By ugwu lilian chidubem, 08135066654
Our generation is experiencing and accommodating women in politics all over the world but more in developed countries. Most times we find ourselves asking question like “are women capable of handling political issues than men?”. The participation of women in government and politics is essential in building and sustaining democracy. Women should be allowed or given the opportunity to engage in legislature, political parties and civil society as leaders and informed citizens. Also, women should be in the forefront of advocating in political matters and issues, to run for political offices and be appointed into key offices.
In Nigeria today, few women especially the young women are interested in politics. Women form more than half of Nigerian population yet they are under-represented in politics generally. Women have the ability to combat anti-female prejudice and bias and create an improvement in women’s interest.
Also, gender inequality has eaten deep into the minds of people in the country. The building of gender equality and women empowerment in electoral processes and political parties will help in democracy. Young women should be given the chance to have a feel of politics in other to witness changes and development. The role of young women in Nigerian politics in Imo state come 2015 would have an enormous effect on the state because it will lead to improvement in so many ways through their commitment to promoting local and national policies that address the political challenges or problems facing women, children and disadvantaged groups. They would also help in supporting peace keeping and building organizations that tackle the social vices among the youth. Women are capable of offering a feminine perspective on issues that may differ slightly from the men and their presence in government will motivate more women to take politics more seriously.
Women of substance with sound qualifications have as much rights to be in politics as their male counterparts in the country. In modern times, women have contributed immensely in nation building. In the past we had Mrs. Ransome Kuti, Margaret Ekpo, Gambo Suwaba and Queen Amina of Zaria who did their best, they participated in civic and social reforms and had an active role in government. It is expected that as time goes by or passes women will continue to take a stronger hold of government and play a vital role in many aspects of politics. Believing in women’s experience to bring about wider social change and put an end to gender inequality in the democracy. Reconciliation and reconstruction takes place more quickly when women are involved, they are strongly linked in promoting positive development in education, infrastructure and health standards at the local levels. Women should be trained, encouraged and empowered to become strong politicians and community leaders as well as activists bringing about political and social development.
First lady Patience Jonathan has called for increased participation of women in decision making at higher levels in Nigeria for the country’s desired developmental changes to take off. Women like Ransome Kuti Oluwa fumilayo regarded as ‘the mother of Africa’ who was a great force in advocating for women’s right to vote, Dora Akunyili the Director General of NAFDAC (National Agency of Food and Drug Administration and Control) fighting against fake products in Nigeria, Okonji Iweala the finance minister notable as the first woman to hold this position and Prof. Viola Onwuliri the foreign minister of Nigeria. Also, history holds women like Margaret Ekpo as Nigerian foremost women activist and social mobilizer who also pioneered female politicians in the first republic, Flora Nwapa known as the ‘mother of modern African literature’. Women writers like Buchi Emecheta and Adichie Chimamanda who exposes the ills of the society and promotes the Nigerian culture.
There are so many other women who have contributed greatly to Nigerian’s development as time goes on. Today the influence of the internet and social networks has eaten deep into the lives of young women and girls and they do not have any intent of participating in governmental activities. With fear for 2015 we urge young women to worry about the future and work towards building and developing the country. There is a lot of work to be done so ‘all hands should be on deck’. Both male and female are expected to work hand in hand for promotion of politics by participating in Nigerian government. At this juncture, I take exception on the current chorister role which the women have taken in politics. At every political rally they are praise singers. This must stop!!! Women of Change initiative of Dame Patience Jonathan must be embraced by all women. Come 2015 the young women should use their feminism to influence policy makers and also participate to make our polity more rational, responsible and civil.
Lilian is an IT student attached to Trumpeta Newspapers
Elevating Illiteracy And Ignorance Via Dangerously Pretentious Educational Accomplishments
By VALEN EMEKA – OBINNA
As thousands of graduates tumble out of the universities every year, swelling National Youth Service Corps camps keep clamouring and buzzing feverishly with excited hundreds of Corpers in increasing batches.
Tracing back the exploding trend, more thousands still throng around JAMB and POST-UTME admission processes in a long procession of all seekers’ association and allied forces of university and tertiary gate-crashing. Teeming young ones, through a delicate primary and secondary packaging, all struggle to get admitted by what ever means.
If any body dares tell any parents or their children that the university is not for every TUNDE, DIKE OR HARUNA, you would witness angry curses of “is it then for your dead mother”?
Entering into the meat of the matter and observing what happens in the name of Education, many questions need to be seriously asked as to the purpose and reason for having institutions and structures called universities and higher Education. Not minding the number of presumed students swirling and clustering around lecture rooms and hostels, little or no business of learning or effective teaching is going on there.
As crowds muscle around in noisy brouhaha of lecture babels, libraries and laboratories devoid of academic or current materials reveal wastes and confusion of sorts. The environment speaks volumes of dilapidation and decrepit structures ready to collapse or cave into bushy and refuse-infested reptile-competiting surroundings.
As if that would be called a university, crowded and rushy exam halls after one suddenly called off strike of ASUU help to complete the picture of looming disaster.
If the hardly available seats and pews accommodate ten or twelve students who are supposed to be taking exams for real assessment and performance evaluation, the crazy noise and battle with a few dedicated invigilators suggest that what we call examinations need themselves to be carefully examined.
How do we explain the tragedy of seeing tightly packed students copying from every available material and fellow course mates, sometimes threatening those who stand around as examiners and invigilators? With the type of reckless participation in all sorts of examination malpractices following up with the “sorting syndrome”, it is difficult to understand why and how even students who claim to be in the privileged departments of Engineering, Law, Medicine, Computer Science, Mass Communication, Architecture, Languages, Psychology, Philosophy, History, Mathematics, education, or any of the sciences or non-sciences all freely indulge in moping, copying, dubbing, palming, and dressing in expo-padded shirts, trousers, shoes, caps, head gears of blue tooth or blue or black berry-buried examination documents and materials.
In the final analysis, let us begin to imagine in future the type of Engineers, Architects, Medical Doctors, Lawyers, Senior Advocates, journalists, scientists, teachers and custodians of history, languages, and our national psychology and philosophy. How many more buildings and bridges do we expect will collapse? How many corpses do we need to obtain from hospitals that rather would be called mortuaries?
Would we expect to have teachers who would be better than what they have received from this type of education that would envy illiteracy and ignorance?
There is every reason to be afraid of our educational future when those who would be regarded as experts and the best of professionals begin to exhibit high level and crass nonperformance in their chosen or imposed fields, as already reflected in the overall emptiness and near-zero score in simple language expressions and communication even in routine interviews and public outings. Let us not get into the dangerous dimension when those who should be piloting our aeroplanes tomorrow would-be the same ones copying and cheating today in examinations and simple tests. God forbid!
