CABINET APPOINTMENT: Women’s Expectation From Buhari’s Government ­– Hope Raised, Then Dashed

The expectation of Nigerian women had been so high prior to the submission of the Ministerial list by President Muhammadu Buhari about two weeks ago. This is quite understandable, given the fact that the previous administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan had treated the women so good, as he tried to implement the 35 percent Affirmation Action. So now that it has become obvious the women won’t be playing such prominent role in the current dispensation, how do they feel? Is it a case of hope raised and dashed or they are not so surprised by the turn of event?

Iyitor

‘President Buhari Has Reneged On His Promises’
Mrs. Marcella Iyitor, CEO, Niche PR
In previous media encounters I had been featured to air my views on the place of women in the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, I actually defended the President, urging that he be given more time to unfold the vision of his government. But with the knowledge we now have on his appointments so far, it is glaring that there is a marginalisation of women in his cabinet.

I recall that on March 19, 2015, at the Harbour Point Hall, Lagos, President Buhari met with women professionals and specifically vowed to implement the 2005 National Gender Policy, which makes provision for women to occupy 35 per cent appointive positions. While proclaiming that this would serve as a roadmap for the promotion of gender equality in Nigeria, he also pledged support for women in all sectors of the economy.

I also recall the promises he made to women groups during the presidential campaign of the All Progressives Congress (APC), where he said his party had a new deal for women. Candidate Buhari promised then that an APC-led government under his leadership would ensure that gender is mainstreamed throughout all government’s commitment in all key areas of national development and that the government would commit itself to merit-based Affirmative Action to level the playing field for women, with opportunities to be part of decision-making and governance.

What we have currently is a far cry and clearly unacceptable. The President’s recent Ministerial list of 36 nominees has only six women. From this, five are from the North and one from the Southwest. Specifically, these are Aisha Alhassan from Taraba State, Kemi Adeosun from Ogun State, Amina Mohammed from Gombe State, Khadija Bukar Ibrahim from Yobe State, Zainab Ahmed from Kaduna State and Aisha Abubakar from Sokoto. These are the few women that would form part of President Buhari’s cabinet. The gender picture in former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration was by far better. If this is the product of a four-month long-drawn thinking, then we have an issue here.

The world is moving ahead at a pace that Nigeria needs to reflect on. I can’t speak on what Islam’s Holy Qur’an says on this, but I can tell you that in several conservative Muslim countries in the Middle East, women are becoming fighter pilots and enlisting in their armies, not to talk of their participation in governance. Nigeria cannot afford to be different. If what is playing out is not appropriately redressed, then the future of women in governance in Nigeria is bleak. There is no valid basis— either in knowledge or faith— that supports women’s confinement to the peripheries of decision-making arenas in governance.

I must counsel that this deliberate policy of ignoring the aspiration of Nigerian women for representation through this outright negligence or non-recognition in the scheme of things will not help the growth and sustenance of the country’s democratic project.

‘President Buhari Shouldn’t Give The Impression That He Is Anti-women’
Louisa Ono Eikhomun, Executive Director, Echoes of Women in Africa (ECOWA)
The ministerial list so far is gender insensitive. Affirmative Action has progressed from 35 per cent to 50/50, yet Nigeria is still grappling with 14 per cent with just three women out of the 18 confirmed nominees. This is unfair to the huge population of Nigerian women. The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) five, is on gender equality and women empowerment, with set targets and indicators to achieve by 2030 on women in decision-making in either elective or appointive position. Nigeria is already failing going by this nomination. Few Nigerian women made it as candidates and even fewer that contested during the 2015 general elections won. With this decrease from what obtained in the previous administration, President Buhari needs to balance his cabinet with more women, more so as women voted en mass for his victory.

We are not in a government of plutocracy but in democracy and as a government of both men and women, appointments should be gender balanced. The compliance with federal character and zoning should not be at the detriment of gender equality. If with today’s global development, Nigerian government is negating the achievements of years of advocacy and negotiations by the inclusion of few women in decision-making, then perhaps, all hope is lost for the Nigerian female youths, who are likely to feel discouraged by the way things are turning out.

Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA) amongst its 12 critical areas campaigned the inclusion of women in decision-making policies. The UN Security Council Resolution 1325 is on mainstreaming gender in peace process and Nigeria has a National Action Plan (NAP) on 1325, which urges having women as leaders in governance.

