Lady Gloria Ekanem Ene is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ganen Catering/Conference Services. Ekanem worked with FESTAC when she came back to Nigeria from France where she read bilingual studies. She was the first bilingual secretary to work with ECOWAS’ first executive secretary. In 1993 ECOWAS moved to Abuja and during that period she enrolled into the University of Abuja where she graduated with a B.Sc in Sociology in 2002. She was also transferred to the conference department at ECOWAS within that period where she worked until her retirement in 2006. Currently, she does catering services to keep life going. In this chat with ENE OSANG, she laments the poor condition of pensioners in Nigeria, expressing hope that things will get better as obtainable in the Western world.
What have you been doing since your retirement?
I belong to some associations and bodies that we meet every now and then to rub minds. I have passion for cooking so I have been doing outdoor catering since 2007 and I see myself expanding, so I am comfortable with that.
Do you think those who have retired like you are enjoying their retirement?
I don’t think the life of retirees in Nigeria is anything to write home about. This is because these days you have to go and queue to collect your pension and some people even die in this process.
I worked with an international organization so when I retired they paid me my gratuity and at least today I can boast of a roof over my head, how many retirees in Nigeria are happy today?
Who should take the blame for the suffering of pensioners in Nigeria?
It is the government because a retiree will want to be well off, like is the case abroad; when you retire the government will start taking care of you even the society takes care of you. For instance, when you enter public transport over there and they see you are an elderly person, you don’t even pay and they will give you seat immediately.
They also have the senior citizens club that in the mornings you go there and relate with your mates and they give you food.
Some others go to Bible school and other activities that keep you busy and make you forget about your worries, yet every month their pension is paid into their accounts without them queuing up.
Why do you think Nigeria cannot care for pensioners like the countries you just explained?
Nigeria is a developing nation and with time and good governance we will get there. The introduction of the Pension Commission (PenCom), and the mandate that every office should have pension account for their workers, is a good move but what about the small companies that do not even pay tax?
What have you achieved in life?
My happiness and contentment is my greatest achievements you know, when you are happy and contented in life you don’t do something because everybody is doing so. I live a simple and happy life and for me that is a big achievement. As a retiree from ECOWAS, I don’t even have access to free medical service from them because everything was paid in my gratuity, but that is still good.
Where do you see yourself in the next five years in the catering business?
Many people have said they like my meal and would like to come eat in my restaurant, but I don’t have any restaurant. I do not like stress or anything that would take my breath so I cook for events just so I won’t be idle. I have two children and one just graduated from Columbian university, the other one also has graduated and is working now. I am a single parent.
Do you face any discrimination being a single parent considering this is not fully supported here?
For me, I have no problems or any discrimination because I have confidence in myself and except you look down on yourself then people will also look down on you. I see myself as a career woman and I am grateful to God for that.
Do you have any regrets in life?
I don’t have any regrets in life rather I am happy to be born into my family. For instance after the civil war, my father had some properties which he sold for me to go to France and continue my education. I went to pitchman’s college to continue my secretarial studies, and during holiday’s, I will go to France for my bilingual studies.
When I came back to Nigeria in 1973-74, I was already a bilingual secretary and I worked for the second world Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC), we were looking for black people all over the world to take over FESTAC but it didn’t work out so Just when FESTAC was folding up, ECOWAS came up and I was employed as the first bilingual secretary to work with ECOWAS first executive secretary.
In 1993 the ECOWAS management now moved me to conference where I worked and retired in 2006. During the period of 1993 that we moved to Abuja, I enrolled into the University of Abuja for a B.sc in Sociology.
How would you assess Nigeria career women?
They are hard-working and I feel women shouldn’t give up on themselves in getting to the top. I have confidence in myself, when I was with ECOWAS, I worked with 15 ECOWAS heads of state, and that built up my confidence. Most career women in Nigeria are hard-working and I know they are going places; they should not give up because the terrain is not very easy.
What is your take on the controversial clause in the constitution which supports child marriage?
I think it is not fair to allow children get married at the early stage of their lives. This is rampant in the north because I don’t often see parents from the south give out their children for marriage before 18 years.
What will you say about the current education system in Nigeria?
Today in Nigeria, the rich send their children to schools abroad; why is that so? If our education system is good, nobody would want to send their children out.
Universities are always on strike and that is why we have many private universities. I also think the private universities are trying with meeting up to standards why are parents still sending their children abroad? We need to look into the education system.
Do you think that girl-child education has improved from what it used to be?
Yes, I think girl-child education has improved. When you look around you will see that there are so many women in high places. We have so many female ministers, professionals, etc.
Secondly, government is now trying to be more open on the issue of empowering women.
Do you think government has achieved 35 percent affirmative action for women?
I don’t think so, government has tried but they have to push it up a little.
Would you honour government’s appointment if you are called upon today?
If it is not tasking I might, because I am a senior citizen now. I will be 67 by November if it is a board appointment why not? But giving me appointment that will make me start rushing up and down is not the best so I might not want that. In order to live long, I prefer to do things at my own pace now.
How do you relax?
On Sundays I go swimming, other days I do take a walk around in the evenings. I also stroll out with friends, and travel sometimes. I am really enjoying my retirement.
What are your hobbies?
I like reading and listening to gospel music a lot.
