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| Funmi Wakama |
Arabirin Funmi Wakama, akowe iroyin fun gomina Ibikunle Amosun ti ipinle Ogun, pe eni aadota odun (50) lonii. A ba arabirin naa yo fun idasi ati oore ofe lati odo Olorun. Igba odun, odun kan ni.
E je ka ka iforowero ti arabirin naa se pelu iwe iroyin City People lodun to koja lati mo si i nipa re.
Beautiful, intelligent, stylish, proactive are words that best describe Funmi Wakama, the Chief Press Secretary to Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. With a vast experience that spans 23 years in broadcasting, the media expert who holds an exalted position as the first ever female Chief Press Secretary in Ogun State and Nigeria, is one of the great hands working with Gov. Amosun’s government.
Born in Lagos several years ago, Funmi started her career in journalism in the 80s, at the then Nigeria Television Authourity, Channel 7, Lagos and finally rose to the position of Manager News in NTA headquarters in Abuja. A graduate of Mass Communication from Ogun State now Moshood Abiola Polytecnic, she also attended Nigeria Institute of journalism and University of Abuja where she obtained Post Graduate Diploma in Journalism and Masters in Public Administration, respectively.
The stylish lady whose glamorous years in TV has paid off with her unique sense of fashion will be turning 50 next year but looking nothing close to that. Happily married with two boys, it was an elated Funmi who created time off her very busy schedule to talk about her life, career and job as the first female Chief Press Secretary, (CPS) to a governor in the state since it was created on February 3, 1976.
Congratulations. How do you feel about His Excellency’s victory at the polls?
Thanks for the felicitations and good wishes. I think his victory is undoubtedly, a reaffirmation of the people’s confidence in the administration of His Excellency, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. The good people of Ogun State spoke loud and clear with their votes by renewing his mandate, having kept his earlier pact with them. You should have been there to see the tumultuous crowd that greeted us wherever we went to campaign. I have never seen so much love displayed for one man.
The young, the old, women with babies on their backs, some pregnant. One woman with a few weeks’ old baby told us a day after the elections, that she went into labour at one of the campaign rallies and had brought her baby for Amosun to see. Such is the love for Mr Governor. We had completed campaigns in all our 236 wards and the extension offered us additional opportunities for roadshow and more vigorous campaign, we went round all 20 local government areas in the State. We met with all associations, groups and professional bodies.
The message was the same “Change in Abuja, but continuity in Ogun State” and that was exactly what we got. The victory of course is sweet and most rewarding. But he us told at the State Executive Council meeting, the Monday after the elections, that we shall not be resting on our oars, that the victory means more work and more sacrifice, adding that he cannot afford to let the people down. I wish to commend the electorate for their good conduct before, during and after the elections. They kept their promise and we shall keep ours. They can only expect better performance from such exemplary leadership.
How has it been working with Gov Amosun for three and a half years?
I thank God for the wonderful opportunity of working with the Governor, His Excellency, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, who in his quest to get the best hands to work with him, without any prior relationship, sought me out. It is actually less than two months shy of four years. How time flies! It is indeed a privilege to have passed through this ‘Political College’, under the leadership of His Excellency. I also thank him for the opportunity to serve my State, in this capacity.
Maybe you don’t know this; I am the first female Spokesperson or Chief Press Secretary as some would prefer to call it, in Ogun State and in the whole Country to a serving Governor. And that makes me feel so proud. To work with him, one must be full of energy and vitality and believe me when I say this; there are days when we are in the office till 1:00 am and sometimes beyond and I don’t mean receiving visitors at the Government house.
You must be on top of your game, because he does not suffer fools gladly. You must be full of energy like I said earlier and be ready to work.
He is a man driven solely by his passion to deliver the dividends of democracy to the good people of Ogun State. Let me mention here that in addition to appointing the first female spokesperson, I am his first appointee, because the Chief Press Secretary announces the other appointments.
On our first day at work, The Governor and his team from the Transition committee, inspected the entire secretariat. Yes, you need to know the Oke Mosan Secretariat to appreciate this.
As a TV gal, who had no knowledge of what I was in for, I was all dressed up and in a pair of Stiletto shoes, thinking it was going to be ‘all about Media Relations and Management’, don’t forget that I came in from a background of glitz and glamour, having worked in the Television Industry for twenty three years.
