Funke Olaode
5 July 2009
Lagos — There is no doubt that the pressure of politics has begun to wear on her as she welcomes Glitterati into her expansive garden, inside the ambience of her Jericho home, GRA, Ibadan Oyo State that Wednesday evening. She looks contented in her blue top and Arabian flowery skirt. Though a trained teacher, Senator Iyabo Anisulowo, a chieftain of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) has seen it all in politics. She has served as commissioner in Ogun State from where she moved to the national level as Minister of State for Education. The climax was her election into the Senate representing Ogun West.
But it has been two years since she stepped aside from active politics, she laments the intolerant nature of our politics. "There is too much violence in polity everywhere. And if you are not careful with your life, you can lose it cheaply. At least, I don't want to die cheap even though I am not afraid of death. So, I really have to know the time to slow down and watch", She spoke with FUNKE OLAODE.
For a woman to rise above the woes of customs and the draw back of tradition to distinguish herself in the struggle for a just cause is not an easy task. Yet some women who were able to defy culture and pervasive traditions to occupy their place in the frontiers of socio-political struggles have become reference point and role models to others who would be otherwise too afraid to dare.
The life of Senator Iyabode Anisulowo is full of lessons for the younger generations. Her undiluted life of discipline, her devotion to God and her determination to succeed in life despite all odds present a perfect study in endurance. Again, Anisulowo believes that gender should not be a barrier to attain greater heights. According to her, simply see yourself as a human being before a woman. This is what has sustained this Ilaro Ogun State born mother of three in the murky water of Nigerian politics in the last two decades.
As Senator Anisulowo settles down to relay her life after political office, the lifestyle interview later turns into a political sermon. Despite that, Sen. Anisulowo wouldn't want to discuss the event that led to her exit from the Peoples Democratic Party in 2007.
You look girlish any secret?
"Nothing much. The pressure of the politics and being in the Senate to seat down and spend eight hours in the chambers, go back to the office to study as if one is a legal practitioner is gone. Now, I have time to be with my husband fully. My children are grown up and all married. So I am a consultant to them and also go to the farm with my husband who is interested in animal husbandry while I am involved in arable farming such as maize, cassava. I have oil palm farm and I still hope to do much for myself. I'm able to tend to my garden. Many time I used it to exercise. That is the secret my dear".
You have been in the public glare for many years, how has it been adjusting to a private life?
"I am coping well. I have been active in the national politics for the last 20 years but I have been involved in the underground politics and school politics for years. I was commissioner in Ogun State and later became Minister of State for Education. The climax of it all was when I was elected to represent Ogun West at the national level between 2003 and 2007. You can't really call me a private person. I'm not too private because you can never be private as a senator of the federal republic of Nigeria. It is the only position that you hold your title for life. You can be talking about ex-president, ex this and that, and so on. If you are senator you are for life.
So, I cannot be completely out of the public glare. And now that I am not actively involved in what is going on around me, it is not that I want it that way but because there is too much violence in polity everywhere. Ogun State is particularly known as very hectic and violent. And if you are not careful with your life, you can lose it cheaply. At least, I don't want to die cheap though I am not afraid of death. So, I really have to know the time to slow down and watch and the time to talk. You know anything I say now, the emperor in Ogun State will reply me. I am not criticizing anybody as a Christian. I believe whatever is happening now is a lesson that God wants to teach us. If our political fathers have not been selfish, it won't get to this level".
Sen. Anisulowo as a veteran politician is not lacking in the home front. When she is in Abuja she is Ibadan, her home base. How has she been able to wither political storms in the last 20 years and taking care of the home front? Anisulowo says, "If a woman will join politics she should be able to do three things at a time. So they must have three eyes. When the two eyes take care of some things, the entire body should be doing another thing in taking care of the home front. I mean taking care of the domestic chores. For instance, I don't joke with my home.
That has helped me a lot in my political career. For a woman politician to succeed, you need the consent of your husband, your partner the closest person to you to be able to go out there. It is hot out there; I have the full support of my husband. Many times I go to meetings at night in Ikenne or Abuja and even in Ibadan here, deliberating on how to better the lot of our country.
