A female legislator in the Imo State House of Assembly and Member representing Isu State Constituency, Hon. (Mrs) Ngozi Obiefule, says women in Imo State are being shortchanged in both business and politics by their men counterparts who always cite inexperience, weakness and the kitchen syndrome as their excuses.
She regretted that it is a thing out of place that in all the elective positions in Imo State only one woman was given a ticket both in PDP, APC and APGA unlike in Rivers, Delta, Lagos among other States where females were being considered essentially in politics, trade, describing the anomaly as underrepresentation, undemocratic and an affront to womanhood.
Obiefule stated this while giving a lecture during the 1st Anniversary Celebration of Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Imo State chapter executive members, held at Press Center, New Owerri last week.
Basing her lecture on the theme of the event: “Career Women in Turbulent Times”, the vibrant lawmaker urged women to rise to the ugly challenge and say no to male-chauvinism, a neglect she pointed out, draws the society backwards, saying women who are good in home management, business management, politics and governance must not be toiled with as weak vessels or inferior gender who are only good at the kitchen. “We must as women refuse to have ourselves pigeonholed and our dreams truncated. It is bad that no political party presented up to 3 women for elective positions in our state. In other States like Rivers, Delta and Lagos, to mention, a few women are given a chance. Only one woman out of ten Federal House positions in our state was given a ticket in APC and PDP none”.
She reflected that “it is generally agreed men have a better shot at leadership positions, in business and politics even as majority maintain that both sex make equally good leaders, but women remain underrepresented in both business and politics. Reasons such as family responsibilities, inexperience or women not being tough enough are cited less frequently as significant barns to female leadership”.
She advised women to rise and explore new ways to succeed with exceeding success, saying overcoming fear and pushing forward with courage and curiosity will go a long way to helping women have a say in societal affairs politically, socially and economically.
Obiefule who is known for championing female cause by defending rights of vulnerable women and being motherly to all, called on women to remain resolute while caring for their children, as well as being submissive to their husbands to maintain a peaceful and prosperous home, urging them never to allow themselves to be trapped “in this deeply topsy- turvy world”.
She added, “my dear women, as we navigate through this turbulent times, we must begin to look out for ourselves and our children and elect credible leaders with a track record of respect for women not those who believe their genital make them superior”.
Earlier in her address, NAWOJ Chairperson, Imo State, Dr. Dorothy Nnaji, noted that the association has been rebuilt by the new leadership, adding that NAWOJ has “significantly developed potent partnership with some not-for-profit (NgOs) and they have been instrumental in helping us achieve milestones such as programs of girl-child support. We have distributed free sanitary pads, conducted girl- child education and intervened in fight against gender based violence”. She thanked awardees and others who graced the event.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Ebonyi State chapter has called on governorship candidates of various political parties across the country to choose women as their running mates. The Chairperson of the Association in the state, Comrade Nkechinyere Oginyi who made the call at a press conference in Abakaliki said picking women as running mates by governorship candidates of the parties for 2023 election will engender equity, justice and fairness.
She described women as nation builders, adding that empowering women politically will bring cohesion in the country. Oginyi opined that women who have served the nation in various capacities performed creditably and urged men to give women more opportunities in the political space. She said “as critical stakeholders, NAWOJ Ebonyi, makes bold to say that Nigeria cannot be advocating for an inclusive society, when all gender are not given equal opportunity to access political power to contribute to nation-building.
”The time to show sincerity to an inclusive society has come and we urge all gubernatorial candidates in Ebonyi State, to pick women as their running mates in the 2023 governorship election. “There is no gain saying the obvious, that women are nation builders and empowering a woman, is empowering a whole nation. “We have had notable women who were either appointed or elected to head different offices and they all distinguished themselves in their various endeavors.
“NAWOJ Ebonyi, however, commends the governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. David Nweze Umahi, for running a government where women are given prominent positions in the state.”He is the only governor that has the highest number of women in his state executive council, the only governor that has a woman as the Chairman, Association of local Government of Nigeria, (ALGON).
He has given women a voice in the state, as he has also empowered many. “However, women deserve more, which is why we are calling on all gubernatorial candidates in various political parties in the state to give women the opportunity to contribute more to the development of Ebonyi State”. The Chairperson called on the masses to get their permanent voters cards to vote for the candidate of their choices in the general election.
