Honorable Motunrayo Adeleye is a renowned politician cum socialite. Her role in Ogun state politics cannot be over emphasized. She represented Ifo constituency in the Ogun state House of Assembly two times before losing out in her bid to move to the House of Representatives in the last general elections. In this interview, she shares her grass to grace story, her political career and the success of her marriage.
Excerpt…
Can you tell us about your journey into politics?
May be I don’t really have much before coming into politics because I came into politics very early. I was very young when I joined what could be called main stream politics. For record purpose, I am Moturayo Hadijat, the daughter of Adeleye, the wife of Oladapo because I use a compound name, Adeleye Oladapo. I was born almost fourty years ago; I had my primary school at Methodist primary school, from there to Lagos Baptist secondary school, from there to Iju Grammar school. After that, I was on my own because at a point I had to leave home and fend for myself so, I was on the street there fending for myself and getting something out of my life. I am the type who loves education…..but maybe I should just mention this, while I was in secondary school, I was pregnant which I eventually had the child …you know when you are pregnant while in school, you need to drop out of school. I had the child when I was in SSS1. I eventually went back to school but it was not easy going to school and taking care of a child but unfortunately, the child even died at one and half year. When such mistakes happen, some people don’t ever get out of it but for me, I made up my mind that I need to forge ahead and make something out of my life and that was when I left home and glory be to God, I made something out of my life. I worked in a few places. It was once a receptionist. I was once a daily contribution collector in Mile 12. I was still working as a daily contributor collection while I met my husband who I eventually married. Before then, I went back to school, University of Lagos…I got a Diploma in Yoruba Linguistics. I was offered an admission earlier but I could not pay before I now went in 1998. It was not an easy thing because I could remember I used to trek from Yaba to UNILAG but my determination to make something out of my life kept pushing me despite all the hordes. After that, I enrolled for NIPR, Nigeria Institute of Public Relations but I could not really concentrate, I enrolled for Business examination council. I wrote the exams but I did not pass but eventually I did ICMA, Institute of Chattered Management Accountant and I am an associate.
Did you now join politics as a way of making ends meet since it’s believed it’s a money spinning thing?
No. I started politics while I was in secondary school. I did not plan to go in politics at that time. I could remember I actually went to represent my father at one of the political meetings and that was how I got hooked. What they were discussing there was of interest to me because it was what was in blood so, I joined. I joined politics when I was still wearing uniform. You know there are many levels in politics. I mean federal level, state to zonal level so, I actually acted as zonal secretary, and zonal treasurer and I equally acted as ward women leader where I was a leader to women who were old enough to be my mother or older than my mother. I could say I had my mission back then so when they were sharing money, I never got out of it, I would ask them to share it for other people or some people scramble for it. I contributed my own quota to the party and it paid eventually. I was given a political appointment. Although, it was the smallest position in the council but it was out of my contribution that some people had fought for my consideration because I was not even around. I was appointed as consultant to the chairman on community development matters. That was where I cut my teeth. The tenure was supposed to end by 2007 but in 2006 I stood up that I wanted to contest for the House of Assembly and people were like is she mad and stuff? Among the aspirants, I had the least financial muscle so no one took me seriously but I stuck to my aspiration and I eventually won at the primaries with the simple majority. Some made case that I did not have two/third but the party ruled against them and I went ahead to win the election.
Could it be the confidence you had gathered on street aided your aspiration to the House since there were more qualified people?
Well, one thing I know is that I have this special thing about me but I can’t place my hand on it and secondly, I know I could be nice to a fault. I must also say my experience when I was pregnant back in the school propelled me because I used to keep to myself while I was pregnant. If you say that, may be….i equally sold. I sold bread by the road side, I hawked bread, I hawked Garri because my mum sells food stuffs so, I really interacted with people. A scenario happened when I was still doing daily contribution. It was at our head office. It was time for me to go collect the money and I saw a guy I had known way back at the place where I was going to collect money, I felt unease because of how the guy might see me but I put up courage and went. The guy did not greet me the way I wanted so when I got to the office I was still looking at the place and when the guy got up, I discovered something had happened to him that his legs had become bad. I learnt a big lesson that day that my situation was temporary but his had become permanent and my determination to make it in life became stronger.
What was your disposition towards men after having a child for a man who did not marry you?
(Smiles) For solid ten years, I bore a very strong bitterness towards the man. Yes, I did not get married to him but that was not even it. He denied the pregnancy at that point and I think it happened to about three of us at the same time. I bore a very strong bitterness towards him but ten years after, I ran into him and it was that day I let go of everything. I now discovered the bitterness I was holding against him was equally holding me down.
What comes to your mind when you remember all you have been through in the past?
Life is a school and you learn every day. While I was in school, I was brilliant and I was one of the best…that was while I was in primary school and my first secondary school but my concentration was affected when I changed school after I had a child. But the fact is that when I see some of my class mates back and I would like, should I begin to say thank God for what happened to me? And that takes me to the fact that the path of man is already charted by God. I cannot encourage people to get into what I got myself into because it was a mistake because when I look at myself, I realize it’s only God that knows how he does his things. For instance, if I did not get pregnant in school, I don’t think I would have joined politics and if I didn’t join politics, I may not be where I am today. I know of my class mate who came out with a First Class in higher institution and up till last year, there was no job. I am not making jest here but thanking God. Its only God who knew why he allowed what happened then to happen and he alone knew how he did everything because a lot of people went through the same thing and they were never able to pick the pieces of their lives. For ever and ever, I will continue to be grateful to God. No matter the condition I find myself, no matter what happens to me….for where he has brought me and for where I am today, I will eternally be grateful unto God.
