I love putting smiles on people’s faces - Comrade Folashade

Comrade Folashade Ogunjobi Ukandu is one of the numerous ladies endowed with the gift of physical attraction on first look.

No hale man will see this charming lady and never look again no matter how born again you are. She has a charming and inviting look.

There is flow of human milk in her.

One unique thing about this female comrade is that she usually exudes happiness and often found socialising with all. She is a friend of all.

This egalitarian lady hardly gets unruffled even under pressure.

In this chat, Shade, the female representative of dockworkers in Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), said her hobby is giving to people no matter how little it might be.

Enjoy the piece.

My name is Comrade Folashade Ogunjobi Ukandu.

My favourite colour is white.

I was very young when I noticed I loved white colour, it makes me look unique and beautiful; that’s what I believe.

What’s your favourite food?

I love eating Amala and vegetables because amala “dudu” (yam flour) digests easily when taken with vegetable soup. And it is a local delicacy that I like eating so much.

How do you relax?

I relax by watching TV series or sleeping on my bed. But if I have money, I do like going to the beach. I love dancing or cooking

Which sport do you like?

I do watch football sometimes.

Where are you from?

I am from Oyo State, precisely, from Iseyin town but my husband is an Igbo man from Abia state.

Why did you marry an Igbo man? Was it because of his money?

Not at all. I didn’t marry him because of money. I married him based of the love I have for him. Besides, my husband was not a rich man during our courtship.

Your academic qualifications?

I had my primary and secondary schools in Oyo state and my Diploma in Catering and Hotel Management.

When did you join MWUN?

I joined Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria in 2002 as a clerical officer until 2017 when I was elected as a Female Representative of Dockworkers Branch. I was so happy because I didn’t believe it could happen and I really appreciate my boss and father, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju for his support during the period of the election. May God continue to strengthen and bless him.

How did you get into the employ of MWUN?

It was a long story and sweet memories too. It happened that I was a receptionist in an hotel in Apapa. There, I noticed a guest who was always very generous to all the staff of the hotel to the extent that if you were on night duty and you were supposed to go to your house the next morning, my brother no one was going home. We were going to wait until the man gave us money. Also, whenever he came, there would be crowd and many visitors. I always asked myself who are these people but I didn’t still know them so, I decided to face my work. My own was to attend to them whenever they needed my services as a receptionist. So, it happened that the management of the hotel did sack the workers almost every week. So, it happened they sacked a close colleague of mine and I was very sad; then I said to myself that it was an indication that I could be sacked anytime. Then I resigned. The management was very surprised. After that, the guy said Shade, let’s go and meet that man maybe he can help us for a job. I didn’t answer him not until one day the guy came to my house and said he had gotten a job through that man that always lodged in the hotel where we were before and I said who? He said the guy that always dashed us our salary because he did dash us more than our salary then. And we went together to dockworkers branch but we did not meet him. So, I went there on my own till the day I met him. Being a kind man, he quickly recognized me, welcomed me and asked me what the problem was and I narrated my story to him that I was looking for a job; he offered me job, which I started the day I met him. He was such a nice man. I don’t even know how to qualify him with. My gratitude goes to God, “oga” Tony and Baba Adeyanju for making me who I am today in maritime industry. I will forever remain grateful for all what they have done for me.

How did you meet your husband?

How I met my husband was just a miracle. There was a program that was organized by the Nigerian Labour Congress, it was an annual program where MWUN usually nominates about two persons from each branch. Then, it was the branch special female that was nominated but she was not available at that time and the PG whom I call my father, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju had to replace her name with mine to represent the branch at the NLC program in Uyo. It was a weeklong program. There, I met the man I later got married to. I met him on the last day of the program after issuing us with our certificates of participation.

I saw someone walked up to me and asked me few questions; we exchanged contacts and from there, we started our relationship which culminated into exchanging marital vows. We met in 2010 and got married in 2013.

What are the things that you love doing that give you joy naturally?

I really love giving. I love to put smiles on someone’s face. It gives me joy. It may be small but I always just love to render help.