Azeezat Damilola -Odubajo Owonla, an Ayobo-Ipaja LCDA chairmanship aspirant in the forthcoming council elections in this interview with AlimoshoTv, took us through her humble beginning, family background and how she intends to change the narratives in her community if elected into office among other issues…
Excerpt:
AlimoshoTv: May we meet you please?
Omo’ owo: I’m Azeezat Damilola -Odubajo Owonla
AlimoshoTv: You are an aspirant vying for Ayobo -Ipaja LCDA’s chairmanship seat in the forthcoming coming local government elections in the state. What makes you think you are the best for the job?
Omo’ owo: Sigh… i can’t say I’m the best for the job. There are contenders in the race who are eminently qualified to lead Ayobo -Ipaja LCDA to greater heights. They are equally prepared to contribute their own quotas to the development of this LCDA. But on my part, I’m blessed and being a youth is an added advantage for me.
We have been clamouring for a very long time that the youth are not getting much representation in our political system but the question is, what are we doing to be recognized ? what are we doing to be part of the process?
So, for me, this is the time for us to come out and be part of the system. Our parents have done their parts to educate us , they have given us proper training. Why can’t we come out and display the education they have bequeathed to us? Must we continue to sit back and be expecting political positions to be given to to us on a platter of gold? No! We must be part of the process and I believe we can.
For me Azeezat, if i set my eyes on a goal, I always make sure I achieve it. Let us go get this. Yes we can. We should not allow the ‘I don’t have experience’ mentality push us back. It is all about learning on the process. Most great leaders of today learnt on the process not from birth. It will suprise you to know that I never had any prior politcal experience neither do I have a political relationship with anyone before now but I believe, with my level of education, business experiences and with the right people in my corner, it is achieveable.
Being new in the game isn’t a challenge to me at all but an added advantage with a breath of fresh air.
AlimoshoTv: You talked about experience not being a yardstick. Truly nobody is born with political experience but ain’t you scared that those you are contending with have intimidating political curriculum vitaes compared to a greenhorn like you?
Omo’owo: I love this question so well but you know what, this kind of mentality has kept a whole lots of brilliant minds off the game. If we the youth keep complaining we lacked the requisites, knowledge or skills to hold political offices, things would continue be the way it is. So, when will the experience come if we refused to join the system?
I have all it takes to lead. To keep hammering on challenges as problem is not good. For me, I’m blessed and got all it takes to be part of the system. I have done a whole lots of things successfully for myself. Therefore, my eyes is always on the goal.
AlimoshoTv: Are you saying that you are not intimidated by their political profiles?
Omo’owo: Well, their political experience might be an added advantage to them …
Cuts in: And what it is to you?
Omo’owo: A minus though but not in the sense of intimidation. They have been there and I’m new and that also is an advantage. I’m coming in with new and fresh ideas. I know it won’t be easy but with the right people that I’m connecting with, it will surely tilt my way.
AlimoshoTv: How did your political journey started?
Omo’owo: It actually did not happen over night. I have been a member of this great party since the past six years. In fact, during the last general elections, I did the little I can to support the party and our flag bearers across board.
Prior to and during the last political campaigns, I observed that our representatives have actually done very well for our people but like Oliver Twist, I believe more still needed to be done most especially in the area of youth engagement. I think I have the ‘magic wand’ in this regards to compliment what is on ground and all that is expected to be done.
We need to prove that we can do it with their supports. My aspiration didn’t just come about. I looked up to people like Hon. Bisi Yussuf, our honorable commissioner – my mother, Uzamat Akinbile – Yusuf among others.
There’s more to be done for the youths. Look at the #EndSARS issue, though i’m not for violence but you could see how the youths came together to tell their pains until it was hijacked by hoodlums.
Look at how Hon. Shina Peller is relating with the youths in and outside his constituency. We need to be in large numbers in the system because we understand ourselves and our language. There were so many bright minds out there who have all it takes to move the country forward. This is not the time to sit back and act as if it does not concerns us. Let us come out to support ourselves and change the narratives.
AlimoshoTv: Aside youths participation, what other things are you bringing to the table if elected as the chairman of Ayobo -Ipaja LCDA
Omo’owo: Firstly, let me tell you about me. I was born and brought up here. So, if there is someone to talk to about this community, I think I’m qualified to be or one of them. I appreciate God and my parents for my upbringing. Though I lost my mum at a tender age. My grandmother took over as my guardian. She was a petty trader. She sells fish and I often go with her to Ipaja market. As a matter of fact, most of the older women in that market today knows me so well and can even tell my story more than I will. So, seeing them and their struggles for survival was something that has caught my attention since my teenage years.
Hence, I will be coming from the angle of helping these women in their trades, that is one. As a graduate of Ekiti State University with interest in guidance and counseling, I so much value education and without education I wouldn’t have been where I’m today. We have lots of young minds (children) in Ayobo -Ipaja who have potentials but lacks sponsors. I did a program sometimes in the year 2020. I picked five students from each wards and I paid their school fees. My government will spend more on education and the youth.
