By Ngozi Nwoke
For most Nigerians, the 4 per cent inclusion of women in the ministerial list of President Bola Tinubu is a step back for gender equality in Nigeria’s politics and an eye-opener of the many hurdles women encounter in occupying political roles. This is in spite of Tinubu’s campaign promise to implement the affirmative action policy that stipulates a 35% benchmark for the inclusion of women in governance.
The affirmative action policy was adopted all over the world with the aim to address historical and systematic inequalities against women. So far, no administration has ever met the 35% Affirmative Action Policy for women in Nigeria.
Politically, the role and potential of women have not been significantly portrayed and represented in most western countries. Issues affecting the inclusion of women in politics, particularly Nigerian women, is still not regarded as an utmost priority.
It is unarguable that the extent of negligence towards women differs from country to country as well as other aspects with women being subjugated by the patriarchal society and placed in a second-class position to the detriment of the nation’s development.
Advocates of gender equality and civil society leaders have opined that women’s political participation in Nigeria was below global standard and the Nigerian politics is so horrible that women do not dare to be involved except if they have god-fathers who are willing to finance their political campaigns.
According to them, the implementation of the 35% Affirmative Action policy will increase the participation of marginalised women and enable them explore their leadership potential.
In a recent virtual conference organised by WFM 91.7, a women radio station, where deliberation was held by a group of women to advocate for the implementation of the affirmative action policy, Lagos-based civil society activist and founder of Women Arise Network, Mrs. Shade Oguntoye, stated that cultural, religious and societal beliefs have contributed to the decline in the participation of women in Nigerian politics, especially in northern Nigeria.
She said: “Half of Nigeria’s estimated 210 million people are women. But only one woman has ever occupied any of the top four positions in Nigerian governance since the country’s independence from Britain in 1960. Only five per cent of Nigeria’s federal lawmakers are women, one of the lowest representation rates globally and no woman has ever been elected governor.
Mufuliat Fijabi, the CEO of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), expressed her dismay at Tinubu’s early appointments, where out of 28 positions only five came to women. According to Fijabi, this does not inspire hope for women’s participation in this administration.
“I am very worried by President Tinubu’s first set of appointments. In past governments, women would lobby and still not achieve the 35% benchmark. Asking for women’s inclusion is not just lip service. Affirmative action is about the governance of Nigeria.
“It’s about having development grow in the right direction and having a purposeful path towards ensuring that gender equality and balance are maintained in the country. So, I’m particularly concerned, but I hope this Tinubu government will be different by ensuring that it not only fulfils its campaign promise but also upholds the judgement of the Federal High Court on the NGP,” Fijabi said.
Also speaking, Amina Agbaje, National President of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), urged Tinubu to obey the April 6, 2022 judgment and discard efforts by the past administration to appeal against it. She also expressed the need to involve the wife of the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, in the struggle for the enforcement of the national gender policy.
She said: “There is a need for us to involve the wife of the president in this struggle for the enforcement of the national gender policy, particularly the 35% Affirmative Action for women in appointments. We must move as a coalition of women and immediately seek an audience with the First Lady, who will also lead us to the president so that we can brief him on the pending appeal.
“So, women must be able to speak with one voice and the issue of unity is very important. We cannot afford to be singing these discordant tunes at this moment. We have believed in the abilities and the political will of Mr. President to get up to the 35% that we are looking for as women. This is because we have seen how he has supported his wife and other women when he was governor of Lagos.”
Mr. Saka Azimazi, former deputy director of the National Human Rights Commission, insisted that the implementation of affirmative action shouldn’t be a matter of debate; rather it should be a right of women. He argued that Nigeria has a lot to lose if affirmative action keeps being neglected and cited the importance of women’s strong representation during decision-making processes.
He said: “We shouldn’t be begging anyone for this because we are demanding that justice and fairness be considered when putting people in government. There are two ways to get into government, either by election or by appointment. And clearly, women have lost out in the election, but then government appointments are another avenue for them to come into leadership.”
Azimazi argued that Nigeria has a lot to lose if affirmative action keeps being neglected. “We need to have women representation because if you look at population distribution in Nigeria, it is split 50-50 in every area between men or women. It implies that if women are not included in certain areas of the economy or decision-making, we are depriving ourselves of about 50% of our workforce, intellectual property and power. This is unacceptable.
“So, it is crucial that women have strong representation because there is a certain perspective that can only be provided by women during key decision-making,” he added.
Also, Adewunmi Ononuga, Deputy Chief Whip House of Representatives, stressed that women’s representation must be increased and called on women to brace up in lobbying the Federal Government towards implementing affirmative action. “We, women, must keep going on with regard to lobbying. We really have to put on our shoes and our skirts and lobby with regards to hitting the 35% affirmative action. Lobbying is a route to follow and not necessarily trying to compel the Federal Government,” she added.
