The daughter of Colonel Audu Bako, the first military governor of Kano State under General Yakubu Gowon as Head of State, Hajjia Fatimah Bako, has bared her mind on the raging political debate on which section of the country would get the nod for the presidency in 2023.In this interview with RAZAQ BAMIDELE, the Kaduna State-born lawyer cum politician spoke on various issues of national interest, such as security challenges, solution to youth unemployment and why Nigeria should remain one because according to her, there is strength in unity. She also called for more women in politics, and expressed strong conviction that power should come to the south west in 2023.
Going by your family background, can one be correct to say that you were born with the proverbial silver spoon?
It was something like that (smiles), with due respect and without sounding immodest.
How was growing up like in a family headed by a disciplinarian?
Growing up, I would not say it was easy. You know, as children, we would love to be free. But because of discipline, you just have to keep to the rule and regulation of the family. So, we were not that free and loose. When we were growing up, I saw that strict hands as being too harsh on us. But now, I know the importance of what we went through. It was not that easy. We had to go to school and there were rules that we had to keep. We were not allowed to behave like other children. That is the truth of the matter.
How many of you were in the family?
It is a very large family and I am in the middle (giggles).
What actually motivated you to read law?
Actually, I wanted to read Mass Communication. But when I got to Bayero University, Kano, I was not given Mass Communication. So, I had to go for Law. My grandfather, Mallam Yakubu Bako, was a Grand Qhadi in Kaduna State. Actually we are from Kebbi State. My grandfather came to Kaduna and that was where he had my parents.
So, when I witnessed the way he was passing judgements, I picked interest in it. Though I love Law, my first passion is Mass Communication. So, since I didn’t get Mass Communication, I went for Law which I don’t regret studying.
But when I got married as a Bayero University student, I had to leave because of my husband. So, I had to go to the Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, Zaria to complete my Law study. My husband is a Kano State man.
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During your time as a young girl, girl child education in the north…
(Cuts in) My family was different because my grandfather believed in education. That was why even our parents had to go to school. And our own parents too believed in western education. My grandfather was an Arabic scholar, so, we had to go to Quranic School first before going for western education.
So, in our home, we believe in going to school whether you are male or female. Our parents believe in that right from day one.
Yes, in the north, they don’t care about female child going to school. But I have an uncle whose policy is that you must graduate even before you get married. So, I got married at the age of 20. I was in school then. But that did not stop me from completing my education. Though, my husband was like he wanted me to stop, but at the end, he allowed it. I did my Law School programme here in Lagos. Though, he didn’t allow me to practise, the knowledge is there. Education is the most important thing in my family.
I am very happy coming from that family because, really, the north didn’t want their female children to go to school. But now, people up north appreciate the value of western education in the life of female children.
How did you get to Lagos?
I got married to a Customs Service man. And you know Customs officers are always transferred around the country. So, when he was transferred to Lagos in 1985, we had to move to Lagos and since then, I have been in Lagos. And I was doing my business at home when he was alive.
But when I lost my husband, I now joined active politics because I have interest in politics. I had to join the politicians because I always feel that women are always left behind politically. And I think we should join them to see what the men are doing in politics that they don’t want the women to know.
So, as a northerner, curiosity pushed me to join politics, although I came from a political home. My uncle, Rabiu Bako, is a very big politician in Kaduna State. But I decided to do my own politics here. The reason I decided to do my politics in Lagos is because I am a progressive minded person. I found out then that the only political party I could join was the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and not the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
That is why I stayed back here to join politics and I am still doing my politics here. And thank God, I had hardly spent six months in politics than I was given a post of Special Adviser, Special Duties to my Chairman, Comrade Adewale Ayodele in my local government. And today, I am the Deputy Woman Leader, Arewa Women Community in Lagos APC. So, we are still moving.
Before I joined active politics, I belonged to the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF, under the leadership of our President, Comrade Yerima Shettima, and I was made the National Women Leader. The AYCF is like a Non-Governmental Organisation, NGO, fighting for the rights of Arewa people in Lagos State.
From there, I saw that there was the need moving into politics properly so that our voice can be heard.
Are you comfortable with the number of women in politics and in positions of authority?
I am not comfortable. We need more women to come out. We need more women because we can do better. We need more women to join mainstream politics in Nigeria so that we can change Nigeria for better.
In your own observation, what do you think are the hindrances keeping women away from mainstream politics?
Some men would like their wives to work in offices but would not like them to play active politics. But if men can allow their wives to work in offices, there is nothing so wrong or so different from allowing them to play active politics.
Gone are the days when people thought it was only the loose and wayward women that played active politics. Even now, some people still think that it is only touts that can be politicians. But look at it now; it is the educated ones and people from good homes that are now active politicians. This is because it has now dawned on us that we should not leave politics to the touts if we want to get things right in Nigeria.
