The Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Monisade Afuye, tells ABIODUN NEJO about her job, governance, political career, and her relationship with the governor of the state
What informed your decision to study Public Administration at the tertiary level?
It was a decision I took out of my own personal volition. I am a politician, and we are also into administration. As the Ekiti State Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress, I did a lot of administrative works at the party’s secretariat in Ado Ekiti, the capital of the state.
However, let me give you the background. I started my career as a clerical assistant at the accounts department of the Nigerian Air Force Base in Ikeja, Lagos State. I worked there between 1977 and 1979 under the leadership of NAF Commander Ogunmiloro, who is a native of Ikere Ekiti. He saddled me with the responsibility of raising and preparing vouchers for the payment of NAF officers’ salaries. To broaden my horizon and understanding of administration, I took the course up to the Higher National Diploma level. As a matter of fact, I thank God that I took that decision, because it has really helped my performance and understanding of the nitty-gritty of administrative works as a deputy governor.
You grew up in Ekiti State. What childhood experiences imbued you with leadership qualities?
I grew up in Ikere Ekiti with my parents. My late father, Prince Noah Adegboye, was blue- blooded; being a prince of Ogoga, from the Akayejo Ruling House of Ikere Ekiti. His father was a king at a time, and one of his sons, the late Samuel Akayejo II, became a king, and reigned between 1971 and 2014.
During my days in elementary school, I lived with my aunt in different places in Ekiti, while she was a primary school teacher. Later, I moved to the palace where power resided. After my secondary school education, I travelled to Lagos to stay with my brother, Surveyor John Adegboye, where I undertook training in catering and subsequently obtained an Ordinary National Diploma in Catering and Hotel Management. Living in the palace and following my sister to different towns made me to start acquiring knowledge early in life. I knew how cases were handled traditionally early enough, as well as the peculiar behaviours of people in some of the towns where I went to school as a child.
What piqued your interest in catering services?
That was what I was trained for. I worked as a catering supervisor with the then College of Education in Ikere Ekiti. After there was a massive retrenchment at the college, when boarding facility was phased out by the late Bamidele Olumilua, the then Governor of the old Ondo State (which included the present day Ekiti State), I went into private business in catering services, since that was what I trained for. And, the business flourished to the extent that it made me popular.
Who are your biggest role models, and what did you learn from them?
I have so many of them, ranging from my immediate family members, both in Ikere and Lagos.
While growing up, I have had many experiences which required me to lean on people and tap from their wealth of knowledge. Those are the people I recognise as my leaders, and I respect and honour them so much.
Let me start from my late father. He was my first role model. I respected him because of his humility and generosity, and the way he related with people, despite his royal background. He was a wealthy prince, who was well known and respected in the town.
I also recognise the former Ondo State Governor, the late Bamidele Olumilua; Bimbo Ogundipe (Richabim); the late Folarin Oluyede; my leader and mentor, former Governor Kayode Fayemi; our Mother- General, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; Alaba Bejide; Chief Jide Awe; Ronke Okusanya; and my beautiful mother, Queen Esther Adegboye, who also hails from the reputed Adeyeri family in Ikere Ekiti.
I thank my mother for being there for me. I will forever be grateful to them all.
As the Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, do you consider yourself to be in a position of power and influence?
It depends on the way one looks at it. But, as far as I’m concerned, seeing a position as powerful and influential can make one miss the road or misbehave.
This is because I have not changed at all, in terms of character and interactions with my people.
Meanwhile, I want to use this medium to thank God and my boss, the Governor of Ekiti State, Biodun Oyebanji; and his beautiful wife, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, for the opportunity given to me to paddle the canoe of Ekiti State with them. I believe that we shall get to the Promised Land by God’s grace. I pray God will lead and see us through. These are leaders who have cooperated with me. I have direct access to them at all times, and they have helped me in resolving so many issues.
You can go and verify this. I maintain strong contact with my people all over the state. I attend their occasions and meetings, and take time to even put calls across to them and ask after their wellbeing. Don’t forget that Governor Oyebanji does not see me as a spare tyre, like some governors treat their deputies. He sees me as a co-pilot instead.
So, my office is a beehive of activities, dealing heavily with chieftaincy matters, boundary issues, emergency and disaster management, pilgrimage, human capital development, and other roles that are delegated to me by my boss.
How did your experience on the Governing Council of the Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere Ekiti, prepare you for your current role?
I was appointed as a member of the Governing Council of the then College of Education, Ikere Ekiti, which later got upgraded to Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology by the immediate past governor, Kayode Fayemi. During that time, we used to hold meetings, and we made decisions that were geared towards making the institution a world class one. Members of the council, which was headed by Barrister Afolabi Ojuawo, were like gatekeepers between the government and the institution’s management, so we did less of administrative works. But, I was able to garner experience about how government’s decisions and policies were made. I was able to learn about bureaucracy, which is far different from what obtained with the business I was running solely before, and as a party person.
What are the key achievements you are most proud of as deputy governor?
My robust and smooth working relationship with my boss remains my best achievement so far. I thank him for allowing me to participate in his government as his co-pilot.
Also, the settlement of rifts, and restoration of peace in some towns and villages are yielding positive results, likewise the installation of monarchs on the instruction of the governor in some towns as well. Ensuring peace in all our towns for the smooth running of government remains a good standpoint of this government. Violence over chieftaincy and land issues can cause a lot of damage, but my office has been able to stabilise the polity through the right steps it has taken on some of the issues brought before us.
Your purview as deputy governor covers chieftaincy and border disputes among others. Where do you, as a woman, get the boldness to face the kings, chiefs and disputing communities in the course of discharging your responsibilities?
