How I became the first female SRC president of GIJ – Fati Ali narrates

Already plagued by a recurrent family trend, especially for women, Fati Ali told herself that she would be different, although she wasn’t sure how that was going to happen.

The first female Students Representative Council (SRC) President of the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) recalled how, like all her older sisters, she was headed into marriage after senior high school, until her brother took a gamble on her life.

She became the first woman to advance to the university after SHS, but she needed to prove more than that and that was how, although unintended, she took a keen interest in student politics.

Speaking with the host of Say It Loud on GhanaWeb TV, Etsey Atisu, following her historic achievement, Fati Ali said in her early days at GIJ, she was a rather reserved person, but she never stopped observing things.

“When I came to GIJ, in the first two semesters, I was very quiet and not really involved in student politics, but I was observing and realized the students were losing faith in the SRC and that there were many things that needed to be corrected… I realized things were not the way they were supposed to be.

“So, I started championing, in my own corner, however I could help my colleagues – however I could help my colleagues and juniors, because I believe development is collective, so, if you sit in your corner and expect it to happen, it won’t,” she said.

Fati Ali said that her story, which inspires her, pushed her to offer help in whatever ways she could.

She told Etsey Atisu that while at that, she was unconsciously preparing herself for political office, albeit unintentionally. ‘

She also stated that her own story inspires her.

“My story inspires me that I’ve found a way to connect it to the GIJ story. That, regardless of my background, I persevered and I got here. In first year, an aspirant approached me to be his running mate but I wasn’t too sure, so, I backed off but I helped in my own way. And that was when I started understanding the eco system; understanding certain things, and I realized there was a lot to be done because the students had lost faith in the SRC.

“In democracy, every faction should have a voice, and in our case, the SRC, and if the students are losing interest, who is going to have the voice; who are you going to advocate for? I started helping in my own way, but still aiming for presidential portfolio was not in my mind. I didn’t even have the aim to contest for a portfolio, but I was just interested in helping… because I believe that you don’t need a portfolio to serve; you don’t need to have a title to lead or serve people,” she added.

Fati added that while the process was not easy, she was determined.

“But as the going got tough, I realised that sometimes, when you have the portfolio, it makes it easier to make certain conversations and negotiations. So, I made up my mind that let me contest for the presidency,” she added.

Watch the full interview on Say It Loud below:





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