Since the unjustified annulment of the 1993 presidential election, which was adjudged by Nigerians as the freest and by extension, the fairest of all known elections in Nigeria, many citizens, the bulk of which are women, have lost interest in matters pertaining to elections in the country, be it at the local, state or national levels.

The reason is simple, it is feared that their effort may amount to a futile and wasted one in the long run. Moreso, there is also the mentality that one’s vote does not count afterall, so, why put in effort that does not worth the hassle?

The era of “carry-go” syndrome by some privileged political parties did not also help matters. This era  was characterised by high level political thuggery, intimidation,  harassment and killings. This made the Nigerian political atmosphere unfriendly and made most polling centres a “no-go” area for the opposition. The adornments of youths with security personnel’s uniforms, made it difficult for one to actually differentiate the real security men from the fake, and security at the polling centres was eventually abused.

This heightened the level of insecurity during elections and further killed the zeal among Nigerian women to participate in subsequent elections.  Guess what? A mentality of nonchalant disposition to political matters as well, as the fear of losing their lives or being maimed in the course of exercising their franchise, not excluding the fear of the possibility of the abuse of the overall choice of the populace in the elections by the government of the day, governed the reasoning of the typical Nigerian woman.

However, it is quite surprising to observe a renewed consciousness among women to political matters in this dispensation.

Aside the interest indicated by some women to gun for  political positions, at both the local government and  national levels, the ongoing voters registration exercise explains it all.

In spite of all odds occasioned by the malfunctioning of INEC’s Data Capturing Machines, women are seen abandoning their homes and businesses early enough to patiently queue to be registered. More to be applauded are those at the grassroots, who ordinarily could have feigned ignorance and less-concerned as it were, yet they set aside other engagements to participate in the electoral process by registering.

This renewed consciousness is not only limited to the young women, the elderly ones are also involved. Mrs. Ruth Katiak, an 80-year-old woman did not only stop at registering, she even constituted a sensitisation forum to make other women see the importance of the voters registration exercise.

Calling on women on Monday to embrace the on-going registration exercise, Mrs. Katiak, who hails from Kaduna said “If at 80, I was brought by my daughter to be registered, I see no reason why any woman should give an excuse not to be registered”.

Katiak, after registering at the Layin Sarki Street centre in Narayi, confessed that she had always participated in the electoral process in the country.

“This one will not be an exception. Although I am not a politician, I have always known the importance of voting for a leader of one’s choice”, she added.

Here in Rivers State in particular, most elderly women in the villages when interviewed said they did not bother what it cost them to be registered because they would want to vote for the governor again because of his exceptional performance.

Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi