Time With the Grandchildren is Fun for Olujimi

Time spent with her grandchildren is perfect fun former Ekiti State deputy governor and now senator, Abiodun Olujimi. Shola Oyeyipo writes

IIn this clime, many have continued to wonder how some prominent female politicians have been able to cope in the male dominated political terrain, particularly considering the seemingly nocturnal nature of politicking and the fact that it is extremely demanding.

But when a former Ekiti State deputy governor and now Senator representing Ekiti South senatorial district, Mrs. Abiodun Olujimi hinted on how she has been able to perfectly combine family and politics together, it was obvious she had it well thought out from the onset.

To her, being able to serve the people in political capacity is a rare privilege that requires sacrifice and diligence. As such, she commits ample energy to the job she is elected to do every time she has had the chance to hold elective offices. But as said, “All work without play makes Jack a dull boy.” Whenever the opportunity to rest presents itself, she does not hesitate to take utmost advantage of it and she expends the time on whatever seems to give her the greatest pleasure.

Initially, her pastime was hanging out with her children but when the children were grown and had their own families, she shifted the attention to her grandchildren, whom she takes out as the best way to ease off the stress of working extra hard in politics.

“For me, what I consider as a perfect pastime is spending quality time with my grandchildren. I take them out with me. They are refreshingly different. The children are now used to it; they even ask me to take them out. We go to places like cinemas, gardens and Shoprite. Sometimes we go dining together. I love to share my spare time with them,” Olujimi said.

She claims to enjoy this because, “They ask questions that reach down your soul and they want real answers and if you don’t give them the correct answers, they keep asking those questions over and over again.

“Then of course, another benefit of spending time with them is if I have to deal with issues relating to children, I know what they want, I know how they feel and I know what makes them comfortable. So, it enriches my decision making when it is about children,” she explained.

Olujimi, former broadcast journalist, a political scientist, administrator and public relations practitioner was nominated into the board of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) by former president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in 2011.

A seasoned politician, she holds a diploma in Journalism, a degree in Political Science, a Postgraduate Degree in Public Relations and Marketing. She holds a certificate in IT with emphasis on Web Development from the Michigan State University, the United States.

She worked at different times with the Nigerian Tribune, Nigerian Posts and Telecommunication, Nigerian Television Authority, the Delta Steel Company Ovwian Aladja, Reflex Concept and DBN Television.

Since she ventured into politics at various times, she has been National Publicity Secretary of the National Centre Party of Nigeria (NCPN), All People’s Party (APP) and the All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP).

She was a Special Assistant to the Governor of Ekiti State, member of the Federal House of Representatives, Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure and an active participant at the presidential primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where she held the position of Director, Women Affairs.

Widely travelled, she hails from Omuo-Ekiti in Ekiti-east Local Government Area and is happily married with children. One can also say that another source of strength for her is that her husband understands her. In an interview she granted in 2010, she had said: “The man is used to it. Don‘t remind him about it. He has been a wonderful man.”

She was plainly sure that she husband and her had come a long way and that it is impossible for anyone, especially a woman, to come between them: “It is too late. We have been married for more than 30 years. They will be inheriting liabilities and most women are not likely to accept liabilities.”

Whoever knows her would know that she prefers very simple dressing and she would tell you it was part of what she learnt from her late dad in addition to living a very simple life.

“I just do everything as they come. But I’m a person that is used to the western style of dressing. My father brought me up that way. Until he died, he was always wearing jeans. He was uncomfortable with agbada. So I am a bit uncomfortable with Iro and Buba, even though I stay within them,” she said, projecting her simple character that contributed to her radiant beauty even as a grandmother.

Olujimi made history as the first female acting governor in the country following the impeachment of her boss, Mr. Ayo Fayose in 2006. She came up the hard way and made it to the top out of a hard-working lower class family that did not provide opportunities for kids like her to compete adequately with her contemporaries but she made it a duty to fight for the lower class families.

For me, what I consider as a perfect pastime is spending quality time with my grandchildren. I take them out with me. They are refreshingly different. The children are now used to it; they even ask me to take them out. We go to places like cinemas, gardens and Shoprite. Sometimes we go dining together. I love to share my spare time with them