More Nigerian women should participate in electoral process – Okei-Odumakin

Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, President, Women Arise for Change Initiative (WA) on Tuesday decried the under representation of women and their low participation in the nation’s electoral process since 1999.

She spoke at a two-day Conversation Cafe, entitled ‘Young Women and Elections’, organised by the U.S. Consulate-General in Lagos.

She urged more women to participate in the coming elections.

Okei-Odumakin said there were three women out of the 109 members of the Senate in 1999, four in 2003, nine in 2007, seven in 2011 and seven in 2015.

Also in the House of Representatives, there were 13 women out of 360 members in 1999, 21 in 2003, 27 in 2007, 25 in 2011 and 22 in 2015.

Okei-Odumakin said that women should be more involved and concerned about the electoral activities of the country as they constitute an indispensable force in the quest for national development.

”Women are half of the country’s population, yet their impact in the nation’s political arena has been greatly undermined due to electoral violence, cultural stereotypes, abuse of religion, timidity, traditional practices among others.

”A woman is a special specie with whom the world is complete, without whom the world is meaningless. So, it is very important that women participate in elections.

”Election is a pillar of democracy and democracy involves majority participation to validate its legitimacy.

”You cannot talk about legitimate and participatory democracy without having that large chunk of the nation’s population – women,” she said.

Okei-Odumakin urged parents and teachers to groom the girl-child on how to be brave, bold and be able to assert her self-worth to contribute to development.

She said that her initiative would continue to work tirelessly to educate more women on their civic rights and obligations.

Okei-Odumakin also urged young women to be more assertive and get empowered to reach their full potential.

”As women, we must get involved. Desired change will not take place without political participation. Stand up, be counted, agonise less and organise more, ” she said.

In his remarks, Mr Russell Brooks, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Consulate, Lagos, said that women had a lot to contribute to make Nigeria better.

”Women have a lot to contribute to Nigeria – to its economy, politics and social situations.

”If there are more women involved in politics, there will be more focus on health, education, child development and issues that can drive a greater, stronger and prosperous Nigeria.

”Nigerians deserve better, and to get that, everybody, especially women, must be involved to make this election peaceful, credible, fair and successful,” Brooks said.