Ms Olabisi Sonusi, Sector Public Education Officer of the Federal Road
Safety Commission, Lagos Sate, tells ‘Nonye Ben-Nwankwo about her career
and other sundry issues
Was it by choice or design that you ended up being in the paramilitary
service?
While growing up, I never thought I was going to work in an office where
I would wear uniform. But I know I liked making friends and meeting people.
Joining the paramilitary never crossed my mind.
So why did you join the Federal Road Safety Commission eventually?
Back then in 1992, I just finished my Diploma in Data Processing. One of
my aunties suggested that I should join the FRSC. That was how it happened.
Over the years, I have grown to love the job. I enjoy what we do.
How has it been all this while?
When I joined FRSC, I was in the licencing section. I wasn’t going on
patrol. We weren’t exposed to patrol. It made the job so comfortable for us. We
would come in the morning and go in the evening. It was just like a routine. I
didn’t see it as challenging. But when the section was upgraded, it was no
longer as simple. But that was when all the years of experience began to pay
off.
So were you ever posted on patrol duty since you joined the commission?
Back then, I was in the junior rank. In the course of my job, I went
back to school and I was elevated to the officers’ cadre. I had to leave the
licencing department and I was posted to the field. I became a patrol person
and later a patrol leader. I had to be in charge of the men and women that were
in my team.
Was it easy to work with men under you?
Once you are moving to the next cadre, you undergo training. In the
course of the training, you forget you are a male or female. Don’t forget that
in military and paramilitary, there is no female, we are all regarded as men.
So there is no reason for you to feel inferior or feel anyhow because you are a
woman. From the beginning, you are being taught to be a man. You must take
charge. Having men or women working with me has not been an issue as I am an
officer. Every officer takes charge irrespective of the gender.
Could it be why so many people feel that female officers are so tough?
Most of the time, naturally, we have it at the back of our minds that if
we are not thorough and tough, men will not respect us. They are ready to tell
you, ‘go and sit down, you are a woman.’ Some will even ask you why you should
order them. That is why people fear us when we are on the road than the men.
They feel that the men ‘understand’ themselves and a woman would just want to
show herself. But that is not the case really. It doesn’t have anything to do
with being a woman or a man. It is just that we have to enforce the law. We
don’t look at people’s faces. If we go on patrol and we don’t do serious and
thorough job, then it is just like entertainment. We always have that at the
back of our minds. You just don’t have to show sympathy to somebody who has
done something wrong traffic-wise just because you are a woman. That person may
end up killing my family. I must be thorough and I must be firm. But I must be
friendly at every point in time.
Are there occasions that men who broke the law tried to undermine your
authority just because you are a woman?
I have had instances like that but I insisted that I must enforce the
law. I don’t even need to shout or scream. I am always cautious and firm and I
explain to the person why I must book him or give him a ticket. So many people
have erroneous impression about women. Take for instance, if somebody is
driving immaturely on the road, even without seeing the driver, somebody will
just assume and say, ‘na woman dey drive.’ I have been driving for a
long time and I know my colleagues ask me who taught me how to drive. Even the
men are scared when I handle the steering. But now, people have started
respecting women.
Are you proud of your uniform? Some people usually wear mufti and change
into the uniform when they get to the office…
I am proud of my uniform. When I wear it, people respect me. Don’t
forget that I do road shows. It is part of my job. When you meet motorists in
the course of the road shows and give them flyers, most of them pull over and
want you to educate them more. You tell them why they shouldn’t make phone
calls while driving and why they shouldn’t carry an underage child in the front
of the car. People would want to listen to you especially when you have something
that can add value to their lives. The uniform has made me to gain respect.
It is usually believed that any woman that gets to the top of her career
used ‘bottom power;’ how true is this?
Well, I have to speak for myself, I don’t know about other women. I have
spent well over 20 years in the FRSC. I can stand tall and say whoever slept
with me even when I was unmarried till now that I have three kids should come
out and say it. I had a principle when I joined the commission. Then, I would
tell any man who wanted to go out with me to build a mansion for me and a fat
bank account before I could consider him. That was my defence. I knew then that
my job would sustain me, so why would I mess myself up? I always had it at the
back of my mind that if I got it right or wrong, it’s me. If anybody would make
a reference, that person would use me. He would tell the whole world how he
made me because he slept with me. I didn’t sleep my way to this position. It
was just God and my diligence to my duties that brought me to this level.
Most men are usually sceptical about marrying a woman in the military
and paramilitary…
My husband met me on the job. Remember I said I started this job in the
90s. He met me and married me while I was still here. There were clear indications
that this is a job I love and which should be respected. We had a common
understanding and it worked all the while. He didn’t try to stop me from the
job. He eventually joined the commission but later left when he got another
job.
How have you managed your job and the home front?
It hasn’t been easy especially when the kids were young. But my siblings
were very helpful. I am the first in the family and I was taking care of my
siblings. I had a very strong bond with my siblings. They helped me out when
the kids were growing up. My sisters-in- law used to come around as well.
Would you support any of your children to join the commission?
Oh yes I would. My kids are proud of me because they know what I do. I
do traffic report on radio every morning. I report for Ray Power in
English and I report in Yoruba for Faaji FM. My second child will remind
the last child that he shouldn’t talk while mummy is giving the report. I do
the report for Ray Power early in the morning, so they are usually around then.
Once I get the call, I tell them and they know it is absolute silence. At
times, my son will jokingly ask me , ‘mummy, how is Agege looking like this
morning?’ He is used to it. I have passion for this job. I go to parks and talk
to drivers. If any of my children has the passion to save lives, I wouldn’t
stop him or her.
Are there challenges that come with your job?
I don’t believe in challenges. I see every challenge as an opportunity.
When I was asked to do traffic report for Faaji FM in Yoruba, I told
them I might not be able to do it in Yoruba but I could do it very well in
pidgin. The presenter called me and told me I was going to do it in Yoruba. Ah!
It wasn’t easy. I know I ‘bastardised’ the language that day. But I told myself
I could do better. I had to research. I had to find out what ‘Expressway’ is
called in Yoruba. I know what ‘traffic’ is called in Yoruba. Now people ask me
how I am able to know the Yoruba version of every word. I don’t see it as a
problem; I see it that I must improve myself. I am now proactive. Every
challenge is an opportunity for you to develop so that people can learn from
you.
How was growing up?
It was good. My parents weren’t rich but we were comfortable. There was
a time things weren’t rosy. That was when I joined the commission. I was just
19 then. I was able to train my younger ones and they are proud of me. My
father would always tell us not to forget the children of whom we are. I always
had that at the back of my mind. I was always conscious of what I did and still
do. Whenever I want to go out of the line, I remember my name and I just come
back to my sense. My brother was travelling the other day and once his passport
was checked, the person asked him if he was related to the person that does
traffic report on the radio and he said I was his elder sister. The person
checking his passport was amazed and told him I do a great job. I had good
upbringing and I am passing that to my children.
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Society