The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has said that it is regrettable that women are not given adequate recognition for their contributions to building an egalitarian society and prosperous nation.
Prince Abiodun, who stated this at the 19th Conference of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Government Officials (COWLSGO) held on Tuesday at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos described women as critical partners in nation-building but regretted that their efforts were not always recognised.
“I want to appreciate our women for working towards improving their communities and the world at large. It is regrettable that women are not always recognised for their contributions to society. But it is important to acknowledge their far-reaching inputs as they are engaged in risky tasks on a daily basis,” he said.
He noted that the Nigerian culture places more value on learning by emphasising on new ways of doing things, as opposed to repeating the mistakes of the past.
“To succeed today, we must be in a constant state of adaptation – by unlearning old roles and (re)learning new ones. That requires continually questioning assumptions of how things work, challenging old paradigms and learning what is now relevant to your jobs, career and life,” he said.
Governor Abiodun, who stressed that women should be encouraged to participate in public and private governance, as a good number of them are hardworking breadwinners with high levels of problem-solving skills, added that “to hold a woman back is to hold the society back.”
He said the COWLSGO, through the conference had opened a template for strategic thinking and successful reorientation of the people’s mindset, enjoining the people to, “unlearn the technology and methodology we use, to unlearn how we approach our issues, to unlearn the way we communicate our values, to unlearn the skills, knowledge needed – to get to the next level”.
Governor Abiodun observed that change was the only constant thing in life, and learning how to adopt it was not just important to survival, but it was also important to thrive in the bigger scene of life.
The Speaker, House of Representative on his part, noted that education is the major way to empower women, adding that the House had launched a 92-page legislative agenda which focused on gender equality.
He noted that women are very important to nation-building, as they are an integral part of the larger society.
The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, represented by Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, the wife of the Vice President, said the programme availed women the opportunity to rub minds and find a way forward to a better home, adding that women had the opportunity to build a better Nigeria.
The Special Guest of Honour and Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahaman Abdurasak, while declaring the conference open, said gender issues were a part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that challenge women to rise, as the failure of women would amount to the failure of all.