Stop Limiting Women With Negative Gender Identity, Stakeholders Charge Politicians, State Actors

Folalumi Alaran in Abuja

Nigerians have been asked to stop all forms of negative gender identities and stereotyping against women and give them more chance and space in representation and participation in leadership positions.

The stakeholders made the call during a Public Presentation of the book titled “ Politics X & Power “ written by the popular broadcast journalist, gender activist and Executive Director Gender Strategy Advancement International ( GSAI), Adaora Onyechere Sydney-Jack on Thursday in Abuja.

Speaking at the event the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha called for more participation of
women in leadership roles to enable them occupy their rights positions anywhere they find themselves.

She also called on women to desist from ‘pull her down syndrome’ and show support for their fellow women who have shown political interests to represent their communities.

According to Onyejeocha “ For me women should be treated with all sense of responsibility. We are very important people created by God and we should not be put down either in politics or power.

The book reviewer, Amina Salihu said unless the men shift ground and make sacrifices by giving chance and space to women the country would be holding down fifty ( 50) percent of its population which is counter productive.

“Nobody holds down fifty ( 50 ) of their population which is women and you hope to make progress. The person hold down , the person holding down, everybody will be performing at less of their optimum capacity because all going to be bent down and not be able to raise our heads and achieve what we have to achieve”

Also speaking at the event the Director General of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies ( NILDS ), Abubakar Suleiman who is also the keynote speaker said challenges abound in achieving true gender parity in politics, including the continuing manifestations of traits of patriarchy (cultural barriers), deep-rooted stereotypes and biases against women, as well as financial constraints, among others.

He however acknowledged the fact that as societies evolve and progress over time, there has been a push for greater gender equality in politics from both official and unofficial quarters and as a result women have begun to break barriers and assume leadership positions previously preserved for men.

“ First, though there are many books that seek to address politics and power, Adaora’s is quite truly uncommon and unique. Predicated upon the gender perspective, the book is unarguably refreshing, going beyond the smokescreen to demonstrate the intricate connections of women, sex and power relation in the governance framework of our society. The book challenges us to think critically about the nature of power, its manifestations, as well as the manipulations of sex as an instrument of political domination in various political systems, and its impact on society at large” Abubakar said.

On his own part the former Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha asked women to eschew hatred and bitterness and support each other towards achieving a common goals and objectives.

“ Oftentimes when a lady contests for election, I will use the case of Sarah Jubril for instance. She came to run for President. The Minister of Women Affairs voted against her at the convention. I am sure women leader if you have that opportunity you may do the same today “ Ihedioha said.

On her own part the author, Adaora Onyechere Sydney-Jack said she ventured into politics with the view to bridge the gap between the leadership and the led but find herself in the murky water of politics.

Adaora said “ With every chapter I can tell you that I wrote this book out of my deep concern for the shrinking spaces for women’s participation, the looming resignation and the distorted and negative gender identities emboldened by socialization for a long period of time.

“ I wrote this book not just as a reference to every individual who believes that for Nigeria full circle means to have a country where everyone counts and all citizens have a true stake but to revisit our convictions of who can be.

“Interestingly this book was already in pictures in my mind’s eye after daring to run in the 2019 elections, which I call baptism of fire, wind and rain. A journey i refer to as the uncovering of the wool over my eyes, especially as i journeyed between two
worlds that of active journalism and the underbelly of politics where i experienced a complex variety of a new kind of participation which were previously unknown to me as a broadcast journalist”

Present at the event are ; Former Governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke, National Women Leader Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) , Hon. Amina Divine Arong, Monalisa Chinda, Media executives, Leaders of Civil Society Organisations and other prominent Nigerians.