*As Hamzat visits Iga Egbe, Lagos Island, his maternal root

The Oba of Lagos, His Royal Majesty, Oba Rilwanu Akiolu, has said that he knew that Lagos State Deputy Governor, Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, is very intelligent, hardworking, and has huge capacity to govern Lagos State well, though he once opposed his quest to govern the state.

Akiolu stated this on Thursday when Hamzat paid homage to his palace en route his visit to Iga Egbe, Lagos Island, which is Hamzat’s maternal root. On the Hamzat team were the DG of his campaign team, Musiliu Obanikoro; the party’s chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, party faithfuls like Gbenga Ashafa, and former local council chairmen.

The monarch spoke about the contact he had with Hamzat in 2002 in the United States of America, and he was wowed by his intelligence, reason he told the then governor and now President Bola Tinubu about the need to facilitate his return home to contribute to the development of Lagos, as he is a governorship material.

“You know one funny thing about leadership is that you must be absolutely honest and close to God. I have known Obafemi Hamzat for over 24 years. In 2002, I went to the US with my present son, who is the father of all of us today, the President of this country.

“His late father was there, and we discussed that this boy (Hamzat) displayed huge intelligence and that he will be a good candidate to be considered for the governorship of the state. And that the father should release Hamzat to him(Tinubu).

“He had attempted this before, and I must be honest about it. I am one of those at that time, I didn’t hide it that opposed it. He’s very intelligent, very hard-working, but at that time, his father had just been approved as the king somewhere, so he couldn’t. God has a way of doing something.”

Akiolu urged him to ensure that he keeps his head down when he emerges as governor and not abandoned all those who work for his party.
He instructed him to empower party members to know how to cash fish and not just be handed fish.
He urged him to be prayerful and be honest aside not being greedy.

The monarch implored Lagosians to know that politicians don’t fight but only disagree.
While commending Hamzat, the monarch urged political leaders to remain truthful, God-fearing, and focused on the welfare of the people.

He stressed that leadership should be driven by service rather than personal interests, adding that governments must prioritise policies that empower citizens, create opportunities, and promote self-reliance.
Akiolu also advocated initiatives that foster unity, sustainable development, and long-term prosperity for future generations.

On security, the traditional ruler reiterated his support for state and local government policing, arguing that decentralised policing could enhance security effectiveness if properly implemented.
He, however, noted that such a system must be supported with adequate funding, logistics, training, and operational resources to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.

In his response, Hamzat described the visit as a reaffirmation of cultural heritage and political inclusiveness.
He said regular engagements with traditional institutions and the people help preserve Yoruba values, strengthen communal identity, and educate younger generations about their history and heritage.

The deputy governor also reassured Lagos residents of the state government’s commitment to maintaining peace and security, pledging that the administration would continue to take necessary steps to protect lives and property.

He urged residents to remain law-abiding and peaceful, assuring them that the government remains focused on sustaining stability while advancing the state’s economic and social development agenda.