ANA PRESIDENCY: HAJIA FARIDA MUHAMMED TAKES CAMPAIGN TO PROFESSORS EGBOKHARE, RAJI, OSOFISAN, AND MRS. BUKOLA LADOJA

By Wole Adedoyin

On Friday, the 1st of September 2023, Hajia Farida embarked on her second Presidential Campaign visit, this time to Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State.

It's worth noting that Hajia Farida Muhammed had previously visited Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, to announce her presidential candidacy. During her visit to Osogbo, she engaged with key stakeholders in ANA Osun and effectively communicated her agenda to them.
As part of her ongoing presidential campaign, Hajia Farida made her second visit to Ibadan, where she focused on engaging with critical stakeholders within the state. In contrast to her initial visit, during which she connected with dedicated and committed ANA members to garner support for her ANA Presidential bid, this time, Hajia extensively toured the city of Ibadan to establish connections with influential ANA stakeholders and seek their support.

ANA Oyo members gathered at the U.I. Staff Club to extend a warm welcome to Hajia Farida during her visit. The distinguished ANA Oyo critical members present included: Dr Phil Nwoko, the author of 'Dancing With the Ostrich' (A novel), Mr. Taslim Abiola Layonu (Current ANA-Oyo Chairman), Mr. Freeman Okosun (Assistant National Secretary of ANA), Mr. Ebika Anthony (Former ANA Oyo Chairman and the former National Publicity Secretary of ANA), Mr. Funso Omotoso (Immediate Past ANA-Oyo Chairman), Mr. Kehinde Rufus (Current ANA-Oyo Vice-Chairman), Mrs. Clementina Kezie-Osuagwu (Current ANA-Oyo Secretary), Fakunle Busayo Publicity (Current ANA Oyo Publicity Secretary), Mr. Wasiu Saka (Former Assistant Secretary of ANA-Oyo), Olasumbo Adeogun (Current ANA-Oyo treasurer), Funmi Akinwande (Current ANA-Oyo financial Secretary), Adekunle Olarotimi Ojo (ANA-Oyo Member).
Mr. Taslim Abiola Layonu, the current Chairman of ANA-Oyo and also the Director General of the Hajia Faridah Campaign Organization, extended a warm welcome to Hajia Farida Mohammed and the ANA Oyo members. He expressed his gratitude for their willingness to attend the meeting despite their busy schedules.
He proceeded to introduce the members of the House individually after which Hajia Farida Muhammed was given the opportunity to address the gathering and share her message.
Hajia Farida Mohammed expressed her appreciation to the members of ANA Oyo for their enthusiastic support of her ANA Presidential campaign. She fondly remembered the warm reception they gave her during her previous visit to launch her bid for the ANA Presidency. In particular, she extended her heartfelt gratitude to Mrs. Clementina Kezie-Osuagwu, Olasumbo Adeogun, Funmi Akinwande, and Dr. Phil Nwoko for generously dedicating their valuable time from their busy schedules to engage with her agenda across various ANA Publicity Platforms.
During her address, she took the opportunity to outline her four-point agenda, which includes Inclusive Governance, Human Capital Development, Infrastructure Enhancement, and Revenue Generation. She concluded her speech by assuring the members of the House that she would not let them down if they chose to elect her into office.
In his own remarks, Mr. Freeman Okosun portrayed Hajia Farida as an emblem of harmony, peace and Unity within the ANA community. He proceeded to recount his personal encounters, highlighting how Hajia Farida adeptly resolved potential conflicts that could have escalated into significant crises within ANA. Mr. Okosun affirmed his unwavering commitment to align with her vision for progress and expressed his willingness to set aside his own ambitions to support her success.
Mr. Funso Omotoso and Kehinde Rufus provided their unequivocal support to Hajia Farida and extended their heartfelt prayers for her triumph in the upcoming elections. Similarly, Dr. Phil Nwoko and Mrs. Clementina Kezie-Osuagwu, representing other women writers in ANA-Oyo, expressed their enthusiasm at the prospect of having someone like Hajia Farida Mohammed as the President of ANA. They viewed this potential development as both historic and praiseworthy. Furthermore, they pledged their commitment to mobilizing support from female writers within ANA and beyond to bolster her candidacy.
Mr. Ebika Anthony openly disclosed his strong connection to Hajia Farida Muhammed during his address to the House. He informed the House that they hail from the same state and pledged his commitment to actively support her campaign for victory. Additionally, he emphasized the compelling rationale behind him and fellow ANA Members in the South South region rallying behind her candidacy, emphasizing her status as a beloved native daughter.
Mr. Adekunle Olarotimi Ojo, a dedicated member of ANA Oyo and the Oyo State Chairman of the National Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP), expressed his admiration for Hajia Farida Mohammed's decision to run for the ANA Presidency. He offered valuable suggestions to Hajia Farida Mohammed, urging her to prioritize these initiatives once she assumes the role of ANA President. He also extended his best wishes for her success in her presidential campaign.
Mr. Busayo Fakunle and Mr. Wasiu Saka emphatically urged Hajia Farida to prioritize the promotion of peace and unity within ANA once she assumes the presidency. They highlighted the absence of these vital elements in the outgoing national administration of ANA. They counselled Hajia Farida to work towards reconciling all disgruntled members and uniting the association under her leadership.
