Oyo govt, women advocates commend BGDI for empowering women with political skills

The Oyo State government and stakeholders in youth and women development spaces have stated that women’s participation in political and leadership endeavours is crucial to national development.

The stakeholder stated this in Ibadan during the graduation ceremony of the fellows of the Oyo State Policy and Advocacy Lab Fellowship programme, organised by the Black Girl’s Dream Initiative (BGDI) and supported by the Nigeria Youth Futures Fund (NYFF).

The Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Olusegun Olayiwola, represented by an assistant director of the Schools Department in the ministry, Tayo Olajide, commended BGDI for promoting the education and development of young girls and women in the state, stressing that an investment in young people is an investment in the future.

“Your organisation has inspired girls, women, and youth to be leaders,” the commissioner said, adding, “Policy shapes how societies function and is essential for anyone working towards real change.”

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The founder of BGDI, Karimot Odebode, emphasised that the importance and role of women’s participation in politics and leadership in Nigeria cannot be overemphasised.

Odebode added that power is not given but taken, which was why they are training young women with the skills to compete favourably with their male counterparts in political and leadership spaces.

The project officer of the fellowship programme, Foyin Ejilola, commended the fellows for their commitment and dedication to the programme and urged them to apply what they have learned to positively impact their lives and communities.

According to Ejilola, the 50 female fellows were trained in political and civic engagement, policy writing, leadership skills, advocacy, and public speaking skills, among others, that will enable them to engage meaningfully with their communities and proffer solutions to societal challenges.

The keynote speaker and House of Representatives member, Honourable Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, spoke on ‘The inclusion of women and youth in nation building’, which she noted is timely in discourse involving women and youth participation in governance.

Akande-Sadipe said that gender issues are important in contemporary Nigerian society, adding, “Nigeria cannot move forward on one leg. A nation that sidelines its women and talents is a nation that chooses stagnation over progress.”

She lamented that while women make up a larger percentage of Nigeria’s population, they are almost absent when laws, policies, and major decisions that affect them are made, which she stressed is unjust.

Akande-Sadipe further stressed that all barriers hindering women’s participation in politics and leadership must be removed, and that policies and legal reforms are needed to address these challenges.

She recommended mentorship and capacity building for women, adding, “With all this in place, change will come.”

Karimot Odebode moderated the panel session, ‘Building pathway for women in leadership and politics’, with gender advocate Dr Sharon Omotoso; executive director of MAYIEN, Ewa Orowale; and woman right advocate Fatima Hassan on the panel.

The women in the panel stated that men should know the importance of gender equity, that women must be on the table where their lives and future are discussed, and that women must leverage their social capital and negotiation skills to make their demands known in political engagements.

The other panel moderated by Kawthar Salahudeen was titled ‘Youth in governance: Rethinking civic participation in Oyo State’, and had Olakunle Akinsete, Seyi Adisa, Olabisi Owadayo, and Peter Adeyemi as panellists.

The panellists urged the fellows to believe they can be anything they want to become if they do not have a victim mentality. They admonished them to take their destinies into their hands and learn and seek mentorship. They urge them to see men as partners in their political and leadership endeavours.

“Get involved in politics, and be intentional about power and those who rule you,” the panel charged the fellows.

In the course of the events, the fellows, group into nine groups, presented their policy briefs on: health; inclusion and quality education; youth inclusion; inclusion of people with disability (inclusion in housing, leadership, and education); economic empowerment; digital right and safety; sexual abuse, female genital mutilation (FGM) and gender based violence; taxation and finance; and climate policy.