PROTOCOLS
It gives me great pleasure to be here today, as we celebrate a true icon, Chief HID Awolowo. Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the former Premier of the then Western Region of Nigeria, is a legend, and our history as a country is never complete without reference to his achievements, perspectives and soaring vision. His wife, fondly known as Mama HID, by virtue of the role she played in his life and the contributions she made to society at large, is a legend in her own right, and unlike many other political spouses, she will not go unsung.
The wives of political leaders in Nigeria (and elsewhere) are often treated with suspicion and disdain. This is mostly because the track record of some political spouses has left a lot to be desired and has turned people against the idea of them being visible. I however believe that a lot of vituperation against political spouses is less about their actual or potential misdeeds, but more about the perceived place of wives. Wives are supposed to stay at home, looking after the home front, firmly under the control of their husbands. We have had many debates about the roles of political spouses, the danger they present for democratic spaces through their back door manipulations, their use of informal authority for personal gain, their lust for illegal power, and the drain they pose on tax payers’ resources. While most of these concerns might be valid, I would like to have a look at the other side of the story.
The political spouse, over time, has to become all things to all people. She is a mother to the family and community, prayer warrior, adviser, friend, negotiator, peace maker, hostess, ambassador, role model, advocate, pace-setter, philanthropist. With all these expectations also comes the understanding that political wives should have character traits such as empathy, humility, courtesy, grace, diplomacy, discretion, tact, restraint, generosity. It is understood that to whom much is given, much is expected, and so wives are required to carry out their various assignments with all the dignity and grace they can muster at all times, and be above board in most things.
Mama H.I.D. Awolowo was the quintessential political spouse. She performed all the roles expected of her with legendary grace, perseverance, fortitude and unique wisdom. She also lived through unbearable tragedies. Her husband appreciated her immense contributions and sacrifices, hence his reference to her as his ‘Jewel of Inestimable Value’. From the things Papa Awolowo said about her in his writings and the revelations in her biography, ‘The Radiance of the Sage’ by Professor Wale Adebanwi, it is clear that Mama’s role went beyond that of a traditional partner, always expected to be on the sidelines as the world passes her by. In a society where women are not always given their due respect, at a time when gender issues were not on the agenda, Mama occupied political space in her own right as a leader, entrepreneur, political strategist, mobilizer, philanthropist and inspiration to many.
The life of a political spouse is not all about glamour, perksand endless ceremonies. The human cost of public service can very high and some even have to make the ultimate sacrifice – either experiencing the death of a spouse on the job or being killed themselves. Spouses often go through serious hardships due to the nature of politics – long periods of absence, endless working hours, very limited family time, betrayals and treachery due to the insatiable nature of human beings, and abandonment when the tap of political patronage dries up.
You do not need a constitutional provision to tell a political leader that his wife’s role is important. He knows it, everyone around him knows it. When people need favours from a leader, they go to his wife. The same people who complain about a wife’s overbearing influence over her husband will be the same to run to her for intervention when they have problems with their boss. It is the political wife who is left holding her husband’s hand when fortunes change and everyone flies off like birds. She is the one who picks up the pieces when trusted friends and associates turn against them.
Here in Nigeria, we are unable to allow our institutions grow and learn, we prefer to throw the baby out with the bath water. We do not allow healthy and informed debate on the role of political spouses and we keep personalizing issues by focusing on individual shortcomings rather than taking a more holistic view of how partners do indeed add value to the political process. We hereby create a ‘black market’ where everyone knows where to buy something that is supposed to be illegal but they buy it anyway because it is needed and not available elsewhere. When it suits us, we use spouses to support political campaigns, governance initiatives or philanthropic projects. When we are done with them, we expect them to disappear quietly to where they came from.
So, what can we learn from the life and times of Mama HID Awolowo as we talk about the role of women in building viable societies in difficult times?
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. We need a change of mindsets. Let us raise the level of this debate.
If we have democratic processes that are inclusive enough, the issue of ‘problematic spouses’ that keep being our reference point can be addressed in various ways. We should not conflate the issues to do with the importance of spouses on the political scene with the track record of unethical and unscrupulous persons operating in a context where there is no accountability. Voters would not like to vote for a saint who goes home to the warm embrace of a dragon.
2. Political spouses, particularly First Ladies should be recognized as change agents. They are no longer on the ‘black market’.
They should be encouraged to complement the efforts of the government at National, Stateand local government level. We can stop taking about spouses of political leaders and talk to them. We should engage them and have conversations with them about the role they can play in terms of bridging the gap between the government and the people. Programs on women’s empowerment, healthcare, education, drug abuse, peace, youth development and economic empowerment can get a powerful boost from the efforts of political spouses Many spouses are professionals in their own right and bring a lot of value with them. I came from an international development, and Policy Advocacy background, my husband and I share the same values and beliefs, so I had his support. During my time as First Lady of Ekiti State, I championed the passing of 7 laws, and key policies. I supported women’s leadership, promoted women’s economic empowerment and health, put in place systems to address Sexual and Gender Based Violence, and started a successful Keep Girls in School Campaign.
As Chair of the Nigeria Governors Spouses Forum (2020-2022), I worked with other colleagues on a range of issues, including the State of Emergency on Gender Based Violence declared by the Nigeria Governors Forum on June 10th 2022.
3. Every First Lady should champion an issue or a cause.
Being a Champion requires that you be knowledgeable, passionate and resourceful, and capable of building a range of partnerships to aid the cause.
4. First Ladies should be encouraged to support policy advocacy to ensure lasting change beyond individual projects.
Lack of continuity in governance hinders our progress as a nation. Many First Ladies are concerned about social issues such as children’s well-being, women’s livelihoods, health, poverty alleviation and peace, but we find ourselves restricted due to a lack of legal, policy and institutional frameworks to address these issues comprehensively. Without the requisite laws and policies in place at national and State level, all our efforts will amount to tackling symptoms as opposed to root causes. WOGs and Legislators’ wives have championed legislation and policies for SGBV, Cancer, Sickle Cell and FGM
5. Resources and Partnerships – Many donor partners have discovered the significant value of working with political spouses.
This should be scaled up, and include support for their philanthropic endeavours, advisory services to strengthen their offices, image management, communications and community engagement. Government agencies can also forge mutually beneficial partnerships with political spouses, money does not need to exchange hands.
6. There should be more research, data and information available on the roles and impact of political spouses.
I also call on former and serving political spouses to document their experiences.
7. Political spouses should set an example.
Empathy, compassion, solidarity and modesty are all important during these times. Emphasis should be placed on advising our leaders to do better or at least communicate effectively, and listen to the challenges people are facing.
We thank God for Mama’s life and we are grateful for the example she set for political spouses in our country. These are indeed difficult times, and we need the talents, commitment and agency of everyone, particularly the spouses of our leaders. They can tell their spouses what no one else can say, they can hear what their husbands don’t hear and have eyes where they do not see. We need to continue to have deeper conversations about the impact of Mama’s legacy and use this as a roadmap for generations to come.
