By Debo Adeosun
Her name is Fatima, the daughter of Professor Nasir of the University of Ibadan, now of blessed memories. I call her a walking embodiment of inspiration, enthusiasm, drive and an unusual passion for work. But, all these qualities without a mention of her social skill and orientation to critics, makes a description of Fatima incomplete.
In my working relationship with her, I attest to her can-do spirit. Fatima will never start something that she doesn’t plan to accomplish. Her focused intensity, drive and competitive spirit eliminate failure as an option. I can say this because I worked directly with her, first on the radio news desk and later at the current affairs division of the News and Current Affairs Department where she was the producer of the television personality interview programme, VIEWPOINT which I presented. I remember how she called me at about 9 o’clock one evening and announced that we would be going to Lagos for an interview with three eminent personalities – the then Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, President, Comrade Adams Oshiomole ( as he then was), the then stormy petrel of the Nigerian Bar , Chief Gani Fawehinmi ( of blessed memory), and the former Minister of Information and National Orientation, late Prince Tony Momoh. We accomplished all the interviews with the last ending at about 8:30 pm. Those were the days when the Lagos /Ibadan expressway was not just a death trap but a den of robbers. It was not until we got to Ibadan that the driver told the rest of the crew that the vehicle was without an extra Tyre and had very bad break system. I shouldn’t forget to state that Prince Tony Momoh had offered us accommodation as ,according to him, travelling at that awkward time to Ibadan was like going on a suicide mission. Fatima insisted that we must be in Ibadan that night because she had lined up another series of interviews. Such was her work ethics.
Outside work, Fatima was a unionist. At the Union level , Fatima was a fighter especially when justice was threatened. She didn’t have to share the same religion or ethnic background with you to carry your burden and fight for you. It was this passion that drove her into elective union politics at the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ and the National Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ. When she told me she would be contesting for the Chairmanship of NAWOJ at the state level, I never doubted her permutations. But , when after the expiration of her tenure at the state level, she announced the national level was her next target, I took it with a pinch of salt but she proved me wrong. She won and did a second term. In her politics, sincerity of purpose, extraversion, conscientiousness ,passion for work and her social skill built for her a social capital that oiled her political machine.
One other thing you cannot take away from Fatima is her large hearted disposition, accommodation of people with different idiosyncracies and temperaments and most importantly, her readiness to walk on hot charcoals barefooted for those around her. She’s not one who will discover a treasure and hide it from others. Rather, she will go to any length to invite others to the table, even if she had to literally drag the reluctant ones. Today, her house in Dallas ,USA , has remained ,somewhat, a transit camp for those who are trying to find their feet or those on vacations.
This write up will be incomplete without the mother hen nature of Fati Eto, as she’s fondly called by her friends. Blessed with four boys and many grandchildren, Fatima is what a mother is – loving, caring, protective but never sparing the cane, and much more.
Fati Eto, I rejoice with you today, as you celebrate your 60th birthday anniversary and wish you many happy returns in good health and unprecedented joy and happiness in addition to a big fat bank account. Keep the smile on and keep glowing.
Congratulations.
Debo Adeosun writes from Ibadan
