Bisi Olateru-Olagbegi, a lawyer, was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1976. A notary public and member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), she is an international gender consultant, researcher and board member of several international and national non-governmental organisations (NGOs). A former president of FIDA, she is the Executive Director, Women Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON), a women’s human rights NGO with UN Consultative status. Concerned about the growing trends in human trafficking. She was the Chairman, Sub-committee on Gender at the recently concluded National Conference. She spoke to Senior Reporter, ANTHONIA SOYINGBE, on different issues.
Olateru Olagbegi
WOCON has been in existence for the past 20 years. How has been the journey so far?
It is something I have great passion for. Running an NGO is not something you can just do for the sake of it. I need to put in my best. I have passion for women and it is that passion that is sustaining me. I have been passionate about women, especially those going through one violence or the other. A lot of women are suffering in silence and cannot speak out. They don’t know that they have right to their dignity. I decided to use my experience and knowledge to help women.
Twenty years down the line; of what impact has WOCON been to the society?
We are the first to lunch the campaign against human trafficking in Nigeria in 1997 and we are well known for that. We are currently the coordinating NGO for South West women in politics. This project was set up by Federal Ministry of Women Affairs in 2006.
In a couple of weeks, Nigerians will go to the polls to elect their political leaders, so many women despite the awareness, didn’t get their political parties ticket. What is responsible for these?
Unfortunately, the chances of women have not been well streamlined and structured into the electoral process in the sense that our electoral laws and constitution has not put in palace affirmative policy that would have help address the issue of our under representation. Those who got the ticket in 2015 are lesser than those who got it in 2015 and 2007 was better. It is because we have not been able to get the political will to accept that women are also human beings and they are also part of the process because we also have the numerical strength so the disparity when it comes to election should not be that much.
At the National Conference, we came up with some resolutions, if these were included in the our constitution as we proposed then all the political parties would have had no choice than to ensure that they must have at least 35 per cent female candidates. Due to many factors, which include money and money plays great role in Nigeria’s politics more than necessary. Nigerians will elect a thief if he gives them money and that thief if elected will steal more, which will further impoverish them.
Corruption in Nigeria is tied to poverty and it is a pity, because, we don’t have any business with poverty if we had managed our resources very well. We are the sixth poorest nation in the world and that is bad because we have human and natural resources. Looking at the many ills of corruption, if we have more women in governance, there will be less corruption in our land. Women don’t really have the heart to engage in corrupt practices. We have bad governance, corruption and we don’t have social services.
Don’t you think women leaders in political parties are to be blame for the under representation of women in governance?
We need to understand the environment they are also working in; these women leaders too are like lone voice in their political parties’ hierarchy. Don’t forget that that woman too have been socialised to believe that it is a privilege for you to have that so she is guiding that position with everything she has. She doesn’t see the position as a post for all the women; they have their challenges too. Don’t forget money also dictates the tune. It is a complex issue so we cannot place the blame on them without understanding the terrain they are walking in. we are in a corrupt society and we cannot divorce ourselves from our society.
In other words, you no longer go to court to defend cases?
I still go to court. In fact, I represent so many women in court. I still do commercial practices.
Why did you choose Law?
My father who died in 1982 was a judge. He said I should go into Law and I initially reacted because I wanted to become a nurse because of the uniform. 38 years as a lawyer, I have no regret whatsoever. Law is a very versatile tool that you can use for yourself and for others. We have satisfaction that we help fellow human beings. The most fascinating thing about law is that I can use law to asssit others. And at the same time assist myself.
You are from a privilege background and you are married into one of the prominent families in South West…
(Cuts in) It is a very large family and I am also from a royal home.
For how long have you been married?
I have been married for 38 years.
What has marriage taught you?
I don’t even like to discuss marriage because we get derailed by that. A lot of women only focus on marriage without developing themselves. I wish I could have been bearing my father’s name like the Muslims that will help you have your identity. Marriage just subsumes you into another family and you lose your identity. Marriage is a very good thing; but, you don’t have to marry at all costs. I have a lot of cases where men abuse women badly, but because of other factors, which include women not having the wherewithal, they stay in abusive marriage. There is no point being in a marriage where the two don’t respect each other. Couples should complement each other.
How was it like raising your children and being a career woman?
My children virtually grew up in the office and I am so happy because my girls now are so empowered that no man rides them. They are educated and they have their own self-esteem. I thank God that I inculcated certain values into them and they received it. They have standards and they will never be dishonest. That has been a pleasure to me. I work hard to make money and plough it back into the society.
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