Rights activists condemn shrinking gender tolerance space for women in Nigerian

By Lillian Okenwa

“Nigerian Women married to men outside their state even or region are denied indigeneship and this affects women during appointments or election. Also, Nigerian Women married to foreigners cannot confer citizenship on their husbands by virtue of marriage, but foreign women married to Nigerian men become automatic citizens. This is highly discriminatory.” –  Louisa Eikhomun-Agbonkhese

Nigerian women are still reeling over the blow dealt by Nigeria’s 9th National Assembly (NASS) on the Gender Bills requesting specific provisions for women in the Constitution. While the women are seething, and re-strategising, not a few have lent their opinion on the debacle.

Expressing his displeasure over the legislators’ refusal to confer citizenship on the foreign-born husband of a Nigerian woman, a former 1st Vice President of the Nigerian Bar association (NBA), Mr. Ikeazor Akaraiwe, SAN, said: “I don’t agree with them. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. If a foreigner who marries Nigerian wishes to become Nigerian, he should be entitled as a matter of course upon simple application. Nigeria can only gain from the human capital this cross-migration and cross-pollination brings.

“On the denial of 35% appointed positions for women, my position is that 35% affirmative action in the sense of appointed positions and party offices are a win-win for Nigeria. Women generally are more mature than men in our time. The irresponsibility quotient among women is far less than among the menfolk.

“Since the advent of the 4th republic, we celebrate far more women trailblazers than men – of whom Ngozi Okonji-Iweala, Dora Akunyili, and Oby Ezekwesili are only but a few.”

Jide Ojo, Public Affairs analyst said: “This does not come to me as a surprise. It has been the tradition of the National Assembly at every constitutional amendment exercise. Recently, federal lawmakers rejected the Gender and Equal Opportunity Bill. Should it not surprise you that the National Gender Policy of 2006 has been observed in breach? Even President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign promise at the National Women Centre ahead of the 2019 presidential election where he promised 35 percent appointment for women in cabinet and leadership of MDAs was not fulfilled. All these are due to patriarchy.

“The women do not have the numbers to influence bill passage in the NASS. Even, among the few that were elected into Senate and House of Representatives, how many of them are among the principal officers? Nigeria is being held back by primordial sentiments such as religion and ethnicity against women. Unfortunately, we do not have a president that is a gender champion, a HeforShe. Remember the uncomplimentary remark President Buhari made against his wife some time ago? That’s the reflection of many Nigerian women.

“To break the glass ceiling women should put their numerical strength to good use by ensuring that many of them get the tickets of their respective political parties in the forthcoming party primaries and ensure that those who won at the primaries are nominated and supported to win at the general election. I appreciate the effort of Nigerian Women Groups who have instituted a case at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking the court’s interpretation of Section 42 of the Constitution (Right to freedom from Discrimination) and whether some of the things being done by the president, governors, and NASS are actually not discriminatory against women.

“I must however commend few of the governors such as those of Kwara and Kogi that have chosen to be different by appointing a fair share of women to a position of authority in their states.”

Mrs. Loretta Ahuokpeme, Executive Director, World Pulse Digital Ambassador & Changemaker puts it this way. “A Woman is a complete human being that has blood and water flowing in her veins just like her male counterpart. The Fundamental Human Rights of 1948 made it clear that everyone is equal and the UNSCR 1325 made it clear that women should be included in governance and decision-making processes in all member countries.

“That is why there are 5 pillars which are Participation, Protection, Promotion, and Prosecution. All these points to the fact that No One should be left behind in the governance across all levels, and facets of life in line with the Sustainable Development Goals slogan.

“The denial or rejection of these bills shows that our legislators do not intend to open up governance as they prefer it to remain an exclusive club for males only. This is violence against women because they have played and toiled with the intelligence of women for so long. I love the idea that Nigerian Women have woken up and are ready to fight against these exclusions.

“It goes further to show how insensitive the legislature is on the issues of women – evil widowhood practices, Female Genital Mutilation, Early / forced Marriage, incessant rape and deprivation at every level. But we are ready for war to match their stubbornness and insensitivity until they start seeing the need to revisit those bills

“The Convention on the Elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls and other treaties and convention has given us the backup and backbone to go for these rights that are a privilege. So I stand strongly with the Nigerian Women to Occupy the National Assembly until we are answered. We also call on other Women groups in Africa and across the globe to support us in any way they can to ensure that our voices are not in futility”

According to Abiodun Essiet, Special Adviser to Abuja Municipal Council (AMAC) Chairman on ICT/ CSOs and donor Agencies, “the men of the 9th NASS by their actions have taken us backward by voting against gender bills on the first day of March which is Women’s month.

“This has made March a black month for all women in Nigeria. Their actions undermine the importance and relevance of women’s contribution to the governance of Nigeria including the key role women play to bring victory to political parties in elections at all levels across the country.

“Their action has reconfirmed that we are truly in a patriarchal society and the urgency to demand redress. No nation can develop leaving half of its population behind.”

For Louisa Eikhomun-Agbonkhese, Initiator, Echoes of Women in Africa Initiatives, “the action of our duty bearers voted by women to oversee positive laws for women only displayed patriarchy that reinforces marginalisation of women in Nigeria.

“Discrimination against women in Nigeria has become an attitude that can be brazenly displayed even in high places to the whole world. 95.9% of men voted against women because they don’t believe in women’s development period. This is why they don’t ever feature women as candidates in political parties. They decline women’s appointments out rightly and with impunity throw out these bills.

“Nigerian Women married to men outside their state even or region are denied indigeneship and this affects women during appointments or election. Also, Nigerian Women married to foreigners cannot confer citizenship on their husbands by virtue of marriage, but foreign women married to Nigerian men become automatic citizens. This is highly discriminatory. 

“The 111 special seats and 35% affirmative action for women in appointive positions were born out of the shrinking space for women in leadership. The 35% is a global agreement to ensure women are in the room for decision-making.  Other progressive nations are practising 50/50. Even Rwanda that just came out of genocide is having 65% of Women in leadership and Nigeria with high flying female professionals is endorsing 20%? This is unacceptable.

“These denials negates CEDAW, SDGs goal 5 especially under review at the UN this year in the High-Level Political Forum HLPF in September. An indicator of successful implementation in goal 5 is on the number of seats occupied by women in Parliament. It has been none in Edo State in the past 5 years and one or two in many states. But at the NASS less than 5% and political leaders don’t see anything wrong in that?

“I will personally recommend that women voters should demand a gender agenda from candidates before casting their votes this will erase any excuse such legislators have to give for not much lobbying on these bills. Are they from out of space that they don’t know that majority of their voters are women and they need to improve the lives of women?”