By Sunday Adepoju
On a day like this, the atmospheric condition would display the unusual and common colours just because it is coincides with the birth of a great queen, heroine and leader par excellence. Perhaps, our society would have significantly improved beyond this level if we have the likes of today’s birthday celebrant whose anniversary of her journey to this world has gained popularity to the peak, to say the least. No wonder, her name has left so many indelible marks in governance and law making, in particular.
Today commemorates the birthday anniversary of Rt. Honourable Mulikat Amope Akande-Adeola.
Born 42 days after Nigeria gained her independence in1960, precisely November 11 in Kaduna to Alhaji and Alhaja Akande who were a part of the Jokodolu family, Adeola-Akande attended St. Annes’ Primary School and Queen Amina College in Kaduna.
After her secondary education, she proceeded to College of Arts and Science in Zaria for her A levels and thereafter went to Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU) in 1979, where she read Law and obtained her LLB in 1982 with second class upper division. She went to the Nigeria Law School and was called to the Nigerian bmBar in 1983. She later went to the University of Lagos for her second degree in Law (Masters of Law) in 1985.
Rt. Honourable Akande-Adeola, an outstanding legal icon, started a career before she eventually ventured into politics to help the poor, lowly, vulnerable, downtrodden, aged, widows, widowers, youths, children, students, and the rich alike. Successfully, this distinguished daughter of Ogbomoso and mother of so many youths has contributed, in no small measures, to her immediate environment, grassroots, the state and the nation as a whole. It is not unlikely that she takes after her father the virtues of 'omoluabi', cheerful giving and unquantifiable philanthropy.
Though she joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 1999, she was first eventually elected to represent Ogbomoso North, South and Oriire Federal Constituency at the lower chamber of the National Assembly in 2007. Owing to her brilliant performance, dedication and, perhaps, loyalty, she was re-elected and subsequently became the majority leader of the House in 2011. At the time, she had made a lot of move and struggle to become the House's Speaker which some powers that be truncated. Up till now, she has not given up on her intention to represent Oyo North Senatorial District in the Senate. This, according to her, will afford her the opportunity of extending her tentacles to facilitate more dividends and developmental projects not only to the district but to the state and Yoruba land generally.
A leader with many parts and rare leader with a difference, the large heart she has earns her the sobriquet, 'Obinrin Ree', Virtuous Woman. She has imprinted marks too difficult to erase in the history of legislative representation and good governance in the country. She has recorded a lot of achievements while in office and, even, after leaving office. She facilitated a lot of electrification projects not only to the urban areas but also to rural centres where there couldn’t have been a dream of having electricity. Is it on road construction? She has excellence in it as evidences of these are widespread across the constituency. Water and agricultural projects were also significantly achieved across the nooks and crannies of the constituency.
Alhaja Amope is a staunch believer in empowerments. She, on many occasions, organised empowerment trainings for youths across her constituency with start-up capital. She did for widows too many times. Her own type of training is one in which the cash to start your business would be given immediately. At the end of the one she did at Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Ibadan in 2012, each participant got #100,000.00 immediately in the presence of Honourable Mongunu, who was the chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture. Apart from the 2012 edition, so many were organised for hundreds of participants whose lives have changed positively.
She has built and empowered nations through the unprecedented provisions and facilitations of Federal Government job opportunities to the youths across the FG’s ministries, departments and agencies. These are jobs that have transformed so many lives and families. This is very unprecedented in our dear state if not in the South-West geopolitical zone. He brought many projects and political appointments to the state through the Federal Government.
During her tenure, she gave donations to many artisan, community, student, religious groups and many more associations in the land.
Is it on personal philanthropy, she is a force to reckon with. The role her nongovernmental organisation played and still plays is unquantifiable. Jokodolu Foundation has been a source of socour to the afflicted and the troubled. It awards scholarships to indigent students in the society and puts hope to the hopeless. The donations to religious groups is also there to stress.
On sports, she has also contributed significantly. She founded the first female football club in the state to play and to operate in that height.
Even though LAUTECH was a state institution, Akande-Adeola facilitated projects to the citadel of learning. She also facilitated a huge fund for the institution. What a leader!
Above all, she is a party woman and loves the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as though it is her personal business which she guarded jealously lest it crumble. No wonder she has consistently remained in the party for 21 years. What a loyal leader to the party!
Bearing in mind all of these myriads of achievements, I, Sunday Adepoju, an ardent lover of the giant strides of Her Excellency, Rt. Honourable Mulikat Akande-Adeola, former majority leader of the House of Representatives, hereby wish our good ambassador and leader a happy birthday full of joy, peace, success, uplift, blessings, good health, longevity of life, and all the good wishes she deserves.
A Short Note From Sunday to MAA
Up thy abode, up thy abode
Thou hast paid your dues
To raise the lowly, the poor
The weak, the afflicted, and lot more and more
When God shares the gains
He will reward you abundantly
May Almighty grant your family peace unlimited
May He accept all your prayers
Both secret and open
May the prayers of the nations you’ve built follow you
Amen and Amen
Warafana makana aleiya!
Very many happy returns of the day, Obinrin Rere. Igba odún, odún kan ni!
…Sunday Adepoju, a journalist cum media/culture researcher, writes from Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
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