Jelili Alao Oladapo was born in 1978 in the State of Osogbo Osun, located in the southwest of Nigeria. As a child his parents had already noticed his promising artistic talents.
Growing up in Osogbo, one of the most cultural cities in Nigeria, largely contributed to his artistic development. Jelili Alao Oladapo graduated in 1990 from the prestigious Osogbo Art School, and continued his artistic career ever after. His paintings are mainly created with pen ink, acrylic colours, oil colours and beadwork techniques.
He is a versatile and genuine artist, who has made a niche for himself through several exhibitions both in and outside Africa. In Ghana, his paintings are exhibited at the National Museum of Ghana, in Nigeria at the National Council for Art and Culture. In recognition of his work he is a member of the Nigerian Association of Visual Arts and Performing Artists.