Female president possible in 2019

Dr. (Mrs.) Adaeze Nwuzor, a delegate representing Ebonyi State in the ongoing National Conference, is a member of the Committee on Agriculture. She speaks with FRIDAY OLOKOR on some national issues affecting women in Nigeria

Nigeria is facing a serious crisis at the moment. What system of government do you think would solve all the problems?

I think that after this conference, states should stand as federating units. This will give every state the opportunity to harness its agricultural and mineral resources. From the discussions we have had so far, we have discovered that almost all the states have some forms of mineral deposit or the other. I thank the Committee on Lands that has given approval for the establishment of the natural resource funds through which those natural resources can be harnessed. Also, agricultural development fund has been approved. With all of these, the states can do better than what is happening now. Also, everything concerning local governments should be shifted to the states. If the states want to create 300 local governments, it is left to them.

How about the financing?

The financing will still come from the Federal Government. The only difference is that the money will come from the Federal Government to the states through the states revenue mobilisation that will now share it between the states and their local governments. There will also be a committee that will handle the distribution of the funds. Having states as federating units will make them more industrialised and once this is done, jobs will be created for our youths. By so doing, insurgency and all other forms of crimes will be a thing of the past and Nigeria will develop.

Do you believe that state police system will reduce crime in Nigeria?

The state police system in Nigeria is not a bad idea. However, if you have a problem in your village and the policeman sent to settle the problem is from your village, will it work? It won’t work. Let the issue of police remain with the Federal Government, but it does not stop the state or local governments from having a share of community policing that will help them on certain issues. After all, the Divisional Police Officers are being paid by the local government and commissioners of police are being taken care of by the states. The traditional rulers are also doing well concerning security. About the physically-challenged, let there be a ministry of social welfare or a commission that should be handling their cases so that any fund earmarked for them can be judiciously spent. The money should not be for the physically-challenged alone, but also for the aged from 65 years and above, orphans and other vulnerable groups. If this is done, they will be able to stand independently. The Ministry of Women Affairs is there fighting for the rights of women.

Is the Ministry of Women Affairs really performing this task?

That is what we are saying. The ministry should fight for the rights of women because that is the reason for its creation. We are also saying that it will be necessary for the constitution to recognise women seriously; it is not just a matter of giving 35 per cent affirmative action. President Goodluck Jonathan has gone above 35 per cent and in Ebonyi State, it is almost 50/50. Let the Ministry of Women Affairs do that. We also have the Ministry of Youth Development. We always talk about gender equality, but you will agree with me that a woman can never be a man and vice versa. What we should be talking about now is gender parity or gender equity and equal opportunity. And we can only talk about that in the Ministry of Youth. This is where we have boys and girls not in the Ministry of Women Affairs where it is basically women. Give women their rights through constitutional recognition.

When you talk about women empowerment opportunity, is it in terms of elective positions?

I mean both elective and appointment. Like I earlier said, the President has done credibly well in this regard as he has surmounted that 35 per cent affirmative action, but the President can increase it to 50 per cent affirmative action. But that recognition is necessary because customs and religious beliefs are really suppressing women; with the constitutional recognition, things will get better.

What do you mean by saying culture and custom are really affecting women?

Like in my place, a woman is not supposed to talk about kolanuts, climb palm tree, go to mosques and so on. All these things are customary ways of pulling women down, but if women are given proper constitutional recognition, all those things will be a thing of the past.

Do you think the constitution will supersede culture?

Not that it will supersede culture; we are pleading that all the activities of women should be recognised. And I am seriously stressing that the essence of creating the Ministry of Women Affairs is to fight for the empowerment of women and our children because once there is a mother, there is a child. But for gender inequality, that should be in the Ministry of Youths.

Talking about women empowerment, do you think Nigeria can produce a female president?

If God grants it, in 2019 after the second tenure of President Goodluck Jonathan, if the women cooperate with themselves and their husbands, there will be the first female President of Nigeria.