Since I was a girl growing up in Nigeria, women have not been given a fair chance to contribute in our country. Nigerian women are sexualized for everything: school grades right from primary school, NYSC youth call, to graduate employment in any sector, including politics and up to the home. It’s not just the women, it’s the Nigerian young girls as well.
Most Nigerian women despite being educated are deprived of opportunities to have good families or to make a positive contribution to their families because they have no rights in the Nigerian community or the employment stage. We have been openly abused and sexualized for years such that it is now the norm in Nigeria for any male in power to sexually abuse a woman who seeks to further herself in any life endeavour. Her educational qualification, experience or hardwork are all irrelevant, all that matters is sex.
Sen. Natasha Akpoti Uduagan’s case is another wake up call for Nigerian women, girls and the generations coming. Sen. Godwill Akpabio should have been suspended and an independent tribunal set up to review this case for starters but nothing has happened to date. Treating Sen. Natasha Akpoti this way has made many Nigerian women across the world weep for hope.
Dear Ambassador Mohammed, please relate to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and members of the Nigerian Senate, that Nigerian women want Sen. Natasha Akpoti re-instated to give us hope that tomorrow will be better for the Nigerian woman.
Nigerian women everywhere are pleading with President Bola Tinubu to use Sen. Natasha Akpoti Uduagan’s case to liberate Nigerian women from the historical sexualization by Nigerian men in cases of educational grades, employment, politics, and career progression. We also need to empower the government ministry protecting women rights in Nigeria or the abuse will continue.
Let Liberating Nigerian women be one if not the greatest legacy of President Bola Tinubu.
God Bless Nigeria
Josephine O Akpetie Ogierakhi
Concerned Nigerian Women in Diaspora