Councillor Kate Anolue

hen Canadian based Amechi Ezeasor informed me some months ago that his sister is a Labour - the ruling party - elected councillor in Enfield Borough of North London, the only notable thing he added was that she's also a lawyer. That made me, for no apparent reason, to form an imaginary image of some grey haired sluggish politician. And I thought I was right when my first call to her house was answered by a deep baritone male voice, Amaechi, one of her two sons. After a couple of more calls, I realised that image needed to be discarded as I listened to what sounded more like an exuberant woman caller than my initial wild guess.

Probably, I'm not the only one who's shooting wide as being: "Positive" in some Western societies like London is used loosely. In many cases, it could mean that your days are numbered, as its a confirmation that you have HIV. But in real terms, being positive is:" Grabbing life by the throat and going for gold," as she did, when after a little over 13 years of marriage, she lost her husband, IfeanyiChukwu Anolue in 1985 and was left with four kids. If you ever doubted what being positive - without the HIV virus-is all about, then read this.

So, "What do you want to know about me?" she asked minutes after arriving in her house, where she's both called "Councillor mum, and sometimes, just mum, by the team of four. "Everything ," was my quick response. After what seemed like a long, but deliberate silence, she replied:"My name is Kate Anolue."

But that couldn't be all that brought me here, I muttered to myself. Anyone logging on to Enfield Borough website would have known that you're the representative of the lower Edmonton ward. There was no need to remind her to keep going before adding that:"I came to England in May 1971 to join my husband, who I lost tragically after 13 years of marriage in 1985 and was left a widow with four children within the age of 13 years and 18 months."

I said the anniversary of her arrival in the UK is due and that was when she told me:"Yes, its a long time, but I can assure you it wasn't my intention to be here till now."

What do you mean? How long did you plan to stay?

"Well, when my husband was alive, it was always our intention to go back to Nigeria and obviously, man proposes, but God disposses.So it didn't work out."

But do you still have the intention of going back?

"Yes, I do. I don't know when, but will definitely do that. I frequent the country and my kids are shown their roots and where they belong. They also go home often as well."

But they're no longer kids, I reminded her.

"That's right, Tunde. They've grown now, two boys and two girls Ndidi, Amaechi, Chukwuma and Chinelo." With delight, she said:"My daughter, the eldest is a law graduate, working as a contract manager, while the next graduated as an artist. With the exception of the last girl, 19, who's in her second year at the Uni, the last time someone wore an academic gown in her house was last year, when her 23-year old second son became a graduate of Economics and Business." One may understand why she sometimes refers to them as my kids because Chinelo was only 18 months when her mum was left a widow. "She's 19 now and has completed her first year at Kingston University, studying IT and Media," she added.

This isn't psychophancy or flattery, but how were you able to raise the four of them alone?

"I don't know," she said in her usual buzzing and confident self."I think its determination. I'm a very determined person and fortunately, I'm also blessed with good health. Not only did I keep my job as a professional midwife, I had understanding people at work and they really helped me emotionally. I think the people you work with could make life easy and could as well make it hell, but in my case, it was the former." Continuing:"I have the greatest respect for my office, the North Middlesex Hospital. I will say that I owe my success to them."

It was there that her career started,"I trained there and I've never left for anywhere since being enrolled there for my three year training as a staff nurse on May 2nd, 1972 and the subsequent progression to another 18 months required for qualification as a midwife."

She was quick to add that:"When I qualified as a staff nurse, I worked for a year before doing my midwifery training."

You must have seen many babies in your working life to fill a town. Her response,"Yes," was inevitable."I've been working as a midwife since 1977," before being appointed to perform the same role in the community. "As a Community midwife-since 1984-I spend more than 75 per cent of my time in the community." This range from:"Delivering babies at home " to offering both ante and post natal services to women in the comfort of their homes."

But how did you get into nursing itself? "My father had always wanted me to be a nurse, but we believe that when you train as a teacher you get more education, so I started life training as a teacher in Akwanga, near the then Plateau Province before the Civil War. Immediately after the War, I had to finish in the East before coming to join my late husband in London." The switch from the classroom to hospital ward, she revealed, was due to a compromise between her father, Chief Fidelis Ezeasor and her late husband. "Since it was his wish that I become a nursing sister, my late husband had to agree with my father that I must be allowed to do nursing."

But with hindsight, how would you judge your professional life? "I'll probably say I've fared well, but would have preferred to have had more education. I think I'm more of an academician and would have done better in law." Knowing and wishing to be something is entirely different from going for it, but Cllr Anolue opted for the latter option by enrolling for a law degree. Explaining her reason for that:"Naturally, I'm someone who can hold a conversation and beyond that, I always want to win." To her, being a lawyer is like an obsession, "I actually wanted my daughter and my younger brother to study law." Although the two eventually studied it, but on a personal note, she said:"Achieving a law degree is something I'm really happy about," despite the four children and her full time job.

The five-year programme at the University of North London started in September '1992, was completed in June 1997, but "It was hectic," she admitted. Though, it was meant to be two evenings of three hour lectures per week, "And friday being my normal day off at work, I went for lectures as well. I spent the extra time studying with friends. I'm someone who believes in teamwork."

