IN Nigeria’s 57 years as an independent country, while no woman has ever attained the position of president, vice-president or even been elected state governor – making the upper cadre of the nation’s executive arm appear the sole preserve of the male folk – quite a number of women have been opportuned to occupy the position of deputy governor in some states across the country.
Beginning with Alhaja Lateefah Okunnu who blazed the trail to become the first female deputy governor in Nigeria when she was appointed deputy governor of Lagos State in 1991, other notable women who have held this position in Lagos are Alhaja Sinatu Ojikutu (1992-1993), Mrs. Bucknor Kofoworola Akerele (1999-2002), Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan (2007-2011), Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire (2011-2015) and currently, Dr. (Mrs) Oluranti Idiat Adebule (2015-till date).
Lagos in the lead
While Lagos apparently leads in the comity of states which have produced female deputy governors, in other states of the federation, there have also been several women deputy governors, with the South West in the lead though. Mrs. Pamela Sadauki and Mrs. Cecilia Ekpenyong were the deputy governors of Kaduna and Cross River States respectively from 1991-1992. In Ogun State, Alhaja Salimat Badru was deputy governor between 2003 and 2011, while Mrs. Pauline Tallen was deputy governor of Plateau State in the Fourth Republic. In Osun State, Erelu Olusola Obada was deputy governor from 2003 to 2010 while Otunba Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori has been serving as deputy governor of the state since 2010 to date. Professor (Mrs.) Modupe Adelabu succeeded the late Mrs. Olufunmilayo Adunni Olayinka (2010-2013), following her death as deputy governor of Ekiti State in 2013. Akwa Ibom State also appointed a female deputy governor in person of Lady Barr. Valerie Ebe in 2011.
Though the office is widely considered a spare tyre one as occupants are deemed relevant only when the governor who is their principal boss is over-engaged and decides to delegate some duties, women occupying this position have, however, over the years proved otherwise by further conceiving and birthing pro-developmental initiatives which have contributed immensely to the success of their principal bosses.
Currently, of the 36 states across the country, five have women occupying their deputy governorship offices and these states are: Osun (Titilayo Laoye-Tomori), Ogun (Yetunde Abosede Onanuga), Lagos (Idiat Oluranti Adebule), Rivers (Ipalibo Gogo Banigo), and Enugu (Cecilia Ezeilo).
Ipalibo Gogo Banigo
Dr. Ipalibo Harry Gogo Banigo is a medical doctor turned politician and the first female deputy governor of Rivers State. She obtained the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degrees and qualified as a medical doctor in June 1976 from the University of Ibadan, University College Hospital.
Banigo was also in Harvard University School of Public Health from which she obtained a Master of Public Health degree in June 1981. She also attended the University of London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine where she obtained a post-graduate diploma in Tropical Hygiene (D.I.H) in 1990.
Banigo capped these with a Diploma in Dermatology again from London University in July 1992. She had served in the state Ministry of Health where she assumed the positions of Director of Public Health Services, Acting Commissioner, Director General and Permanent secretary. She was a one-time Secretary to the Government of Rivers State and later, a Head of Service.
Now as deputy governor, though her role in government is primarily to deputize for the governor, Banigo has attained quite a number of laudable landmarks so far in office. In education, Banigo’s sensitivity to the importance of basic formal education for Rivers children has contributed to various projects in the sector. Other areas that she had touched and is still working on are youth empowerment, women welfare, healthcare, and girl child campaign.
Upon assumption of her office, Dr Ipalibo Harry Banigo launched a “PROTECT THE GIRL CHILD” campaign which is active on various social media platforms supervised from her office. She has also recorded success in other programmes such as Doctors without Borders, Rivers State Women Observatory for Violence against Women and Girls, the Rivers State Police Command, Federation of International Women Lawyers, and the Rivers State Ministry of Women affairs.
Banigo has shown her unwavering commitment to the welfare of Rivers State youths by supporting Governor Nyesom Wike through policies of job creation and youth empowerment. Through her care foundation, Dr. Banigo has nurtured, trained and sponsored many youths living in Rivers State into becoming sponsors and sources of empowerment to other youths living in Rivers State.
