The 2023 General Elections have come and gone. Inauguration of elected political officers has also taken place, both at the federal and state levels. Legislative matters have taken off. Appointment of Ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has been concluded and portfolios assigned to them by the Presidency. The Ministers without wasting time have resumed work.
Since the return of democracy two decades ago, women generally have done well wherever they found themselves. At the National Assembly, at the executive, even in the judiciary, they have been showcasing their talents.
When we talk about women’s participation in politics, a lot of them have excelled. The wife of the President, Senator Oluremi Tinubu was at the Red chambers recently. Justice Mary Odili became a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria (JSC) before her retirement. The former Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo was elected into the Senate this year. Prof Ngozi Odu became the Deputy Governor of Rivers State after the 2023 gubernatorial elections.
Our own Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is the General Director of the World Trade Organization (WTO). She was a former Minister of Finance and later, Foreign Affairs. Mrs. Blessing Nsiegbe was a member of the House of Representatives, who represented the Port Harcourt Constituency II.
Mrs. Victoria Nyeche is a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly. A veteran journalist, Dr. Abike Dabiri Erewa, was a member of the House of Representatives. Later on, she was appointed a presidential aide on diaspora. Senator Betty Apiafi from Rivers State was elected into the House of Representatives, representing Rivers and later became an elected Senator. Only a few can be mentioned due to shortage of time and space.
They are competent, creaative, hard working and innovative.  They are amazons. With such number and others that cannot be mentioned here, women are asking for more elective and appointive positions.  More steps should be taken by all to achieve 35 percent of women participation in politics.  Nigerian women have little space in leadership positions.
It is worrisome to note that out of 48 Ministers that were appointed recently, only nine were women.  This shows a very low percentage at the Federal Executive Council.  The Supreme Court verdict stated that women should be allotted 35percent, but it has not been realised.
The Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrazaak, has tried in the area of empowering women.  If Kwara State can implement that, why would others not follow suit?  There has to be the political will for others to do the needful.
It would interest you to know that the youngest House of Representatives member is from Kwara State.  First,  she was endorsed by her political ward, constituency and State.  If her people did not endorse her, she would not have been there.
Others are disregarding women and relegating them to the background.  States nominate women for the Federal to show action.  Any state that does not do it should be reminded.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, also has tried to showcase gender equality.  Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State as well recognised the importance of women in decision making.  Those are politicians who understand that men and women can work together.
Former Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State is also an exemplary person in that respect. His was second to none. In some western states, we have some female deputy governors who have served and are still serving.
Political will is working in Rwanda.  People are going there.  In Namibia, the practice  is 50 men and 50 women in parliament.  All over the world, women are included in politics and those countries which engage women in decision making, their economies are always moving forward.  They  experience improved economies.  In South Africa, it is practised.
Nigeria has never had a female Vice President not to talk about President.  Liberia had Johnson Sirleaf as President.    There has not been a female Governor, except in Anambra State where Mrs Victoria Etiaba was in acting capacity when the then governor, Peter Obi was absent.
Although there have been female deputy governors.   In Rivers State, for example, in the last administration of Governor Nyesom Wike, the slot was for women. Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, was the deputy governor while Prof Ngozi Nma Odu is the deputy governor currently.  This is highly commendable as it shows a women-friendly leadership.
Not just that, the former Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike during his tenure ensured that vice chairpersons of the 23 local government areas were women.
Nigerian women will continue to ask for more.  Let government promote women employment and increase women participation in politics.  Appointment of women as heads of Ministeries,  Departments and Agencies (MDAs) is necessary at this time in the history of Nigeria.
Women should be appointed heads of boards and not just members.  Chairpersons and secretaries of political parties can be left for women.
Nigerian women won the case in court over 35 percent Affirmative Action.  The United Nations (UN) Declaration on 35percent as well as the laws binding it should be implemented by the Nigerian government.  Gender policies should be supported.
If women have to be elected into the parliament, there should be orientation and awareness from the grassroots.  International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA), Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), and others as a matter of fact should begin to sensitise women in the markets,  offices, farms and homes on the need to support their own when elections come. Women in disability need not be left out.  NAWOJ particularly should use the media to increase awareness on women.
Curriculum planners should emphasise the inclusion of gender policies in relation to women.   If it is there,  more emphasis should be made on the teaching.  The women are soliciting from the academia for the teaching and learning of gender equality in schools and the gains associated with it.
Government is for everyone.  Going by the definition of democracy, ‘It is government of the people, by the people and for the people’, so women should be involved in governance.
There are key areas that should be left for women in terms of ministerial appointments.  Health is one of them.  It is supposed to be manned by  a woman.  At the Senate, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, representing Rivers West Senatorial District,  is the chairperson, Senate Committee on Health. That is a good one.
One of the female Ministers, Dr Betty Edu from Cross River State, was assigned Minister of Humanitarian Affairs. The  Health Ministry should have been better handled by her as a female medical practitioner.   When you talk about healthcare, women will understand  more because of the rigorous processes they undergo during pregnancies and child bearing.  They are mostly concerned and affected.  The girl child grows into womanhood.  The woman carries pregnancy for nine months and gets the baby delivered either through caesarean operation or normal delivery with pains.    The pains associated with childbirth and other consequences, she alone undergoes.  She nurses and nurtures the baby to adolescence and into adulthood.  All maternal and infant mortality issues rest squarely on the woman.   So, health issues generally from childhood to adulthood are that of women.  Women should man the Health Ministry.
Another area is finance.  This is because women manage little resources they have in homes.  Women will be able to manage the nation’s resources to boost the economy better.
With the low enrollment of the girl-child in schools due to unwanted pregnancies, child labour, househelps, underage marriage, etc., a female Minister of Education can tackle the problem.
Government has the powers in their hands so they can do it.  Gender equality is possible.  Men and women can work side by side,  that is what Nigeria needs.
So far, Nigerian women are asking for more.

