A peep into the past
I once engaged with a group of listeners on the dwindling number of women as role models that Nigeria has and what the minds of girls and young women have been socialised to believe, prioritise and become. In trying to close a huge gap in history I had and rising above rhetorical narratives, I decided to take a module on Gender and History while studying for a second Masters degree in Gender Studies at the School of African and Oriental Studies (SOAS) University of London. In order to internalise and understand the positions of women in society, I realised that many conversations were without core historical emphasis, reasoning or analysis. My thoughts keep leading me to take on perspectives that can be uncommon.
It’s a very troubling situation to see an entire Nation, almost loose her position in placing women at the centre of affairs and decision making, giving an impression that women aren’t capable and re-imposing colonial control over the people. Women are often times reminded of “the greats” in trickles and on occasions of celebratory grandeur instead of being a daily reminder and an action, deliberate enough to re-position women due to the historical and archival references of their greatness and leadership prowess.
Discovering and studying the life of a King called Ahebe Ugbabe, first woman who became King, first woman to become a Warrant Officer during colonial interruptions, first woman to act in the capacity of a King in a Kingdom in Igbo land and perform male centered norms such as “ńtifitē ñmowun” known as bringing out a masquerade in the Igbo culture, and wife marrying. An ethnographic discovery by Chinua Achebe’s daughter, Nwando Achebe, through research, brought about layers of knowledge and rich historical information about women who lead. Just like King Ahebe, many women have taken up mantles of leadership, disrupted norms, represented in spaces that have been dominated by male headship and performed excellently.
However, engaging others with my historical findings was met with doubt and confusion for some, as many girls and young women (and men) have not heard of a woman being a King. This proves the point that history about women requires deliberate amplification for a society to understand better.
Through the lens of storytelling
5 years ago, a documentary about the realities young women face in leadership was developed and aired by my team and I through HEIR Women Development (Now HEIR Women Hub) platform. The stories captured the social norms ascribed to women who pursued decision making positions, quip-pro-quo nuances, disability dimensions, voices of thought leaders and their experiences in either advocating or supporting young women in the call to leadership positions.
The remake of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti – a 2024 biopic about the life and times of Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, a renowned Nigerian activist and mother of Afrobeat Legend, Fela Kuti, was screened at the 12th edition of the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) where it won the prizes for Best Overall Feature Film and Best Screenplay- is a story that should go beyond theatrical reactions to digging deeper into the structural mis-alignment that power concentration on ‘mostly’ men has created. The warriors of Dahomey, an all women security force providing protection to the King of Benin Republic was aired in Western media, got reactions and arguments about its existence but it made a mark on knowledge for girls and women. Nwando Achebe wrote yet another book documenting the Monarchs and Queens of Africa that shows we have historical records to re-tell. Many movies of heroes who were women, grace our screens, all from history. The question for me is – How do we transition this important stories and replicate them into systems?
I recently attended a remarkable documentary created by Kadaria Ahmed titled “Double Minority”. The camera followed the political process of 9 women in their journey to becoming leaders in their communities. The realities of violence, intimidation and exclusion was palpable throughout the documentary. What resonated quite often was the grit and courage of the women featured against a backdrop of barriers structured for failure. These barriers were faced in a different context by King Ahebi Ugabe, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, Queen Amina, and the Dahomey warriors but, they were barriers nonetheless. It questions whether society’s aim is to keep intentionally re-creating challenges for women in order to restrict the run for positions in order to normalise learned helplessness.
Correcting the Anomaly with “The 74”
Scholars and researchers prove the trajectory of Nations that show equitable governance. The Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG) has given a decade of data, ranking Nigeria at a “struggling” rate in increasing women representation. Out of 54 countries, 6 has implemented the “reserved seats” strategies with a remarkable improvement in national performance. Countries such as Senegal, South Africa, Rwanda, Uganda and Namibia have recorded a high representation of women through the system and countries that have an effective peace and conflict resolution process has women as part of the solution. Mckinsey report showed that when women are actively sponsored (the key word being sponsored which is different from mentored) into positions of leadership, there is evidential increase in return on investments.
HB1349 is the mantra and the “brand” according to Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, the official “face” and sponsor of the special seats for women bill. The past few weeks has witnessed a strong clamour for the 74 seats. These hearings cut across geo-political zones, non-partisan politics and across inter-generational lines. The voice is in unison- echoing the timely intervention of the reserved seats while the Nigerian constitution attempts yet another “overhaul”.
What will it take to “install” additional 74 seats? Why would the legislators want “new” seats for 74 women? Why does the society still get uncomfortable with women vying and occupying seats of leadership?
The assumption (in my opinion) is that HB1349 for 74 will visibly increase the representation of women. This, in itself, positions as a good argument. Whether this will unravel the root cause of historically excluding women is a separate kettle of fish to understand. An analytical lens into the current posturing of “discipline” in the National Assembly (NASS) over women demonstrating their voice and agency may look like a subliminal reminder to women of their “position”. So I ask, would “The 74” be exempt from such discipline or would they be tasked with the “Holy Grail” of acceptable behaviour for women in leadership and decision making roles?
The Hurdle versus the Silver Lining
While the “Special Seats” Bill gains momentum, resonating questions abound on HB1349 such as – How will the seats be funded? Some opinions find reservations of seats to be discriminatory against women because it suggests the isolation of seats for just women. Others imply that the men will not readily give up their seats even if it was duly contested and won by women. The 74 may have to prove themselves- something the other seat members do not have to do. And to this I ask – what has been the cost of women not occupying seats of leadership and being under-represented? Does data show the anomaly?
Historical figures of women prove the obvious- that women have the innate capacity and ability to lead. One must question whether society has the power to change current underpinnings of control of majority by minority to enable the catapulting and the re-positioning of a great Nation like Nigeria.
Nigeria needs her women beyond “dialogue”. It’s been tested and proven historically, across the globe, Africa and Nigeria, that making women count in leadership and real time representation, provides economic benefits and positive global recognition and positionality. So policy makers have to demonstrate the material evidence to agree and align with historical evidence of women in leadership.
The road ahead
Advocating never stops. While the HB1349 for 74 Seats aims to “correct” the current system of exclusion, women’s issues has got to be absolutely well presented and mainstreamed into demonstrable actions by women (and men). We have zero time for words without corresponding actions or “wishy washy” representation. Girls and young women require a reflection on history for the archives have stories of greats to tell. When an opportunity presents itself, we must boast of credible young women ready to represent in positions of leadership.
I look forward to the moments that Nigeria will show us equity in appointments and rise to the status of a “developed” country by demonstrating what female representation should look like, from history to present.
Añuli Aniebo
References
Achebe Nwando 2011. The Female King of Colonial Nigeria
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) Bill, 2024
Krook, Mona Lena 2013. Electoral Gender Quotas
McKinsey 2023. Women in leadership: Lessons from Australian companies leading the way
Mo Ibrahim Foundation https://mo.ibrahim.foundation/sites/default/files/2025-03/index-insight-womens-equality-in-africa.pdf