8 Nigerian modern female politicians who make politics ATTRACTIVE

The Nigerian political space has witnessed so many strong and courageous women at one time or the other. 

Given the kind of political horse-trading that goes on consistently in Nigeria, it takes a bold woman to venture into the murky waters of Nigerian politics.

Nigeria has had its fair share of female heroines especially in its struggle for nationhood and a brighter future.

Names like Margaret Ekpo, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Hajiya Gambo Sawaba, Madam Mary Okezie and Mrs Grace Soyinka comes to mind.

Indeed, it is hard for modern-day female politicians to live up to the achievements of the aforementioned heroines, but some of them have made efforts that are worthy of mention.

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NAIJ.com lists modern female politicians who have held their own and have become role models to the younger ones.

Read below:

1. Senator Khairat Gwadabe: Now 54, Senator Gwadabe remains a charming blend of brain and beauty. She was the senator that represented the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja from May 1999 to May 2003. During her time in the Senate, she was a member of the federal character, culture and tourism, environment, health and FCT committees. She was also the chairperson of the women affairs committee. She has since dedicated her political life to serving the SENATORS FORUM, an influential body comprising serving and former senators. She has also settled into business as she is the owner of popular fast food chain, Drumsticks.

2. Senator Florence Ita-Giwa: She is perhaps the most popular and indeed influential modern-day female politician in Nigeria. Also known as Mama Bakassi, Ita-Giwa is one-time presidential adviser on National Assembly matters and the undisputed political leader of the Bakassi people. She represented Cross River South Senatorial District in the Nigerian Senate between May 1999 to May 2003. At the Senate, she was a member of the committees on foreign affairs, women, environment, rules and procedures, Niger Delta and drug & narcotics. Now 70, Mama Bakassi spends most of her time championing the cause of her people. To underscore her influence, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) recently named her as a member of the committee to dialogue on their behalf with the federal government.

3. Iyom Josephine Anenih: Anenih was Nigeria’s minister of women affairs from 2010 to 2011. Before her appointment, she was the first national women leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 1999 to 2005 and a special adviser on women affairs to former President Obasanjo until 2006. She co-founded the Women Foundation Nigeria, an organization to help Nigerian women exchange views on global women’s issues and to help empower women in politics. She is a member of the Gender Electoral and Constitutional Memoranda Committee, which aims to incorporate women’s perspectives in Nigeria’s Electoral Laws. Within her short stay in politics, Anenih proved a point that women can stay above board and make their impact in politics without necessarily courting controversy.

4. Senator Patricia Akwashiki: She is known for mentoring young female politicians. This is because of her untainted record as a public officer. Senator Akwashiki represented Nasarawa North Senatorial District in Nasarawa state from May 2007 to May 20011. She was later appointed Nigeria’s minister of information in March 2015. During her time in the Senate, Akwashiki was appointed to committees on banking, communications, inter-parliamentary affairs, states & local government, insurance & other financial institutions and women and youth. Notably, she sponsored a bill to amend the Code of Conduct Bureau and contributed brilliantly to debate in plenary and committee assignments anytime she was called upon to do so.

5. Honourable Funmi Tejuosho: She has been consistent as a force to reckon with in Lagos politics. She is currently serving her fourth term in the Lagos state House of Assembly representing Mushin Constituency I She is also the chairperson of the Lagos state House of Assembly committee on finance. She has tipped severally to be the speaker of the house but she never got the nod of my fellow members. She has however stayed through to the cause and has become a voice for the female folks in Nigeria’s commercial capital. She is known for supporting pro people initiatives and laws in the house and has shown exemplary leadership quality and diligence while carrying out at her parliamentary duties.

6. Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa: The journalist turned politician is a very popular figure in the Nigerian society. She worked for the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) for fifteen years, anchoring the weekly NTA Newsline programme and taking a particular interest in poverty and social justice issues. She retired from her position at NTA to stand for election in the House of Representatives, winning with a substantial majority. She was the chairman of the house committee on media and publicity and later chairperson of the diaspora affairs committee. Her role in vehemently opposing the third term agenda of Obasanjo’s government was well documented. In 2015, she was listed among the top 250 most influential women in the world by Richtopia.com that takes into account various metrics from Twitter, Facebook, Wikipedia, Youtube, LinkedIn and Instagram.

7. Senator Christiana Anyanwu: Like Dabiri-Erewa, she is a journalist turned politician who is well known for her courage. Well read, the 64-year old obtained a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s degree in mass communication from the University of Missouri and Florida State University respectively. In May 1995, the Imo-born politician was arrested following the publication of a story she wrote about a failed coup d’état against the government of the late Nigerian military dictator, Sani Abacha. Anyanwu was accused of being an “accessory after the fact of treason”.  She was prosecuted by a military court away from the public and sentenced to life imprisonment on 4 July 1995. He sentence was later reduced to 15 years in October 1995 following pressure from national and international human rights groups.

8. Dr Kema Chikwe: A veteran in Nigerian politics, Dr Chikwe has been a constant face in Nigerian politics since 1999. Under Obasanjo, she was the minister of aviation. She later became Nigeria’s ambassador to Ireland and subsequently became a member of the PDP’s National Working Committee where she sat as the party’s women leader. Interestingly, Dr Chikwe is also a trained and well-experienced journalist like Dabiri-Erewa and Senator Anyanwu. She has published three books, edited a number of publications and contributed to several books. She is the mother of popular Nigerian rapper, Naeto C.

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