By: Eunice Choko-Kayode

Lately and sadly, some women have formed the habit of killing and maiming  both their biological and adopted children.  Sometimes, they use rat poisoning and other harmful substances on the children.
Hardly any day passes without hearing that a mother has allegedly carried out such ugly act on a child.  Sometimes they use hot water, grounded hot pepper, mutter pestle and all manner of clubs on children.
Some of the reasons range from psychological, emotional, financial and many other factors.  No matter how difficult family matters can be, they can be sorted out without hurting the children.  It should be condemned that a woman will be so wicked to kill a child she carried for nine months.
This issue concerns women the more so they should have the number of children they can cater for.  They should also ensure that they have children with men who will cater for the same children.   Women should not have children for the fun of it.
In some local villages,  you see a young woman of 20 to 25 years being proud of having even two children outside wedlock.  She will go about boasting when some young women are still preparing to go into marriage even at 30.
It will be surprising to note that she does not have or cannot hold any man responsible for those children.
During solemnization of marriages between couples, one of the issues that is always prayed for is having of children as soon as they are joined in Holy matrimony.  ‘Your children shall surround your table. You shall see your children’s children and so on’.  The church,  family and friends expect that after nine months of marriage, the couple is expected to invite the same people for churching of women and dedication of a baby.
Of course, that’s the joy of every family.  Any family that does not get a child after a few years of marriage is not always happy. As a woman after marriage, you get some jokes reminding you that in the next one year, pepper soup and the likes should be expected.  So, its normal.
When children come, should they be punished for any little provocation?  When some women have emotional and psychological problems, they vent their angers on children.
Couples should know the number of children to have.  There should be mental readiness. In the case of single motherhood, the woman should be ready to shoulder such responsibility.  The case of going into the world to multiply should be ruled out.
It is worrisome to hear that a woman killed her two children because her husband refused to keep money for feeding. Definitely she is the one to lose after going through the pains of child birth.
A lot of factors should be considered by couples such as mental health.  The two should be mentally fit before giving birth to children.
Financial capability is very important.  You cannot have children you cannot feed. Money must available to run the affairs of the home especially with the high standard of living. Financial adjustments have to be made for couples to tackle family challenges.
There has to be mutual understanding between the man and wife in things that concern the children.
Couples should be ready to carry the responsibility because children come with a lot of responsibilities and accommodation is very necessary.
Some women give birth and subject their children to child labour and send some out as housemaids.  Before deciding to have children, there should be thorough thinking.  You could have had children when things were going well, but when things begin to go bad, a lot of counselling should come in.
There must be a budget plan for the family. The environment has to be conducive.  The issue of genotype is very important so as to avoid having children with sickle cell anaemia (SS).  This can be so frustrating to parents.  Psychological evaluation must be carried out by couples before marriage.
Economic factors such as Joblessness on one parent to complement each other in contributing to the family.  Educational factors must be considered because the children must go to school.
Women should work on their temperament knowing that children can annoy their parents.  Providing for the child and being there for the child when he or she needs you is very important.  Sometimes when children do not get what want, they tend to be stubborn.  But mothers should know how to handle such situations when they arise.
Let’s assume that some factors were considered by couples before marriage on how many children they should have, paradventure things began to go bad, couples can make amendments.
The consideration for support system is a factor that should not be left out in marriage.  If anything happens, who do you leave your child for?
People should not have babies when they are not ready.  Do not  have a child with someone who is not psychologically ready. Women should not endanger the lives of children any longer.  One thing is having children and another is catering for them.
One should not have children because others are having and at the end of the day, in the course of little provocation, the child’s life is cut short.
Children did not bring themselves to the planet earth.  They were given birth to by man and woman, whether married or unmarried.  No amount of provocation should make a woman kill either her biological or foster child.
Women should have the number of children they can cater for in case difficult situations arise.

