Eteteonline Team
Nigeria is one of the most blessed countries in the world, with enormous potential and great resources. Women have a pivotal role to play in harnessing these resources and actualizing their potential. With love and understanding a lot can be accomplished in propping up and shoring up peace and development in Nigeria. Former President Goodluck Jonathan believed that if women were empowered, they could contribute significantly to national development. The women appointed into government by President Goodluck Jonathan had indeed contributed positively to the outstanding performance of the government in the administration’s four-year tenure. The former First Lady had attributed the wonderful performance of the Federal Government to the input of female cabinet members. She stated this at a dinner organized for women to mark the 2013 Democracy Day. In the mid-term report, Mrs. Jonathan praised the President and his team for doing very well and specifically lauded women as being the most powerful people in the cabinet
Former President Goodluck Jonathan had done more in policy for women than any other President in Nigerian history. He had overseen the appointment of more women into government positions than any other President in the history of the country. He had championed gender equality, women’s rights, liberation and empowerment, and the enforcement of the 35 percent representation of women in all sectors of national development.
There is no doubt that under President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda much more was done to elevate the status of women socially, economically, and politically than under any previous administration. The transformation agenda had touched every aspect of national life, including the empowerment of women. According to the former President:
I promised women a 35 per cent slot in my cabinet and I fulfilled that vow because it is my desire to
ensure a level playing field in Nigeria by heading an administration where ethnicity, gender, and religion
do not hinder qualified persons from fulfilling their potential. It is also the reason I ordered the
admission of women to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) a first in Nigeria.
At the opening ceremony of the 7th Summit of the African First Ladies Peace Mission (AFLPM) in Abuja, President Jonathan said “I believe that the most sustainable way to support womanhood and guarantee peace is through empowerment. In this respect, our transformation agenda as a nation goes beyond the 30-35% of political offices being demanded by women, but creating various opportunities for women empowerment.” He stated further that his “Administration will remain resolute in the implementation of its policy on effective representation of women in all aspects of government.” President Goodluck Jonathan gave his scorecard at the opening ceremony of the 7th African First Ladies Peace Mission in Abuja:
In my cabinet of 42 ministers, 13 are women. The Coordinating Minister of the Economy who also
doubles as the Finance Minister is a woman. For the first time in our country, a woman occupies the
position of Minister of Petroleum Resources. Also, for the first time, we have admitted women into
our prestigious Nigeria Defense Academy to prepare women as full Combatants in the Army, Navy,
and Air Force. Eight days ago, precisely on the 16th of July 2012, I appointed the first female Chief
Justice in Nigeria. Our Permanent Representative in the United Nations is a woman, so also is our
Commissioner of the African Union and the Nigerian Commissioner in the ECOWAS Commission.
Our expectation is that these women will encourage other women and inspire the younger
generation.
Jonathan’s Ministers
Zainab Maina
Hajia Zainab Maina was the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development. A strong politician and dynamic women leader who understood the issues and knew the meaning of womanhood in Nigeria, Hajia Maina had held many other positions before her Ministerial appointment. She served as:
Board Chairman National Council for Nomadic Education.
Deputy Chairman, policy Community Relations Committee, FCT Command.
Member Vision 2010.
Board Member, National Programme on Immunization.
Board member, Adamawa State Primary Schools Board
National President, National Council of Woman Society (NCWS).
Hajia Zainab Maina is a recipient of numerous awards including, a member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR). She reaches out to society through an NGO, the Women for Peace Initiative.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy. She obtained a Ph.D. in Regional Economics and Development from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Before her appointment, she had served in the following capacities.
Vice President and Corporate Secretary of the World Bank Group.
Minister of Finance from July 2003 to June 2006.
Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister, 2006.
Managing Director of the World Bank from 2007 to 2011.
A renowned economist, she introduced the publication of monthly allocation to the three tiers of government from the federation account. She has achieved a lot in the prudent and transparent management of the Nigerian economy, including the cancellation of Nigerian external debt of $18 billion in return for the payment of $12 billion by the Paris Club. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala is a recipient of numerous awards and honours. In 2012 she was one of three candidates in the race for the job of the President of World Bank. Dr. Okonjo-Iweala is the founder of No1 Global Consulting, an NGO, and cofounded Makeda Fund.
