All over the world, women play a special role in the well-being of communities. They are the most sensitive and caring and as mothers, they occupy a special place in society, particularly in Africa. But, discussants at a gathering in Lagos recently focused on the role women played in the past as leaders.
The occasion was the launch of a book titled ‘Unspoken: A Chronicle of Yoruba Female Kings, Oba Obinrin’. It was organised by the House of Oduduwa in celebration of women’s history. At the highpoint of the event, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, alongside other notable Nigerians, called for more women in leadership positions in the country.
Ogunwusi, who was the chief host noted that women occupy a special place in the world and that they should be empowered to be more active in governance. He said women should be celebrated and spoken about. He said: “We are here to celebrate the epic centre of human existence. Women are the binding cord that makes the world goes round. They are our mothers, as well as women of substance. They are the only persons that tied us and brought us to this world. Why are we mute and don’t give them that recognition? As the name of the book (Unspoken) suggests, we just have to speak about them.”
Other speakers, such as the Erelu Kuti of Lagos, Erelu Abiola Dosunmu, the First Lady of Kwara State, Ambassador Olufolake Abdulrazaq; and the wife of the immediate past Senate president, Mrs. Toyin Saraki, also lamented the issue of gender disparity in the country.
They said the present arrangement in the country favours gender disparity, adding there was the need to close the gap between the men and womenfolk as far as governance was concerned.
Erelu Dosunmi, in her keynote address, went through memory lane on how female kings emerged and urged the menfolk to ensure a restoration of the women’s pride, adding that this will help in transforming the world.
She said: “Let our men, starting with our monarchs, political, spiritual and temporal fathers return us to our former pride of place in the society and encourage us and see how society will magically transform into when we all want and desire it to be because, despite the power and brightness of the sun, it is always dark on the other side of the planet. Cooperate with us and let the light shine across the world. Without constitutional rights, royals can still change the world by engaging these values and adding enterprise to their kingdoms. In fact, their status becomes impactful and sustainable.
Commenting on the book, Oba Obinrin, said: “It will no doubt jump-start a renaissance of female leadership and activism. Cogent activities and achievements of female kings of Yoruba encapsulated in it will no doubt be an inspiration to fledging female leadership and authorities across the land.”
Saraki, the chairperson of the occasion, expressed worry that women have been relegated to the background. She said: “From pre-colonial times to the early 21st century, the role and status of women in Nigeria have continuously evolved. However, the image of a helpless, oppressed and marginalised group has undermined their proper study and little recognition has been granted to the various integral functions that Nigerian women have performed throughout history.”
While calling for greater roles for women, she said: “It is only through the joint efforts that we can bring to current and contemporary life, the Yoruba tradition and culture and its pillars of female leadership enshrined in our history by Alaafin Omopoto, the first woman to become king of the Oyo Empire and Ooni Luwo Gbagidi, the 21st Ooni of Ife in the 10th Century.
“Our shared past has given us a special identity. Today, I am delighted to affirm that we must and will rise to our obligation and the fulfilment that history has bestowed on us for our women, for our children, for our menfolk, our ecosystem of communities and for our leaders of tomorrow.”
Mrs Abdulrazaq, Secretary, of the Nigerian Governors’ Wives Forum, called for sustained advocacy on gender parity and due inclusivity of women in leadership.
She said: “Throughout history, the central role played by women has ensured the stability, progress and long term development of nations in the 21st Century, the issues of gender balance and the need to accord women equal opportunities and allow them to achieve their full potentials in the society, have gained more momentum, globally.
“While some progress has been made to overcome impediments to their chances of attaining leadership positions and contributing to development, a lot still needs to be done in the area of decision making.
“As a collective, it is my sincere belief that we can continue to sustain the advocacy on gender parity and due inclusivity of our women in leadership and the process of governance and continue to promote the grooming and empowerment of our women to be rightly positioned to be stakeholders where decisions that involve them and their communities are being discussed.”
On her part, Vice Chairman, House of Oduduwa Foundation, Princess Funke Ademiluyi said: “Unspoken is a narrative of female leadership with a focus on women who reigned as kings 100s of years ago and their great achievements.
So, by telling their stories, we believe that our young women of today can read about them and be inspired by them.