Congratulations on your 53rd birthday that you will be celebrating on the 7th of this month…
Thank you.
How does it feel to be 53? Do you feel old?
I feel wiser.
Are you scared of growing older?
No, I am not scared. There are lots of older people aging gracefully.
There is a lady in my church, she just turned 70 and you won’t even
believe that she is that old.
Looking back through the years, what would you say has been your greatest achievement?
I thank God that I have been able to affect some lives positively and I
think that is the main thing we have been sent to this world to do. In
your worship of God, you are supposed to make positive impacts in the
society. I have done my bit, I think.
You helped your husband, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, in his campaign
ahead of the last governorship election but he lost. Did you ever feel
that you didn’t do enough to help him actualise his dream?
There are times that God’s yes to your request is no. I know that we did
all we could. We prayed, we worked and God answered our prayers, but
the way he answered, a lot of people didn’t like it. But I know that as a
child of God, every disappointment is a blessing. You will remember
that I said that there was a blessing in this. We did all we were
supposed to do. Wherever I went, people received me and were happy. They
liked the name ‘Akala.’ They liked the way he performed when he was in
government. I worked tirelessly, engaging in door-to-door campaign. I
never got tired. Sometimes I didn’t feel like stopping, but when I got
home, I would lie on the couch and find it difficult to get up. But the
response was quite impressive. I am happy the way things turned out.
How do you mean, happy? Nobody is happy losing an election…
Yes, I am happy. I will tell you why. God will not share His glory with
anybody. In the course of the campaign, I didn’t go to any herbalist or
cult. I only went to pastors and we prayed. You know, some time ago, I
was just thinking that had we been declared winner, I would have had to
go to a lot of places for thanksgiving. So, I thank God that it happened
this way. We prayed, we did our best but it didn’t turn out the way we
wanted. It turned out the way God wanted, so, full stop.
During his quest for re-election in 2011, your husband was alleged to
be so desperate that he visited many spiritual places, including Sat
Guru Maharaj Ji’s village…
Yes, he went there. I think it was Guru’s birthday. He was invited as
the governor. But people read meanings to what they are not supposed to
read meanings to. It is your conscience and relationship with God that
really matter, not what people say about you. My husband knows why he
went there. He didn’t go there for powers or anything, but his opponents
just capitalised on that because of politics.
What are the things about your husband that most people don’t know?
What most people don’t know is that he has a large heart. They call him
ATM because he likes to make people happy. I had to get used to it
because it got to a point that I felt that it was too much because at
the end of the day, people don’t really care about you.
Was he not eager to please everyone so as to get them to vote for him?
No, he has always been like that.
The opposition was said to have tagged him ATM because he allegedly
spent public funds on frivolities while in office. Would you say the
money with which he made people happy was from his personal account?
You asked if he was spending public money. Public money is for the
public, not loyalists. He spent the money on everybody. Go and find out
about him. If you have a problem, just go to his office. If you can
wait, he will see you. If you think that my husband spent recklessly,
why did they (the people) want him back? He was spending government
money for the people and that is what I would call stomach
infrastructure. You need to take care of your people. He won’t go to the
streets like some people would do and just throw money like that. One
thing about my husband is that he has a conscience and he fears God.
Although he looks larger than life and all that, he is very humane.
Unfortunately, nobody is throwing money around now and everybody is
hungry. Let me ask you a question: which would you rather have; someone
who takes care of the people or someone who takes care of himself? Thank
God, he was able to take care of the people. In the 2011 election, we
all know what happened. We know that Akala won. The people that ‘won’
even know that Akala won the election, but thank God, Olorun lo ma n
fi’yan si’po (it is God that puts one in a position). And from the
responses of Ibadan people and all that, people know the person that won
the 2015 election. The result was announced on the social media around
4.00 a.m. They had not even finished counting the votes then...
You mean the election results were manipulated?
Definitely, you can put that in capital letters. I won’t whisper it;
yes, things were manipulated, but it is good. It was for a purpose.
Why didn’t your husband go to court if he believes the election was manipulated?
It is a waste of time. Where you in town when the results were
announced? The mood of the people would tell you. It was as if they
mourned when the result was announced.
You were with him when the results were trickling in. What was his
reaction when he learnt the election wasn’t going in his favour?
We asked God for 10 things and he did nine. His reaction was that of
indifference. He fears and respects God. So, if God says this is what He
wants to do, what can you do?
Do you think he was right to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Labour Party?
