… written by Kogi reports
Nigeria’s political landscape has long been a battleground for gender equality, where women who dare to step into leadership face relentless resistance. Despite constitutional guarantees and global calls for gender inclusion, female politicians remain targets of exclusion and intimidation.
The recent controversy surrounding Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan underscores this reality. The attempt to suspend her for performing her constitutional duties is not just an attack on her person but a broader effort to undermine the progress women have made in Nigerian politics. It is a familiar playbook—one designed to bruise the egos of those who cannot accept that women, too, have a place in governance. As the Roman philosopher Seneca observed, “A kingdom founded on injustice never lasts.” Nigeria cannot claim to be a just democracy while punishing women for exercising their rights.
The Concerned Women Group, a coalition advocating for gender equity, has condemned this move, warning that any attempt to silence a vocal female senator will be met with resistance. Nigerian women, who have fought tirelessly for representation, refuse to be pushed back into the margins of decision-making. Their warning of nationwide protests is not just about one senator—it is about rejecting the long history of political victimization that has kept women from fully participating in governance. Eleanor Roosevelt’s words resonate deeply in this moment: “Well-behaved women seldom make history.” To remain silent in the face of injustice is to accept it. Proverbs 31:8 commands, “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.” There is no greater betrayal of democratic ideals than punishing a woman for having a voice.
Women in Nigerian politics have always been targets. From the moment they step forward, they encounter deeply ingrained cultural beliefs that view leadership as the domain of men. If they manage to win elections, they face relentless scrutiny, personal attacks, and systemic efforts to undermine their authority. Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s predicament follows a well-worn script: female politicians are often dismissed as too emotional, too aggressive, or too ambitious, their integrity questioned at every turn. Yet history has shown that those who persist against resistance are the ones who reshape societies. Wole Soyinka once said, “Justice is the first condition of humanity.” But where is justice when a female senator is penalized for doing the very work her male colleagues do without consequence?
The call for intervention from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu places the issue squarely at the heart of national leadership. Their response—or silence—will send a clear message about whether this administration genuinely supports women in governance. At a time when Nigeria faces pressing challenges, from economic instability to rising insecurity, the Senate’s focus should be on solving these crises, not silencing dissenting voices. Martin Luther King Jr.’s warning rings true: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” If Nigeria continues to suppress the voices of women, it undermines its own claim to democratic principles.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan’s struggle is not hers alone. It reflects the battle that millions of Nigerian women face every day—women who are told they are not good enough, strong enough, or capable enough to lead anywhere but kitchen and other room. The fight for representation in politics mirrors the broader struggles for equality in workplaces, education, and public life. Women in Nigeria have come a long way, but progress remains fragile. Each time they gain ground, the system pushes back. The attempt to suspend a female senator is part of that pushback, but Nigerian women are refusing to retreat. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie reminds us, “Culture does not make people; people make culture.” If Nigerian politics is hostile to women, then it is the responsibility of its leaders and citizens to change that culture.
Nigeria, a nation deeply rooted in religious beliefs, often invokes scripture to justify political decisions. But even the Bible stands against exclusion and injustice. Galatians 3:28 affirms, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Leadership should be determined by competence, vision, and integrity—not gender. Proverbs 31:8 calls for defending the rights of the vulnerable, not silencing them. To invoke religion while allowing injustice to thrive is to betray the very principles faith teaches.
The Concerned Women Group has made its position clear: Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan must not be silenced. Nigerian women have fought too hard to be sidelined now. The world is watching, and history will remember whether this moment marks another chapter in the suppression of women or a turning point toward inclusion. John Stuart Mill once wrote, “The worth of a state, in the long run, is the worth of the individuals composing it.” If Nigeria continues to suppress its women, it suppresses its own future.
The political establishment must recognize that the days of shutting women out are over. Nigerian women are not asking for permission to lead—they are demanding their rightful place in governance. If the Senate proceeds with this unfair treatment, it will not only face resistance from women but from every Nigerian who values justice and democracy. The question now is whether Nigeria will continue to bruise the egos of those who fear strong women or finally accept the truth that a nation can only progress when all voices are heard. The answer to that question will define the country’s political future for generations to come.
– Inah Boniface Ocholi writes from Idah
