Paucity of Women Participation in Nigeria Politics, by Adrian Joe

by Adrian Joe

Women are the salt of the world, so the Bible says. They are also the mothers of the world, they are created by God to help men and take good care of their families. A critical look at the institutions that help in running and functioning of the state one would begin to wonder and ask the question that: why did women feature insufficiently in key political post and political institutions?, why are they insufficient in holding those offices? Are they not well educated or do they just lack the requisite to get or apply for those offices or they are been incarcerated by poverty or they ignorantly refuse to take profound impact in participating in politics? Is the problem caused by our cultural legacy of our dear country that men are supposedly superior to women? The answers to these framed questions make the core analysis of our discussion.
Since the end of the Fourth Conference on Gender and Development in 1995, held in Beijing, following similar previous conferences in Mexico (1975), Copenhagen (1980), Nairobi (1985), strenuous efforts have been consciously up in place to maximize the development of gender equality in political affairs and International representation by women. To buttress this point, Article 8 of the United Nation laid emphasis on the need for gender mainstreaming and development at all level of political participation and representation. As for Nigeria, a country that got her independent in 1960 has a very low women participation in all branches of government. This is not to say that women have not been working in all these branches of government in Nigeria, but it’s obvious that their representation is very low in holding key political post. During the struggle for self-determination a number of women political activist erupt such as Mrs Magaret Ekpo (a women’s right activist and a social mobilizer), Mrs Janet Mokelu and Mrs Young were all prominent members of the Eastern House of Assembly. There were also political activists such as, the late Mrs Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti of the Western region and Hajia Gambo Sawaba of the Northern region.
With this, one can easily conclude that women participation in pre-independence era was quiet impressive despite the fact that men dominated the entire liberation struggle mentioned above. Yet women still scramble to participate and eventually got involved. However, there was a dramatic change to women’s participation in politics during Babangida’s regime. This manifested when his wife Maryam Babangida institutionalized the office of the First lady in 1987. She became the first lady to hold such political post and then launch the “Better Life for Rural Women” program. Since then, the office of the First lady has been assigned to the wife of the President up to date, though the office is not constitutionally recognized. Other women who impart in Nigeria politics include the Harvard University scholar and economist Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala who saved the nation’s record of billions of naira. Patricia Olubunmi Etteh also impacted in politics before she got involved in the corruption scandal involving her renovation of her official residence in 2007. Another woman active in Nigeria politics is Princess Stella Odua who was the disposed Minister of Aviation. Others include Mrs Obi Ezekwesili who is the chairman of Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and Professor Dora Akunyili. Moreover, with the explanation above one begins to ask what led to the paucity of women’s representation in Nigeria politics of today despite the fact that they have impacted in politics. There are many factors that led to this, but I am going to expatiate on three of them.

Continue reading “Paucity of Women Participation in Nigeria Politics, by Adrian Joe”

April 17, 2011July 3, 2012

Mob Justice: If It Happens at Legon, Imagine What Goes on at Mmaa Nse Hwee

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The urban dictionary defines mob justice as “When a large angry mob takes justice into their own hands. Usually ends with somebody getting hanged, torched or pitchfork’d. A common method of dispensing justice in the more rural areas of a country”

Mob justice is a social and public health quandary in several communities in some African countries. A survey in Tanzania showed that 1249 people suspected of various crimes were killed by mobs in Dar es Salaam during the period of 2000–2004 (Afr Health Sci. 2006 March; 6(1): 36–38). That is almost 250 people killed by mobs per year in one city.

As for the above definition from Urban Dictionary, forget about it. The dictionary definition may be true for Sweden or Norway where mob justice is a rural phenomenon, but not for Ghana or Tanzania.

In Ghana, mob justice is a campus fantasy. It is adored at the citadel of education and enlightenment.

On Thursday March 31, a mob of students offered justice to a suspected female thief caught in one of the dormitories of the University of Ghana. I watched the video and some of the stuff I saw are unprintable. I apologize, but I cannot describe them here, for fear Google may flag my website for hosting adult content.

Mob justice is not a new trend in Ghana. I witnessed a suspected thief stoned to death at Techiman Market in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana. I was in Secondary School and had gone to market one Friday to buy some groceries and was unfortunate to encounter the mob in action.