With ability to fend for yourself and street knowledge, how were you able to cope with your husband because some say it’s difficult for such women to be submissive?
Probably you might be right but it’s the fear of God in you that will help you. Then, your upbringing. The upbringing you had, the type of home you are from will determine that. My upbringing has actually helped me a lot. It is not usually easy. This is not just about women who were already on their own making something; female politicians have the same challenge. You see some of them separated, divorced and all that. It is not an easy thing. African men have this ego, macho ego that I am the head of the home and the woman that is going out there to work, most especially, when you are making more than what your husband is making, that tendency that after all, I am the one making more money, pride. The tendencies will always be there. It is now left for you as a woman who has been trained properly and brought up properly to know where the boundary should be. I have seen series of publication that Honorable Hadija is not marries, she’s divorced, they don’t see my husband so it takes a very understanding man to take a female political office holder to remain married while you retain the office. But I am pleased to inform you that I am happily married with great two daughters.
In your own case, what has kept your marriage going?
The success of my marriage, if I give myself twenty percent, I will give my husband eighty percent .An average African man, Nigerian man wants her wife to be at home, prepare the food and the rest but in a situation not to be at home, always on the road…I think where my husband is coming from equally helped me. My husband was on his own while he was in U.S so, he’s used to cooking his meals, doing something on his own but even at that he could still say sit down there or something and if he does that I would have been forced to either remain in the marriage or be on my own. But I can tell you I married the most liberal and the most understanding man on the planet earth.
Aside of the determination you had, were you convinced of success?
Let me tell you that I have always known I would turn out a success. How? I never knew but the strong will has always been there. I always tell people that politics or no politics, I was going to be a success. I am optimist but I also have it at the back of my mind that there are times you push and they don’t work out the way you wish. I believe in God so, when I go after something and it does not work out, I take it as God’s plan for me. When I contest for the House, I was not the best, I was the youngest and there were better people but God did it. God has done certain things in my life….if he could bring me after I had fallen, took me from there, put me where he did, I was in the House for eight years, I was a local government consultant for two and half years ….i know if I have a down fall now, it’s just temporal . I know where he’s taking me is a glorious place.
You crossed from PDP to ACN in 2011 and still made it back to House but going back to PDP this time to contest did not work. Some believe you over stretched your luck and overrated yourself?
When you do something and it woks for you, people call you a genius and when it’s the opposite, they call you a failure. Life is not like that, you don’t win all the time. Well, I had a reason to leave PDP back then because of what we all know and this time, I had a reason to leave ACN. I belong to the ACN of Chief Segun Osoba and we know what transpired between himself and governor Amosun. I left ACN that was part of APC merger, not because I wanted to leave but I left for two reasons. I left because of my loyalty to Chief Osoba
But you did not go to the SDP with him?
Yes, for a reason. The time SDP was brought up; I knew it cannot fly. If we are had come up with it earlier, I am sure some of PDP people would have come into the party. A lot of people were ready to work with Oga but he knew the best. I did not want him to feel I went back to the governor because I would have disappointed him more by that but at the same time I could not go to SDP because it came too late. Okay, since you don’t want me to remain in APC with Amosun and I felt SDP was not the best for me, the only option available was PDP and I went. It was not a case of overrating one’s self. Let me also say this that every individual who won into the legislative arm did not win because they were the best, they rode on the back of the change mantra. The rode on the back of the fact that people were fed up of the government of Goodluck Jonathan. And you know Nigerians, they don’t want to know the kind of change they are asking for when they are fed up, all they want is change. And that was what gave some of them the leverage to win the election, not because they were better than those of us who lost election. Basically, I lost because God wanted it. If God had wanted me to win, I would have won irrespective of the party through which I contest. Some people contested under APC and they still lost, even in Lagos state where APC is believed to be strong. Anyway, that is gone now. Future is what is most important now. That was just a coma and not full stop. Now that I am on sabbatical, I have done self-appraisal; I have lined up things to do. I’m not doing anything but now, by the time OOU will commence its Master’s program, I hope to be there to do my Master’s. There are other parts of Hadija many do not know and they will be revealed gradually.
You were in the throat of Gbenga Daniel in the days of G-15. What is your relationship with him now?
If I see him, I will greet him. We met at one of City People awards, I greeted him. We both find ourselves back in PDP….unfortunately, we did not get to see most of the time, we met a few time and I greeted him. What we had then was he as the governor and me representing my people and wanted to take something back to them. It was not personal. Although, this last election, he did some funny things like trying to remove my name but I believe it was politics. But personally, I will greet him if I see him, he was a governor of a state, he’s a leader so I will give him is due respect.
How stylish would you say you are?
How stylish? I cannot say that. It’s outsider that can say that. But for me, style is a total package. It’s not about the dress you put on, the hair you have on. Style evolves poise, your carriage. The way you talk, wear your cloths, the way you gesticulate, what you are known for. It’s what describes you. For me, I like to be simple but cute. I am more comfortable in my jeans and T. shirt, because when somebody is driving me and there is traffic, I want to get down and jump on a bike. That is the kind of person I am. I want to be comfortable and not put myself through stress, all in the name of style or glamor. I just want to be presentable and simple and not do the eye pencil thing and all that. But sure, when there is need to be glamorous or something, I surely do.
Source:dailytimes
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