Dr. Theresia Bilola is among the new entrants to Finnish politics but she is not new to contextualizing international sustainability policies aimed at making the world a better place. The 2019 AfroFinns Achievement Awards winner in the category of Academic Achievement is one candidate that’s ready to turn the tide around in Turku where she’s residing.
1. Please introduce yourself to our readers?
It sometimes feels ‘weird’ to talk about myself as I prefer to be modest but let me give it my best shot. Firstly, thank you Diaspora Glitz magazine for this privilege to be heard. Thank you for all that you do to write our stories from our own experiences and perspectives.
My name is Theresia Bilola (Dr). I am a Cameroonian born Finnish citizen and resident in Turku. I have lived in Finland for close to 15years. I am a sustainability policy specialist/researcher. I analyse, interpret and contextualize international sustainability policies for national, local and individual levels of implementation. I hold a Doctoral degree in Social Sciences (focus Strategy formulation and implementation) from the University of Turku, Finland. I hold a Masters degree in Administrative Sciences from the European Masters in higher education sponsored by the European Commission. I also hold a BSc (Hons) in political science and public administration from the University of Buea, Cameroon. I am a mother, wife, mentor and socio-political change maker. I am an everyday resident who believes that residents can do more if they are heard and seen more.
I am running for the 2021 municipal elections with the Green party in Turku.
2. What triggered your pursuit of a career in politics?
I always say politics found me. I was an everyday citizen doing my part to effect positive change through my formal work and then my everyday life and I got noticed. But, even as a researcher, I have always had a desire to not only conduct research for policy but also be able to see and affect the implementation. However, it never quite dawned on me that I could be active in politics besides voting and following the trends. Sometime in 2020, I was asked about running for the Green party in the municipal elections 2021. To quote some of the content of the correspondence “….We have heard about your work (at the city of Turku central administration) on climate action and sustainable development and I believe you can do a lot of good also in politics”. After some thought and getting to know more I accepted. I took the leap because I see an opportunity to make an even greater impact and to provide a louder voice for the everyday resident in the policies that are pursued in the city and which affect our daily lives.
3. What did you see in The Greens that made you pitch your tent with the party?
The first thing that associates me to the Green party is the work and awareness I have been involved in during the past 3-4years. I have been involved in climate action, sustainability policies and the Sustainable Development Goals. Also, the Green party is international in most of the issues it addresses (e.g. sustainability, immigration, climate action, equal opportunities, education and multiculturalism). As an international, it was easy to understand and relate to such themes.
4. What do you cherish most about your community?
I love the safety and equality that this country offers. As a parent I am happy to be able to have affordable childcare and send my children to school on the bus knowing that they will come back safely. I also love the fact that nature is always near. I love nature walks and for all my time in Finland I have always been able to find beautiful walking trails even when I lived in the city centre!
In the immigrant community, I cherish the sense of community we share. Our resilience and hard work is commendable. We have amazing talents and skills and I am happy to see that we are increasingly putting out these skills and making positive in-roads into the Finnish society.
5. Help us understand the type of leader you will be by describing your two highest priorities for change in your community, in the short and long term?
I am a good listener. To be a voice for those who are usually not speaking, you need to be able to listen, not only with your ears but with your mind too. To be willing to understand not just what is said but where it is coming from. In the short term, I want the everyday resident to be seen more as an important stakeholder to any change that happens in society. I want the individual to be able to find their place in policies, especially those that support sustainable lifestyles. Individuals are not passive and reactive but proactive stakeholders.
My long term goal is to see the immigrant population’s involvement and active participation in decision-making to at least double the current figures.
Secondly to support multiculturalism, participation and integration. I want to push for a revision of the way integration is currently seen and implemented. Integration is not only learning the language and being able to find work. Even if it were limited to that, it has not worked in Finland as expected. In addition to learning the language, there is a need for opportunities for cross-cultural communication. Successful integration involves a two-way process of unprejudiced openness to understanding the background of the new-comer and the new-comer also understanding the receiving society.
6. What is your perspective on the best ways to collaborate with other levels of government to ensure a sustainable and prosperous future for your community?
Before I go into the answer for this question, let me explain the potential in cities. By 2050, approximately 70% of the world’s population will be living in cities as opposed to 55% today. The global urban population is nine times more than it was 100 years ago. Cities have been the centres of commerce, culture and innovation for many centuries and the origin of many transformative ideas. National and international policies cannot be implemented without cities and individuals. My standpoint is that the national government should invest more in initiatives that promote positive change at individual and local government levels. Success at these levels is implicitly success in national policies as the decisions that are made by the national government only become tangible at these lower but indispensable levels.
7. Couple of years now, no Cameroonian in Finland has been on the spotlight politically, do you see yourself as the one to change the narrative?
As far as I know, there have been a couple of Cameroonians running for municipal elections in other municipalities in South-West Finland. At the national level I am not sure how many Cameroonians have been in Finnish politics or will be in the forthcoming elections. The Cameroonian community in Finland is quite interconnected so if I cannot think of a good number it means that ‘we’ have not been significantly active in politics in Finland.
The low participation of immigrants is one underlying reason for my going along this path. The proportion of Cameroonians with skills and potential to make a positive impact is way more than the number of those actively involved in affairs and politics of this country. I see myself as an agent of change, to show that this is possible and also to rewrite the ‘coming to benefit only’ story that is frequently tied to every immigrant in their receiving society. Cameroonians and other immigrants have a lot to give, to build and preserve this society if they are given the relevant opportunities and possibilities.
8. Any message for the voters from the immigrant background?
Home is not only where you were born. Home is where you call home and it is a duty to be part of and contribute to the place you call home. If you have not been interested in Finnish politics and societal issues, it is time to get involved. If you do not look for information and know what is required of you, you will not know how to influence political processes. It is through these processes that the decisions that affect you are made. It is not by complaining in your corners that your voice will be heard. If you do not vote, the decisions will still be made, but will the decisions speak for you? Go out and vote for the change that you want to see. The best way to predict your future is to create one. Know your rights and take your responsibilities too. How we act/vote now will determine our future. The municipal elections 2021 is an opportunity to create this future starting from the next 4 years.
Be informed! Be Involved! You have a role!
