Honourable Mrs Folake Akintayo representing Yewa South Constituency is one of the two female lawmakers at the Ogun State House of Assembly. The-teacher-turned politician in this interview by TAYO GESINDE speaks on her foray into politics and why more women should participate actively in politics.
Background information
I was born into the family of the late Mr and Mrs Gabriel Adisa Akinola. I am in my fifties. I attended Saint Paul’s Primary School Owode, Yewa. Thereafter, I went to L. A. Modern Secondary School Ado-Odo, both in Ogun State. After that, I worked as a factory worker at Studio Press in Ikeja. I then went to Egbado Teachers’ College in Ilaro, Ogun State. I taught for three or four years at Egbado North Local Government Primary School 1 in Oja-Odan. I later went to Ogun State College of Education, Ijebu-Ode, now Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED). When I concluded my studies there I taught at Yewa High School, Ajilete, in Ogun State. In 2001, I went to University of Ilorin for my Bachelor Of Arts Degree. I taught for twenty one years before leaving the profession.
Foray into politics
I am interested in the welfare of my people and I believe the only way I could help my people was to go into politics so that I could contribute my quota to their development. Though initially I was not fully into politics at first but later, I decided to serve my people by being actively involved in politics.
I told my husband of my intention to venture into politics and he said if that was what I wanted, he was okay with it. I then asked him to follow me to the ward, and he did. When we got there, he told them that he had given me his support to participate in politics and that was how my journey into politics started. I am here today because I have the support of my people. If they didn’t support me, I won’t be here so I owe my success at the election to them.
The journey so far
It has been okay. In politics, you are face to face with the good and the other side of it. We have been coping. As a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in an assembly that is dominated by the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), we are in the minority (we have 9 PDP members out of the 26 members in the House) since majority carries the vote, we just have to cooperate with them when they make certain decisions. We have all been trying to maintain peace. Even if we are not in support of certain decisions, there is, really nothing we can do because we are very few in number. So, we have no choice than to hold our peace.
Coping in the midst of male counterparts
Though we are just two female in the house, my colleague and I, we have been coping well. There is no problem. We are their mothers. They have been accommodating us and we too have been accommodating them. We have a good working relationship with our male colleagues.
Challenges faced
There were many challenges. Some people believe that when you go to the Assembly, you are going there to make money but on getting here, we discovered it was more than that. There is a lot of work to be done. The economic situation of the country has also not helped matters as this recession has been affecting us too. Governor Ibikunle Amosun is trying his best and has been trying to pay our salaries. We know that in some states, lawmakers have not been paid but he has been paying us our salary. So we should give thanks to God for that. But that is the only thing we are getting now nothing extra. Our constituents have been coming with their demands but we can’t do much for them because we have not received our constituency fee. I went to my constituency during the Easter break to give them the little I could afford so that they won’t feel neglected. We have been coping.
Relationship between the executive and legislative arms of government in Ogun State
There is no problem. We are doing well. The governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun is a nice governor, he is trying his best. Though people like me are in the opposition party but I still think he is doing his best.
Increasing women’s participation in politics in 2019 election
I have been trying to sensitise and educate women on the need for them to actively participate in politics. I have also tried to let them know that their social status or level of education should not be a barrier to their involvement in politics. Anybody can come into politics. All you need to do is to start from somewhere, your ward level or the state level.
Combining political career with the home front
With God on my side, I have been doing my best. I try to spend time with my family. I just came back from home where I spent six days taking care of the home front. I am back in Abeokuta now to attend a state function. So, I have been trying to maintain a balance between the two. When I am not in Abeokuta working, I would be at Owode taking care of the home front. There is time for everything, time to work, time for the family and time to relax.
On women’s right and empowerment
The rights of women and children are being protected in Ogun State, we have laws that had been established in that regard. There have also been different kinds of enlightment and campaign on the issue. Even the governor has been a part of it. The government staged a walk which had the governor and other prominent people in attendance. At the event, the governor charged men not to see women as people whose rights can be trampled upon anyhow. We have also been trying to encourage women to believe in themselves and be the best that they can be. They should find something doing so that they can contribute their quota to the development of their family, especially with the situation of things in our country.
On the agitation for someone from Yewa to become governor of Ogun State
By God’s grace, I believe that a Yewa man will emerge the governor of Ogun State in 2019. We have been marginalised for quite some time now. I believe this is our time to produce the governor of Ogun State. We are optimistic about that.
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