AWKA/Nigeria: Wife of the Anambra State Governor, Dr. Nonye Soludo, has called on women across Nigeria to become more actively involved in politics and decision-making processes in order to strengthen their representation in governance and national development.
Dr. Soludo, founder of the Healthy Living Initiative, made the call in a statement issued on Sunday in Awka to commemorate the 2026 International Women’s Day celebration, marked annually on March 8.
International Women’s Day, with the theme “Give to Gain,” is dedicated to celebrating the achievements of women while also promoting gender equality and greater inclusion of women in all spheres of society.
In her message, the governor’s wife stressed the importance of women moving from the sidelines to the centre stage of national discussions on gender equality, leadership and development.
She noted that although there had been numerous conversations and advocacy campaigns over the years aimed at improving the welfare and rights of women and girls, there was still a pressing need for stronger commitment and practical actions to achieve meaningful and lasting progress.
According to her, women must take deliberate steps to shape their own future by actively participating in politics and occupying strategic positions where important decisions affecting society are made.
“Women must take the lead in shaping their future by participating actively in politics and occupying spaces where key decisions affecting society are made,” she said.
Dr. Soludo encouraged women with political ambitions to boldly pursue leadership opportunities, assuring them that there are stakeholders and institutions willing to support greater gender inclusion in governance.
She also commended the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, for proposing legislation that would reserve a mandatory number of seats for women in the National Assembly.
Describing the initiative as a significant step toward improving female representation in governance, Dr. Soludo said similar provisions should be extended to State Houses of Assembly to ensure wider participation of women in legislative activities across the country.
The governor’s wife further stressed the need to protect women from harassment, abuse, sexual exploitation, workplace discrimination and other forms of social injustice that often hinder their advancement in society.
She observed that women have consistently demonstrated competence, professionalism and strong leadership capacity whenever given the opportunity to serve.
Dr. Soludo also highlighted the commitment of the Anambra State Government to policies that promote the welfare and advancement of women and girls, noting that the state continues to create opportunities that enable women to grow and compete effectively within the civil service and other sectors.
Through her pet project, the Healthy Living Initiative, she said more programmes would be introduced to encourage women to adopt healthier lifestyles while participating actively in community-based initiatives that promote social wellbeing.
She added that more platforms would be created to enable women across the state to collaborate, share ideas and pursue common goals that will strengthen their collective voice and contributions to development.
