By Agatha Emeadi
Ibijoke Faborode is the founder and CEO of ‘ElectHER’, a special project and political campaign initiative, aimed at mobilizing women with social and financial resources for progressive female candidates during the 2023 general elections.
With the agenda of the national policy on 35 per cent female affirmative, Faborode has tagged her campaign strategy ‘Agender35’ by ElectHER.
According to her, she has studied, worked and lived in an organized society, which triggered her worries over female quality representation that is lacking in Nigeria.
She is, therefore, ready to support interested women into the various elected offices through her campaigns.
In a chat with Sunday Sun, the daughter of foremost Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Prof Michael Oladimeji Faborode, said that she wants to take the bull by the horns for the women to occupy the political echelon in 2023 general elections like what she saw in the foreign country where she lived.
What prompted this strong support for women come 2023?
The idea is to ensure that we take the campaign boldly, concise and mission-oriented approach to ensure that we get more women elected into offices by creating an ecosystem and increase access to resources, not only in finances, but social, intellectual and technical aspect, for people who reason and think alike. The goal is to look inwards because so many women have been elevated in both private and public sectors and the need to draw them into the political echelon of the country. Though some people have indicated interest to raise funds and support the women within their communities, that is what we need because we are sure that this will make the difference. When women contest and win, it is a multiplier effect and the difference is clear. Most times, when women run, they do so alone, the reason we need an ecosystem of people with like minds, resources and otherwise because swimming inside the murky waters of Nigerian politics as a woman is not an easy task. The society by design is masculine, so we need to see more women change that narrative and that is what we are trying to do come 2023 general elections.
Some women have tried to support women and did not succeed, how would you achieve this? What background are you coming from?
Well, from the background of being a Nigerian and the experience of my childhood; growing up in a university community, but I have studied, lived and worked outside the country to a functional system. One then understands the gap and asks why can’t we get it right since we have women with intellectual capacity. I moved back from my base in Paris without my parents’ consent and they were mad at me. I want to leave an impact and purposeful life and that is what drives me. Based on my experience working with international media, British government; Trade and investment advisory, I had my career span through government relations, communications and advertising and that is the space I know. I have been involved in election monitoring and all these pockets of opportunities and my career path really define who I am today. At some point in 2019, I started asking myself how to go about what I am doing today because I really want women in government and got promises from some politicians to fund our campaign. I have been involved in a lot of high-level government relation so I could have gone into government, but I know I will get tired at some point; I don’t like simple things, therefore, the women who are interested should be supported by women too.
What was your experience monitoring election in Nigeria?
Monitoring election in Nigeria is the reason we need more conscious people. A lot of people let things fly by because of the level of apathy. If one recalls EndSARS campaign, what happened? A lot of educated and conscious people were part of it asking questions and such people could not be bought over. But then, the stomach infrastructure, less privileged, poverty who need the survival mode are easily compromised. Then again, I try not to make it a good versus bad situation because people are victims of circumstances that they find themselves because things are tough. When we monitored Osun State election, even with technology and all that, party agents knew when their candidates are voted for or not and there were a lot of other irregularities; yet we still saw a conscious shift especially with the larger per cent of the electorate who have registered and technology driven opportunities in the Osun State election which we hope to replicate. I lived abroad for years; but there is always that consciousness of something missing home. I do not have a choice than to make my country work like where I am coming from.
What does Agenda35 mean?
Agender35 was inspired by the national gender policy of 35 per cent women inclusive in public affairs of the country. So, we needed to coin something around it questioning why 35 per cent, we wanted some relativity that could be adopted and I would say it has been a good move with women promoting their gender and also building something around 35 per cent. This campaign would be three in December and I am proud of the work we have done. Again, do not forget that there is something called ‘smart working.’ If there are 100 women who cannot say anything compared to eight women that are carefully selected with the right mandate, is it not pragmatic? So, I believe in the law of multiplier effect because the space is still designed in a parochial way and I speak with a lot of men who say, women are sentimental, come to the table with something. In politics, it is about being focused and purpose-driven to make sure no political party or stakeholder sees one as a liability because the space is still designed parochially.
Knowing that finance is key in Nigerian politics, how would you handle the financial aspect of your campaign?
Money can never be enough. What we did was to sought and support eight-young females who are in the contest come 2023 general elections to crowd-fund them. They include 33-year-old Similolowa Olusola who is seeking to be in Ekiti House of Assembly, Ikere 11 Constituency under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Rukayat Shittu Motunrayo, 26, is contesting for Kwara State House of Assembly, Owode Onire Constituency under the platform of All Progressive Congress (APC); 32 years old Marilyn Okowa-Daramola is a PDP hopeful in Delta State House of Assembly, Ika North. Her interest as shared by her is to increase human capital development, inclusivity, girl child and youth empowerment. Another is 38-year-old Munira Suleiman Tanimu who is also an APC hopeful at the polls for the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Lere East Constituency. If she succeeds at the polls, her key project would include ‘No-girlchild-hawking-in-Nigeria and #booksovertrays. From Kano State, 30-year-old Zahra’u Basheer wants to represent her community Kura/Madobi/ Garun Malam, Kano State, under the People’s Redemption Party (PRP). She remains the youngest and only female candidate contesting for a seat in Kano State House of Assembly. In the same vein, Hawwah Abdullahi Gambo, 46, wants to be in the House of Representatives, Kajuru/Chikun Federal Constituency, Kaduna under the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Juliet Isi Ikhayere, 27, like her fellow female counterparts wants to represent AMAC& Bwari Federal Constituency, Abuja North under the platform of African Democratic Congress, while Joyce Ehinogie Daniels is seeking to become the Chairman, Esan Central, Edo State under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the only female running for chairmanship in Edo State. There is room for more women to be involved even though we will be through with this campaign in December, but it also means additional resources.
What is the driving force for Agernder35, because you would have seen some wrongs in the society?
First, I believe in good standards of living, hard work and also know how to enjoy life. I like the finest that life can bring and not apologetic about it because I work hard. For me to enjoy life, there has to be social amenity across board, it cannot be an only man on the tower, one day he will come down and face others. Transformation is good. I come from a system that has core value. My father was a former vice chancellor and my mother a university lecturer, so value keyed in our growing up years. I am very guided by my principles and believe in values. I am also very pragmatic, once something is not working, I leave it and face another.
Tell us about yourself, who is Ibijoke Faborode?
My name is Ibijoke Faborode. I was born in Osun State and grew up in a university community. My first degree was from OAU, before I travelled to Paris and lived there for five years. I studied project management with a focus on development and currently studying for my second master’s degree at the London school of Economics in social Business and Entrepreneurship. I worked with the British government on Trade and Investment advisory. My fusion of work in media development in the private sector has helped to be a tri-sector leader. I can look at problems and solutions from different angles and that is the value I bring to the employer, as a citizen and as a sister.
And your father Prof. Michael Oladimeji Faborode?
Not because he is my father, but I had always said, he is one of the few good people left in Nigeria. My dad is a servant. He is one of the best vice chancellors OAU ever had, at least during his tenure there was nothing like strike. He was addressed as a short very disciplined professor. My father is also a hard worker, he has served this nation. He is a reformist. He is someone that I know, if politics were given to technocrats, he can lead perfectly well, I can authoritatively ask you to make your research about him in OAU. There are rooms I have entered and people say, oh, you are Prof’s daughter, your father is a good man, it makes me happy because what my father cannot give in wealth, he gives in intellectual capacity and character and that is the value from where I am coming from. When people say that I am excited about life and my work, I tell them I don’t think about money. I am always thinking about how to solve problems like my father, so that is how I grew up.