By Steve Omolale
In the days of yore when royalty was much highly revered in Yorubaland, only very rich monarchs, as well as fiery and traditional award-winning warriors had “eshin” (horses).
Specifically, only a few oba, the Aare Onakakanfo, the Balogun, the Ologunbafon, the rich and those who shouldered the responsibility of defending and securing communities in Yorubaland in the ravaging days of inter and intra-tribal wars could afford and boast of having horses.
Then, some traditional rulers were real ‘Gbadegeshin’ because they were warriors and, at the same time, monarchs.
They defended their communities with everything they had. They fought the invaders. They fought with bows, arrows, dane guns, charms and other dangerous objects. They won them.
With the crowns on their hands, while on top of their horses, they fought and fought. Hence, they acquired the title of “Gbadegeshin”. It was not an ordinary title. It was a title steeped in the rich tradition and culture of the highly sophisticated Yoruba race.
Dr. Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, and an urbane prince, who is favoured by man and God to clinch the ticket of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 governorship election in the state will be “Gbadegeshin” of Lagos from May 27, next year.
Besides being a prince, he is well educated, internationally exposed, highly cerebral and has been in governance for decades. In all ramifications, Hamzat is well qualified to be the “Gbadegeshin” and leader of government come from next year.
Having been a commissioner twice and a deputy governor in his second term under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, he knows and understands Lagos grassroots politics like his palms. Having been born by a political stalwart father, the late Oba Mufutau Hamzat, who was a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly and former commissioner, among many other political offices he occupied, Obafemi Hamzat grew up eating, drinking, sleeping and dreaming politics.
He deeply understands the intricacies of Lagos politics. He combines his urbaneness with the understanding of the complexities of grassroots mobilisation to achieve political advantage. And this he is doing right now by consulting with who is who in Lagos politics. None of those eyeing the Alausa Governor’s Office with him has these qualities.
Such grassroots visits have taken him to the Oba of Lagos, Rilwanu Akiolu, for royal blessings; elder statesman and former Federal Commissioner for Works, Alhaji Femi Okunnu; former governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN); and Senior Special Assistant to The President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.
Also already visited by Hamzat are: former deputy governors Otunba Femi Pedro and Princess Sarah Sosan, as well as a grassroots political leader in Epe Division where Hamzat hails from, Alhaji Shakiru Seriki-Bamu, among others.
The consultations still continue, even as the APC prepares for its governorship primary on April 27.
Mrs. Orelope-Adefulire succinctly captured how capable Hamzat is when she said: “My husband and I are so happy to receive this August visitor. We have confidence in your capacity. We have gone a long way in this political trajectory by which I can say unequivocally that you will never disappoint Lagosians.”
She should understand better because she also served as the deputy governor of Lagos State between May 29, 2011 and May 29, 2015 under Fashola.
Hamzat was not a lone ranger in the visitations. With him are: Senators Musiliu Obanikoro and Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon (GOS), Honourable Rasaq Ajala and Chief Bode Oyedele, among other party stalwarts.
With a solid educational background and work experience in Nigeria and overseas, Hamzat has seen the world. He is fully equipped and prepared for the task ahead. He knows his onions. He has been part of a system of governance in Lagos State formed and built on a solid rock over the last almost three decades.
He had his primary education at Odu-Abore Memorial Primary School, Mushin, Lagos, his secondary education at Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo, Oyo State, and graduated from the University of Ibadan in 1986 with a degree in Agricultural Engineering and a Master’s in Agricultural Engineering in 1988. In 1992, he had his Ph.D in System Process Engineering, at age 26, at Cranfield University, England.
He worked as desktop system support at RTP Consulting, United States; Adjunct Professor,
College of New Rochelle, New York, U.S.; Adjunct Professor, Columbia University, U.S.; Vice President,
Core Technology Support Group, Merril Lynch Incorporated New York; Senior Associates,
PC Engineering, Morgan Stanley, New York, U.S.; Head of ICT and Chief Information Officer, Oando Plc; Lagos State Commissioner for Science and Technology;
Commissioner for Works and Infrastructural Development;
Special Adviser (Technical) to Fashola as Minister of Power, Works and Housing and
Deputy Governor from 2019 till date.
To Lagosians who value sound education, wide experience and deep native intelligence, all of which Hamzat possesses in abundance, becoming the ‘Gbadegeshin’ of Lagos from May, next year, is a done deal. None of the contenders from either the opposition parties or within the APC can stop this.
*Omolale, a seasoned journalist, writes from Lagos.
