Good Governance: Women Have All it Takes to Make it Happen – WIC

Good Governance: Women Have All it Takes to Make it Happen – WIC

Zainab Tanimu

Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria

Concern for women’s participation in the search for good governance has been stressed.

Women Interfaith Council at its 7th Annual Women Interfaith Iftar Lecture and Support programme for Widows, raised this concern.

The programme with the theme, ” The Role  of Muslim Women in Promoting Good Governance” took a look at the present state of affairs and how best the women can help drive in the necessary change.

Women should be given the space for governance. They demanded.

The Guest Speaker,  Imam Nurayn Ashafa ,Co- Executive Director Interfaith Mediation Center, said history has shown that women are blessed with the dynamics of good governance and therefore be given the chance to strive.

Imam Ashafa emphasized in his lecture that there is nothing wrong in

Muslim women participating in  governance.

He said, the time of Muhammed SAW, his wives, the believing women participated actively in the political process, good governance.

He cited examples of Nana Umi Salma, what she was able to do when everything was tough for them, when Muslims were  refused to perform first Hajj. They were sent back after signing the peace treaty but was able to make things right. Also cited the Holy Prophet ‘s wife Khadijat, how she took care and supported  orphans and widows and she was nick named mother of orphans in her days.

Explaining further,

“And we have seen what others have done in government and previous women that followed them, how they participated actively in the area of education, in the health sector etc. We also saw so many of them in educational pursuit.”

This he said is evidence in women of substance of those days. “The likes of late Fumilayo Ransome-Kuti described by media as the “Lioness of Lisabi”, who during the 1940s,  established the Abeokuta Women’s Union and advocated for women’s rights, demanding better representation of women in local governing bodies and an end to unfair taxes on market women. She led marches and protests of up to 10,000 women, forcing the ruling Alake to temporarily abdicate in 1949.

We have Laila Dogonyaro, known in terms of human rights and protection of lives of children, she was able to succeed in doing that. And we have women who have done great things like Nana Asmau the daughter of Uthman Danfodio who has written over 83 books”

The men he said have failed and it is time for women to be given a chance.

Women are naturally endowed with the ability to reason deeply on issues because according to him, “the men think with their head but women think with their heart. Because of their deep thinking, they are able to analyze situations and bring suggestions that can address situations in this country.”

The presenter however noted that one of the major challenges is that of conducive environment for women. For instance, most of the political meetings are held in the late midnights. Between 1am and 2am. How can the women participate effectively in such situation?  Also cited is the cultural  influence which prevents women from participation. Such norms as women don’t move in the night, women’s voice not to be heard and so on. All these he said are cultural things and has nothing to do with religion.

He buttressed his argument with an incidence where a woman openly challenged Saiyidina Umar in a mosque for attempting to cut down dowry (bride price) which he said was high; saying, “oh Umar, you cannot peg the money or price for dowry when the Prophet Muhammed SAW did not. it is our own rights as wives or as daughters to decide whatever we want to collect as dowry”.

“This wouldn’t have been acceptable if women were not  participating in the space of governance but today, in the world we are living, there are challenges, complex situations like insecurity, corruption.

Despite all these challenges we still had women who were not deterred and were able to make their marks.”

In recent time, Nigeria he said had role models who despite challenges were able to break through. A one time governor of Lagos state, Lateefat Modupe Okunnu, a retired civil servant and administrator who was the Deputy Governor of Lagos State from 1990 to 1992.

Late Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) of Nigeria, Dora Nkem Akunyili, from 2001 to 2008.

Also was late Bridget Aisha Lemu.

As a convert to Islam, she was able to rise to a very strong author. An authority in Islamic jurispudence. We  believe that our society will only be better if others should see themselves as models and they forget about these barriers that are built around them.

Breaking the barriers they can always succeed and making their voices heard. Nobody will do it, they must have the ordersity of hope to say yes, we have to speak for our future generations because our children are becoming enslaved today.”

