Christy Anyanwu
After 30 years as a lecturer, Remi Sonaiya voluntarily retired to join the political race. She was Nigerian’s only female presidential candidate in the 2015 general election under the platform of the KOWA party. She was in Lagos recently at a conference for Hombotians , held at Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR). Talking with Saturday Sun, she spoke about her journey into politics, what keeps her time these days, growing up and lots more.
You retired as a lecturer after 30 years in the classroom?
Yes. I was a Professor in the department of Foreign Languages. I was a lecturer in French and Applied linguistics.
Could you tell us your journey into politics?
Obviously, Nigerian politicians have no good intentions for us. If they do, then our country will not be the way it is today. Politicians determine whether we will have electricity, have water, good roads, and good schools. Many of us developed ways of coping by using generator. They would not give us electricity; we even dig our boreholes because they wouldn’t give us water. I travel a lot around the country, I cannot tar the roads in which I have to travel by myself. It is not possible. I can’t build all the schools that my children would attend. It just struck me that we need good people in politics. I thought why not me? I have always been interested in issues of social justice. I used to write articles published in the newspapers, so I had that kind of awareness. In 2008, I discussed with my husband on my stand in politics and he supported me. That was how I wrote my letter of resignation to the university. That was how I joined politics in 2008 . But my resignation actually did not take effect until 2010. Then I decided to join a new party; KOWA party. It was established in 2009. I joined in 2010. I became the party’s first public relations officer.
When did you contest for the election?
In 2015. I was the party’s presidential candidate in 2015.
Didn’t you have the nudge to go back to the university when you didn’t actualise your political ambition?
I wasn’t under any illusion to become Nigerian president. I don’t know how many people understood. Although I’m interested in political office, no doubt about that but also, I wanted to make a point that nobody has a right to any of this more than any other person who is qualified by our constitution. We have these so called political class who behave as if they have more right to be in political position or political office than any of us and I’m thinking where on earth do they get that from. You are a Nigerian, I’m a Nigerian. Not only that they have a right to that political position but they have a right to our resources and that’s how some Senators and so on would be thinking of buying cars that cost 50 million each for themselves. It’s their sense of entitlement that makes them think they have the right to do that. Who gave them that right? Where does that right come from? We all are Nigerians, they don’t have more rights to our resources than the others and also, when they take that much for themselves, that means all other people can’t have a share of the resources; that’s why our schools, hospitals, are in a state that they are in. The money that is available is not limitless, so those in positions are not free to take as much as they want because there’s still need in the country. So, all of those in my mind moved me to go into politics.
And you are still in politics?
Yes, I’m very much in politics. I’m still a member of Kowa party. I’m not one of those who shop around, trying different party. I’m not interested in that. I’m interested in seeing a true transformation for our political system in our political culture. For instance, I competed in the 2019 presidential primaries in KOWA party but the party decided to choose somebody else as their candidate and that was fine by me. Interestingly, people now called me from other parties, for presidential ticket. I told them I’m not party shopping. I am a member of KOWA party and I abide by the decisions taken by the party. I think this new political system where it is veered to what you get as an individual is something I find very distasteful. We have to really purge this evil political system so that we can have individuals willing to serve the people.
You are a Hombotian and so is your husband, how did this happen?
Yes my husband and I are Fellows of the Alexandra Homboutin Foundation. He got it first and he said it’s very helpful and kept nudging me to work harder and get the Fellowship. I worked hard and was able to get the fellowship. My own was in 1995.
What is the main objective of the conference?
The conference is about how to translate the results of our research into reality and into benefits of the society. Unfortunately, Nigerians do not sponsor research very well. Many of our leaders are not mindful that it is the result of research that leads to development of the country. They are willing to outsource our development to other countries. Meanwhile, you have capable Nigerians who have been well trained in some of the best universities in the world but we are not using all these to solve the problems. So, the university system, we have been telling ourselves the truth, we conduct research only to get promotion within the system. The number of articles you publish will determine your promotion so people just publish for promotion.
