BY TOSIN ADERIBIGBE
WOMEN HAVE DEMANDED MORE SUPPORT FROM THE SOCIETY FOR THEM TO ATTAIN MORE LEADERSHIP ROLES IN THE TASK OF NATION BUILDING.
THEY SPOKE IN AKURE, ONDO STATE ON THE OCCASION OF THIS YEAR’S INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY WITH THE THEME, “WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP”
WOMEN’S FULL PARTICIPATION IN LEADERSHIP ROLES GLOBALLY HAS LED TO TREMENDOUS PROGRESS YET THIS SET OF PEOPLE ARE UNDERREPRESENTED IN PUBLIC LIFE AND DECISION MAKING IN MOST COUNTRIES.
THEY ARE ALSO FACED WITH VARIOUS CHALLENGES SUCH AS GENDER INEQUALITY, KIDNAPPING, RAPE AMONG OTHER VICES.
ACCORDING TO REPORTS, MILLIONS OF WOMEN ALSO HAVE THEIR LIVES CHARACTERIZED WITH INJUSTICE, DISCRIMINATION AND OTHER OBSTACLES WHICH OFTEN PREVENT THEM FROM ATTAINING LEADERSHIP POSITIONS.
AS WOMEN ALL OVER THE WORLD COMMEMORATE THIS YEAR’S INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY WITH THE THEME “WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP” HOW PREPARED ARE THEY TO PRESS FOR LEADERSHIP ROLES IN THE FACE OF DAUNTING CHALLENGES?
SOME WOMEN SPOKE WITH RADIO NIGERIA IN AKURE.
ONE OF THEM IS THE WIFE OF ONDO STATE GOVERNOR, MRS BETTY ANYAWU- AKEREDOLU.
SHE STRONGLY BELIEVED IN THE ABILITY OF WOMEN TO TAKE UP LEADERSHIP ROLES AND PERFORM EXCELLENTLY THAN THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS IF GIVEN THE NECESSARY SUPPORT.
MRS ANYAWU- AKEREDOLU ADVOCATED A GENDER BALANCED SOCIETY FOR WOMEN TO FULLY EXPLORE THEIR POTENTIALS.
ALSO SPEAKING, THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN JOURNALISTS, NAWOJ IN ONDO STATE, MRS DORIS OLUMOKO NOTED THAT MANY WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS GLOBALLY HAVE WRITTEN THEIR NAMES IN GOLD THROUGH THE DISPLAY OF HIGH LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM AND ZERO TOLERANCE FOR CORRUPTION,
USING THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION, DR NGOZI OKONJO- IWEALA AS A POINT OF REFERENCE, MRS OLUMOKO SAID WOMEN WERE ALWAYS PREPARED TO TAKE THEIR RIGHTFUL PLACES BOTH IN POLITICS AND CORPORATE WORLD BUT STRESSED THAT THEY NEEDED SUPPORT FROM ALL STRATA OF THE SOCIETY.
OTHER WOMEN WHO SPOKE WITH RADIO NIGERIA, MRS FOLASHADE BAMIGBOYE AND YETUNDE ADENIRAN STRESSED THE NEED FOR MEN TO ALSO ASSIST WOMEN IN TAKING UP LEADERSHIP ROLES ESPECIALLY IN POLITICS RATHER THAN RELEGATING THEM TO THE BACKGROUND THROUGH ONE CULTURAL OR RELIGIOUS BELIEF.
MRS BAMIGBOYE AND ADENIRAN SAID NIGERIA COULD ACTUALLY PARADE MANY WOMEN IN ELECTIVE POSITIONS AND BE PROUD OF THEM JUST AS AMERICA IS PROUD OF KAMALA HARRIS AS ITS VICE PRESIDENT TODAY.
IT IS THE OPINION OF SOME WOMEN’S RIGHTS ACTIVISTS THAT THE STRENGTH OF A WOMAN IS NOT ONLY DISPLAYED IN THE KITCHEN BUT IN DECISION MAKING PROCESS AND NATION BUILDING SO THAT THE SOCIETY COULD CONTINUE TO BE A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE IN.