Why Nigerian women should participate in politics-Prof Remi Sonaiya

By Precious Udom

 Professor Remi Sonaiya, the only female aspirant in the forth-coming presidential election in Nigeria at the weekend in Lagos, south-west Nigeria said that it is about time for women to move against some degrading and discriminating cultures that tend to place them in perpetual bondage

Speaking during the Mentors/Mentees meeting organized Women Advocacy Research and Documentation Center(WARDC) at Lagos Sheraton hotel in Ikeja, Sonaiya stressed that education is not just about cramming information.

The education that will stand the test of time is all about critical thinking, saying that the girl child and women from about the age of 18 and above should think critically on how best to contribute their quota in moving Nigeria forward.

According to her, some of our cultures are quite degrading, discriminating and bias against the women even in this modern age, where the internet has reduced the entire world to a global family.

On why she has been aspiring since 2010 to serve the country as president, Sonaiya explained that Nigeria is a nation at a crossroads. It is blessed with abundant natural and human resources, but the right choices need to be made to turn them into health, wealth and progress for its entire people.

 Poor leadership over much of the past 50 years has wasted time and opportunity to make that progress. We can not afford 50 more directionless years.

The obvious challenges that we face are not difficult things to fix, it is only the will to do them that has been lacking. Electricity, water and roads are not the challenges of the 21st century; they're the solved problems of the twentieth!

We need leadership with vision, prepared to ask difficult questions of themselves and of us, and then chart a bold path toward a bright future.

We need to secure the lives and property of all Nigerian citizens. We need to revitalize dormant industries and encourage the birth of new ones. We need to restore our institutions to world standard—and then raise the standard.

We need government that works. We need to make merit and excellence the global reputation of Nigeria. We need to aggressively educate, prepare, train and engage our youth. They are our future.

We have work to do.

That is why I am here. My name is Remi Sonaiya, and I want your vote for President of Nigeria. Let me work for you.