THERE IS A COUNTRY ...with Dr Anthony Ubani. (Every Wednesday On CKN Nigeria.)

The growth of social media around the world but more specifically in Nigeria is something to be celebrated. Celebrated for several good reasons, but for me, it is majorly for the simple reason that it has become the singular most important tool for the propagation of free speech and consequently for the strengthening of democracy around the world. In Nigeria, CKN Nigeria news portal is at the forefront, leading the way in responsible, balanced and objective news reporting in the social media. With a syndicated news blog that is simultaneously received on Twitter, Facebook and Blackberry, CKN Nigeria news blog has consolidated its position as number one in news reporting and viewership in Nigeria’s crowded social media space. Given this context, I consider it quite exciting to be invited to write a weekly column for CKN Nigeria every Wednesday. I will do my best, by the special grace of God, to deliver objective, fair and intellectually stimulating views that will hopefully advance the frontiers of democracy, tolerance and justice in Nigeria and beyond.

Now, since we are still within the season of celebrating the 14th year of our democracy and taking stock of the midterm performance of our President, I thought it wise to start this column today with a perspective on Mr. President’s Transformation Agenda. Here goes!

TRANSFORMING WITH WOMEN. THE BEAUTIFUL STORY
“I make a commitment today to Nigerian women that if by the grace of God and the votes of the Nigerian people I am elected into office as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I will devote 35% of all appointments to women. I am bound to this. Already, I have instructed the Nigerian Defence Academy to start accepting female cadets.” Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, GCFR

Since the United Nations convened the Fourth World Conference on Women: Action for Equality, Development and Peace on 4–15 September 1995 in Beijing, China, it has become the norm for women in Nigeria to lament, at every opportunity, about their marginalisation in government and the need for greater equality and opportunity for women in Nigeria. It had also been the pattern that every government of the day will in return make patronising promises to placate the women folk. For good measure, one or two women will be appointed to some insignificant positions in government. 

As another government comes into power, the well choreographed charade will be repeated over again and the beat goes on. Well, all of that was before the coming of President Goodluck Jonathan. When he made the above promise on the campaign trail in 2011, not a few women laughed it off as just more of the same old empty patronising rhetoric from past Presidents which yielded little or nothing. How awfully wrong they were!

Before now, the best women could hope for and be sure of was to be appointed minister of Women Affairs. But in less than two years, President Jonathan has, in every sense of the word, transformed the political landscape of Nigeria not just because of the overwhelming numbers of women he has appointed to federal positions but more importantly because of the critical and influential positions to which these women have been appointed. 

Ably led by Dame Dr. Patience Jonathan, the energetic First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria are an impressive list of women in powerful positions which includes: Justice Mrs. Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, Chief Justice of the Federation, the first woman to occupy that position; Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, also the first woman to occupy that position; Mrs. Diezani K. Alison-Madueke, Minister of Petroleum, again the first woman to occupy that position; Princess Stella Oduah-Ogiemwonyi, Minister of Aviation; Hon Sarah Reng Ochekpe, Minister of Water Resources; Professor Ruqayyatu Rufai, Minister of Education; Ms. Ama Pepple, Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development; Mrs Omobola Johnson, Minister for ICT, the first woman to hold that position; Mrs Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia, Minister of Environment; Hajiya Zainab Maina, Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development; Mrs. Olusola Obada, Minister of State, Defence; Hajia Zainab Ibrahim Kuchi, Minister of State, Power; Professor (Mrs) Viola Onwuliri, Minister of State 1 - Foreign Affairs; Mrs. Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, Minister of State FCT; Mrs Ifueko Omogui Okauro, immediate past Executive Chairman of Federal Inland Revenue Service, the first woman to hold that position; Ms Arunma Oteh, Director General, Securities and Exchange Commission; Dr Ngeri Benebo, Director-General, National of Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA); Mrs Catherine Dupe Atoki, Director General Consumer Protection Council; Senator Joy Emordi, Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters; Dr Mariam Ali, Special Adviser to the President on Inter-governmental Affairs, Mrs. Sarah Akuben Pane, Special Adviser to the President on Social Development; Mrs. Sarah Jibril, Special Adviser to the President on Ethics and Values; Mrs. Precious K. Gbeneol, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Millennium Development Goals; Professor Precious Kassey Garba, former Chief Economic Adviser to the President and the first woman to hold that position; Dr Asmaú Abdulkadir, Special Adviser to the President on Gender Issues; Hon. Saudatu Sani, Senior Special Assistant to the President on House of Representatives Matters. The list is endless.

But they are all carefully chosen, extremely qualified and competent professionals, fiercely competitive, strong, beautiful women doing excellent work and delivering transformative results in their various portfolios. Never before, anywhere in the world, have we witnessed a situation where the commanding heights of a nation’s economic and military power are successfully manned by a bevy of beautiful, brilliant, brave and black women. A Guinness book of records award in the making, perhaps? 

Indeed, the saying that what a man can do, a woman can do better has never been proved to be truer than in President Jonathan’s administration. Frankly, it will be almost impossible for any future President to follow or match President Jonathan’s unfolding legacy in providing greater equality and opportunity for women. It is simply a phenomenal, historic and transformative feat of political reengineering. In one gutsy act of political will, President Jonathan has rewritten, forever, the chapter on women empowerment in Nigeria. 

In fact, it is safe to conclude that the progress made by Nigerian women within the last two years of President Jonathan’s administration is greater than the combined progress they have made from 1960 to 2011. Now this is transformation. Radical change at work. When it comes to women empowerment and the quality of work the women in this administration are doing, critics, regardless of their assessment criteria, will be hard pressed to give President Jonathan a less than excellent score.
Therefore, as he takes stock of his performance in the last two years of his Presidency, President Jonathan can take deserved pride in the knowledge that he has not only kept his promise to Nigerian women but, indeed, he has beautifully exceeded his personal commitment and the public’s expectations.

Editor’s Note:Dr Anthony Ubani, is former Director General, PDI, Abuja and Deputy Pro Chancellor Africa Business School Abuja,Nigeria. His Article Will Appear On This Page Every Wednesday