First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, Urges Women to Go for Power, Promote Gender Equality

•Lauds House on bill seeking 70 slots for them 

•ECOWAS parliament seeks improved female representation in governance

Deji Elumoye and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja 

The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has stressed the importance of Nigerian women seeking power and promoting gender equality in governance.

The first lady, according to a statement by her media aide, Busola Kukoyi, spoke at the ECOWAS Female Parliamentarians Association’s Spotlight Initiative in Abuja.

She stressed that power must be actively sought, citing her husband President Bola Tinubu’s words that, power is not served à la carte.

“Power is not served A’lar carte, just as my husband, President Bola Tinubu, said. You have to learn how to obtain power. You need older women to mentor you,” she said.

Mrs Tinubu, who described education as a cornerstone of empowerment, advocated for improved access to education for girls and women to equip them with necessary knowledge and skills for effective political participation.

She also emphasised the need to raise awareness about women’s representation in governance, suggesting public campaigns, media engagement, and community programs to shift societal attitudes and dismantle stereotypes.

The first lady identified barriers to women’s political participation, including societal norms, discriminatory practices, structural issues, and financial incapability.

“Education is the cornerstone of empowerment. By improving access to education for girls and women, we can equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to participate effectively in political processes.

“Additionally, raising awareness about the importance of women’s representation in governance is crucial. Public campaigns, media engagement, and community programs can help shift societal attitudes and dismantle stereotypes that hinder women’s political participation.

“These barriers include deeply entrenched societal norms, systemic discriminatory practices, structural issues within our political systems and financial incapability.”

She commended the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for removing financial barriers by providing free nomination forms for elective positions at the grassroots level, enabling capable women to participate without prohibitive costs.

“To achieve this across board, we must be seen to walk the talk. For instance, our party, the APC, has taken significant steps to remove financial barriers by making nomination forms for elective positions free at grassroots level, ensuring that capable and qualified women can participate in the political process without the burden of prohibitive costs,”she said.

She expressed optimism about the Senate’s gender-friendly leadership, encouraging women to take advantage of opportunities to promote gender equality in governance, saying, “I believe that the leadership in the Senate is gender-friendly.”

She also  commended the House of Representatives for initiating and passing for second reading the bill seeking 70 out of the 360 legislative seats for women.

Also, speaking, Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament who is also the first female to occupy the position, Hon Hadija Memounatou Ibrahimah, urged the Mrs Tinubu to serve as the champion of the cause of better representation for women in governance in the region.

This, she noted, was especially so with the commendable contributions to the issues of women and girls.

“Your Excellency, you transmit a kind of light that illuminates the leadership of Nigeria. It touches the lives of even the ordinary man.

“Women account for half of the population of ECOWAS member-states. Only 17% are parliamentarians and 24% are Ministers in the region. It is high time to reduce the under representation of women in democracy,” she said.

Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio who was represented by Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau, stated that for the Senate, women participation in governance was a priority, adding: “We will redefine the power of women in governance.”