Oyetola, wife of former Osun Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, and urged recipients to vote for the APC candidate, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO. She also issued spiritual warnings, stating that anyone who collected the food or money but failed to vote for the party would see their children fail in life.
The actions drew sharp criticism as alleged voter inducement, which is prohibited under Nigeria’s Electoral Act 2022. Fact-checkers verified the video’s authenticity and timing ahead of the 15 August election.
Ero-Arike, who is based in Iragbiji in Boripe Local Government Area and runs the company behind the popular Ero Arike traditional herbal balm, had previously supported the Adeleke political camp before defecting to the APC around July 2026. She cited dissatisfaction and unfulfilled promises from the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke.
Governor Adeleke of the Accord Party was re-elected with 511,067 votes against Oyebamiji’s 444,815. After the results, Ero-Arike described politics as a gamble and reaffirmed her support for the APC candidate despite the defeat.
Calls to boycott her herbal balm products quickly followed. In response, groups of women identifying as workers and marketers of the brand released videos pleading with the public not to abandon the product. They stressed that the business supports many families, including widows who said Ero-Arike had helped them build houses, stock goods and educate their children. One video featured collective appeals not to “ruin our mother’s work.”
Ero-Arike later stated that she has other investments, including farms and rental properties, and would not go hungry if balm sales stopped. She expressed concern, however, for the staff and widows who depend on the brand.
A separate video attributed to one of her children, described in some posts as her third child, also circulated in mid-August, pleading with Nigerians and Osun residents not to be angry with her mother. Some online comments questioned aspects of family details or the authenticity of certain clips.
The episode has highlighted ongoing debates about campaign methods, the use of food items in elections, and the commercial consequences for high-profile grassroots figures in the closely contested Osun poll. Official election results and the core video evidence of the rice distribution remain consistent across multiple reports.
