Posted by By CHINWENDU UZOUKWU on
* I met my husband in my father's political camp
For Hajia Aisha Bolarinwa, wife of Honourable Bashir Bolarinwa, Action Congress' (AC) House of Representatives member, manufacturers of beauty make-ups can close shop for all she cares.
A natural beauty, Aisha thinks sitting down to lace her face with make-ups is sheer waste of valuable time and energy.
Wondering why women should invest so much time and money to look artificially beautiful, Hajia, as she is fondly called, insisted: 'I am a very natural person. I don't apply make-up, I don't paint my nails.
I just love to be simple because I believe God has made me simply beautiful. So, I do not really need all those things. For me, it is a huge distraction."
Raised from a cultivated political background, Hajia, who is the daughter of late Dr. G. O. Lambo, told Everywoman that she considers herself on a familiar terrain, having got married to a politician.
How we met
I remember that my husband was in my father's political camp. I was very young then when he used to attend meetings in our house. it started from there but it was not a very close relationship. he saw me all the time but we never spoke until one day he called me and said 'Omo Baba come! I want to talk to you." I went to him but somebody came in and I told him we shall see some other time. Before then, I noticed that he was always looking at me whenever he came around and I would just say to myself 'who is this man that keeps looking at me whenever he comes here and what does he want from me anyway?" This went on until that day that he summoned the courage to call me. After some time, we lost contact, but as God would have it, we came together again and we officially got married in 2006.
My father was a politician and a traditionalist. He was of late Pa Awolowo political flock. My father's place was the centre of political activities in Lagos State those days. I could remember when I was young, during the campaign of Papa Awolowo, I enjoyed following them around. Anytime they wanted to go on campaigns I would want to be in the campaign bus rather than in my father's car. I would be the one to pick the microphone and I would sing and shout at the top of my voice.
I remember singing 'Free education, Awolowo lo le se" And People would say look at this small girl that is campaigning. I enjoyed doing it but it got to a point that my mummy warned me that she did not want to see me in that bus again because anytime I was seen then, I was always singing ‘Free education, Awolowo lo le se.'
My mother said I did not want to learn any other thing apart from that song. So, later when I got married to my husband, everything started again.
My husband was two-time counsellor in Lagos Mainland before he became Local Government Chairman twice.
Elective office
I really cannot say if I will seek political office in the future. Well, God knows best. It all depends on what you want to do and doing it at the right time. So, I cannot say whether or not I will go into politics. It is a matter of choice and with God on your side.
I don't enjoy sitting in one place
Some people tell me that I do not rest and this is because I do not enjoy sitting down in one place. I am always on the road. For instance, I left home this morning (on the day of this chat) at 7.30a.m and I am home now to grant this interview. After this, I will be on my way out for a meeting. And tomorrow morning as early as 5.30a.m, I will be preparing to go back to Abuja. So, as a woman in this particular world, you cannot sit at home and expect your husband to do everything for you. You have to also do something to encourage your husband.
I love cooking
Managing my home is my primary assignment. That is my number one job, irrespective of where I am. I will make sure that I organise my home in such a way that nothing distracts me. Before I leave home, I make sure that my husband does not lack anything because I love the kitchen and I enjoy cooking.
God is the best planner because sometimes when you start a thing, you will not even know how you will end. Sometimes when you plan for something, at the end of the day, that thing will not work out. You may be planning your own thing and God will say this is what I am planning for you and you are busy doing another thing, it is better you move over to the next thing rather than waste your time doing something you know will get you far. So, I just ask for God's direction each time I pray. There is no way you will ask for God's direction that He will leave you to yourself. So, I ask for God's direction and I do follow my heart.
Starting up my business
I studied Business Administration. Initially I did not want to do business at all. But sometime ago, a friend of mine visited me and when she saw I was not doing anything, she encouraged me to start up something and that she believes that I could do it. Again, my husband does not like me travelling around. So telling him that I wanted to start a business became another problem. When my husband came home one day, I was just looking at him but I could not say anything.
Then I summoned courage and I said dear! And he said 'what is it my baby?" Then I told him that I wanted to start up something that I do not want to be idle. Then he asked me what I wanted to do and I told him that I wanted to start selling shoes and bags, because that was what I started with. Then he said the business entails travelling around to get my wares, but I explained to him that I will not be staying long on each trip. Then, he agreed since I was able to convince him that I could do the business.
Touching lives
I am somebody that believes in simplicity. You do not really need to organise a programme to be able to touch people's lives. There are many ways to touch lives and I do not believe in blowing my trumpet. Sometimes when I go to the hospital, I see people who cannot pay their bills and just tell the doctor to add their bills to mine. Sometimes also, people come to me and complain that they do not have food to eat and what do I do? I cannot send them away. I just have to provide them with something to eat. There are many things to do and there are many ways to touch people's lives without blowing your trumpet.
My husband loves me in Ankara
What I am putting on now is what my husband likes. He loves to see me in fabrics like Ankara and Senegalese that will make me look Islamic. There are times that I would just wear any dress I like but my husband would say 'My baby, I am not saying this dress is not nice but you just have to dress in the type of attire I love to see you in. Go and change into your fitted Ankara skirt and blouse or your Senegalese.
I am not a make-up person. Most times I do not even apply make - up on my face. I am a very simple person when it comes to make up.
For my perfume, I use Dior and I like designer labels too in most of things I use.
Jewellery
I love jewellery a lot. I have them in different types, shapes and designs. There is no woman that God blesses that will not like to buy jewellery. I pray for every woman so that God will bless our husbands and bless us too so that anytime we go out, people will appreciate us.
My husband's wardrobe
My husband's wardrobe is my number one. Any time I go to a shop to get something for myself and I see what I feel will be nice for my husband, I would rather not buy what I have come to buy for myself than let go that thing I feel will be good for my husband. Sometimes when I see a man spotting something I feel will be good on my husband, I just gently move close to the man and say 'I love what you are putting on. How can I get it for my husband?" I love seeing my husband looking nice.