By: Eunice Choko-Kayode

Miss Precious Nkechinyere Kamsiyochukwu Umeh, was a student of Deeper Life High School, Mowe campus in Ogun State.  She hails from Anambra State.
Precious became a champion when she sat the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) 2023, and took 1st position nationwide.
She scored nearly 100% in all the four UTME subjects registered for.  She scored 66 in English, 98% in Mathematics, 97% in Physics and 99% in Chemistry. Her aggregate score was 360.
As if that was not enough, in the just-concluded West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE), the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) result released showed that Precious again cleared all papers.  She cleared all her papers in the just concluded WASSCE indicating that she is really a champion. She scored 8As and a B in the nine subjects she registered in the examination.
Recall that the 16 year old Precious has applied to the University of Lagos to study Chemical Engineering. She recieved nationwide recognition for achieving the feat. She has already got several awards in scholarship from her state government. She received a cash prize of N2.5m from the Chief Executive Officer of Erisco Foods Limited, just to mention but a few.
This is an indication that she was determined to showcase the genius she is.  Not just that,  she also proved the good work her teachers have done.  She has told others that malpractice is not the answer to academic challenge.  She proved to her parents and the world at large that hard work pays.
One interesting thing about Precious’ performance in the two external examinations is that, they are of the same grades.  A situation where anybody would have suspected that she engaged in examination malpractice in the WASCE.  UTME is a Computer-Based Test (CBT).  That has proved that she merited all.
This brings to mind that the female child when given an opportunity, favourable and conducive environment can fly even above the sky.  Time has passed when one would say that women education should end in the kitchen.  Should the person of Precious and her brilliance end in kitchen?  God forbid!  With Precious’ performance in the two examinations this year, all who have been relegating the girl-child to the background will have a rethink. It is now known that this kind of performance is not only for the opposite sex.
Although I am not here to promote or advertise the kind of high school she attended, there was a lot of commitment both from the teachers/school and the girl.  That’s one of the schools where huge sums of money are paid for effective teaching and learning.  But one interesting thing is that she ensured that her parents’ efforts were not wasted.  That’s the kind of gesture every girl-child should emulate.
Precious can go into any field of study especially in sciences and technology with such results not just in Nigeria but overseas.  She has become the pride of her family, nation and the globe. Such performance of Precious should be rewarded with MORE scholarship awards running into millions of naira and other currencies in case of overseas studies.  We should not only reward things that are not academic.
Definitely she will build the nation.  Remember, you train a woman and you train a nation.
As Precious moves in furtherance of her academic pursuit in Nigeria and abroad, government at every level, spirited individuals and organisations  should assist the parents who made it possible for her to achieve the feat.
Precious has set a pace for other female children to emulate.  This is the era where girls should showcase their God-given talents to let the world  know that their education does not end in kitchen.  They must compete favourably with the opposite sex.  The impression that women are the weaker sex should not ring in their hearts any more.  The era where science and technology are the order of the day, in this computer age, girl-child/young women should utilise the opportunities provided them.
The likes of our own Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who is the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), is what Precious  may be aiming at.  Women want more of that with Precious’ performance this year.  I have no doubt in my mind that she will go to any length.
Miss Umeh’s performance in the last UTME, is a wake-up call to parents and guardians that the girl-child who was seen as nobody, who could be given for marriage at underage for money-making, can be empowered.   The girl-child who was taken to be inferior to the male child should be given equal opportunity.
This is not an era when a girl-child should be pushed into marriage without going to school.  Educating the female children should be the priority of parents.
Mothers should allow their girl-children discover their talents before giving  them out for marriage.  When they are given out at premature age, some end up as full-time housewives.
Girls should not be given out for marriage just to produce children they cannot cater for.  When they are fully equipped with the right instruments, they will be able to cater for their children in future.

By: Eunice Choko-Kayode