Gideon Arinze in Enugu
Women Empowerment Education and Peace Building Initiative (WEPBI) has called on the Enugu State Government to reform its traditional laws to mandate the inclusion of women in royal cabinets and the Traditional Rulers Council.
Executive Director of WEPBI, Oguadimma Joy, made the call yesterday at a one-day policy co-creation and validation workshop on women’s statutory representation in traditional cabinets in Enugu State, organised under the Renewed Women’s Voice and Leadership-Nigeria (RWVL-N) project, with support from Global Affairs Canada.
In her address, Joy said that traditional councils across the state had for too long operated without women despite their important leadership roles in communities.
“Female representation must transition from active advocacy into formal policy adoption and implementation within traditional governance systems,” she said.
She noted that while there are no specific statutory laws mandating women’s inclusion in traditional councils, their participation was necessary because of their ability to contribute to community development.
The Chairman of the Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, Samuel Asadu, said that women’s inclusion would promote greater participation in community affairs and enable them to contribute to conflict resolution, peacebuilding, economic development and social welfare.
Asadu said that he remains committed to advancing women’s representation in traditional leadership and would continue engaging traditional institutions to strengthen inclusive governance across the state.
Also speaking, the Deputy Chief Whip of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Obiajulu Ugwu, said that efforts should go beyond policies to enact a law guaranteeing women’s inclusion in traditional councils.