Presidency: how badly do women want it? -By Mubarak Ibrahim

Gender equality is a controversial and much disputed issue in Africa and Nigeria in particular. For women leadership, the African experience varied. In Ethiopia, women occupied 50% of the county’s Cabinet while Rwanda has 60% female legislators. But in Nigeria, has only 5.6 represention in the Parliament.

In fact, Nigeria ranks fifth lowest among sub Saharan African countries in terms of gender disparity. In Nigeria, the idea of women occupying the number one Office continue to be alien concept with political landscape still dominated by men.

Oby Ezekwesili

However, with the recent development in Tanzania that saw the emergence of Samia Suluhu Hassan as the first female President though not through direct election, but her coming will be the biggest impetus for the likes of Professor Oluremi who contested for the office of the president in 2015 and Oby Ezekwesili in 2019.

The question is, will the pendulum swings come 2023? It was argued that if women constituting 60% of the population will rally their support for a female aspirant, sky will be their starting point for any female aspirant and will square it up with their male counterparts. As it stands, gender could be their selling tool they can leverage on, since it was the same tool that has been used against them all these years. For instance, in the Nigerian Senate, women occupy only 8 of the 109 seats and only 11of the 360 seats in the house of representative.

This among others could be the reason that prompted the Nigerian female lawmaker to seek for boosting women represention in governance; sponsoring bill that seek a minimum of 35% of all appointments to be reserved for women politicians. This will of course, become a reality only when the women folk look inwards and address the salient issue of disunity among their ranks.

However, some women lamented over the financial involvement in Nigerian politics, the amount of money is quite a Sum. For example, in 2015 President Muhammad Buhari and former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan spent well over the 1 billion stipulated by the electoral Act.

Another aspect attached to non involvement of women in politics could be violence associated with politicking and campaign during election; manifest weakness at confronting the male folk on the issue of rigging and gender stereotype.

Beyond this arguments, the achievements of late professor Dora Akunyili at NAFDAC, late Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh, who ensured that Ebola virus did not have an accelerated spread, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala, Mrs Amina J. Muhammad and professor Hajara U. Sanda, an Amazon of repute in the field of media studies; have shown that women can deliver if only they could be given the opportunity. These great Amazons have broken the glass ceiling and are competing favourably in the competitive wold of man.

Today anybody can stand on the podium and promise heaven and earth but the question is how? Government have come and gone but the progress made so far is not significant because it is difficult to measure what was promised. It is time to start giving women a chance in our political space. After all, they have prove themselves; they have role to play in the advancement and progress of our political sphere. When the time comes Choose wisely.

Mubarak Ibrahim
Department of Mass Communication
Bayero University, Kano.