•Ex-OYO 1st Lady, Chief Mrs. MUTIAT LADOJA
Chief (Mrs.) Mutiat Olayinka Ladoja is the wife of the former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja. The beautiful black beauty is a woman of style and she is one of the powerful women in Oyo State. She is passionate about politics and despite not being in office her pet-project “Idera De” is still very much in place as she is naturally passionate about the disabled and less priviledged in the society. Recently at the chieftaincy ceremony for the new Iyalode of Ilishan-Remo, Alhaja Mrs. Kudirat Kassim, City People Video Editor, SALISU NURUDEEN and Photo Journalist, FEMI ADELEKE, caught up with her as she talks about politics and life at 67. Below are excerpts of what she told us.
What can you tell us about Iyalode Alhaja Kudirat Kassim?
Well, we have been friends for over 30 years. She has been very nice to me. She’s very accommodating. She’s a lover of people and she’s ready to help the needy, and she also mingles with the younger ones. She’s a nice woman, she deserves to be the Iyalode of Ilishan-Remo and I am happy to be with her as she’s being installed as the Iyalode of Ilishan-Remo.
How did your relationship Iyalode of Ilishan-Remo start?
You know the Kassim’s live in Ibadan, I was born and bred in Ibadan, so I met her in Ibadan and she has been nice to me. She has been a good sister and she has been helpful. She’s always there when ever I need her. I have been with her for more than 30 years.
You’re a lover of fashion, what explains that?
Well, may I tell you that what ever I’m doing, be it from a Fashion point, I inherited it from my mum. I love dressing well. I always want to look radiant, so if you see me with anything, it must be something nice and beautiful, I love good things.
Tell us about your position as Maye in Ibadan?
I’m the Maye of Iyalode Ibadan, I am the number 10th to the throne of Iyalode. You know, in Ibadan our own is done systematically, you can’t wake up one day and say you want to be the Iyalode. You have to be in line of Iyalode, so I am number 10 and I pray one day I will be the Iyalode of Ibadan.
How do you see 2023 elections?
Everything depends on God, if you’re destined to be the governor whether people like it or not you’ll reach the position. So 2023 election only God knows who will be the president or the governor of a state, but my own prayer is that our candidate, the PDP candidate will emerge governor, but everything is in the hands of God.
People always talk about women in politics, do you plan to run for any elective position in Ibadan?
I have been a First Lady, and we always say the young shall grow, so what positions do you want me to run for? I am a BOT Member (Board Of Trustee), which is the highest rank in politics in my party, so I am satisfied where I am.
What advice can you give any woman, who wants to go into politics?
My advise for those women who are into politics is that they should see themselves as one. If we don’t work hand in hand, if we are not a team, our men are very selfish, they’ll not want us to attain any post. You have to work hard and believe that nothing is impossible. Nothing is in impossible with God, if you have faith definitely you’ll be there. So I want women to come out enmasse and do politics. If you’re not there you can’t complain that the way they run the state or nation isn’t good. You have your own quota to contribute before anything can be successful, so don’t let us fold our hands and keep saying Nigeria will be better. I know Nigeria will be better if we have faith and pray for Nigeria, Nigeria will be where it is supposed to be but you can’t sit at the corner and expect the dividends of democracy, you have to join them, you have to be in the team.
If you’re to score Gov. Seyi Makinde, what will you score him”
I will score him 90 percent, because if I say 100 now, you’ll say because he is your son. But before June, he might reach 95 percent.
Eng. Seyi Makinde is a performing governor, if you’re living in Oyo State or if you’re not living there, come to Oyo State, you’ll see what he has been doing to improve the state interms of infrastructure, education, Health, name it, his government is very good. He is a performing governor, he is a God sent to Oyo State. He has brought relief to the people of Oyo State. It is only the opponents that will not see the good things he is doing in the state.
Gov. Seyi Makinde is a performing governor, a cool headed person, a goal getter.
He knows what Oyo State needs and that is what he is giving us. When we don’t need airport how will he do it? It is what will benefit the state that he’s doing. If you’re not living in Oyo State, please come, he has turned Oyo State to America. Some of the things that we didn’t know we can get, he has done them. Talk of good roads, he is there, hospital, anything that can move the state to a high standard he is there. So anybody that wants to beat Gov. Seyi Makinde, I don’t know how he’ll do it. He has laid a record that will not be easy for any opponent to beat. He’s a workaholic governor.
Tell us why people call you Gov. Makinde’s God mother?
Well, I am his political God mother, Makinde has been with me since 2009. Makinde was there with us in 2002, when we were campaigning for our own government, that time he was an on looker. 2009 we became close and since that day he has been with me and the relationship between me and Gov. Makinde brought our families together. So I was very close to Gov. Makinde mum, that even his mum used to call me Seyi’s mother.
What is the secret of your beauty?
The grace is from God, it is only God that can honour you and give you grace. If you put your life in his hands, then he will work with you all the way. When people are saying the fashion trend now is yellow, or orange you’ll not see me with that. Today they said come in white. I put on the colour I liked. Because you don’t dictate for me, it is what I think suites the occasion that I will wear. You can’t see me wear red because people are wearing red, I have to look at my wardrobe and wear what ever is in my wardrobe.
I don’t take sweet things, I only take water, I sleep on time. To the glory of God, he is the only one that showered his grace on me, he has been my father, he has been my guidance, he has been the one that is directing my life and he’ll continue to direct my life.
What has life taught you?
Taking care of the society, and helping the less priviledged people. You have to be nice. I love disabled people, I don’t call them disabled people, I call them special people, because they’re special from God. They’re not born differently from the way we are born, and there is ability in disability. I love them, they’re my friends and it is a covenant between me and my God. When God was telling me this is where he his taking me to, it was then I promised God. I was in Mecca when I first saw the thing and I asked him if what I’m seeing is true, God are you really taking me there? The Lord said yes and I promised God, I had covenant with him that if I am able to sit on the chair am looking at, definitely I will be supporting the downtrodden and that is it. Even people are saying maybe I have disabled person in my family but no it isn’t like that. I promised God that, that is what I will be doing if you pave way for me and he has been paving way for me and he has never left me for a second. They’re my people and sometimes if I don’t have anybody around me, I will send bus to go and carry them, to my house even if there is no food, they’ll manage what ever I have. They just want to be around me, so they’re my friends, you can’t separate us. Before I think of anybody they’re my priority. I have many of them that I am sending to school. If I open my phone now, most of the people on my phone are maybe the blind, deaf and less privileged people. They don’t complain about you, with love we live together. And I do sing for them, so life is about giving and that is what I do.
Reported by Salisu Nurudeen
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