{"id":2877,"date":"2025-10-17T13:52:03","date_gmt":"2025-10-17T13:52:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/roadto2027.com\/?p=2877"},"modified":"2025-10-17T13:52:04","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T13:52:04","slug":"lets-create-more-opportunities-for-women-in-nigerias-politics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/roadto2027.com\/?p=2877","title":{"rendered":"LET\u2019S CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN NIGERIA\u2019S POLITICS"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Women in Nigeria have called for creation of more opportunities to encourage their active participation in policymaking and support female candidates during elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Oyo, Ogun and Kwara States, the women also unanimously supported the call for a Bill for Special Legislative Seats for Women in Parliament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs Folasade Aladeniyi, a former Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ibadan Branch, said women participation in politics was not only a matter of equality, but a necessity for balanced and effective governance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aladeniyi said that women bring unique perspectives, compassion, and inclusiveness into leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said that their involvement ensures that the needs and interests of all members of society, especially womenfolk and children, are adequately represented in policy decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Encouraging more women to take part in politics, according to her, will strengthen democracy and promote national development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She noted that training and reserving seats for women were crucial steps towards bridging the gender gap in political representation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aladeniyi said that political training would equip women with the knowledge, confidence and leadership skills required to compete effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cReserved seats, on the other hand, help overcome long-standing social and structural barriers that have limited women\u2019s access to political positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTogether, these measures create a more level playing field and encourage more women to step into leadership roles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWomen contribute immensely to national development across all sectors \u2014 political, economic, and social. They play vital roles in education, healthcare, entrepreneurship, and community building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn leadership, women often promote transparency, peacebuilding, and social justice; their active involvement in governance fosters inclusive growth and sustainable development, ensuring that no segment of the population is left behind,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In her own submission, former NAWOJ Chairperson in Oyo State, Mrs Bose Oyewole, urged more women to participate in politics because they form an integral part of the society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA complete family consists of a man, woman and children; it\u2019s the family that forms the nation, while a family where only the man takes all the decisions will collapse eventually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOnce we continue to have people who think the same way to rule a nation for a long time, there are bound to be problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere will be lots of hardships and slow development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUnfortunately, that is what Nigeria has been facing in the last 65 years,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As regards training of women, Oyewole said that it was unfortunate that there had been this void from the beginning of the nation\u2019s existence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWomen have ruled great nations like India, Britain and even Japan, so, if it will take training for Nigerian women to get there, why not?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI believe that women, especially those in rural areas, need a lot of enlightenment; there is a great gap between the enlightened women and those in rural areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIntentional efforts should be made to bridge the gap between women who are enlightened and those in rural areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOnce women are involved in making laws for Nigeria, things will change drastically because they know where the shoe pinches,\u201d the former NAWOJ chairperson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oyewole emphasised that women contribute a lot to the development of any nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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According to her, in commerce, markets, hospitals (as nurses) and virtually in all fields, women are there, and they are also the ones producing the food to feed the nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey build the homes, hold the society together, ensure peace and progress in any nation, yet they suffer the most because the political clime does not favour them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe earlier we change this narrative, the better for the country and womenfolk,\u201d Oyewole said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, Ms Ademubowale Adelabu, Chairperson, FIDA Oyo State, urged women to fully participate in politics so as to fight the cause of women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Adelabu, it is important to support the Bill for Reserved Seats for Women because it adds to the number of female voices at the parliament that are representatives of the masses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWomen contribute in all spheres because you will find women in every discipline\/sector. They contribute economically and socially also,\u201d Adelabu said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, Mrs Bisi Oluranti, a member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, (Ogbomoso North), stressed the need for women to participate fully in politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This, Oluranti said, would help to overcome persistent barriers through legislative reform, financial and institutional support, as well as changes to deep-seated cultural and social norms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is time that participation by more women in politics be addressed to ensure women have an equal opportunity to run for office, lead political parties, and influence policy decisions,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lawmaker stressed the need for more women to participate in politics, noting that organisations that train women in politics and advocacy enjoyed reserved seats to increase representation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn 2025, women remain underrepresented in executive and national parliamentary positions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This, she said, signals that many organisations should do more to offer training like campaign management, fundraising, public speaking, and building networks, targeted at women to encourage them to participate in politics