UJU ONWUDIWE: I never dreamt of going into politics

Uju Onwudiwe, popularly called Igolo Njaba, is a member representing Njaba state constituency in the Imo State House of Assembly, Owerri. In this interview with Daniel Adeleye, the lawmaker recounted her journey into politics, her VAPP bill amongst others.

You were in a private sector doing well as a financial expert; At what point you decided to join politics?

I joined politics on a request. I always come home when I was in the private sector to visit my mother-in-law of blessed memory, and mingled with the women in the village and give them gifts. I built that relationship and friendliness with them because of the love that my mother-in-law had for me then. So in 2007 when the then Action Congress was looking for a running mate for Hon. Uche Onyeaguocha who was the gubernatorial candidate for the party in Imo state my husband’s cousin called me, he wanted me to be the deputy governor.  I never dreamt of being in politics, I was doing well in the private sector.

So I told him I was going to pray over it because politics was like a no-no in my biological family. When I started communicating with my siblings, everybody said no. I called one of my spiritual directors who was a family friend, late Rev. Fr Chidi Osondu, he was in the United State then. He asked me if I really wanted to go into politics I said I don’t know because I can’t just do anything without the support of my siblings. He now advised that we should pray over it. And we did pray over it and after the prayers I called my siblings again and they told me if that is what I wanted, they will support me.

But at the end of the election Action Congress didn’t perform well and it wasn’t easy for me to continue with the party to realize my chairmanship aspiration so I now moved to PPA because the then governor, Ikedi Ohakim was in PPA and later moved to People’s Democratic Party PDP. And after the governor moved to PDP so I took a bow and then I got blessing with a fruit of womb so I traveled out of the country to take care of myself and the baby. When I came back in 2011 it was Senator Rochas Okorocha contesting for gubernatorial seat under the umbrella of All Progressive Grand Alliance APGA.  I joined them because of the past contact that I had with him. And so from APGA we moved to All Progressive Congress, APC. And in 2015 I contested for House of Assembly and God bless me I became victorious. And that’s how I came into politics.

How does’ it feels like being the first female lawmaker representing Njaba state constituency in Imo state House of Assembly?

I feel good. If nothing else at least to make sure I represent my people very well. To make sure I give them a listening ear, to make sure am always there for them when they need me. I always believe that the only thing I can do for Njaba people is to give them back because they have already shown me love without knowing who I was. They voted me in massively in 2015 and they replicated it in 2019. And so the only thing that gives me joy most is when I do something for Njaba people especially the indigent and the downtrodden. It gladdens my heart so much. And that’s why whatever am doing I do it in Njaba.

A lot of women shy away from politics because of violence, does this bother you when you were coming into politics?

No, I wasn’t bothered and up till now I am not bothered. Why because I’ve talked to myself and assured myself of the kind of politics I want to play. I have never been a violent person from childhood. And as a matter of fact, I can tell you that I’ve never fought anybody in my life. I love peace. I love loving. I love being in an environment full of joy, happiness and laughter. This is what I enjoy most. I knew I was coming into a violent terrain but I’ve already told myself that am not going to challenge them with violence. I want to use my mild character as a woman and mother to go into my political outings and I’ve been doing just that. I don’t discriminate or condemn.

You seemed to have stepped on the toes of some elements in your state with your VAPP Bill 2021; Can you shed more light on this bill?

The bill is against all forms of violence from domestic to public. It is a bill that will reduce the rate of violence ravaging the whole world.  There is no day that one will not read a report that someone dies either through kidnappings, terrorism or through violence. And it’s on increase. Girls are being raped and when I talk about girls am talking about children. During COVID-19 lockdown, we received a report of a two months old baby that was raped. It is now common and on increase that 2-7 years old are being raped. Incest is something I’ve never heard of before but now it’s on high increase. Fathers are raping and impregnating their daughters. It’s sickening and barbaric. Yes, we are talking about girls and women because they are vulnerable. Although men are also facing intimidation and sexual harassment from boss in the office, female colleagues or from someone they need financial assistance from. Men are being killed by their wives and girlfriends. So when we talk people always think we are protecting only female gender, but no. The bill is also against sexual intimidation. A girl seeking employment in an organization and the boss will say until he sleeps with her. The female students in the schools face sexual intimidation from lecturers. Even in the worship centers, it happens everywhere.

So the bill is being introduced to curtail the alarming rate of all forms of violence in the society before it gets out of hand. Some people kicked against the bill and I keep saying it that those who kicked against the bill should be investigated.

How would you react to a bill sponsored by Hon. Nkiruka Onyejiocha, seeking to increase female representation in the National Assembly?

The bill has been a very wonderful bill. It is what we have been agitating for in different fora whenever we have discussion with UN, USA and all those multinational journals. The only way forward for women to be recruited into the governance in Nigeria is by Quota system or Twining. In a situation where we have a male governor, automatically the deputy must be a woman and vice versa. Same applicable to the president and local government chairman. When we have a male minister, there must be a female minister of state and vice versa. That’s the only way we can include women in what we are doing. And now the quota system is coming up. Without that women will not be represented. And any country who does not include their women in the governance, such country hardly succeeds. They will only be running from pillar to polls. There must be a unique attitude and character and governance.