Senator Florence Ita-Giwa is one individual, who, perhaps, needs no introduction to Nigerians. A seasoned politician and daughter of the Niger Delta, who has stridently championed the cause of the Bakassi people, who were relocated to Cross River State and practically abandoned by the government, following the seceding of their land to Cameroun. The Bakassi people were not properly resettled, thereby compelling Ita-Giwa to champion their cause. Last Sunday, she held the audience spellbound at the ballroom of the prestigious Oriental Hotel. The event was a public enlightenment forum on climate change organized by her. On her stage, Ita-Giwa and her team interpreted climate change through dance and costume. It was colourful and exquisite. The audience amazed, entertained, enlightened, shocked and screamed with excitement as Mama Bakassi (leader of Seagull Carnival Band) hit the stage, accompanied by her carnival dancers. The event, which was supported by Heritage Bank and the Nigeria Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA), was presided over by the chairman of the Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF), Mr. Desmond Majekodunmi, who gave a keynote address on climate change. Ita-Giwa, the convener, later spoke with Sunday Sun.
You were chairman of the Environment Committee of the 2014 National Conference. We know that you are passionate about educating people on climate change and helping to slow it down or even reverse. Are we to assume that you are taking a sabbatical from politics or even withdrawing completely from it?
There is no retirement in politics. Interestingly, we don’t have a law that compels one to retire from politics. Therefore, I’m still politically active. There is no retirement age for politics. Nigeria needs experience. As you grow older in politics, you learn on the job. When you have followers, especially my own, I have very, very special issues like the resettlement of Bakassi people to address and politics is the only platform that I can use to address those issues. So, no, I cannot retire. I’ll probably work throughout my life as long as I can work. I’m still very politically active; it’s just that this is an interest that I have just developed now and I think it is a major issue that needs to be addressed. That’s why I’m helping to propagate the mitigation of climate change.
What drives you to do the things that you do?
Passion. Whatever I do, I give my all. And for me, I am ready to continue to make my contributions to this country in any area, be it the environment, medicine or politics. I am also trying to put in place a conference of women leaders, entrepreneurs and other professionals. Maybe, about 80 active women.
We would sit down and talk about Nigeria, so that they would not feel that we do not have a voice. We would talk about things like restructuring, the economy, hate speeches, environment and climate change, and all that. We have to keep talking. I’m enjoying it and I’m working because what happens to politicians is that if you are a minister, senator, or House of Representatives member, once the tenure ends, they just disappear. No, I will remain visible and Nigerians appreciate me, so I have to keep working.
You are still a voice to reckon with in the society, in political arena, social circles, what’s the magic?
Its hard work because you have to make yourself relevant or irrelevant. If for instance you finish an assignment as minister and retire home, then that is what you came out for. I didn’t come out for that.
I just came out to join politics and use it as a platform to deal with so many issues. My mum was active as a journalist, almost until she passed on. She retired from Daily Sketch and a few years after, she passed on. So, I’m coming from that background. I had a mother who was a journalist, dressmaker and a trader, everything put together.
What would you tell other females who want to join politics?
I will not deceive them by telling them that it’s easy. It takes a lot of resilience, hard work and determination. Even at my level, they are still fighting me and I’m still fighting back. It’s not easy but it’s something that can be conquered. Once women conquer fear, they will know that the country belongs to all of us and that’s why I’m still talking. I’m very happy with my job. I like what I’m doing and I intend to continue.
We were surprised when you left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which you worked hard for. What exactly was the reason?
I left a long time ago and I’m very happy. I have not been doing anything for the past two years because PDP doesn’t have a party. And I don’t want to get along with factions because they were fragmented and as a mother I could not take sides with any of the factions. I just stayed away. When I decide to get back on my platform (politics), I just said okay, let me go and start afresh. As a matter of fact, most of my contemporaries in politics are in APC. Remember, I was in APP before, when I was in the Senate. When I joined APC I found that most of my colleagues back then were in APC. I feel more comfortable that I’m with my contemporaries.
With your very tight schedule, how do you manage your time and still look amazingly beautiful?
(Laughs) It’s something that you learn overtime. The most important thing is what I do for myself. What I have done over the years is that at the end of the day, I tell myself, ‘there are two human beings here.’ There is Florence Ita-Giwa and there is Princess Florence. At the end of the day, when I come home I say to Ita-Giwa, ‘you have used Florence enough, now go and rest.’ That is when I become myself. I relax and do whatever I want to do with myself. Again, you maintain your humility and the fact that you are a human being, because there is only one God. Once you are alive, you tell yourself that you are not immortal, you are a human being.
What is your definition of style?
Style is an inborn thing. It depends on how you came into the world and what you appreciate. For me, it is very important that a woman takes care of herself and looks good. It’s important that you try to maintain yourself for as long as you are in this world, you maintain yourself until you leave. You have to have time for yourself. As crazy as my world is, I always have time for me. To unwind, I stay at home, watch TV, listen to music and play with all these children. This is number 13 (pointing to a pretty three-year-old girl.) of the children that I have adopted. She was adopted under the age of four months. There are lots of interesting things that I do. I attend social events that are worth attending. Generally, I love to look good, feel good; I exercise and watch what I eat. In my spare time I have a lot of things to engage me.
What advice do you have for young women generally?
I keep telling women that there is a limit to how far you can go, if you want to use your pretty face. Women just have to be strong because if you are lazy, you wear out. At some stage, nobody will look in your direction. But at any age people would look in your direction, if you are hardworking and doing very well. I think women need to work hard. At that conference we address all these.