Let’s get something clear from the start: feminism does not imply women ‘fighting’ men for position. Far from it! What feminism simply does is to advocate women’s rights and equality between genders.
Civil feminism is about the daring to challenge societal norms, laws and practices that put women at disadvantage or limit opportunities based on gender. Come to think of it, are our women not put in a tight corner when it comes to allowing the women in leadership perspective?
Let us put this opinion in perspective. And I will leave you to conclude if in the Nigerian leadership firmament there is fair distribution between the genders on political leadership roles.
This 10th Senate has four women in a chamber of 109 Senators and you know what? When this reality speaks to data and statistics, women leadership distribution in the Senate of The National Assembly stands at 2.7 Percent of the total seats of the Distinguished Senators,109 in all. In fact, this distribution shows a decline in female representation compared to the 9th Senate with 8 Senators.
The dearth of even gender distribution in The Senate that put women in leadership perspective at disadvantage is not completely about men grabbing all; it also revolves round how women see themselves in the political circle, most often times as cheerleaders and song raisers rather than decision makers.
If women can successfully bear children, be child minders, home keepers and men’s joy givers and they keep and govern the home with native intelligence that makes the home front governable for the men, they can do better as public administrators, policy makers and Senators.
The African society has continued to pay lip service to the global trend of the 35 percent affirmative action that seeks more opportunities for women participation in politics. It is high time the so much hyped patriarchal society learn that the society will not be peaceful save for the backing and all round support of the womenfolk.
Women themselves should stand up to demand their right of place in the political cum public administrative sphere. Women in leadership does not come about by wishful thinking. Those four women senators are amazons and are elixirs to the spirit of women sportsmanship in the Nigerian Political space.
The truth remains that for an average Nigerian woman who can convince the gender skewed society that she has the leadership potentials, the society bounds together to give her support.
In Ondo State, one of the few women who have shown the courage of her conviction and has dazzled with enviable leadership credentials is ‘Omabinrin’ Omo’ba ‘amofin’ Oladunni Odu. Of course, that she is a Lawyer puts her in a vantage position but beyond that is the fact that she is a public administrator per excellence.
Her stride through life all the way from her undergraduate days in The University of Benin has spoken about a woman with class, grist, intellect , camaraderie and that alluring can-do spirit.
As poster face of women in leadership perspective, it did not surprise the keen observers that she made history as the first female Secretary to the State Government; a top notch role reserved for the men in the scheme of high wired political relevance.
Odu did not just acquit herself well in that role, she brought finesse and candour to the office and she made to come alive the nitty gritty of the significance of that engine room of public administration in Ondo State.
As the Ondo South Senatorial seat is set to be declared vacant owing to the political career elevation of the mandate holder of the seat, Senator Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim, CFR, the popular sentiment is that ‘it is Odu who can do it.’ So, it is no surprise once again that Princess Oladunni Odu is throwing her hat in the ring to represent the district in the ongoing 10th Senate.
Once again, the women in leadership perspective narrative has come full circle and right here in Ondo South, a leader, a mother, a consummate Politician with years of experience, Princess Oladunni Odu is coming out to ask that she should be sent as a legislative steward to the Red Chamber.
Her track record of successful political outing speaks volume and obviously … yes Oladunni Odu can.
#Odu4Senate
#womenoclock
#YesOladunniOducan