Honourable (Dr) Adepeju Esan worked as a teacher for many years before quitting the teaching profession for politics. She was a member representing Ibadan North 1 Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, between 1999 and 2003.
In this interview by TAYO GESINDE, the woman, who now aspires to go to the House of Representatives in the coming 2019 general elections speaks about her foray into politics and other issues.
What was growing up like for you?
I was born into the family of Pa Azeez Adekunle and Madam Hunmoani Adelokun Adekunle of Itutaba Area, Ibadan over five decades ago . Though my father was not educated, he was a carpenter who worked at the Maintenance Department of University College Hospital (Ibadan); he supported my quest for education.
I attended Anglican Modern Commercial School, Oritamefa, Ibadan, Oyo State. After that, I worked as a clerk typist and later went to Teachers Training College, Osogbo now in Osun State. As Grade Two teacher, I taught for about two years before gaining admission to Oyo State College of Education, Wesley Campus, Ibadan. I thereafter did one year voluntary service.
I got married to Barrister Kolawole Esan in 1986 and was without a job until 1989 when I was employed by Oyo State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM). I later did my first degree in Education at the University of Benin and my Postgraduate degrees at the University of Ibadan.
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What motivated you to go into politics?
I left teaching in 1998 and joined politics. It didn’t just happen. I had been nursing the idea for some time. When I was at Ikire as a clerk/typist, I officiated as polling clerk in the presidential election of 1979 between Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Alhaji Shehu Shagari. Some thugs wanted to snatch the ballot box meant for my unit. My supervisor, on sighting them, ran away, but I picked the ballot box and ran till I was rescued by the Police.
The police asked me to handover the ballot box to them and go home but I insisted that I would follow them to the station. When we got to the station I made sure the votes were counted in my presence before I handed the box over to the DPO whom I requested to sign an undertaking that he took it from me. Chief Awolowo won in my unit.
That incident made me realise that we need people who are sincere and courageous in politics so that unscrupulous people won’t always have their way. So, I decided I wanted to go into politics because I felt that I could make a difference. I thank God that though it is not yet uhuru, with the little I have been able to do, and the feelers I get from people, I can see that I have been able to make a difference in my own little way, particularly in the areas of mentoring other women politicians as well as influencing other legitimate opportunities for other people in my constituency.
What was your husband’s reaction when you told him you wanted to go into politics?
My husband was the one who usually go to pick our daughter from school, drop her at home and take his lunch before going back to the office. He got home one day and I told him that if he would support me, I would like to go into politics. He expressed a surprise, as, according to him, he would have asked me whether I like to go into politics, after his lunch.
He promised to support me and later took me to our father the late Chief Bola Ige (SAN).Chief Ige was happy and he promised to give me his support, which he did and that was how with my husband’s support, I emerged a member of the House of Assembly between 1999 and 2003 on the platform of Alliance for Democracy (AD), in Oyo State.
What were the challenges you faced when you joined politics?
The major challenge was being a woman. It is not easy for a woman to join politics and make headway just like that. I rode on the very high influence of our father, mentor and leader; Chief Bola Ige. In fact, I was one of his very few candidates from Oyo State despite being the leader of the party and that was because he knew it might be a bit difficult for a woman to win an election at that time.
As is usual in politics, people tried to find a fault with me. Some said I was not from Ibadan and that I did not even have a family base in Ibadan North but they did their research and found out that I was truly from there. Another problem that arose was that of gender acceptability, how can a woman represent us? But they had two things to tackle, I was Chief Bola Ige’s candidate and two; the three times I, and other four male aspirants were made to face screening committee, I came top. These two criteria helped me to scale through.
At the House, though we (women) were three in a thirty-two member Parliament. We really enjoyed ourselves. It was not about gender for people who were serious and are ready to serve. Also, the three of us learned fast the lobbying skills to win our male colleagues over anytime we needed to get things done. We also showed them respect and always humbly presented our request to them.
These were the weapons that we used that helped us. Above all, there was love, it was like one big family though one or two of us were from PDP.
How do you feel about the fact that money now plays a major role in politics?
I have always been in politics since 1999. Now, I am a member of All Progressives Congress (APC) so it is not something that is strange to me. You blend into what life blends you into. We were there when money was not an issue; we are still there now that money is a big issue in politics. We have to play it as it is being played.
The only thing is, when you look at it critically, the way we were playing politics before was the one that was bringing results. This one that is money oriented is not bringing anything. All of us are regretting it now. People bring money from abroad; they lobby some politicians, take it, share it and vote them in.
People who really understand what politics is and who can play it the way it ought to be played wouldn’t win because they don’t have cash to spend. People vote for persons they don’t know, people whom they can’t trace their roots, but because they have money to spend.
Our society is not helping matters either, the society now sees it as a business deal, give me money and I will vote for you and after voting, they are no longer stakeholders in the business. Society should have a rethink. Money should not be our focus. Let us not sell our conscience.
How have you been combining your home front with your career?
It is not easy because of what politics entails as well as what the roles of a woman call for. Politics or no politics, no marriage is perfect. I have seen when it was rosy and when it was not that rosy, but thank God it has never been ugly. However, that does not mean I will say women should not go into politics. Women can go into politics if they have their husband’s support.
But then, it does not stop there because we are human, anything can happen. Nothing is permanent, even in human emotions. I have enjoyed my husband’s support in everything I did and I have also seen his other side in what he felt was short of his expectations. All I want to say is, a woman politician should handle each case as it comes and seek God’s wisdom in all that she does, bearing in mind that a woman in politics already has something to address; the issue of integrity.
The society is always quick in judging a woman politician. she is not married or no man can control her. So, all these must be at the back of her mind if she wants to go far or make her mark in politics. There is nothing that can destroy a woman politician’s chance like the issue of matrimonial integrity. If one is able to take that into consideration, when challenges come, she will handle such with wisdom.
There are some difficult challenges between a woman and her spouse which ‘sorry’ may not solve, but which applying wisdom may come handy. Sometimes, you need to just give him a breathing space. And when he does things that annoy you, ask God to give you the grace to suppress your anger.
If you have your husband’s support from the beginning, he will not do anything that will make you to fail. My own husband’s family too has been wonderful. My in-laws support me in all that I do. I want to use this opportunity to thank them as always. All these have really helped.
What advice do you have for women who want to go into politics?
Like I said, a woman who wants to go into politics must have good ambition. Don’t go into politics to make money, go into politics to serve your people and make a positive impact. Also, make sure it is not a time that your children are still young. You can’t leave a two or three-year-old child with grandma and go into politics. Some people think there is nothing bad in it but I won’t advice it.
Your children need you more at this time so it is not easy for a woman who has a young family to go into politics unless she and her husband agree to get someone who will be available 24/7 to take care of the children and the home front. Even at that, the woman still needs to take time off work to attend to home obligations.
A woman should also be very determined not to allow herself to be tempted by anything that is evil and that is where the issue of integrity is important. Finally, a woman politician should make diligence her watchword. Any woman who is naturally lazy won’t make any meaningful impact in politics.
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