By Ekunkonye Junior
Abuja
The leader of the women’s wing, Abuja the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chapter of National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTs) and the president of a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) Takem Empowerment Initiatives (TEIs) that among others trains and empowers the widows, orphans and the less privileged in the society, Dr (Mrs) Rachael Adewumi has lauded President Ahmed Bola Tinubu for not only giving the women their deserved recognition in his government, in appointive positions, but also for recognizing the youths as well.
The woman leader also praised the FCT Minister, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike for performance, which according to her, the projects Mr President commissioned in the nation’s capital served as witnesses to his performance.
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Amb. Rachael Adewumi addressed journalists today, while marking June 12 Democracy Day in her office in the nation’s capital.
Democracy Day was initially being marked on every May the 29th in Nigeria, being the day former military head of state, Retired General Olusegun Obasanjo was sworn in as a democratically elected president, since the 1983 military coup, which toppled the democratically elected Shehu Shagari as Nigeria’s president.
However in 2018, under the leadership of the immediate past president of Nigeria, Retired General Muhammad Bihari, Democracy Day was changed from 29th day of May, to the 12th day of June. This was done to commemorate the democratic election of Moshood Abiola on June 12, 1993, which was wrongly cancelled by the military government of Retired General Ibrahim Babangida.
However, this year’s celebration is historic and marked differently from the past ones, because it is second Democracy Day President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be marking since he assumed power on May the 29th, 2023.
While hailing Mr President for the women’s recognition, in his government, especially in appointive positions, knowing fully well that women have gift of prudence in management of resources, she however advised the women to live up to expectation.
Among the eight women who were given different appointments in the present government, which made her to commend the president, according to her were: Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Nkiruka Onyejeocha; Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Bette Edu; Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa and; Minister of State, FCT, Mahmoud Mariya
Ibrahim.
Others were: Minister of State, Police Affairs, Imaan Sulaiman; Minister of Tourism, Lola Ade – John; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka – Anite and;
Minister of Women’s Affairs, Uju Kennedy Ohanenye.
While still commending Tinubu for recognizing the women and assuring him of the support of the women traders under her watch, within and outside the FCT, Chief Rachael Adewumi went further assured him that the women she gave appointments wouldn’t disappoint him.
She however observed with dismay that the representation of women in the 10th National Assembly wasn’t a significant improvement from the 9th National Assembly. The 10th Assembly, according to her had women occupying three out of 109 seats in the Senate, representing 2.7 percent and 17 out of 360 seats in the House of Representatives, making 4.7 percent. The women’s representation in all the 469 seat, according to her were only paltry 4.2 percent.
For having known the value of the women in the area of prudence, she appealed to the president to use his political acumen, as an experienced politician to give more appointments to the woman, and encourage them to have more seats at the lower and upper chamber of the parliament in the future. This she said would go a long way to among others, address the imbalance in the system, move democracy forward, make the women feel belonged and encourage their participation in the government, governance, leadership and politics in Nigeria.
While commending Tinubu for accommodating youths in his government, Dr Rachael Adewumi noted that such decision would make the youths, being the tomorrow’s leaders, learn from the elders. She also added that there were other things the elders would also learn from the youths, reasoning that no one person has monopoly of knowledge.
Extolling the FCT Minister for performance so far, she appealed to him to not only build more markets for the traders in his territory, but also advised him to ensure that it gets to the real traders at affordable rate, should he consider her appeal.
She observed that with projects commissioned in the FCT at Mr President’s one year in office, the minister, according to her would deliver, even as she urged him to extend his good works to satellite and rural areas of the FCT. She therefore urged the women to come out en mass to support the government in power, which if done, according to her, would go a long way. She advised Me President to keep recognizing the women, due to the fact that they are known for prudence.
