Women Politicians In Nigeria

"Although the situation has improved and is improving, I am not really impressed, because you have more of talking than action as people tend to talk too much but little is done. You hear so many things about girl-child education, but if you go round actually what people are saying, this is not exactly what is happening. Like I said, there is improvement but we need to do more than what we are doing."

"The only thing is to give women the opportunity to do that, we lack this and, also the Nigerian factor of picking people in some areas based on interest is really what is killing the situation. If we go by merit we have so many intelligent and determined women who are focused and can deliver any time."

"This is really long overdue, and I think time has come for women to really get up and participate fully in politics not only in politics but all spheres of life. The only thing is, we should, and must be guided by our religious status and once you have that in mind, you would go places, and also be comfortable, wherever you find yourself. So the issue of relegating women to the background is a thing of the past, women are now fully aware that we are human beings, God created us. So, even in the teachings of our religion, there are areas where men are superior to women, there are areas where men and women are equated. So women have qualities to reckon with."

"From there we continued that same exercises of HIV/AIDS, and I was again asked to consult and look at the issue of people living with HIV/AIDS in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states and I did and we submitted the result. On the basis of our findings, so many other strategies were adopted to really address the issue of HIV/AIDS in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states."

"The whole issue of HIV/AIDS was new and it was myself and one Hajara who started creating awareness about it then. We achieved that by going round schools, prison yards and some ministries, to do advocacy and sensitisation exercises and later, we embarked on some training programmes and thereby got some funding from some organisations to work more."

"I was part and parcel of the formation of some of the NGOs and also a member of for instance, the Federation of Muslim Women"

"I was a consultant to UNICEF at a point, to USAID and other international agencies and that was how even the state government got to know me, and got convinced of my ability to really deliver and I was invited to really participate in running the state affairs."

"You know it was as a result of my participation with non-governmental organisations (NGO) in the state, that actually brought me out and that was how I even got the recognition of some of the international agencies. That was how government and some international agencies got to know about me and really involved me in their activities."

"My parents are enlightened and educated, so in my family right from the first to the last child, we are all exposed to this issue of western life and Islamic education. My father had said if it means spending his last penny he would educate my siblings and I on both western and Islamic education, and he really did keet his promise before he died. So I have all the encouragement from my late father to my husband, friends, brothers and sisters."

"Women should be given more space to exercise their rights in the country."

"Women in the state would push for the emergence of a woman president in Nigeria in 2019."

"Only the emergence of a woman President would end such marginalisation and allow women contribute more meaningfully to national development."

"Well, I have said it, it is really encouraging, if you go to our universities now, both state and federal universities, colleges of education and other tertiary institutions, the enrollment of women is really encouraging. They are really going further now."

"There are obstacles that are not surmountable, there are also obstacles that are surmountable. So I believe that challenges are good in somebody’s life because challenges build somebody."

"If your religion has given you power, opportunity, and the go-ahead to seek knowledge where ever you can get it, then what is limiting you? The only problem is attitudinal and that we have to address and change."

"It is not just exposing the girl child to acquire the basic education, but what happens afterwards. Give her skills that would enable her to empower herself, not just acquiring the knowledge. Let the knowledge be there and the knowledge not just the theoretical aspect but let’s have the practical aspect."

"If we go by merit we have so many intelligent and determined women who are focused and can deliver any time."

"Give her skills that would enable her to empower herself, not just acquiring the knowledge. Let the knowledge be there and the knowledge not just the theoretical aspect but let’s have the practical aspect."

"Women are very peaceful, tolerant, incorruptible and patriotic."

"For any development to take place, there has to be gender equity."

"When do we begin to understand that we need a fundamental change in our political structure?"

"I really don't believe that money should be wasted, not in a country like ours where we are told that so many live below the poverty line."

"In the next couple of years, if the young people of Nigeria decide that something will happen in this nation it must happen, because the number is overwhelming, there is too many of you."

"I decided to run for office because the people who were running our affairs over several decades were not doing a good job of it. We were living through a shameful and incongruous situation where we were known to be a country with huge resources, but where the overwhelming majority of the people lived in abject poverty... It weighed on my heart that the students I was teaching could not enjoy the same standard of education I had."

"It is time to step up the game. For a country that has 70% of its population as young people, that 70% has no business being quiet."

"I would tell my 20-year-old self… To read much more widely. Being a student of the Arts meant that I read a fairly decent amount of literature, but I could have ventured more into other areas – philosophy, biographies of great people, etc. Of course, I’ve done a bit of catching up, but there’s no doubt that some ground was lost."

"If we just feed ourselves rather than import foods, we will create jobs! We will create wealth!"

"If you keep on working and you don't tell people what you are doing, they lose confidence."

"There are two solutions to unemployment, one is a job and the other is entrepreneurship...We need to increase 'made in Nigeria'. Even me. We all need to buy 'made in Nigeria'! Eat 'made in Nigeria'! Drink 'made in Nigeria'!"

"The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) is doing a great job in this regard already. It is all about data and bringing people and companies into the formal sector. Firms that operate under the radar can easily avoid tax. The government is doing basic things to expedite this process, such as scanning all business cards we receive and sending them to FIRS. If a company comes looking for payment from the government to implement a project, we check them before any money is released. At the beginning of the administration’s term, we found that some firms, such as fuel marketers, were receiving subsidies from the government but were not registered for tax. By increasing the flow of information and following up on such cases, we will quickly expand the tax base."

"Investing in infrastructure is key. If we can create a revenue base outside oil, we will be less exposed to the volatility of crude prices."

"She was conferred with the Global Excellence Award for Women Empowerment and Development for her role in empowering women across Africa through her foundation."

"We have trained hundreds of widows across Nigerian states such as Benue, Enugu, and Cross Rivers on financial empowerment."

"The NGO has earmarked the sum of two million naira as a revolving loan for each of the selected states, with 20,000 naira given to each widow to run a business of her choice."

"We have called on African leaders to deliberate on peacebuilding and conflict resolution across the nation."

"Africa is in need of mediators and peacekeepers. Our continent is engulfed in inter-religious, ethnic, and tribal conflicts, and women are proven to be the most effective agents for peacebuilding."

"This organization is a child of necessity! We felt it would be unkind to abandon the people we had already mobilized."

"Women must be involved in leadership positions globally. More women should be part of the economic and political development of their respective countries. This will lead to accelerated growth and development worldwide."

"We have quite a great plan moving forward; as for Now, WAELE AFRICA publishes a monthly magazine, in Both French and English."

"WAELE AFRICA was established to empower African women, economically, politically as well as to ensure the participation of women in peace and conflict transformation."

"The organization is a child of necessity, I was the president-general of the better life program for Africa rural women (BLPARW), Which was a pet project of her Excellency Late Maryam Babangida, the Former Nigerian First lady, established in September 1986."

"Working with her was a masterclass, not just as an actress, but also on how to conduct yourself as a creative."

"Nothing good comes easy."

"Funke is like a mother, she has that mother figure in her. She cares a lot about people around her."

""You are golden, intelligent, worthy, powerful, strong, beautiful, and you never doubt it. You must stand tall, take up space. Never shrink. Never apologize for your greatness," she declared."

"This week – and always – walk as if you know who you are"

"As the highest-grossing filmmaker in Nigeria and a reputable actress, I’m proof that hard work and determination can take you far"

"It’s not having the skill to do something. It’s about having the will, desire and commitment to be your best."

"It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation. Originality is key."

"I encourage young ladies out there that are in a hurry to get married, that are pressured to get married. Calm down, take your time, If you rush in, you will rush out.Also marriage is all about marrying your friend"