By Ochonogor michelle & Angela Nkwocha

Recent administrations in the country have proved beyond doubts that if women are given the opportunity to hold offices in the public sector, they can indeed out-shine their male counterparts. It is no gainsaying then that several women are holding sway in different sectors of the Nigerian economy.

The public sector has had a fair share of such thoroughbred women who do not take their feminine nature as an opportunity to simply remain at the background.

One of such few women is the Senior Special Assistant to the Ondo State Governor on Direct Labour Chief (Mrs) Mobolaji Tunde-Suara. An amazon, and an inspiration to the womenfolk in the areas of service, humanity and leadership by virtue of her tenacity for details, resilience to withstand challenges, she has a strong character.

Born over four decades ago in Owo, Ondo State, young Mobolaji had her primary school education at Government Primary School, Owo before proceeding to St. Louis Secondary School, Owo for her secondary education. She graduated in 1983 as one of the best students in her set. In 1985, she got admitted into Ondo State Polytechnic, Owo, now known as Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, where she studied regional planning.

Chief Mobolaji Tunde - Suara

All through those years, Mobolaji’s academic brilliance was never in doubt. She graduated from the polytechnic in 1987 with a distinct academic record of upper credit, one of the best results of the graduating students of that year. She would later go back to the same polytechnic to bag a Higher National Diploma (HND) in town and regional planning graduating once again with upper credit.

After displaying her innate service trait in her service year at Ndokwa local government secretariat, Kwale, Delta State, Mobolaji was awarded the enviable NYSC State Honours Award in 1992. That was the first of several awards to come to this woman of substance.

In 2001, Mobolaji felt the impulse to further beef up her academic qualification and that moved her to seek admission into the Kaduna Polytechnic for a post graduate diploma (PGD) in urban and regional planning. Recognising the immediate need for proper planning in her state of origin, Ondo, Mobolaji sat for the professional TOPREC examination to become a Registered Town Planner (RTP).

Between 1988 and 2006, she worked at the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Abuja, as a regional town planner where she distinguished herself as a seasoned professional and leader par excellence. At the inception of Dr. Mimiko’s administration in Ondo State, the governor sought the best hands to help reposition the state.

Chief (Mrs.) Tunde-Suara was made a member of Akure Beautification Committee and member, Committee on Policy Formulation on Physical Planning and Urban Development in the state.

Thereafter, she was appointed Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Direct Labour. To the credit, of this amazon of change and development, and courtesy of Dr. Mimiko and the people of Ondo, the state’s major towns are now wearing a new look on account of her planning acumen and tenacity for excellence. The neighbourhood markets, which have greatly impacted on the economy of the state and raised the business standard of market women in the state, is the brain child of this woman of excellence.

So also is the conceptualisation of the Akure Auto Mart which is acclaimed as one of the hallmarks of the Mimiko administration in the on-going socio-economic engineering of the state. At a public function recently, Mimiko assessed Mobolaji’s personality thus: “She is a dependable team player as she is a combination of competence and integrity. So far, she has been amazingly productive”.