“I just want one of my children to succeed me in politics,” late Alhaji Olatunji Muftau Hamzat, father of the Deputy Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat, repeatedly told this reporter over a period of more than a decade.

His house at the Ogba area in Lagos was my second home, and he treated me like one of his sons until I relocated from Lagos. I would sit with him on the pavement outside his house for hours discussing every topic under the sun: politics, religion, education, marriage, etc.

 Despite his age and the fact that he was one of the most powerful and influential politicians in Lagos, Alhaji was young at heart and open to acquiring knowledge. I can testify that Alhaji Hamzat, in his early 70s, registered at the Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), attended classes, and had a Diploma in Journalism.

I once met him in the crowded road in Ogba returning home after attending classes with his notebook at about 5 pm. I shouted: “Alhaji, are you walking on the street like an ordinary citizen?”

He smiled and asked: “Am I not an ordinary citizen?”

“Sir, you won’t go back home alone. I’m going to be your ADC,” and we both laughed.

His concerns

Like most successful men, two issues were uppermost in his mind at old age, and whenever he mentioned them, I was not in position to comment. The first, as pointed out earlier, was how one of his children would succeed him in politics and the second was how to ensure his family remains united after his exit.

The irony of it was that he never for once considered Femi, his beloved son, as the man to carry on from where he would stop. His reference to Femi who was based in the United States was his appreciation for assistance he rendered to ensure he succeeded in his career. He said whenever he visited Femi in the US, he would come into his room alone, prostrate and profusely thanked him for all he had done for him. Alhaji was impressed, and from his expression, Femi was his hidden treasure as a successful academic.

It will come as a surprise to readers that Alhaji told me several times that late Bosun, the immediate elder brother to Femi, was the one he felt would likely succeed as a politician. As it turned out today, his first son, Ganiyu, is a commissioner in Ogun state, the quiet and young Usman, is a council chairman in Lagos and Femi, the deputy governor, is likely to be the next governor of Lagos. If the dead can rejoice, Alhaji Hamzat will be dancing in heaven.

How Tinubu discovered Femi

Of all his children, it is only Femi I have never met till date, mainly because he was based in the US. Alhaji rarely mentioned him. Whenever he was to visit the US, Alhaji would tell then Governor Bola Tinubu (now president) and his contemporaries in politics that he was going on a private visit or on health grounds. He once told me that Governor Tinubu nodded and agreed that health was important.

As a Muslim and a respected Islamic leader, Alhaji believed in the power of prayers. As Christians say, there is nothing prayers cannot do. The meeting of Femi and Governor Tinubu was by divine arrangement

A close friend of Alhaji met me in Abuja and told me what transpired: It turned out that Femi was one of the experts working for a consultant firm Governor Tinubu had hired. Experts from different continents were introduced to Tinubu and it was eventually the turn of Femi Hamzat from Nigeria. Tinubu reportedly paused and asked: Which Hamzat was his father? On hearing that he was the son of Olatunji Hamzat, he shouted: “Son of my leader?” There and then he brought him back home to serve his fatherland.

Whatever anyone may have against Tinubu, it is to his credit that whenever he spotted talents, he embraced them. It did not take time for Femi to prove his worth as Commissioner for Science and Technology, and he was instrumental to the weeding out of all ghost workers on the payroll of the Lagos State Government.

Meet Muftau Hamzat, the political game changer in Lagos

As a young political reporter for the Guardian Newspapers in the early 1990s, I first heard of Alhaji Hamzat from Chief Dapo Sarumi who was challenging the right of Alhaji Lateef Jakande to anoint late Femi Agbalajobi as governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Lagos. He said excitedly: “Look, Duro, Alhaji Hamzat has joined us.”

I wondered who Hamzat was and why his changing camp would excite Sarumi who was challenging Agbalajobi for the SDP governorship ticket.

I soon discovered that Hamzat was with Jakande when SDP officers were elected in a transparent primary election in Lagos, which Alhaji Muniru Baruwa and other Jakande loyalists won convincingly.

I also learnt that after the demise of Alhaji Rafiu Ishola Solomon, father of respected Senator Ganiyu Solomon, who was deputy chairman of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in Lagos, Hamzat became the dominant figure in Mushin and to some extent, Ifako Ijaiye politics.

 When he switched camps, Sarumi camp won the next round of election with Tajudeen Olusi, a prince who contested for Obaship of Lagos against Musendiku Buraimoh Adeniji- Adele in the 1950s, emerging chairman and Hamzat, secretary. Olusi is today chairman of the powerful Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC). To those uninitiated to Lagos politics who were surprised that Sheu Musa Yara’Adua defeated Alhaji Jakande in Lagos during the aborted Babangida transition programme, you now know what was responsible for his victory.

His memorable interaction with Zik, Awo

With nostalgia, I recall Alhaji telling me how he was the right hand man to Alhaji Jakande as his Commissioner for Transport. Whenever another governor or other personalities sought favour from Jakande, he would simply tell Hamzat: “Muftau, see to it.”

And when he acted as usher to Nnmadi Azikiwe and Obafemi Awolowo, he recalled that he would sometimes have to tell Zik: “Sir, there is no more red wine, only white wine remains.”

He recounted that Zik, who spoke fluent Yoruba, would reply: “Omi eko, eko ni, gbe wa” (The water of pap is pap, bring it).

He said Awolowo always brought his food and the Three Top he used to drink from home, and Zik would throw a jab at Awolowo: “Ma da Femi lohun, ko mo aiye je.” (Don’t mind Femi, he does not know how to enjoy life.”

His relationship with Gov Tinubu

The Justice Forum that severed its relationship with Sarumi’s Primrose when he took up an appointment as Minister in the Earnest Shonekan-led Interim Government (ING), met every Monday in Hamzat’s expansive residence at Ogba.

The group was committed to the revalidation of June 12, 1993 elections won by Moshood Abiola. Then, Senator Bola Tinubu was a member of the group before fleeing into exile. The group later put forward Tinubu as its preferred governorship candidate in Hamzat’s house.

Hamzat became an asset to Governor Tinubu when Apex Afenifere leaders wanted to reconcile Tinubu and Funsho William’s camp after the 1998 election. Hamzat was the principal spokesman for Tinubu camp, while Omoilewa Aro-Lambo spoke for William’s camp. They were both very eloquent.

When Afenifere leaders insisted Tinubu and Ganiyu Dawodu camp must share party office positions by 60 to 40 per cent, it was again Hamzat that came to the rescue of Tinubu group. He accused Afenifere leaders of favouring Dawodu. He asked: “Are we not all your children? How can a mother breastfeed one child and starve the other?”

Pa Abraham Adesanya shook his head and remarked in Yoruba: “Ahaji Hamzat, o mo oro gbe kale.” (Alhaji Hamzat, you know how to present your case).

I cannot fully write about Alhaji Hamzat and his wonderful family in one piece. I have a pleasant memory of the first son, Alhaji Ganiyu, late Bosun, who used to visit me at home; Maryam, his first daughter; and his last son and my bosom friend, Umar.

The seed sown by Alhaji Olatunji Muftau  Hamzat is still germinating. The world and Nigerians will still hear from the Hamzats in the public space in future.