CHIEF KEMI NELSON: MORE THAN JUST PRAISE-SINGING
By Oki Samson
CHIEF KEMI NELSON
‘Talo so pe a o ni baba, kai, a ni baba; who says we have no father, no, we have a father. Iwo la fi se; it’s you we have elected’ are few of the many praise-singing songs that characterize political campaign and electioneering process in Nigeria. Guess who the singers are? They are the large number of women mobilisers in the various political parties.
Their role cannot be wanted away. In fact, a politician will overlook them to his/her own peril. But these women also have women leaders, too. They do not just come there because they are lazy or do not have money-spinning ventures they are engaged in. Many of these women are market women, artisans, entrepreneurs in their own standard, ‘won ki se elebi, they are not hungry people’. They are out there because of a worthy cause. They are out there because they believe in the possibilities of their children. They are out there because they believe in the future of a country like Nigeria. Most importantly, they are out there because they believe God is the Supreme Who puts leaders in position.
Thus, to bring these great women out, wives, mothers, bread winners in their own right is no simple task. It takes the quality of leaders like Chief Mrs Kemi
Nelson to do such!
Wife of the President, Hajia Aisha Buhari (2nd left); Chief Kemi Nelson (2nd right) and others in China
Chief Mrs Kemi Nelson is a leader par excellence. Many will not know that she contested against the Jagaban of Africa, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu way back in 1992 for the Lagos West Senatorial District seat under the platform of defunct National Republican Convention (NRC) in the 3rd republic. The duo are in the same political party today, All Progressives Congress (APC) in the fourth republic. Such is the character of this woman. This is what Nigerian democracy require to move forward. Do or die politics, name or shame politics should be over.
Now the Women Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Southwest, Mrs. Nelson is a mix of beauty and brains. She has just been appointed as one of the Executive Directors of Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF). Of course, who will see the resume of this woman and not want her on the team. Chief (Mrs) Olukemi Nelson holds a Masters of Business Administration specialising in Financial Management and a Diploma in Law from the Lagos State University, Ojo. She is also a fellow of many professional organizations such as National Institute of Marketing, Institute of Directors, and Nigerian Institute of Leadership.
She is also a registered Nurse and Midwife from the University College Hospital Ibadan and has received numerous awards such as the Accomplished Women in Politics Award by the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria 2001; Commissioner for Employment of the Year 2000 by the Chartered Institute of Marketing of Nigeria; Distinguished Florence Nightingale Fellow (DFNF).
The Yeye Sewa of Lagos will undoubtedly deliver in her new role and will definitely continue to push for the progress of the party by continually galvanizing the huge women base. She is worth more than rubies!
