By Cajetan Mmuta
Giving equal opportunity to women for active participation in politics, visibility in leadership and the need for them to nurture positive self-esteem came to the fore on Tuesday as stakeholders converged on Awka the Anambra state capital to deliberate on the way forward for them in the country’s project.

Speaker after speaker during a workshop with them: “Enhancing Women’s Participation In Politics and Visibility In Leadership” observed that women have not attained the desired equitable and encouraging opportunity to showcase and contribute their potentials towards helping to get the nation out of her current precarious socio-cultural, political and economic situation.

Leading the various speakers drawn from the academia and professional bodies including politics is the Chief host and Vice-Chancellor of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Professor Charles Esimone who said that
women should be encouraged to get involved in robust politics and decision-making processes.

He stated that women are naturally exposed towards love and protection of interest of human beings.

Represented by a former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) and Professor of Law, Professor Carol Arinze-Umobi, the Vice-Chancellor noted that several factors in leading patriarchial society, poverty and religion as well as culture combined to make women not think for themselves.

However, he was optimistic that “When women sit together, they will have a smooth way to solve the problem of poor visibility in politics, decision making, and leadership positions.”

The one-day workshop was organized by Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka in collaboration with Inter-party Network and  Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre (CIRRDOC) with the sponsorship of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU).

The ACU grant awardee and first Mass Communications Professor in West Africa, Prof. Chinyere Stella Okunna frowned at the ratio of 52:48 in population between men and women are not reflected in politics and decision making.

Okunna,  a former Chief of Staff to ex-Governor of Anambra state Mr. Peter Obi and pioneer director of Unizik FM 94.1 Mhz explained that the tendency of men to dominate politics is because of the notion of patriarchal society, stressing that there are more women participation in politics, especially, in registration, voting and mobilization, beyond the antics of mere leadership.

According to her, cultural barriers, religious bias, negative perception of politics, poor empowerment in terms of financial resources, self-esteem, and male chauvinism have remained part of the changes women face in political participation and decision-making processes.

Director of International Collaboration and Linkages of university, Professor Ifeoma Enweani-Nwokelo condemned the growing rate of decline in the number of women participants in politics, as a result of cultural, financial, religious, poor self-esteem, gender stereotype, lack of economic opportunities, and social expectation that men are better leaders.

Prof. Enweani-Nwokelo who was represented by her daughter Sonia Ogbonna appealed to women to galvanize themselves in addition to their civic responsibilities and to have their voters cards while participating actively in politics towards reversing the ugly trend of being relegated to the background in leadership and political activism.

Also, a resource person and Project Director of CIRRDOC, Mazi Jerry Udochu pointed out that major challenges confronting women in politics could be traced to marginalization in the country’s political system.

He attributed lack of political will, poor economic, material, and human resources, lack of internal democracy, political violence, lawlessness, corruption, illegalities, rigging, patriarchy, godfatherism and male-dominated party executives, discriminatory laws, and gender blind politics as major setbacks.

He added that “if women use their numerical strength, men will come begging.”

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On her part, Secretary of Inter-party Network, Hon. Ify Okonkwo who also spoke on a sub-theme: “The Way Forward,” urged women to be more practical in political participation, and working to hold a stake at whatever level of politicking to be recognized as real stakeholders.

She cautioned women against belonging to  more than one party, adding that they must come together and form a united front with one voice,and one accord aimed at attaining relevance and achieve set targets.

Mr. Tempest Udeze, a resource person in his presentation noted that religious bodies have continued to worsen the plight of women by not encouraging female folks to take advantage of their numerical strength to dominate the political space, structure, leadership, and decision making positions.