As part of measures to stem gender imbalance in the country, traditional rulers and religious leaders in Abuja has formally launched “Side By Side Movement For Gender Justice in Nigeria.”
Speaking at the launch on Wednesday organised by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development Centre (LSD), the Emir of Kano, Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II, said that traditional institutions as the closest to the grassroots in the leadership cadre, understood the plight of the people better.
Represented by the Dan Malikin Kano, Ambassador Ahmed Umar, the Emir urged leaders to be selfless and ensure equitable distribution of wealth to the people, saying the natural resources in the country is enough to go round all citizens, if the leadership can display selflessness.
“The traditional institutions really understand the problems of injustice and gender inequality affecting Nigerians better because we deal with the people every day and see what they face daily.
“We are religious people in Nigeria and we are also endowed in so many ways, so I will implore the leaders to be selfless and to use their positions for the good of the people,” he said.
Speaking earlier, the founding Executive Director of the Centre LSD, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, said the ‘Side by Side Movement’ was a growing global movement pursuing transformational change for gender justice for people of faith.
According to him, the approach was to stand firmly in the fight for gender equality and transform discriminatory and unequal power relationship to promote justice, love and dignity.
“It had been established that to accelerate global development, women should be given their proper place in society. This would ensure gender justice and that responsibility was on traditional leaders and faith-based organisations.
“Side by Side movement would leverage on the text of the Qur’an and the Bible to encourage religious leaders to correctly interpret them to protect the girl-child and women,” Igbuzor said.
Also, the Owa Ajero of Ijero Kingdom, Ekiti State, Oba Adebayo Adewole, stressed the need for women to be given their dues.
“In my cabinet, I have male and female chiefs, male and female priests; and I can assure you that our female chiefs are doing very well like their male counterparts.
“So, I am here to lend my voice to the fact that gender equality must be promoted in Nigeria and women and girls must be respected and given their dues,” the traditional ruler said.
