Seriake Dickson, former governor of Bayelsa state, has
condemned those opposed to the decision by President Muhammadu Buhari to
nominate Nimi Akinkugbe as the non-career ambassador nominee from Ondo state.
Akinkugbe’s nomination elicited debate because she is from
Rivers state.
Some persons have argued that the president should not have
nominated her because of her state of origin — Nimi, who is currently a
non-executive director at Standard Chartered Bank, is married to Yinka
Akinkugbe from Ondo.
In an article entitled ‘In Defence of The Nigerian Woman’,
Dickson said these kinds of sentiments are what have held Nigeria and Africa
“from achieving its true potentials”.
While commending Buhari for the appointment, the former
governor expressed dismay that ladies do not get the needed support when they
are nominated in their states of origin.
“I wish to commend President Buhari for the appointment of
Mrs Nimi Akinkugbe as the ambassadorial nominee representing Ondo state, the
state she is married to, the state of her husband and her children and the
state she will spend the rest of her life in hopefully,” he said.
“I condemn the voices that have risen in opposition to her
nomination not on account of her competence, experience, capacity or character
but only on the basis that she is parentally from Rivers state.
“Those who constantly oppose our daughters believe that
whereas their children, grandchildren and descendants can be anything in those
states, the women have to go ‘back to sender’ and cannot derive any benefit
from the states of their husbands.
“We must all unite against this mindset and I am glad that
the president nominated Mrs Akinkugbe and has ignored all opposition to her
nomination so far. I hope it remains so.
“Nigerian women leaders should organise themselves for
positive change and these are the sort of issues in addition to several others
they should tackle with our support.”
According to him, the “primitive” mindset that women are
“properties” is what has encouraged rape and other forms of violence against
women.
“If highly educated, enlightened women known locally and
around the world can suffer this discrimination in Nigeria, then one can
imagine the daily discrimination, indignity and oppression that our women who
are not privileged are subjected to in their rural communities across Nigeria
and in the developing world,” he said.
“This is the reason why people in leadership must do more
for girl child education and involvement and empowerment of women.”
The former governor said opposition to appointments of
females must be on the basis of superior qualification or competence.
“I consider it my duty and the duty of every well meaning
man and leader to take a public position on this issue and to also galvanize
public opinion to stop this endless, meaningless and primitive discrimination
against our own daughters, sisters, friends and mothers,” he added.
The president has since asked the senate to confirm the
nominees.
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