Diezani Alison-Madueke
Diezani Alison-Madueke was the Minister of Petroleum Resources and the first woman to hold the position in Nigeria. A celebrated architect, she worked with Charles Szoradic Architects; American Interior Builders Incorporated as a project Engineer; and Furman Construction Management Inc. design coordinator. She had also been a major player in the oil industry having served with Shell Petroleum Development Company as head of, the project unit of the Estate Development Division; and the first woman to be appointed to the board of Shell Petroleum Development Company Nigeria.
Since 2007, Diezani has held ministerial positions in Nigeria, namely, Minister of Transport in 2007, Minister of Mines and Steel Development in 2008, and Minister of Petroleum Resources in 2010. She also made history as the first female Minister of Transport and Petroleum Resources in Nigeria. An industrious woman who is working hard to transform the Oil and Gas Industry, she holds a degree in Architecture from Howard University, Washington DC, USA, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Cambridge University, Hughes Hall, United Kingdom.
Ama Pepple
Ama Inyingi Pepple was the Minister of Land, Housing, and Urban Development, and a seasoned civil servant. She had served the nation in various capacities such as Lecturer in Political Science at the Rivers State College of Education; Clerk of the senate of the National Assembly; and Federal Permanent Secretary in several ministries.
An alumnus of the University of Ife, where she graduated with a first-class Bachelor of Science degree in political science, she is also a holder of a Master’s degree from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. She is a fellow of the Petroleum Training Institute Warri Delta State and a recipient of the national honour of Officer of the Order of Nigeria (OON).
Viola Onwuliri
Professor (Mrs.) Viola Adaku Onwuliri was the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and the Acting Minister of that Ministry. A Chief and a princess, she was a Professor of Biochemistry at the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), and a professor at the University of Jos (UNIJOS). A renewed academician was a member of the National Technical Working Committee from the South East. Deputy Governorship candidate of the People Democratic Party in Imo State; and National Vice-President, Nigerian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She held a Doctorate (Ph.D.) degree in Biochemistry from the University of Jos.
Sarah Reng Ochekpe
Mrs. Sarah Reng Ochekpe is the Minister of Water Resources. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master of Science degrees in political science, and also a Master of Public Administration degree.
Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia
Mrs. Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia was the Minister of the Environment. She had been an astute businesswoman before her appointment. A liberal Nigerian, Hadiza Mailafia was among the Presidential aspirants of the People Democratic Party.
Zainab Kuchi
Hajia Zainab Ibrahim Kuchi was the Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs. A woman of great capacity-building initiatives and executive managerial skills, she was the President and Chief Executive Officer, of Daral Kuchi Group of Companies and its subsidiaries. She was also a member of the Executive Committee of, Global Shea Alliance.
Omobola Johnson
Mrs. Omobola Olubusola Johnson was the Minister of Communication Technology and one of the few technocrats appointed to the Federal Executive Council. Before her ministerial appointment, she was the Managing Director of Accenture, Nigeria, the first woman to occupy that position in Nigeria. A dynamic and experienced ICT expert, Mrs. Johnson has over 25 years of consulting experience. She had also served in various other capacities including Founding Chairperson and Member of the Board of Trustees, Women in Management and Business (WIMBIZ); Vice Chair, of Global Agenda Council on Africa, World Economic Forum; and board and management of several major banks and the Central Bank of Nigeria.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Manchester and a master’s in Digital Electronics from King’s College, London.
Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai
Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai was the Minister of Education. She had served in various capacities before her appointment to the Federal Executive Council, namely Dean Faculty of Education, Bayero University, Kano and Jigawa State Commissioner for Health and later Education. A member of many Professional bodies, Professor Rufai holds a Bachelor’s and master’s degrees in History and a Doctorate in Education.
Women Rally for Jonathan
On Thursday 15th August 2013 the women of Nigeria conferred the Lifetime Icon Award on the President for his support, recognition, and empowerment of Nigerian Women. It is the first time any Nigerian President has been so honoured and was described as epoch-making in the annals of the nation. President Jonathan has recognized the important role that women play in nation-building and the special need for women’s participation national in development.
The activities leading up to the conferment of the Award commenced with a mega rally described by observers as the ‘Mother of All Women Rallies’. Women groups under the aegis of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) decided to march for peace. According to them, the mass rally and carnival christened “Celebration of Nigerian Women for Peace and Empowerment”, was to take “stock of the gains recorded so far in the empowerment of Nigerian women and the quest for peace in the country.”
The Women Rally for Jonathan which commenced at the Old Parade Ground at 7 am, brought together about 35,000 women from all the geo-political zones in Nigeria. It attracted women from all walks of life, and all shades of opinion and political backgrounds, from different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds, from the military to para-military as well as artisans, farmers, and rural and market women among others. The participators marched through selected routes to Eagle Square, where they gathered for landmark speeches.
