Global President of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Ezinwa Okoroafor, threw a bold challenge to Nigeria’s leadership at the just concluded 2025 Law Week of FIDA Abuja in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Delivering her goodwill message with clarity and conviction, Okoroafor, who is also a member of FIDA Abuja, said inclusive governance must guide Nigeria’s future.
Celebrating the Abuja branch for spotlighting women’s representation in the legislature, she explained that true inclusion gives every group a voice in national decisions and stressed that no nation grows when half its population is sidelined.
Pointing to Rwanda as a striking example, Okoroafor recalled how the country rebuilt after the 1994 genocide by empowering women.
She said Rwanda now leads the world with 61 percent female lawmakers, and insisted that Nigeria could surpass this success with genuine political will.
FIDA’s global president warned that Nigeria continues to fail its women, noting that women hold less than five percent of federal elective seats.
She said this gap is a democratic deficit that hurts national progress and reminded the audience that poor representation weakens policymaking and development.
Okoroafor who endorsed the Reserved Seats for Women Bill as a corrective tool, explained that the bill creates new seats for women at all legislative levels.
She said the bill repairs a broken balance and strengthens democracy.
She called the proposal a bold start toward equal representation.
Okoroafor highlighted global proof that such measures work.
She listed nations where quotas transformed governance and stability.
She cited Mexico, Bolivia, Sweden, Tanzania and the UAE as strong examples, adding that these countries broke barriers and created new role models for girls.
FIDA’s topmost leader dismissed claims that reserved seats damage merit, arguing that merit cannot grow in a biased system.
She said reserved seats offer temporary support until fairness becomes normal; noting that the bill includes a review clause after sixteen years.
Her message carried a hopeful vision.
She imagined a Nigeria where women lead without barriers.
She pictured a nation where policies reflect real women’s experiences.
She said such a future guarantees stronger families and a stronger economy.
Okoroafor praised FIDA Nigeria for pushing the bill nationwide, but insisted that the bill is not a women’s issue alone.
She said it is a nation-building strategy that secures lasting development and urged lawmakers, civil society and the NBA to support the bill.
Okoroafor ended with a call for unity as women rise and nations rise.
