ABEOKUTA, MY HOMETOWN. ITS TRANQUIL ENVIRONMENT IS CAPTIVATING, AND I ALWAYS LIKE AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT WITH MY PEOPLE

I come from a very large family, polygamous on all sides. Most part of my childhood was sheltered. It was mostly my mother since daddy was in detention for about four years before he passed away. My mother raised us singlehandedly. She is an amazing strong woman.

I was raised without any ingrained limitation. There were no comments about how girls could only be first ladies and boys could be presidents. We were all encouraged to excel, and to follow our dreams. I am very thankful to my mother for that. For instance, when I decided that I wanted to join politics and I was going to move to Abuja, she did not try to stop me. She wished me well and supported me. And I am glad I made that decision, although it was quite challenging at first. I hope to be half as good a mother as she is, someday.

I also spent a lot of time with my grandparents and older people in general, so my outlook or perspective on most issues has been greatly influenced by that. Aspirations while growing up The first time I heard about the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), that was before it became the African Union, I thought it sounded nice, so I declared I was going to be its president someday. Later on, I decided I wanted to be a famous singer like Whitney Houston. But I grew older and realised I was better at Mathematics than most of my classmates, so I wanted to be a professor of Mathematics.

I actually applied to read Mathematics in the university, but I was admitted for Statistics instead. It was in the university that I realised a lot of work had to be done in the youth sector. That was what informed my interest in youth advocacy. I worked in some youth non-governmental organisations for a while before going into the mainstream politics. Growing and developing as a leader It has not really been easy. Leadership is a huge responsibility. You have to listen to everyone and accommodate various interests as much as you can. This has caused a lot of reflection for me. It has been a continuous process of trying as much as I can to refine my behavioural traits, especially pertaining to patience.

I try as much as possible to ensure that decisions are made through a democratic process, that everyone has their say. I ensure that I am not imposing my ideas on others. I’ve come to understand the importance of establishing understanding, even in moments when one has to make a firm decision and stand by it.

I also consult with people who are more experienced than me when I’m confronted with difficult situations. I do that so as to tap from their well of wisdom and seek guidance on how