A POLITICAL AGENDA FOR NIGERIAN WOMEN
By Comfort Asase

November 6, 2003 – (Daily Trust - Abuja) Forty-three years after Nigeria's independence, there are still fears that increased participation by women in governance is being threatened by practise already discarded by other democracies.

Women are still already sidelined in both elective and political appointments. It was not supposed to be like this when Nigeria attained independence it was expected that the activism of late Mrs Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Hajia Gambo Sawaba and Mrs Margaret Ekpo, among others, would blossom into policies which should propel Nigerian women to the forefront of governance. Under-representation of women in the current democratic dispensation is lamentable. Women should by now, have more to show for their numeric strength as regards key positions across all levels of government.

A lot of factors have undermined the involvement of more women in politics. First among them is time most caucuses make their important political decisions. Such women would be lucky if they are not arrested for attempting to use the cover of night to engage in illicit sexual trade.
Another major inhibition of female participation in politics today is the issue of finance. People who do not support the idea of women in politics say that it is wrong for a woman to go out of her way to lobby others, probably males, for fund. She might as well kill her political ambition good bye before she starts.

Other democracies have discarded such kinds of beliefs. Women with serious ambition to participate in politics are morally upright. Mischievous politicians often label active female politicians in a bid to keep them away from party and other elective positions. This is one of the reasons why Nigerian activists have been on the offensive to roll back what they described as the heavy hand of retrogressive policies and practices against women's involvement in politics.

Besides, the other obvious factor that undermines the involvement of more women in politics, negative acts by some desperate male politicians have forced many women to withdraw into their shell. According to Nkechi Nwogu, "violence and dirty tactics are often employed by unscrupulous men to ensure that their female counterparts do not get important positions.

Despite this negative acts by unscrupulous men, if women want to succeed as politicians, prospective and active female politicians have to adopt similar tactics used by their males counterparts instead of waiting to be given some concessions.

New obstacles have teamed up with old ones to work against women in governance. Sharia as being practiced in Zamfara State, for instance, is obviously a drawback to the participation of women in politics. Women are not expected to mix with men in public and separate transportation has been provided for more political relevant roles for women in the polity should not be viewed as a tea party. Mrs Josephine Anenih was cautious in her response to how Sharia would affect the involvement of Northern women in politics. "I have spoken to one or two of the governors practicing Sharia, and they have assured me that it would not limit the participation of women (in governance) and that if they now say that because of Sharia they will not present women candidates we'll deal with that when we get there."

Women should be pro-active and ready to make sacrifices if they want to be successful politicians.

Prospective women politicians need to adopt Professor Jerry Gana's three Bs if they want to be successful like their male counterparts. These are, be economically empowered, be politically aware and be socially liberated.

Since women form a substantial portion of Nigeria's population, sidelining them would rob the country of a significant source of fresh ideas and inputs for governance, thus, posing a significant threat to genuine democracy. (This is the belief of the United States Agency for International Development, USAID). As part of a deliberate strategy to improve the political relevance of women in the country, USAID has been involved in a number of projects. There was also a workshop in Lagos by a non-governmental organisation, Community Partners for Development (CPP), which attempted to identify how to prepare interested women for political office in 2003.

One of the speakers at the workshop, Akande, said: "Politics is where power is and that is where women must be. Nothing will change unless and until women have the necessary number to make a difference. The time to start planning is now." This is the time to start improving the political relevance of women.

Asase wrote in from the Department of Mass Communication, University of Maiduguri.

From: http://allafrica.com/stories/200311060346.html