In a political climate filled with ambitions and amplified rhetoric, one figure stands apart and grounded in quiet service and measurable community impact.
To many, calmness is often mistaken for weakness. Yet history repeatedly shows that some of the most effective leaders are those who build steadily, speak sparingly and allow their work to testify on their behalf. With the political era drawing near and with much intensity, the usual patterns of strategic alignments and misalignments, desperate public endorsements, vague publications and in some quarters, unnecessary distractions fueled by malicious narratives and counter narratives have emerged. But while attention is being diverted by noise, one individual has continued to embody a different model of leadership.
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Oluseyi Oyebamiji has not built his profile on reactionary politics. His record of engagement predates the electoral season. Long before consultations and ticket permutations began dominating conversations, tangible interventions were already underway.
Perhaps the most compelling evidence lies in education. More than forty indigenous students from Egbeda/Ona-Ara are currently beneficiaries of his full scholarship support across higher institutions. Twenty-two of them are in 300 level at a private higher institution in Ilorin, Kwara State, while many others are studying in institutions such as the University of Ibadan, Federal Polytechnic Offa, Lagos State University and other reputable tertiary institutions.
These are not symbolic gestures. They represent sustained commitments toward academic progression, strategic investments in human capital and the future of youths at a time when access to higher education remains financially burdensome for many families. Notably, these scholarships were initiated well before political ambition became publicly pronounced, reinforcing that the motivation was service, not spectacle.
Beyond education, Oyebamiji’s footprint extends into structured youth employment. Asides facilitated employment opportunities to multinational companies and Federal Government agencies, he also has people engaged through his own company where indigenous youths have secured professional roles, not as casual labourers, but as engineers, architects, site managers and technical supervisors. In a constituency where graduate unemployment remains a pressing concern, dignified employment opportunities of this nature carry long-term economic implications.
Continuous healthcare support for senior citizens, not a day jamboree forms another quiet pillar of his interventions. Several elderly members remain on consistent healthcare support programmes, with medical bills being covered and in some instances, surgeries sponsored. These acts rarely make headlines. Yet for beneficiaries and their families, they represent restored dignity and renewed hope.
Community development efforts further underline a pattern of deliberate impact. Areas such as Ifedapo, Akingbade, Ajia, Alajameta and many others have benefited from various support projects. Contributions toward transformer installations, assistance to Amotekun outpost building project and provision of basic amenities have strengthened local infrastructure. Presently, an ongoing intervention in Ajia aims to replace a destroyed water supply source which is an essential service with direct implications for health and daily living.
Financial interventions across communities have also been consistent, though often discreet. Those familiar with Oyebamiji’s approach understand that many acts of support occur without public announcements. His guiding principle appears rooted in a belief that genuine service does not require constant advertisement.
Long before aspirations sprang up, he remains till date a major financier of his polling unit and adjoining areas, ensuring comfort for voters and the delivery of the unit and those around for Engr. Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde and the PDP. Even within party structures, his commitment has been evident. In Ward 8, Ajia, Ona-Ara Local Government, he enhanced meeting facilities through the provision of benches, supported relief initiatives at critical periods and maintained steady financial contributions to party activities across the local government. This reflects grassroots loyalty rather than seasonal participation.
With some political actors’ preoccupation with combative rhetorics, the contrast is striking. Leadership, after all, is not tested only during campaigns. It is revealed in seasons when there are no cameras, no microphones and no immediate political gain.
Calm waters, it is often said, run deep.
Akinloluwa writes from Ward 3, Owobale, Egbeda Local Government.