It was a day of glamour with women beautifully adorned in a parade of colours, fashion, and carnival floats. They carried placards with various inscriptions such as “Thank you Mr. President for 35 percent women affirmation” and “Thank you Mother of the Nation.” The mega rally brought Abuja to a standstill for President Jonathan. The women defied the early morning rain to participate in the rally. It was intended to sensitize women and enhance peace and women empowerment in the country. The First Lady said it was designed to mobilize and invigorate women for greater commitment to peace and national development. It was one of the strategies of Dame Patience Jonathan to make Nigerian women speak with one voice.
The Nigerian First Lady, Dame Dr. Patience Jonathan, was the grand patron. Her speech was motivational and inspirational in which she called on women to make their contribution to nation building. Among other remarks, she said:
We note that when there is peace, there will be development. We need a collective effort to achieve
peace. Age should not be a limitation in bringing peace.
Everyone must join hands with this administration to fulfill this. We thank President Jonathan for
not only making us be heard but also ensuring that women occupy key positions in government.
We also thank state governors who have ensured that our women are appointed to key positions.
Nigerian women must speak with one voice.
Dame Patience Jonathan revisited the issue of giving the 35 percent affirmative action legislative backing by the National Assembly and increasing the number of women in leadership positions. It is the only way of ensuring its sustainability. She said, “I call on our lawmakers to ensure that the 35 percent affirmative action is implemented. We need to empower our women so that they can contribute to nation-building.”
The Vice President, Architect Namadi Sambo, was the distinguished guest of honour. In his address, he commended President Goodluck Jonathan for actualizing the 35 percent affirmative action for women. According to him:
We have actively supported women in politics. We have significantly increased the representation
of women in government appointments. We have fulfilled the 35 percent affirmative action by
appointing women into key government positions.
Our SURE-P targets over 500,000 women…and very soon our women will lead the security
agencies. The pivotal role of women in politics cannot be ignored.”
The wife of the Vice President, Hajia Amina Sambo lauded the women of Nigeria for their contributions to national development. She especially commended President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife Dame Patience Jonathan, for their support for the development and empowerment of Nigerian women. The President, she said, has recognized and the appreciated potential, talents, endowments, and abilities of women to uplift the nation, and urged women to strife for peace without which the much-desired development would be hard to achieve.
Several prominent individuals and organizations were in attendance at the rally. They include the Vice President of Nigeria, Architect Namadi Sambo, and his wife, Hajia Amina Sambo; the wife of the PDP National Chairman, Hajia Fatima Tukur; PDP National Women Leader, Mrs. Kema Chikwe; and Mrs. Jacob Zuma, wife of the South African President. Others were State PDP women leaders; members of the Diplomatic Corps, National Assembly, Federal Executive Council, wives of State Governors, associations of women’s societies, and faith-based organizations. In attendance also were the Ministers of FCT and Tourism; former First Ladies of Nigeria; the First Lady of Belize and other African Countries. Women in appointive positions in governance, industry, civil societies, and the media also attended.
The Mega rally was rounded off with a dinner at the International Conference Centre where President Goodluck Jonathan was conferred with the “Lifetime Icon Award” by the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) amid speeches by distinguished personalities. Guests were entertained by artists who included Onyeka Onwenu, Yinka Ayefele, Iyanya, Sani Danja, and some comedians.
In her address at the dinner, the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan reiterated her call to the National Assembly to give legislative backing to the 35 percent affirmative action on women’s representation in governance. She urged Nigerian legislators to “tear a leaf” from other African countries bypassing the Affirmative Action Bill into law: “Our appeal to them is this: they can start from somewhere and nothing is too small or too big to do for Nigerian Women.” Dame Patience Jonathan stated further “It is about the Nigerian woman and what she represents. It is about giving a voice to the Nigerian Woman.” The lawmakers could use the process of the constitutional amendment to address the issue. “May I also appeal to our legislators to use the opportunity of the ongoing constitutional amendment process to address all issues that adversely affect the status and interest of our women and children.” She said it was only by doing so that the gains of women in the present administration could be sustained.
She declared unacceptable the present position in Nigeria where women only represent 6.4 percent of the Senate and 6.7 percent of the House of Representatives. Citing figures from the Inter-Parliamentary Union, she said Rwanda has the highest number of women parliamentarians in the world with 56.3 percent in the lower house and 38.5 percent in the state. Women parliamentarians in Senegal represent 42.7 percent; Tanzania, 45 percent; Burundi, 56 percent; and Mozambique 39.2 percent, she said.