Titilayo Laoye-Tomori
Otunba (Mrs.) Grace Titilayo Laoye-Tomori is the deputy governor of the State of Osun and also its Commissioner for Education otherwise known as “Ipinle Omoluabi.”
She holds a degree in History from the University of Lagos as well as two additional post-graduate degrees. She began her career with the Federal Ministry of Education as an Education Officer in 1974 but moved after six years to the University of Lagos where she was appointed an Assistant Registrar in 1980. She rose to occupy the post of Principal Assistant Registrar and by the time she left the University in 1989, she had served in various capacities at the university.
Her professional career also includes senior level positions with companies such as Coopers & Lybrand International amongst many others. As deputy governor of Osun State, Otunba Laoye Tomori has positively impacted the state and achieved great works as the Commissioner for Education. She has transformed the state’s Ministry of Education since she came on board and many schools are said to have been renovated and equipped with up to date educational facilities.
As a result, she has received accolades such as the Most Innovative Education Commissioner Award for the South West Zone organized by President’s School Debates Nigeria. She was also the Most Outstanding Female Deputy Governor of the Year 2012.
Yetunde Abosede Onanuga
Yetunde Onanuga attended the Lagos State College of Science and Technology, now Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH). She then proceeded to the then, Ogun State University, now Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye, where she obtained her Master’s degree in Business Administration. Before she was elected as Ogun State deputy governor, she was a director of finance and administration in the Lagos State public service.
As a devoted Christian and hardworking woman, she is obviously determined to provide all the necessary support to her principal and also empower the people of the state. Mrs. Onanuga is seen using her experience in public administration for the benefit of the state government now that she is the deputy governor.
As part of personal contribution to development, Onanuga operates a nongovernmental organisation, Child Uplifting Development Association, which caters for children within the ages of seven and 13. Some of them are street children, with some trading on the streets. She takes them off the streets, puts them in her own established home and after series of trainings, tries to reunite them with their families. This has gone a long way in augmenting the efforts of the state governor.
Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule
The deputy governor of Lagos State, Dr. (Mrs.) Idiat Oluranti Adebule was born on November 27, 1970 in Lagos. She graduated with a degree in Islamic Education in 1992 from the Lagos State University, Ojo. She had her master’s degree in Curriculum Studies from the same institution. In 2006, she obtained a certificate in Early Childhood Development Curriculum and School Administration and Assessment from the Nigeria Institute of International Education Association. She went back again to Lagos State University where she completed the doctorate degree (Ph.D.) in Curriculum Studies in 2012.
Dr. Adebule started her career as a Junior lecturer at Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, Epe in the Department of Religious Studies. She later transferred her service to the Lagos State University department of curricular activities
Her political career began when Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was governor of Lagos State. She was appointed as a commissioner in the then Lagos State Post Primary Teaching Service Commission (PP-TESCOM). It is now known as Teacher’s Establishment and Pensions Office. She served in that capacity from October 2000 to February 2005. She was appointed as a member of the Lagos State Scholarship Board in February 2005. She was a member until November 2005. Later on, Adebule was appointed and sworn in as the Secretary to the State Government by the Governor of Lagos state, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) in July 2011. She was sworn in as the Lagos State deputy governor in May 29, 2015.
As deputy governor, she also serves as Commissioner for the state’s Ministry of Education, a platform through which she is carrying out laudable reforms in the state’s education sector and also presently, working to ensure the safety of schools in the face of recent security challenges.
Cecilia Ezeilo
In Enugu State, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo made history as the first female deputy governor of the state in 2015 for
Cecilia Ezeilothe first time since the creation of the state in 1991. Born on January 1, 1966 in the same state, Ezeilo is a Lawyer by profession. She got married to late Chief Malachy Ezeilo, then Igwe of Ezeagu and one-time Commissioner for Works during the old Anambra State. She was said to have been picked as the running mate of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi due to her endless dedication to work.
Ezeilo is not new to southeastern politics as she has been active for years and also contributed immensely. Her election into the Enugu State House of Assembly in 2011 where she served as the chairman house committee on Judiciary saw a reinvigorated judiciary at work. She adopted the Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanism, ADRM, as a faster and better means of resolving public disputes arising from numerous public petitions sent to her committee.
As deputy governor, she is passionately playing a vital role in human capital development, particularly in ensuring that women and youths are empowered in the state.
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