Alhaja Nimota Aduke Ibrahim was a member of the 7th legislature in the Kwara State House of Assembly. In this interview, the former lawmaker, who represented Ilorin East Constituency, shares her experience as a female legislator, including the challenges she encountered and the accomplishments during her four years tenure from 2011. Excerpt:

As a former member of the Kwara State House of Assembly who just completed her tenure, can you discuss what legislature entails?

Being a member of the 7th legislature of Kwara Assembly, I must say it is an educative, exciting and wonderful experience in the legislature. I came in 2011 as a member representing Ilorin East Local Government Area of Kwara State, elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and now the All Progressives Congress (APC).

As a legislator, the duty of legislature is not wide but it is encompassing and rich. The three basic functions are to pass bills into laws, most especially government bills that have to do with budget proposal and other relevant laws of the state for the benefit of the people.

Secondly, the legislature oversights the actions of the executive and passes resolutions on matters affecting people in the community.

You were one of the vibrant and active members in the House. What were the challenges you encountered in the course of your service?

In anything you do, there must be challenges for such thing to be productive and successful. The first basic challenge was the point that I came from a none legislative background. When you are outside the legislature, you will not know it is very enormous and tasking.

Initially, as I said, it was somehow difficult for me to grab the basic tenets of the legislature. But as time goes on, thank God, I was able to catch up. I appreciate what I am there to do as a legislator.

There are bulks of literature that can keep one abreast of what legislature is all about. You can also interact with the ranking members. It took me time to be able to get myself on track.

Another challenge faced was that I represented a wide constituency. My constituency is a whole local government, consisting of 12 wards. Having been elected, you have the responsibility to relate and respond to your people's needs.

Also, people do not understand that the primary responsibility is to make law. They will expect the dividends of democracy in cash and kind. That made it enormous for me because my constituency's problems have to be taken to the government. Unfortunately, the issue of fund in the last administration really affected most of our commitments as we were able to proffer solutions to some problems, while others were just left undone due to lack of capital. For instance, some ecological challenges that face my people and the problems of road and environment. Some were addressed, while others could not be done because of fund.

Having successfully completed your assignment, what were the achievements recorded for the development of your constituency?

The accomplishments during my tenure include the ability to raise motions. Some resolutions were later passed. To God be the glory, the government was able to effect and implement resolutions of the House through my stringent efforts. Moreover, during the course of my service, I was able to influence certain programmes and projects of government in the bill. Government rendered support on road project in my constituency.

Inclusively, when I observed that some teachers in the state were paid 40 to 45 days that time, I raised a motion on it. Government made a pronouncement that everybody must be paid on or before 25 of every month. That has been in practice since then up to date.

Another major achievement was that before I came on board, people do not know that they have to ask from government what they want. They will sit down and expect that money will fall from heaven. But I sensitized them through meetings with political stakeholders of the party like counselors, youth leaders and women in the community.

I let them know that one has to agitate and make presentation to their government because there are so many things on the neck of government. So, I am happy today that my people are aware and informed. Through that, they request and write petition to the House of Assembly.

An example of this was a petition written to the House of Assembly on road and cemetery that has almost encroached into one community. The government responded well as the problem was solved completely. So, thank God for the little and modest impact I was able to make as a member.

What is your assessment of women in politics?

There has been an improvement. But women still need to exercise their rights by having more representation in politics so that the 35% chance of women to partake in politics would be increased. Then, we will be more embraced. Women need to be voted in and not always voted for.

Our political leaders and government should help women for them to be able to perform and contribute their quota to the development of the country as well as allow more women in position.