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Empowering The Nigerian Woman …High point of The Jonathan Presidency

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The women folk have been described as an integral part of
nation building. Infact, they are  an
important part necessary for sustainable development at all levels.

As in other democracies of the world, successive governments
in Nigeria have been engaged in the sustained campaign for greater and
effective women participation in politics in line with the Beijing conference
declaration which advocates for 35 percent affirmative action.

The affirmative action seeks higher representation of women
of at least, 35 per cent in appointments political and public offices.

For this to be realised, the Federal Government set up the
National Gender Policy to promote the attainment of this said target. Prior to
the present Civilian administration, previous military governments had several
programmes in place to empower women politically. For instance, the federal
government on June 13, 1985 signed and ratified the convention on the
elimination of all forms of discrimination against women.

Subsequently, the government of General Ibrahim Babangida
began to initiate policies and programmes aimed at improving the lives of women
through Better Life for Rural Women programme of the late first lady, Mrs  Maryam
Babangida.

In furtherance of that project, Mrs Babangida initiated the
establishment of National Commission for Women. The succeeding administration
of General Sani Abacha later consolidated on this foundation through the Family
Support Programme (FSP) of Mrs  Mariam
Abacha.

Consequent upon the establishment of  Women Affairs, there has been continued
impetus for the increasing positive role of women in politics. With it, women
organisations are now beginning to find a rallying point for common action
politically, economically and socially.

At state levels, various governors’ wives also initiated
programmes targeted at the development and empowerment  of women and the girl-child.

In Rivers State for example, The Adolescent Project, TAP of
former First Lady, Mrs Mary Odili was succeeded by the Empowerment Support
Initiative, ESI of the present Governor’s Wife, Mrs Judith Amaechi.

In conscious effort to further realise the Gender
Affirmative Action, President Goodluck Jonathan while campaigning for election
in 2011 in Jos, Plateau State pledged to uphold the 35 percent Affirmative
Action Plan in his appointments if elected into office.

In fact, the President has gone a long way in giving
effective representation to women in political and public office appointments.

Today, there are about 13 women in Jonathan’s Federal
Executive Cabinet, representing about 32 per cent of the 42 member Cabinet,
with many others leading sensitive institutions.

This means, the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration has
scored high marks on the empowerment of women.

To his credit, women now know that they can aspire to the
highest office in the country.

Only few months ago, Nigeria witnessed the emergence of the
first woman Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice  Muktar Aloma.

Other Prominent women in the Jonathan administration include
Ministers for Petroleum, Aviation, Environment, Education and  those of the Ministers of State for Defence
and Foreign Affairs among others.

However, the major force for women’s empowerment and greater
role in government in the present administration has been the First Lady, Dame
Patience Jonathan.

With her pet project, Women for Change Initiative, Dame
Patience Jonathan, widely seen as an Apostle of women empowerment, enhanced the
journey started by previous First Ladies into an era befitting of Nigerian
Woman.

She struggled relentlessly to awaken and empower the
Nigerian woman  through her various
summits, programmes, enlightenment campaigns, sensitisations including making
sure that women in politics in the country are constitutionally recognised as
stakeholders. She canvassed in several fora that women should be given more
opportunities to contribute to the development of the country.

It is also to her credit that women were effectively
mobilised for the last general election in Nigeria, and that President Goodluck
Jonathan affirmed and delivered the promise of
35 percent affirmative action for women in his administration is a step
in the right direction.  Good enough, a
journey that women have been striving to achieve in nearly two decades was
achieved by the administration in less than a year.

However, in spite of these efforts, the engagement of women
in governance  is  yet to reach the desired level in Nigeria.

This is due largely to a number of factors ranging from
economic barriers to religious impediments. Because of these limitations, women
usually constitute a smaller percentage of political party membership. And
owing to their peculiar circumstance, they are often relegated to the
background in the scheme of things. Besides, only a very few men, even among
the educated, allow their wives to come out and participate in politics.

