ONE of the most important questions in the contemporary sociopolitical era, namely, should women not play more active roles in politics, has once again come to the forefront with the impending 2023 general election. The National Assembly recently rejected the Gender Equality Bill, which Princess Grace Adejoh, a columnist, called “an astronomical apolitical stance and aberration against, as well as a separation of Nigerian women participating in politics, which is academically, legislatively, constitutionally, statutorily, and actorally reprehensible to say the least.” Nyesom Wike, the executive governor of Rivers State, also criticised the rejection, calling it a significant setback for the nation’s democratic development.
The need to draft a constitution that will guarantee equity, fairness, and justice to all Nigerians was one of the outstanding recommendations made at the National Conference which President Goodluck Jonathan called in 2014. After realising that the current constitutional protections are not entirely effective in preventing discrimination based on sex, religion, or ethnicity, the recommendation was made in light of the need to ensure that Nigerians of all backgrounds participate equally in every aspect of the country’s endeavours. It is clear today that women still face a lot of discrimination, particularly when it comes to their involvement in politics. I will therefore continue to address this issue, which continues to be of great concern to all Nigerians, including women, who are outraged by the few opportunities that women have to effectively engage in politics in Nigeria.
It is undeniable that women participate in Nigerian politics in some capacity, hence my use of the word “effectively.” In Nige ria, almost all political parties have active women’s wings that work to coordinate and uphold each party’s female support base. After all, it is generally acknowledged that women make up a significant portion of any political or electoral demographic. However, it is regrettable that political parties appear content with giving women titles like “Women Leader,” “Deputy Women Leader,” “Chief Women Organiser,” etc. without actually giving them a chance to make a political contribution to the development of this country. Sadder still, according to data available, is the possibility that our women may now view themselves as eternal followers in political schemes of events, only to be seen and never to be heard, as a result of decades of being forced to conform to antiquated ideologies regarding the role of women in society. Thankfully, I experienced a great deal of satisfaction from the increasing public conversation about the role of women in politics. This conversation is being sparked by the women themselves, and it is clear that Nigerian women are aware of the potential benefits of their increased political involvement. They are also unwilling to wait passively for these opportunities, which history teaches us are rarely given freely and must instead be demanded and, when they are, protected.
The topic of women in politics in Nigeria has generated discussion both before and after independence. Strong women’s rights supporters contend that everything must be done to ensure greater participation of women in politics at one end of the spectrum. Those in the middle agree that Nigerian women should have more opportunities to participate in the country’s governance and that more work needs to be done to provide these opportunities since political office can only be attained by voting in elections. On the other end of the spectrum are those who believe that women should not participate in politics at all and should only be allowed in the home-in the other room. Even though it sounds out of date, a prominent person in the South-West publicly stated in 2010 that he would never permit his wife to be involved in politics. This point of view is comparable to the justification offered by a member of the House of Representatives for the rejection of the Gender Equality Bill and other similar bills, who claimed that the “complexity in society” was the reason the bills were unable to pass constitutional amendment.
People who hold this opinion frequently think of women in leadership roles as being too critical and uncompromising. A thorough examination of the information provided by the Independent National Electoral Commission reveals the necessity of this discussion. Only 3 per cent of women were represented in contested offices in 1999. The percentage increased to 4 per cent in 2003, and then improved further to 6 per cent in 2007. However, no woman has ever been chosen to lead a state in Nigeria as governor since 1999. Even though some women ran for and were elected to some states’ Houses of Assembly, the level of representation is still very low. In the states of Adamawa, Cross River, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Nasarawa, Oyo, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara in 2003, there were no female members of the Houses of Assemblies.
Women’s political engagement in the pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial eras
Nigerian women played a significant role in the political structure of their communities during the pre-colonial period. For instance, women actively participated in state administration in pre-colonial Borno, complementing the roles filled by their male counterparts. However, with the onset of colonialism came a steady decline in women’s political participation and, more specifically, their disenfranchisement. Three women were only recently appointed to the House of Chiefs in the 1950s, namely Chief (Mrs) Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti of the Western Nigerian House of Chiefs; Chief (Mrs) Margaret Ekpo of the Eastern Nigerian House of Chiefs; and Janet Mokelu of the Northern Nigerian House of Chiefs. Women, on the other hand, increased their participation in the post-colonial era.
Few women were elected to the House of Representatives and the Houses of Assembly during the Second Republic. Furthermore, two women were chosen to serve as Federal Ministers. They were Mrs Adenike Ebun Oyagbola and Chief (Mrs.) Janet Akinrinde, the minister of internal affairs (Minister for National Planning).
During the military regime led by Buhari, the first official quota system for women’s participation in governance was implemented. Every state’s Executive Council was required to have at least one female member under this system. When democracy was restored in 1999, there was hope that women would play a bigger role in politics. However, neither the Bei jing Declaration from the Fourth World Conference on Women nor the National Gender Policy’s (NGP) recommendation for 35 percent affirmative action in both elected political office and appointed positions in the public sector has been implemented in Nigeria. According to a report by Gender Strategy Advancement International, or GSAI, Nigerian women’s political participation is below continental and global averages. The report states that the average percentage of women in elective and appointed positions in Nigeria is still 6.7 percent, which is significantly lower than the regional and global averages of 23.4 percent for Africa and 15 per cent for West Africa. The report’s explanation of Nigeria’s poor ranking stated that “the underrepresentation of women in political participation gained root due to the patriarchal practices inherent in our society, much of which were obvious from the pre-colonial era till date.” Given the several talks, initiatives, and policy directions of the government, one would expect greater progress in Nigeria’s quest for increased women’s political participation.”
Conclusion
The statistics on women’s involvement in politics in Nigeria are unsurprisingly low. Much work still needs to be done to increase women’s opportunities for political participation. It does seem that the large and predominately female attendance at most political rallies has not translated into more opportunities for women to run for office. This has very well played out in the just-concluded party primaries, which aptly demonstrate the male-dominated Nigerian political clime.
The patriarchal system in place in Nigeria is one of the identified obstacles to the greater participation of women in politics. Low levels of education, political unrest, and barriers based on religion and culture are some of the additional contributing factors. However, there needs to be a supportive environment for Nigerian women to actively contribute to the nation’s political landscape. This could be made a reality by including quotas in our laws requiring the participation of women at all levels of government and by involving other key players like political parties and INEC to ensure strict compliance. Furthermore, it is crucial to advocate for the protection of women from abuse as well as their political and economic emancipation. Additionally, all current laws should be reviewed, or new ones should be passed, to accommodate women’s participation and effective involvement in politics in both elective and appointive positions.
AARE AFE BABALOLA, OFR, CON, SAN, LLD. D.Litt.