Nigerian Women Urged to Vote for Gender Inclusion

On a recent occasion in Ibadan, Oyo State, Professor Emmanuel O. Ojo, a Professor of Comparative Politics at the University of Ilorin, addressed the National Council of Women’s Societies (NCWS) South-West Forum.

He urged Nigerian women to leverage their electoral strength by voting for candidates and political parties that genuinely commit to gender inclusion. Ojo called for a constitutional quota ensuring at least 30 percent representation for women in elective and appointive offices, noting that women currently hold only 4.1 percent of seats in Nigeria's National Assembly despite comprising about 49.4 percent of the population.

He cited successful affirmative action policies in countries like the UK, US, and Uganda as models for Nigeria. Ojo challenged women to become active political stakeholders and withdraw support from parties that neglect gender inclusion.

He identified cultural and institutional barriers to women's political advancement and criticized media coverage that reinforces gender stereotypes, urging for better representation of female leaders.