Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has described Nigeria’s rating as the lowest in terms of women in elective positions in Africa as disappointing, and called for more intentional support by political parties and the parliament for women.
Speaking as a Special Guest at the Lagos State House of Assembly Complex in Ikeja, where she delivered a speech on “The Role of Women in Nation Building” to commemorate 25 years of democratic governance in Nigeria, Dabiri-Erewa noted that out of over 1,300 elective positions at the state and federal levels , less than five per cent are women, saying that the statistics rather than increased , diminished over the years.
She called on Political parties to be sincere and intentional about getting women into elective positions , adding that Nigeria had more than enough gifted and competent women for any elective political office in Nigeria.
She also called on the Parliament to give their backing to women friendly legislation, while calling on women professionals in all walks of life to participate actively in the political space.
In her words , “ if you are not on the table , you will be on the menu “
The NIDCOM boss commended women who have risen to top positions in Nigeria through their hard work, tenacity, and zeal.
She emphasized that women should take mentorship seriously , and serve as role models to younger generations, paving the way for aspiring young women to occupy various positions in the society.
She applauded Rt. Hon. Dr. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, the Speaker of Lagos state House of Assembly for the well organized event ,and expressed her hope that deserving women would be given opportunities to contribute to national development.
Dabiri-Erewa stressed that Nigerian women are the cornerstone of society, describing them as beacons of creativity, peace, and determination.
She praised the intelligence, brilliance and energy of women, noting that Nigerian women rank among the best in the world.
She called on Nigerian women to put their best forward and urged women in various professions to participate actively in politics.
The event which was hosted by the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa was attended by the wife of Lagos state Governor, Dr. Ibironke Sanwo-Olu, former governors, former deputy governors, past and serving assembly members, party leaders, party executives and members of the diplomatic corps.
