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Founder of the Women Arise for Change Initiative, Dr. Joe Odumakin, has called on Nigerian leaders to prioritise women’s inclusion in governance and national development, warning that the country cannot achieve its full potential while excluding half of its population.
Odumakin made the call at a programme held recently at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Conference Centre, Ikeja, Lagos.
She noted that Nigeria’s estimated population of more than 109 million women represents an enormous human resource whose contributions are essential to the country’s growth and development.
“When we exclude women, we are not just being unjust, but we are being unwise,” she said.
According to her, nation building must be anchored on justice rather than mere consensus, stressing that genuine justice cannot be achieved without respect for human rights, including the rights of women.
The women’s rights activist maintained that Nigerian women were not seeking inclusion because they lacked the capacity or ability to lead, but because they had consistently demonstrated their competence, resilience and potential to drive development and create opportunities for others.
She urged the Federal Government to implement the 35 per cent affirmative action policy and take concrete steps towards achieving 50 per cent representation of women in leadership positions.
Odumakin also called for the passage of the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill and the adoption of gender-responsive budgeting as a national policy to promote fairness and ensure that women benefit equitably from government programmes and resources.
She stressed that Nigeria’s development would remain incomplete unless women were given their rightful place in decision-making and nation building.
“Let us not build a nation where women are celebrated only in speeches but sidelined in policies,” she said, urging political leaders to translate their commitment to gender inclusion into concrete actions rather than mere political rhetoric.
