Former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili has urged women to live above all barriers in order to be fulfilled in life.

She made the call at a program organised by Lead Generation Initiative via teleconference, on the occasion of International women’s day.

Dr Ezekwesili who said barriers mitigating against the success of the female folk were often self imposed, also highlighted socio-political and cultural reasons as other impediments however maintained that for women to thrive other barriers must be identified and attacked.

While calling on women to always strive to get involved in decision making, Dr.Ezekwesili said analysis showed that societies that enabled women to optimize their contribution often were better off than the one that excluded women.

“There are tendencies for an economy that includes full participation of women in the labour force to actually outperform economies where women are not automatically expected to sit on the table at the labour market” she said

On what she described as institutional or network barriers,Dr Ezekwesili said political parties had so long been patterned to soothe men and excluded naturally, anything that is feminine.

She emphasized the need for women to understand the power of numbers.

“There are many women in Political parties and yet they are not able to mobilize themselves to the party leadership. The party leadership ultimately determines the decisions of the party, in terms of who the candidates are going to be, yet women just make up the number. If you look at voter participation numbers for parties, It is important for women to really understand the political environment they are from” she added.

On her part, Chairman, Nigerian in Diaspora Commission, NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri charged women to grow beyond mere talking and go into more action.

She called on women to believe in themselves and be courageous in their endeavors.

The initiator, Ayobola Peller, who is the wife of a member of house of Representatives, Shina Peller said the program was put together to sensitize women on their strength and change the narratives which set a limit for the female folk.

Other speakers included Tara Fela-Durotoye and the Special Adviser to the Oyo state government on Diaspora matters, Bolanle Aliyu-Sarumi.

Adedayo Adelowo

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