1, 1429 A.H.
MONDAY AUGUST 4 2008
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Serving my people is what motivated me into politics– Hon. Madam Chibuzor
By ABDULLAHI BABA ALAWUSA
Features Editor
babaalawusa@yahh.com
POLITICS, they say, is a dirty game. This notion has reverbrated for donkey years since the advent of the so-called modern civilization. The reason or logic behind labeling politics as a “dirty game” is presumably based on the individual perspective of the true meaning of the word politics. While on the one hand, some people believed and regard politics as an opportunity to engage in public service against personal interest, on the other, some people tend to believe presumptuously, that politics is a ticket to self aggrandizement.
According to the Cambridge international dictionary of English, politics entails “the activities of the government, members of law-making organisation or people who try to influence the way the people are governed”.
Madam Chibuzor Onyesu is the Honourable councilor (ANPP) representing the people of Sabon Gari East ward in Fagge local government area of Kano state. She is among those politicians who detest people describing politics as a “dirty game”. To her, politics is nothing but a divine opportunity for those who are privileged to attain leadership position to serve their people. She believe one of the reason why we have not make the desired impact as far as democracy is concerned is because most of our politicians regard the concept of politics as an avenue for self-enrichment. According to her, “if all our politicians regardless of their political background could embrace the real concept of politics as the cornerstone for public service, that is when we can start talking about dividends of democracy”.
At a function recently, this writer met and discussed with Hon. Madam Chibuzor, where the female councilor bares her mind on what really motivated her into politics.
“My incursion into partisan politics was not by accident as I have always held the belief that politics, in the real sense, is seeking for an opportunity to give your own part of the contribution towards serving your people”.
But unfortunately, though, here in Nigeria the concept of politics has suffered defilement to the extent that only those who are dirty can play a part in politics. The rule of the game has been altered while those opportuned to occupy certain position of power and authority have deliberately failed to emancipate the people who voted them, from the excruciating poverty.
“That is why in Nigeria today, whenever you are identified as a politician people tend to ascribe certain negative conceptions and misconceptions about your credibility”, Madam Chibuzor lamented.
The ANPP Sabon Gari East councilor says she was destined to be a politician right from her childhood. One driving force that has always encouraged her to becoming a partisan politician is her innate desire to assist those in need. It was this desire to serve her people, compiled with the intense pressure by some elders of her community that made her join active politics.
Hon. Madam Chibuzor, an indigene of Mbutu in Aboh Mbaise local government area of Imo state, can rightly be described as a born-politician. A part from the fact that her mother was a well-known and respected female politician in the Eastern part of the country, the woman said she herself played active role during the second republic between 1979-83.
While her mother’s political profile was shining like the proverbial Northern Star, as she was elected the women leader of the defunct Nigeria People Party (NPP) in Imo state, Madam Chibuzor, on her part, has already begun to toe the line of her politician-mother. She was later to serve as one of the executives of the NPP youth wing in the same state. And between 1979 and 1983 when the second republic lasted, Madam Chibuzor had played many important roles that later shaped her political ideology and fuelled her desire to play active role in politics.
I asked the Hon. Councillor, since when did she come and settled in Kano and whether she has brought along her zeal and determination to indulge in politics in the state? That is, prior to her present position as the councilor, has she been involved in active politics in the past.
She replied: “I came to Kano some twenty-four (24) years ago and I can assure you that my coming here had not discouraged me from participating actively in politics. You know, once you cultivate a habit it is always difficult to change. My attitude towards service to humanity has always been the driving force behind my intense interest in partaking in any political activity. As I’ve said earlier, I believe politics is all about the desire to serve your people and that’s the main reason why I joined partisan politics”.
Listening to Madam Chibuzor, one cannot fail to discern from the way she speaks eloquently on any political subject matter, that she is indeed a woman of substance. From 1984, when she settled in Kano to date, the Sabon Gari East councilor has played very critical role in virtually every political events in the state. For instance, she was among the key women executive of the defunct UNCP in 1999. She later became a bonafide, card-carrying member of the ANPP where she was later appointed secretary of the party at the Sabon Gari West ward. Madam Chibuzor was eventually elected the women leader of the party in that ward. She served between 2003 to 2007 before she voluntarily resigned her position and contested for the councillorship in 2007, in which she emerged victorious against all odds.
In a field as wide and wild as politics, which is seen and regarded by many as a male dominated affairs, how does she cope with the nitty-gritty of active politics in association with her male counterparts?
