THE 2025 International Women’s Week may have come and gone, but it can never be too late to celebrate Nigerian women who have at every turn given the country ample reasons to acknowledge them, especially in this special month of March whose first week is usually devoted globally to recognising the contributions of women to the economy and, more significantly, the crucial roles they play in shaping the family, which is the foundation of the society. And as is customary, we also latch onto this celebratory mood to raise awareness about women and girls’ rights and the challenges they confront daily. The celebration, which began as a one-day affair in the 1900s, has over time become a week-long celebration beginning from the first Saturday of March and dovetailing into the International Women’s Day on March 8. This year’s celebration took place from March 1 to 4.
Specifically, the week is set apart to bring to the front burner women’s rights, equality, and empowerment. And as we have already noted, it is also a time to recognise the achievements of women and girls and raise awareness about the challenges they face with a view to ensuring that they are resolved. The theme of the International Women’s Day 2025, “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment”, is apt and captures the very essence of the celebration. In a sense, the International Women’s Week is an important reminder of the ongoing struggle for women’s rights and equality. It is a celebration of women’s achievements and a call to action for a more just and equitable world. Judging by the enormous odds stacked against the attainment of gender equality, especially in developing countries, it is safe to surmise that giant strides are being made and the journey to a gender-sensitive and equitable world is progressing, even if slowly. The challenges posed by cultural and religious factors are yielding ground, albeit ponderously, to commonsense and the imperative of optimizing the usefulness of all available human capital regardless of gender.
Nigerian women, in particular, are pillars of society and the nation, making invaluable inputs to and distinguishing themselves in administration and management both in the private and public sectors, thereby making significant contributions to national development. A sizeable number of Nigerian women are indeed resilient go-getters who have achieved results even where their male counterparts are known to have faltered. They are extremely hardworking and diligent, with impeccable integrity. It will not be out of place to say that they have broken the proverbial glass ceiling. For instance, in the banking sector, women have started to play the prominent role of Chief Executive Officer (CEO). There are 26 major banks in Nigeria, and 10 of them are headed by female CEOs, representing 36 percent of Nigerian major banks’ CEOs. Also currently, the head of the judiciary, an arm of government and one of the tripod upon which democracy rests, is a woman. Similarly, the President, Court of Appeal, is a woman. In other words, the apex court in the land and the one next to it are both headed by women who are eminently qualified for the positions both in terms of competence and seniority. In the civil service, from August 2015 to date, there have been three Heads of Service, all of them women, including the incumbent. In the academia, there are many senior professors across diverse fields who are women.
Yes, currently, less than 10 percent of Nigerian university vice-chancellors are women, but it is a tremendous achievement that they are already encroaching on a territory that hitherto appeared to be the exclusive preserve of men. Indeed, Nigerian women have made a name for themselves and demonstrated eloquently the veracity of the cliche: “What a man can do, a woman can do better.” They play crucial roles not just in the economy, but also, and more importantly, in the foundation of society, the family or the home front. However, in spite of their significant contributions to the economy and society through their roles as mothers and wives, women are still facing a lot of challenges foisted on them largely by religion, culture and the patriarchal nature of the Nigerian society. The interplay of religion and obnoxious cultural practices has made some parents reluctant to send their girl child to school or to learn some useful skills. The warped logic is that she will soon leave the family to go to her husband’s home where she will be condemned to kitchen activities and home making.
Some questionable adults have even taken that obnoxious belief a notch higher by marrying and giving out underage girls in marriage, depriving them of the formal and informal education which they need to navigate the challenges of marriage, among others. This warped view is changing, especially in a section of the country but it nonetheless remains a veritable challenge in another section of the country. Again, often, women in high offices in the private and public sectors traditionally have to work twice as hard as their male counterparts to prove themselves worthy of the positions they occupy or aspire to occupy. Happily, though, the prejudicial disposition towards female executives is changing, especially in the private sector, against the backdrop of the superlative performances of the few women who have been tested in positions of power and authority. Perhaps it is in the political space that women have the greatest challenge to their aspirations as everything would appear to be structured and skewed in favour of men. In terms of the huge resources required to participate in politics and contest elections, women are disadvantaged.
Also, political meetings are usually held in the dead of night or in the wee hours of the morning, which is patently inconvenient for women who are playing their roles as wives and mothers. In addition to the above challenges, some undisciplined and morally depraved men have a penchant for breaching ethical boundaries and compromising the moral values of women through sexual harassment. It is saddening that certain uncultured men in the public and private sectors see women as sex objects that they could pounce on at will to satisfy their immoral cravings. This can be really demeaning to the women, and worst still, the victims are not expected to complain, and often, when they do, they are suppressed and/or blamed. These are some of the challenges faced by women and girls that are worthy of examination on occasions like this. The objective is to provoke official action by putting in intense advocacy the need to tweak all obnoxious religious and cultural practices that circumscribe the rights and liberty of women and girls. There is also the need for the government to roll out more pro-women policies to demonstrate that it is deliberate and intentional about the attainment of a just and equitable society where everybody, regardless of gender, is equal under the law.
It is, nonetheless, gladdening that in spite of these serious and patently avoidable challenges, Nigerian women have remained a shining example and an embodiment of resilience, excellence and courage. They are a significant bastion of support for the economy and family, the microcosm of the society. Therefore, on the occasion of year 2025 International Women Week, we heartily celebrate them. Kudos!
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