The Role of Women in Nigerian Politics

The Role of Women in Nigerian Politics

Abstract

This study is an exploration of the role of women in the Nigerian politics. The inferiority complex of women regarding active political participation and representation constitute the bane of this study. However, it could be argued it was argued that the inferiority nature of women generally was a function of chauvinistic nature of men to perpetuate their domination on them in all ramifications. This gender bias in Nigeria’s political system is often traced to the advent of colonialism in Nigeria. Thus, the western cultural notion of colonialism woven around male superiority reflected in their relations with Nigerians. The authors adopted both conceptual and theoretical analysis of issues of political participation and representation to ascertain how women are generally dominated by men in the scheme of things. The most critical element of this discourse is however that women are, and have been sidelined in the political scheme of things in Nigeria and this state of affairs spells a dangerous omen for the Nigerian system which is now literally dominated and controlled by men. In the past, experience has shown, of course as demonstrated in the study, that women’s political roles have contributed immensely in the shaping of the Nigerian politics not only in democratic governance; but also during the pre-colonial era. So, it will be unthinkable to wish away the critical efforts of women in the making of Nigerian state while arrogating political powers to the male folk. It is also unhealthy to ascribe political powers strictly to men in this era of globalization where the role of women in global politics is considered to be relevant in overall world peace, tranquility and mutual co-existence. In line with the above discovery, the authors recommend that there should be equality in the sharing of political offices on the basis of quota system between competing candidates. This will enable both men and women have equal chances of control in such public offices.

Chapter One

Introduction

The growing debate by scholars and intelligentsia about the role of women in politics globally is an issue that has generated serious controversies than resolving the perceived gender inequalities in terms of participation in politics of nation states, be they advanced or developing. Several arguments have cropped up about the place of women in politics over the years. Thus while the conservative theorists (Arowolo 2010) argue that the actual role of women and in fact, female folks generally ends in the kitchen, the liberalists (Yetunde, 2010; Agbalajobi, 2010 and Erunke, 2009), have variously opined that women‟s political process as those of their male counterparts, and hence, such responsibilities cannot be washed away in the societal scheme of things. Opinions are however divided on whether the role of women is predominantly in the home fronts or whether women can also engage meaningfully in other socio-economic and political activities like their male counterparts, thereby contributing their own quota in the sequence and development of the polity. This and several arguments about the place of women in global vis-à-vis Nigerian politics have constituted a huge problematique in gender discourses as it patterns to the low level of women involvement in politics at whatever level of analysis. This trend of high level inequality on the potential role of women in shaping the direction of politics in the Nigerian society from time immemorial constitutes a broader gender question of this research paper which the authors intend to address.

This gender bias in Nigeria‟s political system is often traced to the onset of colonialism in Nigeria. Thus the western cultural notion of colonialism woven around male superiority reflected in their relations with Nigerians. Agbalajobi (2010) and Yetunde (2010) have agreed on the subjugation of women by colonialists when they wrote that the 1922 Sir Hugh Clifford Constitution which was widely believed to have introduced the first elective principle in the pre-colonial Nigerian society disenfranchised women and limited the participation of adult male to the wealthy. This is not to say that, there was no existing element of gender inequality

in traditional state and stateless societies in Nigeria but the colonial order made gender discrimination more pronounced (Agbalajobi,2010). For example, in traditional Yoruba states, women held high political offices like the Iyalode, Iyaloja, Iyalaje and even the office of the Oba, and their political impacts in such societies were variously felt. But at the establishment of the colonial order, women became estranged to these rights politically, but could however still perform their traditional roles as in case of Yoruba Kingdom earlier mentioned.

The Role of Women in Nigerian Politics

Chapters: 1 - 5
Delivery: Email

Number of Pages: 75

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