I would advise the President to ensure that the remaining portfolios yet to be announced are reserved for women. He needs more women to work with and should not give the impression that he is anti-women. I do not think Islam, as a religion, condemns women in leadership. Prophet Mohammed’s wife, Aisha, was an influential woman. Benazir Bhutto from an Islamic nation rose to lead, just like Senator Alhassan made it that far from an Islamic environment.

I would rather imagine that the President might not have much faith in women’s ability to lead and not because of religion.

‘President Buhari Should Fulfil The Promise He Made To Nigerian Women During Campaign’
Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Executive Director, Women Advocates and Research Documentation Centre (WARDC)
President Muhammadu Buhari should increase the number of women nominees for Ministerial positions and other public offices. Following the return to democratic governance in 1999, the number of women in parliament steadily increased from a paltry three per cent and peaked at about nine per cent in 2007 and we have seen a steady decline since then. Currently, only 5.5 per cent of women made it to the Eighth National Assembly. The implication is that without a deliberate attempt by the present Government, women’s voices in the affairs of the country will decrease tremendously.

Increasing the number of women in any democratic government is reaffirming commitment to democratic ethos and constitutional provisions for an all-inclusive government. Thus, demanding the appointment of capable women is not asking for favour, but a legitimate democratic requirement for any people- oriented government. During his campaign, the President, at the Lagos Town Hall meeting with women, openly promised the Nigerian women better representation in his government. He should not relent in his effort to fulfil this promise. There are qualified and capable women all across the country and the President should not close his eyes to the great potential these qualified women can bring into the ‘Change mantra’ and his government.

The present Government should not lower the past record of President Goodluck Jonathan, who appointed 13 female Ministers out of the 40 Ministers, in the last dispensation. Although the All progressives Congress (APC) has clear provisions on how to improve and encourage women’s political participation, we are afraid that the Presidents’ body language has not demonstrated its much belief in engendering the policy.

Maureen

‘A Good Government Should Carry Everybody Along’
Mrs. Maureen Omeibe, Lagos Coordinator, African Women in Leadership Organisation (AWOL)
Understanding the core demands of any governance or leadership position is most important, as this provides the basis for impactful decision-making. Nigeria, as a country, is in dire need of impactful governance. A good willing government should carry everybody along, irrespective of gender, tribe and political affiliation. And for Nigeria to succeed, both leadership and followership must look beyond personal ideologies and interest to embrace only that, which can lead to the actual transformation of this great country.

The nomination of only six women out of 36 ministerial slots in a country like Nigeria, where women constitute the larger population and have advanced significantly in education and other key areas of personal development, only shows that Nigeria, as a state, has taken steps backwards to embrace government of exclusion. All over the world, research has proven that women’s participation and key roles in governance provides a balanced platform for sustainable national development. It is also not logical that more women are actively involved in campaigns and casting of votes, but when it is time for positioning for governance, they are nowhere to be found. Human capital is any government’s best asset. And this is made of men and women.

We should not succumb to some claims that women have not done well with holding key positions in government. The question is: what number of women have been given the opportunity or key portfolios to manage, compared to men in the course of governance since our Independence?

President Buhari is the president of a secular state, so I would like to believe that while carrying out his assignments or taking critical decisions, it should not be done under the dictates of his faith and religious ideologies. I also do remember his statements and campaign promises concerning women. Women should also find other means to make their voices heard. However, I often notice that women don’t usually speak with one voice on issues that border on their rights.

The future of Nigerian women under this dispensation with regard to governance could be adjudged bleak, if we are concentrating only on the current state of things. Nigerian women should unite and embrace our common goal, which is to be free from marginalisation so that we can create an environment, where there is trivialisation of matters that concern women. In matters of representations in Government, women should live above personal interests, religion, ethnicity ties, social class, partisanship and cultural belief. They should come together to form an alliance that will be too formidable for any government to ignore. This is an understanding that will start a real process of change for the Nigerian women.

Agoziem

‘This Is Time For Women Leaders, Nigeria Needs Nurturing’
Obioma Evelyn Agoziem, Centre for Correction and Human Development, (CCHD)
The minimum expectation of women from Buhari’s administration is that he should at least maintain the number reached by the immediate preceding administration, which itself was an improvement on the Obasanjo administration. At least, they got close to the 35 per cent Affirmative Action. This clearly shows that the present administration’s commitment to women’s participation in governance is negative.

