World history is replete with activities of women who ruled their society and was able to make tremendous impact in the governance of their society. Such great women like Margaret Hilda Thatcher of Great Britain, Indira Gandhi of India, Golda Meir of Israel, Elisabeth Domitien of Central African Republic to mention but these few famous Prime Ministers. The male folks have often had the tendency to dominate the environment citing the beginning of creation by the omnipotent Creator where he created the first ever living being, Adam. A tranquilizing factor was later to be provided for the male, Adam who acknowledged Eve as the bone of his bone and a flesh of his flesh. From thence, Eve was factored in the life of Adam as one who has the natural inclination to make a difference in the environment in which they live. Over time, the women folks have proven an uncommon capacity to make the desired change where the male dominated society have failed. Take for instance, during the historic Aba women uprising of 1929, which sought to put a stoppage to the tax policies on the women, the colonial masters with their African collaborators was to discover that women are no push overs. Women have the capacity to better their society if only, the men will disabuse their mindset about the existence of a patriarchal society.
It is important to remark that our contemporary world is in dire need of tranquilizing factors that will bring our society in the part of sustainable peace, positive energy and love for their environment. It is not in doubt, that the women folks are not wired in the mold of the men folks to cause tremendous disharmony. Women have natural milk of human kindness flowing through their veins. They value work balance and mostly empathetic and nurturing. It is therefore in recognition of these inalienable qualities, that the visionary government of Enugu State under the leadership of Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi took the Bull by the horn to delegate nine eminent women from the state to partner with their counterparts from other states who share same vision in a women leadership training and conference in Kigali, the Rwandan capital.
The Rwandan story is an inspiring one that has the trappings of an underdog society that has transformed from the ashes of hate and disharmony to one where love is actually at work at the moment. Today, about 80% of citizens holding sensitive positions in the critical areas of government in Rwanda are composed of the women folks. The ripple effect is that these women have been able utilize their natural psychological makeup to transform this tiny African society which some few years ago was embroiled in a fatricidal war that sought to erase the country’s traces from the face of the earth to one that has become a case study of how to rise from the ashes of defeat and despondency. Governor Ugwuanyi have never hidden his desire to tap from the enormous potentials of the women folks as equal partakers in nation building since he assumed power as the helmsman of Enugu State. the women folks are occupying sensitive positions across all government establishments in Enugu State.
Ugwuanyi, a man of equitable moral compass, while reeling out his roadmap for Ndi Enugu new match to civilization, not only assured inclusiveness moored to proven credentials, but also promised to avail an array of opportunities for the women who desire to carve a niche in the political arena and impact their world meaningfully.
I have earlier remarked that women are positive agents of nation building. As experienced home managers, they brought to bear, their wealth of knowledge both in human resources control and frugality on state’s management. The humongous roles strapped to womanhood in building a nation can not be underestimated. Gone are the days, where women are relegated to fringe zones in running national affairs that affect their lives gravely. The shocking reality, however is that the world now drifts towards women empowerment. Women have proven their constituents while in public offices of strategic consequences, even when pelted with asphyxiating circumstances that would readily compel a sterner man to chicken out.
The contributions of one the flamboyant, yet simplistic Chancellor of the German Republic, Angela Merkel could not be forgotten in a hurry. The Germans were so appreciative of her enormous contributions to their nation state that in an uncommon show of gratitude, clapped and danced for her. Merkel, the first female German Chancellor was variously reported to have taken to self-flagellation and deprivation, never preened on state coffers, thus making her country an European power during her uninterrupted 16yrs service to the country. She attested to mentoring whence came her unusual private and public life discipline.
Truly, there is no other means to secure similar result, but Ugwuanyi’s promising mentoring. Ugwuanyi, a trailblazer has plucked hundreds, men and women, young and old out from political and economic oblivion to enviable height of relevance. The pacesetter governor ploughs the field, plants the seed and waters it down to blossoming. In Ugwuanyi, thousands see the destination of their destinies. Seeing his people flourishing in whatever they earn fair living from gives him joy. The ongoing Woman Conference on leadership and training holding in Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda is quite a mind-blowing gathering of women of steels whose objective is to amass leadership knowledge from the exercise and import same into the system to effect dramatic alteration in the prevailing governance failures on a nation scale. It is a great lease granted to our women, to rubbing minds with other women from all corners of the continent, and we sincerely hope the endeavor pays off.
Written by
Mrs. Bibian Anekwe
SSA to the Governor of Enugu State on Mobilization and Empowerment
Enugu Di N’akachukwu Movement ( DG)
