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Are male politicians dinosaaurs

Published by The Nation on Sat, 19 Sep 2020


Nnedinso OgaziechiIf we are to go by the story of the creation, God created man and seeing that he needed help, made the woman. It is therefore funny that the same man that the creator found a helpmate for often try to relegate the woman to the background and ultimately gets overwhelmed by duties that ought to be shared by the two genders.Ironically, the same creative process runs through the multiplication of humans through procreation. Neither of the genders can bring about the birth of a regular human without the other. Technology and science can only go as far as we have seen. For now, a sperm and an egg are still needed for a fertilization to take place.It is therefore a descent to the abnormal that in modern leadership tussle around the world, some ill-informed men still assume a sense of entitlement and try everything to exclude women. However, ironically, in countries that have adopted democracy, more women vote at elections and the same men with a flawed sense of entitlement still seek the votes of women to win at the polls. Women are the most consistent, active and loyal voting bloc in the world.However, the idea of relegating women to the background in leadership is neither socially nor economically profitable for any nation. African women especially had always provided leadership in pristine times before the colonial masters came with the idea of housewives because their wives where pretty much idle at home.The legendary amazons of Dahomey and the various legendary queens in Africa all provided political and economic leadership to complement the men too. There were complimentary leadership styles for both genders and trouble started when the men decided to appropriate the political and economic spaces and to deal women some tokenism.This trend is an obvious ill-wind that blows no one any good as the economies of the crassly patriarchal societies tend to show, more poverty and social ills hold down the economies of such nations and Nigeria is a good example.The Roundtable Conversation had the Honorable Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in Lagos state, Cecelia Bolaji Dada, an astute administrator/politician. She was in the Lagos State Sports Commission and later became an executive secretary before being elected as the Vice Chairman for Apapa Local Government for two terms. As an award-winning Vice Chairman of a local government, she believes that women have nothing to fear when they are competent and ready to work to develop their communities and nation.To Bolaji, competence has no gender and the readiness to serve is personal to everyone. She believes that very often, some women show defeatist attitude when it comes to political participation but she believes that mentorship by the few women who are already in politics must be taken more seriously. In her days as Vice Chairman of Apapa Local government, mentoring younger women was a passion for her and the dividends have been huge. It is important for women to first have confidence in themselves, be disciplined enough to earn respect of everyone and be ready to show the full female capacity in multi-tasking. Neither your work nor the home must be shortchanged if you are a focused human being.Planning must be key for women not just in politics but in all spheres of life that they find themselves. Be able to speak up, be able to stand against the men. The fact of life is that most insecure men are intimidated by brilliant and confident women so they try to frustrate the women so that they will give up because the dictum that what a man can do a woman can do better is not a ruse. Women must be ready to show competence at all levels. There is no position that a determined woman cannot creditably handle.The mentorship of young women must be a priority for all women and even men because a well-educated and empowered woman can move mountains. Politics is for everyone and it is ironic that while men lay claim to leadership, women are the real voters and if they are discerning enough to vote, they must be capable of leading too. Political positions should not be an exclusive of men and that is where kudos must go to the past and present governors of Lagos state she says.Lagos state is very much ahead of other states when it comes to women inclusion in both elective and appointive positions in the state. The governor, Babajide, Sanwo-Olu recently won the HE for SHE Ambassador Award from an NGO for making his government very inclusive as quite a number of women are in his cabinet and those in the civil service including the judiciary that deserve to be promoted to Permanent Secretaries or appointed as judges equally get their promotions unlike what happens in most other states that the governors tend to play to the gallery whipping up either religious of cultural sentiments that exclude women and deny them what is due them.To the Commissioner, the number of women in elective and appointive positions in Lagos state even though there is still room for improvement stands as a morale booster for women to seize the moment and realize that they must step up and participate and not wait to be handed power just because they are women. The political terrain requires a great sense of duty and discipline. Women must stand up to the men with their dignity intact and not be intimidated by name-calling and all those mischievous tags some men use to intimidate women out of politics.Leadership is about integrity and any man or woman that shows integrity would always have a seat at the table. Bolaji insist that women must desist from the pull-her-down syndrome that empower men. The idea of seeing women in politics as women of easy virtue empowers the men. In most cases, men are empowered to call female politicians names because most often the women who are not in politics yield to the male blackmail of women. When looked at critically, if a woman is accused of being of easy virtue just because she insists on meeting men at the barricades and defying their mischievous nocturnal meetings by attending same, who are her partners if not the same men'She believes women must come together and support the women who are providing leadership either as elected or appointed public servants. To her, planning for women must be key. Neither the home nor the work should be neglected because women are nurturers. Politics should not affect the home or parenting skills because nature has endowed women with the capacity to multi-task brilliantly.She believes that support from discerning men who know the capacity of their partners also helps and that is why she believes that women must marry or be in a relationship with men who would always support their interests progressively no matter the field. She observes that in her case for instance, it was even her husband that motivated her to be an active politician and that support has made all the difference in her administrative and political journey. In mentoring younger ladies, she points out that each woman must be in a relationship with a partner they can communicate effectively with because that is the foundation for trust and counts for a seamless relationship in future.It takes a very confident man to allow his wife or partner to attend the intentional nocturnal meetings without feeling insecure. It all boils down to a mutual sense of trust and loyalty for partners to trust each other. To her, the main issue to her is, the idea of blackmailing female politicians by the society is a cultural tool of oppression. She believes that no profession corrupts anyone. People decide their moral compass irrespective of their profession or political activities. People still accuse doctors, nurses, actors, bankers, traders, even full time housewives whose husbands are insecure would still complain.Having been in government since the year 2000, she knows and has observed enough to realize that women are the ones holding themselves back. Being the only woman on the board of the Lagos State Sports Council, then Secretary to Apapa local government then to the vice Chairmanship position for two terms and other political experiences along up till now as a Commissioner in Lagos along other very strong and active women makes her conclude that if only women can dream it, they can achieve it because women are pillars for nation building.Appointive posts do not make you a politician, starting from your communities and wards should be the initial steps to build your political growth on. Politics must be taken from the bottom up not the other way round. Most times some women assume they can just jump out and become a governor or president, no, the men will always beat you to it because they often are the ones going from their wards to the pinnacle which is the Presidency. Women must realize that participatory democracy is about numbers and not a sentimental gender issue.The take away from this conversation is that men are not the political dinosaurs that most women often assume. The decision to be politically involved should be made for development by women who do not have to wait to be handed power on a platter. Mentorship is key for women. Most men in or out of politics would support any serious minded woman able and ready to serve. A partners support for a woman is an addition and that should often inform choices of a partner. Lagos state leads in women inclusiveness in governance.What are other states up to' The dialogue continues
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