In a thought-provoking address, Hon. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, the representative of Oluyole Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, has drawn attention to the troubling underrepresentation of women in Nigerian politics. Speaking at a one-day roundtable organized by the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), a non-governmental organization based in Lagos, Hon. Akande-Sadipe emphasized the urgent need to address the gender disparity in political leadership.
The roundtable’s theme, “Role of parliamentarian in ensuring gender and social inclusion for growth and development,” set the stage for a crucial discussion on the challenges faced by women seeking to participate in Nigeria’s political landscape.
During her keynote address, Hon. Akande-Sadipe highlighted the alarming statistics that reveal the scarcity of women holding seats in the National Assembly and state houses of assembly. With determination in her voice, she expressed deep concern about the decline in women’s representation and the barriers that hinder their progress in competitive politics within the country.
As the only female Federal Lawmaker from Oyo State, Hon. Akande-Sadipe emphasized the importance of acknowledging and confronting cultural norms, discriminatory practices, and biases that continue to hinder the path towards a fairer and more inclusive society. She urged the Federal, State, and Local Governments to play an active role in facilitating this transformative process.
The symposium, which enjoyed the collaboration of the Canadian government and the United Nations, shed light on the grim reality of women’s representation in the National Assembly. Hon. Akande-Sadipe revealed that women hold only 3 percent of the seats in the Senate and a mere 4 percent in the House of Representatives. Such low representation underscores the need for urgent action to prevent women’s concerns from being disregarded in the legislative process.
In the state House of Assembly, the situation is not much different, as Hon. Akande-Sadipe pointed out. Among the 1,019 females who contested in the 2023 state houses of assembly elections, only 48 emerged victorious, representing a meager success rate of 4.7 percent. While this number saw a slight increase compared to the 2019 elections, it is still far from achieving a genuinely equitable representation. In total, only 72 women were elected at the federal and state levels out of 1,553 women who participated in various elections, signifying a significantly low percentage of elected female candidates.
Determined to bring about change, Hon. Akande-Sadipe urged women to actively bridge the gender gap in politics by taking concrete steps to overcome challenges and seize equal opportunities to participate and lead in the decision-making structures of the nation. By empowering women to take on leadership roles, Nigeria can unlock the untapped potential of its female population and foster more inclusive and effective governance.
In her appeal to the government and decision-makers, Hon. Akande-Sadipe emphasized the necessity of encouraging female representation in decision-making bodies. She emphasized that true gender equality and social inclusion require a concerted effort to enhance women’s leadership roles in politics and governance.
Drawing inspiration from Rwanda, a fellow African country with one of the highest percentages of women in parliament globally, Hon. Akande-Sadipe highlighted the need for policies that promote gender-based violence, land rights, and education, reflecting a strong commitment to women’s empowerment.
Concluding her address, Hon. Tolulope Akande-Sadipe expressed gratitude to the organizers of the roundtable, acknowledging their collective commitment to advancing women’s political empowerment in Nigeria. She stressed that prioritizing gender and social inclusion is crucial in achieving a more equitable and just society, leading to sustainable growth and development.
As Nigeria continues its journey towards progress, the words of Hon. Akande-Sadipe serve as a powerful reminder that achieving gender equality and increasing women’s representation in politics is not just a lofty goal but a critical necessity for the nation’s future.
