Mrs Cesnabmihilo Dorothy Nuhu-Aken’Ova is one of the leading presidential aspirants on the platform of Social Democratic Party. She has come a long way in service of the nation and humanity, having served in various leadership positions in some gender based organisations.
In this interview, the she spoke among other issues, on the exact reason she wants to succeed President Mohammadu Buhari in 2023 and why she chose SDP as a platform to achieve her lifetime dream.
Excerpt…
Why do you want to become the president of Nigeria?
I want to use what God has deposited in me through many years of learning and develppment opportunities, access to contacts, resources, and spaces that have built my conscience, wisdom, knowledge and skills, to restore Nigeria to the path of excellence, peace, security and prosperity.
I also believe that one of the most important reasons for my aspiration, at this time and season in our history, is to bring into use the very rare skills I have in leadership and ability to work simultaneously with diverse stakeholders, in challenging contexts, and on delicate and sensitive issues. I am aspiring because i have the required skills to bring the diverse interest groups to a rallying point so that together, we can build consensus and have a common vision. I am aspring because i want to facilitate the harnessing of the potential in our population size and diversity in order to expand access to opportunities and resources for nation building.
My aspiration is also aimed to bring my leadership skills and work expereince in the field of health, population and development, which put me at advantage because i recognise and know how to harness the resourcefulness, energy and zeal in our youths and to channel same towards peace, security and sustainable development.
With the love and compassion of a mother, I see what majority of Nigerians are seeing, and I feel what they are feeling. I am in a unique position to bring respite to Nigerians from the challenges that have encumbered us.
Since when have you been nursing this ambition to lead a nation where men dominate the political space?
This is in no way a personal ambition. It is a position of responsibility born from the vote of confidence reposed on me by my colleagues and fellows of the Connecting the Dots Institute. They invited me to run for this position. I accepted the invitation on 15th August 2021. Before then, I was comfortable working with about 15 other colleagues, mentoring women, youths, persons with disabilities and other marginalised populations, across sectors, in civic responsibility and political participation for social change. The mentorship process encouraged the mentees and the mentors to join partisan politics. I had no clue that this lot will fall on me until July 2021. I have pursued this assignment since 15th August, 2021.
Why did you choose Social Democratic Party as a platform to realise your ambition?
The Social Democratic Party was founded in 1989 and has maintained its appeal to radical intellectuals, like my colleagues and I who believe in social justice and welfare for all. The SDP remains a force to reckon with serving as the third topmost alternative Party. While shopping for for a Party, we found out that those who are running the affairs of the Party are persons with high integrity, who served the country at various levels with clean records. Some of them, now elders, have been members of the SDP since it was founded in 1989, they have never crossed carpet. It shows that SDP is ideologically focused and remains a space for those who adhere to the ideology. This is why the SDP was credited by INEC for conducting the fairest primaries prior 2019 elections.
SDP is also adheres to the policy of inclusivity, a Party Constitutional provision deliberately put in place to enable everyone to have access to the opportunities they offer. The policy provides free nomination forms for women and persons with disabilities and 50% reduction in cost for youths.
Moreover, in November 2021 when i joined the Party, it was not crowded and there was room to showcase my potentials as i contributed to the visibilityof the Party and mobilization. It has been a mutually benefitting partnership for speedy growth for me and the Party.
Finally, the white horse is of utmost significance to me. It represents strength, speed, resilience, precision, excellence, royalty, grace, victory and most of all faithful and true.
Don’t you feel intimidated contesting the ticket with male aspirants in your party?
No. I do not feel intimidated by anyone. I have a calling, an assignment, that is all I see, not men, not women, … nothing but my assignment – Afterall, it is not the first time that I will be in a male dominated space. My family is full of males. In my primary school, most of my classmates were males. Some of the jobs i have done were male dominated. This is no exception. I will excel like I did in those other spaces.
Who is Mrs Dorothy Nuhu-Aken’Ova? Where are you coming from and what are your antecedents?
Mrs Cesnabmihilo Dorothy Nuhu-Aken’Ova, (fondly called Darlyndotty by youths) hails from Niger state I am the Executive Director, International Centre for Sexual Reproductive Rights (INCRESE); Ashoka Fellow; Recipient of 2014 Berlin StoneWall Award for Resistance; Trail Blazer Award of the 2019 Freedom Award, etc. I serve as the Chairperson, Advisory Committee, Coalition for the Defence of Sexual Rights (CDSR); Member, African Feminist Forum; Member and Adviser, Nigeria Feminist Forum; Co-founder and Advisory Committee Member, Gender Rights Initiative (GRI); Affiliate Member, Development Alternative with Women for a New Era (DAWN); Member, International Policy Working Group, AMANITARE; Co-founder and Committee Member of the Global South Strategic Group on SRHR / HIV Programming; and 2003 1000 Women Nobel Peace Price Nominee.
With a Masters Degree in French Language, I commenced my career as a lecturer in the French Department, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. I proceeded to work in The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, in the Drug Demand Reduction Unit, lectured in the NDLEA Academy and also served as an Interdiction and Investigation Officer.
I am disciplined, visionary, upright, analytical, resourceful, hardworking, focused, solution driven, and compassionate.
I am committed to transperency, accountability, and inclusively in governance and I cherish ethical and people oriented leadership. I have translated these attributes into the INCRESE Feminist Mentorship Institute, Connecting the Dots (www.increse.org/connectingthedots) and many other projects that I have designed and managed with over 2 decades of experience.
I have expertese in designing and managing health, population and development interventions using rights and intersectionality approaches using sustainable strategies for lasting solutions.
I am an Evagelist and a mentor in the Holy Ghost School. I was born into ECWA Church, and got born again in a Deeper Life led Fellowship for Christian Students. I am a Partner of the Christ Embassy Rhapsody of Reality serving with the Crown Elites Outreach. I am the widow of (RCCG) Pastor George Osi Aken’Ova (1953 – 2015) and a member of Jesus House Parish, RCCG, Minna. I am also a steward of The Global Watch Altar, and Nigeria on my Mind of the Rabboni Ministries. I host the Christian Half Hour of NTA Minna.