Furthermore, family responsibilities and childbearing also
hinder women from participating effectively in partisan political activities.
For better part of their lives, most women are involved not only in child
bearing but also in child rearing. Thus, much of the time they could have
devoted to politics is taken up by their maternal challenges and obligations.

Part of this challenge again is lack of adequate education.
Women constitute a larger percentage of the illiterate population in Nigeria.

But the strides and achievements of the present
administration under President Goodluck Jonathan have not gone unnoticed.

In October last year, the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya
Zainab Maina, at the meeting of the 13th Regular Council on Women Affairs, said
that with the achievement of 33 per cent affirmative action, Nigeria can also
attain the 35 percent target.

According to Hon (Mrs) Johnson Dibia, the action has
attained a measure of success in Nigeria considering the African setting as
regards male and female issues.

She said ‘the typical African man so commonalised the female
gender to the extent that the places she belonged were the farms and the
kitchens while the males remained kings and Lords. But now, things have changed
both at the international, national and state levels.’

Dibia who commended the placement of women in key positions
at the federal level said however that the ratio is still lopsided in
comparison to the male counterparts.

“I think it is this 35 per cent affirmative action that has
brought the Finance, Petroleum, Education ministers among others to their
position but it is still insignificant in comparism and so I am saying that the
governments at both the federal and state levels should try more and give us
this action in the real word of it

On the role of the
First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan towards achieving the affirmative action,
she said “as our mother, she has tried so much. She actually mobilised the
women during the last pre-election campaigns and that spells out her interest
in bringing the women to limelight in the nation’s politics.

Noting the problems that the agitation for  35per cent Affirmative  Action has attracted, the former Councilor
for Environment, Works and Transport lamented the activities and behaviour of
the female gender even in their quest for the attainment of the action.

“We are the ones hindering ourselves. There is a lot of
gossip, jealousy, envy and bad behaviours among us and these will only militate
against our pursuit of this 35 per cent Affirmative Action.”

She continued “we must come together as a common people with
a common aim. It was saddening  that a
female vied for the position of
President and women did not vote for her. We must stop all forms of
negative attitudes and pursue the goal and only then will the men take us
seriously.”

Also reacting, a Human Rights Activists and Coordinator,
Women Initiative for Transparency and Social Justice (WITSOJ), Dr Jennifer
Spiff, said that the 35 per cent Affirmative Action had not been realistic.

In her words “women have not been really given the place
they fully deserve. No level  playing
ground to vie for positions electorally. There is a high fee placed on
electoral forms and huge resources in campaigns and the woman is not
economically empowered to overcoming the odds.

“We only have a handful of women at key positions both at
the states and federal  levels and that
is not enough to make us belief that we have achieved. What we have is more of
appointment handouts to the females where they dance to the tune of their
ogas  masters and that is not the true
spirit of the 35  per cent Affirmative
Action. Let’s be voted and be given the space to exercise our voting rights and
then we can say the government is trying,’ she stated.

Spiff however lauded Dame Jonathan for her giant strides in
ensuring that the voice of women were heard during the last elections saying
“she gathered the women together, mobilised them and urged them to hold their
ground in the elections even though it was only Sarah Jubril that actually
stood out.

 

Lady Usende

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Women

The Desire Of Every Woman In Marriage

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A woman needs a man that is honest,  trustworthy,  nice,  loving and financially stable.
There are no two ways about finance in marriage. No matter the level of love, If there is no money,  it is always difficult.


Referring to the Biblical belief in Genesis 3:Your desire  shall be unto you……..
That is one aspect  the woman expects her husband to take care of.
A woman wants a husband that is not lazy,  at least helping to do one or two things.   A man that is educated and intelligent.
She knows that there is a trait that her husband has.  Traits of taking care of people,  giving freely to people and caring for her family.
A woman wants to love a husband that has family interest at heart. A man that spends time with his family,  remembering his family even as he is away from home.
A woman should not antagonise her husband because of one error or the other. No matter the level of offence he may have committed, you still show some love.


According to the Scripture, it is with wisdom that the women builds her home.
It is not as if the woman will not monitor her husband, but to certain limit.  Don’t be a monitoring spirit.  Don’t allow anything to take your joy.
Don’t loose trust in your husband.
The idea of checking your husband’s phone should be discouraged. The more you check your husband and his phone, the more you loose your joy.


The home should not be a battle ground for a woman and man.  A woman should be able to ask herself if the check on her husband will pay her any good.
Draw a line to a point where you checkmate your husband’s activities.
A woman wants a man that will love her and telling her you love her will be all she desires.

Eunice Choko-Kayode

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What Women Want In Yet-To -Be Husbands

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What women want in their yet-to- be husbands matters a lot as far as marriage is concerned.
A woman desires a good fnancial prospect. Interestingly, some modern women place a man’s financial potential as more desirable than they have in the past.
Many decades ago, women ranked it lower on the list. It still comes in after items like love and maturity, but perhaps today’s women realise that a good economic partner is good husband material.
Good health has been an important characteristic for women through the 20th century and remains so these days. One might argue that because we’re living even longer, health plays a huge role in the success of a marriage. Women are anxious to know that their partners are healthy to be able to run the family together.
You discover that in most faith based organisations, would- be couples are mandated to go for medical tests to ascertain their health status as it concerns HIV/AIDS, Genotype and other related ones. This according to stakeholders is to ensure that couples raise healthy families.
Ambition has become less important to women over time, though it still being considered even if women nowadays are thriving in the workforce competing with the male folk. It may be because more women are thriving in the workforce, they want a husband who has earning power but are not looking for him to be the sole provider.
More women want husbands with pleasing disposition. They may not want a man who is always moody. A man who is always cheerful is whom they desire.
Surprisingly, a man’s likes do not rank as high on women’s list of wants as it used to. Until recently, women are more willing to accept a man for who he his, despite the inevitable mood he may be.
Sociability from both men and women rank very high on their marriag material list. And for both sexes, it has been steadily moving up the list for many years. The rise of the “love marriage,” a partnership based on attraction rather than practicalities (like wealth or status) might mean that married couples are more likely to be friends and have mutual circles of friends.
A lot of couples want to associate with others and then socialise. Attending parties of other friends forms part of their marriage requirements.
Women have placed education and intelligence top making it one of their most desirable male traits for decades. This timeline coincides with more and more women receiving college education themselves. Once education becomes important in women’s lives, it is a more attractive trait in potential husbands.
Of course when a woman is educated, she is likely to go for an educated man. When they are gainfully employed, their income boost the family affairs faster.
Today, women are much more attracted to men who are interested in home and family than they ever have been. Men who have desire for their home and children is whom they desire.
After a days job, a man will come home to ensure that his children are comfortable. Because most women today are expecting to be in dual-earner relationships, they want husbands who will be happy and willing to contribute at home. More women today even report that they hope he will take the lead at home.
A woman wants a man who is emotionally stable and mature. Growing big physically is not the issue but maturity in the heart.
Men, too, place a heavy emphasis on a potential wife’s emotional maturity, signaling that it is a key quality for a stable partnership. Women seem to look past appearance to the heart of the matter.
A woman wants a man who is not easily provoked. Dependable character is what some women want in marriage.
Women want husbands that they can count on, and this has not changed in recent years. Yes, women look to their spouses to be lovers and friends, they also want them to be supportive and trustworthy. They want to know that their husbands will be there and remain loyal. Men, too, desire dependable character from their yet-to be wives.
Mutual attraction and love from the first appearance is what they want till they become old.
The highest-rated characteristic women seek from men is mutual attraction and love. Some no longer look for a man who will provide everything, afterall they are also educated and are gainfully employed, they want to be in love.
For some women, even when the man do not provide household needs, the love shown on her is enough. When women had no job prospects and needed to marry, they desired love . The women’s movement has not only helped women pursue careers, it has also given them more choice in love.

