Osun State governor, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola says his administration will continue to provide opportunities for women to express themselves within the political space.
The governor stated this at the 2022 International Women’s Day ceremony and the launch of the State Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Policy in Osogbo.
Represented by the deputy governor, Mr Benedict Alabi, the governor said without subscribing to sentiment or fear, women must be actively involved in the political process in order to influence decision making.
Governor Oyetola urged women not to be satisfied with just being mere tools for political patronage but to desire to occupy positions of authority, where they could deploy their expertise in delivering good governance to the citizens.
“While I urge our women to be inspired by this year’s theme, and rightfully seek to assert their roles as critical stakeholders in the political space, I urge my male counterparts to jettison, in the interest of our collective prosperity, biases that have consistently shut the door against the interest and participation of our women.”
“At the same time, I would like to particularly challenge our women to courageously deepen their participation and appropriate the strength of their numbers for political bargains and to challenge the status quo.”
In her address, the wife of Osun State governor, Mrs Kafayat Oyetola said women should not expect to be gifted space for political relevance just because they are of the female gender.
Mrs Oyetola advised women to develop themselves in content, character and capacity for them to be recognized in the nation’s political arena.
Speaking on the theme, of International Women’s Day, #BreakTheBias, Mrs Oyetola noted that the theme could only be achieved if women individually and collectively worked together to break every form of bias against the female gender.
“This is the time to break every form of bias, stereotypes and discrimination against women. If we are to evolve a state that guarantees sustainable development and better tomorrow, we must break the bias and make our women active stakeholders in political, economic and social decision-making processes. This need is no longer debatable. Countries that are making progress have taken this for granted.”
In a remark, wife of the late former governor of Oyo State, Mrs Florence Ajimobi encouraged women to stand firm to ensure gender equality in the political sphere.
Earlier in an address of welcome, the Osun State Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Mrs Bukola Olaboopo had advised women to take proactive steps to break the gender biases in homes, offices, religion and cultural settings.
Highlight of the programme was the launch of the State Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Policy which further accentuates the determination of the present administration to make Osun a better place for men and women to live in unity.
Funmi Adekoya
pub-5160901092443552
Related Posts
