Why shouldn’t a man, any man for that matter, once eligible & fully aligned with constitutional provisions & laid-down procedures, aspire to any office he desires? In a democracy, ambition is not a crime. Where there is no breach of law, the only appropriate response is simple: go on soun!
All who have vied before aren’t more than human! So why not Oriyomi!
Truth be told, & this must be said without pretence, this broadcaster holds the people, the ordinary people, in a firm embrace. Call it a chokehold if you must, for emphasis. In Ibadan, & by natural extension across Oyo State, no individual or political bloc can truthfully deny this reality: the masses listen to Oriyomi, trust Oriyomi, & move with Oriyomi.
This is not accidental.
His media platform did more than entertain; it bonded him permanently to the grassroots. Through the airwaves, he entered homes, hearts, & daily struggles. To the people, he is not merely a broadcaster, he is their voice. Their defender. Their advocate. One who speaks with rare courage, unfiltered conviction, & a fearless sense of responsibility.
In many eyes, he is more than a communicator; he is a symbol of reassurance.
And in Nigerian politics, perception backed by trust is power.
The question therefore is not whether AbdulRahman Oriyomi Hamzat is popular. That is settled. The real question is: can this deep well of trust translate into electoral force? Time will answer that. But one eternal truth of politics must never be ignored, politics is local. Followership is local. It is the man rooted in the soil, embraced by the grassroots, who ultimately carries the day.
On this score, honesty compels a clear verdict: Oriyomi Hamzat has the grassroots on lockdown.
Even the painful episode of about a year ago, the tragic stampede that followed a well-meaning humanitarian gesture involving Olori (Prophetess) Naomi Silekunola Ogunwusi, former wife of the Ooni of Ife, could not rupture this bond.
Whispers circulated that the incident might have been weaponised to break his popularity, to repaint him as a villain & weaken his standing among the people.
But the script failed.
Instead of rejection, he received overwhelming sympathy. Instead of isolation, he was surrounded by public solidarity. Those expected to turn their backs became his loudest defenders, openly demanding his freedom.
The people spoke, clearly & decisively.
So who is this phenomenon called Alhaji ‘Dr’ Oriyomi Hamzat?
Born March 5, 1980, now 45, he is the founder & owner of the widely influential Agidigbo 88.7 FM, a station that has grown into a cultural, social, & political nerve centre in Oyo State. An award-winning broadcaster, a committed humanitarian, & a human-rights advocate, he commands followership that many seasoned politicians can only envy.
A proud graduate of the University of Ibadan, Oriyomi is said to be prosecuting his ambition on the Accord Party platform, interestingly the same platform on which the current Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke would contest for his 2nd term.
To dismiss Oriyomi Hamzat lightly would be a profound political error.
Because when a man does not merely campaign to the grassroots but belongs to them, underestimating him is not just risky, it is fatal.
