Senator Ita Giwa, popularly
known as Mama Bakassi, tells ‘Nonye Ben-Nwankwo about life in politics and her
struggle for the people of Bakassi
At
over 60, you still look radiant, how do you do it
Looking good is a function of
good gene which one has no control over and deliberate actions to sustain and
enhance whatever nature has endowed one with. I am fortunate to have good
genes. However, I make it a point of duty to nourish my skin with the best
quality products. I try to be health conscious by watching what I eat and I
also work out as much as my schedule permits.
A
lot of your contemporaries have become irrelevant, nothing much is heard of
them again. But you have been in the forefront both politically and socially,
what is the driving force
That I am still considered
relevant is by the grace of God and the goodwill of Nigerians. Having said that
though, I believe that when one respects him/herself then one is respected in
return. I have all through my life operated on the principle of self-respect
and I guess Nigerians have rewarded me by also respecting me. I don’t look down
on anybody and at the same time, I refuse to be intimidated by anybody. This
kind of outlook is what I believe has stood me in good stead with people.
Do
we see you retiring one day and taking the back seat
My motto in life is, “service
to humanity.” For as long as I live and my health permits, I will always serve
the people, especially my very disadvantaged people of Bakassi. Maybe when the
Bakassi issue is finally resolved, I will rest a little, but until then, I must
soldier on.
Are
there times you wished you were just an ordinary Nigerian whose voice is not
heard
Those times are few and
far between. Though I cherish my privacy and wish that the situation around me
were better, I am configured to be people’s person. I can’t stay silent when
there is a problem to be solved.
Going
down memory lane a bit, did you even imagine, as a young girl, that you would
one day be this prominent
With all sense of modesty, I
think I was destined to be prominent. I am the daughter of a pioneer female
journalist and an activist of some sort and was exposed and interacted with
prominent people when I was growing up.
How
were you able to rise to this height given the fact that during your time, few
women were given the chance to get to the top
I can never deny the hand of
God in shaping my progress in life. However, my attitude has always been ‘if
you want it, then go out and get it yourself.” I have never let my gender be a
handicap. I see myself as equal to any other person male or female, so I
attribute all I have achieved to God’s Grace and hard work.
A
lot of women, who managed to get to the top, are often accused of sleeping with
men on their way to the top, did you experience such accusation and did it
deter you in any way
I always advise up and coming
female politicians to use their skills and intellect and not their pretty
faces. For some reason, no one has ever dared approached me. It is called
strength of character. I really do not play gender politics as I believe that
this always places women in very weak and compromising position. I believe that
there are eminently qualified women in this country that can hold the highest
position so long as we believe in ourselves and develop the confidence and
strength to fight for our right.
Do
you mind that you are called Mama Bakassi; can you even remember how the name came about
Mama Bakassi is a name that I
am honoured to bear. I have been in the vanguard of the struggle for the people
of Bakassi all my life. Every time I am referred to as Mama Bakassi, people invariably remember our plight,
so it is a good thing in a way.
Even
as you are called ‘Mama Bakassi’, some people are of the view that you played no part in the creation of
Bakassi.
I would advise them to go and
read up more about Bakassi. Whatever I have done and continue to do for my
people remains a duty I owe them by the circumstance of my birth and as the
political leader of Bakassi.
What
motivated you to set up Red Ball concert
My passion and compassion for
the people of Bakassi is genetic. It is in my DNA. I have no choice in the
matter. So the question of motivation is a moot point. I must say that the
support that the foundation for the children of Bakassi has received from
Nigerians over the years has been very encouraging. Because of the support of
Nigerians through the foundation, quite a good number of Bakassi children now
have hope and are receiving first class education in the best schools around.
You
spent the greater part of last year dealing with the Bakassi issue, what is the
status of the Bakassi resettlement issue now
Last year was particularly
tough for my people because the handing over of the territory to Cameroon was
finalised in 2013. The result of it was that thousands of my people who refused
to take up Cameroonian citizenship were forced out of their ancestral homes.
The promise of relocating them to a place of their choice within Nigerian
territory was not forthcoming and they were languishing in refugee camps in
Akpabuyo Local Government in Cross River State. So I spent most of last year
engaging the Federal Government in the struggle to relocate and resettle them
in a more conducive place. The situation has not changed much. The only
progress I can point to is that President Goodluck Jonathan inaugurated a
presidential committee on the plight of Bakassi people which has since finished
its work and submitted a report which is yet to be implemented.
So
what’s the outcome of the committee’s deliberations
The committee did a good job.
We settled the issue of the settlers versus indigenes as it pertains to
political wards delineation. It was also agreed that the returnees were to make
their homes in the Day Spring and Kwa Islands which are sparsely inhabited.
However, while it appears that the government has bought the recommendations,
little has been done by way of implementation.
We
saw reports of your visit to one of the Bakassi camps last Christmas, how are
the people faring
Christmas is not the only time
that I visit the camps to distribute relief materials, but this last Christmas
I was moved to not only visit them and distribute relief materials, but as you
know in Calabar there was a Christmas festival, so I brought a little cheer to
the children in the camp by organising a party for them so that they too could
partake in the Christmas spirit. As to how the people in the camp are faring, I
can only pray that God should keep away any epidemic from breaking out there.
The conditions are very dire.
Would
we ever see you resting from the Bakassi struggle
Nothing is too much to give
for the struggle to resettle my people. What is the use of resources when one
does not have a place to call home? I even wish I had more resources to channel
into the struggle. I shall not rest until my people are properly resettled.
Do
you feel cheated that your Seagull Band didn’t win the overall prize at the
last carnival
I do not feel cheated.
Although my immediate reaction was to challenge the result in court, after
giving it much deep thought, I decided to let it go, knowing that the world has
seen and appreciated my band’s performance. The important thing is that the
carnival has placed my state in the calendar of tourism centres in the world.
But I pray and hope that the spirit of carnival which is borne out of passion and
enthusiasm is not dampened by certain people. The good news is that government
is making efforts to hand over the carnival to the people. It is only through
this effort that the carnival can be sustained.
Since
you are a staunch member of the PDP, what do you think is the real problem
I will counsel all parties
involved in the PDP family issue to be circumspect and avoid utterances that
will be counterproductive to the sustenance of democracy.
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