Following an engaging interactive session with ANA Oyo members, Hajia Farida Muhammed's campaign team, led by her Campaign Director General, Mr. Taslim Abiola Layonu, proceeded to the office of a distinguished Fellow of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA). This eminent figure also happens to be the former president of the Nigerian Academy of Letters (NAL), Francis Egbokhare. Prof. Egbokhare holds the esteemed position of a Professor of Linguistics and serves as a lecturer at the University of Ibadan.
Professor Egbokhare extended a warm welcome to Hajia Faridah Muhammed and her campaign team. During their meeting, Mr. Taslim Abiola Layonu provided Hajia Faridah Muhammed with a brief opportunity to present her agenda to Professor Egbokhare. He explained that their visit was motivated by their desire to secure his support for her presidential campaign within ANA.
After discussing her agenda with Prof. Francis Egbokhare, he offered his full support to Hajia Farida Muhammed. He expressed his strong commitment to promoting women in positions of power and emphasized that the time is ripe for a female writer to lead ANA. Prof. Egbokhare encouraged Hajia Farida Muhammed to inform him of any concrete ways he could assist her in her presidential aspirations beyond mere words. He highlighted that witnessing someone like Hajia Farida Muhammed become the first female ANA President would not only be a momentous occasion in history but also serve as an inspiring example for other women to pursue similar achievements in various fields.
Upon departing from Professor Francis Egbokhare's office, Hajia Farida Muhammed proceeded to Professor Remi Raji's office. Professor Remi Raji, an accomplished poet and Professor specializing in English and Creative Writing at the University of Ibadan, also held the esteemed titles of Fellow and former President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) from 2011 to 2015.
Professor Remi Raji commended Hajia Farida Muhammed for her decision to enter the Presidential race of ANA. He took the opportunity to reflect on his own experience when he contested against the late Professor Jerry Agada, a former President of ANA and a former Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Professor Remi Raji went on to offer valuable advice to Hajia Farida Muhammed and her team. He stressed the importance of devising a well-thought-out strategy, forming a dedicated team, and engaging with key stakeholders of ANA at the grassroots level. In his view, the ANA Congress, composed of financial members of ANA, holds the power to determine the next President of ANA. Therefore, he urged her to ensure that her campaign reaches all the state chapters and establishes connections with their leaders to secure their support.
Following her departure from Prof. Remi Raji's office, Hajia Farida Muhammed's campaign entourage proceeded to the residence of Prof. Femi Osofisan in Bodija. Prof. Femi Osofisan, an Emeritus Professor of Drama and a former President of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), currently serves as the Chairman of the Association's Advisory Council.
Prof. Femi Osofisan warmly received Hajia Farida Muhammed's campaign delegation and applauded her for entering the ANA Presidential race. He affirmed his commitment to impartiality and ensuring that the upcoming election would be both fair and credible. Prof. Femi Osofisan also highlighted several critical issues that ANA should address, including the need to audit her membership, enhance the development of young Nigerian writers' skills, create platforms for the sale and dissemination of Nigerian writers' works, particularly through electronic channels etc..
Furthermore, he encouraged Hajia Farida Muhammed to intensify her campaign efforts by extending her outreach to other ANA chapters across the country's six geopolitical zones.
Likewise, Prof. Nike Osofisan, the wife of Prof. Femi Osofisan and herself a distinguished professor of computer science, lauded Hajia Farida for her courageous decision to run for the top position within ANA. Prof. Nike Osofisan, who holds the distinction of being the first Nigerian woman to earn a Ph.D. in this field, expressed her admiration for Hajia Farida's candidacy. Notably, she had recently participated in an ANA event commemorating the 10th anniversary of Chinua Achebe's passing. Prof. Nike Osofisan noted that it would be a momentous occasion if Hajia Muhammed were to become the first female President of Africa's largest writers' association.
Lastly, the campaign convoy of Hajia Farida made a halt at Mrs. Bukola Ladoja's residence in Bodija. Mrs. Bukola Ladoja, the wife of the former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rasheed Ladoja, the President and Founder of the Reading Awareness Society for Development in Africa (RASDA) and serves as an ambassador for the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA). She graciously hosted the campaign team and offered them delightful refreshment.
Mrs. Bukola Ladoja praised Hajia Farida Muhammed for her courageous decision to vie for the top position within ANA. She said, upon learning of Hajia Faridah’s ANA Presidential ambition, she immediately began campaigning on her behalf. According to her, she has since taken Hajia Faridah’s campaign to Kogi and several states in the South East through her 'One Child One Book One Week Project.' The 'One Child One Book One Week Project is specifically designed to kindle a passion for reading among primary and secondary school students in Nigeria. The project was formally introduced during the annual Convention of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) held in Abuja last year.
As she’s taking the project to other chapters of ANA in the South South and South East chapters of ANA, she promised to campaign for Hajia Farida Muhammed and promotes her 4-points agenda to members of ANA in the concerned states.