A Case for Women in Tinubu’s Government 

Conspiracy Against the Female Gender

Is there a conspiracy against the female gender around the world? It seems so. For example, aside from the fact that out of thousands of male State Governors in the history of the United States of America, there have only been 49 females; here in Nigeria, we have only had one female Governor in the history of our country, Dame Virgy Etiaba CON, who served as Governor of Anambra State for just over three months, when her Principal, Peter Obi, was impeached. Peter Obi was subsequently reinstated, when his impeachment was nullified by the court. Many were hoping that Senator Aisha Dahiru Ahmed (Binani), would emerge as Governor of Adamawa State. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen.

Let me briefly touch on the raging controversy presently going on in America, which I have been following (I will not bother to go into the meaning of ‘gender dysphoria’ since I’m neither a Psychiatrist nor a Psychologist), to buttress my point on the conspiracy against the female gender. In fact, in America, they seem to have gone beyond female gender discrimination to outright female gender destruction, with the trending transgender concept where mostly men who are obviously not women, are identifying themselves as women (some are even making millions of Dollars from product endorsements as women), and these transgenders must not only be considered and addressed as ‘transwomen’ (more like pseudo women if the truth be told, as so many of them look so masculine that they are nothing like women), they are now allowed to compete in the female category in sports (despite having stronger male bodies, thereby giving them an unfair advantage over women); use female restrooms; recently, be incarcerated in all-female prisons (interestingly, there have been no applications for women who identify as men, to transfer to male prisons!) etc. 

Feminine words like ‘breastfeeding’ are now considered to be offensive (suggested substitute is chestfeeding), because of this minority who many see as perverse or having mental health issues, while children who are too young to know their left from their right, let alone old enough to drive, drink alcohol and smoke cigarettes, engage in sexual relations or vote, are being brainwashed from nursery school to believe they can be whatever sex they choose to be, different from what was assigned to them at conception by God, amongst other outlandish concepts. They are encouraged to believe that choosing a non-assigned sex is normal, and are given medication which is meant to change their bodies accordingly, before they start the actual physical mutilation of their bodies when they are older, for example, double mastectomies (surgical operation to remove both breasts) for girls who identify as boys. 

How can a minor who isn’t old enough to buy beer at a store, be old enough to make such drastic decisions? I believe that making a decision as to having a sex change, is a serious adult decision, not for children. I have seen numerous videos of those who made the decision to change their sexes earlier in their lives, express regret about their decision which they were too young to make in the first place. See Washington Senate Bill 5599 already passed, which inter alia, allows runaway minors “seeking or receiving protected healthcare services” for a shelter for the homeless to avoid informing their parents, if there are ‘compelling reasons’ not to inform them of their whereabouts. These compelling reasons now include desire to have gender reassignment non-reversible surgeries, like hysterectomy (removal of the womb).

While I doubt that such an obnoxious law like Senate Bill 5599 can be passed in Nigeria, when even homosexuality which is now accepted worldwide remains an offence here, I still fear for Nigerians, as we are quick to imbibe foreign habits. And, with people like Idris Okuneye aka Bobrisky, a man posing as a woman, who has millions of followers on social media, living an ostensibly ostentatious and enjoyable lifestyle which is only made possible by his transvestism, this kind of ideology or practice may seem to be or become attractive to innocent, impressionable Nigerian children/youths, as we are now in the age of how to make easy money and get rich quick.

Nigeria: Discrimination Against Women in Politics and Governance 

I have identified a major problem – the attempt to desecrate, belittle and in America, possibly obliterate what was once known traditionally as the female gender. The reason why this trend has gained traction in America, is possibly because more men are actively involved and in support of it, and the Democrats who are currently the ruling party in Government, are so liberal that anything goes, as long as they get the votes. 

In Nigeria, the discrimination against women in politics and governance (aside from socially), obviously has the tacit, maybe even obvious support of the male politicians and men folk in general. While some claim that in Africa, discrimination against women or relegating women to the back seat has its roots in our tradition, and this could very well be a fact, we still have had extremely strong women like Queen Amina of Zazzau (now Zaria), a Muslim, the most powerful African Queen in history, who ruled for 34 years as far back as the 16th century (1576-1610); so, what is the excuse for the exclusion of women from governance in Nigeria, in the 21st century?

I call on President-Elect Bola Tinubu, and the Vice Presiden-Elect, Kashim Shettima, who I heard once refer to himself as a ‘Committed Feminist’, in his Keynote Address at the Murtala Muhammad Foundation Annual Lecture in 2017, to deviate from this relegation of women, in the formation of their cabinet. In the many names being peddled in the rumour mill about the likely occupants of top Government positions, I have not heard one single female name being mentioned. Even though President-Elect Tinubu showed his support for having women in leading positions by being a pioneer in choosing a female Deputy Governor, Kofoworola Buckner-Akerele, women must not be seen as good for only playing second fiddle to men. 

Section 42(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended)(the Constitution) prohibits discrimination against any citizen on the basis of sex. In Anekwe & Anor v Nweke (2014) LPELR-22697(SC) per Olukayode Ariwoola JSC (now CJN), the Supreme Court held thus: “It will therefore be inhuman and injustice to discriminate against a female child on her father’s property, or a widow on the ground that she has only female children for her late husband”. This decision must also be extended beyond inheritance, to politics, governance, and all other aspects of life. Also see the case of Lafia Local Government v Government of Nasarawa State & Ors (2012) LPELR-20602(SC) per Adekeye JSC. 

While PDP did a better job of including women in politics and governance, this outgoing APC administration seems to have assisted in the regression of Nigeria, as far as gender equality is concerned. During the PDP years, apart from having more females in elective positions, there were more female Ministers in the more important and relevant Ministries like Finance, Petroleum and Aviation, and as substantive Ministers too; unlike today, where most female Ministers are junior Ministers (Minister of State) apart from Finance and obviously Women’s Affairs. Last week on Arise TV’s Morning Show, Dr Reuben Abati mentioned that out of about 1,000 women who ran for various elective positions in the 2023 elections, only about 72 or so, won their elections. All the best positions within the Party hierarchy are left for men, aside from the obvious position of ‘Women Leader’. This is inequitable and unfair, considering the fact that women are said to constitute a greater part of the electorate. 

The truth of the matter is that, the mindset of the President and ruling party/government goes a long way to determine the direction which gender issues will take, in a country. From the onset of the outgoing APC administration, we could be see the direction it would take arising from President Buhari’s famous more than embarrassing faux-pax, curiously made in the presence of a strong female European leader, Angela Merkel, about his wife belonging to ‘the other room’! 

Conclusion 

Governor Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State, followed by Dr Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, both of the APC, set the ball rolling by passing gender affirmative action laws, so that not more than 65% of a particular sex occupies cabinet positions. I suggest that the incoming Tinubu administration takes a cue from them, in forming their own cabinet. And, if they fail to place women in important positions, women should retaliate by showing their displeasure and dissatisfaction in the 2027 general elections, by voting for others who have a better appreciation of women and our capabilities. Enough of this conspiracy against womenfolk!