Aired on the eve of the 2015 general Election in Nigeria, this Silverbird Television production brings together politician and legal practitioner Nkechi Chukwueke and rights activist Abimbola Ojora to discuss the contemporary prospects and challenges for Nigerian women in politics. The guests guardedly welcome the attention that women’s issues are beginning to receive, but note that it should not simply be a temporary focus of campaigning politicians seeking votes.
Topics covered in the near 40-minute show include the need for the authorities to take responsibility for the difficulties some women faced in voting, the need to embrace gender differences within a balanced democracy, the prospects for overcoming social and political constraints on women’s participation, the corrupting influence of money, and how women are inhibited by the system once they are elected. Chukwueke encourages women to support each other, and in so doing start to create a better enabling environment for empowerment. Finally, a short phone-on section includes many words of support, including from male callers.