How women can take their place in politics – Nigeria’s 1st female speaker

Margret Icheen is the first female Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly and also the first female speaker in Nigeria and West Africa.

She is also a former Federal Commissioner at the Federal Character Commission (FCC).

Mrs. Icheen, who is the Chairman of the Benue State Football Association (BSFA), in this interview, speaks on how women have fared in politics since Nigeria’s independence.

60 years down the road, how have women fared in politics?

We have not felt the impact of women seriously in politics.

From 1960, there was just a little bit of improvement up to the beginning of democracy in 1999.

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Looking at the percentage of women in the country, I feel they have not gone half way to be recognised as those who are strong in trying to bring democracy to play in the country.

So women have really been left behind.

The reason I think is that men feel that politics or some positions are basically for the men – which I believe is not so – because when a woman is given an opportunity for something; to work in an office or anywhere, she tries as much as possible to excel on the job.

So, when the men feel that politics is just for themselves, I feel they are not doing justice to us, because if we look at the history of men and few women who have been given positions of authority in politics and in administration, I think women have performed wonderfully well.

If the women are not carried along, this country will not be, because in most elections women form the bulk of the voting population.

Queues during elections are always dominated by women, but as they say; the man is the head, they feel they can be bosses of everything. I think the men are not being fair to us.

Again, part of the blame should go to the women who are often scared of coming out to join politics because they feel it is a very tough game – especially with the hazards involved – but they need to get into it and do it like the men in order to succeed.

Most women think they can’t play politics because they don’t have the financial muscle, and others fear the thugs around and other accompanying factors, but I feel that when you get into a system, then you will know how to play it well.

Looking back to the time you were a speaker and now, what has changed?

We are really coming up, but it is not commensurate with the number and population of women in the country.

For instance, in today’s Benue State House of Assembly, out of 30 members, I think we have only two or three women.

The percentage is not enough. At the National Assembly in Abuja, out of 390 reps members, you find just few women; the same thing with the senate, where out of 109, there are only few women.

So I think the percentage is really decreasing by the day. Sometimes it would come up and other times it would decrease.

All these are due to the financial involvement.

Politics these days has to do with money, and most women depend on their husbands, and one who doesn’t have a husband depends on what earns and may not be able to spend that on politics.

What was it like being the first female speaker in West Africa?

Success always accompanies joyfulness.

Being the first as recorded in the history of the country in any legislative house – not only in the state assembly, but national and first in West Africa – was overwhelming.

Now most women look up to me as to how I managed to achieve that position.

And that is why I always encourage them, knowing that it is difficult for most of them.

Once a woman goes into politics, there is no insult that would not come her way.

But that shouldn’t deter them; that was my principle.

I used to tell them that whatever the situation, forge ahead; whatever name being tagged on you, ignore them and go ahead, because once what you are doing is right, at the end of the tunnel, you will succeed.

So I was happy when I was named the first female speaker in West Africa.

I don’t know if it is luck, but I’m always first among men.

Now that I’m in the game of football, I’m the FA Chairman in Benue State.

We have 37 chairmen in the country looking after football, and I’m the only woman.

I will say the men respect me for who I am and what I prove to them that I can do.

Do you think women in politics have been given the chance to prove themselves?

Partly yes and partly no.

Some have not been given the opportunity, while others have been given; but how to manage the opportunity is another point.

Some who have been given the opportunity have managed it very well, but others, due to lack of knowledge or reasons I do not know, don’t manage their opportunities well, so they fail at the end of the day.

For instance, like during campaigns; women are given opportunity to come out and vie for certain positions.

Most times it is the women who decline such opportunity. You will hear them say things like, “I can’t do it” or “I can’t go”.

They are given ample opportunity and they complain about not having the capacity or financial wherewithal.

I didn’t have anything when I ventured into politics.

I decided to break the jinx which men felt was their own position alone.

It also depends on how you relate with people in your community.

If the relationship is strong; even without money, they will support you.

So, some opportunities are being thrown away by the women themselves.

However, the opportunities are not enough for the woman.

With Nigeria at 60, what should women expect?

Now that Nigeria is 60, women should rise to be part of the development of this country.

Let us get up and be recognised as being part and parcel of the nation as we have also contributed to the development of the country.

Women should see themselves as part of building this democracy.

Let them know that they can play politics even better than the men.

Because first, we as women have the fear of God, we are not comfortable when we are associated with failure or with ill-dealings, and that is why we are the best leaders, best administrators, among others, because we try as much as possible to do things right.

Although there may be a few bad eggs, they have not overshadowed the good ones.

Let them not be scared, let them come out and test their abilities, and once they get it, I think the country will be a better place.

How would you score Nigeria at 60?

There are things not completely going on well in this country.

Let me just point out the current issues of herdsmen, kidnapping, rape and many vices which were not there or heard about in the past.

Now these have come to stay in our country and have brought a lot of disadvantages, as well as backwardness in Nigeria.

So, I will score the country 60 per cent.

We still have a long way to go.

Take the issue of rape; it has now overtaken the herdsmen issue.

Children are being raped, sadly some are being raped by their parents.

So where is this country heading to?

We need to sit and rethink, strategise and see what’s next for Nigeria in the years to come.

 What other solutions would you proffer?

The solution lies in leadership.

Let our leaders come together and fight these evils, because if we are to have a positive Nigeria, we need to be united.

If we are not united, whatever it is that we wish Nigeria to be will never be.

I want to appeal to leaders that despite all that is happening; let’s put our differences aside and look at Nigeria as our focal point.

The country belongs to all of us, let’s try to ignore our differences: ethnic, religious, state, etc., in order to fulfil the saying, “United we stand, divided we fall.”