From Advocacy to Action: Why I Chose to Run for Office
Q: Many people know you as a lawyer, advocate, and entrepreneur. Why did you decide to run for office?
A: At some point, I became tired of advocating from the outside. I found myself constantly asking for better representation, more women in leadership, more accountability, and better governance. Then one day, I asked myself a difficult question: If I believe these things are important, why am I not willing to step forward myself?
I realized that I could not keep asking for change while expecting others to carry the responsibility.
Q: What motivates you most?
A: Service.
I genuinely care about people. I care about women who feel unseen, young people who feel excluded, and communities that have lost confidence in leadership.
I believe governance should improve lives. Leadership should be about solving problems, listening to people, and creating opportunities.
Q: What has surprised you most about your political journey?
A: I have discovered that politics is not exactly what many people think it is.
Before entering the system, I thought politics was reserved for a select group of people. But I have learned that many ordinary citizens are already qualified to lead. The challenge is often confidence, access, and participation.
I have also learned that if good people stay away from politics, they leave the space open for others to make decisions on their behalf.
Q: As a woman, what challenges have you observed?
A: Women still face barriers, but one thing that concerns me is how few women are actually contesting elections.
We often discuss representation, but representation starts with participation.
As someone currently navigating the political space, I have found myself asking a simple question: Where are the women?
In many political parties, there are dozens or even hundreds of men seeking office while the number of women remains remarkably low.
Yes, funding can be a challenge. Yes, societal expectations can discourage women. Yes, there are structural barriers. But I have also discovered that many women are far more qualified and capable than they realize.
Women are already leading businesses, communities, organizations, and families. The leadership capacity exists.
What we need now is for more women to step forward.
I want to see a future where women are contesting elections in their numbers. I want to see 10 women, 20 women, 50 women, and even hundreds of women seeking office across different levels of government.
Women are not meant for campaigns alone.
Women are meant for governance too.
Q: There has been significant discussion around the Special Seats Bill. What are your thoughts?
A: I support every effort aimed at increasing women’s representation.
However, my experience has also taught me that representation cannot be separated from participation.
The Special Seats Bill may help increase representation, but we must also ensure that more women are entering the political arena itself.
My concern is that we should not only focus on creating seats for women; we should also focus on creating more female aspirants.
We need mentorship, political education, sponsorship, and support systems that encourage women to run.
The long term goal should be a political environment where women are competing, winning, and leading across all positions, not only through reserved pathways but through active participation at every level.
Q: What lessons have you learned about governance since entering politics?
A: Governance affects every aspect of our lives.
Many Nigerians see governance as something distant from them, but governance determines the quality of education our children receive, the roads we drive on, the jobs available to our youth, the cost of living, and even our safety.
I have come to realize that governance is too important to be left to a few people.
Citizens must become active participants.
Q: Why do you believe more young people should run for office?
A: Because young people bring fresh ideas, innovation, energy, and a unique understanding of the challenges facing their generation.
If young people want different outcomes, they must be willing to participate in decision making processes.
We cannot continue leaving governance entirely to others and then complain about the results.
Q: What is your message to Nigerians ahead of 2027?
A: Stop seeing governance as someone else’s responsibility.
Get your voter’s card.
Know your rights.
Hold leaders accountable.
Support credible candidates.
And most importantly, participate.
Q: Finally, what would you like your candidacy to represent?
A: Hope.
I want my candidacy to remind people that leadership is not reserved for the wealthy, the powerful, or the politically connected.
Ordinary citizens can lead.
Women can lead.
Young people can lead.
And if more of us are willing to step forward, participate, and serve, we can build the Nigeria we all deserve.
