The wife of the immediate past governor of Oyo State, Mrs Florence Ajimobi, on Tuesday relived her experience while her husband, Abiola, served as a two-term chief executive of the state.
Mrs Ajimobi said her position as the wife of the governor taught her tolerance, patience and love, especially for the forgotten people in the society.
She spoke during the public presentation of her autobiography, “My Life like a Rainbow.”
The book reading session was held at the Initiative for Information, Arts and Culture Development in Ibadan. “I love the intrigues of politics; it made me more tolerant and patient, I used to be a very aggressive person.
“But being by my husband’s side through his political journey made me have keen interest in advancing the cause of the forgotten especially our young people and made me strive for a better tomorrow for them.
“Politics also drew me closer to God, especially when you have a husband who is gone most times attending to state business, as a wife you just have to lift him up.in prayer for God’s wisdom, protection and direction in steering the affairs of the state to greater heights.
“I know that I have served the state to the best of my knowledge and ability, I have played my part and handed over the baton to the present governor’s wife, whom I hope will even achieve greater things than I was able to do because I believe she is younger and more energetic than me.
“Let me on this note say that my conscience is clear, I love my husband and I am proud of all the things he accomplished in the interest of the state and I know posterity will judge us fairly,” she said.
Ajimobi, who was known for championing the cause of women and the girl-child during her time as a governor’s wife, said exit from politics was not going to stop her from continuing from where she stopped.
“Going forward I am going to encourage and mentor our youths who will be God-fearing to become involved in politics, because this is what we need as a country, people with a mission for the nation.
“My mission is for children and youths who will deliver our country from the shackles of underdevelopment and the future starts now,” she said.
The former governor’s wife, who described herself as a self-made woman, urged young people particularly girls to be courageous and rise above their circumstances regardless of their social class.
“I have been looking forward to this next step and I’m happy I have the time now to motivate and engage with the upcoming generations who will tap from my experience and become better children irrespective of their backgrounds or social status status or class.
“I have always focused on how and ways to be relevant and contribute meaningfully to the society.
“As young people, I also urge you to appreciate your parents and be proud of them no matter who they are or what their trades are,” she said.
The Executive Director of Initiative for Information, Arts and Culture Development in Nigeria, Mrs Adefemi Bucknor-Arigbede, said that the autobiography of the former governor’s wife was very relevant as a source of courage and challenge, especially to the girl-child.
She said “My Life like a Rainbow’ entails the life experience of the former governor’s wife and covered her eight years tenure, 39 years of marriage and 60 years of age.
“In the book, she unambiguously shares her experiences as a child of mixed parentage, wife to a man that started from a modest beginning who later became the governor of Oyo State, mother to five lovely children, grandmother, business woman, student, mentee, philanthropist and recently the former first lady of Oyo State,” she said.
