Tony Okafor
Women can take Nigeria out of doldrums, says Justice Iyizoba


A nongovernmental organisation, African Women Forum for Good Governance, has commended Governor Willie Obiano for rewarding a woman, Ngozi Onuegbusi, who rejected N5000 bribe to sell her vote during the November 6 governorship poll in Anambra State.

The group said Onuegbusi had demonstrated that women had the moral capacity to lead positive change in the country and save her from the current doldrums.

Onuegbusi who hails from Ukwulu, in the Dunukofia local government area of the state rejected a bribe of N5,000 to sell her vote, opting instead to vote to her conscience.

In appreciation of her forthrightness, Obiano invited her for recognition and rewarded her with a cash of N1m.

Reacting to the developments, the founder and CEO of AWFG, Justice Chinwe Iyizoba said that other exemplary women like Mrs Onuegbusi abound in Anambra and in Nigeria .
She said such women should be entrusted with leadership positions to rescue the country.

Iyizoba said, "One of the visions of our NGO is to identify such women, empower them in their businesses, political aspirations, and other endeavours in order to create a new crop of rural women, the bulk of voters in elections, who will always eschew money politics.

"It is necessary for our politicians to learn that the only way to make progress in politics is by providing the people who elected them into office with good governance – through the provision of the necessary social amenities to make life worth living – good roads, good schools, jobs, good healthcare, water supply, electricity, etc.

"Government, public and private institutions should recognize the importance and relevance of women in the scheme of things; women deserve greater representation in governance at all levels."

"Women, as mothers of the nation, know where the shoes pinch and have a lot to say and contribute towards making things better"

Not Nigerian women