After the Beijing Conference of 1995,  where awareness about women emancipation was created, the champion for empowering them became more pronounced.
In Nigeria, during the military era under former Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, the wife, Mariam Babangida of blessed memory, championed the cause for women emancipation.
Through position as the First Lady at that time, women began to see the light. Ministry of Women Affairs got the best and from the office of the First Lady, an agency known as Better Life for Rural Women was created.
Government at all levels realised the need to involve women in governance, knowing the roles they can play.
Then, it was 30 percent Affirmative Action.  Finally, when the civilian administration came in, under President Olusegun Obasanjo, many women had appointive and elective positions.
Under President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the wife, Dame Patience Jonathan championed the cause of women through the request for 35 percent Affirmative Action.
Contribution made by Mrs Patience Jonathan, as the First Lady of Nigeria went a long way to empower women who had done well. She advocated for 35 percent Affirmative Action for women during her husband’s tenure, former President of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.  Since then, women have got more appointive and elective positions especially in Rivers State.
As a Rivers daughter, her contribution towards the emancipation of women in Rivers State was enormous.
Indeed, as governance continued, government of Rivers State heeded to the call of involving more women in the development of the State.
In fact, the administration of Governor Nyesom Wike is a women-friendly government to the extent that it had a woman as a Deputy Governor.
There are other women who are either elected or appointed to run the affairs of government and they have done well.
The return of democracy in Nigeria in general and Rivers State in particular brought good news to the women.  A lot of women formed and made up the cabinets in many States.  Women were elected and appointed into various levels of governance.
For us in Rivers State, it was a new dawn when the first female Deputy Governor was elected in 2015.  That was the first time since the creation of the state.
A technocrat, medical doctor,  Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, was once the Secretary to the Rivers State Government and Head of Service. Her contribution to the development of Rivers State in the last eight years of governance was much.
Dr. Banigo has successfully served as deputy governor of Rivers State from May 29, 2015 till May 29, 2023 under the administration of Governor Nyesom Wike.
The former Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo, is elected into the Senate to represent Rivers West Senatorial District.  This is laudable as a female from Rivers State is going into the Red Chambers to speak in the interest of her people.
History has been made again as another female deputy governor has been elected into office in Rivers State.
Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, has just been elected the Deputy Governor of the State, to serve from May 29, 2023. Expectations are high as she will bring her wealth of experience into governance.
Prof. Odu is not new in the political development of Rivers State.  She has served as Commissioner for Education in which her contributions to the development of education were second to none.  With an agency that protects the rights and  interests of women nationwide, she was the President of the National Council of Women Society  (NCWS).
She has also served in various capacities in the State
As Nigeria and indeed Rivers State mark another eight years of democratic dispensation, the contributions of women in the development of the state can never be over-emphasised.
Rivers women have made tremendous efforts in contributing in various fields of endeavour and their contributions have led to the rapid growth through politics, sports, education, judiciary, social, economic, medicare, and engineering just to mention but a few.
Indeed, since the creation of the State, it has not been a male dominated issue, women too have been given the opportunity to play key roles in their own little way.
Today, one cannot talk about women who made impact in the history of the state without mentioning Hon Justice Mary Odili, who served in Rivera State as a Judge.  She also served in the Appeal Court. She rose to the peak of her profession in the Judiciary as the Justice of the Supreme Court (JSC).
Daisy Okocha served as  Chief Judge of the State. Since the creation of Rivers State, she was the seventh judge and a woman to serve in that capacity.
Elsie Nwanwuri Thompson was a Judge of the High Court of Rivers State and Deputy Vice President of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).  She was the first Nigerian to be elected to the African Court on Human and People’s Rights.
The landmarks in the educational sector of Rivers State cannot be complete without looking at the contributions of the pioneer Vice Chancellor of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Prof. Rosemund  Dieye Green-Osaghogulu (blessed memory).
It was under her supervision that the official approval of the institution, Rivers State College of Education (COE), was  renamed Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUOE).
As Rivers State continued to grow after its creation, more women were given the opportunity to serve in various capacities.
Mrs Julie Wika was appointed Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development.
Under Dr. Peter Odili’s administration as Governor of Rivers State, Mrs Tolu Ofili was appointed Commissioner for Women Affairs in 2003 after she had served as Senior Special Assistant, Special Duties, in charge of Social Services in 2000.
Another woman who was in that cabinet was Ms Gloria Fiofori.  She served as Commissioner for Women and Youth Affairs.  Her resume became richer as she served as the Director, National Orientation Agency, NOA.
One of Rivers’ daughters who served for a long time in the development of Rivers State was Prof Roseline Konya.  She served as Chairman, Civil Service Commission during Dr. Odili’s administration.  One of the impacts she made was reinstating of 200 civil servants whose appointments were erroneously terminated at that time.
A university don,  she also served as Commissioner for Environment in which her contributions helped in addressing the state of environmental hazards under Governor Nyesom Wike’s administration.
Still under Dr Odili’s administration, a woman was appointed Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.  She is Dame Aleruchi Cookey-Gam. She also served as Secretary to the State Government.  She was appointed the Sole Administrator, Greater Port Harcourt Development Authority.
Dame Alice Lawrence Nemi became Commissioner for Education.
Mrs Joeba West was Commissioner for Women Affairs and Patricia Simeon Hart for Water Resources and Mrs Emmanuela Izunwa were all female commissioners in Rivers State and their impacts were greatly felt by women.
One time Commissioner for Information and Communications was Mrs Ibim Semenitari and later was appointed Acting Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
In the political history of Rivers State, such name as Betty Apiafi cannot be left out as she was the first female member from Rivers State elected into the Federal House of Representatives and the Senate, even till date.  She is representing Rivers West Senatorial District in the Senate today.
And also an elected woman who represented Port Harcourt Federal Constituency in the Green Chambers was Hon. Blessing Nsiegbe and was re-elected.
Talking about Rivers State House of Assembly, the likes of Mrs Anthonia Membere of blessed memory, Mrs Linda Stewart, Hon. Felicia Tane, Irene Inimgba as well as  Victoria Nyeche, have made valuable contributions to their constituencies and remarkable growth of Rivers State in their various endeavours.
Before now, women were appointed caretaker committee chairmen of local government councils of Rivers State.
Under Governor Nyesom Wike administration, the Vice Chairmen of the 23 local government areas of Rivers State are women. That shows how important the roles of women in socio-political development are. Of course, no society, state or nation can develop without women.
There is no doubt that women who have contributed and are still contributing to the growth of the state are all educated.  When a woman does not acquire formal education, she will not be at the helm of affairs.
Women need to be trained in the areas of Medicine, Engineering, Law, etc so as to represent themselves.
For the women to move higher in the future, they need to be assisted financially, in terms of scholarships because some want to acquire formal education but may not have anybody for sponsorship.  Some end up as housewives once they get married.  When they are encouraged to go to school, definitely they will use the knowledge acquired from school to contribute more to their families and the society at large.
It is high time women had started supporting their fellow women during political periods, if they want more women at the top.
Decades ago, governance and policy making were dominated by the opposite sex but nowadays, the gap between the men and women is becoming narrower as more women have got awareness on how to participate in politics.
Women are important in decision-making especially in things that concern them as well as the children.  Nothing should be a barrier to their full participation  in politics in Rivers State.
There should be policies and programmes in place to encourage the advancement of women in the political arena.

By: Eunice Choko-Kayode