Jonathan and his many women

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Written by Tunde Ogunesan
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
President Goodluck Jonathan has made good his promise by giving 32 per cent slot in his cabinet to women. Tunde Ogunesan examines the qualities of the women in Jonathan's cabinet.

I promised women a 35 per cent slot in my cabinet and I fulfilled that vow, because it is my desire to ensure a level playing field in Nigeria by heading an administration where ethnicity, gender and religion do not hinder qualified persons from fulfilling their potential. It is also the reason I ordered the admission of women to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) a first in Nigeria. Women should brace up to be all they want to be in life as this administration will be an enabler of your progress.”




Middle: President Goodluck Jonathan, 1: Mrs Sarah Ochekpe; 2: Hajia Zainab Ibrahim-Kuchi; 3: Stella Oduah -Ogiemwonyi; 4: Professor Ruqayyat Rufai; 5: Ama Pepple ; 6: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; 7: Diezani Alison-Madueke; 8: Omobola Johnson; 9: Olusola Obada; 10: Prof. Viola Onwuliri; 11: Jumoke Akinjide; 12: Hadiza Ibrahim Mai Lafia; 13: Hajia Zainab Maina



Those were the words of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on his Facebook wall, announcing to his over 25,202,873 friends of his loyalty to the female folk. The president reaffirmed his support and love for the Nigerian women by making two firsts as regards the female folk in Nigeria. The first; he became the first Nigerian president ever to give such percentage to women in his cabinet as far as federal appoi-ntment is concerned. Secondly, as revealed on the social network page, he, for the first time in the 52 years history of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) “ordered the admission of women” into the military school. Demonstrating his love and desire to work with more women, President Jonathan, appointed 13 female ministers as members of his cabinet more than any of his predecessors, cutting across the geo-political zones of the country.

Jonathan’s vow of increasing the percentage of women in his cabinet might not be unconnected with the resolution from the 1995 conference in Beijing, when women agreed that despite their widespread movement towards democratisation in most countries, women are largely under-represented at most levels of government, especially in ministerial and other executive bodies, and have made little progress in attaining political power in legislative bodies or in achieving the target endorsed by the economic and social council of having 30 per cent women in positions at decision-making levels by 1995.

With the Women for Change Initiative campaign championed by his wife, Patience, Jonathan even went beyond the 30 per cent Beijing recommendation to appoint 13 women out of 41 ministers as ministers of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

They are: Hajia Zainab Maina;Minister for Women Affairs, Adamawa State; Mrs. Stella Oduah-Ogiemwonyi- Honourable Minister of Aviation, Anambra State; Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke; Minister for Petroleum, Bayelsa State, Hajia Zainab Ibrahim Kuchi, Minister of State for Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Niger State; Prof. (Mrs) Viola Onwuliri, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Imo State, Prof (Mrs) Ruqayyatu Rufai, Minister of Education, Jigawa State; Erelu Olusola Obada; Minister of State, Defence, Osun State, Chief Olajumoke Akinjide; Minister of State for FCT, Oyo State.

Others are: Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister for Finance, Abia State; Mrs. Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafa; Minister of Environment, Mrs Omobola Johnson Olubusola; Minister, Communication Technology, Mrs Sarah Reng Ochekpe, Minister, Water Resources and Ms. Ama Pepple; Minister, Lands and Housing.

Women’s political profile in Nigeria began to rise from 1960 when Mrs. Wuraola Esan from Western Nigeria became the first female member of the Federal Parliament to 1961 when Chief (Mrs) Margaret Ekpo won elections in Aba Urban North constituency under the National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC) platform to become a member of the Eastern Nigeria House of Assembly and in 1966 as Mrs. Janet N. Mokelu and Miss Ekpo A. Young also contested elections, won and became members of the Eastern House of Assembly.

http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/features/27376-jonathan-and-his-many-women

oga GEJ, I hope you do not turn to Gahdaffi. Employing female bodyguards as well. lol!

saintneo:

oga GEJ, I hope you do not turn to Gahdaffi. Employing female bodyguards as well. lol!

Even if they are the most qualified?