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Can We Produce a Woman President 2007? By Aisha Sambo
“What a man can do a woman can do better even best”.
Gone were days when a woman’s place is in the kitchen, the woman’s place has to be recognized in our society, the achievements need more encouragement to be active individual of the society.
Women have always been part of our reforms, with like of Fumiloyo Ramson Kuti, madam Ekpo, Gambo Sawaba and hajia naja’atu is popular women activist whose activities are well recognized as female politicians as well.
Beginning of civil rule should have made it interesting at least even for once choose a woman president but instead women are use as mere tools in our society forgetting their wonderful ruling potentials.
Lots of great women showed their ruling potentials in leading great nation at different instance elected or appointed as prime ministers and presidents, on the count down of the numbers of women who once held the seat of president in different nation is rated about 15 in the world with several other prime ministers.
Leadership position was first assumed in 3000BCE in Egypt and Ku-baba and after the World War 1 women became members of democratic government and recently in 1999 Sweden became the first country to have more female ministers than male.
Developed countries believe in gender equality, in 2002 South Korea elected a woman as prime minister, who could have forgotten the tough Margaret Thatcher of the United Kingdom, the economy then booming industrious Indonesia elected president Magawati Sukarnoputri in 2001 and among others are some African countries who employed the leadership of women in central Africa Republic Elizabeth Domitien ruled in 1975, Senegalese Mame Madion Boye in 2001 and the recent 2004 appointed prime minister of Mozambique Luisa Diago.
If these countries can recognize the good and important potentials of women in leadership, why can’t Nigeria have a woman president or for how long would women be marginalized in the leadership in this country?
Nigerian women are more than often regarded as weaker being, but I think they are strong spirited; leadership is not by force or strength but an inbuilt charisma. Women in power once gave the secret of leadership as competent self + creative aggression + women power applied in pursuing particularly their political career, and then why cant women in Nigeria are given that chance to apply this formula in 2007 election.
As the 2007 election draws closer, a lot of rumbling has been happening in deciding who to become and who not to become the president of this Nation well, let the women decide too about their ability to rule this nation as well because it is one affair. Men have a way of discouraging or under estimating the capacity of woman, but why can’t they be attested in the next 2007 election women have physical ability to stand shocks.
Nigerian women encounter lots of problems in politics, with heavy intimidations and discriminations while contesting or elected into political offices, the federal government elimination of all forms discrimination against women paved way to improving lives of women through initiated Programme.
At different regime, programmes were initiated by the wives of our presidents. Better life for rural women by Maryam Babangida, family support Programme by Mrs. Maryam Abacha and the positive role of the first lady Mrs. Stella obasanjo in making women as part of nation developers.
The good leadership work of Mrs. Dora Akinyili cannot be ignored in her role making Nigeria from adulterated drugs, the important and hard working minister of finance Mrs. Ngozi okonjo iweala and the active role of the NPI co-coordinator Mrs. Awosika who fought with might to see polio kicked out of Nigeria. These are great offices of great women who stood all cost to defend their positions sincerely. we can as well have a woman president with great ideas and potential.
Nigeria kept fighting for gender equality when women are still eluded from politics. The brave Serah Jubril came up to contest for the seat of the president in 1999 but was defeated; it does not count on how many times you fall, as long as you’ll make it let every woman fight liberation.
A political scientist and a new appointed minister for women affairs Mrs. Maryam Adamu Chiroma recently says she works towards getting women out of empowerment using her ministry. Women should indeed have a chance to display their God given ability to rule potentials at least behind every successful man there’s a woman, woman would prefer men this time to be behind in 2007.
Aisha Sambo Dept. of Mass Comm University of Maiduguri
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