She added, “We want our men to appreciate that the women we are appealing for are their mothers, aunts, wives, daughters, and sisters.
The Dame Patience Jonathan confirmed her status again as a mass mobilizer. This was an unequivocal appreciation of the progress women have recorded so far under the Goodluck Administration, and the need to consolidate on the gains, and say thank you to Mr. President.
It was in recognition of the contributions of women serving in his administration that President Goodluck Jonathan organized a dinner to honour them. He pledged to continue to utilize the enormous endowments of these women in actualizing the transformation agenda of the government. Having performed so well in the cabinet, it was time to honour them. This step was consistent with his vision and yearning for empowerment and inclusiveness. On the occasion, a book titled “Goodluck Ebele Jonathan: Champion for Women” was launched.
President Jonathan’s Response
In his response, President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan said that women are pivotal to the future development of the country. He made the remark when he was conferred with the “Lifetime Icon Award” for women’s rights from the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) at the dinner. The President said further:
I am pleased to be here today at this seminal event in celebration of the Nigerian woman. I thank the President and all the members of the National Council of Women Societies (NCWS) for their tireless and committed efforts to promote the cause of women in Nigeria. This, indeed, is a cause dear to our hearts.
Only two months ago, I was the Guest of Honour at the launching of a fascinating book, Champion for Women. That event, more than anything, affirmed the critical role and contribution of our women to national development. It also highlighted the commitment of this Administration to the promotion of gender balance, equality, and the empowerment of the Nigerian woman. It was a celebration of all that is noble in our nation’s forward march. I see today’s event has taken the issue of women’s empowerment in Nigeria to another level.
Your Excellencies,
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, historically, the Nigerian woman has always been a part of every progressive effort to bring about change in our country. Her remarkable resilience, as well as her noteworthy creative and productive capacities, has always been fundamental to our efforts to build a strong and united country.
Women’s groups and umbrella organizations such as the National Council of Women’s Societies and women in Nigeria have also been important rallying points for mass interest and participation in the affairs of our nation. Indeed, Nigerian women have championed significant national social transformation programmes that have had an enduring impact on the well-being of the country.
You are all witnesses to the important and visible roles being played by women in this democratic dispensation, ensuring that democracy not only thrives but that value is added to the lives of our people.
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, the Nigerian woman is not only an important part of our history, but a pivot of our future development as a nation. I strongly believe that we cannot accomplish the goals of our Transformation Agenda if women, comprising about 50% of our population, are not fully integrated into our development efforts and programmes. The urge to build and sustain an inclusive society in which we can tap into the creative energy, insight, and assets of our women therefore has a manifest logic.
This Administration, on its part, has served ample notice that it will take every measure necessary that will bring on board the huge resources and acumen that our women have to offer.
Our track record in this regard is clear. Today, more than at any other period in our contemporary history, women have both a qualitative and substantive presence in governance.
We must strengthen and entrench this new paradigm for development and nation-building. We must do so if our country is to realize its huge potential for greatness and take a giant leap forward in its development process.
I envisage a future in Nigeria where women move abreast with their male counterparts in politics and decision-making. I believe that improved participation of women in politics will translate to accelerated progress and help promote good governance and accountability in our country.
Most importantly, I think that the participation of all Nigerians, irrespective of gender, in our nation’s affairs is a right for all not just the privileges of only a few.
As an ardent supporter and promoter of women’s empowerment, I accept, with appreciation, the Life Time Icon Award that has been bestowed on me today. I am certain that the Vice President and all the Governors who have been similarly conferred with awards this evening have also accepted the honour in the spirit that it has been given. It is the spirit of unalloyed service to our nation.
Today’s award coming only two months after I was honoured with the Global Women Advancement Award, eloquently testifies to the rightness of the definitive course which we have chosen in support of women empowerment in all its ramifications.
These recognitions will no doubt spur further positive action on our part, to ensure that the Nigerian woman is enabled to maximally actualize her unique potential in any sphere of our national life.
I assure the National Council of Women’s Societies and other women’s groups that, in this Administration, they will always find a willing and energetic collaborator for the work they do on behalf of the women of our country. Everything will be done to empower women and give them a real voice towards realizing the renaissance that we seek for our country.
God bless the Nigerian woman God bless you all and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
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