Nigeria’s former Federal Minister of Aviation, Dr Kema Chikwe, has said that the women need more support in Nigerian politics as politics is seen as a “Man’s World.”
In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Friday, Chikwe, while addressing the gap between both genders in Nigerian politics, pointed out that the happenings in politics seemed to inconvenience mostly women. Giving instances of when she was new to politics, she said, “One thing we identified is that meetings are usually held at night when it’s not convenient for women… I also learnt through different methods that when you attend a political meeting and the meeting ends, you don’t go immediately. If you go immediately, there is meeting after meeting, another meeting will start. But we (women) are in a hurry to go back home and take care of the home.”
Chikwe also said that society had a problem with allowing women to make decisions, saying, “I think the problem is the mindset of our society, the mindset about women… It’s always been about giving women a chance, mainstreaming them in leadership, and giving them opportunities to participate in policy making, but every political dispensation, every election, we still have the same problem.”
Chikwe then said that this had taken a toll on society, as she said, “Society itself has not been moving well because you leave out half the population from decision making, or, those who make decision are making decisions for people that they do not appreciate their problem.”
Proposing solutions and tips on how to bridge the gap in politics, Chikwe advised, “The society has to begin to appreciate women. And women themselves cannot recline and wait for that recognition, for that power. The women really have to come out and do something about it.”
Further advising the women on how they could rise further in politics, Dr. Chikwe said, “Whether we like it or not, basically, we need the support, of your husband or the men, because this is a man’s world. Sometimes you stumble, but because you have a focus, you have a goal, you come up again to pursue that goal.
“Before getting into politics, you have to realize that you are in a man’s environment, and you have to be able to overcome. You have to have your own strategies. You have to have the courage. And you have to also create a situation where you are respected because you are contributing to not only the intellectual aspect of development, but the practical aspect of it.”
When she was asked what she did differently to rise in the ranks of politics in a country where there was such a gap in men and women in politics, she said, “I had the courage, I was consistent, I didn’t believe that if I failed, it was the end.”
When asked on how women could solve the issue of funding for politics, Chikwe said, “I think there should be a system where there is a structured funding. There should be a women’s bank in this country.”
She then encouraged women to build competency in order to convince donors and sponsors to believe in their competence so as to attract the funds that is necessary for them to work in politics.
She then called on other women in power to help to mentor women to make a difference in their community, saying, “I feel that some of us who have had the benefit of higher education should also give back.
“Mentor other women, be role models, inspire them. Because, I keep saying that when women are encaged from opportunities to contribute to development, everybody is the worse for it, and you can see what is happening.”
Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi
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