A Decade of Building Bridges in Gilbert

Bus Obayomi's journey taught him that leadership isn't about titles — it's about building bridges for others to cross.

The Path Here Wasn't Straight

Bus came to the U.S. from Nigeria when he was 14. He didn’t arrive with connections or a blueprint for success. What he had was a family that believed in hard work and a faith that kept him steady.

That foundation pushed him to learn how government really works—not just in classrooms, but by seeing how policies actually hit people’s kitchen tables while working in the New York State Assembly. He eventually earned his MBA and completed executive education at Harvard, but he never lost sight of who he was serving. Today, he works as a data strategist, helping organizations solve messy, complicated problems.

But the work that matters most to Bus happens closer to home.

Gilbert
Is Home

Bus moved to Gilbert in 2014 with his wife, Ejiro. They were newlyweds looking for a place to build a life, and they found it here. Now they're raising three kids.

The Obayomis use the same parks, drive the same roads, and navigate the same HOA meetings as every other Gilbert family.

Bus didn't just move here. He invested here.

He graduated from Gilbert Leadership Class XXV and now serves on the Steering Committee, mentoring the next generation. He was a key advocate for restoring the Human Relations Commission, which led to the Community Engagement Task Force, where he currently serves.

He's a member of the Gilbert Chamber of Commerce, active with Gilbert Sister Cities, and serves as Dream Team Director at Bethel Church, coordinating over 70 volunteers.

Gilbert isn't just where Bus lives. It's where he leads.

Man in business attire wearing glasses, sitting at a conference table, and listening attentively in a meeting or seminar.

Why Council? Why Now?

Bus has run for the Town Council before. This is his third campaign.

He's not running again because he didn't learn from losing. He's running because he did.

"I learned that winning isn't about being the loudest voice in the room," Bus says. "It's about being the bridge that connects different voices into something stronger."

Gilbert is at a crossroads. Water rates have doubled. Trust in local leadership has frayed. Residents feel caught between extremes: politicians who either dodge hard questions or turn every issue into a battle.

Bus sees another way. Not politics-as-usual. Not division for its own sake. Leadership that listens first, leads with conviction, and focuses on solutions that outlast any single election.

Faith, Family, Service

Bus's Christian faith isn't something he leaves at home. It's the foundation that shapes how he leads, how he treats people, and how he makes decisions.

"My faith teaches me to serve others before myself," he says. "That's how I approach public service. Not as a platform to build — but as a calling to answer."

His wife, Ejiro, leads their campaign's faith and community outreach. Their partnership extends from raising three young children to serving together at Bethel Church to hosting the Building Bridges podcast.

For the Obayomis, leadership is a family value.

A man in a checkered suit with a red tie and a woman in a white blouse and blue jeans standing outside in front of a tree and smiling.

Building Bridges Before Asking for Votes

In 2025, Bus launched Building Bridges, a leadership initiative that brings together people who don't usually sit in the same room.

Faith leaders. Business executives. Community advocates. Local officials.

The seminars aren't political rallies. They're conversations about leadership, collaboration, and finding common ground. The kind of conversations Gilbert needs more of.

Building Bridges isn't a campaign strategy. It's a conviction: that the best solutions come when different perspectives work together. That's the leadership Bus will bring to the Town Council.

A man dressed in a dark blue suit with a red tie and matching red pocket square, standing outdoors with a blurred background of a bridge and trees, smiling at the camera.

Background & Qualifications

Professional

  • Manager, AI & Data Strategy

  • Founder, New Zeal International Consulting

  • Experience with state and local government technology implementation

Education

  • MBA, Southern New Hampshire University

  • MA International Affairs, Brooklyn College (CUNY)

  • BA Political Science, SUNY Albany

  • Executive Education, Harvard Kennedy School

Community Service

  • Gilbert Community Engagement Task Force (current)

  • Gilbert Leadership Class XXV Graduate

  • Gilbert Leadership Steering Committee

  • Gilbert Chamber of Commerce Member

  • Gilbert Sister Cities

  • Bethel Church Dream Team Director

Join the Journey

Bus isn't building a political machine. He's building a movement of Gilbert neighbors who believe we can do better — together.

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