#RunToWin Series — Young Nigerians Running for Political Leadership E2.
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Meet Islamiyyah Abiodun Adebowale
This article was co-written by Gabriel Ajah
On this episode of the #RunToWinNG series, we share the story of Mrs. Abiodun Islamiyyah Adebowale (AIA) a 42-year-old broadcast journalist, actor, businesswoman, politician, and supporter of women and children’s rights. In the upcoming elections, she is running as the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) candidate to represent the residents of Alimosho constituency 2 in the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Concerning leadership, Mrs. Adebowale (AIA) said:
“My leadership philosophy is a direct translation of servant leadership where a leader strives to serve others rather than appropriate power for self-aggrandizement.”
Her history of community development
Over the years, Mrs. Adebowale (AIA) has been committed to social and political causes and has volunteered actively for numerous NGOs. These experiences enhanced her feeling of social responsibility and helped her gain the Lagos State Council’s recognition.
Among the notable NGOs she has collaborated with are the Muslim Teens Network, the United for Kids Foundation, the Rhesus Support Initiative, and the Esther Ogwu Human Rights Foundation.
AIA founded the Womb-bearers Support Initiative, an NGO committed to the empowerment and protection of girls.
She has received a state award for her services to the growth of the Ansar-ud-deen youth association of Nigeria, Lagos State Council. She is a prominent member of the association.
Motivation for running for Political Office
AIA has lived in Alimosho for over 12 years, and in that time, she has witnessed the struggles and problems faced by the community there. She had a good grasp of the people’s needs.
Concerning the elections in Alimosho, she said:
“The people of Alimosho are sick and tired of poor political representation at the Lagos State House of Assembly. They are tired of distant and unknown representatives who come with fake promises in their gigantic billboards, piggybacking on the name of the big parties and masquerading as men of the people.”
Mrs. Adebowale (AIA) has been active in politics for more than six years. She is the only woman running for the Alimosho Constituency 2 representative position in the Lagos State House of Assembly. Her aspirations for leadership are influenced by her principles of integrity, caring, and teamwork.
Political Agenda
She considers the family the most crucial element in achieving healthy political development, and the family is the cornerstone of her strategy. Her political agenda goes beyond the family to address the community's needs, environment, human rights, and public morality.
AIA says, “When the family is good, the community will be peaceful, and when the community is peaceful, the society will develop.”
Her political agenda can be summarized in the points below:
- Prioritizing women's and children’s empowerment as they are essential to the health of the family.
- Actively collaborating with important stakeholders to provide children with essential learning kits and improve their access to medical care.
- Creating a multi-purpose family center where men and women can go for free counseling, emotional therapy, wellness, and health instruction, etc.
- Creating a mentoring system for youth that pairs them with professionals from various industries in the nation based on their unique interests with the goal of imparting moral principles and raising their awareness of becoming responsible citizens.
- Taking care of the environment through a methodical procedure that involves community awareness, ensuring government commitment to environmental sustainability, mobilizing corporate assistance, and starting a legal foundation for ethical, environmental behavior.
In the upcoming election
In anticipation of the upcoming election, Mrs. Adebowale (AIA) had this to say:
“My willingness to serve and my strife and love for equity, justice, and progress is motivated by my desire and passion for seeing a better society where everyone is happy.”
AIA’s political mission is to pursue a strategic goal of transformative lawmaking and political representation that contributes to achieving peace, equity, and progress.