These elderly women are serious traders with less capital. Oftentimes, I will go to the markets to see what they are selling. What they brought to the market to sell might not be more than N13,000 with profits of less than N2,000 daily. If these women are given N50,000 as soft loan, you will see how wonderful they will do with it.
My government will partner with micro finance banks and other organizations to make this possible for them. Health sector is another area I will give attention to. Assist those who can’t afford their medical bills. Though the present chairman is trying his best, I can attest to that. Ipaja has never being this good. Hon. Sakiru is doing so well in all areas and I can commend his predecessor for laying the foundation.
However, Iike in competition, I want to surpass their achievements as a young lady. I’m an Ipaja blood. It is my town and her development is paramount to me. I don’t have another home.
AlimoshoTv: Anything in sports?
Omo’owo: I think I have been shouting youths since. Therefore, sport is part of it. The elderly can hardly challenge me on the streets but the youths will. I have motivational programmes for them also and I will be directing their thinking towards agriculture. I have known numbers of people who have made it through agriculture. There are lots of areas we need to help our youths achieve things.
Something worries me. See the way our young girls sell their bodies in hotels for a mere fee of N5,000 on Fridays, too bad. They dont care who is taking them out and where they are taking them to. All they need is encouragement and avenues to succeed.
AlimoshoTv: What are the challenges so far since you declared for this office?
Omo’owo: I won’t tell you it has been a smooth ride. It has been ups and downs. It has been lies, deceits and lots more. But being young and exposed, anything thrown at me means nothing to me. As a new entrant into the game, I’m not seeing any thing as problems and I have never seen anyone as a contender but an ally in seeking development for our dear LCDA.
What if am not chosen as the party’s candidate? to me, that won’t create bad blood. I will definitely work and support the person picked by the party with everything within my power. Yet, I think I have a brighter chance to emerge during the primaries.
AlimoshoTv: I read in your fliers that you are a problem solver. Tell us more ?
Owo’omo: well, saying I’m a problem solver and a resourceful person simply means I hardly allow things to weigh me down. I’m a deep thinker, connected to the right people and I get things done. I’m a team player who seek people’s opinion. So, am always at my best to get things done.
AlimoshoTv: There is this talk in town that you can’t pull strings on your own without banking on your dad’s influence. How would you react to this?
Omo’owo: This statement isn’t your creation. A whole lots of people have been saying that her father is rich, her father is this and that. Well, I respect my dad so much and am happy he is a man of integrity. Even with the inputs he has made to the community, banking on him won’t work for me. He is not responsible for me. All that I’m doing is for my sake not his neither does he’s affects mine.
We are different persons. So when you see me, you are seeing Azeezat Damilola -Odubajo Owonla. I’m his daughter and I have rights to his name the same way as he has to his father’s.
AlimoshoTv: What was his reactions when you told him about your aspiration?
Omo’owo: Well, he has been a silent supporters of politics and politicians but maybe due to some not too cool experiences he moved away but to God be the glory, I have converted him to an All Progressives Congress member. When I told him, he exclaimed and said,”what you want to do isn’t an easy task o”.
He later asked if I will be able to take the propagandas, insult and all other negativities associated with politics if thrown at me and I told him am fully prepared for whatever. He knows I’m a go-getter. He supported me when he sees the seriousness in me. He advised me to make sure I do not disappoint his people (which are my people too) and he has been morally supportive ever since.
AlimoshoTv: Tell us more about you?
Omo’owo: My name is Azeezat – Damilola Owonla. I was born and I grew up here in Ipaja. I lost my mum at a tender age but my dad and Olori Folasade Owonla, my step mum have been very wonderful and also my grandma. I was given sound education. Although my life journey has not been all smooth as there were times I slept with empty stomach. I face other life challenges. I attended Bols International School, AkinOgun for both my primary and secondary school education and later proceeded to Wolex polytechnic at Ade-alu Dopemu for my National Diploma in Mass Communication in 2007.
I subsequently secured an admission into Lagos State University (LASU). I was not comfortable with it because it was a part time program. I couldn’t cope with the rigor of going to school every evening with nothing tangible to be done during the day. Later, I changed to Ekiti State University where I finished in 2016 and had my NYSC in 2017.
Meanwhile, I had started my business while in Wolex Polytechnic selling “used clothes”. Even while in Ekiti, I had three shops as a student. It will suprise you to know that my dad had a humble beginning. There were times he had nothing. Today, I have businesses with 15 workers. I started this Journey as a 16 year old girl here in Ipaja. Here we are today comfortable. I give thanks to God.
AlimoshoTv: Last word?
Omo’owo: The future is now. Let the youth come out and identify with this agenda.