and contest for elective office<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, a former Commissioner for Social Development in Kwara, Mrs Bosede Buraimoh, urged everyone to support the bill encouraging participation of more women in politics, with a view to propelling them to do more in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSadly, Nigeria has had a low percentage of women participation in politics which persists till now, and for which there are several factors responsible,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buraimoh listed some of the factors to include inadequate support as well as deep-seated cultural and social norms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, the Executive Officer, Global Hope for Women and Children (GLOHWOC), Christy Abayomi, called for continuous sensitisation on gender stereotyping and gender bias in the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abayomi identified political violence as a factor discouraging women participation in politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She called for more mentoring programmes for women in politics to build their capacity to perform better and improve their self-esteem to come up with working policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Chairman of Civil Societies Organisations, Mr Abdulrahman Ayuba, advocated conscious and deliberate moves to bring women to actively participate in politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is necessary because our society has left women behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have to go back to the grassroots in terms of reorientation on why more women need to be brought on board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe society needs to see them first as human beings and not as a particular gender,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, Alhaji Zubair Dan-Maigoro, Senior Special Adviser to Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulrRasaq of Kwara on Religion (Islamic Matters), said that Islam did not forbid women\u2019s participation in politics once permitted by their husbands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, Mr Bashir Yusuf, a former Chairman, Joint National Association of People with Disabilities (JONAPWD), said women with disabilities faced gender and disability discrimination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey should be given the same opportunity to prove their potential because what they need is empathy and not sympathy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Women Environment and Youth Development (WOYODEV), a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), called on Nigerian women to brace-up and increase their political participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs Tosin Apiriola-Ajayi, its Executive Director, explained that the organisation had commenced a project on empowering women for political participation in Nigeria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to her, the project is a grant by the UN-Women Headquarters with funding from European Union under the WYDE (Women and Youth Democratic Engagement) initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Apiriola-Ajayi said that WOYODEV targets three states in Nigeria \u2013 Kwara, Enugu and Lagos \u2013 for the implementation of the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She said that the objective was to accelerate a socio-cultural shift from norms that limit women participation in active politics to positive democratic values that empower women\u2019s active political participation in Nigeria by 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apiriola-Ajayi observed the need to ensure women political engagement and create momentum for attaining affirmative action in the 2027 national elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFeminist coalitions and movements need to be strengthened throughout Nigeria, while encouraging long-lasting local collaborations to oppose gender discrimination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is need to question unequal power dynamics and put an end to detrimental sociocultural practices that target women and girls,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The WOYODEV director emphasised the need to encourage female political candidates to be financially, intellectually, and legally prepared to foster an atmosphere that would allow them to run for office and win in the general elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Apiriola-Ajayi urged feminist coalitions and movements to enlist female parliamentarians, female party stalwarts and politically powerful women to engender women\u2019s active participation in the 2027 general elections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith Nigeria\u2019s elections coming up in 2027, WOYODEV is dedicated to bringing women from the periphery of politics into the mainstream and make sure they have the space, voice, and authority to take the lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn order to give female candidates a fair and secure platform to engage in politics, strategic alliances with media and security organisations will be maintained,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In her contribution, Mrs Omolola Alamu, Chairperson, Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, (NAWOJ) Oyo State Chapter, said there was a need for government to increase women participation in politics by encouraging them to aspire for elective positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alamu advised that there should be a reduction in nomination form fee for women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis form can even be given to women for free. There\u2019s also a need to appoint more women for political positions as this will encourage them to get involved in politics once they know there are positions for them to occupy, instead of slugging it out with their menfolk,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She added that there should be some particular positions reserved for women in politics, in line with the 35 per cent affirmation for women in politics, which no state in Nigeria had met.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe era of using women to sing at political campaigns has gone; women should be seen beyond that and they should be given the chance to participate in political meetings by not holding meetings at midnight,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The proposed bill seeks to create one additional legislative seat to be contested by women only for each state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the Senate and House of Representatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The women also seek to amend Sections 48 and 49 of the Constitution and propose three special seats for women, each at the 36 State Houses of Assembly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edith Isiek of Stand to End Rape (STER) Initiative, said it was important to gather support and raise people\u2019s awareness for the bill\u2019s easy passage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to her, individuals and organisations should prioritise the bill, engaging and discussing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Credit: News Agency of Nigeria<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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