The recent controversy of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Senate president, Godswill Akpabio has brought several dimensions. Some have insinuated that her travail is because she is a beautiful woman, and so this could be a case of misogyny. ADEREMI OGUNDARE examines this aspect.
Being beautiful and in politics in Nigeria should not be a crime, but the recent controversy surrounding Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and the Senate president Godswill Akpabio raises questions about the intricacies around gender, power and politics.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s allegations of sexual harassment against Akpabio have sparked a national conversation about the challenges women face in Nigeria’s male-dominated political landscape. In the fallout, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended for six months, sparking concerns about victim-blaming and the silencing of women’s voices.
Culture of sexism and misogyny
Observers say this incident highlights the systemic barriers women face in Nigerian politics. With only four female senators out of 109 members, women are grossly underrepresented in the country’s legislative body. This lack of representation is just the tip of the iceberg. Beneath the surface lies a pervasive culture of sexism and misogyny that perpetuate the marginalisation of women in politics. This, therefore, makes it difficult for women to participate in politics without facing harassment or intimidation.
Societal attitudes
Societal attitudes play a significant role in perpetuating this culture. In Nigeria, traditional gender roles are deeply ingrained, with women often expected to prioritise domestic duties over public life. Various reports in them media testify of this.
“In Nigeria, women are socialised to be submissive and obedient,” said Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, a gender expert and founder of the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC).
“This socialisation starts from childhood and is reinforced by cultural and religious norms. Institutional cultures also perpetuate sexism and misogyny. Nigeria’s political parties, for example, often prioritise male candidates over female ones, citing ‘electability’ as a justification. This bias is reflected in the composition of party leadership where women are vastly underrepresented.
She said: “The party structures are designed to favor men,” said Hon. Nnenna Ukeje, a former member of the House of Representatives. “Women are often relegated to women’s wings or auxiliary groups, which have little influence over party decision-making.”
The media also plays a significant role in perpetuating sexist attitudes. Female politicians are often subject to sexist reporting, with their appearance, dress, and personal lives scrutinised more closely than those of their male counterparts.
“The media’s treatment of female politicians is appalling,” said Kadaria Ahmed, a journalist and founder of the Daria Media. “We need to hold ourselves to higher standards and recognize that women in politics deserve the same respect and dignity as men,” Akiyode-Afolabi said.
A former Minister of works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, speaking to the media, claimed that the beauty of Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan poses a problem for her in politics. He said that men find it difficult to ignore her presence. His emphasis on men not being able to resist looking at a beautiful woman raised an observation that his view might be due to misogyny. But Ogunlewe insisted that his observations were based on natural tendencies.
This begs the question: Is beauty therefore a problem for women in politics? Is it a crime to be beautiful and in authority? Are Nigerian women suffering from a misogynistic society?
Nigerian Tribune conducted interviews with members of the public to sample the opinion of people on the above raised concerns. Damola Oyedokun a data analyst and an entrepreneur, said, “No, at this time women are not suffering from a misogynistic society. But it’s important to acknowledge that the older generation held different beliefs. For many, these values have become deeply ingrained, making it challenging to unlearn and adapt to new perspectives.
“Lawlessness in the country plays a significant role, along with the fact that an African man’s ego often arises when they are confronted by a female colleague who tries to undermine them. In this situation, both sides share some blame, but the verdict may not be in her favor. The scales of justice can be tilted toward him, as they still hold an African perspective that differs from the norm.”
She added, “The younger men, seem to take different approach, they seek the support and partnership of women as they strive to achieve their goals and aspirations.”
Bambo Olarinde, an education consultant, said, “Beauty should not be a problem for women in authority but it is attractive and has so many challenges attached to it. Especially when the woman is in authority and being expressive.
“The case of Natasha can be seen as a woman who is passionate about her people and her country. All she wants is to be expressive, for things to be done right. But her beauty and her boldness (which every man can behold) makes the Senate president ‘more interested’ in her and makes her suffer some unfair treatment/bullying in the Senate.”
Olarinde believes that women are suffering from a misogynistic society and that is one of the reasons the country does not have a female president or senate president yet.
According to her, “The society believes that women are ‘wives’, so they belong to the kitchen. This is how they feel even if they don’t say it. A woman in politics must work harder (twice more than a man) because any flaw or mistake will be seen as incompetence.”
Rachel Imasogie, a teacher, said: “To an extent, women are actually suffering from misogyny and beauty is not an issue for women in authority. Women do not suffer because of their beauty but because they are women due to the way the society sees or treats us. There is a limitation or embargo that the society has placed on women from rising to the top except if she is ready to give herself up for it.”
Ifediniru Chinenye, an entrepreneur said, “Beauty is not a crime, but to be a female in authority seems to be a crime. Women are indeed suffering from s misogynistic society, as our society has enforced cultural norms and values that prioritises men’s needs above women’s. The society undervalues women’s strengths and dismisses their leadership ability by shunning them and not encouraging them to take up higher roles.”
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According to Abimbola Daramola, an accountant, “it is not a crime to be beautiful and in authority. In my opinion, beauty may be and may not be a problem to women in authority. If a woman is beautiful it is an advantage to her because men will want to pay attention to her because of her beauty, thereby using that to get what she wants on a positive side. On the other hand, some men may feel threatened thereby make things difficult for her so that it will not be like she is having her way because of beauty.”
Ujuamaka Ben-Obaje, a content creator said, “Honestly, I do not know if beauty is a problem, but I am sure it does attract a lot of jealousy and unwanted attention. “
Kayode Balogun, a teacher, said: “I want to believe it is no crime to be beautiful and in authority. What matters to me is what the person does and how much the person carries herself in terms of self-worth when found in the position of authority.”
Taiwo Akinola, a financial technology sales specialist, said: “Women indeed face challenges in a society with misogynistic tendencies. The notion that being beautiful and in authority is a crime is a troubling narrative that perpetuates sexism and misogyny in our society. Beauty, itself is not a problem, rather it is the societal expectations, objectification and biases that create issues. Women should be able to exercise their authority, leadership and beauty without being judged, harassed, or marginalized. In my opinion, beauty is not a problem. It is the societal attitudes and biases that need to change.
Oyedele Abisola, a medical doctor, does not believe that beauty is a problem in itself. “It is definitely not a crime to be beautiful and in authority. I agree that there is a subtle misogyny in the society and this is because the order of creation from religious and cultural perspectives has always given precedence to men. A major point of mix up is the headship of the man in the home, which men automatically want to transfer to the workplace, thereby making them restrict, limit or even hinder a woman’s capacity for leadership and greatness, even when she is clearly better.
“While there are so many sides to this coin, I will conclude by saying that males and females alike should be raised to respect everyone regardless of gender and no one should stop anyone from reaching their highest goals irrespective of their anatomy.”
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