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Ogun State Governor Abiodun has been said to be gender blind according to his Deputy Governor Engr. Noimot Oyedele – Salako who was said to have arrogantly addressed Women protesters earlier today in Abeokuta.
The Deputy Governor and the Secretary to the State Government (SSG); Mr. Tokunbo Talabi received the Women on behalf of Governor Abiodun.
The women protesters were led by Dr. Abiola Akiyode of Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre
(WARDC) who lamented on the low representation of women in government across the states of the federation. Akiyode drew the attention of Abiodun – led administration to what obtained in the past in Ogun state where women received up to 42 percent representation, warning that the minimum they could accept from the current Abiodun led government is 35 percent representation. Akiyode said “We are here to make some request, we have sent formal letters across ahead of time, we have done what we call an open letter which we have circulated in the media. We know that we are in the season where governors from different states are sending their nomination to the state Assemblies across the country. We are very worried and we are concerned because of the trend that we can see around us. Beyond Lagos that sent a 32 per cent to the Assembly, the low representation of women is occurring in other places. We don’t want to react rather to be proactive to make our request clear and by empirical evidence of this state that we know. About eight years ago, there are about 42 per cent woman representation in the state governance and it was also sustained in 2015. We believe that this present government would consider that to have the people’s representation in this coming cabinet”
According to one of the protesters the deputy Governor was unable to communicate well with them as she seems ignorant of the aim of the protest. The protester claimed “the governor refused to acknowledge us and probably thought the best was to send his female deputy to talk to other women. Very patriarchal aporocach that will not work. Not only did he disrespect every Woman today by not seeing us, he sent his deputy who is both ignorant of the objective of our protest and who lacks diplomacy. She referred to competency as basis for women having places in this government as if she had any inkling or knowledge of political and public governance before she was put in this position. We will not stop in demanding from the Governor to involve and appoint 35% of the very gender the Women that got him to the seat”
Another protester said “the deputy governor has not only failed the governor and the state in her utterances but she’s a total disappointment to Women. She said Governor Abiodun is “gender blind” Indeed the governor is blind to matters of inclusion and gender representative as seen in his committees during transition periods. This is why we marched today to demand minimum 35% affirmation as he submits his list for appointments. His blindness must not affect Women inclusion. He must be blind to patriarchy. He must be blind to chauvinism. He must be blind to inequality. This deputy governor is extremely ignorant on gender inclusion and gender issues and she must be educated. We will teach her gender dynamics which is not learnt nor taught in schools. We must therefore not pardon her ignorance but we must educate her on what 35% affirmative action means”
While addressing the women, the deputy governor referred to female pepper sellers and tokenism explaining that governor Abiodun’s government is not concerned about gender, but one’s ability. She said “I am confident that women will get a very good seat in this government and the truth is that there is more to just numerical representation”. She said further that there’s only room for women with capability and not tokenism. An angry protester in response said “that tokenism is what brought the deputy governor to her position because she wasn’t an active politician and certainly not the most qualified. Power is already corrupting absolutely as the deputy Governor has forgotten that’s it’s these honest hardworking pepper sellers both educated and illiterates that paved way for her to get to where she is. Her arrogance and disdain looking down and condemning pepper sellers will not go unnoticed and we will bring her to her knees until she respects and acknowledges the sweat of every female be it literate, illiterate, young, old, able and disabled. The pepper and meat sellers contribute to the GDP of Ogun State and without them, she has no place nor role as a deputy governor. There are female graduates with masters degrees turned pepper sellers because Nigeria’s resources were mismanaged by leaders. She should respect us because we are not thieves but proud of our livelihoods. The proceeds from our pepper and meat selling were used to campaign for her and Governor Abiodun so she should show us some respect. If like me, she’s among the few that are opportuned to walk the four walls of a higher institution, she should show gratitude to God and humble herself”
The ignorance exhibited at the level of Ogun deputy governor today is disgraceful according to another protester. “How can the deputy of a state expected to be highly educated qualify gender sensitivity to helping or supporting widows? Supporting and helping widows is a norm of any responsible government not something to even refer to in a public conversation. She surely needs tutorials on public speaking and diplomacy but most importantly basic understanding of gender representation. The deputy governor and her likes of ignorants perpetuates the status quo. She is a negative and wrong gatekeeper for Women in Ogun State and we must silence her before she makes a mockery of the 35%. These are the kind of Women we must be wary off. They will not open doors for other Women “
The protest led by Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) consists a coalition of women organisations in Ogun State demanding implementation of 35% affirmative action before Governor Abiodun submits his Commissioner -nominees to the Ogun State House of Assembly (OGHA).
Raolat Ajeigbe reports from Ijebu Ogun State 1st August, 2019
