Women leaders in Nigeria have urged fellow women to rise up and get involved in politics instead of just being singers and clappers behind men at campaign rallies, so as to make a difference in the society.
This was the consensus by some women, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, during the celebration of the 2022 International Women’s Day, organised by the Oyo State branch of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ).
At the event, which had the topic, Women’s Participation in Politics: 2023 in Focus, all the speakers unanimously agreed that it is high time women took the bull by the horns and participate actively in politics in order to secure the future of their children.
In her opening remarks, the Mother of the Day and former First Lady in Oyo State, Mrs Mutiat Ladoja, noted that women have what it takes to be involved in politics as they are not in competition with men, charging them to rise up and make a difference.
The Royal Father of the Day, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, who was represented by the Balogun Iyalode, Mrs Taye Soege, asserted that women are their own enemies because they hardly support one another to achieve greatness, saying women have the power and the will to stand up for themselves, as whatever opposition they face only toughens them up.
While delivering his speech, the Lead Speaker at the event, Prof. Olumide Ephraim Olajide, a lecturer at the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, charged women to change their orientation so they could explore and make good use of their potentials.
He identified some of the factors affecting the participation of women in politics as religion, vulnerability, discrimination, etc, recommending that a support network should be provided for women through orientation, mobilisation, advocacy and an enabling environment, among others.
In her speech, the only female lawmaker in the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Olawumi Oladeji (Ogbomoso North), revealed that her successes have been due to the help of the supportive men in the House, calling on women to come together, build on their strength, work for themselves and prepare the ground for themselves to thrive.
Representing the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Oyo State, Barr. Mutiu Agboke, Mrs Catherine Ogu decried the low participation of women in politics and during elections, enjoining women to get involved by joining political parties and obtain their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) so they could vote or be voted for.
She disclosed some of the steps that have been taken by the umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to include 1,607 new polling units added in Oyo State so as to bring polling units closer to the people, creating more awareness and introducing new devices to ease the voting exercise.
The Keynote Speaker at the event, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mrs Ngozi Onadeko, who was represented by the OC Legal Prosecution of the Oyo State Command of the Nigeria Police, CSP Fawole, encouraged women to have a positive mindset about politics and come out in large numbers to support fellow women who want to contest.
Delivering the welcome address earlier, the Chairperson of NAWOJ in Oyo State, Comrade Jadesola Ajibola, explained that the purpose of the event was to celebrate outstanding women of great repute, promote other women to the next cadre and discuss the future of women in Oyo State and Nigeria.
The highlight of the ceremony was the decoration and presentation of awards to Mrs Mutiat Ladoja, as the Life Matron of NAWOJ in Oyo State and Hon. Olawunmi Oladeji as the Most Outstanding Female Lawmaker in Oyo State.
Also present at the event were various women groups and associations, wives of commissioners in the state and female aspirants in the state, among others.
Dominica Nwabufo
