Re: Achieving gender equality: Meet the women making history in 2022 – Internationally and Nationally in Nigeria

Female political empowerment: A huge gender gap persists in politics around the world

What’s the World Economic Forum doing about the gender gap?

International Women’s Day on 8th March is usually an opportunity to celebrate women’s achievements. From politics and justice to sport and entertainment, women in all spheres across the globe are already excelling this year. The theme of International Women’s Day 2022 is #BreaktheBias – to promote a world free of stereotyping and discrimination.

Role models are recognized as crucial to helping the world overcome gender bias and achieve gender equality: if women can see themselves represented, they can do it.

This year’s started by celebrating the groundbreaking achievements of strong women role models across the planet – who are breaking down barriers to allow others to follow in their footsteps.

Here are just a few of the women who have made history so far in 2022, internationally according to an account by Kate Whiting, Senior Writer, Formative Content, on the platform of World Economic Forum (WEF), on 08 Mar 2022. They include:

Maya Angelou
The late American author and activist Maya Angelou became the first Black woman to appear on the US quarter, when the US Mint started rolling out the coin on 11 January. The coin is part of the American Women Quarters Program, which also includes Anna May Wong, the first Chinese-American Hollywood film star, the US Mint told Reuters.

Antonette Wemyss Gorman
Appointed in January as the first woman to run Jamaica’s military, Rear Admiral Antonette Wemyss Gorman has faced down danger and sexism in her 29-year career but hasn’t let gender hold her back. “I was never focused on the fact that I was a woman,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. “I think a lot of times women make a mistake of focusing on their gender and cause their own limits in what they are doing.”

Xiomara Castro
Xiomara Castro was sworn in as Honduras’s first woman president at the end of January in front of a cheering crowd that included Kamala Harris, US Vice-President. Harris pledged US government support to stem migration and fight corruption in Central America.

Preet Chandi
When British army officer Preet Chandi set off on her solo expedition to the South Pole, she did it to inspire her eight-year-old niece. “I want [her] to grow up without boundaries, knowing the possibilities of what you can achieve in life are endless. This journey aims to inspire future generations in achieving whatever they desire and pushing boundaries. By promoting and completing this challenge, it allows me to act as a role model to young people, women and those from ethnic backgrounds.” Chandi is thought to be the first woman of colour to complete the journey unsupported.

Ayesha Malik
Justice Ayesha Malik was appointed Pakistan’s first female Supreme Court judge in January. “An important and defining moment in our country as a brilliant lawyer and decorated judge has become Pakistan’s first female SC judge,” tweeted Maleeka Bokhari, parliamentary secretary for law and a legislator of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party. “To shattering glass ceilings,” she added.

Hannah Green
Australian Hannah Green became the first woman to win a mixed-gender professional golf tournament, at the TPS Murray River event in her home country. The former Women’s PGA Championship winner battled through gusty conditions to record a five-under-par final round of 66 and break a four-way tie with Andrew Evans, Matthew Millar and Blake Collyer.

Jane Campion
New Zealand film director Jane Campion became the first woman to receive multiple Oscar nominations for best director when she was nominated for The Power of the Dog in February. It comes almost 20 years after she was nominated in 1993 for The Piano. In the history of the Oscars, only seven women have been nominated for best director and only two have won: Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker in 2010 and Chloé Zhao for Nomadland in 2021.

Chloe Kim
At the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, Californian Chloe Kim became the first woman to win back-to-back golds in the Olympic snowboard halfpipe.

Ketanji Brown Jackson
Federal appellate judge Ketanji Brown Jackson was nominated by President Joe Biden to become the first Black woman to serve on the US Supreme Court. Her nomination on 25 February fulfilled a campaign promise Biden made exactly two years earlier to deliver the historic appointment. He said: “For too long, our government, our courts haven’t looked like America. I believe it’s time that we have a court that reflects the full talents and greatness of our nation with a nominee of extraordinary qualifications.” Hearings on Jackson are set to begin on 21 March, in a first step before she can be voted on by the full chamber.

