In this past week, the Governorship and House of Assembly election took place across Nigeria, West Africa and it is not any different in Kwara State, North Central, where I was standing as a candidate, seeking to be elected into the Kwara State House of Assembly for Owode Onire state constituency, under the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).

After the tightly contested election, I was privileged to emerge victorious and declared member-elect for Owode Onire by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in a close contest, where I pulled 7,521 votes to defeat my rival, Mallam Abdullah Magaji of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who scored 6,957 votes.

Since the declaration of our victory, the people of my constituency have been singing and dancing across the street, while our friends and supporters in the youths and women constituency across Kwara State and indeed the federation have also joined the celebration.

The celebration of my emergence as member-elect, Owode Onire state constituency, in Asa local govt area of Kwara State, North-Central, Nigeria is not what my immediate constituency is enjoying alone, the victory is being enjoyed, shared, and celebrated across the federation.

This is because, many worthy Nigerians across the federation not only invested faith, hope, and expectations in my candidature, but many respectable people, especially women actually supported us from the beginning till eventual victory.

They didn't support us to the end, they supported us to victory, so that we can start a journey of a lifetime, to inspire young girls in Nigeria and indeed Africa, to dream and aspire for greatness.

As a 26-year-old lady, who managed to secure victory in a tightly contested election, many media platforms have asked me, how supportive are women in my journey to success and I think I have not really done justice to the question due to election stress. This is why I felt the need to pen this message to properly capture the nature of the support I got from women folks across the federation.

My political journey began with the support of a rare gem woman, a former gender coordinator for our group, Kwara Must Change, now a commissioner in the administration of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, in the person of Dr. Mrs Mopelola Abdulmalik Bashir.

Dr Mopelola saw me as a daughter and took my aspiration as a personal project, not only because of her portfolio then as Kwara State Commissioner for Women Affairs where she sees the aspiration of every woman as a personal responsibility, but also because she's a major stakeholder in my local govt and she personally led me to various stakeholders, seeking their support for my ambition.

As the person who championed advocacy for gender parity in the state even before her appointment as commissioner through the Kwara Must Change, Dr Mopelola practiced what she preaches and sacrificed a lot to uplift my aspiration beyond the surface level, a development that turned many against her.

When the first lady of Kwara State, Amb (Dr) Olufolake Abdulrazaq became aware of my aspiration, she literally adopted me as her daughter and gave me the needed motivation to stand strong.

Dr. Olufolake was always advocating for me, especially when the situation was tough, battling from the High Court to the Supreme Court, she never left me alone one bit and her support was beyond measure.

Through Kwara State first lady, the wife of Nigeria's president, Hajia Aisha Buhari became aware of my candidature and she became a supporter, who always looked out for me.

The wife of Nigeria's president-elect, Senator Oluremi Tinubu also adopted me and gave unquantifiable support.

It often amazes me, how Senator Oluremi Tinubu really got time to care for the aspiration of a village girl in far away Manyan, in Owode Onire, Asa local govt area of Kwara State, but this is the nature of our incoming first lady.

I can't also forget the strategic role of the Principal Private Secretary (PPS) of the Kwara State Governor, Mrs. Jumoke Gafar, Hajia Samirah Yahaya, and Hajia Adijatou, all of whom contributed in no small ways to my success.

The Minister of Women Affairs, Honourable Pauline Tallen wasn't left out in my support and I was nurtured by her kindness and loving hands.

The Chairperson of Kwara State Internal Revenue Service, Mrs Shade Omomoyi wasn't left out in our support, and the same with Hajia Mariam Abike Yusuf.

The role played by APC state and national women leaders, in the person of Hajia Fatimah Muhammad and Dr. Betta Edu wasn't little either.

While Hajia Fatimah often got my back in the state, especially within the party, Dr Beta on the other often recommended me for training opportunities at the national level.

The TIC Vice Chairperson in Asa, Alhaja Adupe Adams, and Alhaja Sarat Yahaya not excluding the SA SDGs in Asa, Hajia Aishat Yusuf and Hajia Habibat Yusuf contributed immensely.

The unending contributions of the wife of Kwara APC Chairman, Mrs. Fagbemi are commendable.

All APC women leaders in the 9 ward of Owode Onire played a huge role in this success and we cannot thank them enough.

Several women-led groups and gender-focused Non-Governmental Organizations such as (ElectHer, Women in Politics Forum, WARDRC, UNSDGN, Kwara NAWOJ, etc.) also contributed in no small ways to encourage and motivate me to continue on the journey.

Others include Hajia Modibbo Kawu, Mrs Folashade Aransiola, Hajia Goroso Giwa, and my fellow female candidates within the APC, who all got elected in their various constituencies.

All of these women are part of my supporters who nurtured and gave me their helping hands to lean on.

Although, it is often said that women are the enemies of women, in my own case, I will say that women are the helpers of women and I have benefited immensely from the the love and support of these women.

In conclusion, while women have been greatly supportive in my journey, it is still a fact that the executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is the number one supporter of women, not just me alone. Although the Kwara Must Change group advocated for 50% of women cabinet positions, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq did 56%.

He went further to sponsor and sign a gender composition law that made it mandatory for any government in Kwara State to appoint a minimum of 35% position for either of the genders.

The governor's favourable disposition to women has also trickled down to the general society and I have greatly benefited from the support of several people in my constituency, especially men, elders, youths, and of course, women.

Rukayat Motunrayo Shittu
Member Elect, Owode Onire state constituency
Kwara State House of Assembly
North Central, Nigeria