Don Advocates Participation Of More Women In Politics

The Head of the Department of Mass Communication at the Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Imo State, Dr Basilia Igbokwe, has advocated participation of more women in politics.
Igbokwe made the call while delivering a lecture titled: “The Role of Women in Sustaining Democracy in Nigeria’’.
Igbokwe delivered the lecture as part of activities marking the 1st Anniversary of the Executives of the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) in Owerri.
She said that the role of women in the democratic process had remained that of campaigners and party supporters in spite of the fact that they make up a greater percentage of the electorate.
The don stressed that more women were entitled to holding public offices in view of the significant role they played in the democratic process.
She said that the country stood to benefit from being gender sensitive and have representations in the decision-making process at all levels of governance.
She listed the benefits to include enhancing honesty in governance, improved standards of living, fostering peace and an all inclusive political environment.
Dr Igbokwe, however, expressed regret that factors such as fear, culture, family commitments, religion and economic dependency were discouraging women in politics. She urged women to be active toward the sustenance of democracy by surmounting the factors discouraging women.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information, Lady Patience Ibeagi, urged women journalists to uphold the true ethics of their profession.
Ibeagi, who was represented by Mrs Violet Igwe, noted that their role as watchdogs of the society “cannot be over emphasised’’ as quality of information management could make or mar a nation.
She urged journalists to render factual and accurate information to the public, manage divisive tendencies and employ world best practices in the rendition of news items.
In his remarks, a National Trustee of the NUJ, Mr Fidel Onyeneke, urged the NAWOJ executives to be transparent in their stewardship and strive to leave legacies worthy of emulation.
The state Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Innocent Igwe, urged women to identify their personal goals and work toward achieving them..
Igwe urged women to compete for positions rather than seeking what he tagged “affirmative action and a soft landing”, saying with better strategies they could realise their dreams.