Women, Party Politics And Elective Positions(3)

There is also a laughable school of thought positing that with low levels of education, skills, economic resources, poverty and self esteem, women are in a poor position to assert themselves in the political arena. Thus the multiple forms of exclusionist tendencies and disadvantages tend to re-inforce each other and make it difficult for Nigerian women to break out of this vicious cycle of murderous slumber. Women sincerely need a wake up call.

To my mind, I admit sincerely that because men have turned political and electoral activities into a warfare, producing and manufacturing in the process all manner of political and electoral violence, women in response now experience and exhibit phobia for political participation.

This manifest fear of the unknown is neither here nor there. What women see as dark and dirty political horizon is like a masquerade that delights in scaring its adherents and unlookers only to be unmasked and what you see is one young, inconsequential and drunken man who has no capacity in real life to stand your way.

It is my very strong conviction therefore that the answer to the rider in this discourse could be found in the positive. And I state without equivocation, that women can comparatively cope and participate fully in the party politics and contest all forms of elective positions in Nigeria. Few have done it in the past, many more can do it now with determination, courage, hardwork and goodluck.

To succeed women must eschew unnecessary rivalry, gossip, altercations of all dimension and be committed as an army ready for a revolution. Just as it become absolutely necessary in this country during colonial rule, women carried out a revolution that changed the face of Government policies evidenced in the Aba women riot of 1929 and the Abeokuta demonstration of 1949. The time to act is now.

As in other parts of the world, affirmative action will be essential and highly suggested to mobilise and encourage women to overcome the self imposed and unreasonable fear of men’s violent activities and advance towards women’s advancement particularly in the political arena.

Women have all what it takes to challenge men to a political fight. Men are our sons, fathers and husbands, we live together, eat together and women possess natural endowments that can twist and rattle men as it pleases our conveniences.

Women have the numerical strength, education and decent disposition attractive to the electorate. It is rather men’s continued dominance of the political land scape rather than distinaction or gender bias that has continued to encourage the discrimination against women. The time to act I repeat is now. Women have forgotten so soon the slogan that raged like fire in our political life when we used to say in market parlance, “what a man can do, a woman can do it even better.” Why must men be left all alone to plunder our common heritage and ravage our political and social life like a colossus. Are we then petty and second class citizens that cannot even walk under the huge legs of the colossal man? Nigeria women can effectively cope in the turbulent and volatile political and electoral waters of Nigeria.

I salute the courage in recent times of the likes of Prof. Dora Akunyili who has been championing the re-branding Nigeria project in her capacity as the Minister of Information and Communication and who in the heat of men’s docility in moving the country forward braved it and sent in a memo challenging her fellow memers of the Federal Executive Committee dominated by men to a discussion on the health of the President Umaru Yar’Adua.

Senator Florence Ita-Giwa’s political influence cannot be waived easily in Cross-River State. Presently the likes of Senators Joyu Emordi (Anambra), Chris Anyanwu (Imo), Nkechi Nwogu (Abia), Ekaette Udong (Akwa-Ibom) and their counter parts in the present House of Representatives notably Hon. Abike Daribi-Erewa, Hon. Juliet Akano (Imo) and Hon. Uche Ekwunife who recently contested the Anambra State Gubernatorial election under the platform of the progressive peoples Alliance (PPA) are clear demonstrators and advocates for the advancement of the need for an improved women participation in democratic Governance. They are equally living testimonies to our assertion that women can effectively and efficiently cope in the political adventures of Nigeria. The likes of Dr. Mrs. Okonjo Iwela, Former Finance and Foreign Affairs Minister, Dr. Mrs. Chinwe Chigbu, Former Director General of the Bureau for Public Enterprises, Dr. Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili and of the indefatigable Prof. Dora Akunyili are equally clear testimonies that women are better managers in politics. They all and more excelled where men goofed.

Women as mothers, should be propelled by the love of the people of this country and their enduring strong covenant with God and offer themselves to serve. The exhibition of motherly love by women in politics will certainly change the face of politics in this country. In the new Nigeria of our dreams, women should be prepared to take the lead.

I shall conclude this paper with a charge that women must not dogmatise in their approach to the renewed interest in political participation. We must reason with men as our husbands and sons.

We must rather be persuasive and voluntarily join political parties of our choice. But in making the choice to join a political party we must take a decision that by persuasion, we hope that we could bring more people with us. This shall form the basis of our action plan to act and revolutionise the politics of this country. Women have the potentials.

If we therefore think that we can just make a loud noise and the Tory Wall of Jericho will fall down, then we are doomed to go the way of previous campaigners because men will not take us seriously. Power is not given but taken. You must step out before you are counted. We must stop cosmetic initiatives that are devoid of real substance. We must wake up and join progressive forces in a revolutionary style devoid of armed struggle and take up the mantle of leadership in this country. It is so in ivory cost. It has happened in Ghana. Why not Nigeria?

Conclusively therefore, we further posit that the best guarantee for increased women participation in politics is the elimination of fear no matter how imaginary through the conduct of credible elections in Nigeria. Credible election is not a myth in African but a reality. It has happened in most African countries. It happened in Nigeria in 1993 June 12 elections when Nigerians transparently voted against cleavages and stereotypes. And very recently it happened again in Anambra State. As women are poised to participate in the 2011 general elections, may God help us to witness once again, a fair, free and credible election to the glory of God and better services to mankind.

Barrister Ugboaja is the Imo State Co-ordinator, Network for the Bar, the Bench and the Police (NBB&P).

Nkechi Yvonne Ugboaja