On the first day of March, the globally designated International Women's Month, Nigeria's National Assembly (NASS) voted against a specific gender focused bill. They voted to:
1. Decline citizenship to the foreign-born husband of a Nigerian woman.
2. Deny women the ability to take indigeneship of their husband's state.
3. Denied 35% appointed positions for women.
4. Deny woman 35% affirmative action in party administration and leadership.
5. Reject diaspora voting.
6. Reject specific seats for women in the National Assembly.
It is noteworthy that the gender representation of women in Nigerian political space particularly at the executive and legislative arm of government is less than 10% in favour of women and 90% against.
Simply put, we have very minimal representation of women in the Nigerian political space.
There are numerous social, cultural and religious factors that antagonises women's participation in political leadership. The possible most prominent is the erroneous belief that leadership is the birthright of the male gender and women are naturally designed to be subservient to their male counterparts.
This is why women who stands up to foray into political leadership are scrutinised unfairly; their ability questioned, their professionalism put to the test and their religious beliefs trashed.
The recent action by the National Assembly further reinforces this inequality and contribute to keeping the present reality as the status quo.
The effects of NASS vote
By denying Nigerian born women the opportunity to confer citizenship on their foreign husbands which is a privilege enjoyed by men, it limits the prospects of such woman venturing into politics and political decision making. This is because dual citizenship is alien to the Nigerian constitution and since it is presumed and assumed that a wife takes the citizenship of her husband, such woman will no longer be able to enjoy her civil and political rights such as the ability to vote and be voted for despite being a natural born citizen. This innocent looking move of the Nigerian National Assembly is strategically designed to further block women's inputs in the country's political decision making.
Furthermore, not only does it limit the woman, it limits her offsprings because she is estopped from conferring citizenship on them as well. Hence, they cannot participate in political leadership.
In addition, Nigeria is very tribal in design. Rather than revel in the beauty of our cultural diversity, tribalism and nepotism has grown into an hydra, disrupting the possibility of nationwide cohesion. Culturally, it is believed that upon marriage, a woman ceases to be associated with her patrilineal lineage, rather, she becomes attached to her matrimonial family and ancestry.
By voting against the rights of women to take up indigeneship of their husbands, the Nigerian National Assembly has further place a stumbling block to another route allowing women into politics.
It creates a state of statelessness, however national. By virtue of marriage, she no longer belongs to her father house, is not eligible to run for state positions, and she still cannot run for political offices via her husband's state
“I ask no favor for my sex. All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks.”
-Ruth Bader Ginsburg arguing before the U.S. Supreme Court, quoting abolitionist Sarah Grimké.
At a time in history where the world is clamoring for more gender equality and women representation, it is shameful that the Nigerian National Assembly is so bent on living in the past and undermining women's relevance to social, economic and political development of the nation.
How do we fight this injustice?
With 2023 in view, the presidential election is gathering enough momentum and there has been outstanding women such as Khadijah Okunnu-Lamidi in the race for the nation's top political office.
However, WE NEED MORE.
Also, asides from the presidency, we need more women venturing into other lower political positions at state and local levels especially THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. We need more women representation in the law making body else, more gender specific bills designed to promote women's affairs in Nigeria will continue to get shot down.
In conclusion, we must transcend mere word or verbal encouragement and take it a step further in supporting women's foray into political spaces by running fundraisers, volunteering with the campaigning teams and VOTING WOMEN IN. We all have a part to play I'm recreating a gender equal Nigeria.
Start by getting your voters card. 2023 is just months away
Written by Oluwadamilola Akintewe; a very loud Gen Z feminist.
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