The deteriorating Obafemi Awolowo Stadium aka Liberty Stadium, Ibadan roared back to life as the popular radio broadcaster and founder of Agidigbo FM, Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat formally declared his intention to run for the 2027 gubernatorial contest in the presence of thousands of his cult-like followers – all adorned in yellow (the color of the Accord party) and drawn from across the nooks and crannies of the state.
That public declaration, despite the deliberate attempt by the state, through proxy, to scuttle, sabotage, and discourage his followers from attending the one-of-a-kind political showdown, got panties of his adversaries in a bunch and sent tension down their camps – this man is growing in leaps and bounds.
To proudly and successfully pull that mind-blowing stunt despite the subtle and sinister standoff of the state must have hit a raw nerve among his political traducers. Remember that viral video clip of the Oyo State Park Management System (PMS) Chairman, Alhaji Tominwa Omolewa, distancing and dissociating himself from Alhaji Oriyomi’s grand gubernatorial declaration, going as far as telling commercial bus drivers who are members of the NURTW to resist the temptation of conveying anyone in a yellow vest to the Liberty Stadium on that day.
Sure, a lot has been said about the grassroots appeal of the ace radio man. In fact, it has been said that his deep roots in the hinterland and the remotest part of Ibadan and by extension Oyo State are underestimated by his political foes – and can damage any party that locks horns with them. But nothing prepares both his admirers and traducers for the breathtaking outcome recorded in and after the program.
Months after the public linked Oriyomi Hamzat to the irresistible ‘Oyo N Pe O’ slogan, many became preachers of sorts, telling the man what he could do and what he could not do. For instance, some callers on his program threw him under the bus, reminding him to concentrate on his ‘egbenu si mic’ radio show instead of meddling in politics. One man even called to chide him for nursing an aspiration in the murky waters of politics. And it didn’t take long before Oriyomi ferociously pushed and fired back at his detractors with unmistakable force.
Much has equally been said about the gut instinct and audacity of the self-styled human rights fighter and philanthropist. In effect, that declaration only confirmed one thing: Oriyomi Hamzat is no longer interested in merely becoming a menu on the table. In other words, like many other serious aspirants, he wants to sit, talk, and take from the table of power and decision-making when the time is ripe.
“This time around”, he boomed through the microphone to the applause of his supporters, “I am no longer throwing my weight and support behind any contender. I am throwing myself into the race”. That chilling declaration showed the other side of the man many had thought could only function behind the microphone.
One big takeaway from this showdown is this: those who front for others to ascend political power are no longer interested in playing behind the scenes. As a matter of fact, they also want to be seen, heard, and recognized in the game regardless of the outcome. In Daring Greatly, Brene Brown quoted Theodore Roosevelt, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credits belong to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust, sweat and blood; who strive so valiantly; who errs, who comes shorts again and again, because there is no efforts without error or shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms; the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy course; who at the best knows in the end; the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly”.
I think the overwhelming reactions and public perceptions of Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat’s gubernatorial declaration have been heartwarming, positive, and encouraging. Of course, that admiration is in part human. The unconditional love ordinary people show for the underdogs and the misfits, when faced with oversized opponents, underscores this very truth. In David and Goliath, Malcolm Gladwell combed through treasure troves of ancient and recent stories to illustrate one simple truth: the powerful are often less formidable than they seem, as their apparent strength (size, resources, status) can create hidden weaknesses. He argued using the biblical story of David and Goliath to show that underdogs can win by using unconventional strategies to neutralize the advantages of the strong.
By defying all odds and damning his opponents, Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat has stamped his feet on the political terrain as a serious and an inevitable contender. Of course, that is not to dismiss the potential perils and pitfalls that await anyone who is playing the game for the first time. But what is life without efforts and trials, and errors? As a mobilizer turned politician, Oriyomi must have picked one or two lessons from events leading up to his declaration. His triumph actually indicated he is far ahead of those who think they can intimidate or frustrate his aspirations.
In the coming months, the political arena in Oyo State will heat up in a way that is never seen before as the race for Governor Seyi Makinde’s successor gathers steam. In essence, the new entrants must be ready to evolve so as not to be devoured by the powerful in a political smackdown that is known for its merciless brutality. For months leading up to last week’s grand declaration, the ‘Oyo N Pe O’ slogan worked like magic. It worked because it was made to stick: simple, unexpected, concrete, credible, emotional.
Interestingly, the sustainability of that communication hack will depend on many factors: the adaptiveness of the arrowhead of the ‘Oyo N Pe o’ movement to the changing times and evolving terms. In 2015, when the incumbent Governor Seyi Makinde gave his ambition a shot under SDP, he was a relatively known political figure.
By 2019, he had transformed himself into a force. “When you are not at the table,” as Mark Carney, Canadian Prime Minister, in his Davos Speech, argued, “you are on the menu”. For Oriyomi Hamzat, choosing to be at the table seems wiser than becoming the menu. Or how else could this gut instinct be described?
Wale Oladigbolu writes about power, politics, policy, governance and everything in between about Oyo State.
