Lessons from Liberia?
The fantastic news that at last Africa has a female president thanks to Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's resounding victory over the ball-kicker in Liberia should give Nigeria pause to think. What gender are the politicians and public servants who are effecting most positive change in Nigeria at the moment?
Whether its Dora at NAFDAC, Ngozi upstairs from me at the Finance Ministry, Obey at Solid Minerals (formerly at Due Process) etc etc - all are women. So why is the question not being asked: should the next President of Nigeria not also be a woman?
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8 comments:
I think we've all noticed that no woman has even dared to come out in the Nigerian race. Gender doesn't really matter, yes, but at the end of the day, it is a man's world.
Question: Has a woman ever run for President of the United States?
Um.. not sure where you're getting your facts from Chxta.
Sarah Jubril ran as a presidential candidate in 2003, under the Progressive Action Congress.
Antonia Abayomi Jorge Ferreira also ran that same year under the Democratic Alternative
The difference between Nigeria and other countries is that you have to belong to a political party and be nominated by them to be a presidential candidate. It's not just a matter of desire. You should be looking within the parties to see the number of women who put themselves forward for the position and the number who are picked by their party.
If people were allowed to run as independents, you'd see more female candidates for president.
Has any woman ever run for the US Presidency?
If you care to do your research, you will find that there have been female presidential candidates since 1872 (Victoria Chaflin Woodhull) and at least 20 female presidential candidates in the last couple of years. Many of whom were independents and didn't get past the primaries.
In 2000, Elizabeth Dole and in 2004, Senator Carol Moseley Braun, (who also happens to be black)
were highly rated contenders for the presidency.
It's amazing how people come online and just put their uninformed opinions online as fact.
and then say "i think we've all noticed".
Good Grief.
Yup, you tell him Kemi!
Condeleeza Rice and Hillary Rodham Clinton are being spoken of as possible 2008 US Presidential candidates and there is a TV series about a female US president that is very popular in the States as well. The series creators have spoken quite openly about the idea behind it - that being to prepare the American public for the need for a female president. I think it's about time.
And for chxta that said it is a man's world - does he realise that 80% of purchasing decisions in a family are made by women? and they indirectly control the purse strings...
Go figure!
I was wondering when you were going to post about this. I noticed earlier this week that the nigerian newspapers aren't talking about Ellen's win. Maybe that has changed, but it was very disappointing. It was almost as if something historic had not just happened.
I remember when Sarah Jubril was running, and I thought she was fabulous! Then talking to my educated botanist mother, I realised why women had little chance of being voted president in Nigeria. Her opinion was that Mrs Jubril could never win and wouldn't be able to handle the country.
I personally think Nigeria may be able to elect a female president before the U.S. does. Both countries have a similar brand of misogyny - mother is supreme, but women shouldn't lead. Condi vs Hilary? That's a frightening thought. Especially considering Hilary's stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
I'm happy for Liberians and hope Ellen really turns around the country. I think she will.
Gulp! The big guns came after me. :runs for cover:
thanks kemi, grace and anonymous...Chxta is clearly ignorant and sexist.
:frowns:
You really don't know Chxta do you?
Maybe Chxta needs his facts right before he posts to the whole world because if they're wrong he will be challenged!
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