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Echoes Of IWD : Need To Invest In Women

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As this year’s Internatinal Women’s Day (IWD) has come and gone, there are calls from different quarters on the need to invest in women so that we can achieve accelerated growth.
It was, indeed, a thing of joy when Rivers Women Unite For Sim, took delivery of large quantities of sanitary towels and some bags of rice provided them for this year’s celebration.
Many young women expressed joy that they got such gesture since some of them have financial problems getting sanitary towels whenever they are on.
Some secondary school students were also lucky to have a share of the benefits. They also got some sanitary towels.
The Rivers State Commissioner for Women Affairs organised a platform to celebrate and honour the women for the remarkable jobs they perform in their homes and society.
Addressing women on the occasion, the Hon. Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Roseline Apawari Uranta, noted that women from time immemorial have been great pillars in achieving remarkable heights and stressed that IWD across the globe is pivotal all women for the roles they play in bringing, nurturing and sustaining life.
Dr. Uranta said that IWD, which started in 1911 and celebrated annually on March 8, is a global day that provides women a platform to address economic inclusion, participation in political and public life.
She said the day was set aside to look into lack of access to education for the girl-child, gender-based violence, child marriage, child trafficking, harmful cultural practices as well as other challenges facing women around the globe.
The Hon. Commissioner, who described March 8 as a day to celebrate the socio-economic, cultural and political achievements of women, emphasised that it is a day that offers women the opportunity to reflect on progressive achievements.
Noting that it is an opportunity to call for change, she stressed that it is also an opportunity to celebrate acts of courage and every achievement made by ordinary women who did extraordinary things and are remembered in history.
She noted that the IWD2024 theme:”Invest In Women, Accelerate Progress”, is timely and apt because according to her, to achieve gender equality, we must ensure that the rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women do not elude them.
Her words: ” We must see investing in women as a human right issue and consider investing in women as a social tool to eradicate poverty since women are helpmeet in the homes while a handful are breadwinners in their respective families”.
The commissioner urged women to uphold the deliberate act of investing in themselves, be it furthering formal education, developing a new skill as well as learning a trade.
“Shun idleness, always find something positive and productive to do, regardless of your age, social status and financial capabilities”, she said.
In a paper presentation, Dr. Dabota God’swill Jumbo, reiterated that investing in women would attract good and positive dividends to herself and the society at large and noted that it is essential in addressing poverty, hunger and climate change.
The guest speaker said women need more opportunities in elective and appointive positions, hence the need to encourage and support them in politics.
According to her, when you invest in women, they will be able to create safer environment devoid of gender-based violence.
In a goodwill message, the spokesperson, Rivers Women Unite For Sim, Mrs Charity Deemua appreciated the organisers for making it possible for women to gather and celebrate themselves.
She commended those who created a day like March 8 of every year to celebrate women and regretted that the girl-child was seen as a second-class person decades ago.
The former commissioner, Rivers State House of Assembly Commission, described those who taught it wise for women to celebrate as conquerors, tough and strong.
International Association of World Peace Advocates, a world-class organisation with the United Nations, honoured different categories of women.
In Cross River State, 150 women were empowered with about N15m to boost their small and medium scale businesses.
According to stakeholders, the women empowerment is vital in addressing social, economic and political challenges and will make them self-reliant.
An NGO, Association of Professional Women Engineering Technologists (APWET), said it’s aim is to promote professional excellence among engineering personnel, advocating for women and girl-child education.
With what we saw in terms of response to women’s call on issues affecting them from relevant authorities, we are optimistic that the women will do better whenever they are empowered.
If we must kick out cervical, breast and other forms of cancer in women, underage marriage, prostitution, we must invest in women.
There were goodwill messages from National Council for Women Societies (NCWS), International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA), Medical Women Association of Nigeria (MWAN), Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC, Nigeria Association of Female Journalists (NAWOJ), among others.

By: Eunice Choko-Kayode

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