By Doyin Adeleye
“The under-representation of the female gender in politics and governance is an albatross that must be corrected in the Nigerian political space. The unconscious bias against women must be removed from our national consciousness through a viable re-orientation.”
The above were the words of Professor Adebukola Foluke Osunyikanmi while delivering the 29th Inaugural lecture at Adekunle Ajasin University Multipurpose Hall on Tuesday.
Delivering the lecture on, “Democracy and Gender Inclusion: Synthesising Political Phenomena for Good Governance,” Osunyikanmi stressed that political parties must be intentional in recruiting credible and competent women to use their platforms to contest elections into legislative and executive positions.
Vice Chancellor, AAUA, Prof. Olugbenga Ige presenting inaugural certificate to Professor Adebukola Foluke Osunyikanmi during the 29th Inaugural lecture
She added that fees charged for nomination forms must be affordable to all contestants across all genders, social classes and ages.
“The National Gender Policy must be reinforced by appropriate legislation so that all stakeholders will be compelled to support its proper implementation. At individual levels, men must be prepared to accept significant female involvement at all levels of leadership. Women must support women in leadership issues, too.
“Women are not discouraged. It is a question of not being given access to those opportunities, for leadership positions. Women are not discouraged. Women are prevented, or they are discriminated against. It is like, you want to open this, and somebody is pushing the door from the back for you not to be able to open it. So, what we are talking about is that women should be given access to opportunities just the way men are also given opportunities,” she said.
Speaking on challenges facing Nigeria's democracy, this renowned professor cited judicial inefficiency, corruption, and gender inequality as major obstacles to the country's progress. She emphasised the urgent need for reforms to ensure public credibility in the judiciary and curb corrupt practices.
"The failure of the judiciary to perform its constitutional role properly is another challenge that is inhibiting democracy in Nigeria," the professor stated. To address this, the expert advocated for merit-based appointments of judges, computerisation of court files, and severe penalties for judicial officers found guilty of bribery.
Corruption remains a significant threat to Nigeria's development, the professor noted. "Fraudulent practices have a damaging effect on public administration and governance." To combat this, the expert recommended strengthening the Independent and Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and enacting the Unexplained Wealth Law.
The professor further stressed the importance of gender inclusion in Nigerian politics. "Gender inclusion is an integral part of a well-sustained democracy." The expert urged the government and political parties to promote gender parity in governance and avoid discrimination against women's participation in politics.
Nigeria's progress toward achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was also highlighted. With only six years left until the 2030 deadline, the professor emphasised the need for capacity-building workshops for public officers and a retooled policy-making framework.
For sustainable democracy, Osunyikanmi recommended that: “the government must enact legislation that prevents voting by underage citizens, intimidation of voters at the polls, vote buying, destruction of valid ballots, snatching of ballot boxes, alteration of vote tallies, and misconduct by election officials.
“Police officers and other security agents must be trained to exhibit acceptable demeanour during and after elections. The law must provide a heavy penalty for electoral offences. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must operate as an unbiased umpire in Nigeria's elections. All political parties must create a level playing ground for all aspirants who seek to contest elections on their platforms. The undemocratic practice of imposing candidates on their members should cease immediately,” she noted.
