"I am ready to lay down my life for justice" - Odumakin

Joe Okei Odumakin

DR. Joe Okei Odumakin is president of Campaign for Democracy (CD), Women Arise Initiative (WA) and founding member of Save Nigeria Group (SNG). She spoke on her activism, expectations from the last anti-subsidy protest and other issues.

Background?

I am the president of Campaign for Democracy (CD) and Women Arise (WA). I was born on July 4, 1966 in Zaria, Kaduna State, grew up in llorin and got married to Yinka Odumakin.  I attended St. Barnabas Primary School, llorin, Kwara State. Thereafter I proceeded to Queen Elizabeth Secondary School. I attended Kwara State Polytechnic before switching to the University of llorin to study English and Education. I cut my teeth in activism as the secretary of Women in Nigeria (WIN), Kwara State branch from 1988 to 1991. I was also the chairperson of Rethink Nigeria (RN) from 1987 to 1992 and president Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR), Kwara State branch between 1990 and 1996.

Passion for activism

I hate injustice with a passion and I am ready to lay down my life to ensure that justice is enthroned. My foray into human right activism was at a period when Babangida was baring his fangs and locking up critical voices. I became one of the targets of his administration. I was arrested and detained for about 17 times at different police stations including Divisional Police Station Ilorin, SSS headquarters Ilorin, Panti Police Station, Kirikiri and Alagbon prisons in Lagos.

I had my baptism in Catholic Church and my passion then was to be married to Jesus. Unfortunately, one thing led to the other and my lecturer, who happened to be a professor, gave me some books to read. I read about different people that influenced my life and instead of getting married to Jesus and carrying the Bible everywhere, I discovered I could live my life for a struggle. The books I read and some of the films I watched motivated me.

Resolving challenges of Boko haram

Firstly, there must be the political will on the part of the government to tackle the monster.  Also, it’s time we had a Sovereign National Conference (SNC); the various ethnic groups that make up this country need to sit and discuss common problem and the way forward. We need to re-orientate our police force, make them the people’s friend while people that divulge information to them should be protected. Also, our police force should be adequately equipped to fight crime and guarantee lives and property.

Challenges as an activist?

In trying to make Nigeria work, we had to reach out to people through leaflets, getting them to be conscious. People think doing things right is meant for some people. I was alarmed to hear people say ‘well done’, I hope you will be here tomorrow — when we were having the mini rally as a build up to the nationwide industrial strike. They believed it was my duty to talk and sensitise people.  But they failed to understand that the struggle was supposed to be everybody effort.

Balancing the home front and activism

If one fails in one, one has failed in all. Before I got married, I said I was going to marry to the struggle because struggle is my life. In 1998, I had my first baby, I was to hold a press conference in Abraham Adesanya’s office when the pains of childbearing came upon me at about 7am, because I was ignorant of it, I went to the clinic to stop it, but my doctor said it was not possible and at about 8.45am, I had the baby — a girl. Fortunately, my mother was around, so, I left the baby in her care and five minutes after that, I went straight for the press conference. Because I didn’t have a big tummy nobody knew anything was there till they finished the conference and I left.

Been able to balance the home front with activism was as a result of my growing up as a first girl.  Apart from having younger ones staying with me, I try as much as possible to arrange my home and cook for my family. In those days when the struggle was very tough, when I was not sure whether I would be arrested or not, I still managed my home very well.

Growing up?

Growing up was fun; my father would take us for shopping while my mum, ensured every one of us did our homework. Since my primary school days to date I wake-up by five in the morning to do my house chores.

How did you meet your husband?

I met my husband at Alagbon during the struggle. I was detained upstairs while he and some other people including the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi were detained downstairs. Anyway, after our release, we maintained the struggle, and one thing led to the other; all that are now history.

How do you relax?

Once in a while I go on holiday. I choose beach resort because it is nearer to nature.

Credit: Kemi Ajani, The Guardian