Ogun APC chieftain makes case for women participation in politics
Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State and a political scientist, Prince Adekunle Adebayo Ayoola has said it was about time Nigeria allow her women to flourish politically describing women as highly gifted beings with passion and potentials for selfless leadership.
Prince Ayoola has equally called on Nigerian women to break all artificial barriers between them and active participation in politics maintaining that the women than ever before should be united in supporting one another to achieve their political aspirations.
He stated this in a chat with our Correspondent.
Ayoola urged Nigerian women to take a cue from their Rwandan counterparts who after the genocide war of the early 90s launched themselves into active participation in politics and that today, the women are not only 40% members of the country’s parliament but also make up 50% of its judiciary while holding key political offices across the country.
He said “what this later translated for the Rwandan women are better educational and economic opportunities. When the new constitution of the country was being drafted, the women who were members of the committee were able to make some outstanding contributions that has now put the women in good stead. Now women can now own land and even inherit properties from their families among others”.
Ayoola regretted that 23 years after returning to democracy, Nigeria women still suffer great imbalance and inequality in the political space having only 29 seats out of 469 members in the National Assembly charging the women to brace up and change the status quo as 2023 general elections approach.
He said it was even painful that the national assembly had to recently shot down the gender bill that was supposed to be part of the amendment to the constitution saying that the provisions of this bill some of which touched on affirmative action for the women, giving the women 35% of political offices among others would have really assisted Nigeria women to move up higher in political participation.
Highlighting some of the ways to improve on women participation in politics in the country, Ayoola itemised frequent training and sensitisation to arouse interest of women in politics, strong legislative that touches on affirmative action for the women, networking and women supporting one another as well as provision of financial support for the women.
Ayoola equally called on the media to like never before devote time and space to reporting on issues affecting women participation in politics such as electoral violence and other discriminatory tendencies that are posing a great deal to Nigerian women achieving their political aspirations.
He said “Nigerian women are no doubt very intelligent with passion for outstanding leadership. From precolonial era till date many of them; the likes of Madam Efunroye Tinubu, Mrs Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Queen Amina of Zaria and lately, Prof Okonjo Iweala, the current DG of World Trade Centre, Late Prof Dora Akunyili of NAFDAC, Dr Oby Ezekwezili and host of others have shown that Nigerian women are bundle of talents that could be harnessed to revamp the country”.
