We
would like you to tell us about your journey into politics
I
have always been someone that looks for opportunity to serve the people. I came
into politics, when former president Ibrahim Babangida called on politicians to
start their job and I joined the National Republican Convention (NRC) in Lagos here, I was a
candidate for a senatorial seat in Lagos
then, but I lost. I believe that what makes you a politician is the ability to
rise even when you fall. I did not leave the party and I continued and I served
the party in many committees and I was even the chairman for the presidential
electoral primaries for NRC. I garnered a lot of experience along the line.
When the election of Chief MKO Abiola was annulled, I joined another party and
unfortunately the late Gen. Sanni Abacha died, it was at that point that I
decided that I was not going to join any party that is not on ground in my state.
Later, joined Afenifere Group, and the Alliance
for Democracy (AD), and we worked for the party and when we won the
governorship election I was made a made a commissioner under the then governor
Biola Ahmed Tinubu.
Do
you think gender is still strong factor in Nigerian politics?
Of
course, it is but I must say that it is getting better and if you see what is
happening in the northern part of the country, women are becoming interested in
politics such that they are appointed as commissioners and all that and even in
the South West, more women are joining politics, which is very good for us, we
still have our challenges because the men still have ego, but we still have our
way. The men too arel considerate because they have mothers, wives and
daughters. We still have problems, but not as bad as it was.
You
are working in the midst of so many men; do you face any challenges as a woman?
Of
course, men would respect you for what you are and you don’t have to cringe. I
believe that women who cringe in politics are those who do not have anything to
offer. That does not mean you have to be rude to people, but let them know you
have what it takes.
How
do you manage the large number of women in the party?
At
this level, you must be able to work with women, if you cannot work with them,
you would have problems. You would work with the middle women, work with the
grassroots. I thank God because He has given me the ability to work with women,
they do get on my nerves, but you must be conscious at all times, you don’t
scare them, I handle a lot of issues with women, but God has given me the
wisdom to deal with them.
…I
hope this does not affect your family in any way?
Not
at all, it all depends on time management. When you enjoy what you are doing,
no time is lost. I am lucky, I have an understanding husband, who has always
supported me and even my children, I carried them along and it worked fine for
me. They became like my kitchen cabinet, when they hear things from outside,
they always come around to ask me questions. Once you get your family in tune
with what you are doing, you are not likely to have any issues.
Would
you advocate for higher percentage of women for political appointments?
Yes,
of course, I believe that the administration of the incoming President of
Nigeria, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) and that of the elected Governor of Lagos
State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, would do well for the women because they played a
very pivotal role in the campaign and if we have given so much, we should be get
so much.
What
type of empowerment do women need to fit into the country’s political terrain
perfectly?
Most
of the time, it has always been the issue of money because, when you want to
contest, you need money and men are used to supporting themselves, things are
getting better, even women are now supporting themselves. If you empower our
women and they are financially stable and strong, I think they would do better.
People
believe that we have more women than men in terms of population and yet the
percentage of women in public offices is just about 20%, while that of men is
about 80%. What do you think is the problem and how can we close the gap?
Let
me say that most of our women don’t take their time to learn the ropes. For
instance, it is not when men have put together their delegates that you would
now say that you want to contest. The first thing is; you to start from the
ward congress. If you cannot take carry the delegates along, you would have
problems. Even if it is only six people that you can carry along in your ward,
they would not put you into consideration in everything they do. Most of our
women would fold their arms during ward congresses, during local government
congresses and when it is time to pick form for elections, they would pick
forms. Do they expect the men to give them their delegates, which is not possible?
Even if you don’t have as many delegates as possible, party leadership can
support you, but not when you allow other people to keep the delegates and expect
them to give their delegates to you, nobody would do that. So, our women should
learn to play the game the way it should be played. Now we are complaining that
we don’t have many women in the Lagos State House of Assembly whereas many of
the women who picked forms to go the Assembly don’t even have one delegate each.
How do you want us to do that, you want us to impose you on others, if we
impose you during primaries, what about the general elections? So, we need to
orientate and teach ourselves about how to make it when we want to contest for
offices.
Did
you have any issue with challenges like sexual harassment when you were much
younger?
In Lagos State
now, know it is an offence to harass any female sexually, so it is fast becoming
a thing of the past because men know the consequences.
So,
what is your advice to young women who want to join politics?
They
are welcome, but what it is important is that you must get your bearing right,
some women who cannot win councillorship elections, but they want to be
governors. Those are the things that you should do away with. When you want to
be a councilor, work with the party, then you go to the next level. But our women
that are just coming into politics want to be senators, they want to be
Governors and expect other women to queue up behind them, it doesn’t work that
way.
How
will you appraise the contributions and performances of female public office
holders in the country at the federal level?
Those
women didn’t work as women for the country, they worked for President Goodluck
Jonathan, so I cannot use them to rate the performances of women in Nigerian
politics.
What
would be your reaction to Taraba
State election, where a
woman from your party, the APC, is almost emerging as the first female governor
in Nigeria?
It
would be the best thing that would happen to women in Nigeria, a lot
of intrigues are going on and we were almost celebrating before we got a
shocker that the election is inconclusive. But it would be the greatest
disservice to this country if the woman is not given the mandate, it is not
about the woman, it is about the psyche of the woman. It would show us that we
are accepted and that the men are willing to carry us along in the scheme of
things. If you don’t give people a chance, you would not know what they are
made of, so just give us a chance. For instance, in Lagos State
today, 17 out of the 57 Executive Secretaries in the state are females and I
see it as an opportunity for them to prove their worth. If you give them the
opportunity, you would see whether they are good or not. So, let us give the
women the opportunity and see if they would be the best Governor in the
country, we are watching them and we want to see if they would give her a
chance because she is a woman that is very passionate. She is very passionate
because I know her personally, she would be one of the best Governors Nigeria
would ever have if they give her a chance.