By M.O. Idam
Given the current state of insecurity in Nigeria, the time for out-of-the-box thinking is now. Nothing produces a different result when done repeatedly in the same manner. Meanwhile, for Mr. President to justify his principal constitutional mandate, which is the security of lives and property, things must be done differently.
Unfortunately, there seems to be a tacit and yet prejudicial conspiracy by both the elites and the political class against considering a woman as the security chief in Nigeria. Curiously, among the many agitations in favour of women, the possibility of female security chiefs is rarely discussed, not even by women’s rights advocates or civil society organisations, and this needs to be addressed. It may just be the desired solution to insecurity in Nigeria. Who knows?
I have gleaned the relevant statutes on the appointment and progression of security chiefs in various security agencies in Nigeria. I have not come across any legislation that favours the apparent exclusion of women from key security positions in Nigeria. Therefore, I am constrained to ask: Why are women hardly appointed as security chiefs in Nigeria?
I will not pretend to share in the bias that men are comparatively more defensive than their female counterparts, hence the scarce consideration of women for sensitive security positions in Nigeria. However, contrary to this notion, the position of security chief in Nigeria, has more to do with intelligence than being combatant, to say the least. Interestingly, the training process that qualifies male officers for critical tasks is also responsible for their female counterparts. So, why the gender bias?
Nonetheless, it is not on record that female officers in Nigeria are all incompetent or unfit to be trusted with critical assignments, nor that they are all reputed for underperformance, contrary to their male counterparts. Therefore, there exist no justification for exclusion of women in principal security positions.
What remains rather undisputed is that their male counterparts, who are trusted with key security positions, have barely lived up to the country’s security challenges, otherwise, insecurity would not be on the increase.
It is worrisome that the security situation in Nigeria continues to question the competence of the security chiefs. Therefore, it is high time if not exigent, that Nigeria considers female leadership in the nation’s security hierarchy.
Comparatively, women are putatively firm in decision making, stable and consistent and this would be an advantage when appointed to lead the security system in Nigeria. Mr. President is by this note urged to consider the appointment of women into key security positions in Nigeria.
M.O. Idam, Esq.
The views expressed by contributors are strictly personal and not of Law & Society Magazine.
