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It shows we aren’t meant for the ‘other room’ only – Edo Women
The appointment of five women out of the 11 commissioners by the Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, has ignited debate about women participation in politics in the state.
After dillydallying for 11 months, Obaseki appointed 11 commissioners as members of the State Executive Council. The appointment came 11 months after he was sworn in for a second term.
The commissioners, who were screened and confirmed by the Edo State House of Assembly, have been inaugurated by the governor. Two special advisers were also appointed by the governor.
Edo State has 21 ministries and with the recent appointment of 11 commissioners, 11 ministries are yet to get commissioners. Of the 13 appointments made by the governor, six are women while seven are men as one of the two special advisers is a woman.
The appointments came as a surprise to residents and political observers in the state as it did not follow the usual norm of male dominated appointments.
Daily Trust on Sunday learnt that in the history of Edo State, this is the first time women have been given five commissioner slots.
Meanwhile, Governor Obaseki had, during the thank you tour of the 18 local governments, said his cabinet would be made of 50 per cent women.
He said women were part of the successes recorded in his first tenure in critical sectors of the state.
According to pundits, the development is unique because in the history of political development in the state, such number of women commissioners have never been appointed.
The female commissioners are Prof. Obehi Akoria (Health), Mrs. Otse Momoh-Omorogbe (Budget and Planning), Dr. Joan Osa Oviawe (Education), Isoken Omo (Physical Planning and Urban Development) and Marie Edeki (Social Development and Gender).
The female adviser is Ajose-Adeogun who is appointed as Special Adviser, Strategy, Policy, Projects and Performance Management.
In Obaseki’s first tenure, two of the women commissioners, Momoh-Omorogbe and Edeki, were part of the kitchen cabinet while Oviawe and Omo were in charge of Edo State Universal Basic Education and Edo Property Development Agency.
Prof. Obehi Akoria
Obehi is the Edo State Commissioner for Health. She is a professor of Medicine and a lecturer at the University of Benin with 20 years’ experience. She obtained bachelor of medicine and surgery from the University of Benin, and a fellow of the National Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria. She pioneered the establishment of Geriatrics at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital and also served as Secretary to Governor Obaseki Health Advisory committee.
Isoke Omo
Born on April 28, 1970, Isoken Omo attended the Rivers State University of Science and Technology where she obtained B.Tech in Estate Management in 1992. She also obtained an MBA in Business Administration in 1999 from the University of Hull, United Kingdom. Her work experience spans over 28 years. She was appointed Executive Chairman EDPA, where she championed the development of Emotan Gardens Estate, the development of Jara Malls in Sokponba Road and Ugbowo, among others.
Dr. Joan Osa Oviawe
With a PhD in Education, Dr. Joan Osa Oviawe is the commissioner of Education. She is the immediate past Executive Chairman, Edo State Universal Basic Education Board. She spearheaded the Edo State Basic Education Sector Transformation (EdoBest) which has become a reference point for other states. During her time in SUBEB, she ensured the training of 11,356 teachers and head masters. She is expected to replicate the reforms she implemented in SUBEB in the ministry of education.
Marie Edeko
Marie Edeko is an educationist and a lawyer. She was the commissioner for Social Development and Gender in Governor Obaseki’s first tenure. She championed the domestication and review of Violence Against persons Prohibition (VAPP) law 2019/2021 in EDO.
Mrs Otse Momoh-Omorogbe
She was the commissioner of Budget and Planning in Obaseki’s first tenure. She championed the reforms in budget preparation in the state. She is the daughter of the Otaru of Auchi.
A former employee of Shell, she is an accomplished professional with over two decades of multidisciplinary experience in the oil and gas industry.
It shows we should not only be in the other room – Edo Women
Some residents, who spoke to Daily Trust on Sunday described the development as good one.
A gender activist, Comrade Abiola Daisy Idada, who’s the President Conference of Non-Governmental Organisation (CONGO), described the appointment as a step in the right direction.
“Five out of 11 is a welcome development. If you could recall when he came on board, he said he would give more opportunities to women to serve the state,” she said.
Idada who is also the founder Take a Cue Development Initiative, said “So far, the governor has done well by appointing five women in his cabinet.
“It is a right step in the right direction and we are appreciative of what he has done because if he had given us one slot just like in the past, there is nothing we can do.
“With what the governor has done now, we are gradually achieving 35 percent women affirmation in Edo State.”
Another female activist, Lady Taiye Agbontaen, Vice President South South zone, Nigeria Association of Women Entrepreneurs, said women are being recognized in the state.
“We have been clamouring for more women in governance and I think the appointment of five women is paving way for good governance in the state.
“They said women should be in the other room but with what Obaseki has done now, women are taking centre stage of governance in Edo,” she said.
She, however, advised the women to justify the trust and confidence the governor has in them by performing well to encourage other states to emulate Edo in appointing more women in government.
On his part, Dada Ayokhai also described the appointment as a welcome development.
“The appointment is a testament that the governor is in tune with the reality of the 21st Century where gender should not be a criterion for appointment, rather merit and competence.
“Again, statistics support the fact that women are better goal-getters. In the recent past, the women who were saddled with the responsibility of presiding over the affairs of some of the ministries did not in any way disappoint hence the need to increase the number.”
According to him, the appointment of more women into the cabinet is also a dignified way of encouraging female education.
“Some parents who discourage female education might have a second thought because of these appointments. My advice to the women is to prove themselves worthy of the appointments,” she said.
Tony Abolo, a media consultant, said the governor’s gesture is a move towards accepting the Beijing declaration of affirmative action for women.
He said people are beginning to observe that women have better approach towards governance, management and trying to resolve issues.
He said women need to be encouraged to propel younger ones to aspire for more positions in governance, reiterating that the appointment of five women is a signal that if one strives wherever she is, she will be recognised and driven into governance.
Also speaking, Dr. Kehinde Mabel Osifo, Coordinator for Help Encourage Person Living With HIV/Aids (HEPA), commended Governor Obaseki for the appointments.
“This tells us that women have hope for the future and in no distance time, more women will occupy more positions in the state,” she said.
She, however, urged the women to give their best since the governor trusted them to put them in viable positions and to make the womenfolk proud.
