₦airaland Forum

PulaPower:
Hazmat speaks good

I didn’t even know he grew up in New York..

That's where Tinubu poached him from.

This is my post from April 9th.

This is from my memory of two very old interviews. My memory isn't 100% (because the interviews took place a long time ago) and I remember Hamzat's interview better than I remember Tinubu's interview.


Dr Obafemi Hamzat granted an interview to a radio station just after he became deputy governor. That's when a confusion in my head was cleared up.

They asked him questions about everything imaginable. I remember that they also focused on flooding, because it was the Rainy Season. Dr Hamzat told them what he did to fight flooding during the Fashola Era (remember that he was commissioner of works and he was involved in designing the drainages). He spoke very well about the specifics of governance.

He also spoke about how he came to work for the Lagos State Government.

He was head of IT at several major banks in New York and the Lagos State Government was considering adopting several IT systems (payroll management, etc) and he was in his bank's team that met with Governor Bola Tinubu in New York in 2001. After the meeting Tinubu asked him, "Which Hamzat"? Let me explain that question.


Dr Hamzat's father was a lawmaker during the Second Republic (Jakande Era). He was still active in politics during the Third Republic (NRC vs SDP). He was one of the people that convinced Bola Tinubu to leave Mobil and get involved in politics. In fact, he was one of Tinubu's political mentors in the early 1990s. That's why Tinubu asked, "Which Hamzat"?

When he found out who he was, Tinubu put a lot of pressure on Hamzat to return to Lagos and work for him, but Hamzat resisted. He was making a lot of money on Wall Street, why would he leave that and return to Lagos?

Eventually Hamzat realised that, as a foreigner, there was a limit to how high he could rise on Wall Street, so he returned to Nigeria and became head of IT at OANDO.

Tinubu eventually had his way because Hamzat became the commissioner for science and technology in Tinubu's cabinet.

I have previously told you that the payroll system was archaic when Tinubu became governor. Ghost workers cost the government a lot of money. Tinubu was determined to digitalise all their processes and remove ghost workers. He was also determined to automate their payments systems to eliminate leakages. He leveraged on Obafemi Hamzat's experience and connections in the US and on the experience and connections of one of his classmates at Chicago State University (a Nigerian) who worked at Oracle to adopt software to manage their payroll and payment systems. Dr Hamzat oversaw the adoption of the systems.

Dr Hamzat continued as commissioner for science and technology in Governor Fashola's cabinet, then he took over from Rauf Aregbesola as commissioner for works and housing. Many roads and bridges, including the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge and the Okota-Isolo Link Bridge, as well as housing estates (Lagos HOMS) were built during his tenure.

Dr Hamzat followed his boss (Fashola) in 2015 and he became special adviser to the minister of works and housing.

He wanted to become governor in 2019 and he had a lot of support, but he was convinced to step down and support Babajide Sanwo-Olu in exchange for the deputy governorship position.

On making SMEs and informal businesses thrive in Lagos, Deputy governor Hamzat said, " Any levy that is unauthorised, that is not known, that cannot be tracked must go... we will create a state economic council.''

On making SMEs and informal businesses thrive in Lagos, Deputy governor Hamzat said, " Any levy that is unauthorised, that is not known, that cannot be tracked must go... we will create a state economic council.''#CTVTweets pic.twitter.com/PRZZD5d4f3

— Channels Television (@channelstv) October 1, 2026

helinues:
If they didn't discuss on how to curb the excessive of the Agberos and cultism in Lagos state, then they might have to have another round of discussion

Parachoko:
I'm surprised they didn't dwell on this point you raised

It's what's on my mind while going through the OP post

They talked about it but they all had the same answer, which was to ensure that people stayed in school or learnt a skill so that they would have something productive to do, get a job and stay off the streets.

We are going to take thugs off the streets [in Lagos] by giving them a differnt pathway to become productive members of the society, says ADC Governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour .#CTVTweets pic.twitter.com/GQqHVXTmue

— Channels Television (@channelstv) October 1, 2026

On tackling beggars and street urchins on the streets of Lagos, Funso Doherty said, ''We must ensure that all kids are in school''#CTVTweets pic.twitter.com/1w7GekKKr7

— Channels Television (@channelstv) October 1, 2026

We will push forth a bill that establishes Child Welfare Administration Agency to make sure every child is in school and make sure we treat our children the right way

-APC governorship candidate and Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Kadri Hamzat, on what he would achieve in his first 100 days in office

We will push forth a bill that establishes Child Welfare Administration Agency to make sure every child is in school and make sure we treat our children the right way

-APC governorship candidate and Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Kadri Hamzat, on what he would achieve in his… pic.twitter.com/nxr8iKUIiC

— Channels Television (@channelstv) October 1, 2026

We are going to make education entirely free, including books and exam fees...There will be truly free healthcare, including maternal and child healthcare and drugs...Our commitment is to deliver 150,000 housing units

NDC Lagos governorship candidate, Funso Doherty, on what his government will do in its first 100days

We are going to make education entirely free, including books and exam fees...There will be truly free healthcare, including maternal and child healthcare and drugs...Our commitment is to deliver 150,000 housing units

NDC Lagos governorship candidate, Funso Doherty, on what his… pic.twitter.com/SE9csESHno

— Channels Television (@channelstv) October 1, 2026

On tackling waste management in Lagos, NDC's Funso Doherty said, ''There needs to be significant investment in each of those nodes of waste processing. Government needs to step up and put those resources in place.''

On tackling waste management in Lagos, NDC's Funso Doherty said, ''There needs to be significant investment in each of those nodes of waste processing. Government needs to step up and put those resources in place.''#CTVTweets pic.twitter.com/4LfJjVKlbE

— Channels Television (@channelstv) October 1, 2026

We will create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive. We are going to make sure there is power; we are going to cut down on frivolous charges and levies that pull businesses down

-PDP Lagos governorship candidate, Adedeji Doherty

We will create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive. We are going to make sure there is power; we are going to cut down on frivolous charges and levies that pull businesses down

-PDP Lagos governorship candidate, Adedeji Doherty pic.twitter.com/O7w4YFCjS0

— Channels Television (@channelstv) October 1, 2026

Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour Is Asked how he will preserve Yoruba culture, heritage and language if he is elected. The person asking the question spoke in Yoruba and said that places like China and India have preserved their language and culture and their children know their language, but many children in Lagos can't speak Yoruba.

Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour began answering the question in English and people in the audience protested, but the moderator said that the official language of the event is English.

'My Business Is Governance', Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour Responds To Yoruba Question#CTVTweets pic.twitter.com/3MuHNfl3B6

— Channels Television (@channelstv) October 1, 2026