For Madam Chibuzor, it does not really matter whether you are a man or a woman . In real politics what matters the most is, whether the person elected by the people is capable to discharge the responsibility bestowed on her or him by virtue of the electorates’ confidence in him or her. “For me”, she said, “I look at my self as a servant; the peoples’ servant because it is the same people who voted me into my councillorship position. Now that I am in that position, due to their votes, it is left for me to reciprocate their gesture by putting my best towards providing assistance for their comfort.”
It is a fact that the womenfolk in Nigeria have on many occasions been denied the opportunity to actively participate in politics. There are a lot of factors that constitute challenges to the women’s desire to venture into partisan politics. Some are religious factors; social and financial. How has Madam Chibuzor fared in facing such difficulties?
“It is true that we the women folk in this country are facing these kind of difficulties. Because the game of politics is dominated by players who indulge in dirty tricks to achieve their aim makes it even more challenging for decent people, particularly women, who may wish to join partisan politics. As you’ve mentioned, there are both social and economic factors militating against the active participation of women in politics”.
The Sabon Gari East law-maker in Fagge local government area confirmed that the women politicians were usually blackmailed by some unscrupulous men who went around spreading rumours that were baseless with the sole intention to damage their image and reputation. “For them, the only way to fight a political opponent is through blackmail or intimidation”.
On a personal experience, the female politician gave example of how some undesirable elements went to meet her husband and told him ludicrous stories about herself, with the sole aim of persuading him to stop her from contesting the councillorship position. “But at the end of the day they failed and I triumphed. Today, by the grace of God I am the elected councilor of Sabon Gari East and thank God, I’ve never disappointed my people who voted for me”.
Although she was lucky to have a nice and caring husband who understands the wishes and aspirations of his wife, Madam Chibuzor however lamented that, many other female politicians have been grapping with this kind of systematic blackmail. She believes women, like their male counterparts, have a very important role to play as far as politics is concerned. “The most important thing is not whether a leader is a man or woman. It is your ability to deliver the desired result in improving the peoples lives that really matters”.
Hon. Madam Chibuzor believes in the philosophy of hardwork and reward. According to her, one can only actualize his or her dream through hardwork and dedication to the task at hand. “Whatever you wish to achieve in life”, she said, “You can only succeed after sincere commitment and dedication in the things you believe in. You can only put in your best and leave the rest to God,” she advises.
Perhaps in order to underscore her commitment to the task of serving the people from her primary constituency, the Sabon Gari East councilor has been engaged in extra-legislative activities in the course of service to the people. Like any other politicians, she has also engaged in several empowerment programmes aimed at assisting the needy, underprivileged among the people living in her domain.
The legislator from Fagge local government council disclosed that plans are on and have reached advanced stage in establishing a non-governmental organisation (NGO) with the main objective of empowering the people to attain self reliance. She also revealed that a feasibility study has been carried out in order to ascertain the number of pupils whose parents cannot pay their school fees with the view to granting them scholarship. Adding that she would continue giving necessary support and financial assistance to the old and needy within her constituency, while she intends to appoint five (5) special advisers (SAs) and two (2) personal assistants (Pas) from among the Sabon Gari East ward.
Being a politician and member of the ruling party in the state, how can Madam Chibuzor rate the popularity of Malam Ibrahim Shekarau’s ANPP government among residents of Sabon Gari area?
“I can say without the fear of contradiction that the Shekarau administration has always enjoyed massive support here in Sabon Gari. Despite the challenges faced by the government in its Sharia implementation the administration was able to make compromise and amends in its desire to carry everybody along. Moreover, the seriousness with which the Shekarau administration attaches to its policy on human development was what made the government to be popular among our people.”
According to the Honourable Madam Councillor, the major problems confronting residents of Sabon Gari area were dilapidated roads, water scarcity and lack of constant electricity supply, “but we are happy today that the state government has eventually turned its development drive to Sabon Gari with the award of multi-million naira contract for construction of the new France road and other major roads in the area. On the issue of water scarcity, not a few people have been commending efforts being put in place by the government to provide adequate potable water to the area. And the fact that the state government has been up and doing to ensure constant electricity supply through the Independent Power Projects (IPP), more and more people are now having confidence in the administration’s developmental strategies. But no matter how good and efficient a government is said to be, there’s always room for improvement hence, while commending government on the success achieved, we equally urge the government to look the more towards developing Sabon Gari and its residents.”
