Nigerian women have pinpointed severe under-representation and deep-rooted cultural and structural barriers as the primary obstacles preventing their full participation in the nation's political landscape. This crucial revelation emerged during a significant national dialogue focused on women's political engagement.
Call to Action at Ikenne-Remo Summit
The powerful statements were delivered yesterday in Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State, at the HID Awolowo Foundation's national dialogue. The event, titled "Breaking Barriers or Standing Still? Nigerian Women in Politics 30 Years After Beijing," was organized to honor the 110th posthumous birthday of Hannah Idowu Dideolu (HID) Awolowo, a celebrated businesswoman, politician, and community leader.
Despite the challenges highlighted, the women unanimously championed a vigorous advocacy campaign for the adoption of a dedicated women's policy in Nigeria. They declared this a fundamental necessity for women to reclaim and re-imagine a more inclusive and equitable political future.
Leadership Voices for Collective Power
Daisy Danjuma, Chairman of the Foundation, set a compelling tone for the dialogue. She asserted that no country can truly survive without having women in decision-making and policymaking roles. Danjuma provided a clear benchmark, stating that every successful nation boasts at least 50-60 per cent women's participation in politics. She issued a direct call to action, urging Nigerian women to wake up and unite their forces to support female political candidates.
Echoing this sentiment, Hannatu Musa Musawa, the Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, emphasized the power of unity. In her presentation on advocacy, she urged women to move in numbers, declaring that together, they can move mountains. Musawa advocated for a collective effort, stressing that such movements are destined to triumph when every individual plays their part effectively. She cautioned that this power lies in genuine, substantive unity, not in symbolic gestures or photo opportunities.
Proactive Strategies for Systemic Change
Professor Olabisi Aina, Executive Director for Gender, Women, & Children in Sustainable Development, provided a strategic perspective. She emphasized the critical need for women to be proactive within the political system itself. Aina warned that working solely at the grassroots level without a concerted effort to change the political will is an exercise in futility.
She further advised that Nigeria, as a country, already possesses numerous policies that need to be domesticated and effectively implemented, rather than simply being replicated. Reflecting on the progress and persistent challenges facing Nigerian women in politics, Prof. Aina issued a powerful charge to emerging women leaders: to act boldly, prepare diligently, and resolutely reject self-doubt.
The dialogue served as a potent reminder of the unfinished journey towards gender parity in Nigerian politics, rallying women to transform advocacy into concrete political achievement.
