THE women organs of the Oyo State councils of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), have called for 50 per cent opportunities for women in politics and governance in Nigeria.
The NLC women committee and TUC women commission led by their chairpersons, Comrade (Mrs) Kikelomo Aiyedun and Comrade (Mrs) Lizzy Sotuminu, made the call in Ibadan on Wednesday, at an event organised to commemorate the 2023 International Women’s Day, observed on March 8.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the celebration is titled: “Embrace Equity: Digital Innovation and Technology.
Aiyedun said the event was to celebrate the achievements of women in any capacity one can think of “We don’t want an era where a woman would be pushed to the back. We want women to be by the side of men.
“We want women to be considered for an appreciable percentage in politics and governance, about 50 per cent.
“What we want as women as encapsulated in the theme ‘Embrace Equity’, we want the men to embrace women in any capacity and let them showcase the talent God has deposited into them be it a woman or girl-child because we know that many homes do not have regard to girl-child.”
Aiyedun urged other families to give the right dues and attention to the girl-child as being done to the boy, which signified embracing equity so that they can make a better society future.
She urged women to support themselves, especially in the Saturday Governorship and House of Assembly elections, adding that women should seek knowledge to be relevant in their fields.
Also, Sotuminu charged women to celebrate themselves first, and be confident in whatever they are doing.
“There is no position that is not good for women, all positions are good for women. Women are brilliant and astute managers and administrators.
“There is nothing too technical for women to handle and women can thrive in any field. Women should embrace IT and we can see women in various fields who are doing excellent jobs,” she said.
Sotuminu said women were born leaders and good managers, hence marginalisation of women should stop and there should be fairness to women and girls.
She corroborated the need to increase the quota of women in politics and governance in Nigeria to 50 per cent.
“We don’t want 35 per cent affirmative action again, we don’t mind if it is 50 per cent,” Sotuminu said.
In her remarks, Mrs Olubunmi Oni, the representative of the Oyo State Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Olubamiwo Adeosun and Head of Service, Alhaja Amidat Agboola, said celebrating womanhood was a call to action to accelerate equity.
She stressed the role of technology on promoting gender equality and charged women to equip themselves technologically.
In their goodwill messages, the President General, Central Council of Ibadan Indigene, Prince Oluyemisi Adeaga; Chairman, NLC Oyo State, Mr Kayode Martins; and Chairman, TUC, Oyo State Council, Mr Bosun Olabiyi emphasised the importance and role of women in development and progress of any society.
In her lecture, Mrs Adejoke Oyeleke, urged women to upgrade themselves and merge technology with innovation to be relevant in today’s world. (NAN)