Can you tell us a bit about your growing up?
I grew up in Ibadan. I had a wonderful childhood. I grew up in sort of an enclosed environment where my father was teaching at St Lukes College. It was a Teachers Training College and he was a teacher in that college. We were living on the campus and there was also a Demonstration Nursery and Primary school there. That was the school I attended. My mother owned a nursery school. She started the first private nursery school in Ibadan. I had a wonderful childhood growing up, going to good schools, living in a nice environment. Unfortunately, my father died when I was 10 years old , so we had to move from that place. Thank God for my mother; she was able to send us to school. Some of us did very well and we were able to get scholarship. I attended St Anne’s school Ibadan for my secondary school. Incidentally, today as we are speaking, St Anne’s school is the first girls school in Nigeria and it is celebrating 150 years right now. As soon as I give my papers in this programme tomorrow morning I’m heading to Ibadan to join in the celebration of our 150 years celebration.
What are your lessons about life?
It’s just good to trust in the Lord. Anyone who thinks can map out his future or can work things out by himself is deceiving himself. Your next breath you don’t have control over it. So, the bible says trust in the lord, don’t lean on your own understanding. It is a very wise counsel. Work hard but commit your ways to the lord. Another lesson, is that hard work pays. When you want to cut corners, when you want to do the very best that you are capable of, when you are not looking for benefits but you are working to contribute, I can’t begin to tell you all the advantages I have gained and the best schools I have been able to attend in Nigeria and abroad, the different grants and international scholarships that I have got and positions of influence that I have been invited to occupy. So, I’m really grateful to God for all of that.
What occupies your time these days?
These days, I’m still in politics. I’m still a member of KOWA party. I am concerned about what is going on in Nigeria, So, I attend a lot of meetings. I get quite a few invitations to different events because people have come to know about me, young people, student organizations and other organizations. I tried to attend. I try to go because it’s important to engage your people, to get one’s voice out there, the voice for positivity. A lot of people are discouraged, almost giving up on Nigeria, a voice that could challenge us that we can do far better than we are doing. A voice to create that awareness in us. The countries that are doing well, do the people have two heads? No, it’s just that they work hard and Nigerians are gifted. The whole world recognizes it that we, Nigerians are gifted. Just look at what Nigerians are doing all over the world. So that is a real challenge to us. If Nigerians are some of the best that the world has, how come we cannot reflect that inside our country, that is what occupies my time right now. So, I do a lot of writing, I’m active on the social media, I tweet a lot on twitter so that we keep reminding ourselves the things that we need to do to turn our country around.
How do you relax?
I enjoy exercise. I take 40-45 minutes walk every day except on Sundays. I really enjoy taking that fresh air. We live on the campus of Obafemi Awolowo University, it’s a beautiful environment, so I don’t like to miss that early morning walk. I get out before 6.am. It keeps me pumped up ready for the day. I enjoy reading, I like travelling and I like to sing. I’m a member of my church choir. I attend choir practice and I am a bible study teacher in my church. All these things keep me going and build me up. I enjoy my early hour quiet time with my husband every morning, the time we spend, reading the bible and discussing it. We also have a reading club in our house. My husband, I and a group of people, just about six of us, we sit around our dining table and read. These are the kind of things that keep me going.
Are you a fashion forward person?
I’m not. You can see it from the way I am. I like simplicity, I like to be natural, I don’t like applying any make -up because I don’t want too much of non-natural things on my body. I treated my hair at one time and it fell off. I think that taught me a lesson that I should not have treated my hair but just keep it natural.
What advice do you have for government on education?
I think a state of emergency should be declared in the educational sector. A nation can never develop beyond its educational level. One of the speakers at the conference elaborated on this. Education is the bedrock of development. Unfortunately, it’s taken forever for our government successively to understand this. They make your children sit in dilapidated schools and reading very old books, are these children going to be competing at the same level with the kinds of schools you see elsewhere around the world?