If PDP had given him the ticket, he would have won, but it was a good thing he left the party.
Why did you say that?
I said that because my husband believes in fair play. There was no fair
play [in PDP]. I am sure that he knew that his chances were not very
bright with Labour Party, but he had to prove a point. It was a good
thing that we left [PDP].
There was a time Senator Rashidi Ladoja wooed him to join Accord...
(cuts…) We too tried to woo Senator Ladoja but he didn’t come. My husband is a principled man.
Do you think there was anything your husband could have done differently?
As regards doing anything differently, no, I don’t think so. Considering
the circumstances then, I think he did the right thing.
Do you think Chief Alao-Akala will go back to PDP?
I don’t want to answer that question now. We want things to settle down
before we can answer that. But for now, he is not joining any party.
Would you want him to contest again?
My duty is to assist him. If he wants to do anything, the decision is for him to take.
How would you rate Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s administration?
He has done whatever he can do to the best of his ability.
How do you relate with the governor’s wife when you meet at events?
I don’t have any problem with her. I was glad the first time I met her. I
had only met her husband, but not her. They day we met, it was at
Orita-Mefa Baptist Church and I was very glad. She is okay. She is
trying. She is doing the best she can. I wish them well.
Some people say your husband did nothing while in office’ that he spent state fund on frivolities…
I don’t know where to start from. You see, people are not true to
themselves. If anybody can say that Akala did not do anything when he
was in office, what do you make of Ladoke Akintola Teaching Hospital? He
built that. He renovated Mapo Hall, which was abandoned for many years.
Adeoyo hospital was abandoned for 82 years. Many kilometers of roads
were constructed. He resuscitated the scholarship scheme. The college of
agriculture at Igboora was built. Tractors were distributed to farmers.
He introduced micro-finance bank for artisans where they could borrow
money at a low interest rate, unlike the high rate that obtains now. He
had a 13-point agenda and he delivered. So, whoever says he didn’t do
anything is not being truthful. The record is there. His greatest
achievement is that he didn’t leave any debt. In this clime now, that is
a great achievement. He did not owe workers. He paid salaries and did
not leave any debt for the incoming administration.
What about your own achievements?
While I was there, I was able to affect a few lives, because I didn’t do
enough. I tried to do a few things like educating the people about HIV.
I went round the local governments, telling people about HIV but
unfortunately, I didn’t know much about cancer then, because my energy
should have been on cancer. Cancer is a terrible disease. I went out
with a team from the University College Hospital (UCH) when I knew about
cancer. I went to several local governments and talked to some women,
especially about breast cancer. The medical officials were able to test
them. I paid a few hospital bills, rehabilitated a few destitute people
and empowered some women.
Do you miss being addressed as First Lady and all the privileges that come with the title?
They still call me ‘Your Excellency,’ but I miss something: constant
electricity supply. When I was in the government house, if PHCN took
light, within a second, it would be restored. But now, thank God we can
afford to buy diesel. Now, I have to ensure that there is diesel at
home. That is all I miss.
What were the things you enjoy doing but couldn’t do because of your status then?
I don’t go to the market anyway, so, I won’t say that I couldn’t go to
the market again. My movement was restricted. When a comedy show was
organised, they said I couldn’t go because of the timing (evening). They
said my husband or I might be butt of the jokes. When I was in office, I
felt free because I knew I was going to leave one day. And in my
nature, I don’t know how to pose or all that. Sometimes I wished I could
be free to do whatever I wanted, but they won’t allow me. There was one
time I went to a church at Oyo. They had organsied a festival of songs
and I was really enjoying the music. But when it was about 7.00 p.m., my
security aides and protocol officers insisted that we leave. Sadly, I
had to leave.
How were you able to take care of the home front while still performing your duties as the First Lady?
It was God. It wasn’t hard to do at all because I knew that my family
comes first. I knew that my husband needed a peaceful environment to do
whatever he wanted to do, so, I made sure that the home front was
peaceful and quiet for him. I knew that at one day, I would leave the
office, but my husband and family will be forever.
What pleases you most about your husband?