What is new and disconcerting is the fact that such a practice is permeating academic environments and being condoned. I would not be writing about the Legon incident if it happened at Mmaa Nse Hwee, a fictional rural community somewhere not yet on the map. I would be irresponsible however to join the silence when such a despicable behavior is orchestrated in a place where people are being educated to become lawyers, doctors, presidents, and pastors.

An online petition that was launched on this website was signed by hundreds of readers home and abroad. A letter was sent to the University in which we asked the authorities to

Speed up investigation into the sexual violence carried out by some residents of Sarbah Hall against a suspected campus thief, Amina

Report on the findings to the public as soon as possible

Announce appropriate punishments for the responsible students.

Institute measures that will prevent such incidence from happening on such a respected academic environment. We believe that unless the definitional and substantive aspects of the rape law and associated set of laws which deal with sexual harassment, molestation, unnatural offences, are clearly spelt out with appropriate potential punitive measures, any response given to this incident will remain historically a hollow gesture.

It’s been over week. No response. And it’s been over two weeks since the students carried out their action. No actionable response yet from either the University authorities or the local law enforcement

Again, if this is accepted at Legon, imagine what goes on at Mmaa Nse Hwee.

Thanks for Reading

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April 6, 2011October 11, 2011

The Legon Lawlessness Hall of Shame- Watch and Support

Brian Laung Aoaeh

“I promise on my honour to be faithful and loyal to Ghana my motherland.

I pledge myself to the service of Ghana with all my strength and with all my heart.

I promise to hold in high esteem our heritage, won for us through the blood and toil of our fathers;

and I pledge myself in all things to uphold and defend the good name of Ghana. So help me God.”

“God Bless our homeland Ghana,

And make our nation great and strong,

Bold to defend for ever the cause of Freedom and of Right.

Fill our hearts with true humility

Make us cherish fearless honesty,

And help us to resist oppressor’s rule

With all our will and might for evermore.”

As a teenager in secondary school at St. Francis Xavier Junior Seminary in Wa, and Presec, Legon respectively, I recited and sang those words on many occasions. I learned to take them seriously, and I learned to take my duty to our Motherland seriously.

It is my abiding belief in Ghana that has driven my outrage over the incident that occurred at Mensah Sarbah Hall, on the campus of the University of Ghana, Legon on March 31. If you have not yet heard, a young lady was brutally attacked and sexually molested by a mob of men on the campus of the University of Ghana, Legon, in Accra. They alleged that she stole some cell phones and a laptop. As I write this we do not yet know if her attackers have been apprehended. Her attackers filmed their actions, and distributed it. One of the radio stations in Accra got a hold of the video, and other media outlets in Ghana picked up the story and reported on it immediately after the incident.

Thanks to a childhood friend, I watched the video in shock and horror on Friday while I was at work. What I saw first brought tears to my eyes, and then filled me with outrage. What I saw can only be described as despicable. That such violence was directed against a woman makes the crime all the more monstrous. No Ghanaian, man or woman, should have to endure what the victim went through. No, not in the face of allegations of any kind.

My first opinion piece on this matter, titled We Must Hold Ourselves To A Higher Standard, has been greeted with many different reactions. Obviously, I have no quarrel with those that feel as outraged as I over this incident.

I will address some of the rebuttals I have encountered and let you judge if Ghana in which incidents like this seem acceptable is the Ghana whose pledge you recite, and whose anthem you sing.

When the video was posted, many protested on the grounds that sharing it widely violated the dignity of the victim and infringed upon her privacy. I understand that sentiment. If it were obvious that her attackers would be brought to justice no matter what, I would agree with that argument. However, it is not until you feel the horror I felt, or experience the anger that welled in me when I saw the incident in video, not till then will you realize that you can no longer simply sit there and do nothing. You can not just stand idly by and wait for someone else to do something. While I understand the position of those who protested the sharing of the video, I do not know that we had much choice. Seeing the video is what prompted my outrage, an oral or written narrative would have been far less effective.

Another group has suggested that the victim brought this upon herself. What did she expect? It serves her right. It is unfair that these poor students lost cell phones and a laptop through her theft. What about their project work for school that was saved on the laptop? To this group I have one question. Is it their intention to suggest that human life, the dignity of another human being and the sanctity of womanhood is no more significant to our Ghanaian society than the value of some cell phones and a laptop? Do we know that she is in fact guilty of the allegations leveled against her? I vigorously reject the notion that unprovoked and wanton violence that is not in self-defense and dehumanizes any one is ever justifiable, under any circumstance.

