Since and before Nigeria's independence in 1960, men have always been at the forefront of politics and national development, leaving women to play secondary roles in government. However, the time has come for women to stand up and be heard even in the wake of racial discrimination.

There has recently been a paradigm shift in Nigerian government and politics championed by female leaders whose ambition and grit have created more opportunities for women in government. One of such heroes of female empowerment is Diezani- Alison Madueke, Nigeria's first female Minister of Petroleum Resources.

Diezani-Alison Madueke is the daughter of Chief Federick Abiye Agama, and she's married to retired Admiral Alison Madueke, a former Chief of Naval Staff. She had her early and secondary education in Nigeria and went abroad to further her learning. After graduating from Howard University with a degree in Architecture, she returned to Nigeria.

Like most women in her time, Diezani-Alison Madueke faced many challenges working in a predominantly male sector. She started her career in Shell Petroleum Corporation. She worked as an Architectural consultant in the estates' area of the Shell Lagos Branch corporation.

Throughout her career in Shell, Diezani remained steadfast in her journey and rose to the highest positions in her organization. Allison Madueke was awarded a top spot on the British Foreign and Commonwealth Chevening Scholarship in 2002. She also completed her MBA at Cambridge University and returned to Nigeria in 2003.

Diezani-Alison Madueke held the Head of Civil Infrastructures position and was eventually promoted to the Head of Corporate Issues and Crisis Management Unit. She was also made Lead Joint Ventures Representation Adviser in 2004. Her ambition and determination drove her work even as she moved forward.

Eventually, Alison Madueke became the first female Executive Director of Shell Petroleum Corporation in 2007. She is highly regarded as one of Nigeria's foremost oil and gas exports. On her appointment as Shell's Executive Director, she shared that she had to change her mode of thinking while working in a male dominated sector.

Furthermore, Mrs Alison Madueke's outstanding track record laid the ground for her many successes working in the Nigerian government. She first climbed the political terrain in 2007, where she held a significant position as Nigeria's first Transport Minister. And by December 2008, she was named the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, where President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan became acting president.

Moreover, serving as a major highlight in her career, Diezani-Alison Madueke was appointed as the first female Minister of Petroleum Resources in 2011 under the GEL administration. She helped Nigeria form a globally competitive oil sector with her high qualifications. It allowed the country to participate in global discussions and increase national revenue.

As petroleum minister, Alison Madueke was in charge of the revamping and rehabilitation of essential depots to restore Nigeria's petroleum product supply.

Nigeria exported nearly one million barrels per day to the United States in 2010, accounting for 9% of total crude oil and petroleum product imports in the US and more than 40% of Nigerian exports. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria's crude oil sales peaked between 2009 and 2014 during Alison Madueke's stint as petroleum minister.

She was also in charge of the Oil and Gas Industrial Park, which provided jobs for Nigerians, particularly those from Bayelsa. Under Diezani's leadership, over $100 million was invested in infrastructure construction. Over 50,000 employment were created due to the plant, which was used to manufacture components for oil and gas industry equipment.

Furthermore, she is highly regarded as an inspiration for young women in politics in Nigeria. With every ‘first’ she increased hope for gender equality. She ended gender-based discrimination in Nigeria's private and public organizations. Mrs Alison Madueke also spoke out as an advocate for women's empowerment.

In an interview with Forbes Women Africa, she emphasized her support for women's empowerment. She stated, "I believe that as women, it is important to remember that there are many other women who have been shut out of many areas of professional expertise and as you rise the ladder, always remember to turn back and give a helping hand to other women to rise along with you."

During the International Day celebration in 2015, the British commonwealth government recognized her role as one of the women who 'make it happen.' In 2013, she travelled to London for the Women in Government and Politics Conference. She was one of several African woman politicians that represented Nigeria.

During the conference, she emphasized the necessity of gender equality and women's representation in government. She also urged successful women to "bring as many women up the ladder as possible" and set their "petty grievances and idiosyncrasies" aside.

The Forbes Magazine Best of Africa Award In leadership was conferred on her in New York in 2014. Mrs Alison-Madueke dedicated the prize to all women around the world, particularly Nigerian women, during the ceremony, saying that it would motivate her to become more committed to the current changes in the petroleum business.

In addition, Mrs Alison Madueke openly recognized President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for promoting women's empowerment in Nigeria by appointing many women into his cabinet and other leadership positions. The GEJ administration filled one-third of his cabinet with women, which is more than any previous president.

With the rise of female political leaders like Mrs Alison Madueke, our society has become more accepting of women in government. Young women are now encouraged to pursue their political ambitions and run for the Senate, House of Reps and even governorship positions. More women in politics also help increase government policies that will aid development and women empowerment.

Meanwhile, Diezani-Alison Madueke's successes grew further with her top roles in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC. In 2010, she was the first woman to lead a National Delegation to the OPEC conference. She also worked hard to increase Nigeria's interests in the international community and ensure that the country is relevant in global energy discussions.

Making history as the first female President of OPEC, Mrs Alison Madueke proved that she was made to record firsts. She competed in male dominated sectors and ensured that her voice was heard even when facing gender bias. According to the World Economic Forum, she received an Honorary Doctorate in Management Sciences from the Nigerian Defence Academy.

Generally, Nigeria is a predominantly male society where families and private and government institutions are led mainly by men. Gender inequality is a big issue in our community. There are very few women in Nigerian politics due to religious, social and economic factors. However, there are few solid iconic female leaders whose ambition and determination have helped change this narrative.

Ultimately, Mrs Diezani Alison Madueke managed to break through the glass ceiling and occupied the highest positions while working in both the private and public sectors. Her long record-breaking career has remained a strong figure of women's empowerment and eradication of gender-based workplace discrimination.

Therefore, it is important to acknowledge her role in allowing more young women to climb the ladder of success despite several biases. Alison Madueke proved to be one of the most ambitious female leaders in history. With her strong educational background and long work experience as a petroleum expert. Alison Madueke has proved that she deserves a seat at the table.

It's also essential that she has helped to draw awareness of important issues like the girl child
and women empowerment. Following her career, it's evident that Alison Madueke has contributed to the growth of women in politics. There's no doubt that she deserves to be celebrated as a political hero promoting positive development, especially for women in politics.