08042018 - Education in free fall! •Sector gets paltry N3.9 trillion out of N55.19 trillion in 10 years

SUNDAY VANGUARD, APRIL 8, 2018, PAGE 31
BY CHARLES KUMOLU,
Deputy Features Editor
The demise of the late anti-apartheid
heroine, Winnie Mandela is not just the
passage of a historical icon.
It comes with sweeping significance for the
21st century African woman, especially the
Nigerian woman.
So relevant is the event that treating it as just
the passage of an amazon, would only but
deny women some critical ingredients that
could promote their cause.
Her passage is indeed an auspicious event
to interrogate the 21st century role of Nigerian
women in nation building.
The status of women is currently a far cry
from what it was in the pre-colonial, colonial
and early post independent Nigeria when they
challenged the status quo to bring about social
change.
Alteration of social order
Today, women in the country are believed to
have lost the traction that made them pivotal
to the alteration of the social order in the times
past.
Even with the successes, a lean percentage
have recorded in the private sector, Sunday
Vanguard observed that the 21 century
Nigerian woman seems to have lost her voice
in a society in dire need of social justice. It is
indeed an irony that such is obtainable in the
age of feminism. Interestingly, local and
international statistics exist to justify the
observation about the declining role of women
in nation building.
For instance, writing in Gender and
Development: Challenges to Women
Involvement in Nigeria’s Development,
Fapohunda Tinuke, observed thus: “Though
there has been considerable progress in
developing the capabilities of women, their
participation in economic and political
decision making remains very limited.
Women’s inequitable gender relations, their
poverty and powerlessness in the society are
interconnected.”
Similarly, the Independent National
Electoral Commission, INEC, recently
lamented that in the 2015 general election,
only 44 percent of female voters came out for
accreditation compared to 56 percent of male
voters. It however considered the situation
worrisome given that the participation of
women in governance and decision making
process is a major goal in the Global
Development Agenda as embodied in the
Sustainable Development Goals ,SDGs.
New social order
These are indeed painful facts considering
how women had dared cultural elements,
especially patriarchy in the past, to enthrone a
new social order in Nigeria.
Sunday Vanguard recalls that the country
had produced women who challenged
stereotypes, held lamp for others, built legacy
for women’s rights, and changed how women
see themselves. But that is not the case now
despite the laudable efforts of the likes of Dr.
Joe Okei-Odumakin, Ankio Briggs, and Chief
Rita Lori-Ogbebor, Aisha Yusufu, among
others.
But how could that have happened in a
country/society that produced the likes of
Queen Amina, Queen Idia, Moremi of lfe,
Emotan of Benin, Omu Okwei of Ossomari,
Aba Women, Alimotu Pelewura, Margaret
Ekpo, Fumilayo Ransome-Kuti, Hajia Gambo
Sawaba, and Kudirat Abiola?
Another common question is: why is the
resilience that made these women the stars of
the struggles and triumphs of their times,
absent today?
Sunday Vanguard found this failure to
build on the template created by these
transformational figures connected to
patriarchy, non-inclusive policies, absence of
courage and resilience, and sheer lack of trust
in the system.
Ironically, the triumph over the
aforementioned factors under one of the most
vicious polities ever, made Winnie Mandela a
reference point today. That is why she matters
to Nigerian women.
Strength, style, resilience, optimism
Like the historical figures earlier mentioned,
she combined beauty, with strength, style,
resilience, optimism and consistency to emerge
the most transformational woman in the 20th
and 21st century África.
The late wife of Nelson Mandela identified
and echoed the aspirations, fears and
frustrations of the ordinary man and woman
on the streets in the face of danger.
Sunday Vanguard found her role in African
Why Winnie
Mandela matters
to Nigerian women
•Odumakin, Afolabi, others speak
*Winnie was a winner!
politics and social work to have had an
enormous effect on gender roles and politics.
The observation was re-echoed by Gracha
Machel in her tribute.
Machel said: “You loved our people
unconditionally and sacrificed so much for
our freedom. It is my prayer that as befitting
tributes are paid to you both at home and
abroad, all of us will internalise the values
you helped to mould and birth into existence.
As a nation, I hope we will stand tall and
proud, and as uncompromising as you were
in the defence and protection of our rights. As
one of our brightest stars, continue to be the
lioness that protects your children and your
grandchildren. Warm their hearts
so that while your transition may
shake them, it does not break their
spirit. The extraordinary life you
led is an example of resilient
fortitude and inextinguishable
passion that is a source of
inspiration to us all of how to
courageously confront challenges
with unwavering strength and
determination. Thank you for your
brilliant wisdom, your fierce
defiance and your stylish beauty.
Fortunately, stars shine brightest
during the darkest of hours. I know
you will continue to illuminate our
sky, even through the storms and
clouds. Your legacy will be an
uplifting beacon from which we
can continue to draw guidance
and strength during difficult
times.”
