Ex-AGF seeks increased women participation in politics

The immediate past Accountant General of the Federation, Dr Oluwatoyin Madein, has decried the under-representation of women in the country’s political space, saying that efforts must be intensified to address this imbalance.

Madein described Nigerian women as brilliant, resourceful, resilient, courageous and possessing all the required capacity to provide adequate leadership for the betterment of the country.

The first female Accountant General of the country, according to a statement on Saturday issued by her media consultant, Temitope Oyekan, disclosed this while speaking at the Ogun East Conference for Women, held in Sagamu.

Madein lamented that despite making up over 62 per cent of the population, less than 35 per cent of Nigerian women are in politics, which is against the United Nations’ recommendation of 35 per cent affirmative action.

“Despite this gap, I must sincerely praise Nigerian women for making remarkable progress in other areas such as academics, education, career development, the public sector, and small and medium enterprises.

“I equally salute the few that are in politics, and they are not just there, they are equally making us, the womenfolk, proud, but it can get a lot better if more women are given a voice in our politics, given women’s roles in nation-building.

“Women are resilient, courageous, and capable of transforming society through leadership, innovation, and service. We certainly need more women to step into politics and leadership positions at all levels to build a more prosperous nation,” she noted.

Madein paid glowing tribute to trailblazers from the state, such as Ambassador Falilat Ogunkoya and also noted her own journey as the first female Accountant General of the Federation, both serving as examples of Ogun women who have broken barriers.