2023: South-West women set agenda for gender inclusiveness

 

2023: South-West women set agenda for gender inclusiveness

 

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

 

 Prominent women from the South-West geo-political zone of Nigeria have commended the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello for implementing the gender equality and inclusiveness policy in governance in the state. They, however, called on womenfolk to lead the campaign for adequate security, peace, unity, and good governance across the country, as well as aspire to occupy political offices in the 2023 general elections.

 

The women spoke at the weekend, during the maiden edition of Conference of the South-West Women Arise For One Nigeria, SWWAFON,” held in Ikeja, Lagos. President, Women in Africa, Mrs. Hafsat Abiola-Costello, in her speech, urged women to take their chance at the polls as the nation seems to be suffering a setback from the menfolk.

 

Abiola-Costello, daughter of the late business mogul, Moshood Abiola, MKO, who was a guest speaker at the virtual event, told the women to shun and vehemently oppose every manipulation of the unity of the country, to prevent an outbreak of war, which will only be beneficial to selfish politicians and local and foreign arms dealers. The Co-convener, Mrs. Bolanle Idowu, said the group is apolitical but out to mobilise the womenfolk to rise and influence good governance, especially in view of the prevailing security challenges across the country and for improved participation of women in politics in the 2023 general elections. Idowu stressed the need for women to retake their roles as nation-builders from the home, adding that only people with fresh ideas must be supported to win elective positions in future elections. Other speakers who spoke in like manner include famous actresses, Bimbo Akintola, Jaiyeola Kuti, and Mrs Idowu Phillips, otherwise known as Iya Rainbow;  a politician, Mrs. Elizabeth Adegoke, General Manager of Bronze FM, Mrs Bimbo Oyetunde and her Bond FM counterpart, Mrs. Nike Adegoke. Also in attendance was famous Nollywood actress, Fatia Balogun, popular music star, Teni Apata, simply known as Teni, among others. Meanwhile, the communique which was delivered by Managing Director, Point Newspapers, Mrs. Yemi Kokapo, read in part:

 

 “We are totally convinced that Nigeria is in dire need of these kinds of interventions at this time. It takes wisdom and courage to dare to be different at a time when emotions and harsh realities have beclouded the better part of human reasoning, making most people rather resort to brutish grandstanding and shortsightedness in the clamour for and movement for often ill-defined actions. “Only peace can guarantee progress. Once peace is gone, everything else hangs in the balance until peace is restored. “From the drums of war sounding across the land, it is clear that a lot of people are aggrieved, owing to the myriads challenges, especially insecurity-related bedeviling the nation. Truly, what we face today can be described as a war situation already. “Thousands of lives have been lost to needless and inhuman acts of bandits who get emboldened by the day. Kidnapping now seems to be the most lucrative job, aside from oil and gas.

 

Nigeria News Paper