Yet another group argues that this has been going on for ages. Mob justice, they say, is nothing new in Ghana, but now that it is a woman people want to make this bigger than it is. Why do we care now? To that I have this response. When I was a boy, I heard stories about mob justice. I could do nothing. I felt powerless and filled with fear. Now I am a man. I can do something. I am not afraid. The point is, mob violence against any person is wrong. I would have felt the same sense of outrage, had the video been one in which a man was attacked and molested by residents of Volta Hall. I hope we can agree that wanton violence against a woman is wrong. Wanton violence against a man is wrong. Wanton violence against any of us is wanton violence against all of us. That cannot be allowed to stand. Shall we stop trying to solve our current and future problems merely because we failed to solve similar problems in the past?

There’s that group that wishes to make this about political affiliation. There is not one notion that could be more wrong. I reject with absolute contempt the idea that we should let our response be governed by our political affiliation. This is about all of us. This is about all Ghanaians. This is about the nature of the society we wish to leave behind for our sons and daughters. This is about the reverence with which we should treat our mothers and our fathers. This is about the respect we should have for one another as children of our Motherland, Ghana. This is about seeking to make our country a more just and equitable one because of our difficult history. This is about revering the sacrifices that others have made on our behalf. This is not about ideology. It is not about ethnicity. It is not about religion. It is not about gender, and it most certainly is not about the current state of our political dialogue. This is about us, all of us, all Ghanaians.

Still another group accuses the police, other law enforcement entities, and those in power of never doing anything to right the ills of Ghanaian society. They seem to assert that nothing should be done about this because many in authority go unpunished for crimes and offenses that far outweigh this. Why they ask should these “small boys” be punished when “big men” get away with far worse? To them I say, we have to start somewhere. Let this mark the day when we stood up as one people, and said we will hold one another accountable. Let us channel President Mills’ outrage at the rampant corruption in sections of Ghana’s Customs Department. Let us say with one voice, in unequivocal terms, that we wish all Ghanaians to be held accountable for their actions. Let us promise ourselves a future in which we are answerable to the constitution and all the other laws of our dear nation.

It is easy to find excuses. It is easy to do nothing. After all the victim is merely an anonymous individual that most of us will never cross paths with. Who cares? We should all care. Rwanda. Liberia. Sierra Leone. Zaire. Uganda. Zimbabwe. La Cote d’Ivoire. Societies slip into sustained, protracted and violent conflict when small injustices are overlooked. Every one looks the other way. People in authority renege on their responsibility to insist that the right thing is done. Society collectively turns a blind eye when wrongs go unpunished, and victims are denied justice. Eventually small injustices become big injustices. Society erupts, and violence upends the idyllic lives that the privileged sought to protect by doing nothing. We must not let that happen. We must start somewhere. We must start today. We can start with this incident.

I am a son of privilege. My parents are not rich, not by any stretch. But I am a son of privilege because others in Ghana were denied something so that I could go to school. Others were denied something so that I could receive an education. Others were denied hospitals, roads, schools, electricity and many other social amenities so people like me would receive an education and one day make a contribution towards the improvement of our collective future as Ghanaians. That is not a privilege I take for granted. Nor is it a privilege that I should abuse. If you are reading this you are a son or daughter of privilege too. I implore you do not waste that privilege.

We may have our differences on many issues. I am hopeful that we can agree on this. If Amina is guilty of theft, then she must be held to account for her actions. That she is guilty of the allegations against her does not acquit her attackers. I do not accept the notion that our society cannot ensure that justice is served on both sides of this incident. The mob that attacked the victim too must be held to account. In attacking her they attacked all of us. They brought shame to our beloved Motherland. That can not be allowed to stand. We must hold ourselves to a higher standard. Ghana demands that of all of us.

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION

Warning: Parts of the Video may be disturbing and may not be suitable for all audience. Please use your personal judgement in proceeding.

Video

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April 6, 2011April 6, 2011

Suspected Woman Witch Beaten to Death by Pastor: What People Think About it-Watch the Video

In November of 2010, we reported the atrocious murder of a 72-year-old woman, Ama Hemmah, who was suspected of witchcraft in Ghana. She was beaten, tripped naked and doused with kerosene and then set aflame by her accusers who were also self-professed spiritual healers. The Foreman for the crusade, Pastor Samuel Fletcher Sagoe, asserted Ms. Hemmah was a witch who wished to do him and his family harm.