Similarly, on the national scene, in Nigeria, on International Women’s Day, as the global community celebrates the women-folk and their contributions to our world, LEADERSHIP News Correspondent grandly featured some prominent women that are tipped to impact the forthcoming 2023 general elections in Nigeria as follows:

Dolapo Osinbajo

Wife of the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Dolapo, is a lawyer and political figure. She is the executive director of The Women’s Helping Hand Initiative, a refuge facility in Epe, Lagos, established in 2014, and a co-founder of the Orderly Society Trust.

With her husband seen as a possible contestant for president in 2023, Dolapo is set for a serious role in mobilising support for her husband’s quest. Before her husband became the vice president in 2015, Née Soyode, as she is fondly called, was already popular for her care for street urchins in the Lagos metropolis who she once referred to as her family.

Dame Patience Jonathan

Dame Patience Faka Jonathan was born into a humble family in Rivers State and became the First Lady of Nigeria when her husband Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, became the president of Nigeria.

Dame Patience had also served as a permanent secretary in Bayelsa State and became one of the First Ladies who rose to the pinnacle of the State Civil Service.

Educated and bold, she has left many Nigerians amazed at her boldness when it comes to the issue of women welfare advocacy and political empowerment of women in many parts of the country.

Aisha Buhari

Wife of the president, Hajiya Aisha Buhari, is a vocal advocate of women’s rights and children’s rights. This was a focal point during her campaign for her husband’s election in the 2015 general elections.

The cosmetologist and beauty therapist had on several occasions emphasised the need for young girls to get primary and secondary school education before getting married, insisting that no girl should get married before the age of 17. She has also criticised child marriage and homosexuality.

Senator Remi Tinubu

Senator Oluremi Tinubu is the wife of the national leader of the APC and frontrunner in the 2023 presidential election, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

She currently represents Lagos Central senatorial district at the National Assembly after winning re-election in the March 28, 2015 polls. She will be pulling all her strings to ensure her husband picks the APC ticket and win the presidential election, after which she will become first lady.

The former first lady of Lagos State is an educationist, administrator and philanthropist. The federal lawmaker had been an inspiration to many, especially women in Nigeria and beyond.

Dame Pauline Tallen

Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, is an astute politician, development advocate, educator and a person of multidisciplinary interests. She has definitely made a mark for herself in Nigerian politics and the country’s history.

Tallen was the first ever female deputy governor of Plateau State in northern Nigeria, and the first female to be appointed a minister. She was minister of State, Science & Technology in the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2007. She became the deputy governor of Plateau State between 2007 and 2011

Her political strides in Plateau State attracted national recognition, when in 1999 she was appointed the minister of State for Science and Technology by Obasanjo. She went on to serve as chairman, governing board, Raw Materials, Research and Development (RMRDC). She was decorated with the national honour of the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR) in 2005.

Senator Uche Ekwunife

Senator Uche Lilian Ekwunife (Iyom) is currently a second-term senator at the National Assembly, representing Anambra Central, and chairman, Senate Committee on Science and Technology.

Ekwunife has become a sort of political bulldozer in a tough terrain like Anambra State where she has continued to beat the field of strong men to win seats in both chambers of the National Assembly.

She began her political career as a member of the House of Representatives representing Njikoka/ Anaocha/ Dunukofia federal constituency in the National Assembly where she served two tenures from 2007 to 2015. She was the chairman, House Committee on Public Accounts among others.

In 2010, Ekwunife was the candidate of the Peoples Progressives Alliance (PPA) and later a governorship aspirant on the platforms of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in 2013, and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2021.

Sen Binta Masi Garba

Binta Masi Garba is a politician, businesswoman and administrator, serving as the Senator for Adamawa North Senatorial District of Adamawa State since 2015. She had served as chairperson, Adamawa State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and is the first female state chairperson of a registered major political party in Nigeria.

