On January 18, one of Nigeria’s women in contemporary politics, Princess Aderenle Adeniran Ogunsanya, quietly and simply turned 70. The unassuming, humble, humane and largely unsung patriot, like her late father, given the state affairs in the country, deliberately stayed away from Nigeria and public glare to avoid the usual jamboree that attends such events. Despite her absence, family, friends and several members of her political group thronged her Victoria Island and Ikorodu, Lagos homes to pay homage to her in her absentia, promising to properly celebrate her whenever she returns home. Aderenle has aptly demonstrated that even as a woman, her father’s shoes have not been too large to fit for her, having distinguished herself not just as a politician, but also as a diligent, professional technocrat. She was Secretary to the Lagos State Government (SSG) from 2007 to 2011 during the administration of Babatunde Fashola, during which she was respected and loved by civil servants and politicians alike; hence the adoration she continues to enjoy from both sectors long after she left the office.

Source: The Guardian January 27, 2018 03:56 UTC