AT FOURTEEN, HE MET A SAGE; TODAY, HE IS BUILDING HIS OWN LEGACY

Dr. Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat

By Seye Oladejo 

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) wishes to declare that Dr. Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat represents a compelling combination of intellectual depth, administrative competence, political maturity and progressive conviction that Lagos needs as it prepares for its next chapter of development.

In a political environment increasingly crowded by noise merchants, professional critics and merchants of empty promises, Hamzat stands out as a man whose credentials are rooted in professional preparation, practical governance experience and a demonstrable understanding of the complexities of public administration.

There is a fascinating personal dimension to his story. The reported opportunity to meet Chief Obafemi Awolowo at the age of fourteen must have been a remarkable experience for a young mind encountering one of Nigeria’s most consequential statesmen. One can only imagine the impression such an encounter might have made on the young Obafemi, awakening an ambition to excel, a determination to make his own mark and an aspiration to build a legacy worthy of his name.

But inspiration is only the beginning. It takes discipline, intellectual preparation, professional development and years of service to turn youthful ambition into public accomplishment. Hamzat’s journey suggests precisely this progression: from a trained engineer and technology professional to commissioner and Deputy Governor of Lagos State.

The significance of the connection is therefore not that Hamzat bears the name of a historical icon, but that his own career provides grounds for examining how the values of excellence, purposeful leadership and public service can find expression in a new generation.

Chief Awolowo earned his place in history through ideas, institutions and an enduring commitment to human development. Hamzat’s responsibility is to establish his own place through competence, sound judgment and a contribution to the continuing advancement of Lagos.

EXPERIENCE IS NOT A CAMPAIGN SLOGAN

Hamzat’s professional and political credentials deserve serious consideration. His service as Commissioner for Science and Technology, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, and Deputy Governor has given him extensive exposure to the realities of government, from technological innovation and infrastructure delivery to executive coordination and policy implementation.

These are not inconsequential assignments. Lagos is an economic powerhouse with extraordinary opportunities and equally formidable challenges. Its infrastructure requirements, population pressures, economic ambitions and social responsibilities demand more than enthusiasm and political theatrics. They require a firm grasp of public policy, institutional capacity and the discipline to turn ideas into results.

Hamzat understands the environment in which these responsibilities must be discharged. His background combines technical training with practical exposure to the machinery of government, giving him an appreciation of the difference between announcing an idea and implementing it.

At a time when some politicians mistake social media visibility for governing capacity, and others believe that perpetual criticism is a substitute for constructive ideas, Hamzat’s experience underscores an important truth: governance is a serious business that rewards preparation, competence and institutional understanding.

Lagos cannot afford to gamble with its future or turn the leadership of its complex economy into an experiment in political wishful thinking. The stakes are too high, the challenges too demanding and the aspirations of its people too important.

THE LAGOS PROMISE AGENDA: BEYOND THE POLITICS OF EMPTY PROMISES

The Lagos PROMISE Agenda provides a platform for articulating the vision and priorities required to sustain the state’s developmental momentum. Its relevance lies in the opportunity to consolidate existing achievements while confronting emerging challenges with fresh ideas and practical solutions.

The priorities are unmistakable: stronger infrastructure, improved mobility, economic competitiveness, technological innovation, enterprise development, expanded opportunities for young people and more responsive public services.

However, a manifesto is not a magic wand, and attractive headlines cannot substitute for practical implementation. The real test of any agenda is whether its proposals are credible, its priorities clearly defined and its commitments translated into tangible improvements in the lives of citizens.

Hamzat’s familiarity with Lagos governance offers an important foundation for engaging these responsibilities. The task is to combine the institutional knowledge accumulated over years of public service with the imagination and courage required to take the state to the next level.

For the APC, continuity is not an excuse for complacency, just as innovation is not a licence for reckless experimentation. The objective is to preserve what works, correct what falls short and embrace new approaches where changing realities demand them.

That is the difference between responsible leadership and political adventurism.

THE AWOLOWO CONNECTION: INSPIRATION WITHOUT IMITATION

The reported encounter between the young Hamzat and Chief Awolowo offers a valuable lesson about the power of role models. Great leaders can expand the imagination of those who encounter them, making excellence appear attainable and public service a worthy life ambition.

Yet no individual becomes great simply by meeting a great man or bearing his name. History is not inherited by association. It is earned through individual effort, conviction, achievement and service.

Hamzat must therefore be assessed on his own merits, just as his illustrious namesake was judged by his own contributions to Nigeria’s political and developmental history.

The important question is whether the values associated with that early inspiration-intellectual seriousness, disciplined ambition, strategic thinking and commitment to public progress-can be translated into a distinct and enduring contribution to Lagos.

His professional preparation and governmental experience provide a basis for that conversation. His ultimate legacy, however, will depend on the quality of his decisions, the effectiveness of his leadership and the benefits his service delivers to the people.

LAGOS NEEDS SUBSTANCE, NOT POLITICAL THEATRE

As conversations about the future leadership of Lagos intensify, the APC believes that the electorate deserves a serious debate about competence, experience, vision and preparedness.

The governorship of Lagos is not a ceremonial prize for political ambition, nor is it an entry-level position for those still learning the rudiments of public administration. It is an enormous responsibility requiring sound judgment, executive maturity, strategic foresight and an intimate appreciation of the state’s complex realities.

Hamzat’s years in government give him a practical understanding of the institutions, policy considerations and administrative relationships that underpin Lagos’s development. His technical background adds another dimension to his appreciation of the problems and possibilities confronting a modern economy.

These are meaningful advantages in a political contest where the ability to communicate a vision must be matched by the capacity to implement it.

The choice before Lagos is ultimately about the kind of leadership required to sustain progress, strengthen economic opportunity and respond to the legitimate expectations of its residents. It is a choice that should be guided by substance rather than spectacle, credentials rather than noise, and a credible understanding of governance rather than the seductive simplicity of political slogans.

THE VERDICT: A NAME INSPIRED BY HISTORY, A LEGACY TO BE EARNED

Dr. Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat’s story illustrates how early exposure to exemplary leadership may inspire ambition, but it also reinforces the importance of individual accomplishment. The young boy who reportedly encountered a towering statesman at fourteen has gone on to build a professional career and accumulate years of experience in public service.

That journey deserves to be assessed on its own merits.

At the Lagos APC, we believe that the future belongs to leaders who combine intellectual firepower with administrative competence, political maturity with developmental vision, and ambition with a genuine sense of public responsibility.

Hamzat brings substantial experience to that conversation. His challenge, like that of every aspirant to higher responsibility, is to translate that experience into a compelling vision and demonstrable benefits for the people of Lagos.

Living up to the sage he was named after is not about borrowing the glory of history. It is about turning inspiration into accomplishment, experience into results and progressive ideals into a better future.

Lagos deserves leadership that understands the assignment. And in evaluating the possibilities before the state, competence, experience and the capacity to deliver must count for far more than political noise.

Oladejo is the Lagos APC Spokesman