In honor of international women’s day.
I will not like to follow the usual cliché of acknowledging notable names.
I will like to start my own trend and pay homage to an unsung hero who recently died during the pandemic.
Maurine was one of the deaths that really got to me, and made me question life ,as she was a present factor in my life during my political career and after.
Maurine was a west African woman who live and breathed local politics.
She’ll be the first person at the meeting and the last person to leave.
I remember meeting her during one of the first political meetings that I attended in my ward. I was nervous ,but she took me to the side and reassured me ‘you’re a youth this is your time don’t waste it with nerves’.
What touched me only a mother or sister would talk direct to you like that.
And sometimes in life you need a bit of tough love , and from then our friendship was born.
The other thing I admired about her was she was always full of energy.
It was as if she slept on a pillow of cocoa butter she didn’t look her age.
But beneath her permanent grin.
It came across to me she was lonely and coming to political meetings filled up that void in her life.
Which is why I’m happy that politics provided her that relief.
But the day my respect for her shot up was when there was a long area meeting.
She went to another room full of her delicious homemade delicacies that could put Starbucks to shame.
And when I mean goods I mean puff puff,chin chin,blueberry muffins and meat pies.
The full works.
She distributed them during the meeting, and refused help dishing them out.
What I found sad.
She meant a lot to many people, and I don’t think there will be another political volunteer like her again.
You don’t have to be an elected official to care about political issues and she truly embodied that.
And you know I can’t do international woman day piece without acknowledging my mum.
The only queen in my life who has made me who I am today.
She truly just like Maurine is a strong self-assured but most importantly kind woman.
I remember when I was in high school.
And my parents used our house to host the politicians and volunteers for the London Mayor Elections.
She single-handley cooked a lavish feast accompanied with fresh juices , and even left the house to get more ingredients when they ran out.
And started again from scratch with the cooking process.
And guess what she never took no money for the food or venue hire.
Or wanted an article of her in the press.
She just wanted Labour party to be comfortable and the former Mayor Of London to be refreshed.
That again is the type of human being that produced me.
And is one of the qualities I cherish and respect her for.