I have since found out that it is not a Tea party. That man is a workaholic and can kill! (Laughter). Like Albert Einstein said “ The only source of knowledge is experience”. I have had to do my job as Chief Press Secretary, sometimes do a bit of Protocol, security and mind reading ( Laughter). You must be able to think on your feet, and anticipate his moves ( which I call mind reading), really.
How did you react when he offered you the job?
Honestly, my first reaction was how did he know about me? I then called my husband to inform him. At the dinner table, we discussed it extensively, looking at the implication on the family and how I would cope since we had never lived apart. It was of course imperative for me to do a lot of research on him. I asked questions from those who should know and everyone kept saying “ oh, he is a very decent, hardworking professional, thorough , who is well focussed” and I have found all of that to be true. What they probably forgot to mention is that the man is a workaholic.
What were you doing before you took up the appointment?
I was the Media Manager, Programme and Outreach, International Republican Institute (IRI), an Agency under the United States Government (USG) USAID, programme, in Nigeria.
I took a leave of absence from the NTA, having served for over two decades and risen to the position of Manager News. I felt I needed to do something different. It was a delight to see President John Kuffour, a few weeks back. We brought him in for our Observer Mission Programme when I was in IRI.
I recall that the last but one IGP, Hafiz Ringim, used to refer to me as “Mrs John Kuffour”, in my effort to secure an appointment for a courtesy visit to him as the IGP. IRI was fun, it was another school of its own, having then spent 23 years in NTA.
It was a breath of fresh air! And my boss as well as my colleagues couldn’t fathom what it was I was going to do in a political environment. “People don’t leave USG agencies, once they are in. “You, that we know cannot survive in a political environment; you are too decent to want to join politics ,they said. But to the glory of God, four years down the line and the firm belief of my boss in me, I am still standing.
What lessons have you learnt on the job?
The lessons are too numerous to recount in just one lifetime ( laughter).The first thing I did was to shed the toga of being a celebrity and know that I was there to serve the good people of Ogun State. To project and promote the activities and image of my principal, His Excellency, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.
Two, know that I was and would be meeting with people of diverse background and exposure. It is a mixed bag really of the good, the bad and the ugly. Some, who used to admire one back in the days, would now want to lord things over you, because you are below them in the Organizational structure, or the mere fact of all being political appointees.
But for me, I have had more than my fair share of publicity and glamour that being in the background does not bother me a bit. In fact, I relish now being incognito but some “diehard fans still recognize me, squint and ask “Are you not so so and so? But for me and at all times, I look at the big picture and focus on my principal.
I remember why I had to leave my family behind in Abuja and live in Abeokuta. I think of the value addition to my CV and credentials if I am able to endure and breast the tape. I have also learnt that just as I was greatly once admired then on the tube, others would dislike me for no just cause. I make allowances for such people and still relate with them in the course of duty.
It’s just human nature! In addition, another challenge for me, is that unlike in the public service where I come from, there is hierarchy, line of communication and a chain of command. Here, things are a bit fluid. Add to that the fact that you weigh your thoughts properly before you speak. It is a political environment and you need to factor other considerations into the equation. I have also learnt how to manage my time, which is a scarce resource here.
HE could have as many as five, six or more assignments in one day and you need to decide on which ones to send for publication and which ones are non perishable such that they could be stepped down for another day. It is not as easy as it sounds.
Lets talk about Funmi Wakama. Who is she?
I was born Olufunmilayo Yetunde Coker in 1966 in Lagos. Do the Arithmetics, that means I will turn 50, next year. Olufunmilayo Yetunde Wakama, as she is now known, is a graduate of Mass Communication from the Ogun State (now Moshood Abiola) Polytechnic.
She also went through the portals of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos as well as the University of Abuja, obtaining respectively in these institutions; a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism and Masters in Public Administration.
I must mention that in my educational cap is a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Relations from the Business Education Examination Council, Lagos. Then known as Funmi Coker, my exceptional industry and dedication to duties did not go unnoticed both within and outside the NTA.
I won at different times, the Divisional Best Worker Award; Best Worker Award and the General Manager’s Commendation among others. In 1991, under the then Col. Raji Rasaki’s administration, I was appointed Member, Advisory Committee, Lagos State Government Commission on Women.
In addition to several awards and commendations in my kitty, is a special recognition by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) as a Special Celebrity Marshal, Woman of the Media by National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Female Leadership Forum and other awards too numerous to mention.
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