Going by the declining number of women representation in the present government, the Women’s Research and Documentation Centre (WORDOC) has called on women to vie for highest political position to promote participation of women in decision- making of our country.
Prof Abiola Odejide, Emeritus Professor and member of the Women’s Research and Documentation Centre (WORDOC), Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan made the call on Wednesday in her keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 30th anniversary conference of the centre founded by the first female professor of History in Nigeria, Prof. Bolanle Awe.
Prof Abiola Odejide giving the keynote address
Speaking on the theme ‘’30 YEARS ON: WHAT DO WOMEN WANT, WHAT SHOULD WOMEN WANT’’, the erudite scholar, decried the number and quality of women representation in the nations parliament.
‘’For many years, we have agitated for adequate representation in all tiers of government but figures on ground are very depressing. In the year 2011, only 9 women Senators were representing 54million women in Nigeria; the immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan appointed women to 33 per cent of cabinet positions, up from the 10 per cent in President Olusegun Obasanjo’s government, Now under the current government, women’s representation has gone down further and both verbal pronouncement and body language of our leaders indicate a lessening of the importance of the critical roles of women to the growth and health of our country’’, she said.
However, Prof Odejide stressed the need for government to revisit the Gender Equality Bill and all pro-women legislation which she said was a disastrous failure which underscores the endemic nature of discrimination against Nigerian women.
“The enforcement of the provision in the National Gender Policy which sets the benchmark for women’s seats in Parliament at 35% is still on the table. We need to keep canvassing for internal party democracies and quota seats for females in each party, and engendering party structures and operations to make them gender-friendly. We need to keep pressing for the passing of the Child Rights Act by the remaining eleven states”.
Regretting the mediocre or sometimes non-existent contribution of women to critical issues, Prof. Odejide urged women to help their own cause and lend their voices to global and national issues.
“I listen to Nigerian radio phone in programmes quite a lot and I’m struck by the prevalence of men’s views on trending critical issues in Nigeria, such as the issue of restructuring, rape, devolution of powers, marginalization and resource allocation, These voices often range from those of professionals, experts in the field, social analysts and political commentators to those who do not understand the issues but have a lot of zeal.
“In contrast, I hardly hear women contributing to the debate, not for lack of expertise but I guess, on account of our acculturation about not being heard in the public space. Rather, women phone in on a lot on odd stories of juju at work, on relationships, and light hearted programmes. In effect, I am saying we must move from the outskirts of politics but to fundamental issues which can make or mar the future of this nation. We need to court the media in setting our agenda and put the social media to good use.
“In this regard, we need to work more strongly with the media, especially the broadcast media on eliminating disparaging representations of women in the media, in particular, the trivializing of gender based violence, (especially rape) on the indigenous languages soft news.
She also called for “greater collaboration with Civil Society Groups, Organisations on Reproductive health, Professional women’s groups like FIDA and NAWOJ, to make our voices forceful”.
Prof. Bolanle Awe, founder Women’s Research and Documentation Centre ( WORDOC)
Prof. Bolanle Awe, founder Women’s Research and Documentation Centre ( WORDOC), in her remarks, expressed joy for having the opportunity to be at the 30th anniversary celebration of WORDOC, she specially thanked Prof Ayo Banjo who was the Vice Chancellor of the university when the journey of the centre started and expressed gratitude to those who have supported and stood by the Centre in the past 30 years and also prayed for the soul of late Mrs Adedeji (Liberian) and other deceased members.
She urged leaders and members of the centre to step up their activities because “it looks as if we are slacking”.
“After 30 years, it is time to take stock. It had not been only stories of success; like any human institution, there have been setbacks and we must give WORDOC a new energy as far as the issue of gender is concerned”. she said.
She stressed there was need to carry local and uneducated women along in the struggle for gender equality. According to her, most of the women at the grassroots do not understand the points being made by the elites.
In that light, she commended the idea of a village square meeting slated as part of the events mapped out for the two-day anniversary conference
Co-ordinator of the centre, Dr. Sharon Omotoso, took time out to appeal for financial and material support to aid WORDOC’s research and documentation projects.
Cutting of the anniversary cake
The highpoint of the ceremony was cutting of the anniversary cake and honouring of some notable supporters of WORDOC and women’s issues in three categories : WORDOC ICON, WORDOC AMBASSADORS and WORDOC INSPIRATION, among whom are former Vice Chancellor of UI, Prof. Ayo Banjo; Director of the Ibadan School of Governance and Public Policy (ISGPP), Dr. Tunji Olaopa; the MacArthur Foundation, Lady Kofo Ademola’s family, Chief Mrs FolakeSolanke first female SAN and a host of others. Prof. Awe was also decorated.
Prof. Ayo Banjo Recieving WORDOC ICON Award
The anniversary conference covered two days – Wednesday, October 18 and Thursday, October 19 – with panel discussions which was held at the Institute of African Studies.
The village square meeting, according to Dr. O.I Pogoson, Director, Institute of African Studies, witnessed discussions with non-western cultured and educated women.
Dr Chinyere Okpokolo Recieving WORDOC AMBASSADOR Award
Also present at the ceremony were the Commissioner for Women and Social Affairs, Oyo State, Mrs. Atinuke Osunkoya; Executive Assistant to Governor Abiola Ajimobi on political matters, Dr. Moronkola Thomas; Former Majority Leader House of Representatives, Hon. Mulikat Adeola, represented by Mrs Sade Ajala, former UI Registrar, Mrs Moji Ladipo and a host of other dignitaries from the academia and civil society groups.