Imam Ashafa charged women to always strive for higher position rather than limiting themselves to the office of for example, first lady, “why don’t they become the governor”?

Nigerian women have all it takes to bring about change.  He added.

“Tanzania has done it, we saw the rise in the number of female parliamentarians in the Tanzanian legislature and the contextual factors undermining the potential power of the increased number of female MPs. As found in a number of other countries, with more women in parliament, women’s interests, concerns and perspective have been better incorporated into parliamentary debates and policy-making in Tanzania.

“Today in Rwanda it is majority of women in the parliament and the country is number one in Africa because of the role of  majority of the women that participated in that process. So that is what we are saying. Nigeria should also borrow from Rwanda, we should also borrow from our founding fathers, borrow from our founding mothers of this nation who are part of those who have done greater things. We can do it yes! And it is time for the women to take charge.” He said.

Earlier, in her opening address, Muslim Coordinator I, Hajiya Hauwa Usman Magayaki, represented by the

Chairperson, WIC Ramadan Committee

Hajiya  Daharatu Aliyu Ahmed appreciating everyone’s presence had in her welcome address stressed on the need for peaceful co-existence.

” Let us continue to live in peace with one another irrespective of our differences, irrespective of our ethno- religious deferences, our cultural background. We pray for Nigeria to enjoy the peace that we have been enjoying before.”

She urged the Muslims to use the lesson learnt in the month of Ramadan to turn a new live.

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Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria CAN, Kaduna state, Rev. John Joseph  Hyab, represented by CAN Secretary, Rev Caleb Ma’aji, commended the women interfaith council for their initiative. Women he said are critical stakeholders of any nation’s development, saying, “a man who does not listen to the wise counsel of the wife will live to regret it”  He advised that they remain prayerful and develop the spirit of togetherness. He prayed that God gives the incoming leadership all it takes to steer the affairs of the state.

The General Coordinator, Women Interfaith Council (WIC) Kaduna, Mrs Elizabeth  Abuk speaking on behalf of the Executive Director, Rev SR Veronica Onyeanisi OLA described the theme for the 2023 Iftar/ annual Ramadan lecture, Support for the Widow,  “The Role of Muslim Women in Promoting good governance as very special.

She congratulated and encouraged the women to be law abiding as they pray for peace to reign in the country.

Election she said has come and gone, whatever that had transpired is a thing of the past saying, God gives leadership to whomever He pleases.

Elizabeth urged the women to continue to live in the spirit of togetherness for the state to grow.

“The purpose of this interfaith dialogue is to bring women together to discuss way forward because at every crisis is the woman and her child that is at the receiving end. So, l want to urge all of us, whatever the situation, God is in control. And God never makes a mistake.

“So l want to say, let’s continue to share with the less privileged. Those who are in need, it is our duty as mothers to share with the less privileged. It is our duty to pray for our own women too. It is our duty to pray for our husbands, it is our duty to pray for our children. It it our duty to see that we have a peaceful Nigeria. A peaceful nation. A nation where there is peace, love and harmony. And once there is peace, love and harmony,  believe me, we will not begin to talk about religion, neither we will be talking about tribalism but will be talking about unity. And that is what we stand for, to make sure that we are one.”

She used the occasion to remember the founder of Women Interfaith Council, Rev SR Kathleen McGarvey who has special interest in women, whose mission is to see Nigeria living in peace, particularly Kaduna state. She said.

The Zonal Imam NASFAT Kaduna, Imam Marooph Muh’d Raji commending Women Interfaith Council for deeming it fit to touch the lives of the widows used the occasion to pray for them. In his admonition, he urged that people show love and care to the widows and orphans saying , ” nobody wants to be a widow. Everything is by the will of Allah.”

He prayed for Allah’s support and guidance for them as they each went home with parliative.

In her closing remark NASFAT Kaduna Women Affairs Secretary, Hajiya Kudirat Akande thanked the organizers of the event as she prayed for continious peace and harmony amongst the different faiths.

Present at the event were women from different Muslims and Christian organizations.