He is a very good man. He takes good care of us. It hurts me when people
say negative things about him and that is one thing that can really
make me lose my cool. If you are rude to him or talk to him harshly in
my presence, I won’t take it. During his campaign, my husband was
invited to an event. They gave me an invitation card and the aso ebi
(uniform). I convinced Akala that we should attend the event and he
agreed. Lo and behold, when I checked the card - for God’s sake, he was a
former governor - they didn’t even add him as the guest of honour. They
had all these other names and I said what! He cannot come. They cannot
disrespect my husband. Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala is a very good man. He
is a man of the people. He loves to have people around him. He even
‘over-tries’ to please people and I used to tell him that, ‘look, my
dear, the kind of love that you want from people, it is only Jesus that
can give you that.’ I am still trying to get him to understand that. He
gives his all to people but they disappoint him. That is not nice. He
doesn’t deserve that.
He is a ladies’ man? Do you feel threatened by other women that flock around him?
Yes, he is a ladies’ man, but I don’t feel threatened. Girls and women
don’t let him rest. I don’t know if it is the society, but in politics,
women will come. I don’t feel bad because he won’t bring them home.
Have you ever been unhappy about it?
You know, when I was much younger, my temper would rise, but now, I
would tell him, ‘my dear, I have had the best of you; all these ones are
not fast at all.’
Alao-Akala is fashionable. Do you choose his outfits for him?
Most of the time, he knows what he wants to wear. Sometimes I say to
him, ‘my dear, what will you wear today?’ I would ask him what colour he
wanted because I would bring out many outfits, but he would say no.
There were times that he would say that he wanted certain colours, but
there other times that he would say that anything I chose for him was
okay. He is just a cool guy. Ask me more question about my husband,
because I am very proud of him. He is a show stopper. There is something
about Akala. I don’t know what it is. When he gets to a place, people
around him would behave as if they are drunk, everywhere would be
bubbling. People would be screaming ‘ATM’! ‘Oyato’! and all that, and
inside of me, I would just be praying, ‘blood of Jesus.’ You see,
whenever we had a lot of people around us, I was not always comfortable
because people are bad. But there are these night clubs very close to
our house and I would tell him, ‘my dear, let’s hang out.’ I have a
growing child, so, I know all the Shoki dance steps and those songs. I
would say, ‘my dear, let’s go there one day.’ Is there anything wrong
with that?
What are you planning for your upcoming birthday? Is there going to be a grand ceremony?
I will be in London for my birthday. I will be there with my son. I
don’t think my husband will be joining us. Maybe he will join us later.
Will there be a party in London?
No party. Maybe Kunle (her son) will take me out. All I need to do is to
just thank God. I don’t need a lot of people to do that. I can do that
in my closet.
How do you handle male admirers?
Akala’s wife?! Nobody dares admire or toast me. I don’t go out much, so,
I don’t think it is easy for any man to come here to say ‘I admire
you.’ But people say that I look nice. Anybody can say that.
So, what do you do to keep your marriage intact and fun and spicy?
I pray. We go on vacations to get away from all things. We are even
planning one soon. When he is here, people would come around and all
that and I would say, ‘please, let me have time with my husband.’ But
whenever we are abroad, it is really nice.
Is he the type that apologies when he is wrong?
I don’t get angry with him. You know men; they won’t say they are sorry.
I have learnt that. When he is wrong and he knows that I am unhappy
with him, he would address me as Apinke, to pacify me. At first, I would
pretend as if I am still angry, but if he calls me again, I would just
relax. So, when he is travelling, I would tell him to get me so-and-so
and he would. But if things were fine, like the last time he travelled
and I said to him, ‘my dear, get me a pair of sunglasses’ and he said
‘my dear, shebi you are coming?’ But if he had done something wrong, he
would ask which brand I want; Fendi or Givenchy sunglasses?
If you made him angry, how do you say sorry?
It is very difficult for me to say sorry. So, I try most of the time to
stay out of trouble. At times, if I want to say sorry, I would just
kneel and say ‘won ni kin so wipe sorry’ (they asked me to say sorry).
That was then. Now, I can’t remember the last time I said sorry. I am a
good wife. There was an episode. I won’t tell you what happened. I knelt
before him and said, ‘my dear, I am sorry.’ I was really sorry because
what happened really embarrassed me. I didn’t know it would turn out
that way. But normally, to get me to say sorry is very difficult. So, I
am always on point.
Your only son, Kunle, you must be pampering him?
No, I cannot afford to pamper him. The only thing is that I pity him
because at times, he is so lonely and it gets so boring for him. He just
wants me to jump all over the place with him. He does not even care
about my age, because, to him, I am just his mum. Sometimes he would
say, ‘mummy, I am bored’ and I would tell him to do something for
himself. I pray he turns out very well. I believe God will help me bring
him up to Know Him.
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