Please watch the entire video, what individuals think about it, and how much work needs to be done

[youtube]4uz89i_1gcw&playnext=1&list=PL612D867E70556A86[/youtube]

April 3, 2011April 19, 2011

Chromosome-Dependent Justice: The Pervasiveness of ‘Legal’ Violence Against African Women

John 8:10: When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?”

If you have been to church once in your lifetime, you would probably be familiar with the story behind the verse quoted above. A woman was brought to Jesus to be sentenced for adultery. The men who brought the woman to Jesus emphasized that the woman was ‘caught in (the heat of) the act’, perhaps to demand a more severe sentence from Jesus, which would be death by stoning. Jesus gave the permission to go ahead with a condition: “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” He then bowed down his head. When he lifted up his head some minutes later, only the woman was left standing.

Late last week, we posted an article here about a Ghanaian woman, Amina, who was sexually molested by male students of the Mensah Sarbah Hall of the University of Ghana for stealing a laptop and cell phone from one of the dormitories. Amina was stripped naked, fondled and physically maltreated by the college rogues. According to news sources, the University Police who came to the scene arrested the battered woman and put her into custody while the male accusers were let go.

This was not an isolated case of violence against women and chromosome-dependent justice but a well-rooted tradition of male aggression against vulnerable women in most African communities. The village of Gambaga in Ghana has been a sanctuary for women accused of witchcraft. These women are ostracized and exiled from society by their accusers in a disturbing narrative while the Government of Ghana and local authorities watch on. Most of these women are elderly and through decades of neglect, want and lack of medical care are going through physiological and psychiatric disturbances that require counseling and therapy. However, in the absence help, medical or behavioral, the women are beaten and threatened with death and starvation until they confess to be witches under duress. In November of 2010, we reported the atrocious murder of a 72-year-old woman, Ama Hemmah, who was suspected of witchcraft in Ghana. She was beaten, tripped naked and doused with kerosene and then set aflame by her accusers who were also self-professed spiritual healers. The Foreman for the crusade, Pastor Samuel Fletcher Sagoe, asserted Ms. Hemmah was a witch who wished to do him and his family harm. A Gallup survey in Sub-Saharan African found that the belief in witchcraft is widespread. In the Ivory Coast 95% of people surveyed personally believe in witchcraft. In Ghana, the number is 77%, in Niger 75%, Zimbabwe 63% and South African 46%, just to mention a few. Changing these beliefs is a long journey, but changing the way suspects are treated should be attainable.

The introductory Biblical story suggests that this practice is a prehistoric custom that has lived 1000s of years. In the same vein that the men at Jesus time brought only the woman who was “caught in the act”, the University of Ghana Police apprehended the accused Amina and none of the law-breaking, irresponsible college students. When a person’s chromosomes determine how the law is applied to him or her in our time, Martin Luther King would probably not complain if the color of a person’s skin does the same.

For students in higher education to strip a suspected thief naked, insert their fingers into her private parts, fondle her breast and make fun of it on video is difficult to comprehend. I expect it to carry a more severe punishment that the theft because it was an assault on the woman’s personality and the dignity of more than 50% of human population. Our society needs to realize that illegality will never solve the problem evil.

I implore you to join hands in raising a loud voice against violence towards women in our society. Amina, Ama Hemmah and any of 1000s of the women in the Gambaga Witches Sanctuary could be my sister and your mother.

If you are interested in joining to fight these evils, please send an email to info@talkafrique.com or editorial@talkafrique.com find out how you can help.

We are sending a petition to the University Authorities and other influential sources to press the University to bring the rogues to justice immediately. Please click HERE to sign the petition.

April 2, 2011April 3, 2011

Zambia: Pregnant Woman Strips Naked to Prove Her Innocence in Stealing Charge

Business at Senama market in Mansa District came to a halt last evening when a pregnant woman stripped naked in the market shelter after she was accused of stealing a Fifty Thousand Kwacha by her fellow trader.

The woman decided to strip naked after she failed to convince her accuser that she had not stolen the money.
The duo was selling vegetables at the market when they picked up a quarrel after one of them lost a K 50,000 and accused her friend of stealing the money.