The power and position (of deputy governor) have nothing to do with gender. It is a constitutional matter. Don’t forget that government is guided by laws, rules and regulations. There are procedures stipulated by laws to get things done. Before you dabble into any issue that has to do with chieftaincy, you have to get yourself familiar with the Ekiti State Regency Law. If it is boundary dispute, there are rules and regulations governing the Ekiti State Boundary Commission. Once you are within the purview of the law and you are on the side of the law, there is no reason to fear. One has to be an unbiased umpire, and be neutral in any issue brought before one. That is all. If one is not biased, there is no issue one cannot handle.
What is your assessment of women’s participation in Nigerian politics?
My view is very simple, which is that, things are looking good for women. We are gradually coming up, unlike before. The APC governments in Ekiti State, under Fayemi and the incumbent governor, are all women friendly. They have a fanatical belief in gender equality, and that is reflected in the sustained efforts to banish the long standing culture of patriarchy in our society. Male chauvinism won’t take us anywhere. Both genders have the same potentials that can contribute to national development.
Let me cite Ekiti as an example. Today, we have women like myself occupying the positions of Deputy Governor, Secretary to the State Government (Dr Habibat Adubiaro), the newly promoted Head of Service (Dr Folake Olomojobi), Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, (Bolaji Olagbaju), President, Customary Court of Appeal, (Justice Oluwatoyin Abodunde); six elected members of the state House of Assembly, six elected women council chairmen, 16 elected LG vice chairmen, 33 out of 177 elected councilors are women, many women commissioners and special advisers, Director-Generals and others.
Even at the national level, many women were appointed by President Bola Tinubu as ministers and board members. So, the narrative is changing gradually to promote and lift women.
What advice do you have for young women who aspire to leadership positions?
They should be tolerant, humble and enduring. Rome was not built in a day. They should work hard, and wait for their times. There is always time for everything under the sun. That was the way God created everything.
What role does community engagement play in your approach to governance?
Community engagement is very essential and paramount to Governor Oyebanji. It is the best way to gauge the mood of the people, and to know what exactly they want, and how they feel about the policies of government.
The governor places high value on community engagement. To underscore the prime position this occupies, the governor takes government’s initiatives round the state, by consulting every sector and arm of the state, especially while taking critical decisions. With his regular engagements with traditional rulers and the people, and the way he conducted palliative distribution to pensioners and artisans, one would know that this is a government that loves community engagement. At every stage, the governor deems it fit to move around the towns to relate with the people and hear them out through town hall meetings.
How would you describe a typical day in the deputy governor’s office?
In actual fact, I consider every day as very special in the deputy governor’s office, because we deal with issues that affect the lives of our people on a daily basis. When one takes any decision that affects the lives of one’s people positively, then one should consider that day as being very special; and we do that on a daily basis, because we have a leader who is people-driven, and who thinks about Ekiti and its progress daily.
But, there is no way I won’t refer to one day as being memorable, which was when my boss visited me without notification. He trekked from his office with his aides to come and greet me in my office. I just heard from my security aides that the governor was around to say hello to me and see how I was faring. I had to rush down to meet him on the staircase. You cannot imagine how I felt that day. I was humbled. All my aides and other members of staff rushed out to welcome him amid singing and dancing. That shows how simple and humble the governor is. He is not power drunk or bossy.
How do you balance the demands of office with your personal life?
Governance is a very serious business, and that’s the way I approach it. We cannot joke with the running of the government or allow one’s personal life to affect governance. That is unacceptable. I dedicate most of my time to attend to official duties, which I balance with occasional attendance of people’s ceremonies, many of whom are members of our party, or prominent people in the state, and that happens mostly during weekends.
What qualities do you believe are essential for a successful politician?
You must be educated, humble, discerning, accommodating, accessible, God- fearing, generous and prayerful. All these are very essential before you can become successful in the game of politics.
People believe that politics is a dirty game. How did your husband and other family members react to you going into politics?
As far as I’m concerned, politics is a clean game. Though some players might be dirty, it depends on the individuals involved. If you’re a person with no questionable or suspicious character at the home front, you will definitely receive support from your home. I received support from the home front, because they know I cannot mess up; and I thank God that I have not disappointed them. My family never doubted my integrity, so there wasn’t any resistance to me playing the game, and I thank God that He has been guiding me well.
When and how did you meet your husband?
He used to visit one of our teachers, Mr Omoyeni, who taught Physics back then in our house. But, nothing happened between us. However, after my secondary education, I travelled to Lagos to further my education. He later traced me down to Lagos to where I was living with my brother. That was how we started, and finally, God joined us together, and the marriage is blessed with good children.
How do you unwind and ease off stress after a long day?
I am a church person, and I am very prayerful. In most cases, I could just withdraw into my room and start singing and praying. Resting and relating with my people are also ways for me to unwind.
What is your favourite thing about living in Ekiti State?
Having the opportunity to live in the midst of Ekiti people and understand their nuances is a good thing to me. Also, supporting them to overcome challenges is another dimension to it. God has elevated me to help and assist people, because no position is permanent. So, whatever help and assistance that God permits one to do while in a certain position, one should do it.
What is that one thing you miss most about your life before you delved into politics?
I don’t miss anything. Like I said earlier, I have never allowed this position or the previous ones to cut me off from my immediate society. I have always been able to maintain a balance.
What are your hopes and dreams for the future of Ekiti State?
My hopes are to see Ekiti progressing, developing, working and joining the comity of states that will be regarded as the epicentre of good things under my boss, Governor Oyebanji. It is my hope that under this government, infrastructure will grow, youths will be empowered, and we shall become the food basket of the nation and be highly industrialised, so that we can have a prosperous future that will benefit our children and coming generations. Shared prosperity is our mantra, and we are guarding it jealously to make that future really great.