By Dapo Olaosebikan
In my column in the defunct National Mirror newspaper on January 21, 2011, I asked a zillion Naira question from the Nigerian women. “Sarah Jubril: Where are the Nigerian women?” was the question, which is yet to be answered till this very day.
Of course, this question stemmed out the symbolic imperative of Mrs. Sarah Jubril’s ONE VOTE in the epic 2011 national Convention of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, held at famous Eagle Square in Abuja a week before that publication. Consequently, my conclusion and charge to the Nigerian womenfolk in this particular newspaper feature was that “women liberation in seasonal rhetoric is an irredeemable self-condemnation.” This was in relation to their quest that the political space be expanded in Nigeria for better women representation at the time.
To the skew-viewed, Mrs. Jibril’s participation in PDP convention of 2011 was political Hara-kiri. The contention on this score was that she intentionally shut her luck beyond the realistic orbit, which at that historical epoch, made politics in Nigeria an exclusive preserve of men.
In another breath, there were some of us who convincingly posited that her courageous participation in that historic contest of intrigues and astigmatic permutations was the very climax of her doggedness to make a difference in a male-dominate socio-political sphere like famous Queens Amina of Zaria, Moremi of Ile-Ife and Ovoramwen of Old Benin Kingdom.
Without any shadow of doubt, those of us who believed an applauded “Hurricane Katrina” Sarah Jibril’s gigantic stride and one-woman-squad fight for the cause of women emancipation in the Nigeria socio-political space have been vindicated in just about a decade! Thus beginning with the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan administration that pushed for 35% slot for women in the federal executive arm of government, the horizon has continued to expand and the sky seems to be the limit for the willing and aspiring Nigerian women now, and, in the future.
There is no single doubt that when the history of Nigeria woman leaders is finally codified, one name that will resonate continuously is that of Dr. Sarah Nnadzwa Jibril, former Special Adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on Ethics and Value.
In the history of Nigeria politics, Mrs. Sarah Jibril remains the first and only woman to have pointedly aimed for the presidency of the country. In 1991, she sought to fly the ticket of Social Democratic Party, SDP, for the president race. She displayed gallant efforts and in a crowded race and she came out fourth. Ever since, her name has been associated with politics. At the time of 100 anniversary of Nigeria as a nation, she was the deputy chairman of Progressive Liberation Party, PLP, a new political association seeking for nod of the independent national Electoral commission, INEC, for registration and recognition as political party in 2014. She remains a source of inspiration and rallying point to many women politicians as she has gained wide range of experiences as a teacher, housewife, sportswoman, and as counsellor. She was one time Commissioner for Social Development, Youths, and Sports in Kwara State.
Former Assistant Athletic Coach Kaduna Sport Councils, she also taught at Advanced Teacher College, Kano. She attended various educational institutions, which include Datford College of Education, London; Kansas University, U.S.A, where she graduated with a B.Sc. in Education. In addition she bagged a Masters Degree in Education from the University of Lagos.
Dr. Sarah Jibril began her foray into politics in Kwara State. Bold, brilliant and beautiful, Jibril speaks out on every fundament issues affecting the nation. Not long ago, she said governors across the country, irrespective of their politics affiliations, were not complementing ex-President Jonathan’s efforts at uplifting the living standard of Nigerians.
The former presidential aspirant explained that every month, the Federal Government and States share revenue, but lamented that the resources are not being judiciously deployed to improve lives. Speaking with reporters in Ilorin, Kwara State, after addressing a PDP rally, Mrs. Jibril, who hails from Patigi in Kwara North Senatorial District, said God answered the prayer of indigence of the state by making possible the defection of ex-Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and his predecessor, Dr. Bukola Saraki, to the All Progressive Congress, APC.
An indomitable political Amazon, Dr. Jibril was also and aspirant under the defunct SDP in 1993 presidential election which was won by late Chief Moshood Olawale Kashimawo Abiola and was again an aspirant in 1998 under the banner of PDP, which was won by former President Olusegun Obasanjo. In 2003, she contested for presidency on the platform of the Progressive Action Congress, PAC, before moving over to the PDP where she once again contested for the party’s presidential ticket won by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua. She’s currently a leader and prime mover of Justice Must Prevail Party, JMPP, one of the parties that contested the 2019 general election.
Married to late Brigadier-General Jibril (rtd), they are blessed with four children. Dr Jibril, a mother of the nation, who speaks Nupe, English, Hausa, and Yoruba fluently, has just hit the most esteemed age of 75 years. One can only heartily and proudly say Happy Celebration to the trailblazing Matriarch of new political Nigeria!
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Otunba Dapo Olaosebikan, veteran journalist and author, (dapolash@yahoo.com) writes from Abuja
