I think some smaller African countries are small in quotes because we keep claiming we are the giant of Africa yet marginalization is very high here.… - Chinyere Stella Okunna

The country is in a bad shape and on the brink of collapse, so much so that even those Nigerians who were apathetic towards politics are now sufficiently alarmed to show interest in who has the capacity to salvage the country. The intelligentsia are no exception.

Do you remember the gender bills that were proposed recently? All of them were dropped; none of them were passed. I used to say I don’t believe in tokenism or quota system but it seems ideal in Nigeria now and women need encouragement and support through the quota system or policies to include them in governance or leadership.

As long as I can remember, women’s participation in politics and visibility in leadership positions have been major problems in many countries and not just in Nigeria. The entire world knows that women have not done well in politics in Nigeria. I’m sure you know there is supposed to be a gender policy in Nigeria which came to effect in 2006; affirmative action of 35%. The only time any leader approached that policy was the time of Jonathan’s regime and since then nobody is even trying and each time I think about women in politics and leadership, I like to give example from my own State, Anambra State. Anambra women are well educated, they are empowered. They are confident and knowledgeable about local and international affairs. Yet the number of women in politics in Anambra is laughable, so to say