Her say

Hon Titi Oseni is a two-time speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly. In this interview with Gbemi Solaja, she speaks on her life as an active politician and aspirations. Excerpts:

What is your view about women in politics?
I believe we are getting better, though President Goodluck Jonathan believes in women participation in running the affairs of the country and he is giving women opportunities in every sphere of governance, likewise, the first lady; but we expect more support. I know that with the help of our first lady, we’ll get there and I know there is so much assistance that this administration at the federal level is giving to women, there are programmes here and there which are geared towards getting more women involved in politics. Our women need a lot more, but I know a lot is still coming. On women in politics, we are still not there yet, women because of their role as  wives, mothers are still shying away from active politics, but with the support of  men and government, we will have more representation than what we have now.

Any hope in sight concerning the internal crisis within the Ogun People’s Democratic Party (PDP)?
We know that our division had a negative impact on our performance at the last elections. PDP at that time was divided into three factions, we had the Peoples Party of Nigeria(PPN), Labour Party (LP) and the PDP itself. When you aggregate the number of votes with the party that won the election, this tells that if we were not divided, PDP would have taken the day, but we are working on it. We are coming up stronger. The PDP is the biggest party today, a party to behold, we are getting stronger and stronger. It is not easy for PDP to fail because there is an established structure in the party when compared with other parties. This is a democratic party where the wish and  will of the people reign. It is a party to beat, it is not a party of one person, but a national party of unity.
We have had our challenges in the past, there are reconciliation committees going round to reconcile with aggrieved members and I will also say that we should all bury our differences and come together, there is strength in unity. United we stand and  divided we fall, once we come back as one indivisible family, we are sure that victory is ours always. We know why we got to where we are and the only way we can get ourselves out, is to become a formidable team that we were known to be.  So, there is hope for Ogun PDP.

Which areas affecting the society are of paramount interest to you as a politician?
I am passionate about children, family and women. I wish to see more women thrive in their homes, being good wives importantly, having good jobs, and matching this successfully with their roles as mothers and wives. I wish to see children constitute themselves as responsible individuals in the society, having good education even if their parents cannot afford it and this is where the government comes in, to ensure that every child has a right to quality and affordable education. Then, when it comes to women and child abuse, I wish that adequate and radical steps be taken to curb this. Children should not be molested for any reason. I believe that every husband should be made to face the wrath of the law if found to have battered his wife. What I am saying in essence is that the socio-economic status of every family is really of concern to me and I hope to see families live better lives. But I know a lot is being done by the current administration at the federal level geared towards supporting women in their businesses and trades among other interventions.

What advice do you have for young women aspiring to be like you?
When I was the speaker of Ogun State House of Assembly, I was really passionate about bringing women on board and I tried in this regard and there are improvements in the number of women that won the House of Assembly in different states in Nigeria. My advice to women is that they shouldn’t feel intimidated because this is the first challenge one faces when contesting for an elective position. Nonetheless, thank God women who are in politics are doing well. I am ready to support women who are serious and willing. There’s nothing to be afraid of, all one need to do is to keep one’s head high, stay focused.

How do you cope combining family with politics?
Now, it is a lot better because I am not holding any political position. Back then, I would not say it was a tea party combining the political responsibilities and my role as a woman, wife and mother with the demands of politics. It was hard, every little moment I had  was  interfered by one phone call or the other, visits and engagements. But, once you have a good family and an understanding husband who can stand in the gap, then one is bound to make a success of one’s calling as a politician. I think this worked for me all my days in the house.

As a politician, how do you cope with male advances?
In today’s society, one gets advances regardless of being a politician or not, what matters most is being able to control oneself. One receives lots of phone calls, people would always come to you, but you have to possess the ability to say no, staying focused on where you are going and not getting distracted is what makes a woman a better person.

As the first female speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, how do you feel?
I thank God for being given the opportunity to serve the people of Ogun State, but I don’t think being the first woman or man matters, what mattered was the opportunity given to me to serve and assist our people to improve and contribute economically, socially to the growth of the state. Being part of the team made me feel good, being able to touch the lives of my people and constituency, the opportunity to affect and touch the lives of the people mattered most than being the only female speaker. But above all, I am grateful to God for the opportunity to serve and to have served to the best of my ability.

Are you still in politics?
I am always in politics, when I started  my political career, I came in alone and determined because I had a passion to serve my people. When I came
into politics, there was nobody there for me to actually put me through, it was on a plain ground and you know what happens when you are thrown into the middle of the bush to fend for yourself. It was a bit difficult because there was no one to mentor me, but, I took it upon myself to learn the way to the road from the beginning and thank God I am doing fine. I came into it myself with a goal that I know would be achieved by the special grace of God. I am fully into politics and in the PDP, if given the opportunity to serve, I am ready to  serve in any capability and capacity.

A peep into your background
I was born to the family of Sodunke in Abeokuta in 1964. I attended Trinity Nursery and Primary School, Abeokuta, later Abeokuta Grammar School after which I proceeded to the United States where I attended Upsala College and graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration. After a while, I came back to Nigeria, set up my business; in 2002, I joined the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and contested for the House of Assembly and won. I also re-contested in 2007 and won, then I became the speaker. Now, I’m into my private business.