Commitment to social justice
Indeed, those, who spoke to
Sunday Vanguard also agreed
that Winnie Mandela’s “legacy
will be an uplifting beacon.” They
described her commitment to
social justice as not just a model
for Nigerian women but the world.
Executive Director, Women Advocates
Research and Documentation, Dr. Abiola
Akiyode-Afolabi, described her as a source of
inspiration but added that her environment
contributed in making her the brand she was.
She said: “She was an activist, a mother, a
good wife and grassroots politician. She was
an epitome of a woman who could combine
all these attributes to have a voice in the
society. She was not just anybody in the history
of South Africa. She was a nationalist, who
was able to make a difference. She was
consistent for the 27 years that Mandela was
imprisoned. Without Winnie there may have
been no Mandela
because if she had
compromised,
Mandela would have
been compromised.
While her
husband served
a life sentence‚
Winnie kept safe
and morally
uncontaminated‚
Winnie Mandela
fought on the
front line and
underground.
This should be a
great lesson to
us all
Nigerian women
should see Winnie as the
knight of the nation.
There are a lot of
lessons to learn for
everyone especially in
politics. Politics should
be driven by ideology.
Politics should not be
played the way women
play it in Nigeria.
Nigerian women
should follow her steps
because she was not
given her role in politics.
She earned it because of
her consistency and
radical disposition”.
Patriarchy and
poverty
On the issue of
patriarchy and poverty,
she maintained that
“there are a lot of issues
responsible for the decline in the role of women
in nation building. Countries are different.
During the apartheid era a lot of South African
women were affected in large numbers. That
made the average South African woman an
activist. Our history is different. Where they
are coming from is different from ours. In
Nigeria, we are still battling with patriarchy
and poverty which are very endemic. South
Africa is still battling with poverty but ours is
in a different way. Nigerian women can stop
the decline in their involvement in nation
building with the determination to rewrite our
narrative. Our women in politics should see
politics from a different perspective by being
the transformative change within the
system.
“A lot of women are interested in politics
but they are constrained by the lack of
coordination. There is need for a women
political movement for us to be able to adresse
the decline. The voices of women in politics
are very low and there is need to increase the
volume. There is need for education. Women
need to change their strategy. That is why I
talked about philosophy. If women are going
into politics by being corrupt, they will not
make the needed difference. We need to
concentrate on that. Women cannot
participate in politics without knowing why
they are going into politics.
“The history of women in politics between
2007 and 2015 has not been impressive. There
are a lot of corruption allegations which has
not helped the discussions on affirmative
action.We need to deal with godfatherism,
issues of law, patriarchy, politics of money,
and social orientation. In South Africa,
Thambo Mbeki, resigned, another President
also did the same thing because there is is
accountability in their society unlike in ours.
We must push politics to a level where there is
accountability.”
Violation of rights
On her part, Oke-Odumakin said:”There
are several valuable lessons Nigerian women
could learn from the late South African icon,
Winnie Mandela.
“Winnie was an incurable optimist, who
believed that the fight against apartheid was
a must win fight. Winnie’s fierce fight against
apartheid could be a lesson for Nigerian
women to also stand up and fight for a right
cause instead of keeping mute in the face of
gross violation of their rights by men and those
in position of authority.
“One of the greatest lessons is that human
and socialist principles are the most important
foundations for any society. And these are
founding principles needed endlessly to
defend the rights of Nigerian people.
“Another lesson is the care of peoples’ basic
needs. Nigerian women should arise to
demand and set as priority for the nation, the
care and well being of all Nigerians.
“Winnie Mandela was a die-hard advocate
of equitable distribution of the South African
resources. Sharing the resources of the nation
as equitably as possible and taking care of
education‚ health and housing for all‚ are
priorities for all nations. Nigerian women
should be able to learn from Winnie that if
they organise and work together, they can
defeat all negative tendencies that hinder
Nigeria’s quest for equity and justice.
“Nigerian Women should also learn from
Winnie that they need to keep up the
struggle for a better Nigeria, and make
the best they can. They need to stick together.
“While her husband served a life sentence‚
Winnie kept safe and morally
uncontaminated‚ Winnie Mandela fought on
the front line and underground. This should
be a great lesson to us all.”
State-sponsored tyranny
Also speaking, founder of Gender
Affirmative Summit, Mrs. Gloria
Umemezie, urged Nigerian women to
emulate Winnie Mandela’s defiance in
the face of state-ponsored tyranny.
“Nigerian women are great and
exceptional but they lack the courage of
Winnie Mandela. Even our men don’t
have the attributes that earned this
woman global fame. The inequality in
this dispensation is enough to create many
Winnie Mandela in this country but our
people are not courageous. Our women
should emulatate her defiant spirit which
she used in challenging the status quo.
Winnie was not a feminist but a social
crusader and politician whose statements
were crucial to the making of a
democratic South Africa.”