Insecurity: Why Women must lend their voice — Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu
By Moses Adeniyi
First Lady, Lagos, and wife of Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has said the fight against insecurity in the country has become too deep seated that it could not be left only for men to handle.
According to her, it was time for women to lend their voice to insecurity fight, stating their voice is an instrument they wield and must exert appropriately.
In her remarks, at the closing ceremony of the 22nd National Women’s Conference organised by the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) themed “Spring forth, Stand Out”, Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, said it’s time for women to lend their voice to insecurity issues and poverty eradication in the Country.
The First Lady who said of over 261 borders of the Country, over 137 are porous, said the situation demands firm contributions from all strata of the society to address the challenges.
Stating that women should act responsively as stakeholders in security issues, she said the burden of the demands do not permit that it be left alone for the Government and male folks.
Stating that women’s power lies in their voice, the First Lady said the instrument should be deployed judiciously to champion security issues.
“Women, we need to talk with a lot of confidence. It is time for women to lend out our voice and not leave it only for our men to make sure everyone is a security person. Everyone must be interested in the security issues. We have 261 borders, we have 137 of these borders that are porous.
“It is time for us to lend our voice out there to ensure that this country is safe; to ensure that poverty is eradicated. It is only when poverty is eradicated; it is only when insecurity is eradicated that people would want to come into Nigeria to come and invest.
“So you are a stakeholder in the security issues. We cannot leave it only for our men,” she said.
In finance, she said women now have to be financially creative and forward thinking for nation building, stating the task of nation building is one of a team work demanding contributions of women, who she said must be “forward thinking and smart investors.”
“While we are wasting time backbiting, fighting, gossiping, other Countries are moving forward. We need to be forward thinking people, that is what we need to do now and stop wasting our time. It’s a collective work, it’s a team work, the Governor and the Deputy Governor cannot do it alone,” she said.
She also called on the women to become custodians to monitoring the collection of permanent voters card (PVCs) to ensure broad participation in the political process.
“It is your fault if the wrong people are there in government”, she said, mentioning that as a right, it is the only way to change government.
According to the First Lady who is the Chairperson of COWLSO, the outcome of the Conference will “elevate women to spring forth and stand out”, particularly In preparation towards the 2023 change of power.
Speaking, the Governor of Bornu State, Prof. Babangana Zulum said boosting social welfare through woman empowerment intervention has become essential for the Country to address the problems of poverty and insecurity in Nigeria.
Zulum who spoke as the Special Guest of Honour at the closing ceremony of the 22nd National Women’s Conference organised by the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) said “issues of social welfare as a way of pulling many Nigerians out of poverty and tackling insecurity must be increased through women empowerment.”
