Growing up
I grew up in Lagos, my nursery and primary education was at Yaba Lagos. I did my A Levels at the Federal School of Science at Sokoto. When I came back from the North, I went to Ogun State Polytechnic where I did my Ordinary National Diploma (OND) in Town Planning and Architecture. I then proceeded to The University of Ibadan where I studied Communication and Language Arts. After undergoing the National Youth Service Scheme at Akure, I went abroad. I studied Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy at the British Supreme School, Catering and Hotel Management and also forayed into modelling before coming back home in 1985.
Foray into entrepreneurship
I started my hair and beauty business. We were then following Daily Times of Nigeria all over the country for the Miss Nigeria Beauty Pageant. I also started my catering business. I think that is the only job I do and I get fulfilment from when people eat and say this is delicious. I like hosting people in the house, I like barbecue, days out and cooking for my church and the people I love.
How I got into advocacy
I had already made up my mind, right from secondary school that I was never going to work for anybody. So when people asked me what I would like to be in the future I would say no future ambition and they would be surprised. I didn’t know what I wanted to do per say but I knew I wanted to make an impact and mentor people especially the youth. That is why I work with the JDPC, I work with the youth in my church and I have about eight kids that I picked off the streets and I am taking care of. Also in my neighbourhood, I am working with the night guards. Every Sunday after church they come around, we go through the Bible together, I teach them about security (the little that I had gathered) and I teach them how to be useful to themselves. I have encouraged some of them to go back to school. Everybody is useful and has talent deposited in them. If those of us who claim that we know don’t help them, those talents will die. That is why I am surprised with the governments over the years; they have continued to deplete the common man of his existence. They have not deposited anything positive in the lives of our youths.
How government can empower the youth
If only government would, with the passion and zeal they go about complaining, have the genuine interest of the youth, elderly and girl child at heart but there is no genuineness and sincerity on the part of the government. They are not moving our schools or medical institutions forward. It is not just fanfare to just erect a building, commission it and that will be the end. Where are the materials needed for the nurses in the rural medical centers to function? When I went to the rural area, I heard of someone dying of snake bite due to lack of availability of drugs and that is why they always travel abroad for medical treatment because they have no confidence in what they have provided for us.
Roles of individuals in nation building
We have a lot to do as a people. I think it all stems from our mentality, orientation and the level of backwardness we have in this country. Even those who claimed they have western education and have travelled here and there are failing us. Also, most Nigerians are laidback and lazy. All many of them want is money and they don’t care where it comes from. Most people don’t want to work hard for money. We need to enlighten and empower our young ones, especially the ladies. We need to train girls to say no to rapists going about. That is something I feel so passionate about because it is something you can never buy back with money. You see an innocent child of two and you go and rape her and we even have parents who are doing it to their children. Recently we had a case that was too much for me. A woman left her husband with their two girls. And for five years, the father slept with the first girl, she was 12 when it started now she is 17. Last year, he descended on the younger sister but the girl told him to stop it that she had already given herself to him but he didn’t listen. Then it came to a height when he wanted to do twosome with his daughters. That was when the 17 year –old girl came to Ibadan to look for the mother and tell her what was happening. The case was reported to us, we took it up and the man had been arrested. We are going to follow through and make sure he faces charges. I am also very interested in the story that broke out recently of a 14-year-old who killed her 40-year-old husband. It was for self defence. How can you marry a teenage and not take care of her and leave her for two days without food and when she asked, you slapped her? I don’t think husbands know their wives’ rights. A husband must not beat the wife for any reason. You need to care for her needs; providing shelter and nutritious meal for her. These are the ills in the society that we need to address and it is because our orientation is corrupt from home. The onus lies on women to bring up their children properly. A son that you brought up to respect women will not maltreat or abuse his wife and the one trained to respect the dignity of labour will not want to do money ritual or do yahoo, yahoo and so on.
My foray into politics
I joined politics to fight injustice. When I was in UI, our toilets were not maintained and our kitchen area was nothing to write home about so I decided to run for Social Minister of Queens Elizabeth Hall and I won. I just wanted to speak out without minding whose ox is gored. I want to say the truth in the most humble and respectable way that I can to any authority without them seeing me as being in opposition. That drove me to seeing a lot of things. I know our society is bad, our leaders are corrupt and nobody wants to do anything and that does not make for any society. The leaders need to lead very well and the people being led need to play their part. I did that and in 1982, my uncle; a politician took me to a meeting in Ikenne at the house of the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. I saw the passion with which they disagreed at the meeting; fighting for the masses who were not there. From that single experience, I knew I would go into politics and try and make impact in the lives of people. I joined the People’s Democratic Party but later moved to United Nigeria People’s Party. I have never regretted being in politics. In 2007, I contested as the first female governorship candidate in Oyo State and despite the fact that they removed my picture from the ballot paper, I came fifth out of fifteen candidates. I think that was a feat for me. Politics is one hell of a place to be in especially for a Christian. That is why it is now my passion to encourage more Christians to go into politics. I also tell women in politics to: “put yourself forward to serve your people.” If they don’t want you there, no problem.
On the possibility of having a woman governor or president
I know that a lot of women will contest in the next general elections. I will advise those women who have been in politics and have attained certain position to have protégés and mentees. We need to train others. There is nothing to the post of a governor or president for that matter. Your work is being done by permanent secretaries and ministers. So as a woman, if you can manage your home and business well, I don’t see why you can’t handle the office of governor or president. When they say we are not ripe for it, it is because they are selfish, self centered and they don’t have milk of compassion. Don’t say a woman can’t do it on the basis of gender, it is the most unintelligent assertion a man makes.
Combining the home front with my business and political activities
I thank God for the people He placed around me. My mother-in-law was always there for us despite the fact that the children had nannies and cook. My husband too was very supportive. I had good support system in place that enabled me to go to wherever I want to go. Eventually the children grew and all left so, I had more time to do all I wanted to do.
and then