Yes I was much younger then but my husband was nice. So I had to ensure that I have food in the house, and make sure that I cooked all the meals. My husband has never eaten in a buka so I have to ensure that my home runs and runs well. My husband is somebody who cares about my welfare. And since I came back from the senate, I hardly go anywhere to sleep except when I am in my house in Abuja. And now that I am back in Ibadan, I don't do meeting at night so that I can keep my husband's company now that the children are grown and gone".
Considering her siddon look approach to politics in the last two years, has Sen. Anisulowo abandoned politics completely?
"I cannot abandon politics completely because it will be very disheartening to people who are looking unto me for leadership quality in me and all that I have done in the past. God is the Alpha and the Omega who knows the beginning and the end. Therefore, I believe all my supporters should put their trust first in God because we are just instrument in the hands of God. God raises leaders. And for a time, a leader will reign and another would come. For me, I will continue to be a consultant to all those who look up to me politically. I am not saying that I am not playing politics at all.
Politics is not for the week hearted. The intrigue in politics is too bad that you can't even rely on your blood brother or sister. Things can change at any time simply because the person you dined with now can sell you out. That is what I have found out in my political pursuit. Some people join politics not to serve anymore. Politics has now become a means to an end. When we started, we were taught to be our brothers' keeper even you belong to an opposing party. It is sad that reverse is the case now. We are now looking at 2011 and see what change that can be done to improve the image of politics in Nigeria. I believe God will intervene".
For instance, I pulled out of PDP in 2007 and went back to my former party, ANPP. I left APP for PDP initially because of President Obasanjo to give him flesh in the South West. I had to move back to ANPP in 2007 and that gave me a very nice political experience. There were too many bad people around Obasanjo. And those people who would have helped him were scared away. If you are not an eavesdroppers or sycophants that would formulate lies, you are not likely to belong. And President Obasanjo didn't have time to verify anything. Again, if you have your own personal integrity you will fall out with him. The sycophants would gain more powers. Look at all the people president Obasanjo helped. So he should be proud of me that I went to the senate and contributed my own quota as an indigene of Ogun State. I will always remain a pride of Obasanjo within him though he may not be able to express it. As a father he would know that there are people in this country who are with their right senses. They may not be women of easy virtue".
There has been a lot of political calculations going on in Ogun State that the next governor should emerge from Yewa where you come from. What is your take on that? "Well, if it happens, I will be the happiest person. And I am sure Jesse Jackson and all the blacks that have tried to rule America all these years can't say because they did not succeed they would feel unhappy because someone else succeeded. They should be on top of the world that their struggle has paid off. I have struggled to liberate Yewa people. Right now, they are still backward and we all know what it takes to contest for public office. How many Yewa people have been empowered? And those of us who are committed and already converted are not there. So it is worrisome. For anybody to say he wants to be a vanguard, I don't know where the person wants to start from. In the first instance, there must be willingness on the part of the person. That person must have been empowered socially, politically and financially to be able to stand among the Egbas and the Ijebu's and they will follow (the two majorities we have). So let's keep our fingers crossed".
Having seen it all in Nigerian politics, any piece of advice for the female politicians?
"I don't think I have any advice because some go into politics now for ulterior motives. You know a lot of them believe that there is money in politics. Even those who are not in politics one way or the other want to have their own shares. But they have to bear it in mind that politics money is satanic. And if you don't plough it back, forever you are ruined. This is because you are elected to represent your people. And in the cause of that, you receive salaries; several gifts come your way without you soliciting for it. And those who you represent are wallowing in abject poverty. That kind of money is not good money. The only good money is the one you worked hard for. It is like a farmer praying to God to get good rewards on his farm products. So the kind of exposure we have had in the last ten years is frightening. And because of that you see somebody who was a local government chairman today and tomorrow he would not be able to fuel his car. And when he was there, he was in control of four cars, entertaining guests at will. So as long as God remains God who created all of us equal but gives opportunity to a few who are sensitive about their environment. And because of that, they are custodian to give to other people. People should be wary of material acquisition because nothing we have brought to this world and nothing we are going to take back".
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