The Beijing Declaration and platform for Action is a visionary agenda for empowerment of women. Remember that 189 nations of the world, including Nigeria, sat down to put that beautiful document together. We are not really struggling to be equal to men, but just to be recognised and be given our own share of representation in all spheres of life. The Buhari government should recognise and respect the endorsement Nigeria was a signatory to. If we continue to destroy the existing structures just because it did not emanate from us, it will be difficult to move forward. The government should demonstrate strong determined leadership and commitment to advance women’s right and other legitimate courses, whether he likes it or not, as that’s what makes him a leader.

Some have argued that the Islamic faith does not generally support women’s participation. I guess the future of the Nigerian women’s participation in governance will experience some set back then. Women in other endeavours have done well for themselves. Women are industry leaders, chairmen of boards, entrepreneurs and bank executives. Let’s not forget that a woman is a unique being, especially crafted by God to nurture lives. The body make up of a woman is prepared to conceive, carry and nurture human beings.

A woman has the patience, tenacity and resilience to go through all the rigours of bearing and raising children. It is ironical that such a person should not be given opportunity to perform at a time the nation itself needs nurture and the motherly touch of a woman could help.

This government should, therefore, readdress this and every other nagging issue. We are crying out and it should not be ignored. A responsive government should listen and adjust.

Ndidi-Oboha

‘This Government Could Have Done Better’
Ndidi Obioha, CEO, Enthyst Events.
As a woman that believes there are many competent women to fill any post, as the men, I think the present administration could have done better in terms of giving women more opportunities. And yes, the last administration did give more posts to women, who, in my opinion, did not do justice by way of projecting their fellow women and representing our cause by excelling in their responsibilities. Rather, we are having controversies trailing them.

Any woman in power must realise that the lot of the women folk is on you to over achieve in order to prove that women can do better than their male counterparts. So, the few women now chosen on this list need to outperform their male counterparts so that we can better argue for inclusion of more women in the future, as the value we bring to the table via what we are able to achieve with the responsibilities bestowed on us then forms the basis for our clamour for better and more representation in the ministerial cabinet as women henceforth.

But I must say that I am highly impressed with the choices made by Mr. President this time around and I look forward to the huge difference these chosen women would make in whatever portfolio they are assigned to.

Bukola-Adefope

‘Less than 18 Percent Female Representation Is Totally Unacceptable’
Bukola Adefope, CEO, Optimal Performance Ltd.
A few weeks ago, we were hopeful that Nigerian women would be reasonably represented in this administration. The unfolding drama, however, suggests that women will be marginalised in this country for many years to come. It is gradually becoming clearer to a vast majority of Nigerians that we might not be in a democracy, but a sleek and fluffy dictatorship.

As usual, we will discuss this issue of less than 18 per cent female representation in government, and we will be ignored; life would go on, and the women that continue to raise the subject matter will be labeled, more so, by fellow women, as overzealous.

Each time I think about this sequence, I cringe at the consequences it has for our ‘would have been great’ country. It is now clear that the ‘change’ mantra of the APC is a mere political gimmick to curry our attention and play on our desire to witness a Nigeria of our dreams, where political parties will be separated from the government, and parties will be polarised along ideological lines. But what we observe is a recycling of the very same group of people, who created this entrapment under the guise that they are the experienced ones.

The experience they gathered, while creating the confusion we have now, cannot be useful in creating the better Nigeria we all dream of. We cannot solve our problems with the same thought process we used in creating them. Let us make a commitment as a nation to be sincere with ourselves to move this country forward.

Conclusively, therefore, less than 18 per cent female representation in Federal Level appointments is totally unacceptable! We need to seek urgent redress on this matter, Nigerian women.

‘Women’s Perspective Is Crucial To The Realisation Of A New Nigeria’
Ifeoma Fafunwa, Founder and Creative Director, iOpenEye
Nations that strive for progress with a comprehensive and sustainable approach make a concerted effort to place women in positions of leadership. Cultures that systematically exclude active participation of women lose significant social and economic benefits. It is important that we seek out the most qualified and patriotic Nigerian women available and convince them to take up positions of leadership at all levels including the ministerial ones.

Nigerian woman are strong, tireless and compassionate. They are the keepers of culture, tradition and the future that our children will inherit. Their perspective is crucial in the quest for actualising a New Nigeria. The benefits of ensuring significant participation by women cannot be denied. We all need to do our part to shift our current reality.