I’m a woman that can speak anywhere in the world –Adetunbo Agbesanwa

‘I’m an advocate of women’

 Stepdaughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Adetokunbo Agbesanwa, was one time at a woman’s programme held at Ikeja, Lagos. The amiable lady expressed joy at attending the event that bordered on the celebration of women. “Once I’m invited to a programme that I believe in the cause, I will surely come. For somebody like me aspiring for leadership position, I’m always ready to listen to my constituency, and that is the people. When we are talking about Women, I’m thrilled because I’m an advocate of women. I have a non-governmental organisation which is developed in the name of my mum, Moji Adekunle Women Leadership Foundation. I have always been in women rights activism since 1990. So, I’m at home with issues concerning women, human right and governance.  If you invite me to a programme that boarders on women, where I can let people know what women face, what I as a person being a living example had been facing, why would I want to shy away?  Second, I’m a woman that can speak anywhere in the world. I can stand my ground at any point in time. I have no issues about that because I’m well read, confident and I believe that with that confidence, there is nothing to hide. So, I’m always in the face of the public and I will be ready to be anywhere for any debate,” she emphasised.

‘I’m at home with issues concerning women’

As an environmentalist, Adetokunbo holds an important position in the Lagos State cabinet. “In the last four years, I have been holding the position of Senior Special Assistant to his Excellency, the Governor of Lagos State on Schools and Environmental Advocacy. I’m the first person to hold this position in the whole of West Africa. It has to do with educating the young ones on climate change, which is the topical issue now; how to manage their environment to be a better place. You know Lagos State has a lot of environmental problems due to the population. Now we found out that the upcoming ones need to be taught how to manage their environment. We are having issues with the older ones now but if we catch them young, you can imagine what Lagos State and Nigeria will be in the future. They will be environmentally friendly individual. I’m very happy to be doing that job because I’m enjoying it. I’m an environmentalist myself; a lover of nature,” she said.

This amazon contested with other gubernatorial aspirants in the state. But what exactly gave a woman in a male dominated society as ours such boldness you may ask. “First, I have been senior special assistant to the governor. I’m a political scientist, international law and diplomacy person, a human/woman rights activist and I have served in Lagos civil service for 14 years. Also, I have been in politics in the last 12 years or more. As special assistant in the office of the state government, I handle political matters and that was where I got most of my political experience.

“From the outset, my goal as aide to the governor since 1990 has been to be a good leader. I had made up my mind that I want to be the governor of Lagos State even while I was in political science class. Because I made up my mind then, I have been working towards it.  I don’t want to be a 60 or 70-year-old woman before I give my all to Lagos State. I’m currently 45, and I’m at the point where I have the optimum in knowledge, experience to do my best for my state. I want to let people know that we have good and knowledgeable women out there who can lead and make change in the society,” the ebullient woman stressed.

Adetokunbo, who holds a master’s degree in International Law and Diplomacy, said she bulldozed her way and shook all the men that contested with her in the primaries, but at the end someone else was picked. How did she feel about that?

“As I said, you must have courage and the credentials to come out. If you don’t have the credentials, then you won’t be confident. With a first and second degree, my experience in the civil service and in governance at the topmost level, I can’t be stopped.  What makes the person who won and my other contemporaries who contested with me better than me? In fact, if you look at all the credentials, I have the best. But the thing is that the system must pick whoever they like.  To answer your question, I didn’t feel bad because there is time, I can always try at other times,” she said.

Adetokunbo was an All Progressives Congress, APC, aspirant in Lagos State. She has a rich academic and professional credential. But she lost at the primaries.

“When it comes to primaries, it is not like a general election, it is a group of people who are selected by the party. It is not like the party where someone would have to go and vote. It is who they selected that would go in for it. That doesn’t mean that all the people that contested are not good enough for the position. For me to have contested in APC, I’m proud, happy and it doesn’t mean I’m not a better person,” she gestured.

Adetokunbo will still forge on in politics despite the loss.

“This is not my first time of contesting for political position. I have contested for the House of Assembly and for many other positions. I have even tried my hands on local government chairmanship. The important thing as I said is that you look at the timing, experience, what do you want to push yourself out for? If you have a job interview out there, for instance, you go for it.  If you look at yourself and you see that you have all the qualifications needed, go for the job interview. At the end, if the employer decides not to employ you, it doesn’t make you less qualified to do the job. If someone else is given the job, that is the person’s luck. It doesn’t make me less than that. I have my own business; if I leave the service today, I’m not going to suffer. I have my work. I’m not the kind of politician who feels that if I don’t get into power, I won’t have a job; no!” she stressed.

The female activist has been married for 19 years and she has been able to joggle the home front with her career.

“As a civil servant, I have worked like a normal worker being a boss. I have been a subordinate and have been trained very well when it comes to social management leadership. As a boss, I have to be strong for my subordinates; I have to be learned enough. We all compete with men in this field. Even if you have a child, you would know whether to put your child in the daycare when you are going to work. At the end of the day, the decisions are not being taken by me alone. My husband and I work together to decide who would pick the children.  Over the years, I have had to carry my children in the night because I was stuck in the traffic. My children have become stronger due to that. They have become children that can stand on their own. The important thing is that there is no physical or mental danger to them. What of children that don’t have parents? Don’t they survive? They do. I cook and I put my food in the freezer. I can cook in such a way that I can make a special meal which is fresh and nourishing in 15 minutes…my husband and children would enjoy it. I have been able to give adequate attention to both my home and my career so well that none suffers,” she said.

Story by ADAEZE AMOS