Can you briefly tell us about yourself?
I hail from Igboukwu in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State. On the homefront, I have grand children and one great grandchild. Career wise, I am a trained nurse practitioner, accountant and financier. I retired as a dean of nursing. I lectured in the university most of the time.
I am also an activist. I advocated for the enactment of certain laws that benefited women, children, the elderly, health care, democracy, peace in the world, and human right among others.
I have been the leader of so many NGOs in the United States, few of them as President, like the National Council of African Affairs.
I was also the Commissioner Women Affairs in the Washington DC government. The first African to be appointed so, where we made huge advancement in the cause of women ranging from covering violence against women, the elderly, equal pay for equal work, family issues, health care for women and children, participation of women in governance and politics, protection of abuse to elderly and widows to mention a few.
After the demise of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha and the follow up of the Abiola, it seemed the right time for our country to once more pursue democratic government. I was asked in the United States then to come home to assist in putting in place what we have now as a democratic government and I have been in Nigeria since then, helping in every aspect of democratic process.
I became one of the female members of the G34 that later turned to the party now called Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Since then as one of the founding mothers of the party, and one of the female financiers of the party and its activities, we believe that one day, we shall bring the party and the nation to that of the US where one man one vote counts and where no Nigeria can go to bed hungry.
Since then, I have also participated in some electoral processes. I contested for the Senate in 2003. In 2007, I contest for Presidential candidate of the PDP. Then 2010 I was the first woman ever to contest for the national chairmanship seat of the PDP. I also contested for the governorship seat of my state in 2010, and in 2012, I contested for the National Publicity Secretary of the party, which was also recenty. So I am still working to move our party and the country forward and to a higher level.
In all, in every good thing we know there must be hiccups here and there but as long as there is hope, we will move the country forward to compete globally. We should always copy good things from the international community otherwise called world’s best practices whether in politics, economic development, transport health care. There is nothing wrong in copying what works.
We shouldn’t just stop at fighting over power, but focus on how we can move the people and country to a higher level. And we must stop the situation of, if it is not me, nobody or if it is not now, never.
You have been a Commissioner for Women Affairs in the US and a politician and activist in both the US and the Nigeria for decades. From your experience so far what do you think are the challenges of women politicians?
Challenges of women globally appears to be almost the same .It is a gender issue. Being a woman first of all, put us a step down but because women are now educated, capable, skilled , enlightened and willing and available, and proven they can do it, they are beginning to show that step down system should not be anymore.
As you move from country to country they may have other factors affecting them. Here in Nigeria, cultural issues was our number one barrier but overtime we have discovered that the cultural, husband and family issues are becoming less a factor, because we have shown that we can manage situation, business, home, peace initiatives, finance and development not more than the men per say, but more effectively than the men.
So the fear of women leaving the home to go and play politics, neglecting the home is fast disappearing. We have shown that we can balance both and succeed on both fronts. But over the years and till date we have observed that our road block number one is money, number two is money and number three is still money.
The image of we can’t do it is another. Women have succeed in hitherto men oriented ministries . That image is still in the mind of some adamant brothers in the country, but that will soon be history as they are beginning to see us bit by bit as equal partners, effective helpers and not the threat they thought we were.
Another barrier is violence in politics, kidnapping of women, physically fighting women, and threatening them, mentally and psychologically.
President Goodluck Jonathan and the first lady have done exceptionally well in ensuring women are incorporated in the governance of our nation. If the first lady has not taken the plight of women on her shoulders, I don’t think women will be where they are today in appointive positions and she is still working to ensure we have increase in elective positions.
How can the challenges be addressed?
Women’s participation in politics and governance in elective positions will be greatly enhanced if decision makers, and party leaders in all parties come together and ensure 35% affirmative action is enshrined in their party constitutions and our constitution. For example if we have three senators from a state, the constitution will say one must be a woman, and also put in place how that can be achieved because if that is not done there maybe problems.
It will be a great thing if the 35% affirmative action is also enshrined in the Nigerian constitution. When that is done it becomes a law so if a state does not ensure 35% affirmative action it can be sued.
Our women need to network not just with women but also with men. Women politicians also need to learn tricks and intrigues in politics, carry their communities along, and mentor their fellow women.
They also need family support. That a woman contested election and lost does not mean the family should stop her from contesting again rather she should be encouraged to contest again.
Women should be able to play active politics and wade through the system as it is now until the time the country is ready for true democracy because right now we are practicing cultural democracy.
What is your take on the perception that politics hampers a woman’s home making skills?
I think it is the other way round. Home making skills improves a woman’s political ventures. Politics exists in our homes. It is not only when you print a poster with a political party that you become a politician. Truly if you learn how to play home politics, you will play it well outside.
From the day you marry your husband politics begins. From negotiation to trade offs, concessions, compromise to quarrelling and making up, and when the children arrive, you play politics between the children and father, from the father to the mother and vice versa. The issue of managing the home, who brings the money home, cares for the grandchildren among others, are all acts of politics at the home front and women have been proven to manage the home perfectly.
So if politics outside is played according to the rules, women will also excel given the fact that they have acquired the qualities from their houses.
That is why in Nigerian politics today, women are involved in peace making in parties, following the rules and constitution of parties. They are not involved in violence, more concerned about how the lives of Nigerians will be moved forward and always asking ‘when are we going to give our people this?’ because that has been their interest from the home, like ‘how do we move our families forward?’ to concern about success of their children and husband. So going outside to do this shouldn’t be seen as a woman walking away from home.
And obviously going to do politics outside does not affect a woman’s home base because she graduated from politics in the home to the outside base.