Before coming to the Senate, Senator Garba had served in the House of Representatives for three terms, from 1999 to 2011. She is the first politician to represent two federal different constituencies. She was also the only female senator-elect in all the 19 Northern States after the 2015 election.

She later joined All Progressives Congress (APC). She contested and emerged as the chairman of the Adamawa State Chapter of APC. The victory at the poll made her the first female state chairman of a registered major political party in Nigeria. She was later to win a seat into the Nigerian Senate on May 28, 2015, to represent Adamawa North Senatorial District.

Professor Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies

Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies is a linguist, educationist and politician. She was born into a royal lineage in Kwara.
She was a.presidential candidate of Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA) during the 2019 general elections.

Adesanya-Davies has a B.A. (Ife), M.A. English (Ilorin), and Ph.D. Applied Linguistics & Communication Studies (Port Harcourt) and P.G.D.E. (Port Harcourt). She holds a Doctor of Divinity (D.D.) and Professor of Divinity (Honoris Causa) of Northwestern Christian University, USA. She has taught language, linguistics and communication studies for 35 years.

A woman of impeccable character, Adesanya-Davies cherishes the ideals of a democratic, free and egalitarian society. Passionate about the transformation, development, progress and unity of Nigeria, a human resource consultant, Adesanya-Davies, the chairperson of Princess Mercy Ade-Davies Foundation, has declared her intention to contest the 2023 presidential election under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Khadijah Okunnu-Lamidi

Khadijah, a political organiser, social rights advocate and a humanitarian with a track record of successful community and advocacy impact projects, promises to find lasting solutions to problems of governance in the country, if voted by the electorate, as the nation’s president in the forthcoming 2023 general election.

Okunnu-Lamidi bagged a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management (Hons) from the University of Bolton, RAK Campus, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and a Master’s degree in Strategic Project Management (SPM) from the prestigious Heriot-Watt University, Dubai.

She founded Slice Media Solutions, a very successful advertising agency. She had since stood out in the media space as an outstanding media mogul. As a woman who believe a leader should not face challenges in life. This probably informed her foray into politics where she recently declared her intention to contest the 2023 presidential election.

Sharon Ikeazor

Sharon Ikeazor is a legal practitioner, politician, management consultant, philanthropist and social activist. She was appointed minister of state for environment by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

In 2011, she contested and won the position of National Women Leader of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). With the merger of the three political parties in 2013, Sharon emerged the interim national women leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Later she was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the APC in 2014.

Two years later, Sharon was appointed the executive secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) on 26th September, 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhari. She currently serves as the vice president of Women in Politics Forum (WIPF) which she co-founded to build the capacity of female politicians across political lines.

Sadiya Umar Farouq

Sadiya Umar Farouq is the minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, overseeing seven agencies: National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), North East Development Commission (NEDC), National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced People (NCFRMI), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the recently created National Commission for People with Disability (NCPWD).

Her work with President Buhari dates back to Buhari’s days as the leader and presidential candidate of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change when Farouq was the national treasurer of CPC and later national treasurer of the All Progressives Congress.

Farouq is an alumnus of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Nigeria.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa

The former federal lawmaker was born in Jos, Plateau State.
She worked at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) for fifteen years where she anchored the popular weekly NTA News Line programme. She also pioneered a programme on Diaspora Matters on the NTA, a programme that was to nurture her for greater assignment as she is today the chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM).

She retired from her position at NTA to stand for election in the House of Representatives to represent Ikorodu Constituency in Lagos State, which she won. She was the chairman of the House Committee on Media & Publicity from 2003 to 2007 and again represented her constituency in the House of Representatives between 2007 and 2011.

She obtained a post graduate diploma (PGD) in mass communication and also a master’s degree in mass communication from the University of Lagos. She also attended Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government in the United States.