But how did you combine being a midwife by day and a law student by night with motherhood? "My lecturers couldn't believe it," she replied."I think everybody was amazed how I could put on one hat to do legal studies in the evening and later remove same the next morning and vice versa, to look after women pushing babies. But I think I can switch off quite easily and concentrate on a subject and when I decide that has to stop, I can switch to another." During that period, she remembers:"The boot of my car was my library as well as my wardrobe."

So, how many clothes were you storing there? Although she gave no numbers, but it was obvious the boot was a convertible mobile home for the period, containing the unusual mix of legal books and texts on getting babies out of the birth canal. The latter, she revealed, sometimes takes more than the official working hours, but:"I'm not harassed at all," she told me.

"I love dealing in babies and if they're taking part of my time, it's always nice to remember you're bringing new life to the world." She also disclosed that:"None of the nurses or midwives really works the mandatory 37.5 hours. We end up doing over 40 hours per week."

Okay, how did you get yourself into politics? "I think my being a Community midwife has not only made me more assertive, studying law has also contributed in my being an extremely positive person." Apart from knowing the art of holding conversations and arguing, "I know how to sympathise and empathise with people and I've also got consideration for the way people are living." Furthermore, "I also noticed that some people speak for others and I've seen a lot of things that could be addressed by people like me while visiting mothers in their homes." Issues like: poverty, deprivation, health and others, formed her decision to be a Labour politician. "There's no other way to be a spokesperson for these people other than engaging myself in an area one can help and I think the only place one can help is in politics."

This unusual step, she disclosed, received the blessing of her children who urged her:"Go on, mummy." They didn't just do it for some blind loyalty, but:"They've seen me come from nothing to achieve a lot and they didn't think that would be too difficult for me." However, not everyone who knew her intention gave her the green light."A lot of my friends, especially the blacks and those from other ethnic minorities said I shouldn't bother myself. They argued that it isn't our place and why bother yourself?"

Agreed, "But when we compare the life I've lived here with that of Nigeria, I've spent more of my life here and will definitely continue to do so. I only go home once a year, spending a maximum of three weeks, so where else could I help the community, if not here? I've been supported a lot during the loss of my husband and I know what help I got from the Council. They held my hands at that time and I can only show my appreciation by helping others as their representative." This, she told me, informed her choice of launching a political career."I've gone into politics to work with the community, to be their eyes, their ears and their spokesperson. I may not be able to achieve much, but I'm there to raise their concerns."

Its a little over a year since she assumed office, how does she rate herself? Her cool response was:"I may not be able to say I've achieved much, but I've been in contact with the Community. I've been working together with them and have also shown that I appreciate being elected and moreover, that they've elected the right person. I raise their concerns to the Council and also being positive about the way I work."

This means, there's no typical day for her:"Everyday is different. I start work at 8.30am and one would have made some arrangements for ante natal check ups with expectant mothers, but you can't set a finishing time. My next visit could be to a newly discharged mother and I sort of, have some of my lunch on the road and if there's a Council meeting, that starts around 7.30pm.Its the time between when I close and the meeting that I get a proper meal."

To young parents raising their kids and still pursuing their careers, "I think one important thing is to be positive about yourself and also be confident. You must know exactly what you want and be prepared to guard your children at the same time." One shouldn't suffer because of the other, she warns. "You have to be prepared to do both together. Its extremely important. I brought up the four kids myself."

Its always a joggling act and for her, the children had reached a point she felt was safe before going in pursuit of a law degree."I didn't go back to school until 1992, for that was when I felt if I didn't give the children the full attention as I used to, I've brought them to the stage where they understand what education is." Prior to that, "I didn't miss any of the parents' evenings in their schools," that's extremely important, she added.

But, "You must not only provide them with food, you must also go to the place where they most of their time. That is being interested in what they do," she argued. "I made sure I was there to discuss things with their teachers and also attended other social activities they had." Despite spending over 30 years in the United kingdom, the home link is still vital."Inasmuch as I'm in England, where things are comparatively rosy, I felt there was something missing if I didn't connect with my root and its also important for my children to have a link. There're times you feel you want to chill out and you need a change." That, for her means:" Nigeria, and when my husband was alive, its a thing we 've always agreed, hence I had to take his body home, for that is where we belong."

Even if he's no longer there, Cllr. Kate still follows the blueprint the two agreed before his death. "We decided also that the children have to school at home, hence after Ndidi's A/level, she spent two and a half years in a Nigerian university, while Amaechi had a six year stint at home for his secondary education." One could understand why she could sit back confidently, only sipping tea from her mug at regular intervals. Apart from ensuring her children know their origin, "They make their choice" in other areas. But, "I've sort of set the tool for them to do that and for me, its been beneficial."

The diversity of England, she said, "Makes it more important that children know where they belong," and:"If other cultures are learning about our culture, why should our children miss out?", she asked. Doing this, means:"You're giving them informed choice, you cannot deny them of that and its important to let them know their root."

Giving herself a pass mark, "I'm extremely happy that despite losing their dad at that early stage, I could still do that. We talk about Nigeria a lot, cook Nigerian food, but they're not forced to eat it. They eat what they like," whether it's a delicacy from her Nanta town in Agwanta division of Anambra or a more geographically spread egusi soup, you're most likely to find one in her freezer if you're invited for lunch.