ZANIS reports that after a prolonged argument, the woman who accused her counterpart of having stolen the money demanded that her friend produces all the money she had so that she could identify her K 50, 000 note.

It was at this point that the accused woman decided to strip naked in the full view of people who had gone to watch them argue and those that went to buy assorted items.

She told ZANIS that that she stripped naked to show her accuser that she did not steal her money. One of the on lookers who sort anonymity said it was shameful for a woman to resort to stripping naked in presence of men and children at the market.

She said it was unjustifiable for the accused woman to remove all her clothes in public even if she was pressurized by her friend.

Meanwhile, other women expressed displeasure at the event but condemned the woman who had accused the other of stealing the money for not listening to her friend’s explanation.

They said it would be more important for the women in question to settle their wrangles at the police station than reaching the extent of stripping naked in public.

Lusaka Times

April 2, 2011April 3, 2011

A Woman from Chad Bites Her Cheating Partners Organ

Fatah Alhassan

A 35-year-old never-married woman has bitten off her new boyfriend’s sexual organ during sexual intercourse in a remote village in the African country of Chad.

The woman, Hawa, had never heard of anything called oral sex was asked to perform it on her experienced partner whose wife had traveled on a business trip to Malaysia and took the opportunity to ask the mistress for the service.
Everything was going well until the man’s cell phone which was in his pocket ranged. The unexpected sound of the phone which was just inches away from the woman’s mouth caused a shock which accidentally led to her biting off the man’s organ.

No charges have been pressed against the woman yet and the man, Idisu, has not yet made any public statement. He is said to be recuperating in a community clinic outside the village of Altonodji. Doctor say the injury is not life threatening but it is not yet clear whether the cheating husband can embark on such mission again in the future.

Fatah Alhassan, Altonodji, Chad

April 1, 2011July 3, 2012

Suspected Woman Thief Stripped Naked by Legon Students: Lawlessness Hall of Fame

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[ad#Caricature-text]Every form of lawlessness should be treated with the same displeasure and students of higher institutions should know better. Some male students of the premier university, University of Ghana, Legon, are making news for a shameful reason, intended to indulge their lust and lack of self restrain. In summary, a female suspect accused of stealing from one of the dormitories was sexually abused by the male students and recorded on video. In the video, you could see some of the students inserting their fingers into the woman’s vagina and fondling her breast as the woman begged them to forgive her trespasses. It is shameful that students at this level of ‘enlightenment’ would ignore the rule of law and embark on such despicable behavior. KAM

Video

sorry the video is no longer available

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION

Update:

The Crime officer at the Legon Police command, ASP Emmanuel Basin-Tale says the police are hunting for the students who molested Amina, the alleged female thief suspected to have stolen a laptop and other gadgets belonging to some female students. Details soon.

Full Story from CitiFM

Authorities of the University of Ghana are yet to react to the molestation of a suspected female thief at one of the halls of residence by male students on the dawn of Thursday March 31.

Some male Students of the Mensah Sarbah Hall annex B arrested Amina at about 3:00am for allegedly stealing a laptop and other gadgets belonging to a female student of the mixed hall.

Instead of handing her over to the University police, the students many of whom are males stripped her naked and physically abused her and recorded the act.

In the ‘nasty video’ obtained by Citifmonline.com, Amina could be seen weeping severely as she pleaded with the students to forgive her. But the men without mercy tore her into pieces to expose her naked body.

They opened her legs wide and some of the guys could be seen inserting their fingers into her vagina.

The students, after molesting the victim, handed her over to the police who are investigating the incident.

Citi News understands the University authorities are investigating the situation and will come public in the coming days.

The Crimes Officer at the Legon Police command, ASP Basim, who confirmed the incident to Citi News, said the suspect has been on the police wanted list before Thursday’s alleged thievery.

He however condemned the molestation of Amina.

“She was apprehended and brought to Legon and handed over to the police for investigation so she is in custody. About two months ago, she committed a similar offence and she was arrested and cautioned but because of her circumstance she was granted Court bail to report at the Court. Unfortunately she failed, and the case was presented in her absence and a bench warrant was obtained. So we were looking for her when she committed this recent theft”.

“But if you suspect anybody for committing any offense, the best is to apprehend the person and hand him or her over to the police but not to molest or beat the person up. That will mean taking the law into your own hands” the Crimes Officer lamented.

The sexually molested lady has not been confirmed to be a student of the University.
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