Modele Sarafa-Yusuf

Until March 2, 2022 when she made public her intention to vie for the governorship seat of the state, Mrs. Modele Sarafa-Yusuf was a special adviser on information to the Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun.

An award-winning media practitioner with 32 years of experience in journalism and marketing communications, Modele Sarafa-Yusuf was the first woman sportscaster in Africa, serving with the NTA for 16 years.

She currently produces and anchors arguably Nigeria’s highest rated TV personality interview programme: “View From the Top”. She also works as an independent communications consultant for several organisations.

Mariam Katagum

Mariam Yalwaji is an ambassador, permanent delegate of Nigeria to UNESCO and minister of state for industry, trade and investment.
Katagum started her professional career in 1977 as a senior education officer at the Federal Government College, Azare. Later she served at Federal Scholarship Board, Lagos (1981-1984).

Starting from 2001, Katagum served as the secretary general of the Nigerian National Commission for UNESCO. In July 2019, Katagum was nominated as a minister of state for industry, trade and investment from Bauchi State by the President Muhammadu Buhari.

As minister, Katagum advocates implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as vital to achieving the gains which Nigeria stands to benefit.

Gbemisola Saraki

Gbemisola Ruqayyah Saraki is the minister of state for transportation since August 21, 2019. Gbemi Saraki was a two-term senator for Kwara Central Senatorial District from 2003 to 2011. In 2011, she contested in the gubernatorial election of Kwara State under the ACPN party, losing election to PDP’s Abdul Fatah Ahmed.

Before becoming a senator, Gbemi Saraki was elected into the House of Representatives in 1999, representing Asa/Ilorin West Federal Constituency, Kwara State. She is the Pro Chancellor and Chairperson of the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State.

Professor Stella Effah-Attoe

Professor Stella Effah-Attoe is the serving national women leader of the PDP.

She has successfully traversed through the academic world. With a Ph.D. she started lecturing in 1986 in the University of Calabar as Lecturer 11 and rose to a professor in 2010. A professor of African History and Gender Studies, she served in numerous positions, including head of Department, History and International Studies and dean, Faculty of Arts.

She is the executive director of Centre for Gender Empowerment, an NGO which sensitises and mobilises women in Nigeria towards nation building.

Ipalibo Harry-Banigo

Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo made history as the first female deputy governor of Rivers State on May 29, 2015.

Later, Harry-Banigo became the director, Public Health, Rivers State Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in February 1994 – December 1995. Due to her outstanding performance, she was appointed acting commissioner for Health and Social Welfare in December 1996 to June 1997. She was a director in the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and eventually became the permanent secretary in the ministry in April 1998.

Thereafter, she was appointed as Head of Service and subsequently secretary to the Rivers State Government from May 1995 to July 1999. She was chairman, among others.

Mulikat Akande-Adeola

The first female majority leader of the House of Representatives, Mulikat Adeola Akande-Adeola is a consummate lawyer and astute politician.

She joined the political fray in the advent of the Fourth Republic in 1999 through the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and by 2007 she was elected into the House of Representatives, representing Ogbomosho North, South and Orire federal constituency. She was a member of the ECOWAS Parliament from 2007 to 2011.

To conclude, as one has remarked on this International Women’s Day celebration that, female political empowerment depicts huge gender gap which has persisted in politics around the world and asked, “What’s the World Economic Forum is doing about the gender gap?”

May I seize this opportunity to project, Prof. Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, a frontline presidential aspirant, the only Amazon in the 2023 Presidential race on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and an academic and technocrat in Nigeria.

She says, “I am most passionate about the transformation, development, progress and unity of Nigeria, as an accomplished educationist, who believes, I can boost Nigeria’s Human Capital Development Index and its Competitiveness in the area of skills and talent management.

I therefore use this platform and opportunity, to once again make my declaration concerning 2023 Presidential election in Nigeria. “I have a dream, that one day, a woman will become the president of Nigeria, and the dream is NOW!” -Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies

#IWD2022 #BreakTheBias.