The Association of Women Leaders of Edo State has pledged their unyielding support for Governor Godwin Obaseki for uplifting women in his recently inaugurated cabinet.
The women disclosed this position during the conclusion of their annual three-day conference in Benin City with the theme “The Politics of Progress & Gender Inclusion”.
They noted, with extreme delight, that even appointments made thereafter, such as the recently announced appointment of Solicitor-General to the State and SUBEB chairman have been gender-balanced.
Of the Commissioners and Special Advisers recently appointed by the Obaseki administration, women make up about 48 per cent of the cabinet.
The keynote speaker at the conference, Pastor Edna Omame, in her presentation, decried the situation where women are used as assets for votes during electioneering and campaign season, but never integrated or included into the affairs of governance.
“Sometimes, it is almost as if they are telling us that we are unqualified, that we don’t have capacity. Look at the Federal Government. How many women are there? Meanwhile during campaign, you will see them running after our association, or our sister associations at market level. This is not sustainable.”
Publicity Secretary of the group, Dorothy Nosa-Uyigwe, echoed her sentiments and suggested that Edo women have become more enlightened and more empowered and there will be no going back on full participation of women in the governance of the state. She described the governor as Godsent at a time when Nigerian women are seeking liberation and advocated for more political leaders across Nigeria to emulate Obaseki.
Also, Women in Medicine and Sciences Foundation, Edo State chapter, described as unprecedented, the gesture of immense goodwill extended to the womenfolk by Obaseki.
In a statement signed by the President of the Foundation, Mrs. Agnes Orobosa Igiebor, the group applauded the governor’s appointment, saying: ‘’There can be no stronger statement than this for the Edo women, young and old to see that she is a valued member of society. That her dreams are valid. And that if she works hard and is honest and dedicated, she too can serve in leadership capacity in any institution across this entire country and the world in general”.