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would have ever thought that Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa once aspired to be a musician?
One of her sons, Ayodeji, a graduate of Electrical and Electronic Engineering in Communications at University College, London, in a new interview with Punch Newspaper has opened up on her political career and life.
In the interview, we learnt these seven things about her:
1. Despite being a single mum, she raised her sons well: “Growing up, she had to be very tough on us because she was a single mother. She trained us well, taking into consideration the nature of her job; she was able to balance work and family. Raising my brother and I was a joint effort because sometimes, she dedicated responsibilities to my cousins and aunts. Even my brother had his own share of responsibilities . My mother didn’t believe anyone was too small to handle responsibilities. She was also very involved with our school work— she never missed parents/teachers meetings and she helped with our assignments. My mother remained strict till we went to secondary school, she then allowed us a bit of independence. Then, our relationship changed, she became friendlier and more loving.”
2. She made sure her kids lacked nothing: “It was great, we didn’t lack anything. I had a normal, humble upbringing. We were all very close with our extended family. You can describe us as one big family. My childhood was spread across Lagos — Festac, Ogba, Surulere, Victoria Island. It was like parents exchanging children. I had a great time. My mother did her best for us and enrolled us in excellent schools. She made sure we stayed focused in school. We had a good time. My first primary school was at Ogba, a school called Ebunoluwa, and then I later moved to Air Force Primary School, Victoria Island and Greenwood House School, Ikoyi. My secondary education was at Loyola Jesuit College, Abuja.”
3. She visited them in School as often as possible: “While in the secondary school, she used to come almost everyday. But while in the university, she visited us often but not every month.”
4. She survived her first failed marriage: She remained focused on her family and career—she didn’t let such disturb her. I guess her hard work paid off because she has been successful in her career. I think everything made her more hardworking as a professional and mother because she didn’t have the margin for error when she was a single mother.
5.She was practicing journalism before delving into politics: She discussed the decision with me and my brother before making the move. I believe, for her, it was the next logical step to take because she loves helping people out. I call her ‘Aunty Abike’ because she has so many children. Quite a number of people call her that too. She was born to serve, and we knew it was something she wanted to do. We supported her decision.
6. She is gradually pulling out politics: She has pulled out from contesting for the House of Representatives seat. She has been there for 12 years and has served her people with honour, dignity and passion. Nobody can tell her she didn’t do a good job. Though, if somebody calls her to serve in a political or private capacity, if she thinks it’s something she can do, she may give it a try. I know her future is bright. Politics is not a do-or-die affair; one should retire after one has served well. For her, it was a personal decision and we supported her decision. It is rare for Nigerian politicians to retire from politics.
7. What she spends money on: I believe because of the nature of her job, she spends money on spa treatments. When she is going to the spa, we collect her phones because she doesn’t like to be disturbed throughout that day. We don’t disturb her when she is at the spa.
And then we leave you with these bonus points:
What Nigerians don’t know about her: When she was in the university, she wanted to become a musician and an actress. She was part of band in the university and they used to perform. She still sings one of their songs. She wanted to take it more seriously. She tried auditioning for roles, but I think it didn’t go well.
Her weakness: Kindness. She is kind and there are times when people offend her but she is quick to forgive them. She doesn’t bear grudges, I feel she needs to be a bit sensitive to people who have wronged her in the past. This is my view.
Her saddest moment: I believe early in her career in politics and on the floor of the House, there were bills she tried to sponsor that didn’t go well. One was the Press Council bill, which was to improve professionalism and welfare of journalists. But those who she regarded as friends, who sat down to discuss the bill, were the first to deliberately spread false information about the bill. It wasn’t a great time for her, but because of the kind of person she is, she pulled through everything. That was when she mentally shifted and became a stronger person within. She limited her exposure and became calculated with her decisions. She started to take politics more seriously. It was a sad time for her professionally.
She is a funny person. In the scope of her work, her humour may not shine through, but she is funny. She comes from a big family, she has six siblings and numerous relatives. She is a devout Muslim and has gone for Hajj so many times. She says her prayers five times a day. She encourages us be serious with our religion.
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