A woman can be loose anywhere if she wants to be. Most men are scared of allowing their wives to join politics because of all that. Bad things even happen to women more in offices because some men would say they want to sleep with them before they are given promotion. In politics too, it depends on the woman. It depends on what you want. Even if you lock a woman up in the house, whatever she wants to do, she would do it. So, it is because husbands are not supporting their wives to come out to join politics that women are staying behind. That is the problem we have now. The African culture is also there, more especially in the Arewa where I come from. But with time, things are really changing. Between five years and now, things have really changed positively.
Can you predict when Nigeria would have its first elected female governor and President?
I know it would take some time. At least, we have a female deputy governor in Kaduna State now (Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe). That is a good step from the north. In the south, we have been having deputy governors. The north has been our problem. But now, we have got a female deputy governor from the north. I know very soon, we are going to have a female governor in the north. We just need some times to have an elected governor. It may not be immediately.
Who are your role models in the progressive camp that motivated you into joining them in politics?
My role model that motivated me into joining the ACN was the former governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola. When I saw the way he was working for Lagos State, it got me interested in his political party, which was ACN then. Another motivator was my boss and the immediate past Chairman, Amuwo Odofin Local Government, Comrade Ayodele Adewale, before I started working with him. I joined his administration during his second term in office. They are workaholic. They worked with all their hearts.
These are the traits you cannot see with the PDP. For Fashola, you can pinpoint his achievements in several areas. It is interesting to know that I was a registered PDP member back in the north because my uncle is PDP. But when I got to Lagos and saw how progressives performed, I said, no, this is where I am supposed to be. And that was why I joined ACN.
And in addition to the duo mentioned above, our political leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is something else. In fact, whether we like it or not, he is the only political leader we have in Nigeria today. And if we can have somebody like Asiwaju Tinubu in the north, I think our ways of politics will change. So, these are the people that motivated me to be in the ACN. I think I want to work with them. That was why I joined ACN then as a progressive minded person too.
Do you support retention of rotational system in your party and would you want the presidency to come back to the south in 2023?
Yes, I support the rotational principle of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and come 2023, I want the presidency to come to the south west. The south west deserves it even without rotational arrangement. I know they would perform very well. Forget about where I come from. The northerners are doing their best; they have been doing their best. But if we can have a south westerner as President after President Muhammadu Buhari, I know there would be changes if we get the right candidate from the APC. And I am sure God will guide us to pick the right candidate.
In the APC, they don’t care where you come from. We have a commissioner nominee from the north here in Lagos, Kabiru Ahmed. An Igbo man is also there. I appreciate my governor (Nasir El-Rufai) also for appointing a Yoruba woman as commissioner in Kaduna State. Then, here again in the south west, we have Hausa and Igbo as nominees for the office of commissioners. So, that means the principle of one Nigeria. And as President, we would need somebody that would carry everybody along irrespective of where you come from and what your religion is. That is why I believe APC can do that and that the Yoruba from the south west can do that. I am comfortable with them, I have been working with them and they have been carrying everybody along. I am from the north and they appointed me special adviser. We had a lot of special advisers all over. Right now, we have a northerner as a councillor in Apapa. That is what we need. We want all the people to be carried along, irrespective of where they come from since we are all Nigerians.
How do you feel about the security challenges in the country?
Nobody is comfortable with that. We are always praying God to put an end to all these ugly situations we have been experiencing in the country lately. There is no gainsaying that where there is no security, there can never be progress and development. But I believe that with God, we are going to overcome it very soon.
At least there has been a lot of improvement, security wise when the APC came into power. You know it is not a situation you get rid of in a day or two or a year. And that is why it is taking this long. But I am sure, insha Allah, before President Buhari’s tenure ends in four years’ time, we will get over it.
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When are you starting your non-governmental organisation and what would be its focus?
The NGO I want to float is for the youth and widows. And even for the youth, I am looking at the orphans and widows. Being a widow myself, I know how it is. And I have an orphan and I know how it is. That is why I want to go to that direction. I am on it already and by the grace of God, very soon, say like six months or one year, the NGO will be on ground fully.
Going by the culture of your people, why have you not re-married?
I think God didn’t destine it that I would re-marry. And personally, I think I have a lot to give back to the society than just to re-marry. So, I just don’t want anything that would be an obstacle towards achieving what I determine to give back to the society. I don’t want anything to detract me from my mission and vision for the society. I want to be focused without any form of detraction.
Again, I have a boy who was just five years old when the father died. And I don’t want any man to come and change how to handle the boy. That is why I decided to just be on my own and see the boy through. The most important thing, even Islamically, if you can take care of yourself and control yourself as a woman or a man, it is not compulsory for you to marry. I feel that I just don’t need any detraction. I just prefer to be on my own. And maybe God didn’t destine it that I will re-marry.
Are you nursing the idea of contesting for elective office?
Not now. But remember if you are destined for anything, it will just come at the right time. God’s time is the best. But for now, we just want to see things put right in our country. And remember that, even behind the scene, you can make things be put right. But if God says I am destined to be in an elective office, why not? But for me, everything is in the hands of God.