Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has urged women in the state to shun politicians who preach politics of “stomach infrastructure,” saying they do not mean well for the state and the nation.
Addressing women at this year’s Edo Women Conference held in Benin City, Oshiomhole said: “Edo women have the right to question politicians on their credibility because it is no longer the business of rice, salt, beans, or money.
“It is knowing what happened in the past and comparing with the present. Women, you have the right qualifications because intelligence is not determined by possession of certificates.”
He said: “No society can make any progress if by its policies or actions, majority or simple majority of your populace remain underdeveloped.
“If as a result of poorly articulated public policies or even when the policy is properly articulated but not well implemented to the spirit and the letter, if by our actions and inactions in government or out of government, we do not empower the majority of our citizens, then we cannot talk of empowerment of anybody.”
He added: “All of us, individually or collectively should not lament the deprivation of women.”
He urged the women to have confidence in themselves, saying: “You are not powerless as women but have confidence that as women, you are not inferior to any other group and it’s not about competition between you and the men but rather organise yourselves, mobilise and show determination to change a situation that has deprived, victimised and oppressed.
“The day you make up your mind to do that, you will have come out of your woes and lamentations.”
He called on women to stop preaching that men should give women opportunity, saying: “My own life has taught me one thing; that those who benefit from a particular order, those who are responsible for iniquity in a society, those who oppress and watch others being oppressed, you cannot sermonise to them to abandon the system that gives them so much privilege.”
He said: “In order to empower the girl child and eliminate poverty in the state, Edo State Government put in place various policies that empower our women and even the school children.”
The state government has abolished all forms of levies including PTA levies in public schools from the primary to senior secondary schools, provision of free ride on Comrade Bus to all pupils and students in Edo State, who put on school uniforms, whether they are in public or private schools.”
He used the occasion to announce his N10 million contribution towards the hosting of the Women Conference, annually.
In a paper presentation entitled, “Edo Women Society, Our Issues our Voices”, the Guest Speaker, Dr. Mrs. Esohe Aighatise stated some issues facing Edo Women in contemporary times.
She said, “Education is one of the problems that face women in our contemporary Edo Society. When there is a choice of who to send to school, the girl child stands at a disadvantage as against the male child. When you train a woman, you train a nation”.
She stated other issues to include; cultural barriers such as female genital mutilation, political inequalities, societal values, amongst others.
She urged the women to value what they have and avoid all manner of nudity that would bring shame and disgust to the women folk and called on the Lawmakers at the Federal, State and Local Government to enact laws that would prescribes the number of children women should have, when and under what situation.
Others who spoke at the occasion include; Deaconess Endurance Odubu, Wife of the Deputy Governor of Edo State, Professor Yinka Omoregbe, Former Secretary, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Dr. Josephine Anenih, Former Minister, Women Affairs amongst others.
Present at the occasion were top government functionaries, the Esama of Benin, Chief Osawaru Igbinedion, Professor Tes Sorae and leaders of various women groups in Edo State.
