Ambassadorial Nomination: I saw it coming for Mrs. Ajimobi

By Kehinde Olaosebikan

When someone has quality, it may be latent but when a person is made of great quality, it is discernible to all. Behind every successful man, they say, there is a woman. Her husband has gone to rest in the bosom of the Lord, but she keeps the flag flying and very far beyond expectations. This is the story of Chief Mrs Fatima Florence Ajimobi, the First Lady of Oyo State from 2011 to 2019.

During Senator Abiola Ajimobi’s administration as the Governor of Oyo State, his wife was exceptional in supporting and promoting the cause of her husband. In very decent, proactive and respectable ways, Mrs Ajimobi made lasting impacts across the 33 local government areas of Oyo State. Successful as First Lady, Florence Ajimobi has become spectacular out of office and as a widow.

Appreciating the pedigree, antecedents and great qualities inherent in her, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the president reputed for precision in his appointments just few days ago nominated Florence Ajimobi as an Ambassador.

Without being vainglorious, I can say that I saw these qualities in her and its manifestation, very long ago. In my piece: ‘The Face of New Oyo Woman’ published in December 2017, I lauded Mrs Ajimobi for the brilliance, momentousness and creativity she brought on board as the First Lady of Oyo State and declared that she was headed for greatness. As I congratulate Mrs Ajimobi on this noble nomination and eventual appointment as an Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, let me share some paragraphs from the write up.

‘The First Lady of Oyo State, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, is complementing the three-point agenda of Restoration, Transformation and Repositioning of her husband, Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

‘Starting with the Ajumose Food Basket, a program that gives food items to a number of people across the 33 local government areas of the state on  monthly basis; Access to Basic Medical Care (ABC Foundation),  recently adjudged as the Most Outstanding NGO in the South West by the House of Representatives; to ICT Corner for Women in Public Service and Educate a Rural Child Project that provides educational materials for the indigent students amongst others, Mrs. Ajimobi is concretely connecting with the Oyo  people in all facets of life and in all the nooks and crannies, making living, easier and more meaningful.

In addition to all the aforementioned programmes, this paragon of beauty and brain, triggered off the unusual with the introduction of intellectualism into the office of the First Lady. When she came up with the idea of bringing the wives of public office holders in Oyo State under the aegis of Oyo State Officials’ Wives Association (OYSOWA), many had thought the group was for the usual women’s stuff, partying and other frivolities.

But Mrs. Ajimobi toed the line of intellectualism by introducing a yearly conference of women of note to discuss and further the course of development of not just the women in Oyo or Nigeria but also in Africa and across the globe.

For three years running, the program has become a huge success. She has, in an unprecedented manner, mobilised fellow First Ladies all over Nigeria and beyond our shores to chart new courses for progress and development.

This year’s edition, which came to a close on Friday, was attended by over 1,000 delegates including world acclaimed women leaders like the former Zimbabwean Vice President, Dr. Joice Mujuru, former First Lady of Liberia, Senator Jewel Howard Tailor, four state governors, 21 First Ladies. The conference has become a toast to all, eliciting affirmative comments and commendations in public places and social media.

For this beautiful woman to have successfully turned a supposedly frivolous association in Ibadan to an intellectual hub and well recognised across the continent; it is established that Mrs. Ajimobi has truly changed the face of the Ibadan woman from that of a cloth or pepper seller to that of a beauty and a thinker.

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