Mojisola Alli Macaulay started as a broadcaster and enjoyed the experience for 17 years. She moved on to join politics in her constituency as a councillor and today she is a member of the State House of Assembly. In this interview with Yetunde Oladeinde, she talks about her experience working with women and youths, a recent motion on cervical cancer, sex offenders register, memorable moments and more. What has been your achievements in the past two years as a lawmaker? We have achieved so much in the past few years that we cannot exhaust it all here. We have sponsored and co-sponsored quite a number of bills and prominent amongst them are the Call for Prosecution of Perpetrators of Indiscriminate Refuse Dumping across the State. (2019), Fatal Gas Explosion at Abule-Ado, Festac Town, Amuwo/Odofin. (2020), Call on the State Government to Regulate the Standard Operating Procedure in Administration of Road Projects in the State. (2019) and a bill on the need to curb incidences of Rape, Defilement of Minors and other Sexual Abuses in Lagos State (2020) just to mention a few. Also, in terms of empowerment programs at different levels targeted at the different demography of Amuwo Odofin Constituency 1 such as youths, children, women, and even men. We’ve been able to carry out numerous empowerment programs with over 5000 beneficiaries from such and some of these includes Employment assistance, distribution of over 100 Jamb forms, distribution of over 100,000 writing materials to secondary schools in Amuwo Odofin constituency 1, support for various unions, interest groups and institutions in the community. Parley with artisans, skill acquisition programs for residents, modern empowerment for men, women and youths among others. In terms of projects carried out and facilitated, we’ve been able to embark on some projects and facilitated some. Some of these projects have been done completely while some are in the pipeline and will be delivered soon enough. Some of the projects embarked upon include Supply of 25 personal computers to Festac Girls Junior Secondary School; another is in the pipeline for another school, construction of four boreholes in different strategic locations and repair of some dilapidated boreholes. I also facilitated the repair and construction of roads in the constituency as well as drainage repair and clearing. Of course there are quite a lot more projects and programs to be facilitated and the process of getting that done has commenced and they surely will be delivered soon enough. What motivated you to join politics and what has been your experience? For me, it’s just service to humanity that propels me all the time. I understand the language of humanity and because I’m a Muslim, Allah also likes that when you have the opportunity to help people, you do your best to help them. I know how many calls I receive on a daily basis and how many people’s lives I touch on daily basis that for me is joy in itself. It gladdens my heart. For every good deed, there’s a reward both here on earth and in the hereafter according to the Holy Quran. So, these are what motivates me to do the things I do. The words of Allah, they help me, they guide my thoughts. I have no regrets so far, if you ask me I will still do it again. So, for my antagonists, well, I wish them best of luck because I’m here to stay. The experience has been bittersweet. A good moment of course, you will enjoy the attention; you will have the opportunity of helping people, serving. I see people happy when I do things for them, women, children, adults, the elderly, widows, touching their lives in my own little capacity. I enjoy all of these moments, just giving back in my community where I grew up. Seeing that my dreams as a young girl came through as I’m also able to give back to that environment that moulded me to become what I am. But I must confess that it’s not all rosy as it may seem. Some people just want to deliberately pull you down because you’re smart intelligent, they just don’t like it. So you as the woman you’ve to brace up and put yourself together and make sure that you’re successful in the long run. With prayer and God on my side , I can’t have the good and not have the bad. So my advice to every woman out there is that you take it to your stride, and forge ahead. Those are the experiences and trust me it’s really not all rosy like I said. Tell us about your recent motion on cervical cancer, and the recent bill that was just accented Establishment of Sex offenders register to tackle gender based violence? Well, on that motion, we have started it, it’s in the pipeline. I’ve spoken to some people and we are already consulting with Dr Olaleye of the cervical cancer care at Surulere. We’ve gotten some facts and figures from you. We’re working on it, I’m currently doing my research on that but you know coincidentally it happened at the time of the budget season so we had to put it on hold but we’re working on it. First quarter of next year by the grace of God, we’ll do something about it. So now that we have the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team, we have that to the glory of God. I thank God that My name is also part of the people who brought that bill. What are some of the memorable moments in your life and career? So many memories! A lot of memories. Childbirth is a wonderful memory in any woman’s life going in and out of labour rooms, those are memories, and my wedding days are another memory. Memories of you know when I was young as a young lady, looking at the future, not knowing what it will give but still hopeful and working so hard. A lot of memories. Memories of how I started the journey into politics, people said we couldn’t do it and here we are, we thank God, we give God the glory for His never ending mercy. I love God so much, and He has never let me down, He gives me good memories and I hold them to my heart. The memory of winning my election, that one, I cannot forget it for the rest of my life. To the glory of Allah, I’m grateful and just grateful. I think at this point, I must say again, this memory couldn’t have happened, I’m talking about the victory without the support of the national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; my father, my mentor, my leader. He’s a great man; I want to thank him for also being a huge part of my success stories.