Source: Nigerian Tribune
Questions have been raised in several fora, which seem hitherto elusive. Why are Nigerian women playing a second fiddle in politics? Why the male chauvinists in politics are confining the role of women only to rendering care of the families at home is a puzzle many of us can not yet unravel. As Sara H. Longue, a gender equity advocate once said, "women's endless toil, productive and reproductive contributions sustain families and communities."
To cap it all, she added, "the woman's toil is her husband's leisure and the husband wants to reap it all. Ill-treatment of women in the political cycle have reached a horrifying level, such that most women have resigned to fate and thus, have resolved not to go into politics with great vision.
It is paradoxical that inspite of giving women the tortuous path in political race to run, they fare better than the male folks, who think they are naturally endowed than the women.
Now that the poser of whether or not the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) will cede the post of its National Deputy Chairman to a woman is in the front burner, with the first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan dictating the pace in the advocacy, it is appropriate for lovers of democracy to ensure that the agitations now going on with a loud bang will no sooner than later turn to a whimper.
Nigeria women have shown enormous resilience as a nucleus of the nation with enormous challenges. That a party which prides itself as the largest in Africa could not boast of four principal women officers is a testimony of a party heading towards extinction.
Recent events however seem to bring in its wake an elixir of hope, as political pundits were tutored by the first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan on the imperative of bringing more women into the decision making body of the parts to enhance participatory democracy.
The current advocacy campaign for broadening Nigeria' political space to accommodate women is one that needs the support of all. The First Lady's argument, which is by all means sound and exceptionally brilliant posited that, "since inception of the PDP, women had only occupied the post of national women leader as a member of the national working committee." This is a far cry from the 35 per cent position for women, which the First Lady is vehemently pursuing. If what is being circulated in hushed tone in the politics of the PDP is anything to believe, Patience Jonathan's demand for woman deputy chairman of the PDP may end up a mere wishful thinking.
The cabal within the party, as the rumour mill has it, will rather favour a male candidate.
The First Lady, Dame Jonathan, is albeit mounting pressure on the members of the top brass of the party to allow more women in leadership position, citing the case of South Africa, where the ruling party is chaired by a woman, it is very much uncertain if her entreaties will be heeded.
Whereas some gender-based NGOs and well-meaning Nigerians have lent their voices to back the First Lady on the volatile issue, the question remains, will our society, which is patriarchal, not tell the First Lady that she is pressing for too much?
On the other hand, can't we elevate our women politicians in the spirit of true democracy? The answer is, yes, we can. Can it happen now? That is another question that will be answered soonest by those who have the final say.