Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ FCT Chapter, led by Comrade Stella Okoh Esene, this weekend hosted Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili, the presidential candidate of the the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, ACPN at its November Congress.
Dr Ezekwesili, in her lecture, tasked female journalists in Nigeria not to allow themselves to be reduced to just covering women, children and soft sell issues but to see themselves as equal partners with their male counterparts.
The Allied Congress Party of Nigeria Presidential flag said when she emerges as the first female President Federal Republic of Nigeria, she would govern and not rule Nigerians and the gender inequality will crash. She promised to retire the men out of rulership, saying her passion is human development.
She asserted that you won’t find the Legal or Accountancy profession in the Nigerian constitution, but you will find the Media.
She said: ‘’You are recognised globally in any democracy as the conveyors of accountability and oversight in the society. So you have such a responsibility your mandate is huge. Nobody takes you for granted in other societies. That’s why when you see some fierce looking female journalists like in America where i lived schooled, studied and worked you conform because when they get you they got you. Especially if you are female.
‘’I want to thank you for inviting me to your November congress as i looked around where you are having this meeting NUJ ABUJA Council secretariat. I said trust women it does not matter where you are as long as they are motivated on an issue they will get it done. One has a baby crying from the harsh weather but that’s a woman for you.
‘’That intelligence we have about society we just want to get things done. I want to praise you all. I celebrate your tenacity in gathering to hold this meeting in an uncompleted building. I am praying to God that you would be drivers of completing your structure. This is the structure some money was given for. It’s unfortunate I do remember this story.
‘’Let me say to you that the issue that matters to women in the media are also issues that matter to all citizens. Because women in are seen as only covering women and children issues.
‘’But I tell you that you are journalists of the female gender. Once they box you into that pidgin hole naturally what they have done is to select your part in your profession. You must resist it. We must avoid being boxed in. I am a champion for the women not to be pigeon holed. One of the things we identified as a barrier to women’s development is the pigeon hole.’’
According to Dr Ezekwesili, the future is female. The present has to be female. There was a time the world acted as if it was a male society, but male dominated societies lost their cohesion.
‘’Countries later understood and started managing the gender diversities. While still serving as the Vice President at the World Bank in 2010 we conducted a research in the concept of achieving gender equality. We discovered that in Japan due to gender inequality it lost 100% of GDP. On the other hand China overtook Japan because there was more women participation. Where there was gender equality, there was less poor governance because more women were involved.
‘’I am fed up of being told a child can’t get treated until money is dropped. Fed up seeing selfish leadership who look at leadership as opportunity for their belle. Fed up of the failures of Nigeria. Fed up that rather than an army growing, we are dropping middle class into poverty. Fed up of dismal economic performance.’
‘’I represent credible alternative, competence, character and capacity. By my track record problems were solved i figured out solutions to problems using team spirit. We are running together. Mine is a vision for Nigerians. If you are fed up too then join me.’’
High point was presentation of two book written by a former CNN journalist of the year, Ibiba don Pedro to Ezekwesili.